Return Of The Human Talk New Single, Future Plans And More

Roaring into 2025 with the ink still wet on their freshly signed major distribution deal, Return Of The Human hot-foot from their debut summer track with ‘Don’t Believe The World’ released Friday 11th April 2025. They kindly chatted to us about the new single and more:

(Answered by Dave Colquhoun, one half of Return of The Human)

Who is in Return Of The Human how did you meet and what do they play?

Return of the Human is Dave Colquhoun and John Vincent .

We met a long while ago on the university gigging circuit.

The music is melody-driven emotional music with depth and meaning .

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

For me, Dave, it’s playing Mull of Kintyre by Wings on acoustic guitar at a friend’s mum’s Tupperware party… very RnR

When did you begin songwriting?

Just after the Tupperware party finished.

Your debut single ‘Don’t Believe The World’ is released on Friday 11th April 2025. What was the inspiration/story behind the track?

It’s really a post covid reflection about disbelief in the world around you. It’s actually the 2nd single following on from a song called Sunny Day. The track went through a few different Incarnations before becoming Don’t Believe The World.

 

Where did you record the single and who produced it?

Recorded at Snap studios in North London, with the original track produced by Haydn Bendall. The song felt like it needed more arrangement so we added Rick Wakeman pianos. Some more guitars and percussion were added at Ed Sculls Studio Rosewood in Surrey and the track was finally mixed at the Music Farm in Cumbria by Dave. So as you can see, DBTW, has travelled the UK before it was completed.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

It was a great day when Rick added the Piano. Always a fun experience working with Rick.

 

Do you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the single?

Yes the Neumann u67 mic on the vocal was a real treat. Also adding a 12 string acoustic to double acoustic the nylon strung provided a nice texture. A lovely Guild USA 512 !!

The track features Rick Wakeman on keyboards. How did that collaboration arise?

Dave has been working with Rick since 2002. When the song Don’t Believe The World needed an extra boost Rick was the first place to look.

Which of your tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

a happiest Sunny Day

b angriest? Going Nowhere (not yet released, but the album is coming!)

c. Don’t Believe The World

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

To be honest, the video wasn’t ever indented as the official video to the track. We originally we hadn’t planned to have a video at all for Don’t Believe The World, but we’d filmed some great footage with the i360 camera on a remote island; when we put the footage to the music, it just worked! It was very cold that day… that was all I remember.

Who created/designed the single artwork?

It’s a great piece of single artwork isn’t it, it was designed by Josie Colquhoun and Sean at These Guys.

Was it a difficult single to write?

Not difficult, but it took a few variations to land at the final version. It was really about getting the emotional and sonic combination to fuse together.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

1 entertained the crowd

2. Given it everything

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I love my upside strung guitars, they are a really big part of the Return Of The Human sound.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

Originally Dave is from Whitehaven in Cumbria…

I’m not sure the five words are printable!

Now I live on the Surrey Kent bored so the five words would be ulez ulez ulez ulez ulez

How do you look after your voices?

Good warm ups and lots of water and hopefully sleep.

 

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

That’ll be Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson. Why because we already have the song only human for a while … a perfect match!

 

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

The Smiths U2 Queen…

I would always recommend listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd

Do you have any further music releases planned for 2025?

Yes very much so. Next single is called ‘Ain’t Sad About Losing You’ – which we’ll be unveiling in April. We have some other great tracks coming your way, plus the debut album this autumn.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025?

Oh we’ll hitting the UK live stages soon – we’ll announce live dates once confirmed. Watch this space.

What makes Return Of The Human happy and what makes you unhappy?

Tequila it makes me happy

Too much tequila makes me unhappy