A Quick Chat With Talk Heavy
Comprising of Matt Cochran (Vocals/Guitar), Patrick Shipp (Guitar), Tayla Ellerby (Bass) and Beej Vaughan on drums Talk Heavy is the revitalised project of beloved Brisbane band WALKEN, seeing the trio become a quartet and discover a sonic evolution.
Can you tell me a bit about your latest single βHoping The Middleβ?
Matt: Yeah sure. Hoping The Middle is an angsty and energetic little number that we thought would be a good fit as our first single release. It was originally penned during the lockdown periods in 2020 where I felt pretty defeated by life. It seemed easiest to try disassociating from what was happening in the world at large; like if I cruised in the middle, not focusing on positives or negatives, then Iβd make it through.β¨β¨We eventually recorded it at my home studio Birthday Boy, where I engineered, produced and mixed the track. And thankfully it seems like things turned out pretty alright.
If you guys could tour anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Matt: Considering Iβve never left Australia, Iβd be happy with just about anywhere overseas.
Pat: Probably Japan, it seems like a really busy and interesting place, and they love live music there. The UK would be really cool too, Iβd love to play some weird little shire pubs.
Tayla: I would love to tour Japan. I really enjoy the culture and the food!
Matt: Alright, it looks like weβre touring Japan then haha.
What has been your favourite memory together as a band?
Matt: Damn, everything is still so fresh at the moment, itβs kind of hard to say. But I guess, my favourite memory would be our last-minute triumphant set at the 1985 Live Aidβ¦β¦we ARE the band Queen, right?!?
Pat: Yeah sure, why not.
How did you come up with the band name βTalk Heavyβ?
Pat: I came up with the name TALK ORGY as far superior way of saying βgroup chatβ. But I guess it was too rock and roll for everyone. Matt added the βHeavyβ and I think we just kept referring to the new project as Talk Heavy as a place holder name but it eventually just stuck.
Matt: Yeah, I remember Patty saying the phrase βTalk Orgyβ in relation to a Facebook group chat we have with some of our friends. I remember thinking βwow thatβs kind of a cool band nameβ. But then Beej and I thought βitβs cool but it sounds more like a metal or industrial band nameβ β¦Iβm sure some band thatβs way cooler than we are could easily pull off Talk Orgy, but we canβt haha. Then I eventually I hit on βTalk Heavyβ and thought that was a great name in reference to talking about difficult subjects like conversing about mental health, trauma and all things emotionally βheavyβ. Then that name just kind of stuck.
How did you meet each other?
Pat: Me, Matt and Beej all met in the Brisbane music scene in all our old bands, just playing gigs together at venues that are long dead now. And obviously from that we did WALKEN for the last few years, and now Talk Heavy. I believe Matt made Tayla in a lab or something Iβm not sureβ¦β¦
Tayla: Nah, I unfortunately worked with Matt at Telstra. Fast forward 9 years and we were talking late in the valley after a show - his band needed a bassist, and I was doing nothing special.
If you could have any three people over for dinner, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Matt: This is always such a hard question to answer, but I guess my first instincts would be to pick Tom Delonge, Michael Jordan and Rodney Mullen.
Pat: Matt, Beej and Tayla. All of them dead.
Matt: Oh no hahaha.
Who are your biggest influences?
Matt: I think we all love HEAPS of different music, matter of fact we have a massive 100 song influences playlist on our Spotify page if youβre THAT interested
But in terms of writing our own music, Iβd say it draws heavily from bands like Motion City Soundtrack, Blink-182, PUP, Jeff Rosenstock, Rozwell Kid, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Cloud Nothings, Violent Soho, Modern Baseball, Title Fight, Sunny Day Real Estate, Harvey Danger, Touche Amore, Crash Of Rhinos, etc.Alongside the above writing influences, some of my other all-time favourite artists are WHY?, Jamie T, Ween, Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst, Smashing Pumpkins, Fucked Up, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, AJJ, A Tribe Called Quest, The Killers, Pavement, Arcade Fire and loads more.
Whatβs one interesting fact that people might not know about each of you?
Matt: For show & tell one time, I made my Grade 3 class listen to Stone Cold Steve Austinβs entrance theme music from a WWE compilation CD that I got for my birthday.
Pat: I canβt pronounce the word βinfuriatingβ in person, and itβs reallyβ¦β¦well......Iβm mad.
Tayla: Iβm a published author. I was a finalist in a story writing competition when I was 11, the short story I wrote was then published in a collection with other short stories.
Matt: Casual flex.
Whatβs next for Talk Heavy?
Pat: Playing a WALKEN song for βLike a Versionβ
Matt: Hahaha, ah man, thatβs kind of genius. But yeah, weβre just planning to release a bunch of music this year β our debut single βHoping The Middleβ is out now and the follow-up single wonβt be too far behind. Then weβve got an EP, then maybe some other singles, then an album and hopefully a bunch of shows and yeah, the train is just leaving the station, really.