After five years of inspiration from “break-ups, addictions, sobriety, illness, grief, shame, fame, money, aging, etc.,” as lead singer Jesse Rutherford notes to V, The Neighbourhood released their album (((((ultraSOUND))))) and embarked on their new “Wourld Tour.” In the midst of their globe-trotting, electrifying stages in Krakow, Milan, Prague, Zurich, and more, Rutherford wrote to V about returning to life in the studio and on the road, the comfort of ping pong, and what it means to enjoy each night on stage. 

V MAGAZINE: What were your goals as artists with this new album? How did you want to move forward as a band creatively and personally? 

JESSE RUTHERFORD: Our goal was to get the ball rolling again. After taking a few years off we just wanted to be back on the road to reconnect with our fans and each other. There’s nothing like making a record and traveling around the world to make bonds stronger than ever. We’ve always looked out for one another. We’ve known each other for most of our lives and played in this band for the past 13 years. Trusting the process has been a big lesson. Everything has leveled up. Naturally there are expectations or pressures along with that, but once we started playing shows it was apparent that as long as we have each other, our songs, and our incredibly loving, die-hard fans, everything was going to be okay. It all feels brand new, like a second chance. We’re grateful for every second of the experience. It’s what we always hoped it would be.

V: How do you stay grounded while you’re on tour? What do you need to do to make sure you’re comfortable and ready to play on each stop?

JR: We love hanging out with each other and making things feel as regular and comfortable as possible. We have our trainer on the road, so getting in the gym in different cities is a nice way to find consistency. We also brought along some of our close friends to help us and it feels like having family on the road. Other than that, just going to bomb restaurants and watching movies on the bus. And playing ping pong. We have a table set up at every venue. It’s pretty sweet, haha.

V: What did you miss about being in each other’s company as a band? 

JR: The time away made us appreciate the fact we get to do this a lot more. Not only are we all more stable as individuals, it doesn’t hurt that the band got so much more popular during our hiatus. Everything is more comfortable now. Travel, hotels, venues, food. It really does make a huge difference.

V: How has this tour felt different than those in the past?

JR: For me personally, I’m way less in my head. I was depressed for many years and touring was really challenging for me. It felt so wrong not being able to just enjoy it, but now I really can and do. Every night I leave the stage with a giant smile on my face. I used to fight through the set for multiple reasons–technical sound issues, mental issues, and general inexperience. Now I feel like I could stay up there for another two hours! Haha. Maybe that’s what this set will be by the end of this tour. 

This story appears in the pages of V161: now available for purchase!

Photography Federica Burelli