Saskwatch Interview Ahead Of Wide Open Space Festival

We’re so excited Saskwatch have confirmed their place at this years amazing Wide Open Space Festival in Cental Australia. Melbourne soul outfit Saskwatch have never been one to shy away from the unconventional. We recently caught up with the band to get to grips with what they’re about, what to expect at Wide Open Space and what their next career plans are. Enjoy! 

How would you reflect on your previous two albums, and would you say it’s been a process of discovering the type of sound you want? 

Our first album ‘Leave It All Behind’ was very much about putting something out there in the music scene. The music from that album really reflected the soul music that we loved and had been influenced by growing up. It also reflected playing a lot of nights throughout uni, that felt like massive parties – and were. Our second album ‘Nosedive’ was definitely about experimenting with what our sound was, how we felt about growing up and relationships, and establishing ourselves, as Saskwatch, in our own right.

How has the vibrant Melbourne music scene helped and influenced you as a band?

The Melbourne music scene really supports music and the arts as a whole. What it means for us as artists is that there are audiences willing to support and encourage artists to establish themselves and also try new things out. For Saskwatch, our first step up was aided by two Djs from the community radio station PBS called Pierre Barroni and Vince Peach. They not only invited us to play on-air for them but, also helped us get a residency at Cherry Bar.  Playing at the soul night enabled us to establish a following and experiment with new songs in front of live audiences each week. The influence of this time I feel was captured in our first album which is loud and all about the party.

Your new album, ‘Sorry I Let It Come Between Us’, was recorded in an old warehouse on Mt. Slippery in Philadelphia. What was that experience like? Did it add something extra to the Saskwatch vibe?

It was freezing. Mt Slippery, which is the recording studio of Dr. Dog that’s situated in the very outskirts if Philadelphia, was a very new experience. We barely saw daylight and it felt like the apocalypse had happened outside because there was no one around. From a recording perspective, it was very new and exciting to be recording with a band whose music we really loved. I think being isolated really allowed us to focus on the music and, I guess, play around with the more delicate nuances of the band. Scott McMicken really brought a new way of recording for me as a singer by having me sing with the band the entire time through the recording. For me, this made the experience of recording more enjoyable.

You’ve really advanced your sound with the new album to give us something quite different to what you’ve produced previously. Was there anything in particular that triggered this sonic development? 

Going into recording and creating every album, I feel that what we produce is affected deeply by what’s going on in our lives, sounds, the music that we’ve been listening to and general sound experimentation.

Is it important for you all to not be cornered into playing just one certain style?

I think it’s important for people to grow. Though, some bands like playing the same style over and over again. For them, if they love it and that’s all they want to do, I totally respect that.

Are you excited to play all this new material live? What do you have in store for audiences?

Yes! A chance to see the band in its new set up.

You’re playing at Wide Open Space Festival this year. I was out in the centre last summer, what an amazing place to play! Are you looking forward to the experience? 

I have been wanting to go to Central Australia my whole life. So yeah – pretty excited.

Will you be hanging around to enjoy the environment?

I hope so, I’m not really sure at this stage.

What are some of the other more memorable locations you have played in the past? 

Waves Rock in WA and Glastonbury.

What excites you most that you have planned for the rest of this year?

Recording another album and working on new material.

For more info and to book your tickets now, head to  https://wideopenspace.net.au