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Perth MusicThe Simian Line Interview
Perth Music caught up with Blair from The Simian Line as they get ready for their Look So Loud EP Launch on the 18th of November at The Amplifier Bar.
Q. Tell us a little bit of history about yourselves as a band. How did you start out and what have you achieved?
We’ve all been members of other bands in the past but feel a sense of kinship amongst the five of us. We’re all best of mates so that helps with nearly every facet of being a group. Our history is brief but in a short time we’ve supported the likes of Eskimo Joe and The Butterfly Effect and most recently scored our first international support with Hard-Fi from the UK. Most of our life as The Simian Line has been spent writing and recording Look So Loud.
Q. What bands have had the greatest influence on you and who are your favourite bands at the moment?
Me personally I’d say Pearl Jam, U2 and Muse have been my favourite bands. I can’t really speak for the others but Tony loves his grunge, Stefan loves his rock ‘n’ roll, Chris loves his prog rock and Rob confuses everyone with his tastes.
Q. What helps in writing new songs? Do you need solitude to get inspiration?
Most songs are a fluke. Words and melodies usually appear from outta space. Sitting down and saying “Right. I’m gonna be creative now!” doesn’t always work. Usually they come at the most inappropriate times like while I’m driving or in bed.
Q. What is your favourite live music venue to play? Do you prefer small pub shows with a small audience or bigger shows with lots of people cheering you on?
We’re really comfy at The Rosemount, but our favourite is probably The Amplifier. Metro’s Freo was also very cool and there was a huge crowd so we probably prefer those shows.
Q. Favourite AFL Team?
Blair - Geelong, Stefan - West Coast, Tony - Carlton, Rob - Richmond, Chris - Cleveland Indians
Q. What is your song writing process? Do you write the lyrics and music together or one first and then the other?
Almost always music first. They then get squashed together and the music may be altered to suit a better melody. I write a lot of poems in hope they will become songs but they seldom do?
Q. Is Myspace good or evil?
How could it be evil?
Q. What is your take on the Perth Music Scene at the moment? Do you think it is thriving or is it a bit of over-hype?
Per head it’s thriving. Glad to be a part of it.
Q. What plans do you have for the next few months?
After our launch on Nov 18th we’re embarking on a south west tour to further promote our ep and then it’s off to the east for some shows. We’ve been writing too so we’ll probably start recording our the next one. Oh, and I plan to get back to the gym!
For more info on The Simian Line visit their official webpage or their Myspace page.
