Having just released their debut EP, with plenty of support from triple j, the band winning the Unearthed Parklife competition as well as being asked by the station to play the launch of Unearthed Radio, Nantes are a band who are going from strength to strength. Not interested in making the same music we’ve all heard on the radio before and motivated by a deep love of making music, we caught up with the lads ahead of a run of East Coast shows in support of their EP to discuss their recent progress, their future shows, as well as their thoughts on getting yourself out there as a band in Australia.
Music Feeds: So you guys have just released your debut EP; what’s it like to have your first release behind you?
Nantes: Good feeling. It’s nice to have it, means we can start on the next thing.
MF: A lot of bands tend to look back at their first releases with a degree of shame; how do you feel about the EP now; and do you think it will stand the test of time with you? Are you still going to like it round album number three?
N: It’s weird; I hope that it will stand the test of time, something that we will respect and be happy with later on. But who knows, we may hate it within a few months. Only time will tell.
MF: What are you working on at the moment; are you focusing on touring or are there already nascent ideas for songs that you’re working on?
N: Focusing a lot on the live show and touring, trying to make it the best we can. But also consistently writing, getting songs ready for the next CD we do.
MF: Speaking of touring, you’ve got a run of East Coast shows; are you excited? Have you done much touring interstate?
N: Yeah, we are excited; it’s always fun to pile in a car to go somewhere and play music. Most of us have toured a fair bit around the place with other bands.
MF: How do you find life on the road as a band, tiring or refreshing? Why?
N: That all depends on where you sleep and what time you need to be awake the next day. If you get decent sleep, it’s great, you’re on a holiday with a bunch of friends.
MF: What is it that drives you to make music? If no one was listening, would you still be doing it?
N: It’s the love of music. Something so commonly said, but it is true. We love making music. When we started to make it, no one was listening, so it wouldn’t matter if people stopped, we’d be back where we started; writing for the sake of writing music that we enjoy.
MF: Would you say you try to be adventurous with your music, or is it more about finding new takes on old ideas?
N: Definitely try to be ‘adventurous’. We don’t want to be writing the same thing that’s being played on the radio. Our stuff might come out like that, but we have no intention of doing it. We want to write NEW music, something people haven’t heard before. But that’s not to say old ideas aren’t bad to visit.
MF: You won the Unearthed Parklife competition as well as played the Unearthed Radio launch; how important do you think triple j is in launching a band in Australia today?
N: Triple j is now the first step for any band trying to get its music out there. Without it we would not be known by anyone besides our parents.
MF: Has that at all affected how you make the music?
N: No, triple j isn’t a mainstream radio station, so it wouldn’t matter if we were playing viking metal or some form of Alt/Jazz/Folk/Dance/Electro outfit. If it’s good, I’m sure that it would get noticed.
MF: Do you hold back on any ideas or concepts that you think might be too inaccessible, or is it music first and business later?
N: As long as it’s plausible, it’s definitely a music first, business later deal.
MF: Would you say that you try and make music that reflects your own personal experience or do you draw from elsewhere?
N: Draw from anywhere; no rules in music.
MF: With the market so over-saturated with constant waves of new artists, are you at all worried about getting lost in the crowd? Do you have any plans or strategies to ensure you don’t?
N: Whatever happens, happens. We’ll continue to write and play music.
