“I’m not spiritual or anything, but I was actually told about Sam when I had a reading (from a psychic),” Troy recalls, “I was told that ten years down the track I would meet this large Italian tattooed man, who wants to redeem himself!” he laughs heartily. “So yeah, that’s a bit of a spin-out. At the time I thought ‘that’s all bullshit’, but when I met him I thought ‘Christ, maybe she was on the money!’”
Now, approximately four years into their career, things appear to be taking off for the band. They have managed to recruit one of the best up and coming young drummers in the country, Damian Corniola, and their debut album Grip Or Slip was released and launched late last year. Their next show is a big one, and Troy’s getting itchy feet.
“Oh yeah, can’t wait for it mate,” he enthuses, “we’ve been itching for it, especially with the new drummer. It just brings a new life into the band. We rehearse every week, and every week it’s just more confident with the songs. People actually pay money just to come and watch him play drums, by himself. So I can’t actually wait to do the gig with him, and he’s excited. I wish it was tomorrow!”
So what do people get from the Sound Of Troy live show, and what do you expect from the crowd in return? “If they like rock, they’re gonna get an awesome rock show,” he explains, “I’m a pretty good frontman. It’s a pretty in your face ‘bangin” show. A lot of people said last time, it blew them away. You’ll be walking away wanting more!
“To tell you the truth, last time we had people singing our songs, so that was pretty amazing! That’s priceless that sorta stuff. Just to get a loyal fanbase, that’d be awesome.”
Sam Labruna, guitarist and main songwriter for Sound Of Troy, is another interesting character. Outside writing tunes, playing guitar and performing with the band, he also trains one of Australia’s finest up and coming boxers. He joined the conversation and told us what was coming up for the band after the show at The Evelyn.
“We’ve got The Butterfly Effect,” he states, “so whatever gigs they’ve got we’ll support them. Or the new band which we’ve supported before called Thousand Needles In Red. So we’re working close with the management there. So that’s what we’ve got coming up at the moment.
“It’s been a bit hard,” he continues, “because I’ve got a kid at the moment that I’ve been training for five years, he’s actually the Australian champion in boxing. I do that full time. So it’s pretty big, what he’s doing. There’s a lot of money involved, a lot of sponsors and such. So it’s been hard. My passion’s always been that, and bands. I’ve always played in bands, I’ve got tons of songs.”
The sound/style of Sound Of Troy is a little difficult to categorise, and it’s something that Troy and Sam have had difficulty with as well when they get asked about it by friends or punters.
“It’s a difficult question,” he agrees, “because some of the songs that we’ve done, we’ve played them with just a piano and vocal. But then again, we’ve played the same song heavy. So it works both ways to be honest. So it’s hard, but I’d just say ‘rock’, really. Like maybe a Matchbox 20, although it’s a little bit heavier than a Matchbox 20. Maybe a Nickelback style or something like that.
“I believe in the songs, the songs are good,” he states in conclusion, “We’re only a four piece at the moment. Ideally we’ll branch out – we need keys, we need a full time piano guy in the band. But it’s working, for what we’re doing at the moment, it’s a rock show.”
BY ROD WHITFIELD
