We met the Australian duo Husky at their gig in FluxBau in Berlin to talk about their Berlin experiences (spoiler: includes stereotypical Berghain story), lumbersexuality and last but not at least, their music.
Check out our lovely interview with the lads.
Alright guys, who are you and where are you from?
We’re Husky from Melbourne, Australia.
Did you ever want to become musicians or artists?
Gideon: Well, yes I always wanted to since I was quite young. I wanted to do lots of things actually but it was one of those things. I wanted to be in the Beastie Boys, that was maybe one of the things to inspire me to be a musician but I also wanted to do lots of different things, like play australian football, that was a big dream of mine growing up. And I think Husky wanted to be an astronaut?
Husky: Yeah I wanted to be an astronaut, or archeologist like Indiana Jones but I also always wanted to play music as well.
When and where did you guys meet?
Husky: We met at Gideon’s old home just after he was born, we don’t remember that though. We’re cousins! We grew up together.
Oh, so when did you decide to make music together?
Gideon: Well, we’ve been kind of making music separately for quite a long time, Husky’s been working on his own songs since he was a teenager. In the early days Husky was making some demos and recordings and I just played on them. That was the very beginning but then we started to really kind of take it a little bit more seriously in 2008.
So why did you name your band HUSKY?
Husky: We didn’t really name our band HUSKY, it named us. I was playing music under the name Husky, because it’s my name. And than Gideon and me got together and we started playing some gigs and it started at being just my songs and he was playing with me but then we ended up doing it together and we recorded an album together and at that point were HUSKY for quite a long time already. Names are sometimes like that, you know. You know when you call somebody a nickname and it just sticks and they call him that forever?
Do you have any idols? Any inspirations?
Husky: I’m not sure I’d call them idols but there are people and artists that I studied a lot, like Leonard Cohen, there are many others but he would be the sort of particular influence in terms of songwriting.
Gideon: Well obviously, we love music and for me definitely film as well is a big inspiration.
Do you have any favourite movies then?
Gideon: I love the Coen brothers, so I love the movies that they make, yeah the Big Lebowski is probably one of the best movies ever made, probably my favourite movie.
Do you have any all time favourite songs? Like a song that you love to hear in the morning?
Gideon: Yeah so many, like ‘Crying’ by Roy Orbison is one of the best vocal performances ever in my opinion, and if you listen closely there is this, somehow kind of a slow climax but there is this beautiful note that he sings at the end that he doesn’t quite hit perfectly but the emotion is so there, so that for me is one of the best vocal performances of all time.
Husky: I’d go with ‘Boots of Spanish Leather’ by Bob Dylan, one of the greatest songs. Not sure it’s one I’d listen to in the shower in the morning regularly because it’s kind of heavy, like sad. But just one of the greatest songs in my opinions.
And what’s on your mp3?
Gideon: Some tapes of piano players, like romantic piano players. Claude Debussy and Erik Satie.
Husky: New Radiohead.
Gideon: Definitely, that’s been on our rotation.
What’s the last record that you bought?
Husky: For me I think the last record was ‘I love you, Honeybear’ by Father John Misty, on vinyl.
Gideon: Ah, nice one. I’ll say Jonathan Wilson – Fanfare.
How would you describe your own style of music?
Husky: I personally wouldn’t.
Gideon: Like you wouldn’t describe it? Husky: Interesting one. In the past we would have used the word folk but the new music we’re making, as we’re working on a new record, is less folky. I’m not sure if the word ‘folk’ will be used for this record so much. But we came from a folk tradition, like lyrics being very important and acoustic instruments being used. Lots of harmonies. It comes from a folk tradition but it’s a new kind of folk I guess. New Folk. Like NU FOLK. Actually, we’ve been toying with the idea of calling it Space Folk, Spectural Folk. Well you got a few options there, so pick one. What do you think?
It definitely is very folk influenced, calm but sometimes a bit poppy. So I’ll go for space folk!
It sounds very 2016, doesn’t it? Is that where we are right now?
It is. Now, how would you describe your style in fashion?
Husky: Right. Spectural. Space?
Gideon: Spacey? Dreamy and calm?
Husky: I really don’t know. How would you describe it? Sometimes my friend tells me I look homeless. Someone’s also told me I look a bit chippy and another one called me lumbersexual. That’s how I describe my style. In music and in fashion.
Amazing. Do you have any favourite pieces or items?
Husky: Yeah these boots and they’re really lumbersexual these boots. Australian workmen boots. They’re made in Tasmania. I reckon I’ve worn these every day for three or four years.
Gideon: This is knitted by my scottish grandma in my favourite football team’s colours. And also very lumbersexual, although I don’t think my grandma was thinking about that.
What did you pack in your suitcase?
Husky: Apart from our favourite items of clothing? Binoculars. For bird watching and people watching, you know. Like birds with wings. (laughs)
A lot of bands said socks are on top of the list?
Husky: Yes! And thongs but not thongs like thongs. What are thongs called here? Flip-flops!
Gideon: How many underpants do you take?
Husky: I always try to take at least more than a weeks worth. It feels good to change before a gig.
Gideon: Definitely, I feel like that right now! I also brought my runners on tour, so I can go and clear the head a bit. Books, nothing special.
I’ve got kind of an odd question, how do you like Berlin, playing in Berlin?
Husky: We love playing gigs in Berlin and Germany! You get a lot more sandwiches in Germany! Meat & cheese, Club Mate. You’d never get that in Australia. The listeners over here are often very quiet, sometimes it can be a bit disarming how quiet they are. They seem like a little bit controlled which is nice in terms of they listen, where in some places the people would just talk over you and get drunk. So it’s nice in that way but it can also be a bit too controlled. But I don’t think so much in Berlin, that’s more the other parts of Germany. Berlin’s wild, too wild for me. I had to get out of here, I was here for half a year and it was gonna eat me alive.
Gideon: I literally had to drag him out of Berghain, because he couldn’t walk. Husky: Yeah, that’s it, threw me over his shoulder and took me on the plane home.
Thanks a lot guys and we’re looking forward to see you in Berlin in the future.
Stay tuned..
xx smoke and echoes
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