A mix of tight instrumentation wrapped around a spacious melody that's topped off with a coat of indie varnish to create a gleaming finish, Brisbane alt-rockers Palace 9 have come bursting out of the gates with their debut single 'Paradise'.
"'Paradise' comes from a place deep inside, on the edge of dreams and reality," the band says."Each of us can imagine these dreams or visions of beautiful places, our ideal world, but we must be inclined to use our vision of paradise to guide us in our day-to-day lives, which sees us at the mercy of the mind, constantly entangled by ego.
"With little control of the volatile world we find ourselves in, we have but two options; to hide in paradise or to live our dreams as reality. What does your perfect world look like?"
Who is Palace 9... We are a Brisbane alt-rock group born from the synergy of Cooper Flick's (vocalist/ guitarist) extensive solo work and the musical genius of Caleb Freeman (drummer) and Theo Todd (bassist).
We started playing gigs together last year while recording demos every week in the lovely Bribie Island home studio of Aaron Shanahan (Miami Horror/ Dream Dali). This year the band has taken on a more collaborative form as well as a new name as we focus on establishing a solid following and working on new music.
We sound like... We take inspiration from a mix of indie and alternative influences, but we like to think our sound is similar to Kings Of Lion, Spacey Jane and a bit of Nothing But Thieves.
Our first gig... Together was playing to a packed Ric's Backyard early 2021. It was one of the busiest Thursday nights we've ever seen and it was a great escape from the looming uni due dates. To have people singing with us and dancing like diehard fans got me hooked immediately on playing in a band.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... The name was creating back in high school when we attended Music Industry College together.
We experimented with playing in a group for the first time as a five-piece, but it wasn't until February this year that we decide to use the name again and form a fresh, new band for the music we had been performing in 2021.
In the studio we usually... I'm always welcomed to the studio with the sweet, sweet riffs of our drummer Caleb Freeman who often swaps his sticks for an axe.
We jam on each others instruments for a bit and then focus on structuring a new song, tracking a demo if we really like it and playing our set to see how it fits in, often with a lot of announced jams in between.
Once we've got a song down pat I'll track the vocals and guitar at home and then take it to Aaron Shanahan up on Bribie Island where we add in some midi elements to flesh out the track.
Then it's up to Theo and Caleb to add their own spice to the bass and drum parts, and get it back to Aaron and I to add the finishing touches.
If we could tour with anyone... It would have to be Foo Fighters as I've recently discovered how inspirational David Grohl is to me and the energy they get from their audience is absolutely phenomenal, something we wish to live up to in the future. Some honourable mentions go out to Ball Park Music as well as Spacey Jane who I had the pleasure of chatting to a couple years ago over the phone.
Social media is... A huge and diverse world of its own that can greatly connect or seperate us from our reality. It is a great tool for musicians, but it can be quite overwhelming for vulnerable people or people juggling work, uni, cover gigs and band work like myself.
My favourite app at the moment is... Canva because it the easiest way I know how to make cool content for social media and whatnot.
To date, our embarrassing moment was the time... It wasn't too embarrassing as not many people noticed, but during our first gig someone had accidentally stepped on the detune pedal and we played about two songs about a semitone or two down from the original key.
Life on the road can be... So much fun. We haven't had a chance to venture out of Brisbane yet, but I believe I live quite a nomadic lifestyle always going from place to place, making the most of everyday in between a busy roster of cover gigs and band rehearsals/shows.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... Cooper: Some cheese dip and crackers would be nice, as well as a bit of Cap'n Morgan. Caleb: Delicious bottled water. Theo: The Deftones beer.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in, was... Caleb nearly drowned as kid trying to get his dad's ring from the bottom of the Redcliffe lagoon. I had a scary experience on a jetski between Moreton Island and Straddie where the conditions were rough and I had just spotted a grey nurse shark.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Eric Andre to add a bit of humour and unpredictability or George Clooney for his charming nature.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Amsterdam because of the stories my mentor Aaron Shanahan told of the time he spent there among the nightlife. I'd also love to see the beautiful canals and experience a society who leads the way in climate management and progressive thinking.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party? Cooper: Dave Grohl, Jeff Buckley, Kurt Cobain. Theo: Kayne West, Nick Drake, Dave Grohl. Caleb: Harry Nilsson, Hunter S Thompson, Brian Wilson.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? I'm not much of a cook, but I could make a mean omelette packed full of your favourite flavours which for me means a lot of bacon and a lot of cheese.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? A lover. I have a pet schnauzer x poodle who means the world to me as an only child. Theo's got a fluffy cat called Dusty and Caleb has a special-needs dog called Harry.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... $100 bills please. If this cannot be arranged I'll happily accept some of your finest shiraz as payment.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... AHAH. The only physical activity I've done since going to the gym last February is beach volleyball nights on Wednesday and yoga in the mornings.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Cleaning out my car as it seems to get cluttered again within days. Theo hates mowing.
Do you have any phobias... I hate spiders and the idea of sharks when I'm surfing scares me but I wouldn't say I have any phobias. I guess I have a lot of anxiety around feeling claustrophobic and having difficulty breathing.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Yes. I don't watch much reality TV but if it was something like 'SAS' or 'Survivor' I think it would be pretty cool to test my limits.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? I think it would be pretty funny if we all swapped instruments for a show just to confuse the audience. Maybe incorporate some wigs and makeup.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? I wish there was somewhere other than McDonalds open at that time. Actually sometimes I go to 7-11 because I can't get enough of their egg and bacon sandwiches. Combine that with a pack of Maltesers please.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Caleb: Ricky from 'Trailer Park Boys'. Theo: Wreck-it Ralph.
Last show you binge-watched? Cooper: 'Taboo' – it's interesting seeing how people lived in old England. Caleb: 'Angry Boys' – it's hilarious and the way Chris Lily plays all the characters is awesome. Theo: 'Breaking Bad' – the challenges they have to overcome.
Palace 9 play Tomcat (Brisbane) 9 April as well as support The Drafts at Greaser Bar (Brisbane) 14 April.
