Don't Worry (band)

Don't Worry is a British indie rock band formed in Harlow New Town, Essex in 2014. The band currently consists of founding members and songwriters Ronan Van Kehoe (vocals, guitar) and Samuel J. Watson (vocals, guitar) along with bass player Alex Reed. After independently releasing a string of early EPs and singles, the band signed with Specialist Subject Records for the release of their 2018 debut album Who Cares Anyway? Don't Worry has toured extensively across the UK and Europe as well as further afield.

History

Early Years 2014-2016

Ronan and Sam met on a night out in 2011 and soon became close friends, bonding over their similar taste in music. They began to share ideas and write songs together before performing semi regularly as a duo in the local area. The pair moved to London to attend university in late 2013 and started to write together more seriously. Around this time they wrote and recorded the song "Deep End" in Ronan's university halls bedroom and uploaded it to Soundcloud. Shortly afterwards they received a message from the New York arm of the label Rough Trade expressing interest in including the song on a compilation of lofi recordings, to which the duo agreed. The pair decided to release the track under the name "Don't Worry". Drummer Jack "Dick" Byrne and bass player Carmen Hatton completed the original full lineup of the band shortly thereafter. The band’s first EP/demo “Dance With Me I’m Dyslexic” was recorded with the help of David Walsh of the band The Worldonfire and released in November 2014. Shortly after this, bass player Hatton parted ways with the band to focus on her university degree. The band's 2nd release in July 2015 was another EP/demo titled “Feel Your Bones”. The band's 3rd release in January 2016 was the double A side single “Pillow/Chester Drawers”, on which they worked for the first time with recording engineer Bob Cooper.

Bane Of My Lifestyle EP and Touring 2016-2017

In August 2016, the band travelled to Leeds to work with Bob Cooper for a second time, this time recording a 5 track EP titled “Bane Of My Lifestyle”. Bass playing duties for these recordings were taken over by friend of the band Conor Bond. The EP was released independently in November 2016. To the band, the EP represented a significant step up from their previous releases, not only in terms of their songwriting ability and performance, but also in audio quality. Without label backing, the band raised money from T-shirt sales to press Bane Of My Lifestyle to 12 inch vinyl. The artwork for the EP features a photograph taken by Harlow photographer Jim Brown, which shows the reflection of the now-demolished original Harlow Town Hall building in a puddle of rainwater. The band's "Sad Sun" logo first featured on this EP, and was designed by longtime collaborators Snootie Studios.

To promote the release, in December 2016, the band embarked on its first full UK tour with support from the London band Lightcliffe. In the spring of 2017 Don't Worry completed their first European tour, again accompanied by Lightcliffe, playing 16 shows across the UK, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and The Czech Republic. During this tour, Alex Reed of Lightcliffe played bass for both bands each night, and joined Don't Worry in a permanent role thereafter.

Who Cares Anyway? 2017-2020

After spending the summer writing new material, Don't Worry began recording sessions for their debut LP in September 2017, again working with Bob Cooper at Crooked Rain in Leeds. Shortly after these sessions were complete, the band went on another UK tour, playing some of this unreleased material. The album was mastered by Carl Saff in Chicago, USA. The band struggled to find a label to release the album, and were reluctant to release it themselves - partly inspiring the album's title "Who Cares Anyway?" After a few months of wondering what to do with it, Ronan showed the album to friend of the band Daniel Goldberg from the band Fresh, who passed it onto Specialist Subject Records. The album caught the attention of Andrew and Kay who run the label, a meeting was set up in Bristol, and they agreed to release it. In the run up to the release, whilst travelling in the US, Ronan and Sam played a sold out show as Don’t Worry in New York City. Who Cares Anyway? was released in June 2018 on Specialist Subject Records. The artwork, layout and design was another collaboration with Snootie Studios.

The release attracted media attention from publications such as The Line Of Best Fit (8/10), DIY, Upset, and New Noise. Singles taken from the album received radio play both nationally and internationally, including on BBC Radio 1. On the week of the album's release, the band performed stripped back sets at the LP Café in Watford, Banquet Records in Kingston, and Specialist Subject in Bristol. The official release show for the album took place at The Lexington in London with support from Fresh, and was the first show of a 13 date tour of the UK in July 2018 to promote the release of their debut album. Around this time the band also recorded a Live At The Lab session at Sound Lab Studios in Loughton, Essex. In November of the same year the band completed another shorter UK tour. In January 2019 the band opened a few shows for the American band Mom Jeans on their UK tour, playing to sold out crowds at The Exchange in Bristol, Boston Music Room in London, and the big room at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds - some of the biggest audiences Don't Worry has performed to, to date. Drummer Byrne parted ways with the band in early 2019 and drumming duties were taken on by Benedict McDowell, formerly of the band Lightcliffe. In the spring and summer of that year, Don't Worry appeared at small festivals such as Washed Out, Booze Cruise, a headline slot at The Square's reunion all-dayer in their hometown Harlow, and Specialist Subject's birthday all-dayer. In August 2019 the band released an acoustic EP on Specialist Subject Records called "You Can't Change Your Heart Or Your Hairline", featuring 2 acoustic versions of songs from the debut album alongside acoustic versions of 2 new songs. This was followed up with UK tour billed as "One Year On And Still Nobody Cares!", marking the 1 year point since the release of Who Cares Anyway? This tour culminated with a performance at The Old Blue Last in London to a capacity crowd, which was one of Don't Worry's most successful headline shows to date.

2020 - Present Day

In late 2019 and early 2020, the band recorded new material at Abbey Road Studios in London with engineers Theo Byrd and Miguel León. In January/February 2020 the band completed a 13 date European tour with support from label mates Soot Sprite. McDowell left the band after this tour to focus on his career as a session drummer. In spring 2020, the global coronavirus pandemic put the band's touring and recording plans on hold.

The band worked on new material at home throughout 2020 and plans to record and release their second full length LP on Specialist Subject Records at some point in 2021.

On 15th January 2021, the band released a new single called "As If By Magic", partly recorded at Abbey Road in January 2020, and partly recorded remotely at home during the pandemic.

Band Members

Current Members

• Ronan Van Kehoe - lead vocals, guitar, additional instruments (2014-present)
• Samuel J. Watson - lead vocals, guitar, additional instruments (2014-present)
• Alexander Reed - bass guitar, additional instruments (2017-present)

Former Members

• Benedict McDowell - drums (2019-2020)
• Jack "Dick" Byrne - drums (2014-2019)
• Conor Bond - bass guitar and backing vocals (2015-2017)
• Carmen Hatton - bass guitar and backing vocals (2014-2015)
• Charles Bird - bass guitar (touring member only, 2015-2016)

Discography

Don't Worry Discography

• Dance With Me I'm Dyslexic - EP/demo (2014, self-released)
• Dance With Me I'm Acoustic - acoustic EP (2015, self-released)
• Feel Your Bones - EP/demo (2015, self-released)
• Pillow / Chester Drawers - double A side single (2016, self-released)
• Bane Of My Lifestyle - EP (2016, self-released)
• Who Cares Anyway? - LP (2018, Specialist Subject Records)
• You Can't Change Your Heart Or Your Hairline - acoustic EP (2019, Specialist Subject Records)
• Deep End - single (2020, Specialist Subject Records)
• Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) - The Darkness charity cover (2020, Specialist Subject Records)
• As If By Magic - single (2021, Specialist Subject Records)

Compilations

• 80N7 features "Deep End" (2014, 80N7)
• Some Kind Of Fix features "Travelsick" (2015, Close To Home)
• Furlough Your Dreams features "Deep End" (2020, Specialist Subject Records)

References

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