Posted by kluster on September 8, 2009
Ok, ok, we’ll admit it. We love SPOD. To start, it was his live stage show that tickled our fancy. They're so darn entertaining (we fell in love with him in the Boiler Room at Big Day Out, Sydney circa 2002 and have maintained that burning... affection, ever since) Then there was Fantasyze. Kluster staffer Kristen Dagg caught up with SPOD over a beer or two to chat. Happy day. While we were at it we also arranged for our good friend Dan Boud to take some photos of SPOD. In a pool... yeah!
Covered: Fantasyzing, getting fit in flowing robes, loving local music, loving to hate 16yr old screamo.
Kristen Dagg: What’s SPOD been up to?
SPOD: The second record came out last year and that took up my whole life for a while, so since then I have been doing lots of remixing for people. I have started working on the third album and started this Fantasyze thing to fill the gap between - also to get fit leading into my next record.
KD: So what the hell is Fantasyze?
SPOD: Part of it was just to release a bunch of music I had been working on with friends. It’s been in the back of my mind for ages. And then I was about to start on this workout program my friend told me about, this jogging thing for unfit losers. She told me that it was really good but the downloads were terrible, so she makes her own, and I thought yeah alright, I’ll make my own tapes too. I started doing it and I thought, man I should release this. Most people might sit around smoking bongs to it, whatever I don’t mind, but it’s pretty cool that you can release stuff you have been working on and there’s a chance people might actually use it to get fit.
KD: So, how does Fantasyze work?
SPOD: I had this silly idea, and half an hour later we had a press release out and I thought, how the hell am I gonna do this? I made a nine week plan with three workouts a week to download full of rad music to run to, with each week different and slowly building up intensity. I made some motivational videos too, I like doing videos a lot.
KD: Ok, be honest, are you doing the workouts?
SPOD: Yep. I am doing it as well.
KD: When you’re pounding the pavement, do you sport all the latest gear?
SPOD: Oh, I wear flowing robes and a crown of course!
KD: Very practical! Now, you lost your whole second album due to a failed hard drive and backup, then had to rerecord the whole thing. That must have been devastating. What will you do to prevent that from happening with album three?
SPOD: Well, I have committed to recording the whole thing in a month this time, just start it and finish it all in one hit. The old record took ages and was so laboured, then I lost the album and had to rewrite it all again. I never want to go through that again, so this one I am just gonna smash it out. I’m gonna record it all with a band I’ve got band at the moment with Myles from Wolfmother and two guys from Tucker Bs. We’re all really good friends, so I’d like to record a bunch of songs with them.
KD: What are your influences?
SPOD: Too many to name, but here are some: Ween. They have always done exactly what they want to do and they’ve never compromised. They showed me that you could do it by yourself. I love 90’s hip-hop too: Public Enemy; 2 live crew; NWA. They are really hard influences for me to shake. I like how gritty and powerful they are, also the production values.
KD: So, what are you listening to?
SPOD: The last new band I really fell for is Black Moth Super Rainbow, they’re just mind blowing. They sound really old, like someone’s vision of the future from ancient electronica technology land. Locally, I’m more into rock bands. I just like going to local pubs, that how I find all the bands I like in Australia. One of them is Tucker Bs, which I have now joined, so I can’t really say that anymore. Heaps of bands I see out and about I then become mates with; it’s a great local scene. I go to heaps of places but I really like the Hopetoun, the Annandale, and Spectrum in Sydney, and The Tote in Melbourne.
KD: What’s next for SPOD?
SPOD: I’m gonna step back from playing and get into the studio at the end of the Fantasyze nine weeks. I am going to start recording the album right then. I’m pretty excited about that. I am thinking of doing a show for Fantasyze, maybe even a tour, and then I will release the new album early next year.
KD: What does SPOD think we will be listening to in the not so distant future?
SPOD: Hopefully not Crabclaw, Burn Your Eyes Out or Broken Side. It’s all like auto tunes and screaming and 16 year olds. It’s the best thing ever ‘cause it’s totally ridiculous. I thought it was a joke but apparently it’s serious. No, hopefully everyone will be listening to SPOD.
spod, fantasyze, dan boud