1. Growing Up
I remember listening to theHot 40 Countdownon the radio at about age ten with a blank cassette ready to record my favourite songs.
I was quite scared that somehow I would get caught by the police for recording songs off the radio. My first musical purchase was Mariah Carey’s Music Box on cassette. I had a Walkman which I would lay in bed listening to whenever I could. My parents never showed much musical passion, but I do have fond memories of my dad playing me his records of Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd.
2. Inspirations
I love all sorts of music, but the artists I always revert back to are Aretha Franklin and Cat Stevens. They are two very different artists, but I love Cat Stevens’ storytelling and you can’t ignore Aretha’s soul; it gets me feeling good every time. I am currently particularly fond of Courtney Barnett and Alt-J.
3. Your Band
The Ripley band is in its infancy but I am really excited about how we are gelling. I’m basically borrowing my favourite bass player and my favourite drummer from two of my favourite new Adelaide bands. Hugh Black on drums plays in a band called Archers and also Dr Piffle and The Burlap Band, both of which you should definitely check out if you get the chance. On bass is Ryan Francis Garde from God God Dammit Dammit, who blow my mind every time I see them.
4. The Music You Make
The EP Bigger Than Me was recorded in Melbourne with producer Pip Norman. I have always wanted to work with Pip since we were constantly bumping into each other on the tour circuit a few years ago with our respective bands – he was playing with TZU and I was with Lowrider. We were only in the studio for one week, so we were both stoked to achieve what we did. You will see me playing around Australia as a solo act or a band, both of which will take you back to the ’90s while being right here in the… well, the now!
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
I am quite confused about the music industry at the moment. There is still plenty of great new music around, but with iTunes now streaming I’m not sure how mid-level bands are meant to make any money from their recorded material. I’m sure it will figure itself out, but the life of a recording artist has become increasingly harder and harder over the last ten years, and at some point something’s gotta give. It’s particularly sad for recording studios across the country, because if you can’t make money off your recorded material, then people will stop spending good money on recording.
Ripley’s Bigger Than Me is out now independently and available on iTunes. Ripley plays Oxford Art Factory onSaturday October 31.
