INTERVIEW: THE LAURELS

By Michael Hartt

Almost three years since their first public performance, The Laurels are about to launch their first single. Since their formation, the group have built up a strong reputation on the Sydney live scene, as well as with listeners further afield thanks to their MySpace (which, until recently, offered all demos for download). They’ve also had tunes featured on several psych compilations and won the prestigious Sydney Uni Band Comp in 2007.

In their formative stages, the band’s music began as sunshine-filled psych-pop. Through exposure to a wide range of music and other influences, the sound has evolved into one that is a lot heavier, a lot hazier and, particularly, a lot louder. The Laurels represent the continuation of a long line of bands that push the sonic boundaries to the furthest reaches and beyond: leaving contemporaries in their wake and punters’ ears ringing.

The band’s first release sees them jump back a little bit to two songs (Wandering Star and Art School Girl) that were amongst the very first to ever be made public by the band and its two songwriters; Luke O’Farrell and Piers Cornelius. The recording sessions that evolved into this single, along with the forthcoming album, began in 2007 and, at times, some wondered if they would ever get out.

Luke O’Farrell was kind enough to give us an insight into the genesis of these upcoming releases.

These recordings have had a long gestation; can you take us through the process and tell us what's taken so long?
The funny thing is the recordings haven't really been worked on that much considering the sessions started over 2 years ago. We weren't actually in the studio for that amount of time; it was probably more like two months in total spread out over that period. There were a lot of personal issues along the way that would constantly delay it from being worked on, and because we've done it all ourselves (with the help of Magnetic Recording Council of course), it also became a matter of working around everyone’s schedules. We all have jobs, we all play in other bands and we all have drug or alcohol-related problems, so it was inevitably going to be a long process.

Both Art School Girl and Wandering Star are some of your earliest songs. Was it weird to go back and re-record them?
It is weird, mainly because the feelings and emotions behind those songs have long since disappeared. It's hard to get as inspired when you've changed considerably as a person and are singing lyrics you don't really identify with anymore.

Maybe it's only because I've begun to see the relevance of lyrics in the last few years and those songs were written when we were a lot younger, but it kind of makes me cringe. I just used to write throwaway lines with no intention except to rhyme, always more concerned with the music and melody. It's something I definitely work a lot more on these days, probably because I've generally got something to complain about now. I’m also a firm believer in catching the feeling while it’s there; just doing it in one or two takes. Who gives a fuck if there’s a bum note or if it speeds up? If you sit around trying to make it perfect it just sucks the fun and soul out of it. I’m hoping when we go into the studio to do the second album it’ll be a much better flowing process.

Your sound has evolved from your early days. What's influenced the change?
Obviously the music we listen to, but also the experiences we've been through. I think the earlier stuff is so much happier and carefree because the majority of it was written when we were anti-social room dwellers. It's a much more optimistic view, you know, shit about the sun, innocent crushes, wanting to get stoned and not really having anything to worry about. Then as you start to grow and interact more with the world and the years start to pass, you realise life isn’t quite the pisseasy task you thought it was going to be when you’re a lazy teenager. I think you’re supposed to realise that when you do your Higher School Certificate but I just watched TV most of that year and didn’t have any friends. Especially socially, just seeing how people interrelate with each other and building and breaking relationships, it’s all extremely interesting and confusing and it’s what I tend to mostly write songs about now. Those thoughts play as much a part shaping the sounds you come up with to emulate those feelings as well as the words you write down to describe the situations.



Tell us about your album. Will these two tracks feature?
It's a bit of a mix. I’m not sure if those tracks will feature or if the single will be a stand-alone release, I don’t think they’d really fit in with the majority of the songs on the album. There are a few tracks included which were written around the same time, and although I think we've far surpassed that period now, it was more about just capturing that stage of the band. I much prefer where we've gotten to, but I also just wanted there to be a document of that time of the band too as we’ve undergone quite a lot of changes.

Obviously it would've been better if we could have released an album of all those songs at the time, but unfortunately the path we've taken didn't allow that to happen. The other half is a mixed batch of some of the later songs we did through 2007 to mid 2008. There are still a lot of tracks leftover from that period, but I feel the ones we chose best show the natural transition between the different sounds and forms we've begun to take. We also added most of the overdubs towards the end of the process. So even though the early songs have that distinctive pop-psych sound, we went in and put a whole bunch of feedback and noise over the top to make it similar to where we're at now. Hopefully it all flows together like we planned.

What would you say were your key influences while recording?
Music (specifically Lilys, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, My Bloody Valentine, The Beatles, Sonic Youth, Swervedriver and Bailter Space), weed, falling in and out of love, and getting fucked over by people I thought I could trust.

When does the album come out?
It’s due for release in October. Hopefully the second one will be out early next year if we can get into a studio soon enough. There are quite a few songs that have built up since this one has been recorded. I want there to be another two out before the year finishes to make up for all the lost time and over abundance of material.

What are your plans for the next 12 months?
Get this album out and hopefully get working on the next two! Obviously some form of touring and show playing would follow; I much prefer playing live to the recording process.

What are you listening to at the moment?
Same as above. Other recent favourites have included Michael Yonkers Band, The Drones, Panda Bear, Silver Moon, Fugazi, Underground Lovers, Scientists, Skip Spence, The Stooges, Thurston Moore, and most things Flying Nun related.

The Wandering Star/Art School Girl seven inch single is available through Magnetic Recording Council on July 18. Both tracks are available for download here.
The Laurels launch the single at The Hopetoun Hotel on July 18 with support from Warhorse, Dead Farmers and Whores.