interview: sister jane
It’s not often that you come across bands that excite you so much that you feel it is your community duty to tell everyone about them.
Since I heard about Sister Jane mere weeks ago, this is the boat I have found myself in. I scampered to find a copy of their CD, and told every independent music outlet I came across (in Adelaide; it’s no easy task) about them, as well as a multitude of friends who are probably sick of hearing me talk about them by now. But I managed to come back down to earth for long enough to have a chat to organist/vocalist/flautist, Lauren Crew (also of Belles Will Ring), about the band and that “gosh darn” rock ‘n’ roll. Check out her answers below!
Congratulations on being the highest rotation band in my car over the past few weeks – how does it feel?
That depends on where you are driving and the kind of car.
Explain ‘Gosh darn rock’n’roll’.
Classic sounds. Rumbling, driving, drums with just enough cymbals to make your neighbours cranky. Jangling, spiking, feeding back guitars with some overdriven riffs and some pretty-as-all-heck melodies. Big, sharp organ sounds and smooth flute interludes. And good tunes with stories and feeling and singalong choruses.
Was there a particular moment or artist that made you want to pursue music when you were growing up? Who were your early influences? ‘
I believe that others in Sister Jane knew quite young that music was going to be the driving force in their lives. I was always going to be a music lover but I was crazily shy so I didn’t join my first band until I was coaxed into it at the age of 21. Though when I was about 15 I got the train into the city with a friend and went to a backyard gig that was part of an informal gig series known as ‘Under the Clothes Line’. It was the most amazing summer afternoon in St Peters. I saw The Lucksmiths from Melbourne and that was definitely a moment I thought it would be pretty nice to pursue music. My early influences were from my parents record collection- The Beatles, Peter Paul and Mary, Harry Belafonte, and then in teenage years I discovered Australian indie music like You Am I, Sidewinder and as I mentioned before, The Lucksmiths.
How did Mercy come together? Especially with some members being in both Sister Jane and Belles Will Ring … was this difficult to negotiate during recordings?
Well, it took over three years to finish. Does that answer your question?
How much production goes into your recordings? Obviously you have something of an “old school” sound, but how much do you utilise modern production techniques in your music?
Mercy was recorded with a lot of analogue processes. We recorded all the rhythm tracks (drums, bass guitar, rhythm guitar) to 4 track 1/4 inch tape and then transferred these tracks onto the computer to add the layers to the song. Liam Judson, our lead guitarist and producer/engineer, uses a combination of vintage gear and techniques along with modern digital processes. It works really well (in my opinion) 🙂
What about now? Who or what inspires you most these days?
Where to start.. Music is absolutely amazing at the moment. There are so many incredible albums being released and old albums being rereleased. There really aren’t enough hours in the day. I am quite taken with Tom Waits’ new album and I’ve had Deerhunter on high rotation for a while. I adore Mavis Staples’ recent album and Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and Kurt Vile and and and…I have to say one of the best things around is the radio. 2ser 107.3 and Fbi 94.5 have amazing shows everyday and the Shazam app is my best friend for capturing great radio finds because I have a terrible memory.
What are your other interests/passions?
Anything I say here will sound like I’m posting an add in the dating classifieds. I am a sucker for nature and animals but I also like late nights, whisky and films.
Who do you most admire?
I really don’t know. Lawrence Ferlinghetti perhaps?
What is the appeal of vinyl other than the better sound? Was it important to you to get Mercy out on vinyl?
Better sound really is the appeal. But the larger scale format is very appealing and satisfying. Big artwork and nice soft cardboard and a big black disc that you can watch and hear spinning. It’s the ideal way of listening to music at home and anyone who hasn’t tried it needs to get their favourite album on vinyl and take the plunge into the wonderful world of record players.
A song I wish I wrote/played is…
Shakin All Over
The best advice I ever received was…
Don’t wait for the right time because it’ll never come.
Do you think the music industry treats female musicians differently to male musicians?
Yes. It’s quite a complicated thing actually. But definitely, yes.
Are you playing your set any differently for the Broken Stone Records showcase?
Well we always choose our set lists on the night based on the vibe of the town and the room so we’ll probably play slightly different shows here and there. Overall we hope to play pretty rollicking typical Sister Jane sets because that is what we’re best at.
Is there anything you’ve always wanted to be asked?
I guess I’d be pretty happy if someone asked me, “Would you like to join me in my time-machine and go to a Velvet Underground gig?”. I haven’t really done enough interviews to wonder about much else so dreams like this are all I have for you.
Sister Jane will be hitting the road with their Broken Stone Records labelmate for a showcase along the East Coast. Find out more on the Facebook event page here!
