HAIRCARE's debut EP, HAIRXARE, is out now! We chat to frontman Broderick Madden-Scott about their music and more.
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On their debut EP, HAIRXARE, Western Australian band HAIRCARE create an introspective escapist soundtrack that reflects upon their own personal experiences.
Band members Broderick Madden-Scott, Benny Trouchet and Jack Gaby were originally members of the band Spaceman. After some time, the trio invited drummer Oscar Van Gas to play with them, solidifying themselves as a new act.
Through experimentation and exploration of sounds, HAIRCARE arrived at the alternative rock/indie lo-fi nostalgic sounds prevalent on the release. The band mixed and produced the EP themselves, something they found to be laborious at times, but ultimately rewarding.
Read our full interview with HAIRCARE frontman Broderick Madden-Scott below!
Tell us a bit how you started your musical journey…
To be honest I was kinda forced into it by my parents (luckily). I had years of formal piano lessons when I was younger which turned out to be pretty helpful haha. Through these lessons I slowly developed my own taste of what I wanted from music and ended up teaching myself guitar. It wasn’t until the second band (Spaceman) that I started singing and writing a lot.
How did the band form and where did the band name come from?
Well Benny, Jack and I were all members of Spaceman. That band broke up and for ages there was nothing. I had some songs eventually and asked Oscar to come and play drums, and for ages we were jamming ideas and finding ourselves as a new band. The name didn’t come till later, it was a classic process of elimination. We all had band name lists and this one stuck the most for some reason.
Congratulations on a stellar debut release! Your new EP HAIRXARE is full of fun and captivating tracks, with quirky and playful moments. But also touches on personal issues, creating introspective moments. Could you tell us about the release and the themes explored throughout?
THANKS! These songs are from those initial exploration days of the band but to be honest, many of them have gone through their 4th, even 5th revisions. Its crazy listening to the original demos, they’re pretty much different songs. Thematically a lot of it deals with some personal things from before Haircare was formed. Lots of emotions are tied to the lyrics, some songs deal with multiple subjects as well. Take what you will from them but I suppose the overall vibe is a lot of reflection and introspection portrayed with an escapists soundtrack.
A track by track insight into each song on HAIRXARE...
On The Side (1st revision): Lyrically this song deals with existential doubt and then taking chances so you don’t get hung up. This song pretty much wrote itself and it’s the most recent tune in terms of timeline! For Koji (5th revision): An ode to the legend Koji Kondo. Any one who has played a game he has scored or written on will know what we mean. This song was a total journey haha 5th time around with a lot of trickery and we got it right. When Your High (2nd revision): Growing apart from the friends you had in high school is hard and sad but its not always your fault. This song used to rock out tbh. We decided on the latin vibe to give it a bit more feel and less angst. Sorry That I’ve Made You Feel This Way (2nd revision): Core song has stayed the same for this track but almost all of the parts have been re-recorded or re-written from the original lines! This song is about letting your loved ones down accidently and feeling mad at yourself for it. Hot Topic (2nd revision): Long drawn out breakups and hostility leave their mark. Try to avoid it. At one point this song was verging on synth odyssey but got quickly vetoed back to an earlier revision by Jack, bless him.
How did you arrive at the alternative rock/indie lo-fi nostalgia sounds prevalent on the tracks?
Lots of exploration. Big shout out to ring-mods, delays and vibrato.
You mixed and produced the EP yourselves, what was that experience like? And what are the advantages of having that control over your own music?
It’s an absolute nightmare but the rewards are worth it. There is literally nothing worse than having full control and therefore responsibility over the sonics and writing at the same time. You experience the lowest lows and the highest highs. There’s nothing in between.
What messages do you hope listeners take away from HAIRXARE?
Love yourself, believe in yourself and don’t be someone you’re not.
Could you tell us a bit about your collaborative creative process when writing and recording songs?
Sometimes for me it’s really hard at the start but its super worth it at the end. Hot Topic wouldn’t exist without everyone’s input and it’s probably one of the better songs we have ever written.
Australia has a diverse and vibrant music scene, who are some of your favourite Aussie acts?
New Nausea and Aborted Tortoise always blow me away live, big love for Jade Imagine, The Ghoulies, Body Type, Carla Geneve, Pond, Terrible Signal. I can't remember everyone!! Theres too many.
What has been the most challenging part about creating music during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Even though a lot of the time you’re doing nothing because of the restrictions you still feel distracted by the pandemic. It’s hard and weird but it’s starting to feel a bit better in WA at the moment. We’ve made some progress in the last two weeks which is refreshing!!
How do you feel your music speaks to listeners?
I have no idea and I think it’s a little bit counter intuitive to think about how our music is perceived. The sounds and the themes are extensions of ourselves. People can take what they want from it.
The global pandemic has put a halt to touring and performing live. Do you have any post-pandemic touring plans? And what can audiences expect from a Haircare live show?
We have an EP launch in Perth at our favourite new venue, Barbes, where we will be showcasing the songs on the EP and potentially some new material if we feel right about it! Touring is definitely on the cards once the pandemic runs its course.
RAPID FIRE
Biggest influences?
Having Hair.
Dream collaboration? Haircare x Garnier.
Album that has had the most impact on you?
Broadcast - Tender Buttons.
How do you define your musical style in 3 words? Whatever comes out.
Best song of 2020?
Hotline Bling? Idk??
If you could create the soundtrack for any film, which one would it be? Some western or sci-fi.
The best/most memorable show you’ve ever performed? The Espy – San Cisco Tour.
Album you would listen to on repeat on a road trip?
Dire Straights.
Best concert you have been to?
No Zu @ Campdoogs.
Last concert you went to? Hidden Treasures, didn’t get in though.
Guilty music pleasure?
Ambience/difficult listening or anything before the 60’s,
If you could support any artist on tour, who would it be? Paul Simon or David Byrne.
An artist you think has had the most influence on the music industry?
Probably The Ghoulies.
What advice would you give yourself a year from now? Avoid pandemics when you can.
The moment you knew you wanted to be a musician?
I don’t know but Rage Against The Machine helped me find it.