interview – Page 10 – TINSEL and TAP SHOES

Interview: Paul Hammer from ‘Savoir Adore’

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The Savoir Adore duo originated out of Brooklyn, New York, releasing two albums with ex-member Deidre Muro. The band’s third album, The Love That Remains (out now) features new vocalist, Lauren Zettler, and helped to define the band’s new sound and dynamic. Founder and vocalist, Paul Hammer joined me, via telephone in sunny Los Angeles, to chat about band changes, romance and the aftermath of the photo to the left.

Your new album, The Love That Remains has been out for just over a month. How does it feel to have your music reach Australia?

It is very exciting! With this album, we’ve had little bits of success around South America and Europe – with the last record too – so, for me, I’m hoping, hoping, hoping that it connects with people in Australia so we can get down there and play eventually. Hopefully next year – once we get a little bit more of a fan base there, because it’s hard to tour in Australia, especially for a five piece band. Hopefully things keep catching down there. It would be a dream to come down!

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An Interview with Leanne Tennant

Cairns singer-songwriter, Leanne Tennant has been singing professionally on and off for around fifteen years. The 2015 Queensland Music Award Winner for best ‘Blues & Roots’ artist, and 2016 Billy Thorpe Scholarship finalist, is currently on tour with her new album, Red Wine, Late Nights.

Where does the name Red Wine, Late Nights stem from?

I think the type of work I created on this last album is suitable for late nights and red wine. A few of the songs were brainstormed over a bottle of Shiraz. Red, over White, yes [is my drink of choice].

I work with a great photographer called Matt Loncar. We did a shoot in the Princess Theatre in Brisbane and felt the vibe suits the sound of the album [so used it for the cover].

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An Interview with Michael from Until Home

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Matt Reisinger, Michael Trapp and Clayton Mullins, as pictured above, make up the Brisbane-based trio, Until Home. Currently on tour with their debut EP, Optimistic and working as disability support workers; I spoke with the lead singer, Michael about band origins, emotive songwriting, and life spent on the road.

So, how did you guys meet?

We met at school. Matt and I had been friends since we were quite young – we took up music together, playing guitar, learned to sing, wrote our first song together, learned our first cords together – so we’ve been doing it for a while. We [as a complete band] started playing together around late 2013, around Brisbane and the Gold Coast for maybe a good year and then we decided to start recording.

It wasn’t until after school, I started as a disability support worker and then one after the other, Matt started and Clayton started a few months later. So, we met at school but we still work together, which is cool. We’ve got such a supportive work group. Our manager is absolutely awesome! [He allows] us to get time off and he comes to our gigs. We [also] have a wide network of supportive friends which is really great, really good to have.

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An interview with Thom Lion

Currently working as a radio producer during the day and touring with his band, The Tamers, at night – I spoke to Adelaide-based singer/songwriter, Thom Lion, about artistic beginnings, music videos, night terrors and his latest release.

You’re currently on your promotional tour for the release of your EP, Sleep Riots, playing extremes – from the huge Teneriffe Festival in Brisbane, to an RSL on the Gold Coast. Do you tailor your shows to suit smaller vs larger audiences?

A little bit. For the smaller gigs, because there’s more intimacy there, I might throw in a few more witty stories or just a little bit more banter. The band is quite new we’ve been working on this, just having one great show in one big set that we do really well. The festival was obviously amazing, because there were thousands of people there! And the stage was sitting on the river. The RSL was a little more low key. It’s the first time this band has gotten away together, so [it’s been] a lot of fun!

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An interview with Ryan Wyatt from Project Montreal

If you are drawn to alternative pop music that blends in an orchestra sound, then you may just enjoy Project Montreal’s debut album, Patterns. I spoke with Ryan Wyatt about his four year creative journey, how the experience has shaped him musically, and whether he has any future aspirations brewing.

Firstly, how would you describe Project Montreal?

It’s a bit of a weird one, but I’d say just alternative pop. I like that term – you can throw just about anything in to the mix with the word “alternative”. The name, it’s a bit of a long story, but I remember back at Uni, we used to have competitions about coming up with names – whether it be like a clothing brand or something. One day we were doing band names and I told my friend, “Project Montreal, that’d be a cool band name.” And he was like, “Man, that sucks. That’s such a shit name!” So I was like, I’m going to show him. (laughs)

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An Interview with Hollie Smith

Hollie Smith is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable singer-songwriters. She began her career in her teens, collaborated with some of the industries best, and has had numerous number one singles and albums. She is touring Australia this July. Her current album, Water Or Gold, is out now!

Firstly, what was the idea behind the creatively artistic cover for the album?

The artist, who’s quite well internationally known, is Askew One. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. He’d done some really beautiful portrait stuff in a recent exhibition. I approached him and asked him if he’d be keen to do the artwork and he was really really excited about it! He goes through this amazing process of layering different colours on flexi glass using this really interesting process. He did a couple of the single artworks as well, [so it] was a real pleasure to have him involved. [It] was all pretty exciting and I’m very lucky!

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On The Red Carpet with Harrison Craig

I spoke to singer, songwriter and all-around nice guy, Harrison Craig, for the tiniest of minutes, on the red carpet at the Singin’ in the Rain opening night last Saturday.

Harrison, you’re no stranger to singing and dancing in the rain yourself, is it as joyous and momentous as the song, musical and movie makes it out to be?

It is! It’s very much fun when you get on a role, and get to dance and perform – and perform doing what you love. I guess, with this particular show, it’s such a great movie, and now a great musical, and it’s got very talented people in it. It’s gonna be great, so I’m looking forward to it very much!

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An interview with Pete Murray

PeteMurray Australian singer-songwriter, Pete Murray is about to hit the road, or hop a plane more specifically, for Surf Music in Paradise – a unique concert experience combining music, sun and surf in the beautiful Maldives. Currently hard at work on his fifth album; I spoke to Pete about exotic locations, surfing, new music and touring with Rob Thomas.

Hi Pete. In June, you’re heading to the Maldives for Surf Music in Paradise. How did that gig come about?

The guys from The Perfect Wave contacted me after they saw [the Latitude Zero] documentary I did with Mark Occhilupo, Mark Gasnier and Ash Grunwald. We did this trip to the Mentawai Islands and Foxtel recorded it, so that doco has been played all over Foxtel and so many people have seen it. It has such a good vibe, that they’ve asked me to come and be involved with the trip, which I’m really hanging out for. I’ve always wanted to go, so I’m really looking forward to it!

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An Interview with Anthony Callea

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It’s been a big year for Anthony Callea! The ARIA Award winning singer-songwriter proving his tenacity in this year’s I’m a celebrity … get me out of here!, placing fourth, after six grueling weeks in the African jungle. Splitting his time between LA and Melbourne, alongside his husband, actor Tim Campbell, he’s billed as one of the top performers at Surfers Paradise LIVE music festival this May.

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