Figures – Paul Callow

Hard hitting Melbourne-based alt rock act Figures are set to release their second EP, and as with most entirely-independent bands, the question as to their next move is a daunting one. Another EP? A full-length album? Guitar player Paul Callow has some thoughts about that with regards to where his own band is heading, but admits they are still undecided at this stage.

“It’s a really hard question to answer, that one,” he states, “we’ve talked to people within the music industry, we’ve looked at how things are moving forward within the industry itself. It’s a strange industry to be in at the moment. There’s plusses and minuses to both.”

He tells us that there is certainly more than enough material in the Figures vault to do a full lengther, but it’s just a matter of how things unfold in their career from here. “We’re already sitting on probably 20-plus songs at the moment,” he reveals, “whether they’re songs that will actually see the light of day is another thing. Then we’ve got even more songs in the back catalogue that would probably work on an album.

‘Chronos’ out June 16th, 2017.

“So we’ve got more than an album’s worth, whether we bring it out as two EPs and spread it out so that you’re still relevant to people, it’s really tough to know. You look at Nine Inch Nails and they’re bringing out two EPs.”

Then there’s that whole, slightly irrational, thought amongst the industry and fans alike that you’re not a ‘proper’ band until you’re an album band. “It’s a strange one, because people in the industry and music lovers in general, still look for an album,” he says, “it’s like ‘oh that band’s doing an album now, so that makes them a ‘real’ band’, as opposed to just doing EPs.

“But if you’re punching out EPs every six months, it keeps you relevant.”

In the meantime, the new EP is entitled Chronos, and is unleashed upon the rock-loving public on the 16^th of June. Like last year’s self-titled effort, Chronos is an ideal juxtaposition of pounding, heavy-hitting rock and soaring melody, and according to Callow was more of an overall group effort.

“Everything was under the microscope,” he recalls, “everyone’s playing had to lift. We had all members play on this and add their own input and influence into these songs, some of which were fairly old, it was really fun. It was like ‘these songs aren’t just these old ones any more’.

“It was good to see everyone putting their own influence on it.”

The band do their Melbourne launch on the 7^th of July at The Evelyn Hotel in Fitzroy, and Callow believes that the punters should come down to the show en masse because Figures set extremely high standards for themselves for every show they play, and they aim to please their audience with a highly entertaining show.

“You’re always going to get a high-energy show,” he opines, “we pride ourselves on always, whether it’s in front of three people and we’ve travelled to the middle of Woop-woop, we’re always going to put on a good show. Because someone has paid to come in the door, and they deserve to see a show.

“There’s nothing worse than paying good money to see a show and they’ve just stood there shoegazing, or they were sloppy and they didn’t care.”

And whilst nothing is cast in stone just yet, Callow is quite confident that they will travel beyond Melbourne’s borders to play and promote the new EP, it just depends on some financial and logistical concerns. Plus there is likely to be yet more new music sooner rather than later.

“We’re going through some touring options at the moment,” he says, “and we might be releasing anther single later on, which is a song that’s not on the EP. We’re at the point now where we’re going to pick the right shows for us, to make sure that if we do tour, it’s worth doing that tour, which is a big thing.

“As everyone knows, it costs money to tour and make these recordings. If you don’t make a little money, everyone goes broke and the band goes broke, and then the band splits up. We don’t want to do that. We want to do the right thing by us and everyone else.”

Don’t miss out of the Figures album launch. Full details below.

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