Enter Shikari exclusive: Rou Reynolds on why the band goes dormant on 31 December 2027. And what comes next.

In this week's episode, the first of season seven, Sean sits down with Rou Reynolds, the vocalist of Enter Shikari, for an exclusive conversation recorded weeks after the band announced that they will fall dormant as a recording and performing entity on 31 December 2027.

Why is a band with a UK number one album, and a sold out night at Alexandra Palace, choosing to go quiet? And what do decades of touring do to your mental health? Those are the two questions Sean starts from.

The band's statement says the dormancy may end with an eruption back into activity, or with extinction, and that they have no idea which. It also floats the possibility that they might be like Fugazi and get together to rehearse for fun without feeling the need to make anyone else listen. Rou is clear that this tour is not a goodbye tour, and that they want to mark the anniversaries of Take To The Skies, A Flash Flood Of Colour and The Spark next year.

Rou is open about what the first half of 2026 was like, including anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks on stage and OCD, and about how he has found his footing again. This is not only a conversation about struggle. There are practical things in it, from the experiment Rou is running on stage with giving 50% instead of 100%, to what has helped him and Sean when the thinking mind takes over.

The conversation also gets into how Enter Shikari started at a local youth club, why Rou calls the band "a hobby that got out of hand", and how it felt to be on stage in Leicester at a recent warm up show and feel free again.

Enter Shikari were the first artist to give £1 from every UK ticket sold to Music Venue Trust, a scheme since taken up by artists including Ed Sheeran and Coldplay, and this tour does the same: musicvenuetrust.com

As with every episode, Sean ends by asking Rou what he would do with £500m, roughly what Spotify has put into Joe Rogan. His answer is fantastic.

Enter Shikari's European and UK tour runs from 3 November to 4 December. Tickets and full details are at entershikari.com/shows

In Europe they play Sporthalle in Hamburg on 3 November, Zenith in Munich on 4 November, Haus Auensee in Leipzig on 5 November, Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf on 6 November, Columbiahalle in Berlin on 7 November, Ancienne Belgique in Brussels on 9 November, La Laiterie in Strasbourg on 10 November and 013 in Tilburg on 11 November.

The UK and Ireland dates are Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on 13 November, Utilita Arena in Cardiff on 14 November, Connexin Live in Hull on 15 November, the Hydro in Glasgow on 18 November, Co-op Live in Manchester on 19 November, Alexandra Palace in London on 20 and 21 November (the 21st is sold out), The Telegraph Building in Belfast on 2 December and The Academy in Dublin on 3 and 4 December (the 4th is sold out).

This episode includes frank conversation about anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and insomnia. If any of it lands close to home, here are some places to start. Different things work for different people, which comes up more than once in the conversation, so treat this as a starting point rather than a full list. If there is something you think we have missed, email sean@drownedinsound.org and we will add it to these notes.

In the UK, Samaritans are there at any time on 116 123, free from any phone: samaritans.org If you would rather text, Shout is on 85258: giveusashout.org Mind's Infoline on 0300 123 3393 can help you find specialist services near you: mind.org.uk

If you work in music, Music Support is a charity founded by people from inside the industry. Its helpline on 0800 030 6789 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, bank holidays excluded) is staffed by trained peers who have worked in music and live events: musicsupport.org/helpline

Help Musicians, which comes up in the conversation, BAPAM and CALM also offer support: helpmusicians.org.uk bapam.org.uk thecalmzone.net

For OCD, OCD Action runs a free and confidential helpline and email service for people affected by OCD and related conditions: ocdaction.org.uk OCD UK has an advice line and information too: ocduk.org Anxiety UK supports people living with anxiety conditions: anxietyuk.org.uk

Rou and Sean both talk about how the type of therapy matters, and that a standard approach does not suit everyone. In England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP first: nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicin…

If you are listening in Ireland, Samaritans are on 116 123, Pieta is on 1800 247 247, Aware is on 1800 80 48 48 and you can text HELLO to 50808 for Text About It. The full list is here: hse.ie/mental-health/services-support/supports… Elsewhere in the world, Find A Helpline lists services by country: findahelpline.com

Sean mentions Tamsin Embleton, whose book Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual is a guide for people working in live music. Her an earlier conversation om the pod here: drownedinsound.podbean.com/e/dis008-live-music… and the book is here: touringmanual.com

The Drowned in Sound Patreon has behind the scenes extras and a place to recommend guests for the new series: patreon.com/cw/drownedinsound

The Drowned in Sound podcast is presented in partnership with Qobuz, the pioneering high-quality music streaming and download platform for music enthusiasts and audiophiles. Each week we curate playlists on Qobuz, featuring our favourite records, artists, and the themes we explore on the show.

Visit drownedinsound.org/playlists to discover new music in rich Hi-Res lossless quality and start your 30-day free trial of Qobuz at qobuz.com/dis.

Produced and edited by Sean Adams.

Enter Shikari: entershikari.com

The band's statement about the future: instagram.com/p/Dd83ELPDd4m/?img_index=1

Rou's mental health update: instagram.com/p/Ddg-K78sK-M

Recorded, engineered and hosted by Sean Adams (seaninsound.com).

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