February 2020

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there?

I live in Los Angeles, CA. The music scene is wide and varied, but is a surprisingly small world. I’m always meeting musicians that know friends of mine or have played music with them. There is a lot of music to be heard on any given night and that is an exciting thing to be around.

How did you first start playing music?

There was a family heirloom upright piano in my house growing up. I started playing around with that as a child. I would sit and figure out melodies of songs I heard my parents listening to, and come up with my own ideas. Later, I started learning saxophone in school and by my teenage years, picked up the guitar and quickly got very serious about it.

What been happening recently?

I’m consistently working on new music for Missives, collaborative projects, and instrumental music. Looking forward to releasing my debut single Dissolve.

Your new single ‘Dissolve’ is about to be released from your debut EP, what influenced the sound and songwriting for Dissolve and the EP?

My influences span quite a far and wide spectrum. Since I first heard “Music for 18 Musicians” by Steve Reich, the idea of repetitive musical figures changing over time or staying constant while everything changes around them has been an important part of how I hear musical ideas. Moving harmony versus static figures, textures, and atmosphere inform a lot of my sound. My music is an amalgam of that minimalist influence and inspiration from artists like FKA Twigs, Thom Yorke, James Blake, and Bjork. The songwriting revolves around concepts of discovery, transformation, loss, acceptance, and the passage of time.

How did you go about writing Dissolve?

I had recently bought a Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 08 synth. I was exploring the sounds it was capable of and stumbled into a bass line that felt like it was falling over itself. It turned into a fully realized song shortly after that once I added a beat, some synth pads for harmony and a vocal melody. Lyrically, the song is about experiencing loss and navigating the disorientation that comes along with it.

Where and when did you record and who with?

Dissolve and the other tracks on “Patterns of Us” (EP) were recorded in my studio over the course of the last couple years. I’ve worked as a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist for years now and wrote, recorded, and mixed everything myself. I have two tracks with guest vocalists, very close friends of mine, Patrick Joseph and Eleanor Crane. I’m lucky to have close friends who are also incredibly talented artists in their own right.

How did you approach the recording process?

Recording and writing happen simultaneously. They are both the process of creation and flow back and forth between each other. I record one sound or instrument that then inspires an idea for another layer or texture, and so on and so on until a structure begins to emerge. This happens fairly quickly, so I often have place-holder takes of various parts or instruments. Once I have a solid song idea mapped out, I go back and refine individual instruments as needed. I definitely enjoy using recording as a way to explore different sounds, or altering instruments or objects to make them sound like something else.

What programs/instruments did you use to record?

I use Pro Tools for recording and mixing. I use some software synths, but the majority of the EP utilized hardware synths like the Prophet 08, Moog Sub37, and Mother 32. There is also a fair amount of guitar as that is my primary instrument. And a lot of guitar that doesn’t sound anything like a guitar. I use an Echoplex Digital Pro Plus looper to create atmospheric and ambient textures using the guitar. I also like using vocal loops to create textures and pads. There are percussive elements in the songs sourced from random objects like a paper wrapper, scratching on cloth, tapping on things, etc.

What do you like to do away from music?

I spend a lot of time camping, hiking, and being outside. Anywhere I can find mountains, water, and quiet. I read as much as I can, and watch movies and documentaries. I enjoy spending time with friends and family.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Thom Yorke’s latest album Anima has been in heavy rotation for me. As well as Bon Iver’s most recent album and Magdalene by FKA Twigs. Anything by Max Richter.

What’s planned for 2020?

I’ll be releasing my debut EP “Patterns of Us” and continuing to work on new music for Missives, possibly for another EP or a full length depending on how everything shapes up.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Pho or sushi (at least today). My favourite place to hangout is in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California or Northern New Mexico where I grew up. There is also a neighborhood bar here in LA that I go to fairly regularly with friends. It feels like it should be a bar in a random mountain town somewhere, but it sits in the middle of Eagle Rock, a north east LA neighborhood I’m quite fond of.

1. Patterns of Us

2. Something More

3. Long Gone (feat. Patrick Joseph)

4. Reach Inside (feat. Eleanor Crane)

5. Dissolve

Missives Socials:

IG | Twitter | Soundcloud

What is your name and role within Vetty Vials?

Vetty Vials – Vocals / Guitar / Boss lady.  

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there?

I am currently based in South Sydney about 30 minutes out of Sydney CBD, the Sydney scene has had its difficulties over the past few years with venues closing due to lockout laws but it is still alive and well with some really great bands and solid supporters who are always keen to come out to shows. 

 How did you first start playing music?

I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember and started learning really basic guitar around the age of 12. 

What’s been happening recently?

We just finished our album tour for “Conversations With Myself”, playing in Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne. It was an absolute blast! 

Your debut album ‘Conversations With Myself’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

My main inspiration for writing is life experience, the album itself is a combination of songs about feeling lost, dissecting relationships and navigating your 20s. I try to be brutally honest lyrically as that’s the type of thing that draws me in when I’m listening to music. 

In terms of the sound, that comes from a variety of different places. When I start writing its generally on an acoustic guitar and the style could go either way. I’m backed by a powerhouse band of guys who have strong rock and punk influences which draws the songs to that heavier, faster direction. The album in itself has elements of both softer and heavier influences which I think is quite cool.

How did you go about writing the music?

Generally, the song writing process would start with me writing a song on acoustic and then coming to the band to get their input. I was lucky to change that up a lot on this record, Dust came from my guitarist Matt bringing the music to me and us then writing it together, and Pride was put together last minute between our Producer Antix and I. It changed the sound dramatically and I’m super happy with how these songs turned out.

Where and when did you record/produce?

The record was one of the first recordings completed in the new Def Wolf Studios in Kurnell back in August 2019 with Daniel Antix. I’ve known Antix for almost 10 years now and he is one of my closest friends, this record would not be what it is without his input. Regardless of the fact that he is an incredible producer, as a friend he knows how to push me to get the best result possible and I am incredibly grateful to have his stamp on all of my musical ventures. 

How did you approach the recording process?

We tracked majority of the songs live which was really cool. We knocked out the bulk of the bass, drums, and rhythm guitar over two days and then looked at lead guitar and vocals. 

One of my favourite memories is working with Antix (Producer) and Matt O’Keefe (Lead Guitar) on the lead parts after the live tracks were done. Even though we had the basis of what all the lead parts would look like prior to recording it wasn’t until we really started layering the guitars that the songs found their sound. There are so many cool unexpected things we came up with over those last couple of days that were never originally planned. 

What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of the album?

I was really up and down with my health around the time we were recording so I’d say the most challenging thing was pushing myself to sing to the best of my ability when my body was fighting against me. The most rewarding thing is the by far the finished product, I’m so proud of how far we have come as a band – and seeing the ongoing support from a growing following we have built nationally is just the icing on the cake! 

What do you like to do away from music?

I love to travel, it’s a bonus when I can align it with gigs I want to see. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Phoebe Bridgers, The Menzingers and Pinegrove are on high rotation for me at the moment.

You’ve just come off a Aussie Tour, how were the shows and what were a few highlights?

This tour was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had, every single show exceeded my expectations. The highlight has to be seeing so many familiar faces interstate. We have such an incredible network in Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra and it’s always amazing to reconnect with people. 

What’s planned for 2020?

Slowing down on the touring front and focusing on writing, I’ve got a few things in the works that I can’t wait to finish. 

Favourite food and place to hang out?

Favourite food – Sushi 

Place to hangout – anywhere were there are great live bands playing. 

https://www.facebook.com/vettyvialsmusic/

What is your name and role within Fer Sher? 

Benji: Guitar, production Ali: Vocals, lyrics, melodies, artwork Oscar: Bass Chris: Drums Yamin: Guitar 

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? We all live in and around Tio’tia:ke (Montreal). The music community here is great, you can find anything you’d possibly like if you look hard enough. There are also a decent amount of smaller venues and diy spots which really support newer artists like ourselves. We are also lucky to have a sizable French music scene that comes with its unique flavour, too. We feel quite fortunate to have our city in which to start a musical journey. 

How did Fer Sher form? 

Yamin, 26 at the time, had never been in a band. He and Aaron started writing guitar parts and were shortly joined by Jer on drums, both of whom had had touring and recording experience. The band was slowly pieced together with friends (but to us, also musical giants) coming and going (Aaron and Jer left amicably) for several years, during which time the conceptual foundations of what our sound was to be like were laid. Eventually everyone in the band was on the same page and we began recording thanks to Benji’s production wizardry and performing thanks to a finally solidified lineup. 

What’s been happening recently? 

We have written quite a long debut double-EP, “Family”, clocking in at about 30 minutes to be released in two halves this spring. From there we are excited to hit the road this summer and work on a full-length. 

You have a new EP ‘Step Siblings’ coming out on Feb 26, what influenced the sound and songwriting? 

Compositionally, one of the three songs, Shteve, was written over the course of several years and was a painstaking first attempt at finding ways to express catchiness and complexity simultaneously. The second song, Fork, was written mostly by Yamin but with crucial contributions by Benji, while the third song, Locked Drawers, saw an inverse in that Benji brought the main gist and Yamin added his 

thoughts to it. So in the ways that the songs were created, they are very much like step siblings. 

What influenced our sound the most was our attempt to emulate our favourite motifs and sounds, exploring musical and collaborative possibilities, and really trying to put as much of our vulnerable selves into the music and accompanying facets (production, artwork, merch, etc) as possible. 

Vocally and lyrically, it’s a whole other story. When Ali arrived in early 2019 she brought with her conceptual, storytelling, and performance capacities that really shaped the music into the product it’s become. Our live shows took on theatrical and immersive components as Ali grew into her role as a singer without an instrument to hold (a first for her). 

Please tell us about the stories, concepts and themes behind Step Siblings: 

The lyrics each represent a character and a story that form the basis of the three songs. The storytelling is vague and non-linear because the lyrics follow that nagging train of thought that continually reflects back on events and tries to place them into a broader context. There’s the struggling friend who continually lies to everyone in a desperate attempt at self preservation, the victim of online stalking and abuse who becomes paralyzed in their day to day life and the artist struggling to toe the line between perfectionism and free expression. Every story, after exhaustive analysis, ends back up at the absurdity of interpersonal existence and the human condition. Because what story ever doesn’t? 

How did you go about writing the music? 

Guitars are really the driving force behind the song compositions at the moment. At the moment, there is a large emphasis on progression within songs. We really ask ourselves, “where is the song going?”. Yamin really frankenstein’s different parts together; all songs on the double-EP have tempo and time signature changes, nothing too technical but equally present throughout. Benji thinks more of cohesion with regards to mood and atmosphere between parts, and Chris confronts the challenge of when to groove and when to provide angularity. Bass is filled in next before Ali weaves her way through all-but completed tracks. 

Where and when did you record/produce and who with? 

All our material to date has been produced by our guitarist Ben, who actively records bands of all kinds in our area. Step Siblings was recorded throughout late 2019. 

How did you approach the recording process? 

Benji takes a natural and honest approach. There is no pitch correction on vocals or drum samples used in our music. It’s more fun to hear the breath of a singer or the scrape on guitar strings than to have something flawless. 

What do you find most rewarding and challenging with the whole DIY approach? 

The most challenging is the unpaid work. Benji and Ali work tirelessly with no compensation. The most rewarding is the pride and sense of accomplishment that come with having the entirety of a band created in-house. It takes our project beyond a conventional band and into the realm of art rock DIY 

The band has a really theatrical live show that is a spectacle of its own, please tell us how your live started and has evolved: 

The band was never intended to be more than a math-rock group, and we played with that mentality before Ali arrived. Having the stage on which to develop characters, crowd interaction, and pure focus on the singing without playing anything else opened up a door to the performance no one saw coming. We are now trying to evolve into a truly ensconcing experience, in which we hope that the meticulousness of the songwriting adequately backdrops the on-stage hijinks in a balanced and comprehensive concert-going adventure. 

How do you prepare for live shows? 

We try to meet as much as possible, which can be very difficult. Things outside the band in our lives are very hectic – engagement (!!!), immigration issues, full-time university studies, recording other local bands, beginning a career in architecture, and making time for our beloved friends and families are just some of the other things on our plates. 

You also have a second EP ‘Identical Triplets’ coming out, please tell us more: 

We had 6 songs ready to record when we planned these releases. With a closer look, the first three sounded really different from each other while the other three were pretty much the same idea expressed three different ways. This instantiated the concept of different family makeups, biological, adopted, chosen, etc., and really spoke to our appreciation for and celebration of our families. Identical Triplets became a conceptual opposite to Step Siblings and we are recording it as we speak. 

Who are you listening to at the moment? 

Yamin: Invalids Oscar: Mil-Spec Ben: Young Guv Ali: Cate Le Bon Chris: Circa Survive 

What do you like to do away from music? 

We all have varied hobbies. Oscar loves gaming and collecting vinyl, Ben’s always fixing up a guitar, amp or pedal. Yamin studies full-time, volunteers, and tries to prioritize his health. Ali likes crafting and cooking and playing outside. Chris likes watching animes & eating ramens whenever possible 

What’s planned for 2020? 

More music, more shows, and more ramen for Chris 

Favourite food and place to hangout? 

You can find us at the tiny local vietnamese restaurant, Pho Ici in Rosemont area of Montreal enjoying excellent banh mi, lovely pho, and/or our favourite beverage; taro bubble tea. Everything on the menu there is exquisite, the staff is so warm and inviting, and the tarot bubble tea puts all others to shame. It’s right next to our rehearsal space so many a meal and drink have been enjoyed there. 10/10 highly recommend. 

https://fersher.bandcamp.com/album/step-siblings