Pacific Avenue on Being Neighbours, James Brown and Saying Goodbye to Rad Bar
We were blessed to have the chance to speak to the boys from rock group Pacific Avenue about their electrifying EP “Strawberry Skies”, released on August 16th.
1. Can you tell us about the writing process for your new EP?
Much of this EP was written at a time when Jack, Dom and Harry all lived together in a little shack on the beach at Woonona (NSW). Often Harry would come to our band practices with an idea or be humming a tune around the house, and we would then all develop on this idea and create a structured song. A lot of the inspiration behind the EP came from this time where we were super free, hanging out, partying a bit and just enjoying the simple pleasures in life.
2. What is each member’s favourite track off the EP?
Dom- Someday Soon
Ben- Give Me A Call
Harry- Someday soon
Jack- You
3. What song off of the new EP are you most excited to play live?
Probably ‘Give Me A Call’. We do a bit of an intro for it which isn’t actually on the EP but it’s a bit of a build and then we go ‘hammer and tongs’ into the song. Super fun to play and hopefully it gets the crowd as excited as us haha.
4. Where did the band name Pacific Avenue come from?
One morning we were all down at Werri Beach in Gerringong going for a surf and we had just started jamming as a band. We were constantly throwing out dumb band name ideas and then we looked up and saw the street sign which said ‘Pacific Avenue’. We thought about it for a little while and then locked it in. Felt super right at the time so we just ran with it.
5. What was it like growing up in Kiama? How do you think it has affected your music and your friendship as a band?
Growing up in Kiama and Gerringong is such a lovely experience. Everyone knows everyone around here so that was a massive factor in how we all met. Dom and Ben both lived about 50 metres from each other and they could basically hear each other practice so they joined forces and started jamming first. Most people around the area surf and party together too so it wasn’t long before we linked up with Jack and he started slapping some bass. Harry then came along a bit later and we all instantly clicked and started to make musical fusion.
Having little places like RAD bar (Rest In Peace) about 30 minutes away in Wollongong would also strengthen our friendship as a band and shape our sound as we would often get on the train or all pile in a van and head up there to listen to some live music. Having local bands like Hockey Dad and The Bungalows come up playing in these places around home really gave us inspiration and drive to take music a bit more seriously and get something cool happening.
6. Which Aussie artists inspire you at the moment?
Parcels- The way this band has created such a unique sound and image is super inspiring. This band moved over seas in pursuit of their music and it really paid off for them which is also super cool. Really cool to see people in the music industry taking risks, going all in and being rewarded for it.
Gang Of Youths- Their latest album ‘The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Sorrows’ is an absolute masterpiece. Absolutely love how the songs flow throughout the album into one another, creating more a story than a collection of individual tracks. This band has massive things ahead for them.
Hockey Dad- Having grown up around the same area, it has been so amazing and inspiring watch them just blow up. Gives us great motivation and drive to keep doing our thing and putting our sound out there. Australia has been a melting pot for garage-rock lately, with bands like Hockey Dad,Dear Seattle and Skeggs making huge waves.
7. What makes Pacific Avenue stand out from the crowd?
With our sound we are trying to steer a bit away from garage rock and make it more of a ballad rock/classic rock sound. Our music draws influence from a combination of Brit rock and classic Aussie rock with bands like Powderfinger. We are trying to make a sound where people can rock out but still belt their heart out with a big chorus. With inspiration from bands like Led Zeppelin, our sound tends to be quite riff based too, which can throw a bit of spice in the mix.
8. If you could invite any musician, alive or dead, to join Pacific Avenue, who would you choose?
Would probably have to say James Brown. I’m not sure if he would really fit our style or sound but damn it would be cool to have him.
9. You’ve played alongside some big names such as Tash Sultana and Ocean Alley, and played some big festivals. What are your aspirations as a band for the next few years?
We have been lucky enough to play a few cool festivals and supports, and this has really inspired us and given us drive to get on the festival circuit. Would be awesome to be playing the big festivals like; Groovin the Moo, Splendour, and Falls in the next few years. We would also love to do some overseas shows or even an overseas tour. We all have a passion for travelling and we couldn’t think of anything cooler than all going overseas together to perform. A big one also would be to get a full album recorded. Would love to have a big body of work together that we can get out and show the world.
