What can the audience expect from you at the Big Day Out ?

They can expect us to be really excited! They can also expect some snare-destroyingly loud drumming and mild cases of tourrettes from several of the band members. And excessive mention of neil young.

Tell us about the band - I believe there's some musical pedigree in there..

Washington has kidnapped members of The Cat Empire, the bamboos and Jackson Jackson to be the parts and wheels of the Washington machine. She tied them up and played Chumba Wumba to them for eight days solid until they relented and agreed to it.

Who are you looking forward to at the festival?

Neil Young. Neil Young. Did we say Neil Young? Neil Young.

What's coming up in the future?

In 2009 we're releasing our first ep and also our first album. We're also going to talk a lot about that time we saw Neil Young at BDO and how amazing it was that we saw Neil Young.

Australian music is?

Australian music is the Powerful Owl. With a fever.

Tell us about your music – how did you develop sound?

We have grown up with music constantly playing in our house. Although our parents aren't musical themselves, they love music and have passed that love on to us. Listening to music is great, but we wanted to be able to play it. We began playing our instruments in late 2006 and pretty much started playing as a band straight away. We are heavily influenced by 70s rock. Love Zeppelin, Hendrix, Zappa and so much more. We seem to find playing this genre a lot of fun, covering songs and then developing our own twist to that sound and so decided that was the direction to head towards.

Tell us about your high school – where do you play/learn music?

Gisborne Secondary College is part of the Macedon Ranges. It's a really arty, musical community and a lot of support is shown to this. The whole school supports our band, helping us in any way that they can. We play at school concerts and heaps of other gigs around the area. We tend to find ourselves playing a heap of youth orientated gigs which is always awesome as we would love to inspire as many young people to pick up an instrument as we can. We play around Melbourne as well - recently played at Fed Square, St Kilda Festival, The Espy... We all learn our instruments at our next door neighbours house. He happens to be an awesome musician and teacher and has taught us so much about music. Amy is studying a music Degree and is in her final year at NMIT in Fairfield. When our school found out about Unearthed High, everyone jumped on the net and showed a great deal of support to our band.

Have you played live before – what can we expect from a live show?

We've fortunately had heaps of opportunities to play live shows. It's around the 100 mark now. We take every opportunity we can to play live. Our music probably comes across a lot more energetic and 'Rock' in our live shows. I think we seem like less of a "girl band" and more like sisters playing rock music if that makes sense! The reaction before and after a show is pretty different. So many times we've walked into a venue and been looked down at as though we're a sissy little girl band, about to play the Dixie Chicks. (No offence Dixie Chicks.) After a show we tend to get a lot of comments like "Wow, wasn't expecting that! You girls rock!" We like to get into the mood and rock out in our live performances.

What’s coming up in the future?

We are recording and releasing an EP this year, promoting it with lots of gigs. We would love to get our music out there and heard by as many people as possible. To be able to live off of our music is of course the dream.

Australian music is?

Life, passion, culture, roots. It's unbelievable the amount of good music Australia produces, and so much of it is from young people.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
The demo we released when we started the band was mostly written by our vocalist, Tory. It wasn't until we got into a room and started writing as a band that all these other influences started creeping in. We all have a background in the hardcore scene, so our new material is a little more aggressive, while still maintaining a pop sensibility.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
We look up to a lot of our friends in bands and the sacrifices they make to be able to tour full time. Hopefully we can follow and do the same!

You’re one of the winners of our Unify competition. What can punters at the Unify festival in Gippsland expect from the Harbours live show?
It's a shorter set, we've cut a few of the ballads so expect 20mins of high energy & riffs.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
Pick Harder - THE Steven Cannatelli

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Pretty much anything by Tame Impala.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
No Control by a band called Holland.
Their lead singer is now killing it as a pop star and I don't think too many people know about his past project!

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Sunken Eyes - Sunk Loto

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Invasion Fest.
Was a great day filled with a lot of Underground talent from around the country.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Melbourne music community that inspire you.
Our friend Running Touch is killing it at the moment. Check out Ocean Grove too.

What are your plans for 2016?
Become a staple in Aussie Rock.

Tell us about your music - how did you develop your sound?

Angus and Jake Long (vocals and guitar) were keen to ditch the 8 string guitar breakdowns and pig squeals from a former band to do something more honest and relevant. This new direction took influence from the music they listen to day to day, which is more ‘Hard/Southern Rock’ like Every time I Die, Pantera & The Chariot. The addition of Eli Green and Nick Evans (Drums and Bass) helped this become a reality; their style was so well suited to this idea, it was like a match made in heaven. Not long after the recruitment of Eli and Nick, Tim Lawrence was brought in as a second guitarist to fill out the sound and bring more metal to the group. As a band we're very diverse in our influences, and we try to create a sound that resonates with people while still making music that is unique and interesting for us to write and perform. Of course, we also love bringing 'the kill' to a live show. We started out a little more straight-up southern-rock than we are now but gradually shifted into doing what felt more comfortable to us under the mantra of "being ourselves". As we found a little more metal creeping into the band it seemed to balance with the southern inspired hardcore sound we were already working with. People have said that we toe a fine line between metal & hardcore and I think that's a fair statement. We're very mindful of what "Life Pilot" sounds like, and we try to stick to it without favouring one genre or the other while keeping consistency in our sound.

You’re one of the winners of our Soundwave competition and are opening the main stage at 11am this Saturday 2nd March. What can Soundwave attendees in Adelaide expect from the Life Pilot live show?

As you can imagine we’re really excited to be given the opportunity to play such a massive festival alongside some of our biggest influences and idol bands. We doubt we’d have won if it weren’t for the support of one Triple J presenter in particular, Stu Harvey who has supported us ever since we sent him our demo. So an official ‘thanks mate’ to Stu, we owe you one. As for the show, you can expect an aggressive, high energy & very physical performance with the big sound to match. We'll be bringing the energy of our small stage show to the mammoth Soundwave main stage and we'll give our absolute all on the day. While we’re doing everything we can to show people who we are and what we're all about, we’ll be having the time of our lives. There's every chance that the show will end with broken instruments and broken band members.

Who are some other bands in the Australian heavy music scene that people should be checking out?

We've got a split coming out with Perth heavy-hitters, Statues, next month. They're a phenomenal live act, extremely talented musicians and we’ve got a lot of love for those boys. Closer to home, we're big believers in the small roster of southern-rock/hardcore bands that have arisen out of Adelaide: Mara Jade, A Ghost Orchestra & One in the Chamber are all excellent bands that deserve to be known and celebrated. In the East we’re quite fond of Safe Hands from Sydney who are stopping off in Adelaide at the end of their national tour to play our Split CD Launch on March 30 and Culprits from Melbourne who impressed everyone at Down & Dirty 2012 in October last year with some great music.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and by who?

The best advice we've been given and could possible give anyone can be reduced to three simple words: ‘be your self’. It has been said by many people but struck a chord when spoken by Petey Green on something as basic as how to eat a watermelon. This expression has been a motto of the band from the beginning and is instrumental in how we write our songs, perform our material and live our lives.

What’s coming up for you in 2013?

Obviously, Soundwave has our immediate attention, but also from early March we'll be taking pre-orders for our split with Statues (WA), entitled Compass, which will be released on 13.3.13. We'll be launching that in Adelaide on March 30 at the Crown & Anchor with Safe Hands (NSW), and the other Adelaide bands we mentioned earlier. After the launch we’re looking at touring interstate, as it's something we haven't done with this band and we're itching to do it. There are whispers of a self-funded U.S. tour at the end of the year as we’re keen to reach audiences abroad. Throughout the year we’ll be in the studio, tracking our next EP/Album. Pre-production has already started and we're really stoked on how some of the new material is sounding.

Australian music is…?

...something to be proud of, and invest in. Australian music offers a lot of diversity and talent within a wide range of genres. The heavy scene is becoming more popular than ever with ARIAs being awarded to heavy acts, and festivals like Soundwave are much more present in the public eye. There are heaps of local acts and talented artists just outside your doorstep that are hard working and more than willing to go the extra mile to make their career a reality. It's worth supporting and worth protecting. We're well aware that we wouldn't be as fortunate as we are without people getting behind independent Australian music.

Tell us about your music - how did you develop your sound?

Hip hop was the first avenue in which I (N3) engaged in and it allowed me to express myself lyrically and learn the ropes of music production. Teaming up with Chico, who also came from a Hip Hop Background, our vocal fusion is said to be quite unique. Electronic music has attracted me to its unlimited capability and variety of sound’s. Seeing the success its having overseas and seeing artists produce music with such raw energy, I thought we could take it to the next level and combine Strong Lyrical projection with no musical rules or structures & a strong distorted sound (like a new aged rock), so technically the sky is the limit, and the sound will keep developing as time progresses…

Tell us about your live show?

The best way to describe this is…raw energy, explosive, original, fun & entertaining. A real case of music bringing people together, If you want to see a crowd tear down the walls of a club while having a good time, this is a live show you must witness. You can catch the live show in clubs all across Sydney, Smacktown’s Hot spot “Trashbags @ Kings cross”.

Do you guys collaborate with other producers?

Yes we have currently collaborated with another Australian up and coming Electronic Producer, Redial (sweat it out records). Also French sensation ‘Danger, which we will be featuring on his next album which is due to be released this coming year. Not to mention a few other collaborations with well known producers from around the world which are currently in production….

What's coming up in the future?

Australia, Europe, the World??? One may dream as dreaming is the 1st step & Smacktowns already walking, we hope you stay tuned for the trip.

Australian music is?

Ready for smacktown

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

We developed our sound through the bands we listen to. Majority of our influences are heavy bands. With a female vocalist, we were able to create something more unique. A sound that unifies the heavy music with clean dominated vocals.

What’s it like trying to gig and tour as a school-age band?

It's a big disadvantage. We're in our most important year in high school now, we just started year 12. Also,l being underage (16-17), our parents are still concerned for us. We are limited to where and when we are able to tour and gig. Our songwriting process is also not as fast as it could be, but we manage to make enough time for band.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

We think that every piece of advice is the best. The people who listen to our covers and originals, our parents and producer and managers, even our own observations have helped us advance towards improving different aspects of our sound and presentation.

Who are some inspiring front-women that you think people should check out?

Justin Bieber has gone a long way from Youtube, I think many people should follow her steps of success.

What’s coming up for you in the rest of 2011 and looking to 2012?

We have plenty of gigs coming up for the rest of 2011, including an acoustic one. We also plan to finish 3 more originals to play some new material live. 2012 is going to start off pretty big, we have an east- coast tour in January, as well as the Hope Out West Fest that we will be playing at, which we're really excited for. We're recording our EP early in the year as well.

Australian music is…?

...amazing! The majority of all we listen to is Aussie. In all different genres, there is so much talent being showcased by all the bands from here.

Tell us about your music - how did you develop your sound?

Our music has developed a lot over the years. We all have different tastes, but also enjoy a lot of the same bands and styles. We believe if something is good, it's good, it doesn't need to be pigeon holed into any particular scene or genre. So as our tastes have evolved over the years so has our sound. However it is the predominately heavier stuff that rubs off on us the most. Bands like Converge, Raised Fist, Will Haven and Deftones give us great inspiration.

You’re the winners of our Groovin The Moo competition and will be joining the line up at the Bendigo leg of the festival. What can Groovin The Moo punters in Bendigo expect from the Abreact live show?

We are extremely excited to be a part of the Groovin The Moo experience! The lineup is fantastic and so is the idea behind the event, servicing regional areas, something we feel very strongly about. Punters can expect a lot of energy, conviction, honesty and fun in our set. We love to play!

Who or what are you most looking forward to at the festival?

Seeing and meeting some other Unearthed bands will be great as we will all be extremely excited and understand what each other are feeling on the day! The lineup is so great but to mention a couple, The Bronx and The Amity Affliction are ones we are definitely looking forward to!

What’s it like being a metal band in Bendigo? What’s the heavy music scene like there?

I imagine it is the same as any other rural town. There is only one venue in Bendigo that has supported Heavy Music consistantly, The Newmarket Hotel. The Musicman is a good supporter too, hosting many all ages shows every now and then. It's a struggle for support as most venues will only have cover bands or indie bands/acts. However this only helps all the bands to stand together even more than usual and help each other out.

What’s coming up for you in 2013?

We are about to release our debut film clip for our song 'BOMBER' so that is very exciting. We have just completed the first leg of the Regional Roulette Tour with Frankenbok, King Parrot and Heaven The Axe. The response has been fantastic and we have another 5 dates to go which include Dreadnaught. Very honoured to be part of this lineup! As always we will be squeezing in as many shows as possible and we are also looking to do a tour towards the end of the year including Perth and Tasmania for the first time.

Australian music is…?

...some of the best in the world!

Tell us about your music - how did you develop your sound?

Statues is a chaotic hardcore band. We started the band in late 2009 with the idea to write aggressive music, which was deliberately a very open-ended intention. What came out was very rhythmic, with strong nods to the likes of Norma Jean, The Chariot and The Dillinger Escape Plan. We've all come from different musical backgrounds too, which I feel allows us to broaden our creativity, and gives us a different spin on what those bands do musically. We all enjoy funk/groove based music, which I think translates in what we do at times too.

What’s a Statues live show like?

In one word, intense. We feel that our live show is our strongest suit, and best represents us as a band. The music is aggressive, and we perform it aggressively. Getting into the crowd isn't uncommon with our live set. We also love to have fun with it. Playing live is a joy that isn't comparable to anything else in life, and we want to share that with whoever is listening.

When you formed you wanted to write “energetic and honest music” – what does honesty in music mean to you?

Honesty in music for me is just writing and playing music that comes out naturally to you. We all had common musical interests, but when we first got together, we had no idea what we were going to create. Those very first few jams were really exciting because what came out really could have been anything. We've always written music as a train of thought, improvising and coming up with ideas in the jam room, and as a result, the process has always felt really organic. It's also very heated at times, because we all have ideas we want to get across musically, but only some ideas make the cut.

You recently put out a split 10” with Adelaide’s Life Pilot and are soon touring with Sydney’s Northlane. What’s the sense of ‘community’ like in the Australian heavy music scene?

We are absolutely honoured to be playing with our good friends in Northlane on the Singularity Tour. It's our biggest opportunity to date, and we're ready to capitalise on that! Honestly, after having played in a bunch of bands in different genres and thus, different scenes, the heavy music scene is amazingly supportive. I think the passion for the music and what it represents to people hasn't died in the digital age, because it goes beyond the music itself. There's a mentality of 'If we don't support this, we won't have it any more' and although that sounds negative, it's actually great that people are aware of that, and as a result support it strongly, both financially and by being at shows. I think we have a strong community and because of bands like Parkway Drive and Karnivool, there's now an obvious market for this kind of music, which means new bands feel comfortable in putting it out there.

What’s coming up for you in 2013?

2013 sees us touring with Northlane, recording our debut album, of which we have recently released a single from, called 'Affliction Prescription', and then hopefully later on in the year doing our own run of shows around the country. We are in planning stages for that right now!

Australian music is…?

...underrated! In Perth alone there are a large number of incredible bands that would make their way to the international circuit with the right contacts. I think that Australian music is stronger now than it's ever been, and we will be recognised as a strong export for music. We have the goods, we just have to get it to the rest of the world!

New Season Black are the winners of our SA Taste of Chaos competition. More about this competition »

What will you bring to the Taste of Chaos crowd?

A dance party with roller skates and a fully energetic performance that will give the crowd a taste of chaos.

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at Taste of Chaos this year?

Rise Against

Tell us about your local punk scene.

A good bunch of kids that we appreciate very for supporting all the bands here in Adelaide.

What's the best thing about being in New Season Black?

Playing music we love with friends.

...and the worst?

Deciding on a band name and Having to wait for our up coming EP to get back from mastering in the USA.

Australian music has...

got some really talented up and coming artists.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

Our music is fast, full of catchy riffs and energy building choruses followed by a few heavy breakdowns.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

Australian hardcore is our main inspiration for making music such as Parkway Drive which is what got us into this genre of music. Aswell as some American bands such as A Day to Remember, Trivium and Killswitch Engaged.

You’re the winners of our River Sessions competition. What can punters at River Sessions expect from a Thanartist live show?

They should expect a hard heavy sound that will be full of energy, that the crowd can involve themselves in.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

The best advise we’ve been given as a band is from our manager Tim who said, “No matter if theres 1 person or 2000 people your playing in front of, just play the best you can and never stop trying to succeed at what you want to achieve”.

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

Dead Kelly - Dead Kelly Anthem

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

In Hearts Wake - Wildflower

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

Hilltop Hoods - Chase that feeling

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

It was in Mackay at the CBD hotel. 200 people turned up and a lot of people from the local music community were there to support the local music scene.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Queensland music community that inspire you.

The two bands the are currently on tour with us being Red and Tooth from Gladstone central Queensland and Fifth Day of Ice from Townsville North Queensland. Aswell as our Mackay mates in Sanctum & Solace and Let’s Change History who are always there to support and help us with anything we need.

What are your plans for Thanartist in 2014?

The biggest thing for us this year would be playing River Sessions for our first time and our 16 show Australian east coast tour which started last friday. Hopefully this will build up our reputation as a band and lead us to greater things in the future

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

A Ghost Orchestra still has the same framework we started with in 2012. The initial idea was crossover of groove hardcore and southern hardcore. As time has moved on we’ve had a few lineup changes and new influences have come in and out. Now we have a solid 4-piece consisting of a newish bass player and drummer (both good mates). We also have elements of stoner rock, metallic hardcore and thrash.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

Continuing to explore different sounds and to play live shows. We want to keep the energy high and just have fun with the music we enjoy creating.

What can punters expect from A Ghost Orchestra live show?

We really dislike watching boring bands that don’t emit energy live. We believe if you’ve paid money and made an effort to come and see us we will do our best to put on an awesome show for you. Pretty much anything goes at our shows.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

“I was just on the roof, you guys need to turn down” – Jay, Bombshelter Rehersals.

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

Never Had So Much Fun – Frenzal Rhomb.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

Wedding Town - Toy Boats.

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

Grinspoon - DCX3 or Pendulum - Slam. 

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

Caged Grave, Removalist, Race Machine, Powerchuck at the Metro in Adelaide – “Sick riffs. Caged Grave Rule!”. Statues album launch at the Cavern Club Adelaide – “Awesome!”

Tell us about the bands or people in the Adelaide music community that inspire you.

All the bands we looked up to as young musicians in Adelaide (IKTP, The Rivalry (reunion needs to happen), Cry Murder, Stronghold, The Burning Sea, DOC), Craig from Enigma, Ryan Sweeny at Chuckingamosh, our friends who continue to support us and the band.

What are your plans for 2015?

More tours, an album, meet as many people as we can and just enjoy being in a band that we love being a part of!