THE BASICS

Name : Aidan
Band : The Knives of Neptune
Job In Band : Bass, Backing Vocals
Website : www.theknivesofneptune.tk
Hometown : Melbourne

THE BAND

What's the story behind the name?
That is a question for either Wayne (Guitar) or Corey (Drums)... they already had the name when I joined.

How did the band come together?
After the end of Fallopion Tube, Wayne and Corey decided they still wanted to make music and formed the Knives of Neptune. Originally, they planned to make the band a two piece but soon decided that this was limiting what they could do with the songs so they recruited me. My old band played a few shows with Fallopion Tube, so they knew me from that. Then they asked Matt (who played bass in Fallopion Tube) to sing and Stuart (who was also in Fallopion Tube) to play keys. That all happened between June and July, 2003. The lineup stayed like that until a few months ago until Panag replaced Stuart on keys. I knew Panag from my other band Mondo Cane which he sings and plays keys in.

How long has the band been around?
Since July 2003

Briefly describe your sound…
We tend to range from very loud, noisy and spacey to quite soft (to point of including acoustic guitars in our set) and everything in between. We try and create something that is very dynamic in terms of the sound and the feel through the music. I guess to us also, the vocals are not as prominent as they are in some bands in that they form one of the layers that makes up our songs.

A few influences…
Mars Volta, At the Drive In, Flaming Lips, the Doors, the Pixies, Muse, Radiohead, …trail of dead, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Sonic Youth, Nirvana etc (could go on for ages)

What's your current release? Tell us a little about it…
"Digital Bildungsroman" is our current release, it's our debut EP and follows up from our demo from late 2003. It has 6 tracks and is out Nationally as of January 4 through Music Farmers. We recorded it in July at Clockwork Studios in the west of Melbourne with a friend of ours Andrew Jackson (he also did our demo). It was mixed and mastered throughout August and September and is finally about to come out so we're pretty happy. It's been a long process and we're keen to start writing some new tracks. A track off the EP, "Lure of the Chorus Hearse" can be downloaded for free at www.mp3.com.au/theknivesofneptune for anyone who's keen for a sneak peak!

OFF THE STAGE

When did you decide you had to be a musician, and how did you go about it?
I've loved music ever since I was a kid and I decided that I wanted to start playing guitars when I was about 14. Saved up and bought some equipment when I was 15 and haven't looked back since.

What was your first band name and what style did you play?
Short Measure, really ordinary punk band (everyone has to start somewhere).

Tell us three albums you couldn't live without in your collection…
Mars Volta - Deloused in the Commatorium
…Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

Best piece of musical advice you've been given…
Play what you love, not what you think other people will love

Two groups/artists you'd love to take out on the road…
If I could pick any current band to tour with it have to be the Mars Volta. Out of all the bands that I know I'd love to take Rivken (Melbourne band) on the road with us purely because they are fucking amazing and people really need to sit up and take notice.

Favourite song of your group?
The new song we just finished. It goes by the working title of "Serpent". Off the EP my favourite is "Return the Sailor to Water" which is the last track.

The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is…
The thought of playing to a bunch of fresh faces and getting to play everyday. There's nothing better.

The thing you least look forward to before a tour is…
The inevitable back pain and bad humour involved with spending that much time in a van.

When your not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing?
Spending time with friends, working, reading, writing, playing guitar at home, going to shows, listening to music etc.

ON THE STAGE

What gear do you use?
Belman 4 string bass, Fender Jazz 4 string bass, AMPEG B2 - 300 Watt Preamp, LANEY 300 Watt Quadbox.

Favourite place you've played… and why?
I really liked Brisbane because I'm a sucker for warm weather and the people are really nice usually. Plus Turnpike are from Brisbane!

Favourite venue to perform at… and why?
Has to be the Pony Bar in Melbourne.

Who hogs the stereo in the van the most?
We all bring a bunch of mix tapes for the road so we just rotate between all of them so we don't hear the same songs over and over.

Who in your group has the worst "bad habit" on tour, and what is it?
Our singer Matt and I am not going to say, for his sake!!!

Most embarrassing moment on tour?
On the first tour we ever did we played at a house party in Albury on the way home on the Sunday. It was our singers birthday and it was about 35 degrees so we told him he had to get really drunk. He isn't a very big drinker though and after about 8 beers in the first hour he was starting to get really drunk. Now this place had an outside toilet that used to be a 'pull the chain' type of flushing system but it had been changed to a regular 'push the button' type however the chain was still there (although not connected). Anyway because Matt was so drunk he didn't see the button and was pulling on the chain trying to flush the toilet but it wouldn't flush ... so he pulled harder... and harder ... and harder until the wall unit fell off the wall and shattered the whole toilet all over the floor. It made the loudest noise so everyone there ran over to see what was going on. Needless to say we laughed all the way home and Matt spent the drive home very seedy and very embarrassed.

Give us a good quick 'on the road' story, funny, embarrassing, memorable, whatever…
See previous question.

RIGHT NOW

What's getting the most spins in your stereo right now?
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus
The Nation Blue - Damnation
Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
The Avalanches - El Producto

Tell us a band or artist everyone should check out and why…
I'm giving you two, because I'm a wench,
Rivken, they're a band we're friends with from Melbourne. Probably the best new Australian band I've heard in the last year or two. They're about to bring out their debut EP and it is seriously worth getting. They're influenced by bands/artists like: Fireside, Jawbreaker, Jimmy Eat World, Sparta, the Smiths, Tool, Jeff Buckley, Helmet and Radiohead. They have 2 of the tracks from the demo available for download at: www.mp3.com.au/rivken
Mondo Cane, in an act of shameless self promotion on my behalf (Panag and myself from the Knives of Neptune are both in the band). We're influenced by bands/artists like: the Pixies, Godspeed, Mogwai, Muse, Portishead, …Trail of Dead, Augie March etc. We have the 2 tracks off our demo as well as a bunch of live practice takes available for download at: www.mp3.com.au/mondocane

A word of advice to those slugging it out in empty pubs on Tuesday nights…
Have faith in yourself and those around you because if you don't then know one else will.