Last week, when Melbourne outfit The DMTeasers dropped their new video Too Broke For Coke, we immediately found ourselves immersed in their debauched, party-filled world.
Imagine some utopian haven where coke is cheap and the party never stops – this is the world The DMTeasers are trying to create. So fresh off the release of their new single we caught up with band member Alex Mustard Mansell for a chat.
Fresh off the release of their incredible new single Too Broke For Coke, we caught up with The DMTeasers’ Alex Mustard Mansell to chat rising coke prices and new music.
HAPPY: Hey how’s it going? What are you up to at the moment?
ALEX: Oh y’know, just the usual stuff. Drinking mimosas in the sunshine while I shave my legs with a blunted Katana. Nothing too out of the ordinary, really.
HAPPY: We’re loving the new track… could you tell us a bit about it? Were there any stories that inspired the track?
ALEX: Not any one specific story per se. The track’s concept was something the DMTeasers had our hearts set on writing since the inception of the band, though. Such a ubiquitous experience as being Too Broke For Coke is a struggle we felt the world needed to hear more about and something we felt more than qualified to open people’s eyes to.
HAPPY: How are you feeling about the song now that it’s been put out into the world?
ALEX: I feel like a parent who’s finally watched their 28-year-old move out of their inner suburban home. Exhausted, relieved, but fully aware of the fact that I never made plans for what to do if this day ever actually came. I keep accidentally making an extra plate of food for dinner and then have to cry on Ali’s shoulder because the single isn’t our little baby anymore.
HAPPY: We understand you have a very well-thought-out manifesto as a band. Could you tell us about this?
ALEX: Put simply, DMTeasism is a political theorem intent on catering to the masses, both disenfranchised and enfranchised. The strict doctrines in place are but ancillary services to the most powerful and important aspect of our identity: We’re having a party, you’re invited.
HAPPY: The new video is pretty off-chops… could you walk us through what it was like making this?
ALEX: Gladly! During the research and development phase, when the video was still well and truly on chops, we came across some excellent individuals who could see our vision of taking a standard party video and stripping it of all its chops. Step in ITV Studios Australia, Moosedoll from Filfy Rish Design, Alpacas and other species of party animals and the chops just started falling away! It took one day of relentless partying from everyone involved and that was that! I don’t even remember what the chops looked like anymore!
HAPPY: We’re also loving your band name… could you tell us a little about how this stroke of genius came about?
ALEX: I’d love to! Buuuut my lawyer just called and told me to say it was all Ali’s fault… I mean idea. Yep! All credit to Ali for the name. No other inspiration whatsoever. Just Ali being Ali. Don’t know where he comes up with this stuff! I guess it must stand for the Direct Message Teasers or something? Can’t think of what else it could mean…
HAPPY: We’re picking up a few different sounds in your music… are there any particular artists that have influenced you?
ALEX: Our marketing team have told us to brand ourselves as Jamiroquai meets Flight of the Conchords. But I’d like to think of the DMTeasers as the lovechild or Basement Jaxx and Kylie Minogue.
HAPPY: It seems that prices keep rising in every area. What would you prefer: cheap petrol and expensive coke? Or cheap coke and expensive petrol?
ALEX: Well, given there’s no coca supplied to Australia, I have no use for the petrol anyway so I guess I’d have to say-oh wait hang on a moment… Yep, sorry that was the lawyer calling again. Apparently, we say petrol. Deeeefinitely the petrol option, because despite neither of us owning cars, we just looooove fossil fuels……?
HAPPY: What’s next for The DMTeasers? Any other exciting plans in the works?
ALEX: We’re talking DMTeasers here, everything’s exciting. We’re currently laying down the piping on a few upcoming projects. Some music related, some less so. I can’t say too much or the lawyer might call again but suffice to say that new music is on its way and it will be supported by new concept DMTV in the new year.
HAPPY: Cheers for the chat!
ALEX: Stay safe out there, fam.
Too Broke For Coke is available now.
