This Time Only // BEHIND THE BAND

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I first came across This Time Only a few months ago, I decided to use their track 'The Morning After' as the first song ever on THE FAT MIX. Since then they have played a handful of shows and are set to play ALMOST BTS FEST!

//Can you give us a brief history of the band and releases?//

Dan: We’ve been a band for over 10 years now! The band was started before I joined, I remember they had a gig ready to go. They had a guitarist who couldn’t plat and they knew I played guitar so asked me fill in and after the first show I never looked back. We’ve recorded a 4 track EP a long long time ago, it was really rough and the songs were average at best. We also record a two track EP but the songs were heaps poppy but were decent enough. We’ve recently recorded another single ‘The Morning After’ and did our first film clip for it which was a heap of fun! We are looking to record our next 6 track EP in March next year if things go to plan!

Matt - We have been jamming/writing/performing since 2005. A demo released in 2009, 2-track EP in 2013 & debut single + Film clip in 2017.

Luke: Just a few lads from playing Aussie punk rock out of south West Sydney! Latest Single 'The Morning After' – released February 2017

Doszy: We’ve been a band since we were in high school. Matty was the brains behind the operation, he needed a drummer so I jumped in despite having no drumming experience. Dan was the best guitarist we knew so we convinced him to join. Lukey is the baby spice of our band, and the best bloke among us. Our latest release got some airtime on Triple J and Rage, which we can hopefully continue with upon the release of our next EP.

//How did the band originate?//

Dan: I wasn’t there from the start so I’ll leave it to the other lads.

Matty: School holidays of 04/05 we decided to put a band together. Dosz and I & two other mates from school (Cian & Greenwood) and cricket. We jammed around my garage for 6 months. No one wanted to play bass, so my brother Luke stepped in. Cian quit for personal reasons not long after. Our first ever gig our lead guitarist Greenwood cancelled on us, so we called Dan and rehearsed maybe twice before the show. That first show was me, Luke, Dan & Dosz & it’s been that way ever since.

Luke: It all originated in high school. Matty and Doszy wanted to kick-start a band but doszy did play an instrument. Matty said get drum lessons and 10 years later here we are! Good move Dosz!

Fun fact: Lead role in our debut film clip was our original lead guitarist!

Doszy: We were all mates in school and decided to start a band.

//What's the first band who made you love music?//

Dan: Metallica and The Offspring

Matty: Music was always such a huge thing in our household, so I can’t ever remember a time when I “discovered” music, it was always around. I grew up listening my dad’s cassettes that featured a lot of Creedence, Status Quo, AC/DC, The Angels & Rolling Stones. Lots or blues-driven hard rock.

Luke: Greenday - Mike Dirnt in particular. Always wanted to strut around on stage the way he did! Queen also has to get a mention, the old boy was always cranking them when I was young. Was destined to be a muso!

Doszy: I think the first band who made me love music was the 80’s pop group The Bangles.

//Who inspires you to make music now?//

Dan: Wil Wagner is a big influence on me now musically. But the people in my life are the real ones who make me write music.

Matty: I love a good storyteller. Someone who can take the ordinary aspects of life and turn it into a creative piece of art. Currently I get jacked up over anything Wil Wagner touches, the Hard Aches & Violent Soho. I also get inspiration from people around me and the relationships we share, or the stories I observe.

Luke: Aussie music scene in general, it’s picking up and shits infectious!

Doszy: I think my own band mates make me love music now. Nothing makes me more excited than getting to play music that they’ve written.

//What are some of the most important things you have learnt while being together?//

Dan: Practice really does work!

Matty: You gotta work hard, all the time. Complacency achieves nothing.

Luke: Commitment!! If you want to get gigs and your music heard you have to do the hard yards! We’re still finding our way.

Doszy: You can really learn to be on the same wavelength as your band mates all the time. We know what pisses each other off and what the other blokes are thinking, it’s a weird ET connection type thing. You also get closer to your mates by listening to the songs they write, it’s quite a personal thing to listen to your friend’s music that reflects a particular period of their life.

//How do you view your band now as apposed to when you started?//

Dan: We are a lot different. We’ve grown up a lot and musically our taste and inspirations have changed. We are now more concerned about writing good music that works for US instead of trying to write music that would work for everyone else.

Matty: A lot more polished in how we play and how we approach music. We used to just jam in a garage for some fun. We still do that, however now we analyse and critique what we do to ensure we sound as good as we possibly can. The better we sound, the more fun we have.

Luke: Started off incredibly pop-punk – the first song we tried to write was ‘Why don’t good movies win awards?’. Basically about how good Anchorman was. That’s all that needs to be said about that. These days we have some big influences from the likes of The Smith Street Band and The Hard Aches.

Doszy: I think we’re a lot more self-aware now-a-days. We’ve developed the ability to know what works and what doesn’t quite quickly. It saves a lot of time wasting that we did a while ago.

//What's your favourite venue to play?//

Dan: I do love the Record Crete, Glebe and The Valve Bar has always been fun!

Matty: The Record Crate – Glebe, Royal Melbourne Hotel - Melbourne

Luke: Record Crate is always a time. Hot damn at The Spectrum back in the day also delivered the goods!

Doszy: I think the record crate in Glebe is my favorite venue. Its small and loud, perfect for music!

//Can you explain what goes on during the writing process?//

Dan: Usually Matty and I have a song written that we bring in to show the boys and we work on it from there. We usually play through it together to get the structure done and then Lukey works on some bass lines, Doszy fixes up the drums and fills, I add in lead parts if need be and Matty makes the melody work better for him. Lukey has wrote some bangers as well (one is currently in the works that’s gunna be HUGE) and Doszy loves jotting down lyrics that have also made it into the tracks..

Matty: It’s usually a very personal thing. Someone will bring to a rehearsal something they have been working on. We then all learn it together and then flesh out how it can be improved – if it needs improving.

Luke: For me it can be pretty hard. If you want to write about something that hits home it can be quiet difficult to bring up those emotions up time and time again. Not the best thing for your head game but the end results can be incredible. As a band, we are at our best sitting back in our living room breaking the track down and finding out what works!

Doszy: During writing we basically throw our ideas into the blender to see what comes out.

//Can you explain the recording process you go through?//

Dan: Our recording process has been different every time we’ve entered the studio. The latest time we really broke down ‘The Morning After’ over two days. We wanted to make it the best we could and with Clayton from The Brain Studios he really helped us and made the track so much better than we thought it could sound. We laid down the whole track together as a rough demo, then went through the drums and picked them apart and Doszy added in the right fills at the right times. From there we tracked the bass, the guitars, fixed up the solo and finally the vocals!

Matty: We haven’t recorded as much as we would have liked. Each experience has been vastly different, however our last experience we went in with a clear vision as to what we wished to achieve from the sound and tried to stay as true as possible to that goal.

Luke: Our latest single was done at The Brain Recording Studio and we look to be back early next year – hint hint legends! Preparation is a huge part of it – know your songs! You want to go in there and know exactly what you want. It does take time and patience plays a big role but work closely with the engineers and your bands mates and you’ll be fine! Massive thumbs up to Clayton Segelov – blokes incredible and has a real passion for it!

Doszy: Our recording process involves breaking the song down to each instruments layer and making sure we can get it as perfect as can be. We have in the past made small changes to songs here and there while in the studio, which has resulted in some great additions to our music.

//What does this release mean to you? //

Dan: ‘The Morning After’ for me personally was a huge release. It was a song I wrote when I was going through a pretty tough time and the lads really helped bring it to life. I was over the moon when we managed to get it onto Triple J, I remember I was with Matty and Doszy when it was first played and I was on the verge of tears from being so happy – it was a dream come true.

Matty: This release was a real milestone for us. I felt for the first time we were a real band that was worth taking notice of. The radio & TV play that followed from the release further drove that home for me, and has got me super inspired musically.

Luke: Means the world – something we all put so much time and heart into and the end results was something special. Looking forward to jumping back in the studio with the lads!

Doszy: Our recent release means a lot to me, getting it played on national radio was a dream come true.

//What does the scene mean to you?//

Dan: The scene to me is just about having a good time and enjoying yourself. Don’t take it too seriously, if you do you will end up being bitter and getting pissed at other bands making more waves then you.

Matty: If it didn’t exist, there would be no outlet for me and my mates to express ourselves, and that I itself would be devastating. The scene is extremely important to myself and so many.

Luke: It’s getting there and I’m loving it – keen to get more involved myself, dont wanna miss that boat!

Doszy: The music scene is fantastic, the other bands all bring their own personality to events and it creates a real community feel. Every band is ready to help each other out, it’s a great vibe.

//If you could change one thing about the scene, what would it be?//

Dan: Needs a lot more support from the outside. I wish people cared enough to support local acts, but really there isn’t anywhere near the amount needed. Also, some bands need to take a look at themselves and realise we are all on the same level, if you’re playing with bands on the same bill – don’t act like you’re a hero and some rockstar, cause if you were, you wouldn’t be playing on the same bill haha.

Matty: Access to venues/bill slots. I feel from a booking sense that the scene is promoted and booked via a very small number of people. With so many great bands out there, and so few people organizing shows, it an be really hard to get in front of a decent crowd and show em what you got.

Luke: Few pubs giving the live music scene a real hard crack and helping out the up and coming acts. Big shout out to the Record crate and Bald Faced Stag – look after their bands and genuinely have a passion for the scene!

Doszy: Free drinks for bands at the bar afterwards!!

//What song means the most to you?//

Dan: Song I’ve written? ‘Hot Knives’ which has yet to be played live or really completed as a full band, but I wrote it to really deal with some issues I was having at the time. Song I didn’t write ‘Redemption Song’ – Bob Marley

Matty: Our single “The Morning After” obviously has so many great memories attached, from the day we wrote it, to the recording process then the filming of the video, it was just such a great time in my life. The song that means the most to me personally however we have still yet to release. It’s a song I wrote in about 20 minutes, and is probably the best thing I’ve ever written. The fact it flowed so naturally out of me makes it really special.

Luke: Wow! At the moment I’ll go with ‘Song For You’ – The Smith Street Band – This track gets me right in the feels and parts of it can be somewhat relatable. Give it a whirl!

Doszy: I think our song called ‘stay’ means the most to me. It was the song I danced to for my first dance at my wedding so it’ll be heard to beat that.

//What's your favourite song to play live?//

Dan: One of our newer tracks ‘Marco Avenue’ really gets me going, we usually open with it cause it’s short and sweet and doesn’t fuck around.

Matty: One of our new ones, Marco Avenue. It has such an awesome energy, and is about a part of our town where I spent a lot of my youth. I love thrashing out to it up on stage.

Luke: It would have to be ‘The Morning After’. First big single release and the lads just go nuts, plenty of heart while playing that track!

Doszy: My favorite song to play live is called ‘Marco Ave’. It’s short, fast, & loud. Basically what every song should be.

//Why do you play music?//

Dan: Firstly, to have a good time. Secondly, to get shit out.

Matty: “Only a surfer knows the feeling”. It’s fun, its therapeutic, it’s a way of meeting like-minded people, it’s a way of hanging out with my mates. I’d be lost without music.

Luke: Like I said earlier, writing music can be difficult and take it toll mentally but playing live will always take you to a special place. Nothing like it, stiffies all round!

Doszy: I play music because I get to be loud, aggressive and in your face. Essentially the opposite of myself day to day.

//Would you encourage people reading this to start bands?//

Dan: 100% - Being in a band is not only great fun but you make great mates and get to travel and do something you love. It’s a lot of hard work though, and it’s not easy playing to no one sometimes, but if you love music then there is no two ways about it

Matty: Yes!!! My band has become one of the biggest parts of my life, regardless of successes or failure.

Luke: I encourage people all the time! Great way to meet new mates and you would be surprised what you’re capable of! Get amongst it and back yourself!

Doszy: I absolutely would. It’s a fantastic way to speak your mind and really connect with people.

//What advice do you have for new bands?//

Dan: If you’re in it to get big, don’t hold your breath. Music is a very hard thing to crack, you can write what you think are some of the best tracks but if it doesn’t click with the masses you’ll forever be disappointed. Also always remember to support the bands you play with. There is no point going out to a show, playing

your set and then fucking off to a different bar. Support the scene that you are in Simple.

Matty: Play stuff you would want to listen to, not stuff you think people want to hear. It sounds counter-intuitive, but when I realized that and changed my writing style to suit my taste, our music got so much better. We enjoyed the writing process more, and then we had a bunch of songs we loved playing, so our live set’s energy went through the roof! You need to be true to yourself.

Luke: Get out there, support your scene and play live as much as possible. Do those two things and you’ll have the time of your life.

Doszy: One great rock show can change the world.

//How important is it to network with other bands?//

Dan: Really the only way to get anything out of playing in a band is by speaking with other bands. Like I said earlier, don’t be a douche and leave after your set. Stick around and party with the rest of the bands.

Matty: It is everything. ALL our gigs come from meeting other bands at shows and playing gigs with them, or their friends who happened to come see them that night. If you can work together, there’ll never be a shortage of shows.

Luke: Massively, probably dont do it enough ourselves. The more people you meet and connect with the bigger following you’ll receive. Easy as that!

Doszy: Networking with other bands has taken our exposure to the next level. Working in conjunction with other bands to is a great way to keep in touch with the music scene and ensure you stay connected with people with similar interests.