Up and comer TALKRADIO has been actively doing music for sometime now. Releasing some works over time, with all new ideas coming together at times. Live performances have not happened, but wanting to write, record, and release more music is always possible. The man behind this band does it all, and will continue to craft music for as long as possible, see what is discussed below.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Well, I’ve been doing this all by myself for a very long time. If we go back to the very beginning, there were two of us. I started this in the late 90’s with a bandmate from the cover band I was gigging with at the time. I didn’t play guitar back then, so he would play all the guitar parts. I then recruited other friends for the drums and bass when we were ready to do studio recordings. Sadly, he left the project only a few years later, right after we received a letter in the mail from a Sony executive wanting to come to Melbourne to meet us. When I told that exec that my guitarist had quit, he moved on. I still have that letter. I then decided I was going to continue alone. I was already a trained drummer and a trained vocalist at the time, so I decided to learn the other instruments I needed so I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone anymore.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
I was a big Radiohead fan back then. I still am. At one point, someone I worked with mentioned how they still listened to ABC talk radio on the way to work and I thought it would be funny if someone was referring to a band every time they said “talk radio”. I decided to make it one word, to mimic “Radiohead”.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I’m based in Melbourne, Australia. Although there are a couple of little pockets where you can still find live music, it’s a much smaller scene here than it used to be. Up until around 2000, almost every pub you could find was a live music venue. Sadly, since the rise of poker machines, many of these venues now rely on gambling rather than live music audiences. There’s also been a big rise in “open mic nights”, so many venues don’t want to pay anyone who gets up to play. As far as recent Australian acts go, I’ve been listening to “Twelve Foot Ninja” a lot. For something a little more mainstream, I like “Myth of Her”.
4. How would you describe your style?
That’s a funny question, because the compliments and comments I’ve had this year from curators and magazines around the web sometimes contradict my idea of how I sound. Each person seems to put me in a different category. I can only assume that means I don’t sound like anyone in particular, which is a great thing if it’s true. I’ve had people call my style alternative, heavy rock, pop rock, post grunge, and even AOL!! That last one was particularly funny, because I haven’t listened to any AOL since I was a kid and it’s not exactly one of my favourite genres. My influences come mostly from 90’s grunge and alternative, but also from some great 70’s acts. Bands I still listen to regularly include Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stonage, Radiohead, Powderfinger, Florence and the Machine (Ceremonials in particular), Nothing but Thieves, Arctic Monkeys (AM in particular), Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers, The Beatles, and Cat Stevens. I still go back to Iron Maiden every now and again as well.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
The first 2 releases back in 2000 were EP’s which you can’t get anymore. The CD’s sit in a cupboard in my little studio at home. Even so, some of those songs made it onto the first album I released online, which was “Timewatching”. That album was sort of a compilation. It contains some songs I recorded while my original guitarist was still with me, as well as songs I wrote after he left. This is why the production sound between the songs varies. It’s an album of 3 different studio sessions. The second album was the first time I played every instrument in the studio. That album was “Something from Nothing”, which was released in 2019. The latest album is “Choose”. The main thing I can say about my stuff is that it’s not possible to categorize what I sound like from one song. I don’t try and make a who album sound like a particular style. I’ve never thought “ok, I need this album to sound like <insert band here>”. I come up with a melody and then play what I think would suit it. If it needs heavy guitars, that’s what I play. If it needs acoustic guitars, that’s fine too. I’ve even come up with stuff that’s mostly piano, although it hasn’t been recorded at this stage. As a result, I guess you shouldn’t expect each song to be like the last.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes. I always get new ideas, but they’re not always great ideas. What sounds good to me on the first day may not sound so good the next. I’m very particular about what I end up recording. When I listen back to my albums, I don’t want to get to something that I feel like skipping. This is why I take my time. At the moment I have two songs I’m working on that I feel have huge potential. When I have 5, I’ll be back in the studio. I decided it’s no longer worth recording entire albums. I will be going back to releasing EP’s only.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Given I do this by myself, live shows are obviously not possible. I only perform live with my cover act, which is an acoustic duo.
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
All I can do is continue to write and record, as long as the ideas keep coming. It would be awesome to be able to play my music live, but that isn’t likely. The first original project I was in was a prog rock group. It ran for 5 years and had developed something of a following in Melbourne at the time, so I remember how rewarding it is to be able to perform your own music on a stage.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can find me on www.talkradioaus.com.au, which has everything from streaming links, photos and even a video interview with a US radio station. You can also follow me on www.facebook.com/talkradio.aus.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time
Hmm, not a question I’ve seen before. I guess you could keep in mind that every vocal and instrument (except for bass) is me, but as far as remembering goes, I’m hoping the melodies are what end up sticking. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.
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