Child
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Child

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Rather than simply getting the attention of punters with outrageous noise levels, Child have thought long and hard about their live sound and how to best translate their blues heavy, stoner riffs to the live setting. “Using volume to convey a physical feeling, especially with the bottom end, and the choice of say, drums and cymbals; that all adds to the dynamics,” offers Northway. “Tone is also very much a passion of ours.”

Child’s debut self-titled album is set to be re-released in the coming months, after the band initially self released it online at the beginning of the year. After doing the rounds on the blogosphere and gaining some traction, it now seems the album is set for a release on vinyl format, which understandably, has the band quite excited. “That was the intention from the beginning,” says Northway on the vinyl release. “We all have quite an affinity for records and we all collect. It’s one of the more enjoyable parts about recording music is that whole artistic package and it’s just something for our own personal satisfaction we want to have done.

“We went all out with the artwork as well – getting Nick Keller, who is quite a talented Kiwi artist – to do us a gatefold oil painting. So the artwork was specifically designed with that (vinyl) in mind. So that’s the goal; when I’m holding that I’ll be like, ‘Yep, it’s done!’”

It’s no secret that vinyl records have been making a huge comeback in recent years, gaining preference with both artists and music collectors alike. The value and worth of vinyl is certainly not lost on the members of Child. “That conversation happened, only half an hour ago around the kitchen table, we were talking about the fact that the record is a kind of legacy,” says Northway. “It’s documenting it in the most respectful manner to the art form.”

As conversation turns to the music itself and what people can expect from the record, Northway is adamant that if anything, it’s a pretty straight up and honest account of Child as a musical outfit. “(The music) comes from a pretty sincere place I think. Whether that was the intention to begin with or not, it’s hard to say. But it definitely comes from a very visceral angle. The blues is definitely the crux of everything.

“You know, if I’m sitting there by myself I play the blues. And I love my stoner riffs so it’s like a fusion of that from the guitar side of things. It’s very much a collective. All three of us, we write together. It’s not a dictatorship or anything like that,” he laughs.

2014 is shaping up to be a pretty busy one for Child with the release of their debut album priority number one. “The record coming out and being available, that’s something we’re really looking forward to,” says Northway. “The record’s probably the biggest focus at this stage, that’s the biggest thing to look forward to for us.”

Yet Child will also be attacking the live circuit yet again, most notably with a  performance at this year’s Cherry Fest which takes place across two stages in the famous AC/DC lane. Northway and co. are quite rightly, honoured to be a part of the iconic Melbourne festival.

“To be honest, I think it (Cherry Fest) is going to be the highlight of our year so anything that happens after that needs to be, you know, I guess pretty exciting.” Indeed.

BY JAMES NICOLI