The VANNS have just released their latest single Guilty Love and are about to tour round Australia. Tomatrax caught up with Lachie, drummer of the band, to ask a few questions.
How did the band form?
We originally met in another project and decided to move on from that and re-form as The Vanns
Where did you get the idea to use James’s last name as the band’s name?
We were kind of just needing a name quickly for a show coming up, and we just went around the room looking at things and then we thought that someone’s last name might be cool, and The Vanns just worked perfectly with our beachy vibe.
What is the music scene in Kiama like?
There isn’t a huge scene in Kiama, but there are a tonne of great musicians. Most of the time you need to travel to Wollongong or Sydney to get any exposure, but Kiama does have festivals like their Jazz and Blues festival which brings in a lot of tourists.
You’ve already received a lot of critical acclaim for your music, does this make you feel any pressure?
Not really. We’re just privileged to be a band that is being heard and is still growing. We’re just in it for the love of the music.
What made you pick guilty love as your latest single?
We’ve got a few strong songs that we’re keen to get recorded and release to the world, but at the time of recording, Guilty Love was the strongest song and was receiving a good response live so that is why we decided it would be best to get out at the time.
You’ve been touring in support of your latest single, how has that been so far?
The shows have been great. Had a lot of fun meeting people in Bondi, and the show in Wollongong was crazy wild fun!
The shots from the video clip for Guilty love have a very convict look, is that the theme you’re going for in the video?
Yeah kind of. Without giving too much away, the main idea of the video is being trapped into a way of life as a musician, and we want to break out of it. That’s the vibe.
Are there any plans for an album release?
Eventually yes. We are looking at releasing another EP before the album, but if the demand is for an album then we might have to.
You’ve entered songs on Triple J’s Unearthed page, has this had any impact on your music’s exposure?
Unearthed has been great for us. When we first started, we put up some rough demos during the 2012 Unearthed High period, and with it only being up a few weeks, it got a play on TripleJ and we had our first interview for the Unearthed Digital Station.
Since then we have continued to grow our fan base through plays on the Unearthed station.
Do you ever listen to your own music?
Jimmy (Guitar/Vocals) and Adam (Bass) don’t like admitting it but I (Lachie, Drums) love listening to it. I feel like it is kind of important to like your own music. It’s also a way I find that makes us a tighter band because we do listen to recordings and get more familiar with the tunes.
What other music do you listen to?
We’re influenced from a huge range of artists like Kings of Leon, John Mayer, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Outkast, Cloud Control, TV On The Radio. Lots of different artists that influence us individually and as a unit, which contributes to our unique sound
What do you plan on doing after your current tour?
We’re going to take a short break from shows to focus on writing some more and eventually end up with a new solid EP. We aim to be touring again in September/October. You can expect some solid tunes coming soon!
Check out the band’s website to find out more!
