Getting to Know… Don’t Wake The Neighbours | Interview

In the 476^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from the London-based, seven-piece, modern rock band, Don’t Wake The Neighbours.

“We are a modern rock band; we take influence from anything and everything we can, which makes for some pretty cool music.” Fantastic, Don’t Wake The Neighbours! Jenny Dore, the lead singer, who answers our burning questions in our 476^th Q&A, adds, “If the audience sees you having a good time, then they’re gonna have a good time too.” Word! We get the inside scoop on the London-based, seven-piece, modern rock band’s genesis, goals, musical influences, and current and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into Getting to Know… Don’t Wake The Neighbours: Interview No. 476!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Don’t Wake The Neighbours distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

We are a modern rock band; we take influence from anything and everything we can, which makes for some pretty cool music. When we’re playing live, our overall aim is to convince the audience that we’re having the time of our lives (which we usually are). If the audience sees you having a good time, then they’re gonna have a good time too. If you take things too seriously, then sometimes, it’s hard to win over a crowd. Infectious joy is our go-to weapon.

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Don’t Wake The Neighbours form, and what were some of your goals or visions early?

I formed the band at uni in my third year, and the aim has always been the same: to make good music, have a good time, and share our music with as many people as possible. There have been some changes in the band as we’ve grown and changed as people, but our current lineup has been playing together for nearly a year, and it’s never felt better. We feel like a family, and we all love each other to bits. It’s an amazing feeling.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

The goal has always been to share our songs with as many people as possible. I think good music makes people happy. We just want to keep pushing that as far as we can, make new music, travel to more places, meet more people, and just enjoy what we’ve managed to create.

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences, and how are they influential?

I grew up listening to a lot of Elton John, and as a Watford FC supporter, he’s been very present throughout my life, so his music has been super influential on me. I think writing a good book [hook?] in a song is so important, and he is an absolute master at that. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started listening to slightly heavier music too, so bands like The Hives, Foo Fighters, and Arctic Monkeys have all been influential. Discovering what a power chord is was revolutionary when I started writing rock songs.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

We’ve been relatively safe on stage, but there’ve been a couple of stupid injuries. I’ve fallen off an amp at a pub in Wales and shredded the back of my finger getting too into a cover of “American Idiot.” Our drummer’s stick flew into the audience at our set at The Trinity in Harrow, narrowly missing my head. Our drummer also had to play a few gigs wearing an eye patch because he’d nearly blinded himself playing football and had to get emergency surgery. We plan to wrap him in bubble wrap next time he tries to play any sport.

To this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

My favorite song (so far) that we’ve released is probably “Pink Lemonade.” It’s just so much fun to listen to, it’s got that psychedelic vibe to it, and the production really helps that, but playing it live and getting to hear Aidan’s insane guitar solo is so awesome. Other fun tracks to play live include “Snuff” (because we get to scream as loud as we want in the chorus), and “Sexy” (because the band all get their moments to shine and it’s good to see them get the attention they deserve).

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left-of-center we should know about Don’t Wake The Neighbours? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

The first ever official Don’t Wake the Neighbours performance was a live recording for our end of term showcase of me (Jenny, lead singer) and Simone (aka Fish, backing vocals) playing a sad, slow acoustic duet of a song we’ve never played since. It’s a pretty crazy comparison with what we play now. It’s somewhere on BIMM London’s Facebook page, if you scroll back far enough.

What is Don’t Wake The Neighbours currently working on or promoting that you can share? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

We’ve just finished recording our debut album! We are yet to announce it, but it’ll be coming out on August 8^th, 2025, and we are SO excited. We released a single, “My Place in the Sun,” on July 7th, and might even drop one more secret release before the album drops.

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

Thanks so much!