Adelaide dreamboats TOWNS have had a cracking twelve months. The band have won over the hearts of the nation with their earnest brand of 90s-inflected pop-rock.
TOWNS have just unveiled their emotionally-charged new single ‘Stardust’, a mediation on self-discovery and identity.
“During the time ‘Stardust’ was created, I was on my own emotional rollercoaster – just as I feel the song moves between something calm, and something loud and present,” explains vocalist and guitarist Aston Valladares.
“The whole theme behind the lyrics is self-recovery and looks back on a period of time when I wasn’t sure if I was myself, or someone else, and I couldn’t find where the true version of myself had gone. I believe I’ve recovered my true self now – it’s nice to be on the other side and have this song as a reminder and proof that things do get better.”
To celebrate the release of ‘Stardust’, we sent TOWNS through a few burning Get To Know questions, pop on the track below and see what the band had to say for themselves.
How did your artist name come about?
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The band name came from a lot of dead-end conversations on our carpools home from Uni. We would discover info about where each other grew up because it was kinda close but still felt worlds apart. We joked about how we were ‘two towns’ apart and eventually just dropped the ‘two’ and you have the band name, kind of anti-climatic huh?
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
My nana actually thinks our songs are groovy and she loves learning about all the lyrics, even though she’s not heaps into the music at all. I just say that we really like The Beatles but we’re just a little louder and our songs are a little less influential to an entire generation.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
Our new single ‘Stardust’ is entirely about recovery, that whole process and that it’s genuinely something we’re all capable of once we find our method!
Our last track ‘Safe to Stay’ was about how oblivious we can be to all the little changes around us and that it can be a little too late to take it on once we actually realise, something that COVID-19 is teaching us right now, how much we took for granted little things like sitting in a cinema and now we can’t!
What do you love about your hometown?
I love absolutely everything about Adelaide, even the stuff that people don’t like about it, I love about it. I’m so happy with how close everything is and we also have a place called Sunny’s Pizza which is the most emotional I’ve been eating a pizza ever, their vegan Margherita with a dash of chilli oil is literally mind blowing.
Career highlight so far?
Playing 4 shows in 8 hours at BIGSOUND in 2019, you’d think by the last show you’d be absolutely wrecked but I was fuelled completely by the adrenaline that day and that last show was one of our most emotional memorable shows to date, I’m very proud of myself for not dying after that day.
Fave non-music hobby?
For me aside from binging movies, games or TV I LOVE cooking Italian food, pasta, pizza everything, nothing more satisfying than spending your time developing flavour, it’s the food version of getting a single master back.
What’s on your dream rider?
There’s this brand called Cocobella that make a chocolate coconut water that is so addictive, it’s like refreshing chocolate milk and it’s not stupid bad for you either, probably not great for the vocals but look it’s incredible.
Dream music collaboration?
Oh man, it’s either writing a song with one of the original members of blink- 182 just because how insane would that be to tell my younger self. Or writing something with Johnny Marr, that man knows his way around a fretboard and I would love to have something from his mind in a song of mine.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself maybe a little better at music production and I’m begging that I let myself release an album instead of being too self-critical to release anything. I think as long as I have music out to show for the next 10 years I’ll feel super satisfied in myself. Hopefully, I’ll also have jet pack boots too.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls, that song is so timeless, chills every time. I probably would butcher it but it feels so good to sing at the top of your lungs.
