The Wombats are a band that need no introduction. A night out would be incomplete without hearing ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ or ‘Kill the Director’. And with over a million albums sold worldwide and a UK no. 1 under their belt, their success speaks for itself. Then, in 2021, a remix of their track ‘Greek Tragedy’ went viral on TikTok, which introduced them to a whole new generation of fans. But it’s now two decades into their career, that the Liverpool trio are embarking on their biggest tour yet: a six-date arena run across the UK to promote their sixth album, Oh! The Ocean.
“I guess we’ve just tipped over into that next level of touring,” drummer Dan Haggis says nonchalantly, all while donning a casual sweatshirt and cap. In fact, if it weren’t for the yellow sign saying ‘The Wombats’ behind him (or ‘ombat’, thanks to a half-obscured camera angle on Zoom), it might be difficult to believe that he makes up one-third of a band who are well on their way to becoming legendary. “Maybe there were always younger kids who were listening to our stuff, but that didn’t come to our shows, and now they’re, like, 18 and starting to come to gigs,” he wonders with a smile.
But arguably, it’s not just age or, indeed, TikTok virality that’s ushering in a new generation of Wombats fans. “You would hope that a good song will find people eventually, or they will share it with their friends,” Dan notes. “There’s that kind of word-of-mouth going on, or TikTok moments, or people just sharing music and enjoying it.”
This growing momentum isn’t just reflected in their streaming numbers but also their live shows. After packing out arenas, The Wombats are heading straight into festival season and gearing up to play Warrington’s Neighbourhood Weekender alongside James, The K’s, The Reytons, and many equally brilliant bands. “It’s going to be a fun one,” he declares with a smile. “Festivals in the UK in general, especially in the north, are always such a riot with such great energy and always have such a big singalong.”
However, if all these years of touring have taught the band anything, it’s that touring isn’t a sprint but a marathon. “You learn as you go along how to treat your body a little better,” Dan explains. “So maybe you don’t party as much, try to get more sleep, do yoga, and get fairly regular massages. You end up with your own little routines that get you through, and once you get on stage, the adrenaline kind of just carries you through.”
Their touring habits may have changed, but when they’re on stage, they’re still the same band, no matter what. The only thing that may have changed is their setlists. Their adored hits will have their moment to shine, but with six albums and only 90-minute shows, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to decide what gets cut from the setlist. “It’s a great problem to have,” Dan says, adding, “We love playing songs that the fans want to hear.” It’s just as well that what the band wants to play and what the fans want to hear are usually aligned. “It’s quite easy to agree on,” he says.
It’s not just about nostalgia, however. With six albums under their belt, The Wombats are always looking ahead, and their latest release, Oh! The Ocean proves they’re far from coasting on past success. Enlisting John Congleton to produce the record (St. Vincent, Franz Ferdinand, Miles Kane, etc.) was also the right choice, a choice made easier by the fact he’s produced music for Sunship Balloon, vocalist Matthew “Murph” Murphy and guitarist Tord Øverland Knudsen’s side project. “We just loved how his ears worked,” Dan gushes. So after six or seven weeks in a studio in LA, Oh! The Ocean was born. “It feels very much like The Wombats but put through John’s brain. If you listen to any of the songs from this album, I think you can tell it’s not from any other album we’ve done.”
It is also their most socially aware album to date, covering everything from Only Fans (‘Kate Moss’) to drinking whisky in bubble baths (‘My Head is Not My Friend’) to Ponzi schemes and cheap face cream (‘Can’t Say No’). Yet amidst these sharp, pop-culture-laden lyrics, the album also continues The Wombats’ tradition of exploring mental health through their music, with tracks like ‘Sorry I’m Late I Didn’t Want to Come’ balancing razor-sharp quips with unflinching honesty or ‘My Head is Not My Friend’ being painfully self-aware about mental health.
Beyond the songs, the album’s title also ties into this theme, emphasising what it means to live in the moment. Explaining the origin of the album’s name, Dan says, “Murph was sitting on the beach looking out to the ocean and had a moment of stillness when you really feel in awe of nature. It could be looking at the stars, but it happened to be the ocean,” he explains, reminiscing. “To try and be in the moment, free from all the shit we create for ourselves, is so difficult to hold on to, so when you get these moments, you need to acknowledge them and go, like, ‘WOW!’ right?”. And so, Oh! The Ocean was born.
Writing, recording, and performing their music also helps, taking them out of their heads and putting those feelings into song. “It’s like therapy in itself, you know,” he says. “When we play on stage together with the crowd, I feel like everyone’s having that same, ‘Oh! The Ocean’ kind of moment. And it can be so cathartic,” he elaborates. “Any busy thoughts and vortexes going on in your mind quiet down for a minute, and you’ve got nothing but your friends, and the music just carries you through.”
With a slew of shows and festival appearances ahead of them, there’s no better time to be a Wombats fan. Their biggest tour to date is a testament not only to their longevity but also to the ability of their music to connect across generations. Whether it’s longtime listeners belting out ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ or newcomers discovering their discography through Oh! The Ocean or even a viral remix, The Wombats have carved out a space where nostalgia and reinvention coexist. But if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that twenty years into their career, The Wombats are still having fun, and they’re bringing everyone along for the ride.
Words by Sophie Flint Vázquez