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Photo credit Sarah Walker

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How did the band come together? Is there someone who is a “driving force”, or do you all make decisions together?
We all met, somewhat, at The Punters Club in Melbourne’s Fitzroy. Though the band has changed over the years, due to excessive touring and life’s lessons learned (sometimes later than one would like). Simon and I have kept a healthy respect for each other’s need to express ourselves as individual artists within the collaboration. 

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
We’ve never really succeeded in describing our sound or picking a genre. We started as indie-outsiders and seem to still be skirting the perimeters of nailing any one thing down. We both have really different tastes in music and it feeds into the way we write together. A lovingly curated mess of extremely human pop music? 
People have been sharing their stories with us, about what our songs have meant in their lives and I guess the theme has been connection. It’s been beautiful to hear so many vulnerable and very real stories, where we get a window into other people’s lives through our music! We try to write about the feelings that are common to us all, but in a way that hopefully, makes them feel unique to the listener.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today? 
The best performance that I have seen, of late, was Peaches’ 20th anniversary performance of ‘The Teaches of Peaches’. They absolutely tore the world a new one with that tour! I love knowing that people around the entire globe have been treated to the celebration of our greatness as fallible wonderful beings with desires and eccentricities, through that show. I walked out of there feeling absolutely galvanised in the idea that my best power for the world is to be my best ‘myself’. The uncompromising on-stage presentation of exactly who they are at this exact moment in their lives, in front of a large audience, blew every cobweb from my being. I have deep respect and love for Peaches.

Your 30th Anniversary album has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution. 
We made Marvin The Album when I was 19 years old. We’d been given that time to marinate as a band, through touring nationally and recording a number of EPs, over a year or two. We felt we were ready to dig deeper into creating a cohesive long player. Our wish-list request of asking Michael Koppleman (Paisley Park) to produce the album was granted – we couldn’t believe our luck. It was the first time we took more measured steps, with a month of pre-production in a studio space at the PBS radio station (back when they were based in St Kilda) in the lead up. We recorded to tape at Platinum Studios. Michael led us through rigorous sessions, getting every single syllable to sit just so. Being in the big live space there, listening to the completed album, is a feeling I will never forget. 

What are you looking forward to with your upcoming tour, and what can the fans expect?
Fun. I’m looking forward to that. We’ve been dipping the toe, over the last few months, playing a few live shows, out and about, and it has been an absolute delight. The audiences are surprisingly multi-generational and they have been incredibly up for it. That kind of response is infectious – I haven’t enjoyed myself on stage this much since – maybe ever!

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How has COVID affected you to date? What have you introduced to balance the losses from missed events?
Oh yeah. We are not unique in that sense. We missed our first big arrival back on stage in Melbourne in November, last year, because I caught the virus. I’m boosted and I continue to wear a mask where I can. Being a performer means potentially being vulnerable. 

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
I do love a duet and Simon and I share a lot of the same favourite artists. Perhaps, we could do a duet with Tom Tom Club? An extended Genius of Love that went for two to three times its duration, while we all danced ourselves into sweaty grinning puddles. That’d be fun natural fun.

Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist? 
I think we are in that phase of our lives now! More of this!

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
The reciprocation. You come with the songs and some level of anxiety/excitement and then the audience tells you how it’s going to be. We played one of our most memorable gigs in North Carolina at The Cat’s Cradle during a hurricane. The power went out, but the crowd weren’t having it. They lit the way with candles and lighters and got really close, so we could continue unamplified. 

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Hall and Oates – Abandoned Luncheonette
Artist – Cate Le Bon
Movie – American Utopia
Place to visit – the beach in winter
Venue to play – Brunswick Ballroom
Food – spaghetti vongole
Drink – dirty martini
Person in History – Louise Bourgeois
Tattoo – a couple of fish and a ship

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Follow FRENTE!
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter

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Press Release 7th March 2023 (below) HERE

FRENTE!
to celebrate
iconic debut with
‘MARVIN THE ALBUM’
30th Anniversary Australian Tour

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AMNPLIFY – DB