The Middle East Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 22nd 2010 7:00AM by Brandy Keller
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The Middle East came together on a whim in 2005 and have been playing throughout Australia ever since. The seven-member group uses a wide array of instruments, including the glockenspiel of all things, to create a harmonically-dense indie-folk sound. In 2008, the Middle East released 'The Recordings of the Middle East,' which was later re-released in both Australia and the United States in 2009. The band will be making their first trip to the States to play three festivals: SXSW, Coachella and Sasquatch. Spinner recently caught up with guitarist/vocalist Rohin Jones to discuss the band's past, present and future.

How would you describe your sound?

Probably just a bunch of friends playing some folk-ish music together.

How did the Middle East form?

We all kinda grew up together. Some of us went to the same school and were all playing in different bands through our teen years. Myself and Bree [Tranter, vocals/multi-instrumentalist] started university together doing music, and Jord [Ireland, vocalist/guitarist] was gonna do it as well. We got over playing hardcore music and started playing the songs me and Jordan were writing for little solo projects [in 2005]. Jord was gonna move to Melbourne to live with his brother after Christmas, so we were keen to do something before that happened. A show with a band from Brisbane came up and we knew the guy who was putting it on so we got the opening spot. Jord didn't end up moving away, so we just kept playing music.

What are your musical influences?

We all have our own and there are a lot of us. Some of mine would be Dylan, Cat Power, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Silver Jews, etc.

What bands or musicians are you currently listening to?

I'm listening to Emma Russack, Kid Sam and Gillian Welch.

How did you come up with the name "The Middle East"?

We just needed a name to go on a poster for a show and I had been watching a documentary on the region at the time, so we just put it in the poster.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

'70s church music.

Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics?

Mostly just living. In friends and family, just normal stuff.

What is the creative process like for the band? Does everybody have creative input, or do you divide up different parts of the process?

Jordan and myself write the songs, then we take them to the band and work on them together for a while until we feel comfortable with them.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

Probably 16 hours straight in a van with seven people. Anything can happen.

How are you preparing for SXSW?

We are actually recording an album at the moment, so we haven't had a lot of time to practice to be honest. We will probably all sleep for a few days before in preparation for getting none over that week.

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