TIRED have turned the frustrations, routines and absurdities of modern middle age into the raw material for their debut album, Tales of Middle Age. Hailing from Birmingham, England, the project grew out of a self-described midlife crisis and a creative itch that had been left untouched for years. Rather than treating getting older as something to resist, TIRED approaches it with humour, honesty and a willingness to embrace the freedom that can come with no longer worrying so much about what other people think.
Blending post-punk, stoner rock, indie, metal and post-rock, Tales of Middle Age unfolds loosely like a day in the life of a middle-aged person, finding inspiration in everything from boredom and domestic routines to corporate nonsense, parenthood and the wider frustrations of modern society. Its social and political observations are delivered with a distinctly tongue-in-cheek edge, choosing mockery over preaching and turning everyday annoyances into songs that are as relatable as they are wry.
For TIRED, the album has also become a form of creative therapy. After spending around 15 years away from writing music, returning to it has offered a way to rediscover a part of themselves that had been left behind. What began as a personal outlet has now become something others can connect with, particularly anyone who has ever felt worn down by work, routine, responsibility—or simply a car alarm going off at 2AM.
In this interview, TIRED discuss the midlife crisis that sparked the project, the everyday observations behind Tales of Middle Age, the role of humour in their songwriting, their unexpected creative discoveries, and why getting older might actually be something worth celebrating.
For readers discovering TIRED for the first time, how would you introduce the band and the world you’ve created around Tales of Middle Age?
TIRED: TIRED is the product of a self-proclaimed midlife crisis and a creative itch that has been left unscratched for far too long. The album Tales of Middle Age is loosely written as a day in the life of a middle-aged person.
The album is described as a collection of “tales of a midlife crisis in the modern world.” What was happening in your lives that inspired you to turn that feeling into an album?
TIRED: Boredom and routine. I played music when I was younger, and I’ve always felt like there was unfinished business. The midlife crisis is always painted in a negative light, but if you approach it positively, it can be a time to rediscover who you are and channel that into a creative endeavour. You don’t need to buy a leather jacket and a sports car.
Why did Tales of Middle Age feel like the right title for the album? What does “middle age” represent to you beyond simply getting older?
TIRED: I came up with the title of the album when I only had 1 or 2 songs written. You have to write about what you know, and I’m quite the expert at being middle-aged now. To me, being middle-aged is when you stop caring about what other people think of you. When I was younger, I was riddled with self-doubt; now I couldn’t care less. Middle age is a wonderful thing if you embrace it.
The album tackles the mundanity of everyday life. What are some of the ordinary experiences or frustrations that ended up becoming songwriting material?
TIRED: There are so many. I have a Google Docs on my phone where I note down any thoughts that could be used. I’ve found that some of the best songs come from the smallest observations. The lyrics in the song A Message From Your CEO basically wrote themselves, as I’ve heard so much corporate nonsense over the years. There is one line that I heard a senior manager from my day job say word for word in a meeting. For the next hour or so, I repeated it over in my head until I could get my phone out to make a note of it. I’ll let you try and work out which line it is.
There’s a tongue-in-cheek quality to your political and social commentary. How important is humour when you’re addressing subjects that might otherwise feel bleak or frustrating?
TIRED: I’d say it’s extremely important. No one likes a whinger or to be preached at, so might as well mock and joke about the things that annoy you.
Was there ever a moment while writing the album where you thought, “We probably shouldn’t say this,” only to decide that you had to put it in the song anyway?
TIRED: I don’t think I say anything offensive on the album, and I’m not out to offend anyone. However, I did get various people to read some of the lyrics to make sure I wasn’t being insensitive. For example, the opening and closing tracks are a critique of parenthood, which discusses situations involving my own children. I’m hopeful they will see the funny side when they get older. I got my wife to give them a read to make sure I hadn’t taken anything too far.
Tales of Middle Age brings together post-punk, stoner rock, indie, metal, and post-rock. How did you arrive at this combination of sounds?
TIRED: Well, it wasn’t intentional to genre-hop quite so much. Before TIRED, I hadn’t written any music in the past 15 years, so I guess this is just a backlog of subconscious ideas.
Did making this album feel more like therapy, an outlet, a midlife rebellion, or simply something you needed to do creatively?
TIRED: Definitely therapy, an outlet, and something I needed to do creatively. I started writing it for myself; it’s a bonus when people listen and enjoy it. I’m in a much better mental state now than I was a year or so ago, so creativity definitely works as a therapy. I’ve never considered what I’m doing as rebellion.
The band’s name, TIRED, feels almost like a statement about modern life. If everyone is tired, what do you think people are actually tired of?
TIRED: I came up with the name as I realised I’d talked about being tired multiple times in the songs. I’d say most people are tired of living within a society that cares little for them. You go to work, do your housework, and are too exhausted to do much else. Maybe it’s about that, or maybe you didn’t sleep well because a car alarm went off at 2AM.
Was there a song on the album that surprised you during the recording process or ended up sounding very different from how you originally imagined it?
TIRED: All of the songs sound a bit different from how I thought they would, but the one that surprised me the most is Ode to Running. I didn’t think I was able to write and produce a song like that. It hasn’t been as popular as some of the others, but I personally love it.
What do you hope listeners recognise about their own lives when they hear these songs?
TIRED: I guess it would be nice for people to listen to the songs and say, “ha, yes, I can relate to that”.
If you could collaborate with any artist or band from any era, who would make sense in the strange universe of TIRED?
TIRED: From a practicality point of view, it would probably be a new guitarist, as ours is leaving after the gigs we have booked. So if you are a guitarist who is comfortable on vocals, based in the West Midlands, please get in touch! I’m not sure if I’d like to collaborate at the moment as it’s a bit of a hassle. If I could see artists in a certain era though, I’d love to see The Fall and The Birthday Party in the early 80s.
What would be your dream venue or city to take Tales of Middle Age to for a live show?
TIRED: I’ve always liked the idea of playing in Japan, so I’m going to say Tokyo. They work long hours over there, so tiredness is rife.
What has making Tales of Middle Age taught you about yourselves?
TIRED: It’s taught me that if I put in a bit of effort, I can produce something I’m proud of. I’m quite a passive person, so I’ve just sat back and observed for most of my life. It’s nice to be involved for a change.
Message to fans and readers?
TIRED: If you have a creative idea, just go out and do it. You only live once, so who cares what other people think?
TIRED turn the frustrations of middle age and the absurdities of modern life into a sharp, darkly funny collection of post-punk, garage-rock grit and self-aware songwriting. Tales of Middle Age finds humour in the daily grind while proving that a midlife crisis can be less about losing yourself and more about finally finding the freedom to create
