Category: Interviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Let The Cat Out’s Jane McArthur

Hobart-based groovesters Let The Cat Out are currently taking Australia by storm as they tour the country in support of “Lee Roy,” the first single from their debut album. Lead vocalist Jane McArthur recently took some time out to chat to Sounds of Oz about the tour, the album, and the wonders of the Hammond organ.

You’re in the middle of one of your biggest Australian tours. How’s it going for you?

The tour is going really well so far. We’ve had dates in Hobart and Melbourne. The standout gigs have been at the Royal Botanical Gardens concert in Hobart and probably the Transport Hotel in Federation Square in Melbourne – great crowds and great vibes.

What can people expect from your live show?

The funk, the blues, some soul, a massive amount of love and energy, tunes to sit back and listen to, tunes that hit your dancing nerve to get up and boogie to and the chance to take us home in the form of a complimentary CD, for the small convenience fee of $25!!

What do you love most about being on stage?

The feeling of being part of a group of five people who are creating something, weaving some energy together to create a vibe, the feeling you get when a crowd is loving what you’re giving and just the excitement of being part of live music! Music is a language that transcends all boundaries, and it’s pretty special to be able to speak that language.

Continue reading “Q & A with Let The Cat Out’s Jane McArthur” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with The Fray’s David Welsh

Australia is known the world over for its sun, surf, and sand. And so when it doesn’t deliver for our international guests, I almost feel like we’re letting them down. Alas, today it was grey and stormy when I caught up with The Fray’s guitarist David Welsh for a chat. However, we were determined not to let the gloomy weather get us down as we chatted about the band’s current Aussie tour, upcoming album, and wave of success.

Arrivals At The MTV Australia Awards 2009


I’m sorry we couldn’t have turned on better weather for you!
You know what? It’s alright. We were in Singapore the last couple of days and it was blisteringly hot and humid. This is not bad.

You’re regular visitors to this country. What keeps you coming back?
Well we can still play here, so that’s a positive. It’s a great place to play, actually. I don’t know, it’s something about some combination of our music and the fans here, and the connection that that makes. I don’t know, it’s working and it’s a lot of fun.

You played the first show of your Aussie tour last night in Sydney. How did that go?
It was great. It was really great. There was some very great synergy between the people and us on stage. I think we kind of needed it. The Singapore show was a little rough; it was the first one in a couple of weeks off and we were a little rusty.

And I believe that the Asian audiences can be a bit more reserved too. Is that right?
I think anybody is reserved compared to an Australian!

Fair enough! Will you get a chance to do any sightseeing while you’re here?
I don’t know. I went to a store just now that a friend of mine from LA recommended and I got a shirt, so that’s cool. So that’s something I did!
Continue reading “Q & A with The Fray’s David Welsh” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with The Cassette Kids

The Cassette Kids are a band on the brink of greatest. They’ve just come back from some massive shows in the UK, and they’re on the bill for this month’s South by Southwest festival in the United States. Before they pack their suitcases for more jetsetting, lead singer Katrina Noorbergen and drummer Jacob Read-Harber to chat about their busy touring schedule and soon-to-be-released debut album.

You’re generating some major buzz in the US and UK and your debut album hasn’t even been released yet. How does that feel?
K: It’s amazing actually. I know this is a bit sad that I Google my own band name, but I get Google Alerts because I just want to see what’s happening in the blog world. And to see people blogging about the remixes and the film clip and the song and the fact that we’re doing South by Southwest, it’s such a good feeling. Our sights are really set. We’d love to go overseas and do tours overseas and major touring.

You’ve just completed a run of dates in the United Kingdom. How did the crowds there respond to your music?
K: Really, really well. We had no preconceptions about what it would be like. It was sort of a preliminary reach out for anyone that had heard of us, any sort of industry people, to try to create a bit of a buzz. And we ended up playing three shows to basically packed out rooms, especially the last night at The Barfly which is a really well known and established venue. We’ve got an agent now over there, and we were really, really stoked with the response. And we weren’t expecting it by any means.

Your new music video for “Spin” was picked up the American music site Pitchfork. How did that come about?
K: I’m not really sure. I think we had someone in the US, we got someone to try and create a bit of a buzz for us before South by Southwest. And the girl rang our A&R here at Sony and said “Pitchfork want to premiere the clip.” And we had like a Skype thing – we were in London at the time – and we had a Skype thing, and I was just jumping around the hotel on the couches and stuff. And everyone else was asleep. Apparently we’re the fourth Australian band ever to have their film clip premiere on Pitchfork. It was Wolfmother, Crowded House, and INXS I think.

Oh wow. That’s pretty good company!
K: Yeah, yeah. It was pretty big. A major deal for us.

“Spin” comes from your debut album Nothing on TV. What can you tell me about the record?
J: I think the record, it’s fairly eclectic as far as different styles of song go. “Spin” is definitely on the dancier, poppier end of the scale. That kind of stems from our love of dancing and just going out and having fun, and we just kind of wanted for people to have that track to grab on to.

K: It’s a big, festival party song.

J: Yeah, yeah. So that was the intention with “Spin.” The album altogether, we try to showcase a fairly big variety. We’ve got some pretty dark stuff on there as well. It’s not all kind of poppy and commercial. Hopefully we’ll appeal to a wider audience.

Continue reading “Q & A with The Cassette Kids” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Katie Noonan

Katie Noonan first came to our attention as the frontwoman of Brisbane band George. Now she’s captaining a new ship, stepping out as lead vocalist of The Captains. I had the pleasure of chatting with Katie recently about her new project, balancing motherhood and music, and her hopes for the planet.

You’re about to release your new album with The Captains, Emperor’s Box, which I believe is the album you’re most proud of. What do you love about it?
It’s basically a return to that organic band sound that I think I’m most in love with. I love collaborating and I’ve finally found the right collaborators to share my music with.

When I listened to it what struck me most is the beautiful lush instrumentation. What have The Captains been like to work with?
Well I guess you can hear how wonderful they are as musicians and the craftsmanship they’ve brought to my songs and to our sound. We really just wanted to work on making an organic band sound that sounded cohesive and sounded like people that really enjoyed making music together.

The lyrics are also so gorgeous. After recording the covers album Blackbird, what did it feel like to get back into writing original songs?
Well I never left it, because I’m always writing. And I was writing the songs for this record all through the making of that record as well, because my main motivation is always writing my own music and trying to find my own sound, as a singer and a keyboardist, and a co-producer on this record.

So some of these songs are really old, and some of them are really new. Some were freshly inspired by being with The Captains and writing with them. Some of them evolved really slowly, some of them are 11 or 12 years old and they finally found the right home with The Captains, and some are really new written specifically for this band. It’s a real mixed bag.

The Blackbird thing was a real sidestep for me. It was a jazz record, and as you say I wasn’t singing my own songs, so that’s kind of a real sidestep for me from my main trajectory as an artist. But it was just such an incredible opportunity to work with these amazing musicians, and I couldn’t possibly pass it up. It was just amazing to work with them.

You worked on the tracks for the new album with some amazing people as well, including Tim Finn, Sia, and Don Walker. Who else is on your wish list for collaborating?
It’s not like I had a wish list. It was just circumstance and fate that led to those meetings and those pairings. I mean, Tim has been on my wish list to co-write with for a while. It took a few years to get that one together. Basically I’ve always been a big fan, but when I heard his record Imaginary Kingdom I was blown away. It’s such a hot record. So that was kind of the main wish list person that I had.

And then of course to work with Don Walker was such an honor, because he’s such an incredible songwriter. And then the others, Josh [Pyke] and Sia, are more contemporaries of mine, and we just kind of found each other through a series of circumstances and enjoyed the collaborating process.
Continue reading “Q & A with Katie Noonan” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Gossling

From the fertile creative grounds of Victoria’s Albury-Wondonga region comes Gossling, otherwise known as singer-songwriter Helen Croome. After earning strong airplay on Triple J, Gossling is ready to take her sweet indie-pop stylings to the masses with the release of her debut EP If You Can’t Whistle and a mini tour. I caught up with Gossling today to chat about her first release, her upcoming shows, and sustainable living.

You’re about to hit the road to support the release of your debut EP If You Can’t Whistle. What can you tell me about it?
My debut EP was recorded at Sing Sing in Melbourne. I loved the recording experience and had an engineer/producer who was very patient and helpful while I experimented with arrangements and sample instruments along the way.

You’re playing shows in Melbourne and Canberra to support your EP launch. When will the rest of Australia get the chance to see you play?
Very soon. I’m really keen to play some regional shows in Victoria and tour some of the other major cities. If everything runs to plan I’ll be on the road with my band in May.

The show in Canberra should be a big one with The Whitlams and Whitley also on the bill. Are these artists you look up to as a new singer-songwriter?
I loved The Whitlams when I was growing up. Their first album was on high rotation on my bedroom CD player. I love Tim Freedman’s melodies and the thoughtful lyrical content of his songs. He has a depth to his melodies that I strive for in my own writing.

You played some big shows earlier this year supporting Lamb. What did you learn about performing live playing with such a big act?
I learnt that Lamb fans are the best fans in the world. They were such a supportive audience. I thought I would be talked over and ignored being the support act to such a well known band, but I was blown away by how attentive the crowd was during the set. Both in Melbourne and Brisbane, the crowds were amazing.

Continue reading “Q & A with Gossling” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with MM9’s Ben Ellingworth

MM9 are one of Australia’s most exciting new electronic rock outfits. To coincide with the release of their debut album The Air Between, the Sydney lads are about to embark on a national tour. I recently caught up with the band’s drummer and sample guru Ben Ellingworth to chat about the album, life on the road, and why he loves being on stage.


While you’ve got a loyal following, many Aussies may not be familiar with your music. How would you describe your sound?
Energetic, hard electro rock.

You’re about to release your debut LP The Air Between. What can you tell me about the album?
It’s a real progression in sound and style for us, and hopefully its the kind of record that reminds people why they went mental at the last MM9 show. It’s different from the previous releases but it’s not a complete departure.

The album was mixed by Mike Barbiero, who’s worked with some massive names like Guns N’ Roses and Metallica. What did he bring to your sound?
His attention and passion for what he does makes you realize why he has such an extensive discography including Anthrax, John Lennon, Thrice, Cypress Hill, Madonna; the list is ridiculous. The perfect blend of clarity and depth yet still keeping the energy of the raw live feel was amazing for us, he really captured an MM9 live show on record.

You’ve recorded a couple of EPs before this. How did that process prepare you for putting together the full-length album?
The first two EPs were both recorded quite differently, and I think we were very much still discovering what we really wanted to achieve. Every band has to spend a fair bit of time discovering their strengths, and with us it’s within the live show so with the full length album we really wanted to capture as much of the live energy of the band as possible.

As well as getting a lot better at pulling sounds, we all individually had a clear idea of what was needed to get the sounds from our amps, drums etc. Dan (who co-produced along with all his other duties) has gained so much experience over the past few years with all his remix/production work as well as mixing previous MM9 Releases had such a clear vision for sounds. There was very little in the way of editing with this album and I think that helped maintain the live element.

Originally there was the option to go over to the States and be there for the mix, but a sudden shift in the Aussie dollar changed things quite a bit. Files had to be sent back and forth with all of us receiving e-mails up to five times a day with different versions, and everything had to be orchestrated in order for the changes to be made correctly. That was a whole new experience for us. It really helped us learn how to articulate what we wanted from our music.
Continue reading “Q & A with MM9’s Ben Ellingworth” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Sarah McLeod

Sarah McLeod rose to fame as the frontwoman for 90s indie rockers The Superjesus. These days there’s a little more rock to her pop, but Sarah’s still going strong. After a year in New York she’s back and ready to unleash her brand new sound on Oz. I caught up with Sarah today to chat about her music’s new direction, life abroad, and why there’s no place like home.

How does it feel to be back home?
It’s taken me a few days to acclimatise and now I’m really, really comfortable. I think wild horses are going to have to drag me out this time because I’ve dug my heels in really hard. But when I first arrived I was a feeling a little bit “Oh, everything’s too suburban! Where are the homeless people I have to walk over?” It sort of confused me a little bit, but now I’ve worked out where I’m going to live, and I got back with my dog, and saw all my friends, and got back into my old life and now I’m really happy.

So are you back here for good or are you going back to New York?
I’m going to be going to and fro from here to New York probably for the next two years. I think I have to keep doing that. But as far as living, I’m going to live here. I’ve just committed to a 12-month lease on an apartment, so that was quite a big step for me. So I’m going to live here, and just go over there to do what I need to do.

I loved New York when I visited a few years ago. What do I need to see next time I go?
I’ve never really been one for sights. I just like certain areas of New York. I’m very much entrenched in The Village. The Village atmosphere to me is kind of like living on Sesame Street. You get to know everybody and you know where everything is. It’s really easy to get around; you can walk. I sort of hover between the West Village, Soho, and the East Village, and I never really like to travel above 14th Street or below Canal. That’s kind of like a little block of area that I really called my own.

I was extremely happy there. I felt really comfortable there. It was sort of one point of my life where I started working out who I was and what I wanted to do, and I felt really at home. And it changed me a lot, and I’m really happy that I had that opportunity to do that because I’m better for it. I loved it. I’ve got great memories. But now I’m extremely happy to be back here. I’ve picked up a few knick knacks of knowledge that I’ve learned and now I’m working them into my life, and I feel like everything so far is going to plan. And I’m with my dog, and that’s totally cool.

Continue reading “Q & A with Sarah McLeod” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Thomas Stevens from StoneMason

Gold Coast quartet StoneMason has just set off on their latest Australian tour to support their brand new EP Noise and Haste. I caught up with the band’s bass guitarist Thomas Stevens, aka SteveO, to chat about the new release, life on the road, and why they love rock in more ways than one!

You’ve just kicked off your latest tour. How does it feel to be back in front of crowds?
We’ve actually been playing wherever and whenever we can the last half of the year, but for this tour we’ll be doing a few larger shows which will be awesome. Being in front of crowds is great because we put on a much better show if we actually have people to perform to, because we really feed off the energy of the audience.

What do you love about being on the stage?
Personally, I just love playing music regardless of the setting. Plus it’s an incredible rush playing on stage and performing to people who enjoy the music we make.

I’ve heard your live show described as being “dynamic” and “unique.” What makes a StoneMason gig so special?
We practice a lot and really work at being tight and cohesive as a band so we can put on a decent show, and our sound incorporates a lot of different influences so we don’t really sound like anyone else. We’ve all been really good friends for ages and started the band because we enjoy playing music together, rather than being put together purely to achieve success, so we also have a live chemistry that a lot of other bands don’t.

You’re touring to promote your new EP Noise and Haste. What can you tell me about it?
We recorded Noise and Haste over the bulk of this year at Loose Stones Studios in Burleigh Heads. All the tracks were engineered and mixed by Luke Palmer except for ‘Out, Damned Spots’ which was mixed by Matthew Bartlem (The Butterfly Effect, Dead Letter Circus), and the whole EP was mastered in the US by Troy Glessner (Underoath, Anberlin, Haste The Day). The songs on Noise and Haste are a mix of fast-paced indie rock, synth driven pop punk and piano balladry, and we’re immensely proud of the result.

Your first single “Stockholm Fashion” is about being inspired. What inspires you?
With regards to music and playing in a band, personally I draw inspiration from the bands and artists I listen to every day. Seeing a band that I love and admire being able to gain enough deserved recognition to continue what they do and take their music to different people and places, inspires and motivates me to do the same more than anything else.

Continue reading “Q & A with Thomas Stevens from StoneMason” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Jordan Wilson of Georgia Fair

You might not know the name Georgia Fair, but chances are you’ve been humming along to their new song “Picture Frames,” which provides the soundtrack for the current Big M flavoured milk ad. I caught up with one half of the talented duo, Jordan Wilson, to chat about the band’s new self-titled EP, their big upcoming tours, and his favourite Sunday afternoon tipple.

You’ve just released your debut EP. What can you tell me about it?
It just came out on Friday. We spent about a month, on and off, recording it and had a really good time. It’s got some new songs and some old songs on there so hopefully that turns out.

People might have heard your song “Picture Frames” on the new Big M advertisement. How did it feel to see your song on the TV for the first time?
It’s pretty exciting. The first time I saw it it was a bit of a shock. I wasn’t actually expecting it. It was after the footy actually, after my team won. So it was a pretty good day.

You’ve managed to score some massive supporting gigs for Kate Miller-Heidke and Whitley in the coming months. Are you fans of their music?
Yeah, definitely. Ben and I both love their music so we’re happy to be supporting them next month. It’ll be a good tour.

Busy times supporting both artists I suppose too.
They’re sort of interlinking I think, so we’re managing to fit it in. We’re really happy we got to do both of them. There was a chance we’d only be able to do one, so this is good.

What do you love about being on stage?
I guess it’s definitely an adrenalin rush. The main thing is that I love playing our songs to people getting in the zone. It feels really natural playing our songs, especially the new ones.

How have the crowds been responding to your music?
Really good. The whole EP started with us playing full instrumentation with a band and stuff, but with the last couple of shows and this upcoming tour we’ve been getting acoustic, just by ourselves. So that’s a really good challenge, with the crowd and stuff. But we’ve found they’ve been pretty responsive and we’ve been playing some good shows. They’ve been listening and haven’t been too hard.

Continue reading “Q & A with Jordan Wilson of Georgia Fair” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Chantelle Barry

You might remember Chantelle Barry as the Popstars alumn who took a very public fall from grace. These days she’s left the world of manufactured pop far behind to forge a career as an indie singer-songwriter. She’s currently in Australia to promote her debut album Simple Things. I caught up with her to talk about life in Los Angeles, the new CD, and why she still calls Australia home.

How does it feel to be home?
It feels so good. I wish I could be here more and do what I’m doing over in L.A. Nothing compares to being home with family and friends.

How does life in Los Angeles compare to living in Australia?
I think the biggest difference is that it’s so fast-paced. There’s something happening all the time. There’s like seven or eight lanes on a freeway all going one way.

Oh my goodness. I struggle with Sydney!
Yeah, I know! It’s crazy! It seems like there’s always traffic. It’s always peak hour. Everyone around you is in the same industry, pursuing something creative in entertainment or fashion. It’s go-go-go, really competitive. But I do love it too because I have a bit of a competitive nature, which I think is what drives me in music.

What inspired you to head to the States?
Well, when I was younger I always wanted to go to America. I had some friends at a singing and dancing school that I went to as a kid and they went to America. And when they came back I was like “Oh my god, I want to go there!” It sounded so exciting and fun. And the opportunity arose in about 2000 for me to go and just visit. So I visited L.A. and I fell in love. The weather was fantastic; it’s comparable to Perth. And I knew some very good music producers over there. So I was like “I think I want to move and give it a go.” So it was just good timing I think. And I’ve been there for eight years. It’s been a slow but steady progression. Things have been happening and I’m happy there.

You’re out here to support the release of your new album Simple Things. What can you tell me about it?
Simple Things is very much a story. Every song on it is something that’s happened from my life over the course of the last seven or eight years. The title track, for example, “Simple Things” is about just getting back to the simple things, you know? Where material things don’t matter so much, and I refer to being young and carefree. And being in L.A. definitely inspired that song. At the time I wrote it I was broke and down on my luck, and I was like “I just want things to be back to simple; money not to matter and not to drive things.” I wrote that song and everyone that heard it really responded to it. It was such a good feel. And I realised it was actually relatable; it’s not just me who goes through these downs. Everyone wants the simple things in life.

I wrote the album over the course of probably two years, and then I chose the best songs. Scott Whyte, he produced the album, and we built a studio pretty much, and just locked ourselves in it for four months and really got to it. And it was such a fun process. We wrote a couple of songs together. We wrote the single together which is called “You,” and I just did a music video for that.

It seems to be going pretty well. I’m really, really proud of the album. I didn’t compromise any of the sounds or styles. Hopefully everyone else will receive it that well too.

Continue reading “Q & A with Chantelle Barry” →