A Quick Chat with Blue Vedder
Your new EP FAREWELL.GOODBYE shows a clear evolution in your sound, nodding to original Blue Vedder but there's definitely some fresh influences in there. Can you tell us about what inspired this shift, and how it reflects where you are creatively?
Over time we’re always evolving, there's so much amazing music to consume, so many great inspirations! I think a big part of our shift was the introduction of new gear and production techniques. It really helped us find new ideas. We’re at a crossroads now as to which direction we could take, there's so many to choose from!
You released "Freaking Out" and "Morning Light" earlier this year —how have fans responded so far, and how do these songs set the tone for the full release?
Both singles are very contrasting songs, and we wanted to allow our fans to hear both sides of the band and choose a path for their own listening experience. Freaking Out sets the tone for most of the release, while Morning Light hints at further things to come.
How was your single launch show the other week supporting "Freaking Out"? Did the EP tracks all get a test run?
Sure did! We’ve been sneaking the new songs into the set here and there this year, they’ve gone through many sonic changes since originally writing them, so testing them out live is always a great way to analyse the song's feel, structure, etc.
Over the past 12 months, you've been on the bill for some major festivals like Spilt Milk and Yours & Owls. How do those festival shows differ from your more intimate gigs, and what has been your most memorable festival moment?
Festivals have a much bigger energy about them. There's a fast-paced excitement around spending a whole day celebrating music with your friends. Playing on the day goes so quickly too. Spilt Milk last year had a whirlwind of weather moments. Our set was played in a downpour of rain, everything was wet and gloomy, the music sat well with it.
Shoegaze and dreampop are known for their lush, atmospheric soundscapes. How do you achieve this sonic depth in the studio, and how do you translate it into your live performances?
Lots and lots of layers! If you open up the mix sessions, there's an incredible amount of production happening in every section. From percussion to ambient pads to fuzz guitar, there's always something unique and interesting for your ear to draw to. Being a professional audio engineer by trade, I’ve learned some pretty interesting techniques for getting massive guitar sounds, and these can be easily translated into live form.
The guitar tones in your music are so dreamy yet textured—can you walk us through some of the key pieces of gear you're using and how they've helped shape the band's sound?
Thank you! Most of the guitar effects for layering come from my pedalboard (Keeley Loomer, Walrus Fable), which I only use in the studio. Most of our sounds are digital as well, I’ve been using Line 6 Helix for quite some time, it's so good for capturing massive sounds in any room (it's a secret, but it involves dual cabs and stereo effects, wink wink) without having to push heavy and loud amps around. It has also given me more flexibility for different tones and trying new sounds, without needing to outsource gear.
With the release of the new EP, what do you feel has been the biggest challenge in creating it, and what has been the most rewarding part of the process?
The biggest challenge has been the production process. It's long, hefty, and expensive. We’re very much a DIY band, I’ve managed to engineer (alongside the help of Chris Peruch), produce (alongside the help of Joe Agius), mix, and master the songs, as well as keep most of our art/content in-house (Bryce T M made us a beautiful music video for Freaking Out), so it's taken us quite some time to piece everything together. But inversely, it's so rewarding seeing your work completed.
What are you most excited for fans to hear or experience on this EP, and how do you see your sound evolving in the future?
I’m excited for fans to experience ‘Wet Paper’. It took a large transformation and it's the most experimental song production-wise. It’ll be complemented by a visualiser video as well! I think our sound will evolve from more experience. More life experiences, production experience, songwriting experience, we’re just along for the ride.