Melbourne’s High Tea have only been around for about a year and a half. In that time, however, they’ve already managed to release two EPs, play a stack of shows and impress a lot of ears. Ahead of their gig at This Is Nowhere, Rosemary Lilburne caught up with the band…
With the title of your EP being The Pleasure of Finding Things Out (2011), three songs on it named after scientist Feynman, not to mention your website URL (unsolvedproblemsinphysics.wordpress.com), where does the interest in the sciences come from?
The interest in science comes from science being interesting. Parts one, two and three are all the same thought worked out in three different ways and it seemed fitting to name them accordingly. The EP title and song names came about because we’d been talking about the book or the BBC documentary or something at the time. It could’ve just as easily been about apiculture or the NBA in the ‘90s.
The website URL was because High Tea was already taken.
Is there any chance that your song “Stand and Deliver” is titled after the 1988 film with Edward Olmos? It would certainly be keeping with the theme of learning and investigating.
Is the 1988 film with Edward Olmos similar to a 1995 film with Michelle Pfeiffer, but with calculus instead of poetry? I think we just thought it suited the music.
What were you listening to when you recorded The Pleasure of Finding Things Out? What kind of influences do you feel flowed into the recording process, musically and theoretically?
This Heat, John Coltrane, Zs and Laddio Bolocko probably. Bill Orcutt, Little Ugly Girls, Shellac… it’s hard to say exactly, it was a while ago. Whatever is was we were listening to at the time would have had some kind of influence on the recording whether it was intentional or not. The songs on the EP have evolved some since we recorded it and that probably has a lot to do with what we’re listening to now. Yoga, Bohren & Der Club Of Gore and Kreng to name a few.
It’s been nearly a year since the release of your EP, everyone is eagerly awaiting an album. Are you working on anything at the moment? What creative process is ticking in your heads right now?
Well, it’s been over four months since we last played our show, so at the moment we’re just trying to refine the old, finish the new, shake off the dust and flake off the rust. Hopefully we’ll have something to offer soon.
What is the oddest adjective you’ve heard used to describe your work? If you had to pick one for your own work what would you choose?
“Mathlexic” because it sounds made up.
We’d prefer ‘hardworking’ or ‘reliable’ or something you’d find on a winning curriculum vitae.
Who are you most eager to see at This is Nowhere?
Apart from Tortoise and Grails? Chris Cobilis, Peter Bibby, Rachel Dease, Amber Fresh, James Ireland, The Bank Holidays, HTRK and New War.
You guys have been gaining a lot of attention nationally; do you have any dream touring destinations, where to after Nowhere?
The Galapagos Islands. Low Earth Orbit. Anywhere.
Given the inquisitive mind frame you all seem to have, in five words or less, what do you want people to take away from your music?
An awareness of apian atrophy.
You’re a relatively new band, how do you feel about sharing the stage with acts such as Tortoise and Grails?
Sudoric.
Describe your live set to us briefly, for the people in Perth who haven’t been lucky enough to see you guys play yet.
Rock Eisteddfod-ish.
What is the best thing, to you about making music.
The four free pots/middies of beer.
