From the beginning, few would have doubted that great things lay ahead for The Preatures. But the speed with which they launched from local superheroes to music champions of the world was impressive all the same.
The Sydney five-piece was already beloved on the local indie rock scene, with a debut EP Shaking Hands released in 2012. When ‘Is This How You Feel?’ came dancing through the airwaves in 2013, what happened next was an onslaught of awards and acclamations, topping of charts, and a slew of performances right around the world.
“It crossed a lot of barriers for us, getting people interested in what was to come next,” says guitarist Gideon Bensen. “After our initial success, we were thinking, ‘We’ve got this.’ And to then head overseas, we realised we don’t know shit.”
Packing their bags and riding the waves of their second EP, also called Is This How You Feel?, The Preatures set off to America and Europe, testing their mettle against the best on the world stage. It was during this incredibly hectic tour schedule that they began work on their debut album, Blue Planet Eyes. ‘Is This How You Feel?’ had gone gold and was set as the marker for success; a keystone for what the album was to sound like. A flip side to its popularity, however, was the possibility of it being a one-hit wonder.
“We are all very proud of ‘Is This How You Feel?’, but it was important to show that there was more,” says Bensen. “In a sense, we are just starting out. We didn’t want it to be a nail in the coffin.”
Seizing opportunity with both hands, The Preatures managed to squeeze work on the record in between performances at Glastonbury, South By Southwest, Coachella, and on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with Jim Eno (drummer of Texan rock outfit Spoon) sharing production duties with Bensen’s fellow guitarist, Jack Moffitt.
“It really opened our eyes to what was possible for us and how much we still had to do,” Bensen says of the recording process. “It became really intense [but] people didn’t really know us, so there was also a certain freedom. It was our opportunity to take names and make lasting connections.”
Despite blossoming popularity, a busy life on the road and anticipation for what was to come, The Preatures kept their cool, and upon their return home to their studios in Surry Hills, released a debut album both immensely enjoyable and irresistible catchy.
“After everything, each one of us is very proud of the album, and quite clearly all our fans are too, which is always a plus,” says Bensen.
Now having jumped back and forth between Australia and the rest of the world for over two years, The Preatures have taken to the touring life like naturals, learning more than a few rules of the road along the way.
“It can get weird living on the road, getting used to each other’s mannerisms and attitudes and smells,” says Bensen. “Everyone’s sharing energy and doing what we can to keep each other going.”
Following on from sold-out shows for Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House and Dark Mofo, The Preatures have announced their Cruel Tour, celebrating their latest single. Their last tour for the year will see them travelling across Australia, hitting both regional and metropolitan venues, before finally wrapping up at the Yours & Owls Music And Arts Festival in Wollongong. Excited to get going again, the group is ready to show audiences the results of all the hard work.
“It’s a lawless place on tour,” says Bensen. “Wherever we are, it’s always about the exchange of energy with the crowd. Sure, there’s a lot of getting people in the mood and corralling, but every time we step out it’s just an amazing experience.”
With another tour ahead, thousands of hungry fans across the globe and an utterly adored album under their belt, The Preatures are once more beginning to cast an eye toward their next release.
“We’ve lived in the space of Blue Planet Eyes for as long as possible, and this tour will be the full stop on that sentence. The album has been the first chapter for the band, and I think it’s been a very important chapter, but it’s reaching its end. We’re coming full circle now and we’re ready for what comes next.”
The Preatures have released Blue Planet Eyes, available now through Universal. They play Metro Theatre on Friday August 28, supoorted by The Creases and Low Lux; and Yours & Owls Festival, Wollongong on Friday October 2 – Saturday October 3.
