1. Growing Up
There was always music around at home. Mum and Dad have a pretty good taste in music (for the most part). Growing up, it was lots of Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne. After I went through my gangsta rap stage and my angst stage, I really started to appreciate those artists. My dad took me to Rock-It Festival when I was 12. That made me really want to play at a festival one day.
2. Inspirations
Fleetwood Mac, Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Silverchair. I was absolutely obsessed with the Chilis as a kid and I still adore those albums today. I think when you’re a kid you just like something or you don’t like it. You don’t take into account why you like it. I just loved that band and I can’t remember why. My obsession with Mac and Bob Dylan and music from later eras came in my late teens.
3. Your Band
I tend towrite mostly by myself. I usually have a clear vision and want to stay as true to that vision as possible. Having said that, the idea of collaborating more is appealing to me now. I just had to test myself and be completely true to myself without letting too many other opinions sway me. I can definitely see the benefits or opportunities in collaborating but it’s just not what I’ve wanted to do with RDW in the past.
4. The Music You Make
Melody is the thing I pay most attention to. People tend to refer to our music as sunny pop and I agree with that for the most part. I always try to make our music sound like it’s from the ’60s, but I guess because of the fact that we’re not in the ’60s it doesn’t sound exactly that way. I wish we lived in California in the 60’s and bumped around with The Beach Boys and co. I think Hungry Kids of Hungary are the closest contemporary band doing what I’m going for.
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
It’s pretty easy to be in a ‘band’ these days. Because of that there’s lots of great music out there as everyone’s giving it a shot, but there’s also a lot of not-so-good music. It’s really cool to see bands that really deserve recognition begin to gain momentum, like The Preatures for example. I think the biggest detriment of the music overload is that bands have to ‘sell’ who they are with one song. They need to try and sell all that they are about in three minutes. I’m all up for any band that’s giving it a good shot!
Rainy Day Women play Upstairs Beresford onFriday September 20.
