Presenter: Hello everyone. Let’s welcome our guest, today, Josh from the band The Dexters.  Great to meet you Josh and thank you for accepting my invitation. I know how busy The Dexters are.

Josh: Hi, pleasure to meet you, too. How are you?

P: I'm great especially now that I have you, the crush of so many female fans of The Dexters, in my studio.

J: [Chuckling] It’s not that I take credit for it.

P: I know, I’m kidding of course. But you do look great.

J: Thanks, and so do you.

P: Ok, let’s turn to your story then. Was it your childhood dream to become a musician?

J: Actually, I’ve never wanted to have anything to do with music.

P: Haven’t you?! That’s a surprise. I’ve always thought that music runs in your family.

J: Well, it does. Both of my parents are musicians. My mum plays the cello in the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and my dad is a drummer in the Hammers.

P: And didn’t they encourage you to follow in their footsteps?

J: Oh, they did! They taught me the drums when I was about three years old. I used to drum on everything: plates, tables and even park railings. When I look at my childhood photos, it seems I enjoyed the drums a lot!

P: So what happened? I’ve never read anywhere that the drums are your thing.

J: Because they aren’t any more. It all ended when I was about four. One day I had this idea to drum on an empty glass jar and before anyone could stop me from that feat, I hit the jar so hard it burst into a thousand pieces, some of which cut my hands badly.

P: That must have been terrifying.

J: It was. It scared me so much I've given up drumming altogether.

P: Your parents must have been devastated.

J: They were naturally, but after that they were also very understanding and patient. Especially when I was unable to overcome my fear and didn't want to have anything to do with music whatsoever. This lasted for about a decade.

P: What was a turning point then, you’re now a very successful musician? Tell us what happened.

J: Of course. The turning point was when I met my girlfriend, Sarah, at one of the festivals in England. She loved music. She had a crush on a lead singer of The Kicks, and I wanted her to have a crush on me instead [chuckles], so I said off the cuff that I was a musician and was opting for a music career.

P: Which was a lie, right?

J: At that time it was, but I really fell head over heels for her, and I knew I’ll do whatever it takes to win her over. You can’t unring a bell, so I had to be ready to  return to music. Then I found out that a local band was looking for a lead singer, so I volunteered straightaway. [laughs]

P: That’s incredible! Tell me more about it. How did your audition go?

J: Well, in fact it went great! I didn’t play the drums, but I did the singing and it turned out I had a really sound voice. The band loved it and they said it suited their songs and everything.

P: When did you leave them then?

J: Well, never, [laughs heartily]. It is still the same band. When we graduated we just changed our name from The School Villains to The Dexters.

P: What a story!

J: It does sound pretty incredible, I agree.

P: Are you still with Sarah?

J: No, not anymore. Sara lives in Australia now, but we are still in touch, and often text each other. I also follow her on her Instagram profile.

P: I see, let’s go back to music then. What genre are you into?

J: Well, it’s hard to say. We are a rock band, but we are also very much into rap. Alex, our manager, writes great lyrics, so, who knows,  we might move towards  hip‑hop in a while.

P: Could you say anything about your day?

J: You mean my typical weekday?

P: Yes, that’s right.

J: You might think that I sleep all day and party all night and then at weekends I give concerts.

P: Don’t you?

J: Well, I may have in the past, but not now. Obviously, a musician like me doesn’t have a nine‑to‑five job. However, I’m a morning person, so I wake up at about five and take my dog, Shrek, for a twenty‑minute walk. Then I get home, shower and put on comfy clothes. Usually, a t‑shirt and a pair of joggers and I make myself a healthy meal.

P: Do you like traditional English breakfast?

J: You mean fried sausages with eggs and beans? No, that’s not my cup of tea. I have oatmeal with dried fruit, like raisins or dates and nuts. I need a healthy diet to keep me as fit as a fiddle, because you need to be fit to perform on stage. Next, I meet with my band, and we have rehearsals for about 3 to 4 hours. After that, I update our social media profile, because we aren’t yet wealthy enough, to have some company do that for us.

P: Have you personally taken those fab photos as well?

J: Yes, these snaps are mostly mine. I’m glad you like them.

P: What happens later during your regular day? Do you go home or hang out?

J: It depends. If we’re getting ready for a tour, we meet again, order a take‑away, to save time and practice more. If there’s no concert due, we usually part for the day.

P: What about your evening routine?

J: Once I’m done with the writing for the day, I hang out with my friends or call my parents. We have a good rapport now, once I’m over my teenage riots. I get home at about ten p.m., play with Shreck and walk it again.

P: That does not sound like a rock star lifestyle I was expecting…

J: Sorry to disappoint you. I used to be a social butterfly, but now I know that life is not a bed of roses and you have to work and have a routine. I love music and I intend to pursue my career, so I want to do my best to make it work. I have faithful fans and want to give them what they expect and deserve, which means I have to be healthy and my voice has to be at my disposal at all times, at each and every gig. I guess that fame and attention, which we've gradually got, didn’t go to my head. I can’t imagine cancelling a show, because I’m unwell or something. That’s not me. That would be so unprofessional.

P: Wow, I’m impressed. What are your nearest music plans?

J: We’re getting ready for the autumn tour and afterwards plan to get in the studio and record new material. I’m mostly ready with the lyrics, though some of them still need a final touch.

P: Sounds fantastic. I wish you all the best of luck with the tour and the new record. What else should I wish you?

J: Wish me health and please feel invited to our concerts. The atmosphere is great. I love the contact with fans and their energy. That’s the thing which hopefully will never change.

P: Thank you. Of course, all the best, Josh, to you and all The Dexters on the stage. And see you soon. It’s been great talking to you. Now I know why Gen Z considers you a role model.

J: Oh, that makes me blush! Thanks for having me on the show. It was a pleasure!