Category: Interviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Cold and Need’s Jared Daly

After making appearances at some of Australia’s hottest festivals and supporting some of the country’s best bands, Queensland’s Cold and Need are starting to build some serious buzz. I recently caught up with the band’s drummer Jared Daly to chat about their new EP Colours and Shapes and their upcoming shows.

You’re still making a name for yourself outside Queensland, so what do we all need to know about Cold and Need?
Cold and Need are a 4-piece Brisbane rock band. Our songs are loud and fun, we want you to clap and sing along at our shows.

You’ve just released your second EP Colours and Shapes. What can you tell me about it?
Colours and Shapes was definitely our most focused effort at a release. We spent countless hours/months demo-ing, e-mailing tracks across states, completely pulling material apart then re-working, changing sounds, trying new gear. At one point our producer Simon Leach actually told me to, “put that fricken China symbol away and never bring it back out”!  So that really shows we tried our hardest to explore as many different possibilities, while slowly driving Tristan Hoogland, our Brisbane engineer/producer, crazy.

The EP features the single “Kaleidoscope.” What was it about that song that made you want to release it?
“Kaleidoscope” was a late inclusion in the EP. We had already written and trialled the other tracks written for the new EP live, and at one rehearsal something just clicked and we wrote “Kaleidoscope” within a two-hour period, recorded it on an iPhone and e-mailed it to Simon in Melbourne to be critiqued. We were very focused on writing a tune with a strong guitar line as it was something that we thought we hadn’t focused enough on in the past, so that was a big factor in us releasing it as the first single.

Continue reading “Q & A with Cold and Need’s Jared Daly” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Bart Thrupp

Bart Thrupp’s natural storytelling ability and Aussie charm is showcased beautifully in his brand new single “Girl in the Fishbowl.” Bart took time out from the single tour to tell me about the song, the shows, and what makes his hometown of Toowoomba so special.

Your current single “Girl in the Fishbowl” really struck a chord with me, as I think we’ve all been in those impossible relationships where it was the right person (at least in our minds) and wrong time. Did it come from personal experience?
I used to work at Coles. There was a florist just outside Coles which had glass on all four sides, so it looked like a giant fishbowl. That’s what everyone called it. I wrote the song on the back of a receipt while I was working on the checkout.

I was also struck by how Australian your voice sounds. It seems like so many Aussies tone down their accent to create this generic, globally marketable sound. Was there a conscious decision for you to avoid this?
I’m very proud of my home nation and our identity. I really love it, and I try to celebrate it. But to be honest I never thought too much about it. I just sing with my heart and that’s what’s happens.

The video for “Girl in the Fishbowl” also had that really honest, Australian charm to it. There’s no pretension or Hollywood flash to it. Did you have much creative input there?
I did have a lot to do with the video, and I was very lucky to have some talented people around to help me as well. It was a very honest story. We were also lucky enough to shoot the video inside the Coles where I used to work at Highfields Plaza in Toowoomba. It is the location of where the song was written, so it was great that we could use that space.

I see you’re touring the single around the country. How are those shows going?
Terrific! I’m having an amazing time. I’ve driven from Brisbane to Adelaide in three weeks with a whole bunch of towns and shows in between. I love my job. I’ve caught up with so many beautiful friends along the way, and met heaps of new faces. Between my skateboard and my car I’ve travelled thousands of kilometres through this beautiful country. I don’t know how I got so lucky.
Continue reading “Q & A with Bart Thrupp” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with The Medics’ Charles Thomas

The Medics never quite fit in with the rest of the music scene in Far North Queensland. Not one to feel constrained by the industry around them, the band perserved and crafted their debut album Foundations. With the album due for release on May 18 I caught up with the band’s bassist Charles Thomas to chat about it, their early years in Cairns, and supporting some of the best bands in the country.

Your debut album Foundations hits stores on Friday. What can you tell me about it?
It’s going to be a real exciting day! The songs that we have treasured and nurtured over the months will be available in stores and online for everyone to hear! We hope that people love them and that the songs speak to them.

How does it feel to finally unleash that music?
Pretty unreal. We are just ‘going with the flow’ and aren’t sure if it’s going to do really well or not. We’re just pumped that the public will be available to hear it and buy it!

You released an EP before this. How have you grown between releasing that and the long player?
Most definitely. We have matured as musicians, which has seen the development within the band.

The band’s made up of cousins and close friends. What does that shared history bring to the band?
It means that we all have a close, tight-knit connection on and off stage.

I believe your music didn’t quite gel with the rest of the scene back home. How did that experience shape you?
In a way it encouraged us to be the different. To start something ‘fresh’ and new. Glad we thought along those lines, because it ended up working really well.

Triple J was an early supporter of your work. What did their belief in your music do for you?
It encouraged us that we were doing the right thing, stepping out and just being plain original. They also exposed us to Australia! Oh and of course Stifler’s mum …

You’ve supported some amazing acts over the past couple of years. What are the highlights for you?
Playing with and meeting incredible artists is so inspiring. Touring with The Grates and Last Dinosaurs last year was a definite highlight.

You’ve also played just about every festival that matters. How do those shows compare to the club gigs?
They are both good. It’s really cool to play big festivals because the exposure and vibe is awesome!

Are you planning any shows to support the album release?
Yep. We are having a launch party at the Black Bear Lodge (in Brisbane) on 22 May. Come PARTY! We’re hoping to do some touring later in the year.

Do you have anything else in the pipeline?
We are incredibly excited for Splendour in The Grass. It’s going to be epic! We can’t wait to play in front of friends and fans!
Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Sui Zhen

Sui Zhen is charming Australia with her quirky new album Two Seas. I recently caught up with this singer-songwriter to chat about the new release, her forthcoming tour, and what comes next.

You’ve just released your debut album Two Seas. What can you tell me about it?
I wanted to make an album that would be comfortable to listen to. Songs that speak to you on a personal level, that hopefully can live a long life with the listeners. I really focused on the songwriting ahead of instrumentation and experimentation; I wanted to practice the rules before breaking them. The role of ‘Arranger’ was really important on this album and that’s where Tony Dupe weaved in his wonderful magic.

I believe you did plenty of travelling while writing and recording the album. How did those adventures influence Two Seas?
The biggest thing I took from those adventures was how to maintain inspiration for the music I was making. Sometimes you write songs ahead of your actual experiences, and it takes time to find their meaning for you.

A year filled with farewells, departure gates and an overall sense of longing for people and feelings that had come and gone certainly fuelled my passion for the songs. It’s like Charlie Brown says, “I say too many goodbyes and not enough hellos!”

Though I’d written and recorded most of the songs prior to travelling, when I was based in an old shop in Redfern. I went to the Red Bull Music Academy in early 2010 (RBMA) just when I’d finished the first mixes and spent the rest of that year overseas visiting friends and family. It was important to take time off the production side of things to get perspective on the album as a whole, and to make that decision that it was ‘finished’.

I hear you’ve been working on this album for the last few years. Why did it take so long to finish?
That’s a good question. RBMA was a catalyst for some big life changes. I went there with a near complete debut LP and left with heartbreak, new love, a new band and a whole lot of travelling ahead of me. I became a little side-tracked with ‘life’.

When I returned to Australia in late 2010, I worked on other arts projects until I was able to move to Melbourne mid 2011 and settle down somewhat. I became a partner in a start-up web-channel (InFrame.tv) and finally set about release plans for Two Seas.

I believe that when you were visiting your family in Bahrain you finally decided the album was done. What was it about your time there that led you to that decision?
I was demo-ing a lot while I was away from home. Mostly using Garageband and the laptop mic making Grimes-esque pop songs. It was when I had about twenty new demos that I decided it was time to draw the line with the album, give it a name and call it done.

I was staying with my step-mother in her apartment that looked out over the ocean ahead of a sea of other luxury apartment/hotels. It could have been a really sterile environment but the handful of friends I met there made it a home of sorts, with our nightly pool parties on the rooftops. It was the first time I felt enough distance from all the emotional drama of the start of the year. I learned that Bahrain literally meant the meeting of ‘two seas’, and it stuck.

You worked with Tony Dupe on the album, who’s produced for so many great people like Holly Throsby and Jack Ladder. What did he bring to your sound?
I can’t thank Tony enough for giving me the album I wanted. Early on in our collaboration I’d said I wanted to make something that could be performed solo or with a band. I didn’t want the songs to be co-dependent on the production.

We worked together from Redfern to Berlin for most of the tracking phase. I would send him a bunch of stems with vocals, q-chord, accordian, double bass, trumpet, electric guitars etc. He would then pick a strong vocal to work from and build the arrangement up from there. He added clarinet, cello, more guitar and I think even a trombone. Sometimes there would be just one ornamental flourish used from each take. But within Tony’s arrangement, it would make the song complete.

He’s an amazing producer to work with. He takes time to learn about you so he can bring your personality to the forefront. And he gives you an album that you will love for years to come.

Your music seems to have so many influences that it defies classification. How would you describe it?
Haha. I think you described my personality; I am very curious and I love music of all genres but I am very specific about which artists I choose to follow. I wanted to focus my Sui Zhen music into a more stable position, so it doesn’t try to encapsulate all the influences I‘ve absorbed, as that can become confusing for listeners.

With this album at least, I’ve hoped to accompalish folk-pop, alt-country, lyrical and melodic songwriting. With the next, I’ll be more adventurous and will include re-worked versions of those garage-band demos I mentioned.

I thought the video for your single “Little Frog” was just gorgeous. Did you have much to do with that creative process?
Yes I did. I created the animation with some help from my siblings to sew a few clouds here and there, and adjust the fringe on the girl to make it appear like wind was blowing.

It’s the result of an all encompassing craft experiment started back in 2008 for Even Books. I didn’t do much with the animation at the time and it sat quietly on a harddrive for a couple of years before I re-edited it to “Little Frog” just last year.

In my other life I am a videographer working predominantly in VHS and stop-motion animation.

You’re preparing to tour Two Seas later this month. Are you looking forward to bringing its songs to the people?
Most definitely. It’s been so wonderful to hear the feedback so far, especially from community radio stations. It’ll be great to perform now that people will be more intimate with the songs.

You’ve played both solo and full band shows in the past. What can fans expect at the upcoming shows?
For most of the album launch shows I’ll be performing as a three-piece with my brother Dan Stanley Freeman and long time collaborator and friend, Joe Gould. We’re a really close band and have a lot of fun with our on stage banter.

The support bands are hand-picked, with Jessica Says and Emma Russack duo-ing as Elva in Melbourne, Carry Nation joining us in Sydney and Newcastle and Epithets in Brisbane. Fanny Lumsden is doing the whole tour with us and she’s charming. Plus there’s more!

Do you have anything else in the pipeline?
Fox + Sui will release Taboo EP in the next couple of months on Two Bright Lakes. We’re then planning an LP later this year.

I’m also hoping to put out another Sui Zhen release in October, fingers crossed!

See Sui Zhen on her album launch tour at the following venues:

30 May 2012 – The Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
1 June 2012 – The Lass’O’Gowrie, Wickham
3 June 2012 – FBi Social, Kings Cross
6 June 2012 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
13 June 2012 – Yours and Owls, Wollongong (Free)
14 June 2012 – The Front Café & Gallery, Canberra

Image used with permission from Positive Feedback

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Adele&Glenn’s Adele Pickvance

In the early naughties Adele Pickvance and Glenn Thompson were rocking Australia as part of the reunited Go-Betweens. These days they’re back together as a duo dubbed, what else, Adele&Glenn. With a new single gracing the airwaves, an album release looming, and a national tour booked in, it seemed like the right time to catch up with one half of the twosome, Adele Pickvance.

You worked together before in The Go-Betweens. What inspired you to create this new double act?
We wanted to do this years ago. Our first attempt was around  2005, but geography got in the way. We’ve been a rhythm section, or ‘engine room’ as one might say, together for around 17 years and this just felt like the right time to do it, to step out to the front together.

What does your previous experience in the industry bring to this new band?
I think the industry is still trying to work itself. I have learnt it all comes down to ‘the song’ at the end of the day. Good songs remain in the hearts and minds of folk.

You’ve just released a new single “I Dreamt I Was a Sparrow.” What was it about that song that inspired you to unleash it on the masses?
It wasn’t until we had finished recording the album that ‘I Dreamt I Was A Sparrow’ just leapt out as a great first single. It’s a pop song and a nice intro into the album.

It sounds really different from the music you made with The Go-Betweens. How would you describe your current sound?
This is just how we sound. We basically went about the recording process as we used to with Robert and Grant. We were lucky that we had a lot more time in the studio and we were able to experiment.

The single comes from your forthcoming album Carrington Street. What can you tell me about it?
I moved from Brisbane to Sydney (Glenn’s home town) a couple of years ago and as I had mentioned before, we had attempted to record previous to that, but now the geography was right, and now was the right time. We spent a lot time arranging the songs, then commenced recording in Glenn’s studio, Horses Of Australia in Marrickville. We were in a lovely situation of having no deadline, and as we both love the recording and mixing process, we could have kept going and going … but we decided to pull the baby out of the bath water late last year. The name Carrington Street is inspired  by the location of the studio.

You’ve announced some shows to launch the album. Are you looking forward to playing these songs for the people?
We are indeed. It will be the two of us on stage. No loop pedals, machines … just us two and the songs, and alittle bit of charm.

Those local shows are only along the East Coast. Will the rest of Australia get the chance to see you live soon?
We hope so. We don’t have anything in the pipeline as yet, but we hope so soon.

I believe you’ve also got some shows coming up in Germany. What inspired you to take the album that far afield?
The label is ‘Glitterhouse Records’  They asked us, and that was a wonderful surprise as this means we are able to tour Carrington Street in Europe this year. Germany and Australia have a kinship when it comes to music which is a wonderful thing.

Have you got anything else in the pipeline you can share?
New videos, still trying to embrace Facebook and Twitter. Any tips gratefully received with thanks.

Catch the technologically-challenged twosome as they travel about the country launching Carrington Street at the following shows next month.

23 May 2012 – The Standard Hotel, Fitzroy
24 May 2012 – The Vanguard, Newtown
31 May 2012 – Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Mez Medallion

After catching up with his touring buddy Phia yesterday, it only seemed fair to talk to another Aussie ex-pat Mez Medallion. Read on to learn about his new life in Berlin, his shows with Phia, and of course, his music!

You’re living in Berlin, which is a long way from your Melbourne home. What made you leave Australia behind?
Well I guess you can never fully leave Australia, not that I would want to anyway, because the internet, especially Facebook, keeps you connected with friends, family and fans. But in terms of the timing of leaving Australia for a while, I had come to a point where I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with music and my creativity. I had so many ideas, half finished songs, half recorded songs but I needed a clean canvas and to separate myself from all my home comforts to distill my ideas and take the good bits of my past and fuse with the freedom and fire that comes from living in a fresh vibrant cultural capital like Berlin.

I was drawn to Berlin having visited before and drawn to the rich cultural/artistic activity. There is just so much happening all the time and being able to cycle between all of it is an added bonus. I love having the opportunity to refine my vision in this fresh environment and having the whole of Europe at my doorstep. For example, last year I did a tour of Iceland and as you know, now we drive only three hours and we’re at our first stop in Poland.

You’re touring Poland with Aussie girl Phia who’s been there before. Did she given you any indication of what you can expect?
I heard from Phia and a few other friends (also Australian) that Poland is a really cool and beautiful place to visit and the audiences are keen to hear fresh new music, very open minded.

What is it about Phia that made you want to join forces with her?
Well, I think we both bring a very contemporary version of the solo artist to our shows. People can often think of solo artists as being a person and their acoustic guitar, which is a totally cool and valid way to express yourself. But with my own background in live looping and now moving into the use of Ableton/laptop on stage with my guitar and voice I’m creating a big package but it’s my vision. Phia too has her unique way of storytelling, building textures and grooves with the most minimal of gear a Boss looper, kalimba and an octave pedal with voice and vocal percussion. I mean for a package of instruments that fit in a bag there is something intimate, sophisticated, honest and very cool coming through. So, yeah, we sound quite different but we are part of a new breed, I think.

The tour is well timed as you’ve just released your debut single in Europe, “Move Towards the Light.” What can you tell me about the song?
Well it’s got big beats, swirly synths, jangly guitars, and a friend of mine said it has “toms that would make Phil Collins envious.”  I think it is a really great balance between the familiar and unfamiliar both in its textures, catchy melodies and in the story behind it. When you see those movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the kid is drawn to the unfamiliar which then subsequently becomes the familiar. I just launched the film clip which you can check out on YouTube, which was filmed before I went away in an old farm in the Victorian countryside with the additional props of tennis balls and kerosene. I don’t want to give too much away to your readers but in the clip, there is a sport to it, an avoidance, a battle, but in the end the person submits to this light and is embraced by something quite alleviating and beautiful.

If you like what you see you can download the song for free here.

The track comes from your forthcoming EP. How’s that recording shaping up?
Well, actually I just got the final master last week and it’s six really fantastic tunes I’m very excited about sharing. The sounds are really cohesive despite reflecting my varied influences and point in the direction of where I’m going (album?). It moves from Fever Ray-esque slow tempo synth worlds, to Coolio in the Bermuda triangle, a bit of LCD Soundsystem meets Grizzly Bear and New Order melancholia. A friend who came to a show recently said that it was “thought-provoking pop but you can dance to it”. I like that.

I draw my sounds from a variety of sources in trying to paint just the right vision; some of it was over-driven drums recorded in a lounge room on my laptops in built mic, to phat analog synths, ’80s/’90s drum machine samples, lots of guitar pedals. I try to build something quite epic, yet somehow retain the intimacy of the songs’ bedroom workshop beginnings. I’ve been collaborating on the production of the EP with the Todd Brothers: Joe Franklin and Oscar Dawson from Planet Love Sound and previously Dukes of Windsor. We started working together when we were all in Berlin and then finished it off via the interwebz when they moved back to Melbourne.

I decided to release the single first and when the time is right release the full EP. I’m already brainstorming the next film clip with a friend of mine here in Berlin and hoping to find a label that understands where I’m coming from and what I want to achieve. If not I’ll just release it myself.
Continue reading “Q & A with Mez Medallion” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Phia

Melbourne born and German based singer-songwriter Phia is showing she’s truly a citizen of the world as she tours through Poland this month with fellow German based Aussie Mez Medallion. I caught up with her recently to chat about the European dates, her love of pop music, and life away from Oz. Tune in tomorrow for an interview with her touring partner Mez!

You’re currently based in Berlin, which is a world away from Melbourne. What inspired you to make the big move?
It was partly based on timing – I wanted to have lived some of my life in Europe, and suddenly it just seemed the right time. I didn’t have anything tying me down in Melbourne – no full time job, or mortgage, or university! It was also a career thing; I wanted to explore opportunities over here for my music. Berlin seemed an obvious choice: it’s cheap, there are heaps of artists here. I also have a German passport as my grandfather was born here, so that makes the visa side uncomplicated!

How does life in Berlin compare to living in Australia?
I find it hard answering this question. A lot of answers that I come up with, I wonder whether they are concrete differences, or rather, changes that have come about because my mindset/attitude has changed somewhat from moving overseas. There are some obvious differences of course. I love the travel I’ve done over the last eight months as everything is so close and affordable! I’ve been to Iceland, Poland, around Germany, the UK. In fact, last month someone from the south of France was in Berlin and saw one of my shows and invited me to play at their birthday party. That was fun! I also love not owning a car. It’s an easy city to get around. I ride my bike a lot, and also ride my bike to gigs which is so great. Now that I always play solo, I can fit my gear in a backpack. I’ve had some beautiful serene bike rides home at 3 am on a weeknight, riding down cobble-stoned roads, past canals and bridges, and some seriously old buildings.

You call your music pop, which is a term that’s almost fallen out of favour in recent years. Why do you embrace it?
Because I love pop songs! I grew up mainly listening to the Beatles and then got into contemporary music in the late ’90s, a really great period of mainstream pop music, in my opinion! Those early Britney Spears songs, the Spice Girls, early Destiny’s Child. They had some great songwriting teams. Now I listen to tune-yards, Lykke Li, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear. Pop is such a broad church, and, at least, the first two have a hint of some of those ’90s influences. I’m not aspiring to be Lady Gaga, but a pop song is defined by being catchy, having a clear message and a hook.

Also as I was writing this I realized another reason I love pop is the diversity of great female artists who are out there making pop music, so inspiring.

What makes your pop music different from the stuff that made the term such a dirty word?
When I’m describing my music to people, I do always feel the need to add a precursor to the word “pop” with another, like “experimental-pop”, or “art-pop”. People often hear “pop”, and think you mean disposable music, or at least heavily produced. The songwriting of my music is pop, but the sounds I use are more diverse and intimate, a bit playful. I loop my kalimba on stage and layer my voice, which includes beat-boxing, hand claps and finger clicks, so it’s a bit DIY and a bit experimental at the same time.

Continue reading “Q & A with Phia” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Chance Waters

Sydney hip hop act Chance Waters is a star on the rise. His music has been celebrated as far afield as Europe, and he’s toured with some of the world’s biggest names including Method Man, De La Soul, and our own Bliss N Eso. As his Infinity tour approaches I caught up with Chance Waters to chat about his unique style of hip hop, the upcoming shows, and why he dropped his stage name.

You used to perform under the name Phatchance. What inspired you to drop that moniker and record under your real name?
I’d had the moniker since I was 16. I started out primarily as a battle rapper, mainly playing around with the freestyle element. The pun sort of suited what I was doing then, but getting older and moving away from that style of music I felt like it was time for a change. Heading into the second record it was a point of no return in terms of making a decision. I’m really happy to be away from it. It’s given me the opportunity to refresh a few things and I feel like working under my given name is a lot more flexible and doesn’t carry with it as many connotations as the Phatchance label did.

I was really struck by the sound of your single “Infinity,” the lush string section and these really moving lyrics. It feels really different to a lot of hip hop that’s on the market. What sort of music has influenced your sound?
Obviously much of the musical credit needs to go to One Above. We’ve been working together really closely to try and make something a little different on my second album. I find inspiration in a lot of places. Hip hop inspires me from a writing perspective, but musically I draw influence from all over the shop. I listen to a lot of alternative and independent music from a huge range of genres. In particular I’ve got a penchant for anything that blends genre lines and listen to a lot of acoustic, rock and electronic music and lift little things from here and there amongst that spread.

You’re about to release the album, also called Infinity. What can you tell me about it?
The album’s been a real labour of love. I started writing some of the songs in 2009 after I released Inkstains, but I’m still putting finishing touches on a couple of the tracks.

As I mentioned I’ve been working really closely with One Above, but also a lot of other talented local producers including Rahjconkas, Akouo, Cool Poindexter and Zeed The Mantis, mainly guys I’m also lucky enough to call friends. I’ve also worked with a heap of singers and songwriters, including Paris Wells, Rainbow Chan, Kate Martin and Lilian Blue, and a couple of my rapper friends have jumped on to break things up.

This is your second album. How have you grown between the making of the first album and this one?
I’ve tried to learn from my first release (Inkstains) and work as much diversity and pace into the tracks as I can. It’s a bit deviation from that album, but probably not as much of a deviation as the acoustic folk/hip hop side project I released in March last year. There’s some really personal songs and a few very existential tracks, probably as you’d expect from an album called Infinity, but I’ve made an effort to fight my melancholy instincts and blend a little light in with the shade this time around.

As you mentioned, the album sees you working again with One Above. What does he bring to the recording process that keeps you coming back?
Basically he’s just a great guy, really creative and progressive with what he’s doing and super prolific. Sometimes he’ll just subtly mention in conversation some work he’s doing with another act, and more often than not it’s a top tier artist from somewhere in the world, so I feel really privileged to get to work so closely with him. He also introduced me to Skype. Can’t complain about free calls, no sir.

When you tour the single this month fans will have their first taste of many of the album’s tracks. Are there any nerves about that?
Definitely! I never know how people are going to receive new material. It also creates a lot of pressure in terms of how I should ‘interpret’ the songs in a live setting. It takes at least a fistful of performances to really get comfortable with a song and learn what works, and I won’t have that luxury heading into this tour, so it’s going to be a big learning experience for me, hopefully without too steep a curve.

This tour takes in the East Coast. Are there are any plans to hit the rest of Australia soon?
I find myself touring the East Coast a lot more regularly than the rest of Australia. It’s really just a distance thing. It’s so much more expensive to try and drag a band over to Perth than to somewhere like Melbourne or Brisbane, and I happen to have my largest followings in those places. But I really enjoy touring properly, especially rurally, and some of my shows in Perth or various small towns have been the best I’ve played, so I’ll definitely be trying my luck to throw the net a little wider later this year, probably for the album tours.

You spend so much time on the road so you must love it. What’s your favourite thing about being on stage?
Probably getting to jam out with whatever band I take with me. I try to always have at least a few people as part of the show and interacting with them in a touring environment is always great. I’m really lucky to work with some fun and interesting people. I also have a following of really cool people who take the time to come out to most of my shows and catching up with them is always awesome. Lots of shenanigans.

I believe your music’s been getting some attention in Europe. Do you have any plans to visit and explore that?
It’s been really weird. Firstly my tracks were on a BMX video for Dane Searls (R.I.P.) which went very viral throughout Europe. Apparently they’re crazy about BMX. And then my Gotye remix got picked up by a lot of radio stations over there, particularly in Sweden and Berlin, none of which I ever expected. To be honest I don’t really know how to capitalise on it. It’s very rare for hip hop acts of my size in Australia to take their music overseas, even though international touring is quite common for acts in other genres. I’d love to sort out something, but I guess I’m focusing primarily on opening a few doors properly in Australia first. I get requests all the time though so it’s in the back of my mind.

Do you have anything else on the horizon?
As soon as the album’s finished I’m launching straight into working on more music. I’d love to knock out a free mixtape, maybe another acoustic project with renditions of some of the songs on Infinity, and obviously I’ll be touring properly and making some videos for Infinity. One Above and myself have been discussing the possibility of working on a release together exclusively too, so that will probably go into the works, and I’d like the gap between this album and the next to be much shorter. Basically if I’m lucky I’ll be just as busy as usual!

You can catch Chance Waters at the following venues this month and the next.

27 April 2012 – Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour
28 April 2012 – Brewery, Byron Bay (Free)
5 May 2012 – First Floor, Melbourne
11 May 2012 – Chatswood Club, Chatswood
18 May 2012 – Beaches Hotel, Newcastle (Free)
19 May 2012 – FBi Social, Sydney

Image used with permission from Reckoning Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with The Maple Trail

The Maple Trail is the solo project of Sydney singer-songwriter Aidan Roberts, a blues-folk musician who’s just released his third album Cable Mountain Warning. I caught up with Aidan to talk about the record, his upcoming Australian tour, and performing under a stage name.

The Maple Trail is your solo project. Why perform under that name rather than your own?
I used to perform under my own name, but in 2001 I put a band together to launch a self-released CD and I billed it as “Aidan Roberts and the Maple Trail”. The name kind of stuck, although perhaps at some point I’ll do an Aidan Roberts album.

Where did the name The Maple Trail come from?
I think I wanted to convey something about wandering, and the autumnal leaves that gather here in the Blue Mountains each April, so I thought “The Maple Trail” sounded like a cool wandering band.

Your new album Cable Mountain Warning is your third, so I suppose you’re an old hand at this. How have things changed since you first stepped inside a studio?
I do a lot more of my own recording, now that I have more things available to me at home, but I guess I am continually trying to hone in and crystallize what it is that represents my songs in the best way. I keep changing tack – from full-swinging country rock band to whispery quiet solo stuff, to trying to get lots of weird sounds in the songs to make them just that little bit more otherworldly or something. I think this album is the closest I’ve come to the music I’ve always wanted to make – there’s a long way to go yet. Maybe I’ll never get there, which is part of the drive.

You wrote this album over 18 months, which is a relatively long time. What do you think the luxury of time has brought to the recording?
I think usually records suffer a bit from too much time in the creation. I’ve always had this idea that records should happen quickly and honestly, and all great records just get knocked out. This time round I think I had to take those couple of years to rethink it all a few times, try songs several times in different capacities to try to find the truth of it all. I think it worked, at least I hope so.

After such a long gestation, how does it feel to have Cable Mountain Warning finally out in the public arena?
A curious combination of satisfaction and unrest; I think it’s a good record, and I am really glad to see some people are responding to it, it’s a beautiful thing to reach an audience and hold them. At the same time I want to be challenged to do more and more. I’ll get stuck right back into recording another one as soon as I can, and make sure it doesn’t take three years this time.

And the album almost exclusively features acoustic instruments. Why did you make that stylistic decision?
It was really a matter of circumstance. There were some songs I really wanted to do with the full band, but as time went on the record sort of closed in on itself and I was recording alone a lot of the time. Sometimes I would record really late at night in my room in the city, and had to be very very quiet – and that really informed the sound of the songs, and which instruments I had lying around at the time. I thought it was an interesting thing to try to get an energy in there that I’d usually use electrics for, to try playing and recording acoustic instruments in different ways. I’d actually like to make a really stark, completely acoustic album at some point. The songs would be all there is, no clutter.

The album saw you working again with your long-time collaborator Liam Judson. What is it about Liam and what he brings to your music that keeps you coming back for more?
Liam is one of my oldest friends, and we do a lot of work together and share a musical history – so we really can read one another’s musical thoughts. He was the ideal man to mix this, my most personal of albums. And he did a wonderful job of pulling the whole mess together.

You’re about to take Cable Mount Warning on the road. Are you looking forward to performing these songs live?
Absolutely. We had a taste of touring with the Broken Stone Records Roadshow, with a full beautiful band. I’d like to do more of that, so if these launch shows go well there will be many more.

One of the album’s songs, “Highwire,” gained some attention in the United States. Are you building on that and pursuing anything overseas?
I wasn’t aware of that! That’s great. I have some good friends in the States, and in good time I intend to spend some time there making music with new people and touring around.

Other than the album tour, do you have anything else in the pipeline?
We have a vinyl release of Cable Mount Warning on the horizon, so there will be some special shows to celebrate that – a few big ones, and some little intimate ones. Then, back to the tape machines.

See The Maple Trail on his Cable Mount Warning launch shows at the following venues:

24 April 2012 – The Gasometer, Melbourne
3 May 2012 – The Vanguard, Sydney

Image used with permission from Remote Control Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Reef’s Gary Stringer

After blazing up the charts with “Put  Your Hands On” in 1997, Reef seemed to disappear from view. But now they’re back with a brand new box set and an Australian tour. I caught up with the band’s lead singer Gary Stringer to chat about those Down Under dates, the retrospective package, and the band’s next chapter.

You’re heading Down Under soon for your first tour in 12 years. Have you missed us?
For sure. Oz was a much favoured destination on the Reef whirlwind and the fact that we’ve  been asked to come back some 12 years later is just amazing.

What are your fondest memories of your last Australian visit?
The people. For example, if we mentioned surfing to someone, we’d be around their house and the garage would be swung open and we could take our pick of boards and suits. Lush. Eating pies after surfing too. Proper job.

You’ll be here for a couple of weeks. Do you have any plans to do some sightseeing?
I want to go to the free trades hall in Melbourne.

You’re touring to promote your new box set which features all your previous albums. What was it like compiling it and looking back on your body of work?
Blinding. Me and Jack [Bessant] were touring with the StringerBessant Yard album until October last year so when  the chance came to put together the box set and tour it around, it seemed just like the right time. The music has held up well. Not so sure about seeing myself as a 20-year-old in the home movie bit mind. The book and 12″ vinyl are ace.

Do you have a favourite song from your back catalogue?
I have a few favourites: “Steal Away,” “Lucky Number,” “Stone for Your Love,” “Say What You Want.”

You reformed in 2010. What inspired you to get the band back together?
Chris Gilks [Reef’s manager].

You’re currently touring at home. How does it feel to be back together, playing these songs you wrote so long ago?
It feels like a party.

You’ve got a reputation as a really dynamic live act. What do you think makes your shows so special?
Well I think you are asking the wrong fellow for this question. We give it our all. I like to get lost in the music. I also like to try and harness the energy of the audience too, you know … get it going on.

Since reforming you’ve playing some major festivals like Isle of Wight and Glastonbury, and soon Lakefest. Are you surprised that people are still interested in what you do so many years later?
Yes. We must have done something right. BBB Radio 1 still play Reef.

Releasing a box set seems a bit like closing one chapter. What does the future hold?
All being well, we start work on a 2nd StringerBessant album in October, and hopefully Dom [Greensmith, Reef drummer] will come play on it with us. Yeah man!

Catch Reef Down Under at the following shows this June.

1 June 2012 – Metropolis, Fremantle
7 June 2012 – The HiFi, Brisbane
8 June 2012 – Billboard, Melbourne
9 June 2012 – The Metro, Sydney

Image credit: Steve Gullick