Brooklyn indie darlings Beach Fossils were originally slated to tour Australia at the end of 2012, but had to postpone last-minute, but promised they would return.
Now, true to their word, Beach Fossils are currently in Australia playing shows, having already played Brisbane Festival and in Sydney, they one last show in Melbourne before heading off on tour with Kurt Vile.
We caught up with Dustin to chat about writing in solitude, starting out in a punk band and the Brooklyn music scene.
Over the years we’ve seen the Beach Fossils sound go from a dream-pop, lo-fi vibe to a much tougher, industrial aesthetic on the most recent record Clash The Truth. How did this progression unfold – was it a natural process or was the evolution a conscious decision?
The process is always pretty natural, I think it works best if you don’t think about what you’re doing and let it lead the way for you.
You wrote and recorded the entire album in the cosy bedroom of your apartment in Greentown, Brooklyn. What are the best and worst things about that kind of DIY working environment?
It’s important for me to be alone and work in solitude. I don’t work well with others around, I like to take risks and experiment a lot and I don’t like anybody else to know what I’m working on until it’s final. If others hear it too soon I feel like it’s spoiled, and many times I’ll never return to the song.
Though you’ve always made the music by yourself, Beach Fossils has grown from your own solo outlet to being a full band, at least in the live setting. What was the reasoning behind the decision to bring more people into the mix?
I’ve always liked playing live with others. The energy is necessary on stage. I always get really bummed out when there’s a band I love and go to see there’s two dudes standing there with guitars on a computer with backing tracks. On the flip side, I always love it when I hear a band that sounds like it’s one guy and live it’s four or five people giving it their all.
You’re about to embark on Beach Fossils’ first Australian tour at the end of the month. Firstly, thanks for honouring your word after last year’s heart-breaking cancellation. Because it’ll be your first time here, have you got any pre-conceptions of what the country will be like?
I actually don’t know what to expect. That’s what makes it the most fun. I wish I didn’t have to cancel the first time, but I was wrapping up the album and thought it would be better to show up with the new material instead of songs we’ve been playing over for the past few years.
Have you compiled a tourist-like list of things to do over here? It’s almost a law that you can’t leave the country if you haven’t taken a picture with a koala, you know.
Please give me a koala. I don’t think we have time to do touristy things, just looking out the window on drives wishing I could go outside.
So far we’ve only been able to experience your live shows through low-quality YouTube videos. What are your gigs like, live and in the flesh?
You’ve got to be there to know. Let’s get buck.
Can you remember your first ever live performance? Before Beach Fossils you played in a punk band, right?
Yeah, well my first live performance ever I was like 12 years old… I had a drum machine through a distortion pedal all the way up, my friend was hammering the strings on an out of tune distorted guitar and I was just running around screaming. I’m sure it sounded like a middle school version of Skinny Puppy. At least, that’s what I was going for. But the first “band” I ever played shows with was called The Cunt Fucks, I just joined as a bassist and the songs were already there. But we definitely were the best punk band Charlotte, NC ever had.
What was it like growing up with parents who were in a band with a song called ‘Fuck You In The Face’? Were they your kind of gateway into the world of music?
Absolutely. They are the reason I play and I’m lucky to have a family that supports me instead of telling me I’m wasting my time. When I was a kid I thought everybody’s parents had house parties with bands playing.
What’s the music scene like in Brooklyn? Would you say it lives up to the hype?
The music scene is really dense and there are a lot of great bands. It gets over saturated and there’s a lot of repetitive shit, but you’ll also go out and once a week you’ll see an amazing band that you’ve never heard of.
What bands or artists are getting played a lot in your apartment at the moment?
I’ve been listening mainly to 80’s American hardcore the past few months. Really keeps me on my feet while I’m on tour, helps me not take things too seriously.
Lastly, what’s in store for the rest of the year and the beginning of 2014?
Touring, writing, touring, writing, deep sleep, writing, touring..
Where we can see you play next, what releases do you have available and where can we get them?
After Australia we hit up New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and then we run through the USA with Kurt Vile basically until the end of the year. (deep breath) and then off to more writing.
Catch Beach Fossils on Saturday 21st September @ Corner Hotel, Melbourne (18+ only)
