Prepping for a co-headline tour of the East-Coast with Melbourne’s Damn Arms, Nick Littlemore takes time out to talk up his fledgling project Teenager.
If you haven’t read any music press or turned on your radio this year you could be forgiven for not having met Teenager. The project was born when “a mutual interest in making” led to collaboration between Littlemore (one half of Aria award winning duo Pnau) and Pip Brown (ex-Two Lane Blacktop/ LadyHawke).
Their debut album ‘Thirteen’ was awarded Album of the Week in The Brag, Drum, Media and Beat magazines. ‘Pony’ (the first single lifted from the album) was quickly added to Triple J’s high rotation list. Sleeve notes enlighten us that ‘Pony’ was written by Littlemore “at home”. Asked to elaborate, Littlemore reveals he was inspired by “hangovers, sibling fights, hot mornings, celibacy”.
‘Thirteen’ was recorded over three years and several continents as Littlemore searched for sonic inspiration. Studios utilised are listed by him as follows;
“Air – London, Ilitch – Paris, Bong – Sydney, 20th Floor – London, Echo Canyon – NYC, Cutler Sound – Los Angeles.” That’s plenty of air miles in anyone’s language and contributed to some enviable collaboration!
“My manager weaves magic,” explains Littlemore of his collaboration with Sonic Youth members Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley on the album’s opener ‘Liquid Cement’.
Guest spots are supplied by “the who’s who of the avante-garde guitar world” as Littlemore “sent out demos and all came back and were interested. Every time I work I believe in it, and try to make important music.”
Life outside Pnau has also allowed Littlemore to establish himself as a sought-after producer. He has masterfully tweaked Damn Arms, The Valentinos, The Ghosts and Pip Brown’s buzz project LadyHawke.
Raging hormones mean teenagers have a tendency to buck the system and behave irrationally. In keeping with this theme, ‘Thirteen’ contests the norm sonically as well as visually. Provocative cover-art provides us with a photographic peek into Littlemore’s ‘man garden’. “I was to be in the flesh but was advised otherwise. I could not find my belt, hence the pubes.”Something tells me we’ll be seeing a lot more of Littlemore.
Asked whether Teenager will mature to adulthood he says “No it will die at nineteen like all teens.” The live shows set to double as album launches will see Littlemore and Brown joined by Oscar Wuts (drums) and Deano Cameron (bass) who also feature on ‘Thirteen’. The tour kicks off at Alley Bar, Brisbane on April 12. Climb out your window if you have to!
Teenager Tour Dates:
Thursday 12 April – Alley Bar, Brisbane
Friday 13 April – Alley Bar, Brisbane
Saturday 14 April – Sol Bar, Sunshine Coast
Thursday 19 April – Gasworks (Nightclub), Parramatta
Friday 20 April – Spectrum Nightclub, Darlinghurst
Saturday 21 April – Spectrum Nightclub, Darlinghurst
Friday 27 April – Bootleg, Geddes Lane, City
Saturday 28 April – Bootleg, Geddes Lane, City
