Deaf Havana
talk dogs, getting sober and returning as a duo

Rock band Deaf Havana have been making music for nearly a decade, with five studio albums in their back pockets. But after a challenging couple of years, brothers and bandmates Matty and James were no longer talking and ready to close the door on making music. Before they parted ways, they decided to write one more song, which quickly turned into a whole new album. They told us about overcoming addiction and why dogs really are the best.

Recording their first album as a duo has brought the brothers back together and The Present is a Foreign Land is a reflection on the last couple of years. Deaf Havana’s latest record is catchy and cathartic, and their sound has evolved across six studio albums, now a little simpler in style but not in the topics it raises.

A lot can change in ten years, but it’s not just the band’s haircuts that are different. It’s a new era for Deaf Havana, musically and personally. The pair had drifted apart and while singer James was working on getting sober, guitarist Matty was working on one last song. Matty says:

“At the start of 2021 we were ready to draw a line under everything. I’d been writing a few songs and there was one in particular that I thought would work really well. I sent it to James and it was our first contact in over a year. We got together to record it and about four weeks later we had the twelve tracks that make up the record that’s coming out in July.”

Coming back with a bang, the song 19 Dreams renewed Matty and James’ passion for making music. They’re feeling refreshed and ready for the album’s release, but it’s taken some tricky steps for them to get to this point. James explains:

“In 2019 Matty had started to sort his head out, as my mental state deteriorated to the worst it’s ever been. We were at opposite ends of the scale and fell out massively. Now we’re in a good space mentally, but also as brothers too. We’ve grown up and we’re in a better place to support each other.”

Whether you’re singing Cher in the shower, or turning up the volume on an old favourite, music can be great at helping us deal with things. For Matty and James, they know how valuable it can be when it comes to expressing themselves.

Some of the tracks on Deaf Havana’s latest album have sprung from trying to put some difficult feelings into words. It wasn’t until after Going Clear was released that James realised that the song was actually about his struggles with alcohol and drugs:

“I actually wrote the song about three years ago. I didn’t realise what it was about until I listened back and it’s 100% about struggling with addiction. If you’re trying to give up drinking, don’t beat yourself up. I’ve had moments where I’ve slipped up, but I had to be a bit kinder to myself. There isn’t one blanket rule for everyone trying to stop drinking. You have to figure out what works for you.”

Like James, writing and listening to music gave Matty space to reflect and process the tricky stuff. He’s been working on talking when he feels shit, but he also wants people to feel less alone when they listen to a Deaf Havana record:

“I look for an emotional connection with songs and I think it’s incredibly important, because I’m not a wonderful communicator. I’m constantly trying to express myself better and understand why I’m feeling the way I am. Sometimes I hear music that does that better than I ever could and there’s certain songs that can make you feel less alone.”

We all have things we turn to when we’re feeling rubbish, whether that’s listening to music, talking to a friend or doing something we enjoy. So we asked James and Matty what they do Against Living Miserably. They’re quick to tell us what a difference their pets make to their mental wellbeing (as we speak, Matty’s cat is using him as a climbing frame). James says:

“Having a dog really helps. I thought I was quite active before, but some days I wouldn’t leave the house. Now every day I go for a walk with my dog and just sitting with him helps. The act of having something to care about more than myself shuts off my brain a little bit and alleviates a lot of anxiety. There’s something more important than my own thoughts, which stops the negativity creeping in.”

Like lots of our supporters, Matty is a fan of running for his mental wellbeing and when he’s having a bad day, he finds it useful getting outside for his mind. He explains:

“After three years of trying to convince myself mentally to start doing some exercise, I found running. I’ve stuck at it because it’s undeniably good for your brain and there’s something about long distance running that’s really quite profound. Every time I start a run I spend the first bit asking why I started it and telling myself to stop, then I realise if I keep putting one foot in front of the other I can do it.”

Having gone through a lot both as band members and brothers, they’re realising the importance of supporting each other. Now in a good space and back working together, they’re ready to move forward.

“Just to know that there’s different help available is amazing. It makes you feel less alone and more understood, because the hardest part of struggling is feeling like there’s nobody to talk to, but nobody needs to feel like that.”

After some time away from music, they’re itching to get back on the road and release their new album, The Present Is A Foreign Land, which is out on the 15th July 2022. While it’s just the two of them now, the band is back and Deaf Havana are hungry for this new chapter.

If you need support, check out the CALM Guides, where you can find lots of advice on stuff you might be going through and ways to move forward.

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Photo credit Jon Stone