1) First, explain the beginnings/background of SEAWORTHY and what inspired you to create your own sounds..
Hailing from Australia, the duo known as SEAWORTHY (not to be confused with the other artist currently working under that name) have been busy producing and releasing several small vinyl releases on their own indie label, Steady Cam Records. In early 2002, they managed to release an amazing debut CD of their warm, invitingly melodic and moody songs, titled "It's Humbling When Two Saints Meet". Principal members Cameron Webb and Greg Bird's interests in cinematic soundscapes and post-rock musics meld into a stunningly gorgeous and introspective collection of predominantly instrumental audio vignettes, and this CD immediately impressed me with it's aura of honesty and genuine human emotion. This interview was conducted in February-March 2002 with GODSEND's Todd Zachritz and SEAWORTHY's Greg and Cameron.
1) First, explain the beginnings/background of SEAWORTHY and what inspired
you to create your own sounds..
Greg: Cameron started "Seaworthy" in about 1999. The early stuff of
Seaworthy were these remarkable songs about love and the ocean. When I heard
the first single ("Tide In Knots"), it sounded like a fisherman who lived in
his shack on the beach recording guitar songs to four track. Cameron
convinced me to buy a four track, and I recorded some stuff as well. The
sound I produced was pretty much the same, except I was doing piano and
organ stuff, and this sounded much dronier than Cameron's delicate guitar
pickings. The combination of these two distinctive sounds was really
productive. And the album flowed from these recordings over about half a
year.
I think the music comes from our love of warm music and comforting sounds
and that other-wordly feeling you get from listening to other bands. Trying
to produce that "feeling" and getting it onto four track, listening to it
back and realising you captured the way you felt at that moment is a lot of
fun. Hopefully people will get that "feeling".
2) The textural sounds of 'It's Humbling..' seem more than fitting as a
soundtrack--any offers or plans for any sort of filmwork in the future? Greg: Not that I know of, but we like to pretend that the album is like a
movie soundtrack anyway. It tells a story - more like a collection of
little stories, each relating to emotions - searching, waiting, hoping. A
lot of the stuff that I do when I am mucking around on the piano sounds like
a movie or TV theme. But those early versions don't reach the final cuts,
because I get embarrassed that these songs sounds like they are trying to be
significant. So I tone it down, make it a little more vague and obscure.
But there are elements of that movie feel, and that is good because people
identify with that feeling when they hear it.
A lot of the stuff on "Humbling" was also recorded when I borrowed all the
Twin Peaks TV series videos from Cameron, and I basically went through this
massive obsession with the sounds and moods generated from the TV series.
The music on
Twin Peaks was by Angelo Badalamenti, who does all the music for David Lynch
films. If you like "Humbling", you would really like music from David Lynch
films.
3) Has the local music scene been supportive of your work? Cameron: Very supportive. The album has been received very well by local
radio, press and fellow artists. The community of like minded bands in
Sydney is relatively small but they are open to new ideas. We are being
approached to play more live shows with many of the local bands so it is
encouraging to bring our music to the live scene, something we've approached
with great trepidation in the past. Although fellow musicians are
supportive, once you bring relatively quiet music to the live scene, more
often than not you can be drowned out by the audience!
4) Playing live...do you see this as a suitable outlet for SEAWORTHY? Greg: We have played one show so far. We had a drummer for that one, and we
will probably get him more involved in recording as well. So I think in the
future there will be a merging between the sound of the live stuff and the
recorded stuff. In relation to playing live versions of songs
from "Humbling", there are songs where its simple to re-create the atmosphere
because they songs just flow so well (like "Tide in Knots"), but others its
a little difficult (like "Between the Lodges"). We are working on getting
some drony samples together to give that rich feeling to songs. And we are
thinking of getting a projector to show images of the beach, or forests or
whatever to arouse the similar ambience from the record.
We also chuck some songs in with vocals. We have been listening to a lot of
Scott Walker, and his thoughts were really
similar to what we express now in Seaworthy, so we do a few of his songs.
And we have also written a couple of songs where there can be singing.
Again its about generating an emotion that people can relate to, and I think
that you can really get close to achieving that when
there is some singing.
5) Do either of the members work musically in other projects, or is SEAWORTHY
your main concern? Cameron: I've recently finished up playing guitar in Sydney based band
twelve24. More of a guitar pop outfit whose sound sat somewhere between the
Blake Babies and Bettie Serveert. We were together for around five years,
released a couple of eps and a series of vinyl singles. I also run the small
indie record label Steady Cam who continue to release vinyl 7-inch singles.
(http://www.steadycamrecords.com.au)
6) What are your aims or intentions with SEAWORTHY, if any?
Greg: To keep on recording and producing sounds that are interesting that
have a lot of texture and warmth. Also, getting more and more into the
artwork, making Seaworthy posters and doing stuff for the website.
Cameron: Recreating and reinterpreting the moods of those different types of
music and visual inspirations is something that
drives and lot of the music but on a much simpler level, the music aims to
create 'real' emotions born of day to day experiences. The visual
representation of Seaworthy is quite important as well, not only from a
packaging perspective but also posters, flyers and live shows.
Greg: Another aim is to get "Humbling" out there so we can play some shows.
This is important if you want to know what you are producing is any good and
that it means something to somebody else. I do the Seaworthy thing not
because of a five year plan to get signed up by a major record label, but
because I just enjoy doing it. Work can get you down sometimes, and its good
to have this sort of creative outlet that is so flexible and you control it.
And it means a lot when it means something to somebody else.
7) The future for you and your music... Greg: Once again, its just to keep busy, creating stuff and not forgetting
how to do that. Music is especially great for that - you really do it for
yourself because you can capture a moment, and its even better when someone
hears what you've recorded and they say "I know exactly what you're on
about". As long as that keeps happening, music won't ever change for me.
Cameron: Hopefully Seaworthy will be collaborating with a couple of other
Australian artists on recording projects. Fellow Australians Hydroplane have
expressed some interest in a collaboration/remix project so with any luck
that will see the light of day before too long. We'd also love to have the
remix treatment done to us by Jason from Pretty Boy Crossover/Other People's
Children so fingers crossed we can work with Jason in the near future too.
8) Any closing words to listeners (or those who haven't heard SEAWORTHY
(yet)... Cameron: If people are interested in picking up the album, US shoppers can
buy direct from us and the poor state of the Australian dollar makes things
reasonably cheap. We sell the album for US$10 inc. postage or US$8 if you
don't mind us removing the jewel case. European shoppers can pick up a copy
from Boa Melody Bar or Norman Records.
For further info on SEAWORTHY, visit:
http://go.to/seaworthy
