1. Growing Up
I grew up in a fun bohemian household of a wonderful couple of music-loving parents. The stereo was always cranked in our place, heaps of rock’n’roll and blues; bands such as Free, Taj Mahal, Stevie Ray Vaughsn, The Doors, Chain, Deep Purple, Mike Oldfield, which we used to dance ridiculously to – plus I was named after The Rolling Stones’ song ‘Angie’. My parents definitely fuelled my passion for music.
2. Inspirations
As a kid I remember going through my parents’ vinyl collection and just being mystified by the cover of Strange Days by The Doors, and seeing photos of Jim Morrison; he seemed so sacred, dangerous and untouchable to me, but it wasn’t until my late teens that I understood what he was all about. I love how he brought poetry and theatre to the music stage. I also love his enigmatic lyrical content. Other artists like David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Tom Waits, Muse and so on… anything that makes you open your mind or makes you dream.
3. Your Band
The Dark Hawks is a three-piece that consists of Mark on drums, Matt on guitar and me on vocals. Mark and Matt have known each other since primary school and in their early teens learnt how to play music together, jamming away to Hendrix for hours on end. I met Matt in my late teens, but it wasn’t until a year ago we decided to start a band; moved to LA for a bit, wrote songs, jammed all day, ended headlining Whisky A Go Go, which was a dream come true, and playing illegal warehouse parties. Then it was time to move back to Sydney – Mark just moved back from the UK – and the rest is history…
4. The Music You Make
The style our band revolves around is straight up rock’n’roll. The influences would be The Kills, Queens of the Stone Age and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Our debut EP was recorded with Wade Keighan from Wolf & Cub at Linear Studios in Sydney and mastered by Steve Fallone at Sterling Sound in NYC.
People can expect intense energy and a groove with an infectious vibe, which your body will automatically start moving to.
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
The scene at the moment has an exciting outlook with new and upcoming bands pushing the boundaries. The major obstacles at present are the limited venues for bands to perform and get their art out to the public.
The best point of the local scene at the moment is the band community. Each band we have shared a stage with locally and interstate has been supportive and helpful. The Sailor Jerry pop-up bar and Frankie’s Pizza have hosted numerous new and up-and-coming bands which are pushing the boundaries.
The Dark Hawks headline My Captain Cook Riot alongside Elegant Shiva, The Owls, Big White, The Rumours and more at the Captain Cook Hotel, Saturday November 30.
