What makes you happiest about what you’re doing?
Hannah: I’ve always loved harmonies and being in a duo allows me to sing lead for some songs and harmonies for others. It’s the best of both worlds. Because we’re siblings, there are these moments when we’re singing together where our voices completely click. I love those moments.
Describe the worst gig you have ever played.
Hannah: I played bass in a cover band when I was about 18 in the regional town we grew up in. The gig was in a pub in the same room as a bunch of topless waitresses. We didn’t realise until we got to the gig and set up. That was an eye opening experience.
When and why did you start writing music?
Hannah: Coming from a musical family I think writing just came intuitively. The first song I wrote was pretty bad (although I can still remember it so maybe that counts for something?) at about the age of 16. Dan started writing at some ridiculous age – like eight or ten.
Tell us about the last song you wrote.
Dan: Shamefully, I haven’t even written a complete song this year! I just looked back and realised this – I’ve been so flat out with recording, touring etc. that it hasn’t happened. I’d better get cracking with the songwriting now! The last song that I wrote was No Ups or Downs, which was written at the end of last year and managed to make it onto our album, which will be out in September. No Ups or Downs is about feeling emotionally numb, but it’s written in an upbeat and slightly comical way which creates an intentional juxtaposition between the song’s meaning and delivery. This way, I think that it highlights the difference between what’s happening emotionally for a person and what is actually represented to the world or even consciously understood. At the time, a few of family members had passed away and my default reaction to events like this is often to switch off my emotions. This is a song in which I recognise that tendency in myself, perhaps in a pledge to try to change it.
Do you have any record releases to date? What are they? Where can I get them?
Dan: Hannah and I released an EP together in 2012 and have just put out a single Grabbed Me By The Heart, out on Friday May 16. Since we were also solo artists for a number of years, we have three solo EPs between us as well – all online through usual digital outlets like iTunes.
THE ACFIELDS play The Toff In Town on Thursday May 15.
