Page 32 - the NOISE MAY 2016 Edition

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AUSTRAliA’S BeST KePT SecReT
INtERVIEW By thE CaNNaNES Play PhOtO By BeVeRlY NAPAlM FlaGStaFF’S FIRECREEK lANce MilleR
The Cannanes may very well be Australia’s best-kept secret. Formed in 1984, they have often been described as “the world’s most indie band” and ‘’Kings of the do it now’’ (nMe). They were one of Kurt Cobain’s favorites, mentioned in the infamous Kurt Cobain Diaries. Their debut single
received “single of The year” in 1985 in the leading global music publication at the time, the New Musical Express, (NME). Back then, that was a super big deal. Most bands would have died for such publicity, jumped on it, and exploited it to the full potential. But not so with The “canny” Cannanes. After fending off a glut of offers from numerous major labels, the Cannanes stuck to their DIy principles and were amongst the first to have records released on the fledgling and historically influential K records of Olympia, (Beat Happening, Built To spill, Beck, etc). Calvin Johnson, at the time already a star in ascent, was enamored enough to offer some of his own Beat Happening magic to the cause and co-write some of the material on the Cannanes debut LP.
In Carrie Brownstein’s (sleater Kinney) 2016 biography Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, stephen and Fran from the Cannanes are credited with the nurturing and public birthing of sleater Kinney. welcomed into their home sight unseen by the Cannanes based on a tacit acknowledgement, “we knew some of the same people,” Corin and Carrie stayed for a month, enjoying the Cannanes hospitality and were “awed and grateful.”
Indeed, Cannanes guitarist stephen was the original drummer in sleater Kinney. The newly formed band rehearsed in Fran and stephen’s front room, and made their tentative first steps as sleater Kinney while supporting the Cannanes in Australia. Carrie continues in her biography,
“stephen wore ski goggles, behind the drumkit, as if to make himself incognito,” recalling the band played “fast and out of tune” with “sets lasting four songs.” Humble beginnings ...
Clearly the Cannanes are charming and highly influential. so why have you never heard of them?
well ... simply put, the Cannanes’ approach is very different from your average band. The ongoing concerns aren’t to be famous, or necessarily to make a few bucks, (though they most certainly deserve to). That was never an objective. I am sure they wouldn’t have endured the last 32 years languishing in the international pop underground if so. Their ambitions are simply to write great music — which they continue to do.
Their music started out in the early 80s as delightful ramshackle, scrappy folk-pop, morphing through the 90s into gutsier guitar based indie. The confident naughties saw the band unafraid to straddle and dabble with electronic dream-pop, headstrong into the present day. Unpretentious and lyrically sharp, the audible trademark throughout the Cannanes glittering career has been the gorgeous, lilting emotive vocals of Fran Gibson. The Noise’s Beverley napalm posed the following questions to Fran.
You have existed for over three decades now, which is a remarkable achievement for anything, let alone keeping a band together. What do you consider the contributing factors to The Cannanes longevity?
well ... in a way it always seems odder to me people don’t keep their bands going. I suppose it is some combination of stubbornness and lack of imagination. I guess as with all things there are pros and cons — the pros being it is fun making music and recording, traveling around the world and meeting like-minded people — when people enjoy the music it is very gratifying and in some ways the music is like a record of our lives. The cons being carrying heavy things around, and traveling with a group of people can be hard work. strangely everyone else is not as thoughtful, courteous and respectful of the demands of the music and each other as I think they should be all the time! They would probably say much worse things about me. A major key to the band’s longevity is Stephen O’Neil who does not give up on anything ever. It is his family way.
Do you think being Australian has hindered The Cannanes commercial success? I am thinking about bands such as the Saints, Birthday Party and Go-Betweens that left Australia and moved to London in the 80s to pursue their musical ambitions. Also many of your contemporaries from the K records/Olympia punk scene such as Beat Happening and of course Sleater Kinney are now established “alternative” mainstream acts.
I don’t know about that. It may be being Australian has helped us in the UsA and other places. something different ... The British did not take to the Go Betweens, saints, Triffids, etc until they were well over really. I think our music is not to everyone’s taste and maybe even
32 • MAY 2016 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us
more importantly we do not really fit band stereotypes. There are rules about how people should sing and look and we have never fitted any definition of cool. People want that from their stars. People like a showy sort of band and we have usually been rather averse to people showing off though some band members over the years have indulged in bits of what I would find pretentious behavior such as guitar stances, eyes closed etc. I do notice when musos put on a show people love it. It just makes me squirm for us to do it though. In Australia people are rarely impressed by the homegrown product unless it looks and sounds like something from overseas. And we were always very rude about “the industry” and everything to do with it. some would say it is our lack of talent that hindered us and we certainly have had some bad moments due to touring with lack of money, unfamiliar or inadequate equipment, unsympathetic engineers, etc. Also Australia is a long way from most touring circuits. On the other hand it is a top place to live, so no one is complaining. I think we have been very lucky to have had the recognition and the fun we have had, really.
You have received a lot of critical acclaim over the years, and continue to do so. Is it hard to keep moving forward when often the critical acclaim doesn’t match commercial gains?
no. If you never had commercial gain then you can’t miss it. I don’t know why people expect it really. It’s a privilege to do what we do and be invited to travel and play. I have no sense of entitlement. The world does not owe me a living.
Chapter Music in Melbourne are getting ready to re-release your long out of print fan favorite A Love Affair with nature LP. Are there any plans to tour this LP re-issue, or any other re-releases of out of print material?
yes, I hope so, but not sure how or when. Definitely we shall do shows with Love Affair this year in Australia and hopefully in UK next year, and you know one way to the UK is through the UsA! so ... Personally I am more interested in new albums.
Flagstaff, glorious as it, seems an unlikely stop off point for you. I understand you are recording an LP here?
we nearly finished it two years ago! Flagstaff is such a lovely place to spend time — we were keen to find any excuse to get back. we are recording it with local musician Stewart Boyracer and have five days to finish this album in the studio here with engineer Ben Lippard*. He has done some great work on the songs and it is sounding rather enjoyable. I want to get out in that pine forest and start work!
(*Note: Ben Lippard runs Patchway Studios in Flagstaff, where the Cannanes are finishing their 12th studio album. Mr. Lippard also plays in local Ska/Reggae bands The Skanksters and The Foot Solejahs)
You presently travel around the world as a two-piece, Stephen and yourself playing with local musicians, and recording when possible also. For example you have recorded two LPs with New York based DJ Explosion Robinson. Regardless of shifting line-ups, you are still able to retain a definite
“Cannanes sound” across your releases. I’m curious as to how this is achieved with different line ups and recording situations. Is there a conscious approach to each, or is the end result purely organic?
well actually, last tour we travelled with a six-piece band from Australia and this time three of us are coming over ... The Cannanes sound I think comes from a shared sensibility based often on distinctive attributes like stephen’s guitar playing and my umm ... “singing,” and the subject matter of songs. But collaboration generally adds up to more than the sum of the parts. There are some talented people around who like the Cannanes and want to join in. we are lucky ...
Lucky indeed! The Cannanes play May 26 at Firecreek with Victorian Slang, Heebie Jeebies and Thee Steady Customers (p.k.a. local legends The Shindaggers). There will be “free stuff” at the door for the early birds.
| Beverly Napalm keeps us up to date on what’s hip in music.
music@thenoise.us