Hey there. Who are we speaking to and what’s your role in The Once?
Geri here. I’m the lead singer. Also the only girl in the band of three. Phil and Andrew are the multi instrumentalist geniuses and singers.
To the entirely uninitiated, give us a brief history lesson on The Once.
We formed because we got thrown together at a theatre festival. We started as actors and sang some trad. songs together for an evening of entertainment whipped together frantically to sell tickets to the tourists. It worked out for us as venue owners kept asking us to play their space. Eventually a gent gave us $5000 to make a record. The band’s name is from a Newfoundland saying meaning “in a minute”. For example, “We will start a band now d’wonce”.
You guys hail from the majestic Newfoundland, Canada. How has your hometown helped to shape your sound?
Our sound is very harmony driven and story driven. It’s about the raw elements that existed before instruments.
You’ll be hitting up The Workers Club on Saturday March 12 as part of your extensive Aussie tour. What can we expect?
Music from our three albums, but mostly from our newest album Departures.
You’re touring on the back of your 2014 release Departures, an album that centres on the idea of loss. Tell us a little about the record.
It’s the album that defines us the most. These are our own words. Mostly about love, loss and being away from the ones we love. And a ballad about murder.
