Effigy on the Radio

PART 1: DOODLES IN THE BEDROOM

[ Music: 'Lovers' ]

Francis Leach: On Triple J, a sound which, well, most of you will be most familiar with by now. Its from Effigy and a great song called 'Lovers'. And two of the members of Effigy join me tonight on the Oz Music Show - Pete and Annie. Nice to meet you both. Thanks for coming in.

Annie: Hello.

Pete: Hello.

Francis: Tell me this - because this is such a great single and such a great song, what did you guys think when... was that an easy one to write? Did it all come together really quickly? Did you all look at each other and go ‘that's a single'? Anything like that?

Pete: (to Annie) How did that one work out?

Annie: Um - it sounded really good when we recorded it.

Pete: I didn't know - just before we moved to Melbourne, we started playing that.

Francis: So you wrote that one back in Perth days?

Pete: Yeah. It was just...yeah, I remember playing that particular cord and then that was coming along okay and then - for some particular reason - I started playing the chorus. I didn't intend to write it like that - it just happened.

Francis: Were you jamming at the time?

Pete: It was a bedroom job. Yeah - slaving over a hot 4-track.

Francis: (laughs) And it was burning! The levels were going wild?

Pete: Yeah.

Francis: Is that where most of the Effigy stuff is born - in the bedroom?

Pete: Well, it varies I suppose... but, yeah... often I spend a lot of time in my bedroom...with my ...various recording...bits and pieces.

Francis: Do you invite the band in as well or is this a very private affair, Pete?

Pete: I - I don't know. It depends. If the tape sounds good enough, I'll play it to people, but usually its just for me to...to...doodle over the top of.

Francis: Get some ideas happening?

Pete: Yeah.

Francis: Okay. So, what sort of processes - Annie - with Pete doodling in the bedroom...what happens after that?

Annie: We jam and if it sounds good when we're jamming it, we keep jamming it...

Pete: If they don't like it, they go ‘go away' and its back to the drawing board.

Annie: Its not very often that we don't like it. Most of the time, the tunes are great.

Francis: Okay, but you do have quite an equal say in - sort of - whether something works or not?

Pete: No, I can't make people play stuff if they don't like it.

Francis: You must know down deep, Pete, as well, if its not working?

Pete: Yeah, but I listen to a lot of different styles of music and if I'm...I mean, those guys probably couldn't stand - um - blues and things like that...that I'm listening to.

Annie: Or rap.

Pete: Yeah. Or anything, so if I go off on a tangent - even though I might be enjoying it - I suspect that they would probably reject it.

Francis: Okay. That leads me on to the question of the influences of a band like Effigy, because I just read in print - Smashing Pumpkins, Porno for Pyros... I don't know. I'm not really convinced with those two comparisons, or those two - sort of like - influences being named. Annie - what do you reckon? Where do you reckon the main influences are coming from with Effigy?

Annie: I think it started with the Pixies.

Pete: Yeah, I guess so. Just makes you want to pick up a guitar...

Annie: Yeah, its still elements of that - the way the songs break down - just the different parts is very Pixies-like.

Pete: Its interesting you're saying that, like, 4AD has been a big sound, and I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed that interview you did with Iva Watts Russell.

Francis: That goes back a few years.

Pete: I've still got it on tape because its got some great songs on it and some really interesting insights into him.

Francis: I don't think he's done an interview since then and - not that I put him off doing interviews - but I kind of think he doesn't - he didn't really do many interviews talking about the label and talking about the bands. I think he said after that one "I don't think I'll do another one."

Pete: It was a great interview, especially since 4AD records make up half my record collection.

Francis: Is that right? Run through some of the favourites. For people who don't know who 4AD (http://www.4AD.com/frameset.html) have put out - the Pixies...

Pete: Throwing Muses, Cocteau... The Cocteau Twins are big favourites.

Francis: Do you have all the Cocteau Twins albums?

Pete: Ah ha. Jason loves them too.

Francis: Jason's your drummer.

Pete: Yeah!

Francis: Cocteau Twins made some beautiful records. They still do.

Pete: They do. They do indeed. But, I guess - Belly, and there's many others. The last Pale Saints album - I think it was called ‘Slow Buildings'.

Francis: That's kind of where the area that I can see Effigy coming from. Not the Porno for Pyros, not the Smashing Pumpkins. Although there is a similarity between the way Billy Corgan sings and the way that you sing.

Pete: I suppose so. There's that...the polarities, the sweetness - and the venom - I guess. I don't know...

Francis: Can you hear it, Annie?

Annie: Yeah...yeah...

Francis: You can hear the comparison in the sound of his voice?

Pete: But I don't really listen to him - that's the thing, I suppose.

Francis: Its just coincidence?

Annie: Well, its the voice really. That's the Smashing Pumpkin element rather than anything else. And perhaps the ‘tunefulness' of it.

Francis: Especially all those new-romantic comparisons. I guess that's the frilly...

Annie: That's the frocks.

Pete: Yes, that's the frocks.

Francis: We'll talk about the frocks in just a moment, but we should hear another piece from the album, and this is another one that we've been playing of late on Triple J. From Effigy - ‘I Give In', on Triple J.

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