Lead singer and blues harp player, Phil Coyne, is a big fan of the festival, and is excited to be on the bill this year. “It’s great, a great location and a great festival,” he says. “They have got really top players happening there.”
For Electric Blues Collective, festivals are where it’s at. You get to see artists you wouldn’t normally see, people tend to make more effort to get out to one and they bring with them a different feeling and vibe.
“It’s festive but you’re amongst other musicians as well. There’s all sorts of networking and it’s just a different atmosphere. I love the way that they put the Docklands Blues Music Festival together, it’s really cool and it’s really interesting,” says Coyne. “The other thing about this festival is they’ve got a youth section as well. It’s really encouraging young people to play, and to actually play in front of others.”
Electric Blues Collective like to think of their music as ferocious Chicago blues. Coyne plays his harp – which is blues terminology for harmonica – through an old ‘50s microphone and amp, and describes it as a real heavy, driving sound. He describes the band’s sound as very harp driven, with it being the main instrument to lay down the rhythm, and believes their music has an energy not too dissimilar to punk.
“It’s like punk, it’s not angry but it’s all about being moved and being a part of an audience and the band as a living thing. We’re all having a good time and we’re all trying to be moved.”
The Australian blues scene stands out because it’s diverse and broad. Especially at festivals, where there is the opportunity to see a broad range of bands, and a vast range of solo acts contributing to the scene.
Coyne says that the blues scene has changed a lot since he’s been in it, but he likes the fact that there’s more young players getting involved, keeping it alive with fresh music and ideas.
“It’s funny how blues started in the US, but it’s all over the world,” he says. “You listen to Finnish harp players and they’re all trying to do the same thing. We’re all trying to play homage to the guys that inspired us and create something new. In a sense we’re just part of this big world community that’s really into this stuff.”
It’s also a time of change for Electric Blues Collective, with lead guitarist and founding member Sam Wylie moving interstate. This means they’re on the hunt for a new guitarist leading into the new year. As well as auditioning for a replacement, the band plan to pen some new songs, as well as work on their live performances, and how they interact with the crowd.
“People don’t want to go and see a band that’s into themselves, they want to go see a band that puts on a show, they want to be entertained,” says Coyne.
During their brief guitarist-less period, the band are going to be working with some other great musicians, something which Coyne is particularly excited about.
“As a musician, you do your thing and you enjoy other people’s playing, and you forget that other people enjoy what you do. So, having people wanting to play with you is such a lovely thing.”
Coyne encourages any music fans to come down and experience the Docklands Blues Music Festival. Not only is it billed by a plethora of talented artists and bands, but it’s free, too.
“It’s a really well put together festival and it’s just like a celebration of great Australian blues music, it’s fantastic.”
