A Quick Chat with Sputnik Sweetheart

Can you tell me a bit about your single ‘Lindy Hop’?

Nette: I wrote most of the lyrics in 2017 during the marriage equality plebiscite. It was such an intense and chaotic time, I remember getting into all these fights with people online who were campaigning for the ‘No vote’  - hence the line ‘another day, another facebook fight’. After a year trying different arrangements at shows, we ended up parking it because we couldn’t find a chorus that we liked. Eventually Joe came up with the half-time chorus groove. Once we added that in we were all like - yep, that’s it, let’s go record this finally.

Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with? Why?

Zac: I’d like to collaborate with Justin Broadarick, he’s the master. 

Joe: I dunno, that’s really hard! There are so many artists I look up to, but I think finding someone that you can collaborate with and gel with is really rare. One person I’d love to get in a jam room with is Thundercat, he is this incredible bass player (check him out in Mac Miller’s Tiny Desk). Not sure if it would be a collaboration as much as it would be a bass tutorial though xD. 

What was the first concert you ever went to?

Joe: Green Day at acer arena (or whatever they call it these days) was mental!

Nette: It was probably an orchestral concert with my parents, I honestly can’t remember but I would have been 2 or 3 years old. 

Zac: Lamb of God at UC Refectory 

Mal: The Wiggles in 1999 baby - Wiggles fan since day 1 

If you could only listen to one song for the next month, what would it be?

Joe: This is literally so tough! Ummm maybe Roman Holiday by Fontaines D.C?? Their new record is absolutely incredible! 

Nette: Summer Fool by Paul Bender, or anything off his new album it’s so good.

Malcolm: Honey by Lucky Day. Brings back fond memories with our pal Tom Mckenzie. 

Zac: The Solitary Brethren of Ephrata by Lingua Ignoa. I’m seeing her perform live in June. 

What’s one interesting fact that people might not know about you?

Nette: When I was 11 I did 1,000 jumps on a pogo stick because I was convinced that it would get me into a Guinness book of world records. I didn’t actually look up what the record was beforehand and so it turns out I was way off, but I did get some serious street cred with my neighbors. 

Zac: I’m in the top 99.98% of the population for speed typing. Can type over 140wpm / 700cpm. 

If you could change something about the Australian music industry, what would it be?

Nette: I’m not sure how to actually change this, but there needs to be more stability and financial security for artists in Australia. It’s one of the few industries I can think of where it’s considered completely acceptable to be operating at break-even (or a loss) for years on end. That in itself is so mentally draining for artists and music industry professionals. 

What show are you binging at the moment?

Joe: This show called Heartstopper - it’s so beautiful. I haven’t watched the last few eps yet though so nobody spoil it for me please!  

Nette: Bridgerton don’t @ me. 

What has been your greatest career highlight so far?

Joe: The biggest career highlight for us is being able to travel around the country and meet new people who have in some way connected with the music that we create. There is something incredibly special and fulfilling when a room full of people are singing along to a song that we wrote. We never thought at any stage that people would enjoy our music or engage with it in that way, so that is by far the greatest highlight of all!

If you could have any three people over for dinner, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

Nette: Tough! Okay I would probably say 1. Stanley Tucci because I love him, 2. Nai Palm, I met her at a laundromat once and I genuinely believe we’re only one dinner party away from being BFFs. And 3, Mae Martin - I think they’re hilarious and cool and I like to believe we’d get on really well. 

Zac: For dinner I’m bringing Zdzislaw Beksinski, he’s my favourite painter. He was a Polish Jewish painter who lived through WW2 and all his art reflects that time and the tragedy that he experienced. I’d also bring Emma Ruth Rundle because I reckon we’d get on like a house on fire. And last but not least, Louis Theroux. 

Joe: 1. Dave Grohl - I feel like Dave would just cook the best barbeque ever. Like he just gives off BBQ vibes and I love that. I feel like he is also just a very sweet person and I have so many questions for him. 2.  Lizzo - It's about DAMN TIME baby. I feel like Lizzo is just one of the best humans on planet earth! She is incredibly inspiring and I would love to just bounce off of her energy. 3. Paul McCartney - A Beatle? Enough said. Legit so many questions. 

Malcolm:1.Eiichiro Oda - Although the language barrier would make conversation tricky, it would be an honour. 2. Greg Davies - just seems like a charming guy with some hilarious stories to tell. 3.Robert Pattinson - self explanatory.

What’s next for Sputnik Sweetheart?

Joe: Ooof that's a tricky one - I’m not too sure how much we’re able to disclose just yet. We are going on tour to support the release of “Lindy Hop” and playing our first headline shows in over a year which is so exciting. Then in July we are jumping on tour for a few weeks with our good friends Bakers Eddy which is going to be insane! Anything after that you may just have to stay tuned and see, but there is plenty more music to come out this year!