Alex Elbery pulls the Ripcord
Perth-born, Melbourne-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Alex Elbery has unveiled his brand new track titled ‘Ripcord’, our first taste of Alex’s forthcoming EP ‘Unbelievably Good News’. We caught up with Alex to chat about ‘Ripcord’, the challenges he faced while creating the track and what fans can look forward to from Alex in 2025.
For those who haven’t heard your music before, what genre box or boxes do you place Alex Elbery in?
Honestly, I’ve always struggled a bit with this question. I take influences from a pretty broad range of music and then just try to funnel it through my own experience. I usually just say It’s pop/rock. But weird.
You have just released the single ‘Ripcord’, our first sample of your forthcoming EP. Where did the inspiration for ‘Ripcord’ come from?
I wrote Ripcord when I was involved in this program, which involved me writing 100 songs in two months. Ripcord was one of them. The idea behind this was to break down the preciousness around songwriting and hone your process. It really worked. Looking back now, I can connect Ripcord to things that were going on in my life. I was falling in love with my partner while secretly struggling with my mental health and addiction. The song was kind of a hypothetical look ahead at the life I wanted.
“ I really didn’t want to release anything until I was confident in my sobriety and felt like I could give the release everything I had”
Is it true you started work on ‘Ripcord’ before COVID? Besides the global pandemic, did you run into other obstacles during the creative process?
That is true, yes. To be honest, the creative process itself was amazing and smooth and I loved every second of it. The issue was that things kept keeping us from it. There was the global pandemic which kept us from the studio, there were also my own struggles, I had a brief stay in a psych ward during production, that’s some forced time out, that was followed by a substantial period of addiction recovery. I really didn’t want to release anything until I was confident in my sobriety and felt like I could give the release everything I had and have it all coming from the right place. Then, during that time, my producer Jon Grace retired from music. He was quite burnt out from running his studio and needed some time. I wanted to give him that space and then it took me a little while to sweet talk him into finishing the record with me. Boy, am I glad he did!
Did the song change or morph during the 4 years or has it turned out how you originally envisioned it?
Oh, it’s definitely evolved but it was like with every evolution, it became more true to it’s self. It’s been a staple of my live show for a long time which is a great way to hone a song. Then there was also a lot of work in pre-production where we really pulled it apart and put it back together.
Who came up with the concepts used in the ‘Ripcord’ music video? Were there any memorable or standout moments during the making of it?
So I had the idea that I wanted it to look like I was falling for the whole video. I took that very basic idea to the folks at Wendyhouse Productions and they took it and ran with it. All credit to Helen Turton - she’s an amazing director (and I’m proud to say, a very dear friend) and she really went above and beyond on this clip. She and co-director Jordan Laut spent weeks in my backyard building all of the props and set pieces - it was really their vision. Then cinematographer Jack Rintoul really brought it to life in the camera.
“The EP is a really eclectic mix of songs, with a through-line of love, hope, resilience and humour.”
What can you tell us about your forthcoming EP ‘Unbelievably Good News?’ Do you have a release date yet? And will you be doing any launch shows?
No release date, aiming for Feb.Hopefully a tonne of live shows to come. The EP is a really eclectic mix of songs, with a through-line of love, hope, resilience and humour. it’s the 5 best songs out of the hundreds I wrote over the past decade. I’m so proud of it.
Will you be touring after the delivery of ‘Unbelievably Good Things’, showcasing the new material live for fans?
I would love to. I’ve toured in the past with other projects and I love it. The reality is it’s really costly and not always viable for a newer, independent artist like myself. I like to think that yes, I will make a go of it when the time is right, it’s worthwhile and I’ll get to reach the people who will respond to what I do.
“I started my own music teaching business in 2019 and I do the occasional production work. Those things have helped sustain me for now.”
Your Bio states you started Violin lessons at five years of age and by 13 you had your own band putting concerts on at school. Is music the only thing you have ever wanted to do or were there other career paths you considered?
I wanted to be a skater and a pro wrestler but music overtook those dreams by the time I was 12 hahaha. Honestly, no. Never had a backup plan, never wanted to do anything else. I’m lucky that I’ve found ways to adapt to survive with music, I started my own music teaching business in 2019 and I do the occasional production work. Those things have helped sustain me for now.
Alex, you are also connected to the bands Damaged Goods Club and Overthinker, what are the pros and cons of being in a group compared to being a solo artist?
This is a good question. To be honest, I like to think of my solo project as a band. It’s my name, sure, but I really value the people I play with and it wouldn’t be the same without them. The difference I can speak to is being the songwriter vs playing someone else’s songs. In both DGC and Overthinker, there’s a primary songwriter who brings songs to the band. I love the experience of locking into someone else’s vision and doing what I can to help realise whatever vision they have in their head. I think that process has made me a better band leader in my solo project.
Who in your crew or team deserves a shout-out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?
There are two people. Firstly, my partner Ruby. Not only is she amazing at building up my confidence, and talking me down when I’m freaking out but she also does all of my graphic design and visual elements. She’s talented in so many ways and I’m grateful every day to have her in my life. Secondly, my drummer Nathan Winn. Nathan is so much more than a drummer. He’s an incredible vocalist and I’d go so far as to say somewhat of a ‘music director.’ He’s extremely pragmatic and the best person I’ve ever met at elevating an idea. Plus he lets us practice at his house, we’d be lost without him. Love you Nate xx
What's next for you? What can we expect with 2025 rapidly approaching?
Hopefully lots of shows, the EP will release and then I’ll aim to have another single out by the end of 2025.
ALEX ELBERY – UPCOMING SHOW:
SAT 14 DEC | LAST CHANCE ROCK & ROLL BAR, MELBOURNE VIC
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/bd2588ed-e8ab-4e54-a169-e74ea8f53c36
Single Cover Art
Interview by Michelle Symes
November 2024