Talk It Up: Wolf Gang

In another life Max McElligott might have been the CEO of a big law firm or the dean of an Ivy League college. A couple of years ago he was immersed in his studies at the London School of Economics until fate came knocking for this DIY solo artist. All of a sudden it was time to take his music career seriously and the Wolf Gang legend was born.

Like so many others these days McElligott got his start in the confines of his bedroom, writing and recording demos on his laptop. English indie label Neon Gold liked what they heard and put out his debut single Pieces Of You last year. Then came the big one - The King And All Of His Men well and truly put Wolf Gang's name on the map with its glam-inspired, stuttery rock tinges.

Things have been a bit quiet since then as McElligott has been hard at work on his debut album. In just a few short weeks though he'll be making his Australian live debut when he plays the Parklife festivals all around the country. And watch out ladies, he's got his eye on you! We caught up with Max to find out what we can expect from Wolf Gang's live show.

Hi Max. What’s going on in the Wolf Gang world at the moment?

I've been playing a few shows here and there, sorting out ideas for art work and videos for upcoming releases, gearing up for Australia...bits and pieces! 

When can we expect your debut album to drop?

Spring 2010. Fingers crossed. 

Your musical journey so far has been a bit unorthodox. How does one make the transition from economics student to DIY indie rocker?

I was actually studying anthropology, not that this makes the path much more obvious. But once I decided music was what I wanted to try and do the transition was very quick. Out of uni and onto the stage.

It seems like your life took quite a twist during this time. At what point did you realise you could have a proper go at this music thing?

I guess I got some early interest from a couple of labels who had heard some rough demos on a MySpace page I set up. When I saw them taking me seriously I thought I better start taking myself seriously.

You had a bit of a runaway hit with The King And All Of His Men earlier in the year, at least in this country. Did such early success make you nervous or excited?

It was exciting to hear of the single getting good radio play in Australia. Friends would ring up or email me whenever they heard it in the car or saw it on MTV, it's been quite thrilling having that first taste of success. I can't say it's made me feel nervous though, I've just been enjoying it.

The songs you’ve already released hint to time spent listening to Bowie, Roxy Music, T-Rex and Talking Heads. Who are some of the other influences that are coming through on your new material? Are there any newer acts you’re getting into at the moment?

There's probably quite a considerable mash up of different influences on the album, half of which I'm probably only subconsciously aware of. I love all of the above, and more from that era including Kate Bush and early U2 etc, but recent bands that I've enjoyed listening to include Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear. 

I’ve read you listen to a lot of older music yet your sound is very much of the now and beyond. How do you take those older influences and transform them into something almost futuristic?

For me it's not a process of taking something old and consciously moulding it into something new. I just write songs, they come out how they come out. I suppose they sound current because I am living in the now, but I'm not trying to hark back to the old or herald the futuristic, the music as you hear it is just my natural style. 

Your music is fairly difficult to define or describe. Is that something you consciously work towards, creating sounds that are unfamiliar to most people?

I don't set out to create unfamiliar sounds, but if some of the songs sound strange and new then that's great. It's pretty hard to write boundary-breaking music these days, so I just concentrate on trying to write good songs and that's the real priority for me. 

But as soon as you put something out, someone will slap a label on it. Do you find this frustrating?

Yes, it seems we all need to fit into a box! 

There’s also a really visual element to your music (expressive lyricism, weird and wonderful video clips). Where do you draw inspiration for this visual side?

I've always had a bit of an imagination so many of the weird things lurking in my mind snake their way into my writing and ideas for videos etc. I'm a big fan of literature, theatre and art, and these help fuel and spark my imagination.

There’s a whole throng of DIY bedroom artists that have emerged over the past few years. Is this the direction the music industry is heading?

Recording in the bedroom is so easy these days, there are more people fulfilling their private musical ambitions. If the record industry is latching onto it then great, that might hopefully mean less contrived boy and girl bands.

Run us through your personal song writing process.

I usually always start with the music; a guitar part, or a piano melody, or even an interesting drum beat, and then once I've layered up the track I'll get a feel for the atmosphere of the music and then write and lay down the lyrics. The writing process is usually quite intense and I'll have a full demo for a song finished in a couple of days. 

You’re a solo artist but your songs are made up of all sorts of instrumentation and musical gadgetry. Do you play everything that’s on record?

Yep. I drummed in a band for six years, grew up playing piano and guitar, and have generally grown up around all sorts of instruments so I write and record all the parts. For me the instrumental parts of my songs are just as important as the lyrics and vocals - I get just as much satisfaction from playing a good bass line on a recording as when I'm shouting at the top of my lungs in the vocal booth. 

Given that you’re a solo artist, how do you put together your live show? 

I have a band of three other guys: a drummer, a bass player and a guitarist both of whom sing as well. We spend time rehearsing in the studio interpreting the parts from the recordings and making them sound as best they can for the live performance. 

I’ve read you rekindle the days of glam rock with your live performance. What can we expect from you when you play in Australia?

It's pretty 'bandy' at the moment. Most of the time I'm too busy concentrating on what I'm playing on piano or guitar to get my full glam rock strut on the go. Down the line I would like to expand my band to include more musicians though so I could have more maneuverability on stage. 

What are you most looking forward to on your debut Australian tour? 

I've heard Australian women are devilishly pretty. 

Wolf Gang plays the Parklife Festival in Botanic Park on Mon Oct 4.

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