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Interview with
PETE McANELLY
of
THE AUTOMATON

(18th August 2021)

Interview by Dave Bruce

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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 got together at the end of 2018.  Pete, the guitarist moved back to Brisbane from NSW after some time away to Join Deja and Fi in song writing.  We had a connection and wrote our first single “Receiver” in our first session together.  We tried a few bass players out with no luck and when we were almost ready to giver up Deja and Fi met Jimmy at a festival and hit it off.  When he came to first jam he started writing bass lines to my riffs immediately. We work off a democratic system, every decision comes down to a vote.  We don’t always agree and sometimes argue but we all the same goal and that keeps us focused.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
I would describe the band as Heavy Psych. We never set out with a genre in mind. We all come from different musical background from Metal to Blues an Roots. We all personally have an open mind when it comes to music. I can be blasting Cattle decapitation one minute than be jamming along to Cluth the next.  Our group has just shown up, plugged in and played and we like what comes out at the end so we keep going.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
I am inspired by so many bands too many to list but I get inspiration from the other musicians we share stages with. Specially Gutterfire from Brisbane and Astrodeath from Sydney.  When I found my first club in Brisbane that played heavier music I was 18. Me and some friends went to The Basement in Brisbane and saw Alchemist and Astriaal and all looked at each other and said we should do that.

Your new Single has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution.
This song was the first piece of music shown to me at the very beginning of this whole thing.  Deja wrote the song with a simple bass line on acoustic guitar.  The song stayed in the background for a while till we got to Airlock studio and Jimmy added a few chords and Fi provided the drums and backing vocals. We had to get it right, the way we wanted in one recording.  It took a few goes but we got one take right and that was the one.

With a new album on its way, how does this first single reflect the rest of the album?
The first single was a perfect blend of our blues side through to our heavier sound. It’s a catchy number that still gets good reviews allround.

Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
We have been planning an album launch and tour with a few dates secured and where just waiting on restrictions to get the go ahead.  We have played some great shows this year that we are so lucky to have played with all the cancellations, we have also had to miss a few due to cancellations and border closures but everybody is having to deal with that at the moment.  We just keep going.

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How has COVID affected you to date? What have you introduced to balance the losses from missed events?
We have had to cancel quite a few shows one we were really looking forward to was our Single launch.  We were going to play Lismore Bowls Club with a few of the local bands down there I am a big fan of. We had the best artwork and set organised with the best bands supporting us.  We have had to postpone, we even had a new date in mind but some new has come in that might stop that. We are working on something behind the scenes so we can deliver the best audio and visual experience for our loyal supporters.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
I would like to work with Devin Townsend.  That guy is hilarious and his music is epic. That would be fun.

Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist?
I am in this for life but life can change in a moment so I try to just enjoy what I’m doing and the friendships I make in the process.  I just want to write and record songs as much as I can.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
The highlight so far in The Automatons career would be playing the Zoo with The Sunset Junkies.  We had an amazing crowd, some were even singing along which still gives me goosebumps.  There are scenes from the show in our video for The Exit.

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – IX Equilibrium
Artist – Emperor
Movie – Point Break
Place to visit – Lennox Head
Venue to play – Wooly Mammoth
Food – Greasers burgers
Drink – Tooheys New
Person in History – Homer Simpson
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) Ive got the witch from the Wrath of the Tyrant E.P.  This is Pete answering all these questions tonight by the way. I’ve only got one where my fellow bandmates have heaps of kickass tatts all over them.

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Follow THE AUTOMATON
Facebook – Spotify – Instagram – YouTube
Bandcamp – Soundcloud

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AMNPLIFY – DB

Press Release (below)

THE AUTOMATON
announces their debut album
and release the lead single
‘No Exit’

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THE AUTOMATON started out in the backwaters of Brisbane in 2019 and have already made a name for themselves with their dark stoner-psych inflected grooves, molten riffs and potent lyrics. They have also just announced the release of their debut album “The Exit”, scheduled for October 8th. While better known for their heavy, magnetic and visceral sound, the lead single “No Exit” sees them showcasing another layer to the depth of this act. “No Exit” takes us on a journey with luscious acoustic guitars coupled with a very close and personal vocal delivery that completely draws you in. As the song slowly builds with a heavily influenced blues feel, the lyrics take you across the recurring themes of movement; highways, modes of travel, escape, and searching. 

Singer/ lyricist Deja Solomona tells us: “The song lyrically appears to take place on a highway, giving you the sense that someone is alone and travelling. The landscape feels bleak, and there’s a sense of desperation. The highway itself is a metaphor for a digital highway, with the desperation you sense referring to searching for people that aren’t sure exist. The song itself was written about the digital world, socials, and the net in general. Despite the connectivity we have 24/7, we’ve never been more disconnected as people. For those who are old enough to recall what the world was like pre-internet, finding a real-world connection is harder than ever. No Exit is about the desperation to cross over into real-world connection, as you feel the person running, searching for a deep kick and for others that feel the same”. 

Grab album pre-order’s, merch packs and tickets HERE

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Release Shows

Lismore Invasion Saturday October 30th
Sunshine Coast Saturday October 8th
Brisbane Aftermath Saturday November 27th
Gold Coast Aftermath Sunday November 28th

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AMNPLIFY – DB