This week at Friday Nights at Jean Paul Gaultier, Rat & Co will take to the stage. Ahead of their performance, we asked band member Joshua Delaney a few questions about art, fashion and music.
Describe your sound in 5 words or less?
• ethereal
• overcast
• experiment (not to be confused with experimental)
• jammed
• thundering
If your music was an artwork what would it look like?
Lots of line work, all interweaving with clear strong colours, a sci-fi influence and a lot of references to other works. Something similar in style the works of Moebius.
Who’s your favourite artist/artwork?
Hmmmm I have way too many art hero’s to even start thinking of my all-time favourite but at the moment it is Malachi Ward. I can’t get enough of his drawings. He draws like an old school comic master but with fresh ideas and a genius colour palette.
What’s your favourite gig you have played to date?
Our last show of our 2014 European headline tour at a place called Neue Heimat in Berlin. We played in an amazing looking old bombed out warehouse with a 360 degree sound system and projections in a 180 degree dome about our heads. It was also our best received show on that tour which made it very unforgettable.
What inspires/influences your music the most?
I can’t really talk on behalf of the other guys, but for me its new gadgets to play with. I’m a big fan of found sounds and samplers so I’m constantly buying new tape machines and other gear to look for a new way to play around with my sounds that I have created in the studio.
What song do you wish you wrote?
Everything Is In Its Right Place by Radiohead. I’ve listened to that song nearly every day since my uncle gave me Kid A for Christmas in 2000. The song changes on any system you listen to it on. On smaller system it’s an effortlessly sad ballad and on something with a bit more grunt, it turns into a electronic synth masterpiece.
What part of making music excites you the most?
The very beginning of a song. That first three seconds of discovery is where you can make or break a song. I don’t like to change things too much after that point. You definitely loose something with too much polishing.
What can a punter expect from your live show?
A four piece live band that likes to change up the recorded songs in a live situation, from post rock to techno back to J Dilla styled beats, accompanied by a live midi driven visual show that is orchestrated by the guys down at BLUNK. Each song has visuals that are coded from scratch to be able to grow with the same intensity that the music is projecting.
Tell us about the last song you wrote?
Last song I wrote was with Nick, the drummer from Rat & Co. It is an edit or rework of the letter, from One (壱) Uno (壹) Ein., one of the bands favourite older songs. We had gotten to the point where it needed new energy before we could put it back in the live set so we went and added a whole bunch of afro beat style production over a reversed ¾ groove song. It is unlikely we will ever release it but will most likely play for the next 6 months of live shows.
What is the most unique/memorable item of clothing you own?
My late father’s bomber jacket that he wore to work every day is one of my favourite things to wear. Its full holes from overworking paint and has my family’s company old logo from the 90’s on it. Very nostalgic piece of wear for me.
What was your worst fashion crime?
I had shoulder length dreadlocks for 5 years in high school. I’ll never regret that decision though as that is what led me to reggae, which in turn started my love for the bass guitar which has been my love and passion for the past 10 years now.
What would your dream stage outfit be and who would design it?
I’ve always dreamt of playing in a giant porcelain mask, similar to the forest spirits from studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, with some kind of futuristic sci-fi draping’s over the top and a big flowing, almost kimono like jacket. I’ve always loved the 5th element since I was a little so I would love to see what Jean Paul Gaultier could whip up.
Online tickets for this event have now sold out. Limited tickets available on the door at 6pm. Or see the exhibition after-hours and enjoy live music at Jean Paul Gaultier until Midnight on 7 Feb.