“It’s a really exciting time for us at the moment, man,” Ritter says. “We have been sitting on this new single for a little bit. We recorded it at Headgap with Nayo, this fantastic Japanese producer. He really knows how to get the best out of the post rock/hardcore sound in the studio. We have a new manager now and after the launch we are looking to do some interstate and regional touring.”
The band will launch the new single at Cherry Bar on Sunday July 19. Joining them on the night are all female rockers The Divine Fluxus and solo acoustic songstress Bianca Jane. “The launch itself is going to be massive,” says Ritter. “Bianca has a song that is tenth in the top 100 of triple j Unearthed at the moment, so it will be a special moment to see her play, [especially] given she is from New South Wales. And Divine Fluxus always put on a killer show, so it’s going to be a great night.”
Leez Lido came together roughly four years ago, after the dissolution of various other projects. In fact, the band’s core lineup wasn’t secured until they supported a thrash metal band and discovered drummer Jack Mac. In early 2013, they released the single Sunrising, along with an impressive film-clip starring model Helena Vestergaard. Ritter reminisces on filming the video at the Elwood Beach car park.
“We used our drummer’s old ‘71 Valiant that wasn’t registered and Helena had to drive a manual which she hadn’t done before,” he says. “So the cops rocked up and we had to quickly shuffle her out of the front seat. By the end of it, I think we had three cop cars involved in the shoot and they ended up loving it. It was a bit nerve-wracking because the whole project could have been shut down before we began.”
Being a three piece comes with its fair share of benefits and restrictions. Leez Lido are constantly thinking about how to optimise their sonic breadth and provide the best experience for the audience. Early on, ‘90s bands such as Grinspoon, Magic Dirt, Regurgitator and Silverchair influenced Ritter’s guitar playing. However, in the past twelve months, he’s had Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays on high rotation, which inspired the heavier sound and bigger chorus of Kneeling On Her God.
As for formative influences, it’s something of a surprise to discover the first album Ritter ever bought was by the Eurhythmics. “I know, it is very un-grunge, but I used to love Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart,” he says. “She used to fascinate me and the whole vibe that they had going throughout their live shows and video clips was great. I definitely remember being grabbed by their songwriting and their dynamic as an early musical memory.”
Looking ahead, after next weekend’s launch, Leez Lido plan to take Kneeling On Her God all around the country. Given the lengthy gap since the band’s last release, Ritter’s audibly excited to get moving. “We have a new manager organising some dates for us at the moment,” he says. “We can’t wait to head out on the road and tour and then look forward to releasing an EP in early 2016. See you out somewhere on the road.”
BY TEX MILLER
