THE MUSIC INDUSTRY PODCAST FROM RGM MAGAZINE · RGMMagazine

#240 COPPER LUNGS

·45 min·3 clips

Darren says the new songs took months of writing because “the chorus sucks” had to be cut again and again.

1. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY PODCAST FROM RGM MAGAZINE episode #240 focuses on Copperlungs, a Dundee alt-pop band with a strong live identity. 2. Darren is the singer and Inacio is a bandmate and drummer, and both explain why Copperlungs matters as a new Scottish grassroots act. 3. The episode asks what Copperlungs is building now: a band, a community, and a route that does not depend on viral clips. 4. Inacio says he was born in the Basque Country near Bilbao and moved to Dundee at 11 after his father started a shellfish business in Scotland. 5. He says he did not speak English when he arrived, and a Spanish-speaking Argentinian boy at school helped him adjust. 6. Darren says he grew up around Moneythief, Stoney, Lochee, and Broughty Ferry, and met Inacio on a music course in Perth. 7. Darren says Dundee once had more venues, including Dexter’s and Non-Zeros, before noise complaints and restaurant development reduced opportunities. 8. He links that venue loss to fewer chances for younger bands to grow and to pass a scene on to the next generation. 9. Darren also says post-COVID crowds are harder to draw out, with higher venue costs and people buying tickets later. 10. Copperlungs say they have still been lucky with ticket demand, including a May Dundee show that is “absolutely flying.” 11. Darren says Copperlungs began as a long-running project that went through multiple members before becoming the current five-piece. 12. He says Steph began as a session singer on harmonies and then became an official front person alongside him. 13. Darren describes Heartland Festival last year as a major moment because Copperlungs moved from the small stage to the main stage. 14. He says the band played first on the Sunday in front of 8,000 people, which gave them a shared adrenaline high. 15. Darren says the group now chases that live feeling and wants their music to become bigger than the songs themselves. 16. The conversation returns repeatedly to AI content, and Darren says he wants “real life things” rather than synthetic clips and AI-generated music. 17. The tone is conversational, direct, and full of band-room detail, with jokes about Scottish food, Vans, and “smelly boys.” 18. The format mixes origin story, scene talk, and a long back-and-forth about how Copperlungs works as a five-piece. 19. People who like Scottish grassroots bands and live-music strategy will get the most from it. 20. Listeners wanting polished industry theory or brief answers may skip it.

As heard by us

A steady look at Copperlungs, graft, and the slower work of building a scene.

Copperlungs come across as a new alt-pop band from Dundee with more on their mind than a brief social bump. Darren and Inacio spend time on the band’s video, the community they want around the music, and the basic idea that they are trying to build something durable, not just…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A smart listen if you want a band-building chat with no hype hangover.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from THE MUSIC INDUSTRY PODCAST FROM RGM MAGAZINE