Fierce Mild Test You Interview

Fierce Mild Test You Interview

Fierce Mild form compelling songs speaking of all things from the sinister to the absurd. From a brooding, visceral atmosphere reminiscent of that of The Drones but swamped in a rich post-rock, shoegaze and psychedelic cinematic maze, the narratives unfurl amidst unrelenting dynamics that transcend listeners into unnerving dreams.

The band has released a triplet of tracks to national acclaim and airplay, with sold out shows and 2 national tours in 2015 which included performances at The Brunswick Music Festival and Rock the Bay. They are also avid visual integrators adding to the cinematic nature of their compositions, which led to them headlining the 2015 psych and video art festival Stargazed.

January 2016 sees another East Coast Tour entitled -In Search of Lost Time' launching their full visual live show and supporting their single -Test You'.

Happy Presents Fierce Mild -In Search Of Lost Time' Tour 2016

Wednesday, 13th January 2016
Rad Bar, Wollongong NSW

Thursday, 14th January 2016
107 Projects, Sydney NSW

Friday, 15th January 2016
The Bearded Lady, Brisbane QLD

Saturday, 16th Janaury 2016
2High Festival, Brisbane QLD

Monday, 18th January 2016
The Pier, Port Macquarie NSW

Wednesday, 20th January 2016
Lass O'Gowrie, Newcastle NSW

Interview with Roly of Fierce Mild

Question: How would you describe your music?

Roly: A cinematically inspired mix of multiple styles. Some brushes we get painted with are ambient, psychedelic, post-rock, prog and shoegaze…

There's a dark narrative which unfolds amidst the dynamics, inspired from dream sequences to the harsh and ridged structures of regular existence.


Question: What should we expect from the upcoming shows?

Roly: With the help of video artist Stephanie Peters we aim to take the viewer on a deep and dark journey, pairing visual and sonic elements. Both mediums will deal with themes of birth and the cycle of life, schizophrenia, evolution, particle physics and the philosophy of death.


Question: What was the main motivation behind Test You?

Roly: Both Troy's lyrics and the instrumentation represent the sequence of life. The intro is embryonic, followed by a birth-like explosion. Slow evolution continues throughout as a vision of a fallible humanity becomes clear whilst the words cry out for wisdom from those wiser. The music explodes again at the end with the lingering notion that one day the questioning child within us all may disappear…


Question: Did you have any pre-conceived ideas about the music industry?

Roly: Releasing a song and expecting people to notice it. There is so much great music out there the audience is spread thin. After creation, there's a whole other process we'd never considered until we started releasing and that's fighting for the space in people's ears!


Question: Do you write your own songs? What's your inspiration?
Roly: Yes we play originals - no top 40 unfortunately! Inspiration can come from emotions, words, landscapes, visual images…

We seem to take an element or experience of life and attempt to express it through the instrument or voice. This could be Butch (Daniel) capturing an image of a typewriter ticking away at the back of a mind thinking itself out of existence in his drumming, or Troy and I using imagery of a buried memory slowly manifesting into a schizophrenic nightmare to inspire ethereal spacey guitar parts that slowly crescendo into intense chaos. Each person's layer forms part of a scene in that way.


Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Roly: We are constantly sharing new music with one another on tour. Jake for instance has a heavy hip-hop influence. Butch loves bands like Fugazi and Red Neck Manifesto. Troy favours the experimental like Jacaszek, Prefuse 73, Celeste Boursier-Mougenot, Goat and Jon Hopkins. I'm currently listening to Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Paolo Angelic, Tokimonsta and old American primitive guitar work such as Robbie Basho.


Question: What's next? Tour/Album/Single?

Roly: We launched our own festival in 2015, called Stargazed. We paired up with visual artist Stephanie Peters and had about 8 bands play in front of 4 projection channels and had 10 TV screens all play different video art by artists from Melbourne. We want to take that to the next level.

We're currently preparing to record an album as well and I think the two plans may meet at some point very soon.


Question: Was there a moment you contemplated throwing in the towel?

Roly: Fortunately not yet…although we all packed towels for this tour.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?
Roly: It's great to share the work with new audiences and watching their response. Our set isn't a collection of disconnected three and a half minute songs…it's a continuous, unbroken narrative which I think is very engaging for the audience.

The recording and writing aspect is a great creative process and experimental melting pot for us. After the creation, it's then a process figuring out how to arrange this into our live narrative.


Question: What/who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Roly: To us it just feels like a natural progression. We have all been playing from a young age. I guess everything else feels secondary. Attending gigs of great acts such as The Drones, Goat, UMO is very motivating. It's particularly inspiring to observe all facets of their craft finally accumulate to an engrossing onstage performance which they then take all over the world. It's something we aspire to.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Roly: Time management. Trying to fit all tasks in can be tricky at times. There is a lot more to do than just writing and playing your songs. Social media, planning tours and festivals... It's a full time job.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Roly: When we have time, attending all forms of art events in Melbourne. Art installations, films, music – anything to gain new inspiration. Lots of time in the studio fleshing out and arranging new material and consistently tweaking the material we already have.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Roly: I think creative freedom. We haven't pigeonholed ourselves as anything, so we are happy to work on anything from a 10 minute dream inspired sequence to 30 seconds of clunky guitar work inspired by images of moving rusty metal cogs. I guess it's eclectic in some ways.

Being part of the arts and music communities is a great way to discover new artists and share ideas. Everyone is very supportive of one another.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Roly: I think a group like Tycho would be great. We could put our darker, grittier spin on it all . For someone more local, definitely The Drones. They are masters at what they do. It would be a great learning experience.


Question: Do you have a website fans can visit?

Roly: Our official website Fiercemild.com.au or check us out on all social media: Facebook @fierce_mild on instagram and twitter and soundcloud for a start.


Question: What is the story behind the band's name?

Roly: It's based on a Dylan Moran joke referencing to the Irish weather system. Our home town Melbourne is very similar and it's very fitting for our dynamic musical style. The concept of a swan as the emblem is itself an oxymoron much like the band's name, in that it represents the idea of beauty contradicted with the aggressiveness in its behaviour. This contrast is very much what the music is about.


Interview by Brooke Hunter