the humm

NEWCASTLE three-piece band The Humm are back and they’ve brought with them an album they’ve spent five years perfecting.

The band – made up of frontman Ty Penshorn, guitarist Nick Raschke and drummer Dane Baldwin – will release Death By Vanity at Lizotte’s next Wednesday night.

Penshorn spoke to LIVE about rock’n’roll and the perils and pitfalls of vanity.

What are you looking forward to most about playing this gig at Lizotte’s next Wednesday night?

Just playing in the Lizotte’s room will be a treat.

It’s a breath of fresh air to see an establishment like this in the suburbs of Newcastle after the collapse of so many live venues in the past 10 years.

Let’s hope we see more and more like this in the future.

You’re releasing your new album, Death By Vanity, at the show. How long has this album been in the works?

About five years.

The album was recorded then a few songs stripped as we were striving for an all-killer, no-filler album.

Spending two years living in the United Arab Emirates gave me time to really listen to the first cut of the album and delete the disposable elements, and keep writing until the album felt complete. It took about three attempts.

How did you come up with the concept of the album title and cover art?

I was in Leeds in the UK and was having a conversation with a friend about someone who’d gone into hospital for cosmetic surgery (a quick breast lift) only to catch staph and die.

Her reply was, ‘‘Oh my God, death by vanity’’.

I said, ‘‘That’s a great name for an album’’.

As for the artwork, we have a very talented mate who did it, who also did our film clip for Fantasize.

It has been added to Rage and Channel V, and our favourite channel, YouTube.

Where did you do the majority of the songwriting for the record?

Bedrooms here, there and everywhere. I spent two years gigging in Dubai, which was time to reflect on the initial recording, work out what was missing, what needed to be cut.

Only the best dozen tracks made it to the mastering room.

What did you set out to achieve when you started work on Death By Vanity?

A timeless rock album with no bad tunes and, for a while there, it was the greatest album never to be released!

As a group, The Humm are very satisfied with Death By Vanity, not only with the composition of songs, but the quality of recording.

The majority of the album was recorded in Kings Cross, which was like a holiday too. Anything else that comes from this release is a bonus for our little band.

Newcastle singer Marissa Saroca appears on a couple of the songs. How did you guys come to work together?

I was searching for the backing vocals similar to the vocals on Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones and Marissa can deliver.

I wish she was in our band.

Anyone familiar with Marissa knows she’s a huge talent, a powerhouse vocalist, with a massive future.

You’ve been involved in the Newcastle music scene for quite a while now. What has kept you going?

The Rolling Stones are still together, that alone is enough to prove there’s no limit to rock. I think you keep going until it’s not fun any more. Besides, we’re still waiting for our first hit.

What are three songs that you wish you had written?

Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan – the lyrics, the chorus are mindblowing, he’s the king.

Highway to Hell by AC/DC. From Malcolm’s first chord chops, it makes you want to go get a tattoo and a motorbike. They’re the ultimate Aussie rock band, the offspring of The Easybeats. You can have your Stairway to Heaven ’cause they’re going some place else.

And anything by Stevie Wonder. He had a period in the ’70s where he couldn’t do anything that wasn’t amazing.


- The Newcastle Herald