Stranded In Stereo: The Stranded Q & A: The Audreys

Friday, July 17, 2009

The Stranded Q & A: The Audreys



Australia is a large country. If you think there is nothing between the coasts in the U.S. (you'd be wrong), then Australia takes that to a completely new level. Bush country really is the middle of nowhere. Australian band the Audreys hail from Adelaide, a city on the nation's south coast, but they play music that brings to mind the best from America's flyover country. The band will be in Los Angeles later this month, so we caught up with them via e-mail.

The band plays in Los Angeles on 27 July @ Spaceland and 30 July @ Hotel Cafe.

1. You guys are doing some gigs in LA soon. Have you been here before? Are you excited? Tell us how the trip came about.
We've been through the LA airport more times than we care to remember, but haven't managed to get into the city yet, so yes we are very excited. Our guitarist Tristan just wants to hang out on street corners and seedy bars like he's Tom Waits waiting around for Rickie Lee Jones. We're really looking forward to playing the shows too.

2. Tell us a bit about your new album. What went into the songwriting process? How has Australia taken to it?
We actually wrote most of this record at the Chelsea Hotel in New York. Now there's a great place to soak up some inspiration. The album has been really well received here at home and we are very keen to see how an international audience will take to it. We've just released both our albums on vinyl here in Australia as well, and it's been great to see folks really getting into The Audreys on wax.

3. When/why did you guys form?
We formed in Adelaide, South Australia in 2004 in order to take over the universe with banjos and ukuleles.

4. What American bands have you played with in the past? Do you have a dream bill?
We've shared Australian festival stages with dozens of amazing American artists, like Keiran Kane & Kevin Welch, Cat Power, The Mammals, Ben Harper, Michael Franti, Modest Mouse and Buddy Guy....just to name a few. I'd love to be on a bill with great American female singers like Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Lucinda Williams.

5. What are you hoping to take back from your American trip?
Vintage guitars!!


[mp3]: "Paradise City"

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