Around August 2009, I was lucky to be able to get in touch with Anna Burley from one of my favorite band since the 90s : The Killjoys (The Australian pop combo, not The Canadian punk act). She was really nice, and these Q&A had been on-aired on PopCircle, a radio show on 102.3 Rase FM Bandung - Indonesia. Here are the short-but-interesting bits of it.
What is the significant difference of being in a band in the 90s compared to the noughties?
The main difference for us is we have to juggle families as half the group have children, this makes touring more difficult...which is a shame as I love it...On the plus side now with Internet etc. there are lots of new ways to get your music heard.
How do you guys keep it together after all this time and maintain to stay true to your sound?
We are all still good friends so just love making music together . The sound is just a strange magical killjoys thing , I have no other explanation
Who were your teenage idols? And who influence you as a vocalist?
Teenage idol for me was and still is a favorite, Rickie Lee Jones, Craig loved The Stray Cats and Elvis. I had no particular influence, I just always sang ...I probably picked up things from lots of people , I spent a lot of time listening to the radio in my room.
Your current favorite new bands/releases?
I'm currently listening to Grand Aalvo, 'soil creatures', The Fleet Foxes and Camera Obscura's new cd.
One of our listeners told us that she wanted a Killjoys song to be played along when she's proposed. What song do you suggest? :)
This is a hard question, hard to remember all the songs...I'm currently writing a song called The Red Thread, influenced by the Chinese story that everyone you will ever meet is connected to you by a red thread, this would be a good theme for a engagement song.
"Beauty and Danger" is my favorite track of A Million Suns, any special 'behind the songwriting' story or trivia about that song?
Well there really was a letter... But the song to me began about risk taking, leaps of faith, the joy and danger taking even small risks in relationships and it kind of grew. it's a youthful hopeful song , maybe your friend should have that playing!
Check out the releases by The Killjoys, you'll get hooked! Stealing Horses (2005) is their evidence of their incredible talent for songwriting with such pop sensibility. The Killjoys are currently on tour and working on a new album (it's out now, titled as Pearl). Thank you Anna =)