The music's the thing
Sunday Herald Sun, July 13 2003

Something For Kate members are an eclectic bunch who want to be known for their sound, not their image, writes PAUL STEWART

THE music, the music and, finally, the music.

Paul Dempsey, of Melbourne trio Something For Kate, leaves no doubt why he has spent the past decade honing his craft as a singer/songwriter.

"I have no desire at all for the celebrity that being a musician brings -- none whatsoever," he said.

"I do not want to have my personal life in the gossip magazines, be involved with celebrity scandals or list who my famous buddies are. 

"Our band just wants to be known as an act that tours and makes good records. That is it, full stop.

"Our main ideal is to keep it all firmly focused on the music, keep it organic -- never forget the music is the most important thing," Dempsey said.

He was discussing the much-acclaimed outfit's fourth album, The Official Fiction, to be released next month. Dempsey shook his head in despair when asked about the rush of soap stars who have entered the Australian music scene.

"I think a lot of these people are seriously deluded," he said. "Their career goals are more about marketing than music. They want the music to increase their profile or something. At least Delta Goodrem plays an instrument and genuinely seems to love the craft.

"A lot of these young, up-and-coming soapie singers think that if they get money and fame they will find massive happiness, but it does not work like that."

Bass player Stephanie Ashworth admitted the music of Something For Kate was hard to categorise, which was "both a blessing and a curse".

"We are an extremely hard band to pigeonhole because of the music we make," she said.

"Recently, I have noticed we have been compared with REM in the US, which is a huge compliment because I am a huge fan of theirs.

"The critics there don't mean musically we are like them, just that Something For Kate is a similarly eclectic bunch best known for their music rather than their image."

Dempsey and Ashworth said their new album was recorded on the central New South Wales coast, at Mangrove Studio, and "nothing was left to chance".

The band, which also includes drummer Clint Hyndman, is committed to planning and rehearsal before recording.

"Something For Kate never just sits around waiting to come up with songs on the spot because, well, for one thing, it is so expensive in the studio," Dempsey said.

"The three of us are absolute control freaks, in fact, and never leave anything to chance with any aspect of our career.

"We constantly tell our record company we want it all to be focused on the music. Nothing else."

Guest vocalists on the new album include Grant Lee Phillips, Caitlin Cary from US act Whiskeytown and Lisa Germano, who has worked extensively with Neil Finn.

"We just sent these people, many of whom we are fans of, an invitation to come down and join us in the studio, and, thankfully, they did," Ashworth said. Dempsey said a feature of Something For Kate's new stage show was the addition of a string section.

"If we have a string section on the album we want them up there playing live with us," he said.

"We can't see the point of playing with computers and loops.

"Half the time it is the live mistakes that are the most interesting things, anyway," Dempsey said. Something For Kate joined long-time friends Silverchair for an extensive European tour, playing venues with up to 5000 seats each night.

"The crowds were excellent," Ashworth said.

"In Paris, we got a lot of French fans turning up for our first show there and singing along with us. I suppose we get 50 per cent of all our fan e-mails from Europe.

"I think Europeans understand us a bit more than the English or Americans."

Dempsey said the band enjoyed performing in London -- before an audience of 1000 that was "not just us playing to a full house of Aussies missing home".

"These were locals we mainly attracted along due to word of mouth -- there was no patriotic, flag-waving thing happening there," he said.

"It is an interesting time in England at the moment because I think there is now an anti-Australian band backlash thing happening."

Already critics are falling about themselves describing the new Something For Kate album. One reviewer describes the band's latest single, Deju Vu, as their most accessible work. The new album follows Echolalia, which has sold close to 150,000 copies. Dempsey takes such success in his stride.

"Look, it is great they are saying this album is great, but, regardless, it does not mean I will not be making another album after this and then another album after that one," he said.

"Of course, we have released the best album we could, but I do not like a career being described in highs and lows.

"We are in this for the long haul.

"Doing what I do for a living is a dream come true for me."

The Official Fiction will be released by Sony Records on August 18. Something For Kate will perform at the Palace, St Kilda, on Thursday. Bookings: 13 28 49.