www.facebook.com/debauchatarium
Sounds like: Rock
From: Australia
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name "Outläw" and is there any meaning behind it?
"Outläw started after mine (Tommy), Axel, and Will's old band Skärlet split up. After the others didn't really want to do music anymore I started writing material for what would become the 'Ecstasy' and 'Pain' Albums. After hearing some of the songs I had, the others decided to jump back on board and whilst trying out a few different guitar players we finally got Bailey which really brought the band to a new level and helped to solidify the lineup.
Axel, Will and I already had really tight musical chemistry and me and Axel write in a very similar vein that goes hand in hand and compliments one another's style of playing. We were particularly influenced by the American style of it which is why I think it appeals to a lot of people there and why we still sell a lot of our old music there. We had a sound already going from when we were in Skärlet which was like a Neo-Glam, Sleaze & Hard Rock type sound that carried over as it is 3/4 the same members, and Bailey brings his vibe and energy to it which makes it it's own thing, whilst really complementing the sound of our music. We have all been strongly influenced by the 80s Hard Rock and Glam bands and aren't even necessarily trying to copy anything, we just write what we're passionate about and what's in us and with all of our own separate and unrelated influences and tastes, I think it amalgamates and consolidates into what forms the Outläw sound.
In terms of the name Outläw, Axel actually came up with that one. We did think about using Skärlet but everyone agreed that it was its own separate thing and that this was a new beginning, and it should be aptly named so. In Axels words: The name Outläw to me summarizes my sheer refusal to conform to what is expected normalcy. I am who I am, you be who you are. There is a romantic side that appeals to my core principles and ideology as well, but Outläw to me is putting the individual's ideas- good or bad, first, in defiance of others. Such defiance these days I see as very different to the biker gangs or the wild west outlaws more commonly associated with the phrase, but it will always be a shining feature of humanity."
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
"Most of all we want people to be entertained and really enjoy the experience of our music and our band as a whole. It has lots of gritty attitude and is completely no holds barred. We don't believe in watering down our musical or lyrical content, so we write the songs we want to write- about things we know about and our experiences. We're all about doing an amazing show and visually captivating our audience too. We want to excite people, pump them up and get the party going as well as reach out with strong emotion, passion and conviction and really give the listeners the experience of a lifetime."
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
"Our sound is a very 80s style Hard Rock/ Glam Rock/Metal style but with a modern twist. If you like bands like Ratt, Guns n' Roses, Motley Crue, Skid Row then you'll probably like us too!
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
"There are so many bands that we would love the opportunity to play with but if we had to choose three off the top of our heads right now, we'd love to tour with Guns n' Roses, Motley Crue, and maybe Alice Cooper".
5. How has Covid affected what you do?
"COVID played a huge role in affecting our band. We had a lot of strife and pain because of it and it delayed our albums by about 2 years. We couldn't complete recording sessions and get work done because of it, to the point where it caused a lot of friction and tension. But we came through it and now we feel even more excited to get our music out there into the hands of the audience and give them something to love."
6. What’s your take on the current state of Rock?
"I definitely think Rock is still alive and well. It may be an underground genre at the moment but there are a lot of great bands out there who make incredible music. Everything goes in trends but it only takes one shot to break through. It's definitely harder to break into the mainstream at the moment seeing as not a lot of people there pay much attention to it or really want to give it a fair go/ promote it, but Its time is coming again and we intend to be at the forefront of it!"
7. What's the current music scene like there in Australia?
"Melbourne was really on fire a few years ago, and now it's really hard to get people out to shows and get them to come and see your band or buy your music. The Indie and Metal scenes are thriving here but Rock has kind of died off a lot, in fact there aren't really that many Rock bands doing what we do here if any at all. There are a couple of Rock bands who are doing pretty well and some others that have remained constant, but the audience feels like it has shrunken and it's a tough gig, but one we're prepared to fight for. That's why we want to focus on our overseas fans in the U.S and Europe/ Asia and really grow our fanbase internationally from the beginning, rather than starting as a 'local' band and then trying to build an international audience later. We've always felt like our fans are overseas and we have every intention of making that a reality"
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
"It's no secret that the streaming services don't pay artists fairly for their work and I think there definitely needs to be legislation around it and fair compensation. It is the way of the future however and you can either adapt and change or be stuck in the past earning zero."
9. What’s next for Outläw?
"We are about to release a new single, a video and then another single before releasing our two full length LP's 'Ecstasy' and 'pain' a bit later on. Aside from our home base, we want to focus on our U.S and European markets a lot and move to the U.S sometime soon so we can hit the ground running and really make the best go of this that we can. We will be playing some interstate shows here in Australia hopefully and there are even talks of going overseas to play in the U.K. We want to really work on our stage show and visuals. Make it all very theatrical and an experience for our audience, and then party hard with them later! We'll be focussing on building our fanbase and reputation and really driving the promotion of our debut release of a double album. As far as I'm aware, nobody's ever done that- so we're very excited to come out with a band. It's well overdue!"
10. Any shoutouts?
We'd like to shout out everyone who has gotten behind the band and streamed our songs, bought our merch, come to our shows, followed us, shared us, liked us and partied with us. We will not disappoint you. We also want to thank our friends and families for their love and support as well as the radio stations and websites and companies like From The Depths Entertainment, TnT on PBS, Melbourne Rocks, Sleaze Roxx, Beautiful Car Crash for their support and belief in us as a band and for getting our music and message out to the people. As a side note I'd also like to thank Tama drums and my amazing cymbal company Soultone Cymbals who made me my own signature series of cymbals that sound incredible and really give me what I need on stage and in the studio- go buy some!!
