Lily and The Drum

In the past three years Lily and the Drum averaged out at about 100 gigs per year, and lucky for us they’re swinging our way for a show or two. We were luck enough to have a chat to the band about the recording process and they’re favourite places to perform – lucky for us the coast happens to be a strong contender.
Hi guys, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to Forte, where are you currently and what are you up to at the moment?
We are in Adelaide at the moment where we have been busy doing a series of album launches promoting our brand new album Welcome Change. We started on October 17 with a sell out show (which was nice) just north of Adelaide and then a couple more in Adelaide and suburbs. It continues on in the new year. Plenty of travelling and lots of great gigs coming up!
The new album Welcome Change has been out for a few weeks now, how long was the recording process of that one?
The album took us about six months from start to finish. We wrote all the songs during this time in between gigs and some while travelling in the old Holden wagon way out there somewhere! We then set aside some time for the actual recording. The recording was done in batches. On a couple of sessions we reeled off four songs, where as other days we only had time to get one down.
Since forming just over three years ago, you have toured quite heavily including hitting the festival circuit pretty hard, what has been your most memorable show to date?
Mildura New Years Eve in front of 5000 people, Semaphore Music Festival in SA 2013, 2014 we got swamped for CD sales as we came off stage on both occasions. Also, the Blues in the Barossa 2013 where we performed on the small stage, and again being surrounded by people wanting to buy CDs and wanting autographs. We were so busy a few punters joined in to help sell the CDs – I think they were even signing the CDs for us!!
Based in Adelaide but travelling all over, where have been some of your favourite places to perform?
We love coastal and river towns, but having said that we have had some great times in places like; Melrose Music Muster at the foot of the Flinders Ranges in SA, the iconic Deans Marsh Café – a great music venue in Victoria supported by music lovers. Fantastic small country towns all over the country like Orroroo and Robe in SA, Nhill and Cape Bridgewater in Vic, Kangaroo Island off SA coast – too many to name. Nearly 300 gigs in the last three years and all different types of venues and great characters met.
With plenty of tour dates scheduled in support of the new album, what else will 2015 hold for Lily and The Drum, do you have any New Year’s Resolutions?
In 2015 we are looking to travel to QLD and further up throughout NSW, and also have to try and get to WA, NT and Tasmania. We have had so much support from radio stations all over the country, we’re not sure how we are going to visit all these places – a helicopter could help!? The song writing process is something we both really enjoy so time needs to be allocated to get the next album out.
New Year’s resolution: Lily promises not to keep turning her guitar up so loud and John promises he won’t hit the drums so hard….. hmm sure!!
When&Where: Martian’s Cafe, Deans Marsh – November 29