Danny Vaughn on Closer to the Sun : Hope, Heart and the Power of Rock Music
It’s always a genuine pleasure when Danny Vaughn joins me on the Now Spinning Magazine Podcast, and this conversation felt especially timely. With Tyketto returning with a brand-new studio album, Closer to the Sun, and a run of live dates across the UK and Europe, this was the perfect moment to take a deep dive into where the band are creatively in 2026.
Tyketto have always occupied a special space for me. They’re a band that balances melody, power and emotion — songs rooted in real life, but always reaching for something uplifting. Closer to the Sun doesn’t just continue that tradition; in many ways, it sharpens it.
A new chapter, without losing the heart
Early in our chat, Danny spoke candidly about the impossible expectation that follows any band with a classic debut album. Don’t Come Easy is now 35 years old, and Danny is refreshingly honest about the fact that recreating that moment simply isn’t possible — nor desirable. Instead, the band asked a different question: what is it about that album that has stayed with people all these years?
The answer, it turns out, is hope. Optimism. Songs that lift you up.
Danny shared a message he received from a fan after a recent show:
“For two hours, I was 16 years old and didn’t have a care in the world.”
As he put it, that was the best review he could ever receive — and it perfectly sums up the spirit of Closer to the Sun.
Light, shade, and songs that grow
We explored the album track by track, starting with the swaggering opener “Higher Than High” — a bold statement after a ten-year gap, complete with bluesy harmonica, acoustic textures beneath the electrics, and a chorus that lodges itself firmly in your head.
That balance of light and shade runs throughout the record. Songs like “We Rise” and “Bad for Good” lure you in gently before opening out into powerful, uplifting rock moments. Danny talked about resisting the temptation to overthink song length or structure, letting songs become exactly what they needed to be.
The title track, “Closer to the Sun”, is a genuine high watermark — an epic, story-driven piece with soaring vocals and a sense of emotional release that immediately put me in mind of Forever Young. Danny revealed that its musical foundations had been sitting on a hard drive for over 15 years, waiting for the right moment to bloom.
Sometimes songs really do need time to ripen.
Voice, health, and longevity
One of the most fascinating parts of our discussion centred on Danny’s voice — because frankly, it sounds phenomenal. He spoke openly about a serious health scare over a decade ago that forced him to reassess everything, from diet to lifestyle. A long period of dietary change (including years as a vegan), careful warm-ups, and knowing when not to push the voice have all played a part.
As Danny put it, perhaps not touring relentlessly for decades like some of his peers has actually helped preserve his voice. Whatever the reason, the performances on Closer to the Sun are among the strongest of his career.
Brotherhood, band chemistry, and recording “the old way”
The current Tyketto line-up sounds tight, confident and connected — and that’s no accident. Danny explained how, after band changes post-COVID, they deliberately chose to tour together before committing to a new album. When it came time to record, they did it properly: rehearsing together, recording drums and bass at Rockfield Studios, and living with the songs day in, day out.
Ninety-five percent of the album was recorded with the band in the room together — something you can absolutely hear in the interplay and feel of the performances.
Music as a unifying force
Towards the end of our conversation, we touched on something that always resonates deeply with me: music as a universal language. Danny reflected on travelling, different cultures, and how — beneath it all — people want the same things from life. Songs like “Far and Away” and the closing epic “The Brave” reflect that worldview, shaped by travel, reflection, and the shared experience of the last few turbulent years.
The Brave, written during the aftermath of COVID, stands as a tribute to everyday heroes — the people who actually keep society moving. It’s a powerful way to close an album that’s about reconnection, gratitude and optimism.
Closer to the Sun is an album that rewards proper listening. It doesn’t stay in one lane. It rocks, it reflects, it comforts, and above all, it lifts you up. There’s real craft here, real emotion, and a band fully in tune with who they are in 2026.
Stream it if you must — but I’d strongly recommend buying it on CD or vinyl, sitting down, putting your phone away, and giving it the attention it deserves.
Danny Vaughn and Tyketto have given us something genuinely special here.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
