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| Little May: Hannah Field (L), Liz Drummond (C), Annie Hamilton (R) |
We've quickly become big fans of Little May and their track 'Boardwalks'. They've got a very bright future ahead and we can't wait to see what comes next. Little May's Liz Drummond was lovely enough to answer some questions we sent her way and we chat about 'Boardwalks', their upcoming single launch at The Vanguard in August, music heroes and more. Enjoy!
LITTLE MAY'S
LIZ DRUMMOND
Interview by Matt Bond
Hey hey, thanks for joining us! Tell us a little bit about Little May; what brought you together, what kind of music do you make and what do you love about music?
Liz: Thanks for having us. The foundations of Little May began about 4 years ago. After we left school, Hannah and I used to play covers and eventually we started writing songs. We never took it seriously until we were about 22 when we started playing open mic nights at our local pub. It wasn't until last year that we got Annie on board and we formed as a band. I guess you could say our music would definitely fit into the indie/folk category. Music has always been a big part of all of our lives. As cliche as it sounds, it can make you feel some pretty cool things. We're lucky that we get to share our music with people.
You’ve recently released ‘Boardwalks’, the first single from your upcoming self-titled EP and it’s an excellent introduction to your sound and songwriting talents. What’s the story behind ‘Boardwalks’ and what can you tell us about the other tracks on the EP?
Liz: Thank you :). 'Boardwalks' was written a while ago. I had originally recorded a demo on Garageband in my bedroom. I showed it to the girls when we formed as a band, and we decided to rework it; Han took on the lead vocal, we added harmonies and Annie added catchy guitar hooks. It was written coming out of a long term relationship. I was looking to move forward, travel and pursue music. Every song on the EP has a pretty particular vibe. Whilst they all fall into the 'folk' category, a couple of the tracks gravitate towards a bigger sound. We were listening to a lot of Local Natives and Half Moon Run around the time we were recording. Percussively, we drew a lot of inspiration from them. There is a real mixture of stripped back stuff, but also a real focus on layering and building the songs. And harmonies, of course.
August 8 sees you take the stage at The Vanguard in Sydney. What will the live Little May experience be like for those in attendance and what are your future touring plans?
Liz: We have a few friends playing with us at The Vanguard which we are looking forward to. We haven't played with a band behind us before. I think it will be a great night. We haven't planned a tour just yet. Once we release our second single followed by our EP, we will do a tour over summer.
I saw the beautifully shot video for ‘Boardwalks’ on YouTube. What was it like filming your first music video, what do you think makes a good clip and what are some of your personal favourites?
Liz: Filming 'Boardwalks' was so much fun for us. We planned to have a bunch of friends come down to Annie's family beach house in Mollymook, but no one could make it. Sean Dooley (our amazing film-maker friend) had to make do with the 3 of us. We didn't really have any plans. Half the footage is of us genuinely mucking around. Sean did such a good job of showing who we actually are. His camera work is stunning, he captured the vibe perfectly. That's what makes a good video; capturing a vibe and being able to grab people with it. Right now I am loving Cloud Control's video for 'Dojo Rising'.
Who are some of your music heroes and what is it about them you love?
Liz: I have a few. Justin Vernon. His music has really influenced me over the years. Marcus Mumford. He is so charismatic it hurts, and his writing is refreshingly real. Jeff Buckley. He was/is a genius. My brother and my parents (as corny as that sounds). I wouldn't have got into music if it wasn't for them.
Secret Garden Festival hosted you in March and I’ve got a feeling you’ll be hitting up a whole bunch of other festivals soon. What would be your dream music festival to play and who would you love playing alongside you on the line-up?
Liz: To play a big festival in Australia like Splendour would be so cool. But the ultimate dream would be to be involved in one of those epic Mumford & Sons jams, like the one they just did at Glastonbury with First Aid Kit, Vampire Weekend and The Vaccines. They look so fun.
Call and Response:
Your favourite singer is…
Liz: Thanks for having us. The foundations of Little May began about 4 years ago. After we left school, Hannah and I used to play covers and eventually we started writing songs. We never took it seriously until we were about 22 when we started playing open mic nights at our local pub. It wasn't until last year that we got Annie on board and we formed as a band. I guess you could say our music would definitely fit into the indie/folk category. Music has always been a big part of all of our lives. As cliche as it sounds, it can make you feel some pretty cool things. We're lucky that we get to share our music with people.
You’ve recently released ‘Boardwalks’, the first single from your upcoming self-titled EP and it’s an excellent introduction to your sound and songwriting talents. What’s the story behind ‘Boardwalks’ and what can you tell us about the other tracks on the EP?
Liz: Thank you :). 'Boardwalks' was written a while ago. I had originally recorded a demo on Garageband in my bedroom. I showed it to the girls when we formed as a band, and we decided to rework it; Han took on the lead vocal, we added harmonies and Annie added catchy guitar hooks. It was written coming out of a long term relationship. I was looking to move forward, travel and pursue music. Every song on the EP has a pretty particular vibe. Whilst they all fall into the 'folk' category, a couple of the tracks gravitate towards a bigger sound. We were listening to a lot of Local Natives and Half Moon Run around the time we were recording. Percussively, we drew a lot of inspiration from them. There is a real mixture of stripped back stuff, but also a real focus on layering and building the songs. And harmonies, of course.
August 8 sees you take the stage at The Vanguard in Sydney. What will the live Little May experience be like for those in attendance and what are your future touring plans?
Liz: We have a few friends playing with us at The Vanguard which we are looking forward to. We haven't played with a band behind us before. I think it will be a great night. We haven't planned a tour just yet. Once we release our second single followed by our EP, we will do a tour over summer.
I saw the beautifully shot video for ‘Boardwalks’ on YouTube. What was it like filming your first music video, what do you think makes a good clip and what are some of your personal favourites?
Liz: Filming 'Boardwalks' was so much fun for us. We planned to have a bunch of friends come down to Annie's family beach house in Mollymook, but no one could make it. Sean Dooley (our amazing film-maker friend) had to make do with the 3 of us. We didn't really have any plans. Half the footage is of us genuinely mucking around. Sean did such a good job of showing who we actually are. His camera work is stunning, he captured the vibe perfectly. That's what makes a good video; capturing a vibe and being able to grab people with it. Right now I am loving Cloud Control's video for 'Dojo Rising'.
Who are some of your music heroes and what is it about them you love?
Liz: I have a few. Justin Vernon. His music has really influenced me over the years. Marcus Mumford. He is so charismatic it hurts, and his writing is refreshingly real. Jeff Buckley. He was/is a genius. My brother and my parents (as corny as that sounds). I wouldn't have got into music if it wasn't for them.
Secret Garden Festival hosted you in March and I’ve got a feeling you’ll be hitting up a whole bunch of other festivals soon. What would be your dream music festival to play and who would you love playing alongside you on the line-up?
Liz: To play a big festival in Australia like Splendour would be so cool. But the ultimate dream would be to be involved in one of those epic Mumford & Sons jams, like the one they just did at Glastonbury with First Aid Kit, Vampire Weekend and The Vaccines. They look so fun.
Call and Response:
Your favourite singer is…
Liz: Jeff Buckley
Your favourite songwriter is…
Liz: Justin Vernon
A song that makes you smile is…
Liz: Bon Iver - Holocene
A song that makes you dance is…
Liz: Hall and Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True
The best gig of your life was…
Liz: Mumford and Sons at Gentleman of the Road. And Half Moon Run at The Vanguard
The first album you ever bought was…
Liz: Spice Girls
When they air the Little May Behind the Music special in 2030, what do you think they’re going to say about you?
Liz: Those girls had horrible fashion sense.
When they air the Little May Behind the Music special in 2030, what do you think they’re going to say about you?
Liz: Those girls had horrible fashion sense.
Lies - every picture of Little May has these gals looking amazing. A huge thank you to Liz Drummond for answering our questions! You can see Little May as they launch 'Boardwalks' at The Vanguard, August 8. Get your tickets right here and keep an eye on their Facebook page for future events and more.
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