THE COATHANGERS // Rebounding Down Under

This is not The Coathangers’ first rodeo. The Atlanta punk rock trio have been playing the professional touring game for ten years and put out five albums along the way. It puts The Avalanches to shame, really. Their latest release Nosebleed Weekend was recorded at the recently re-opened Valentine Studios, where music icons such as Bing Crosby and The Beach Boys recorded before owner Jimmy Valentine shut it down in the 70s because he didn’t like dealing with rock n roll musicians. Who can blame him? They’re a rough bunch. Sophie Benjamin spoke with The Coathangers drummer Stephanie Luke about playing in a time capsule and what it takes to keep the wheels going around.

Hysteria: On average, you’ve been putting out a new record every 18 months or so for the better part of a decade. How do you keep up the pace?

Luke: It’s fun but it’s also our job! There are just so many bands out there that if you’re not constantly putting out stuff you just get lost in the shuffle. We’re constantly trying to write and it just comes out of us, so we might as well put out a record! We’ll keep doing.

Hysteria: This is the first time you’ve left Atlanta to record an album. What made you do it?

Luke: We decided to switch it up and our manager introduced us to Nic [Jodoin] who became our producer for this record. We’d never worked with a producer before and he lived in LA, so we thought, why not go there? Nic found Valentine Studios and everything just fell into place. It was fun to do it on the West Coast.

Hysteria: The place has a fair bit of history, right?

Luke: It’d been closed down for 30 years, and Nic had a friend whose grandfather (Jimmy Valentine) used to own the studio. He was like, “do you want to come over and check out the equipment?” and Nic got over there and saw that it was kind of a treasure room! Everything was in pristine condition and had the original microphones and soundboard … it’s worth a fortune because it is technically vintage now. It also had such a cool vibe. It was closed in the late 70s, so it was a real treat to feel like we were stepping back in time.

Hysteria: What was it like working with a producer for the first time?

Luke: At first it was kind of terrifying because he is such a professional, but it was great because he really pushed us. He’d be like “is that really what you’re going to play on that song” and then you’d be all “oh, no, of course not” and work with it a little more. He’d also bring about different ideas that we might not have thought of. He got our sound because we’d done demos with him, and it really felt like a collaborative thing. It’s not like he told us what to do, but he did push us to work harder and step out of how we usually do things.

Music is a very personal thing and it’s still supposed to be fun, even if it isn’t easy.
[Stephanie Luke]

Hysteria: I can’t imagine you putting up with a producer who would push you around!

Luke: Yeah, I don’t know how people put up with that! [Laughs]. Music is a very personal thing and it’s still supposed to be fun, even if it isn’t easy. You want someone to support you, not bring you down.

Hysteria: Australia’s a long way away from pretty much everywhere else in the world but you guys are regular visitors. It’s pretty cool that you make the effort.

Luke: You’ve just got to make it happen, you know? We’ve got great support from Smack Face Records and our record label in the States to help us get those shows so we can save that money to get over to Australia. We have people helping us make it happen. We try to tour as much as possible and we’re really responsible with the money we do make and we just try to make sure it goes towards the right things.

Hysteria: I can’t imagine any band out there in charge of their own money being irresponsible with it. There’s not that much going around! I guess that doesn’t stop some people …

Luke: I guess it depends on what kind of level you want to be. Is it just for fun? Do you just want to tour the US? Or do you want to go international? Then you’ve gotta step up your game. It’s not cheap and it is not easy, but it’s so worth it because of the fans. There’s no way in a million years I’d be able to get to Australia on my own. We’re so so lucky.

Nosebleed Weekend is out now through Smack Face Records

The Coathangers Australian Tour 2016

Wednesday 5 October – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Thursday 6 October – Newtown Social Club, Sydney
Friday 7 October – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Saturday 8th October – The Great Northern, Byron Bay

Tickets available here.