Hiya folks thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today, grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide to start in music?
I have been writing and recording my own songs since I was 15, Colliding Scopes is just the latest manifestation of that. No matter where I am or what I’m doing I am always working on a song idea in the back of my mind, because of that it wasn’t much of a decisions to start a band, it is just an outlet for a mind filled with ideas.
Introduce us you and your musical history?
Hi, I’m Luke from Sydney Australia, my band Colliding Scopes is where I put all the energy and creativity I have as a musician and a songwriter. I collaborate with some of the best musician and producers in Australia and around the world. Colliding Scopes started as a collaboration between myself and my friend Dave Colman, but it has morphed into a much wider project, & I can’t wait to show everyone all the songs I’ve been working on. Other common collaborators I work with are Gordon Rytmeister on drums, Terry Stacey (my Dad) on bass guitar, Alastair Colgrave on backing vocals and keyboards, Maria Grig on string arrangements and performances and many others.
What’s one question you’re sick of being asked when interviewed?
I don’t mind being asked anything.
We set up RGM USA to share music with America and the UK, good idea?
Great idea. It’s still hard for bands without a label to cut through the huge amount of music being released, and it’s great that this magazine supports those artists in cutting through.
What are your thoughts on the UK music scene?
Some of the greatest artists and musicians ever have come from the UK, I grew up on a diet of Led Zeppelin and the Beatles and these days I love to pump grime like Stormzy and Slowthai.
Do you sign up to any conspiracy theories?
Not that I’ll admit to publicly.
Did you buy anything you don’t need in the pandemic?
I bought an 808 to do beats, then I remembered I worked with one of the best drummers in Australia and nothing beats real live beats.
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about?
These days I almost exclusively listen to hip-hop of various kinds.
What makes you stand out as a band?
Our complex and interesting arrangements mixed in with our colourful melodies and some catchy hooks.
Right now, what’s pissing you off the most?
Bad drivers.
What’s your favourite song to play live and why?
Like I Dreamt It from our first EP, it just has a great groove and some huge psychedelic vibes that fill a room, and moves the crowd.
I hear you have a new single, what can you tell us about it?
Our new single Sunlight is a fast paced riff driven song, a lot of the song is in the time signature 11/8, it has smooth gliding vocals that tie all the craziness together. I’ve been told it’s fun and catchy.
Talk me through the thought process of the single.
I had a simple idea with a couple of chords lying around for years, during Sydneys first big lockdown in 2020 I decided to record a demo. I made a very basic demo and send it to the amazing drummer Gordon Rytmeister who I have been working with for the last few years. I gave him a reference of some old Herbie Hancock records and asked him to play as fast as he could to the song. When I got the drums back I was gobsmacked, and being stuck in my house (where my studio also is) I spent the week recording the rest of the song. I wrote the main riff over the drum beats and played the rest of the instruments myself. My partner Alastair who is an opera singer laid down many layers of backing vocals and it was done.
What was the recording process like?
One of the fastest recording processes of any song I have ever made. I have a great studio setup at home and I work with the best people which made it happen so fast and easily.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the single and your upcoming album?
I learnt that I can do things really quickly if I just get my hands dirty and work hard. It also showed me how a simple idea can bloom into something rich and complex when you allow other people to throw their creative spirit into the mix.
Our upcoming EP has been a lot of work to finish as it crosses over many genres, from rock to classical to spoken word/hip-hop. I have learnt so much moving through all these genres and hope that we have struck something unique and individual.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
The great thing about playing acoustic instruments is that nothing is ever perfect, so there are things that might stand out to me, but I wouldn’t change the rawness for anything. Too many other songs to finish to dwell on small imperfections.
What are your plans for the year ahead?
I have some great tracks already mastered and ready to release, I can’t wait to get them out into the world as the music I am yet to release is by far the best I have ever done. I plan on making more music videos with my friends as the one we made for Sunlight was an absolute blast.