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Interview with
JOSH MORRIS
from
THE ELECTORATE

(31st May, 2025)

Interview by Zac Main

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Watch and listen to the whole interview below

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Welcome back to another Amnplify interview! I’m Zac, and today we’re diving into the creative world of indie rock with none other than Josh Morris from The Electorate. We caught up over Zoom, accompanied briefly by Josh’s cat Porkchop (who may or may not have tried to steal the show). What followed was an insightful chat that spanned the band’s origins, songwriting process, creative philosophies, and the ever-complicated world of navigating the music industry.

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The Electorate – Peace Love and Kindness publicity still. Nick Kemedy – black jacket. Eliot Fish – blue T shirt. Joshua Morris – denim jacket.

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The Origins: From Temple Bears to The Electorate

The Electorate didn’t exactly spring out of nowhere. In fact, their roots go back decades to a previous incarnation called The Temple Bears, a band formed when the members were “young and enthusiastic,” as Josh put it. After splitting and pursuing other musical ventures (including stints in Big Heavy Stuff, The Apartments, and Atticus), the trio reunited in 2014 for a benefit gig.

“It kind of always felt like when we broke up, we hadn’t finished what we set out to do,” Josh explained. “We’d lost that sense of ambition, which can sometimes get in the way of just making good music.”

The band decided to rebrand as The Electorate, a name that better reflected their evolved sound and outlook. Since then, they’ve been crafting intelligent, layered indie guitar music—true to their roots but always willing to push into new sonic territory.

So… Who Is Porkchop?

Before we got deep into music talk, we had to address the furry elephant in the room: Porkchop the cat. Josh shared the charming origin story—Porkchop was a rescue kitten, adopted from a local vet after being discovered by a dog, and inherited a food-themed name (their previous cat was called Fish). So, Porkchop he became. And yes, he occasionally crashes interviews.

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Defining the Sound

Describing The Electorate’s music isn’t easy—even for the band themselves.

“We’ve been called a ‘three-piece bent indie guitar pop band’ before,” Josh laughed. “But we write separately and collaboratively, and that leads us to explore different territories. So while people say we have a sound, we kind of work against that.”

That eclecticism shines on their upcoming album, which Josh describes as “doing more with less.” After their first album was stacked with overdubs, the band decided to strip things back and focus on raw, tight arrangements captured in great studios with great engineers. The goal? Let the songs breathe. Let the essence speak.

Building Songs from the Jam Up

Unlike many bands who bring finished songs to rehearsal, The Electorate embraced the unpredictability of improvisation during the writing process.

“We jam a lot when we rehearse—it’s something that’s really enjoyable. And from those jams, we created three songs on this new album together, from scratch.”

That spontaneity resulted in some of the album’s standout tracks. Josh pointed to End, Unfamiliar, and Face of a Giant—the latter being the lead single—as personal highlights that emerged from a single rehearsal.

Interestingly, the album also plays with format. The track End appears as the first track on the digital and CD versions, but closes the vinyl edition, adding a playful twist to the listening experience.

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Embracing Change While Staying True

The new album also sees drummer Nick stepping up to the mic for the first time, allowing the band to experiment with three-part harmonies—another example of how they’re pushing themselves creatively, but within their own carefully curated boundaries.

“We’ve kind of expanded the sound, but tried to keep it within the brief of ‘let’s make sounds the three of us can make.’”

Life in the Music Industry: The Honest Take

Josh didn’t hold back when asked about navigating the music industry in 2025.

“I don’t think we really do navigate it, to be honest,” he admitted with a chuckle. “Back in the Temple Bears days, we were too indie for the mainstream and too mainstream for the indie crowd. Now, it’s just about making music that we enjoy.”

What has changed is the band’s relationship with how they promote their work. Instead of relying on social media ads or giving in to the endless cycle of content creation, The Electorate has leaned into community broadcast networks, independent blogs, and Bandcamp to connect with their audience in a more meaningful and ethical way.

“We’re actively choosing not to go down the Meta-driven path. It feels really heartbreaking to be forced into a space where you’re just feeding content into a system that profits off your hard work.”

And with a strong belief in their music, a supportive creative relationship, and a conscious rejection of certain industry norms, The Electorate is carving out a path that’s honest, independent, and deeply authentic.

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The Social Media Struggle

Josh opens up about a frustration familiar to many musicians—the pressure to constantly be present on social media, even when that presence doesn’t reflect what the music is truly about.

“There are some positives to it, but the weight of it is imbalanced in the wrong direction. If you want to be somewhat successful, especially in a place like Melbourne, you have to have a large social media presence. And that’s frustrating—because a lot of bands I know, including my own, we just want to make the music and enjoy the art.”

He compares the process to playing a game, where sometimes those who rise to the top aren’t just talented, but also good at “playing the game.” For The Electorate, the focus remains on finding meaningful ways to connect, whether that’s through interviews, community radio, or platforms that foster genuine artistic dialogue—not just more ad revenue for tech giants.

“We’re not against social media—we’ve got an Instagram and a Facebook—but we’re interested in putting things out there for the betterment of the conversation, not the platform.”

Life Outside the Band

When asked what fills his time outside of music, Josh paints a picture of a full, grounded life.

“I’ve got two kids, a long-term partner, and a wayward cat who’s gone missing,” he laughs. “Life is the distraction.”

Josh also works as a photographer, though he notes that when your creative outlet becomes your profession, it can lose some of its spontaneity. That’s why music remains his escape—a place of pure creative freedom.

“The band has become that outlet. And that’s pretty unique.”

Between walking the dog and diving deep into politics podcasts, Josh keeps himself plugged into both the personal and political spheres of the world. And somehow, through all of that, he still finds time for making art.

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The Story Behind “The Great Divide”

One of the most touching parts of the conversation came when we talked about the video for “The Great Divide.”

Josh shared that the video features home movie footage of bandmate Elliot’s parents, who sadly passed away during the COVID era.

“They were beautiful people. I knew them as a teenager, and when Elliot and his sister held a wake, they played this old footage of them. It showed these two people very much in love, in their prime, free to run the globe.”

Unable to film together in person due to geographical distance, the band projected this footage onto themselves and their instruments during the shoot—creating a layered visual tribute that blends past, present, memory, and music.

“It was a lovely way for Nick and I to feel like Elliot and his parents were with us. There was an emotional resonance to it. It doesn’t necessarily relate to the lyrics of the song, but it shares the same spirit—it’s about losing and regaining that spark.”

Looking Ahead: More Music, More Moments

So what’s next for The Electorate?

“We haven’t done that big reappraisal that comes after a release, but the general feeling is—we’ll keep doing what we love. The friendship we share is really special, and this creative space means a lot to us.”

As for gigs, the band is eager but realistic.

“It’s just the logistics of life. We’ve all played the 20-person rooms, and it’s fun, but it’s even better when the audience is really engaged. We’ll see what the reaction to the new record is, and if people want us to come to Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane—then we’ll try to make it happen.”

The album itself? Expect eclecticism, but with a sharpened edge: “It’s eclectic, but I hope not as eclectic as we’re going to be. We want to keep pushing, exploring new directions. And we hope people come along for the ride.”

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Final Thoughts

In an era where artists are expected to be content creators, publicists, and entrepreneurs—all before picking up an instrument—Josh Morris and The Electorate stand as a refreshing reminder of what really matters: connection, creativity, and camaraderie.

Their music is deeply personal, quietly powerful, and unmistakably sincere. And in a world full of noise, that kind of honesty still resonates.

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Follow THE ELECTORATE
BANDCAMP – FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE – SPOTIFY – APPLE

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Watch and listen to the whole interview below

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Press Release 30th May 2025 (below) HERE

BY DESIGN
the new album from
Sydney Indie-Rock trio
THE ELECTORATE
is out today

Featuring new single
‘DON’T GO OUT’ 

STREAM / BUY ALBUM

LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ALBUM

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AMNPLIFY – DB