Newcastle alternative grunge band, Introvert take a deep dive into the inner psyche on their new single 'Dreamers'.
“It's all about being stuck in that rut where you're stuck in a bad dream,” vocalist and guitarist Audie Franks explains.“Where you know you're in a sh.t position but you kinda want other people to know that you're in a sh.t position as well but you don't want much help, you just want recognition that you need help. It's all about that bad dream and it relapsing and happening and happening, and just lying about it – when people ask if you're ok saying 'yes' when you're not really.”
After being on hiatus to focus on writing, Introvert returned last year with 'Dreamers' and another single 'Somewhere Else'. After time away from the live circuit, Audie admits he had reservations about returning with new music.
“Because we had a bit of a break from shows to write, we didn't know what to really expect from having a long break and coming back into it, but the response has been quite humbling, which is pretty good,” he says.
The two singles are in preparation for a debut EP from Introvert that Audie says is all about mending and breaking, continuing the themes of self-exploration and realisation taken up in 'Dreamers'.
“The EP's about having those sh.t days, having those sh.t times, having those odd days where you're ok then just turning to sh.t again, kind of like ‘Groundhog Day’,” he says.
“It's a bit of a concept really because the EP itself is titled 'Mending Breaking', so from the first song to the last song, it's kinda cool: this wasn't intentional, but you can listen to it on repeat and it goes around that cycle of mending and breaking.”
Despite the band name, neither Audie or any of his bandmates – guitarist James Geraeds, bassist Max Priest or drummer Stephen Hopkins – can confess to having an introverted personality. “Not at all,” he laughs.
“If anything we're in the middle of being introverted and extroverted but not really, no, which is kind of funny because when you meet us we're pretty outspoken, easy-to-talk-to guys.”
With the EP released, Audie says he and the band are looking forward to stretching their legs onstage after being on a break. Beyond that, Introvert are taking things as they come. “We're playing a festival [M8fest] in Tassie after the release, so that's cool because we've never been to Tassie before,” he says.
“We're going to hopefully do a bunch of EP launch shows around Australia and take it from there really. Just taking it as it comes and seeing what happens; release the EP, get a feeler and take it all from there. We have no expectations.”
