Toucan (20/06/2012)
We recently caught up with dynamic duo Jessica Pollard and Shea Duncan from pop/jazz outfit Toucan to chat about their debut EP ‘Brave New World’, touring with The Kooks and killer coffee shops.
You both met studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in different areas, how have your differences contributed to the music you make?
Shea and I both met studying composition at the Con but had quite different musical interests. I have always loved jazz and folk; meanwhile Shea was interested in electro acoustic and orchestral composition and really took to the production side of things.
We’d always been friends throughout uni, and we would share music that we were listening to at the time and eventually started writing together. I think it’s the combination of our different backgrounds that shapes our music and we really enjoy writing together for that reason.
What’s the story behind the name Toucan?
Shea and I both really like birds and we especially like Toucans. They are colourful and fun and that’s the way we like our music.
You’re first EP ‘Brave New World’ came out last year, what was the writing/recording process like for that?
Shea and I co-write all our songs. We usually start writing at a piano working on the lyrical and harmonic side of things. We’ll then take it into the digital world, working on the sound world, arrangement and production. We mainly work out of a home studio at Shea’s place, which means that we can experiment freely and develop our ideas during the recording process. He also lives two minutes away from a killer coffee shop, which is crucial!
Purple Sneakers DJs did a remix of the ‘Brave New World’ single called ‘Rave New World’, how did that come about?
The Purple Sneakers lads are lovely. We actually met Martin [Novosel] (owner/founder of Purple Sneakers, PHDJ) at our first ever gig at a Purple Sneakers night held at the Gaelic. After our set we got chatting and he offered to remix the single. We are always excited to hear remixes and love the dub step edge they brought to ‘Brave New World’.
Is the song’s name a play on the book by Aldous Huxley, and were you ever made to study it in school?
I never actually studied Brave New World in school so initially it wasn’t a conscious decision to reference Huxley with the lyrics and title of our first single. However, during the writing and recording process of our EP I read the book and it was great. When we were thinking of a title for our EP, we realised that many of the songs on the EP had themes parallel to those of the book, so it seemed a fitting title.
You guys were recently Sydney winners of Triple J's NIDA video clip competition! How are you feeling about the win and the support you’re getting from groups like Triple J and FBI?
We’re really humbled to have been selected! We’re always excited by the opportunity to work with creative’s in different artistic fields and having the talents of NIDA students onboard with the support Triple J is amazing! We can’t wait to see what develops from the collaboration.
Can you tell us anything about how/where the clip was made?
We’re still in the very early days of developing the clip, so we’ll keep you posted when it’s finished in late July.
The band has been on a massive tour with The Kooks, as well as supporting Daniel Merriweather and Expatriate. What have been some of the highlights for you so far?
We’ve had an amazing string of shows so far in 2012. I think playing to a sold out Hordern Pavilion when we supported The Kooks would definitely be the highlight so far!
Is there anyone that you would like to share the stage with that you haven’t yet?
So many! Touring and playing shows with other bands is an amazing opportunity to meet new people, share ideas and learn from each others music and backgrounds, so we hope to play with as many people as possible along the way.
How would you best describe your musical style as and who are your influences?
It’s always tricky to answer that question. In many ways our style and influences are continually changing and developing and we both have similarities and differences. Artists we’re currently listening to include Amliana Tourini and Miike Snow.
What are the future plans for Toucan, are you happy with the direction you’re heading in?
Definitely, we’re currently in the midst of writing and recording our second EP to be released later this year. We’re also going to be announcing an exciting national tour and will be releasing a single, Mr Television this coming Monday (25th June), so stay tuned on our Facebook page!
Toucan will be playing alongside a string of artists celebrating Select Music’s 7th Birthday across four venues on the 21st June http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=57095
Nazia Hafiz
You both met studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in different areas, how have your differences contributed to the music you make?
Shea and I both met studying composition at the Con but had quite different musical interests. I have always loved jazz and folk; meanwhile Shea was interested in electro acoustic and orchestral composition and really took to the production side of things.
We’d always been friends throughout uni, and we would share music that we were listening to at the time and eventually started writing together. I think it’s the combination of our different backgrounds that shapes our music and we really enjoy writing together for that reason.
What’s the story behind the name Toucan?
Shea and I both really like birds and we especially like Toucans. They are colourful and fun and that’s the way we like our music.
You’re first EP ‘Brave New World’ came out last year, what was the writing/recording process like for that?
Shea and I co-write all our songs. We usually start writing at a piano working on the lyrical and harmonic side of things. We’ll then take it into the digital world, working on the sound world, arrangement and production. We mainly work out of a home studio at Shea’s place, which means that we can experiment freely and develop our ideas during the recording process. He also lives two minutes away from a killer coffee shop, which is crucial!
Purple Sneakers DJs did a remix of the ‘Brave New World’ single called ‘Rave New World’, how did that come about?
The Purple Sneakers lads are lovely. We actually met Martin [Novosel] (owner/founder of Purple Sneakers, PHDJ) at our first ever gig at a Purple Sneakers night held at the Gaelic. After our set we got chatting and he offered to remix the single. We are always excited to hear remixes and love the dub step edge they brought to ‘Brave New World’.
Is the song’s name a play on the book by Aldous Huxley, and were you ever made to study it in school?
I never actually studied Brave New World in school so initially it wasn’t a conscious decision to reference Huxley with the lyrics and title of our first single. However, during the writing and recording process of our EP I read the book and it was great. When we were thinking of a title for our EP, we realised that many of the songs on the EP had themes parallel to those of the book, so it seemed a fitting title.
You guys were recently Sydney winners of Triple J's NIDA video clip competition! How are you feeling about the win and the support you’re getting from groups like Triple J and FBI?
We’re really humbled to have been selected! We’re always excited by the opportunity to work with creative’s in different artistic fields and having the talents of NIDA students onboard with the support Triple J is amazing! We can’t wait to see what develops from the collaboration.
Can you tell us anything about how/where the clip was made?
We’re still in the very early days of developing the clip, so we’ll keep you posted when it’s finished in late July.
The band has been on a massive tour with The Kooks, as well as supporting Daniel Merriweather and Expatriate. What have been some of the highlights for you so far?
We’ve had an amazing string of shows so far in 2012. I think playing to a sold out Hordern Pavilion when we supported The Kooks would definitely be the highlight so far!
Is there anyone that you would like to share the stage with that you haven’t yet?
So many! Touring and playing shows with other bands is an amazing opportunity to meet new people, share ideas and learn from each others music and backgrounds, so we hope to play with as many people as possible along the way.
How would you best describe your musical style as and who are your influences?
It’s always tricky to answer that question. In many ways our style and influences are continually changing and developing and we both have similarities and differences. Artists we’re currently listening to include Amliana Tourini and Miike Snow.
What are the future plans for Toucan, are you happy with the direction you’re heading in?
Definitely, we’re currently in the midst of writing and recording our second EP to be released later this year. We’re also going to be announcing an exciting national tour and will be releasing a single, Mr Television this coming Monday (25th June), so stay tuned on our Facebook page!
Toucan will be playing alongside a string of artists celebrating Select Music’s 7th Birthday across four venues on the 21st June http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=57095
Nazia Hafiz