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 MORGAN JOHNSON checks in with local hip hop and soul purveyor LANEOUS, on the eve of launching his and THE FAMILY-YAH’s debut LP, St. Ill Regal.
Laneous & The Family Yah have been a welcome fixture on Brisbane’s live hip hop scene for a wee while – charming audiences and honing their live show, it’s taken over two years for newly crowned Q Song Award winners to complete their 17-track LP, St. Ill Regal.
MORGAN JOHNSON: First up, who is primarily responsible for what in The Family? Are you considered the patriarch?
LANEOUS: Yes, I am the patriarch and Positive Serpent the bass player is the matriarch …We all have multiple roles in the band, for example Pete Moss is not only the MPC/keys player and sex appeal of the band, but he is also an engineer/producer which definitely comes in handy both live and in the studio.
MJ: It seems Laneous & The Family-Yah share quite a large extended family – from Troy & Trevelyn, and Kristen Haynes to Anthony Lister. Through what process of adoption has the family grown so large, and talented?
L: We’ve all been living and playing music in Brisbane most of our lives, and as they say, if you stay in one spot long enough you see the whole world. A lot of talented people have come through Brisbane and we’ve been lucky enough to befriend them. We’re all pretty likable and that makes it easier.
MJ: Why did you drop the ‘Mr’ prefix?
L: Just like Diddy’s ‘P’ it was getting in between me and my fans. It’s a bit too formal and I want people to think of me as a strange, distant friend.
MJ: You recently took home a Q Song Award for Best Hip Hop/R&B for Bubblegum. Where does the award sit currently, and will it be on time-share amongst you all?
L: Hell no, its not on time share. IT’S MINE! MIIINE! It currently takes pride of place in The Family-Yah living room next to the participation ribbon I got for the 100-metre sprint in primary school, and Poz Serps trophy for lowest scoring female bowler (no joke).
"Since at least one of us has slept with almost everyone in the industry, it’s probably a little rigged."
MJ: How does The Family view peer-voted prizes?
L: Since at least one of us has slept with almost everyone in the industry, it’s probably a little rigged.
MJ: With such an obvious focus on your hometown of Brisbane, what was the appeal in shifting to Richmond’s council tenements to film the Bubblegum clip?
L: We were on our Briz You Is Or Briz You Ain’t My Baby Tour, and an old Brizzy friend and very talented filmmaker Sarah Jane from Square Eyed Films was living there at the time. She had the idea and we squeezed it into our tight schedule of debauchery, booze and madness.
MJ: How did recording locally at Psi Fi inform St. Ill Regal?
L: Most notably, we were not only afforded the luxury of time which allowed us to fully develop our ideas musically, but also we were blessed with the contributions of an incredible and gifted community of musicians and artists. In no other environment would we be able to pull together things like an eight-piece string section for a beer and a slice of pizza (which would usually cost a shitload) and the amazing tabla master Dheeraj Shrestha.
LANEOUS & THE FAMILY-YAH launch ST. ILL REGAL at The Hi-Fi Friday Aug 28 with Olmecha Supreme (NZ), Grassroots Street Orchestra, Samedi Soundsystem, Tigerlil & Kellie Vella. St. The album is out now through Bird Fire. www.myspace.com/lachlaneous
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