The folk rock collective that is The Elsewheres have released their new track ‘Run Away With Me’. The new song is filled with gritty textures, brassy licks and delicate guitars creating an ode to romance and the freedom that love can bring, Before The Elsewheres officially launch ‘Run Away With Me’ on Thursday the 10th of August at Melbourne’s The Curtin Hotel we caught up with lead singer, Oliver Northam to find out about the history of ‘Run Away With Me’ , making a music video with his mum and how you make decisions in a band with eight members.

Congratulations on the release of your new track ‘Run Away With Me’, how has the song been received so far?

Thank you! We’re stoked with the appreciation we’ve received for this track, it’s always been one of our favourites and hopefully it’ll become a favourite of our fans too.

Tell us about your ‘Run Away With Me’? What was your inspiration for penning this track?

There’s so much history in this song. I wrote the horn melody way back in highschool. The tune had a very different flavour back then, but after bringing it to The Elsewheres we turned it into the gritty folk-rock rambler that it is today. My first job out of high school was playing piano at this sordid little burlesque bar in the city. It was during my time working there that I imagined this fantasy of meeting someone at the bar and running away with them. It was a wonderfully naive dream and one that I’m glad has been captured in this tune.

Do you have a favourite line or part of the song?

For me it has to be the opening line of the second verse…

“Drowned our past in the morning light and smoked the grass till we couldn’t trust our eyes”

I’m very fond of the image that this conjures for me and it’s one of the best lines to play live because the band stops for it and when we all come back in Ned (Electric Guitar) and I get to jam out together to that fantastic guitar riff that follows.

“To me this one is about reckless romance and holds so much raucous joy, I love it. ”

You wrote this song in high school, correct? Does it still have the same meaning to you as it did back then?

Thankfully no. The song had little to know meaning back then, I was just a boy playing around with his dad’s instruments, I didn’t develop a lyrical voice until a few years later. Having said that, it has a lot of meaning to me now having been on such a long journey with it by my side. To me this one is about reckless romance and holds so much raucous joy, I love it.

Being this is the oldest song in your catalogue, with other songs being previously released, what made now the right time to drop ‘Run Away With Me’?

Our first single ‘Into His Arms’ was very deliberately written to be our first release. I think back then I wanted to avoid putting too much of my genuine self out into the world so I wrote a song that I enjoyed playing, was catchy-enough for a single, but crucially didn’t mean too much to me. With this release I wanted to put out a track that we love playing and that our audiences have loved hearing all these years. There was no question, Run Away With Me was that track.

‘Run Away With Me’ has an accompanying video that your Mum makes a cameo in, what was it like bringing her into your music world? Can we look forward to seeing her in future videos?

Having mum involved was hilarious and also really special. It goes without saying that she’s been a huge supporter of my music before I could even walk so to have her in the music video was a perfect moment. Oh and yes, I don’t know what we’ll be filming next but I’d be very keen for mum to make more and more outlandish appearances!

Were there any other memorable moments during the making of the video?

We had a ball shooting this one. There were so many fun moments from gathering around the living room table with the crew and my folks eating fish and chips from the local store, to being splashed unexpectedly by Lawrence as he drove past us in the hitchhiking scene. Maybe the best part was watching mum shoot her section, she loved it and we were all having a laugh watching her do her takes.

Will ‘Run Away With Me’ feature on a forthcoming album or will it be a stand-alone single?

We’ve got an EP dropping on August 3 for which Run Away With Me is the title track, it’s got a few more tasty treats on there for ya!

Are there plans to hit the road and showcase the new track live for fans?

Absolutely! We’re launching the EP in Melbourne at The Curtin on August 10th, before heading north for a regional launch in late August, and vinyl launch as well. Plenty of live shenanigans are coming your way don’t you worry!

In 2019, The Elsewheres played the Newport Folk Festival & Nightjar Festival. Are there plans for the band to return to festival circuit or will you be concentrating primarily on concerts and shows?

There’s something more intimate about concerts in the city as opposed to festivals but we’re keen to play as much as possible and we’re hoping to jump back into the festival circuit too.

“everyone gets heard, we try all the ideas and then make a decision”

The Elsewheres is made up of eight members, does this make it easier or more complex in regard to making band decisions?

Sometimes it can feel like we have too many cooks in the kitchen but for the most part we have a very organic and respectful way of operating; everyone gets heard, we try all the ideas and then make a decision. As yet, we’ve not had any big arguments…apart from one with Ned about cockney slang but that’s a story for another time!

How did you the band come together?

Back in uni, Reuben, Ned and I became the stock rhythm section for several bands which meant we were constantly rehearsing together. Whilst waiting around in a tiny rehearsal room in south Melbourne, I started playing Run Away With Me on guitar. They joined in, I started singing and before long we’d played our first song as a band. I asked “reckon you guys can do that again for my exam next week?” Neither of them said no.

“everyone gets heard, we try all the ideas and then make a decision”

Where was The Elsewheres first gig? Was it a success or flop?

Our first show was actually at the very same burlesque bar where I used to work. It was a great success, we had some friends and family attend and I look back on that night very fondly indeed.

Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is they do that keeps your world turning?

It’s gotta be Dylan Hamilton (Alto Sax) and Reuben Maskell (Drums). These are two of my absolute best mates in the world and they’ve reached out to pick me up and dust me off every single time I’ve fallen along this journey. I’m so bloody grateful to these lads!

What does the future hold for The Elsewheres? What can fans look forward to?

We’re keen to be more active on the live scene in the second half of the year especially in Melbourne! We’ve got a few shows lined up and we’ll be jumping back into the recording studio to get another few singles out early/mid next year as well!!

THUR 10 AUGUST | JOHN CURTIN HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC| 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/fd1e847a-ec5d-4833-8798-f60f0bed0c58

Interview by Michelle Symes

July 2023

Run Away with The Elsewheres