DAN SULTAN | INTERVIEW | WARP AUG 17|

CREATION AND CATHARSIS

Carrying a swag of APRA and NIMA awards including this month’s ‘Best Song’ NIMA for his collaboration with A.B. Original, Dan Sultan journeys into his next creative phase with the release of his latest album Killer. No stranger to the healing power of raw and honest lyricism, Dan chats about the state of indigenous politics and the duality of his creative process. 

A: It’s been a significant time in your career of late, you’ve just released your new album Killer and you’re about to embark on a massive national tour, plus last week your collaboration with A.B. Original was awarded with the ‘Best Song’ for January 26th at the NIMA’s. Does it feel like a bit of a blessing to have been honoured with another NIMA as you embark upon this massive national tour for Killer?

D: Yeah absolutely I mean A.B. Original deserve every nomination and every award that they get. I hadn't really been in the awards cycle when the nominations were coming up and I kind of snuck in there with those guys with September 26th. I mean, I was nominated for ‘Artist of the Year’ as well which I found a bit embarrassing ‘cause I hadn’t really done anything before I released Killer and it came out a week before the awards ceremony so I wasn’t eligible for any nominations at the NIMAs this year.  But as far as January 26th is concerned I really couldn't be prouder to be part of that release. 

A: And just to delve into the political message in the January 26th with a little more… Obviously national and international politics are just generally completely insane right now but locally in the last week we’ve also seen genuine movement in the right direction for recognition of indigenous people’s rights. We saw descent from the Mayor of the City Of Yarra who chose to drop all references to Australia day and cancel their Australia day citizenship ceremony. She’s also publicly supported moving the date of Australia day and caused a stir with federal government for doing so. Do you feel as though this is a time where we might be finally making some headway in terms of more respect and reconciliation in this country? 

D: Yes well I hope so, I mean things move pretty slowly in that respect and then there’s bursts of activity for a while, then it moves slowly again, then there are bursts. I mean in the 80’s there were big bursts and I think it’s unfortunately got a lot to do with whether it’s fashionable or not. 

With our song Jan 26th I mean, it’s just such a great song anyway, its just such a banger, even if you didn’t know what it was about you find yourself dancing to it so that helps the cause. It’s such a great tune and those guys are such amazing writers that their songs just go off. But it is fashionable at the moment so I guess we’ll take what we can get. The apathy and the complacency is really something that’s come in waves in this country…so while it’s positive,  we’ll remain strong. 

A: Theres a palpable honesty in the lyrics on your releases but particularly on Killer. Tracks like Fire Under Foot and Easier Man, hold plenty of references to managing grief and holding things together. Given that the birth of each of your songs seems like such an intensely honest and self reflective process in itself, then you go through the phase of the refinement with the recording process, I’m curious to know whether live touring for each album offers new perspectives on your songs? Is it a constant process of having new emotions pop up from your subconscious while you perform each song?

D: Absolutely. It’s very cathartic. You go through a lot. I'm a pretty emotional person and I feel very fortunate that I’m a writer and that I have this outlet you know? I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have this outlet. A lot of people do different things, whether it’s self medication or whether it’s talking to somebody or whether it’s sport. And this is a big thing in my life, of being able to just get through. Everyone goes through stuff and deals with it in their own way. I mean writing, you go through shit and then you write about it, then you record it, then you release it and then you tour it and then you go through more shit, then you record it and then you release it, it goes around, it’s a process. I feel very fortunate to have this outlet. It’s very cathartic.

A: So finally, you’re touring Tassie on September 6th, do you have anything on the bucket list for while you’re down here? 

Yeah I'm really looking forward to it, I just wanna come down and have a good time - rock’n’roll! The last time I went down on my own tour was for the single tour of Blackbird so it’s been a few years since I’ve been there with my band, just under our own steam. The projects in Tassie at the moment are amazing. I think that as the younger people down there get a bit older they’ve started to open up industry in terms of distilleries and breweries and stuff and that’s only a positive thing. Tassie’s great, it’s beautiful so I'm gonna really enjoy being there with my mates, we’re all very close and we’re looking forward to having a great time together!

Dan Sultan plays the Odeon Theatre, Hobart on September 8th and Club 54, Launceston on the 9th September. Killer is out now on Liberation Music. 

-Amanda Laver