The state heats for Garage to V are upon us and Victoria’s best up and coming bands are up for a slot on the mainstage at V Festival. Meet one of the contenders Armin Firman.
Answered by Tommy Whitty
Was music always an important part of your life?
Music has certainly always had a fairly significant impact on me. I remember being depressed as a child when I listened to sad love songs, which is probably not very – œnormal’. On the other hand, as soon as I was old enough to carry the weight of a guitar, I’ve been playing music with friends, so in that way it has been a bit of a social lubricant for me. So yeah, music has played important roles in my life, both good and bad.
What’s your earliest musical memory?
My family used to travel to Queensland from Victoria for holidays every now and then. The trip, especially for a child, is a really long one. My earliest musical memory, I think, is sitting next to my brother Sammy (who is in Armen Firman with me) and listening to Bruce Springsteen’s – œI’m On Fire’. I love that song.
How would you describe your band’s music?
It’s such a tough question that I’m sure any band struggles to answer. I mean, my own interpretation of our music changes day to day. Sometimes I think we’re a very artistic and thoughtful band. Other times, I think we’re a bunch of rock n’ roll louts with nothing better to do. Essentially, I guess we make alternative rock music, which probably covers all grounds.
What are your musical influences?
Personally, I’ve got a fairly solid rock library. I listen to heaps of different music, mostly from that genre. As a songwriter, I’m influenced by bands like Kashmir, Stone Temple Pilots, and Queens of the Stone Age. On a more local front, I really like the music people like Bertie Blackman, Gotye and Sparkadia make. I think they have an intelligent approach to music, which is very sincere and admirable. The other guys in the band have fairly different musical backgrounds. They’ve come from a jazz perspective, so I would say their influences are far more eclectic.
Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the V Festival?
Well I was in Barcelona last year and I saw Smashing Pumpkins play an incredible set that went for over two hours. The show was amazing. It was an awesome experience to hear new Pumpkins material, but even their older songs sounded as fresh as they did 10 years ago. That said, for me, Era Vulgaris was the best album of 2007, so I’m going to say Queens of the Stone Age.
If you win Garage to V what would you have in your rider?
Something to calm the nerves… maybe a bottle of wine and some soft cheese? I’m guessing the other guys would want scotch though, being the cheeky drunkards that they are.
What artist would you want to share a sneaky backstage pash with at the V fest? Why?
Josh Homme… I wanna make it, I wanna make it wit choo.
Who would you like to share a dressing room with and why?
The answer is obvious… Air. There’s only two of them I think, so there’d be a bit of room to move. Plus they’re French, so they’re bound to have good cheese and wine! On top of that, for some reason I just can’t imagine people who make music like they do to be rude or aggressive. Plus Moon Safari is one of my favourite albums of all time, so I’d like to meet the people behind that masterpiece.
What’s the key ingredient for having at great day at V festival?
Relaxation. If everyone focuses on enjoying the sounds, no one could possibly have a bad time. Look at that line-up!
How important are competitions like Garage to V in the ongoing success of your band?
Well for us, I’d say it has provided unprecedented exposure which we will forever be grateful for. G2V is one of those very rare musical competitions that fosters and focuses on the music, which is to be applauded. There are not many people out there willing to take a chance on young bands these days, so this sort of opportunity is one we are genuinely thrilled to be a part of, regardless of the outcome.
*Don’t miss your chance to see the bands battle it out for a spot in the finals. RSVP HERE for the gig at Toff in Town on Feb 26.*
to listen to their music now on 