Melbourne’s Saint Henry are currently on the road touring their bombastic new track “Silverback”, a solid example of where they’re headed musically and the style of post-punk and grunge music they’ve been influenced by in the past.
Taking some time out to take us through the making of their latest tune and how they’ve been developing as a live band, Hayden Manassa and David Lo reflect on recording at the famous Grove Studios, further establishing themselves on the Melbourne music scene and more!
Can you tell us a bit about your session at The Grove Studios? How did that treat you?
Our sessions at The Grove Studios were fantastic. Working with Scott Horscroft and Jackson Barclay really brought the best out of our first two singles as their experience, ideas and work ethic can been seen and heard right through the production of the songs. The studio itself was centred in a national park, so we had the luxury of working in an isolated environment to focus solely on the music and recording.
If “Silverback” is going to be an introductory tune for newcomers to the Saint Henry sound – what is it about this tune that you think is particularly captivating?
We feel that the sound of “Silverback” is really diverse in the sense that the initial riffs are strong and commanding, yet the bridge breaks down to a slow tempo then regains its progression again at the chorus. If you’re new to us, it’s the pulsating riffs and thick sound that is a drawcard for new listeners.
The sound the two of you have generated is raw, aggressive, but the melodies and nuances within the music’s progression also demonstrates a great handle on texture and tone. Describe the musical dynamic between yourselves and how it’s developed or changed since you started making music together?
We both like pushing the boundaries when it comes to writing new material. Writing songs that not only people remember, but ultimately that can be reproduced in a live show in such a way that is fun for us to perform and at the same time, engaging for the audience to watch. Our songs have matured since when we first started out as a band till now. We get a lot of compliments with respect to our newer songs from our friends and fans after live shows with is reassuring. It just makes us want to write more and more songs. A lot of it has come down to our musical equipment we use to produce a load of different effects and sounds.
With our live shows, we have emerged from a sense of vulnerability, to an extent. From our first shows, where having only drums and guitar made being young musicians challenging, as there was nowhere to hide from mistakes. No other band members to rely on. Just two people with individual instruments attempting to create a cohesive, yet sporadic sounds.
What’s been the best thing about collaborating with each other on this new music?
The best thing are the ideas and knowing each other’s roles, along with the support we provide each other. Each of us have some interesting ideas when it comes to writing music and we just lay it all out on the table and flesh out all the good bits. Whether or not the idea works with the context of a particular song, it doesn’t really matter. As long as all the good bits have been incorporated. It’s all about the creative process and churning out a well rounded song.
Where did the inspiration for “Silverback” come from? Some pretty cool imagery is established throughout!
The inspiration for “Silverback” came from going out at night to the city and seeing packs of alpha males and how primitive or animalistic some of their actions were. It then fuelled other observations of the male ego, going headfirst into situations, being the aggressor without balancing the facts. With the artwork, we wanted to create something that would have maximum impact when seen which at the same time had a strong connection with the song itself.
How would you describe Melbourne’s music scene at the moment in terms of how it has supported you?
Melbourne’s music scene is really booming at the moment. You would be lucky to count all the venues on two hands. We have been constantly supported by venue owners and bookers who have always been accommodating to us and other bands. We’ve been always getting support and feedback from bookers on tips and ways to improve. Most notable was James Young (Cherry Bar), whom is always helpful with bookings and advice on how to move forward.
The tour has you guys heading some pretty cool venues – are there many cities on the list you haven’t visited yet and how are you looking forward to it?
This will be our first time playing at a lot of venues across different cities that we’ve never been to before. We’re really forward in heading down to Tasmania and seeing what it has to offer. We’ve heard nothing but good things so far. Regardless, we’re equally excited to bring our show to other cities around Australia.
How is the rest of 2016 shaping up for Saint Henry at this point?
We’ve set the bar high for ourselves this year, from releasing our second single “Silverback” to organising and touring parts of Australia. After the tour, we’ll be looking to write some new material for our next release. We love playing live in front of a crowd so we’ll definitely keep playing shows whenever and wherever we can. It’s safe to say we’re not stopping anytime soon.
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Catch Saint Henry on the road with “Silverback” through into June!
May 27th | Brisbane Hotel, HOBART
May 28th | Club 54, LAUNCESTON
June 4th | Exeter Hotel, ADELAIDE
June 11th | Trainspotters, BRISBANE
June 18th | The Eastern, BALLARAT
June 23rd | Hamilton Station Hotel, NEWCASTLE
June 25th | Vic on the Park, SYDNEY
Photo: Sagar Iyer
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