Thanks for talking to The Weekend Edition, Timothy! We’d love to know first of all what inspired your love for music?
My parents took me to a lot of concerts from a very young age, exposing me to bands like CSNY and Blue Rodeo. An appetite for musical trivia (thanks to my dad) lead to piano lessons when I was 11, but I quickly switched to guitar. I played in bands during my teens, but didn’t start writing songs on my own until college.

How did Ocean Leaves form? Where did you come across the musicians you chose to play with?
Initially it was a solo project, and I released a six-song EP back in 2013. Last year, I moved from the Blue Mountains to Brisbane. I met Fin, Chrissy, and Stuart by placing wanted ads in local muso groups on Facebook. Amanda was recommended to Chrissy via a mutual friend at the Queensland Conservatorium. I got pretty lucky with how fast it came together.

What was the common ground between you and your band mates that made everything click?
Initially, they liked the songs I’d written, and we had effortless musical chemistry. Since then we’ve really grown together as friends, and Chrissy and Amanda fell in love. After a few months, we started writing together as a group, which I’d never done, so that was really exciting for me. I used to guard songs closely until they were polished. Showing an unfinished song still sort of feels like getting naked. It’s weird. Good weird.

Are there any bands or styles that informed the sound of Ocean Leaves?
You’d get very different answers depending on which band member you ask, since we all have different tastes. It was Elliott Smith that got me into folk, I’m hopelessly infatuated with the sultry brooding of The National, and I really just love anything with awesome harmonies, like Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, or Band of Horses.

You’ve got an EP, Winter Heart, out in September, which you’re launching at The Zoo on September 19. How long have these songs been in the works?
We were working on them from late 2014, and started recording them in February. Fin Taylor (multi-instrumentalist) is playing eight instruments and singing harmonies, which is pretty impressive, considering he’s only 16. The opening track ‘Yellowknife’ was the first song that we wrote together from scratch, and it’s the most intricate thing we’ve made.

It’s always uncertain choosing to crowdfund a product, what did it mean to you to see fans coming together to make the EP possible?
We weren’t sure if the crowdfunding thing would work at all, but it worked really well! Within a couple days of launching our campaign, we were almost all of the way there. It warmed our hearts to see friends, family, and fans coming together to make sure this EP got off the ground. It really, really helped.

What can listeners expect from the EP?
‘Yellowknife’ is detailed, dark, and rockier than the rest of the EP. ‘Count the Lakes’ is a love song for someone whose partner is far away. ‘Cold Hands’ keeps you on your toes by changing pace, fast/slow/fast/slow. The closing track, ‘Hello Father’, is one that seems to choke some people up when we play it live. All the songs have lush strings, thumping drums, triumphant horns and layered vocals. I produced and mixed it, and I’m pretty proud of the result.

What do you like to write about? Do you relay personal experiences or prefer to dabble in fictional story telling?
I do write about my own life, using songs as a way to process the outside world, but I’d say my lyrics are semi-autobiographical and semi-fictional. I try to write myself out of the picture enough for a listener to fill in the gaps and carry the ideas further. Sometimes the situation is fictional but my reaction is real, or the situation is real but the details are mostly changed.

How do the songs usually come together?
It never happens the same way twice. Song ideas often appear as fully formed sections, like I’ll get a whole chorus all in one moment: the lyrics, the vocal melody, and the chord progression. Usually they come while I’m doing something where my mind is free, like showering or driving. Eventually I’ll turn those ideas into a rough sketch, and then bring that to rehearsal where we’ll expand on it.

What are your thoughts on the Brisbane music scene as a whole?
Oh man, I love it here. It’s vibrant and active, a real change from the Blue Mountains. A lot of people told me that I should try Melbourne instead, since it’s known as the music and arts hotspot. Nobody I talked to really knew much about the Brissie scene, but when I arrived it all really came together for Ocean Leaves. It’s been amazing so far!

You were born and raised in Canada, so you must have a unique view on what makes Brisbane great. What do you love about living in Brisbane?
The thing that hit me first was the heat, but right after that, it was the pace of life that I came to love. Things are just that little bit slower here, and the people are just a little more relaxed, especially in Queensland. Mind you, I was coming from Toronto, so I think most places would seem calmer by comparison. Culturally both countries are pretty similar, but there’s no snow here!

What would you say is one of the biggest myths about being a musician?
A myth about musicians is that we are lazy and lack business sense. You have to work hard at it every single day, and you have to have your wits about you. Someone’s waiting at every stage to fleece you, and right now, record labels won’t look at you unless you’re already successful, so you have to be very driven and self-reliant. I know this doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s the truth: Your band is a business. You have a brand.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received, given or ignored?
“Find a way to do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. Also, don’t be an accountant.” My aunt Maryse, when she was an accountant. She told me that when I was 17 or 18 and trying to figure out what to do for college, so I ended up studying recording engineering, because I was passionate about it.

Finally, if you could collaborate with any musician or band, from now or in the past, who do you think you’d want to work with?
Aaron Dessner, from The National. He has his own studio in his backyard. I’d love him to produce an Ocean Leaves record one day. He has very tasteful arrangements that are lush but don’t sound overwrought. Also, I aim to have my own studio one day, possibly in my backyard. And my own record label. Producing bands was the entire reason I went into recording engineering.

FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk-up … Blackstar Coffee, West End.
Relax …  Nudgee Beach at low tide, next to the off-leash dog park.
Dine …  September 18, North Lakes (best vegan food!)
Catch-up … The Green Edge, Windsor (peanut butter milkshakes!)
Be inspired … The Zoo, Fortitude Valley (seeing live music is always inspiring)