Hound
Brisbane four-piece Hound are celebrating the release of their new single God Is Calling. The strength of their demo got them a support slot with Killing Joke and landing tours with DZ Deathrays, The Love Junkies and Drunk Mums so things are looking up for Hound. 2015 is shaping up to be an even bigger year with multiple tours and the release of their debut album Dying in the Sun. Lucus Colin from the band talks to Across The Ocean about the new single and how the band got together as well as the plans beyond this upcoming tour.
Is it an exciting time building up to the release of your album?
As excited as four men being strangled by the cold, hard grip of poverty can be, which is pretty exciting as it turns out. It’s a confusing time. But I am enjoying myself, most certainly.
Have you been encouraged by the response to your single God Is Calling?
Yes, it has been really quite nice. Validation makes the world go round. The clip just got posted by the J’s Home & Hosed legends as I type this. Hahahaha, so ask me again in a week or two? I’ll know for sure then.
What is the single about?
About three minutes and 20 seconds, geography, distance, our mate Gerry and I have no fucking idea.
How did Hound get together?
Three cups of Toowoomba with one cup of Caloundra – preheat Brisbane to a few billion degrees Celsius – whack it all in there and wait a year or two – done! Serves whoever is up for it.
How would you describe the band’s sound?
The line we’ve been running with is that we’re the exact midpoint between Slayer and Crowded House. Four Seasons In The Abyss. I’m not entirely certain and to be honest, I’m sure if I want to be. At any rate people aren’t shy in telling me what they reckon about the whole ordeal. They all pretty much reckon Dinosaur Jr, which is probably the actual exact midpoint between Slayer and Crowded House. Brilliant!
Are there any significant influences that the band share?
Aside from Fugazi and the track Heaven Is In The Backseat Of My Cadillac by Hot Chocolate, I’d say the various methods of preparation in the highly competitive world of bacon and eggs have us wound up all very close together at some stage or another. Also, Bloody Marys. Important.
Was the process of writing and recording your debut as hard/difficult as you thought?
Recording-wise, we thought it was going to be a stiff breeze at first. But then we realised it was just a regular, good ol’ easy breeze a few tracks in. Cool moments on hot days. Our man about sound, the formidable Sean Cook, is a wonderful wizard man. He was a real joy to work with. Writing the bloody thing was painless enough despite the crippling hangovers.
Are there a lot of lessons you can take from this in to the next recording experience?
The thing that so many bands forget to do is to write the very best songs in the world. I mean, that’s it, isn’t it? That’s the one thing you should have with you. The Beatles did alright back in the day, had a fair crack at it and all that. If you just go into the studio with the best songs ever written by man or machine in all known history, then everything else should take care of itself. I predict we’ll be taking this awful joke and all associated recriminations into the studio next time around. See what happens. It’s going be tough, because our favourite legend of sound, Sean Cook, is no longer in the country.
No tour in Adelaide? How come?
I don’t know if we’re ready for different time zones yet. It was hard enough dealing with those daylight savings way down south. It’s insane and I’m still reeling from the rays. Up here in Queensland it’s all about daylight spendings. Got a full pocket of UV anytime you want some, mate.
What can punters expect on this tour?
The high-octane-unicycle-on-a-flaming-tightrope-ride that is whether or not I get gout. I’ve got some pre-emptive medication but I’ve also got a proactive thirst. How’s it gonna go? Come along and find out.
What was it like touring with Killing Joke and DZ Deathrays?
Sharing a stage with Killing Joke was simply too much of something I could never, ever get enough of. They were fucking great, and a really important musical touchstone for the four of us. And playing with DZ? Well we’ve had opportunity to do so, but we would jump at any further opportunity with relationship-destroying intensity. That’s how good they are. 10/10 blokes.
Did you learn anything from touring with the bands?
If I could sum it up, it would potentially read as follows: Stop being shit and start being good. Hahahahahaha yeah something like that.
What’s the plan from here?
Save some coin and finish off some new songs, make another record, make another film clip, do some more tours and try not to get too distracted by the day job. Fabulous.
Whether it is rummaging through vinyl at record stores such as Clarity and Title finding hidden gems to scouring the internet to find that album by the next big thing or chasing bands to get that elusive autograph and photo his passion is music all the way.
- Aversions Crown - January 27, 2017
- Sick Of It All - January 19, 2017
- Refused - January 11, 2017
