Snakadaktal (29/07/2013)
Having just played at this years Splendour in the Grass, it's a big week for Snakadaktal. We chatted to them about their debut album 'Sleep In The Water' (out this Friday), as they prepare to embark on a national support slot with alt-J, and a spot on Adelaide's Spin Off Festival.
Hi, thanks for the interview today. How are you?
I’m very well thank you. Thanks for interviewing.
So for those who don’t know, how did the band form, and where did the name Snakadaktal come from?
Well we’ve all been friends for a long time and had the common interests of listening, talking and playing music. So one day we thought about making a band, so we did. And like that we’ve stuck together ever since.
A good friend of mine Dom and myself went through a stage of creating mixed animals. One of them was a snake and pterodactyl, this being a Snakadaktal.
You must be excited to be releasing your debut album Sleep In The Water this week, what was the recording process like for that?
It was very different to anything any of us had done before. We all got so deep into the process of writing, recording and just the atmosphere that we were in. We were lucky enough to get Dann Hume (Evermore) to produce the recorded. He is an amazing talent and a really good friend, which was perfect for us to push ourselves and try things we usually wouldn’t. We did the album over a four month period on a pretty isolated hill in Gisboure South. I think it’s the only place I could listen to album anymore the space and music seem to absorb each other.
You’ve just played at Splendour in the Grass, and are set to perform at Adelaide’s Spin Off Festival. What was your reaction when you found out you were playing both of these events?
I’m not sure if we believed it at first, we might of all laughed I think. We all love Bryon so much so going there is always a treat. And the line up makes our toes giddy.
Who are you most looking forward to playing alongside?
Oh wow this is a super hard question. We were extremely excited to see The National, TV on the Radio, James Blake, Daughter, Cloud Control and heaps more.
You're also supporting Alt-J when they are in Australia, are you fans of the band?
Yes very much so. Their album got many the play in our tour van. We were lucky enough to be on the laneway line up with them and see them live a couple times. We just admire the way they’ve pushed and pursued their music.
Who has been band you have most enjoyed touring with and why?
That would have to be the Sures.
You just came back from a tour of the UK, what was that experience like?
Amazing. It was an incredible journey to live and traveling England for a bit. The UK is so rich culture and history so being a tourist was a blast.
And you also toured with Laneway Festival like earlier this year, what was that like?
Brilliant! Probably the most enjoyable festival we have been on. We just had such a good time. So many great bands, people and times to be silly.
Do you have any funny stories from the road?
Well on the UK tour every hotel we stayed in had its fire drill go off while we where there. So with the first two we got quite worried and run out of building, only to discover that there was never a fire.
After that the next couple hotel alarms we slowly plotted out, most times getting something to eat on the way. Then in Manchester we were frolicking in the hotels steamy heated pool as out side was below five degrees. Then the fire alarm went off and we were having none of it. To our disbelief this was a real fire and we had to stand out in the Manchester weather in a bathers soaked. Manchester is cold. Really cold.
You have had two songs come in on Triple J's Top 100 countdown (Air at #22 in 2011 and Dance Bear at #93 in 2012) As musicians, what is it like to hear your song make the top 100?
Extremely exciting and also quite overwhelming, neither time did we believe our songs would make it. We just feel very fortune about the whole thing.
And finally, which bands are you loving right now?
I’m pretty in love with Cloud Control and there single ‘Dojo Rising‘, I still can’t stop playing Connan Mockasin and Sufjan Stevens.
Thank you for your time and good luck with upcoming album and tours.
Matt Barton
Hi, thanks for the interview today. How are you?
I’m very well thank you. Thanks for interviewing.
So for those who don’t know, how did the band form, and where did the name Snakadaktal come from?
Well we’ve all been friends for a long time and had the common interests of listening, talking and playing music. So one day we thought about making a band, so we did. And like that we’ve stuck together ever since.
A good friend of mine Dom and myself went through a stage of creating mixed animals. One of them was a snake and pterodactyl, this being a Snakadaktal.
You must be excited to be releasing your debut album Sleep In The Water this week, what was the recording process like for that?
It was very different to anything any of us had done before. We all got so deep into the process of writing, recording and just the atmosphere that we were in. We were lucky enough to get Dann Hume (Evermore) to produce the recorded. He is an amazing talent and a really good friend, which was perfect for us to push ourselves and try things we usually wouldn’t. We did the album over a four month period on a pretty isolated hill in Gisboure South. I think it’s the only place I could listen to album anymore the space and music seem to absorb each other.
You’ve just played at Splendour in the Grass, and are set to perform at Adelaide’s Spin Off Festival. What was your reaction when you found out you were playing both of these events?
I’m not sure if we believed it at first, we might of all laughed I think. We all love Bryon so much so going there is always a treat. And the line up makes our toes giddy.
Who are you most looking forward to playing alongside?
Oh wow this is a super hard question. We were extremely excited to see The National, TV on the Radio, James Blake, Daughter, Cloud Control and heaps more.
You're also supporting Alt-J when they are in Australia, are you fans of the band?
Yes very much so. Their album got many the play in our tour van. We were lucky enough to be on the laneway line up with them and see them live a couple times. We just admire the way they’ve pushed and pursued their music.
Who has been band you have most enjoyed touring with and why?
That would have to be the Sures.
You just came back from a tour of the UK, what was that experience like?
Amazing. It was an incredible journey to live and traveling England for a bit. The UK is so rich culture and history so being a tourist was a blast.
And you also toured with Laneway Festival like earlier this year, what was that like?
Brilliant! Probably the most enjoyable festival we have been on. We just had such a good time. So many great bands, people and times to be silly.
Do you have any funny stories from the road?
Well on the UK tour every hotel we stayed in had its fire drill go off while we where there. So with the first two we got quite worried and run out of building, only to discover that there was never a fire.
After that the next couple hotel alarms we slowly plotted out, most times getting something to eat on the way. Then in Manchester we were frolicking in the hotels steamy heated pool as out side was below five degrees. Then the fire alarm went off and we were having none of it. To our disbelief this was a real fire and we had to stand out in the Manchester weather in a bathers soaked. Manchester is cold. Really cold.
You have had two songs come in on Triple J's Top 100 countdown (Air at #22 in 2011 and Dance Bear at #93 in 2012) As musicians, what is it like to hear your song make the top 100?
Extremely exciting and also quite overwhelming, neither time did we believe our songs would make it. We just feel very fortune about the whole thing.
And finally, which bands are you loving right now?
I’m pretty in love with Cloud Control and there single ‘Dojo Rising‘, I still can’t stop playing Connan Mockasin and Sufjan Stevens.
Thank you for your time and good luck with upcoming album and tours.
Matt Barton