Five Things With Damien Sutton From The Bon Scotts

1.Growing Up

I grew up in a house of computers and books, so I started using Cakewalk about the same time I got my first guitar. I guess I always saw computers as an instrument or tool as much as a guitar or piano. I did, however, study ballet from about four to 14 and had a rather evil grandmother who had a doctorate in music.

2.Inspirations

I don’t think I listen to anything more than Hauschka – I love the intricate sounds, the strange percussion and his ability to make you want to move. I also admire the standard fare of Lou Reed, Brian Wilson, John Lennon and Syd Barrett for their great, timeless pop songs.

3.Your Band

We are a messy seven-piece who are all very different. None of us eat the same food, listen to the same music or have come from similar musical backgrounds so it makes for interesting road trips, and has interesting influences on the music that gets created. We are all just really excited to be getting back on the road – we absolutely love touring and gigging and I think it really shows when you come to see us live, as we always put on a show to (hopefully) remember.

4.The Music You Make

We have built and have been adding to our own studio since the band began, so we now have a cosy setup with some great gear. It helps a lot with the recording process as we can really develop ideas and spend time on songs that aren’t instant winners. I think this shows with Modern Capitalism Gets Things Done, as we are all really happy with it.

5.Music, Right Here, Right Now

I think music is really healthy at the moment, at least in Melbourne. An Agent of Change policy has just been passed in Melbourne which protects live music venues by putting the onus on people living around them to soundproof their properties, not the venue itself. So that is absolutely fantastic for us; it’s going to save a lot of existing venues which would otherwise have been shut down. We have new venues opening that really support music; however, beer prices are becoming an issue. Beer unfortunately keeps live music viable and venues are having to charge more and more to cover all their expenses. It can make seeing live music expensive.

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