If there is one collective in Australia that is known for showing the revellers what a party is all about, it’s the guys who make up Sneaky Sound System. Sneaky Sound System is made up of founders Black Angus (aka Angus McDonald), Hesse (aka Damien Hesse) and MC Double D (aka Daimon Downey) with the addition of regular saxophonist Tricky Nick (aka Nick Broadhusrt) and producer/guitarist Peter Dolso. If it’s the hips you want to be shakin, a groove that you want to be getting down to and some serious dancefloor mayhem, it’s these Sneaky fellas who know how to get the party started right.
The ‘Sneaky Sunday’ sessions in Sydney was where SSS began, Black Angus, Hesse & MC Double D, in December 2000 Sydney was blessed with the sounds of “old school jazz, funk & soul, through to nu-jazz & jazzy breaks and stepped up a notch or two with a tasty brew of good time house music – from the deep & jazzy through to the soulful & funky.” So what artists have a huge impact/influence on SSS sound? “Many, many, many! It’s probably more periods of time that do it for us, like the songwriting of the 60’s, the funk and soul of the 70’s, the electro, boogie and pop from the 80’s and we have come to terms with the 90’s just yet.”
Just from looking at the various flyer artwork and kitsch get up that these guys perform in, it is fair to say that having fun is something that SSS take very seriously, a bit of “taking the piss” never hurt anybody. Why the retro concept, how does the theme relate to SSS in terms of stage presence? “I don’t know about retro, basically we get one of our friends to come over to our house and we all get dressed up and they have 10 minutes to take the photo – we all flick through the photos and when there’s a collective giggle, that’s the shot. It’s more that we’re lazy than trying to create a “concept”. And how does that relate to stage presence, I guess we’re always looking for a collective giggle.”
The word ‘sneaky’ conjures up quite a sense of excitement in itself, unleashing the unknown onto the dancefloor, is a something that always entices people to a live show. Can we assume with such a live set up, the SSS sound is full of surprises? “Well the other day someone said we play summertime shag music, but we probably think we play deep, jazzy, funky, black music with our own rhymes and sax lines. As for surprises, well we can’t say ‘cause then they wouldn’t be surprises, plus we never know what we’re going to do.”
Live instruments incorporated into an electronic live set (no matter what genre it may be) have always given the sound a certain sense of human soul, a luscious saxophone riff or a crazy guitar breakdown, or even the raw beat of the congas have given many a dj set and live experience that extra element, that extra layer of untouched sound. What do you believe that live instruments bring to the show? Angus replies humorously “Well chicks dig it, that’s really the only reason we do it.” He isn’t wrong there!
Having played all over Australia, to diverse audiences and in various settings. From intimate clubs all the way up the east coast of Oz, right through to large scale parties and festivals, fashion shows and mixing it up with the finest such as Norman Jay, Jazzanova, Louie Austen and many many more. Does the SSS morph into their settings, and change their vibe accordingly? Yeah of course we do. I mean, we only carry records we love but sometimes we go much deeper, other times it’s more a party thing – we feel it out, it’s a time and place thing but we never play a record we don’t love!”
Sneaky Sound System are just about to launch their very own record label Whack, and their first release will be a double compilation CD, that will be coming out in late September in conjunction with Sony; called ‘Other Peoples Music’. “There’s two CD’s, the first will be more like a party mix with sax and rhymes over it, the second will be a little slower, groovier, more for toe tapping, not so much for air punching. If you don’t buy it people will think you’re weird.” Angus all continues to explain that they are in the middle of recording their debut album, which they are naming ‘This is Show Business”.
With all this production on the way and talk of an international tours, the SSS definitely have their diaries jam packed and their very next gig, is going to be happening in Melbourne this weekend at Honkytonks. The quirky honkytonks surroundings seem to be a perfect setting for an SSS set. What can the Honkytonks revellers expect from them this Friday night? “We’re getting rid of the decks and we’re gonna finally give that piano burl.”
Hop on the funk train this Friday 15th August when Sneaky Sound System throw a live sax, an MC and two djs into the mix to give that Honkytonks piano a burl.
Keep your eyes peeled for more info on the releases of ‘Other People’s Music’ and ‘This is Show Business’, right here on ITM
