Brisbane band Halfway have been rocking for nearly 20 years.
Their new album, ‘The Golden Halfway Record’, is testament of their longevity, serving up a rare gem of sun-baked alt. country and American-influenced rock. Recorded at the Mark Nevers Studio in Nashville, US, vocalist Chris Dale says the new record is “a bit more impressionistic, more interactive. “[In the beginning] we called it ‘halfway music'.
"But this record, I think we went a little further on the indie rock side of things, which is kind of part of where we come from. The whole record is kind of like that, really. It’s about looking at the time the band’s been together, and sort of consolidating that in a way.
“It wasn’t a deliberate thing. It’s sort of something we thought about afterwards. We heard the record and thought ‘what is it?’ And I guess it is a reflection of our past, and all the things that lead up to it. That’s the thing that usually happens with records and life generally. Your present is influenced by your past.”
Due to their blend of alt. county twang and gritty rock, Halfway is constantly being repackaged. They wouldn’t exactly fit in with the Tamworth country folk. Chris calls it “a blessing and a curse”.
“Some people really turn their noses up as soon as they hear country. They just think ‘fucking hillbillies and shit'... But it’s a double-edged sword, I suppose. We don’t really mind, whatever; as long as the music gets to be heard. [But we] like that there is something particular about what we sound like. Well, we think there is. You know, who else writes songs about a racehorse that died on the track?”
The band’s sound has evolved over the years, with members coming and going. However, this has not changed the way Chris feels about the music. “Storytelling is important. The first person who made me want to write a song was Bob Dylan and I think that’s really consistent with a lot of guys in the band, you know? The songwriting aspect was one of the influences to make them play music… So, everybody wants to connect and tell their story, and hopefully connect with people.
“[The band] doesn’t exactly have the universal appeal, but I guess in some ways we are guilty of being a little bit insular. We’ve got our heads up our own arses, but it’s what we like, you know? It’s not always easy to be in a rock band. [We’ve] been doing it for nearly 20 years. We do it because we love it. Five albums and we’re proud of them all, and so we hope there is something particular about it.”
Chris says growing up in Rockhampton had a profound effect on the band. “[Rocky] is a tough town. It’s got a mix of everything, you know… Rockhampton is a hub for the surrounding cattle industry and a whole bunch of things. A railway town. You know, all those things mixed in together. And it can be tough. It’s tough when you’re trying to find your feet in places like that.
"[I’m also influenced by] all the great stuff from America. It’s kind of inherent in our writing… It’s great to get to the heart of it and go where rock & roll was born, in America. It's a great feeling and I can't wait to get to do it again.”
‘The Golden Halfway Record’ is available now.
Halfway Tour Dates
Fri 29 Apr - The Triffid (Brisbane)Wed 13 May - Northcote Social Club (Melbourne)
Sun 19 Jun - Broadbeach Country Music Festival (Gold Coast)
Fri 24 Jun - Newtown Social Club (Sydney)
Fri 29 Jul - National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne)
