Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to date?
I don’t know what caused me to be obsessed with music. All I know is it is a legitimate obsession. It’s like a disease or a curse. It’s almost unhealthy. It’s scary. It rules my whole world to an extent and I suspect it will continue to do so for a long time. I also play in a band called Ball Park Music. We have a couple of songs you might know.

The band’s third album Puddinghead came out in April, how are you feeling now that it’s out in the world?
Weird. It already feels like a lifetime ago. I feel like records have a short shelf life nowadays. I think there are a few reasons for that. I think people simply don’t buy records much anymore, and I also think that for the people who do buy (or stream) a lot of music, they devour it at such a rapid pace that something needs to be of a particularly high calibre to stand out. I think I’ve made some decent records, but not a great record. Not yet.

You’re about to play in front of the hefty crowds of Splendour In The Grass this month, followed by a national tour in September. Are you looking forward to getting back on the road?
Absolutely. Being on tour provides a good opportunity to forget about a lot of things. I forget about other music, other records, the success or failure of my own music. I just show up in whichever town I am in and perform my songs as best I can. I re-connect with the work I have made and try to let the audience in on that passion and enthusiasm for what it is I have done. 

What are your touring essentials?
Phone charger. Jumper for the cold days; shorts for the hot. Playing cards.

How do you approach old songs that you’re not so fond of anymore? Is it a challenge to keep reliving them in your live sets?
For a long time it wasn’t a problem. In the last six months or so I’ve become more frustrated playing some of the older material. Actually, it’s not necessarily the old material, it’s simply the stuff that’s been flogged and I’m sick of it. Even a good song can become saturated and evolve into this meaningless drone. I lose the meaning and I lose the ownership of that moment in time. Often I am relying on the audience to have a good time. As the old adage goes: if you’re happy, I’m happy. 

Which do you enjoy more – being on stage performing or experimenting in the studio?
I feel they’re both necessary and that one gives purpose to the other. I enjoy both. It’s an endless cycle – by the end of making a record I’m busting to get on the road, and by the end of a tour I’m busting to get back in the studio.

Can you tell us about your songwriting process, and a little bit about how you put the latest album together?
Writing music feels very natural and very real for me. If I haven’t written any music in a week or so I start to worry that I’m about to die. Music usually comes however and whenever it pleases. For the latest album, we opted to self-produce. It was a rewarding and new experience and I’ll gladly do it again. Musically, I think we were trying to blend the pop sensibility of our first record with the wider sonic palette of our second record. In hindsight I wish I’d chosen to pursue something brand new.

What was the biggest challenge with self-producing Puddinghead?
I’m pleased with the record, but I’m eager to work on new material. I’m just a bit sick of thinking about the music so much. I want to let it just pour out of me in future. I want to repeat the process with less analysis, less worry. Recording and producing was the fun part. Now I just want it to get wilder, looser, more extreme. I want to get in touch with myself a bit more and I want to stop shying away from beautiful moments.

How would you describe the local music scene in Brisbane?
I dislike talking about our ‘scene’ in general terms. It’s too diverse to reduce to a few key ideas. One thing I have noticed – I believe Brisbane doesn’t take itself as seriously as some of the other Australian capital cities. I’ve seen this manifest in helpful and unhelpful ways. I’ve noticed that we’re fairly modest and like to take the piss, and, for the most part, this is charming. I’ve also noticed that our humour can hold us back and perhaps hinder our ability to perform well at a national and international level. 

What were your early musical influences – can you remember the first album you ever bought?
Most of my early favourites came straight from my parents’ collection. I loved The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Bob Marley, Crowded House, Paul Kelly. The first record I recall as being strictly mine was Savage Garden’s debut.

What other Australian bands or artists are you listening to right now?
The Cactus Channel, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Grinderman, Ainslie Wills, Denpasar, Pond.

What’s your idea of complete happiness?
I find happiness to be a fleeting feeling and it’s best to not chase it. I think if you forget about it, it will find you.

How do you like to start your weekend?
I like to go to the markets to get coffee and all my fresh produce.

What are you reading at the moment?
J.D. Salinger’s ‘Catcher in the Rye’.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?
I’m not sure. I think great achievements are a great distraction. They do exist but they come and go so quickly. I like to focus on small achievements. This week I got the internet connected at my house. I felt really proud that I set it up. When I saw the little WiFi logo on my computer I felt like I was the smartest man on my street. I also fixed a broken speaker that I bought on Gumtree. When it started working I wanted to sing with joy.

What do you hope your legacy will be?
I hope my career is long and interesting and contains at least a few decent bits of music.

What’s your personal definition of ‘success’?
I think if you can do what you love without hurting the people around you, you are a success.

What are your words of wisdom?
Low expectations will lead to pleasant surprises.

FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … Matt and his friends at Roost make great coffee at the Kelvin Grove markets.
Relax … at home.
Dine … There’s a good kebab shop at Burleigh.
Indulge … sometimes I get Pizza Miltonio. I know it’s not very healthy but I love it.
Shop … Bunnings.
Catch-up … The Sunday night house band at The Bowery is always a good time.
Be inspired … in my new veggie garden!