COME OUR WAY FOR THIS WAY NORTH

We caught up with Renowned Duo ‘This Way North’ who released Debut Album 'Punching Underwater' 

Indie pop-rock duo This Way North, comprising Cat Jungalwalla and Leisha Leahy, is gearing up for the highly anticipated release of their debut album, 'Punching Underwater,' set to hit the shelves on February 8th, 2024. This musical endeavor is a collaborative masterpiece between the award-winning artist Ainslie Wills and accomplished engineer-producer Jono Steer, promising a blend of creativity and expertise that fans have eagerly awaited.

The journey leading to 'Punching Underwater' has been a fascinating one for This Way North. Having traversed various landscapes across Australia and beyond, the duo found themselves amid the serene Dhudhuroa country in north-east Victoria during the pandemic. Here, amidst ancient trees and high-country valleys, they exchanged the nomadic lifestyle for a temporary home, allowing a pause that became a haven for creative expression, shaping the essence of their forthcoming album.

This Way North has steadily climbed the ladder of recognition, previously honored as Music Victoria's Best Regional Act. Their repertoire includes three EPs, and they've gained prominence not just in Australia but also in New Zealand and Canada, sharing stages with notable artists like Vika and Linda Bull, Ash Grunwald, and Kate Ceberano.

The debut single from 'Punching Underwater,' titled 'My Love,' made its debut in October 2023. Featuring the mesmerizing sounds of Christine Tootoo's Inuit throat singing from Iqaluit, Arctic Canada, the single quickly gained national rotation on Double J and secured a top-5 position on the AMRAP charts, resonating deeply with their dedicated fan base and setting high expectations for the album's release.

In 'Punching Underwater,' This Way North showcases their peak songwriting and performance abilities, weaving together musical and lyrical elements that highlight their creative prowess. With Ainslie Wills stepping into the role of producer for the first time and collaborating with long-time creative partner Jono Steer, the album reflects a synergy that allowed Cat and Leisha to delve deeper into each song, refining them to showcase their exceptional talents.

Recorded across studios in Melbourne and Romsey, central Victoria, each track on the album radiates lush, dynamic sounds, standing out both individually and collectively. Cat Leahy's vibrant, powerful drumming and Leisha Jungalwalla's intricate guitar tones and slide guitar chops are meticulously crafted, forming the backbone of the album's sonic landscape. Additionally, guest vocals from Xani, Little Wise, Tuckshop Ladies, and Ainslie Wills, along with contributions from Jono Steer and guest bassist Brett Langsford, add layers of depth and richness to the musical tapestry.

'Punching Underwater' delves into introspective themes, addressing insecurities, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt while also celebrating the journey of self-discovery and personal growth. From the struggle to avoid falling in love to the highs of building confidence and contentment, the album encapsulates the myriad emotions of a woman's evolution. Ultimately, it leaves listeners on a positive note, embracing the highs and lows of life's journey with resilience and grace.

With compelling harmonies, robust melodies, and a profound exploration of the human experience, 'Punching Underwater' is poised to be a standout debut album for This Way North, solidifying their place in the indie music scene and captivating audiences worldwide. Fans can look forward to a musical journey that is introspective, uplifting, and undeniably authentic.

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INTERVIEW:

Can you tell our readers about your new Album 'Punching Underwater', and a little bit about who you are?

Hello! We are a band called This Way North, I'm Leisha, I play guitar and sing and there's Cat on drums and vocals. We are based in Yackandandah (yes, it's a real place!), in the high country in North East Victoria. We are a drums and guitar duo who often get mistaken for a full 5-piece band, we love blending indie rock, pop, blues, roots and folk with a little bit of psychedelica thrown in! 

We've just released our debut album 'Punching Underwater'! 

Who did you work with for this single, and what does the name of the album mean?

We worked with Ainslie Wills and Jono Steer as co-producers on the whole album and the lead single 'Punching Underwater'. The name is about how when you try to punch under the water everything is slow moving there is a lot of resistance. There were a lot of challenges for us to get this album and the songs together and out into the world, the song is about how you can be too hard on yourself and make yourself so slow by not believing in what you're capable of. We co-wrote this song with Bobby Alu.

How do you put music together, or do you work with a Producer, if so who?

We write all of our own songs by either writing them separately and bringing them to each other to finish or writing them completely together. We then worked with Ainslie Wills on each song in pre-production. She really brought them out to be the best they could be with her incredible ear and song writing sensibilities. We learnt so much from her and how she crafts her songs. 

Who's on your greater team?

We have our awesome booking agents Abby and Bec from Onya Soapbox, our album team was Ainslie Wills, Jono Steer (Co-producers plus some keys and vocals), Brett Langsford (bass), our publicists Stuart and Jonny. But the rest is all us! We're an independent band and work bloody hard to make sure we hustle and create opportunities for ourselves. Oh and our dog Messy.

What are some of your go-to records to listen to, when you're either chilling or working on new music?

We both love Bahamas, Khruangbin, Tami Neilson, Bonobo but there's too many to list! 

Anything exciting coming up over the next few months?

Yes! We have the next leg of our album tour throughout South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales! 

What other artists and or creatives are from your community, and who should our readers get across?

We're super lucky to live in a very creative area! There's amazing artists from all mediums: sculptors (check out Ben Gilberts creations), visual artists (Kirrily Anderson), black smiths (Toadhall forge) and of course musicians!

Check out Sal Kimber, Liv Cartledge and DJ Jane Doe. 

We also have amazing whiskey distilleries (Backwoods Distillery), recycled wool and leather workers (Stonehill View), furniture makers (Indigo Woodworks). It's a really inspiring place to live with lots of amazing people doing cool and inspiring things! 

What do you like to do, outside of writing, recording and playing music?

We both love being out in nature, camping in our van with our dog Messy! Cat is a hatter, so she spends a lot of time in her shop making glorious hats (check ou Feather & Drum Hat Co.). I love surfing when I can get to the coast. 

Do you have any shows coming up?

Catch us here:

Sun April 28th supporting Ash Grunwald at Star Hotel Yackandandah

Sat June 15th Melbourne Album Launch Show w East Bound Buzz, Liv Cartledge and DJ Jane Doe at Stay Gold, Brunswick

Fri June 21st Brisbane Album Launch Show at the Cave Inn with special guests TBA

Sat June 22nd Full Moon Party, Verrierdale Sunshine Coast QLD

Sat August 3rd The Stone Pony, w Parvyn Willunga, SA

Sun August 4th Adelaide Album Launch Show at Trinity Sessions w Parvyn Adelaide SA

Fri August 23rd Wauchope Arts, Wauchope NSW

Sat August 24th Sydney Album Launch Show at The Great Club with Monstress and Juanita Tippins Marrickville NSW

Sun August 25th The Fun Haus, Gosford NSW

 Any last words?

We can't wait to hear what you think of the album, don't forget to check out the film clips for the first two singles 'My Love' featuring Inuit Throat Singer Christine Tootoo, shot up in Arctic Canada and 'Punching Underwater' filmed at the Old Beechworth Gaol in an empty 100 year old pool! 

INTERVIEW: ZACHARY LEO

23-year old Zachary Leo (Melbourne/Naarm) unites deliciously grooving disco funk vibes with modern pop structures in his latest single ‘Can’t Get Enough’. The Michael Parisi mentoree has honed his signature sound, bringing all the good vibes to wash away the tensions of life. Tori met with Zachary Leo to talk about the new single and being a musician in the post-covid world.

How's your weekend going?

Yeah, it's been good! Had a show on Friday night,  which was really good. And then had a relaxing couple of days. 

Where was your show on Friday night? How did it go?

Cherry Bar! The new Cherry Bar on Little Collins Street. It was great. We had a great, great night. Great turnout. Played well. That was the launch for the new song. There was a tour planned…and then there wasn't, it has been all over the shop. So I cut everything back and just did the show, but will probably announce some more stuff soon. COVID made it super tricky, which is a bummer. But the launch was great. So that's all we can ask!

Small wins in the music industry at the moment! You're talking about the band there, but you are Zach…. tell me where this whole thing started?

I think it was 2019, that was the first single and the first show. Before that I had been in bands and had done my own music. But I got to a point where I wanted to write a certain type of music and it didn't fit the band, it didn't fit my solo thing that I was doing, which was very acoustic and the band was heavy rock. So I made a decision one day to go on my own, but have a big live show with a band. It is like the band Harry Styles would have or any big acts would have. But I’m kind of finding my sound and finding my direction. I think I'm on a really good path at the moment, settling in and creating what I think is really cool. 

I guess it's not really pop, but this new version of pop coming out at the moment, you talked about Harry Styles and I think of Billie Eilish. They're the new pop, which isn't such a traditional cotton candy kind of sound. Is that what you're aiming to go for?

I think definitely a type of pop I'm looking to go for, but a lot of my influences come from funk artists from the 70s and late 60s like George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, when they spearheaded the rap scene for a while as well. A lot of that music was ingrained into the mainstream early on. It's kind of funk. But naturally, there's this pop structure there, I guess in the melodies. It's like you said, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish - it's not your traditional pop. They take influence from there. I've got my different inspirations in the soul scene, and the rock scene that I put in there, make it a little bit less poppy, but it's definitely still pop.

And so are you primarily a vocalist? Or are you an instrumentalist as well? 

I started with vocals. But I would say guitar would be my strong point. I've been practicing the most since I was quite young. I always sang but I wasn't always very good for a long time.When I was in my early teens, I got some lessons and kept giving it a go. Now I think it's a vessel to deliver the music, rather than my strength, if that makes any sense? But the guitar, that and songwriting is one of my strengths, where I feel most comfortable.

And with this new track, was this one that you created in COVID? 

Like everyone in Melbourne I was in lockdown. It was just before the big one last year, I had a meeting with Alex, my producer to decide on which songs we will record in the studio. The night before I had a spark of inspiration and quickly wrote this song, and came to him with it the next day. He was like, yeah, let's do it. Then we sat on it for a while. We've played a few shows with the song in it, we got into pre production and then lockdown. We had to record it after lockdown ended. I had time in lockdown to make sure that we had time to go through pre production and stuff then we came out of lockdown to record. It was a day before and Alex sprung on me that I needed to rewrite half the song and he's like, “You’ve got to cut all this out”. We had all lockdown for him to tell me, and he sprung it on me at the last minute! But what came out was the best result. 

This is Alex from Delta Riggs?

Yeah, we started working together. It would have been a lot sooner but with COVID. Then we did, so good! Hopefully some more songs in the future as well.

He's definitely becoming one of the bigger producers and has an awesome sound. 

He was incredible to work with, just seamless and easy. I've always been stressed in the studio, it felt like we weren't working hard enough because it was so easy. We got the take like “Yeah, cool. That's it. That's the take”.  It was such a great and easy and stress free and creative process with Alex, he made it very, very easy, which was awesome. 

Are there any other producers that you've got your eye on that you'd like to work with in future?

I think at the moment, honestly, I think what me and Alex created was really special. He helped me find ways to bring the songs to life. We connected musically in the studio. I haven't connected with someone like that before. We both knew what we needed in the songs. I think right now, I'd be keen to jump back in with Alex, I haven't even thought about someone else!  Obviously, Mark Ronson for instance, producers that you dream of working with, Pharrell and all of them. Honestly, Alex - I'd be keen to get back in with him ASAP,  we're working towards that, but everyone's busy. 

Are there any artists that you are really keen to work with, or you've kind of started chatting with?

Not really at the moment, I'm always open to collaborating with other artists and working with other musicians, but I think I'm someone who writes very much on their own. I sit in my room and work on something then come out and show people and then go back and work on it myself. So there's no real talks with anyone at the moment. I mean, there's a few really cool Aussie artists that I would love to pick their brain and work with. Like Kesmar from Sydney, he's got this really cool synth sound that I just adore. I think it's awesome. I love his vibe as well. I'd love to work with him. We can make something really funky. 

How are you feeling about the response to the single? 

It's been awesome.  Messages and love from heaps of different people. It's been really cool. Even the last week or so it's taken off, streams have been going off and giving me so much love. I'm feeling really, really positive about it. I think positive words and reassurance is enough for me to feel really good about it. I love this song and I'm really proud of it. Everyone's been so lovely. 

Is there anything else that you'd want your new fans or people who are following to know about you or about your music?

I'm a pretty open book. I would just say thank you for the support so far. There is music coming and the show is coming. I’m keen to share it with everyone. 

Before we go, what was the last thing you were listening to?

You know, it was Harry Styles. I think it was Daydreaming off the new record. I've been playing non-stop the last couple of days. 

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INTERVIEW: THE SMITH STREET BAND ARE UNPLUGGED IN WOMBAT STATE FOREST

Photo credit Ian Laidlaw

The Smith Street Band have announced their return to live music in 2021, with a series of full band, stripped back, semi acoustic, seated shows in Victoria and New South Wales. Guest writer from Ambedo Magazine, Keely Millikin, had an e-chat with guitarist Lee Hartney to discuss all things tour, coffee beans, and what’s coming next!

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I wanted to start off with talking about your upcoming album, ‘Unplugged in the Wombat State Forest’ which is out on March 5th. What was the inspiration behind doing an ‘unplugged’ album per se?
During Melbourne's long lockdown we discussed the likelihood that if we were going to be allowed to play shows again they would most likely be seated... and none of us are keen on seated rock shows.

So we reimagined a set in a more acoustic stripped-back style that we think fits better for those shows and is something different and fun for us. Because this is so different and new for us we thought we should record and film it in the meantime and release it for this tour, especially for the people who can't make it to the shows or who we can't get to this time around.

I saw that you released coffee beans as a part of promotion for the new album, could you explain the motivation behind doing so? (I love the idea by the way, and had to pick up some up for myself.)
Thank you! I hope you liked it! Well, everyone's a coffee fiend in the band (except me! Ha ha), so just made sense! A few of the others knew Karon coffee as they are locals to the region where our studio is in Wombat State Forest and we wanted to support our local businesses.

You kick off the Unplugged tour in Bendigo, and all of the shows are seated, which is going to be a very different experience as a band. In what ways do you think that will change the dynamic of your shows, and how the audience reacts?
It will be a completely different experience to our normal loud, sweaty, rock shows.

We really hope people enjoy hearing the songs interpreted in a different way. It won't be for everyone, but we have enjoyed creating the set and hopefully that comes across.

What can we expect to see from your upcoming album release?
For the first time we're releasing a cassette tape & DVD. The CD comes with a DVD with a video of the whole album. Plus it's on black and coloured vinyl.

You recently announced some shows in Brisbane in May with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. Have you had the chance to rehearse with them yet and how has that changed your music?
We have just started discussions with them so far and organising a suitable setlist for the show. Once all the charts are written we shall be doing a few rehearsals I believe. It's all very unknown territory for us but super exciting! We are going to go in with open minds ready to do whatever we need to make it sound great!

How has the lockdown been for you all as a band? I saw you all spent a lot of time at your headquarters in the Wombat State Forest.
It's the most time we have spent apart from each other in 10 years! I think we have all enjoyed having a bit of self-imposed time off. It gave everyone a bit of time to work on other things and projects in their lives that usually get put on the backburner. And now it's just made everyone more excited to come back together and to get back to playing shows!

Unplugged in Wombat State Forest Out March 5th
on Pool House Records / Remote Control
Pre Order the album here

How has having your home base in the state forest affected your music and you all as a band?
It's great to have a place that we can all go to and just work on music with no other distractions. It allows us the freedom to record with no time constraints (which may not always be a good thing!) which hopefully means we can release better, more creative albums than we have in the past.

And lastly, what can we expect for the future of the Smith Street Band?
Hopefully lots of shows! We are gonna do as much as we are physically allowed to do. Hopefully we can record some new music as well real soon!

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Follow The Smith Street Band on the rest of their tour and for our fellow local Bendigonians, be sure to check out the interview as part of the upcoming Ambedo Magazine issue! This interview was done as part of the upcoming magazine release, written by Keely Millikin.

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INTERVIEW: ODETTE HERALDS A NEW OMEN WITH HER SOPHOMORE ALBUM

Image: Odette explores a deep soundscape with her sophomore album Herald Photo: Giulia McGauran

Sound the bells and raise the bugles, 23-year-old Georgia Odette Sallybanks, Odette, one of Sydney’s most talented singer-songwriters, has released her sophomore album Herald after dipping and diving through the last five years of her adolescence.

Herald has explored new sonic depths as Odette herself went through a transformative period with grace and maturity, navigating a world of complex emotions. Combining two worlds, her sophomore record is adorned with instrumental intricacies which tie in to the natural world. 

“There’s two worlds that sort of co-exist, so the lyrical world which is very much centred around me, my emotions, or almost self-absorption, and then there’s the instrumental world which is very much a phenomenon of natural environments,” she said.

“While I’m navigating these complex emotions which I’m not really sure how to navigate, these instruments act as sort of a world and also a safe space which creates a grounding texture.” 

And with a new record, comes a newfound sense of confidence for the 23-year-old Sydney song-writer. After a late name change from Dwell, Herald represents a coming-of-age period for Odette.

“When I changed it to Herald it was mostly just because I really really wanted to bring about something new,” she said.

“I wrote that song because Herald means – it’s kind of like an omen – like something’s coming and it has a tone of anticipation and that’s sort of the tone of the whole record.”

The record also features a collaboration with Australian electronic duo, Hermitude, on her track ‘Feverbreak’. The track honours her debut single, ‘Watch Me Read You’, as it intertwines her signature spoken word poetry stylings with delicate electronic undercurrents from Hermitude. 

“I write songs like that when I have a lot to say and not a lot of patience, and the Hermitude guys were so great with that, they just totally got it... it was such an amazing experience,” she said.

“That was the point of the record, to just say everything out loud and hopefully just use that as a launchpad to launch myself out of that headspace – I think it’s working – we’ll see.” 

Late last year Odette reimagined Australian rock band ACDC’s ‘Thunderstruck’ for Triple J’s Like A Version segment, where she mentioned in an interview how much she had grown out of the pressure to ‘sound pretty’ and felt more herself since her first Like A Version cover in 2018.

“[In the first record] I still had this mentality of like it needs to be ethereal, it needs to be pretty and light, and as I’ve aged my voice is getting deeper, you know?” 

Whilst there was a high degree of praise for her cover, a few comments criticised Odette’s interpretation of ‘Thunderstruck’, which perhaps speaks more loudly to the degree of tone policing which is inflicted on some women in music in Australia. 

“There seems to be this weird intense policing of female tone, if you’re not beautiful sounding and perfectly articulate, you get a lot of hate,” she said.

“I just noticed it a lot, especially with female artists and non-binary artists.” 

If COVID-19 vaccines are successful, Odette is keen to get back on the road and tour rural Australia, especially Tasmania. 

“I want to do rural Australia, and I really am desperate to get to Tassie,” she said.

“On my last tour Tassie was always left out and I hated that so I’m so excited. I love Tassie so much, if I could close my eyes and be there I would in a heartbeat.” 

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Odette today releases her second studio album Herald along with a new music video for the title track, and announces a string of national dates in support of the release.

ODETTE - NATIONAL TOUR DATES

6 May - Altar Bar, Hobart

7 May - 170 Russell, Melbourne

8 May - Volta, Ballarat

9 May - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne [U18]

14 May - Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide

21 May - The Triffid, Brisbane

22 May - The Northern, Byron Bay

23 May - HOTA, Gold Coast

4 June - Factory Theatre, Sydney

5 June - The Cambridge, Newcastle

11 June - UniBar, Wollongong

12 June - Fiction, Canberra

18 June - Rosemount, Perth

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HOT DONNAS TAKE YOU AROUND THEIR FAVOURITE LOCAL NZ HANGS

HOT DONNAS TOP DUNEDIN EATS

Well we know a few things for certain… Since making their debut in 2017 with the Greek Yoghurt album, Hot Donnas have been releasing music and touring consistently throughout NZ and even out to Australia in the three years since. Their energy on stage is unmatched and with their new music ready to go, the band is champing at the bit for their return to touring. The Dunedin four-piece have been creating music primed to get bodies moving, heads banging and brains hooked on their infectious melodies and fired up rock attitude. Having just released their latest single ‘Two Brains’ the guys are gearing up to drop their EP ‘The Adventures of E-WAN’ on Friday the 13th of November. The last thing we know is that they love food. We mean all of the food. Plus a sneaky bev or 10. 

‘Two Brains’ is the sort of track that could exist in the same sonic landscape as early Arctic Monkeys as it could Queens of the Stone Age. A song about indecision, overthinking and figuring out which way is best to proceed, ‘Two Brains’ is three minutes, fifteen seconds of shredding guitars, thrashing percussion and strangely hypnotic vocals. The perfect dose of rock serotonin for any fan.

“I wrote the hook for ‘Two Brains’ in my head at the end of a big night of foolishness, when I found myself facing a decision of what to do next. The ultimate suggestion throughout the song being that whichever choice I make throughout my life, I will face the nagging pressure from both good and bad influences. And forever be lost bouncing between the consequences of my judgement.” 

Jacob King, Hot Donnas

We spoke to the guys who were able to give us the run down on a few local spots in Dunedin that were never a bad decision for all the good foods, check out the must do’s below.

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Mornington Tavern 

This pub is the local watering hole for the Hot Donnas and a very quick 5 minute stumble from their flat. The taphouse is the perfect place to start your weekend with large pizzas and cheap pints.

Eureka Cafe & Bar

This bar is for when the Hot Donnas lads are feeling fancy. Eureka supplies an ever changing range of the best New Zealand craft beer and cider. Their food is also some of the best you can buy in Dunedin. If it’s a business meeting, it’s a Eureka meeting. 

Cafe Tokyo

This Japanese takeaway is God's gift to the human race. Their crispy chicken rice balls are a thing of beauty. This team never disappoint and are a must-have whilst stopping into the city of Dunedin. Jacob has spent many hundreds of his hard earned dollars at this fine establishment, with not one regret.

North Dunedin Dominoes

You know what it is. It's cheap, it's nasty, but boy does it fill a gap on a sunday after you've spent your last penny in catacombs. hawaiian with a peri-peri swirl is one of the boys' go to choices. The wings here are a thing of beauty too.

Location classified

Last but certainly not least is our good mate and neighbours house. This is one of the greatest spots that Dunedin has to offer. Whether you're starting the party or kicking on at the crack of dawn, this is the place you want to be. DM the boys for the address!

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INTERVIEW WITH NATHAN CAVALERI: PLAYING WITH JIMMY BARNES, BATTLING LEUKAEMIA, MENTAL HEALTH, AND COMING BACK STRONGER

As a kid, having the opportunity to play with the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Diesel and other music legends would have surely been a transformative experience. Could you please describe to us a bit about what that was like? 

I went from busking out front of my mum’s coffee shop, to playing on Hey Hey It’s Saturday to playing to 10,000 plus people per night supporting Jimmy Barnes and Diesel on the Soul Deep / Hepfidelity tour. At 10 years old, this was my first real snapshot of what a life in music would feel like. I loved it. Tour buses, semi-trailers, road cases, rehearsals, security, backstage passes, riders, dressing rooms, sound checks, driven by a management team and crew all working to put together a night for both the artist and the audience. It was my first experience on a real stage and as a sponge, I absorbed it all. Watching Jimmy and Diesel sing and play their hearts out leaving nothing but puddles of sweat on stage was a pivotal point in my career. I learnt that playing on stage is not just about expressing yourself. It’s about connecting. For them, it seemed as if they played like it was their last night no earth and as a kid going through Leukaemia at the time, this really resonated with me.

 Is there a favourite artist you have played/ worked with? 

I have 2 favourites for different reasons. B.B.King and Diesel. Having the privilege of playing 3 songs on stage with B.B. in the middle of his set for 3 weeks on one of his US tours is an experience that I’m still digesting! I learnt so much on tour both through observation and receiving advice. It was also the first time I witnessed blues music on a big stage and was able to see how powerful a blues show can be. My relationship with Diesel has many dimensions. I was learning from him at 10, and I’m still learning from him today. We’ve always bonded over song-writing, production and gear but now as an independent artist and father of 2, our connection has expanded into the world of music strategy as well as the more “human” aspects of being an artist. I love and respect him dearly.   

How do you think the highs and lows of your life have influenced your music?

Battling Leukaemia as a kid took a hobby into a form of self-expression and therapy. Even during recent years when I decided to call it quits, song-writing and playing even if alone, brought me catharsis. My empathetic imagination allows me to make art of what I see and feel - Be it experiences that someone else has had or through reflecting on my own, my music is definitely hinged to the dynamics of my life and is the reason why my stage shows and recordings are anything but linear. Weeping melancholy melodies to stink face triggering struts.. It’s all in there!  

 ‘Before You Check Out’ is a beautiful melody, carved by the acoustic guitar and gentle vocals. It has a powerful message, one that you have described as being “a song for those who are low on hope”. What would be your message to those who are struggling in these current circumstances? 

There’s always a way. Just because you can’t see a path, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. No matter what people say, there’s always a way and there are millions around the world who are proof of this and there are MANY paths to suit all different walks of life. The master key for me was learning to adjust my perception of adversity / discomfort / pain. When we start to see our pain as indicators rather than bullets, the situation goes from bring a battle to an opportunity for growth. I can see and learn more when I’m having a conversation rather than throwing punches or covering up. Most of my growth and resilience has come from challenges in my life. Don’t demonise them. Embrace them. Learn from them and trust that despite how it feels, it’s leading you to good places! An awakening is suppose to feel fucked because unfortunately, growth can only happen outside of our comfort zone.  

‘Hug’ is another beautiful track, with the lyrics; “All my hugs come from behind, no matter how many times you walk away from the crime”. Could you please expand on those lyrics? What does the power of forgiveness mean to you? 

For years I misunderstood the definition and purpose for forgiveness. I believed that the act of forgiving was the same as condoning and also believed that it’s purpose was to bring relief to the offender. I couldn’t be more wrong. My new understanding is that forgiveness is for the victim and is a form of acceptance. Holding a grudge, wishing something wasn’t so, hating on a past self are all acts of resistance. As long as that resistance is there, our past will continue to haunt us. For some, the past is haunting them daily through memories that are played on repeat. When we reach a state of full forgiveness we’ve accepted and are therefore released from the past. My song “Hug” is about making peace with abandonment. “Better the back of your head than the front of a lie..” means that you are willing to face the truth no matter how much it hurts. “All my hugs come from behind” is a metaphor for forgiving someone who has turned their back on you. 

The album ‘Demons’ is set to release on August 9th this year, followed by an album tour. What can fans expect from the new music? 

When I was a kid, I had something to play but now I have something to say. It was written at a time when I wasn’t intending on returning to the stage which kept the writing process from being corrupted by business goals. The sentiment of these songs are inspired by my own experiences and those around me. Organically, almost all of the songs relate in someway to how we relate to our “demons”. Whether profound or tongue and cheek, the attitudes of each song mirror the dynamics of my life and are amplified by styles of music that move me the most - Psychedelic folk, hiphop, funk, country all brought together by all my favourite types of blues. On stage, I string these songs together by sharing my own personal stories.  

 What are your favourite Aussie artists? What music inspires you?

My favourite bands are all over the place - Teskey Brothers, Ash Grunwald, Diesel, Julia Jacklin - OMG Julia Jacklin, Thelma Plum, Baby Animals, Cold Chisel, Guy Sebastian, Dope Lemon, LOVE Dope Lemon, Delta Riggs, Kingswood, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, TAME IMPALA! All different types of music inspires me…If it takes me away and makes me feel something, I’m in! 

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INTERVIEW: ASHENMOON’S GARRY BEERS - NEW MUSIC, THE CURRENT WORLD CRISIS, & LIFE AFTER INXS

I had a wonderful chat with Garry Beers, bassist of world-renowned Australian rock band INXS and now, Ashenmoon!
Personally, I grew up listening to INXS and handfuls of other classics, some of which are also thrown in throughout the interview, and this might just be the biggest interview I’ve done. Garry was a wonder to talk to and I can’t wait to see what else Ashenmoon has in store for us.

We covered the new releases and the writing process, the effects of the current COVID situation, environmentalism and dog rescue, his high school dance featuring AC/DC, life during and after INXS, and a bunch more.

It was a phone interview so I’ve culled sections down to what makes most sense, but my appreciation for this experience is astronomical. Thankyou to Garry, Toby, and Jimmy, and everyone else involved for bringing this new project to life, and for Garry’s time chatting to me from wherever he may be at the moment!

Enjoy!
-Jahmiele

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JAHMIELE:
So Ashenmoon started as a ‘passion project’ between you and Jimmy and Toby, and ‘passion project’ is a kind of a favourite term of mine. Was there any deliberate intention going into that to make it a fully published act or was it sort of just ‘let's have fun and see where this goes’?

GARRY:
We were already in a corporate covers band called Stadium so it was already fun. We just really wanted to see how we’d go with original material, so we just sort of played together and hung out more. We listen to each other's bits of music and songs and, and um, and then beginning of last year was just in my little home studio which is where we started everything. Yeah. Just spent the whole year just putting together the songs, honing them and rewriting them and starting all over again and talking about just, just taking our time. There's no one watching the clock. It's just made the record that we really wanted to make, all 3 of us.

J: Yeah. Awesome. I think, I guess that's probably the best way to go about it. No pressure,

G: Exactly! There’s no record companies breathing down our neck, the no deadlines, and yeah obviously no real touring schedule to keep in line with. I think we'd all been looking for someone to write once in a while. I know I had.

J: Okay. Amazing. And the debut for Ashenoon came out as the double single. Was there any kind of background between each of those tracks? Like I know a lot of songs aren't necessarily written with a particular dramatic meaning behind them, but was there anything like that with these ones?

G: Yeah. It just all this happens to be pretty indicative of what we wanted to say about, y’know looking after the world, looking after each other and look what happened. I mean, it just seemed to be a pretty bit of a no-brainer to get that one out now. And Mosquito, you know, Toby's Australian, he’s from Melbourne, and he just had the big fuzz bassline and my little singing, and that all came together and sounded a bit like a mosquito, someone actually commented saying it sounded like Cartman from South Park! He just grabbed the acoustic and started writing the song and it became Mosquito. We wanted to write a song about, a metaphor for mosquitos.

And we keep using the word ‘organic’ but it really was that way. I produced it and recorded it, and Toby at that time was living just up the road, and Jimmy was always here with a bottle of red wine anyway. We just sat in that little room, day and night and had fun, recording guitars here and there, laying down keyboard. A friend of mine owns a studio up the road, we got an English fella called Jason Gamble in to play drums on the majority of the album, so you know it just really grew like good music should grow. I mean, there's no deadline no pressure, the songs just came to life by themselves

J: Yeah. That's amazing. And I take it that you previously knew Toby before all of this. How has it working together on something like this? Do you prefer working with someone or on your own when it comes to song-writing and putting things together?

G: No, I'm definitely a working with someone kind of guy. I mean, I do write a lot of music but as far as you know, vocals and melodies and lyrics, I'd much rather leave it up to a real singer, a real composer. I met Toby 3 years ago at a party so the friendship is still pretty new, but became pretty much best mates. I met Jimmy at a party when I first moved here 14 or 15 years ago, so I’ve known him forever but we never got around to playing in a band together, so I asked him to join Stadium my corporate band. And then he joined and Toby joined. We wanted to see how far we could take it, and rename it because we wanted it to be different again, so we became Ashenmoon and here we are!

J: All right! And knowing so many names, like you would have worked with a lot of people over the years, and coming into the new ‘modern era’ of technology with the different ways of promotion we have now and all that kind of thing- what is it that you've seen change over the last, what is it, 30-40 years, something like that?

G: Yeah, it's been a while. Um, you know, it's funny you look back and you miss the age of CDs, and CDs replaced vinyl. I’ll always complain about downloads, seeing how the qualities isn’t great, and you don’t get the visual. Like I remember vinyl records as a kid, sitting there and pouring over every word and every image on the album cover while listening to the music, and I feel like it’s a forgotten art in many ways so, you’re hearing the first few singles but when you hear the whole album later in the year it’s a journey just like the good old, you know, Zeppelin records, Queen records, every song had its place. You know, we worked out which song goes to the next song and their running order and then it’s got side 1 and side 2 just like the old-fashioned records. When it’s out and you hear it on vinyl you’ll get the real idea of what it’s all about.

J: I'm sure you've probably been asked this already, but is there any kind of meaning behind the band name, Ashenmoon, where did that come from?

G: I think it's just an interesting visual image, really lending itself to artwork, but it's also got a really big sorta quality to it, and then also we wrote Dustbowl about how we know we abuse the planet, we abuse animals, we abuse each other, and what we’ll be left with is pretty much just a barren planet, so I guess it's a bit of a downer way of what describing it, but I think ultimately it's just, it just sounded cool. And then we did all this stuff ourselves. We found an artist when I went to our Facebook page, and Toby did a lot of the artwork, and then I did the graphics for the actual name, I used to do graphic design at school. So, it’s been a real, at home kind of project. And a friend of Jimmy’s, that he played in a band with at school back in Massachusetts, mixed the album so he's been a really strong part of the project as well. So, it's been a really good team and a really good time.

J: So, you've mentioned a couple times now the whole environmental effect that we're having and things like that. Is that something that you're personally passionate about?

G: Yeah, I am. I mean I'm more into my life and particularly more into dog rescue and finding homes for dogs. A real big issue is humans just don't get it. I mean, they just don't get it that the planets gonna give us a big kick in the ass that’s what it’s doing right now. You don’t eat bats, you just don't abuse animals. Mother Nature is just gonna, y’know, take you out. I mean, that's, what's going on now. It's taken an interesting turn. I mean, you see the planet’s actually recovering a bit because people aren't driving, industries are shut, the planet’s kind of having a bit of a breather right now. So, maybe there's a good side yet.

J: Yeah. There's a lot of things they've already seen, you know, positively changed since we've been absent.

G: Yeah, yeah, yeah. No one knows what the future's going to hold, I don't think you can ever get back to normal. We just have to see what, what we have to adjust to in the rest of their lives. I mean, it's interesting I have 8-9 year old twins and like there obviously not in school, we're failing miserably at the home-schooling thing. But it's just, it's just interesting time for that. I mean, they’ll look back at their second-third grade as the weirdest time in history, so I'm just really intrigued to see what's going to happen as the world tries to get back to what we’d considered as normal, you really can’t go back to what was normal anymore.

J: Yeah. I think there's a thing going around at the moment that was, uh, comparing what our, our prior our previous normal was and that we shouldn't go back to that because that's gotten us where we are.

G: Yeah. I think, that’s totally it. Totally. Ultimately, they’ve been talking about it for years that there’s gonna be a super-virus. Here it is and you have no idea what it is, what it’s going to do and where it’s gonna go and I mean, it seems like it’s a lot better in Australia out here, and that's just phenomenal.

I’ve been saying I’m just happy to have music out at this time because I've always thought music is a good healer. Music is always there for people when they’re happy or sad. So I'm just hoping Ashenmoon can help with that and maybe take people's minds off what's going on a bit.

J: And you’ve been quoted as saying that ‘not since your days with INXS, have you felt more connected to music until this’, this record and this band, I guess. What is it about this particular project that you feel so much more connected than your previous supergroups and things like that?

G: Well INXS was a six piece, um, you know, Andrew and Michael were the predominant songwriters ofcourse , that's just the way it is when we got two of the best songwriters in the world in your band.

Absent Friends with Wendy Mathews and Sean. Um, was just, that was just a fun band, you know, party band, that was a fun project too. And then the other time I tried to get a project I was called Mudhead, but they never released the album. It got a 5 star review but just didn’t release it, it became too hard.

I haven't really found the right people to write with and that I believe in. And that gives me the confidence to put all my time and effort into something that I know is going to be worth it, and that's what happened here. Toby has become one of my best friends. He's a good Aussie guy. Jimmy, I've known him for 15 years. He's one of my best friends. He's from Boston, he's a character. He's always got his bottle of red wine in his back pocket, and he’s just there to play. It's just kind of the same ideals that I've always had. I just want to play, I've always wanted to, so it's great to find like-minded people that still love music. A lot of people lose the passion for it. I couldn't imagine not being passionate about it and not playing, so, it’s great that I’ve got a new outlet and I’m loving it.

J: Fantastic. I guess that's a little bit more difficult to come by these days, is the genuine passion for it.

G: Yeah. And think I'm very lucky. When I was growing up deciding which Zepplin album to buy, you know, Zepplin, Deep Purple, and Queen were all releasing records and The Beatles were still releasing records. So I was really lucky to grow up in that time and be completely surrounded by amazing and also Australian bands. I mean, AC/DC played at my school dance so there's really, there's no experience like that. I just think having had that experience, I can't not be passionate about music and I think Jimmy's the same.

Jimmy did this beautiful thing, he started writing a big piece of paper with all these names and songs and I was like ‘What’re you doing?’ and he said ‘I'm just writing down which guitar player is gonna play on this record’ and it did a list of all his favourite guitar players, which considers that they all influenced him and taught him how to play, you know all the Jimmy Page’s and Jimmy Hendrix’s and he wanted to give them credit, so he sat there and wrote down all the names. I thought ‘that’s really cool!’ because you gotta remember where you came from and that's what we're all about too. We're just trying to put out a record that the people that inspired us would like to hear. And I know that if another band put this record out, I‘d love it just as much, but just because it's mine and I’m writer, producer, you know, I'm very connected with it and very proud of it.

J: Well, all of the acts that you've been a part of - I've had a quick listen to Absent Friends and things like that - they all definitely seemed to have a particular sort of cohesive similar sound to them, and so does Ashenmoon, I think. So, who would you say are the primary inspirations and influences that you've had that have added up to these creations?

G: I guess it changes. I mean, I'm really kind of boring in the fact that it's very rare that I hear something new that is, that inspires me or doesn't make me just go back to wherever we originally came from. I mean, it's kind of sad, but I mean the last artist that really, really changed my world was Jeff Buckley, and that was a long time ago now. So, I always go back to the Zepplins and the Queens and all the bands that you still would be hearing in 50 years’ time. And I don't know if you’ll be hearing many of artists on the radio now in 50 years time, but you'll always be hearing the Beatles and queen and hopefully Ashenmoon. I mean, we just want to make a record that was like, that was a good old fashioned record that just takes you on a trip. So I think we've done that.

J: And you mentioned, I think right at the start, something about, in terms of putting together your records and not currently having to keep to like a touring schedule or something like that. Does that mean that we are to expect some sort of tour from Ashenmoon or anything like that?

G: Oh yeah. We'd love to play it. I mean, we’ve actually we've actually taken this time. We've all been tested (for Covid-19) we all trust each other, you know. So we did a video of Dustbowl on Toby’s rooftop last week. And yesterday we set all of the gear up in my garage, we're going to start doing live broadcasts onto our Facebook pages and stuff. We just spent the day doing that. We're setting up our PA and sound we’re gonna start working that out and start trying to get ourselves out live to people as best we can. As soon as this clears up, if it gets back to any sort of normalcy as far as heading out to play we’ll be there, cause yeah, we got together to play together, we’re not answering ads in the paper or getting drunk at the bar, we just love playing together and we are a really good band live. I mean, I think we're actually probably better live than on the record to be honest.

J: Well, I think that's a good thing.

G: It is. Yeah. I mean, nothing more disappointing than seeing a band that can’t play. I ended up with one of the best rock singers in the world and I'm in a band with one of the best rock guitarists in the work so I'm pretty happy.

J: Well, to be perfectly candid you are, you are all clearly to a certain extent, you know, famous and very well-known and incredibly talented musicians and individuals. So, what is it like having that background/reputation behind you and knowing that there's going to be people waiting for your next thing and knowing that it's got to be, you know, to a certain standard?

G: I always second guess. We really pride ourselves on our performance. INXS was the same, we sort of critiqued every show, that made us better, and Ashenmoon is no different. I mean we love playing and we love playing well and we love playing properly and you know, we’re not one of those bands are gonna stagger out with a bottle of Jack Daniels and not want to give people their value for money, and we obviously also make them come back. And it's not just a side project, we’ve just signed this two-album dissolution deal with Golden Robot Records, we’re just going to keep going. We can't wait to get some more recording done. So even though we just got our first record out we just, I just want to get out there and play. I can't wait to bring it to Australia.

J: Well, that's, that's fantastic. That's the best thing to have, I guess that's exactly what you want.

G: Yeah. I'm pretty happy right now. I mean, as far as an album, I mean I still sort of sit there with a glass of wine still going ‘wow, this is pretty good’. And I’m not being egotistical, I just got the right team because I had the right circumstances and we just pulled it together. We made what we think is our statement, and in the process, we became a band. We had a first proper band meeting today. It’s like being back in school again. I was setting up the garage I was hanging, like cellophane paper behind the band so it looked cool, and it all fell down when I opened the garage door, but yeah, we’re just having a good time.

J: Ah good ol’ days!

G: I mean, yeah, these are the days. These are the days.

J: Well, it's good that you can know that you're creating something that you're proud of.

G: Yeah. And I get caught up with all my critics and my wife, my kids, the whole. It's just funny, because like my kids, they’re growing up. This is ‘Dad’s band’, Ashenmoon, and every now and then they hear and sing INXS and they’re like ‘oh that’s right, Dad’s other band!’ They haven’t really discovered INXS yet, I haven’t really had the time to show it to them.
In fact I'm just discovering all these YouTube sites that have all our videos and all this stuff from live performances I've ever seen before. So, you know, it's just interesting. Actually Toby's the one that does all our social media stuff so he’s the one that’s been sending me the links. In fact, he sent me a link to this, I didn’t even know it existed but Andrew and Michael did and interview on a rooftop in London I think it was. They play a bit of The Stairs, acoustically, and we just latched onto that because I've always wanted have Toby sing The Stairs, that I always thought was one of Michael's best sets of work. So, we did an acoustic version, as per the way Andrew was playing it on the rooftop. So we've just finished that, that’s just been finished now, so that'll be coming out cause we've been getting you could say bored, so we’re doing acoustic versions of all our songs just to give you, but as it turns out we’ll have a heap of original material to put out as well, so, we just can’t help ourselves.

J: And what was life actually like, during and after the INXS era?

G: During was obviously massive. It was my life. I mean, we’d make a record with all our time and we live and breathe that and then we go on tour for sometimes 12 - 18 months, just keep touring the world over and over again, that’s how we lived. And then we have a bit of a break and then do it again. I didn’t have much of a home life. I still managed to have a dog, but I didn’t see much of her. And we did that from high school, so, you know, it was a pretty massive part of my life and I was and always will be very proud of INXS. When that stopped, obviously it was a horrible way for it to stop with Michael, but that was out of my control. I had no, I had no say in it. So me personally, I just sort of went into that ‘she’ll be right mate’ mode.

And Michael’s still around, I still dream about him all the time. He turns up like nothing happened and we start playing again. So, I know I have a guardian angel as well, I think maybe it’s Michael, maybe my dad, but he's still around. That sorta spirit isn’t gonna leave. I've just been kind of concentrating on my, on my personal life since all that happened. Moved to America, fell in love, got kids, you know, so I'm just trying to do that, but then as luck would have it, I meet the Australian singer that I’ve always wanted to meet, at a party in Los Angeles, it’s very L.A. y’know, the whole story.

And we tiptoed into it, we didn’t rush straight into making a record, we got to know each other better and - I'm sitting, watching my dog chew up my kids toys…

Yeah, it's cool. Life. You just take it as it comes around and adapt. It was a horrible way for INXS to end, but also I enjoyed the time of JD Fortune. I mean, that was a pretty good incarnation of the band. We made a great record called Switch, went platinum in America, sold a million records. So, I mean, it wasn't too shabby. Then that stopped so y’know. So, and I remember touring Australia with JD was great. Yeah.

Life’s a journey and I’m just happy to be on it. Above ground, still playing.

J: Well, that's awesome. That's amazing. That's, that's really nice to hear that you've gone on regardless of whatever setbacks and you're doing the best you can, sort of thing.

G: Yeah. You know, my legacy is always gonna be just making music, whether I do it in my garage or I do it on a laptop. I'm just happy to have a band that I can get out and play with.

J: Yup. Okay. Well, I only have one more question... What we try to ask every single person that we interview is; what are your top current top three Australian artists at the moment - they can be old. They can be new, but just Australian artists that you're really in love with right now.

G: No, I'm really out of, out of the loop. As far as Australian bands down there, I spent the last year just concentrating on my stuff. So, I’m probably the wrong person to ask, but I mean,

J: It can be old school stuff!

G: If I'm homesick, I just put on Chisel. Yeah. I play Circus Animals to death. I play Letter To Allen endlessly to all who’ll listen. I was actually was actually in my studio, just the other day with a tech, and I put on Ariel, a band I grew up with when I was a kid and he just thought it was the most amazing thing he’d ever heard. I just always go backwards. I mean, as I said it's hard for me, I'm a bit of a music historian now, I’m a bit anal that way. And I think when I hear something, I go ‘Oh, that's a rip-off of so-and-so’, which I shouldn't say that, I’m sure people would say that about Ashenmoon ‘well Ashenmoon’s a bit of a rip-off isn’t it?’. I just tend to listen to what I listened to and just get on with my day. But yeah, it’s hard to figure out when you’ve got half an hour to listen to some music, it's just hard to not put on old Genesis or…

J: For sure, go with what you know.

G: It’s like pulling on an old pair of jeans.

J: You pick what's comfortable.

G: Yeah. Australia's got some, Billy Thorpe, Richard Clapton and you know, obviously I said Chisel, and Oil and all that stuff, all the bands that influenced us, taught us how to play, you know, some good stuff.

J: Yeah. Okay. Well I think I've already gone over time technically but thank you so much.

G: Oh, you're welcome. It's really nice to talk to you.

J: Yeah, you too. It's great. It's a bit of an idol moment for me, so thank you so much.

G: Can’t wait to bring the band to Australia and be down there and play.

J: I'll definitely be there. Okay. Well thank you. Um, have a nice day!

G: You too, stay safe, see you down the track!

Once again, a huge thanks to John from Golden Robot Records for the opportunity, and to Garry for the fantastic chat. We’ll be waiting for what’s coming next - ‘See you down the track’!

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PHONER WITH BUTTERFINGERS FRONTMAN ‘EVIL’ EDDIE

Butterfingers frontman “Evil” Eddie Jacobson answered the phone and his laid back nature oozed through. For a newbie to doing interviews I was nervous to be talking to a guy whose lyrics I have sung hundreds of times, but after a warm greeting it felt like chatting to an old friend. From its first release in 2006, Butterfingers classic FIGJAM cemented the boys as an iconic Aussie hip hop group that I rate up there with the likes of Hilltop Hoods. The Brisbane locals smashed onto the music scene in the early 2000’s with two songs making it into the top 50 of triple J’s hottest 100 of 2003. 

It’s been 14 years since their last album release and Eddie is aware of the changes in how music is consumed. His last album launch was primarily distributed on CD’s and boosted by a promotional team. It was controlled by the promoter and out of his hands. This time is different, “I’m doing a lot more trips to the post office! You’re so in touch with the way people are responding to content on social media. You can see how it affects streams. Before you just sent it into the void”.

The album is aptly named “Bad News” which is quite ironic given current events. It has a mix of genres which is not often seen. Eddie noted ‘Dancing to the beat of my own drum’ features on a rock playlist. See our album review by Selin! Despite having to reschedule the album tour due to the coronavirus pandemic and the arts and entertainment industry being turned on its head, Eddie seemed to take it in his stride “Its not that weird for me, I work from home anyway. I don't go out a lot unless gigging”. He noted most bands are struggling, having to push back tours, delay release of music and contemplate what the music industry is going to look like when the chaos dies down. “We have pushed the tour back to the end of the year, gives the album a chance to breathe before we tour. It might be helpful that people have more time to listen to it…..people have more free time to enjoy entertainment” 

It was an album over 10 years in the making, closing track ‘(I Just Wanna Play) Music’ “musically and chorus are all the same, the thing that changes the most is the raps/verses. I have written at least seven or eight different versions.” Eddie described the approach to the album as more “big picture” than previous work which came through as a “stream of consciousness”.

We started to compare notes on favourite venues and those he has chosen for his tour, “All the venues are booked for the tour later in the year. I am excited to play at the The Triffid in Brisbane - I have played there before in my punk band days but not as a headline act, so thats pretty cool.” Eddie’s passion was palpable when describing the infamous Badlands Bar he is due to play in Perth. “This was one of the coolest venues I have ever played. It used to be a hell themed restaurant. They sprayed concrete n everything so it looks like caves. The walls are curved. The vibe is cool and acoustically there is no horrible resonance frequencies. Sounds really good, I’m excited. 

Leading up to the new album, Eddie talked about his influences, “I studied trap stuff…Post Malone, through the process of breaking down Post Malone, who I didn't particularly care for before, but found myself going wow, this is more interesting than I thought it was. Melodically I compare it a lot to Kurt Cobain writing style. The scale would change from the verse to the chorus. Made me appreciate it.” When I questioned what he is listening to right now he chuckled “its really obvious and cliche but the Queens of the Stone Age desert sessions record” and between the band they have been sharing some old favourites “a lot of old school performances of faith no more and Pantera in ’94”.

“Bad News” is out now! My favourite track is without a doubt ‘Dem Billz’

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A CHAT WITH MARCUS POWELL FROM CITY OF SOULS - SYNAESTHESIA

Kiwi alt-rockers City Of Souls lay down the gauntlet in 2020 with their brand new single ‘Shimmer’ from their upcoming album SYNAESTHESIA - out on May 1!

One of New Zealand’s most reputable acts, City Of Souls was formed in August 2015 by guitarists Trajan Schwencke (Cold by Winter, In Dread Response) and Steve Boag (In Dread Response, Blacklistt). Vocalist Richie Simpson (New Way Home) found their existing tracks immediately captivating and joined the band. Guitarist Marcus Powell (founding member of multi-platinum bands Blindspott and Blacklistt) then joined, and the line-up was complete with Daniel Insley on Bass (Solstate) and Drummer Corey Friedlander (In Dread Response / 8 Foot Sativa).

We had a little e-chat with Marcus to find out all about the development of the band’s upcoming release ‘Synasthaesia’, his favourite type of MnM’s, COS’s version of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, time travel, and what’s coming next!

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‘Synaesthesia’ is COS’s first full album release – what has the full writing and recording process been like in that sense? How different is it to putting out a lone single at a time?
It has varied a lot. Some songs were in their complete form from individual members and got the screws tightened on them. Others were a collaborative effort.  I prefer the latter although both can work, but being able to listen to one another and let go of your own agenda or inhibitions to jam is one of the biggest joys in music. Connection. 

The music video for that same track ‘Shimmer’ is oddly quite visually intense and seems almost claustrophobic with all of the heavy visuals and camera movement. How was that video put together and how did you decide on such a harmonious visual theme throughout the rest of your videos?
Interesting you felt the claustrophic vibe. The theme of the song is escaping a space you are trapped in so I was hoping to visually represent that in shape and movement. 

I was keen on a video with silhouettes and none of the typical close up hi res footage of people's hands playing or plugging in a guitar lead and moshing in an abandoned warehouse. Those performance videos can really make you look like a rockquest band. Marko from Delirium VF and the lads absolutely nailed it. 

The album name ‘Synaesthesia’ – where did that come from/why was that particular word chosen?
Some people say they can hear in colour, it's called Synaesthesia. I don't have it but our guitarist Steve does. There are a lot of different moods and textures on the album so it's a fitting name. I would prefer to be able to smell sounds! Is that a thing? Smellythesia doesn't have the same ring to it though, haha!

Is there anything particularly different to previous City Of Souls releases that we should expect on the rest of the upcoming album?
I think the newer songs, some of which haven't been heard yet definitely have a flow and cohesion to them that you can expect to hear more of from us as we grow and learn. 

Is there a favourite track on the upcoming record? What is it and why?
Not really there are too many I like! White Ghost, Cruelty, Lifeblood and Shimmer are probably standouts for me. There's something super special about Brushstrokes though... it breaks my heart every time. Extremely personal song and we haven't thrashed it to death live. 

Which are the better M&M’s – crispy, peanut, or just classic plain chocolate (and yes, there is a right answer)?
Plain chocolate aaallll daaaaee... If I want peanuts and rice I'll eat peanuts and rice, those aren't treats. Chocolate is a treat. 

In a previous interview at the end of last year with HeavyMag, it was said that the album was to be released in February this year (assuming we’ve actually found the right info) – we can see in the current press release it’s changed to May. What happened between then and now to create such a delay in the release?
It was a planning thing really. We wanted to be at the height of a touring run before it released so we booked all that in, including playing with Deftones. Now with covid that's all been binned. We're still going to release May 1st though. We have a really cool approach to physical copies and special content that we're super excited to share with everyone. Also the art work and design is absolutely killer. 

You published your version of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ last year – as brand newbies to City of Souls, we gotta ask- what provoked that song choice/the idea to record your own heavier version? And what was it like recreating such a staple record?
That was all Trajan. He obviously heard how large it could sound and how far away we could take it from the lofi original. I have never listened to that band in all honesty but I dig what he did with the song and could hear how I'd fit into it. 

Having supported names like Stone Sour and Bring Me the Horizon, would you say these names give an accurate impression of your own inspirations and influences? Who would you say are your biggest influences and inspirations– musically or otherwise?
I would like to be as big as those two bands. I would say stylistically neither of them for me. I can't speak for the other dudes but I'm influenced vocally by early Devin Townsend, Tool, Alice In Chains, Deftones and a lot of space rock, shoe gaze post hardcore kinda stuff. 

That's a very condensed lense though I draw from a multitude of other bands in terms of riff writing and singing. I try and stay away from the obvious ones that have already been plundered or at least mix everything up in a way that's not recognisable. 

Cannibal Corpse or Napalm Death has influenced certain elements of my guitar playing for example but most wouldn't hear it in the context I use it in. 

Who would be your dream headliner to support for a show?
Pink Floyd circa 1974 or Metallica 1989 time travelling between the two. I'd hope to have another album out though so we could alter sets accordingly 

You were also supposed to have been supporting Deftones on their upcoming tour around Australia and NZ – will you still be supporting them on rescheduled shows after the recent cancellations?
We're just waiting on them to re schedule here. Hopefully they'll have us for a full tour!!! 

We’re just recently skimming the surface in our own research of New Zealand musical acts- especially in the alt rock scene. What are some of your personal recommendations/favourites?
In all honesty Jakob are the only NZ band that gets regular spins. They have a really centred, spiritual and magical sound. Pure emotion expressed through music and classic natural production and mix, it's like watching a sunset, just washing over you and accompanying you. 

Check out the song Malachite, although there are gems on every album. 20 years they've been releasing music, lovely dudes too. Big fan.

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Thanks so much to Marcus for chatting with us (although disagree on the MnM’s front— it’s gotta be thecrispy ones for us).

Check out ‘Shimmer’ now and get ready for ‘Synaesthesia’, out May 1st.

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