TTT

Thu 6th May, 2010 in Features

Recently shortening their name from Tic Toc Tokyo, TTT take in a wide range of influences to create their own uniquely percussive experimental-indie sound. The band’s instrumentation is prone to change between songs, so it’s not uncommon to see one or more of Simon Gibbs, Marty Umanski, Nicolaas Oogjes and Adrian Vecino banging away on drums, guitar, bass or even trumpet. FL spoke to Simon about Melbourne’s music scene, sharing a stage with Pivot and the upcoming launch of debut album Lands.

Hi Simon. Firstly, what was behind the recent change of moniker, from Tic Toc Tokyo down to just TTT?

We felt a shorter name would look bigger on the posters! Plus, there has been confusion with other similarly named bands.

Are you all into similar kinds of music, or do the four of you have separate influences? How do these meld together in your material?

There are definitely bands and types of music that we all like, but as a general rule I would say our musical influences are quite distinct from one another. I guess this works because we all make music from our own different points of view, which also means the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

What was the intention when it came to recording an album – to capture your live sound, to expand beyond what can be reproduced live, both…?

We wanted to make a work in which there was a link between themes, both musical and lyrical. Making an album means that you have more time in which to draw in the listener, and also to experiment with new ideas, simply because of its longer format. We wanted the record to be something that you could listen to as a whole, as well as just individual tracks.

How would you describe the lyrical themes of Lands?

There were definitely themes that we are interested in writing about; history, ancestry, place, society and ritual all kept cropping up in our collective consciousness. The notion of ‘land(s)’ was an important theme too; where you come from, where you live, who has ownership of the land, how the land was here long before we were and will continue long after. Other ideas of absurdity and humour, in relation to such themes, are also explored.

You have been gigging regularly for a good few years now – would any of you have a favourite show that you’ve played? Favourite venue?

Personally, I loved playing the Spanish Club in Melbourne – now sadly no longer a music venue. There seemed something very unique and special about it. More recently, the shows we have just played with Pivot in Sydney and Melbourne were both memorable and exciting for us.

What was it like playing alongside an artist’s exhibition [Johanna Billing at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art]?

Really interesting. All 14 acts covered the same Roky Erickson song, and it was fascinating to see how other people interpreted it. We had to learn the song and then almost ‘un-learn’ it to find our own way of performing it, which was a new process for us!

Who has been your favourite act to share the stage with?

Wow, many! We’d probably all say different things, so I’ll pick four and say Pivot, Spiral Stairs, Vampillia and Rat vs Possum’s Tote residency.

So how did the band originally come together?

We met through mutual friends and started rehearsing through a shared desire to play music. I remember for me, at that time, that I was completely spurred on by wanting to play music with other people and to be able to play a show, just one show. I thought that would be mind-blowing!

You’ve got a bit of an usual setup, with multiple vocalists who also share percussive duties. How did this kind of instrumentation come about?

I guess through learning to be free in rehearsals, having the confidence to experiment and try things out. It feels very important that we should try new things and find our own way of making and playing music.

How does TTT write a song, how does the process work for you?

Mostly there is a start point on which we jam, but that can be anything; a bass riff, or a vocal melody, or a trumpet solo. Over time we experiment with structure, instrumentation, adding things, taking things away. This process continues as we play the song live too. It is a process of development and refinement.

The album artwork for Lands is certainly very striking. Were there any particular inspirations, or effects you wanted to convey?

Most importantly, the concept was for the cover to convey a sense of the album’s mood and intent, and to relate to the idea of ‘lands’, so hopefully that comes across. The artwork was designed by Adrian using paintings by a Melbourne artist, Noël Skrzypczak.

You’ve also got many other interesting pieces of art floating around your Myspace, among other places. Who handles the visuals, generally?

All of our gig posters have been done by Nic and Adrian. We’re really keen on the idea of having a different poster for every gig, of making it an event in itself. Because I’m not involved in that aspect, it’s always really exciting for me to find out what the poster is going to look like!

Your music has been featured on radio stations across the country, video clips aired on Rage and you’ve played with such amazing bands as Pivot… what’s given you the biggest buzz, in terms of exposure?

Personally, It’s very exciting to play to new audiences, I think we all really enjoy performing live and I love the fact of being so in the moment. It’s also very exciting to hear a song on the radio, I always find that amazing too!

TTT songs very pretty wildly in style, from processional soundscapes to left-of-centre pop like Ladies In Vogue. Do you just go wherever a song takes you, or is it a conscious effort to vary things up?

I think there are common themes within the songs, both musically and lyrically. It is still the four of us making it, there is no conscious effort to vary things. It’s quite hard to be objective, being so close to the songs, but I recognise that there are always different forces pulling our sound in different directions.

And finally, what other Melbourne bands are you liking at the moment?

Lots! A few off the top of my head, who I’ve seen recently and loved, are: World’s End Press, Sailors and Swine, Rat vs Possum, Gosteleradio, Peace Out!, Free Choice Duo, Tantrums, The Night Terrors… the list could go on!