Since I Left You, now celebrating its 20th Anniversary, is an album that came to define an era of Australian music. Has that been a blessing or a curse for you as artists?
It was a blessing then became a curse during the writing of our follow up record ‘Wildflower’, as the pressure of living up to ‘Since I Left You’ loomed heavier as time went on, and now it has come back to being a blessing as it rightfully should. We’re so proud it has stood the test of time and people still always come up to us and tell us how much they love it.
Your Brains Parties at St Jerome's are legendary. Can you take us back?
Yes, the brains parties at St Jeromes’ tiny bar were pretty epic! We’d pack 400 people into a space meant for 50. You couldn’t move and going to the bathroom was hell but it was such fun.
You could use any mixer you like. Why did you choose the Play Differently Model 1?
The Model 1 has many great features, but what stood out to us when doing comparisons with other high-end mixers was the sound quality. It absolutely destroyed anything we’d compare it to. The highs aren’t harsh and the low end is thick and tight. It has a brilliant warmth to it without being flabby. It was a no brainer once we’d heard how it sounds.
What is your current live/DJ rig?
We’re currently using two Model 1s for our live show. We run playback tracks through them giving us the opportunity to play with them live. Lots of filtering and throwing tracks to delays to echo out vocals. The whole synth set up we have goes through the Model 1 as well to give them the warmth and beef that the Model 1 has. They’re basically the conduit in which every sound that you hear at our show goes through.
What's your current favourite bit of kit?
Aside from the Model 1, I think my favourite piece of equipment is the Moog theremin we have. We don’t use it much but it’s a hell of a lot of fun to play. Running it through the Model 1 and sending it to a delay causes some freaky sounds to happen!
Play Differently could almost be used to describe the impact you've had on the Australian music scene. What about their vibe appeals to you?
It’s all about the sound. This piece of gear just sounds incredible. We were blown away by how it stood head and shoulders above some much more expensive and iconic mixers.
Your new record, We Will Always Love You, seems to balance optimism and introspection. What did you draw influence from for the record?
I think getting older we get more introspective, in the search for who we are in the universe and what life is all about. During the 16 years making ‘Wildflower’ we went through many incarnations of ourselves growing and maturing as people. ‘We Will Always Love You’ is like an extension of our journey and the revelations and discoveries about ourselves and life we’ve come to along the way. We’re pretty positive people and have learned to accept things as they are and to let go of negativity. Well, we try anyway!
How was your lockdown? Did you discover untapped productivity or take up new hobbies?
Lockdown was pretty tough (as it was for most). At first we thought we’d have all this creativity but there was such a weird and dark feeling around at the time that we felt it hard to be inspired. It made us realise how the energy of strangers going about their business living life has an impact on how we feel. Seeing people back on the streets was such a joy. Hearing groups of people laughing again. All these little things mean a lot.
You've been one of the most forward-thinking acts in the Australian music game now for over two decades, how do you keep things fresh?
We try keep things fresh by never settling on a certain way of doing things. Always trying to push the boundaries and try something new from what we’ve done before. We’d hate to think people can expect what we’d do next. That even if it’s good it’s not new and exciting and therefore you lose some magic of what you are. We’re willing to ride the crest of a new wave even if we fail instead of relying on the tried and true.