Long Tempo: Kid Sam
A deep dive into the musical worlds of Kieran and Kishore ahead of their reunion show at Northcote Social Club
It’s so great you guys have started making new music again! You did a reunion show in 2022 and in the last few months have been posting hints of new tunes on social media. Is there a new album being made?
Kieran: Thanks! Yes there is. We have scheduled some sessions in October of this year with Nick Huggins, who recorded our last effort. We are playing a headline show at the Northcote Social Club on 20 September before this, for a few reasons: it's fun; why not; to reel out some of the golden oldies; to try some new music before recording it; and funding the recording of the next album if enough punters show.
Your last album came out in 2009 and after a few years of shows you took a decent break (around 10 years I think?) Tell us about how you came to starting Kid Sam again; was it a mutual decision or did one of you persuade the other?
Kieran: It began without any kind of a plan, when our friend Carla dal Forno had an album launch show in late-2022 in Castlemaine (where I live) and asked if we could play another show together as a warm up, which we did. So we Dyson'ed the instruments and dug out a copy of the old CD to check the songs. That led to arranging of the other scraps of material that had begun to accrue.
It’s a long time between jams, was it hard dusting off the cobwebs together? Did you go straight to writing new tunes or focus on originals for the reunion show? Was the show always going to be the start of reforming or was it experimental to see if you wanted to get it going again?
Kieran: I had begun writing a few songs, which came to together surprisingly easily when we got together before the Castlemaine show. So we continued getting together after the gig, and here we are.
It wasn't a planned reformation beyond that show but it felt so cool and productive that we've continued to write and arrange new numbers and we're very much looking forward to playing live and recording.
Kishore, your drumming in the Kid Sam self titled album was groundbreaking with the inclusion of pots and pans to make such interesting percussive sounds. It filled out the sound so much and with the approach of less instruments in the mix I felt like it was like another instrument in itself. Has this continued with the new tunes and how did you come to add those items to your drumming in the first place?
Kishore: That’s very kind of you to say. As of yet there are no pots and pans in the new songs. But I’ve been using an MPC60 and a Korg Microsampler. We’ve added some bass loops and drums samples to the new songs. I really like playing live drums along to drum machines or samplers. I can really relax into it and play a bit more behind the beat. The MPC60 is a sampler from the ‘80s. It has a beautiful, crunchy, slightly wonky quality. This is because of its 12-bit sampling rate, and probably other things to do with the circuitry I don’t understand.
I can’t remember the first time I decide to use pots and pans exactly. It was probably around 2008 when we we were recording the Kid Sam album, maybe a year or two before. Actually now I’m thinking about it I remember when I first moved to Melbourne in 2006 I lived in this house with my friend Samaan (who I’ve played in a few bands with—Where Were You At Lunch, Hexham, It’s So Fucking Great To Be Alive), and we lived with his partner at the time and the house belonged to her grandmother who had recently passed and was a hoarder, a proper extreme hoarder. By the time I moved in a lot of things had been thrown out, but I found this piece of metal that kind of looked like a cymbal, it was maybe part of a microwave, or maybe it was a hubcap or something—I actually have no idea what it was—and we had a jam once and I remember whacking the hell out of it. So maybe that was the start of it. Also one of my drum teachers when I was a teenager was an amazing musician called Greg Sheehan who used to play on anything he found lying around. We used to do drum lessons on the beach using sticks—actual sticks from trees—and we’d play on on logs or other random things instead of conventional drums. Also I remember listening to some Tom Waits’ recordings around the time Kieran and I were experimenting with different sounds, and there are a few songs with junk percussion that I used to listen to a lot. I can’t remember what they’re called.
Kieran, your distinctive vocals and guitar playing with effects in the first album created a huge sound in itself. I felt like you complemented each other in the playing together or in the absence left so the other could feature. How did you develop your sound and did it take some time for you two to gel like that or was it pretty natural?
Kieran: The way we played together was pretty natural and came together relatively quickly. I think we share a fundamental sensibility.
We were broke and technologically inept at that point so we restricted ourselves to the standard live instruments as well as Kishore using cookware and other odds and ends from around the house. Kishore's drumming and percussion playing was always so expansive and interesting that it just didn't feel necessary to include other musicians.
The big criticism we would hear always was, 'needs bass' (pronounced, 'naeds boiss!') but the music always felt satisfying without it so we couldn't see the point. We weren't against the low end on principle but we felt little need to comply with the standard rock band template of the time. The Dirty Three was always an influence, who of course don't have a bassist. Mick Turner was also a direct influence on the guitar playing on some songs, specifically the subtle quarter tones and calculated dissonance within simple diatonic structures.
Vocally, I always just tried to do what I could, and not insert any unnecessary affectations that may rend asunder the ear of the listener.
In those days we shared a house, so we could play a piece a hundred different ways until something felt right, which was a huge luxury.
This time around, we've been adding some other instruments: organ, harmonium, an ‘80s drum machine with some loops. It's in progress so we'll see where it all lands.
Kishore, you have been in lots of projects over the years specifically with the Two Bright Lakes associated bands and even made a solo album. How have you balanced all these projects over the years and who else are you playing drums with?
Kishore: There was a period in my twenties where I was playing in probably five bands, or maybe more, all of which were playing shows. Sometimes I’d play seven nights a week. It usually worked out in terms of scheduling. There were only a handful of times when I had to say no to shows.
These days I play in a bunch of projects but most of the people I play with have children and/or other commitments so none of them are doing relentless touring or anything. The Kid Sam show is actually the only gig I’ve got booked in right now but I’ve been doing lots of recording.
There’s a new Hexham album almost finished. Hexham is a project with my dad Max Ryan and two of my oldest friends Samaan Fieck and Peter Emptage. Nick Huggins recorded it and played some of the instruments. It’s the best Hexham album so far, I think. I’m super excited to share that with people.
I just recorded an album with Keeley Young, who I play in Mess Esque with. Her partner Christopher Brownbill recorded it. It’s her first solo album. She’s an incredible songwriter and singer and instrumentalist. We somehow recorded nine beds (drums and guitar) in one day. It was really lovely spending time with them. They’re a cute couple. I loved third wheeling with them.
There’s also a new Mess Esque album almost finished. I play drums on one of the songs. I didn’t know I was on it until Keeley told me. I did some recording with Mick Turner about seven years ago I think and he and Helen Franzman recently used one of the old recordings and turned it into a Mess Esque song. I’ve heard a couple of snippets of the new album and it sounds wonderful. I’ve been recording some demos with Mick but hopefully I’ll get to play with Helen in real life soon. They usually make the Mess Esque albums more or less as a duo remotely from their respective studios in Brisbane and Melbourne. Maybe one day Helen, Mick, Keeley and I can make a Mess Esque album as a band.
Nick Huggins and I also recently started an instrumental project called Moon Coin Now. Also I will be playing drums on one of his new solo albums soon I think. I love Nick’s songs. It’s always a treat to spend time with and make music with Nick. The vast majority of recording I’ve done has been with him. He’s so good at making people feel comfortable and gently offering suggestions when needed without being domineering or egotistical. He’s an incredible producer and a very kind person.
I’ll probably play more shows with Lisa Mitchell soon. A few years ago, Lisa, Jessie Warren and I recorded a collection of Lisa’s beautiful folk songs called A Place To Fall Apart.
Playing with Kieran again has been very exciting. Very easy and fun. He’s an incredible lyricist and singer. I remember when we first started playing together years ago, he was the first songwriter I’d played with whose lyrics I didn’t have any reservations about. He’s also an amazing guitar player, and it’s very exhilarating to make music together again. It always feels pretty effortless. I love the new songs he’s been writing. Even when he’s singing about watching tv or turning on the air conditioning or something kind of mundane it’s somehow riveting. He’s a great storyteller.
Kieran, I noticed you have played solo over the years. Do you have a whole lot of material outside of Kid Sam or is it all related? What else did you get up during the hiatus?
Kieran: I released a solo record via Spunk records in 2012. And then moved on to regular white collar working life and becoming a father. That was a genuine break and the next record with Kishore represents the next project; there isn't a pile of unreleased demo EPs at the back of the sock drawer.
I think it's alright to come and go from these endeavours as it suits you. There is an odd expectation with music and other artistic projects at times that once you've done something, you should continue to do it always and forever but sometimes it just takes a while to get back into the right place to do it.
It's feeling pretty good now so I'm very much looking forward to doing some gigs and recording.
What’s next for Kid Sam, are you planning shows soon?
Kieran: We will focus on the upcoming recording. All going well there will be more shows before long. Stay tuned.
Finally, who are your favourite local Melbourne bands at the moment or who would you like to see interviewed for Tempo?
Kishore: Some local artists I like are Whelk, Absurd Cosmos Late Nite, R. Rebeiro, Mindy Meng Wang and Sui Zhen, Jacky Winter, Jessie L. Warren, Hantu, Teether, Dirty Three, Sooji, On Diamond, Maria Moles, Lost Animal, Nu, Too Birds, and Red Wine and Sugar. Pretty sure at least one member of each of these lives in Melbourne or nearby.
I think you should interview Nick Huggins, Genevieve Fry, Sooji, Rohan Rebeiro, and Maria Moles.
I also love Water Signs and Mary Glenn, both of who will be playing at our Northcote Social Club in September 20.
Kid Sam (Reunion Show)
with Water Signs + Mary Glenn
Northcote Social Club (Northcote, VIC)
Friday, 20 September 8:30pm
Tickets here