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[su_quote]I just needed to start being a bit more creatively honest and sharing what I was writing at home alone and trusting my own ideas.[/su_quote]
What inspired the change of pace and sound?
I think I was really unhappy, It wasn’t that I didn’t love the music I was making, I did. Ficci is one of my favourite electronic producers and working with him was the best, but I don’t really listen to much music like the stuff I was creating. I’d write so much at home on my guitar and do nothing with it, I really like playing with my band and that vibe, all the artists I listen to and am inspired by are that too, I just needed to start being a bit more creatively honest and sharing what I was writing at home alone and trusting my own ideas.
Where does the name Batts come from?
Well my surname is Batt, so it was always a bit of a nickname but my friend Megan who used to make music under Stax Osset suggested the change a fair few years back.
“For now” is a beautiful and haunting melody, what inspired its lyrics?
Thank you, that means a lot! My partner is also a musician and he tours a lot, funnily enough he is away right now on tour too. When I wrote the song it was a busy time of the year and he had been away a lot and I was just missing spending some quality time together I guess. *Sorry for the cheese*
What artists have inspired you as a musician?
This list could actually go on forever, initially you have all the old soul singers I grew up on like, Shirley Bassey, Nina Simone, Etta James and so many more. Lately my biggest inspirations have been from artists who I believe are just magical story tellers like Andy Shauf and Keaton Henson, Matthew Kenneally from Canary, Laura Marling and many more. Then there are the artists like Bon Iver, Daughter, Warpaint and Hayden Calnin etc that inspire me a lot. I’ve really been honing in on bettering my lyrics and story telling within them so these are the artists that inspire that, plus musically are kick arse and I love what all of them are doing. Also Michael Jackson & The Beatles are probably within my life my most listened to artists so they have subconsciously inspired me a lot.
Is there an album that you just can’t stop listening at the moment?
Andy Shauf – The Party
Temples – Volcano
Name a place in Melbourne that always has a way of bringing verses and melodies to your mind and your soul?
It’s actually a bit of a secret but there is a rooftop I found in the city, there is nothing there, it just has this magical view of the city and watching the sunset up there with some Chinese food and a 6 pack of beers is what I tend to do if I’m having any creative blocks and it seems to help lift it.
What is a must that you have to do, hear, eat, drink, etc before a show?
I tend not to eat too close to stage time, I need to be able to hold some big notes for a long time and a stomach full of food does not help. However my pre show ritual consists of two double Jameson’s neat.
Name a venue that you would love to play at?
I grew up in the UK so a lot of those venues mean the world to me, I’d like to play at The Koko In Camden and also any of the Rough Trade venues in London too. In Melbourne I still want to play the corner, I’ve sung on the stage with others but I’d like to play my own show there one day.
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What should we expect from you for 2017?
Well, I’m currently compiling the footage for the video for For Now. It’s odd because I’m not aiming to create a music video, but I’m compiling footage from NASA’s archives and I just wanted a video of cool space footage that accompanies the song in making you feel like you were travelling through space. I’m also working on my EP but I feel like it may end up turning into an album, I don’t know, I’m writing a lot at the moment and I’m really excited, regardless some sort of collection of songs will be out second half of this year. I currently have a residency starting for Sundays in April at a Melbourne bar called Some Velvet Morning and am also touring with nyck in April too and trying to record. Basically a lot of new music, a brand new live show and lots of other things I’ll reveal soon!
What’s a mantra or philosophy by which you live by?
‘Never compete or compare with anyone creatively but yourself’.
I think the only way you can truly get better at things is to take influence/inspiration from others and use it to better yourself, comparing or competing with others will make you very unhappy, but competing and comparing with yourself and previous works will make you improve and hopefully make you happy or at least proud of your improvements/works.
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