The Morning Night launch their second album, amberola, this Saturday, October 26, at the Fremantle Arts Centre with Warning Birds and Flower Drums from 6pm. They also play in support of Television on Monday, October 28, at the Fly By Night. BOB GORDON catches up with vocalist/guitarist, Adrian Hoffmann.
Adrian Hoffmann was always going to fall into the arms of music. Around this time 20 years ago his father Shaun’s band, No Flowers No Weddings Dress, for whom he drummed, were about to release their debut CD and while they ended in the late ‘90s, all its members continued to play music together and with friends.
“Yeah, my dad and his band have played such a huge part in my career and my listening influences,” Hoffmann says. “There were always musicians at our house when I was younger and lots of ‘sitting around the campfire’ jam sessions. I was definitely one of those kids who wanted to grow up and be just like their dad.”
It’s certainly looking that way, with Hoffmann’s band, The Morning Night, this week launching their second album, amberola. Not bad pace at just 22, but this second LP already had its beginnings before the first (2012’s Otis) reached completion.
“Several of the songs were written while we were recording the first album because we were in such an amazing creative space,” he recalls. Ricky (Maymi, producer, from the Brian Jonestown Massacre) is great at encouraging us to stay keen for new opportunities all the time and the two albums complement each other really well because of his influence on both of them.”
While the notion of a second album was encouraged early on, Hoffmann says he had no real points of details he wanted to try differently. Working again with Maymi allowed a chance to allow for a more fluid evolution between releases.
“Not specifically, the more we worked on the tracks and added the layers, the more we started to see where they could go. But we knew we could trust Ricky to stay true to his vision for the album and keep amberola fresh but still with a Morning Night feel.
“There are obvious benefits to working with someone you know well because you understand what the process is going to involve before you get into it. Ricky is extremely hardworking and spends a lot of time in the studio crafting each element of an album. We were prepared for that this time and able to work more collaboratively with him on the final product.”
Though it’s been several years since The Morning Night’s first EP, Decide What You Want, a lot has happened in terms of creative development and life experience for Hoffmann and his bandmates.
“Jesse (Brown, drums) and I were only 15 when we recorded the EP, it came out when I was 17,” he notes. “There’s no doubt that I’ve changed the way I approach music, generally. At a simple level, my listening and reading tastes have developed and that necessarily bleeds into what I create.
“The longer we work together, the smoother the process becomes,” he adds, regarding the band’s general development. “We’ve had a few changes in band members since we started (Isaura Campbell recently took the place of Chloë McGrath), but we’re really happy with the current line-up, the way that we gel and the different talents that everyone brings to it.”
In recent years Hoffmann has had some great experiences gigging and touring with his life-long musical heroes, The Triffids and The Church’s Steve Kilbey. There’s much to bring back to his own band.
“We’re so lucky to be surrounded by their talent and experience and the unqualified belief they have in what we do,” he says. “They’ve inspired me in songwriting choices but also in the way that I approach the industry as a whole.
“Of course, there are so many doors that have opened because of their involvement, too. I toured Europe with The Triffids and we have our national tour in November, supporting Steve Kilbey (local dates are Tuesday & Thursday, October 29 & 31, at The Wine Store, East Fremantle). Steve is the unabashed King Of The Dad Joke… our manager thinks our senses of humour go into decline the more time we spend time with him!”
As for The Morning Night, it may be the second album but in reality it’s only just begun. There’s plenty to do with what is a very worldly release.
“We have the tour in November and we just want to get it out and heard by as many people as possible,” Hoffmann says. “Amberola has the potential to appeal to a really wide range of people. So basically, world domination is on the cards!
This Morning Night play Fremantle Arts Centre Saturday, October 26, with supports Warning Birds and Flower Drums from 6pm.
Get your tickets here.
