The Ivys have all the makings of a good indie band. They’ve recorded at BJB studios, supported big names like Keane and they’ve been compared to Sonic Youth. With a few shows coming up around town, be sure to get along to one and check out the tunes from latest EP In The Company of Wolves.
Music Feeds: Describe your sound to us in a few words
Luke Hannaford: Our latest EP has been described as having an indie/post-punk vibe with reference to Sonic Youth and Placebo.
MF: Give us a short history lesson on The Ivys:
LH: The Ivys started out with a group of friends from school but changed over time. Luke Hannaford is the only remaining member from then and he met the rest of the guys through friends and word-of-mouth. We have recently cemented our new line-up with the addition of James Hart, and look forward to an album soon. Our favourite shows have been supporting Keane and our good friends Trial Kennedy on tour.
MF: You guys are from Sydney’s Northern Beaches; what is the scene like there? Who are the bands from that area who we should keep an eye on?
LH: It’s okay. Unfortunately, we don’t have that many venues left and mostly have to play in the city. In spite of that though, there are many good bands coming from the Beaches. We have friends in bands like Bridgemary Kiss, Static Silhouettes and Hattie Carol who are all great.
MF: You’ve just finished recording an EP; can you tell us about that?
LH: It was a lot of fun. We recorded with Eric J Dubowski at BJB Studios in Surry Hills. Brock Fitzgerald from the Scare also helped us out by playing guitar on the EP. It was a long week and we had to try to do things pretty fast. We are now looking at ways we can spend more time on our sound by recording things in our home studio.
MF: What are the influences and inspirations behind the single from the EP Smaller The Print?
LH: It was the first time that Luke wrote all the parts for the song because of the complete change in line-up. It was a new approach and an attempt to do something a little different from the last group of songs. It wasn’t an easy time for the band and that edginess came out in the music and lyrics.
MF: What is next on the cards for The Ivys in terms of touring, recording, writing, releasing etc?
LH: We have recently gotten our home studio up and running and have been writing and recording some songs and ideas. We are hoping that this gives us the freedom to experiment and have more creative control over the final product.
Check The Ivys this Friday August 12th, Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney.
