1.Growing Up
Dad used to organise these backyard sing alongs with his mates and all their kids. They’d stand around playing guitar kind of badly, but trading all these great old country standards. He listened to a lot of ’70s commercial country records: that’s the stuff that got me into country music. I took a lot of side roads on my way to the kind of music we make now. But it’s all ended up here with Raised By Eagles. It’s a great band to be in.
2.Inspirations
It’s passé to say this now but Dylan has inspired me endlessly. His phrasing, which is obviously much less talked about than his writing, is genius.
3.Your Band
I put the band together in 2013 when my previous band The Idle Hoes was winding up. I still had plenty of songs to record so I just asked the boys if they’d be keen. I knew them all from playing with other bands around Melbourne. As soon as we started playing together I could tell we were on to something good. We all play from a similar place in the heart, so we get what the songs are trying to do and we take them there without too much talking about it. It’s a very natural process.
4.The Music You Make
Our last release was recorded at Tender Trap Studios with Roger Bergodaz. Roger is a great drummer but also plays bass with our favourite band, the Lost Ragas, so it was a sweet deal. He was great to work with and we got it all done in five days, which we’re really proud of.
5.Music, Right Here, Right Now
The music scene is a strange and beautiful place. It’s all in flux at the moment and everyone is trying to figure out how they can still make a buck. Publishing is your best bet as an artist because fuck knows you won’t be making much from record sales. Playing festivals and selling merch at shows will be your cash cow. Work your ass off, tour whenever you can, find the money to get it done, and don’t be too proud to play the industry game when you need to.
Raised By Eagles play Marrickville Bowling Club on Friday September 30, along withThe Re-Mains, Jimmy Dowling and Adam Young.
