Run Rabbit Run
Bloodline is the debut EP from Melbourne folk rockers, Run Rabbit Run. The first glimpse of the EP was single We Don’t Know, released in February this year, it’s a dark and emotive track that pulled the band away from their more traditional folk rock roots with heavily overdriven organ and reverb-soaked electric guitar. The band is currently on tour to support the EP and we caught up with them for a quick chat about the EP and tour.
What’s the latest goings on for Run Rabbit Run?
Well we just released our debut EP a few weeks ago, and as we speak we’re about to head off to Adelaide for the first tour date for the release of our EP. So it’s just been a lot of preparation, and checklists to be honest. Definitely don’t want to arrive in Adelaide and realize we forgot all our guitar leads, which is what happened to our bassist on the last tour.
Interesting name, how did that come about?
It’s actually taken from lyrics in the song Breathe by Pink Floyd. We pretty much decided on it during a convo about some of our members love for the ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album and it kind of stuck. People seem to remember it easily as well which is a bit of a bonus.
How did the band get together?
Oh, really it’s a super boring story involving musician forums and terrible demos. The story we’d rather tell is one we’re Casey stood in a crowded town square and yelled ‘band, assemble!’. Michael actually fell from the heavens with a parachute, and a banjo strapped to his back.
Was it an easy process making Bloodline?
Haha, not really no. Going in to record was mostly hassle free aside from one song that we had to record again on our last day. Being our first EP, there were definitely a lot of challenges in the lead up before going into the studio. We did a lot a lot of pre-production and just trying to be as prepared as possible. I think the hardest thing was getting our track Old Soul ready to record. It took almost a year to get the string and horn arrangements right, there was a lot of second-guessing and anxiety that came with it. It’s hard to get an idea of how real instruments will sound when you’re entering notes on a computer. Old Soul ended up being a real highlight for us on that EP, so we’re glad we took the time to get it right.
How would you describe the band’s sound?
We played a show in Melbourne some time last year and we were chatting to someone in the crowd who described us as ‘Progressive Folk Rock’. I think it suits us pretty well. A lot of our music has that typical modern folk-rock sound, but we also get a bit country at times, and don’t mind getting a little bit spacey with guitar effects either.
Which bands do you collectively look up to for inspiration?
Fleet Foxes, Hey Rosetta, Noah and the Whale, and The Middle East are really big influences on us. We like music with heaps of layers and love how these bands structure their songs.
Are there any plans for another EP or album next year and how is that progressing?
Absolutely! We got such a fantastic response from this release and we’re really eager to get more music out as soon as we can. We’re looking at recording another single early next year hopefully. Not sure exactly when the next EP will come, but we have a few songs we’ve wanted to record for a while that’ll definitely be going on it.
Do you think the Run Rabbit Run sound has evolved much since you started out?Definitely. When we first started we were all pretty young and being in a band was pretty new to most of us. It was only Casey on lead vocals at the time and the songs we were playing for the most part were a lot more simplistic. We’ve since given a lot more attention to detail, and having two lead vocalists has given us the ability to broaden ourselves stylistically.
What can music lovers expect at the launch shows coming up?
We’re really excited about these shows. Our drummer was overseas while we were touring the single back in February. Now that he’s back we’ve been putting heaps of work into getting our live show really tight. We’ve got a cover worked into the set, which is a pretty rare thing for the band, and we think people are really going to enjoy it. We’ve got a few guests joining us on stage for the Melbourne show as well, which will be a lot of fun.
Next challenge for Run Rabbit Run?
We’ll be getting back into some pre-production for some new songs as soon as we finish touring, and hopefully get back into the studio early next year. We’re also keen to get on more festival line-ups and always keen to play to some new faces.
Interview by Rob Lyon
Catch Run Rabbit Run on the following dates
