No Changes needed for South Summit
Photo Credit Sarah Haleem
Following on from a year that saw them play a bunch of festivals, be named as “indie role models for reconciliation”, as well as triple j’s 2022 “ones to watch”, South Summit have kicked off 2023 with the release of their new EP ‘Creatures’ and the recent announcement of a national tour that kicks off in March. MFA caught up with South Summit to chat about the new EP, their thoughts on triple J and which festivals they would like to play in the future.
Firstly, congratulations on the release of your Ep ‘Creatures’, how are you feeling now it’s finally out in the world?
Thanks so much! It always feels so good to put out new music we’ve been working on and the ‘Creatures’ EP had been cooking and waiting to be released for a decent amount of time, so to finally have it out now feels pretty great. It’s hard to hold back from just chucking it out into the world the second the thing is recorded. We’re very proud of the EP and we hope you enjoy listening to it.
What has been the response from Fans and Critics for ‘Creatures’?
We’ve had so many amazing responses so far from people all around the place, which is something we’ve always been very appreciative of. Getting those messages from the fans telling us how much they’re enjoying the new tunes is a massive highlight of releasing new songs. It’s pretty surreal to have people you’ve never even met enjoy the music you make.
Do you have a favourite track or one that is particularly important to you?
We all have differefavouritetes songs for all kinds of reasons and they are all very important to us because of how personal they are and the meanings behind them. But we do agree on a common favourite song to perform live at the moment which is ‘Tired of Waiting’. It’s one of our more upbeat songs and we love the way a crowd reacts and sings along to it.
Were there any tracks you were worried about including on the Ep or you had second thoughts about?
I wouldn’t say there was any songs we didn’t want or maybe had second thoughts about but we did have a very new and different experience with the song ‘Changes’, which was recorded in a block of time we had over in Sydney while on tour. And it’s actually the only track on the EP that we used a different producer for, so it’s a little different to the others.
Were there any highlights, special or standout moments during the recording of ‘Creatures’?
One of the main highlights of recording is towards the end of creating a song where you add all the little parts and things that fill out the songs and make them more interesting. It’s when a song actually starts to sound closer to a finished product, and it’s also the time where all the weird ideas start to come out. Some ideas are really great and might make a song suddenly your new favourite but most are just rabbit holes we get lost in.
“we just recently announced another Australian tour in March that we’re very excited to jump into ”
Are there plans to tour the album and showcase it live for fans?
Yes actually we just recently announced another Australian tour in March that we’re very excited to jump into already. We will definitely be playing all the songs off the ‘Creatures’ EP live for the fans. We’re always itching to hear them singing along to the new songs at the show.
Your music has received a lot of support from triple J, how important has that been in your opinion on getting South Summit star to rise?
Having Triple J’s support has been extremely helpful for our band’s progression for the last couple of years. It gave us that push we needed into the eastern states. And it is still one of the best ways for new bands to break out into new crowds all around Australia. We are very grateful for everything they’ve done for us.
“We would love to see some more exclusively Australian music radio stations and more Aussie artists on mainstream Australian stations”
Do you think the 25% minimum quota of Australian music on our radio stations is a fair number given the ever-expanding talent pool we have in this country? Would you like to see that number increased or even a dedicated Aussie station?
We would love to see some more exclusively Australian music radio stations and more Aussie artists on mainstream Australian stations. This country is just completely full of so many incredible musicians and so much musical talent. All they need is some more ears so their music can find the right people to love and listen to it.
South Summit participated in a bunch of festivals in 2022 including Falls, BIG SOUND, Rolling Sets and NYE on the Hill. Can we expect you to be a staple on the festival circuit this year?
2022 was definitely a year of some very important festival bucket list ticks for us and we still can’t even believe the year we’ve had. Festivals are definitely some of the most exciting shows to play for us of course. So you’ll definitely be seeing us on as many festival lineups as we can get in 2023. Keep your eyes peeled, hope to see you there.
“Laneway Festival and Splendour in the Grass are definitely some festivals that we’ve had our eyes on”
Are there any festivals that you’re keen to play but haven’t had the opportunity yet?
Laneway Festival and Splendour in the Grass are definitely some festivals that we’ve had our eyes on from all the way back when we started the band. From the start they were straight on the bucket list so we would be extremely excited to be able to tick those off.
When you hear the word festival what’s the first image or thing that comes to mind?
Seas of people in front of gigantic stages and sound systems. Great music being blasted and heard from kilometres away. Long lines to the toilets. Thousands of people enjoying the same thing together. What’s not to like?
Without naming names what’s the craziest or funniest thing you have seen happen backstage at a festival?
I remember watching from backstage as an already blind drunk mate of the band playing, jumped on stage in front of thousands of people and skulled and then crushed at least 10 beer cans right there on stage. I watched him go straight for the toilets as he walked off stage.
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?
I think we all do things that we all definitely deserve credit for, but one thing that always gets overlooked by people is the person who manages the socials. And at the moment for us that’s Nathan our drummer. It’s not always an easy job and we’re very grateful for all he does behind the scenes.
What's coming up for South Summit in 2023?
In 2023 for South Summit, just expect more of everything. There’s going to be many more shows, many more festivals, more tours and of course there’s always new music coming around the corner so keep your eyes peeled. Chuck us a follow on Instagram @southsummitband to see all the latest announcements and news about all of the above.
