We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Arnö Vön Detritus a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Arnö, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My mum. I was raised by a working class single mum. My mum worked really hard to make sure we had everything we could possibly need. She had to fight hard, and work hard, on her own, whilst also looking after me. Not easy raising a kid on your own in your early 20’s. There was no time for nonsense. If you wanted something, you had to work hard for it. She is my absolute hero.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Im lucky enough to have made a career of all the stuff I love in life: Live music, Club nights, parties, socialising and great vegan food ha ha.
For the past 10 years or so I have been involved in different legendary live music venues across London:
The Intrepid Fox, The 12 Bar, The Lounge 666, and more recently my partner and myself launched Trashville: Inclusive and open minded club night featuring bands, performances and DJ’s. I would say this is our MO: Promote some sick alternative artists with live music, burlesque and keeping the dance floor happy and busy.
I am also the booking agent for Cart & Horses, Iron maiden’s birthplace, an incredible small venue niched in East London.
Other than that I DJ a few times a month a different venues, and I do a bit of modelling and acting work.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
– Very early on I knew that a ‘normal’ 9 to 5 type of life wasn’t for me. I couldn’t relate to regular folks life. I didn’t fit in. I needed excitement, and I needed it bad. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew what I didn’t want to do. I didn’t want a boring life.
– I have a bit of a problem with authority ha ha. I’m not really good with being told what to do, I have always being rebellious. Kind and caring, but rebellious.
– I left home VERY early, as a teenager, and for a few years I lived in the street and in a lot of squats in Europe and in the UK.
It was a lot of fun though, nothing morbid: Busking and organising free food kitchen and benefit shows for people who needed it, animal rights groups etc. I travelled the world, as a musician in obscure punk bands, and as an avid traveller. Travelling shapes you. Meeting other people and different cultures is one of the best things that can happen to you!
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Although the pro’s largely outweigh the cons here (I am my own boss, I get the chance to travel to incredible places and meet amazingly talented people), the lack of stability can be sometimes overwhelming.
Husting and constantly chasing invoices can be exhausting and stressful. Not knowing what tomorrow will be made off, work can dry out overnight like in 2020. If I don’t work, I’m not getting paid,
Living in London, the number one obstacle is easy: The city does absolutely nothing to preserve an independent and genuine nightlife.
So many venues closed down the past 5-10 years, and were turned into flats or coffee shops chains. It’s actually disgusting. They’ll do everything to make your life difficult.
London is now the playground of millionaires who don’t live here. People come here and expect it to be the mecca of R n’R but unfortunately all these places they heard of are now trendy cocktail bars chains where you pay half your salary for a shitty mainstream cocktail.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trashville_ldn/ https://www.instagram.com/arnovond3tus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arno.vondetritus
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaddyVonD
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHgnSPNJdEoP-YRCyH78NyA
Image Credits
@gilishan1 at @the_code_berlin by Dan Thomas photography at Download Festival
