My name is Alex. I’m from Melbourne, Australia. Although I was learning drumming as a teenager, music was not originally my first choice. I started as an actor at the age of 12. I did quite a bit of theatre, TV and even a film over a period of 5 years. I began singing at the age of 18 and began formal singing lessons when I was 20.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM OR SINGLE
“Choose” is the third album I’ve released online, but it’s the second on which I played all the instruments myself (except for bass). Musically, it’s a little more adventurous than my previous album “Something From Nothing”. I had played it a little safe on that one only because playing everything myself was something I’d never done before. The result of that second album actually gave me more confidence. I was told by the producer in that studio that they’d never seen any band or artist finish an entire album in 9 days before. I was just doing three takes of each instrument and moving on to the next. In the end he used the takes he thought were best. The current single “Down” is sort of a mix of elements from various genres I love. It can be difficult to make a song sound cohesive when trying something like that, but from all the reactions of had this year, it sounds like it’s worked. Lyrically, all my songs are based on experiences in my life, so “Down” is not unique in that regard.
WHICH SONG WOULD YOU SAY SUMS UP YOUR SOUND THE BEST?
From the latest album, I would say “No Replay”. From “Something From Nothing”, it would be “Golden”. I love songs that have a big energy and loud guitars. Even so, I still don’t think you can get a feel for my sound without listening to an entire album. Each song can feel very different from the last.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC?
When I finished high school and it was time to go to uni, my parents stopped supporting my acting ambitions. They actively blocked my attempts, which was simple for them really. All they had to do was stop driving me around to where I needed to go. By the time I got my licence and was able to get around myself, my acting agency had been sold, I was no longer on their books and my actors equity membership had expired. At this stage, I had no drum kit at home either and was relegated to practicing on various pieces of furniture in front of the stereo. At some point my cousin, who happened to be a great drummer, invited me to watch his band at a rehearsal studio. It turned out they had no singer and insisted I get on the microphone to give them a guide. It took a lot of convincing. They kept asking me back every weekend. That’s how the singing began. Not long after that, I joined a band and signed up for singing lessons.
WHAT DOES TYPICAL WRITING AND RECORDING DAY LOOK LIKE?
If a melody turns up in my head, I start by humming it into my phone’s voice recorder. If I listen to it the next day and I still think it has potential, I go to my little studio at home, record it on a track in Pro Tools, then start working on what the guitar will be playing. Although I work the drums out last, they obviously get recorded first when I’m ready to do the proper demo (which is what I take with me to a studio when recording). I can easily spend an entire day working on a song without noticing. Sadly, I don’t often get whole days because I have a day job.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR BAND NAME/ STAGE NAME?
I was a big Radiohead fan when I started this project. I still am. At one point, someone I worked with mentioned how they still listened to ABC talk radio on the way to work and I thought it would be funny if someone was referring to a band every time they said “talk radio”. I decided to make it one word, to mimic “Radiohead”.
WHAT HAS BEEN THAT HARDEST THING ABOUT YOUR MUSIC JOURNEY SO FAR?
Being noticed. In my first original band it was easier. We had someone managing our gigs and we’d just go out and play. At our peak, we were getting a crowd of over 1000 people. It’s not the same anymore. Melbourne now has only a fraction of the live venues it used to have. Also, I now do this by myself, as opposed to having a band of 5 or 6 people. You now need to sink more of your own money into promotion than ever before, and most of us can’t afford to keep throwing money into a bottomless pit.
I remember seeing an interview not long ago with a music industry professional who summed it up quite effectively. Before streaming services, recording label A&R staff were like a filter. They would pick acts they thought had potential, sign them up and promote them. Now, there is no longer a filter. Anyone with a bit of money can get themselves published on streaming services, whether good or bad. It’s now an infinite sea of content, and it can be very easy to become fatigued going through what’s out there. Especially if, like my stepson says, most of it is “crap”. This also makes it impossible to know if your own work is any good.
WHAT'S BEEN THE EASIEST?
Writing and recording everything by myself. Yes, it’s been a lot of work going to music lessons for multiple instruments and it’s pretty exhausting in the studio but, without anyone else, there are no arguments during the writing or recording process. If you can do it, it is easier than having to get a bunch of people to agree on the same thing.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN'T MAKING MUSIC?
Unfortunately, the same thing I do now. Work in IT.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?
“You can’t rely on anyone but yourself”. That’s been proven to me way too many times.
WHAT'S NEXT?
I’ve already started work on my next recording. It will be a 5 track EP. I won’t be waiting to finish entire albums anymore. The hardest part for me is actually getting into the right frame of mind for writing. Still, I don’t like to rush. If I’m going to record a song, it has to be something I love the sound of.
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