Caitlin Park looks to the future
Somethingyousaid.com editor Bobby Townsend catches up with his old chum Caitlin Park to find out about her upcoming Australian tour:
Hello Caitlin Park, you legend. Where does this interview find you, and how is your day treating you thus far?
Hello Sir Townsend, I am good. It’s good to hear from you. So far, my day has been busy busy busy at work. Its very cold here in Sydney town, the wind is coming down from the mountains, but the days are beautiful and clear.
Since the last interview you did for Something You Said in March, you have unleashed your new record, The Sleeper, into the world. Because your debut album was so highly acclaimed and because you won the Qantas Spirit of Youth Music Award, did you feel a weight of expectation or any pressure on your shoulders when you were creating this new album?
Yes, there was definitely pressure felt – mostly from my own expectations. But The Sleeper was such a different beast from the beginning. I approached it much differently than I had a record before, and I was ready to step into new territories. Creating in new artistic circumstances, I think, makes it easier to achieve – rather than trying to replicate.
The Sleeper has received absolutely rave reviews. Rightly so, because it’s brilliant. It must be a nice feeling when the positive feedback starts coming in. Do you nervously await reviews or are they not something you pay much attention to?
I actually do pay attention to reviews, and yes I do nervously await them – but as soon as I’ve read them I don’t really remember why I was nervous in the first place – it is someone’s opinion after all. But I am extremely happy to see good reviews and that people are enjoying listening to the album.
You’re just about to head out on tour again. Your live show has taken a number of different shapes over the years, what can we expect from this tour? Will you be bringing a band with you?
A band is coming and these will be bigger shows. I am joined by a strong team that do the record justice, I think. Big drums by Mike Haydon, electric guitar and vocals by Richard Cuthbert and samples, electronics, synth and vocals by Annie Mckinnon. It has been so fun preparing for these shows, I can’t wait to perform these songs to their full sonic capacity.
What are you listening to/reading/watching at the moment? Give me the heads-up on some good stuff…
I have been sucked in to television Bobby! At the moment I have been watching Hannibal, which I am sure everyone has seen. I have been listening to a lot of new music, like Tiny Ruins, Emma Russack, Seekae and Iggy Azealia, and I have been reading pieces from Kate Tempest and Teddy Rotherham.
Can you believe it’s over a year ago that we hung out at The Great Escape in Brighton? Time flies! Do you have any plans to head back over to Europe anytime soon?
Time has flown Bobby. I can’t wait to get back over to Europe and England again. Hopefully, early next year I can return.
Would you ever consider relocating overseas? If so, where could you see yourself living?
I have definitely considered relocating – to test out the waters of another industry and different atmospheres, but there is nothing solid as of yet.
Talking of the future… is it something that you think about much? Do you have a masterplan for your career? The first time I met you in 2011 you told me you had ambitions to compose for theatre one day. Do you still see yourself branching out into ventures such as that?
I think about the future often, where I can take songwriting – down what avenues, and which will have me. I would still love to compose for theatre and work my way into film. I would also like to step into co-writing and more collaborations in the near future.
And shorter term.. have you already started thinking about what comes next in terms of writing/recording now that you have released The Sleeper?
Ahh haha, not quite yet. I have started to look at collaborations and special ventures and projects – but no new records as of yet.
You can catch Caitlin on tour at the following Australian venues:
Friday, July 11 | The Vanguard, Sydney. Tickets: $12 + bf – www.thevanguard.com.au
Friday, August 1 | Bella Union, Melbourne Trades Hall. Tickets: $12 + bf – www.bellaunion.com.au
Saturday, August 2 | The Hive, Brisbane (All Ages). Tickets: $15 + bf – www.oztix.com.au
Interview by Bobby Townsend
