After traveling the world a few times over, the Australian band Set Sail is coming out with their sophomore EP entitled Hey! The indie-pop collaboration fuses both modern folk and rock making it the perfect summer EP. Brandon Hoogenboom, lead singer of the four-member band, discusses their recent tour and what they have planned for the future.
Australian band Set Sail gears up for another international tour.
Ali Shrode:Where did the name Set Sail come from?
Brandon Hoogenboom: Set Sail was an idea that we had when we were starting to song write early on. We wanted to make people feel like they were sitting by the beach or sailing because that’s what we were interested in at the time, so we just went with it.
Your band has been described as having a beach pop sound with a blissed-out vibe. How did this develop?
I grew up listening to a lot of surf rock and acoustic music and I think that will always have an influence on what I write. When we are all collaborating, everyone adds their own style to it, whether it’s folk or jazz or pop. That’s when our songs really come together and take a new shape.
How did your band start and what are some of the highlights of your career so far?
Josiah and I started busking in Sydney because we loved playing music and it was an interesting way to have a little spare cash for some food during the week.
Perfect day. Driving down the coast. What’s playing on the radio?
I’m really loving Bahamas “Caught Me Thinkin’ Right Now.” It’s such a feel-good song and I love the guitar tones.
What are some of the biggest musical influences on the Hey! EP?
We tried to stay pretty classic with this EP. The Beach Boys and Rolling Stones provided some inspiration throughout whether it was a bass line or the feel of a song.
What is the writing process like? Is it completely collaborative?
For Hey!, we spent two weeks at a mate’s house in Whangamata, New Zealand. Instead of a studio space, we had a garage and a few acoustic guitars so the whole process was focusing on simplicity. If it sounded complete with just acoustic guitar and vocals, then that’s when we would call it done.
You guys have been traveling a lot lately and are about to get back on the road again. Any places stand out? Any crazy travel stories?
We had been through floods in Pennsylvania and glacier parks in Montana and our last stop was in Las Vegas. Ten minutes into our time there, I hit my face on the car window and cracked my front left tooth in half. It was embarrassing. I didn’t know what to do so I pretended I was homeless and begged for change showing my nasty half-fanged tooth. It was a great end to the road trip.
Do any members of the band surf? If so, favorite surf spot?
Josh, Dan, and I surf, but Josiah is still a surf virgin. I spend most of my time at Trestles or T-street in San Clemente. It’s decent and it’s convenient for me. Josh and Dan grew up on the Gold Coast and love D’Bah and I’ve heard some crazy stories from them surfing at Newcastle Beach.
Hey! is the first single to be released off the EP. What do you like most about this song?
I like the chorus because Dan’s keyboard sounds like a helicopter.
What’s next for you guys?
We’re touring in Korea at the moment, but we’re heading to Australia in December to play some festivals and shows. I can’t wait! We’ll also be recording and will have some new music out early 2014.
Check out more of Set Sail’s music here and keep up to speed on Facebook.
