The Music industry is a hard business, but throw a bunch of 14 year olds into the mix, and the pressure is on. Reverb spoke to the lead vocalist of No Pressure, Josh Keane, to ask what it takes to be in a working band while still in Year 8.
A lot has been made of your ages. If I am right, all members are 13 and 14 years old. Are you sick of this being brought up all the time?
Not so much sick of it, as it’s a real eye opener for people when they see how young we actually are. We are pretty lucky as not many young people get to do what we do at this age. So we are stoked we have been accepted for who we are and what we do.
Being the age you are, what are some of the problems you have faced as a working band?
Well its mainly just “immatureness” to do with any problems with the band, but we do cop a lot at school as well. At a lot of venues due to our age and alcohol regulations we have to play and leave straight away and there is the odd gig we miss out on because we’re not over 18. There is a perception at times because we are young that people don’t expect us to be very good. It’s a bit like we have to prove ourselves because of our age.
Does school work get in the way of band work, or does the band get in the way of school?
The band is more likely in the way of school. But if school wasn’t compulsory to attend, then there would be other things that the band would push aside. Sometimes we have to take days off to record, or do a gig or a radio interview. We juggle them both well, although we do have more days off school than we
used to as the bands popularity and commitments increase.
The band has only been together for 12 months, and in this time a lot has happened. TV appearances,
steady gigging, video and an EP just released. You must be thinking that this music business is an easy game?
Maybe you should ask us again in a year or so. Anyone would be a fool to consider the music industry or business as an “easy game”. You never stop working in this business. If we’re not playing every week,
we’re writing or rehearsing, we never slow down. You watch interviews of world famous bands and you can see how tired and how much it takes out of you, but it’s still the lifestyle we wanna live.
Not long after forming, you appeared on the Channel 9 Today program. What’s it like playing to the TV crew?
Everybody there was really nice which made it easier. It’s not really that different to playing a gig except for the cameras, which you don’t really notice anyhow.
You recently played at the Wyong racecourse and the heavens opened up. To your credit, you continued to play through the downpour. Why not just pack up and head home?
Like any professional band would say: “THE SHOW MUST GO ON”. We’re working towards being a professional band, and to pack up and go home would be a total let-down for anyone who’s made the time to come and watch – the organisers, and mostly our parents. They pay money for petrol to cart us around all over the Coast, and it would make us look like we are not dedicated to our passions. There were plenty of punters that stuck around and we were already set up, so there was no reason not to play. We’re committed to doing what we love and it was definitely worth it.
The debut self-titled EP has just been released. What was the experience like to record for the first time?
One good thing about recording is you get something concrete for your hard work. We had a great time recording the EP – lots of late nights and hanging out with the band. For about three days we really lived in each other’s pockets. It was great, seeing the whole production process first hand.
You did the recording at Cloud Studios with Parris Macleod. With such an experienced crew around you, were you able to stand up and get your opinions across?
Well pretty much, but even if we didn’t, the recording sounds bloody awesome. We worked with Parris a bit during rehearsals so we got to know each other and knew what he expected. Those guys are really great and want your work and sound to really be your own. Parris listened to all our ideas and gave us a lot of great advice.
What have you planned for the rest of the year?
Writing, composing, creating new songs, building up experience and technique, passing year 8, and hangin’ round with mates and chicks. We just got a really good gig for New Years Eve at The Entrance waterfront. Terrigal Bowlo, Red Kite at Doyalson, Lewisham Hotel, Club Tuggerah and a couple of charity gigs.
Catch No Pressure next at Club Tuggerah November 15, and at Railway Blues November 22 @ the Richmond Vale Railway Museum.