Tag: interview

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q&A With vaultboy

After making a splash online with his breakthrough single “everything sucks” in 2021, Florida sensation vaultboy is making his way to Australia for the very first time. Ahead of his shows in the East Coast capitals, I caught up with vaultboy to chat about making music in the digital age, that King of Sad Songs tag, and what he expects from his time Down Under.

You’ll be touring Australia for the first time in June. What do you expect from the shows here?
I expect to have a great time and hopefully not run into spiders. That is what I expect.

A valid answer.
That is my real answer.

Will you get any downtime while you’re here? And if so, is there anything you are hoping to do?
Yes, I’ll have a few days off before the show starts in Sydney. And I am just hoping to try some great food. And honestly, I don’t know if it’s possible because I have no idea where they’re located, but I’d love to see a kangaroo in person. That would be great. Maybe at a zoo. I hope they’re not just running around. That’d be a little terrifying. But we’ll see.

You’re visiting us after touring Europe, and then you’ll be heading to Asia. Your schedule seems very hectic. So how do you keep things fresh when you’re on the road for so long?
I think on the road, the biggest thing is like, not going crazy after being gone so long and traveling so much. So making sure when you have time, take time for yourself, and do things that have nothing to do with your work. I’m hoping to try and find some time to go rock climbing at some rock climbing gyms in different countries. But yeah, just finding things to do that aren’t related to tour that make you feel like you’re just a human being and not just a performance machine.

I was actually introduced to your music when Spotify just randomly threw up “everything sucks” one day. How important has streaming been for growing your fan base?
Really important. I recently did a post where I asked some fans where they had found my music and a lot of people found it on TikTok, which is super fair, but a good amount found me on Discover Weekly or on a playlist on Spotify. I once had a fan say they found my music from one of my playlists on Spotify. They just found one of the playlists I made on Spotify randomly. And that’s how they found out about my music. They didn’t even know that I made the playlist. So yeah, definitely streaming is a huge part of growth, I think. But that said, I think everything just kind of goes hand in hand.

Rolling Stone dubbed you the “King of Sad Songs”, but recent releases “closer” and “Where tf have you been?” have been pretty happy. What’s behind the change in tone?
So my upcoming album has a bit of a theme that I haven’t really talked about too much. But the foundational theme that I went with for the album was duality. And so about half the songs are like lighter, let’s say a happier perspective. Or if it’s a sad song, it may be a sarcastic perspective, versus a purely sad perspective, you know, it may be kind of like a laugh at the pain type of perspective.

And so the first half of the album is that, and then the second half of the album is much darker. And some of the darkest songs – and I use the word dark not just sad – but some of the darkest songs that I’ve ever released.

I think the biggest reason for that though, is you know, I put out two really sad songs that are on the album last year and then we put out a couple of the happier ones and I think part of the reason I’m excited about these happier songs coming out is because when the album hits they’re getting mostly sad songs. All the unreleased ones are mostly sad so I am not releasing a perfect one-to-one ratio for the singles, but I’m a very multifaceted person. I feel a lot of different emotions, a lot of very positive and negative, and this album I think I did a good job showcasing both.

Your single ‘closer’ sees you reunite with Salem, who you worked with on “don’t shop when you’re hungry” last year. Why do you love collaborating with her?
She’s so easy to work with. Like, she’s a great gal and she’s fun to hang out with. She put out an album last year and now she’s looking forward to the music she wants to make now and I think it was just a good time for us to work together, because when we wrote “closer”, it was around the same time as “don’t shop when you’re hungry”. So we were kind of in that creative zone. She’s so talented, like so much more talented than people think she is. She’s an insane songwriter. And yeah, just super fun and easy to work with. I really try to work with people that I like. I’m not like trying to just collaborate with a bunch of random people just to get a feature or trying to get a big song. I really want to work with people that can be my friends and that I know are good people that I feel really good associating with, you know what I mean? And she’s one of them.

You’ve released a couple of EPs over the years, but you mentioned a full album is in the works. What can you tell us?
Yes, my debut album is dropping on May 10th. And it is called everything and nothing. And it bangs. It’s going to be so good. And no one is ready for it.

Finally, do you have a message for your Australian fans before you get here?
Yeah. We live on the opposite side of this globe that is floating in space. And so I’m excited to finally venture out there and get to hang out with all of you. So bring all your friends to the shows. And let’s have a good time!

Vaultboy plays the following shows along the East Coast in June. Tickets are on sale now, but with venues this intimate, you’d better get them while you can.

6 June 2024 – Oxford Art Factory, Eora/Sydney
8 June 2024 – Northcote Social Club, Naarm/Melbourne
9 June 2024 – The Brightside, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Bigmouth PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Reckless Coast

The dying art of Rock ‘n’ Roll according to some is a lost cause … something that is unsalvageable. However, this is not the stance that Brisbane’s resident coastal misfits Reckless Coast take, as they release their latest east coast highway tune ‘Bad Habits’. Tired of the clichés donned by modern rock revivalists, Reckless Coast’s salted pub rock vibe finally forms a bond between Indie and Retro-Rock listeners. A sonic lovechild of Foo Fighters adrenaline and The Rolling Stones swagger. Sitting down with India, Jaeden and Jono, we discuss why their ’70s spiced single ‘Bad Habits’ stands out in the crowd with its surf-esque energy and pub-mosh potential.

‘Bad Habits’ immediately makes people think of alcohol or drug abuse, gambling, or social dysfunctions. However, that is not the case with this song. Can you elaborate on the song’s story?
Jaeden: Whilst there are micro-narratives within the song, the main ‘Bad Habits’ storyline is based on toxic relationships. It’s telling the story of someone comfortable in a relationship diminishing their wellbeing; but being so numb to the situation they don’t do anything to change it … almost touching on a sense of Stockholm Syndrome but in the context of romantic relationships.

There’s a retro-70s persona in this track, but yet it’s refreshingly modern. Can you talk about influences on this track?
Jono: Listening back to it I’d probably say it has old school surf influences in the guitars and the drums are ’90s – 2000s alt rock sort of vibes. Production-wise when I was doing the mix I wanted it to sound modern but still have an old school vibe to it. Making the drums big and room heavy combined with making the guitars and vocals bright and saturated was the approach I thought would achieve that.

Jaeden: The song came together when I fused three separately created ideas … the main riff I wrote by imagining what a “psychedelic surf song” would sound like. The verse riff is a reworking of a classic blues rock shuffle, and the chorus was a riff inspired by retro pub rock. Combining all three, it becomes a refreshingly modern indie-rock tune with retro charm.

What’s the highlight of this song? It can be a lyric or riff. What part of this song makes people hook in?
India: The 70’s rock-inspired breakdown hooks people into the song after the initial hook, and it’s a cool contrast from the rest of the track. Lyrically, a highlight for me is “I don’t want to see you go, but I think it’s best for me to find my own way home”. You come to a realisation when you have to remove yourself from a toxic person or situation, that it’s either step away, or hurt yourself even more. Jaeden hit the nail on the head with that lyric.

What would you like people to take away from the moral/story of this song?
Jaeden: You’re in control of your happiness and don’t be afraid to make changes to improve your well-being.

You’re supporting Delta Riggs and Press Club at Crusher Fest for the release of this new single. How are you feeling about that? Is this your first festival?
India: We’re so keen! This is the band’s first festival, and it’s cool to share it alongside heaps of great local acts and two killer headliners.

No tour this time? I know there’s a story behind that one regarding broken bones.
Jaeden: Yeah honestly not my best work. I was being silly with some mates of mine … Long story short I tried to pick two of them up, and adding 150kg to my body weight pretty much broke my entire left foot. I had to have surgery, and with Crusher Fest coming up, the overall safety risks of doing a tour without any sort of team or entourage were too high, and I didn’t want to further injure myself. It’s the first time we had to cancel anything like this … We didn’t want to, but the surgeon’s words were “it was like jelly in there”, and we weren’t risking further injury before the festival.

Is this just a single? Or something more on the way?
Jaeden: So this is the first single off a 5 track EP. It’s our first major EP release as Reckless Coast, and we’re keen to put out a release that’s reflective of our current live catalogue. It’ll be released mid 2024.

What’s your thoughts on bands only releasing singles rather than EPs/LPs? Is there anything worthwhile in them, or are singles the only interest from fans now?
Jono: I mean, I personally love bigger bodies of work like albums and EPS. I can see why PR agencies and marketing teams push artists to stick to singles. It’s much easier to build a fanbase by marketing different songs to a fanbase every couple months as opposed to marketing the same album to fans for a year. The general trend I have noticed with artists is they stagger release a bunch of singles to try and build a fanbase and when they feel like they have a solid amount of listeners they release an album. But who knows, rules are meant to be broken. Maybe in like four years there will be a new formula.

First release versus this release … How do you feel when you look back at the older catalogue?
India: Each release we get more and more confident in ourselves. I love playing our (only four years) “old” tracks – same amount of enthusiasm and passion, now with a stronger sound and a big step in progress. I’m really proud of the natural growth we’ve had from our first release. Our genre has become more refined and we now really know who we are and what we sound like.

If you could choose one song to re-record, which would it be and why?
Jaeden: “Got That Feelin’” … would love to improve guitar layers and shorten some sections … but that said, I like seeing an artist’s progression from release to release … going back to see where they’ve come from compared to where they’ve ended up both in songwriting and production terms is really interesting. It’s an organic part of an artist’s career.

Reckless Coast are appearing at ‘Crusher Fest’ at The Brightside in Meeanjin/Brisbane on December 2 alongside The Delta Riggs and Press Club. Their latest single ‘Bad Habits’ is now available on all platforms.

You can stream ‘Bad Habits’ here.
Tickets for Crusher Fest can be found here.

Image used with permission from Reckless Coast

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A With Barefoot Spacemen’s Scott Renton

Barefoot Spacemen are an exciting Melbourne act combining elements of funk, neo-soul, disco … all the good stuff that makes you want to dance. It’s something we really need after the last two years I think! I recently chatted to the band’s guitarist, Scott Renton, about how the pandemic impacted Barefoot Spacemen and the band’s latest music.

Your new single “NRG” drops today. Why did you decide to release that particular song?
We’ve been recording a bunch of tracks from our upcoming album, so we’re partly rolling a few out as they’re ready but also trying to pick songs that are fun, upbeat, and reflective of the sound we’re working towards. “NRG” is fun to play and hopefully fun to listen to, so it made sense to release this one.

The single features your artwork. Is that a real passion of yours?
Not particularly, if I’m honest! I enjoy creating things in general but I’m not much of an artist at all. Like most bands, we’re running on a pretty tight budget so the more things we can do in-house the better. We’ll get a proper artist or graphic designer on board for bigger projects, but for a single release during the colder months, we figured it would be best to just do it on our own.

You’re launching the single at Colour Club on April 21. What can people look forward to when they see you live?
We try to make our sets fun and filled with stuff people can dance to. Usually it feels like a big party and playing live is the main reason we make music, so we always really enjoy it. We’ve got a great lineup happening with Blue Nude and Jag, along with DJ Uly spinning vinyl afterwards, so there’s an interesting mix of genres and experiences for people to enjoy.

There’s such an excitement about live music at the moment as we move past a lot of covid restrictions. How are you guys feeling about playing again?
Playing live is almost the entire reason we make music. It’s dope seeing people enjoying themselves dancing to something you’ve put hundreds of hours into creating – super rewarding. We’re stoked to be back and to be able to get on with performing and recording, and we feel that energy reflected in the audience, too.

The pandemic was such a tough time for musicians everywhere. How did Barefoot Spacemen cope with the last two years?
Things got pretty grim but we spent a lot of time on the phone to each other talking about our plans for after lockdowns, writing new songs, working on our craft as musicians, and sending each other demos. When we weren’t talking about the band, we’d be on the phone to each other playing Xbox or something together as well, so I pretty much stayed in touch with the band every day throughout lockdowns. That friendship really helped me personally deal with everything at the time and definitely prevented things from spiralling out of control on a number of occasions. It’s been great to start acting on some of the plans we made during that time now that we’re able to.

I found listening to music was one of the big things that kept me sane during the pandemic. Were there any new artists you got into or old favourites you relied on during that period?
It depended a lot on my mood – sometimes I was so bored that I was desperate to find new music, but other times I just wanted the comfort of something familiar. I stumbled upon a few artists that I ended up loving – mostly older funk and disco stuff to try and keep the mood upbeat at home.

“NRG” is the second single from your upcoming debut album. What can we expect from the album?
We’re trying to explore sounds we’ve never dabbled in before, but the album is largely funk, Motown, disco, and hip hop inspired in its instrumentation. We want to produce tracks that people can dance to, vibe to, smoke to, whatever they want. There are a lot of grown-up themes and topics with our vocalist Aaron’s lyrics, which is a bit of a contrast to the playful and groove-centric nature of the music, but I like the dichotomy of it – this idea that you can be crying in the club or on the dance floor, but having a great time.

There’s a real funk influence in all Barefoot Spacemen music I’ve listened to. What do you love about that genre?
It’s just a lot of fun to listen to and even more fun to play. We’ve always been passionate about continuing to improve as musicians and we’ve found that we’re naturally leaning into that genre the longer we spend together as a band. We have a pretty eclectic mix of musical tastes, but funk and disco seems to be a common ground. There’s a lot of room to experiment with the genre as well, so it’s great that we can all bring influences from our own tastes and kind of blend them into this hybrid funk thing we’re trying to achieve with our sound.

It’s been a couple of years since you released your last EP Cabin Fever. What are the key lessons you’ve learned as a band since then?
Tough question! We’ve learned so much. If I had to narrow it down, I’d probably say that we’re learning to accept things that are beyond our control and do things at our own pace. There’s a heap of demand for a constant stream of content with musicians and artists in general these days, and we don’t want to lose sight of the art. So we’ve been focusing on creating for our audience and letting people engage with us at the same pace we’re willing to operate. Taking a kind of quality over quantity approach, despite what everyone has been telling us. That leads to the second lesson, which is learning which external opinions to take on board and which ones aren’t going to help us. I could go on forever about what we’ve learned, but it’s mostly realising the value of improving our craft and how much hard work it takes to make a living in this industry.

It sounds like it’s a really exciting time for the band with the new single release and the album not too far behind. Is there anything else on the horizon? A national tour perhaps?
We’ve been looking at touring both here and overseas, but we’re still working through the logistics and feasibility of it all. It’s definitely something we’d love to do but for now, after two years of setbacks, our sole focus is getting this album finished!

“NRG” is available today on all the major streaming services. Melbourne, make sure you catch Barefoot Spacemen’s single launch show at Colour Club on April 21.

Image used with permission from Barefoot Spacemen; credit: @aynsleymitchell

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Robbie Miller

Robbie Miller quickly won me over with his accomplished guitar skills and soulful blue eyes. I needed to know more, so I caught up with him recently to chat about his music, sharing the stage with some of Australia’s finest, and his passion for mentoring indigenous youth.

You wrote your current single “Sunday” about your grandmother. What is it about her that inspired you?
As a kid my brother, sister and I would spend our first week of Christmas holidays at my grandparents’ house on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. During this time I grew close with both my grandad and nana and few years later I was visiting during Christmas and my nana started talking about what we used to get up to on our holidays. She then started talking about her own life growing up, her own dreams and she mentioned how Sunday was her favourite day of the week as that’s when she got to spend time with her whole family. That conversation resonated with me for a long time. A few weeks later I sat down to play guitar and just starting singing and the words just fell into place.

You’ve actually been writing music since you were just 13. Was a career in music always the dream?
Funnily enough music wasn’t always my dream. I grew up wanting to wear the baggy maroon cap for the Queensland cricket team and everything that I did was centred on that cricket dream. Music is a part of my life that I do for the love and enjoyment; it has been that way since I first picked up the guitar.

You were raised on many of the same artists that I was: Van Morrison, Neil Young, and Cat Stevens. All of those guys have a real focus on the lyrics. How do you think that approach has shaped your own music?
I think the way they wrote their music has had a profound impact on my own approach. I fell in love with those artists because of the way their lyrics captivated and took my mind someplace else. When I first starting trying my hand at writing songs, they were the artists that I tried to emulate.

You won the Triple J Unearthed’s National Indigenous Music Awards last year. How has that helped your career?
The biggest impact winning Triple J Unearthed has had, is on my self-confidence and self-belief. I feel it is quite common for musicians to be hesitant about their own music and protective of their art and I was exactly that. Now knowing that I have a voice people want to hear and that the music I write resonates with them, just pushes aside any self doubt that I have.

You got to fly to Darwin and perform on the same stage as a bunch of leading indigenous artists. What was that experience like?
This might sound strange but honestly I don’t really remember much of the experience. I went from playing in my bedroom by myself, to getting a phone call telling me I was the winner of the Triple J Unearthed Competition, to then playing in front of a large audience in Darwin.

You’ve also shared the stage with some high profile acts like The Kite String Tangle, Bernard Fanning, and Kav Temperley. What have you learned watching them?
The most valuable lesson that I have learnt is the importance of dedication and professionalism towards my artwork and to not take myself to seriously. There are a lot of musicians who would love to be doing what I am doing right now, so I am just going to enjoy it and make the most of everything that comes my way.

The support act never has it easy. How do you win over a crowd that has turned up to watch someone else play?
This is something I really struggled with when I first starting playing live last year and something I know other acoustic artists like myself have had trouble with. Now I just try and get the audience involved throughout the set, better plan my set list to try and create ebb and flow and I always keep my set short and sharp. It’s just an acoustic guitar and me, if I play for too long I am sure I’ll start boring people!

In your spare time you work with high school students as part of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. What’s that like?
It’s an incredible experience and something I have a great time doing. Over the years I have learnt some valuable lessons too, as high school kids are great levellers and some of their stories always seem to put life into perspective. Also being a role model to others is a great honour, one that I cherish and am extremely grateful for and I have no doubt that the students that I have worked with on the Gold Coast over the last four years have incredible and fulfilled lives ahead of them. This is not because of what we’ve done, but for the empowerment students have given themselves.

Do you have an album in the pipeline?
I currently don’t have an album in the pipeline, although I do have an EP that’s coming together. I am currently working on a few tracks with one eye on an album but there is a lot of water to cover between now and then.

Is there anything else you have on the horizon that you can tell me about?
I’ll have a new single out early 2015 followed by my debut EP!

Robbie Miller’s single “Sunday” is available for digital download now.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Josh Pyke

After wowing crowds with his Lone Wolf tour earlier this year, Josh Pyke is set to do it all again with a regional run. I caught up with Josh ahead of the shows to talk about what he loves about performing, his latest album The Beginning and the End of Everything, and everyone’s favourite ’80s toy, Viewmasters!

1.    You’re just about to head off on an extension of your Lone Wolf tour. What made you want you want to extend this current leg of dates?
The first round of this tour was so overwhelmingly successful that I really wanted to take it out to regional areas. I’ve always focused on doing regional shows, but this feels like another level, going into more theater style venues. I’m really looking forward to it.

2.    I noticed you’re playing quite a few all ages shows on this run as well. How do they compare with the pub gigs?
They’re great! AA shows are hard to get off the ground sometimes, so it was great to see that the regional venues were set up and willing accommodate all ages shows. The kids that come to my shows are pretty cool and always handle themselves well at gigs so it’s not that wildly different from a normal show, except I feel heaps older!

3.    It seems like you’re always out on the road. How do you keep things feeling fresh when you’re playing so many shows?
You have to do something different every time. For every album I’ve done, I’ve made sure that my tours have incorporated something I haven’t done before. I’ve had string sections, rearranged heaps of songs to have different instrumentation, full band shows, solo shows, collaborations shows … Whatever it is, it needs to offer not only new songs, but new ways of presenting old songs, so people have a reason to come back.

4.    Clearly you must love being on stage. What’s your favourite thing about that?
It’s like the only time in my life that I’m totally in the moment. “Real life” is filled with conflicting things happening all the time, and you have to split your brain up to keep up with everything. But when I’m doing a show, I’m right there in the moment with the audience, and it’s a great feeling. Immediate and intimate and engaged. I love it.

5.    I’m sure fans will hear plenty of old favourites at these shows, but it must also be exciting for you to showcase your newer stuff from The Beginning and the End of Everything. What’s your favourite track to play live from that album and why?
“White Lines Dancing” is great to play solo. I use a loop pedal to add percussion and a piano line, and it just builds really well. Playing solo lets me muck around with the arrangements and dynamics of the song, and that works really well in that song.

6.    I read that you felt this album is actually your best. Why is that?
I just think it’s my most developed and most accomplished. I love every song on it, and it’s the only album I’ve made that I can actually listen to at home. I’m super proud of all my output, but I especially think this record is just the best one I’ve done. Simple as that!

7.    As a child of the ‘ 80s I’ve been pretty intrigued by the Viewmasters you’re going to be selling as part of your tour pack. They make a nice change from T-shirts! What was the thought behind them?
Years ago a fantastic supporter of mine made me a Viewmaster with photos from a show she’d been at. I thought it was awesome and thought if I ever had a chance to do something like that based around a specific tour it’d be very cool. So this seemed like the perfect chance.

8.    You’re barely going to have time to unpack before you’re out on the road again touring with Chris Cheney, Phil Jamieson, and Tim Rogers as part of The Beatles’ White Album tribute. It’s been five years since you all got together to pay tribute to The Beatles. Are you excited to be doing it all again?
I am! I started practicing the songs again today actually, and it all flooded back to me what a great time we had. It was really nerve wracking the first time, and I’m sure there’ll be some anxiety again this time, but with another five years of performing under my belt I want it to be even better than the last one.

9.    And clearly the Beatles must be a big part of your musical DNA. What is it about their music that really resonates with you?
For me it’s always been the harmonies and production. All the quirky sounds, the arrangements, the technical details like the tape delays and panning in some songs, (due to mainly mixing in mono back then). That stuff still blows my mind and engages me to this day.

10. After that tour wraps up, what’s next for you?
I have a studio at home I’m planning on renovating and will start writing and demoing for another album! There’s also a few more projects I’m trying to get off the ground, but they won’t kick off til next year.

Catch Josh on his Lone Wolf tour at the following shows.

6 June 2014 – Montrose Town Centre, Montrose (ALL AGES)
7 June 2014 – The Memo, Healesville (ALL AGES)
13 June 2014 – Fannie Bay Gaol, Darwin
15 June 2014 – Divers Tavern, Broome
20 June 2014 – Empire Church Theatre, Toowoomba (ALL AGES)
21 June 2014 – Majestic Theatre, Pomona (ALL AGES)
22 June 2014 – Byron Theatre, Byron Bay (ALL AGES)
25 June 2014 – Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour (ALL AGES)
26 June 2014 – Pier One @ Panthers, Port Macquarie
27 June 2014 – Manning Entertainment Centre, Taree (ALL AGES)
28 June 2014 – Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, Cessnock (ALL AGES)
5 July 2014 – Milton Theatre, Milton (ALL AGES)

Image used with permission from Remote Control Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Brad Butcher

Queensland singer-songwriter Brad Butcher will unleash his self-titled debut album later this month. I caught up with Brad recently to chat about the album, his upcoming launch shows, and what it was like growing up in a small mining town.

You’re releasing your debut album later this month. How does it feel to be on the verge of its release?
It ‘s a great feeling knowing I’m about to finally put it out there. Making the album has been a great learning experience for me and I have made some great new friends. I’ve grown as a performer and a songwriter and I’m very proud of the songs I have and I can only hope that others will enjoy listening to them and get something from them.

What can you tell me about the album?
I have always written songs that are quite personal. I’m a very visual songwriter, meaning I find it easier to describe something I have seen or witnessed rather than to pull the image from thin air. This group of songs is almost a diary of my life and the people in it so far. From falling in love to falling apart, birth, death and about not giving up along the way.

It features the single “Conversations and Complications,” which has been embraced by community radio. Did that take you by surprise?
Everything has been a surprise for me over the last two years. I was surprised that other people thought I could do this. I was surprised with how much I liked the writing and recording process and I was even more surprised to find that people genuinely like the songs. I had a dream of making an album and everything since it was finished has been an unexpected but very welcome bonus.

Continue reading “Q & A with Brad Butcher” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Made in Japan’s James Cooney

Made in Japan are a Sydney band on the rise. They gave us a taste of their unique sound with the breakout single “Oxford Décor,” the first track from their debut album Sights and Sounds. With that record hitting stores later this month I caught up with founding member James Cooney to chat about the LP, the band’s upcoming tour dates, and what comes next.

You’re a Sydney band, so where did the name Made in Japan come from?

We were just throwing names around one afternoon, and Made in Japan just seemed to catch on. It sounds some what technological and advanced; precise. I think it lends itself to our sound in that way.

I’ve heard your music described in different ways by so many critics. How would you sum it up?

I’ve heard it described in so many different ways too! From my perspective I think our music is quite dreamy and melancholic with nostalgic flashes of the best Australian summer you ever had. We take a lot from the mood of shoegaze bands such as Slowdive and Lush but our take on it is a bit more symphonic with some added pop sensibilites. As for genre umbrellas: dream-pop sounds right to me. Indie’s too broad.

You were one of the first acts discovered through General Pants Co.’s Major Label initiative, which seems like such a great program for unearthing new talent. What did it do for you?

All the usual stuff like some Triple J play, lots of FBi love and some new clothes. Apart from that it’s only a single release so it doesn’t have a whole lot of longevity. That’s up to you.

And now fast-forward and bit and you’re preparing to release your debut album Sights and Sounds. How would you describe it?

An album lover’s album. It will take a few spins to get a feel for the thing but we wanted to make a grower of a record and I think that’s what we’ve done. It’s structured in two movements like a vinyl so hopefully we’ll get to put a vinyl copy out at some stage. In terms of how it sounds, refer to question two.

After spending so many years honing your craft on stage it must be interesting to step inside a studio. What was the recording process like for you?

It was fast at points and long-winded in others. We recorded the whole thing broken up over the course of six months but most of the instrumentation was laid down in two days playing all the songs live to tape. It was a really rewarding way to work and it makes the album feel really honest to what we’re like live. We went to Melbourne a few months later to track vocals and mix it.

I hear that after you worked with producer Paul “Woody” Annison on your single “Oxford Décor” you knew he was the man to work on your album. What does he bring to your sound?

He just brings an unflinchingly honest outside opinion to all our music and he’s really committed to making every song the best it can be. He did that with “Oxford Décor” and improved it massively so we knew we wanted to run the album past him before we put it on there.

On the same day the album hits stores you’re playing a launch gig in your hometown. How important was it for you to start the album tour there?

I guess the Sydney fans have been there for us from the beginning. We haven’t done a huge amount of touring as of yet so we’re still working on the other states. We’re just really happy that the record will finally be out there and we wanted to celebrate with the people that helped make it happen first.

You spent so much time on stage last year, and you’re starting 2012 the same way. What do you love most about playing live?

Simply just seeing the audience connect with our music. Whether that’s having a marathon dance or standing up the back being contemplative is dependent on the individual, but if we manage to captivate them, that’s more than I could ever ask for.

Only a few tour dates have been announced so far, but I hear there’ll be more to come. If you could play anywhere in Australia, where would it be?

I’m going to go hometown on you and say The Enmore Theatre, Sydney. Saw my first gig there, worked there for a little while and saw heaps of bands. It’s a great sounding room and it has a great atmosphere and a great history. Would love to play there.

After this album tour wraps up, what’s next on the agenda for Made in Japan?

Finish writing our second record, which is well underway, do another tour and then head into the studio. We’ve just hit a roll, so why stop now? There’ll be a new MIJ record by the time 2013 comes around. Promise.

Sights and Sounds hits stores on February 25. They’ll play shows at Sydney’s Oxford Arts Factory on February 25, Melbourne’s Horse Bazaar on March 17, and Brisbane’s Beetle Bar on April 6, with more dates to come.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Leena

Singer-songwriter Leena seems to be impressing all the right people. Since releasing her EP Mean Old Clock, she’s scored support slots with Live frontman Ed Kowalcyzk, Paul Dempsey, and now Tim Finn. I recently caught up with this exciting new talent to chat about the EP, those tours, and her nomadic existence.

Your new EP Mean Old Clock is quite eclectic. Who are your own musical heroes?
Josh Homme, The Beatles, Nine Inch Nails, Bruce Springsteen and Crowded House. An eclectic bunch themselves. The things that draw them together are great melodies and good songs, that is what it’s all about for me.

You recorded this EP through sessions Josh Pyke, Joe Chiccarelli, and Mike Daly. How did working with so many different producers influence your sound?
I have a really particular taste in melodies and arrangement and chose the producers to fit that. I think rather than influencing my sound, they helped me to translate what I heard in my head into something tangible for people to hear and hopefully be moved by. Joe had a way of really getting inside the song and feeling what I had felt when I wrote it, then he translated it to the rest of the band. It was exciting and humbling to see how someone at that level works, just by feel, not by catering to radio or a label.

I recently saw you perform with Ed Kowalcyzk, and you’re currently touring with Paul Dempsey. What do you learn when touring with such massive artists?
I always remember to keep my eyes open when I do these kind of shows. As the opener, you are always feeling a little out of your comfort zone. When people like Paul and Ed go out of their way to make me feel welcome, it’s something you never forget.

On a musical level, when I was touring with Rufus Wainwright, he warmed up for two hours every night. It was a bit of a wake up call to me, that even people in his position have to work hard and practice to be the best they can for their audience.

How do you win over a crowd who’s there to see the headliner?
I try to create a real connection with the audience, to thank them for giving me a chance and play the best I can. I really enjoy the challenge and am always rewarded with fantastic crowds. I’m not one of those acts that play at the audience. Songs are intensely personal things that the audience needs to feel a part of. That sometimes means telling a story about the song or just looking people in the eye and being completely honest in the delivery.

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Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Damien Leith

2006 Australian Idol winner Damien Leith is back with his brand new album, Remember June, a CD already has the industry buzzing. I caught up with Damien today to chat about the album which he calls “a labour of love,” his new novel, and why he’s itching to get on the road.

I heard you say that creating Remember June is the proudest you’ve been since winning Idol. What is it about this album that’s really excited you?I think really the biggest thing about this album is that right from the onset, I had a concept that I wanted to work off, and everything I did towards making the album, towards writing it, stuck entirely to that concept all the way through. So the whole album hasn’t been swayed either way by thinking “I might need this sort of song” or “I might need that sort of song.” It’s just an album which I personally really wanted to make. Thanks to Sony I got to do that. It’s kind of a labour of love in a way, this album.

Your new single “To Get To You” has a bit of a pop-rock feel, which is something we haven’t really heard from you before. Is that indicative of the other songs we’ll hear on Remember June?
It is. You know, the album’s got a story from start to end. It’s got an intro and it’s got an outro. And to have a story, it’s definitely allowed us to have more up-tempo stuff on the album. But at the same time, I’ve still got some slower songs. But I think overall the sound of the album is big; it’s a big epic or anthemy sort of sound throughout the entire album. So even if it’s a slow song, it’s a big slow song.

So it [“To Get You To”] gives you a taste of the album, but there are some really intimate songs on there which I think are even stronger. They’re probably the stronger songs.

It was produced by Stuart Crichton, who’s worked with the Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue, and so many other big names. What was he like to work with?
He was fantastic. There’s a couple of co-writes with him as well. We did the song “Forgive, Forget” with him and a mate of his, Blair [McKichan] from the UK. He’s not only an amazing producer but he’s an incredible writer as well.

We’ve become really good friends as a result of it as well. We’ve continued to write more and more songs together. He’s just a genius. I can’t get over how quickly he works. He makes a decision and he goes for it. There’s no second-guessing. He just goes for it. I was in awe of the way he works.

It’s been three years since you won Australian Idol. How do you feel about that experience looking back?
To be perfectly honest, for one thing it seems like a long, long time away. The last few years have been so busy with so many different things going on that it seems like a long, long time ago. But I have to say I have no regrets about my time on Idol. Without it I wouldn’t be talking to you today. I would never have broken through.

I think at that stage I was at a turning point in my life where I had to decide: family commitments and work and all the rest, or am I going to give this one more shot. I’d been chasing it for years and years and years, it had been all the usual stuff of demos and gigging here, there, and everywhere for years and years.

It’s not 100% profit-driving, and it does have a negativity associated with it as well, but overall I’m grateful for having been involved.

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Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Grace Bawden

At the age of 16, Grace Bawden has done more than many of us achieve in a lifetime. She made it to the finals of Australia’s Got Talent, she was a soloist at World Youth Day, and on September 18, her debut album Gifts of Grace will hit stores. I caught up with this talented teen to chat about the CD, her upcoming tour, and how music has changed her life.

You’ve been performing professionally since your early teens. Did you ever imagine doing anything else but singing?
Actually, I wanted to be a pharmacist, but singing is something I have always wanted to do. But I didn’t take it seriously until I was about 11 when I started winning competitions and getting solo roles in choirs.

You were a part of Australia’s Got Talent last year. What was it like to be part of that show?
It was awesome. I had the best time. There was a lot of pressure and hard work now when I look back on it, but it was exciting at the same time because I wanted to prove myself and show people a side of me that they hadn’t seen before. I was never able to sing opera or classical in public like that before and then I was given that wonderful opportunity. I really will never forget the fun or the show and having my family together. I was also great meeting so many other wonderfully talented contestants. I’m still good friends with quite a few of them and we support each others careers. I really hope I get to perform with them again one day.

How important was the exposure that program gave you?
Extremely important, even though in Australia the exposure is minimal compared with, say, the US or UK, but without a major label behind you, that kind of exposure is almost impossible to get for any artist. Because I only got one go at it, we had to put a lot of thought into choosing the right songs to make the right impact with the audience. The grand final song really let me find my more creative side I hadn’t been able to explore, but I’ve been writing more songs since.

You’re about to release your debut album Gifts of Grace. How exciting is that?
I’m still pinching myself and can’t believe it’s real. But I have many wonderful people around me making it all happen and wanting to be a part of the project. It really is overwhelming and I just want to show people they haven’t seen the best of me yet. My producer, Audius Mtawirira, his business partner, Jamie Huber, and our investors have really given me this big break and I am deeply grateful for all their hard work and faith in my talent. It’s hard for a young girl from Adelaide to get that kind of opportunity or recognition and none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for the tremendous people around me offering their own time, help and advice. I really feel blessed.

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