Dublin’s indie rock band Inhaler released their third album Open Wide back in February of this year and are about to return to Australia after a sold-out tour last year on a five-date tour beginning next week. Inhaler are bringing some special guests along on this tour, both DICE and BIIG TIME will be supporting at these 5 shows.
Since their career took off in 2018, Inhaler have achieved massive commercial success, reaching over 500 million streams and scored top charts with their debut It Won’t Always Be Like This and second album Cuts & Bruises hitting #1 and #2 in the UK and Irish charts.
Inhaler have really come into their sound with Open Wide and it comes as no surprise that they’re now one of the biggest new names in guitar music.
I got to chat with Robert Keating and Josh Jenkinson from the band to discuss tour life, music influences and highlights from recording Open Wide. Here’s what they had to say.
What has been your favourite song on the new album to record process wise?
Robert: Personally I thought “Your House” was really good to record, just because it was one of those songs that we all thought we kind of knew what it was for a long time. It was kind of one of the only songs that existed when we started the album as well as “A Question Of You” and then kind of at the very end it took a big left turn and just became this new thing. I think that felt very exciting because I think previously when we’ve done albums, it’s often felt like if we’ve had a song for a while it kind of gets to a dead end, whereas this one kind of got better with age, like a fine wine.
Josh: I liked recording “Open Wide”. It was very fun, we were all in a room together in the studio – which was the only time we did that on the album, and we just did a live take which was really fun. Our producer Tom (Kid Harpoon) was doing some weird effects stuff in the control room and we didn’t hear it until we finished playing, and then when we went in it got a new lease of life and got to hear what he was doing, so that was really fun!
What was it like to have Kid Harpoon produce this album with you guys?
Robert: Really great yeah. Yeah as Josh was saying he’s a bit of a wizard. He’s a really nice guy and we got on really well. He’s a big fan of guitars which we didn’t expect – well to be fair we expected it a little bit more recently because he did the new Kings of Leon album – but kind of prior to that he’d done like Florence and The Machine, Maggie Rogers and then obviously a lot of work with Harry Styles so I think we were kind of surprised about how much of a music buff he was. He was just a really nice guy and he made it a really nice environment to work in, it didn’t feel like we were working at all which was a good sign.
You guys have really come into your own sound with this album. Who are your music influences, are there any artists/bands that initially inspired you to create music?
Josh: I think initially – or when I joined anyway – we were all on a big (The) Stone Roses buzz and loved all of that type of music and stuff like Joy Division as well, which was really fun when you’re like 16/17 in a music room playing covers of those songs, they’re not too hard to get your hands on but you still feel cool as hell when you’re playing them. So that definitely helped us get confidence anyway to keep on going and start finding other influences, which we did.
There are some pretty big names you’ve toured with. Have you had a favourite artist you’ve supported?
Josh: I’m gonna say Arctic Monkeys, that was class, however, Blossoms are my favourite people. They sort of set up everything for us in terms of us actually doing proper gigs now. We supported them in our hometown venue “The Olympia” and that’s actually where we met our manager so those fellas really gave us a chance and we wouldn’t be doing anything right now without them.
Robert: Probably Blossoms, equally though I would probably say Arctic Monkeys as well.
You were in Australia in August last year, was that your first time visiting? Did you have any highlights? Is there a place you’re most looking forward to going back to in Australia or maybe somewhere you didn’t get to visit last time?
Robert: Yes it was our first time over that way.
I think we weren’t there long enough to – I mean there definitely were highlights – but I think it just highlighted that we didn’t have enough time there as well. I think we were only there for a total of 5 days and 3 of those were show days, we’d fly on the morning of each show and we didn’t realise the jet lag would be so severe.
I was probably a bit naive from doing a lot of travelling that it would be grand but I just felt like I was on a different planet walking around feeling like I was asleep. The place itself though is amazing. I think it feels like a second home if you’re Irish but it also feels very different to home, it was a really unique experience.
Josh: It was indeed.
I really want to see some kangaroos. That was the one thing I really wanted to go out and see last time at one of those sanctuaries but that didn’t happen in the end.
But last time we got to see some crazy stuff, we got to see the Sydney Opera House and that just blew my mind cause you see it all the time in movies and all sorts and getting to see the inside of it and everything, I wasn’t really expecting that it was really fun.
And we also went to this place called ‘Breakfast Creek‘ in Brisbane. It was like this steakhouse that our tour manager was raving about and we all went there for a big family dinner, that was really nice.
Is there a tradition or ritual you do before each show or maybe something from home that you bring with you on tour?
Josh: Robert has a well travelled packet of crisps. It’s been unopened for years now. It’s been all over the world – It’s been to Japan, probably to Australia that time, absolutely everywhere. That’s my favourite thing touring, thinking about Rob’s crisps that have probably gone more places than my mum.
Robert: Yeah the crisps are probably dust at this stage.
Yeah I think I’ve got bigger eyes than I do stomach and then sometimes I never eat something and yeah the rest is history.
Are there any fan favourites that we can expect to be on the AU setlist for this tour?
Josh: Rob was talking the other day about bringing back “We Have To Move On” and we’re gonna try our best to execute it in a good manner but yeah that’s something we’re hoping to bring back. So, hopefully by the time we get to Australia we have that nailed!
Thanks guys – and have a great tour.
Make sure you go catch Inhaler on their upcoming tour. Tickets are still available for all shows (except Melb night 1), grab yours HERE for Perth, Sydney and Melbourne and HERE for Brisbane
Inhaler 25′ Tour Dates
Tuesday, 3rd June – Astor Theatre, Perth, WA
Thursday, 5th June – The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD
Friday, 6th June – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Monday, 9th June – Forum Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC – SOLD OUT
Tuesday, 10th June – Forum Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC – NEW SHOW
For additional information regarding Inhaler check out their website and socials.
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