Irregular Heartbeats On New Single “Heavyweight”

After making an immediate impact in 2023 with debut release Sweeping Up My Shadow, Irregular Heartbeats – the brainchild of Melbourne-based writer and British India bassist William Drummond – now returns with a lyrical odyssey in new single Heavyweight.

Heavyweight paints a colourful picture of pub work in Melbourne, watching the same night playing out by the same friendship groups over and over. Through joy, anger and tears, Drummond eloquently puts the listener in the driver’s seat of the chaos, capturing the essence and occasional beauty of hospo life.

Originating from the confines of a dilapidated, asbestos shed in his backyard, Drummond teamed up with producer/musical director Michael Belsar (G-Flip, Hayden James) and drummer Matt O’Gorman (British India) to help breathe life into the story, building into each goosebump-inducing chorus with rhythmic precision. William tells Hi Fi Way more.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Heavyweight?
It started with the first strum of a guitar for the day and working from there. Originally I took that simple guitar strum and tried to turn it into a “driving song” But once I added the wobbly ebow’s and synth to the chorus I knew it was something different and about longing and desperation. As I was writing everytime the chorus came around I would sing another person’s name and I kind of took it from there, writing about friends and strangers I’d seen and met whilst running a pub over the past few years.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
I’ve never been able to answer this question ever since I first started playing music as a teenager. There are guitars, there are vocals, there are drums, synths, lots of words. I’d say jump on a streaming service and listen whilst you read this. Your ears are going to do a better job than my mouth.

What have been your most memorable studio moments of late?
The most memorable times are always when you are on a roll and you can feel something building and when you look at the clock the day has gotten away from you and it’s time to have a break. It’s when you are at the end of the day exhausted but so energetic you can’t wait to start again the next day. That’s what we chase when we are in the studio, it’s sometimes the most elusive drug.

What are some unexpected things that have inspired your music?
It’s when my friends or strangers say something. My friend Kelly was staying at my house one night and we’d had a few and he was talking about how he just wanted to provide and do everything for his family and he screamed fist in the air “I just want to win!” When I was writing Heavyweight I remembered him yelling that and how years earlier he made the choice to turn around and run back to his partner and not be a loafer. They are still together to this day. I think for him he won when he chased after her.

Who are your favourite Australian bands right now?
The album I’ve been listening to a lot recently is Wing by Big Scary. It’s lovely that Tom and Jo were able to release an album whilst living on opposite ends of the world. It also has a special place in my heart. I toured with Big Scary when they had only one EP out and it’s been great hearing each step along the way.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would you choose?
On this album (Memory::Loss) I had a lot of people come by the studio with or without musical ability. They sang BV’s or played drums, piano or did some spoken word and for me they are my favourite parts of the album. I love working with friends and people I know can get the best out of me and i can push them into places they haven’t been before. They are the collaborations I really love.

What can we expect from your upcoming debut record?
People will be surprised by its variety. Especially if they were British India fans and are listening to it expecting it to be the same. There are moments that sound like they could have been born in the band room when we were 16. But ultimately they’ll hear songs about communication loss, grief, companionship and sprinkles of humour in there too.

Any live shows in the works?
There will be in the future, I have a tour with British India and will be heading back into the studio to finish the second album not long after that and then we can have a many and varied set which is going to be very fun to play live.

Interview By Dean Valentino

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