9+1 Q&A with Local Authority

What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

A couple of years ago I decided to get back into making music for myself again after going through a stagnant period, I was writing and recording a bunch of ideas I’d had for a while. I showed some of my demos to Rhos and Lachlan and they were keen to bring the project to life as a band. Erica performed on the recordings and has now ‘officially’ joined the band and it’s feeling deadlier than ever.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

Our album Negative Space was recorded between a four month period where I would come into the studio and record layers of ideas that over time turned into complete songs. It was a cathartic process that allowed me to grow and understand myself better. It was released on September 27, 2019, on new independent Australian label, 4000 Records.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

Before the recording process I was listening to a lot of alternative 80’s / 90’s stuff from the UK, bands like The Chameleons, Cocteau Twins, The Cure etc which I feel influenced the way the songs turned out. Non music-wise I guess the greatest influence is life in general, love, lust, loss, fear…

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

Cold, dark, psychedelic infused post-punk and shoegaze sounds. I feel like that lazily sums it up.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

At the moment I would say;
Slowdive – ST (2017)
Boards of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest
HTRK – Venus in Leo

for movies,
Mulholland Drive
The Warriors
Terminator

and books,
Slaughterhouse Five
A Clockwork Orange
Nineteen Eighty-Four

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

They are both different arenas, with different rules for battle. I’d probably choose studio at the moment. Playing live can be such a dreaded affair sometimes, dealing with all the different parties involved in organizing a show can be so draining, plus all the time needed to practice. Though when you get to play a good room, with a good P.A and a good engineer, standing in front of all the amplifiers as they’re obliterating you with sound, that is the absolute best feeling.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

Since the album has been getting a bit of air time recently most of my co-workers have been hearing it on the radio at the factory I work in. A couple of them have told me that they think there is something wrong with the songs because they “can’t hear the lyrics”. That always makes me laugh.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

The song Disintegration Fever sticks out as it’s a bit different to the others in terms of textures. The whole song is made up of manipulated sounds and samples, recordings of me throwing beer bottles at walls, storm sirens and even fighter jets flying overhead. That song was the most fun to record.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

World domination, the first order of business is to make Australia goth again.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

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Photo credits: Jasper McDonald-Blair

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

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