interview : little red

Quang Dinh of Little Red can be a little self-deprecating at times. Even after the astounding success of the band’s first album, Listen to Little Red, and their growing popularity overseas, Quang seems unable to understand the Little Red phenomenon.

‘I really don’t know why people like us. Not that we’re shit or anything, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you,’ he says, as we chat about their upcoming tour to promote their new album.

Well, they must be doing something right, if their every-growing fan base is anything to go by!

Recently released, Midnight Remember showcases Little Red’s growth from an indie group overflowing with raw talent, to a more sophisticated, polished band. The album retains all of the fun, 60’s pop of Listen to Little Red, but with a new, smoother sound and better production quality.

‘We always did want to make our second record, and probably our third record, kind of evolutionary,’ Quang says of the change in sound. ‘We all enjoy listening to a whole range of things, which is why the new record has a lot of different sounding songs. It almost sounds like they’re different bands, really.’

Overall, though, Midnight Remember still has the trademark 60’s harmonies and doo-wah-doo lyrics that we’ve come to expect from Little Red. The first single off the album, ‘Rock it’ is already a huge crowd favourite, and has been ever since the band first started playing it live.

‘We’ve been playing it for a while live, and the first ten times, the crowd was just into it straight away, without even knowing the song,’ Quang marvels. ‘It’s the kind of song that comes on and everyone can just celebrate!’

That said, does Quang have a favourite song off the new album?
‘I don’t have favourites, I’m not allowed,’ he protests. That must mean he’d make a great father, then, if he isn’t willing to spoil one in particular. ‘Oh, I’d pick favourites with children. Just not with songs!’

He’s a bit more discerning with tour destinations, though. ‘Definitely Canberra,’ Quang says, when I ask him where he’s looking forward to playing the most on Little Red’s upcoming national tour.

Though, considering lip is a Canberra based publication, of course he would say that! The political landscape is an added bonus, however.

‘With all the stuff that’s been going on in the politics lately, it’ be interesting to see what happens!’ Perhaps Julia Gillard would enjoy a night of 60’s pop music? ‘We’ll put her on the door, but I doubt that she’ll come.’

Well, it’s probably best to keep those expectations low, but who knows?

The band are being supported on their tour by Sparkadia and Kimbra, and are hitting locations all over the country, stopping over in Canberra to play the ANU Bar on the 7th of October.

As our interview time runs out, I manage to grill Quang briefly on his views on feminism.
‘I would call myself a feminist. I’m just an equalist, equal rights for everybody! If you look at history, whether it be art or music or politics or anything, it’s just been dominated by males for so long, like centuries and millennia worth of male dominance. It’s good these days that women have more of a voice.’

Amen to that brother.

Little Red’s Midnight Remember is available for purchase NOW! Check out their myspace for tour dates and ticket prices.