The past few years have been a very interesting and fruitful time for sleepmakeswaves. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, the experimental post-rock quartet have been (pardon the pun) making waves all across the globe with their consistent touring, creating critically acclaimed albums (their most recent The Love Of Cartography even earning them an ARIA music nomination), and performing breathtaking live shows have been anchoring in new legions of fans the world over.
Next month the band head out on the road for their UK & European tour with the multi-national ambient metal / alternative rock group Skyharbor, and Polish post-rockers Tides From Nebula.
So before they embark on their next touring adventure, one of our interviewers managed to hook up with sleepmakeswaves guitarist Otto Wicks-Green to talk about their recent rise in underground success, art, travelling, the Australian music community, and the importance of communicational values and philosophy.
Sounds like deep topical subject, right? Perhaps so… but the truth be told, is that Otto is an insightful guy with plenty of substance and an appreciative mind for all creative arts and worldwide knowledge! So without further ado, scroll down and read our interview with sleepmakeswaves :
HTF : Good day to you from ’sunny’ England, my Australian friend! First of all how, are you doing and how is everything going over in Sydney?
OWG : Hi there. I’m currently on a train rolling over the Sydney Harbour Bridge enjoying the hazy blueness of the eastern suburbs in the distance and the sunshine-sparkling water below. It’s not a bad place to live. Things are mostly good – tour is approaching so we’re making preparations and excitement is starting to build.
HTF : The past year has been quite something in the SMW camp, particularly upon the strength of your most recent album ‘Love Of Cartography’, which I must say is an absolutely incredible album! How has the reception been regarding the new album?
OWG : Thank you – I’m glad you like it. It’s been immensely satisfying to have all the positive vibes out there after we released it. We worked super hard on getting the songs and recordings into a shape we were happy with. We’ve always tried to build and change as a band with each release, so there’s a bit of an unknown element as to how people will respond. We’ve been really happy with the feedback so far from people around the world who have supported us, which is just fantastic.
HTF : When did you first find out about ‘Love Of Cartography’ getting nominated for an ARIA Award? That must have been a rather mind-blowing moment to say the least?!
OWG : We were invited to this glitzy nominations event at the Art Gallery of NSW. It was so surreal to be this in this heavy instrumental band surrounded by these famous pop stars. It’s great to have an organisation like ARIA recognising the underground scene in Australia. When I arrived, Alex (our bass player) was leaning against one of the stone columns outside with his sunglasses on looking very cool but unfortunately also looked like he was the bodyguard of someone actually famous.
HTF : How supportive have your record label The Bird’s Robe Collective been with your rising success and exposure?
OWG : Mike has been absolutely critical to every step forward that this band has taken. His vision and belief in us has pushed us further than we ever thought we’d get and we’re hugely grateful to have him on the team, and to be one of the many bands his expertise and passion has benefited from.
HTF : So you are about to embark on a month long tour with Skyharbor and Tides From Nebula. It would be safe to assume that you are excited about hitting the road once again out to Europe / UK? Is there anything British and European crowds that differ from the rest of the world? Also how has the reception been from your fans over here in terms of the new album as well?
OWG : Super excited to get back to Europe for sure. It’s a remarkably welcoming place for live alternative music – bands are so well looked after and the love we get back from the fans and the promoters and venue staff makes the whole experience feel really rewarding. There are probably some overarching cultural factors that impact the vibe of a crowd – but I find it’s usually just the individuals in the room that make the biggest impact. I really enjoy getting a sense of a city from the folks who come out to see us that night. It’s a unique and awesome way to get to know a place.
The reception to the record has been overwhelmingly positive overseas and we’re keen to get over there to play these songs live for the fans, new and old.
HTF : What are some of your essential ‘dos and do nots’ of tour life? And has life on the road over the years taught you anything new, and made you realise things that you never were aware of before?
OWG : Becoming a touring band has been a massive learning experience for all of us. We’ve been playing internationally since early 2012 and this will be our fourth time in Europe. Every time we embark on one of these trips we come back a little wiser and better prepared for next time. An issue that’s been on my mind heavily lately is communication – especially with the significant others you leave behind. Listen to their stories and make sure you let them know how important they are, even when making contact is logistically challenging. Communication is also crucial within the touring party. I’ve learned that on tour if you have something negative to say, think carefully about whether or not it’s worth saying. Being away from your loved ones and your home for extended periods of times is difficult, and it’s super important to stay positive and support each other. We’re lucky that we all get on well and have learned how to support each other better over the years.
HTF : The last time you came over here was for the Beyond The Redshift Festival, which I was highly distraught that I missed you guys due to a particular band going WAY over their allocated time slot… it seems like you won over a LOT of new fans that evening! Did you manage to catch any other artists that day, that you particularly liked? And how was the crowd’s reception on that particular show and tour?
OWG : That was a fun day. Highlight has got to have been Cult of Luna’s final show before their hiatus. The sound was immense and the lighting was absolutely stark and beautiful. The crowd were super warm to us and we were grateful to have the opportunity to play with such a stellar lineup.
HTF : Let’s talk a bit about your native country’s music scene. I myself have been following the Australian alternative music scene for quite some time, and over the past decade there has been a notable rise in incredible musical talent – more notably from the likes of yourselves, and other amazing bands such as the highly underrated Meniscus, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and Tame Impala. I think I should also use this moment to also note that Australia also houses one of the most highly underrated punk bands in history – The Saints! What are your personal, individual, and collaborative musical influences? What inspiration do you take from your native country’s music community and surroundings?
OWG : Haha – those bands you mentioned are all indeed fantastic but probably differ just a bit in terms of profile!
My personal influences are pretty diverse. Everything from 80s thrash, melodic hardcore, Americana folk music, sludgey metal, indie surf rock… as for the other guys, I know Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Bjork feature heavily.
HTF : What albums are you currently listening to at the moment, that are worthy of your approval?
OWG : I’m actually going through a bit of a tough time with a relationship ending, so it’s been mainly hardcore bands like Defeater, Counterparts, and Hundredth, alongside Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon records. Emotions! The stuff I’ve heard from Aaron Turner’s new band Sumac is incredible too.
HTF : Besides music, what other forms of creative art are you inspired by (i.e. art, film, literature, etc), and does that contribute to your songwriting? Do you also have any other personal interests / hobbies that reflect in an artistic respect towards your creative input?
OWG : I’m a User-Experience Designer by trade with a big interest in graphic design so I’m frequently hanging around sites like Dribbble and Behance. I also love impressionist and modern art – Alex and I try to visit the best museums across the towns we visit while touring, which is especially excellent in Europe. The ‘Dark Goyas’ in the Prado in Spain blew our minds. In terms of songwriting I’ve always been inspired by just getting out into nature. We have some beautiful hiking trails outside of Sydney in the Blue Mountains, so getting out there into the solitude is a great way to refresh and nurture the creative spirit. In terms of hobbies, I’m an NFL tragic and love to chuck a football around, but not sure how much influence that has on my musical endeavours!
HTF : Australia in general looks like a real beautiful place to live. I’m a keen tourist & adventurer who is curious to visit down under, so sell it to me the best way you can! Give me five solid reasons why Australia, or even more so your hometown of Sydney, is well worth visiting.
OWG : Oh man, if you’re an adventurer then my first reason is above – the hiking and camping opportunities are amazing. Hit me up if you come over and I’ll map out my favourite 1-2 day hike trails when you’re here! Our natural beauty is stunning, and utterly unique. The traditional owners of this place based their entire spirituality on the land. It’s an immensely humbling experience to get out into the cliffs and valleys of the Blue Mountains, and we’re lucky to be living here. Hopefully we can get better at preserving it and respecting it.
Secondly – the local music scene. Australian music has been getting serious international recognition. In addition to the big names, there is serious ‘undiscovered’ talent playing the local clubs every weekend. We don’t have a massive population relative to other major players internationally, but we punch well above our weight. I’m especially close to the alternative rock/hardcore/and progressive rock scenes here, and there’s a wonderful sense of community and shared dedication and purpose.
I’ll move more quickly through the next 3 reasons…
Number 3 – great local craft beers. Get some Australian hops into ya!
Number 4 – weather/beach – yeah, it’s as good as people say.
Number 5 – the Redfern Shanty Club. Every Monday night at a pub called The Dock in Redfern a small but fine group of sea shantiers will regale you with some songs of the sea – join in for the choruses.
HTF : Dually noted! So what can we expect for the rest of 2015 from sleepmakeswaves? Do you have any particularly big plans ahead?
OWG : Well for the next few months it’s just a big focus on hitting the road and sharing this album live with the world. We’ve got 55 shows planned across the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, it’s our biggest tour ever. The month before we leave, the calm before the storm, is always frustrating and weird – your mind is already out there but you have to go through the motions of work and normal life. We’re so keen to get into this tour. Other than that, we’ll just have to see what life throws at us. These big multi-month tours are great as you can really immerse yourself in them, but they do carry this negative consequence of disrupting and challenging the life you leave behind and inevitably return to. As we continue as a band I think we’re all keen to make sure the tour/life balance is one that works for us as our priorities change and our lives march on.
HTF : Finally, thank you very much for your time for taking part in this interview, and we wish you all the best for your upcoming tour with Skyharbor and Tides Of Nebula! I for sure cannot wait to finally get to see you guys live! Do you have any final thoughts or wisdom to share with us all before we wrap up?
OWG : Thanks for your thoughtful questions. No new wisdom, just the stuff everyone already knows: be kind, and don’t forget to tell the people you love that you love them. Oh and, give touring band members a hug when you meet them! Cheers.
We certainly recommend that you catch sleepmakeswaves whilst they are out on tour with Skyharbor and Tides From Nebula, which you can view the UK & Euro dates by clicking on the band’s official website link.
The UK leg of the tour starts at the Camden Underworld, London on March 16th, and ends on march 20th at the Joiners, Southampton. You can buy tickets for all UK shows here.
