We’ve caught Dan Sultan on a rare day off, and by the sound of it, it’s a rather mellow day at that.
With Sultan firmly embroiled in recording the follow-up to his 2014 release Blackbird, if it wasn’t for his producer being “a bit crook”, our interview may have been just a slight distraction to a life that has seemingly picked up the pace within the last two years.
“Life’s been pretty busy,” Sultan says. “You know, you work really hard to make a record, and then it’s time to actually start working when you get on the road!”
Looking back at the Australian singer/guitarist’s travels over the last couple of years, the road probably didn’t know what hit it. Covering more ground than most, Sultan ventured to the more forgotten corners of our country in support of both Blackbird and his subsequent EP Dirty Ground. He also found time to release a live album, Dan Sultan OpenLive – Live From The National Theatre, and spend the end of last year touring Australia yet again. All these releases cast a stark contrast to Sultan’s life prior to 2014.
“Before Blackbird it was years before I released anything,” he says. “So I didn’t want to take too long to release stuff again. On the Dirty Ground EP tour, we’d recorded a show in Melbourne and we listened to it and thought, ‘Why not release it?’ It was really well recorded [and it] felt really good.”
As a self-proclaimed “vessel” for his songs, Sultan seems to be floating in a slightly different creative direction this time around. Having chosen to record in Melbourne as opposed to returning to Nashville, Sultan is already a solid six months into the album’s creation.
“There has been a lot of stuff on the demos that we’re going to keep and re-record from scratch because it’s working and we’re pretty attached to them,” he explains. “So it’s probably a third of the way through, even though we’ve only really just started – a lot of the heavy lifting has been done.
“This record, we’re definitely changing it up a bit,” he says. “There are a few more electronic elements to it.”
With not much more to say on the matter, other than a vague prediction of a release date towards the end of the year, talk soon turns to Sultan’s recent foray into children’s TV – and his enthusiasm is infectious.
“People have been calling me up, like old friends and old girlfriends, and telling me, ‘You’ve finally made it, you’re on Play School!’” he laughs. “I go out here in Melbourne and people may recognise you, but they don’t usually come up to you because no-one really gives a shit about the whole celebrity bullshit. But after Play School was out on social media, people were coming up in the street.”
Sultan’s Play School appearance was recorded alongside fellow guests in Powderfinger’s Bernard Fanning and You Am I, but that’s not what had him most excited. “It was amazing,” he says. “I was star-struck! Not by You Am I or Bernard Fanning, even though I’m a fan of those guys and they’re my mates. But I was hanging out with Big Ted and Jemima!”
The conversation shifts from children’s programming to children in need, and Sultan has always been outspoken on social issues – a commitment he continued as a recent participant in the Walk For Justice For Refugees event. But aside from his satisfaction at the day’s proceedings, there is one feeling Sultan just cannot shake when it comes to these protests.
“I’ve said it before: it’s a shame and it’s embarrassing that we have to do it,” he says. “It’s just simple – we should just look after each other. People just want to be happy and secure in a safe place. If you are able to help someone out, then why not?
“I actually think it’s really childish that we need to convince people not to be racists and bigots. But to be a part of the rally, and help out in any way I can, it’s an honour and I was very proud to do it.”
Sultan’s sentiments are timely given the current contention over refugee children being kept in detention on mainland Australia.
“They’re putting kids in prison when their only crime is wanting to be safe. Why are you putting people in prison when all they have done is look for security? Can you imagine what it would have to take to put yourself and your family on some fucking little boat and cross the planet to try and find somewhere? Can you imagine how desperate you would have to be? Then when they get here, we put them in prison. It’s disgusting, and it’s dangerous.
“For people to say things like, ‘Fuck off we’re full,’ and that kind of stuff, it’s ridiculous. We’re not full – we’ve got plenty of opportunities, it’s a beautiful country and if people want to share that, then I don’t think that’s a problem.”
Sultan’s passion for the topic only just outweighs his passion for the Australian music festival circuit. Performing for the first time at the Gum Ball Festival this month, he’s heard “all really good reports, so I’m really keen”.
So what about his big tip for the festival? “You Am I are seriously good value,” he says. “And they kicked Play School’s arse. You know: ‘One potato, two potato, three potato, four!’”
Dan Sultan appears at The Gum Ball Festival 2016, withYou Am I, Oka, Jeff Lang, Caitlin Park and more.The festival runs Friday April 22 – Sunday April 24, atDashville, Lower Belford.
