Having previously released a five-track demo, the foursome is currently busy putting the final touches to what will be their second demo release. “We started a little over a month ago on three tracks at Colour Sound Studio,” says Randal. “So we’re hoping to have that finished next week. We didn’t have the budget to go all out but we did have an opportunity to go in for a couple of days and put some songs down.”
Working within tight deadlines and on shoe-string budgets, Sub Rosa have nonetheless realised the importance of putting out regular material for a new band just making their way. Along with the soon-to-be-released demo, the band have also been working away on a film clip for their track Sheepskin. “I’m editing at the moment,” says Bonet “We did a little bit of filming a few months ago and I’m putting that together.”
Despite the time Sub Rosa has spent in the studio of late, the band is primarily focused on honing their live show and their songwriting skills.“This year we want to just keep playing as many shows as we can and write new songs; we’ve got a bunch of new songs we’re putting together,” the guitarist says. “So it’s really just being creative within the band and then also taking our show to wherever we can.”
A crucial element for any new band today in attracting a following is their online presence. Bonet agrees that the benefits of the Internet age play an important role in this respect. “I think it’s pretty crucial to have a website or a Facebook page of some sort so people can read a little bit about what you’re about, have a quick listen to your tracks or share your events with friends,” she says. “Social media is just a part of how people get in touch and find out what’s going on. It’s pretty handy to have all those tools available, but I think sometimes people can be a bit apathetic to actually leaving the confines of their computer screens to come out to the pub on a cold winter night.”
Although Melbourne offers many opportunities for up and coming bands in the live arena, on the flip side it can be fairly competitive due to the sheer volume of musical acts. Bonet is adamant that when it comes to the live setting, the best response the band has had is when they have found the right environment for their sound. “I think when we play with similar bands that are in a similar genre the shows work together well,” she admits. “We’ve also done shows where the lineup is very mixed. Like it might be folk bands or whatever and there hasn’t been a whole lot of thought putting the show together. But you know, we’re jumping on board and we’re happy to play with a diverse range of bands but we find it a bit better when there is more thought put into it and the crowds are into all the bands that are there. We’ve probably picked up a bit of a following. I think the word is getting out”.
BY JAMES NICOLI
