theaussieword.com meets with The Preatures in this special interview! What can you tell our readers about you? How and where did it all begin?
Isabella: The Preatures are a Gothic Soul, rock and roll band from Sydney. There are 5 of us.
Gideon: The story goes, that Isabella, Jack and Thomas were already playing and studying together. I met them at a chance gig where we both played the same bill, myself in a previous band. Luke was the last member to join, we met Luke through a mutual friend of Jack and Thomas who helped out on our first recording effort which is somewhere out there online.
What had you first interested in music?
Gideon: Initially my interest in music came from the idea of performing, following on and as I hit my teen years I realised that music was a great way for me to occupy my time, I found learning the guitar a good challenge for me (it still is), quickly after I found myself exploring ideas and manipulating what I heard on record, this gave birth to me attempting to write songs.
Who motivates or influences your quest to make great music?
Gideon: I’d say that I am pretty self motivated at the moment, I never finished university nor completed any trade courses. All my (our) effort goes towards the band so there isn’t much else other than to wake up and begin working on a song or jump in the car and drive through the day to your next show. I’d say that’s enough motivation. Influences come from all around. I could be sitting in the car at the traffic lights and a lyric will come to me, or have an argument with someone, and get inspiration from that. Musically though, it’s all about pop at the moment.
Do you have any planned tours coming up?
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist?
Gideon: Seeing us make it to a point where we can give up our day jobs, never working again! As a songwriter I would love to co-write with the likes of Lou Reed or David Byrne, anyone who has influenced me like them along the way.
Isabella: To write good songs and always be working. One of my secret dreams is to have a book of poems published one day.
What can fans expect from you in the coming months?
Isabella: Our EP is out on October 12. We’re touring nonstop and will be introducing new material into the set. Thank god.
Success, what is the secret to it and what has been your biggest career highlight so far?
Isabella: Owning what you do, creatively, financially, however much of it you can wrangle. That, and you have to embrace innovation and reinvention. It’s a lot harder than it sounds.
Gideon: Success is something that can’t be formulated, people get where they are for different reasons. All i know is we have worked very hard thus far and will continue to do so. Biggest highlight so far would have to be recording in LA.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Isabella: I have a high tolerance for a lot of different music – I still love listening to pop songs on the radio just as much as I love listening to Roland S Howard or John Coltrane or classical music. The big ones for me are John Lennon, Patti Smith and Chrissy Hynde.
How would you best describe you and your music to your fans?Isabella: We like to say It’s Gothic Soul and rock and roll. Velvet Underground crashing into Motown, moody and magnetic music. But what that actually MEANS, it depends on the person listening. I liked the word Gothic because it’s one of those words that means a lot of things at once: strange, romantic, grotesque, mysterious. It has a lot of connotations, but for me it has a darker romantic quality to it. It’s also the two sides of Gideon and I: I’m Gothic – he’s Soul.
What can you tell us about your latest album?
Isabella: It was recorded in LA last year, at a private studio called The Bank, owned by this guy Joey Waronker who is a really well respected session drummer over there. He’s worked with Elliot Smith, Beck, Jack White, a whole lot of people. Anyway, we recorded it there in 5 days with Tony Buchen producing. It was wild. I think I cried at least twice.
Are there any new exciting projects in the works?
Isabella: We’ve been writing all year, and we’re back in the studio to record in January. A second EP should be out pretty swiftly after that. We’d like to go back to the states to record the album sometime next year.
The music industry is huge, where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Gideon: It’s hard to say, but I’d love to see the band head overseas and base ourselves abroad for some time.
Name a few of your favourite Aussie artists.
Isabella: Seekae, Jonti, Deep Sea Arcade, Kirin J Callinan, Divinyls, Nick Cave, INXS, Ed Kuepper.
Gideon: Paul Kelly, The Johnnys, INXS. I love Australian music during the late 70’s early 80’s.
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?
Gideon: The industry is changing and we all have to change with it, otherwise you will fall away.
Thank you for the interview! What can you leave fans of theaussieword.com with here today?
Isabella: Thanks guys!
Gideon: Catch you at one of our shows!
Website: www.thepreatures.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThePreatures
Twitter: twitter.com/ThePreatures