How Doves came back from the brink: “We were staring down the abyss”
Doves have been no strangers to adversity over the last quarter of the century. The struggles they faced at the start of their journey look trivial compared with the serious obstacles they leapt over to create their powerful new album, Constellations for the Lonely. Yet, despite frontman Jimi Goodwin’s addiction problems and losing their studio, Doves have risen from the ashes with their heads held high.
In 2019, Doves finally returned for a series of live shows after a nine-year hiatus. It was a year of celebration for the band, who headlined Kendal Calling, London’s Royal Albert Hall and a series of huge outdoor gigs. More importantly, it also set the musical wheels in motion for a new Doves album for the first time in a decade, with the chart-topping The Universal Want arriving in 2020.
At this stage, everything was going according to plan, and from the outside, the trio looked to have perfectly managed their comeback. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Doves, like every other band, didn’t have the opportunity to tour their record but made plans for early 2022. Sadly, these shows never occurred due to frontman Jimi Goodwin’s mental health and addiction issues.
Since they cancelled the tour in 2021, it had been radio silence from Doves until Constellations for the Lonely was announced last November. Although they never split, Jez Williams frankly explains to Far Out, “We didn’t really see a future, to be honest. It was like, ‘That’s that then’. We were so looking forward to going out on the road, but then it got cancelled, and it all imploded. We were staring down the abyss.”
After the tour cancellation, it was a dark period of uncertainty for everyone involved, lasting “three or four months”. Reflecting on that time, Jez says, “We just thought, ‘What the fuck are we going to do?'”. Rather than continue to revel in their misery, the Williams brothers sought solace in songwriting. Initially, it was their coping mechanism, but quickly, it became clear they were making a new Doves album, “This picture started to emerge, and we thought, there might be a way through this,” Jez recalls.
It wasn’t an overnight process to create Constellations for the Lonely. Significantly, their relationship with Goodwin needed time to repair. As Williams says, “The thing with addictions is that what people don’t see is the destruction it creates around them. Everyone gets affected. Thankfully, Jimi’s in a much better place, and I feel like he’s turned the corner now, but at the time, it was very dark days.”
Despite contributing to Constellations for the Lonely, Goodwin is now prioritising his sobriety and well-being above all else, which means Doves will tour their upcoming album without him. They played three intimate shows in November and will head out on a full-scale tour across the United Kingdom in the spring, marking their first tour in 15 years.
Naturally, Williams was tense ahead of their first show without Goodwin, but those worries soon dissipated: “Jimi is obviously not with us, so it had an extra weight to it. After the first two gigs, it felt like home again, but the first gig we did in Stoke was good but nervous, and then it got a little bit easier.”
Williams describes it as “sad” that Goodwin cannot share a stage with him and Andy, but he understands that the singer’s health is more important than performing live with Doves. “He’s really working on his recovery, and as I said to the audience, he’s there with us in spirit. We want to acknowledge that. We don’t want it to be a white Elephant,” he says.
As Goodwin’s unmistakable baritone voice is integral to Doves’ sound, Williams was apprehensive about how fans would react to his absence. However, after the three shows, he realised that the emotional connection audiences held with the songs was the most important thing, “People want to hear Doves songs, irrespective of the individuals. What I get from it is a communal thing that’s going on.”
Thankfully, Doves have found a way to ensure their new songs are performed as part of a communal experience with fans while also protecting Goodwin’s mental health. The singer is currently making progress, but he knows better than most about the risks to his mental health that arise from the live music industry. According to the mental health charity Mind, “Research has shown that people working in the music industry are more prone to mental health problems than the general population, with musicians being up to three times more likely to suffer from depression.”
Williams believes more work is needed to protect artists, stating that touring can be a “trigger” to fall into destructive habits “if that’s all you’ve done every time you do a tour”. The guitarist adds, “Let’s face it, substance abuse is as common as a cup of tea, and because it’s such a strange bubble when you tour, you can understand how you can get into it day-to-day.”
He continues, “What goes first is your health, and you start cancelling gigs, then all the wheels come off. As far as we can see, there was no help. Zero help.” Williams also states that he thinks people are “waking up” to this element of the music industry and realising that the archetypal hedonistic rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle “isn’t glamourous at all.”
To compound Doves’ challenges, they also lost their studio in Cheshire. Previously, they operated from a farm in Cheshire, but after the farmer passed away, they were evicted from the premises. However, Williams has become accustomed to setbacks of this nature, stating, “We’ve always had things like this happen to us. So, for instance, our first studio burnt down, but life throws you things, and you just have to find a way to deal with it.”
In theory, considering the mitigating circumstances, Constellations for the Lonely should have been challenging to make. In truth, it was anything but. When Doves were in the studio making music, it was a safe space away from outside distractions. “Music itself is pure escapism,” Wiliams explains, “so when you work in this nice little sort of bubble, you’re having a break from normality. I like to think when people listen to it, they can escape as well.”
Their brooding new single, ‘Cold Dreaming’, embodies the escapist spirit of the album. Inspired by composer David Axelrod, Williams says Doves wanted to pay homage to him by creating an “orchestral version of a really filmic track” while also encompassing Northern Soul and 1970s soul with a “modern twist”. It also features Williams on lead vocals alongside his brother Andy. Across Constellations for the Lonely, the trio share vocal duties, and each member plays an equally critical role. Although one individual steers most bands, Doves carry the weight equally between them, which has been their blessing. When one of them is falling, the others are there to ease the burden of responsibility, which has enabled them to survive everything thrown at them.
In a perfect world, Goodwin would be able to take Constellations for the Lonely on the road with the Williams brothers. The world has never been perfect, though. Instead, Doves have put aside their issues and focused on making their little slice of this universe as bright as it can be. Their upcoming album is a splendid addition to the band’s discography and ranks as one of their greatest achievements, if only because it seemed like it would never come to fruition.
It’s been more than 30 years since they began making music together as the dance group Sub Sub before forming Doves in 1998 after their studio burned down, which marked the start of a new chapter. Since then, such three number-one albums, incredible tours, and huge acclaim mean their highs can outweigh the crushing lows. If Doves are making music, that nothing else really matters.
Constellations for the Lonely is out on February 14th via EMI North.
