In the Chair is a regular feature on Eventalaide, highlighting artists from across Australia and occasionally overseas. Everyone gets basically the same questions. It is just meant to be a bit of fun so please treat it as such.
Questions by Geoff Jenke
With four full-length albums to date, the duo that is Holy Holy, has built a loyal and dedicated fanbase with over 100 million streams across their body of work and multiple gold and platinum singles hanging on their walls. If that wasn’t enough, there are nominations for ARIA Awards, J Awards and National Live Music Awards to take note of, all maintained through their fanatically attended live shows and unique songwriting.
Holy Holy released their fourth studio album, Hullo My Beautiful World, in August 2021, but border restrictions and lockdowns made it very hard to tour the album. However they have been on the road for over a month now and hit Adelaide on Tuesday 5th May at the Thebarton Theatre.
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Name: Oscar Dawson
Band: Holy Holy
In less than 50 words describe your music, your band and yourself.
I am a musician from Melbourne.My band is called Holy Holy.
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What was the first record you bought with your own money and where
from?
Queen’s Greatest Hits prob. Where from? Fuck knows, it
was ages ago. I don’t keep receipts that far back.
80’s or 90’s Music.
I recognise the perceived distinction between these
decades but let’s not forget that decades, unlike years, are made up. In music
for example, I might say I love 90s era grunge but actually The Pixies’
earliest and best stuff is from the late 80s, without which we mightn’t have
quite had the 90s in the same way. And Nirvana’s first record too.
What music are currently listening to?
Podcasts are music to my ears.
The Economist
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History
My wife hates Dan Carlin
You must try it.
The Best live artist/band you’ve seen
Lou Reed as a 14 yr old in Melbourne at the Palais;
otherwise, Cult Of Luna, a Swedish post metal band, wherever and whenever I’ve
seen them.
Your “In the mood for love” song
Too distracting. No. I think I’ve said enough. I don’t
want to listen to music I just want to make sweet love.
Your favourite Saturday night party record?
Bold of you to assume I like parties for starters. My
favourite Saturday night party record is the soft purring of my pooch and a
documentary about war or something like that.
Your favourite Sunday morning chill out record?
Finish the doco. You know what I love doing in the
morning on a Sunday morning? Have a coffee in bed watching Al Jazeera. I’m a
bit off Al Jazeers at the moment actually. So maybe just sitting in bed
following the crypto markets *cackles*.
Which song do you wish you had written?
Happy birthday. That song has made so much money. I’m
not in the business of wishing I’d wrote other people’s songs. I love listening
to certain songs but I don’t really wish I wrote them. How could I have?
Roger Daltry once said “Rock N Roll has no future”. Do you agree
with him?
I’m fairly sure Roger Daltrey didn’t say that –
although Mick Jagger did. In 1980. After which he has spent over 4 decades still
playing rock’n’roll.
Vinyl, CD or Streaming?
Definitely not CDs. They are shit. Vinyl is a nice
ritual. But I stream, in some way, almost all the music I listen to.
If you could record or play live with any artist (dead or alive),
who would it be?
I’ve often thought about if my dog could speak, I’d
love know what she has to say. But what if she has a bad personality and I stop
liking her? Ideally the artist would be alive when I’m playing with them.
Otherwise, Andy Warhol’s corpse.
What is the most useless talent you have?
Over the past 2 years during Covid I have occasionally
thought playing guitar was a useless skill. But that is wrong. It hasn’t held
much utility but it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.
Your finest recorded moment?
The TikTok I made about my wife’s driving.
Who is your musical hero and what one question would you ask them?
I’d ask ‘Did you see Buddy kick his 1000th goal?’ I
doubt Freddie would care.
There goes my hero, watch him as he goes. Heroism is a faulty concept.
Dying, peacefully on your death bed, what song would you like to
hear?
This question has made me think hard about this
scenario. I think most likely I will want to be with my wife and hold her hand
and not listen to anything. Assuming she outlives me.
Stuck on a desert island for a year and can only take three
albums. What would they be?
Probably:
‘Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival’ as an
audiobook.
I’m not going to sit there listening to Dark Side of the Moon dying and
starving. I’m sure I would swiftly learn how unimportant music is to me in this
context.
Favourite all time movie?
‘The Thin Red Line’ – Terrence Mallick
If you drove an ice cream van, what music would you play?
Cult Of Luna. Keep the folks away. Just drive through
town blasting that and then get back home and eat the ice cream.
Best show you have ever played in your career?
My wedding speech. I enjoyed that. Put a lot of time
into that.
Any backstage incident that makes you laugh?
I’m trying to think…did someone ever fall over?
Ed Sheeran or Robbie Williams?
James Blunt
Who is the nicest person in Rock n Roll at the moment?
Lily Richardson from CLEWS for transcribing this
interview for me.
What do you hope the next 12 months holds for you?
I want my life to be ongoing. You know what my dad
would say to me right now? ‘Stop being obtuse!’ Life is a deep ocean of
suffering, punctuated by islands of calm. I think at the core of all of our
lives we are motivated by our desire to avoid suffering. You know how I feel
about sunshine touching me? That I don’t have sunscreen on. I’m a positive
person, I feel great hope for who we are and my life and who I am.
Hello My Beautiful World is available now via Wonderlick Recording Company. The album is available in all formats including a limited-edition clear vinyl, with a 24-page booklet including the 11 original song artworks.
“Their
fourth album in six years is yet another artfully crafted listening experience
that takes the lessons learned from their first three to take them to places
they’ve never been before.”
– TRIPLE J | FEATURE ALBUM
“Their ability to meld a variety of genres and
styles together is a testament to their abilities as musicians and as a
band. Hello
My Beautiful World is
their best album yet….continuing
cementing their place in the upper echelons of the Australian music landscape.”
– THE AU REVIEW | AOTW | 4 STARS
HOLY HOLY – HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL
WORLD
NATIONAL TOUR
Presented by triple j,
Select Music and Tiny Monster
With
supports Queen P*and Hayley Mary^
and special appearances by CLEWS
General tickets on sale now from www.holyholymusic.com/tour
Thursday 5 May | Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide SA (18+) *
Friday 6 May I Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS (18+) *
Saturday 7 May | Albert Hall, Launceston TAS (18+) *
Thursday 19 May | Miami Laneway, Miami QLD (18+) ^
Saturday 20 May | Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD (18+) ^
Thursday 26 May | Torquay Hotel, Torquay VIC (18+) ^
Friday 27 May | Pier Hotel, Frankston VIC (18+) ^
Saturday 28 May | Forum, Melbourne, VIC (18+) ^
Thursday 2 June | Uc Refectory, Canberra ACT (18+) *
Friday 3 June | UniBar, Wollongong NSW (18+) *
Saturday 4 June I Civic Theatre – Newcastle, NSW (18+) *
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