Mikey Young, Eddy Current Suppression Ring
February 19, 2010After an ARIA nomination, and winning 2009’s AMP for Primary Colours, Melbourne garage punks Eddy Current Suppression Ring unleash follow up, Rush to Relax. MAG’s Andrew Wallace spoke to Mikey Young aka ‘Eddy Current’.
ECSR have several outside interests – music production, and a few artists in your midst I believe? “That’s right – Danny (Young) is a tattooist, Brad (Barry) does a lot of painting and Brendan (Huntley) has exhibitions every year with his sculpting, so everyone’s rather talented, except for me! Those three have always been interested in art as much as music – maybe not to make a living, but it’s definitely a passion.”
Past tracks like Insufficient Funds and Sunday’s Coming – and now Anxiety – tackle everyday life; is this a definite focus? “It’s just the way (lead singer/songwriter) Brendan is as a person – he’s always thinking about the simple things that everyone goes through in day-to-day life, and 95 per cent of the time, that’s what we’re all thinking about – stupid stuff like being anxious, having no money, or whatever.”
I believe the band started out playing house parties? “Once or twice a year we still do something like that – a small warehouse show or a party. There’s an irreplaceable feeling you don’t get in commercial venues, so it helps keep things fresh. If it’s someone’s birthday or somebody asks, there’s a fair chance we’ll do it.”
Eddy Current is known for a raw garage sound; is this something you’ve continued on Rush to Relax? “I want all of our records to just sound like a band playing in a room – so you couldn’t tell if it was made 10 years ago or in 20 years’ time. I hope our music never sounds dated; I want it to be as simple and as honest as possible.”
Rush to Relax, the title track and final song, ends with 18 minutes of beach sounds. Why? “The way Rush to Relax sounded at the end, it was heading into a Hawaiian sort of vibe. When we were sequencing the album, it sounded naturally like the last song, and because CDs have 80-odd minutes to spare, I was like, “fuck it, I might as well fill it up”. I went down to Frankston beach and sat there with my recorder and taped some birds and waves. It seemed a good fit – the album starts with Anxiety and finishes with Rush to Relax. Hopefully, it makes it feel like you’ve arrived at a destination.”
Rush to Relax is out now via Aarght! Records/Shock.
