For Dappled Cities Fly, "It'sall happening right now."

Thu 18th May, 2006 in Features

“This whole international thing is very exciting at the moment… I’m on the verge of wetting my pants right now just talking about it…”


Arty indie chaps, Dappled Cities Fly are currently roaming around this vast country on tour with Gerling.

As I talk to guitarist and singer, Dave about lots of things, our line is disconnected numerous times. We were finally able to chat after the fellows stopped at Kew (which Dave informs me has souvenirs that read Farr Kew). He tells me they’re on the way to Coffs Harbour through forest and trees to play a show that night, with all of them couped up in a Tarago with only a New Idea, Kit Kat and Elton John tape to keep them sane.

The boys have recently been extremely busy with numerous events. One being the current tour with Gerling; in which an arranged soccer match between the two never came to pass due to Gerling’s frustration with DCF’s tardiness in arriving to the match. Another being overseas visits, where Dave insists he wasn’t mugged, but was swindled “They took 20 pounds and a bit of my dignity”. And also, the recording of the new album, which they will continue producing when they hop on a plane heading for L.A. the day after the last show of this cuurent tour.

“We’re going back to the same area in L.A. with the same producers to finish off what we started… We originally started recording with the intent of making an EP and then it was just going so swimmingly, that we collectively decided to turn it into an album.”

When their eccentric pop debut album A Crooked Smile came out in 2004, it received praise from street press and radio alike, usually receiving the title of album of the week. The album was recorded with virtually no budget or time with songs that had been held in their repertoire for years and although it was quite successful, the band is happy that there is room for improvement.

“It was a very good album to release…We were very happy with it…..It was a really good place to develop from. The first album was good, it could be better, but it was great that it wasn’t the best thing in the world… it’s like a platform to move on, to bigger and better things. We’re sort of relieved that it allows us to develop.”

What can be expected of the album they’re currently recording? A double album? Songs filled with just animal noises? Disco? Baroque?

“We definitely had enough songs for a double album, so we were thinking, let’s make a double album, then we thought no, then we thought some other things like maybe we could make a whole secret album on the back of the actual album, but that was a no as well because of all the certain restrictions. But we are certainly going to try to make this one kinda interesting and funny in other ways.”

The recording process for DCF is somewhat democratic. Main songwriters Dave and Tim bring in songs, usually sing on the ones they write, and then they all contribute harmonies, instruments and “deciding whether their (the songs, are) a Bee Gee’s rip off, or an Elton John rip off…..or a Jack Black rip off.”

Not only are DCF extremely creative, clever, and fair with their song-writing, but they are also an exceptional live act, as their shows are often filled with hilarity, candy, smiles and quirky antics that are too tempting to miss. The highlight of show is often the song ‘The Birds’, which usually involves crowds yelping while trying to imitate birds. So will it be included on the album?

“We’re recording it. We’re recording about 20 songs and culling it from there… It might just remain this big live extravaganza that everyone knows simply from the shows. But time will tell.”

Dappled Dave informs me that the new album won’t be extremely dancey, but will tend to be “grand…Beach Boys-esque… pop…with grand instruments…..with a very very very early working title of ‘Capture the Future Nature Feature.’”

“It was just another way to fuck up DJs when they try and announce either our name or our album name. All our songs are called ridiculous things, like Farr Kew.”

And as no surprise, the fellows are making their name known around the globe.

“This whole international thing is very exciting at the moment… I’m on the verge of wetting my pants right now just talking about it. The word ‘international’ gets me hot! It’s really great to be finally venturing out of our fine brown country to yellow L.A. and grey London.”

And lucky for us, they already have some songs in store for the third album. Think, “Big, Disco”.

Expect a single and probably an album before the end of the year. Until then, all you can do is wait and smile.

N.B. Dave’s favourite colour is orange!

Dappled Cities Fly are currently on the road with Gerling. Their album, A Crooked Smile, is available from all  good record stores…