For some, the end of Melbourne’s Little Red was a sad moment, and rightfully so, but when viewed at the surfeit of music that’s stemmed from various members out of the break-up, it’s been nothing but good times.
For former frontman Dominic Byrne, his creative energies have been poured into a supergroup of sorts called New Gods. Along with former Little Red member Adrian Beltrame, the band features Richard Bradbeer of Eagle and The Worm, Dale Packard from Ground Components, and drummer Sam Raines.
Emerging from an earlier band called Greasers, which arose out of coming together whilst studying at Box Hill Tafe, the end of Little Red presented Byrne the opportunity to get this incarnation back together.
As Byrne states, “I wanted to do something different, Little Red was really one style at the start.” Despite the fact that Greasers “could never do anything properly,” Byrne remained “serious about it from a songwriting point of view.”
With the band coming together relatively quickly at the beginning of 2012, the journey to their debut EP was something entirely more challenging.
“We were going to do an album,” Byrne reveals, “we recorded an album that we tried to finish but the label decided that the EP was a better idea to start off with, which was probably right.”
He is refreshingly candid about his feelings towards those decisions. “It’s just frustrating for me because I’ve written a lot of songs and I’ve only put out a fraction of those songs, I hate sitting on [them] all.”“I have these very strong ideas about what’s going to happen with these songs and it’s really hard to hold that image in your head throughout the whole process.” – Dominic Byrne
It’s a common theme amongst artists when discussing their relationships with record labels, and the tug of war between art and commercial interests hasn’t been far away for New Gods either.
“I have this problem with the way things are,” Byrne admits, “maybe it’s my own fault, maybe if I’d stayed independent ages ago I could have put out way more [material].”
Immediately reflecting on his words, he continues, “but then lots of people put out shit loads of records and no one cares about them so I guess I don’t want that either.”
Whilst clearly frustrated about the road to simply finishing a single EP, Byrne is equally conflicted about how it has turned out. “I’m sort of happy enough, I can’t really listen to it,” he comments, “I’m 80% happy.”
Obviously tormented by the sounds that originate in his head and the end product, the Melbourne songwriter finds it particularly difficult retaining those first ideas, revealing further insecurities.
“I have these very strong ideas about what’s going to happen with these songs and it’s really hard to hold that image in your head throughout the whole process.”
Despite these misgivings that perhaps others would ignore, Byrne is quick to admit he’s “happy if other people like it” and keen to move onto the next thing. And who can blame him? Whilst from the outside it has seemed to be smooth sailing, the internal struggles have clearly weighed on his mind during the whole process.
As Byrne patiently sits on unreleased material, seemingly almost ready to be released, the fantastic, five-track New Gods serves as the work to represent his songwriting for the time being.
For someone as openly reflective as the former Little Red frontman it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he can wax lyrical on the topic with ease.
“Songwriting is the biggest part of it for me,” he offers, “my best songs are the songs I can play on piano and just sing, it doesn’t need other stuff, everything else works around that – that’s what a song is.”
Whilst admitting that when it’s not coming he finds it really hard, and offers, “hopefully I can get past that as life goes on and not be all fucking down based on when this songs are getting written.” Byrne also states “I find it really relieving and a release when it’s happening.”
Asked whether environment plays a role in his songwriting Byrne comments, “I know it does, it definitely does.”“My best songs are the songs I can play on piano and just sing, it doesn’t need other stuff, everything else works around that – that’s what a song is.” – Dominic Byrne
“You internalise all the stuff from where you’re from, assuming you’re open about what you’re doing,” he reflects, “where you’re from is going to influence you as much as your favourite band.”
The beach also played its role for Byrne, taking advantage of his parents’ house in Lakes Entrance. “When we recorded ‘Skipping Stones’, we were thinking about that (the beach), the moving of all the waves.”
Once again Byrne needs no invitation for getting introspective as he states, “music and the ocean, there’s something very in common there, the way the waves wash over you.”
It’s hard not to get caught up in the way the New God describes these environmental influences on his music as well as the importance he places on taking time to reflect.
“I don’t know why we try to stay away from being reflective, I really feel like it happens, I feel it with myself, trying to find any distraction instead of sitting and thinking about things,” he says.
Having finished 2012 with some handy supports with The Rubens and, earlier in the year Alt-J, Byrne states the live show is still a ‘work in progress’. However on a more positive noted, he adds, “I like it better live.” With a band full of talented musicians this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Despite the trials and tribulations that New Gods, and particularly Byrne himself, went in the last twelve months, as he yelled out at the recent launch for their EP “2013 is going to be for all those people who had a shit 2012.”
If the strength of their debut EP is anything to go by, surely this year will indeed be a great year for New Gods.
New Gods is out now through Liberation, read the Tone Deaf review here. New Gods play shows in Melbourne, Adelaide and NSW over March/April, before supporting Local Natives on their East Coast tour in May; see below for full dates and details.
New Gods Australian Tour 2013 Dates
Tuesday, 26 March 2013 – Union House – Lunchtime, University of Melbourne
Saturday, 30 March 2013 – The Ed Castle, Adelaide SA
Wednesday, 3 April 2013 – CSU, Wagga Wagga NSW
Thursday, 18 April 2013 – Manning Bar, Sydney NSW
Local Natives 2013 Australian Tour Dates & Tickets
w/ support on all dates from Local Natives.
Wed 15 May Sydney | Metro Theatre (18+)
www.ticketek.com.au| Ph: 132 849
Sat 18 May Melbourne | Forum Theatre (18+)
www.ticketmaster.com.au | Ph: 136 100
Sun 19 May Brisbane | The Zoo (18+)
www.oztix.com.au | Ph: 1300 762 545
