“Why start small?”
When legendary mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge, whose resume includes Bruce Springsteen and Green Day, decides to mix an unsigned band’s debut single, the music world should stop and listen. That band is Crispy Danger.
Formed in Birmingham in 2025 at the ‘Back to the Beginning Festival’ and now based in Melbourne, this power trio fuses a heavy metal heritage with pop hooks and dark wave textures.
Fronted by brother-sister duo David Rex and Michelle Maxx, rounded out by drummer Frankie Demuru, they’ve created something genuinely unique: “heavy metal disco.”
Their debut single, ‘Outta Control,’ dropped May 1st, featuring a killer bass groove, raspy spoken verses, and disco beats.
The single’s hand-painted artwork by renowned Australian artist Franko and a video shot at Melbourne’s iconic Bakehouse (home to Nick Cave’s ghost) only amplify their striking vision.
We caught up with Crispy Danger to discuss aiming for the stars, why they chose paint over pixels, and their ‘impossible’ dreams of Glastonbury and Rock in Rio.
HAPPY: What’d you get up to today?
CRISPY DANGER: Literally, just booked a show a couple of hours ago. We’re playing the Cherry Bar on Saturday the 18th of July! (Now, how’s that for a hustle!)
HAPPY: Tell us a little about where you’re from, and what you love about it!
CRISPY DANGER: Birmingham is the birthplace of Heavy Metal and now it’s the birth place of our band!
We were at the Back to the Beginning Festival, soaking it all in, we looked at each other and said we seriously have to start a band. We got back to Melbourne, called up Frankie and just went for it.
HAPPY: You’re a Birmingham-born band now based in Melbourne. How does that transcontinental DNA influence your music?
CRISPY DANGER: We’ve always had a Heavy Metal heritage; love for Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and a lot other New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands, so that definitely colours our palette.
The three of us have quite different styles, but heavy metal is the common ground where we meet. Our influences and song writing are quite eclectic, but there is always an underlying touch of Birmingham to it.
HAPPY: Your debut single ‘Outta Control’ was mixed by the legendary Chris Lord-Alge. How did that come about for an unsigned band?
CRISPY DANGER: We decided to aim for the stars and contact the best mixers we could think of.
Why start small?! We filmed our video before we had the mix done and we sent it off with a demo mix to his people and they liked what we laid down.
HAPPY: Your visual aesthetic is very strong. Why was it important to have painted art rather than a digital photo for the cover?
CRISPY DANGER: We are very visual people and it’s incredibly important to have amazing artwork that tells a story.
We definitely wanted the human touch for the artwork, because the hand painted style reflects the raw, organic sound of the song. We have the same artist for the next single and the painting carries on the theme and story.
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HAPPY: The music video was filmed at Melbourne’s iconic Bakehouse, known for Nick Cave. Did you feel his ghost in the room?
CRISPY DANGER: Yeah, absolutely – and he’s not even dead! It definitely helped keep the hair and suits sharp. The first time we jammed there we played the Mercy Seat, so we really felt it.
HAPPY: ‘Outta Control’ dropped May 1st, 2026. What’s one thing you want a first-time listener to feel from this track?
CRISPY DANGER: The raw, bouncy energy. We want them to move to the high energy groove. And if they dare, they can delve deeper into the dark lyrics.
HAPPY: The song has dark wave elements. Can we expect more gothic textures on future singles, or was this a one-off?
CRISPY DANGER: Yeah, for sure. Some of the stuff we’re working on is very guitar-centric, and some of it is synth heavy.
So there will be a lot of different sounds across the board. We like to work with textures that support and elevate the riffs.
The single we’re currently recording has synth elements in it too, it’s pretty much a signature sound for the band.
HAPPY: Now that Chris Lord-Alge has touched your debut, what’s the next impossible dream goal for Crispy Danger?
CRISPY DANGER: Glastonbury and Download Festival. But seriously, playing at Rock in Rio would be nice. It might take a little more than sending them a demo video, though.
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
CRISPY DANGER: Playing music, and playing it live! Sharing the experience with people and boosting the energy anywhere we go!
