Go with the Interflow
Local act Interflow are set to launch their new single, Leaving Without You, at Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle on Saturday, February 8, with special guests Streetlights and RetroMode—with tickets on sale now. BOB GORDON caught up with Interflow to find out the story behind the band and their first new release in two years.
A hard-working and inventive band that is truly coming into its own after five years of solid gigging and recording, Interflow had its origins when the four founding members came together in a music class at Seton College in Hamilton Hill in 2019.
By the end of that year, they were writing their own songs and performing gigs in Perth venues, and by January of 2020, they were recording an EP.
Of course, 2020 had other plans at the time.
“We had plans to release, and we had a launch gig booked for April announced, and then COVID postponed that, and it didn’t end up getting released until October of that year,” says drummer Charlie Pascoe, who makes up the rhythm section along with bassist Finley Dores-Henderson. “That was probably the big roadblock, in terms of taking things to the next step of having music out and having actually a release to promote.”
They dug their heels in, however, and much like the music industry in general, Interflow persisted, launching the debut EP and making that ascent as a group of young musicians staking its claim as a band.
“Sometimes I think we are a bit self-deprecating with that EP, probably a bit unfairly,” says lead guitarist Will Gibbs. But I think there are a couple of tracks that stand out as the sort of direction that we wanted to go with. There’s still a couple that are songs that sort of hung over from high school writing days and that maybe a lot of our friends liked, and that’s why we sort of included on the release. But I think as far as something that was put out at ages 17-18? It’s a pretty decent effort.”
As the gates re-opened to the venues and the industry, Interflow could once again do what they set out to in the first place, gigging at venues such as Mojos, Clancy’s, The Sonar Room, and Rosemount Hotel, among others, with bands such as Amateur Retreat, Cloud Local, Streetlights, Ra Ra Viper, and even WA music icon Dave Warner.
By 2022, the band had carved a niche musically, foregoing keyboards and concentrating on a classic hard rock guitar outlook. As a four-piece, they dug deep into themselves, writing and recording their debut album, Lovers, Losers, Liars & Thieves.
“I think the songwriting was getting stronger,” Charlie says. “We started to get a little bit more of a classic rock sound. By this time we were a four-piece, and we were able to steer it more in the style of a band like The Who, being a bit punchier with the songs. We started sort of hitting the groove with what we wanted to play around with.”
The debut album spawned core Interflow songs such as the first single, Old Ways, The Distance, and the acoustic closer, Deeds.
“We hadn’t done anything like that before,” Will says. “We allowed ourselves a bit of extra time to get a string quartet playing on that song, and I think it opened up another avenue of songwriting and production for us.”
It seems that the push and pull of musical composition and the creative tension that can result is allayed within Interflow by the fact that the band is a longstanding group of friends that thrive in the group dynamic.
“I think it allows each member to put their own stamp on things when they’re able to suggest things in a song’s infancy,” explains Will. “So it becomes less one person’s style, and everyone gets to make their mark on it.”
Amping up that classic hard rock sound, the band incorporated Sully Grove on rhythm guitar, launching the album and continuing to gig at more venues such as The Milk Bar, Rodney’s Bait & Tackle, Port Beach Brewery, Lynott’s Lounge, and the Prince of Wales in Bunbury.
At all times, underpinning the rock diversity of Interflow’s songs is vocalist Jacob Willis-Fulford’s dynamically personal lyrics delivered with a tenor voice that shines within and throughout the band’s songs.
“He does have a good voice,” Will states. “A great voice. It’s very humbling when you have to sing backing vocals in the studio or live, that’s for sure. He’s worked hard at his voice from quite a young age, and it shows.”
Jacob’s voice and lyrics rise to the occasion on Interflow’s new single, Leaving Without You, a song that combines the band’s classic ’70s rock roots with a fist-pumping ’90s pop-punk feel. It sounds fresh simply because it is.
“That was one of those songs that just came together,” says Will. “Jacob and I were around his house on a weekend. We had an acoustic guitar out, and it pretty much just dropped into our laps. There’s a bit of a nod to some musicians in the family as well, with a couple of the chord progressions. There’s a bit of inspiration drawn from that, but that song was largely written and arranged in about an hour in Jacob’s living room.
“It’s one of those nice moments where it just happens nice and quickly… one of those songs that just clicked.”
Recorded with Elliot Smith at Sundown Studios with vocals laid down at Emerald Room Studios with Emmet Carroll, Leaving Without You kicks off what looks to be a hectic 2025 for Interflow. Having recorded a swag of new songs at Sundown in December, they will embark on a regular release schedule of a new single every three months. This will be reflected in their playing calendar as they gig in support of the releases and tour around WA, having already performed in venues in the South West.
Interflow agree that their career highlights thus far are simply recording and performing—the two objectives giving to and feeding off the other in a manner that indeed seems befitting of their name.
Interflow launch their new single, Leaving Without You, at Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle on Saturday, February 8, 2025. Tickets are on sale now from oztix.com.au