interview: The Spirits.

hey guys, 

so here's an exciting interview i had with The Spirits, an Australian band [[makes me proud!]] based in Sydney, who play alternative and lyrical rock. upon discovering that a few of their influences included radiohead, the smiths, bloc party and the cure, i just had to try and get through to them! so getting home just some 15 minutes ago i discovered they'd gotten back to me! so check it out... oh and find them on myspace music here.

Toby Fitch - Vocals/Guitar

Daniel Fitch - Bass/Vocals 

James Hart - Guitar/Vocals [[who answered the questions]] 

Luke Davison - Drums
1* The name of your band, 'The Spirits' is immensely intriguing. How did it come to be?
Probably, like many bands, we spent a decent amount of time trying to find a relevant and fitting name that would reflect the kind of music we play. Everyone offered ideas in the brainstorming process and in the end we decided 'The Spirits' was the best fit. We think it reflects the haunting, eerie and atmospheric sounds that we love to create so much.
2*Where do the ideas for your lyrics come from, and who usually writes them?
Toby writes our lyrics. In regards to his influences and sources of inspiration you'd have to pick his brain [[if you dare]]. But Toby's a very accomplished writer, having penned many poems in addition to his song lyrics. The lyrics are usually quite heartfelt and personal. There's sometimes a recurrent theme of mythology as well. To me they're a collection of little stories that create different emotions. And those stories can be interpreted many ways depending on the listener.

3*When did you first form as a band?
The four of us have been playing together for about 3 years now. Dan + Toby [[brothers and]] and I [[James]] all went to high school together but it wasn't until a few more years after graduating that we reunited to write some music.  Luke is a random ring in through an audition that ended up netting us a great drummer and an even better friend. We've gone through a few stylistic changes since our inception, and that keeps things fresh and exciting.
4*What else do you hope to explore with your music?
We stumble across new sounds and influences regularly and this culminates in a rehearsal process that leaves things very open to interpretation. Our main goals are to improve technically and instinctively as musicians, to continue to get more proficient at communicating between each other, and to keep trying new things, always.

both pictures from their facebook page

5*Individually, how long have you been playing your instruments?
Hmmmm... let's see...You know I think Luke was probably developing his percussive craft in his mother's womb. Dan and Toby both learn piano, as many young kids were, for a time. Toby's been playing guitar as well since a very young age. Dan played guitar and bass throughout most of high school until deciding to focus on bass. I started playing guitar in Year 7 and copied Toby and a few other mates for inspiration and then did some official lessons for the last two years of high school. The great thing is we're always discovering new sounds with our instruments and trying to push sonic boundaries.
6*Where do you see 'The Spirits' in 2-5 years time?
Caviar, pet tigers and white stretch Hummers! No it's hard to say...A best case scenario would be just to live off our music and not have to work out scummy day jobs. We'd definitely like to have a second EP and an album release within two years. A worst case scenario would be filing for bankruptcy and checking into rehab.
7*What has the journey in the music industry been like so far?
Ah...interesting. It's been a bumpy ride. We've had our fair share of disappointments and encounters with dodgy 'industry' people. We've had our trust broken and our money stolen. From this however, we've learnt to be smarter and more cautious. We've learnt to trust our instincts and stick together as a band. We've also played with some great people and musicians. We've forged some great friendships, had wild times in Melbourne parks, played at some great venues, some not-so-great venues and we're grateful for every minute of it.
8*What message do you hope for your music to convey?
Good question. I guess the lyrical element would be something Toby could explain more eloquently. We're not making any bold political statements or trying to change the world with one song. I like to think that our music is accessible to all different types of people and they're welcome to take whatever they want from the listening experience. The themes of our songs are often universal e.g. love, love lost etc. and these are emotions and experiences that many people can relate to.
9*What's a day in the life of your band like?
We all have our own things going on outside of the band. We do our thing and don't live out of each other's pockets. On the days we rehearse, however, we arrive at about 10am in the city at a studio we hire and go about a leisurely setup. If we have a string of gigs coming up we'll run through a set and tweak it until it feels right. More recently we've been enjoying just jamming out and writing some new material; so good for the soul! An interval around midday for lunch results in a feast of chicken rolls, pies and coffee before heading back in. We'll finish at 2pm feeling like rock stars before getting into our cars, parting ways and going back to our everyday lives.
10*And finally, a very important question: what are your views on music, how do you feel about it, and what do you see in music?
How many people have you met who don't enjoy music? I've met only one or two and I still struggle to get my head around it. Music is a language that transcends borders, races, oceans, religions and age. It touches and unites people from all corners of the world. Whether you're dancing like an idiot in your car to 'My Sharona' or sitting at home listening to the score of 'The Piano', there's no doubt music makes you feel something. And we're extremely blessed to have the opportunity to make it, explore it and share it...regardless of whether we get the Hummer or not!


hope that gave you some musical inspiration guys! enjoy their music! [[i know i do]] 
i've been having some serious issues with the formatting on this blog, so i had to retype all of that... die.
xx rena.