Nothing But Thieves

Nothing But Thieves are an English rock band from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, active since 2012. The group’s line-up includes Conor Mason on lead vocals and guitar, Joe Langridge-Brown on guitar, Dominic Craik on guitar and keyboards, Philip Blake on bass, and James Price on drums. Dave Dickinson is also listed among the members.

Background and sound

The band grows out of school friendships in Southend, where Conor Mason, Joe Langridge-Brown and Dave Dickinson play in a series of local bands before Dominic Craik joins them in sixth form. Craik, who is classically trained on guitar from the age of six, brings a different musical approach to the group, while the band describes its sound as a combination of his training and Langridge-Brown’s self-taught style. Their music is associated with alternative rock, pop rock and rock, and has also been described in terms of indie rock and alternative. They are compared with acts such as Foals, The Neighbourhood and Civil Twilight, and their songs receive airplay on alternative and active rock radio.

Early releases and label

Nothing But Thieves release their debut EP, Graveyard Whistling, in 2014. That same year, their single “Itch” receives attention on BBC Radio 1, including Hottest Record and Track of the Day recognition, and enters the station’s playlist. It is also added to regular rotation on Sirius XM’s hard-rock channel Octane. The band signs to RCA Records in 2014.

Albums and later work

Their self-titled debut album follows in 2015. The band then releases Broken Machine in 2017. That record is built around the title track’s idea of systems that seem intact on the surface but are damaged underneath, with the theme extending to subjects including mental health, love, religion and politics. Singles from the album include “Amsterdam,” “Sorry,” “Broken Machine,” “I’m Not Made By Design” and “Particles.”

In 2018, the band releases the EP What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way?, led by “Forever & Ever More.” In 2020 they release Moral Panic, followed by the EP Moral Panic II and then Moral Panic (The Complete Edition) in 2021. They tour in 2021 with Yonaka and Airways.

In 2023 the band releases the singles “Welcome to the DCC,” “Overcome” and “Keeping You Around” before issuing their fourth studio album, Dead Club City, which reaches number one in the UK album chart. In 2024 they release the single “Oh No :: He Said What?” and a deluxe edition of Dead Club City, which adds new tracks including “Time :: Fate :: Karma :: God” and “Pure You” alongside stripped-back versions of songs from the original album.