We spend a couple of minutes with sleepmakeswaves ahead of their Australian tour (tickets to Western Australian shows on February 24 and 25 here) and find out what’s going on…
What’s going on in the world of sleepmakeswaves?
Hi! Things are busy here at the moment. We’re currently rehearsing for our upcoming Australian tour, which is taking us right around the country including Perth, Bunbury and Adelaide, where we’ve never previously been! We’re bringing back some older tracks for the tour, which are proving a lot of fun to revisit and tweak.
We’re also planning for upcoming tours to the States (including SXSW Festival!) and Europe (including Dunk!festival), so we’re knee-deep in what Alex calls the ‘unsexy’ side of being in a band, lots of admin-y and bureaucratic details pre-touring. It isn’t exactly fun, but fortunately we’re the stoic type.
What motivates you to make music?
Personally, it’s a very important and irreplaceable emotional outlet for me. It’s a really natural and powerful way for me to get stuff off my chest in a way that people seem to connect with, which is deeply satisfying. That and the chix bro.
What have been the high and low points of your musical experiences so far?
Some of our recent shows have been the biggest we’ve ever played, which is incredibly gratifying and exciting for us. Peats Ridge festival was a real buzz. We love performing and sharing our music with people live, which best captures the intensity we try to create. Getting invited to SXSW and Dunk festival have also been highlights!
Low points have included getting all our band’s cash and guitars stolen from our guitarist’s house.
What music are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve been spinning Youth Lagoon’s Year of Hibernation and Fucked Up’s David Comes to Life. I’m also digging The Middle East’s I Want That You Are Always Happy.
Tim tells me that he’s enjoying Jojo Mayer’s Nerve project, and Kid has gone full-hipster and is digging Touch It! by Spell Talk, an indie band from Salt Lake City.
Alex is listening to Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes and a cool ambient record called Replica, by a guy who calls himself Oneohtrix Point Never. Fugazi, Talk Talk and My Morning Jacket have also been getting lots of love from him.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which member of the band would get eaten first?
Hah, well considering Alex and I are vegos we’d probably band together and fight to the death with the other two. Then eat them anyway.
Here’s an opportunity to bitch about something, whether music related or not. What really pisses you off?
So many things, but they’re mainly political so I won’t rant here! For the record, I am a strong supporter of the complicated yet crucial proper train etiquette. This includes which seat to take, whether or not to switch the seats back to front, and where to place your bag. When people don’t follow it I get mad. Oh and especially when people bring their smelly-ass food onto trains. Eat that shit at the station!
You’re putting together your perfect gig featuring Australian artists — who would you get to play and where? feel free to include acts/DJs/bands/venues that no longer exist.
I’d get Eleventh He Reaches London, Tangled Thoughts of Leaving, Meniscus, Solkyri, The Middle East and a Sydney band called We Say Bamboulee all together at a stage in the Blue Mountains somewhere. Or Maybe Tone. We all miss Tone.
