Here’s a bold statement: Growing older doesn’t erase the angst—it just evolves. Two decades ago, Youth Group reimagined Forever Young, transforming Alphaville’s 1984 Cold War anthem into a sun-soaked, guitar-driven ode to nostalgia. Paired with footage of Sydney skateboarders in 1978, their version became a Gen X touchstone, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the ARIA charts in 2006 after its feature on The OC. But here’s where it gets controversial: the band, now middle-aged, admits to a love-hate relationship with their biggest hit. Is it possible to cherish your past while resisting being defined by it?
Toby Martin, the band’s vocalist and now a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, reflects on the song’s enduring legacy. ‘We were hesitant to record it,’ he admits. ‘I’m proud of it, but there were times we’d skip playing it live, which didn’t go over well. Now, I’m more at peace with it.’ Martin and his bandmates—guitarist Cameron Emerson-Elliott, bassist Patrick Matthews, and drummer Danny Lee Allen—are all parents now, their sixth album, Big Whoop, exploring fatherhood and the existential dread that comes with it. ‘Angst doesn’t disappear with age,’ Martin notes wryly. ‘You just find new things to worry about.’
Big Whoop revisits the nostalgia of Forever Young but with a twist. Take the track Kim Deal, which uses the Pixies and Breeders icon as a lens to explore the universal teenage urge to escape your hometown. Martin recalls, ‘When we toured America, we’d play in towns that felt like Canberra, but they were the same places our musical heroes came from. It made us realize Australia struggles to celebrate its ordinary origins.’
Place is central to Youth Group’s identity. Martin’s songs are often rooted in specific locations, a trait that resonated with me when I first heard Forever Young while living in London with my Australian husband. Their music felt like a bridge to the life we were about to start in Sydney, particularly in Newtown, the band’s stomping ground. ‘I’m glad we were good ambassadors,’ Martin says with a smile.
And this is the part most people miss: Martin’s lyrics are deeply influenced by short stories, particularly those by Helen Garner, Lorrie Moore, and Raymond Carver. This literary touch is evident in tracks like The Joke, a coming-of-age tale, and Saturday Dad, a critique of fathers who half-heartedly engage with parenthood. The album’s centerpiece, Don’t Turn Your Back on the Moon, grapples with mortality, inspired by the untimely death of Go-Betweens’ Grant McLennan. ‘Getting a blood test is my midlife crisis,’ Martin jokes. ‘Cheaper than a racing bike.’
Gen X is at a crossroads, confronting loss and mortality while raising the next generation. But there’s hope in Big Whoop. ‘I’ve written about dark things before,’ Martin says, ‘but this album is more direct.’ After decades together, the band’s bond remains strong. ‘Touring in a van for months brought us closer,’ Martin reflects. ‘It’s not just music—it’s life.’
Big Whoop is out now, and Youth Group is on tour, playing Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne this November. So, what do you think? Does angst truly evolve with age, or is it just repackaged? Share your thoughts below—let’s spark a conversation!
