July 2020

Where are you currently based?

I am based in Singapore.

How has your COVID19 experience been?

I have been very fortunate to have found myself in a safe place and not experiencing a lot of negative news. All tours have been cancelled but that has allowed me to stay more time in the studio. I have also spent more time with family which has been great.

How did you first start playing music?

I started playing music in my room at 12 years old, I would close the door and put on the headphones, and stand up, dreaming of what it could be transmiting emotions and good vibes through music to big crowds.

Your new release “Voyage, Voyage” is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this single? How did you go about writing “Voyage, Voyage”?

It is a cover version of the 80’s classic by Desireless. We wanted to maintain the celebration feeling and talk about travelling at a difficult time like this.

Where and when did you record/produce?

The song was produced between my studio in Singapore, and Imanbek’s studio in Kazakhstan.

What programs/equipment did you use?

I am working with Logic Pro and an Apple computer.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding about creating “Voyage, Voyage”?

I always say that when creating a cover version, it should honor the original as much as possible, either maintaining the same level of quality and feeling, or bringing a new meaning to the song. The original is a truly masterpiece and it was hard to maintain a similar level of emotion.

What do you like to do away from music?

When I am not in the studio I am normally practicing some sports and spending time with my wife and kids.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I love to discover nice Spotify playlists. It is a great way to know new music and artists.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

A lot of patience and hard work, hoping the crisis will be over soon and travel restrictions lifted.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I love mediterranean food and I am now really missing places like KM5 in Ibiza.

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

We’re from Sydney. The scene feels like it’s in suspended animation while everyone works out what the new world is going to look like, when venues will reopen, and how long the government will be able to get away with playing at culture wars and try to starve the arts.

How did you first start playing music?

Year 3 guitar lessons (if you don’t count recorder lessons which you shouldn’t) 

How did Key Out form?

We’d crossed paths over the years playing in bands like Ides of Space and Sounds Like Sunset, and had free time and demos a few years ago.  

Your new album ‘Anthropomorphia’ will be released on the 26th of June 2020, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The sound fell into place while we were recording. The experience of making our last record with Greg Walker, and talking to him about micing techniques and his different approaches to catching interesting sounds was a big influence. We did a lot of de- and reconstructing of songs and playing around with different elements. The songwriting is influenced by an interest in animals and life in the suburbs. They are the two recurring themes throughout the album.

How did you go about writing ‘Anthropomorphia’?

We worked on sketches over a few months – some words here, a line of guitar or synth there – until we had versions of the final tracks. We then spent a weekend recording some live takes which we planned to overdub a few parts on, but we ended up spending the summer pulling them apart and putting them back together. A good part of the writing happened while recording and messing with structures and arrangements. 

Where and when did you record and who with?

We recorded ourselves at home. The self-recording process gave us time and space to experiment a bit more than we have in the past. We had no real expectations and just followed what seemed right in the moment. The song Dog for example was tracked as an angular dirty guitar number, but just fell into place when we muted drums, switched out some loud guitars for an acoustic and let the extra space be part of it. 

Once we had tracked everything we handed it all over to Wayne Connolly to mix and master it, which really helped to organise the songs and straighten out some of the messes we had made. We couldn’t be happier with the job he did.

What programs/instruments did you use?

The main pieces of the puzzle were a homemade Jazzmaster style guitar, a Yamaha FG180 acoustic (Elliott Smith’s early guitar of choice), an old FM synth called a Yamaha DX7 (with 64 classic 80s sounds used on Twin Peaks, by Van Halen, Aha, Tina Turner and more) a MPC sampler and a Rogers drumkit. 

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

Learning technical elements on the job was probably the most challenging and rewarding. Things like programming the old synths, sequencing drums, and the tracking itself. Doing that gave us a different perspective about the songs we were putting together and shaped where we ended up. 

How did you come to release with Half A Cow Records?

We’ve been big fans for a long time, and probably caught Nic in a moment of weakness when we sent him our previous record and asked if he’d help us put it out!

What do you like to do away from music?

We variously enjoy writing about performance and politics, watching rugby league, eating vegan food, and getting involved in other minor creative endeavours. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

As I type, Don’t Look Back by Kotomi & Ryan Elder, which was Rick and Morty’s wistful season 4 closer is on. But spinning this week has been Built to Spill Plays the Songs of  Daniel Johnson, Joyce Manor – Songs From Northern Torrence, Kate NV – Room For The Moon, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Sideways to New Italy and 070 Shake – Modus Vivendi.

What’s planned for 2020?

Hopefully playing songs off our new record to people in some public places, and improving our shaky grasp of the new instruments we’ve discovered while making this record so we can use them properly to make another.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Gigi’s Pizza Newtown and Petersham Bowlo.

Where are you currently based?

Currently residing in Melbourne, Australia

How did you first start playing music?

My mum signed me up for piano lessons when I was 8 and I took to it pretty quickly. Throughout school I picked up the violin and saxophone for a bit, but ultimately stuck with the keys. I didn’t start singing until I was about 16, in church.

What’s been happening recently?

I’ve just released the film clip for my first single ‘I Should Know Better’ and planning on the release for my second single. I have a heap of new music ready to go, so I am really excited to share that with the world. I also play keys in a couple of my good pal’s bands (Libby Steele & Big Creature, go check them out!) and studying my Bachelor in Psychological Science, so even though we’re in lockdown at the moment, things are still nice and busy!

Your new single ‘I Should Know Better’ is out, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

I’m a big fan of pop music and rnb, so I guess I wanted to combine the two worlds. I really love the sound that SB90 has (he produces most of my stuff at the moment) and I love working with my cowrite, Evangeline. She writes these amazing melodies that force me way out of my comfort zone (I’m talking range and agility!) I think I’ve really found my voice and my vibe after working with this dream team.

How did you go about writing I Should Know Better?

I met this guy at a birthday party who was a friend of a friend and we were all getting along really well. He was a bit cocky and said some things that were a bit across the line, but I kind of just laughed them off. Further into the night I offered to drop him and a friend off into the city as I was headed home and they took me up on my offer. In the car he made a brag remark about being an A-grade asshole and I, thinking nothing of it, made a witty remark about that being the reason why his ex girlfriend left him. Although I had intended it to be a witty remark (probably a little bit in retaliation to all of the shit he had dealt me throughout the night) he lost his shit and launched a tirade of horrible comments towards me and my “lack of tact”, so I kicked him out of my car. It was that moment I made a conscious decision from now on, assholes won’t ever get the better of me. Hence “I should know better, better than to care”.

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

I started working with Evangeline and SB90 last April and I Should Know Better was the second song we’ve written. All up I think we’re at about 9 or 10 tunes now. We roll into a session with nothing before hand and kind of just let the creative process flow. Pretty much every session has ended in a fully finished song. It’s such an easy way to work and I find that we get a lot done in a short time.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding throughout the creative process?

I find my own self doubt and insecurities get the better of me quite often during the creative process so it’s really nice to work with people I’m close with and that I trust. The most rewarding thing is getting to sing the song back with just a piano or guitar. The live show (with a full band) is really fun, but if the song stands on its own two feet with just an acoustic accompaniment, I know it’s a winner.

How did the concept for the music video come about?

Gary Robertson is the videographer that I worked with. I’ve known Gary for years and have worked with him on another solo project. He’s so great because he always has a heap of ideas for things to try. Originally, I wanted to put together a video with choreography and dancers, but then decided I wanted to tell the story of the song and Gary suggested we do the one shot take. It was so crazy how easy it all came together on the day. I had a great team – my friend Sara De La Cruz styled the whole thing and my friend Nerida Beardsell did hair and makeup. My long-term pal Zach Bres, a very talented writer, played the bad boy wrapped in denim. I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by amazing talent and wonderful supportive friends!

Where and when did you film and who with?

We filmed at my house earlier this year. The team consisted of Gary Robertson (videographer) Sara De La Cruz (stylist) Nerida Beardsell (hair and makeup) Zach Bres (legend bad boy actor who is actually the nicest and kindest man in the world)

Please tell us about how the music video came together:

I was really fortunate to get to work with the team I did. I’d been wanting to work with Sara for ages but I wanted to wait until I had the opportunity to work on a really cool project. She actually got in before me and reached out via insta and we met like 5 days before we filmed and cha<ed about the vision over an Aperol Spritz and a charcuterie board (she won my heart and I knew we were destined to be friends forever by ordering that for the both of us, ps). Zach and I had been talking about working together for years (he’s a talented writer and rapper) and so he was all about getting involved in this. Nerida was an angel and jumped on board the day of and Gary took care of the filming. These are my go-to people for everything in future and I can’t wait to get started on the next single with them!

You have some new music on the way, what can we expect?

I’m really happy with the new stuff that has come about. There are two new ones that I’m set to release: “All I Ever Wanted” and “Say You’ll Be There”. “All I Ever Wanted” was written about a boy who ended up being nothing like he claimed to be and taught me a thing or two about resilience and self-esteem. I’m really glad that situation happened but it also sucked big time. The timing of finishing this song was reflective of my personal state. I’d been working on it for a little while with the boys from Entente Music (Michael Best and Ezekiel Fenn) and as we’d kind of finished up with it, I realised how much I’d worked through and how at peace I was with everything that had gone down. It taught me that I need to work on not taking things so personally. People do things and say things that are entirely out of your control and most of the time, it is not a reflection on who you are. It’s important to be kind and considerate of other’s feelings but we are the ones that teach other people how we want to be treated. “Say You’ll Be There” is a friendship pop anthem written about a good friend of mine, Sally Van Der Zwart who is an absolute angel and has taught me a lot about myself and sums up every angle of what it means to be a friend. She is an incredible singer, songwriter, keys player who has new music landing very soon and you guys need to check her out.

What do you like to do away from music?

I really enjoy being outdoors in good weather with friends. I used to play a lot of sport and go horse riding, two things that I rarely do now, but I’ve found a place that’s about 40 mins away from my house where I can go riding, so I try and do that as much as I can. I love animals and growing up, horses were my way of connecting with something when life got really hard to navigate. I’ve recently taken up drawing again too. At the beginning of lockdown, I kind of realised I don’t do much that   makes me happy apart from music, so I’m trying to make a conscious effort to make time for these things.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve been listening to a lot of different stuff lately. Straight up, I’m obsessed with pop music. Tove Lo and Halsey are two of my go to’s at the moment. I’ve also been sifting through a heap of early 2000’s RnB. I’m doing my best to learn some old jazz numbers from the likes of Nina Simone and Etta James (on keys and vocally) and I love listening to instrumental classical music when I’m studying. Locally, Melbourne has so much to offer and I’m constantly in awe of the local artists that are writing with other artists and / or putting their own new music out; Jess Fairlie, JANEVA, Blush’ko, Tanya George, Libby Steele, Belove, Stellar Perry, Big Creature…eek, I know I’ve probably forgotten a heap! There is so much hard-working talent around this city and I adore all of it!

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

Unfortunately, with the current climate that we are facing with COVID-19, gigs have been cancelled indefinitely in Australia. I was hoping to be out and playing more with the band this year, now that I have a full live set. But I’ll continue to keep writing new tunes and hopefully 2021 will be the year for the live show to hit the stages.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I don’t really have a favourite food, because the food I enjoy or get a craving for is so dependent on how I’m feeling. If I had to pick one because the survival of the human race depended on it, I would probably say Vietnamese. There’s an amazing place North side not far from where I used to live that I would frequent quite often. As far as hangouts, I don’t mind a bar with a super relaxed vibe for a drink. Otherwise I really enjoy spending time with friends and family for dinners at home.

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Delivered, Live presents a special one-off show this weekend, shining a light on some of Victoria’s best up and coming talent. Five acts will take to the stage, once again with the now all too rare ability to perform on a fully amplified (and lit) stage.

Tickets for the show start at as little as $10 are available HERE and profits from these tickets go directly to the bands, their teams and the crew creating the show – all of whom would otherwise be out of work at this time.

First to hit the stage will be Melbourne queer chaotic pop singer and multi- instrumentalist Max Lawrence. Max will bring his dynamic stage show to Delivered Live and will win hearts with his all singing, all dancing brand of alt-pop. Hailing from the Bellarine Peninsula, Chitra will follow, bringing her 3-piece band and wooing all with the gorgeous tunes from her debut self-titled EP.

Also from the Peninsula is Fenn Wilson, who along with his band will captivate with his incredible voice and song craft – evoking the timbre of Tom Waits and Nick Cave. Rounding out this amazing collection of new talent we have Cry Club – a two piece who have been warming up stages for some big names for a while now leaving big impressions on everyone who sees them.

Closing this night of incredible music are sublime sisters of song, Vika & Linda. Not up and comers, but having just released their anthology which shot to number 1 on the ARIA charts, they are a fitting bookend to the evening.

Alongside all of this stellar music will be interviews and discussions hosted by Henry Wagons plus comedy from Sami Shah and musical comedian on the rise, Jude Perl.

July 4^th is the perfect night to discover something new, be entertained, and of course support Australia’s incredible live entertainment industry.

Producers The Handshake Agency thanks its sponsors for getting on board this event – Victorian Government, The Music, Oztix, Small Time Group, Young Henry’s, Harry The Hirer.

Tix can be purchased here:
Delivered Live can be viewed here
More info here

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