Central Coast trio The Million have unleashed their latest indie-pop bop into the world in the form of ‘Check Up’.
Inspired from the band’s introspective writing trip to Los Angeles, the single marks the band’s first new music of 2020.
Check out ‘Check Up’ by The Million:
Since The Million celebrated the release of first EP Hydration Station in 2017, the trio have sold out an entire east coast tour of Australia and performed to an at capacity Oxford Art Factory Gallery to launch their 2019 single ‘Somebody Better’.
Last year also saw The Million play headline shows at the Grace Darling in Melbourne and at the Factory Floor in Sydney at the end of last year.
To celebrate the release of their first new music of 2020, we asked each member a few questions to help you get to know them better. Check out our chat with Tamon, Jay and Jacob below to find out how their name came about, their career highlights so far, and their very (very) surprising go-to karaoke songs.
Tamon Mashimo, bass
How did your artist name come about?
Love Pop?
Get the latest Pop news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
I believe Jay pulled it from an old episode of The Simpsons – in reference to “The Million Dollar Man”, We thought it sounded cool so we just ran with it. We didn’t overthink it too much on that front.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
My grandma is deaf so I don’t think music is much of a big deal to her at the moment, but I’d describe it as music perfect for most situations. Anywhere from what you’d play at a house party with your mates, to cruising down the highway yelling the lyrics in your car.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Headcheck’ is a track of ours that doesn’t take itself too seriously, much like us – that acts as a reminder for people who do to check themselves, before losing their cool.
What do you love about your hometown?
I love that I’m lucky enough to live by most of my friends, unfortunately that doesn’t include Jay and Jacob who live a couple of hours away from me. However that’s never stopped us from hanging out every week. The only thing that could stop us doing that is probably a pandemic.
Career highlight so far?
One of my career highlights so far would be when we played a music festival called Hard Grime in Maitland Gaol. That was such a great day because so many of our friends were able to come and see us play at such a cool location.
Either that or our Melbourne Zoo Twilights shows we played supporting Hanson. Two nights of the biggest crowds we had ever played for inside a zoo! Definitely a unique experience
Fave non-music hobby?
I’m unsure whether it’s a hobby, but fashion always excites me. I’m very fortunate to have a fashionable group of friends that love to create and collaborate.
I always love to push boundaries and get weird with what I’m wearing. I have no knowledge of the technical side of fashion but I’d love to get into designing.
What’s on your dream rider?
Having some form of a chocolate platter would hit me right in the sweet spot (no pun intended).
Dream music collaboration?
I’d love to collaborate with artists like Honne or Easy Life, both amazing pop acts out of the UK – I can imagine the trip over there would be pretty fun too.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Touring the world, and being able to afford my own house and studio would be perfect. Definitely still writing and recording songs with my best mates.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Either ‘3005’ by Childish Gambino or ‘Homecoming’ by Kanye and Chris Martin.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Never forget to be yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others and focus on being the best possible version of yourself, never a version of anyone else.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
Probably our obsession with video games.
Check out ‘Headcheck’ by The Million:
Jacob Thomas, vocals and guitar
How did your artist name come about?
Jay was coming up with an incredible amount of band names and sent through a list of at least 100 potential names, one of which was ‘The Million’ which he was able to put together from seeing the words somewhere in an episode of The Simpsons.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
I would describe it as the good parts of the 70s and 90s, minus all the drugs.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Headcheck’ is a song that came from nowhere about nothing in particular. ‘Somebody Better’ is about match-making both you and your new partners exes as they’re so horrible they’d make a perfect couple!
And ‘Check Up’ is about the internal struggles I was having with mental health and trying to re-assure myself that in will in fact be alright.
What do you love about your hometown?
I love that it’s quiet around here, don’t get me wrong I also like the energy of the city but it’s nice to come home to fresh air and no traffic.
Career highlight so far?
Maybe one that wasn’t as braggadocios as going to LA or playing a huge support would be spending a few days with the guys making music at The Grove Studios which felt like such a retreat from everything going on.
Fave non-music hobby?
Either film-making or gaming!
What’s on your dream rider?
Honestly just enough snacks and drinks for my friends backstage. I rarely touch the rider as I get no appetite from pre-show nerves.
Dream music collaboration?
I think John Mayer has to be such a huge one for me. Darryl Hall or Michael McDonald would also be a funky collab.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Aiming big here, I see us at LEAST selling 100 tickets in Perth. But seriously, I’m hoping I become successful enough to buy a house for my mum and no day job so I can just write/produce records and invest in projects I believe in!
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Robbie Williams – ‘Feel’.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
My mum told me to be kind to myself and it’s something I always hold onto.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
Well I have OCD so this is easy for me to pick one but maybe my obsession with cracking my joints. I can crack my fingers in about 21+ spots, no exaggeration.
Check out ‘D.M.S.’ by The Million:
Jay Stewart, drums
How did your artist name come about?
I was lying in bed watching episodes of The Simpsons with a pen and paper writing down possible choices for band names. I must have had at least 30 of them on there.
I can’t remember the exact episode it was from but it was definitely from season 5 or 6. In the huge list of names The Million was the one that we were drawn to.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
I’d tell her that we sound like a funk band in a bad mood.
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Check Up’, our latest single, is sort of a self-reflective monologue on not feeling your best. It’s got this cool hip hop feel that carries the song along while these cool synth melodies and Jake’s vocals float around it.
‘Somebody Better’ came from a time where I was listening to heaps of the Monkey Business album from Black Eyed Peas. I was obsessed with the drums on that album. The drums in that song are just me putting as many will.i.am beats in as I can.
What do you love about your hometown?
The people I’ve met in it. The Central Coast is a strange place to live at times. The friends I’ve made here are unique in every single way and I 100% believe it’s because of where they grew up.
There’s not a lot to do here besides hang out with each other so I spent all my formative years just growing up with the people I surrounded myself with.
Career highlight so far?
It’s got to be travelling to write in LA. We got to work with so many talented people. There’s such a high concentration of creativity there, it’s hard to not be inspired by it. Writing ‘Check Up’ with Colin Brittain sealed it as a highlight for me.
Getting an opportunity to travel to a different country to write music was amazing and getting to take ‘Check Up’ back home with me as a keepsake is something I’ll always be grateful for.
Fave non-music hobby?
It’s either cooking or video games or watching youtube videos about cooking and video games.
What’s on your dream rider?
6x 1kg buckets of Yumi’s hummus and many family sized bags of corn chips.
Dream music collaboration?
I’d love to write anything with Bon Iver. Everything Justin Vernon creates sounds so unique.
Being in a room with him would be so surreal to me, and honestly I’d probably ruin the session by asking a hundred questions about how his live show is set up.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Maybe in a nicer house with more pets and lots of time to make music. Hopefully with better posture too.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘Lonely No More’ – Rob Thomas.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Play to a metronome.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
Pretty vanilla answer here but probably buying Switch games I don’t need. I’m running out of storage space fast please send me your storage.
Check out ‘Somebody Better’ by The Million:
