Browsing Tag

Tour

Date with Kate

Date with Kate: Sheppard

11th June, 2017

Enjoy lunch with Amy and Emma from Sheppard

 

Siblings Amy and Emma Sheppard are in the indie pop band Sheppard, which also includes their brother George. The Brisbane-based six-piece’s 2014 debut album, Bombs, reached No. 2 on the ARIA chart and their single Geronimo spent three weeks at No. 1. Amy and Emma chat to me about the makings of Geronimo, the pressures in the “cut-throat” music industry and their current tour, which includes tonight’s Sydney gig at the Metro Theatre.

You have had so much success. How did it all start for you guys?

Amy: It really started when I was at TAFE and I had to do a music assignment and I got [my brother] George [Sheppard] to do harmonies on my track … It sort of snowballed from there … [and when] we met our guitarist Jason Bovino things really took off.

What was it like to win an ARIA award?

Amy: That was the best feeling ever, I think, because we had been working so hard for so long and we had been nominated for a few ARIAs before in previous years. So when we got to take that one ARIA home, it was just really special.

Geronimo was one of the biggest hits of the decade, what did that feel like?

Amy: It was a whirlwind, to be honest. It was huge; I couldn’t believe that people were still buying our single after so many weeks … It’s really a humbling feeling that we get to do this every day for a living. We don’t have other jobs and I think that’s rare for a musician to be able to say that.

Is there a pressure for the next album to have the same success?

Emma: Yes and no, just because we want to continue doing this for a living. But I guess we wrote Geronimo without any pressure, so we really were careful not to put the same amount of pressure on ourselves because there were so many eyes around, like, what we were going to do next. We’ve written the album now, we’re really proud with what we have.

What’s the writing process for you?

Amy: There are three writers in the band: myself, my brother George and Jason Bovino. So it really just depends on the day as to how collaborative we are. Sometimes I come to the band with a finished song and sometimes I just have a hook or a melody and then we all jump on board and finish each of the songs. With Geronimo, I think, it first started from scratch and we were all together. It started before a show in Melbourne and we were backstage and Jason had the little guitar part that you hear in the song … [We] forgot about it for three months and then we were all together one day thinking about doing some writing and we were like, “Oh, I remember this is really cool,” and within two hours we had written Geronimo around our kitchen table at home.

What is it like to work with your siblings?

Emma: It’s really good. Being in this industry that’s so cut-throat, it’s good to know and have people that you trust with you on tour. And we’re in this business as a family – like, Mum and Dad are involved … Mum comes on every tour.

With 400 million streams and top 10 chart placements globally, what has it been like to have such international success?

Emma: It’s pretty crazy, we just kind of followed the success around the world. We never really expected it and are still pinching ourselves today.

What is the biggest aspect in your life that has changed since you’ve had success?

Amy: Probably sleep deprivation. Before Geronimo, we could choose our hours and we would be pretty free with what we could do, but now I think we just work harder, which is a great thing. We’re really busy.

What is it like to work with your siblings?

Emma: It’s really good. Being in this industry that’s so cut-throat, it’s good to know and have people that you trust with you on tour. And we’re in this business as a family – like, Mum and Dad are involved … Mum comes on every tour.

With 400 million streams and top 10 chart placements globally, what has it been like to have such international success?

Emma: It’s pretty crazy, we just kind of followed the success around the world. We never really expected it and are still pinching ourselves today.

What is the biggest aspect in your life that has changed since you’ve had success?

Amy: Probably sleep deprivation. Before Geronimo, we could choose our hours and we would be pretty free with what we could do, but now I think we just work harder, which is a great thing. We’re really busy.

Where is the strangest place you’ve been recognised?

Amy: The craziest for me was in London. I think it was Emma and I who were just shopping and someone yelled across the street, like, “Sheppard. We love you, Sheppard”. Because it didn’t chart in the UK, I was not expecting to be recognised at all.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

Amy: Never let success go to your head; never let failure go to your heart.

Emma: Stick with the people that pull the magic out of you and not the madness!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to make it big in this industry? 


Emma: Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you. Also be confident in what you do and don’t let people bring you down!

What are you up to at the moment?

Emma: At the moment we have our Australian tour … Next month, we fly out to the UK and we have 13 shows with Little Mix.

Where has been your favourite performance?

Amy: Our favourite performance would have to be when we played Rock in Rio in Brazil. It’s hard to explain how overwhelmed you feel when 100,000 people are singing your song back to you.

How do you feel about security during big performances these days with recent attacks and bombings?

Amy: We were so shocked and saddened by what happened in Manchester. Our hearts are with those who lost a loved one. But crimes like this won’t shake our resolve to deliver live music to our fans, and we hope they will still come to our concerts. Together, we will get through this more resilient and stronger.

Sheppard perform on June 11 at the Metro Theatre, Sydney; $31.75.

 

BITESIZE                 

We went to Tokonoma By Toko, Sydney

We ate Hiramasa kingfish, truffle ponzu, pickled daikon; Moreton Bay bu tempura, yuzu koshu mayonnaise; Chicken polenta karaage, toko hot sauce; Jerusalem artichoke, 3 ways, teriaki ;Soft shell crab maki; Wagyu beef cheeks, bone marrow tempura

We drank Mineral water, 2015 Ros Ritchie Sauvignon Blanc; 2012 Chandon Vintage Altius

Amy wore: Aje  

Emma wore: Rollas

Photography: Fairfax