Fresh from the release of the video for their latest single 'I Just Wanna Be Somebody Else', Gypsy & The Cat are prepping up for a big 2016. We got to ask Xavier Bacash about their new tunes, touring and what merch item he would like to introduce.
It’s been almost 4 years since the release of your last album The Late Blue, how are you feeling about you’re upcoming LP? Are there any nerves?
We are just really excited to be honest. We've spent four years putting this album together, so we feel like its a very strong record for us and well balanced.
‘I Just Wanna Be Somebody Else’ premiered recently, how did that track come about?
Basically I had that lyric from a David Bowie exhibition that I went to at the NGV. I was walking around and saw a poster from the time that he created his alias Ziggy Stardust, and on the poster it said 'David Bowie is somebody else'. I immediately grabbed my phone and wrote in my notes 'I just wanna be somebody else', because I felt like it was a point that everyone has been at and would be very relatable in song.
What is your favourite part about the recording process?
Basically sitting down with a blank session in front of me. I like to grab at my guitar sounds or synths or drum machines and get the ball rolling without any restraint. As soon as a song starts to take shape, it fits into a slot and becomes less and less fun as you get to the finish line. But that initial few hours are always a rush and are what drive me to the studio every day.
You recently played some shows around the country, have you guys encountered any weird or funny moments whilst touring on the last tour or any tours of old?
There are always funny moments on every tour, but one in particular that comes to mind is when is Japan we did Summersonic festival, and after the tour the bus driver took us to the wrong airport. So the festival organisers literally parted the red sea in the sense that they called the airline and had the flight held for long enough for us to get from 30 minutes away to make the flight. Anywhere else in the world and they would have said "sorry you weren't here 1hr before your flight, too bad", but in this case we had arrived at the time the plane was originally supposed to leave and there were about 10 staff running us to the gate. God I love Japan.
What has been you favourite live show to date?
I think I'd have to say Splendour In The Grass 2012.
If you were to branch out from the usual merch items like t-shirts or posters, which line of product would you create to sell at your merch desk?
I think I've always been fascinated by smell as a sensory experience. I'd love to one day have an album that had scents for each song that we could sell to frame the listening experience.
Written by Amy Smolcic
