BAW Baw-based band Mercury White will release its new EP in October with a gig at the O&H in Warragul.
Above: Ready to launch: Mercury White will release a new EP soon. Photo supplied.
LAUNCH GIG DEETS: Sat 4 October @ O&H Warragul from 9pm. Supported by The Controllers and Emmalee.
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This article was first published in the 12 September 2014 edition of the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen.
For the new release the band’s sound has changed significantly, which, for keyboard player/vocalist and lead songwriter Paul “Coops” Cooper is a step in the right direction, and is closer than ever to finding its sound.
“It’s a tricky question because to find your sound you sort of don’t realise it until it has happened,” he told the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen.
“We really have got as close as we’ve ever got to creating something that people listen to and know it’s us.
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“I would describe it as a really big, layered, epic sort of sound. Really sound scape-ey.
“We did have that immaturity stage where we had songs that sort of sounded like other bands.”
The band’s line-up has changed since it first formed around five years ago.
“We did an EP, an east coast tour, a film clip and all that jazz a few years ago,” Cooper said.
“When we got back from that we were all fired up ready to go, and then we had some problems – our drummer broke his finger and got sick and we missed our recording dates.
“Everything went a bit crazy and a few of us decided to go to school, but when I went to school I met some really cool music students that were in my class and they’re now in my band.
“Everything sort of changed around and now we have a new EP and a totally new sound.
“The EP is called ‘Sophisticate’, and it’s sort of what has happened to our sound.
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“We’ve learnt a lot over the years. I’ve got into sound engineering so I’ve learnt how instruments work, which is pretty important in a five-piece.
“So we’ve sort of sophisticated our sound a bit and really concentrated on our song writing.
“We’ve also worked with a producer from Sydney who is really really great.
“We brought him some songs and he really turned them upside down and really brought them out to be the best they could be.”
The new line-up is also starting to see a shift in song writing respons-ibilities.
“The new EP is three of my songs but recently we’re sort of getting together to write together now,” Cooper said.
“Because the new line-up is only about a year old we’ve just got to that point where we can get together and write, which is really exciting.
“Following from this EP we should have new material pretty quick.
“We’re already doing the album at the moment. I’ve got my own recording studio now and we’re getting together two nights a week and recording.
“Hopefully once this EP comes out we’ll get some attention, maybe some label interest, and jump straight into this album.
“It will be really great to get the album out next year.”
Cooper said launching at the O&H was something the band was looking forward to.
“It is really cool,” he said.
“There hasn’t been a live music scene down that way for ages.
