Q & A with Ben Catley
After playing his heart out all over WA and supporting the likes of Ash Grunwald, Tijuana Cartel, Seth Sentry, Mat McHugh and OKA, Perth's Ben Catley is currently riding high on his AA side release Strong Hands/OpenSkies (recorded by Matt Gio - Birds of Tokyo, San Cisco, Illy).
With the frenetic roots stomp of Strong Hands scoring spins on triple j's Roots N' All (along with an abundance of other radio support), Open Skies flips the dynamic and effortlessly cruises into relaxed coastal territory, while providing a summery bounce that almost suggests transporting the listener from wherever they are to wherever they would rather be.
You only just toured Queensland in November. What has prompted you to return to Queensland so soon?
Well, cause it's just a bit bloody splendid isn't it? But I've also just wanted to give it a couple of runs rather than just coming over the once. It started with getting booked in for Peregian Originals, which looks an amazing event!
What were your favourite shows of your last Queensland tour and how was the show at Sunshine Coast?
Oh man, don't make me pick favourites! That's too hard. I do like the Sunny Coast vibes a lot though. I'm looking forward to getting back to Sol Bar for sure. Great venue and really nice crew.
How would you describe your music and what do you like best about being a solo act?
Upbeat and high energy, I'd like to think. And sweaty. I've never played a show where I'm not dripping afterwards. It's almost embarrassing. And being a solo act, I like having the freedom to read the crowd and changing songs and tempos as I go to fit the vibe.
You moved from England to Western Australia a few years ago. What prompted your move here and how is the Perth music scene compared to Newcastle, UK?
I've been here about six years now, I love it. I just came over traveling and didn't expect to stay, but things worked out pretty well. Man, the scene over here is much more vibrant and stable. The economy over in the UK just doesn't seem to support artists quite as well.
Have you found that that change of scenery (moving from UK to WA) has influenced your songwriting? Do you think location affects songwriting and have songs written in WA differed from those written in UK?
Yeah, absolutely. The UK gave me a bit of grit and the delightful WA coastal lifestyle has shown my style a bit of refinement and manners, ha ha.
Who are your musical heroes and do you think you have incorporated some of their influence into your sound? Or have you made a conscious effort to try to create your own distinct sound, and is that hard to achieve?
When I was growing up I think pivotal influences were Oasis, Joe Satriani and Ben Harper, amongst many others. I certainly haven't tried to duplicate anyone's sound, but I'd say there are multiple apparent influences. My hard rock influences come through during shows I think.
If you could form a dream band with four other musicians who would you choose, and why?
I'd keep it home-grown and have something like old mate Julz from Kallidad on the drums, Stu from OKA on the didge and beats, Kim Churchill on guitar and Tash Sultana on vocals. I reckon that'd be bloody epic.
What can music punters expect from your Queensland shows in January 2018?
A bit of fun and dancing, hopefully! The two shows with Tijuana Cartel at Sol Bar (January 5) and Great Northern (January 6) should be pretty huge! And I'm genuinely excited for all the other venues, which are new to me. I really can't wait for the Peregian Originals vibes though.
Catch Ben at Solbar on January 5 (supporting Tijuana Cartel) and January 11, as well as at Peregian Originals on Jan 14.