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“We argue about a lot
of things, but never about music,” says Julia about the relationship
she has with her brother Angus. “We don't get on a lot of
the time but when it comes to making music it's always pretty
simple for us.”
It's this language
of music that forms the basis of Angus & Julia's debut
album “A Book Like This” – a collection of thirteen
heartfelt and organic songs that share their experiences and
observations with listeners. Together, and with respective
singer/songwriter talents, Angus & Julia Stone form two
halves of a musical act whose words and music reveal a pure
and genuine love of music, and a talent for telling beautiful
and beguiling stories.
Raised in the northern
beaches of Sydney, Australia, Angus & Julia's love of
music was inextricably intertwined with their experiences
of growing up in their musical family. Music was an integral
aspect of family life, with music as the bloodline through
both their mother and father's families. A long line of musicians
made for an environment that encouraged the duo to express
themselves using their voice and any of the many instruments
lying around the house.
“Mum listened to Janis
Ian a lot, but a big part of our childhood was listening to
dad's covers band – it was music from the 60's, 70's
and 80's,” says Julia of their early influences. “It was everything
from Van Morrison to The Eagles and The Beatles. We didn't
know any of those bands, we just knew the songs as dad had
sung them. It was only a couple of years ago that we listened
to “The White Album”, and thought to ourselves, ‘ oh right,
these guys are a band - dad didn't write these songs! '”
Music continued to
play a role in their lives throughout their teenage years.
Living at their dad's place and being ‘ unemployed'ish
' – a state that saw Angus working at odd-jobs
as a labourer, and Julia teaching-trumpet – the two
musicians treated their music as a personal discovery and
outlet for their thoughts and observations. When Julia returned
home after a year of traveling she encouraged Angus to play
his music at some local open-mic nights, and not long after,
having helped him out with some backing harmonies, she joined
him on stage to play some of her own compositions. That was
a mere three years ago. “Eventually it worked out that we
were doing a split-set,” says Julia. “It seemed very normal
for us and there was no reason not to record together also.
It was just easy. Natural, I suppose.”
Pressing up their own
“Chocolates and Cigarettes” EP to sell at their local gigs,
the duo soon caught the attention of radio stations and a
booking agent, and shortly afterwards went on to further their
reputation by being booked on the bill for Australian festivals,
The Great Escape, Splendour In The Grass and Homebake, where
they saw first-hand how their music would affect and connect
with audiences on a wider scale.
Despite creating a
buzz back home in Australia, the opportunity arose last year
for Angus & Julia to move to London, UK, where their second
EP “Heart Full Of Wine” and “Chocolates & Cigarettes”
EP's received a local release. Along with their permanent
drummer – third member of the band - Mitchell Connelly,
Angus & Julia relocated to the UK in 2006 and continued
working on new material. Not long after they arrived in London,
Angus & Julia were taken under the wing of lead singer/songwriter
Fran Healy from the band Travis, who began to help them out
with material which would become a part of their debut album
“A Book Like This”.
“We really wanted to
record this particular song on piano, he offered his beautiful
18 th century grand piano for the song… and so we went round
to his house and then just sort of ended up playing a whole
lot more,” says Julia, with Angus nodding in agreement. “It
was just exciting that we got on so well… he understood us
and how we liked creating music. He had this amazing studio
at his home and this amazing grand piano – and it was
great because it was exactly how we made music at home… but
only with really good gear to record us!”
With a producer to
guide them, Angus & Julia sat on Fran's lounge-room floor,
continuing to record songs, using vintage guitars and microphones,
which would eventually end up on “A Book Like This”. The rest
of the songs from the album would be recorded in their mother's
lounge room back in Newport with producer and friend, Ian
Pritchett. “The most important thing about recording for us
is that we are with people we love, and that everyone can
feel good about where we are and what we are doing—and this
whole record was done in a lounge room… making music with
people we love.”
The album is like a
storybook – hence the title – with each song revealing
itself like a different page. Whilst Julia's songs expose
her as a young women in love dealing with relationships and
interactions, it seems that Angus' songs seem to surface from
a different perspective, one which showcases a unique view
on society and what goes on around us. Together the songs
on “A Book Like This” are strikingly poignant, and textured
recordings that immediately draws listeners into the simple
and endearing vision of Angus & Julia Stone's world. Whether
they are tagged as folky, acoustic or bluesy-rock is not a
concern for the duo “We don't listen to heaps of other music,”
says Angus. “We are two people who play music because…well
just because… and if people can enjoy the music and feel something
then that is a wonderful thing.”
Whether it's the rhythmic-strum
of the first single “The Beast” with its reference to society's
expectations, or the seductive title track “A Book Like This”,
the emotive and touching “Bella”, or the gentle sway of “Here
We go Again”, it seems it was almost obvious that Angus &
Julia Stone were born to be musicians at heart. They themselves
may be modest about their talents and surprised by the interest
in their songs, but for those around them, Angus & Julia
are the embodiment of everything good and natural about the
essence of honest music.
www.angusandjuliastone.com
/ www.myspace.com/angusandjuliastone
/ www.youtube.com/angusandjuliastone
Tourdates
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