Outpost Drive on The Outpost, Two Years Without Wi-Fi and Accidentally Ignoring Johnny Depp

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Tuesday, 13 October 2026 - 23 minutes

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Imagine disappearing into the countryside for two years, living on a remote farm with no Wi-Fi, surrounded by sheep, and emerging with a double album.

That's part of the story behind The Outpost, the debut album from Outpost Drive, who joined me on the latest episode of The MarshyCast.

And if that sounds like an unusual way to launch a music career, it turns out putting themselves in extreme situations is something they're rather good at.

Two years, no Wi-Fi and plenty of sheep

Outpost Drive spent two years living on a remote farm on the English-Welsh border.

No constant notifications, no endlessly scrolling through social media, and no Wi-Fi.

Just the countryside, the music and, apparently, quite a lot of sheep.

We talked about what that experience was actually like and how living somewhere so isolated affected their creativity and relationship.

But they weren't completely cut off from the music world.

During that period, they also headed out on tour, creating an extraordinary contrast between the quiet isolation of their rural home and the noise, excitement and crowds of live performances.

One minute you're surrounded by sheep. The next you're back in the city, performing to an audience.

It must make coming home from a tour rather interesting.

Do Outpost Drive need a therapist?

One thing that became clear during our conversation is that this wasn't the first time the pair had deliberately put themselves in an unusual or challenging situation.

Throughout their relationship and their musical journey, they've repeatedly chosen experiences that push them outside their comfort zones.

Which naturally led me to ask whether they might actually need to see a therapist.

All in the nicest possible way, of course!

But behind the humour is an interesting question about creativity and whether stepping away from ordinary routines can help artists discover something new.

A double debut album, without AI

There's certainly nothing half-hearted about The Outpost.

Rather than introducing themselves with a conventional single album, Outpost Drive have made their debut a double album.

We talked about why they chose to release so much music at once, and how the experience of living and creating together influenced the project.

We also discussed their decision not to use artificial intelligence in making the album.

At a time when AI is becoming increasingly common in music, it's an interesting choice, and one that led us into a wider conversation about creativity and the importance of the human element.

Joe Perry, Johnny Depp and an awkward encounter

And then there's the story involving two rather famous names.

Outpost Drive told me about meeting Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, a pretty extraordinary moment for any musician.

But there was someone else there too.

Johnny Depp.

You'd think meeting one of Hollywood's most recognisable actors might be difficult to overlook.

Apparently not when you're Outpost Drive and Joe Perry is standing in front of you!

We talked about what happened and how Johnny Depp ended up receiving rather less attention than you might expect.

One song to save

Before letting them go, I finished with a particularly difficult question.

If every Outpost Drive song was about to disappear and they could save just one, which would they choose?

It's a tough decision for any artist, particularly when you've just released a double debut album.

But it's also a fascinating way to discover which songs mean the most to the people who created them.

From an isolated farm to a double album and an unexpected celebrity encounter, Outpost Drive have certainly taken an unusual road to get here.

🎧 Hear my full conversation with Outpost Drive now on The MarshyCast, available on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. 

Find me on all social media @paulswampymarsh

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