“I never want our band to be more style than substance”: How Dead Pony are channelling Y2K nostalgia and world-building into something meaningful

“There are so many things that I love about that time,” says Dead Pony’s Anna Shields, reminiscing on childhood in the 2000s: playing out until the street lights came on, raiding the shelves at Claire’s, and spending hours watching music videos on TV. It was a simpler time.

“Children were really allowed to be children… I didn’t get my first phone until I was 16,” she adds. “I feel really sorry for children and teenagers now because there’s such a pressure on [them] through social media, [they end up] comparing themselves to other people.”

The Glaswegian escapist rock quartet are leaning into the nostalgia of Y2K and the late ’90s even more on their new EP, Eat My Dust!, particularly the boom of nu-metal and the cyber green aesthetic that decorated the media landscape at that time, when evolving technology felt cool and exciting, instead of indicating our impending doom.

“Nostalgia is a powerful tool but at some point it can become just imitation rather than inspiration,” says Anna. “We’re always trying to nod to our influences and bring in disc scratches and little Mike Shinoda vocal hooks and Linkin Park-esque guitar things. I was a big pop girl when I was a child, I loved Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, Christina Aguilera. We’re always trying to reference them in some way that feels fresh and new.”

Acting as a crucial bridge from the band’s whopping 2024 debut IGNORE THIS, which came packed with 16 tracks, Eat My Dust! leads the gang into a new era, one that is only “getting heavier” and retains Dead Pony’s knack at celebrating difference, blending fiction with reality, and uplifting those who feel like outsiders. They’ve a headline tour set to follow the EP release in May, and they’re also tackling Slam Dunk over the bank holiday weekend.

“We’re playing some songs that we’ve never ever played live. I’m always quite apprehensive to do that but it’s always such a rewarding thing,” Anna says. “I’m excited to play some new music and switch the set up as well.”

Just like IGNORE THIS’ jubilee of introvertedness and coming out of your shell on track RAINBOWS, leading track Eat My Dust! is about leaving old versions of yourself and your life behind, and finding power in who you are. Single Freak Like Me imagines a grimy club where outsiders and counter-cultures unite together. Its music video features a cast full of up-and-coming Glaswegian bands, an idea brought to life by guitarist Blair Crichton.

“When all of us were growing up we were never the cool kids and we found our kind of people within the alt. community. Even before we were musicians, we would hang out at underage alt. club nights in the town,” Anna shares.

“I think we’ll always write about it because it’s just something that’s so integral to who we are as people, and because alternative music, particularly early 2000s music, is becoming really popular, I do have a bit of a chip on my shoulder! I got bullied relentlessly at school for being an emo, and now it’s cool!”

Along with keeping nostalgia as a core pillar in their sound, Dead Pony remain a band for escaping and switching off. Anna has always loved storytelling, and was that kid at school who clutched her Hunger Games novels close to her chest while flitting between classroom to classroom at school…

“I’ve always been a big reader, I’ve always loved films. Right now I’m reading fairy romantasy books. I love fantasy novels because of the world building,” she says. “It’s nice to have that escapism. I want to read about some fantasy land with some sexy fairies!”

Dead Pony consistently reject the dilution of art. They even delve into a beefy apocalyptic world on Boom!.

“I never want our band to be more style than substance… If you’re a musician you have to have some kind of aim: why are you making music? Are you making music because you want to be famous, or are you making music because you want to change people’s lives?

“People have listened to RAINBOWS and said, ‘I found this song at a really tough time in my life and it really helped me.’ The fact that our music can resonate with people allows them to open themselves up to us and relate to us,” Anna celebrates. “When you go on tour to all these different cities, it doesn’t matter if you’re in London or Sheffield, Paris or Munich, there’s like-minded people all across the world that feel the same.”

Dead Pony has given Anna’s voice a platform, and allowed her to flourish from that timid teen to a writer with gumption. They’re only getting stronger, and galloping ahead.

“It’s an EP that should be played loud. I think people are gonna love it. It’s my favourite body of work that we’ve put out so far,” beams Anna. “The more music we write and release, it just makes me love music even more and makes me feel so alive!”

Eat My Dust! is out now via ADA.

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