Aural Window

Melbourne alternative outfit Aural Window are quickly making footprints in the often competitive local scene. Having supported a host of Australian and international bands, the group released their latest EP ‘Candlelight’ in 2013. With their ‘Sleepless Dreams’ tour just commencing, Killyourstereo.com sat down with the band.

Thanks for doing the interview. As an easy and general starting point, how has the year been for Aural Window?

Cheers for having us. This year has been massive. We released our new EP ‘Candlelight’, a record we did with the boys at Electric Sun Studios in Sydney. We got to support international artists for the first time [such as] Emmure, Jonny Craig, Flyleaf and very soon Dance Gavin Dance in November. There are so many awesome bands out there so to be given the opportunity is just amazing.

Speaking of shows, the Sleepless Dreams tour is underway. How was the first show in Adelaide?

Adelaide is always crazy for us in the best way possible. The scene there has a real sense of community and kids there are always so excited to see bands from other states. Some people have trouble understanding how we could drive nine-and-a-half hours to play 30-40 minutes, but that’s what bands do and you can really feel the appreciation after a really good set. [We] Can’t wait to play the rest of the tour.

How’s the search for a permanent drummer going? I see on Facebook you are on the look out.

Yeah, we’re still looking. It feels a bit like dating (laughs) – trying to find the right person you click with on a musical and personal level. I mean, there are so many great drummers in Melbourne but to find someone who ticks all the boxes hasn’t been easy.

Listed within the drummer call-out is the phrase “big plans in 2014”. What is on the horizon for 2014?

We’ll be recording our first full-length album in the States with pretty much our dream producer during their summer, our winter. We sent over some tracks never expecting him to write back but he did and was seriously keen on being a part of the project. We’re actually scared shitless right now because this is a guy who works with bands that have sold tens of thousands of records and to present our material to him is nerve-wracking. But it’s that good kind of fear that’ll push us to work harder and write better music than we’ve ever written.

Talk us through what it’s like when you hit the road on tour. This seems to be the point where bands learn the most and decide if it’s the lifestyle for them.

Unlike the USA or Europe, every major Australian city is at least nine hours away from each other so that’s a lot of mileage to cover on a tour. It usually means you’re cramped up in a small space with four other people for long hours on very little sleep. Not to mention the pungent smell of dudes after a while. But, we love what we do and none of that matters. It also helps that we enjoy each other’s company and are good at making our own fun. I mean on the way back from Adelaide, Glen spent a good hour making a meme on his phone about Matt and imaginary tractors – clearly time well spent (laughs). No doubt, when a band gets bigger and the tours go on for months at a stretch it could get really lonely and exhausting. But for now we can’t complain.

A positive of the local scene is the friendship and help fellow bands give one other. What has your experience been like being an up and coming band in today’s alternative/heavy music community?

It has become a little harder these days because the so-called scene has become more fragmented than it was a couple years ago. And getting people to local shows has become more difficult as well. But it also motivates bands to work smarter together. Like a couple of years ago we set out to hand out flyers outside Billboard in Melbourne when an international act was playing and we bumped into the boys from Built On Secrets who were doing exactly the same thing. So we teamed up and ambushed the leaving crowd handing out both flyers at the same time. That sort of camaraderie doesn’t happen often, especially since it is a highly competitive genre – but when it does happen you know to treasure that friendship.

What have been some of the biggest lessons you have learnt since Aural Window’s inception?

Never take anything for granted. Surround yourself with good people. Repay kindness with kindness. Climate change is real. Don’t be a dick.

Might be a hard one to pinpoint, but what was the quintessential record growing up that made you want to become a musician?

I guess the one band we all grew up liking is Linkin Park. ‘Hybrid Theory’ was basically the soundtrack of our adolescence. I remember seeing them live for the first time at Livid Festival in 2003 and thought, “I want to be up there, not sitting here.”

It’s dangerous to look too far into the future, however, ideally where would you like Aural Window to be in let’s say 2 – 3 years time?

Oh wow…. Hmm…I guess we hope to be signed to a great label who is supportive of our recording and touring plans. [Also] have an amazing and commercially successful album out, touring the world and making enough money that we can continue making music. But hey, the music world changes at the speed of light so who knows what the industry would look in two years? We can plan all we want but we’ll just have to roll with the punches. All that we can do is to make the best music we can and deliver our live performances in the best way we know how.

Just some easy ones to finish off with before I let you go:

Favourite album of 2013?

Bring Me The Horizon – ‘Sempiternal’

An album that you consider the biggest letdown of 2013?

Kanye West – ‘Yeezus’

Best gig of 2013?

Parkway Drive’s show at The Palace Theatre in Melbourne last month. It just goes to show after 10 years there is no stopping these guys.

Best new musical discovery?

[That] Pete Wentz is surprisingly nice in person.

Essential items to take on tour?

Clean undies and trackies, fully-charged iPods, [and] a can of Glen 20.

Favourite song to blare in the tour van?

We start every tour with ‘Bring Sunday’ by our mates in Caulfield from Sydney.

Thanks for the interview, appreciate your time.

https://www.facebook.com/auralwindow

Catch Aural Window on the remaining dates of their ‘Sleepless Dreams’ tour.

Thursday November 14th – Snitch, Brisbane (18 )
Tickets available at door
w/ Awaken I Am

Friday November 15th – Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne (18 )
Tickets available at www.oztix.com.au
w/ Dance Gavin Dance (USA)

Saturday December 29th – Valve Bar, Sydney (AA)
Tickets available at door