Dean Bates, Singer in Here Come The Birds
How
did you get your start in the music industry?
I actually started as a
drummer and played in a few bands, but I eventually pursued the fire burning inside
of me to sing in a barbershop quartet…that didn't last long so I started
singing for Here Come the Birds. It's the best job I have had yet!
Best
part of the job?
The best part of the job is being able to express yourself
in a fairly unique way and the fact that people seem to enjoy it. Performing is
definitely that best part of being in a band - it's really the reason why we do
what we do.
Worst part of the job?
The money! It's really hard
to make money in the music industry - especially these days. People are buying
less and less music because they can get it for free. It's not all bad though.
We never started a band to make money - it would just be a nice fringe benefit!
Any interesting experiences you can share?
Playing at Splendour
In The Grass was an interesting experience that I don't see myself forgetting
for a while. Not only getting to play on that massive stage but the whole experience.
I got to meet some of my idols and hang out and drink beers with them backstage
like it was all a normal thing to happen! The afterparty was interesting…one
of our band members may have had a few too many beers and performed a flaming
mangina for The Presets… it was hilarious and disgusting all in one.
Favourite
CD of all time and why?
Soundgarden - Superunknown. This is my favourite
CD of all time because they were the first band I ever saw live and I love every
track on this album. Simple as that.
Tell us about the best live show
that you ever saw?
Best live show I ever saw would have to be a three
way tie between Dave Matthews Band at State Theatre a few years ago, Rage Against
the Machine and Muse in Sydney this year. I know I cheated by nominating three
but I couldn't help it - all of these shows were amazing in their own way and
I would feel bad singling one out from the other.
Favourite bars/clubs/pubs
to hang out in?
Favourite clubs in Sydney would have to be Oxford Art
Factory, World Bar and Club 77. There are way too many to name all the good pubs
but there are a few with some nostalgic value to us like the Gaslight and the
Lansdowne that are worth mentioning.
What advice would you give to someone
looking at getting involved in the
music industry?
Have fun with it
and appreciate what you have all the time.
Take us through a typical
"day in the life of Here Come The Birds".
Well, basically it
involves 9-5 jobs at the moment. We are a reasonably clever bunch made up of a
psychologist, environmental engineer, environmental scientist, a HR advisor and
a mining industry type. So we spend our 40 hours a week shirking our work responsibilities
to use the net and talk on the phones to the rest of the guys in the band to organise
tours, PR, releases and Video Clips. You know, all the fun stuff! Otherwise, when
we are together and not working, it is all about practice and getting up to as
much mischief as possible, because as we all know, it is fun to have fun with
friends! When on tour, we have been known to come up with some outlandish conversations
that don't really make sense, some examples that won't be explained include the
invention of Computer Pies and the screen play for 'Have all the Cookies in the
World…'
Any news or final comments?
We have a few gigs coming
up:
w/ Dukes of Windsor - 27th November - Cambridge Hotel - Newcastle
w/
Dukes of Windsor - 28th November - Sonar - Luna Park
Beach Party w/ Getaway
Plan, Beautiful Girls and Little Red - 30th November - Newcastle Uni
w/ Calling
all Cars - 13th December - QUT Guild Bar - Brisbane
w/ Calling all Cars - 14th
December - Great Northern Hotel - Byron Bar
Hope to see you there!
www.myspace.com/herecomethebirds
