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 The Morning After Girls are Aimee Nash, Sacha Lucashenko, Martin Sleeman, Scott Von Ryper and Anton Jakovljevic.
You may have seen them at a good venue near you, opening for such American greats as The Dandy Warhols, The Brian Jonestown Massacre or The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and assumed that they also originated from The States.
Actually they happen to be Australia’s best export of the last few years
and owe they multiple visits to the UK to having released an album over here this year.
They are now safely back home after long periods on the road but will be back to Blighty and The States in 2007, bigger, better and with another Lp under their belt.
Aimee Nash was kind enough to answer a few questions by e-mail, from Australia, as we were unable to get together while she was in London due to her lack of free time. The last time I saw her we were at The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s after show shindigs. She called that a ‘heavy schedule’ but I called that partying!
Florence: You came to my attention being associated with bands like The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, with whom The Morning After Girls clearly have a close relationship.
You’re from Australia, they’re from the States...
How did it all start?
Aimee: Before TMAG even existed, Scott, Sacha and myself met Courtney Taylor the first time The Dandy Warhols were in Australia playing some shows, [we were all pretty big fans of his band], and then we ended up seeing each other again on their second visit...and that’s how it all started.
Somewhere along the line they heard our music and I guess some shows came after that!
As far as The BJM is concerned, I believe that Sacha and Martin met some of the guys from the band when they were over here and stayed in touch after that.
We also spent quite a bit of time in The States last year and ended up together somewhere and again, somewhere along the line they heard what we do and we played some shows together.
Anton has been particularly kind to the band on several occasions in the press and his bandmates have also been incredibly supportive of TMAG.
Florence: How do TMAG fit on the Australian music scene?
Aimee: Well, it’s been a while since we’ve had to fit in at all, seeing as we’ve been on the road for the most part of this year and it’s hard to predict how things will be now that we’re back.
We’ve got a couple of shows coming up in Sydney and Melbourne so that should be interesting!
We’ve had some really lovely messages from people in Australia asking when we’re back home playing, so it’ll be nice to play in our home towns after such a long time.
Also there are some really great bands over here at the moment that we are keen to see again and hopefully play some shows with.
Florence: Is there a real market for bands with your sound in your home country?
Or do you feel that England or The States would be a natural progression?
Aimee: There’s definitely a ‘real’ market for us.
We’ve seen a definite rise in popularity in some really great ‘shoegaze’ [for want of a better word] and psychedelic bands in Sydney for sure, so that’s pretty cool!
Yes...enough people seem to like us!
That said, of course England and The States are hell of a lot bigger than Australia and some of our favourite bands come from there, so maybe it is a natural progression to be more successful in these countries.
It also depends on the kind of music you’re playing, however I am sure that most musicians/ artists always want to experience success in a country outside of their own.
I know that we love the travelling aspect of it and experiencing what other places have to offer.
I try not to think about geography too much and just focus on writing good songs and playing good shows.
Florence: I’ve seen you sing ‘Anenome’ with The BJM and I think that you really do this stunning song justice.
How did this come about?
Did Anton ask you or did you put the idea forward?
Aimee: I believe that Rob Campanella had heard me sing it once at a little soiree at his place in LA and suggested to Anton and the band that I should do that at one of the shows.
That was definitely a memorable moment for me.
‘Anenome’ has to be one of my favourite songs and The BJM have to be one of my favourite bands, so needless to say it was an honour!
Florence: Would you cover ‘Anenome’ with your band mates?
Are there other BJM songs that you would like to interpret?
Aimee: I know that we’ve sung it at people’s parties when it’s late at night and the acoustic guitars come out!
I would be delighted to sing on any BJM songs...nothing in particular but there is so much good material with the perfect harmonies and vocal arrangements.
I’m certainly a big fan of the female vocalists who have appeared on BJM’s recordings as it’s very much my style of singing.
Florence: In the UK, TMAG have opened for The Dandys, BJM and you’ve headlined your own gigs...Do you feel established in England now?
Aimee: Certainly more than we would if we didn’t do those shows I suppose.
Florence: Once upon a time bands would say that a sign of success would be to participate to the Peel Sessions or be on Top of the Pops.
Neither exist anymore so what would be a mark of recognition for you?
Aimee: Playing with the bands you’ve mentioned is a pretty damned good start!
I don’t think that we could have possibly imagined we’d have such a great year playing with the bands that we’ve played with.
Florence: You’ve been on the road quite a lot this year, sharing a tour bus with a lot of guys.
How much fun is that and how bad does it get?
Aimee: It’s just about as much fun as you think it might be and just as un-fun as you think it would be.
There are great fun crazy times that you look back on and smile because that was fun and then there are the shitty times where you’ve all been crammed in a van [and a small one at that!] for a long period of time ‘cause you’re driving to the next city for your next shows, everyone’s tired etc...but for the most part, it’s an incredible experience that we’re lucky to be part of and we try not to take that for granted too much which is healthy.
Florence: What have been the high and low points of 2006
for TMAG?
Aimee: The high points have been our shows in the UK, opening for The Dandy Warhols and The BJM and over in The States gigging with The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
A low point for me was when I got sick in Austin at SxSW. I got a really really bad ear, nose and throat infection that had me in hospital.
Unfortunately we had to cancel a show which was a real bummer!
Florence: Any plans for 2007 ?
Can we expect new releases?
Aimee: Writing, demoing, finishing off records that we’ve started in the last eighteen months, so I guess getting ready for the next album we hope to release in the third quarter of 2007.
Florence: Can we expect you back in England?
Aimee: You sure can...not sure when but you can count on it.
Florence: What’s playing on your i-pod right now?
Aimee: The Black Angels, The BJM, BRMC, The Upside Down, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized.
Florence: Which band are you a real fan of ?
Aimee: The BJM, BRMC, The Dandy Warhols and The Black Angels.
Florence: Anything to plug?
Aimee: Us!
Words: Florence ACHERY
www.themorningaftergirls.com
www.myspace.com/themorningaftergirls |
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