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Nathan Hudson, anarchic frontman of Sydney alt-rockers Faker, spoke to Garrett Bithell ahead of the band’s appearance at the Mardi Gras Party.
“It was a band decision. The record that we’ve made is about directness and embracing certain things on a human level. I wanted to follow suit, ethically.”
So says Nathan Hudson, the charismatic and exuberant frontman and songwriter of Sydney alt-rockers Faker. He raised some eyebrows, and broke a few hearts, last month when he came out publicly as gay to Sunday Magazine.
“I’m happy to talk about it, for that kid who’s 15 and scared,” he said at the time. “My association with being gay was that it was bad and dark and not good for you. I had trouble finding people to look up to. I’m talking about this to be a bit freer. It’s something that shouldn’t matter and, on a lot of levels, it doesn’t – I hope the music we make transcends it. Still it’s nice to able to say this stuff.”
It’s refreshing to hear someone speak so candidly, especially from the macho world of alternative rock. But perhaps it comes as no surprise that it’s not so macho after all.
“It’s just one of the things in my life and I find it really difficult not to be who I am,” Nathan tells SX. “You have to be aware of all the different perspectives that are out there, but so far I haven’t seen any backlash. People have been just as enthusiastic at the shows we’ve played since.
“But when we do a major Faker headline tour, maybe we’ll see something then – maybe when we’re doing 20 interviews a day and I get asked the same question again and again. I’d fear that people would stop seeing the music.”
Which would be a shame. Faker’s sophomore long player, Be the Twilight, was unleashed to an adoring populace earlier this month. Lead single, ‘This Heart Attack’, with its precarious intensity, came in at Number 5 on Triple J’s Hottest 100. Aside from being incredibly catchy, it’s a highly personal song for Nathan.
“It’s me giving myself a little advice about taking some time out,” he reveals. “I’m somebody who has been in the habit of torturing myself over relationships and sometimes you just have to go and be alone and figure something out.
“In that song in particular I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve, but I tend to do that in what I do and what I write. Everybody goes through heartbreak, so it’s not hard for something like that to resonate.”
For Faker, the making of Be the Twilight was a lesson in communication that eventually saw the departure of Phil Downing on guitar, a close friend of Nathan’s, who left to pursue other projects. This left Stefan Gregory on guitar, Nic Munnings on bass and Paul Berryman on drums.
“To put it simply, it made it more about Stef and Nic and Paul and myself,” Nathan says. “We were really solidified at that point – the relationships became tighter – and we wanted to make whatever we were trying to communicate as direct as we could. There’s lots of layering on Addicted Romantic, and I like that, but I wanted to see if we could communicate what we do on simpler terms.”
The recording process took place in Los Angeles. “We came over there with the idea of embracing a Barton Fink, film noir thing,” Nathan muses. “I respond well to being taken out of my element. I don’t live anywhere at the moment and I kind of prefer that. I have a fantastic sense of home but it’s never tied to one place.”
Nathan’s live performances with Faker have been described as resembling the restless lunacy of Alex, the protagonist from Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of A Clockwork Orange. Fresh off the Big Day Out circuit, he will be harnessing that frenetic energy for Faker’s appearance at the Mardi Gras Party on Saturday. A gay rite of passage perhaps?
“I’m really excited,” he says. “Having to maintain sobriety until three in the morning will be difficult, but we’ll manage I’m sure!”
The following week will see Nathan abandon those wild stage antics for an intimate solo acoustic tour, which will see him play The Vanguard on March 6 and Spectrum on March 8. Supported by redsunband’s Sarah Kelly and accompanied on stage by Nic Munnings, he will perform stripped-back versions of Faker tunes from both Addicted Romantic and Be the Twilight.
“Because I don’t live anywhere, it made sense to continue being on tour,” Nathan quips. “I had some time before I go back to LA for a few weeks so I figured it would be better touring than couch surfing!
“Usually when I write songs it will be on acoustic guitar. It starts off in a very personal place and I’ll enjoy having the opportunity to give some people an insight into that place. But in all honesty, it’s mildly intimidating. But I think Nic, myself and the audience will figure it out.”
For more information on Nathan Hudson and Faker, visit www.faker.com.au or www.myspace.com/fakertheband.
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