Hailing from Melbourne, 6-piece band Northeast Party House have been making an impact on Australia’s dance music scene since 2010. Their rhythmic, yet musically complex tunes have been embraced by thousands of fans around the world. We caught up with the band to find out more about their journey and newly anticipated release “Shelf Life” as they look to plan their next UK / European tour in support of the new album.
Getting into the Music Industry
The boys explained how once they all started playing as a band, it really took on a life of its own. Openly admitting that their path was not necessary pre-defiined, as there are no clear guidelines or directions to what is going to happen when you start making music.
“The inspiration behind the album is a 17-hour session a few of us had at a nightclub in Berlin and the subsequent intense psychological and emotional comedown that we had.”
During the initial stages of writing and demoing for their new album Shelf Life, the boys were particularly keen not to be tied down to any genre or theme so everyone was given free reign to write however they wanted. Hitting their fare share of dead ends, they found was that as a group they all gravitated towards dance music. Accompanied by taking the time to figure out what music they wanted to write and what the boys wanted to say on this album, allowed Northeast Party House to become much more proficient and effective songwriters.
Their Music
The boys describe their music as live dance with guitars. Their recordings showcasing a heavy electronic focus, however with live elements, as the boys highlight how they try to re-create as many of these elements using real instruments where they can to bring a real authentic feel to their music.
Openly admitting to having different favorite tunes produced, a clear favourite is Lose Control. Going on to explain the energy released when it kicks into its final gear provides a real sense of experience, which is equally beloved by the live rendition. Seeking to provoke a sense of euphoria from their fans when listening to their music, the boys point out that they wouldn’t be able to do without the incredible support from their friends and family.
Fortunately for the group, collaborating with others hasn’t been the most important thing in their music creation. With there being six to bounce ideas off, with all different ideas, they find they are able to bounce off each other very effectively.
The Music Industy
Looking to the music industry, the band believes improvement lies in ensuring revenue streams are fixed.
“Bands basically make all their profit from touring and nothing from streaming/sales, and as we can see right now because of COVID-19, every musician basically loses their entire year of projected income.”
For students wishing to follow in their footsteps the boys recommend taking time to network and build relationships. Whether you’re wanting to support a band, do photography, work as a tech, the reality exists that a lot of these gigs are not advertised, you’ve just got to know the right people. Go out, see bands, chat to everyone, make friends, be a nice person and most importantly be on time.
Looking at challenges, the biggest to date is the band/work/life/money balance. For the boys, there is the feeling there is regrettably a lack of understanding among the general public as to how much money musicians make. We all need to work other jobs to live, and playing in the band is basically a full time job in and of itself.
Looking to the Future
The boys highlight plenty of ideas of things to bring to the future, with their focus on working towards making their live show as exciting as it can be.
Once all this pandemic is done, we’re going to be hitting the road and blowing off nine months of steam!
