With the release of their latest single ‘Afterglow’, Sydney indie rockers Creo are hitting the road once again to play a stack of shows. With fearsome drumming, malicious guitar tones and devious indie-pop hooks thrown in the mix for good measure, over the next few weeks Creo are touring all around the country in support of their latest single. Hold fire though folks, because they are not your average indie-pop rock band. Since forming in 2012, Creo has supported the likes of British India, Gung Ho and Glass Towers, which is quite a big deal for a band on the rise. In the lead-up to the tour, I got the opportunity to catch up with Jorgee Hayman, lead singer and guitarist for the band.
It may have only been out a few weeks, however the support that Creo has been racking up for the track is pretty crazy and something that is still a little hard to comprehend for all the members. “It’s been a really overwhelming response to the track, we knew it had some promise but we didn’t think things would end up snowballing this much. It’s been really nice to see that everybody is digging the track after all the hard work that we’ve put in.”
Forming in 2012 through the dissolution of other projects, Creo has always felt like the right fit for Jorgee, Carlos, Alex and Daniel. After the release of their debut EP, the band has been working hard on the follow-up, and finally we get to hear it. “Since the beginning, it has been a natural progression to where we are as a band today. Our first EP sounded pretty green, a bit fresh, and now with Afterglow, I think we are really coming into our own and that’s something that we are extremely proud of.”
The recording process that the band takes has changed quite a bit in between putting the first and second EPs together. In the pursuit of a raw and original sound that feels a lot more fresh and original, Creo is aiming to push the boundaries when it comes to recording. “We are really in an exploration for the real Creo sound now I think. Whether that be recording vocals in a naturally reverby room, to drums in a different way, we are taking a lot more risks these days and I think that has greater benefits to it.”
Like many musicians before him, one of the main influences on Jorgee’s songwriting is the legendary Bruce Springsteen. Having seen the Boss in concert a few times, Hayman relates that Springsteen is definitely up the top of the list of collaborations. “Just to be able to sit on a writing session with the man and to see how he conducts his band and goes about his business. He’s incredible. He doesn’t skip a beat when he’s in action and he’s by far the best performer that I have ever seen. If I had to give you my top Springsteen songs it’d definitely be a tussle between ‘Thunder Road’, ‘Jungleland’ or ‘Born to Run’.
If tight indie guitar pop hooks is your thing, then look no further than heading out to see Creo when they hit Music Man in Bendigo on August 27 and Old Bar in Melbourne on August 29.
When&Where: Music Man Megastore, Bendigo – August 27 & Old Bar, Melbourne – August 29
By Tex Miller