She’s The Driver

Melbourne fuzz rockers She’s The Driver are back with a new album The Gone Club which was recorded in Melbourne’s Black Garage Records. The big singles from the album include the likes of Novelty and Snow White. Sean Miljoen (guitar and vocals) did a quick Q&A for Hi Fi Way: The Pop Chronicles.

Another album down, do you feel like old hands at this now?
Not really, I don’t know when you stop learning, especially when you record your own albums and you have to worry just as much about what’s going to tape, as what you’re playing. As I’ve been playing a long time, I’m probably more focused on the recording aspects at the moment and that keeps things fresh & interesting.

Is the whole process of making an album easier or is there the same sorts of challenges you have to overcome?
It’s always a challenge, especially when you have demoed a song and think that it will work a particular way, only to find out it sounds completely different when you track it and you have to find the right ingredients that will bring out what you intended.

Do you look back on the recording process and think ‘I wish I did this’ or ‘I wish I did that’ or do you just move on and let it go?
I’m constantly wishing I did everything different to the point where i nearly drive myself (and also my partner & bandmates) mad. I’m still changing things right up to and during the mastering stage, then I reluctantly let it go and give it space for a while before i come back and listen.

Was it always the intention to release an album or did the band thinking about EP’s or singles?
As we are lucky enough to have our own studio, we are always doing albums and lifting a single or two from them. We’re always writing & recording, so there’s plenty to work with usually.

Is there a hidden meaning or more to the album name The Gone Club?
The Gone Club is for one of my closest friends and musical mentors who passed away last year. Bit of a melancholy title, but maybe there is a club we can hang at after all this is said and done.

How do you juggle life, work and the band?
I’m lucky enough to work my own hours and get to spend a lot of time working with/recording other bands at our studio as well as writing for’ She’s The Driver’, ‘if you want something done, give it to a busy person’ is how I think the saying goes.

Do you think the band has changed much sonically between albums?
It’s always hard to judge your own music, but the process for this album was more fluent and efficient than others we have recorded and I think that has made it more coherent, it’s also very raw, which may not appeal to everyone, but it’s what we wanted.

How exciting is it playing with The Celibate Rifles?
We played with The Rifles late last year and they were fantastic as well as great guys. It’s really exciting for us to get good shows like this as we don’t play constantly or fit into a particular ‘scene’, so we’re just happy to get in front of appreciative music fans, which all the Rifles fans are.

Is there any plans to go on tour around the country?
We’re off to Sydney to play in early June and our label Laneway Music is currently organising a national tour for later in the year, with a couple of great Australian acts, which we will be a part of.

Is the trick now trying to maintain the momentum?
Yes most definitely, momentum is more important these days than it used to be because of the amount of music that comes out, coupled with the extra avenues of release. If there’s a lapse in letting people know that you still exist, then they’re onto the next thing, it’s something that I’ve never been very good at, but having our bass player Joe join us has started to change all that.

What’s next for She’s The Driver?
We will do what we can with this record, (which is being launched on 16th June @ The St.Kilda Bowlo, with support from Tim & Kellie from Screamfeeder) for the rest of this year and start looking towards our next album around X-mas time for a release next year and probably do a single in the meantime to keep us in the loop.

Interview by Rob Lyon

SHE’S THE DRIVER – THE GONE CLUB is out now through Laneway Music

Catch She’s The Driver playing the following dates:
Friday June 9 – Waywards – Newtown NSW w/ Anatomy Class
Friday June 16 – St Kilda Bowling Club – St Kilda VIC w/ Tim & Kellie (Screamfeeder)

More information at:
https://www.facebook.com/ShestheDriver/
https://shesthedriver.bandcamp.com/album/the-gone-club