Project Description
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Interview with
TERRY NEWMAN
from
FALLSTARS
(24th September 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?
I had already been rapping with Sydney hip-hop outfit 206collab for several years before I met Stu. He was jamming with several bands around the inner-west, and I immediately saw his talent as a singer-songwriter. We became friends around a shared sentiment of feeling talented and driven but flawed and self-conscious, all at the same time. We liked that we shared this, and we liked that I was boom-bap and he was indie-rock, and that was different. And so Fallstars was born – fallible all stars.
One track in, Stu passed away tragically. It was such a blow to me and everyone around us. A year later, his brother shared a hard drive where we discovered numerous tracks Stu had produced for Fallstars. It felt like the greatest gift, and I immediately started writing verses to the themes he was singing in the hooks. One of the tracks was titled Island in the Sky, which became the name of the project as a tribute to Stu, now up in the stars.
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How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
It’s all Stu’s production, which has a foundation of indie-rock, but with abstract layers of dub, electro, and hip-hop perfectly peppered in. My raps introspectively battle with feelings of success vs failure, and his lo-fi vocals (never studio-recorded) are eerily powerful from the grave.
I think our sound resonates for many people because the substance and sonics are obviously authentic, and the themes are thought provoking.
Your new Album has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution.
Island in the Sky is unique in that it’s both a film and an album. We had always discussed releasing Fallstars music as visuals – a forcing mechanism to watch and listen to a narrative told beginning to end over several tracks.
It’s taken years, but I’m very proud of the result; a 15 min plot-driven musical short, with a 6-track album (below) as the soundtrack to the film. Shot in Sydney, and edited in New York City (where I now live), it features me as the protagonist, with Stu as my guiding line helping to overcome a recent heartbreak.
The film (above) has won several film festivals in Sydney and NYC, and has received nominations throughout Europe. Now I’m so excited to finally share Island in the Sky with the rest of the world.
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Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
We just had a launch party at Syndicated Theatre in Brooklyn, on what would have been Stu’s birthday. I screened the film to a 90-strong audience, and then got up and rapped Island in the Sky verses as part of a special performance by Queen’s rap duo, Solflo. It was so fun.
How has COVID affected you to date? What have you introduced to balance the losses from missed events?
The ability to produce and market an album and film completely remote has been such a blessing, particularly as Australian borders remain closed. It’s also been great to promote it in both Sydney and NYC. In that way, COVID has actually had a positive effect on the project, though I am looking forward to getting home ASAP!
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Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist?
I always want to push the boundaries of how people consume music, and I now have this amazing network of musicians, creatives, and technologists in 2 amazing cities. Stay tuned for my next project – another visual narrative by a musical collab spanning Australia and the US, and this time in the virtual reality space.
Finally, a few questions for some quick answers:
Favorite album – The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde.
Favorite artist – Edan, particularly on Beauty and the Beat.
Favorite movie – The Goonies, for nostalgia’s sake.
Favorite place to visit – Any new city I’ve not visited before.
Favorite venue to play – The Metro Theatre in Sydney is dear to me.
Favorite food – #56 laksa from Sussex St Food Court, Sydney.
Favorite drink – Double whiskey on the rocks.
Favorite person in history – Stu Groen. We miss you, mate.
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Follow ISLAND IN THE SKY
Website – Facebook – Instagram
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AMNPLIFY – DB
Recent Press Release (below) HERE
ISLAND IN THE SKY
A FALLSTARS Film
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