Back in early 2009, Australian four-piece The Getaway Plan called it quits. In the previous twelve months they had released their debut album ‘Other Voices, Other Rooms’, played numerous festivals, received radio airplay and ended their run with six sold-out nights in Melbourne.
However in November 2010, the band announced their intention to record again and the resulting record is ‘Requiem’. Produced by Grammy award winning David Bottril (Muse, Silverchair, Circa Survive and Tool), ‘Requiem’ sees The Getaway Plan’s accessible alt-rock be mixed up with atmospheric arena-rock, which has seen the band be compared to the likes of 30 Seconds To Mars and Muse. As recent single ‘The Reckoning’ shows, The Getaway Plan have an expansive sound with bold choruses.
With a UK release of ‘Requiem’ expected later this summer, Already Heard caught up with vocalist Matthew Wright to find out more about the band and ‘Requiem’
Already Heard: Could you introduce yourself and your role in The Getaway Plan?
The Getaway Plan: My name is Matthew and I sing.
Already Heard: For those who haven’t heard of you before, can you describe your sound?
The Getaway Plan: I’m the worst person to ask, and I hate using other bands as examples, but we have sometimes been compared to Muse or Silverchair. I find those comparisons extremely flattering, but we do take influence from both of them, so it’s not completely unbelievable!
Already Heard: I understand back in Australia, you’ve had quite a bit of success?
The Getaway Plan: Australia has been very good to us, yes, but it’s been 7 years, and we are more than ready to take the next step overseas. We’ll always have a place here, but we need to get out and see what the rest of the world has to offer us.
Already Heard: That success led to the band breaking up in 2009. How and why did the band come back together?
The Getaway Plan: We all tried other ventures and soon discovered that none of us felt right making music with anyone else. We played a one off reunion show for charity in 2010 and that was what caused the initial ‘spark’ that made our reformation possible. Up until that point, we were dead in the water.
Already Heard: Since getting back together, how has the band changed and developed?
The Getaway Plan: We’re far more appreciative of everything we have and in turn are much stronger as a unit. We are way more passionate about this now. We’ve put everything on the line, and as a result it feels like there is a lot more heart in what we do and what we create these days.
Already Heard: Your latest album, ‘Requiem’ was produced by David Bottril. How did you join up with him and what did he bring to The Getaway Plan’s sound?
The Getaway Plan: We sent David some demos early on during the writing process, just to see if he would even respond. A couple of days later he hit us back saying that he would like to make a record. By the time we got to Canada to start recording, he had more or less become a fifth member of the band. His influence and ideas were incredible and I don’t think anyone else in the world could have helped us express ourselves more accurately. He brought absolutely every single idea we had, to life. On top of that he has become a great friend that we will all keep for life. This won’t be the last record we make with David, that’s for sure.
Already Heard: What can you tell us about ‘Requiem’?
The Getaway Plan: I can tell you that it’s is something that we are all exceptionally proud of. I can also tell you that it’s the kind of record you may need to listen to more than once to understand. A huge amount of time and energy went in to the writing and recording of this album, so it’s only natural that it would take a few listens to grasp. I find that ‘Requiem’ is best listened to in it’s entirety, with headphones.
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Words by Sean Reid