Interview: Stonefox
Melbourne trio Stonefox are hot on the lips of many Australian tastemakers at the moment, and it’s not hard to understand why once you listen to their latest single Hands of Gold. Sonically somewhere between The xx and Vallis Alps, the new track is a spacey combination of synthesisers and airy vocals behind all-too-relatable lyrics about falling in love, and then out of it. We asked the band how working with a highly-acclaimed producer and recording in a caravan called ‘Monty’ helped shape their latest release.
We love the new song Hands of Gold, what was the inspiration behind this track?
Our vision for the song was to make something a little more anthemic and warmer than our previous tracks. In the past we’ve always been known for being a really moody and heartfelt band, but this time we wanted to show a slightly brighter side of Stonefox as we were hearing a positive emotion in Jenna’s original idea. To us the story in this song is quite bitter sweet and reflects the positive parts of a sh*t situation. I guess that’s as happy as Stonefox song can get!
We’ve been told the song was conceived in a hand painted caravan called ‘Monty’, is this the normal song writing process for Stonefox?
Not exactly, but it sure was a fun way to make music! A lot of our gear had been left in Jenna’s 1960’s style caravan after shooting the This City video. So Jenna decided to move some of our recording gear in there too to make a studio on wheels (essentially her dream in life).
The original idea for Hands Of Gold came from late night sessions in the caravan and we all loved it so much that we started working it as a band straight away.
Both your previous single Dreamstate and now Hands of Gold have a similar soundscape to them, what can we expect from your next release?
These two songs are a good indicator of the direction we’re heading towards with our upcoming EP. The plan with the next single is to continue heading in this direction while staying true to the simplistic and emotional elements that you can hear in previous releases.
Jean-Paul Fung, who has produced for the likes of Birds of Tokyo and Last Dinosaurs, has an impressive resume of clients. What was it like working with him and do you feel like you have changed your music at all as a result?
Working with JP was a great experience for us as a band, he’s super creative in the studio and really helped us to articulate the true sound that we wanted for the new songs. His experience really shows when you get in a room with him. Our sound didn’t necessarily change but he certainly helped us hone in on the ambient vibe that we were after!
You guys just finished a tour with Mosquito Coast, what was your favourite moment of the tour?
That would have to be the final show of the tour at Brighton Up Bar in Sydney, there was just such great energy in that room! And to top it off, we had a running bet with Mosquito Coast that if the show sold-out Connor had to do a shoey live on stage! The show totally packed out and he’s a man of his word…
You’re getting a lot of love from the fans lately, with sell-outs and big streaming numbers. What are you most excited about the east coast tour?
We’re probably most excited about playing our first headline show in Brisbane! It’s been over a year now since we’ve had our own headline tour as well, so we have spent a lot of time creating a whole new live show and are really looking forward to playing it live.
Lastly, where would you love to take Monty on a road trip?
On tour! We’ve always wanted to take our mate Monty on an extended tour along the East Coast with enough time to stop off at all the beaches in between the shows. Hopefully we’ll be able to make it happen one day!
Stonefox Live Dates
FRI 18 NOV
Mynt Lounge, Werribee (tickets at the door)
SAT 19 NOV
The Workers Club, Melbourne
THURS 24 NOV
The Zoo, Brisbane (tickets at the door)
Get Tickets HERE
