Project Description
Interview with
HARRY HEART
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How did you first get into music? Did it begin in East London, or more when you arrived here? When was the moment you thought, “this will be my career”?
It all kicked off in Australia, I just learned the fundamentals of music back in the UK, but I’d never written anything. I was fourteen being told to choose my university degree at school, and that was the stage that I realised this is something that I want to build my life around. From memory, I told everyone I wanted to be a vet so they didn’t panic.
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What kind of music did you grow up on? What artists inspired you?
I was very lucky to have a cousin that got me on the right track early. He had me hooked on The White Stripes ‘Elephant’, QOTSA’s ‘Songs For the Deaf and The Darkness’ ‘Permission to Land’ when I was nine. The artists that actually got me into writing music were definitely the likes of The White Stripes, Youth Group, Kings of Leon and Bloc Party.
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You started writing at an early age? How has your writing style changed over the years? Are any of the early musings still around today?
I got those first couple of years of atrocious song-writing out of the way nice and early. I’m still really proud of the songs I wrote from about age fifteen onwards, and I’m still revisiting and recycling some of those ideas now. One of the tracks on the acoustic EP that came out last year I wrote eight years ago. If it still sounds good and you still feel what you were saying in the song, then use it! I don’t know how clearly my style of writing has changed over the years, I think I just cast the net wider these days. When I was younger, I wouldn’t pursue a song idea if I felt it wasn’t “me”, nowadays I’ll try anything and see if I can pull it off. It’s exciting to ignore those creative barriers that we tend to create for ourselves.
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‘Ninety Six’ is now available on Apple Music, Spotify and major streaming services.
The second single from the new EP ‘First Endorphin’, out 21.09.
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You have just released “Ninety Six” from your upcoming EP First Endorphin. Can you describe the EPs origins and evolution?
This EP took bloody ages, and I’m so happy with it. It started as an album, and it got split in two as I gradually realised the songs were coming from two very different angles. I tracked a lot of songs in 2017 with my drummer Gordo, and spent even longer fine-tuning them in my apartment at the time in Fremantle, WA. I got side-tracked and recorded and released an acoustic EP in the process of making this EP somehow. When I finally came back to it, my good friend Vincent Nydam had mixed them and really got them to shine. These four tracks feel like my most confident and assertive tracks to date.
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As a songwriter and performer, do you feel the weight of your own expectations and demands, or do you just take it as it comes?
I’m only ever disappointed if I know I didn’t try hard enough, in the studio or on stage. The longer I’ve done this, the more I’ve realised it’s all about attitude. I’ve never pressured myself to write music, but I have had high expectations of how ‘amazed’ a crowd will be at a show in the past. That’s no good, and an almost guaranteed way of making sure the show’s no fun. It’s got to be fun for you, because that feeling is infectious from on stage.
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Before you finished high school you had toured two acts. That’s pretty impressive. What are you looking forward to on this upcoming two-week East Coast tour? What can the fans expect?
I’m excited to see some friends around the country, play a lot of new songs, but mostly, I’m excited to play renditions of some older songs. I spent a lot of time playing acoustic shows in WA last year and was surprised by which heavier songs translated to acoustic tastefully, you hear the lyrics differently in that context. I’m hoping people will appreciate hearing some of those songs like ‘Baby Calm Down’ in a different light.
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Talking about touring, if you could pick absolutely anyone to bring on tour with you, whom would you pick and why? (Dead or Alive)
I’d bring a high-energy comedian, probably Kevin Hart. Have you watched ‘Seriously Funny’? It’s incredible. I think he’d keep you buzzing for the tour. Kev, if you’re reading, let’s do it you funny bugger.
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PURCHASE/STREAM “NINETY SIX” HERE
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If someone had never listened to Harry Heart before, what song of yours would you recommend to them if they only had time to hear one?
Well this sounds convenient, but it’d have to be Ninety Six. I’m really proud of that song. It’s got some interesting instrumentation, the lyrics have got depth, and it’s loud. I think it’s our best track live too.
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What are your major goals or milestones for the future?
Once the EP’s released, I want to tour more often, both Australia and the UK. I have so much music recorded at this point, whenever I’m not playing shows, I want to be releasing more songs.
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Finally, this is a paragraph dedicated to some quick discovery. Really corny, but for the fans, can you tell me your favorite album, artist, movie, place, drink, meal and person (living or dead) and some brief reasons why? Answer some or all please?
My favourite album right now is Bakar ‘Badkid’. Its original, lairy, well-produced, and exciting.
My favourite artists would have to be Toby Martin (Youth Group), King Krule and Kanye West. They’re all very ambitious and revealing in their music in their own ways.
Favourite drink is, and always will be, a red hot cup of tea.
Favourite place is South Beach, Fremantle. Bit of a fish, me
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‘Ninety Six’
Acoustic Tour
September
9th | Symposium | SYDNEY
12th| The Triffid | BRISBANE
14th | The Bearded Lady | BRISBANE
15th | Solbar | MAROOCHYDORE
21st | Station Bar + Woodfired Pizza | KATOOMBA
22nd | Wesley Anne | MEBLOURNE
23rd | The Old Bar | MELBOURNE
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Follow HARRY HEART
@ OneBigLink
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