EXCLUSIVE: COLLIDASTATE - 'KILLER INSTINCT'
We speak with Adelaide/Brisbane indie country rock band Collidastate ahead of the release of their sophomore EP ‘Seven Stories’. With a style reminiscent of the late nineties and early noughties Aussie rock ‘n’ Roll, the new single ‘Killer Instinct’ provides a higher tempo than debut EP ‘Resilience’. Each song on the EP provides a story with meaning, and we discuss the meaning behind the music, aptly released on R U OK Day.
COLLIDASTATE - ‘KILLER INSTINCT’
Congrats on the release of your sophomore EP ‘Seven Stories’. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this album and the themes explored in it?
Seven Stories is a collection of songs about important moments and challenges in our lives, how we have helped each other through them and what we have learned. Music has often been our inspiration to get us through challenging times, of which we have had many in the past few years, and we are hopeful we can do the same for others through this EP. We wanted to share our message of positive mental health and we imagine everyone will be able to connect with and be inspired by at least one of the stories in this EP.
The Lead single of the EP is ‘Killer Instinct’. Could you share the story behind this track and what inspired you to make it a lead single?
Killer Instinct actually started out as a bit of a fun jam session, we wanted to do something different and loved the energy of punk rock. James picked up his electric, dropped the D and went for it, then Graham got stuck into the drums and somehow we nailed a high energy, high tempo song. We both contributed equally to the writing of this song, with us each writing a verse, and Graham also singing harmonies and the lead vocal in the second verse and outro (who knew a drummer could actually sing!). The first verse is all about the point where you are fed up with it all, trying to make a decision on what to do next and struggling to reignite that fire within you. The second version starts with a new singer asking ‘you ok?’, then lifting up their mate when they are down, and inspiring them to find their grit again and push through. From a fun jam session, the song turned into a story of our own personal mateship and how the simple act of asking if someone is OK can do so much. With the album release date being the day after “R U OK?” day, it became an obvious choice for the lead single, carrying the most important message of the EP.
Collidastate’s music is a fusion of late 90’s and early 2000’s rock, which blends elements of country and folk. How do you approach blending the genres and identifying what works?
We grew up with bands like Powderfinger and Crowded House and were massive fans of Radiohead. We both had lots of other influences, like classical music and folk music, and Graham played unusual instruments including Marimba, so our tastes were always varied. I guess we just play what feels right to us, what suits the song and the mood, and we don't worry about whether or not it fits into a certain genre or not.
Your Debut EP ‘Resilience’ earned a lot of praise and airplay. How has your musical journey evolved with the release of Seven Stories?
Our first EP was a bit like a test-run - we literally recorded it in a week and had no idea what we were doing (in terms of production process). We had a great time, and the songs had a raw and honest energy. This time round we worked for 12 months honing our song writing, recording and production processes, and had some great mentoring from our mixing engineer Benedikt Hain, who runs an online coaching program for self-recording musicians - The Self Recording Band. Throughout this process we have found our sound, focused more on what resonates with us personally in our music, and are super proud of the results.
You mention that the journey of ‘Collidastate’ is not just about music, but about the human experience. Can you elaborate on this for us?
All our songs speak about big feelings and emotions, and we hope that listeners can relate to them. Growing up, music has always helped us through the hardest of times, particularly when we connect to the message of the song, and the emotion, and we can know that others have experienced those emotions too. It's not just about putting notes together, but about telling the story, of what's behind the song. Can you relate to those feelings? Do they speak to you? That's what we wanted to try to do also. We hope that our songs will resonate with new listeners and help them on their journeys in the same way music has guided us for so many years.
Lastly, what’s next on the cards for Collidastate?
Well, we are pretty busy boys. We both work full time and have young kids so that keeps us occupied, but we hope to get together soon across state lines to jam. If people like what they hear with this release, then I’m sure there’ll be more to come, so make sure you let us know what you think!
‘Seven Stories’ will be out on all good streaming services September 15.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
