It’s 2019, and in MacSorley’s pub on Jamaica Street, an up-and-coming local artist is stunned to find himself joined on the mic by the lead singer of rock band DMA’s who are fresh from a slot supporting Liam Gallagher at the OVO Hydro.

A video capturing the moment would later go viral, gaining over half a million and cementing the Australian outfit’s reputation as honorary Glasgow heroes.

Glasgow Times: Credit: Reuben Bastienne-LewisCredit: Reuben Bastienne-Lewis (Image: Credit Reuben Bastienne-Lewis)

Watch as DMA's join musician, 18, in Glasgow pub MacSorley's for unlikely duet

“It was the closest pub to the hotel we were staying in”, recalls guitarist Johnny Took, “We were having a few pints of Guinness when all of a sudden, this kid in the corner started playing DMA’s songs.

“Tommy had had a couple of drinks and stood up to play In the Air and Lay Down with him.

“We still don’t take the fact that we're from the other side of the world and people there know our music for granted.

“It’s very surreal.”

Almost four years, a global pandemic and a second main stage set at TRNSMT later, a lot has changed for Johnny and fellow bandmates Tommy O’Dell and Matthew Mason as they prepare for the release of their fourth studio album and upcoming UK tour.

Glasgow Times: Credit: Kalpesh LathigraCredit: Kalpesh Lathigra (Image: Photo credit: Kalpesh Lathigra)

Due to be released in full on March 31, How Many Dreams is described as the ‘grand sum of every part of who DMA’S are’ using over 70 early demos to create a record that’s both surprisingly uplifting and a confident showcase of the trio’s development as a group.

Johnny said: “When Covid happened, there was no touring, so for us it became all about the studio which really gave us time to start experimenting with more sounds.

“But we purposefully didn’t want to make a record that reeked of covid or release any of the songs that were all about feeling bad in lockdown.

“It’s very optimistic and hopeful.

“We’re working on the songs at the moment in our rehearsal space and they’re really coming together.

“We’re super proud of this record. I think it’s our strongest yet.”

If past successes are any measure to go by, nowhere is quite as excited to hear new music from DMA’s as Scotland, the only country in the world where they have secured a number one position on the charts.

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And for Johnny in particular that love is reciprocated, having previously spent ten months living in Edinburgh with frequent trips through to Glasgow.

He said: “The audiences in Glasgow are super energetic, almost crazy, and we love that.

“I have a mate at the pub called the Priory and there’s loads of great music coming out of there.

“We made our first ep in my bedroom with my mattress pushed up between the wall and the guitar amp so that we could mic it up so to come from that to playing these amazing venues across the world, particularly in Scotland is amazing.

“I remember one time we played Motherwell and our manager told us ‘this is your biggest show to date’ I was like ‘what is going on here?’.

“We can’t wait to come back.”

DMA's will play the O2 Academy on Wednesday, April 19.

To book tickets click here.