Post by blade on Jul 21, 2014 21:23:16 GMT
Source:
www.aphramag.com/howling-bells/
Text:
Howling Bells
By Danielle Nelson · July 20, 2014
It is set to be an exciting year for one of Australia’s best musical exports, Howling Bells.
On the back of the release of their fourth studio album, Heartstrings, the Aussie indie rockers have announced that they will return to their homeland later this year for their first headlining tour in three years.
I caught up with the bands stunning front woman, Juanita Stein, to chat about their new album, the ups and downs of being a musician and what’s on the horizon for the band.
1.How was it getting back in the studio after three years?
It was really great. It was really a very positive experience for everyone, and I think having recorded it in such a short time frame meant we really had to focus, and produce something pretty amazing, so it was a really productive time for us.
2.The album itself was recorded in about eleven days. Did you feel like there was a different vibe while recording Heartstrings in comparison to the three previous albums (Howling Bells, Radio Wars, The Loudest Engine)?
Yeah there was a different vibe. Also we have a brand new bass player Gary, this was his first time recording with us, so it was nice having that fresh blood so to speak.
All of the songs were kind of written in a couple of months so there was very little time to have dialogue over what kind of record it should be between writing the songs, demoing the songs and then recording the songs. It was very, very fast.
I think that worked well in that we didn’t have a lot of time to labour over the process. I think too much time is very dangerous for a musician.
3.You’ve just done a U.K tour, how do you feel the audience has responded so far to the new material?
Really positive to the new songs considering we were touring before anyone actually had the record. I think the response was really great.
4.You’ve played a lot of shows all over the world, is there a particular show, or particular tour that has really stood out for you?
For some reason New Orleans comes to mind, simply because I’d always had this fantasy about what New Orleans would be like, and I felt very, very seduced by the city. We were supporting Coldplay on that show, so we got the day to walk around and visit what looked to me like a movie set. It was just the most incredible town and I just felt blown away by that place. Then we played an amazing show that night, then afterwards some locals took us out, so we spent until the wee hours of the morning just hopping from jazz bar, to Dixie bar, to country bar and it was just a real American fantasy for me. It definitely stands out.
5.It’s been ten years since your debut album was released, naturally over that time frame you grow and experience a lot, how much has changed for you guys? How do you think you’ve grown as a group?
I think for us it’s been a matter of sticking together throughout a lot of ups and downs, and weathering a lot of mini storms. The fact that we are still together and still making music is testament to how powerful a connection we have as a band, as musicians.
6.You mention ups and downs, what’s the best part about being in Howling Bells?
For me, I think it’s the fact that I get to do what I desperately love which is play music, and sing, and travel and I mean, you couldn’t write a better job description.
7.And lastly, what’s on the horizon for Howling Bells?
Getting back to New Orleans and playing our own stadium show there!
Essentially it would be getting to America because we have never really explored there as a band, so that would be fantastic. Also, potentially coming back and doing a full tour in Australia, and England and Europe would be fantastic.
Just touring the pants off the record really.
www.aphramag.com/howling-bells/
Text:
Howling Bells
By Danielle Nelson · July 20, 2014
It is set to be an exciting year for one of Australia’s best musical exports, Howling Bells.
On the back of the release of their fourth studio album, Heartstrings, the Aussie indie rockers have announced that they will return to their homeland later this year for their first headlining tour in three years.
I caught up with the bands stunning front woman, Juanita Stein, to chat about their new album, the ups and downs of being a musician and what’s on the horizon for the band.
1.How was it getting back in the studio after three years?
It was really great. It was really a very positive experience for everyone, and I think having recorded it in such a short time frame meant we really had to focus, and produce something pretty amazing, so it was a really productive time for us.
2.The album itself was recorded in about eleven days. Did you feel like there was a different vibe while recording Heartstrings in comparison to the three previous albums (Howling Bells, Radio Wars, The Loudest Engine)?
Yeah there was a different vibe. Also we have a brand new bass player Gary, this was his first time recording with us, so it was nice having that fresh blood so to speak.
All of the songs were kind of written in a couple of months so there was very little time to have dialogue over what kind of record it should be between writing the songs, demoing the songs and then recording the songs. It was very, very fast.
I think that worked well in that we didn’t have a lot of time to labour over the process. I think too much time is very dangerous for a musician.
3.You’ve just done a U.K tour, how do you feel the audience has responded so far to the new material?
Really positive to the new songs considering we were touring before anyone actually had the record. I think the response was really great.
4.You’ve played a lot of shows all over the world, is there a particular show, or particular tour that has really stood out for you?
For some reason New Orleans comes to mind, simply because I’d always had this fantasy about what New Orleans would be like, and I felt very, very seduced by the city. We were supporting Coldplay on that show, so we got the day to walk around and visit what looked to me like a movie set. It was just the most incredible town and I just felt blown away by that place. Then we played an amazing show that night, then afterwards some locals took us out, so we spent until the wee hours of the morning just hopping from jazz bar, to Dixie bar, to country bar and it was just a real American fantasy for me. It definitely stands out.
5.It’s been ten years since your debut album was released, naturally over that time frame you grow and experience a lot, how much has changed for you guys? How do you think you’ve grown as a group?
I think for us it’s been a matter of sticking together throughout a lot of ups and downs, and weathering a lot of mini storms. The fact that we are still together and still making music is testament to how powerful a connection we have as a band, as musicians.
6.You mention ups and downs, what’s the best part about being in Howling Bells?
For me, I think it’s the fact that I get to do what I desperately love which is play music, and sing, and travel and I mean, you couldn’t write a better job description.
7.And lastly, what’s on the horizon for Howling Bells?
Getting back to New Orleans and playing our own stadium show there!
Essentially it would be getting to America because we have never really explored there as a band, so that would be fantastic. Also, potentially coming back and doing a full tour in Australia, and England and Europe would be fantastic.
Just touring the pants off the record really.