Tell us about the video for ‘He Eats Money’. What is the story behind it?
The video is a debut and the song is from the EP Pair Of Rogues. We had an intense but satisfying time filming it out at Werribee Mansion in July. When I wrote it a melody came to me, along with the image of a lone man in a mansion who eats money.
It’s brooding, almost unnerving songwriting. How are you trying to make your listeners feel?
Just to transport them through the world of the song. I think for me it was crystalising some feelings around mass consumption and attainment of power. The man has reached a position of ultimate power, yet seems a slave to a greater one. An unnerving scenario, perhaps. When I first played it to friends they laughed, perhaps at the absurdity.
How would you describe your sound and how did you come to it?
I seem to make wintry songs. For me, songs are an analogy of the weather – they’re a mood. I appreciate the moods of winter and, I suspect for the same reason, write wintry songs. That said, I enjoy things about the other seasons. Perhaps I can still broaden my musical horizons.
You previously fronted Pete and the Tar Gang and have performed shows across the world. How has your music evolved over the years?
I suppose I appreciate aural space more than I used to, the ‘less is more’ thing. I used to like cramming a lot of ideas into a smaller space and it was more chaotic. But that may also have been truer to what I wanted to express. I guess age has mellowed me out.
How will the video be presented at your upcoming screenings at LongPlay?
We’ll be projecting it on the cinema screen there at LongPlay. It’s such an intimate, cosy den, so it should be an immersive experience. Of course, we’ll play some songs too, along with special guests Lynn Jacob and Sasha Cuha.
