We chat inspirations with emerging psych-pop band, Bananagun
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24.09.2019

We chat inspirations with emerging psych-pop band, Bananagun

The band’s frontman Nick Van Bakel gives us the lowdown on what makes them tick.

ORB

Geelong heavy psych lords ORB are some of my besties and are a big influence. They’re super tight and approach their songs with great finesse, conviction and know-how to get your grooves right in the back pocket. It’s really inspiring to see people that care that much about their music.

Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett, in early Pink Floyd era especially, is another inspiration for his playfulness, absurdity and disregard, throwing the book out the window. He shows us as all that you don’t need a target to fire an arrow. Nonsense is rebellion.

Caetano Veloso

Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso is a romantic rebel who writes such complex melodies that flow like a breeze. He seems so peeved about society but maintains his cool and reports on it all. You don’t need to understand the Portuguese lyrics to get the feeling but if you translate them they are amazing.

‘60s and ‘70s in general

Influences are always changing and we will hopefully change our sound as we are exposed to new influences along the way. Mostly for us so far though, it’s been stuff outside the western world from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

There are so many cool rhythms that have taken a few hundred years at least to be here where they are with us today. There’s a closeness to nature and spiritual sound that makes it feel like music made the soul and wasn’t created to fit in or with any financial agenda.

The Brazilian Tropicalia movement

The Tropicalia compilations and the Tropicalia movement from the late ‘60s in general has been a big influence – sunshine pop, funk, James Brown, Fela Kuti and Sun Ra and all that came afterwards. A big collage of all these things. Hats off to them all.

Bananagun come to the Cactus Room on Friday September 27 alongside Leah Senior and Dave from ORB. Tix available via the Facebook event.