PURSE On Releasing Indie-Rock Debut Single ‘Speak’ And Being Inspired By The Vanns
{interview by Bridey Ellis}
PURSE, a newcomer hailing from Brisbane has burst onto the indie-rock scene, releasing new single ‘Speak’ which details the angst of piercing silence in a relationship that is going wayward. You just wish the other person would speak first. ‘Speak’ combines infectious guitar, punchy vocals and relatable lyricism that makes for an impressive debut. WARRANT spoke with PURSE about creating during isolation, inspiration behind the single and what to expect in the year ahead. With this first single under their belt, and a voice that makes you pay attention, PURSE is well on their way to making a name for themselves in the indie-rock scene. We can’t wait to see what they release next.
First of all, thank you for agreeing to take part in this interview. We really appreciate it!
Thank you! I’m stoked to be here!
When did you first start being interested in writing your own music? Was it always something you wanted to do?
I feel like it was always something I tried to do. It really started ramping up in high school when my mate Liam and I started skipping classes to go write. We’d spend full days in the music block and no one ever batted an eyelid.
How did you come up with the name PURSE? Is this your name or inspired by something else?
PURSE is actually a nickname I have at footy. Someone mispronounced my name at the first training session and it has stuck ever since.
‘Speak’ seems to be a message about regret, when you so desperately want to say something to another person but can’t get the words out and wish they would say something first. Would that be a correct interpretation?
I’m a firm believer in whatever each individual takes away from a song is what the song is about. For myself personally, you’ve pretty well hit the nail on the head. The guitar within ‘Speak’ is infectious and bright, especially before the chorus hits. I think this adds so much to the song.
The guitar also builds before the last chorus and feels like the glorious climb to the top of a mountain. Is this a sound we can expect more of?
Thanks so much! It is definitely a sound you can expect more of in the future. At the moment I’m really enjoying the opportunity to experiment with different sounds that I haven’t before and I think Brock at Bedlam Records is really driving that. I can’t wait to have more out for everyone to hear!
How has this weird time in the world influenced you? Do you think it’s inspired you to be more creative?
The influence of the lockdown period is definitely prevailing in what I’ve been writing at the moment. With that being said I tend to be influenced by experiences, so being restricted to where you can go and what you can do has been a huge challenge. Despite that it has been really good to slow down for a while, but I think everyone is ready and excited to get going again.
Spacey Jane are an influence to you, as well as Last Dinosaurs and The Vanns. What are some of your favourite songs from them? What specific parts of their sounds influence you?
There is so much I feel I’ve learnt by listening to and seeing these artists live. The Vanns were one of my earliest inspirations with tracks like ‘Keep My Cool’ and ‘Harder To Find’. Jimmy Vann is someone I idolise in particular, his vocals are unreal. From Last Dinosaurs I love ‘Zoom’ and ‘Eleven’ and as for Spacey Jane, I’m not sure if they can do any wrong. Their songwriting is phenomenal.
Lastly, when can we expect more music?
Definitely before the end of the year. So pumped!
Stream ‘Speak’ here.