Higgs from King of The North on Matt Sonic:
What made you want to be a musician?
Dad’s record collection. It was a horde of ’70s rock, rhythm and blues and psychedelia. It was the only thing that would pacify an eager spirit when I was a young man. A little later it was Lenny Kravitz who took it to the next level of musical need. His Are You Gonna Go My Way tour was my first live show. Mum dressed my elder brother and I up in all of her old ’70s tie-dye and sent us to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre to see him. That was where the concept of a gig as church was found. It’s never changed from there.
What song of your own are you most proud of so far and why?
I would have to say a song that we are finishing at the moment as our next single. It’s called First Rays of Electric Light. It was born in a moment and is just a perfect mirror to both my life and the collective energy my band The High Times are all experiencing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt a song of mine truly answer a response to life so well.
What are you most looking forward to with this show?
Seeing old friends, playing a new guitar live, and meeting the audience. I’ve been living on the southern beaches of Sydney for a while now, though Melbourne is our bands spiritual home, so it’s always nice seeing everyone we work with there, from dinner with our tech and manager, to the music community we all enjoy. It’s always a buzz to see who makes up an audience at a High Times show and meeting them is the best. At a show in Tasmania I had a young man give me a picture of an old lady eating porridge and it said above it, “I think you’re yummy.” It’s moments like these.
What are your plans for the future?
Which future? Right now we’re meeting in Melbourne as often as we can to finish demo-ing and begin recording a new record. I usually sleep on Meg’s house on the floor, we rehearse for around 12 hours over two days and try to space the over-excited conversation, beer, coffee and vanilla slice into appropriate times of the day.
Sonic takes on Higgs:
What made you want to be a musician?
Seeing Liam Cuffley of My Left Boot, The Wardens and Matt Sonic & The High Times play drums.
What has been the biggest challenge with recording? Paying for it.
When are you looking forward to having a full length album out?
The debut King Of The North album will be out before the end of the year.
What are your plans for the future? Overseas?
Rocking out at Rock Your Arse Off this Friday!
