‘New EP’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest release. Up next is Andy, Rob and Nat from Interns.
When/where was the new EP recorded?
The EP was recorded by Warwick Donald in his Newtown studio. Singer/guitarist, Andy had worked with Warwick before as a member of The Overdogs and knew he’d do a good job and – as a non-band member – provide a useful perspective on how things could sound.
Who produced/engineered the EP? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
Warwick recorded and mixed the EP. We produced and mastered it with the help of Warwick and an algorithm. The tracks were written by Interns and essentially recorded as we’d performed them. We recorded over a couple of days: one to get the instruments down and one for vocals.
Did the shorter format of an EP give you the option to experiment in any way with your sound or with different forms of song-writing?
It was our first time in a professional studio so it all felt like experimenting. As mentioned, the bones of the tracks were as we performed them but some of the backing vocals were arranged in the studio, and some of the parts that don’t make the stage line up were improvised on the fly, e.g. the organ on Tell Me About Him and the percussion parts.
Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
Singer/guitarist, Rob got a new guitar the day before we recorded the instrumental parts so he approached his solos like Schumacher with a new car. Andy uses an NHG guitar made by his mate, Nick Hallett, and an MPC amp modelled on a Vox Night Train.
Is there a particular track or theme that the EP was formed around?
People joke that we play “public service rock” because we sing about Wellington life and working for the government but we have many more dimensions than that. For example, we also sing about the Karori bus, Apple computers, getting shot in Nairobi and girls.
Where do you see the EP’s place in growing an audience online? Do you see it as a progression towards an album or a separate entity?
Ha, this question suggests we have a plan! For now we’re happy with what we’ve done. When we’ve got a fresh batch of songs we’ll probably have another crack.
Which digital platforms is it available on?
We signed up with a distributor who, we’re told, has got us on all the usual suspects including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube Music, Amazon, Tidal, Pandora, iHeartRadio, etc. We’re also on Bandcamp.
Are you doing any gigs or promotion for its release?
Sadly, bassist/singer, Al is overseas for another twelve months or so which rules out a tour with the full line up that recorded the EP. The remaining band members will play as a trio though. Our next performance is on 22 June at San Fran, with our good friends Neverwoz, Megan McCarthy, and The Liam Poole Band.