The Last Supper Party poses backstage on day four at Lollapalooza. Sunday, August 4, 2024 in Grant … [+]
For British indie rock quintet The Last Dinner Party, success came incredibly quickly, with the band forming in 2020 performing live for the first time a year later before signing a management deal in 2022.
In April 2023, The Last Dinner Party released their first single “Nothing Matters”, which has now amassed over 100 million streams on Spotify alone along with nearly 600,000 video views on YouTube, dethroning their debut album . Prelude to Ecstasy via Island Records last February.
Their attention to detail informs everything they do, from the songwriting to the decadence and fashion that permeates their music videos and live performances.
The Last Dinner Party perform on stage on day four at Lollapalooza. Sunday, August 4, 2024 in Grant … [+]
On Sunday afternoon at Lollapalooza in Chicago, in anticipation of a sizable draw, The Last Dinner Party were moved to a larger stage and given an extra 15 minutes to perform, ultimately delivering a rewarding hour on the Vodka Stage Tito’s Handmade.
I spoke with singer/guitarist Lizzie Mayland and keyboardist/vocalist Aurora Nishevci backstage at Lollapalooza about what they’ve learned getting a first-hand look at the business side, the benefits for any artist of owning their masters, negotiating their first contract and opening for The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park in 2022. A transcript of our conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows below.
Jim Ryan: With the way things have moved so quickly for the Feast of the Last Supper, what have you learned about the importance of keeping a closer eye on the business side these past few years?
Mayland: We have learned a lot.
Nishevci: You are a business owner after all.
Mayland: An employer.
Aurora Nishevci performs on stage with The Last Dinner Party on day four at Lollapalooza. Sunday, … [+]
Nishevci: Actually it is a big responsibility. It’s still very overwhelming. There is a lot to learn. I don’t think I fully understood that in the music industry, the artists, the employers, are the bosses. They are hiring so many people to do so many different jobs. And it’s kind of your responsibility to set the rules as well.
Mayland: Industry standard is too poor to care about people and welfare. And human resources! There is no f-ing HR in the music industry!
Nishevci: Artists end up canceling tours because mental stress takes over. And that has to do with maybe, yes, going on tour and being perceived by the public – but also with all the responsibility you carry as an artist and as an employer. And maybe when you grow up dreaming of being a rock star, you’re not necessarily dreaming of being an entrepreneur.
Mayland: And being responsible for so many moving parts, it’s a really interesting kind of experience. Like, yes, we’re running a business – but we don’t really have the expertise to suddenly be business owners. Because none of us have been to business school or done any of this. So it’s really been a very continuous process. But I really enjoyed learning about it. And it makes me want to change the industry for the better. And I think we try to do that in our own little way.
Lizzie Mayland performs on stage with The Last Dinner Party on day four at Lollapalooza. Sunday, … [+]
Ryan: I was reading an interview earlier that the band gave and a passing comment was made about master ownership. Does the Last Supper own its masters?
Nishevci: Not yet! But the contracts. People gave me advice when we were signing a record deal: the shorter the contract, the better. So yes, they will take your masters. But negotiate to return them at some point. Because so many artists, I think especially the young teenagers who sign, give their masters forever. And then when they get big, they have to pay millions or do a “Taylor version” or something to get their songs back, you know?
Mayland: We’ll get ours back in a few years.
(Left to right) Aurora Nishevci, Abigail Morris, Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland and Emily Roberts from … [+]
Ryan: Selfishly, I have to ask this of anyone who has opened for the Rolling Stones. Especially when that someone has opened for the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park. What do you get from such an experience, especially one early for the Last Supper?
Mayland: Oh God…
Nishevci: It was like sinking to the bottom, wasn’t it?
Mayland: Indeed it was, oh god – wash or swim. I think we drove.
Nishevci: Yes! We drove past.
Mayland: It was such a massive stage and we were all like next to each other in the middle of the stage – because we didn’t have enough cables. It was amazing. But also, we got to watch the Rolling Stones. I took it from her: “Oh, you can be 70 years old and still do this.” If you want. So it was very inspiring.