Frontman David Le’aupepe on stage at Sydney’s iconic Enmore Theatre,

142 MAY | JUNE 2019 GQ.COM.AU FOREVER YOUNG On the cusp of greatness and destined for international fame, the five guys who make up Gang of Youths are proof you don’t need an ego to be bona fide rock stars.

WORDS JACK PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPHY JESS GLEESON

MAY | JUNE 2019 GQ.COM.AU 143 The time is 2pm and the sun is high in the sky. Four teenage girls lean against the exte- rior of Sydney’s Enmore Theatre. Sporting baggy band tees, high-tops and bum bags, they are taking refuge from the searing summer heat. The pavement is lined with metal railings, which while controlling crowds, are absorbing the sun’s heat. A boy dashes across the road and, having narrowly missed the bonnet of a VW ‘Golf’, places two hands atop the railing to leap over, but recoils in hesitation before his feet leave the ground. He embraces the ignominy of walking the long way around. Fans of all shapes and ages emerge from every direction to join a queue that already snakes far down the streets of Newtown. Fetchers are dispatched to ascertain the location of hot chips and bottles of water; carriers bring them back. T-minus seven hours, these are scenes avid Le’aupepe, the frontman of Aus- that have repeated themselves, and will con- tralia’s hottest band, cuts an impos- tinue to, outside the iconic music venue. D ing figure in the flesh. A soft-featured After all, over the years the Enmore has six-foot-something with flowing locks, he’s a been privy to some of the greatest live per- proud Sydneysider with a prouder Samoan- “We’re just formers of all time. The Rolling Stones, Jewish background. Guitarist Joji Malani Oasis, Bob Dylan, Coldplay, PULP, Mas- isn’t lacking in height either. Provider of a random sive Attack and KISS have all performed at electricity and eccentricity, he’s in red socks the intimate 2500-capacity venue. and Gucci slides and is hell-bent on waxing group of In their eagerness to secure front-row philosophic about everything from his Fijian standing, new arrivals jump the line to the ancestry to ’00s female punk bands. Jung diverse dudes, irritation of those (less eager) behind, while Kim on keyboard has an accent that stands ticket touts wander up and down adjusting out among the strong Aussie twangs. As a making music their prices at will. Quick assessment con- Korean-American migrant, his parents firms the young arrive earlier than the older moved to Sydney when he was a teen. Shy together.” set to see their favourite band; they are Polish-Australian drummer Donnie more likely to know all the lyrics, and more Borzestowski has the kind of curly mane that susceptible to purchasing merch. is hard to miss and makes for excellent head- Back on the busy road, another jaywalker banging onstage. Then there’s Kiwi Max holds up traffic to snap a photo of the big Dunn on bass, in thongs and an LA Lakers black letters hanging above the door. They basketball jersey. He might look stern at read ‘GANG OF YOUTHS’. times yet is anything but in real life.

144 MAY | JUNE 2019 GQ.COM.AU FROM FAR LEFT Keyboardist Jung Kim, bassist Max Dunn, guitarist Joji Malani, vocalist David Le’aupepe and drummer Donnie Borzestowski.

Together, they are Gang of Youths. Or as the writing was already on another wall for thumbs up for final prep; Malani picks at his Dunn puts it, “We’re just a random group of Le’aupepe to be a star. The frontman’s strings and Le’aupepe, jumping back diverse dudes, making music together”. charming restless aura is magnetic, and onstage, makes a beeline for the mic. In Sydney for the last Aussie show of their though he outwardly calls himself an “anx- national homecoming Say Yes To Life tour, ious, paranoid depressive,” the self-assess- eleased in 2015, The Positions gave the which has been running since late last year, ment only adds intrigue to Le’aupepe’s band their break – an intense yet the boys are in especially high spirits. While appeal. A confident man channelling his R beautiful concept album encapsulat- the queue continues to build outside, the inner-intern introspections clearly makes ing the emotions Le’aupepe experienced as band excitedly makes final sound check for compelling song lyrics. a 21-year-old, while his first wife was being preparations. Guitar strings are plucked. Ahead of tonight’s gig, there’s an antici- treated for advanced cancer. Singles ‘Radi- Kick pedals are slapped against drum skins. pation in the beer-stained air. The band oface’ and ‘Magnolia’ were given heavy Vocal cords are exercised. knows they are hours away from a special rotation locally and the album peaked at Le’aupepe scuffs his boots on the claret performance. Onstage and in this particu- No.5 on the ARIA charts. The context of carpet and swigs lukewarm Evian just off lar moment, Le’aupepe looks at home. the lyrics, together with the band’s unique stage. “Did you know I used to be a GQ Aus- “I was born down the street and the ges- sound, captured the attention of a growing tralia intern?” he says with a smile. “It was tational stages of Gang of Youths were fan base. Unlike some bands who choose like years ago – I spent a lot of time in the here,” he explains as two engineers solve an not to delve into personal specifics, Gang of fashion cupboard not doing much at all.” audio issue. “There is a part of us in every Youths bare all. Each track from that semi- Whether or not that time spent “not corner of the city and even though we now nal album had a distinct story beneath it. doing much at all” was where he found his live in London, we’ve got so many connec- Another hit, ‘Vital Signs’, is about calling to be a rock star, only he knows, but tions with this place.” The techies give the Le’aupepe’s attempted suicide during a tough period of alcohol abuse and the break- window of openness is taking Gang of down of that first marriage. Youths’ music to new heights. The follow-up album, 2017’s Go Farther “It’s weird that people look at celebs and in Lightness capitalised on the promise of famous people as role models,” says The Positions. Not only did it debut at No.1 Le’aupepe post sound check as the band on the ARIA charts, it was nominated for gathers round. Dunn, Kim and Malani are eight ARIAs, winning four including squeezed on a two-seater sofa while Album of the Year, Best Group and Best Borzestowski sits on an upturned rubbish Rock Album. Their five-track EP Let Me basket. Le’aupepe pulls up a chair. There’s Be Clear, released between both records, not a bottle of vodka or a bowl of blue got some resounding thumbs up from the M&Ms in sight. No rider, groupies, hang- ARIA bigwigs too. ers-on or managers. The boys are alone, This brief timeline of success is well content with nothing except for each other. recorded and continually quoted. So too As talk bounces around about why they are the band’s beginnings. The boys met may have become role models to fans, Dunn through the Sydney chapter of Hillsong admits, “We all have issues, we’re all screw and it’s not hard to see links between main- “We all have ups and we don’t want people to feel intimi- stream Christian rock, Gang of Youths and dated. So if they respond to us, awesome.” their religious Pentecostal background – issues, we’re all Positive change seems to be the driving which in turn holds links with other groups force for everything they do, be it the pro- of similarly religious undertones. U2, Belle screw ups and cess of outwardly admitting their own flaws & Sebastian, Kings of Leon, Skillet, or acknowledging that they’re always look- Switchfoot and Owl City are all bands of we don’t want ing to do and be better. This is true of faith and have all achieved mainstream suc- Le’aupepe, who has never shied away from cess, while not necessarily identifying as a people to feel his demons. He has been especially candid ‘Christian rock bands’ per se. Gang of with the press and his fans about his suicide Youths sit somewhere here – openly intimidated. So attempt a few years back. “My job leaves me acknowledging their origins without the depleted and often sleepless, ridden with preachy oeuvre. In a world where so much if they respond anxiety and worry,” he wrote on social media superficial information is now shared in so last year, marking the four-year anniversary little faith, it’s no surprise that every new to us, awesome.” of the day he attempted to end his life. CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Le’aupepe and Malani doing what they do best; the set list from the band’s Sydney show; the final song of the night always calls for some theatrics. “I am reminded that my wife, the band, my the Aboriginal Legal Service and announced on loved ones, my family and you who care about Twitter earlier this month that $50,000 was on its what we do in GOY have given me more reasons way to help Indigenous Australians entangled in to get up out of bed than I could enumerate, that the legal system. the answer to this question called life is, as By all accounts, Gang of Youths have ticked Nietzsche proclaims, simply ‘yes’.” off nearly all the statutory ‘career checklist’ Whether it is their religious values or their items deeming them successful. Sexy frontman, forthright approach to fighting toxic masculinity check. Hit songs on the radio, check. Rousing that underpins the band’s attitude, sharing feel- live show, check. Adoring fans, check. Global ings and discussing hard issues is an obvious recognition, coming. focus. It’s something Borzestowski refers to as For seven years, GOY has been trying to their “mission”, and what “hooked him in”. They smash through the glass ceiling abroad. The are supportive, caring, sensitive even, and the lan- music press has been catching on, albeit later guage that makes up their social media channels than the band would have liked. But in March is more Jonas Brothers than Sex Pistols. More this year came a breakthrough. BBC Radio 2’s Jo FROM TOP LEFT prayer hand emojis than biting the heads off bats. Whiley added ‘What Can I Do If The Fire Goes The band pay their When quizzed about inspirations, Dunn name- Out’ to her playlist. As the UK’s most listened- respects to their drops David Pocock over fellow musicians. “He to station, the coveted placement brings with it diehards – and the rock gods; fans spends his time fighting for the rights of animals, for much-valued airplay across a weekly audience of putting in the early equality and then is a really fucking good rugby some 15 million. By way of example of Whiley’s work to ensure they player. I find people like that inspiring.” influence, their four London dates in April can get so close they can feel the sweat. That is Gang of Youths in a nutshell. They have quickly sold out. heart, purpose and they genuinely give a shit. On At long last, the band is poised for the interna-

this tour, they gave a proportion of tickets sales to tional success their talent is due. And they’re PHILLIPS. JACK PHOTOGRAPHY: ADDITIONAL

148 MAY | JUNE 2019 GQ.COM.AU ready for it. “Finally, we’re making some who foresee themselves together forever, semblance of a living,” says Malani. “We’re even if not on stage however many nights not super rich by any means but we don’t a week. have to work five jobs anymore to be here.” Not done yet though, Malani takes over Support in the US is also gathering pace. GQ’s duties and asks Le’aupepe, “If we had In the past six months, positive media has never broken through, would you still be come from notoriously hard-to-please doing this?” publications like The Washington Post and Le’aupepe sits back and ponders the ques- Rolling Stone magazine. The Post labelled tion. “I wouldn’t give up but I would have had them “unabashedly sincere”. MTV to query what we are doing,” he says, criss Unplugged tapped Gang of Youths to front crossing his fingers. “I can’t think that we won’t its first proper recording in Australia last have some sense of longevity. I can’t have that year too. conversation with myself. I can’t think that it Breaking big is a crap shoot. With so would never work.” many variables, all manner of stars need to “Even if that took 10 albums?” continues align in order to go full Kings of Leon or Malani. total Mumford & Sons. One non-negotia- “Yeah.” says Le’aupepe, pausing to deliver ble a band requires to succeed is unity. And his next sentence. “Because you’d be happy Gang of Youths have it in spades. Not only just making awesome shit, right?” do they play together night after night, they “I’d love to keep touring, but I hate seeing live together. “We all live in a six-bedroom, my heroes at 60 years old,” muses Malani. four-storey townhouse in London,” says “I don’t want that for us. Nobody wants to Kim, “Us and our partners. We’re a family see Slash on stage as an old man.” through and through.” On that intriguing note, we leave the band for last-minute tweaks before showtime. The -minus one hour, bass perforates the stage, now fully warm, awaits them. backstage hang space as the support T act warms up the crowd. Our inter- inety three minutes of ectasy, view has inevitably broken down into sprout- screaming, sweat and tears later, fans ing side chats, first between Borzestowski N old, new and reborn have just wit- and Dunn and then Kim and Malani. The nessed a gig they won’t forget any time topic of pornography comes up. Le’aupepe soon. As the band toys with the crowd over interjects. “Sorry to interrupt but did you an encore, it’s telling that the final song know Pornhub gives away a tonne of money should be ‘Say Yes To Life’. to charities?” “Life is short, sometimes it’s difficult,” “You know they have a record label, too?” shouts Le’aupepe over the cheers, before adds Malani. the drums kick in. A confetti canon goes “Finally, we’re “Yeah, they’ve just signed Andrea off spewing a shower of white paper across Bocelli,” jokes Borzestowski. a baying crowd moving as one. The teen- making some “What!?” exclaims Le’aupepe, before age girls from earlier are right up front, Dunn cracks a smile and they fall about arms waving, they’re having the time of semblance of laughing. their lives. Exchanges like this pepper our time As we watch the pandemonium ensue in a living... We’re together, from deep to funny. One minute front of us, we can’t help but retrace Mala- we’re talking church bands and Sydney’s ni’s earlier words. Could the band’s great- not super rich music scene, the next it’s all about going est legacy be in their name? Collectively vegan or Kim’s father crowdsurfing at youthful, forever? but we don’t shows. What started as an interview has Le’aupepe raises his arms in the air, swings descended beautifully into shooting the his hips left and right gyrating them around have to work breeze over a cup of tea. Ultimately, Gang like a Polynesian hula dancer. Borzestowski’s of Youths treat what they have like a head-banging disappears behind a puff of five jobs romantic relationship. They live together, stage smoke, Dunn, Malani and Kim along they play together, they’re growing with it. It’s quite a finale. Le’aupepe points anymore.” together, they’ve been through hardships his guitar out to the crowd, smiles and steps and pain together, they’ve experienced up to the mic for the last time: dizzying highs and success together. Take “It’s good to be home. Here’s to what’s

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: JACK PHILLIPS. JACK PHOTOGRAPHY: ADDITIONAL away the band and what’s left is five men next. Goodnight.” n