the guide
THE FLUMES Members answering/roles: Kayt Wallace (harp/ vocals), Stephan Beattie (bass/guitar/vocals) How long have you been together? Kayt and Steph since 2008 and with Elliot since 2012. How did you all meet? We [Kayt & Steph] met many moons ago in North Queensland. Kayt was singing War Pigs on the back of a semitrailer with her high school band and Steph was crewing. We reconnected five years later and played in a few bands until The Flumes were born in the middle of a flood in 2008. A year later we hit the road and eventually landed on the Sunshine Coast and hooked up with Elliot at a gig at Solbar. You’re on tour in the van – which band or artist is going to keep the most people happy if we throw them on the stereo? Hiatus Kaiyote. Would you rather be a busted broke-but-revered Hank Williams figure or some kind of Metallica monster? Hank or somewhere in between. Which Brisbane bands before you have been an inspiration (musically or otherwise)? Kooii, The Toothfaeries, George, Regurgitator, Custard, The Fabulous Nobodies. What part do you think Brisbane plays in the music you make? Brisbane is the Mad King and we are the traveling minstrels... but on a serious note, it’s a great nurturing ground for artists, many of who form a well of inspiration for us. What’s in the pipeline for the band in the short term? We’re currently launching our new album Sweet, Sweet Rain in Brisbane, Byron, Sunny Coast and heading to North Queensland then back to do a stack of shows in SEQ before heading south in spring. Plus there’s a new film clip in the wings for the title track. The Flumes play Byron Bay Brewery on Friday 4 July and Teneriffe Festival, Teneriffe on Saturday 5 July.
Pic: Terry Soo
THE MUSIC • 2ND JULY 2014 • 31