A quick chat with Sunflower

Hey Sunflower, firstly, I just wanted to say we absolutely love your new jam ‘Thin Skin’! Which influences of yours had a hand in inspiring the sonic goodness behind this tune?

Thank you! Lawson’s a massive Oasis fan (I’m underexaggerating here, the man has a concerning addiction) and we both really love a good stadium rock anthem. There’s a bit of Coldplay in there too. I feel like those two artists were major influences on this track. We wanted the song to feel as powerful lyrically as it does sonically - everyone needs a bit of that, you know.

With your bass player Sam Woods producing and mixing ‘Thin Skin’, the band’s creative process comes off as largely DIY. Is there ever scope down the line to bring in other producers and / or line up some co-writer’s? Who would your ultimate wish list of collaborators feature?

Absolutely, it’s on the cards. Sam’s incredible at what he does, and we’ve hit something magical working together. It’s something we didn’t really pre-empt happening, but he’s really shined in the production role. Our door is always open to collaborations - I think it’d have to be the right fit to make it work but definitely something we’re excited for. We’re super picky with all the finer details when it comes to production but honestly the right mix, I know would make something explosive. There are some big names on our wish list. For songwriters it’d have to be Noel Gallagher, Joni Mitchell or Chris Martin. For producers Dan Aucherbach (The Black Keys), Brian Eno, Jack Antonoff and I’m sure Phil Spector would be good for a laugh HAHA.

Although 2020 has been a dumpster fire of a year, what would you say the biggest learnings are to take away from it as a band? Do you think you’ve gained any new perspectives on the way you operate and think as an artist?

It sure has to say the least. I think learning to adapt our business model to work in a world scarce of live performance has been one of the biggest challenges. So much of what we put out there as a band was focused primarily on the live show. We’ve really tried to bring back focus to making sure everything we put out there, live or not; is of a certain standard. Perhaps in the past, in the abundance of touring and live gigging, things have been rushed or looked over. Having that chance to take a break from that world of things has brought some new light to how important and vital it is to tighten things up around the edges. For us this includes our promo, our aesthetic (in the fashion), our streamed performance quality, preparing the stage show, the photoshoot, the recorded content, the behind-the-scenes stuff - all this has become much more relevant during this time. It’s also been about challenging ourselves with creating interesting and engaging content; thinking outside the box. We’ve been on TikTok for about 2 months now (HA!). Not that any of us really understand it, but that’s become a new means of promotion for us which is always a bit of fun to brainstorm and film. We try to chuck a bit of satire too. I guess all in all, it’s hard to monetize what we’re doing at the moment to the point of surviving off it, but it has definitely opened new doors to exploring the ins and outs of who we are as a band.

What records have you had on repeat this year?

Lawson - as always - ‘What’s the Story Morning Glory’ by Oasis and for me I’ve been loving the old-school blues rock vibes in ‘Naturally’ by JJ Cale and more modern gems like ‘Real Love Baby’ by Father John Misty. Also, big fans of the new Spacey Jane record ‘Sunlight’, well and truly jumping on that bandwagon. Another one close to home is the new single from Majak Door down in Melbourne, ‘Will She Leave You’ - an absolute belter.

What do you guys like to do when you’re not playing music?

To be honest, when we’re not making music, we’re keeping busy keeping the Sunflower wheels churning but definitely love exploring new territory. Bit hard to do with all the border closures, but every now and then, a good trip to the beach does wonders for mental health. Lately my favourite time of the day is when I can curl up in my bed and watch Rupaul’s Drag Race. I’m so obsessed haha. Have to also mention the new Borat film is brilliant. Gotta give yourself the time for some tacky comedy every now and then.