DU BLONDE

Beth Jeans Houghton aka Du Blonde is an English artist, musician and producer. Their latest album Sniff More Gritty is a glam rock, grunge pop record rooted in raw self-awareness and unapologetic honesty. We caught up with them to talk about their creative process, being an independent artist, and upcoming projects.

The B-Side Hour: You documented the recording process of Sniff More Gritty on Patreon. What do you get from building that kind of relationship with your fans, and does it influence your creative process in any way?

Du Blonde: Patreon was a real lifeline for me while making SMG. I’m very independent when I write and produce but usually at the 90% mark, I start finding decisions difficult. Being able to play the mixes to a small group of people before the world heard it meant I got really valuable feedback that helped me make decisions. Patreon is great for building a safe community. Because it’s subscription based you know that everyone is there because they already believe in you so there isn’t fear of trolls or bad vibes. I love sharing the process with people who are as stoked about it as I am.

The B-Side Hour: You have a very distinctive creative universe, especially when it comes to your music videos. How do you approach translating your music into a visual world?

Du Blonde: In general, I’ve always been able to see what a video would look like for a song as soon as it gets to the production/mixing phase. I’ll usually spend a week or two planning sets and locations, then either hire someone to film or do it myself (I made the Solitary Individual music video in my bedroom with my mum), then I edit it on my laptop. I’m lucky to have people like my friend Amy Rat who show up to help out, whether that’s playing a rabbit headed evil surgeon or puppeteering some puppets me and my mum made from a discarded foam mattress from a back alley. My mum also helps with literally everything. She’s great.

The B-Side Hour: You’ve been open about living with Tourette’s and AuDHD, do you feel that sharing these parts of your life helps you connect more deeply with your audience?

Du Blonde: I’d initially been open about my Tourette’s diagnosis because I was due to start playing live again and there was no way I could hide it. It seemed easier to be open about it rather than have people ask questions. I have coprolalia (the swearing one) so my vocal tics can come across as rude or vulgar and when there’s a lack of education, that can cause a lot of embarrassment on both sides. I’ve since met people at shows who’ve spoken to me about their tics or AuDHD and it’s always comforting meeting other people like myself.

The B-Side Hour: Which of your songs changed the most from the first demo to the final version, and why?

Du Blonde: Probably my earlier music when I was working with producers. All of the songs on Homecoming and Sniff More Gritty are the originals demos hammed up. From the start I record my ideas into logic and then build on them so it’s rare that I have real demo versions of anything now. But I like that. Often it’s hard to capture the magic of a demo. I love the story about Bruce Springsteen spending forever trying to record Nebraska before finally releasing the home recordings. The way I work now means I get to keep whatever magic might have happened when an idea was first ignited and then polish it up and add to it.

The B-Side Hour: Sniff More Gritty is full of self-awareness and acceptance. Does writing music help you understand yourself better?

Du Blonde: Definitely. I’ve always felt producing music is like a form of therapy. Writing about pain or discomfort or heartbreak and making something that hopefully moves someone else is a really great release for all of those stuck feelings. I’ve written many songs that at the time I didn’t understand, and then with time and distance have realized were about feelings I hadn’t identified yet. I think the self-acceptance comes in part from the way I experience Autism. I have quite a matter-of-fact way of talking and have never really felt embarrassed or ashamed about difficult subjects so it’s always naturally been a part of my song writing. I also have a dark sense of humour and a dislike for authority so being able to speak openly has always been a kind of celebration of the freedom that comes with not working for any companies that might like to have me speak a certain way.

The B-Side Hour: What does being an independent, self-produced artist represent for you?

Du Blonde: In one sense I don’t think I had a choice but to end up independent and self-produced. For better or worse, I have unwavering ideas and opinions about how my music should sound, and the same can be said for how I feel about my career. I’m probably a terrible client to work with because my idea of success is simply to be happy and make the music I want to make, I’m not built to compromise for the sake of making someone else more money. I think some people look at my career and think if I’d only compromised, I might be more successful, but they don’t realise that I willingly chose this. My freedom to make what I want and enjoy my life is much more valuable to me than making a ton of money or going viral on TikTok.

The B-Side Hour: If you had to introduce yourself with just one song from your entire discography, which would it be?

Du Blonde: I’d probably choose All The Way. It’s been one of my favorites for a long time and I think it covers a lot of the different genres that I’ve woven into my songs for a long time, from folk to glam rock.

The B-Side Hour: Your song Radio Jesus reflects on the pandemic, how did that time impact your daily life as an artist?

Du Blonde: I live with chronic illness and a bad immune system so the pandemic for me meant a lot of time spent outside of society. Though I think my AuDHD meant I was well prepared. I’ve always been a bit of a loner and I’m never bored at home. I always have something to focus on and it gave me the time to write and produce my album Homecoming and make the step towards releasing music independently after so many years on labels. I spent a lot of the time scared and anxious but it was also a really great incubation period for building a foundation for how I wanted my career to look moving forward.

The B-Side Hour: What part of being on tour do you enjoy the most?

Du Blonde: Obviously the shows are great. Playing live is really joyful, especially when the recording process for me is almost entirely solo until I get into the mixing phase with my friend Sam Grant. Seeing people I’ve never met before singing along to songs I recorded in my bedroom is still mind blowing and something I’ll always be grateful for.

I’m also incredibly grateful for the moments in the van, driving along the motorway with my friends (my tour manager and my band) singing along to Robbie Williams, eating service station snacks and spotting constellations when the sky gets dark enough.

The B-Side Hour: What are you excited to explore next, creatively and/or musically?

Du Blonde: I have a bunch of projects in the pipeline at the moment. There’s an acoustic album I’m working on, along with around 12 songs that didn’t make it onto SMG that I’m looking to finish. Also a really exciting secret project that’s due around April.