Dubai-based rock band Juliana Down have returned from their trip to L.A. The group, fronted by vocalist and guitarist Dia Hassan, traveled to the U.S. to take part in MUSEXPO and the Worldwide Radio Summit, becoming the first band from the Middle East to be invited to the famed industry events. “It was surreal to be in the States and play a gig over there,” Hassan says, back in Dubai. “I think when we all started playing music, it was something that we wanted to achieve: to be in L.A., in Hollywood, playing music, running into famous people and shit like that. And it happened.” And while the group clearly enjoyed themselves – meeting Danny Trejo, Larry King and Steven Tyler (who they saw “in the freakin’ elevator!”) are just some of the highlights Hassan lists – the trip also looks set to mark a watershed in Juliana Down’s professional career. “To be honest, [I think a lot of people] expected us to start singing in Arabic,” says Hassan. “Or that we were gonna pull out our ouds and our tabla or whatever. So when we started playing, they were like, ‘Oh, they’re a rock band.’”

Feedback from the assembled industry professionals was resoundingly encouraging, and the group made some important connections. Victor Murgatroyd, head of Perez Hilton’s label and the man responsible for Incubus’s signing with Epic, has expressed interest in working with the band, as has producer Brendan Friesen, whose previous credits include Nickelback, Sum 41, Stone Sour and others. Friesen, after hearing the band talk about problems with finding affordable recording space, was so keen to work with Juliana Down again that he offered the use of his personal studio in L.A. The band are also in talks with other agencies regarding an international tour, as well as exposure in Canada and the U.S. To say that Hassan is pleased with the reaction from industry experts is an understatement. “These are people who listen to new, emerging artists every day. It takes a lot for them to say, ‘OK, we really wanna work with you guys.’ So when people over there believe that we’ve got what it takes to cross over, or emerge, I think it’s a very big compliment for them to say that.”

Since returning from the U.S., Juliana Down have also made a major lineup change, with keyboardist Lionel Fernandes departing from the band. “It was for artistic reasons basically, and differences in the way that we want to move forward,” Hassan explains. “He’s doing his own thing right now. But it was a mutual thing, so Lionel 100 per cent understands where we’re going right now.” Currently operating as a four-piece, the band plan to collaborate with Morcheeba keyboardist Andy Nunn – an acquaintance of JD drummer James Sinclair – on an EP of new material to be released before the end of the year. Introducing a new element to the writing process will also, Hassan hopes, allow the band to continue to refine their musical style. “Our live sound is gonna change. It’s gonna sound a bit more, I don’t know if mature would be the word, but it’s gonna be completely different from what people are used to hearing from us. More modern if you like; it will be even louder and fuller.”

By the time the EP is complete, the band also hope to have secured a cinema release for their documentary film, shot by Dubai-based filmmaker Stephen Godenzie, who has spent the last few months following the band on an almost daily basis. The movie, which started out as a way to chart the run-up to the L.A. trip, has taken on something of a life of its own. “We’ve got really big plans for the documentary,” Hassan says. “We haven’t really shown everything we have. We haven’t put all our cards on the table yet.”

In July, Juliana Down head to Serbia for a performance at the prestigious Exit Festival, where they’ll appear on the same bill as Guns N’ Roses, Duran Duran, New Order, Wolfmother, Gossip, Erykah Badu, Plan B, Suicidal Tendencies and Hercules and Love Affair. Their schedule for the summer – traditionally a period when regional acts take it easy – is already filling up. Which raises a recurring question for Hassan and bandmates Sinclair, bassist Andrew Gibson and guitarist Sari Ramadan. With band business occupying an increasing amount of their free time, the quartet are once again forced to weigh their musical ambitions against the logistical need to hold down a day job. “We’re at a crossroads,” Hassan says. “We’re at the point where the amount of effort and work that we wanna put into this is not gonna be justifiable with a day job. It’s a tough decision; we have financial commitments that we wanna take care of, but for any band to survive, we have to put on our business hats. We have a few plans that, if they go through, would mean that we would be touring for a year.” Hassan’s glee at such a possibility is palpable. “And if that happens, then we’ll definitely be quitting our jobs.”