Tuesday, March 18, 2008

SCENE IN NY: Cut Copy Interview & Sold-Out Show at NY's Mercury Lounge

It was another pinch-me moment on Monday, when your very own TixGirl sat down with one of my favorite bands of the last several years - Australia's Cut Copy - just hours before their sold-out show at New York's Mercury Lounge.

Cut Copy @ DBA for TixGirl Interview
L to R: Cut Copy's Mitchell, Dan and Tim sit down for a beer with TixGirl at D.B.A. before the Mercury Lounge show

Here's what Mitchell, Dan and Tim had to say about their SxSW experience, breaking into the US market, and their sound on the (phenomenal!) new album, "In Ghost Colours," hitting the virtual shelves on April 8th.

TixGirl:
So I understand you're here in NY fresh from SxSW. How was it?

Tim:
Yeah it was good, it was a busy schedule. A lot busier than last time we were there. A lot more shows, a lot more press. We had a lot going because we have a new record coming out. A lot of Mexican food, as well. It was good, actually.

Cut Copy @ NY's Mercury Lounge 3/17/08
Tim @ The Mercury Lounge, New York, 3/17/08

Mitchell:
I looked at our schedule once we got there, and we had no time to see any other bands. So we didn't even really look at who was playing. But we happened to catch about two bands. One of the shows was all suits. Yeah, it was a bit weird - very SxSW experience.

TixGirl:
Were the shows down there the size venues you're used to playing?

Tim:
Well I guess it was a bit more intimate, which is kinda good at times, I think. Yeah, I like that, it'sgood. And sometimes you do the big scene, too. I mean they catered it for us, anyway. (laughing)

TixGirl:
SxSW isone of those events that's really geared towards breaking bands. And you know exactly what it's like, coming from Australia, to be trying to break into the American market. Have you had any challenges there?

Dan:
Um, not so much, um, we found that a lot of people automatically knew a lot about us already. I guess because we already had a record out, and had toured around on a bus. So we had a bit of an advantage on the bands coming to the States for the first time. If anything it was just a really positive experience. We got some really good size crowds, and a lot of people said we were the best thing they'd seen at the whole event. So yeah, it was really positive. We hadn't released anything or toured in a while, so it was a good thing to get in front of some really key people - the tastemakers and industry people, and especially the real fans who will spread the word about our release when the new record comes out. And it was good for the band to play from the record.

Cut Copy @ NY's Mercury Lounge 3/17/08
Dan @ The Mercury Lounge, New York, 3/17/08

TixGirl:
The new album is called "In Ghost Colours" and it's out April 8th. Congratulations on that, by the way. I love it - I was lucky enough to get an advance copy, and everyone I've played it for has been just amazed. I'm curious about the title...

Tim:
With Cut Copy it has always been about the whole creation of our kind of music - past and present. Yeah and I guess it was kind of like that, like ghosts of the past.

TixGirl:
Well musically, it harkens to your first album, to me. But it sounds like a bit of a departure from your EP. Were you trying to go in a different direction for the EP, "Lights & Music"?

Dan:
Ah, well, the EP was more like kind of a single, really. At least in Australia. I think releasing it as an EP was more in America. But when you talk about the sound, it's really about the album that's just coming out. With this one, the album is a lot more realized than the first one. I think all of us, when we think of the first one, we agree we sort of got half way there. But on the new one we got a lot closer to the sort of sounds we're after. There are some different aspects to it - more layered, more dynamic, as well as some more loud, dance-y sections to it. And with the guitar there were many-layered sections as well. It got the real highs and lows, the real floaty bits, which I think is sort of a secret to our sound, with a lot of segues so that it just sort of flows together. And I think it's a lot more, kind of... complete.

Cut Copy @ NY's Mercury Lounge 3/17/08
Dan @ The Mercury Lounge, New York, 3/17/08

TixGirl:
I'm curious about how you approach writing. Cuz I mean, it's such an original sound. I hear elements here and there of things that are familiar, whether they're New Order, or maybe a little Brian Ferry. I'm curious how you approach the writing process, and your influences.

Dan:
I guess with us it's just that we like challenging ourselves, and I guess internally exposing each other to all sorts of different music.

TixGirl:
It sounds like there's such a scene in Australia right now. Or at least bands are making it over here more. The Presets, Sarah Blasko. I feel like I'm hearing more from Australia than I'm used to hearing. Is it a "scene", so to speak?

Mitchell:
Yeah, I think there are a bunch of bands that are all touring the US at this point. I mean there's us, The Presets, the Midnight Juggernauts... I think it's a bit easier for Australian bands to become more prominent in the US, just because, you know this new modern world of technology. It took the power away from record bosses and gave it to people you know you want to have live with the music. I mean, you've probably heard lots more from Swedish bands, as well, right?

Cut Copy @ NY's Mercury Lounge 3/17/08
Mitchell @ The Mercury Lounge, New York, 3/17/08

TixGirl:
Right, it kind of cuts down those international barriers. So you're from Melbourne, right? Is Melbourne known as a music city?

Dan:
Yeah, there's a lot of bars, and a lot of bands, and a lot of places to play. So it's definitely a good place if you're just starting out in music.

Mitchell:
Sydney's the biggest city in Australia. But Melbourne is more like the cultural capitol.

Get a glimpse of the Cut Copy sound with these videos from the unusually tiny, turning-them-away-in-droves show at NY's Mercury Lounge, including a tune off the forthcoming album, "In Ghost Colours"...



And be sure to catch them live when they're back on US shores -- first for Coachella, and then for a full US Tour with CMJ 07's big buzz band, Black Kids.

MORE CUT COPY:
--See Photos: Cut Copy live at Mercury Lounge in NY
--Watch Video: Cut Copy live at Mercury Lounge in NY
--Find Tickets: See Cut Copy in concert

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

good looking guys