photo : Third Eye Visuals
27th October, 2024
Your resume is quite stacked :
Musician – Gravemind, Hurt Division, and Annihilist.
Photographer/ filmmaker – having worked on ad shoots for AMEX and KIA, and also worked with the cream of Australia’s best heavy music artists – Parkway Drive, Thy Art Is Murder, Polaris, Northlane, To The Grave, Andy Gillion, The Omnific, as well as the likes of Tones and I, and I, Prevail.
You must be proud of what you have achieved across a range of industries so far?
It has been a surreal ride for sure, specifically the last couple of years. Younger me would never have believed some of the opportunities that have passed my way recently, but as a creative it’s a very easy trap to fall into, you’re always chasing the next bucket list job or opportunity and moving heaven and earth in order to make them work each time they come up. After a while those bucket list jobs become more and more frequent and I’ve had to learn to slow down just to avoid burning myself out completely. I’m definitely proud of the journey I’ve had, but feel like I’ve just moved into a bigger pond where there’s only room to grow.
What were some of the highlights of the Parkway Drive European tour?
After a massive 2023, working with Parkway was actually number one on my bucket list for 2024 – but one of those far-reach goals that I never believed would be attainable. As a kid growing up in the Aussie heavy music scene, working with Parkway was also the ultimate goal, so when it all came into fruition, it was hard to believe it was real. Because the band were headlining so many massive festivals, I was basically thrown into the best version of touring I could experience. I’d walk down the corridor backstage and see some of my childhood heros doing their thing. It was also my first time outside of Oceana which made the experience even more insane, but as I was there for work, that was my main focus and priority.
photo : Third Eye Visuals
Why heavy music? What is it about this style and sound that attracts you to it?
It’s ironic, because it’s the non-metal elements of metal that attract me to it most. Metal encompasses elements from every other type of music. For any genre or subgenre that exists, there’s a heavy version of it. What I love most is the way the heavy and non-heavy elements work together to create a vast dynamic. I love all types of music, but to me, the sound of distorted guitars and screaming can be the most powerful sound in the world, and often if I’m listening to non-heavy music I’ll always find myself wishing the songs peaked with ‘bigger’ moments. I’ve also always thought that screaming is the ultimate emotional peak of singing.
How did you first discover and get into metal?
It was a fairly quick transition, some of the first bands I properly got into were Rise against, Anti-Flag, and Billy Talent, and as I started learning guitar that quickly transitioned into metal.
Who were/ are your music heroes? Who inspired you to want to play metal?
I think there’s so much influence from all over, but a few honorable mentions:
Parkway Drive – inspired me that anyone has the means, and that you can stay true to yourself and have fun while doing it.
Machine Head – an all time favourite of mine, they combined many elements of music I loved most.
Children of Bodom – probably the initial reason I ever got good at guitar.
Was there a defining moment that made you decide to play an instrument?
A friend of mine taught me the main riff from “Fade to Black” on acoustic and it was a slippery slope from there. Guitar Hero 3 may have also been a catalyst.
Do you just play guitar, or dabble in other instruments??
I’ll figure my way around anything if I have a simple idea I’m trying to achieve, but guitar is the only one I can do well.
photo : @destinychaser
How did you learn to play guitar? Formal lessons, self-taught, online?
I had a few teachers in the early days for the basics, but for the most part self-taught. Honestly, most of the leveling up comes from writing dumb shit on guitar pro and then having to figure out how to make it work.
What bands have you been in?
Thanatosis (High school band)
Annihilist
Hollow World
Feather
Bullet Dodger
Hurt Division
Gravemind
How often do you get to practice with your bands?
Only when a show or tour is booked that we need to prepare for. Life unfortunately is far too busy to have the weekly practices like when we were younger.
How often do you practice guitar?
Same as above, it is rare that I get to pick up a guitar for fun these days, and If I do I’d prefer messing around or playing something gentle opposed to intentionally practicing.
photo : Electrum Photography
Specifically, what gear do you play?
I don’t focus a lot on gear, I prefer to just make what I have work, though there have been a couple of ideas I’ve wanted to try where not having the right guitar has been the restriction (whammy bars, string numbers, setup for tuning etc). I do believe if you enjoy using the gear you have you’ll get more out of it than the gear you don’t enjoy using (applies to cameras, computers, guitars, all creative stuff really). I do also prefer a thinner neck profile on guitar, but I don’t like letting that being an excuse. My favourite picks are the mini Dava grip tips, I think I’m the only one that likes them for metal, but for me they are the one pick that feels truly like there’s no resistance in my playing. firm and sharp at the tips for tight rhythms and flexy enough for fluid leads.
photo : Ivan Souriyavong
Any endorsements?
I’ve had a couple expressions of interest come my way, but nothing that would really work in my favour, as most of the time it just means I’d have to buy more guitars anyway.
Thoughts on headless guitars and multiscale necks?
Actually love them. I was looking for a multiscale headless with a whammy bar for one project idea I had. The idea fizzled out though…
What’s your dream rig?
Small, light, simple, rigid. Don’t even care what it is as long as it does the basic things I need.
photo : Shaun Wilkinson
Do you write and/or record your own music on the side? Any solo tracks hidden away somewhere?
I’ve probably got about 400 albums worth of guitar pro files from back in the day, some is gold that I’d love to resurrect. These days most of my ideas are recorded into the DAW and there are a lot of tracks lying around that never really had a purpose. Some of them are my favourite things I’ve ever written and I’d love to release them anyway.
The list of artists you have had the opportunity to shoot, is quite amazing. How did this all start for you?
It’s funny because getting into film started as a means to support my music ambitions. After a short while, I found myself in demand in the commercial world and as the stakes in life got higher in my personal life it was hard to justify putting too much energy into the music side. 10 years later it’s all come full circle though, and I’m pretty happy with the balance these days.
photo : Third Eye Visuals
Specifically, what gear and software do you use when shooting, filming, and editing your work?
I mostly usethe Z Cam F6, which is a very unknown brand relative to something like Sony or Red. Although getting a little old, the image it produces is the best bang for buck on the market and some of the features on the camera solved a lot of pain points I had previously. Each job is different, and often you’ll be using gear that’s not yours. Most principles are the same though and it’s the fundamentals of your knowledge that are most important. These days, all cameras are capable and the tech is super accessible.
Editing software, it depends on the nature of the job, but usually the go to’s are Premiere and Resolve. Some things are quicker and easier in Premiere, and some things are better in Resolve. Also have been using Capcut a fair bit recently because it’s sometimes quickest.
How would you describe what you do for a living?
Badly, I’m terrible at self promotion.
photo : Third Eye Visuals
Was using the Onewheel something you came up with to get a specific shot, or had you seen it in practice elsewhere?
I first saw the Onewheel on Kickstarter and thought “that thing’s too good to be true”. A few years later a camera buddy of mine posted a video with his and I immediately thought “holy shit, it’s real, I need one”. The Onewheel’s actually frequently requested on jobs, and it makes the work a lot of fun.
Can you tell us about the drone footage from the Parkway Drive festival shows?
The drone footage is actually a 360 camera on a stick – so I was running around on stage with a 3 meter pole. We had the idea right before one of the shows so I had to map it all out in my head and pre-visualise it to know where to go.
photo : Third Eye Visuals
Any tips for someone wanting to get into, or just starting out in this line of work, and looking to build a career in this field?
Shoot stuff, put it online for people to see, and meet people. The last one is important, if you’re fresh in someone’s mind and capable enough you’ll get the job over 99% of people that are better than you.
What photographers/ filmmakers in the scene do you admire?
A lot of them I’m lucky enough to work with frequently!
Worst touring experience?
A recent venue’s public toilet was blocked and overflowed throughout the night. Our greenroom was underneath the floorboards and the whole night it was basically overflowing faecal matter through the ceiling onto our bags. One of my bandmates’ bags was drenched in piss and shit. It didn’t start until during our set so we weren’t aware until afterwards.
photos : Filip Milovac
Touring – how do you keep occupied on long plane/ bus trips?
I actually usually love planes because it’s usually some guilt free time to play some games or watch a movie, but recently it’s mostly all been working on the laptop.
Any pre-show rituals?
I try to make sure I eat at a reasonable time. Sometimes I’ll run around a lot setting up and I’ll forget to, and my playing suffers a bit.
Do you have any free time for hobbies outside of everything else you do? Are you still a trainee Ninja Warrior?
In the rare free time I have I’ll spend it with my partner, or doing much needed DIY stuff around the house at the moment, otherwise it’s usually the only time I’ll have to write music. I haven’t been able to do much Ninja Warrior training since Covid due to the work being so demanding and the injuries being so frequent it would cause issues with my work. I do value my fitness a lot, which has fallen off the wagon a bit, but I’m actively trying to work a routine back into my life.
photo : Sabian Lynch
Favourite holiday destination?
Snowboarding, anywhere. I probably should have included it before but I haven’t been able to go in years!
Cats – lovable family members or Satan’s spawn?
My cat is my world. He’s both of those things and I wouldn’t change it a bit.
What does the rest of 2024 have in store for you?
I’ve got a few active projects to tie up then I’m aiming to wind down for the end of the year. It’s also been a long time since I could work on any music for any of the bands so getting creative again is a bit of a priority for me.
photo : Oliwier Gesla
Miki Simankevicius : @mikisimans
Gravemind : @gravemindau
Annihilist : @annihilistmetal
Hurt Division : @hurtdivisionband