Music Interviews

Where are you currently based?

I am based between Barcelona, London, Newcastle, Andorra & Ibiza.

How did you first start playing music/producing?

First DJed (as a cheesy pub DJ with pop music and  a microphone) from 1997, then started DJing house music from 1999/2000. I started in 2003 in a production duo. Then started releasing and producing on my own since 2006/7. Then the rest is history really. Evolved ever since.

How has your Lockdown experience been so far?

Frustrating & annoying. Lots of changes in my personal life, not the same amount of time to make music as I have a small daughter so she requires more time with no schools or nanny’s an option. Love spending time with her, she is the world but I also like to lose myself in my music as it helps to relax me. I also can’t wait to get back to DJing.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I have actually been revisiting albums from the likes of Fatboy Slim, UNKLE, The Who, Fleetwood Mac and others. Plus I listen to new music daily via my labels 33 Music & 1980 Recordings.

Please describe your production process:

Sit down. Open Logic. Open a starting template I have set up. Get a beat going. Maybe use a sample to get inspiration (I don’t always end with that sample in it). Then add a bassline. And a synth line. Maybe add vocals. Then arrange. Send it off for mastering. Plus always keep hydrated while I work.

What programs/equipment do you use?

Logic X. UAD Apollo Twin. Waves Plugins. Fab Filter Plugins and many other plugins & softsynths. Access Virus TI Snow.

How are you staying creative during lockdown? Any tips for other artists to assist with stay inspired and creative? 

Well if you look at my answer above, the creative side has taken a knock with not having enough time. For me I usually finish a track a week that is release ready but I have finished one track over the last 6 weeks. Frustrating. 

My advice would be if you don’t have the distraction of children make as much music as you can. Don’t rush the finished production. And don’t rush to sign them, they are only old to you at the end of the day. The other day I sent an email to a person who sent me some demos. This was the 5th or 6th email in about 2 weeks of new music. Some of them had good ideas but some of them needed to be finished. Take your time and make that one demo/release ready track a week sound the best it can rather than dilute and make 7 ok/average tracks.

How are you coping mentally during lockdown?

Not going to lie, it’s been tough. Trying to remain positive. I am quite a strong positive person in general, yes I like to be grumpy just like any other Englishman ha but in general I try to stay positive. Not like a happy smiley positive in your face but try to see the positives in situations for the better. Being locked in the house with a child and partner and no escape is hard for a social person who is a DJ.

What advice would you give for others to help with the mental strain caused during this period?

Talk to people, talk to your parents, talk talk talk. It really is good to talk and get stuff off your chest. Talk. Don’t keep it all to yourself. That never turns out good.

Your EP ‘Dance’  is out on 8th May, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this EP?

The influence was the vocals. I worked on another track with King Hitz & Paul Browne (the lyric writer), called Cake which was signed to EDX’s label Pinkstar Black. Paul said he had this accapella, so he sent it to me. I loved it. I wanted to do something cool with it but not ’too commercial’. I think I have made it have that accessible radio vibe but still making it cool and underground.

Where and when did you record/produce it?

I produced this one in Barcelona in January 2019. I then sat on it, revisited and had it finished in Feb 2019. I did the usual send to larger independant labels then decided to get a good set of remixes and release myself as the offers I had for it from labels were shocking.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of ‘Dance’?

Nothing really challenging. I just wanted to not over do it and make it cheesy. Keep it with that underground vibe. Which I did. So I guess that was rewarding.

You have a proposed stream set to run on 1st May with artists across your own labels 1980 Recordings and 33 Music running over 14 hours, how did this concept come about and what can we expect?

I saw the likes of Beatport & Defected doing this and they seemed great and what better oppitunity to raise money for charity and showcase the talent I have been working with over the years on both labels. You will have a plethora of genres from funk, disco, soul to house, deep, & tech to techno. It really does have it all.

What’s planned for 2020?

More releases across both labels, some rather large ones on 33 Music. More live streams, I have a taste for it now. I currently do one every Friday around 15.00h (GMT)/16.00h (CEST) and let me followers on IG (@danmckiedj) vote for which genre they want to hear. Then use mine & my labels catalogues to make the mixes live. We Are Live.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I have a bar in Barcelona which is my favourite to go sink a few caña with mates but I don’t want to name it as it might get ruined ha. My favourite food is for sure Curry.

Dan McKie’s ‘Dance’ is out on 8th May and is available via Beatport

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Where are you currently based?

Toronto, Canada 

How did you first start playing music?

I first started playing music through singing. My dad used to spin Motown records and eventually my mom saw my passion for music and bought me a guitar. I then started playing and posting covers on youtube. Might I add, *cringey* covers. I’ve taken them all down and stored them in a memory bank that I hope to never access again! lol

What have you been working on recently?

Writing, writing, writing! I spend my days either in front of my computer and keyboard, or with a guitar in hand, with a notepad. Staying home has freed me from a lot of distractions that would otherwise keep me from writing. Now I can focus on music….and baking cookies.

Your new single ‘Go Slow’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Falling in love inspired the content of the song, I can’t say any specific genre or type of music inspired the sonic sound of the track, we just did what felt fitting for the melody and lyrical content. It all happened very naturally! But I definitely wanted to make sure that the song had some bounce to it, you have to be able to dance. 

How did you go about writing the music for Go Slow? How did you approach the recording/production process?

This song started with the melody and words “go slow, slow, slow”, that you already hear in the finished product! Eric and I put some demo production behind it just to get a vibe, then brought the track to our producer/songwriting partner Benjamin Nudds. After that, we started working on the production with Joel Stouffer. 

Where and when did you record and who with?

Benjamin Nudds, Joel Stouffer. That’s the dream team right there! We just all click, it’s like they know what my ears are looking for even before I do. We work so well together. 

What programs/instruments did you use?

We use logic and ableton mostly for production and just a keyboard or guitar when we’re trying to get a particular vibe.

How did the concept for Go Slow music video come about?

We wanted the video to feel sensual, empowering, passionate and hypnotic! The neon lights and the backseat of a car filled with smoke is sexy, and the darkness of the night is alluring.  It wasn’t so much of a concept, but a feeling we were trying to evoke in the visuals – I think it came together perfectly!

Where and when did you film and who with?

The one and only Kelsi Lux! Look her up, she’s a dope creator!

I can’t tell you where we filmed it, it’s a secret location 😉 sh!!

You have an EP coming out later this year, please tell us about the progress and what we can expect:

It’s so funny how they say it takes your whole life to make your first album! Well this isn’t even our first album and it feels like it’s been a lifelong process haha. The  process has been an amazing learning experience because we’ve been able to grow through it and do so many cool things as a result. This ep is about just that actually- Personal growth, Self-reflection and love.

What do you like to do away from music?

Photography, mostly digital, but lately I’ve gotten really into film. I just love how it’s so tangible. It looks timeless which is always very appealing to me!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Anything that makes me want to dance really- a lot of Dancehall/Reggae/soca, I love it so much! 

Oh! Check out stefflon don if you haven’t already, if you haven’t heard her on Boasty, you’re missing out!

What’s planned for 2020?

Hopefully being allowed to leave my house haha. I want to play a lot of shows! And record all this new music I’ve been working on!

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Anywhere there is Pho and beer! Haha To be honest, any Asian cuisine is my favourite! I’m obsessed! I don’t really have a favorite hangout spot… Any cool bar in the city really! I’m not picky, I just want good people around me. That’s all that matters to me.

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Photo: Will Cornfield

Where are you currently based?

Rochester, New York

How has your isolation situation been so far?

It has been refreshing. Granted I get stir crazy fairly quickly, I’ve been able to focus more than I ever have.

What have you been working on recently?

More music! And recording some covers when I’m less inspired. I also just finished building a bathroom set piece consisting of two walls, sink, toilet, mirror and cozy artwork to make it feel like home. It’s sitting in the middle of my backyard right now.

You’ve started a side solo project aside from Joywave, how and why has this come about?

After touring and being in the band for 7 years I wanted my own vehicle for expression, and the stars happened to align with time off between album cycles.

Your new single ‘Joshua Tree’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track?

The production is influenced by slow-motion movie sort of drama. It feels epic and drawn out like something catastrophic just happened. Living in your perceived moment.

How did you go about writing ‘Joshua Tree’?

The lyrics were inspired by a literal cleaning lady that drove a Mercedes-Benz. My mind filled to the brim with ideas and assumptions about what their life might be like. I wrote them all down with a flow in mind and that became the song.

Where and when did you record and who with?

I recorded this in my home studio (spare bedroom) all by my lonesome, about a year and a half ago? I think that’s right.

What programs/instruments did you use?

I used Ableton, and a few analog synths/drum machines. This project I kept 100% analog. Even the opening choir sound is all me stacked/and pitched around. Full instrumentation is Roland JX-8P, Ensoniq ESQ-1, Yamaha RX-11, piano, voice memos, vocal, and my partner screaming before the second verse drops.

What do you like to do away from music?

I enjoy cooking, running, reading, and travel. I’ve made what feels like over 10 pounds of pasta from scratch since I’ve been isolated.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Rina Sawayama’s new record, my friends Ynough and Jessica Genius, Steely Dan, and some Ravel.

What’s planned for 2020?

More music!! Releasing a few more singles, and *fingers crossed* getting started on an EP or some sort of longer collection of tunes. I also want to make some focaccia.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

There’s been a boom of great restaurants and eateries in Rochester the last few years, it’s usually quite difficult to pick a place. But Fiorella is my favorite Italian restaurant in town. Very quaint, dimly lit, and the food is on par if not better than some I’ve had in Italy (shhh don’t tell them I said that) .

Where are you currently based?

Beautiful Brisbane.

How did you first start playing music?

I got a guitar when I was 16 and worked my way through a Cat Stevens song book. Then started writing my own stuff.

How are you getting through Iso?

Haha it’s a bit loose at our place. I have a day job where I normally work from home, but now I also have a 5-year-old doing home learning and a husband who is trying to teach from home too. It is definately not what I thought the year would look like, but we are lucky to live in a lovely place, with lovely neighbours.

Your new album ‘Hiatus’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

‘Hiatus’ is a collection of songs that have been written over a few years. We spent a few months travelling, particularly in Italy and Bali, and most of the songs were started then. I’m a bit of a people watcher so I love telling those stories. And having a baby definitely influenced a couple. We have incorporated sound worlds from artists we love like James Vincent McMorrow, Iron and Wine, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Lisa Hannigan, Glen Hansard and Angus and Julia Stone.

How did you go about writing the music for Hiatus?

I really enjoy the craft of songwriting. I love telling stories that connect with people and make them think. The song ‘Our Lady of the Highway’ is a reflection of seeing highway prostitution in Italy and diving into news articles about who these women are. It ended up being two stories: hers, where she is doing what she needs to but won’t let it define her, and mine: we become what we drive past; we shouldn’t.

The song “This is forever” is a personal one. It tells the love story of a cousin and his widow. It’s about grief and love and good times and the worst of times. I was pretty happy with it but Pennay kept saying very annoying things like: “It’s great, I just don’t think it has a chorus.” After collecting my ego from the floor I wrote what I think is the best chorus I’ve written, so I guess he was right.

I wrote “Little eyelashes” as a lullaby for my son. It tries to capture what I hope for him. Thankfully he likes it.

It is amazing how songs written in a totally different context seem very relevant right now. “So, where does that leave me” is about the end of something significant. “This is not free” is a statement on how undervalued the arts are and what a bleak world we would live in without artists. I think that is particularly relevant now as the creative industries are in free-fall. “Heading home” and “Juniper trees” are about finding peace being at home.

A number of the songs were either finished or started while I was doing an online songwriting challenge with the I Heart Songwriting club. Having a weekly assignment really helped me keep the creative thoughts flowing.

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

The only song we didn’t record at home was “Someday”, which was recorded as part of QUT’s Indie100 project with the wonderful producer Paul Pilsneniks.

All the rest was performed, engineered, produced, mixed and (in most cases) mastered by my husband/producer Andrew Pennay and I in our home studio.

How did you approach the recording sessions?

We approached recording this album differently to anything else we have done. I write on guitar. We would record the guitar and vocals as a guide to get the song structure, then essentially get rid of the guitar and build the song from scratch. There was a lot of trail and error to find the right sound for each song. We just focused on how we wanted each song to sound so that it captured the intent of the lyrics.  We included elements from our travels like a (very effected) Balinese Gamelan recorded on a walk in rural Bali in “Heading home” or a car on gravel at the start of “Our Lady of the Highway”.

Most nights we put put the small person to bed and then head into our home studio and try different instruments and sounds. Most of the songs sound very different to when they were written.

What programs/instruments did you use?

We recorded it all at home so used ProTools and lots of plugins. Everything is just the two of us: all the instruments, production, engineering, videos. There are very few real drums on the album, mostly due to necessity rather than intention. I always thought we’d get real drums in the end, but we really liked the mix of electronic drums with organic snare, toms, home-made percussion. There’s a ring on a wine glass on one song. A honey jar filled with the right mix of rice and baking paper.

Pennay is a keyboard player so this album has a lot more keyboards, organs, synths etc. than our previous work. Often I would go to bed and Pennay would work into the night. When I’d listen to what he had done in the morning sometimes he’d put a string quartet on something, or a double drum kit! One morning he had added an analogue synth to the song “So, where does that leave me” and it blew me away. I loved the rawness it brought to the track and I can’t imagine the song without it now.

Towards the final stages of mixing we called in the big guns in a few music friends to get their advice on a few of the tracks, but no one had heard the entire album when it was released.

What did you find most challenging whilst creating Hiatus?

We recorded the whole album in the evenings after the small human went to bed, so the most challenging thing was probably finding time, energy and persistence to get it done. It took a year-and-a-half in the end.

You have a live show on May 8 at 8pm via the Live on Mars Facebook Page, how will you prepare for this show and what can we expect?

Firstly, we are watching a few livestream shows and talking to people who have done them to figure out the best sound. At this stage it will probably be a striped down version of a few songs. We can’t do full band with the two of us anyway, so it will be fun to reinterpret or pair back so tracks. The dog will also probably bark in the middle of it.

What do you like doing away from music?

Hanging out with my small human and dog. At the moment we are doing a lot of wandering around the neighbourhood, bush walking, putting on unrehearsed and unscripted shows in the lounge room and reading. I also really like good TV, so I have been watching way too much lately!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’m watching a few great livestream concerts where the artists are either getting paid directly or raising money for great charities. Glen Hansard did a gorgeous solo show from his home to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Other than that, I’m really enjoying the new Laura Marling album, Thelma Plum, new Bon Iver and Calexico & Iron and Wine. Holy Holy, pretty much anything that Sarah Aarons has written, Grand Salvo, Darren Hanlon, Gillian Welch, Jason Isbell, Sufjan Stevens, Taylor, and the Teeny Tiny Stevies are all pretty much on high rotation in our house.

 Your Bad Guy cover is out now, please tell us the story behind the track:
We love covering songs in unexpected ways. Pennay came up with a version of Bad Guy in a major key and we rolled with it. We wanted to do something fun using a mix of the instruments we used on ‘Hiatus’ so it’s a mix of folk and electro sounds. We call it folktronica. All instruments are by him, apart from my vocals. He has also made it into a game (on our website) where you can mix your own version and make it as folky or electro as you want.

How did the concept for the video come about and who did you work with during the filming/editing?
It was really Pennay’s idea. We just had to work with what we had available to us. We made the video at home on the first Saturday night we went into covid lock-down. We had one camera, a black background, a fan, a spinning chair and that was about it. I edited it (from the same room) the next day and we uploaded it that night. It’s meant to be fun. We didn’t want to overthink it.

What’s planned for 2020?

I guess we will see? If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s that we need to expect the unexpected!

I will be promoting ‘Hiatus’ as much as possible. Connecting with friends and family online. Hopefully doing good work in my day job (raising money and sharing stories of those much less fortunate than us). Writing. Growing veggies. Spending time with my family.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Most weekends (in normal times) you can find us loitering around the West End or Northey Street Markets in Brisbane. At the moment, we are enjoying loitering outside our house in the afternoon and waiving at the neighbourhood going for their afternoon walk/ride.

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

Currently I’m Based in Toronto and the music scene here is absolutely awesome! There’s a huge sense of community and people are so down to earth and friendly.

How did you first start playing music?

My dad was a musician so it was kinda baked in to me as a kid.

I remember when he bought me my first guitar when I was 10 and I never really put it down.

What have you been working up to recently?

Currently I’m putting out singles from my upcoming EP!

Your latest single ‘Help Me’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? 

The song comes from a very real place of when I was going through one of the hardest times in my life. It was a late addition to the album and really tells my story. The sound was something we focused on a lot; we wanted something dark, edgy, and powerful.

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

We recorded this back in may of 2019 and it was produced by the super talented Joel Stouffer

How did you approach the songwriting for Help Me?

Help me was the very first person. It was really easy to write actually it pretty much just says everything that was on my mind at that moment.

How did the recording take place?

We actually recorded the whole song in the basement of my house. I built a home studio a while back so everything besides mix and master was done here.

What programs/instruments did you use?

This song was produced on ableton with the help of Joel Stouffer. This song was mainly digital instruments as we wanted a very lo-fi sound to it.

How did the concept for the Help Me video come about?

The video concept came to me very easily. I really wanted this desolate desperate feel and for that me and my team agreed to head out to the dessert in LA.

Where and when did you film and who did you work with?

We filmed in one day at the El mirage desert in California, just outside of LA. I worked with my incredible video guys who came on the trip from Toronto called Red Tip Productions. The director’s name is Dave Redman and he is an absolute genius.

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

The most challenging was the fact that I was sick and it was about 100 degrees fahrenheit out there so that was super hard. But after powering through that, when we wrapped up, I felt so happy that I pushed myself through it. Other than that it all went down pretty smoothe.

You have a new album coming out in a few months, what can we expect?

In my opinion, You can expect a little bit of everything from mental health to heart break. This album is special to me and I hope that everyone can relate to at least one of the records.

Where are you at in the creation of your new album?

It’s finished! Now we’re just putting out music consistently, and putting the full album out early summer.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Currently on my most recent played is: The 1975 cause im a die hard.. The band camino cause they’re perfect, and Bazzi!

What do you like to do away from music?

During the winter I snowboard quite a bit, I love cooking, hiking and spending time with my dog Mika! I also love working out and meditating.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Easily North of Brooklyn Pizzeria in Toronto such a great spot for a pint and a pie!

Where are you currently based?

 I’m based in Brooklyn, NY.

How did you first start playing music?

I started strumming a guitar at the age of 13, just learning all the tunes to covers that made an impression on me like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everclear and so on.

You’ve started a new project ‘Shacks & Palaces’, how did this come about?

OH, dang a hard question. So there’s many ways to look at it I guess, but one way it started is because of my love for lyrics. When I heard different lyrics dropped, like the song from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Wait, they don’t love you like I love you,” the hammer dropped. I think everyone is an artist and has something to say that is beautiful and can lift you up.  A lyric can dance with you, so in my belly I’ve always wanted to give that piece of myself that may make you feel something.

How do you go about juggling the your commitments with The Temper Trap with this new project?

Well, at the moment The Temper Trap has set ambitions to release more music, but the juggle lies with us all being in different parts of the world! We are all in each other’s corner with the different releases we have coming up and projects in the works.

Who else is in Shacks & Palaces and what instruments do they play?

Although this is released as solo record my lady Britni had an integral part in these songs.  She is singing on the whole record and has been able to be in the development of the songs and help me to turn on the wind screen wipers, so to speak, to see what is in front of me. Oscar Dawson, an up and coming Aussie and legend,  is an incredibly gifted multi-instrumentalist and we also hit this task together.

Your debut single ‘Once Upon A Hilltop’ is out now, what influenced the sound and song writing to for this track?

I’d say I dared myself to use a simple chord structure to write something imaginative. I’ve always been such a fan of the Flaming Lips and it feels like there’s a little bit of magic in everything they do, so with this song I used them as frame work and thought, what would they sound like if the wrote a folk song?

How did you go about writing Once Upon A Hilltop?

Well on the road touring you’re always riffing away and I don’t what country I was on when I came up with the riff but many years later I decided this was a song bed worth fighting for. Some songs come easy over years.  This was a song I’ve been writing for years trying to understand what it should be

Where and when did you record/produce?

I recorded in Melbourne and Brooklyn…

I met up with Oscar Dawson, band member of Holy Holy and producer for a bunch of what you’re hearing on triple jjj, at the moment.  We started in Melbourne, I texted him and said do you want to work on this tune and he loved it, so we started there 6 months later he met up with me in Brooklyn to finish it.

What programs/instruments did you use?

Oh, this song is a marriage between organic foot stomping and to mellotron synths.

Oscar records on Logic

What do you like to do away from music?

I’ve been keen on playing b-ball here in NYC, there’s always pick-up games here. I’m not that good, but I love it! I tell you what the games here go straight to people’s hearts and they never forget so if you’re not that good aka me sometimes it’s hard to get on the court again!

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Oh well with everything going on right now I’ve gone inwards and not listening to much except a nice a DJ playing all sorts of tunes to keep you comfy at home.

How are you spending your days in this very unique time in history:

Well, Britni and I have two kids, so I’ve become a total school teacher and it’s hands-on now.  Outside of that we just got Disney Plus and I’m watching Mandalorian which is pretty epic.

Any advice for aspiring professional musicians?

I’d say in a band setting, you grow together and you develop together and your ability to stay connected in your personalities is as equally, if not more important to understand and resolve if possible then the music your making. I’ve seen some awesome bands never make the light of day and I’d dare say it’s because of this.

Favourite food and place to hang out?

Ha-ha coronavirus times so my home is my hot spot for now!

What is your name and role within Big League?

Travis, I sing, play guitar, and write the songs.

How did Big League form?

Marie (vocals/bass/wife) and I started messing around with a 4-track recorder, playing and writing at home. When we had enough material to share we got a couple of mates involved to complete the sound.

What’s been happening recently?

We’ve had a bit of a line-up change recently, our mate Jackson has joined us on guitar, and Marie broke her ankle, so we’ve been spending most of our time rehearsing new music from the comfort of our lounge room. We played a show at the Tote just before the city went into lockdown and Marie did it from a chair!

Your new single ‘Earth = Active Neutral’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

 A mate told me I should try EADABE tuning, and said a new tuning always gets you a couple of new songs! Lyrically, the planets impending doom was definitely on my mind, and once I had the vocal melody it sounded right to layer up the singing. I try to let the music get a little weird while still being hooky, I want it to rock without being cliché.

Where and when did you record?

We recorded at home in our makeshift studio. Drums, guitar, and bass were recorded live, with everything else dubbed over the top. It’s part of the album we’ve been recording and piecing together over the last two years.

How did the concept for the music video come about?  – Where and when did you film and who with?

I think Gordon (Holland) wanted to draw on the shoegazey, dreamyness of the song so we just let him do his thing. It was filmed at our friend’s house early in the year, we didn’t have to decorate at all, it was a cool place to shoot. Gordons partner Cassie brought a heap of lights for us to play with and we took turns keeping our hungover mates company in the backyard!

You also have an upcoming album, how did the songwriting take place? – What influenced the sound and songwriting for the album?

Yes! Our new album’s called A Symbol Like A Cloud. I did most of the writing during stages of semi-unemployment in our living room with my Les Paul, and a coffee or beer.

I’ve been a fan of lo-fi recordings for a long time, and I’d just started listening to Car Seat Headrest’s album Twin Fantasy, a relatively recent, and boldly lo-fi record I thought. Seeing as our last album had been well rehearsed prior to recording, and was laid down in just a couple of days in a studio, I decided I wanted to go in the opposite direction; record weird ideas as they came without rushing to get an album out.

Some of the songs were written and recorded in a day, some were ideas that sat for a year before being completed. I just kept going until the album felt finished.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

I never gave the Lemonheads a proper go, but I have recently, they’re really good!  I’ve also been listening to a bunch of US 80’s bands, X, Gun Club, Dream Syndicate.

What do you like to do away from music?

I tinker, we have a house that I’ve been renovating for the last few years, I’ll finish it one day.

What’s planned for 2020?

We’ll try and do as many shows home and abroad as we can, we were gearing up to tour Japan midyear but now that’s canned we’ll have to see how the lockdown plays out… like a lot of people right now, all our plans might push into next year.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Love a good pizza, although once we’re allowed to go out again, I’ll be frothing for a beer and a burger somewhere. The Union in Fitzroy’s great, and so is Leonards House Of Love in Prahran.

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

Currently in Narrabeen in Sydney, the scene on the beaches isn’t too bad and Sydney overall is really pretty good, The last few years have seen a heap of really good rooms of all different sizes really flourish.

How did you first start playing music?

I started learning guitar when I was about 12, I’d had piano lessons a few years before that, but I was never really that interested in the piano, wish I’d stuck with that now though.

Started playing in bands around 13 or 14 at school, mainly cover bands, which I found a bit boring so started writing some of my own stuff.

What’s been happening recently?

We’ve just been flat out rehearsing for the upcoming Album tour in April / May, as well as starting to sort songs for the next album, can’t wait to start playing this tour though, Hoping the dreaded Covid19 doesn’t stop people heading out to local shows.

Your new album ‘World Keeps Turning’ is out on the 27th of March, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this album?

We really wanted to make an album that would be listened to as an album, not just a bunch of songs or a few singles and fillers, we worked pretty hard to pick the 10 tracks that we thought fit together best and also kept interest throughout the whole LP, Influences for this one have come from all over the place, we’re 90’s kids at heart, bands like Dinosaur Jr, Sugar, melodic pop punk had a big influence on a lot of the guitar sounds, I would like to think that we have found our own sound by now too and the album also sounds pretty unique to the Tshitaki sound.

How did you go about writing the music?

I’ll usually get a riff or melody stuck in my head and we are pretty luck these days with things like iPhones that we can just put the idea straight down into a voice memo and then work it out later, I find lots of songs come along while travelling or walking, I guess it’s a repetitive rhythm sort of thing, once I have the riff and melody down it’s a matter of demoing at home then bringing the idea in to jam it after that, lyrics usually come after for me, I find it’s easier once the song has a feel to write about a particular subject or theme.

Where and when did you record and who with?

Early last year we built a studio in my factory where we rehearse, I have the control room there as well, the 2 rooms are separated by about 30 meters of multicore that runs across a driveway through a pvc pipe, we did all the tracking there between August and September, We had heaps of fun trying out different mics, different amps, different direction set ups, took us a couple of months to finish tracking, then we sent to Lachlan Mitchell to mix, I’ve worked with Lachlan before and really like the mixes he’s done, from there it went to Joe Carra’ at Crystal Mastering down in Melbourne for a fine polish in mastering.

How did you approach the songwriting process?

We took our time with this bunch, I’d bring a riff or an idea in and we’d jam it for a bit and see if it worked, if it did I’d start trying different melodies over the top of it and then we’d feel it out and structure it from there, there were a bunch of songs that didn’t make it on, not because they weren’t good songs, more because they didn’t feel right with the rest.

How did the concept come about for the ‘Inside Out’ film clip?

We wanted it to be create a raw, pretty live feeling clip, the original idea was to have ½ the clip inside and then the other half outside, unfortunately our Aussie summer served us up about 2 weeks of straight rain in the window we had to shoot the clip, so change of plans and location, we ended up at an amazing property in North Western Sydney that Mullo’s (bass) had been working on throughout the summer installing a bushfire sprinkler system, It kind of turned out really well because if it wasn’t for the rain, we probably wouldn’t have gotten to use this awesome space. The song is about the internal battle we go through of what we want and what we really need, We’re pretty stoked to get this one out there!

Where and when did you film and who with?

North West Sydney in an amazing recycled timber barn, this place was really quite amazing in the middle of the bush with no houses for miles,

We pulled our old mate ‘Fox’ Damien Foxton up to direct and edit the clip and Ash Brennan was behind the camera, these guys are awesome, Shelly, who’s Ash’s partner was assisting for the shoot as well, Heaps of fun!

How was the filming/editing experience?

It was heaps of fun; we left most of that to Fox.

You have an Australian tour kicking off In April, how do you prepare for live shows and what do you have planned for this tour?

It’ll be loud, full of melodic fuzz and the drums will literally beat whatever is left of this Corona Virus within 100km to a pulp, we’ve had a pretty hectic rehearsal schedule leading up to these shows, I think we’ve been in the rehearsal room for about 15hours a week for the last month, Going hard.

Any show that you are really looking forward to playing?

All of them really, It’s our first time in Melbourne and QLD so we’re really looking forward to those legs, And we always love playing in our hometown Sydney, We’re just really keen to play these songs into of a whole bunch of new ears and hope to make a bunch of new friends along the way.

What do you like to do away from music?

Surfing, love just being in the water, Camping and going on adventures with my dogs, I have a cattle x and a dingo, we love tracking into the bush and getting in touch with nature, besides that, work, but we all gotta eat ;-), works not so bad, I run a screen printing company, so it’s a lot of fun too.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Tropical Fuck Storm, Amyl and the Sniffers, Plants from Wollongong, Don’t Praise the Machine, Major Arcana have all been getting a regular spin lately, but during the recording, especially while I was writing the lyrics, I was going back to old favorites like Paul Kelly, Gareth Liddiard, the Drones and Steve Poltz gave me a lot of a good kick in the pants to write better songs lyrically.

What’s planned for 2020?

Cure for COVID-19 hopefully!!, then we can get back on the road, we’ll start working on the new album around August, until then we are on the road around Australia, (virus permitting), we had plans to head to Japan and Indonesia in June/July but it looks like the world may be in a total shutdown now ;-((

Favorite food and place to hangout?

The Beach and the Mountains, I did a 2 week road trip in February and found some awesome spots on the mid north coast of NSW, such a magical part of the world, favorite food, how can I pick, Chocolate, Humus and Mexican, Love a Taco salad with a nice Pale Ale! Yes!

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

Sydney. I think the scene here is really interesting. Although the lockout laws hit us pretty hard, the quality of music is astounding. There are some killer jazz and funk bands, but it’s a shame those genres don’t get as much exposure as they do in other cities and countries.

How did you first start playing music?

I picked up the guitar at around 14 to be part of a high school rock band. From there it was just a process of exploring my own curiosity while trying to understand how the guitar worked. I was obsessed with metal for a few years, then moved on to blues which led me to jazz, funk and R&B.

What’s been happening recently?

I’ve been in writing mode for a bit. It comes in waves but this last batch sounds really promising. It’s always super interesting when you stumble across new ideas or different sounds.

Your new single ‘Crazy’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track?

Tame Impala definitely turned me on to more synth based sounds, but after spending time in London I was drawn back to the guitar, so I wanted to blend the two. I tried put in a lot of R&B influences in there too, but still maintain a rock feel. In terms of songwriting, I was reflecting on the state of the world and how we seem to be headed for further isolation and disconnection. Although it was written before the coronavirus broke globally, it has some eerie parallels. It touches on mental health because I felt it was important to talk about a subject matter that often feels uncomfortable to discuss. Music has an incredible way of opening you up to things you could never express normally. Ultimately the song carries a positive message – you’re never alone when dealing with mental health issues because they’re universal.

How did you go about writing Crazy?

I was staying with some friends in London for a few months in 2019. I played some shows in Europe and by the end of the trip I had run out of money. I couldn’t afford to do anything but stay in the apartment and write songs all day. I ended up with about 40 songs and Crazy seemed to be a stand out. It started out as a simple demo with just the chorus and a verse. Once I got back to Sydney I rewrote a lot of parts and recorded everything again, but the core of the song is still the same. The lyrics were written in Sydney once the instrumental was finalised. I kept rewritting them up until the last minute before I had to send it off to be mixed.

Where and when did you record and who with?

My friends Nick Twiney and Siebe Pogson from the band Funk Engine play keys and bass. I did all the guitars, vocals, synths and drums. We recorded most of the track in my bedroom studio at the end of 2019/start of 2020. Then I sent them to be mixed by Jackon Barclay who is a wizard at making things sounds great.

What programs/instruments did you use?

Logic as the DAW, Diva for the synths and samples for some of the drums. The guitars, keys and acoustic drums were either straight DI instruments or recorded live.

How did you approach the recording and production?

I wanted to blend rock with R&B, so I’ve got those huge synths and fuzzed out guitars in the chorus mixed with 808s in the verse. I usually record everything just as demos first in my room then eventually reach out to other people when necessary. The recording itself is pretty straight forward. I use basic Logic plug-ins and a focusrite audio interface for instruments. At the end of the day the song is the most important thing for me. If it’s a great song it should stand on its own.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Theophilus London, SZA, Stormzy, Brian Eno and a 60s Argentinian band Sandhy and Mandhy.

What do you like to do away from music?

It’s all music for me at the moment. I teach guitar and do a lot of cover gigs on the side for regular income.

What’s planned for 2020?

I had a few releases planned but with everything in lockdown who knows. Maybe just songwriting quarantine.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Fruit smoothies in the studio.

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Tell us about your management company?

I have been an artist manager for over eight years. I have mainly focused in the genres of pop and country. I am self employed and have had a few partnerships with other management companies over the years. I have managed artists such as : Eleven Past One , Eric Ethridge. I now manage Meghan Patrick , Buck Twenty , Nicole Rayy , Dylan Burk , Kris Barclay and consult for many other artists. 

What do you do in re: to not only managing your artists, but to empower them as well?

I am very passionate about the acts I work with. I believe it’s my job and duty as a manager to help an artist feel confident and strong when showing off their talents. I try to really make sure my artists are comfortable discussing struggles and frustrations so I can try to find solutions to over come those obstacles with them. There are a lot of highs and lows in the industry and I really believe in celebrating all of the small victories too.  All of the artists I associate with and work with are very hardworking and I give them the encouragement to reach their goals and achieve success in all its forms. An artist / manager relationship is extremely important if not the most important in an artist’s career. Artist managers should be your biggest fan of your music and be able to sell your music and brand as well as you can. It takes one yes over a thousand rejections and it can really be hard for artists to find security in their path without a stable manager and sounding board. 

What drew you to the music management business?

I actually worked for a manager/ promoter as his personal assistant for my first job. I observed him for a year and became interested in his day to day operations. He trusted me to help build tours for his artists and gain experience. It was after that job I knew I had the personality and networking skills to be able to live out the dream of artist management. I couldn’t see myself doing anything but managing now. No plan B for me ! 

How do you want to grow your business?

I am trying to expand my business to the USA. I am predominantly working in the country genre and Nashville is where I hope to call home. I’m hoping to expand on the artists I have by building their careers and growing their audiences to create successful businesses in North America. I love developing acts and I think I’ll always have a development project within my roster if all of the artists I currently work with grew to stardom ( that’s the dream !). I hope to have some help with hiring staff and eager people who share the same values and skills as I do in artist management. I would also like to have an actual office ! I have been working out of my home since I started.  

Where would you like to see your business ten years in the future?

I would like to help create other managers within a successful company. I would love to have a stadium artist or break multiple artists by that time. It’s important as a woman in the industry to show other females that this industry can be a place for a women to create a career within. I would love to be travelling world wide and having a great team to be able to share in any success. The dream would to be different offices around the world supporting music of all genres. 

What has been a pivotal moment for you in re: to building your business?

Age and experience. I was never taken seriously until the age of around 25 or 26. I worked hard networking and building good relationships that I still have and remain. It took a lot of my money and time developing acts I believed in to gain or start to gain a name now. I knew when I began having artists I had developed reach the radio waves that people in the industry cared to play the music. One moment in particular that stands out was when I began consulting.. I had artists coming out of the wood work who actually really wanted to hear my advice and work with me. I think then my confidence grew and manifested in to a now a great business and it’s helping the artists in turn. 

What have been some of your favourite memories so far?

Ahhhh there have been so many. I think when Eleven Past One reached GOLD status on pop radio across Canada and they soon after got signed to Warner Music Canada ! . Meghan Patrick took a chance on me two years ago when she was fully established but it was a big win when she was nominated this year for a Juno and asked to perform on a record I got to work with her. Eric Ethridge independently reaching millions of streams independently on his debut album we released in the summer of 2018 ! The list goes on but these ones I’ll always remember !