Stu Orchard

Perth roots extraordinaire has returned from recording in Berlin and answers these questions for us today.

http://www.facebook.com/stuorchardmusic

1. For someone unfamiliar with your music, how would you describe your sound?

I like to mix it up as much as possible. The Crucial Colours EP is kinda jammy, folk-rock with soundscapes. There’s lots of different colours in the band now- I’m stoked. If I can offer a soup analogy, we’d be more like a minestrone than a potato and leak. I guess, currently I sound like the lovechild of Elliot Smith, the Department of Eagles and Neil Young, and looking ahead, moving towards a mixture of Battles, Fink and, as always, Peter Sculthorpe.

2. Tell us a little bit about your writing process. You recently travelled for writing purposes?

Yeah, travelling is cool because you get in more adventures than normal so there’s more stories to tell and random people and conversations. Otherwise I just force myself to write and you often don’t get anything keepable. Just got to do the time!
Lately, I’ve been riffing out on the guitar and singing, just like, ‘blah, blah, blahing’ over the top (Geraldine from Mambo Chic calls it ‘yoghurt language’). I record the initial spark and then fit words with the right syllables and vowels to the melody. It’s fun because you don’t know which way it will go so it starts to write itself. You have to try to make sense of something ill-conceived; random; arbitrary. The lyrics are generally inspired by philosophy. I’ll read something and pinch the ideas. It’s often after having a cool conversation, which makes me see something differently.

3. As far as breakout success is concerned, is it all about the strength of a song or does being in the right musical climate at right time make all the difference?

Depends on lots of things. Probably the right climate more so because lots of people I know have written what sound like hit songs to me but bugger-all people have heard or will ever hear them (I hope to do a covers album for this reason). The attitude, the image and the sound have to all match up too. Who knows!? Good songs are timeless I suppose.

4. How important is social media to you in regards to engaging with an audience?

Don’t know. I can be a bit unsociable really, so can lack confidence in social media and, frankly, it often feels pretty alienating. I like engaging with a few special people. I try to be friendly and gracious with everyone but it doesn’t work all the time.

5. What inspired you to take music more seriously?

It’s fucking fun!

6. What’s spinning on your playlist atm? Any guilty pleasures?

There are ALWAYS MANY guilty pleasures on my playlist, like the latest Beyonce track or whatever is sounding new and fresh. Lots of people say it’s all been done before but I have to disagree for my own sanity (or should I have said insanity!?). Just discovered Cornelius – he’s awesome. Also, Senyawa.

7. Are you a fan of keeping the album format alive or do you think there’s more benefit to release singles or EPs with the influence of streaming platforms arguably shortening attention spans?

I reckon albums are like Test cricket; it’s the proper deal for people who really dig it. On the other hand, I really like the potential to record one song and put it out there. I don’t often have the attention span to listen to a full album. It’s got to be really great. I have never, and will never, watch every ball of a Test cricket match.

8. When not consumed with all things musical, what do you do to tune out or reset?

Just got up-to-date with Game of Thrones – pretty standard really… err… reading?

9. Your EP ‘Crucial Colors’ has been doing the rounds of late, what does the immediate future hold?

A new album. Stay tuned. Pumped.

10. Lastly, Prince or Michael Jackson?

hahaaa…. Prince for sure.

‘Crucial Colours’ EP out now.