Five Things With Tobias Atkins From Glass Ocean

1.Growing Up

I was born in ’89, and my parents were dancers back then, so I came straight out of the womb and into the hands of Peter Gabriel’s So and Michael Jackson’s Dangerous albums, to name a few. But also a big influence was the music I heard while being backstage as my parents performed – 1920s-’50s Broadway nostalgia and big band jazz.

2.Inspirations

My favourite musicians growing up were predominantly Michael Jackson, Prince, The Beatles and Michael Hutchence of INXS. As far as the guitar goes, Steve Vai has my heart, and always will since I first heard Passion And Warfare. Otherwise I listen to a lot of world, classical and filmic music.

3.Your Band

Glass Ocean is an experimental and soulful take on the progressive music of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. We started as a collaboration between Northlane drummer Nic Pettersen and I in January 2013, and since then have grown into a five-piece band. We have accomplished some cool things such as being picked up by MGM Distribution for a worldwide physical/digital deal, released our debut EP, received triple j airplay, appeared on the Today show and released our second music video for ‘The Mystery’. Next up, January tour! And another EP in February.

4.The Music You Make

The music we make? The mysterious love child of some weird orgy between Prince, Michael Hutchence, Michael Jackson and Peter Gabriel. Then dip that love child in a big ol’ bucket of reverb, and put that metre in 7/4. We have our debut EP out via MGM Distribution. You can pick one up online or at your nearest JB Hi-Fi. Stay tuned for our new single ‘Val’, coming out first week of November. Mucho excite for us.

5.Music, Right Here,Right Now

The lockouts in Sydney will not hold back the tidal wave of fresh new music trying to find its way to people’s hearts and minds. Our scene here is growing, even though it has been repressed in a number of ways. There are talented people coming out of the woodwork left, right and centre. And nothing can stop that. Sydney artists/bands/groups seem to be stepping it up lately. I think we could give Melbourne a run for their money, don’t you?