Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with London based artist Larusta & The Dead Dogs to find out more…
Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I’m originally from a small town in south Germany. I really got into music as a teenager when I found out about punk rock and the four big grunge bands.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
First mostly the aforementioned bands, especially Nirvana, Pearl Jam and The Clash. Nowadays I’m listening more to the music of PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, St Vincent. So I would say these are my influences now.
How would you describe your sound?
I call it Dark Lyrical Alternative. Someone called it once “vampire music”. I can live with that description. It has an elemental and timeless character.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest release is a song called ‘Scattered”. I wrote it in a very gloomy state during the first lockdown in London when my private and social life were falling apart. This certainly influenced this song and other songs I was writing during that period.
What’s your local music scene like?
Well, it’s London. You can listen to any kind of music on any day, which is great. But I also feel in London we’re experiencing an oversaturation of the live music scene.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
Performing, writing and recording the songs of my second album and then releasing them.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
There are many. You can pick any of my influences and I would happily do that. But I also enjoy writing my songs myself.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
About a year ago at The Beehive at Bow, the drummer and the bassist of my band were late to our performance because of some traffic problems. So for most of it, we played unrehearsed versions of the songs only with keyboard, cello and me playing the guitar. I was kind of surprised how well it went and the audience enjoyed it.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
With my songs I may not always give you what you want, but I give you what you need. This is what art is all about.
Upcoming live dates and performances
Thursday 14th November in Berlin at the Art Stalker. UK shows to be announced in the next weeks. You can get tickets here.
You can find out more about Larusta on his website or via Apple Music, Instagram, Spotify, Threads, TikTok, YouTube Music or his YouTube channel.
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