Psych Fest Preview: Interview with The Laurels

Australian band the Laurels might not be on everyone’s list of bands to catch at this year’s Austin Psych Fest, but I’m here to tell you that if you skip over them, you’re making a huge mistake.  We caught up with the band just before the make their way here.  

ATH:  You’ve just released your debut LP, as far as US releases go.  We’ve known you by name and what not, so what’s taken so long to get a release going overseas?  Is there a sense of relief in getting it across the pond, or do you feel you have to work twice as hard to keep things going?

Luke: There are all these hidden politics involved when it comes to releasing a record, whether you’re releasing it overseas or in your own country. There are so many factions you have to go through to get your music to a wider audience. It can be quite frustrating, because you can end up sitting on a group of songs for years while you go through the rigmarole of actually releasing the record. I find that the gestation of an album ends up taking much longer than it should. Of course, it’s really exciting to finally be releasing it in the US and touring it around the country! Even if it takes time and work, it’s worth it.

 ATH:  You’re coming to Austin for Psych Fest. In your own words, what does the term Psychedelia mean?  How do The Laurels fit into that musical molding? 

Luke: I look at the term as defining a frame of mind rather than a musical mould. There’s definitely a movement of bands that fit under the “psychedelia” banner – a lot of them tend to share the same ideals, but I don’t think you necessarily have to link it to a particular sonic characteristic. I guess to me it symbolizes mind expansion. We’re just looking for the answers to the same universal questions that have been asked for centuries – most of our songs are us formulating our own ideas and contributing to the ever-growing collection of theories put forward by everyone else.

ATH: What can we expect from you all in the live setting? I’ve never caught you, but I hear rumors of huge walls of sound? Can you describe what we’ll get to see? Any stage tricks?

Luke: Conor has a pretty amazing move called the “Drop C” that he likes to pull out regularly. I’m pretty sure every time I turn to look at him onstage, he’s in the process of, or has just emerged from, a Drop C. Everyone raves about it in Australia! It’s not something that I can really explain; you’ll just have to experience it for yourself.

 ATH: There’s a growing appreciation for Australian music in the US nowadays…has that trickled down to all the bands, or is it just a handful who seem to have been lucky enough to score big overseas?

Luke: I think good music is good music. People are going to latch onto it if it speaks to them, no matter where it’s from. I don’t think worldwide recognition for Australian music is a new thing, but it does seem to come in waves. It’s definitely harder for independent bands on smaller labels to make a name for themselves abroad- we’ve been playing together for seven years now and we only released our debut album last year! So in that respect, it’s encouraging to see a lot of Aussie acts getting the attention they deserve overseas at the moment.

ATH: Speaking of the distance, what are the trials and tribulations of being an Aussie act?  Are there other aspects aside from the touring costs that make it difficult to get out of your home country?

Luke: Probably my motivation. I find the idea of spending fourteen hours on a plane daunting… I’ve daydreamed about going overseas for years, but I’ve never actually acted on it because of the amount of organization that goes into it. After dealing with the Visa application process, I must admit that I’m already a bit rattled by the whole experience… But at least once that’s out of the way we can start coming back regularly!

ATH: If someone was going to bring presents for each member of the band, what would we bring you all? 

Luke: An Akai APC40.

Piers: A GZA hoodie.

Conor: A pack of Champion Blue rolling tobacco.

Kate: An issue of Take 5 or That’s Life! (Aussie magazines that are mainstays in our tour van)

ATH: Is there anything you all are making a Must on this trip? Anything that has to be done? Anything we can help you with in Austin?

Luke: Piers and I have committed to visiting the Young Street Bridge in Aberdeen if we get time. I mainly want to check out all the hockshops in various cities for cheap instruments! I can think of one major thing we need help with in Austin, but I won’t mention it in an interview if our Visa approvals are still pending…

ATH: Technically, the album came out last year, so are there already plans for a new EP that we can look forward to in the next year or so?

Luke: I really hope so! We’ve been working on songs for our next record since Plains was released in Australia last year, so most of them are now ready to be recorded by the band. Piers and I have accumulated so much equipment over the years that we’re planning on recording this one ourselves, so ideally we’ll make a start on it when we’re back from this tour.

The band will be taking the stage at the Reverberation Stage on Sunday, April 28th at 3:30 PM