Rising indie rock band Choosing Sides are making some waves so we had a chat with the trio to figure out who these lads from Adelaide are.
Having exploded onto the Aussie music scene with their debut single, ‘Titus Oates’, Adelaide-based indie band Choosing Sides has only gotten better and better.
While 2020 has been tough for everyone, the trio didn’t let a pesky pandemic slow them down as they released a number of thumping new singles, the most recent being ‘Cardboard Seats’.
So to get an idea of who Choosing Sides are as a trio – and which side each member ultimately likes to choose – we had a chat with the band as part of our popular Get To Know series.
How did your artist name come about?
To be honest we had loads of really cool name ideas, but all of them were taken. This was very annoying until one day we decided to start sifting through books to look for cool words. We ended up finding a superhero comic book, highlighting dozens of words that could be possible band names. Of the 80-ish names we found, about eight were decent. From that eight only one wasn’t taken and that was the one we picked.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
“Have you heard of Arctic Monkeys, The Killers or Gang of Youths? No? Ummm okay, we play groovy, fun guitar music that people can sing to… indie rock maybe?”
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘ Cardboard Seats’: This song is about a really toxic relationship I was going through in the past. The lyrics resemble how upset and disappointed I was about the situation to the point where I wanted to literally move to another place – cos that’d be easier right? My situation caused me to notice how fake people actually were around me and how living in a city just lacks a little bit of soul. My goal from this track was to encapsulate that feeling of yearning for something ‘real’ and the need to escape city life for something a little grittier. Intertwining both these desires to escape this relationship and to find a more genuine home, we wanted ‘Cardboard seats’ to also emit a sprinkle of longing and nostalgia throughout.
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‘Titus Oates’: ‘Titus Oates’ is about being hunted down by a killer, an almost horror-themed track. The name ‘Titus Oates’ is derived from a famous medieval criminal who plotted to murder the king. The lyrics encompass dark and angsty themes to make it a super intense but fun track. It has been our most popular song since release and always goes crazy at shows!
‘Breakfast’: ‘Breakfast’ describes the way in which a vain outlook on life with unrealistically high expectations can force loved ones away and twist positive feelings into bitter ones. At the start of the track, listeners are greeted by upbeat riffs and contagious beats, contrasting overly cautious and nervous lyrics through the verses. Following the introduction of the song that sets the scene – listeners are hit by soaring choruses intertwined with glittery lead guitar lines and powerful harmonies.
What do you love about your hometown?
We’re lucky enough to have lived between two hometowns – Adelaide, SA and Wakefield, UK. Growing up in two drastically different cities, we gained so much inspiration from local music genres.
Having local bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Bring me the Horizon definitely gave us huge inspiration as kids.
Living in Adelaide has also shown us a completely different side to music and has shaped our sound even closer to what it is today. We’re so lucky to have seen two different music scenes growing up, we reckon it’s definitely what makes Choosing Sides a little different!
Career highlight so far?
We’ve had so many good times as a band, but it’s got to be our Bushfire Aid show in January 2020. We organised a crazy lineup of Australian artists to play at one of our favourite venues in Adelaide: Jive. It was amazing to raise almost $4,000 for charity that night and it was one of the most crazy, emotional shows we’ve ever done. It was also our last show before COVID and looking back at the amount of spirit and energy in the crowd – we really want these moments to return soon.
Fave non-music hobby?
We’re all really into skating and collectibles! We’re obsessed with Pokemon cards at the moment, somehow we’ve revived a childhood hobby that we’re all loving again. It’s super fun to look at all the art and it’s super nostalgic too. In regards to skating, none of us are very good but we have a laugh doing it.
What’s on your dream rider?
Great question! We’d definitely go a few Heineken’s and some Alizé to drink. We’d also love some Nando’s peri chips (the ultimate chips). Also a console with the original Tony Hawk Pro Skater and The Simpsons: Hit And Run would be sweet.
Dream music collaboration?
It’d be nuts to collab with Alex Turner or the Arctic Monkeys, as they are a huge inspiration of ours as mentioned before. The lyrics in their songs are next level and always make us smile.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years we hope we are still making people smile and sweat at our shows. We hope we can keep on this journey for as long as possible, cos we’re having a blast!
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
When we all feel a good sing along, we reckon ‘Knights of Cydonia’ by Muse is a no-brainer. We love those crazy high vocals so either something by Muse or Nothing but Thieves.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice we’ve received was honestly to play as much as we could when we first started. By getting that experience under our belts, it was a real springboard into becoming more successful and serious with our shows!
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
Whilst we play sort of alt-rock/indie-rock tunes, Frankie and Michael listen to a heap of other genres, namely metal. Will is super into soul and R&B too – although we all love the music we play!
We think it’s kinda cool to explore heaps of genres and cherry-pick the best parts from each to add it to the Choosing Sides melting pot!
Check out ‘Breakfast’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQtZVVnCCJA
