“It was never my intention to do a solo project,” says Brighton based musician and songwriter Darren Smallman speaking to Claire Biddles in The Wire 464. Smallman has played in bands and run labels in Australia and the UK for three decades, but it was only in 2020 that he initiated his Dez Dare project. His self-reflective songs explore nihilism, his autism, politics and more.

Dez Dare's most recent solo album Ulysses Trash is released by CH!MP. “Ulysses has a split meaning,” Smallman explains. “The name itself means ‘The Hated’, but in Greek mythology he’s a leader, and the album reflects that idea – people who call themselves leaders but do something very different.” Here the DIY artist premieres the B side of the album's next single “Trashin'”, which will be released on 30 September.

Read Claire Biddles's full interview with Dez Dare inside The Wire 464. Wire subscribers can also read the article online via the digital library.