As The Presets continue their quest for world domination, with a headline slot on the way at Splendour in the Grass early next month, the Australian duo talks to UK dance authority Jonty Skrufff about taking over the world, using moisturizer and the apocalyptic place Australian politics found itself in recent years.
“We recently underwent a very long overdue change of government in Australia, and towards the end of the Howard years there were many times when I guess it did feel like the end of the world. I noticed just how far the nation’s moral fabric, or sense of justice and decency had decayed.”
Speaking to both Julian Hamilton and his Presets bandmate Kimberley Moyes, it’s immediate apparent that both are passionate and articulate, traits that unsurprisingly come shining through on their excellent rocking electro album Apocalypso. “I suppose we were writing the soundtrack to what it felt like to be a person who cared about these kinda’ things,” Julian explains. “To be a guy that who just wanted to dance and fuck and love, in a time that was primarily marked by fear and hate.”
Already firmly established as one of Australia’s biggest bands of the decade, electro rock duo The Presets are currently replicating their success all over the globe via new album Apocalypso and January’s outstanding single My People. Previously producing soul music together as Prop they developed Presets from messing around in the studio in downtime though seven years on, though Julian insists today they’re as enthused about their high energy post rave music as much as Prop’s.
“I don’t prefer either more than the other,” he insists, “I guess they both fed two very different sides to our personalities.”
Starting with Apocalypso. The press release tosses in lots of styles including techno, rock, pop and house: how much did you have a clear style- or sound, when you started?
Julian: Not really no. We generally let each song dictate its own style, and it became pretty clear quite quickly if we were ‘barking up the wrong tree’ with a particular song. For example, If I Know You originally was a much bigger, French-house sounding stomper, but we realised that style was totally wrong for that song, so we stripped the hell out of it and started again. I’m glad we did. I guess the one thing we were conscious of, however, was that even if we had different ‘styles’ on this record, we sought to make the whole thing more uniform – so it at least sounded like the same band on the same record. We tried to make everything sound crisp, and clean, and quite stark. My People, Aeons and A New Sky are three very different styles, but we hope that sonically, and texturally they sound like us. Hopefully the ‘Presets-ness’ of them glues the songs together.”
Reading an interview on mono.net, you talked about being shy with women in clubs: how much have your possibilities changed since the Presets took off? Are groupies a bonus, or problem?
Julian: I’m still a pretty private person, quite shy. You won’t find me in a club surrounded by people. I’m in a very happy relationship back home, so although there might be many possibilities with groupies, I’m not really interested.
Looking at various press pictures you’re both wearing ties and blazers on more than a few: what’s the appeal of dressing so smartly?
Julian: That’s just our spin doctors trying to make us look ‘unattainable’.
How much attention goes into image: how important is it for the Presets?
Julian: We just don’t want to look boring – that is very important to us. We always use the same designer; Jonathan Zawada, because he has a knack for making us seem ‘other worldly’. His artwork for our albums is always really wild, and he usually styles our videos and photo shoots. He does a magnificent job of visualizing our sound world.
Have either of you ever done day jobs or worked in offices wearing suits?
Julian: I’ve never had to wear a suit to work and never worked in an office. I have had day jobs in the past, but always to fund my music. Whilst studying music I slaved away in a pizza shop on weekends, then I taught piano to kids for a while, then I did a lot of production and session work for other bands. Now I just do The Presets. It’s nice.
What do you make of the rise of the metrosexual- in Australia and beyond? Do you wear face creams?
Julian: My girlfriend is a newsreader back home in Australia, so she gets all these super expensive moisturisers really cheap – and yes, I raid the shit out of them. When we are on tour we spend so much time in air-conditioning – airplanes, tour bus, hotels. I hate air conditioning, because not only are you forced to breathe other people’s germs, but it makes you skin dry. Moisturisers rule. As for metrosexuality – I think that is a silly marketing term used to sell, well, moisturisers. Although I think the term is silly, I think what lies behind it is really cool. Men have changed. 20 years ago men got drunk; looked like shit; listened to rock music and bashed their wives. Now they moisturise their skin; wash their hair; still get drunk, but hug their friends – and they listen to The Presets. I like today’s man better.
Which bands do you feel like-minded to?
Kimberley: There are not many bands I feel like-minded to artistically. I guess the bands from home like Cut Copy, Midnight Juggernauts and Sneaky Sound System all have a similarity to them but looking back in history I feel like we kinda’ come from a place where Sparks originated and Pet Shop Boys visited; quirky pop with a sense of the bizarre and sometime with a mild melancholic with hope combination. I mainly feel a strong connection to individual songs, not bands. I am only just starting to understand the Depeche Mode comparison, I never listened to them until pretty recently, and I can see what people mean, I guess I always knew the Just Cant Get Enough stuff so the Depeche Mode comparison used to really offend me, not so much anymore, they have some great work.
How much do you align yourself with club culture: did you ever define yourself as ravers- or rockers?
Kimberley: I think if we had to choose we would have once called ourselves ravers, but only a long time ago. I mean, I kinda found myself getting into dance music around 1993 but I was still at school and didn’t really get to a rave until ‘95 and by that stage they were getting shut down here in Sydney quicker than they could stay open. Being a musician and then getting into becoming an artist and making a music I think it would be kinda’ odd for you to start defining yourself under any one genre or style of music.
How much involvement do you have in selecting remixers?
Kimberley: A huge involvement. Generally I suggest artists I am listening too or producers I have been impressed with to Glen at Modular. He will then add some names to the list that he has been following and will reach out to as many of them as possible and see who is interested. What attracts me to a producer is their body of work, if they have had a good run of tracks that have been super tight on production, if we have been a fan of theirs for a while or they have a quirky sort of sound that is maybe a little off the beaten track from what is going around at the moment then our ears prick up.
What cars do you both own: what cars would you both ideally own?
Kimberley: I don’t own a car but my girl owns a Volkswagen Golf from about 1997. I’ve had two cars before and they both didn’t last long in my care. We just did had one of our songs licensed for a BMW commercial here in Australia, they even got Lifelike to do a remix specifically for the it and there was some initial talk of us getting a cheap BMW each but nothing has happened yet. A friend of mine gave me a lift in an Audi A6 the other day and that was quite a lovely experience.
How concerned are you by global warming: did the issue prompt any reservations about teaming up with BMW for the ad?
Kimberley: Certain parts of Australia have been under severe draught conditions for many years now and this is a direct result of global warming. Here in New South Wales we have had to live with water restrictions for quite a while, we all have to be mindful of the severity of the sun because of the harsh levels of UV light that the hole in the ozone layer is admitting over this part of the world. So yes, global warming and the constant change of weather patterns here in Australia is a major concern that affects the vast majority of Australians. That being said, we are a band who makes music and once it has been made it leaves our hands to live in infinite ways throughout the world. There have been many instances in which we have been asked to use our music for commercial purposes that we don’t believe in or don’t approve of and we have declined accordingly. I must admit, environmental issues where not at the forefront of my mind when deciding on the BMW commercial.
In Europe, Kim is usually a girl’s name: have you ever had to endure any teasing? Are you a fan of the Johnny Cash Boy Named Sue song?
Kimberley: Not only that, my actual name is Kimberley so you can well imagine the teasing I used to have to endure when I was a kid and believe me, it hasn’t stopped altogether just because I am an adult now. Lots of times when I check into a hotel or board a plane I have to put up with dumbfounded hotel and plane staff who are absolutely perplexed that my parents had the audacity to call their boy-child Kimberley. I did a bit of research on the name when I was a kid and apparently it is Celtic for chief, which kinda leads me to believe it was originally a male’s name. These days I am quite over the gender specifics of names and yes, I think the Johnny Cash song Boy Named Sue is genius.”
The Presets will be appearing at Splendour in the Grass at Byron Bay in early August, their album Apocalypso is out now through Modular/Universal.
yazzie says...
cant wait till splendour!
zealbee says...
More like Depeche Mode would be offended being compared to The Presets. They are miles better in every respect.
amanda fantastique says...
presets need to stop comparing themselves to artists they sound NOTHING like, pet shop boys, sparks, depeche mode, underworld??? disgraceful. they are nothing like any of those bands
DJBuddha says...
You guys are crazy.... thier not comparing themselves constantly, its called an interview all bands a classifed into groups at some point its called influence. The Presets are awesome, they were awesome at Daft Punk they were awesome at V Festival (even in the mud!!) and they are going to be awesome at slendor in the grass. These guys are quailty muscians who deserve a bit more respect. Ive got Big Respect to The presets the new ablum is brilliant you got my vote for in the Mix TOP 50 4 sure. Evil Fun is the sound of the future.
Metavirus says...
"Evil Fun is the sound of the future." Right there with you DJBuddha! I love the presets they are obviously real musicians rather than computer geeks with Ableton. Their music is infectious and I love the fact that they were as dispondent about the condition of Australia in much the same way as my self. Good on them and good luck with the success. et al: As with comparisons people rarely do comparisons themsleves, it is often thrust upon them by the media or fans. Their style is definately their own but certain aspects reflect, perhaps subconscious, influences from many sources. If you don't like them why read an interview with them?