It’s 2001 and as Sydney’s last faithful clubbing few continue to dribble into ultra-cool downtown venues, hoping for something a little different to come along and quench their musical thirst each night. Four young men were already thinking one step ahead, for they knew that things like this didn’t just miraculously appear out of thin-air, they had to be well-planned and well-prepared.
A few weeks later as the uber-chic gathered at Sydney’s Fox Studios for a Cowboys & Indians fancy dress party, the lights dimmed and there was a blinding of magenta lights focused on the centre of the room, lights bright enough to blind a small 3rd world village. What was this? The crowd moved closer to get a good view, but all they could see were the silhouettes of four dark figures in amongst the magenta haze. That was Sneaky Sound System’s grand entrance to the Sydney scene five years ago.
Since then the boys have catered for the scenesters with a taste for more than just rock or electro, with their super sexy, smooth rhyming, double-gliding brand of house, rock, funk, electro cabaret in purple suits. Now they’ve decided to keep bringing it to you fresh, as they won over hearts around the country with their string of excitable festival appearances and a national support slot which saw them warming the stage for that cool cat in a hat, Jamiroquai.
Since day one they’ve always had their mind set of delivering something new and different, something colourful and over the top, now the pimped up suit-donning collective have a little something new to spring on you at this weekend’s Vamp show. They’ll be officially welcoming their newest recruit, Miss Connie Mitchell to the live fold of their club shows.
ITM’s Vocal Assault caught up with the band’s Angus McDonald last week, as he took five on the set of the band’s new clip in Artarmon, to bring you all of the latest news on the new live shows, the sexy escapades of their new clip, Sneaky’s recent Miami takeover and the new album.
Just as my phone connects with the charming Angus MacDonald, I find him contemplating the difference between pink and magenta, the idea came of course from one of the two very brightly coloured sets of their new clip. I think the question has a bit of a never-ending answer, so move him on to how today’s shoot is going. “It’s running behind schedule, as these things always do. But we’re having fun and so far it’s looking good” explains a happy McDonald.
I asked if the film clip will feature a clan of suited figures taking over the world, some scenes from the band’s last few live shows in Miami, or just plain booty? “Well none of the above really, there’s just a lot of hot chicks with very little clothes on and are dancing to choreographed moves” he laughs. Okay, so choreographed makes all the difference then? Booty becomes more sophisticated if choreographed? Both end up in laughter at the irony.
It seems that Sneaky have been gaining a certain amount of notoriety for their super slick live shows, a notoriety that recently saw the invited over to LA to play a few select exclusive shows, where they joined the likes of Peaches, Hot Chip, Justice, Felix Da Housecat, Paul Oakenfold and Pete Tong to set the glamour sets’ hearts on fire, resulting in a decent amount of industry attention from the hard to crack US market. “We had the time of our lives, the shows were amazing. The Paul Oakenfold/Pete Tong show not so much, but we still made the most of it and everyone was loving it!” he chuffs happily “We can’t wait to get back there, it was a little surreal the first time round.”
The band have also been busily holed up in the studio finishing up what is to be their highly-anticipated debut record, something that’s been in the works for the boys for a while now, they’ve been careful to take their time and not rush anything too much. A rare advantage only afforded to those few that own and run their own label and are in charge of releasing their own productions.
“We’re finalising the last details of the label now, just sorting the distro and all of that stuff. It’s going to be called Whack Recordings” Angus explains “We’re just happy to be able to make our own decisions and unlike other artists on major labels, we won’t have anyone breathing down our necks about deadlines or trying to creatively interject. And to be honest, who gets signed to a major today anyway? Especially for electro rock bands, it’s something you mainly have to do yourself anyway.”
This weekend’s show at Vamp in Sydney will see Sneaky put a different hat on than you may have seen them put on before, they’re looking very forward to previewing a lot of new material from their forthcoming album (due out later this year). “We’ll be delivering a great taste from our new album, there’ll be lots of funk, house, electro, with bells on. We’ll be going all out for this affair. This is also set to be our second club show with Connie, we played our first one with her at The Basement a few weeks back” Angus explains.
The truth is, if you were fortunate enough to catch Sneaky Sound System open up for the cat in the hat a few months back, then you would have already seen Miss Connie welcomed to the live arena, but these will be the first club shows of their own to feature her fine vocal talents. “We’d been working on our debut for a few years now and it was only last year that we decided we needed a female vocalist on some of the tracks.”
So after one thing lead to another, the boys were introduced to Connie through a mutual friend. After hearing her delivery and seeing what she had to offer, the boys decided she had to become more than just a guest vocalist for the band and from that moment on she became a permanent fixture, but one they had to gradually work into their live sets. “Until now she’s been more of an addition for special occasions” laughs McDondald.
Catch Sneaky Sound System this weekend as they grace the stage in full-band mode at Vamp, in the fresh surroundings of Waverley Bowling Club, Sydney (BUY TICKETS). Keep your eyes to local guides for further dates across the country over the coming months.
