POND // LANEWAY 2018

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Laneway is a special festival. Anyone can tell you that, but why not hear it from Pond multi-instrumentalist Shiny Joe Ryan. Pond released their album The Weather last year and are currently touring with Laneway. 

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One of the special things about being an artist playing at Laneway is that it’s a touring festival. As a fan, I love getting a glimpse of all the behind-the-scenes moments on social media. From what I can tell, it’s quite a community vibe. Having experienced this, would you say the same?

I would indeed. At least one of Spinning Top’s bands have played every Laneway for the last seven or eight years and each year everyone is very excited to play for just that reason. The atmosphere is amazing backstage and we’re always very excited to hang out with our friends from overseas while travelling around Australia. It’s fun to show the out of towners how we do it here in Oz. The organizers and staff of the festival are very friendly, helpful and generally excited themselves which is fantastic. This year it’s great to be back hanging out with our good mates in Mac DeMarco, Connan Mockasin (in NZ) and are looking forward to making some new friends.

I know you’ve only performed at the Auckland Laneway, but do you have a favourite moment so far?

Connan Mockasin played an amazing set! Side of stage was packed with other bands from the festival and a group of his mates from a variety of bands got up and sang as a choir together for a few songs. I forgot how unique his voice, guitar playing and songs are. I had a ball watching him and that has to be my favourite moment so far. 

This year’s Laneway line up is probably my favourite in a while – a lot of international acts I never dreamed I’d be able to see! Are there any acts that you’re particularly excited to watch / perform alongside?

Mac DeMarco, Amy Shark, Aldous Harding and Anderson Paak!!!!! I think our playing times conflict with The War On Drugs and Father John Misty for most the coming dates but I’ll see if I can catch a set of them too.

There are some big names on the line up – Pond being one of them of course. Do you find yourself getting nervous or intimidated around them?

Nah. While we take it seriously in the sense that we want to play our best and do a good entertaining show we’re not intimidated. You gotta have fun. The audience picks up on that more than anything I think.

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POND

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It’s no secret that the members of Pond are busy with countless side projects and bands – do you find it difficult to set aside time where you’re all available to work strictly on Pond?

Not really. We have had to pencil in times over the past few years to record while Tame Impala was touring hard but we’ve always found the time and it hasn’t stifled our creative output at all. When we do come together to make a new album it’s always very natural and smooth.

The latest Pond release is noticeably different from the previous albums, as it explores new sounds and worlds. Can you give us a glimpse of where the next Pond album is headed?

We’ve been recording a new album over Christmas and it sounds fantastic, we’re very excited to get it finished, released and to be playing the songs live but I have no words to describe how it sounds haha. You are going to have to wait and decide for yourself when it comes out soz.

You also release music under your own name Shiny Joe Ryan. When you’re working on a piece of music how do you know if it’s going to be for the band or for yourself?

I generally write songs with more of a freak country vibe. I guess that’s just my style. I usually play the lads the weirder demos I’ve recorded and see what they like. We might take one or two of them from the pile or maybe a chord progression here and there but I can usually tell which are contenders for Pond and which are Shiny Joe ones. But really there’s no ego involved when we’re picking songs for Pond, we just pick the best of each other’s songs and that’s that.

Pond dropped a sneaky new song and clip the other day which I am obsessed with. The music video is filmed in Japan by Sam Kristofski. What was it like working on it?

It was fantastic! We all love Japan and getting to spend three extra days in Tokyo after playing Summer Sonic Festival to make the Video was a lot of fun. We filmed it on 33mm film and spent most of the days walking around scoping out shots. We’d then come back at night when it was less hectic on the streets and film. Kristofski is a great friend and an amazing director with a good eye for shots. We think it turned out very well so glad you like it. 

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AMNplify – BD