CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 153: THE VANNS ON DIGGING DEEPER AND PLAYING LOUDER

Interview by Brooke Gibbs.

After nearly two years without releasing new music, beloved South Coast rockers, The VANNS, are back and they’re not easing in quietly. Their single Up All Night is a thunderous yet tender return, capturing the emotional weight of life’s quiet struggles while holding tight to the moments that make it all worth living. Produced by long-time collaborator and friend Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy), the track marks a fresh chapter for the band; one rooted in personal growth, emotional honesty, and that signature VANNS energy fans have come to love.

In this Creative Conversations feature, lead vocalist Jimmy Vann chats with Futuremag Music's Brooke Gibbs about reconnecting with songwriting during relentless touring schedules, the deep bond between bandmates, and why Up All Night is more than just a comeback; it's a reminder that questioning, feeling lost, and holding onto joy can all exist in the same breath. Whether playing sold-out shows across Australia or debuting at SXSW in the US, The VANNS continue to grow, not just as performers, but as storytellers.

With stadium-ready sound and soul-searching depth, Up All Night is just the beginning of what promises to be their most revealing and resonant era yet.

FMM: Congrats on the release of your single, Up All Night. What’s the reaction been like so far?

Jimmy: It's been really cool. It just feels good to have some new music out, you know, after, the best part of nearly two years as well. So, I guess that excitement's back and everyone that's always been listening to us as well is always very keen that we've got another record on the way. It's not just a single. It's a small glimpse of what's to come. But, yeah, it's been great. We're just keen to keep pumping them out now.

FMM: It’s great to see you back because you guys had a break from releasing music. What were you guys going through during that time and how did you know you were ready to release again?

Jimmy: We were doing lots of touring. Like, we're overseas in the UK and we went to America. We're just super busy and you kind of get caught up in touring and that whole kind of life, but we're still riding. Then this first single, Up All Night, that we put out was one of the first ones that when we're just rehearsing and stuff, we're just playing around with some new ideas. It was the first song that we solidified, and it got the ball rolling for writing a record. Then it all happened really quick, so we were just like, ‘cool, now’s the time. Let’s get it done.’

FMM: Touring is such a big job, so to do that while also writing and releasing, sounds almost impossible. How do you manage that?

Jimmy: Yeah, on the road it gets pretty.. You know, I guess everyone on the outside sees the great parts of it, like seeing the show. But it’s a lot of travel and you’re always very tired, but we’re still writing a lot on these trips, which is good. I think that’s why these songs came together really quick.

FMM: Up All Night is about recognising the sad moments we experience in life, while also holding onto the moments that make life good and worthwhile. Was there a particular moment, whether that be personal or musical, that really embodies that message for you?

Jimmy: Yeah, I feel like it’s a very relatable message in a way where I feel like we all kind of go through that feeling at some stage in our lives where we get caught up and it’s kind of like how come everyone else seems to be killing it right now and you feel a bit detached from reality in a way. When we’re putting that song together, it just makes a lot of sense. It’s about not dwelling on it, because it’s not the end of everything, and not to get too sad about it, but I feel it’s a very relatable part of life for anyone that even is killing it.

FMM: From an outsider perspective, some people may look at your band and think you’re killing it because you’re touring, you’re releasing and you have a fan base, but people don’t always understand how much time goes in behind the scenes.

Jimmy: Yeah, exactly. Even an athlete or boxer has to work really hard just to get to that one little moment safe. It’s just for that little moment in time where everyone sees that, but so much hard work goes into it, and it’s the same for any career. Being in a music career, we just write music in our rooms like this and do a lot of demoing, and then it all comes out for a three-minute song.

FMM: What do you think keeps you and your band going when you are having those moments?

Jimmy: I think, well, for me personally and Cam, because we're kind of the main songwriters, we're just constantly writing all the time. It’s not so much a chore or job, it’s a part of life. We’re always working on something, so it doesn’t feel like a hobby to me. It’s an actual part of life. That just keeps going and then you find that little bit of spark and think this might work with the lads. I’ve got many songs here that will probably never do anything, but there’s those little ones that you find, and that’s what keeps it going. Whenever the four of us get together in the studio, we’re reminded why we do it. We’re mates and that brings it back to the fun side of it without it feeling like a job.

FMM: What was it like working with Oscar Dawson again?

Jimmy: Working with Oscar's great. I think, because we're so close with him now, just even as a mate, it's so easy to just fully express who we are and what we want to do within our music. We did the first record with Oscar, and then the decision, it's like, oh, who do we work with for this next record? It was like, well, let's just go with Oscar. These songs are just feeling like something we could achieve with him, and we know how he works. We just became really close, Oscar and I. He stayed here when we weren’t even writing music. We were running a marathon, stupidly, but that’s just the connection we have as mates. He can understand what we’re writing about and what we’re trying to say. I think we needed that within this record, and who knows? For the next one, we might venture out and find some producer somewhere, but it just felt good and he’s a great guy.

And I think we needed that within this record. And, you know, who knows, for the next one we might venture out and find some producer somewhere.

FMM: It sounds like it was such a natural process, which is what you want.

Jimmy: Yeah, that’s it. You don’t want anything too forced, especially for us, because we’re really trying to write a story and dive a little deeper within our lyrics. It’s finding a producer that also wants to encapsulate that and get the most out of the story as well. We’re not just a party rock band or anything like that.

FMM: One of my favorite lyrics in Up All Night is, ‘trying to find the answers to life's biggest questions.’ Do you find that making music brings you closer to that answer, or do you feel like it sometimes deepens the question the more you explore it?

Jimmy: Oh, this is getting deep now. I mean, life's biggest question. I feel like anyone that has that answer, I don't think they're living life to the fullest. I think, if you keep exploring who you are as an individual and putting yourself out there and meeting new people, there's always going to be questions on where am I and what I'm doing. I think that's important to keep life at a point where you are kicking goals, but also keeping a question that you want to try and still figure out and become a better you. I think everyone should be asking themselves a question at one point. If you're in a position where you're not asking anything, it's like maybe you're not achieving anything.

FMM: What’s the main thing you want people to take away from listening to this song?

Jimmy: I just want people to feel the most themselves and ask their own questions on what the song might mean to them or just anything in general in life. You don't want to force too much of a message onto someone because a lot of the music I love listening to, a lot of lyrics will be very open to interpretation as well, where it's still a clear message, but it's not too, too direct.

FMM: This single is part of a bigger project. Do you think the upcoming album builds upon your previous releases? Or do you think this is a new direction for The Vanns?

Jimmy: I think we’re still touching on what us, us, in the first place. That's why working with Oscar is good, because I feel like there's little elements of our first and second record in there, but we're also delving into new stuff. I just feel the songwriting has become a bit cleaner and we're just a bit better at it. The more we play together, the smoother the process feels. We really seem to work quite well together. There’s not any arguing. You can’t just whip that out anywhere with a bunch of people, so it’s really a lifelong friendship between the four of us.

It's. I don't know. We really seem to work quite well together. You know, there's not any arguing. There's no, like. It just. Everyone just sits in the pocket straight away, which is really cool. And I. I feel like that, you know, you can't just like, whip that out of nowhere with a bunch of people. Songwriting just feels super natural and it feels really healthy to do in a way.