Sneaky Sound System

Thanks for taking a few minutes to speak with us

You’re more than welcome, thanks for having us.

How have the reactions been in the UK compared to back in Australia to the music?

The crowds at our shows have been going bonkers and radio has been very generous, so I guess things are heading in the right direction. We were totally paranoid at first but the more time we’ve spent here the more relaxed we have become. You never know if your music will translate but so far it appears we’re on the right track.

Your new record according to some sources is said to be a combination of both of your albums for the folks in the UK. Was that something you were on board with or more of a label decision? If so have you decided on which of the songs from the albums will be included?

That’s right, it will be a mix of both our Australian albums. It just made sense to combine them so the world was in sync – we as a band wanted to do it and so did the label. We’re in the middle of choosing the tracks now…so it’s decision time.

Your new single “I Love It” set records back in Australia. Has it been a bit strange to take the song back out and start fresh with it?

Yeah considering we’re all about moving forwards it’s a little bit strange to revisit it, especially when it’s been such a whirlwind couple of years. But hey, it’s a solid track and one that we’re still really, really proud of – so it’s been good to have it back up front again.

You have had a lot of different people remix your work. Is there any particular person out there you would want see remix one of your songs?

Soulwax would be top of the list. They haven’t really put a foot wrong have they? They’re constantly pushing themselves in every way – writing, production, remixes, the live show, the whole bit. Would also love to see what Erol Alkan could do with the right track.

I have heard a lot about your live shows. Did you enjoy the touring and performing aspect?

Definitely. We all came from different worlds, Connie had been in a bunch of bands, I had DJ’ed for years and Daimon was a fresher. When we started out it was me Dj’ing Connie singing and Daimon was the hype man – hence ‘soundsystem’ – playing in clubs. We added drums, keys, bass and guitar and presto…we had morphed into a ‘proper’ band. There are elements in the live show that are completely different to the recorded stuff, and it’s constantly evolving. We make a genuine effort to keep it special each time, rather than just pushing play on our album and dancing in front of it. We always treat every show as though it’s the most important show of our lives – it keeps you on your toes that way.

Do you enjoy the festivals such as the Big Day Out?

We supported Robbie Williams a couple of years ago and played to around 50,000 people for nine consecutive nights. That experience took us out of the clubs and into stadiums literally overnight, and we loved it. As much as we still enjoy playing smaller venues, it’s always a buzz playing on a big stage to big crowds. At Big Day Out we were pretty much sandwiched between heavy metal bands, so you’ve got to be on your game – thankfully lots of people were there for us, but there’s also lots of people who aren’t. That’s the great thing about festivals, it’s such a mix of different people and music and if you’re really good at what you do you can win over the strangest sort of people.

How did the band up with 14th Floor Records?

Well it’s a classic love story. Label asks band for date, band and date get along well, both go for more dates and move to second base, a union is formed, we marry and head for honeymoon. So far so good, they are good people. They get us and we get them.

What is next for the band this year? Trip to the US?”

Finally release our record in your part of the world then tour like maniacs throughout the UK, US, Australia, Germany…basically everywhere. We’ll be doing lots of shows so come along – no excuses.

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