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 Enigmatic AZARIA leads MICHELLE GILLINGWATER down winding paths and around major turning points taken by Sydney rockers THE FOLLOW on the way to releasing their second EP and launching their current tour.
Despite nursing flu and struggling over a crackling phone-line, Azaria, guitarist and frontman for The Follow manages to make it through relentless questions without collapsing. The softly-spoken soul on the other end is so far removed from the character that fronts the public onstage it’s difficult to believe that the histrionic vocals and frenzied outbursts of howling come from the same set of lungs. The Follow are generating a commotion with their second EP, Hope You’re Happy, released in June with the help of producer Nick Launay. The first single and title track to the EP has been lovingly flogged to death after being picked up by radio and TV. “It was kind of surreal seeing us on Video Hits, we didn’t really expect that,” Azaria responds. The Follow’s brand of music doesn’t fit neatly with any one genre, drawing aspects from rock, punk, pop, electronica, goth, their sound varies with each track, the one constant element being a distinct undertone of darkness. Save to say their sound is experimental, and unpredictable, taking cues from The Pixies, The Cure and Sonic Youth. A complex story surrounds the band’s formation – Azaria explains he originally began his musical career in Brisbane. “I started seriously being in bands in Brisbane. I was in about ten or six bands at once.” He then packed up and moved to Sydney, but shortly after Azaria continued to toy with different groups on a path that eventually lead back to Brisbane, “I started recording, getting people together and bands just didn’t work out. I decided to get people from Brisbane that I knew of to join the band.” I cut in with mock outcries declaring Azaria a thief, he tries to defend saying, “With KJ, it was only a matter of time for us to start a band together,” before admitting, “Okay I stole her from Brisbane, sorry! (laughs)” Enlisting KJ on bass paved the way for the group, completed with the addition of guitarist Isac Cole and drummer Reuben Alexander. After a messy start The Follow graced though the next four years –“I’m very optimistic since these outcomes – it’s all just by coincidence and luck,” says Azaria. Supporting Sonic Youth in 2004, guitarist Lee Ranaldo took an avid interest in the group, resulting with Ranaldo producing their debut record, Empty Orchestra. The Follow were then invited to tour nationally with Nine Inch Nails and Team Sleep. Describing the chance encounter that eventuated in a tour, Azaria’s tone is still one of disbelief, “I went in early to a Nine Inch Nails concert over in London this guy just started talking to me and said he was the tour manager so I gave him a CD and said ‘give this to Trent’ – you know, as a joke?” The Follow play The Troubadour Friday July 20, supported by The Mares. Hope You’re Happy is out now through Warner Music.
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