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 ADAM WESTON, guitarist and principal songwriter for Perth band BIRDS OF TOKYO, talks to YUMI SED about the hitting the road with an orchestra and why they are far more than just a side project.
Early on in the conversation I learn Weston is tired of the label “side project” and frankly, I don’t blame him. With J Award nominations, countless WAMI nominations, (including Vocalist Of The Year in 2009 for Ian Kenny), and two records behind them, Weston thinks it’s well and truly time people realised the Birds were more than just a side project. “I think there are some die hard Karnivool fans out there that couldn’t let it die,” he says. “They keep referring to us as a side project as a way of discrediting us and downplaying what we are doing, but I think the label is finally being shed. I mean, how many years do we have to be doing this before we start being taken seriously?”
I don’t think the problem is that they aren’t taken seriously; I think it’s just hard to believe that Ian Kenny can be the frontman for two such successful bands. Australia is a small country and our music scene is even smaller – Karnivool and Birds Of Tokyo are our very own Tool and A Perfect Circle.
“That’s an interesting way of looking at it I guess,” he says. “I think the media have helped to hype up the side project thing as well. Sometimes I get interviewed by these hardcore Karnivool fans and I get the impression they just wanna rip me to shreds, it makes me wonder why they take the interview at all. Maybe they just want to speak to Kenny,” he adds laughing.
The thing that sets Birds Of Tokyo apart from their rock contemporaries is the dominant rhythms in their music, and this is something Weston says couldn’t be more deliberate. “I write most of the songs and bring them to the band,” he explains. “The rhythm has always been the most important part for me. I think it makes a difference to have that groove to your songs, to have them bounce out at you. I guess as well we choose songs as singles that will really get people moving. We’re at the point where we know our audience and we know what they’re going to respond to.”
Knowing their audience has motivated the boys to hit the road with a full orchestra in tow for the Broken Strings tour. Despite being quite the logistical task, Weston is extremely excited at the prospect of hearing the songs in a completely new way. “We are heavily involved in the orchestration alongside the musical director,” he says. “It’s just amazing to hear the songs in this fashion, we never would have imagined hearing them this way. I’m so excited to see the audiences reaction to them, they’re not only fuller and larger they’re completely new. It will be like seeing us for the first time all over again.”
BIRDS OF TOKYO will bring their Broken Strings tour to QPAC on Tuesday Nov 10.
     
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