The Kandy Apples we see before us have been a work in progress for the last three years. With half a new line up, 2009 is the year for them to unleash themselves on the wider music scene.
The challenge is not yet over for the new members who “still have a few initiations to go, but have both done well in the early rounds and still have a shred of dignity.”
The shiny new Kandy Apples line up is made up of Meaghan Blake (vocals and guitar), Casey Casey (bass and vocals), and newbies Steve Farrell (lead guitar) and Laura Nolan (keyboard and backing vocals).
Meaghan is optimistic about where the band is at these days, with the new members strengthening the band’s already more than capable music, especially in the live shows.
“Steve’s textured guitar playing adds a whole new dimension and sense of melody while Laura’s backing vocals and keyboard playing allows the band more possibilities when writing songs,” she gushes. “Plus she bangs that tambourine like a Beatle.”
When asked about the state of the Sydney music scene now compared to 2006, Meaghan feels that it’s much bigger, but this perception could well be an illusion due to the fact that the Kandy Apples are so much more involved now than they have ever been.
When Meaghan first started several years ago, she admits, “I first arrived with absolutely no clue about gigging (or even playing for that matter!) I just knew I wanted to get out there and form a band, but I had no idea how!” This just goes to show that anyone with the passion and drive for music can make things happen.
They have had ordeals with sleazy promoters and cheating bookers.
One agent in particular will now be able to put their kids through college thanks to taking advantage of the band! But, despite the obstacles, the band has had success with competitions such as ‘Uncharted’ and late last year was pegged as FBI Radio’s Unsigned Artist of the Week. The guys are gradually emerging from the throng and starting to stand out from the crowd.
Their style has been described as “almost like a meeting point between the work of PJ Harvey and early-era Courtney Love – it’s one part riot grrrl, one part soul/blues”. However, when asked to describe their style in non-musical terms, Meaghan gives us the analogy of “an orgy on a roller coaster” – you gotta admit, that does sound like fun!
So what’s the Kandy Apples’ song writing process? A ritualistic-sounding scenario seems to get their juices flowing – “It starts with a Ouija board, a bottle of absinthe, a few cubes of sugar, then the song writing flames start to billow.”
As for inspiration, Meaghan and the rest of the band all reside in the inner west and love the cross section of interesting people (and the fact that they can get a free feed from the Hare Krishnas in Newtown on a Wednesday night) – so their colourful local community provides “ample fodder for the Kandy Apples’ song writing cannon”.
It is an exciting time for the Kandy Apples as their debut EP is almost complete. It is produced by Ian Pritchett and Gene Mitchell of Noisegate Studios, a studio that has produced critically acclaimed albums for both The Beautiful Girls and Angus and Julia Stone.
So if you want the true experience of an orgy on a roller coaster, check out one of their many upcoming shows around Sydney – hit http://www.myspace.com/thekandyapples for details.
