Sitting across from an empty chair and talking to a person via my fingers on a keyboard is not a usual part of my interviewing technique, but is required in order to interview one Evan Dorrian, drummer for the Canberra-based rock band Switch 3. Dorrian is unavailable for a conventional chat so we resort to the wonders of the world wide web…

But first. a history lesson: Long-time friends Maf Davis and Mick Hoorweg formed Switch 3 in 2002 with Mick on bass and Maf on lead vocals and playing guitar alongside his brother Ben. It was a rainy day in 2005 when Evan Dorrian auditioned for the role of drummer. He was one of many hopefuls interviewed that day but something between the lads clicked and Dorrian was successful in earning the gig as drummer for the band.

Since that fateful rainy day, he boys have kept busy releasing the Memories Fade EP with video clip, touring Japan, playing the Spring Festival at Perisher Blue Ski Resort, amusing Saturday Disney viewers and playing as many shows as they could. “It was a very busy time for me especially. I had to learn all this material that the boys had written,” laughed Evan.

Since then the band have supported some big acts including international bands such as CKY (USA), From Autumn To Ashes (USA) and No Use For A Name (USA) and Australian acts such as Kisschasy, The Butterfly Effect and even Screaming Jets. “We had a rad time at all those shows, its hard not to! NUFAN (No Use For A Name) stands out though, that was a massive night! If we were around in the day though, I would have loved to play with Queen. Those guys were so influential. And it would be worth it just to see Freddie in his spandex of course!”

2006 was just as busy for them, focusing more on getting material ready for their debut album which is due out later this year. “It’s all very collective” Evan noted when asked about their writing process. “There is no set format for writing, we just start with one idea and extrapolate from there. Often it will be more of a vibe than anything. As in this song is meant to be sombre or happy and we work out our parts appropriately.”

Evan believes that one reason they have managed to gain such a large and loyal following over such a short amount of time is because, as a band, they are so accessible. They have the ability to be contacted by fans via their website and ‘myspace’ account at any time, and a band member will personally reply. After shows, the band stays at the venue to hang out and have a drink with fans. “They’re just damn cool!” He announced, “I hope nobody is scared to talk to us!” As a pure and simple rock band, they have fans from all genres crossing over to them. “We don’t write music for a specific group of people so it makes sense that all types of people can get into it.”

Evan thinks the changing face of the music scene is a very good thing. He believes that change is a very important aspect in music because it opens up more and more opportunities to for artists and for the expansion of music in general. “Its up to the musicians to adapt to the change in scene and industry. The best artists will do this no worries!” However, he really does not understand the emergence of the ‘emo’ trend. “I think emo is nothing more than a fashion. Emotion is nothing new in music.”

Switch 3’s album is now back from New York, where it got sent to be mastered. Evan, Maf, Mick and Ben are now going through the compulsory processes of photo shoots, and working with photographer Ali Nasseri to figure out and work on the concept of the artwork to go into the album inlay, and choosing the design to go on the disk when it is distributed.

“We are so stoked about this. We have worked so hard and long to get to where we are now and we finally have something to show for it. A full-length album, which contains the songs we put our lives into. The music is no longer inanimate; it’s a solid object. We can hold it in our hands and be proud of it. This is like our baby. And we get to show it to the country.”

Their album remains untitled, and the track listing is not yet finalised, but we can look forward to the album release in the next few months. Stay tuned to FasterLouder for details