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 KRISTY
APPS speaks with MORGAN JOHNSON about her new LP Pour Me Out, her distinct
shift in sound, and itchy feet.
Over the
last decade Kristy Apps has worked with the likes of Deborah Conway and Pete
Murray, and with her third LP, Pour Me Out, the undeniably unique
singer-songwriter teams up with ARIA-nominated producer Anthony Lycenko;
continuing a trajectory of reinvention while remaining true to herself and her
roots.
MORGAN
JOHNSON: How did the songs for Pour
Me Out come together?
KRISTY
APPS: Generally sitting on my bed with my acoustic
guitar and an idea.
Some are brand new songs and some were
songs I have had written for a while but hadn’t had the opportunity to record
yet, a couple I had even recorded before but felt like they weren’t quite right
and were worthy of another crack. It’s a really true representation of my music
with some really raw intimate songs and some with a bigger, rockier feel; it’s
a bit of a journey.
MJ:
You must have formed a close bond with producer Anthony Lycenko – how difficult
is it, as an artist, to trust another with your work? And how did Lycenko imbue
the songs on Pour Me Out?
KA: It is really difficult as an artist to
hand over your music and trust another person behind the wheel but I found it
really exciting to. I went into the recording really open minded, I wanted to
explore what was best for every song individually and to really let go of how I
had played them in the past.
When Anthony first heard my demos he said
he really liked the urgency and recklessness, which resonated with me cause I
feel that my music definitely is a bit reckless and I love that about it, so we
really wanted to keep that freedom but also to harness some of the energy
musically so it really complimented the dynamics and journey of the songs.
Anthony took the approach of keeping the
simplicity of the songs so the stories and feel didn’t get lost in an abundance
of sounds, while still making it interesting. He worked around my guitar and
vocal so nothing would detract from that and everything that was added was
there for a reason. It all happened really easily because his vision was
totally on the same page as mine and he really got the essence of my music. You
spend so much time with someone in the studio and working on something that
you’re both so committed to, you do form a close bond. Making this album was a
really amazing experience and I feel like I have grown a lot as a musician
also.
MJ: After a relatively stripped back sophomore release,
how selective were you when choosing players to record Pour Me Out?
KA: Because I have two really distinct
sides to my music, one really big and rocky and one really soft and intimate,
it was about deciding what direction to go in or how to blend the two. When I
started working with Anthony he was really focused on using my acoustic as the
foundation for most of the tracks, which of course I was comfortable with
because I write them and perform them a lot that way. So I was happy to go in
that direction and ultimately it was about what was best for the songs.
First step was finding bass and drums and
building up from there. We put a call out for some suggestions and ended up in
a jam room with Lincoln Retallack on bass and Geoff Green on drums, we had a
quick rehearsal and it didn’t take long to go ‘yep this is going to work’. As
we were laying down the beds often I would fuck up, listening to what’s going
down, blown away with what they were playing.
After bass and drums it was about guitars,
I had been playing some acoustic shows with Ruth Gardner who is an
incredibility talented Brisbane guitarist so it was really natural to work with
her in the studio and then Dave McGuire came in for a few tracks and Anthony
played guitars and piano/keys. That was the nuts and bolts of it and we also
had Gary Nunn come in to play accordion on my acoustic dark and dirty version
of Push It and Davina Jones and Lisa Wojciechowski did some backing vox and
Murray Burns from 301 played some Hammond. It all came together really well and
I am so proud of the result.
MJ: Having travelled and toured extensively, how is it to
return to Brisbane? Do you view the city through different eyes, or do your
feet start itching immediately?
KA: What always amazes me about coming home
to Brisbane is the calibre of talent that’s here. Even when I was in the US I
saw some really great music, but the artists and bands in Brisbane’s local
scene are world class and that’s a cool realisation.
I get itchy feet when I come back from
Melbourne and other places that have so many live music venues and people
supporting them that I start to think about a move, or at least the need to
tour those places much more.
MJ: You received the Virginia Woolf Award for contribution
to Brisbane Arts – how do such accolades sit with you?
KA: It always feels really good to be
recognised for doing a good job at what you love doing. I guess as an artist
you go through times where you hope that people are receiving your music and
digging it, to get any sort of recognition whether it’s someone after a gig
saying ‘that song… you know that one… I loved it ‘ or an accolade from the
industry, it all helps to make you feel like your writing some good music..
MJ: You contributed to the Pink Cabaret – how was that experience?
KA: I have to say it was one of the
highlights of my career. The line up was incredible and I got to perform along
side some of my favourite artist and it’s not often that your performing under
a trapeze and you can feel the buzz from backstage as the next act is about to
come on. We did a few days of rehearsals and then three nights of performance
so by the end everyone knows everyone and there is a real family vibe going
on.. I’m still recovering from the after party.
MJ: There was a six-year gap between your debut Hey Mr
Lion and sophomore effort Stranger In The Divide. What was the catalyst in
having Pour Me Out completed so (comparatively) speedily?
KA: Between Hey Mr Lion and Stranger in the
Divide I went through a bit of a musical change and I started playing in a band
and sort of let go of my solo stuff for a while. I put down my acoustic and
picked up the electric which was really fun but as in a lot of cases the band
broke up and I was really ready to pick up my solo career again, so that’s why the
long break, and with Pour Me Out I was really excited about recording it and
started the ball rolling probably a year ago now, we worked on it mainly on
weekends so it took a little while to come to fruition. I feel like I’m on the
right path and it won’t be long before I think about the next release. Actually
maybe I’ll release this one first and then think about the next one.
MJ: Totally off topic, but as far as names go Pour Me Out
made me immediately think of Sleater-Kinney’s 1997 LP Dig Me Out … was that on
purpose, or an accidental play on word-association?
KA: Ha. I never even thought about that. I
love Sleater-Kinney, but no, wasn’t in my head at all. One of the tracks on the
album is called Pour Me Out, which I thought was a fitting name for an album
that feels like it’s me poured out.
MJ: Will 2009 see a return of Kristy Apps to local stages?
KA: Yeah definitely. It’s been a great year
so far. After I launch the CD in Brisbane I will take off and tour it and I am
hoping to do a lot more touring this year and early next year as well as a lot
more local shows.
KRISTY
APPS launches POUR ME OUT at The Zoo on Saturday Aug 1 with Jackie Marshall and
Lucy Star Satellite. www.myspace.com/kristyapps
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