December 05, 2020
Dos Enos have released dreamy new single ‘Land Cruiser’.
Land Cruiser started from an early idea of Matt Unwin and then developed further when introduced to the rest of the band. Matt had visions of beefed up 1980’s vehicles driving and drifting through desert scapes Mad Max style and smashing into things.
Joey Winkler had had a bad experience with a 60’s series Landcruiser owner, of whom he contacted to purchase his “Nice big red rig” somewhere out west. Joey asked the owner a few questions about the rust to which the owner abruptly replied, “This is not a soccer mums car mate, all cars of this model and vintage will have rust, do ya want it or not.”
“It was a 10-hour drive and I wasn’t sure about it” Joey said. “I was obsessed with the idea of owning a 60’s series Landcruiser for years and stayed up late looking for one online but after a few bad experiences with grumpy 60’s series owners I began to question if I really needed one which is reflected in the lyrics – What you want may not be what you need.”
“I directed my thoughts to my experience with the owner and sang – You aint gunna find another quite like me, too bad for you, when I called you, you were so rude – I was actually really keen to buy that car if he hadn’t had been such a dick to me. The song could be interpreted as a love story or heartbreak, typical hey? but nah it’s actually about being obsessed with buying a Landcruiser and being let down by grumpy car owners time and time again and losing faith. I drive an old Mazda Bravo now, haha!”
Watch ‘Land Cruiser’
Dos Enos began in 2014 as a smokey psychedelic desert blues 3 piece deep within a luscious green South Coast windy roaded valley.
They were gaining a good following resulting from well received music releases and live shows until a founding member – Luke Hannaford, moved interstate leaving Matt and Joey scratching their heads thinking, “What next… is there even a next?? Luke was our ‘Ray Manzarek’ (The Doors) and it was a tough loss.”
However, after a couple of years passed, Matt and Joey began meeting up for two-piece jams and decided that it was too special to let go. Matt had a bunch of cool skeletal ideas for songs and we began putting our heads together to develop them.
“We did a show in Thirroul NSW and got talking to the ‘soundy’ at the venue, Jared Ross. He said he played keys/synths so we invited him to come over for a chill, beer and jam, so he did, and we got along plus he knew his way around a keyboard.”
Jose Morris soon surfaced with an interested ear after Matt asked if he was still playing bass to which he replied, “Oh yessss I am – Next thing Jose knew the songs better than us!!!
Weekly rehearsals soon became a thing and a full-length self-recorded and produced album of which will be released in 2021 happened in Joey’s tiny little fibro shack on the beach in July 2020 over a couple of weeks.
“So keen to get it out to the world, it’s different from what we have ever done before and super collaborative. It’s a mesh between old and new influences from The Doors to Unknown Mortal Orchestra.”
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