Newcastle based pop artist Horby stops by THEAUSSIEWORD.COM.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? I really just wanted something to make me look cool in between surfing sessions back in highschool. This was back in the 90’s. I wanted surf hair and metal music.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? Other music is the main thing for me, like nothing gets me going like a long drive with a full length album in my earholes. I always looked to events in my life for songwriting, and back in the day there was always a girl to write about.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish? I’ve always wanted to play the Metro in Sydney. That would be sweet.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? Maybe a small gig or two in newcastle and my hometown on the central coast. I’ve slogged it in a van around the traps and played to many a man and his dog so I’m not too keen to take it on the road unless there’s some wind in the sails.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music? It’s another one of those songs about a girl, and thinking you are gonna make it for the long haul together, all the while knowing that you’re full of shit for thinking that… My music is just me making my memories vivid.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? So I start off with a guitar and my laptop, humming away at some chord progression. Then after a bit, the humming might generate some words and once the chorus is nutted out, I’ll start building around that. I never have an endgame in mind, I just try to write melodies that work for me. Lyrics last. And then finally for me the Middle 8 sections. I hate em.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? If you listen to my music backwards under the full moon on the winter solstice you’ll find out. Otherwise nup.
Success, what is the secret to it? Go check my spotify plays and then decide if you should really be asking me 🙂
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? Clicking the release button and letting tunecore put the songs up on all the streaming stores. You can listen to me practically anywhere, it’s incredible.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? Honestly, there’s so much raw brilliant talent in the game that i don’t even know where to start. THere’s obviously stars that are at the top of the game that are great. But i see alot of talent that hasnt found many ears almost every weekend I go out and watch some locals here in Newcastle.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline? Just dropping the songs as fast as I can.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years? Being honest, probably doing the same thing, just getting older and less relevant to everyone except my kids
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? My favourite part is a great gig, being part of an energy that everyone is experiencing and really living in the moment of the song. Thats easy the best bit. The worst bit is social media and the content creation requirements. Not my thing.
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? If the industry has ever been in a good place, I’ve never seen it. I mean, I see big festivals, sold out shows, mainstream radio exposure that kind of ‘Made it’ stuff for a select group of elite acts, but I’ve never known how to crack that scene. I don’t know if there’s industry gatekeepers holding the keys or if the success of acts comes down to purely hard work and top quality product. The reality is probably some combination of both, but I can’t say for sure. I just know that for me, the industry didnt prop me up or help me out. Maybe cos I’ve never understood it.
How will you continue appealing to the international market? I’m not sure that I will. I’ll just try keep trying to make music that works for me.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? One lad I’d love to work with is a guy from a canadian band called marianas trench. Josh Ramsay. I just reckon he’s great.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps? Find emotive melody. Try not to chase a trend you’ll always be behind one. Don’t feel bad for failing, pretty much no one gets out of the dogpack.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans? Mostly my fans are my mates and family so they’ll just call me. But you can check the socials!
Any last words? Thanks for listening!
https://www.facebook.com/Horbywho