THE SAME FIVE QUESTIONS

We were recently visited at Undercover Tracks HQ by our lovely boys in GRAND ATLANTIC, all the way from Brisbane, Australia. A new album is forthcoming, and you may have heard them on the USA Network, and in Gossip Girl this season.

Of course we cornered them and had to ask the usual questions. Here are Phil, Mat, Morgan and Sean with their thoughts:

1. Who are your biggest music influences?

It’s different for all of us.  I’m really influenced by music from the 1960s, but really anything from the history of rock and roll that speaks to me.  To list a few:

Phil: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Brian Wilson, The Doors, Swervedriver, Nirvana to name but a few…

Sean: Swervedriver, Yo La Tengo, The Church, Wilco, Straitjacket Fits

Mat: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Warlocks, Black Mountain, Brian Jonestown Massacre

Morgan: You Am I, Neil Finn, Teenage Fanclub, David Bowie, The Smiths, Nick Cave

2. Do you have a memorable celebrity moment?

I once played drums for Barry Manilow.  A very bizarre moment in my musical career.  It’s a long but true story…  Buy me a beer and I’ll tell you sometime!  (Phil)

I posed as Russell Brand on this tour because these American birds wouldn’t believe me that I wasn’t him. That counts right? (Mat)

Ben Gibbard (lead singer of Death Cab For Cutie) told my I had cool boots in an airport security line (Mo) 

3. Australia vs. U.S.  Thoughts?

Australia is a very hard place to make music.  The population is small but the distances to travel are large.  We’ve had really good experiences in the USA and it has been great to play to people who have no preconception about you or your music.  We love our home country, but the US has lots of cheap beer, restrooms, cute girls and honey mustard…  So many great cities and fantastic times!  If we could, we’d think about spending a lot more time there…   (Phil)

Australia: Health care and welfare. USA: cheap beer, cigarettes, cute girls.  I’m moving to the states. (Mat)

4. Any special hidden talents?

Sean can make a mean homebrew, Morgan can pretty much play any musical instrument known to man, Mat is a whiz at cutting hair and I’m pretty good at drawing elephants… (Phil)

I can also do a wicked good cartwheel (Mat)

5. Name 5 things you are loving at this particular moment.

Phil: Vinyl, Pasta, Beer, Vacation and sushi…

Sean: New batch of vinyl purchased in LA last week!, my own bed, listening to mixes of our new album

Mat: PBR, cigarettes, cute girls, living with my 2 best mates, and cheap knock-off Rayban Wayfarers

Mo: Australian beer (taste, not price), Madhurai Chicken, my XB Falcon, having a selection of clothes and a washing machine!