It's My Kind of Interview - The Trouble With Templeton

They've been busy touring the USA and Canada lately and now they're getting ready to put the finishing touches on a new album. The Trouble With Templeton are definitely having a breakout 2013, with current track 'Like A Kid' hitting high rotation on Triple J. TTWT's Thomas Calder was kind enough to have a chat with Nayt about the year ahead, the new album, life on tour and more. Enjoy! 

THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON's

THOMAS CALDER

Interview by Nayt Housman

You recently toured the US and Canada for the SXSW festival and Canadian music week. What were a few highlights of the tour? And who were you most excited to see when you weren't gigging yourselves?

Thomas Calder: It was an incredible experience altogether for the simple reason that it was our first tour of the US as a band, and we played some incredible shows to a tonne of wonderful audiences who all seemed to really appreciate the music. We also picked up a few new team members that we couldn't be more proud or excited about working with. SXSW was crazy and a few of us got the chance to catch "Half Moon Run" and were really into it.

When touring what can't each of you live without (such as a favorite item of clothing, lucky charm or performing some kind of ritual)? 

TC: I personally can't live without my Ipod. If I don't have music, I'm lost. I think I can speak for the rest of us when I say cold and flu tablets and food are a pretty vital part of touring. Sleep too.

Tom, I've read you like artists such as PJ Harvey, Tom Waits, Fiona Apple and The Beatles and the band is named after an episode of the Twilight Zone. Who are your biggest influences musically and what other mediums eg. film/tv/theatre/art etc. influence your sound?

TC: Film has always been a massive influence in my writing. I grew up surrounded by great movies and television and developed a massive appreciation for all things performing at a young age. As far as music goes, all of the above and more! I'm influenced by pretty much anything and everything in some way or another. It's all part of living in the end.

Your first album 'Bleeders' felt intimate and innocent. Tell us about some of the experiences that seeded the songs on your upcoming album and how it has changed or progressed from the previous album? 

TC: The songs on this new album are much more focused on creating a different perspective or trying to dive into the character of another person rather than directly coming from my experiences as most of "Bleeders" was. All of the songs are still true to my heart and always come from an honest place, but in the case of the new album it's about diving into more experimental and broad perspectives. 

 

Tom, TTWT began as your solo project. How has the writing and recording experience changed now that you have a full band? 

TC: To be honest, with the people that have come on board, and the fact that we all share the same ideals in terms of writing and what a song should be, it hasn't really changed all that much at all. I still start writing with a guitar and an idea, but it's a beautiful thing to now be able to bring the song to the band and have them contribute their own stamp and artistic flavour. I think it gives the songs a much bigger landscape and meaning.

For someone who hasn't heard your music, describe it in five words or, if it were a household appliance what would it be and how would you advertise it? 

TC: The way we have been describing the music lately is - Alternative melodic Rock. Describing your music is a very difficult thing which I think is best left up to the people listening.

How important is image to TTWT? Are there any plans for a KISS or Spice Girls kind of shtick? 

TC: Definitely nothing like KISS. We're all really into theatrics and image is definitely an important part of any band whether you're concious of it or not, but for us, we're always flexible and changing so who knows, we may jump onto the Split Enz mobile, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon. 

How do you feel about visual theatrics and gimmicks as a tool to sell music to the masses? 

TC: I think any "Tool" with the intention of selling music to the masses is useless and dishonest unless that's your specific goal, which it isnt for us. If you're into theatrics and gimmicks as a way of expressing yourself or having fun, go for it!

As fledgling musicians what lessons have you learned from touring with more experienced artists such as Sparkadia and Julia Stone? 

TC: We learn from every band we play with whether established or not. I think one of the biggest things we all walk away with time and time again is that everybody is the same. We're all musicians just trying to make our way in the industry and everybody has a different journey and idea of what "success" is, but at the end of the day it's always about the music first. 

What happens on tour, stays on tour. Are there any secret stories you can share? 

TC: They wouldn't be secret if I could share them. We're a pretty tame and polite band anyhow. Most of the time.

 

What else can we expect from TTWT in 2013?  

TC: When we get back home we're doing a quick tour to celebrate the release of our recent single "Like A Kid", and then we'll be putting the finishing touches on our new record which is the thing we're all most excited about. That will be out sometime this June.


Massive thanks to Thomas Calder! The Trouble With Templeton's upcoming album has become one of the most anticipated releases of the year, so June can't come fast enough. You can catch the gang on tour in Australia in April on the following dates:


Wednesday 17 April - Melbourne - Northcote Social Club
Thursday 18 April - Sydney - Manning Bar (with New Gods)
Thu 25 April - Brisbane - Alhambra Lounge
You can buy tickets and the "Like A Kid" single from the band's website: www.thetroublewithtempleton.com