EP Spotlight | Ellie Ware
Forgetting to have dinner while finding the flow state
Noah speaks with Ellie Ware all about the debut release, the making of it, and how song writing is used to work through the various comings and goings in life.
Hello Ellie, first up congratulations on the release of your latest EP, For I live only in my skin, which is a collection of three tracks tied together by memories and love. How does it feel to have it out in the world?
Thank you. It’s good! I think it takes a bit of mental power to put music out into the world, but it’s nice to release, both the music and the feeling from my body.
The EP was recorded by you at your dining table, I believe? and mixed and mastered by Liam ‘Snowy’ Halliwell. It is the second release you have worked with him on, the first being the single Find You which came out around a year ago. Can you tell us about working with Snowy and how he has complemented what you do?
Whilst a lot was done at home, different parts were recorded across a few locations. Some at Eastmint in Northcote and Bakehouse in Richmond and a fair bit was at my dining room table.
I guess with DIY music, you make with what you have and just do it. I usually arrange the songs as I go, and if I have a Sunday free, I’m like ok maybe I’ll do like an hour of this? And then it ends up being like 6 hours and ironically, I forget to have dinner. I think everyone needs something that gets them in a flow state.
Anyone who has worked with Snowy knows he is very generous and kind. He’s given me the gentle nudges to finish work and contributed in tangible ways like with shakers on Peak’s Return and saying Yes to including the tin whistle at the end of Shadow. Whilst there’s a level of seriousness surrounding my music, it’s good to remember to play and I think Snowy brings that.
Besides the wonderful guitar playing and vocals you bring on For I live only in my skin there is some excellent percussion from Tyler Bain on Anything Else and Tino Nguyen (Aquatico) on Peak’s Return. Can you tell us about working with them and if they are involved in your live show?
Well, as this EP has been a WIP for a while, I originally enlisted T to play some drums for Peak’s Return, because they’re great and I knew they’d just feel it out which they did so well. They then were a bit busy with their other projects and I said no worries! I enlisted my friend Tyler to play for a live show at the Tramway last October. We already play together in the band for Sunny Morris, so it seemed like the right choice. Tyler also hosts a show on 3RRR called Orange Juice and we have such a nice crossover of music taste, so again I just had a good feeling it would work. Then I asked him to record drums for Anything Else. A lovely human and great drummer! I’m sure you’ll see him in future shows. We have laughed together about how there’s 2 drummers on an EP with just 3 songs. But I love with DIY you can kind of do whatever?
In your words, you have said that your EP explores themes around friendship, aloneness, book shares, the undulation of time, and as well as drawing inspiration from the book The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. Can you elaborate on why these themes hold such importance to you and how they connect to your songs?
Well, I did say that didn’t I? It feels like a not quite fully formed thought, probably because I use songwriting to work through various comings and goings in my life. These are probably only some of the themes present in these songs. If I were to really elaborate, we’d probably be here a while.
But for me, the songs do distill these feelings and moments in time, hence why I write songs to somewhat translate those feelings. But that being said, I read a fair bit, which does inform some of my writing.
I’ve loved Ursula Le Guin’s writing for a while and had been encouraged to read the ‘original Harry Potter’. At the time of tinkering with Shadow, I was reading The Wizard of Earthsea. I wouldn’t say the whole EP is purely inspired by this, but in the story, there is the idea that we all have a shadow inside us. When we cast our light, a shadow is inevitable. I think this is something to remind ourselves, in doing so help us accept our shadows, our wounded selves. In doing so, they become part of you, and you can take back the reins. I think the song took an abstracted turn, but the central idea stuck with me.
You are no stranger to performing and besides your solo output you have also played in indie outfits Major Plains and Mac Springs. Can you share with us your connection to the Melb/Naarm music scene
I’ve been a regular attendee at local gigs in Naarm for a fair few years and have been in bands for about 8 of those years. Those bands feel so long ago but really helped me learn my instruments and how to play intuitively with others. Now I play mainly with Sunny Morris, who is an amazing songwriter and arranger. It’s an absolute pleasure to play with someone who’s music you truly love. The Ellie live band has been a reiteration of the Sunny band which features Tyler, Hugo Van Buuren and Sunny - nice to keep it in the family you know? Sunny’s music is released under local label Blossom Rot - I love everything they do and their true passion for the cause shines through. Whilst I release independently, I still feel the love from Blossom Rot, having contributed a demo to a mixtape they made last year.
Do you have any plans to launch the EP at this stage?
Something is brewing yet not quite fully percolated but follow the 3RRR events page or my insta @spaggggbol for updates!
Finally, who are your favourite local Melbourne bands at the moment and who would you like to see interviewed for Tempo
Ooh I listen to lots of different music but here are some Naarm based artists I’ve been listening to or have seen live — Mandeng Groove, Mckimmie, Kisses, Ruby Milner, Hairclip, Sienna Thornton, Ruby Mae, Public Figures and on the opposite end, an ambient solo project, Badskin.