Deeper shades of Kate
Beat (Melbourne street paper)

Murmur band Something for Kate have released a new single "Dean Martin". We spoke with enigmatic, moody frontman and band founder Paul Dempsey about the new release.

Soon to go overseas, Something For Kate will be heading to Wisconsin this January to some recording, and no doubt some near freezing adventures in the tall snow drifts that abound there that time of year.

Why Wisconsin?
"I don't really want to go to America. We didn't choose Wisconsin, that's where the studio is. We're not going there because it's America, we're going there because that's where we're recording the album, we're not going there because we want to go to America, we don't like America, we're going there because the studio is there."
The bee was a little confused at this point. "uuum", we stammered.
Paul Dempsey went on "We're going there because we've got work to do. That's where it is. I'd rather not go to America . It's because the person who is working on our record is familiar with the studio. That's where they'd rather work."
"That's pretty incredible."
You think?
We stammered "Uuuuh" again. Well what is the engineers name?
I'm not going to tell you.
Oh.
Paul Dempsey: This Wisconsin thing isn't relevant at the moment, We're not going to release the album for a long time. Wisconsin is irrelevant.
Oh. We were confused again. Irrelevant? But it costs big bucks to get there, why go if it's irrelevant? When will the album be out?
Early next year. It's not relevant.
Oh. We ploughed on with the interview. The Buzz was pleased about the success Something For Kate was having.
You think? I don't think we've had success. It's just because we went to school down there [Paul Dempsey was referring to his days at Peninsula's Padua College in Mornington] and we know everybody down there.
You seem to be popular in many places. We noted the Latrobe Valley.
That's nice.
Oh. We asked about the song on the last album titled "Clint". We had a great chat with Clint a couple of months ago. We recalled the track that you wrote to piss him off.
No, I just named it Clint to piss him off. We like to piss each other off. We all enjoy doing the music, aside from the music we're just good friends.
Dean Martin is the new big release. The name has nothing to do with the tracks on the release. We asked about the opening track where some lyrics cry "A bigger stick for harsher contact_" What were you thinking of in those lyrical terms?
I would rather people figure it out for themselves. I could answer that question for you and totally eliminate any air of mystery. I could make it clear for the listener, but that would be boring. If people listen to the song and if they're interested in finding out, that's nice. People interpret art any way they want to interpret it. I know what I was thinking, but someone else might have another interpretation of what I was thinking, I wouldn't want to ruin it for them. Our music, paintings and movies, you get something from it. You can compare it to instances in your own life, or your own emotions and feelings. If I explained things because it would become boring. When I write my lyrics I go on meanings.
Titles of albums mean nothing, titles are shit. They're nothing at all. I wrote the song while I was watching Dean Martin on the television and that's why it's called Dean Martin.
How many tracks have been completed for the upcoming album?
Well we have about ten new songs that we have never played, but we have another five or six that are worked, arranged or are being beaten into shape. I'd say that by the time the album rolls around, we will have completed about twenty songs.
How particular is Something For Kate in their selection process of new songs?
We just choose the songs we like and we want to have on the album. We arrange them in the order that we think fits the album. A nice dynamic.
When you started the band did you set any particular goals?
We didn't set any goals, we were just very ambitious and we just did whatever we could. We didn't have an agenda. We just put the songs together and wrote some songs.
Do you think you've achieved that ambition signing to Murmur / Sony?
I think it's a milestone, but it's not the be all or end all of what we're about.
What would you define the "be all and end all" as?
Music. We're not preaching, we're not U2, we're not trying to teach people. We're just playing music. I think there is something here for people if they do choose to look for it. At the end of the day it's all just rock and roll isn't it?
Has it been this way always for you?
I've always played guitar. I've always played music. I just love to write music and lyrically I just write about what affects me that I like to get out of my system or I try to communicate. I have several books I just carry them around. I put down anything, I write, I draw, I scribble.
Paul does it pretty well. Look out for the "Dean Martin" release with the pebbles from a creek bed on the cover.
Bam Bam!

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