Korn‘s Jonathan Davis was so excited by ORGY that he created his own record label …
Power and passion projects don’t come with a more extensive foray of care and attention than Heard Of Cows? the new EP from Perth experimental outfit, XIII.
Compiled over a period of five years, this volume of six songs boasts a new era of music from a new band who’ve found traction and excitement in what started as “a bit of fun”. “We’ve got a lot of history, a lot of track history, but this is all about a new band,” says vocalist/guitarist Dan Sanders.
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While most people are trying to veer away from any new material as being interpreted to being suited to these times, Sanders says that, though certain songs hold up as being indicative of a certain period of time, Heard Of Cows? can also be revered as a relevant collection to be coming out now. From the crashing punk rock rage of opener But I Mean I Do Want You To Support Me And Be My Man, to the sensual and chaotic, haunting caress of My Josephine, to the sallow dredges of Rock And Roll Will Eat My Soul Until The Day I Die, each of these songs musters a period of relevance in their own right, but together, they speak volumes.
“The last two months, in order to release these [we] wanted to be released as a collective–that was a song writing thing. But it was pushed onto us,” Sanders begins the backstory of how he and fellow XIII member, Drew Goddard, gave this collection songs their existence. “It was a dark space, that Drew and myself at the time, would bounce off each other, rock up to a session at a warehouse and dig deep over graveyard sessions.
“We’d start at 9 or 10pm and go till five in the morning, smoking weed, getting the backbone of this, watching video clips.”
We started it all up from my house, just DIY, making sure it’s all as punk rock as it can be. We’re trying to find like-minded people at the moment who want to be included in the fun.
[ Dan Sanders ]
Sanders and Goddard found themselves on the same level–wanting to play music that was intense and angry. “Even though this was done a couple of years ago, we went through a mixed bag of education between each other, penning songs–it was then we found this darker, more experimental [and] focused way we wanted to write.
“We went down a rabbit hole and came out with what we thought represented what we wanted to throw down.
“It’s a great representation to know we can bring the curse of the cow back into action and have some fun with it.”
There’s that animal again, the smaller cousin of the elephant in the room. Laughing, Sanders explains, “As we do this dark stuff, Drew and I watched a lot of farmyard stuff – all working titles, like Déjà Vu was Déjà Moo, Naysayer was written like a horse sound [originally]. I don’t know, maybe too much weed at the time!
“We’ll just keep doing it and scream the word–because of course, Perth’s a long way away, so when they close the borders and stuff, [they] cut all that touring and the good stuff!”
You must let the mechanics and the mystery of this release ultimately, speak for themselves. Self-produced, recorded and mixed by XIII under their newly formed label Stoned Crow Music platform, the band were their own guinea pig going their own way. “We started it all up from my house, just DIY, making sure it’s all as punk rock as it can be. We’re trying to find like-minded people at the moment who want to be included in the fun.”
Stoned Crow Music is a platform for XIII to create the music they are inclined towards, to feel out something different compared to past projects. XIII is running under its own steam and they want to bring in others to do the same. “It’s us promoting our own music and helping out anyone along the way. We now have the facilities at the studio for recording, already helping people out, a handful or so [of] close friends, cats in bands, artists, photographers, mates who skate, surf, graff whatever—a space and hub for creatives with righteous expression in general really. Just helping bros out, really!”
