If you’ve seen a British India performance, you’ll know that Declan Melia is paying the rent. If you’ve seen Declan Melia smile, chances are he’s listening to Simon and Garfunkel. If you see Declan Melia pass up a drink, he’s navigating a tightrope. The man in question, along with bandmates William Drummond, Nic Wilson, and Matt O’Gorman, have released three albums, one of which won the 2007 AIR Best Independent Award. British India’s live shows are positively charged and Declan’s stage presence is like a gosh darn magnetic force. He’s pretty good at answering questions, too.

What’s on your plate at the moment?

So much, but I've an appetite for destruction so I scrape the plate. Career wise we're touring our new record 'Avalanche' but all I can think about is new songs, I feel like we've got a lot of cool new ideas and Nic (Wilson, guitar) has got some really exciting things going on. More personally, I'm just trying to see all my friends as much as I can while not letting my drinking spiral out of control which is a fucking tightrope to navigate it feels these days and I've got some sickeningly real and important decisions to make relationship-wise, oh well let's see what happens eh?

Favourite part about touring?

Just playing, a room full of kids and a nice stage, that's the best thing for sure, it's why we do it. Being in new places every next weekend is pretty fun too and we do like to party and socialise- Let's not forget the money as well! I have to tour to pay rent.

Favourite part about being home?

Well, we live in Melbourne and being there is always a favourite, this is the best city in Australia without a doubt. I'm a pretty energetic dude but it’s sometimes nice to have a few days to just have tea and wine and sit around, I never cook though, I eat out every night or I make my girlfriend cook for me.

What music makes you...

...dance?

Mostly Hip-Hop, I can't really find my groove with dance music and I've started to find indie disco DJ's infuriating although I will get up for a hidden gem. Occasionally, I'll dance to 60's stuff but more likely it'll be commercial hip-hop like Jay-Z, Kanye or Summat, which isn't the kind of Hip-Hop I'd ever listen to.

...smile?

Lighter old folk stuff like Simon and Garfunkle or Nick Drake, that stuff makes the world look awesome no matter the weather.

...think?

My favourite records make me think fuck how did they do that!

...cry?

I'm not much of a crier but there are a few records that have some melancholy nostalgia - Jo Newsom, Arcade Fire, Fleetwood Mac.

...angry?

Ha, I'm always angry so it doesn't take much, the Blood Brothers, At the Drive-In, DFA 1979.

Do you have vivid dreams?

Yeah, I tend to dream about geographic locations I can half remember from childhood, filling in the memory gaps with fantastic imaginings, these dreams don't have much narrative and they're simultaneously pleasant and disturbing, you know what dreams are like.