Recorded with Ricki Rae at Lighthouse Studios, Pattenden was thankful for both the rural space of the studio and the energy that Rae brought to the sessions. “It was a great experience recording with Ricki,” Pattenden says. “The studio is set among a large open property with kangaroos bounding around at dusk – the perfect setting for our unique, adventurous sound. Ricki is also a bit of a perfectionist. We put each layer down five times – and I am talking five really good takes. We would then closely analyse each line and ensure what was used as the end product was perfect. The result was a pretty slick production that we are really proud of.”
The greatest difficulty for Artist Proof is finding where they ‘fit’ in the musical landscape. Theirs rich style of music is not easily labelled and not always easily digested. It’s the sort of music you really need to invest yourself in as the listener. “[The scene] is a difficult one for us. There is a strong vocal melody, driving guitars and a narrative approach to each song. However, if we were to be pigeonholed, I’d say we are a part of the modern art scene. Our music is best featured sitting alongside or in conjunction with live art, film, or fashion. The trend in visual arts is all about creating a dialogue or cross-pollination across different art forms. We are a part of this emerging scene and therefore don’t fit into traditional music genres.”
This merging with the visual is something Artist Proof are no strangers to. “People often comment on the fact that our music is cinematic,” he says. “An Artist Proof is the first impression an artist makes of their work so in essence our music finds inspiration in visual art forms. We have created bespoke performances with artists JKB Fletcher, E.L.K, Rehgan De Mather, and Gillian Warden, as part of the Fringe Festival a few years ago. The night was part exhibition, part musical performance and the artists ended up selling a number of their artworks. Our new release also features the work of artist Rehgan De Mather. We have just submitted a proposal to the Melbourne Festival regarding another collaboration with one of Australia’s most well-known street artists which should be great.”
While Pattenden and Andrew Schapper (the other half of Artist Proof) have been in various bands around town, they feel a sense of home in this musical incarnation. “My first real original band was called Tern,” he says. “We were an indie rock band with pretty full on drums and guitars. Whilst this was great for a time, I believe the emphasis on the vocal was lost and every musician was in it for themselves. Drew has played in several bands including a current side project, Planet Jumper. I guess you’d describe them as electronic funk. It is pretty cool and the guys are doing well. This allows Drew to introduce a few really interesting grooves into the Artist Proof sound which are pretty uncommon in most rock bands. Artist Proof is about delivering something that people have never heard before. We are doing just that and that’s why it feels right.”
Pattenden admits that’s while their journey up the musical ladder is an even greater challenge than it is for some due to their unique sound, they remain positively focused and future plans abound. “We’d love to record a full album in the near future,” he says. “We are planning to head overseas later this year and will record while we are over there. We also want to continue to collaborate with artists and create an engaging show that allows the listener to fully appreciate the dynamic elements of our sound. We plan to host a series of bespoke events working with architects, artists, filmmakers and more, to make each Artist Proof performance an unforgettable event.”
BY KRISSI WEISS
