Q: Welcome back, Milk Bar Gang! It’s fantastic to have you with us again. Since our last conversation, a lot has happened in your musical journey. To kick things off, could you share some highlights or pivotal moments that have shaped your artistic path since our last interview?
A: The last 12 months have been pretty busy. We had our first live show last October at the Brunswick Artists Bar, then we released the SHUDDER EP early this year with a launch show at Odeon Richmond. As well as recording and releasing new material and organising and playing live shows we were making videos to promote Shudder on You Tube, instagram and Facebook. Now we are about to release a new single in November, producing a video for that and doing pre production and recording for a debut album to be released early next year. Highlights have been the live shows and working up new material with a band.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Milk Bar Gang in three words?
A: Eclectic Unpredictable Genre-bending
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: Like most bands today we are on instagram, facebook, YouTube. So we post updates about our latest activities, releases and gigs. We are an emerging act so it is very gratifying when we get new followers and likes from people we don’t know. Even if just one person digs what we do it helps to inspire us to keep making our art. So thank you whoever you are!
Q: You have just released your new EP, ‘Shudder’. Is there a story behind it?
A: With Shudder we wanted to express how we were feeling about the world now and also express our reaction to and ideas about our experience of life in a world of patriarchal domination. It’s personal and political. Shudder is ofcourse a reference to how we react to horror and darkness. We wanted each track to reflect some aspect of a journey through life in a loose kind of theme. So the first track ‘The Accident’ is about birth into a world, or destiny that you have no control over. ‘Beauty Life’ is about social expectations within the facade of culture. “I Want Control” references narcissism in our culture. “Requiem” is about the finite nature of life in the grand scheme of nature.
Q: What is your favorite track from the EP and why?
A: I like “I Want Control” because it has a cheeky weird vibe like Lene lovich. I got some great synth sounds for that one. The video is also quite funny. We had fun making it. Bianca likes ‘The Accident’ because it takes you into an emotional space. We like the video we made for The Accident too.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the EP, “Shudder”?
A: The first song “The Accident” was one that I had floating around in a different form but needed some work on the structure and lyrics. We worked on that on the piano and the basic song was recorded on Garageband with a basic piano sound and garageband drum beat which I edited later as midi files. Then I added extra drum parts manually using a Korg X5 synthesizer. The strange synth backing sounds were created on the Korg X5. I added guitar and Bass parts once the overall feel was down. Then Bianca did all the vocals. Requiem and Beauty Life were done in similar fashion. I usually work out the chords, melody and structure on the piano first and Bianca rehearses it with me. The approach to I Want Control was a little different. I wrote that song on a Nord Wave 2 Synthesizer, using the machine to create different synth layers. The main riff is an arpeggiated sound that I created from one of the oscillators. The Nord Wave 2 really expanded our production pallet and also allows us to take into consideration the live performance of the song. We recorded all the tracks at home then had them mixed at Audrey Studios by Craig Pilkington. We mixed our first EP ourselves. I’m inclined to prefer mixing our material ourselves as part of the artistic process. Craig did a great job though!
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Milk Bar Gang so far?
A: We had a fantasic night at Odeon Richmond in Richmond (Melbourne). It’s a multi media artspace/venue. We played there with Darkwave Synth bands Suburban Spell and Roles. It’s a great venue that really allowed us to present the band in all its artistic glory. There were elements of theatre, dance, visuals in our show. With her extensive background in ballet performance Bianca is quite captivating. So we enjoyed presenting the songs live.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: I would say ‘The Accident’ because lyrically it encapsulates our emotional and philosophical response to the world, the melody and chords take you on an unexpected journey and I like how the production turned out. There’s some really interesting synth textures in there. I think it’s Bianca’s favourite too. And it’s great to play live.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Milk Bar Gang’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: I try and note down any ideas I have that come to me during the day. That could be lyrics that relate to some issue I’ve been thinking about or a riff or melody that comes into my head. I’ll just record them on my voice recorder or send myself an email with the words. Later I usually sit down at the piano when I feel inspired to create. I also like to experiment with the synthesizer in sound design and this can lead to ideas for a song. Bianca and I spend a lot of time at the piano together rehearsing and reworking new material. Lately we’ve been able to present songs to the live band and develop arrangements more collaboratively. Prior to that I’ve been making up all the parts myself.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have for Milk Bar Gang, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: We want to keep making new music and exploring different creative landscapes and sharing our creations with everyone. For all the Milk Bar Gang fans, We’d like to say thank you for supporting us. It means a lot to get feedback from people interested in your work. Look out for our next Single ‘Wo AI Ni’ coming out in November!
