Q & A with Silent Feature Era’s Greg Cathcart

With an “antiquated sensibility” and healthy sense of humour, it’s safe to say that Silent Feature Era aren’t like other bands. With their debut This Old Leather Heart ready for release on March 4 I caught up with the band’s Greg Cathcart to chat about the album, the band’s upcoming launch, and what the future holds.

You’re officially releasing your debut album This Old Leather Heart next month. What can you tell me about it?
It was a studio experiment really in the very beginning. It started to take more shape the more songs we wrote and recorded. There were recurring themes popping up lyrically and musically, and I guess that’s when we realized we were actually making a record, not only just experimenting with some songs.

I say officially launch, because the album has actually been available to listen to on your website for some time. Why did you decide to make it so accessible?
At this stage, the more people that hear it the better. I don’t think it does any harm to let people have a free listen.

I hear there are more than 20 musicians on the album. What’s it like to share that creative process with such a large group?
It was actually quite humbling that so many people took an interest it what we were doing. We certainly felt loved. I don’t think we ever recorded all 20 all at once though. Maybe we can hire some caterers and do that for the next record.

You’re going to launch the album in front of your Brisbane home crowd. Are you looking forward to getting out and playing for your local fans?
Yes. I think it’s going to be a great night. Everyone will get a free pony.

What can punters expect at the launch?
The plan is, a 44 gallon drum, a trash rack loaded with things that clang and smash, a small horn section, handsome Luke Sullivan, a chainsaw juggler and several clowns on unicycle … oh and a Rolls Royce.

Will music fans around the rest of the country get the chance to see you play any time soon?
Yes indeed, we will be heading south very soon. We have a few concrete dates and a few others to yet be confirmed. Hopefully we can get a few folk to come out and see us.

You’ve got such a distinctive name. Is there a story behind it?
It’s just a little homage to the silent film era and the tremendous folk who had to play the spontaneous accompaniments. It was a little goal of ours in the very beginning to adopt some of the same spontaneity with our recordings. We also wanted to treat each song like a mini soundtrack, perhaps for people to imagine their own visual.

Your press release says you’ve got an “antiquated sensibility.” Do you think there’s a place for that in the modern musical landscape?
Yes of course. I’m a believer in making the music you really want to make. Regardless of how you think it’s going to be received. Everyone has an audience somewhere, it’s just that small matter of finding it.

Your MySpace page lists Steve Martin as your lone influence. How exactly has he influenced you? That’s just a silly joke really, although he is a unique man. That’s influential.

After this album drops, what’s next for Silent Feature Era?
Another one!

Silent Feature Era launch This Old Leather Heart at Woodland on March 4. Tickets are available at the door and include a copy of the album.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music