It gets hot in Australia.
But it gets a lot hotter when Sneaky Sound System are around. At the forefront of the Aussie dance explosion are this loose knit Sydney collective, whose homegrown brand of sun fried electro has sent heads spinning in both hemispheres.
Huge in their native Australia, Sneaky Sound System were picked to support Robbie Williams – and by all accounts blew the one time boy band wobbler right out of the arena. Using their own studio as a base, the group have been cranking out dancefloor bangers for some time now, with latest album ‘2’ making a sizeable dent in the charts.
Returning to the UK to play Get Loaded In The Park, ClashMusic took the opportunity to talk the talk with Sneaky Sound System…
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So, where did you all meet and how did Sneaky Sound System first come together?
It all happened by pure chance. I (Black Angus) was about to start a small Sunday night called Sneaky Sundays in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia. The night before the first gig I met MC Double D at a Cowboys and Indians fancy dress party; we clicked I asked him to come down and host the night and maybe jump on the mic, albeit occasionally (he had never emceed before!). He ended up busting out a few rhymes while I spun records and everyone went nuts – it worked big time. After a few years of playing the club and festival circuit we stumbled across Miss Connie in a park, where she was playing guitar and singing to a friend (and no, she wasn’t busking). We got chatting and I played a new song I written called ‘I Love It’. Connie loved it and a couple of weeks later we was recorded it. It went on to become our breakthrough hit and the rest as they say, is history.
How do you all find working together?
We’re very different people but over the years you work out which buttons to press and which ones not to. Being in a band can feel like school camp for adults at times, and occasionally you want to buck the system, but for the most part it’s pretty harmonious.
Your album for the UK is a mixture of the two albums you released in Australia, how did you decide which tunes would feature on the album?
It wasn’t rocket science; we just chose the strongest songs and made sure they worked together. It was pretty easy.
How have the reactions been in the UK compared to back home in Australia?
The crowds have been going bonkers and radio has been very generous, so I guess things are heading in the right direction. We were cautious at first but the more time we’ve spent here the more relaxed we have become. You never know if your music will translate but so far it appears we’re on the right track.
A lot of people have remixed your work over the years, is there anyone in particular you would like to see remix one of your songs?
Stuart Price has just done an amazing remix for us, he was top of the list. Would love a Soulwax rework, they haven’t really put a foot wrong and would also like to see what Erol Alkan or Aeroplane could do… they are my favourites.
How did you find touring with Robbie Williams? Performing to a crowd or 50,000 people must have been amazing…
It was one of those defining moments. We had done very few live shows with our band and hadn’t really tested our music out on that many people, so the first show was a bit nerve racking – but it went down really well and gave us a lot of confidence. The sheer scale that tour was incredible… we did 9 shows and didn’t want it to end.
Do you get the same buzz from performing to a smaller crowd?
For sure, but it’s an entirely different trip – you can actually see people when you play smaller gigs. There’s an intimacy that always lets you know exactly how it’s all going, its very immediate.
You have a very hectic schedule coming up over the summer playing gigs, clubs and festivals. Which do you prefer? A big open air festival stage or a dark sweaty club?
It is like breakfast, lunch and dinner. We like every meal but sometimes you really look forward to some more than others. A big festival is like a long boozy summer lunch, and… well you get the idea.
Who are Sneaky Sound Systems main influences?
We grew up on The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Human League, New Order, ELO, The Cars etc and have moved through Italo disco, French house, German techno, Brit pop, American soul, you name it! Somehow all of that runs through our musical veins and we come up with something else.
If you were not part of Sneaky Sound System what would you be?
Depressed.
You’ve been nominated for and won a number of awards over the years. What are you most proud of to date?
Probably winning 2 ARIA Awards here in Australia. It was a very proud moment. We had invited our families and all the friends who had helped out along the way (40 people in fact), so it was nice to share it with everyone. We’re an independent label and had put so much time, energy and money into the project that it really made it all feel worthwhile. Needless to say, it was a pretty big party that night.
Who would you most like to do a collaboration with?
So many people! Prince or David Bowie would be cool. I know Connie would choose Phil Collins in a heartbeat. I think I could come up with a list of 1000 people actually, from obscure to obvious. Should we do that some time?
Where would you stage your dream festival and who would play at it?
Anywhere near a beach. One stage with: David Bowie, Queen (we’d have to bring Freddie back from the dead), Daft Punk, The Cure, ELO and Prince. There would be DJ sets in between by Sven Vath, Boys Noize and Erol Alkan.
What’s next for Sneaky Sound System?
Lots and lots and lots of touring. We’re in the midst of a national club tour that will keep us very busy in Australia for the next two months and then we’ll be back to Europe for the summer festivals, then off touring through the US, and we’ve also got a residency at Pacha in Ibiza. We’re also recording a handful of collaborations and will be releasing our record (a combination of our first 2 records) in the UK, Europe and US in the next month. So this year is a big one… ridiculously busy in fact.
Sneaky Sound System are set to play Get Loaded In The Park on August 30th.
Words by Paul Stix
