1.Growing Up
I grew up in Canberra where you have to make your own fun. To the eternal credit of Narrabundah Secondary College I was taught how to program synthesisers, splice tape and multi-track record before I learned how to drive. Me and my buddies were always making recordings at home, kinda half-songs, half-sonic-mayhem things. I had a lot of tape recorders for a while there.
2.Inspirations
I am inspired by dream music at the moment. You should have heard how good Sigur Ros’ new album sounded in my bizarre dream version! Especially given I’ve never heard the actual album. I love how total the dream version of sonic reality is. I’m also listening to a lot of North Arm (a guy from Newcastle who blows my mind), Emma Heeney’s new unreleased gem of an album, and Sweet Lime (from Wollongong), which is kinda like Mazzy Star until the super distorted guitars kick in. I’m also inspired by my friend Andrew Kidman who makes incredible soul-warming surf movies and plays in a great band called The Brown Birds From Windy Hill. Check out his Spirit Of Akasha movie that just came out. It’s a tribute to Morning Of The Earth… totally epic images and music.
3.Your Band
I’m so lucky to have the people that I have playing in the band – they’re all great players but also ideas people who, when poked, do the most amazing, inspired, improvisational things. Everyone sings as well and can play many instruments – it’s always a buzz getting up and playing with this band.
4.The Music You Make
The music I make always starts off as an experiment, then becomes a song. Or is that the other way round? I’ve got a new album out called The Bright Door and a new single called ‘Needles’.
5.Music, Right Here, Right Now
My main gripe is that people are way too musically educated and calculating – everyone should be forced to go live in a regional backwater for a couple of years, find some locals and start a few strange jamming bands. No internet and no irony for two years… ha! Fuck trying to keep up with London and New York, try keeping up with Dubbo.
Machine Translations withErnest EllisatBrighton Up Bar on Friday February 28.
The Bright Doorisout now through Spunk.
