Q & A : HUNTLY

The Hunting musical community is large…
Hunter, Hunter Hunted, Hunters and Collectors.
What was the concept behind your Huntly?
It was a name and a project I kept to myself for a while – back in Brisbane where I’m from. I was just writing weird sad experimental music and sometimes putting it up on Soundcloud. Then I moved to Melbourne and started jamming with Andy and the beats got stunning, then Charlie joined us and we became a certified Melbourne band.Images from your recent show at Paradise look so, so stunning. There was a forest, a lake and bountiful AUS music. Do you think the future of festivals lie in grass-roots ventures, small enough to offer a sense of community and accountability?
God I hope so. The music was awesome, good gender diversity in the lineup, you could hike around the forest, people wore ski-wear instead of culturally appropriating costumes, there was a very queer vibe, what more could you want?Given the chance to create and curate your own festival, what would be the mission statement, location and 3 acts you’d invite to perform?
“El bel’s queer accessible femme-fest, showcasing literally anything but all male rock bands.”
Location: the grass overlooking Deadman’s Beach at Point Lookout, QLD.
Three acts: Solange, DJ Sovereign Trax, Anohni
An inclusive seat at Deadman’s Beach, let’s make this happen!

You’ve been vocal in the hope of more inclusion of Indigenous musicians getting booked at festivals and venues. Can you recommend a few outstanding artists who we should be keeping an ear out for?
Well the new album Reclaim Australia by A. B. Original is pretty powerful, I had big goosebumps all morning listening to it. Go see a Birdz show. Electric Fields. Emily Wuramarra.

The Huntly sound; sad disco, is a most befitting term. What was the first song / piece of music that sparked a sad melodic moment within you?
Charlie’s was Patti Smith. If I’m honest, I think my first emotionally charged song was Lucy by Hanson.
Zac on vox; understood.

You’re completing a PhD on gender equity, music and young people. Being involved with LISTEN, I imagine would give you a great platform to directly address each of these topics. What do you foresee to be the biggest fight for 2017 to focus on and tackle?
I know this is off topic, but I feel a real sense of urgency to find solutions for the hundreds of people locked up in offshore detention, and the over-representation of Aboriginal young people in the justice system. People are being detained, tortured, raped, and we are paying for it and standing by it. Both sides of government pedal really disturbing messages about these groups and I think it creates a public sense of fear and defensiveness that stems from racism, which is something we don’t want to admit. I think there are a lot of fantastic initiatives and movement towards addressing gender diversity in the music industry (thankfully). So while they keep pushing on, I can’t help but think about the urgency of these people’s lives while they sit in prisons.