It's been a huge 12 months for Middle Kids, but they're used to sudden changes.
After winning an ARIA Award for Rock Album Of The Year last year, playing all over the globe, and opening for Crowded House and Kings Of Leon, the band also managed to find time to record their third, as yet unreleased album. Eighteen months have passed since their ARIA Award-winning album 'Today We're The Greatest' was released, and fans are hungry for new music.
"I want to keep finding Middle Kids songs. . . there's still so much we can do musically." - Hannah Joy (Middle Kids)
Obligingly, Middle Kids trekked to the UK in June to record the new record with producer Jonathan Gilmore (The 1975, Wolf Alice). "It was pretty special [working with him],” frontwoman Hannah Joy recounts.
"We're all massive 1975 fans, so we have been wanting to work with him for a while. It felt like this little miracle. We said 'any chance we can record in two months?' And he said yes.
"We did five weeks in this beautiful little town called Eastbourne on the coast. It was full on. We were in the studio every day pumping it out. It was an amazing experience. We're mixing it now, so it's still all coming together."
Middle Kids vary sonically between albums, always experimenting and exploring. The new record is no exception.
"It's the similar three-minute song format, with guitars and drums, but it's cool; we push into synths and organs. Not as a foundational element, more complimentary.
"It's still definitely a Middle Kids, guitar, indie record. I think we can swing between 'ah, break your face' songs and then quite sad, reflective songs. There are more songs that are in the middle ground of that. We'd been afraid of those songs, so that's been cool."
No release date has been set, but there is a cheeky hint of a collaboration. "We've left one song with a verse that we're thinking of getting someone for, but at this point, no one of note," shares Hannah.
Middle Kids adore touring, but COVID hindered the album tour cycle for 'Today We're The Greatest'. Finally, they have the chance to share the songs with live audiences.
"I feel like I get to know the record in a new way touring. A song that has grown in my heart is 'Cellophane Brain'. Being able to perform it has breathed new life into it for me.
"Now it's a total standout. It's gone from a song that I liked to 'oh it's a precious little gem'. The song itself goes on a little journey, so I've enjoyed playing that."
Middle Kids enjoy when fans react in unexpected ways. "Funnily the song 'Stacking Chairs', a last-minute single, ended up being one of the most popular songs on the record, particularly when we play it live.
"When we made it, we didn't think it was a single. We put it at the back of the record going 'what's this little song? We'll just chuck it back there.' It's been cool to see it grow without us even knowing that was what it could be."
Joy studied orchestral arrangement, and arranged live strings for some special Middle Kids shows. Would Middle Kids record their albums live with an orchestra?
"I'd love to. I'm parking that part of myself and trusting that I'll find the time and space to write in that way again. I have finite time and I have to decide where to invest.
"At this point, I want to keep finding Middle Kids songs, because it's very exploratory, and there's still so much we could do musically. I can see myself being 60, a conductor with a tux and coattails.
"One of my long-term dreams is to write a symphony. Maybe then I will go back and orchestrate some of our songs. Maybe sooner, but I'm quite intent right now on finding the songs.
"Being in a band is this youthful energy that I want to tap into while we're here and then grow into those other parts. Now that I have a kid, it's songs or nothing. Songs or bust."
Joy recently featured in Georgia Mooney's SUPERGROUP with Tim Minchin and Ziggy Ramo, a live, unscripted collaboration.
"The concept of it was exciting to me – music and storytellers and people sharing space. The fruit of that is always a good thing. I love hearing peoples' stories and getting into the nitty gritty."
In November, Middle Kids will play Queenscliff Music Festival (QMF), a three-day festival with music, camping, and arts and culture experiences.
Alongside Middle Kids, QMF will feature 49 artists including The Teskey Brothers, John Butler, Baker Boy, and Mark Seymour and the Undertow. It's the first time the festival will be staged since 2019 due to COVID.
Would Middle Kids ever plan a festival with mates? "Put it on my to-do list!" Hannah nominates Radiohead as their dream headliner, opting not to co-headline, joking "we submit, we bow before them".
Dreams became reality this year as Middle Kids opened for Crowded House in April and Kings Of Leon in June. They were nights full of highlights, such as singing onstage with Crowded House.
"One night, we hung out with Neil [Finn], and he was so gracious and encouraging to us. I felt inspired by them, and the space that they created.
"I'm interested in how you can use what you make to bless other people. They do that so beautifully, and we received that from them. I felt really inspired to be a band like that, that strives to make good music and makes people feel good and brings community. It was really encouraging to see."
Meanwhile Kings Of Leon came to visit Middle Kids before their set. "It's so amazing, because they're really high pressure, intense situations for them, they're carrying a lot of weight. For them to do that is very generous."
The 1975 and Red Hot Chili Peppers would be the band's dream choice to tour with, despite the idea of touring with the latter scaring Joy. To the suggestion they would have crazy groupies, she replies: "That would be us!"
It's not always roses on tour, as Middle Kids discovered in Minneapolis after an ill-fated decision. "Harry and I both have sweet tooths. We love desserts, so we bought key lime pies. We were so excited.
"We played the show and I forgot about mine, but Harry ate his and got crazy food poisoning. The next day, it was his birthday, and we drove eight hours to play a festival. He was throwing up the whole way and could barely play the set.
"He was convinced it was the key lime pie because it was kind of frozen. That was honestly the worst. I feel like I dodged a bullet, because it is so unlike me to forget to eat my dessert. I am very committed to my dessert."
Middle Kids play Queenscliff Music Festival, which runs 25-27 November. They join the likes of Baker Boy, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Isabella Manfredi, Joelistics, John Butler, Mia Dyson, The Teskey Brothers and a stack more.
Middle Kids 2022 Tour Dates
Sat 10 Sep - The Rubens Valleyways @ Onslow Oval (Camden, NSW)Sat 15 Oct - Someday Soon @ Manning House University of Sydney
Sat 5 Nov - Bitter & Twisted (Hunter Valley)
Sat 12 Nov - Handpicked Festival (Langhorne Creek, SA)
