THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with Samuel Tye from The Faim!
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by music at home. My dad played in several bands, so I was exposed to it at a young age.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
I aim to scratch that creative itch and just express whatever needs to be expressed at that moment and be excited by it. If it’s considered great music as an outcome, that’s a bonus.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish?
We all have personal goals we hope to accomplish, but I suppose something we’d all like to do is play in Japan.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
We release our 2nd album on the 8th of July, and we’re touring around Australia for a couple of weeks!
Tell us a bit about your latest release, and how would you best describe your music?
Hmm, our latest release would be ‘Me Because Of You’; it’s sort of an 80’s synth-pop vibe, and hopefully, it gets people on their feet. If I were to describe the band’s music best, I would say it’s pop music dressed as rock music on Halloween, but now and then, the mask gets itchy, so we take it off, and you see the pop underneath.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
I can only really speak personally about this, so for me, I usually either have this feeling of an itch that needs to be scratched, or I feel strongly about something, whether it’s an idea musically, the way something makes me think or something to do with a personal and/or world experience. Then once I’m in the process for about 30 minutes, I usually know whether it’s an idea worth continuing.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
I know there is more of a hidden meaning behind a few songs for Josh, but it’s not for me to say what it is.
Success, what is the secret to it?
Follow and make decisions based on what makes you happy, and the rest will fall into place. Never follow money, fame, trends or popularity.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
Playing at Rock am Ring, and Rock im Park in Germany was really fun!
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Kevin Parker inspires me, I went through a huge Tame Impala phase, and I really admire how he self-produces his work.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
Well, you may just have to wait and see. There are no new projects planned right now, but we’re constantly writing music and doing our own creative things, so I think it would be naive of us to think that other projects wouldn’t eventually happen.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself in a few years?
Hmm, well, I want to live in another country for a while, and I hope to be happy and fulfilled; that’s all I can ask for.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
My least favourite is being on the road and away from loved ones for long periods of time, and my favourite is the fact we get to write music for a living; I definitely can’t complain about that.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
Well, a couple of Aussie artists I’ve been listening to for quite a while would be Pond & Gang of Youths. I also saw a band called Beans last year and really like their work!
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?
The industry as a whole is always ever-changing. I think the main thing anyone can do today is be true to yourself. At the end of the day, people will always connect to you more if you remain honest in your songs and character. In terms of getting our records out into the public eye, it’s really down to whether people connect or not. There are plenty of avenues for artists to grow and expand significantly, with platforms like TikTok rising to the surface but again, it’s being genuine that makes people stick around.
How will you continue appealing to the international market?
I think again by being genuine in our endeavours. Hopefully, that will allow us to continue to connect with people around the world.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
We have collaborated with others! One on my wish list would be Tom Morello.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Love what you do! If you don’t love it, or you start compromising the reasons why you started creating music, you will eventually burn out.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans?
To the fans, thank you for all the support; we hope you are happy and healthy. My best interaction is at live shows, having conversations and connecting through the live set.
Any last words?
Thank you for your time, and thank you to whoever is reading this! We hope you enjoy the music!