Dev from IDLES – Our Generation | Swing Bass 66 | Rotosound

"A beautiful, chaotic mess" is how Adam Devonshire describes his band, IDLES. Despite this (or because of this, perhaps), IDLES have claimed the title of Britain's most exciting independent band and have picked up plenty of accolades along their journey.

This episode of Our Generation takes a look at the musical journey of IDLES bassist Adam “Dev” Devonshire.

Dev discusses what inspired him to play bass, his progress from running a music venue to being in one of the UK’s top bands, and where he’s currently at in his story. Taking inspiration from The Stranglers to Gilla Band, Dev dives into his bass tone and gear, of which Rotosound strings play a crucial role. The interview is segmented with original pieces plus Dev plays through some classic IDLES tracks.

Bristol-based post-punk rock band IDLES broke into the public consciousness in 2017 with the release of their critically acclaimed debut album Brutalism. However, the band formed eight years earlier when Dev met singer Joe Talbot at college and shortly afterwards brought in guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan, and drummer Jon Beavis. Their distinct musical style is an assault of noise, heavy riffs, and an engine-like drive in the rhythm section – all tied together with Talbot’s emotionally delivered lyrics. The band’s fourth album, Crawler, was released in 2021 and received a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

Dev plays Rotosound RS66LD and RS66LE roundwound strings. He also uses Rotosound RS77LD strings.

• Chapters:
00:00 Who are IDLES?
00:35 Accolades and highlights
01:24 Reigns playthrough
01:39 Getting into the bass guitar
02:28 Dev's go-to bass strings
03:09 A sentimentally valuable bass
04:20 Bristol's impact on the band
05:20 IDLES' progress and evolution
05:47 Creating a powerful sonic space
07:25 Fuzz bass
07:36 Swing Bass 66 gauges
08:25 Musical influences
09:21 The Wheel playthrough
09:56 Independent music venues
11:19 A long journey of self-discovery

• Links:
https://www.rotosound.com
https://www.idlesband.com
https://www.musicvenuetrust.com

• About Rotosound:
Rotosound are manufacturers of the World’s Finest Music Strings - a legacy which goes back to the birth of Rock n’ Roll itself. Since 1958 Rotosound strings have been an ever-present on some of the most famous recordings ever heard.

Developed in conjunction with some of the world's top artists, Rotosound strings are synonymous with unbeatable tone and longevity and are manufactured in Great Britain.