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Deaf Havana announce "next chapter" as a duo

After almost calling it quits as a band, Deaf Havana are now back as a two-piece – and they're going to be bringing new music with them…

Deaf Havana have revealed that they very nearly split up in 2020 – but are now back as a duo, with new music on the way soon.

Bassist Lee Wilson and drummer Tom Ogden have now left the band, leaving brothers James and Matthew Veck-Gilodi left on vocals and guitar duties.

"We would like to thank our brothers and day-one bandmates, Tom and Lee for slogging it out with us up until this point," Deaf Havana write of their former bandmates. "We wish them and their families all the best and every success for the future."

Read the full statement below:

"Early last year we were all ready to head our separate ways and call it quits. We'd had an incredible journey but like all the best journeys it felt like it was time for it to end. Then the pandemic hit and we had no choice but to stop.

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"Then, more through circumstance than design, the two of us found ourselves writing songs together again. As we got deeper into the music, and had time to re-evaluate what was important to us, it became clear that these songs had a real, cathartic impact on our relationship as brothers. We thought about starting something new as a duo, but they just felt like Deaf Havana songs. We didn't want the journey to end, it was time for it to go in a different direction.

"There is definitely some sadness at the fact we're not all together anymore, it's been a long, incredible and sometimes difficult journey, but we did it together and sometimes that was the only thing that would get us through.

"We would like to thank our brothers and day one bandmates, Tom and Lee for slogging it out with us up until this point. We wish them and their families all the best and every success for the future.

"We are so proud of the music that we have been working on. The process felt natural and massively different to anything we have done before.

"We are feeling better than ever. This is the next chapter of Deaf Havana and we can't wait to share this with you all.

"James and Matty"