Formula Indie Sessions : Interview with Alex Fears

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

My Earliest memory of music is my dad playing greenday in the car, this will be important later, because once i discovered you could download tracks for free on itunes i went NUTS, downloaded a bunch of greenday’s discography and a few others and that kind of started it off.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

It starts with my love of theatre actually, I always loved performing on stage since I was a kid and at 12 I started playing guitar and when i was 14 i played guitar on stage for the first time at a music shop in sydney called ‘Big Music’ When i was in an after school music program, it was like this crazy feeling swept over me and i’ve been hooked since.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

Alex Fears is an Alien from the planet Arteria, Exiled from their homeworld because they spoke out against Arteria’s Impieral expansion across the galaxy. But whilst foating in space he received a faint signal from earth’s Voyager 1 probe as it was broadcasting the music it had on board, it heard Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and knew that wherever that probe came from that’s where they’d be safe.

They came to earth but found that Earth had begun to be influenced by the Arterian Empire already, the colour had begun to drain from the world, and the environment was being destoryed by earths own people. So Alex Fears has set out to bring colour back and bring people joy as part of a rebellion against the Arterian Empire.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music

before?

I would describe my music as chaotic, I don’t stick to one genre and wanna experiment wherever I can, but if you’re a fan of Greenday, The Clash, The B52s and Arctic Monkeys I think you’d really like my sound

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

One thing i learnt that changed the way I make music was that ’Nobody can be you except yourself’ if you have a story or a unique sound you should share that with people and not hide it away.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

You can make music with practically anything, from Abelton, Garageband or Logic to live recordings, demos on your phone recorded with a $10 mic. all that matters is do you have something to say?

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I have a list of other australian artists I love, Genesis Owusu, Devaura, Smallways, Probelm Green, Bennetts Grove, CTRL PACH, Binsad, Sonic Reducer, Our Mutual Friend

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

Alot of my experiences goriwing up as an undiagnosed neurodivergent and Non-Binary person have left me feelng isolated, but when I’m on stage all of that lifts off my shoulders and I’m able to be my whole true self! I’m also influeced by alot of global politics happening at the moment, If you’re in a position where you can speak out against something I beleive you definitly should, especially when those in power benefit from people staying complicit and silent.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

I want people to feel a bit lighter, more jjoy and maybe even laugh at my work, Joy to me is an act of resistance and thats incredible!

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

The most important lesson music has taught me is that Community is one of the sot important things when starting a music career, it’s playing your songs for your mates and building a comradare with your local scene when you go out to shows that really makes the experience rewarding. And also being authentic, I said earlier nobody can be you, except yourself, and thats true especially today with the rise of Ai

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

My dream festival has gotta be Glastonbry + Reading & Leeds. I’d also wanna play some aussie festivals like Laneway and Good Things festival. My dream venues are probably Metro Theatre and Horden Pavillion in Sydney. 

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

Collabing with Greenday would be a dream come true, David Bowie and probably The Clash. I’d just love to collab with the bands Im influenced by. But present day a band called Hot Mulligan, Charli Xcx and Wet Leg. 

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

I’m on instagram posting silly little videos @thereal_alexfears

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical

journey?

My next chapter is going to be recording an EP, maybe doing tours around my home country Australia and who knows maybe next come to europe and Asia!

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

I hope people discover more of ‘Alex Fears’ lore and world that I’m developing, it’s in the early stages but I have a vision of a whole Alex Fears Extended Universe