| | | |  | "The Sunpilots could sway stadium crowds if their stagecraft is any match for their strong musical sense of drama and dynamics." The Drummedia, AUS "Poetic rock with the energy of Pearl Jam and the dark undertone of Radiohead..." Soundscape Magazine,...
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| Interview | Access All Areas.net.au: Can you tell us a bit about your new single Spotlight in the Sun?
Sunpilots: Anyone who’s ever felt like a deer caught in the headlights should relate to Spotlight in the Sun. It’s about being in the limelight when all you want to do is crawl into a corner and hide. We’re really happy with the way it turned out and with the rich texture we ended up with (thanks to producer and engineer Phil Mckellar, and months of sculpting the layers).
Access All Areas.net.au: The single’s been added to Nova and Triple M, have you found the support from Nova and Triple M to be a prominent part of the band’s success thus far?
Sunpilots: It’s a bit early to tell yet as this is the first time we’ve been on the road since all that’s happened. It’s very encouraging though – now it’s up to us to make the most of it.
Access All Areas.net.au: You’re about to embark on a fairly extensive tour, how would you best describe a Sunpilots live show?
Sunpilots: Everyone in the band lives for the stage – we put a lot of time and effort into our stagecraft and giving our fans the kind of show they deserve. We’re not one of those bands that only sounds good in the studio (hmm… I guess we better play well after saying that!)
Access All Areas.net.au: You won the gong for Best International Artist at the Canadian Independent Music Awards that’s a big coupe! How was your reaction to have received that award?
Sunpilots: Shock and surprise. We didn’t even know we had been entered in it! Our manager set it up because we had such a strong response from college radio over there and Canadians fans on our Myspace page. The plan is to head over there in the next 12 months.
Access All Areas.net.au: How have other international audiences taken to your music?
Sunpilots: There’s been an awesome response from the US. We’re not sure what it is – maybe there are just more people over there…. or do they have a thing for Australian bands?
Access All Areas.net.au: You’re currently recording your debut album?
Sunpilots: Yes! We start tracking at Studio 301 in Sydney in November. We can’t wait to work on the wider variety of sounds that an album offers (as opposed to a couple of singles). Also there’s a little more freedom to go crazy on album tracks, and that’s always fun. What we’re NOT looking forward to are the constant arguments about “whether the Hammond should come in at the start of verse 2 or in the chorus” etc. etc. Multiply that by the 8 tracks we still have to finish – that’s a lot of arguing. We put foam on all our instruments so we don’t hurt eachother too much.
Access All Areas.net.au: What can fans expect of that album?
Sunpilots: Its hard to say because tracks tend to develop and evolve as we go, but I think “Spotlight in the Sun” is a good indicator (one magazine described it as “poetic rock”). Some of the tracks are much darker and quirkier, some are more the bittersweet ballad type…. One thing we can say is that it will be eclectic! We’ll also be working with other musicians to add different flavours to different tracks – string quartets, keys etc.
Access All Areas.net.au: For those who havn’t yet heard The Sunpilots, how would you describe your style of music?
Sunpilots: Bittersweet poetry, wrapped in unashamedly guitar-driven rock. How’s that? We like to bend things a little and it’s all fairly introspective.
Access All Areas.net.au: For those who have heard the Sunpilots, what’s something that they may not know about the band?
Sunpilots: Things get a little heated in the studio sometimes. That’s when we start playing a little game called “who’s got the best insult”. Most of the names we come up with aren’t suitable for publishing on this site, but a recent one that springs to mind is “knoblet”. It’s all in good fun, of course…
Access All Areas.net.au: Any stories from the road you can share/band rituals/anything exciting and super juicy!?
Sunpilots: Apart from a regular ritual of taking sleeping tablets to put up with snoring drummers, were actually all nerds……. although there was that one time in Melbourne with the Swedish backpackers….
Access All Areas.net.au: What’s ahead for The Sunpilots?
Sunpilots: Short term, we’ve just started working on the music video for our next single, Metric System. Medium term, the album is the next big thing for us. Longer term, we’re off to conquer to Europe at the end of next year. We’ve got a great bunch of fans over there who have discovered us through Myspace and Youtube, so it should really take things to the next level. |
| Biography | "The Sunpilots could sway stadium crowds if their stagecraft is any match for their strong musical sense of drama and dynamics." The Drummedia, AUS
"Poetic rock with the energy of Pearl Jam and the dark undertone of Radiohead..." Soundscape Magazine, US
"It's easy to see why The Sunpilots are getting their songs added to radio stations around the country. It undoubtedly helps that frontman Raj Siva-Rajah has a voice that's distinct and immediately striking… The Sunpilots have strong songs and a frontman with presence: that can make all the difference in this world.” The Brag, AUS
"Radio stations across the nation have been buzzing with interest only generated in recent times by groups like JET and The Veronicas... and The Sunpilots have not had to head overseas to obtain it." Poprepublic, AUS
"The Sunpilots sent shivers down my spine." Musikmantra, UK
"There is no question that The Sunpilots also have growing public support. From the members on their myspace site to the listeners contacting radio stations around the country to request their songs, there is a growing buzz surrounding the band.” Soulshine, AUS
The Sunpilots slipped into our consciousness in early 2006 with the release of their first 4-track EP. Despite being little more than a demo, the band found their way onto the airwaves through Australian radio networks such as Nova and Triple J. A mini online revolution followed, leading to one of the largest MySpace fanbases (45,000 and growing) in the country and an iTunes Australia “Single of the Week”.
The Sunpilots soon began to turn heads overseas: winning Best International Artist at the Canadian Independent Music Awards, being nominated for both Artist and Single of the Year at the LA Music Awards and securing a major North American management deal.
Now, after 8 weeks of severe sleep deprivation and an impressive pile of empty pizza boxes, The Sunpilots have released their first studio single “Spotlight in the Sun”. Co-produced by legendary Aussie producer Phil McKellar (Silverchair, Grinspoon, Kisschasy) and the band’s frontman Raj Siva-Rajah, “Spotlight in the Sun” is the first taste of what punters can expect from a debut album later this year. In other words, bittersweet poetry wrapped in unashamedly guitar-driven rock.
Anyone who has ever felt like a deer caught in the headlights will recognise themselves in Spotlight in the Sun. “I was in a pretty dark hole when I started writing the song,” explains Raj, “and I finished writing it just after I climbed out.” From the whispered first words to the soaring exhilaration that is the chorus, Spotlight in the Sun is a rock anthem for a generation who live by their hearts and not by society’s expectations. Let the spotlight shine down… |
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