Tag: Australia

Categories
Culture

Australia’s top comedian Carl Barron on his SoHo Playhouse shows, New York City & more

Carl Barron

Carl Barron
Carl Barron

Undeniably the most famous Australian stand-up comedian — and statistically the #3 comic in the world — Carl Barron has been making audiences laugh for nearly 25 years. Six years since his last live appearance in New York, Carl returns to our city later this month for a set of shows at the SoHo Playhouse. Appearing downtown on Nov. 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20, attendees will be witness to some of the most intimate shows that Carl has performed in recent memory.

In advance of his Nov. 10 show in Los Angeles, Carl spoke to Downtown about his upcoming Manhattan run and what else he has coming up. He came across as both funny and honest, which is also a good way of describing his observationally-oriented stand-up. For more info on Carl, visit www.carlbarron.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VeyNgydAY4

You performed in New York six years ago at 45 Bleecker. How was that experience?

Carl Barron: It was so good they closed the place down after I left. I guess they thought they couldn’t top it. I was nervous, but then again I usually am, even though people think I’m relaxed.

How did the opportunity to perform at SoHo Playhouse come about?

CB: We just asked.

I expect there will be some Australians in the audience at your New York shows, but I would imagine the majority of people attending have not seen you before. Do you feel any pressure to change up your material for the U.S. audiences?

CB: All I concentrate on is annunciating. I figure if they can comprehend what I’m saying they will probably laugh. I’ll try and be a little less dry and laconic as well. I guess in the end I will be unrecognizable to myself by the time I walk on-stage.

Are there any restaurants or attractions you’re hoping to visit while in New York?

CB: I like run-down places no one wants to go to. Factory walls, alley ways. I like drinking coffee sitting on a box out the back of a shop. I heard New York has lots of that kind of stuff, I can’t wait.

Photo: Jim LLE Photo
Photo: Jim LLE Photo

Other than doing stand-up, have you ever been to New York for a vacation or other travel?

CB: I’ve only been to New York to work. If the crowds don’t laugh this time, I guess next year it will definitely be a vacation. Be nice to relax.

After these U.S. dates, what’s coming up for you?

CB: Back to Oz and continue touring. That’s pretty much my bread and butter year round. I had a go at acting but they told me I was too good so I stopped. I didn’t want to embarrass anyone.

You are undoubtedly one of the biggest comics in Australia if not the biggest. Is there anything you’re still hoping to accomplish?

CB: I’d love to make a fool of myself. Sometimes I think I play it safe, so if I absolutely make an idiot of myself I know at least I’m having a go. If I had a child I would say to him or her: “I hope you grow up to be ashamed of yourself.”

Carl Barron live
Carl Barron live

The New York City and Los Angeles comedy scenes have clubs where famous comics can drop in to do short sets so they can test out new material. Is there such a thing in Sydney or other parts of Australia?

CB: There is but we never really get famous people drop in. We have lots of unknown people pretending to be hot property, though — so I guess you could say “yes, yes we do.”

What was the last comedy show you attended as a fan?

CB: I saw Billy Crystal in Sydney this year. I felt nervous like I had to go up on stage. We made eye contact. that’s what I thought.

I really like your material about “living medium” and overall dig that your stand-up is observational yet personal. Is there a routine or bit that you are most proud of?

CB: I’ve always wondered why in the middle of a really long story people suddenly feel compelled to stop and tell you they are cutting it short. Why don’t they start with the short version? I don’t know it’s the short version? I won’t be annoyed if they only told me the short version. This actually annoys me.

When not busy with your career, how do you like to spend your free time?

CB: Lately I have been getting up in the morning and staring out the window while drinking a cup of tea. I’ve never felt as happy as I do when I can just stare out the window without wanting anything. Except another cup of tea.

Finally, Carl, any last words for the kids?

CB: Yeah, please don’t take anything seriously. It really is one big massive joke.

Categories
Business NYC Travel

Cadillac Executive Design Director Andrew Smith on the new Escala, his passion for design, New York City, and more

Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith

Debuted on the Concept Car Lawn at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Escala was long-awaited from Cadillac. Seen as an extension of previous Cadillac cars like 2011’s Ciel and 2013’s Elmiraj, the Escala looks simultaneously contemporary and classic. It is undeniably a luxury automobile, roomy while also performance-centric.

While the Cadillac brand is universally-known and respected, it is not often that you hear about the people that make concepts like the Escala into a reality. Andrew Smith, Executive Director of Cadillac Global Design, is one of these people. Andrew has worked within the General Motors family for 20 years, having come into his current position in September 2013. Beyond the Escala, he worked on the CT6 prestige sedan and the XT5 crossover.

Cadillac is often thought of as a Detroit-based company, yet Cadillac recently relocated its global headquarters to New York City. It also opened up Cadillac House, a public space on the ground level of Cadillac’s SoHo headquarters, which features a coffee shop, art gallery, and retail space. The Escala is currently on display at Cadillac House — as located at 330 Hudson Street — through Oct. 19.

For more info on the Escala, click on over to www.cadillac.com. Cadillac also stays active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

What was the first car-related item you ever designed? 

Andrew Smith: My dad was a Holden dealer in Australia, and one childhood visit I took the liberty of filling his entire 60-page paper desk blotter with different facelifts of the first generation VB Commodore ostensibly so he could send them to Holden. As a design professional, the first item was a tail lamp.

When studying design in college, did you have a specialty? Did you then realize that people designed cars? 

AS: I studied Industrial Design and graduated from the Sydney College of the Arts and University of Technology Sydney. As a kid I sketched cars for hours on end. However, the watershed moment for me occurred at age 14, reading an issue of Autocar Magazine. It featured the graduating class at the Royal College of Art. I showed it to my parents and said something like I needed to go to London to study design.

Where does your inspiration for design usually come from? Do you go to museums and galleries? Read magazines? 

AS: I do, however my inspiration for design comes more from the broad curiosity I have for the world around me. At its foundation, design is about being curious and problem solving. Among the top reasons I pursued a career in design was the opportunity to collaborate and create products for brands with a great story to tell.

Cadillac Escala
Cadillac Escala

How would you describe the Escala to someone who has not yet experienced it? 

AS: I have been with Cadillac for three years and I see my job as a stewardship. The brand is coming up on 115 years and so the question is where do you take it next? The Escala is our opportunity to convey the work we have been doing in terms of brand positioning and tonality — the direction we are going with sophistication. This concept shares how Cadillac will bring forward a new experience that is uniquely-American, and unmistakably-Cadillac.

What was the first Cadillac model you ever drove? 

AS: It was a first-generation SRX and it was in Michigan.

You spent a few years in Korea for your job. Is there anything you miss about working and living there? 

AS: I miss the people and the food — especially mandu, the Korean dumplings, and the chicken noodle soup. I don’t miss the traffic.

Speaking of moving, Cadillac recently moved its global headquarters from Detroit to New York City. What prompted that? 

AS: Having a distinct Cadillac business unit enables the brand to pursue growing opportunities in the luxury automotive market with more focus and clarity. The city of Detroit and the state of Michigan remain central to Cadillac, as the majority of our vehicle portfolio is built here and all of our design, and product and technical development activities remain in the Detroit area.

Andrew Smith Exec Dir Global Cadillac Design MedRes

How would you describe Cadillac House to someone who hasn’t been there yet? 

AS: Cadillac House New York is a public meeting place at Cadillac’s global headquarters in SoHo where innovators, creators and the curious can find inspiration–and each other.

Do you have a favorite part of Cadillac House? A favorite drink there? 

AS: My favorite feature at Cadillac House is the runway. I love the way it frames the car and draws visitors to the car. Coffee is my beverage of choice.

Escala aside, what’s coming up for Cadillac? 

AS: The momentum in the Cadillac studios is at an all-time high with the second half of the decade marking a new era of expansion and new products in development for launch between now and 2020.

When not busy with your day job, how do you like to spend your free time? 

AS: With my family — especially LEGOs with my son, watching movies with my daughters, entertaining with my wife and walking the dog.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York? 

AS: For the cuisine, I like EN, the Japanese brassiere in the West Village, and The River Café in Brooklyn for its view.

What about a favorite neighborhood? 

AS: I really enjoy the High Line and Chelsea in general is awesome as is the Meatpacking District. There is always so much going on and something new to see and experience.

Finally, Andrew, any last words for the kids? 

AS: My guidelines for aspiring designers are to be open to new opportunities, look around and ask questions, get involved, don’t take it personally, and ask “Does it make me happy?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al4bt2D4zQ4

Categories
Dining

Four Pillars Gin’s Cameron Mackenzie On 7 Great Gin Bars In Manhattan

Four_Pillars_Cocktail bar
Four Pillars Gin was born and bred in Melbourne, where bars such as Black Pearl and the Gin Palace have been playing a strong gin game for years. But the bar scene in New York City gets me seriously excited. In fact, I’ve long since had a copy of the Death & Co book on my bench at the distillery.
Here are my top seven places to drink gin in New York City right now — but ask me tomorrow, after a great Negroni somewhere, and I might have changed my mind…
Wow! This place is very, very cool. A Cuban-themed homage to classic cocktails, perfectly made and served, from the guys behind Dead Rabbit. They served up a sensational Southside when I dropped in.
Just the right amount of dive for a great sessionable bar. From Kathleen Turner, the boozy slushie machine, to a deadly Last Word, this is a place for long, late nights.
Dante
Dante
You gotta love a bar so committed to gin that they put it in the name. Hidden entrance, copper bathtub and Four Pillars Gin behind the bar…this is definitely a new New York City happy place for me.
4. Dante
Home to some of the best drink-slinging Australians in New York, and also to a quite sensational list of 12 different variations on a Negroni. Get here for apertivo hour, and stay all night.
Not much to be said about this place that hasn’t been written already. New York City’s legendary Milk & Honey reincarnated, retooled, renamed and more awesome than ever.
Pouring Ribbons / Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Pouring Ribbons / Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Now offering a quarterly-themed menu, with springtime celebrating the flavors of the Silk Road. Huge creativity and attention to detail in some unique gin drinks.
A great bar, a little off the beaten path. Committed to cricket and drinking, just like every great Australian. What’s not to love?
Okay, that’s seven. But that’s a lucky number, right? And I didn’t even mention the superb Up & Up or Employees Only or Extra Fancy.

Like I said, the list could be different next week. Or after another drink!

 

Categories
Culture Dining Events

Four Pillars Gin invites you to an Australian Happy Hour at Dante on 5/29, co-founder Stuart Gregor talks more about the brand and more

Four_Pillars_011115_117766

Finally catching up to craft beer in terms of popularity and distribution, quality-oriented craft liquors have been emerging from some interesting places as of late. One such example is Four Pillars Gin, which was brainstormed by Stuart Gregor and Cameron Mackenzie in 2012 and officially launched in December 2013. The company’s gin is made in its distillery in Australia’s Yarra Valley, a region generally known for producing high-quality wines. Geography aside, Four Pillars also stands out from other gins in using a German copper pot still within its production, capturing flavors from both Asia and the Mediterranean, and only making its gin in small batches; 460 numbered bottles are made at a time.

The internationally-acclaimed Australian craft gin finally makes its way to New York on May 29 with a launch party at Dante, as located at 79-81 Macdougal Street. Taking place over Memorial Day Weekend, Four Pillars is promising an “Australian Happy Hour,” which is always known to go for much longer than an hour. Stuart will be in town for this event, which kicks off at 5:00 PM. Following this, Four Pillars ought to be found in stores throughout New York City, thanks to a working relationship with Empire Wine and Spirits.

Stuart –- who is also the President of the Australian Distillers Association and the founder of Liquid Ideas –- kindly took the time to speak to Downtown about what’s ahead for Four Pillars Gin. The brand can be found online at www.fourpillarsgin.com.au and at @FourPillarsGin on Twitter. Stuart himself is on Twitter and has a website of his own at www.stuartgregor.com. Fingers are crossed that the Bloody Shiraz Gin he described is also on its way here in the near-future.

Four_Pillars_Gin_20111451649

How would you describe Four Pillars Gin to someone who hasn’t tried it before?

Stuart Gregor: It’s what we call a Modern Australian gin, so it’s not another London Dry gin, but it’s a modern-style with a really great backbone of juniper and a bit of local Aussie botanicals alongside the best of Asia and Europe. It’s what modern Australia is all about really. Garnish with an orange, as we use whole oranges in the distillation process
 
Where did you work prior to Four Pillars Gin?

SG: I’ve been banging about the booze industry in Australia for more than 20 years, for the past 16 of it running my own PR/Marketing business called Liquid Ideas, which has worked with most of the great global spirits brands. Also, I have part-owned a small winery for more than a decade, have written six guide books to wine and a few other things. I’m old…really, really old…well, 47, to be honest.
 
Your distillery is in the Yarra Valley. Why there? Isn’t that area mostly known for wine? 

SG: It’s there ’cause my business partner Cameron lives there. In fact, his home is less than 300 yards from the distillery. That, and it’s one of the most beautiful places in Australia and less than hour’s drive from Melbourne. It has incredible water, the winemakers of the region are a great coterie who we’ve known for many years. Healesville is one of the coolest food and drink destinations in Australia right now and it’s only getting better. Oh, and we found a giant shed that we could afford to buy. That wasn’t going to happen in Sydney!
 
As the President of the Australian Distillers Association, what can you tell me about your local industry? Is Australia becoming more of a go-to territory for spirits?

SG: Look, we are still a VERY small industry. There are around 70 operating distilleries in Australia and around 2,500 wineries, so we have a little ways to go. That said, we have some of the great bars and bartenders in the world – regularly with two bars in the world’s Top 10 and there is no reason we shouldn’t make some of the world’s great spirits. The Tassie guys are doing it with whiskey and we are now doing it with gin.
 
Unfortunately, a lot of people associate Australia with beer because of some old Foster’s commercials. What is your drink of choice? 

SG: Beer, probably not Foster’s! Like most people in this industry, I drink pretty much everything – I love gin naturally, whiskeys from all over the world, good sessionable beer, great wines, and occasionally I will even drink something non-alcoholic. But I don’t intend on making it a habit. (laughs)

Four_Pillars_011115_117476

You have a launch event coming up in New York City. How did you choose Dante of all venues?

SG: We’ve known Linden, part-owner, and Naren, head bartender, for ages. It’s such a sensational bar with such a great sensibility and understanding of great cocktails, it was a bit of a no-brainer. And as the joint is full of Aussies, at least they understand our accents…
 
Any idea where Four Pillars Gin will be sold in New York besides Dante? Stores and bars? 

SG: We are partnering with Empire Wine and Spirits, so we should have literally hundreds of outlets selling us by the end of the year. We will naturally have a focus on the bar scene, but we would expect to be in plenty of the better liquor stores and also the good restaurants around town.
 
Do you remember the first bar you ever visited in New York City?

SG: Nope. I don’t remember the first bar I visited in any city I’ve ever been. I don’t think you should. That, and it was 25 years ago! But last visit, I had a surprise shot of Australia’s infamous Bundaberg Rum at Employees Only –- I haven’t easily been able to forget that!
 
What’s your favorite restaurant in New York?

SG: In 2003, I went to lunch at Batali and Bastianich’s Lupa for the first time with a mate. I remember we’d knocked off two bottles of Chianti before the head cheese even arrived. Ripping lunch. I’ve had a bit of a man crush on Joe [Bastianich] since I read Restaurant Man. Never met him, of course – just a weird Aussie stalker thing from afar. (laughs)
 
Once Four Pillars has properly launched here in New York, what’s ahead for your company? Other spirits?

SG: We are a gin distillery – pure and simple. We are going to concentrate on making a great range of gins to show how awesome and versatile the greatest of all white spirits really is. One thing we are about to release, that will freak a few people out, is a product called Bloody Shiraz Gin. Think purple and spicy and sweet and ginny and shirazzy — all at the same time. Imagine Sloe Gin, but actually delicious and very, very Australian…
 
When you’re not busy with your spirits, how do you like to spend your free time?

SG: I’m a mad sports fan and will watch ANY sports any time of the day. Except tennis, I really don’t like tennis. Earlier in the year, I went to Super Bowl 50 –- I’m a Broncos fan — and next week I’m going to my first Mets game. And I love my Aussie Rules footy. Oh, and my two kids, Audrey, 12, and George, 10. They’re pretty cool, too.
 
Finally, Stuart, any last words for the kids?

SG: Mate, it’s a shocking cliché, but follow your dreams. Cam and I had been dreaming about opening a distillery for quite a few years before we bit the bullet, hired a car and drove from Portland to L.A. and visited every distillery on the way. They gave us so much encouragement that we went home and said “Bugger it, let’s do it.” And get a third partner with a brain, that’s where Matt came in. And here we are, about to launch in New York City, it’s pretty bloody cool.

Categories
Culture Entertainment

Dropkick Murphys’ Matt Kelly Talks Mar. 9 & 10 Shows at Webster Hall, Old-School Punk, Boston and More

DKM_Kerry_Brett-credit-colorFew bands have experienced ascending long-term success like the Dropkick Murphys. In the late 1990s, the Boston group was a big deal in the punk world, headlining clubs after The Mighty Mighty Bosstones took them out as a relatively-unknown support act. In the early 2000s, the band arguably became “the” musical artist that everyone associates with Boston, recording anthems for the Bruins and the Red Sox; such also made them one of “the” artists of St. Patrick’s Day. The Murphys’ 2006 single “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” as originally released on a Hellcat Records compilation, was placed in the Academy Award-winning Martin Scorsese film The Departed. Then just a few years later in 2011, the Dropkick Murphys were headlining Fenway Park. While that alone seems like the crowning achievement for a group of Bostoners, the Dropkick Murphys performed at Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium last year before the Patriots’ season opening game.

Boston isn’t the only city that celebrates the Dropkick Murphys, as evidenced by the sextet’s upcoming two-night stand at Webster Hall. Playing Mar. 9 and 10 in the East Village as part of its 20th anniversary tour, Tiger Army and Darkbuster are also on the bill. Drummer Matt Kelly spoke to Downtown about the Murphys’ past, present and future. Not only did he provide some great answers within our Q&A, but he impressively remembers the date of his first punk show. Kudos are also due to Matt for his well-used Twisted Sister reference.

For more info on the Dropkick Murphys – which also includes bassist Ken Casey, vocalist Al Barr, guitarist James Lynch, and multi-instrumentalists Tim Brennan and Jeff DaRosa – click on over here. The Ken Casey-founded non-profit organization The Claddagh Fund can be followed here, while the Ken Casey-co-owned bar McGreevy’s is based online.

At what point did you know that the band was a viable long-term career and not just hobby or an underground thing?

Matt Kelly: Soon after I joined, the idea was to “go for it,” so to speak. Probably around May or June ’97, everybody finished rounding up their jobs and we got cracking on the road. The only person who kept his job going for at least a little while from the road was original guitarist Rick [Barton]. He ran a painting business and attempted, sometimes successfully, to run it while on tour.

The actual reason why the first drummer, Jeff [Erna], left was because he had no interest in being a touring, full-time band. Some people just aren’t cut out for it and that’s understandable. At least he knew it wasn’t for him.

As far as knowing it was a VIABLE long-term career, I don’t think you can really look at it like that when you’re in the thick of it. If you rest on your laurels, you get left in the dust. To quote Twisted Sister, you have to “stay hungry.” With typical audiences being so fickle, we’re incredibly grateful that we have such great support all over the world. Our fans are the best!

Do you remember the first punk band that you ever saw live?

M: As I’m at least five years younger than the other original members, I missed out on the ‘80s punk scene by a couple months. My first punk/hardcore show was Hearing Impaired, Backbone, and Dawn of Rage at the Club 490 in Fitchburg, MA on February 3, 1990.

What about the first band that showed you that you could make a living based on DIY work ethic, as opposed to requiring radio hits and major label backing?

M: I honestly never considered making a living off a band — at least not in a punk band. However, seeing how the Bosstones did what they did, looking back to the early and mid-‘90s, I can see that that was pretty much what they were doing. They were DIY. This was before “The Impression That I Get.” Now when THAT song came out and the album hit the streets, things blew up for them! I tell you what: their taking us out on the road before the Boys On The Docks” CDEP was even OUT, and before Do Or Die was even conceptualized gave us huge, possibly-undeserved exposure, and helped us out in so many ways.

Aside from them, bands like the Bouncing Souls, Rancid, etc., were surviving and doing what they loved to do for a living. It’s always great seeing people being able to subsist on doing what they love. You’re sort of outside the system in a way.

DKM

Is there a professional accomplishment for the band that you’re most proud of?

M: Many things. More important things have happened to the band professionally, but I’m proud to say that we got to play alongside the legendary band Rose Tattoo in Sydney, Australia back around 2000. They’re one of my favorite rock and roll bands of all time, and just to SEE them live was a religious experience…Playing with them was an honor we haven’t yet topped, at least in my book.

A number of baseball players have come up to the plate to “Shipping Up To Boston.” As the story goes, Jonathan Papelbon was forbidden by the band from using the song after leaving the Red Sox. How did you feel about Daniel Murphy on the Mets, who isn’t from Boston, using that as his intro song for the past few years?

M: He wasn’t forbidden by us. It was a joke that became a big “non-news” story basically! (laughs) So bizarre.

It really doesn’t bother me that one of those dudes would use it. It doesn’t hurt the band. Now if the Montreal Canadiens started using it, I’d be a little irritated to say the least!

Is a Boston gig harder for you to play than a New York gig?

M: Yeah, because the pressures of home life and touring life overlap there. That, and our whole families and all and sundry are on the guest list and you’re being pulled in 75 different directions at once. Meanwhile, there’s a setlist to write, warmups to do, and a one-and-a-half hour gig to put on!

Now don’t get me wrong, playing in New York City is always crazy. We always have a huge guest list in New York, but it’s dwarfed by Boston’s. In New York we get to see some old friends but, in the even we play more than one night, we get to sneak away and catch a solid eight at a quiet, dark, hotel room. At home, life still goes on as usual, and kids don’t care that YOU played a gig last night and stayed out till three AM! (laughs)

What do you remember about the first gig that you ever played in New York City?

M: Well it was in 1997 at Coney Island High with some ska bands or something. I know that Joey Ramone bought a Dropkick Murphys soccer jersey from Brian, our old merch guy, and we talked to Lars [Fredriksen] from Rancid about him coming onboard to produce an album for us, and I met future roommate Dicky Barrett from the Bosstones/Impact Unit.

I remember Mike — our old singer — jumping in the air, David Lee Roth style, and splitting the crotch of his jeans, and I remember myself being well-nigh suicidal because I played a horrible set.

What’s ahead for the group’s charity, The Claddagh Fund? Who are the people overseeing its day-to-day operations?

M: More great works, I hope! Christine McMahon and her staff keep it running smoothly. For more information, hit up their website.

Did you have a favorite album of 2015?

M: Hmm, maybe the Journey Blind LP by Magic Circle. I’m not a big fan of modern metal whatsoever, but those guys mix NWOBHM, ‘70s British Metal, and stuff like Alice Cooper and Status Quo into their sound. Really cool stuff.

Who is the best band from Boston that our readers may not know?

M: That might be the Stranglah! That is, the Boston Strangler. Real hardcore done right.

When you’re not busy with the band, how do you like to spend your free time?

M: I spend most of my time hanging out with my family. Aside from that it’s spinning vinyl, jamming with friends, reading books, trekking around on foot, discovering awesome beers, and Boston Bruins hockey.

Finally, Matt, any last words for the kids?

M: Yeah, don’t be ashamed of where you come from. Your family is your culture, so embrace it. Thanks for the interview, see yer in New York.

Categories
Culture Events Music

Sheppard has over 140 million Spotify streams, is ready for Webster Hall

sheppard1

Sheppard has the sort of accolades as a band that are amazing, yet are only possible in this day and age. The band’s breakthrough single “Geronimo” is RIAA-certified at the Platinum level (over one million units sold), yet it has over 140 million streams on Spotify. The success of “Geronimo” is not exclusive to the U.S. or the group’s native Australia as it hit the Top 10 on the singles charts of 12 countries. In Australia, Sheppard won two APRA awards (think Australian Grammys), including “Pop Work Of The Year,” and was nominated for seven ARIA awards including “Best Band,” and yet their globally-acclaimed album Bomb Away only got its U.S. release back in March.

I had the absolute pleasure of asking questions to Sheppard frontman and co-founder George Sheppard in support of their July 22nd show at Webster Hall’s Marlin Room. George provided refreshingly-honest responses as to what it is like to tour internationally as an Australian band and what it is like to be on tour in general.

sheppard tour

What do you wish more people knew about Sheppard?

Sheppard’s George Sheppard: That we’re an honest, self-made, hard-working band. It’s taken us a lot longer to get to where we are than most people think, through a lot of trial and error, and a LOT of mistakes. We also write, co-produce and perform all of our own original music.

Here is a rather hard question

A lot of people think of Sheppard as a “family band,” is that something you celebrate? Or would you rather just be thought of as a band that happens to have a few siblings in it?

G: Although Sheppard certainly began as a “family band,” we’ve certainly developed ourselves to a point where we are a band that happens to have a few siblings in it. Although the main image of the band are the siblings, the other three members bring so much to the table. They certainly aren’t “background” musicians. Jason [Bovino] writes the songs with Amy [Sheppard] and I, and Dean [Gordon] and Michael [Butler] have such a huge presence in the live show that it would be unfair to call this a “family band.”

What do you think is the biggest misconception about being a band from Australia?

G: These are great questions! I think the biggest misconception about being a band from Australia is that we all ride kangaroos to work. Just kidding. I think the biggest thing is that thanks to the likes of recent Australian successes like 5 Seconds Of Summer, Iggy Azalea, Chet Faker and Vance Joy, people think there’s a new wave of Australian bands making it overseas, and that it might be easier for an Australian band to make it overseas. But back home, the competition is just as fierce, if not more so. There’s only one radio station that really plays new Australian music, and only after making it onto that station are you able to crossover onto commercial radio. So if you don’t make it onto that station, your options are practically exhausted. So any Australian band that can actually make it overseas is actually INCREDIBLY lucky and has had to work themselves to the bone to get there.

Your album Bombs Away was released nearly nine months earlier in Australia than it was here in the States. Does that mean that another album in already in the works? Or are you happy to keep playing the songs of Bombs Away for as long as the demand is there?

G: Well, it’s been quite tough for us, because the release has been so out of sync, we’ve been on the world’s longest album cycle. After we had pretty much finished our album cycle in Australia, it was time for the European release, so we went and did that. Then it was time for the U.S. release, so we went and did that. Then it was time for the U.K. Release (laughs). So we’re quite exhausted, but we’re certainly ready to start working on some new music. We have some really interesting ideas as to where we want to take this next album. We definitely don’t want to make Bomb’s Away twice. We want to grow with every single, every album, every show. I think from all the touring we’ve done and amazing experiences we’ve had, this next album is going to be quite experimental. So far, Amy, Jason and I have agreed on the influences of Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, London Grammar and Borns.

Being a New York City-based publication, what comes to mind when you think about your first trip to New York as a musician?

G: Our first trip to New York was to play Australia Day at Summer Stage. Although I’d been to New York once before, it had been during the dead of winter and I didn’t get to spend much of my time outside. This particular visit though, was during the beautiful sunshine in Central Park. I couldn’t believe how different the city was during the summer. It was like I had stepped into a movie. Ever since that moment, NYC has been one of my favorite cities in the world. The atmosphere is almost tangible, the people are some of the most welcoming and friendly I’ve met, and I’ve had some of my most memorable adventures in NYC. I can’t wait to get back.

For people who haven’t seen Sheppard live before, what should they expect from your upcoming show at Webster Hall?

G: In a word? Energy. Touring is hard. Arduous airport check ins, lugging heavy equipment around, stupidly long drives, living out of suitcases — it’s not fun. The part that is fun? GETTING ON STAGE AND PLAYING FOR PEOPLE WHO ENJOY YOUR MUSIC. We treat those moments as the time for us to forget about the hard work and to simply have some real fun. So you can sure as hell expect us to have the best time we’ve ever had on that stage in Webster Hall. Also, the songs get a different treatment live as the recording is done by three, performed by six. So you won’t just be listening to the record being played in a live setting, it’ll be a more organic, more powerful version of Bombs Away.

When you’re not busy playing and doing press on the road, what do you enjoy doing?

G: Well I’m a bit of a video game nerd, so when I get home I always love to go to the shops and see which new Xbox games I’ve missed out on whilst being away. I’m also a massive movie buff. One of my favorite things to do is go to the cinema. When a movie you’ve been anticipating is finally out — that moment the studio logos start rolling around is one of my favorite moments to experience. I also love the ocean. Any time I get to spend swimming in the deep blue water, whether off a boat or at the beach, is time well spent. I’m currently writing this from a holiday villa in Costa Brava, Spain. So we’ve all been getting plenty of sun and sea. Happy days!

Finally, George, any last words for the kids?

G: I just want to say to anyone who loves our band, anyone who has purchased our music, thank you! You are keeping music alive, and you’re the reason we are able to do a job that we love, and we truly appreciate you all! We can’t wait to get to Webster Hall and party with you guys. Until then!

Check out the music video for their single, “Geronimo,” here:

-by Darren Paltrowitz