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 Budding local act, THE BELL DIVERS, are about to launch their debut album, June July. Drummer DONNIE MACKAY chats to LINDSEY CUTHBERTSON about downloading, playing music in the sunlight, and being invited to the band through the post.
Rave last talked to The Bell Divers on the eve of their single launch earlier this year. Now with an album of alternate pop numbers to showcase, it’s time again to catch up with the Brisbane group. Drummer Donnie Mackay cannot wait for the album launch at The Powerhouse on August 10.
“We’re really looking forward to launching it at the Powerhouse on Sunday afternoon – I really think we’re a great daytime band: the music blends well with the winter sunshine and our complexions,” he jokes as we chat over a cup of tea and an orange juice.
“It’s really rewarding to play shows and have people wanting to buy the CD afterwards.”
The Bell Divers, consisting of Mackay, Clinton Toghill, Kyle Smith, Melanie Smart and Matt Lobb, recorded June July in Sydney over five days with producer Tim Whitten. The album is being released by the band themselves as a hard copy album and a digital download, ala Radiohead with In Rainbows.
“We’ve got enough hard copies to sell at gigs, through the website – and through shops like Rocking Horse with enough left to spare for promo copies,” Mackay explains. “People make the point that a free download will prevent listeners from buying it – but I’d argue that for the most part, those who are downloading it aren’t really in the market to pay money for it in the first place.
“Anyhow – those who download it and like it are more likely to come along to shows and buy future recordings.”
It’s a fitting argument. The Bell Divers decided to offer June July as a free download not as a mere gimmick – with only 500 albums pressed, letting the public download the album in it’s entirety for free is an opportunity for the band to potentially increase their fan base, audience and help widen the availability and distribution of the album.
“To me, the most important thing for the album is to make it available as widely as possible, says Mackay. “If the album is enough to get a label interested funding a follow-up, then it’s been a success.”
“And besides,” Mackay cheekily boasts, “our download comes at much higher bit rate than Radiohead’s. We thought that it was important that if we gave the album away in digital format, then it should be high quality.”
Mackay, who moved to Australia from Scotland only four years ago, did not join the band in conventional terms. He was invited to play via a letter in the mail from guitarist Lobb. Attracted by the fact that one does not receive personal letters much anymore, as well as the formality of the letter, he joined the group and The Bell Divers have only looked forward from that time on. “If I recall correctly the letter said something along the lines of, ‘let’s meet up for a cup of tea and have a chat about pop music,’” Mackay explains.
THE BELL DIVERS launch their debut album, JUNE JULY, at The Powerhouse on Sunday Aug 10 supported by Carry Nation (from 3.30pm). It’s a free all ages gig, so get down there. If you want to download the album, visit www.thebelldivers.com
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