Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Salarymen
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Thomas: Listening to the original Thomas the Tank Engine theme song!! Not only is it a masterpiece – the fact that Ringo Starr was also the original narrator made it that much more wholesome.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Renee: My Dad was in a band so I was always in a very musical household. I found a diary from when I was about 7 or 8 years old, and I was already writing songs at this age (about puppies and kittens mind you…) so you can tell the passion was there from a very early on 🙂
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Salarymen is the project of myself and my partner Thom Eagleton. Thom’s old band had just broken up and he was feeling a bit down, so he decided to make his own band and roped me in as he knew I wouldn’t screw him over haha.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
A lot of vintage influences, layered harmonies and synths. A cross between 2000s indie rock and 60s/70s pop.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Thom: Not to write music for anyone else but yourself. Being an independent musician isn’t exactly a lucrative endeavour, so you need to truly believe in what you’re writing and love the people you do it with.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Renee: I actually wrote half of the album on a tiny keyboard that looks like a toy. It’s called an Akai mini and it just made writing so easy because it’s battery powered and you can take it anywhere (or curl up in the bed). This was simultaneously the cheapest but most used piece of gear! We pretty much write everything at home so we’ve also got access to a lovely collection of synths and guitars.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Both: Oracle Sisters and Weyes Blood.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
We both grew up with parents playing artists like Bowie, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin so we are definitely heavily inspired by music of the 60’s and 70’s and that even creeps into the clothes we wear! In terms of our artistic vision, I guess we are just trying to make sense of the strange world we live in. AI seems to be creeping up really fast at the moment and sometimes it feels like we’re living in an apocalyptic movie – so our newer songs reflect those themes a lot.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
A lot of the songs we make might appear upbeat and bright, but we actually enjoy throwing in darker themes and lyrics which make you think a bit deeper after each listen. Hopefully listeners feel transported away from the monotony of everyday life, even if it’s just for 3 or 4 minutes at a time.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Sounds cheesy but the best thing about music is the friendships and bonds that we’ve made. Some of our best memories have come from getting your mates to play in your band and getting to travel the world and bond over this universal art form.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Fuji Rock festival in Japan!! We’ve always dreamed of playing this festival, and from our own experience Japanese crowds tend to be extremely enthusiastic at the shows and super respectful.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Paul McCartney. It’s a no brainer!!! He’s one of the greatest songwriters on Earth and to just be in his presence would blow our minds.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Instagram for staying up to date with shows, Spotify and Apple Music for streaming, and Youtube for all of our music videos!!
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
We’ve just moved over to the UK so we are really looking forward to playing some shows in Europe and doing festivals over the Summer period. Next stop Glastonbury! 🙂
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
A lot of our songs have very cute inspiration behind them, which might not be obvious at first. For example, our song ‘I Forget About Time’ which was a love song to our old dog Chili (and the important role that these furry friends play in our lives). He has passed away since we released the song, but he has been forever immortalised in video form and has fans all over the world!!
Here it is if you want to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsRar2zwhQo
