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Interview with The Preatures

Jon Berrien
Latest posts by Jon Berrien (see all)

Aussie rock n’ roll band The Preatures have been on the grind creating infectious, feel good, tunes. Their latest EP Is This How You Feel?, has definitely left us wanting more. GroundSounds recently caught up with cool-toned singer Isabella Manfredi, check out the interview below. 

For fans who are just discovering The Preatures, can you tell us about how the band formed and came together?

Jack and Tom have been playing together since high school, and I met them at the Australian Institute of Music where the three of us dropped out to start a band. One night we saw Gideon playing with his band The Primates at The Lansdowne Hotel and thought he had a cool voice, so I guess we poached him. Luke joined a year later on drums.

How exciting was it when you guys signed to Harvest Records for the U.S. release of your EP Is This How You Feel? Can you tell us about this moment in time?

The interest from labels overseas has been overwhelming, but Harvest was a pretty easy choice for us. We’ve been on tour so there was no specific moment, but we spoke to Piero and Mike on the phone at our studio doing rehearsal and they were the guys we wanted, so that was that. 

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the music video for “Manic Baby”? What was it like on set that day?

There’s something beautifully awkward about watching old video clips like Top of the Pops or Countdown, like that moment where the camera lingers a little long or the lyrics are badly mimed. Prince was a master of the good bad video. Manic Baby is intentionally bad taste, but not quite enough to be comedy. It’s right on awkward corner.

What do you guys enjoy most about performing?

Giving up or over to something. Getting wet. Energy from the audience, positive or negative, it’s all useable.

Can you tell us about the creative process involved with bringing Is This How You Feel to fruition?

We have a little space in Surry Hills here in Sydney, in an old warehouse building that’s full of musicians and crazies, though lots of regular people live there too. We took it over from some friends of ours and renovated it, but that’s not really important. It’s just a space we did the record in. Jack recorded and mixed it with all of us producing bits and pieces. It was good because we didn’t have someone telling us the ‘right’ way of doing things, which, when you work in a proper studio, is what it’s all about. I really enjoy making mistakes, and in a space like ours that is unconventional you just need to do whatever works to get the take, get the energy and the moment. That’s all that matters.

What song(s) do you guys remember most from your childhood?

Stone Roses Love Spreads was my favourite song. I used to call it ‘My Sister’ and made my dad play it over and over. Ron Sexsmith’s debut record was always on and still reminds me of being a kid. I used to love singing the bridge of Massive Attack’s Safe From Harm, you know the one with the ‘I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me to see me looking back at you’. Always felt heaps proud when I got it right. Back on the Chain Gang by The Pretenders made me want to play guitar. Statue of Liberty by XTC was my favourite pop song, followed close by Push th little Daisies (Ween), and I was a huge Shirley Manson fan, anything by Garbage was played religiously. I hated Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve.

How do you guys normally create your music? Do you start with lyrics, a guitar riff, a beat, or just an idea/concept?

Every song is different. I like starting with a melody and then writing lyrics and chords around it. That doesn’t mean it happens all the time though! Grooves and riffs are great invitations too. Whatever works.

What are you guys currently listening to?

Arcade Fire Reflector, Justin Timberlake 20/20 Vision, London Grammar, John Newman, Parquet Courts, Dragon Are You Old Enough, Harry Nilsson, Modern Lovers Roadrunner, David Bowie Low and Ziggy periods, Here We Go Magic, New Order Get Ready, Stone Roses.

You guys will be coming to LA and NY very soon, besides performing, what are you guys looking forward to doing most while you’re here?

In and Out Burger, mostly eating really. We’re big eaters. I’d love to go to a really swanky place, get wined and dined. I want to see friends over there I haven’t seen for years, go walking, exploring; this will be our first time in NY so there is everything to do and be smacked by!

After the tour what will be next for The Preatures?

We’re playing gigs and festivals here in Aus over summer, but mostly writing the album. Our biggest priority right now is finding a producer for the record.

(Top Photo Credit: Ali Mitton)