1. Growing Up
My earliest music memory is my Mama taking me to a kids’ percussion group at the Conservatorium of Music… I would have been about four at the time. When we’d get home we would play percussion on the pots and pans in the kitchen to the radio. There was also a lot of classical music around the house growing up and I learnt violin from when I was four or five years old. There was also lots of Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, Nat King Cole and Traveling Wilburys too.
2. Inspirations
Stevie Nicks – I could listen to her sing and tell stories all day. There was always a Fleetwood Mac CD around the house… they’ve been there since the beginning. I can’t really remember a time without them.
I used to go and see the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sunday matinees with my Mama. She started taking me when I was really small, about five. I used to fall asleep to the classical music, but as I got a little older I started to enjoy it more. Richard Tognetti is an amazing violinist and conductor – but Aiko Goto was always my favourite!
3. Your Band
I met MC through a brilliant case of mistaken identity. She was already in a band with Dirk and when their bass player left I ended up joining them. I didn’t actually know how to play bass back then – but they kept me around and I played violin instead. When that band wrapped up few years ago we decided we wanted to keep playing together, so the three of us started Bloods. The three of us are family now.
4. The Music You Make
The EP we’re about to release, Golden Fang, was recorded in a warehouse in Marrickville and a house up in the Hunter Valley. We worked with producer Liam Judson (Cloud Control/The Laurels) and he’s got this amazing recording set-up that he packs into the boot of his car and can set up anywhere. We spent a weekend up in the Hunter getting a bit boozy and recorded two tracks. When we got back to Sydney, we knuckled down and spent an intense 14 hours in a rented warehouse space recording four tracks back to back.
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
I think Sydney has a brilliant scene – crazy diverse with the likes of Movement, Palms, Rainbow Chan, Fishing, Gang of Youths, Naughty Rappers Collective. Plus so many amazing people who support those local bands, put on great nights, run ace live music venues and generally foster the music scene.
Golden Fang out Friday August 16 through Shock. Bloods play Brighton Up Bar on Friday August 16.
