Tin Alley

"It’s not that much of a change in Tin Alley in terms of playing; I still have loud music around my ears. But in terms of the music, we don’t have to stick to a certain style, a certain beat. Personally it’s a lot closer to the style of music I wanted to be playing, so it is a lot better."

Stefan Waltersson, vocalist of Melbourne rock act Tin Alley, is comparing his recent outfit with his last, it’s a conversation that would bore any but the most dedicated fans, but Waltersson’s story has a unique twist; his former band happens to be a Danish metal act, nominated for Best Metal Album Of The Year in the coveted Danish Metal Awards.

“They found me over the good old Internet,” he explains of jumping ship to join the Melbourne group. “I wasn’t happy with the music I was playing, so I met them and we had a jam and it was very surprising. Not only were they all great musicians, we all had the same ideas.”

With Waltersson in tow, Tin Alley are making big strides and are set to receive strong radio support for their latest single, the inspiring Ride The Wave. “We recorded the song in Brisbane with producer Stuart Stuart, it was the first time Stefan recorded with us, and we were very, very, happy with how it ended up,” explains bassist Paul Siourthas.

“Ride The Wave is a song about growing up, wisdom, experience, letting go, it’s essentially a leaf that falls off a tree, down into a stream then out into the ocean and God knows what happens from there. It’s a metaphor for growing up and letting go of certain things, and we hope that message connects.”

It certainly rings true for Tin Alley. After a decade performing under the name Everything, a switch to their current moniker in 2007 and a few years of solid touring saw them achieve some hard-earned commercial success: in 2009 the single Out Of Control hit #7 on the ARIA physical Singles chart, and #1 on the AIR charts, buoyed by some strong Austereo support. The departure of lead vocalist Jim Siourthas saw their momentum suffer; but now with Waltersson up front, the band are certainly making up for lost time, perpetually circling the country on tour and promotional duties, with no plans to cease until at least the end of next year.

“We are currently doing the acoustic rounds, while planning a proper tour of the East Coast of Australia, and we will probably be on the road for the rest of this year and all of next year... and the next,” laughs Siourthas.

The band are finding, however, that volume doesn’t often equate to airplay and that blasting a rock track in an office environment isn’t the best means of promotion - which is why they are making a note of performing Ride The Wave acoustically when showcasing to radio stations. So far the tactic seems to be working.

“Acoustically [the songs] seem to be received quite well,” explains Waltersson. “It gives a different feel, and without the rock, people can hear the words and the melody. With rock, some people just hear one big sound and don’t really notice the other parts. Radio has been very accepting, and we really appreciate it.” Future plans for Tin Alley include a long-awaited third album (“We are talking to a whole lot of producers about recording, and have plans to release something at the end of this year or possibly next year,” reveals Waltersson), followed by the endless touring circuit; a prospect that seems to fill the band with glee. As for a possible new direction for the band, don’t hold your breath.

“I don’t think we will be changing drastically,” laughs Waltersson. “I don’t see us becoming either a pop band or a full on metal act, we are a rock band. And happy to be a rock band.”

Ride The Wave is out now through MGM. - Music Network

The gang from Melbourne outfit Tin Alley are slowly but surely being embraced by those in the industry who can get their music out to the masses.

Having already been picked up for airplay by the likes of Triple J and their hometown's Triple R and 3PBS with their previous work, and subsequently spending time in both the ARIA top 100 and the AIR charts, Tin Alley's new single 'Crossing Paths' is aiming to take things one step further.

The track was written after the band's drummer Peter Hofbauer was involved in a life-threatening motorbike accident. It's release is dedicated to "Pete's brave efforts in dealing with and eventually overcoming the physical and mental injuries associated with his accident." And though the track wavers towards the rock side of the musical spectrum, there's no denying it's pop roots. - AUSPOP