As an expansion of the once solo moniker of the supremely gifted Thomas Calder, The Trouble With Templeton has now expanded into a fully fledged 5-piece which finds his gothic folk introspection equally ratcheted up to a chilling, cinematic sound worthy of his vision.
Currently touring in support of their driving, dramatic single ‘Six Months In A Cast’, the quintet are winding up a successful 2012 and now looking down the barrel of an even bigger 2013, including being recently named as part of Triple J’s Next Crop for next year’s acts to keep an eye (and an ear) on.
Frontman Thomas Calder took some time out of his busy touring schedule to discuss the influence of cinema on his music, the importance of songwriting, and what we can expect from this thrilling five-piece in the near future.
Tone Deaf: What’s your earliest memory of performing and who, or what inspired you to start?
Thomas Calder: I just remember watching the ‘Johnny B Goode’ sequence in Back To The Future and instantly being inspired to perform.
Can you remember your first live show? Who was it and what do you remember about it most fondly?
My first live show was actually INXS at Riverstage in Brisbane. It was post Michael Hutchence obviously, but it was still my first taste of live music in the flesh, and the crowd atmosphere was amazing.
Do you see your music as just one facet of a broader need for creative expression? If yes, how does songwriting fit in with that?
Definitely. I think storytelling is at the heart of everything we do in the band and what’s important to most of us creatively. Songwriting is just another outlet to explore characters and express emotions.
So the biggest change in The Trouble With Templeton has been the transformation from a solo moniker to a full band. Who in the lineup were some of the first you were collaborating/playing with? How has the lineup developed into its current iteration?
We’ve all know each other in some form of different incarnation since high school. Ritchie [Daniell] and Sam [Pankhurst] have played in different bands for years, Hugh [Middleton] and myself have been best friends and played together off and on since early high school and Betty [Yeowart] and I met initially in high school and got together and started playing a few years after. We slowly built up members over the past year, and it was important to all of us to wait for the right people and not rush into anything.
‘Six Months In A Cast’ has been the first recorded taste of the TTWT as a full lineup. How has the expanded lineup affected the writing? What can we expect from the second TTWT record you’ve been working on?
I don’t think it’s affected my intention as a songwriter at all. If anything it’s just allowed me more freedom in what I do and makes me excited to see what everyone else has to contribute. You can expect something super heartfelt and passionate from the next record. We mean business.
There is a darker, narrative quality to your writing – how much of it is you mixing autobiographical elements and fiction?
The last record was pretty autobiographical and drew far more from direct experience than the newer songs. There’s always an element of self-expression in the music, but for this record it’s more about exploring those feelings from different perspectives and through different characters viewpoints.
What is the tale being told in ‘Six Months In A Cast’ for instance?
Six Months In A Cast, as with the rest of the songs we’ve been writing around the second album, are about diving into different characters and exploring things from their perspective. In the case of “Six Months In A Cast” it’s a very self-conscious and generally melancholy and negative viewpoint, which I’m sure we all experience phases of from time to time. The song tells the story of someone going through all that can go wrong over the course of a relationship before it’s even happened, shooting himself in the foot essentially.
There is a very cinematic quality to your music, (let alone the Twilight Zone name) what do you think The Trouble With Templeton’s music is the best soundtrack for?
It depends on the song! But I think it’s a great soundtrack for a long highway drive at night.
You’ve been doing some very high-profile live shows lately – from Festivals like Harvest to support slots with Julia Stone and Father John Misty – what do you remember fondly about those experiences?
Each of those opportunities was incredible for our experience and growth as a band, and allowed us to play for a much larger audience than we would have otherwise. Playing alongside such wonderful musicians has been amazing for us.
Do you have any particular ritual before you and your bandmates go on stage? Or even a lucky charm you take with you?
We like to have a little band huddle before we jump out, and generally just a little quiet time to hang out and chill before we play. I love watching live videos of my favourite bands
What can people expect from a TTWT live show? What do you hope to bring to this current single tour?
I think we’re just incredibly excited to be doing what we’re doing together, and playing together for us is so much fun and truly what we love to do. This tour is just about finally sharing that with people. We’re a band that doesn’t know how to not give it our all, so you can expect a heartfelt performance.
You were recently in America doing a lot of press and some shows, can you talk us through what you got up to over there?
I had the chance to play some incredible festivals and shows in both New York and Los Angeles, Culture Collide and CMJ were both manic and incredible experiences; and playing at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles was a true highlight for me.
You’re playing Falls Festival at the end of the year, how are you planning to spend the New Year’s celebrations? What will you remember most about TTWT’s 2012?
It’s hard to pick one thing! We’ll be celebrating New Years together at Falls. 2012 has been an incredibly busy and intense year for Templeton, and I think we’re proud to say that we feel like we’ve got a good grip on what our goals are and are off to an amazing start in achieving them. 2012 is the year it all began.
The Trouble With Templeton are currently on tour around the nation, and play Falls Festival before the end of the year.
The Trouble With Templeton Australian Tour 2012
Presented by Tiny Monster, Artist Voice & Tone Deaf
Sun 18 Nov – Harvest Festival, Bris, QLD
Sun 25 Nov – Communion Music Night, The Toff, Melbourne, VIC
Wed 28 Nov – MGM & SPA Presents… ARIA Week Upstairs at The Beresford
Thu 6 Dec – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane, QLD
Fri 7 Dec – Bon Amici Cafe, Toowoomba, QLD
Sat 8 Dec – 5 Church Street, Bellingen,
Wed 12 Dec – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney, NSW
Thu 13 Dec – Front Gallery, Canberra, ACT
Fri 14 Dec – Barcode, Wollongong, NSW
Fri 21 Dec – Lizotte’s – Newcastle, NSW
Sat 22 Dec – Lizotte’s – Kincumber, NSW
Sun 23 Dec – Lizotte’s – Dee Why, NSW
Fri 28 Dec – Worker’s Club, Melbourne, VIC
Sat 29 Dec – Falls Festival, Lorne, VIC
