Sommerhits erfordern einen Mix aus Radiotauglichkeit, Eingängigkeit und Mitsing-Vocals – irgendwie mitreißend, irgendwie klebrig süß und unausweichlich festsetzend im Gehörgang. Eine Band, die diese Attribute bis ins letzte Detail beherrscht sind die Bag Raiders aus Australien, die heute ihr erstes Album in Deutschland veröffentlichen – und schon jetzt ist klar: Das selbstbetitelte Debütalbum ist eines der Pop-Alben des Jahres! Eingängigkeit gepaart mit sexy Electro-Appeal, Mitsing-Refrains treffen auf Dancefloor-Hymnen – an ‘Bag Raiders‘ wird man diesen Sommer nur schwer vorbeikommen! Grund genug für uns Kontakt ins Ferne Australien aufzunehmen – Bag Raiders im Bedroomdisco-Interview!
1.) Band facts
– Name: Bag Raiders
– Founding year: 2005 approx
– Residence: Sydney, Australia
– Current album: Bag Raiders
2.) Questionnaire:
– How did you start making music – had you been forced to play an instrument somehow or was it in your own interest?
When i was growing up i played Violin. My parents told me it was my own interest although i am sure at times it felt like i was being forced to play it. I did end out loving it a lot though towards the end. I haven’t picked it up in a while which is sad. As a band, we started making music together a few years after we finished school, just fooling around with the idea of electronic music and eventually we got into remixing and doing our own original songs.
– What are your music influences?
Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Hall and Oates, SND, Aphex Twin, Amon Tobin, Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson, Daft Punk, Boards of Canada.. Anything and Everything..
– How did you meet, how did you decide to make music together?
We met in school together. We were music nerds. We were playing in concert bands and orchestras and we sung in the choir together. We didn’t really start making music together however until we were out of school. We would get together and swap tunes and stuff and eventually we started messing around doing our own stuff.
– In which situation did you come up with the name ‘Bag Raiders’ and what meaning has it for you?
It was the name of a DJ Mix we did with our buddy Gus from Bang Gang 12inches. We didn’t really have that many records of our own so we were borrowing stuff from our DJ friends and eventually we finished the DJ mix and then the name stuck with us when we started doing remixes etc.
– How do you normally work on songs? What are the steps/processes, what are the usual problems of finishing a song?
All our songs start and end differently..Sometimes we are jamming in the studio on our keyboards and it happens that way. Sometimes one of us might start an idea on our own, and email it to the other one.. And then we will work on it together..Every time its something different. With finishing a song it’s mostly about the final touches and when does it become too much? It’s easy to keep adding layer and layer and layer but hard to know when to stop..
– Could you tell a bit about the production process of your debut record? Where and how long was the production taking place, what was the best/what the worst moment during the time? What is the most told anecdote from the time?
The most told anecdote is probably how we grew huge beards. Some might say it was the power of the beards that helped the music to come out. That may be true. We were in our studio for months though, we had been working here and there for almost a year on the records, but in the winter of last year, we really locked ourselves away in our studio and worked day and night for around 2 months straight. We drank a lot of red wine and ate a lot of chocolate (the best) and we also got not enough sleep and started to go a little crazy (worst). But it was a fantastic experience, something i am looking forward to doing again very soon.
– How do you decide which songs gets lyrics and do you write the lyrics for the songs or do you leave this to the singer?
We write the lyrics ourselves for everything on the album except for “sunlight”. We collaborated and co-wrote that song with Dan Black entirely over Email!! Something new for us! As for deciding what gets lyrics, often we are writing a song music and lyrics at the same time so i would say rather that the songs choose themselves.
– You also worked with a lot of people/singers together for the record – how did you get in contact with them, how did the involvement of them look like?
With most of the singers, they are local musicians and friends of ours from Australia. We wrote the song and then I sang a demo version of it and basically we went into the studio with the guest vocalists and recorded them singing. We chose artists who all have (we think) very beautiful voices and who don’t usually do electronic stuff (apart form Dan Black) and for us that was the point, so that we could use their voices for something different and in our style.
– ‘Castles In The Air’ is one of our favorite songs from ‘Bag Raiders’ – can you tell us what it is about, how it was done and if there is a story behind it?
It took a long time this song. It had its beginnings in Bali, Indonesia when i was fooling around with some saxophone sounds. There was a cool riff but it took a long time working together in the studio to make it work properly as a finished track.
– What are you doing if your not making music?
Probably eating, performing music, or sitting on a plane somewhere. But if it’s summer time we are usually swimming.
– You’re also doing remixes – what – in your opinion – should a good remix be like?
A good remix should bring a fresh perspective to the song, and make it interesting in a different way. It should look like an artwork cut into many pieces and put back together with some new pieces to form a new picture.
– What are your first steps when you’re doing remixes?
Usually we try to take a small part of the song such as the vocal and then build a whole new thing around it. For us we try to do something different every time. We try to take a snippet of our favorite part of the song and create a good groove with it, before we turn it into something else..
– What did you learn in 2010?
We learned the discipline of creating our first album!!! Patience is required!
– What were your three favorite records of 2010? Why?
Beach House – Teen Dream.
I have never grown tired of this record and i have listened to it a LOT…It is very beautiful. The voice, the organ sounds, the drum machine sounds, i LOVE this record. So relaxing, so good, so right..
Washed Out – Feel it All Around . This was a big summer record..It was the perfect thing to put on on a summer afternoon when you were lazing about, coming back from the beach, drinking beer..
OST & KJEX – Cajun Lunch . This is a VERY cool record from a Norwegan Band. It’s reminding me of something somewhere between Hot Chip and some old Blues/funk sounding records but a lot more European Techno. Incredible, worth a listen.
– You’ve just visited Berlin for some days – what did you see/what did you like most?
We saw a lot of cool stuff, historical things like the Wall and the Brandenburg Gate etc. But what was really cool was all the artwork on the buildings all around the city. It is a thriving city of very creative people and it shows when you are walking around, you can feel the life. We were also surprised to see that drinking beer in the street is allowed here, and we enjoyed a few (many) great german beers in the sun in the park.
– What are your next plans?
Touring, touring and more touring!!! We have a lot of shows to do all around the world! Then we will try to sit down and create another album. And then MORE TOURING!!!!
– Which song would fit to your actual situation?
Do it Now by Dubtribe Soundsystem. Because the best time to do anything is now!!!
– How would your “Bedroomdisco” look like?
Fairy Lights everywhere and people wearing funny outfits..Maybe it is a pyjama party.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSgcOuh9j7Y&feature=channel_video_title
