British India to get ‘loose’

MELBOURNE rock royalty British India will play “one of their favourite gigs” at the Prince of Wales Hotel tonight as they tour their latest album Forgetting The Future .

“The Prince of Wales is always one of our favourite gigs to play and we wish we could play more often,” vocalist Declan Melia said.

“The west was one of the first places that really showed us love after the first record.

“That show takes us back to when we used to play house parties, because that is what we are best at – these little intimate sweaty drunk shows where there is no separation from the band and the audience.

“That is really where we thrive because that’s what we grew up doing.”

After five successful albums, British India found themselves at the crossroads and Forgetting The Future tells the story of the band “destroying their world in order to live in it”.

Melia said although the band had plenty of song-writing experience behind it, it was increasingly difficult to create each album.

“I think it has to do with being a bit older, you feel less or you feel things differently,” he said.

“It’s also hard for us not the tread ground we have tread before and we are very wary of that.

“The biggest crime of songwriting for us would be to think what worked in the past, like ‘why was Suddenly such a hit? Can we recreate some of that?

“I think that headspace is kind of kryptonite to us, so we are really conscious of it.”

The band played the Astor Hotel in Goulburn on the same night the album was released, with Melia admitting it was exciting but also difficult to play new music to the fans.

“Paradoxically it’s the most exciting time, but it’s also quite difficult because we are not excellent musicians,” he said.

“For us, it is more about the visceral aspect of the music, so getting that out there in a live setting for new songs can be quite difficult.

“Songs like Vanilla we can play on autopilot – all you have to do is think about the emotion, the meaning and the performance and that’s what it is all about as a performer – to have that second nature aspect.

“With new songs you are not quite there yet, so it’s quite challenging but also very exciting.”

Despite this, Melia said the band was “flattered” to see how quickly fans learned the new material.

“I’m really proud we have established a relationship with our fan base where there is a genuine interest to hear new songs,” he said.

“They don’t just know the few songs they heard on triple J, a lot of them really listen to the album to the last track and have a connection to the songs which aren’t singles.

“That’s the way I absorb music, so to interact with fans like that is really the greatest achievement we have made.”

Melia said his favourite place to be was revelling in the moment on stage.

“The studio is a bit stifling for me – reconciling the kind of music we want to make, the music we make and the music we are able to make – there is always a tension there,” he said.

“When I walk up on a stage I can be exactly who I want and project any personality I choose, but in a studio it’s messy and complicated – there is no sense of freedom.

“Singing the songs for me is very therapeutic – to go up there and shout my head off a couple of nights a week. It’s difficult because it becomes an addiction.

“It’s really liberating and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do it.”

Melia said fans in Bunbury should be “expecting a party”.

“It’s pretty loose and we will take requests – if the audience wants to hear a song they should shout it out and we will play it,” he said.

“Come have a drink and a dance and go wild, it’s all a bit of stupid harmless fun.”

Tickets are available from www.oztix.com.au