Where are you currently based?
Right now I’m based between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
How did you first start playing music?
I started playing guitar first when I was 13. I use to be obsessed with the game guitar hero and wanted to try and see if I could actually play the songs on real a instrument. From there everything else progressed purely out of curiosity to learn more.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Since I got back from America things have really slowed down as I’m sure they have for everyone. I have been very lucky during Covid to be living in Queensland as the virus hasn’t really affected our state as drastically as other states and certainly as it has other countries. I have mostly been working on new music here and there and unwinding from the past few years of being non stop in LA.
Your new single ‘Sick World’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I wrote Sick world in my first week of quarantine in Australia. I’d just gotten back to Brisbane from LA and everything was very raw and the world wide panic around Covid had only just started. It was a very uncertain time and still is of course . I wanted something musically that sounded sad but also had a feeling of hopelessness and disappointment . I wanted the song to not only be about how terrible the virus has affected so many lives but also how divided everyone has been about not only this but so many other important topics.
Where and when did you record/produce?
I wrote the song partly in my parents house and then in the studio with my mate Magnus Murphy. I had finished the song pretty much when I started it however when the George Floyd video came out I was so shocked by the video but inspired by the reaction of everyone standing up together. I went to a Black Lives Matter march in Brisbane a few days after the video came out and was so moved by how many people came out to support such an important issue. After that I had to mention the subject in the song. Me and Magnus then produced it from his home studio and in a few days it was finished.
Who did you work with during the recording/production/mastering of Sick World?
I worked with Producer and songwriter, Magnus Murphy who is also one of my best mates. We had been working on songs pretty much the second I got out of quarantine in Brisbane. He has a studio at his house so I would just drive to his place every day and work from there. I’ve had some of the most fun recording with him and the quality of music has only kept getting better and better. We wrote produced and mixed the track and then sent it to Sterling sound for mastering.
How did you approach the recording process?
I wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Not get too tricky with what instruments I chose. Most of the core of this song is the vocal and telling the story so I didn’t want to over shadow that. If anything I try and highlight it. I’m a big believer in trying to take the feeling of what it sounds like to play the song live and bring that to the recording. So we kept it simple and used space to our advantage, by using ambient noises to highlight certain lyrics such as “sirens blazing through these streets” and even the intro we found noises of police and ambulance cars. Because when I was in La that’s all you would hear from your apartment. All in all I think the term “keep it simple stupid” could pretty much be applied to anything I make, just let the song talk.
What does Sick World Mean to you?
It reflects not only the struggle of the year that has almost passed but the struggle that still lies ahead. We need to really look at ourselves seriously and try and find some common ground with eachother. The world is so divided and not United. But I know that at the end of the day we still hold those traits of compassion and empathy we just need to find ways to show it to eachother and stop fighting and start listening. Hopefully 2021 won’t be as divisive.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
At the moment I’ve been listening to a lot of UK rock like Nothing but thieves and Sam fender. I also recently got into a local band Selfish Sons one of my mates Jordy sings for them his voice is insane.
What do you like to do away from music?
I recently got obsessed with Golf. Had a lot of down time while I’ve been back so I decided to pick it up and now I can’t stop. I’m usually like that when I get into a new hobby I get very obsessive and can’t focus on anything else. Maybe I’ll quit music and head to Augusta next year!
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
The plan is to focus on new releases and collaborating. I’ve been lucky enough to run into some really talented Aussie artists since I’ve been back and I’m super keen to get stuck into writing with them. As for me I’m not pumping the brakes it’s full steam ahead on new music out as soon as a possible and then touring!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
I’m a sucker for grilld although since I moved to the goldy I’m pretty much down in Burleigh at the Pavilion every second day!
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