theaussieword.com catches up with Glenn Richards from Melbourne’s Augie March.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
Straight out of uni, had a job in a bar and then washing dishes, both on Brunswick St, spent a lot of time watching bands at the Punters club and figured that might be a better path to take.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
The next song.
What are your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist?
Making an album that I’m proud of from start to finish
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
We are touring this month.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
Bootikins is a pretty great record, a lot of it was recorded and mixed by the late, legendary Tony Cohen. Our music is timeless, if a little unrealised at times.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
Habit, curiosity, bills.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Of course.
Success, what is the secret to it?
Ruthlessness, ethical deficits, and sadly all too often mediocrity. Hard work? Sometimes. Luck? Every time.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
None, in particular, we’ve toured the world and played in extraordinary places, with extraordinary artists, and we’re still making vital music. It’s an ongoing thing.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
The ones who hang around, don’t pander, stay true.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
Sure are….
The music industry is huge, where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Probably doing it still, but I’d be surprised if it’s in better circumstances, have to be honest.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
I like creating, from the writing to the mixing. Travelling can be great and spending time with good people. The hours of nothing are hard to combat, and there’s always a lot of folks in the business who are there to feed on the carcass.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
Bad Seeds, Crow, Church.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
It’s a hard one to crack over and over again. At present we seem to be in a bit of an 80’s kind of bubble where the substance maybe isn’t the thing so much and the fashion and physical looks are probably primary. Good stuff will come out of opposition to that and sometimes in thrall to that. There’s a lot of sub-industries, it’s a mess but people find ways to exploit it.
How do you plan on cracking the international market?
We don’t have a plan. I do like Italy.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
No, and nobody really, never really thought about it. We play with different people, but if it’s asking somebody to send a beat, that’s not a thing.
What advice do you give for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Buy your own shoes, wear them in, walk the other way.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your fans?
We have a pretty great fan base, they get it, and we try to be as honest and intimate with them as we can when we play shows. Otherwise, we keep them informed the usual ways.
Any last words?
Make your vote count kids.
