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Interview with
BEN HALL
from
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

(21st January 2024)

Interview with Shaquira Hobbs and Dave Bruce

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D: Here we go, Ben. Meet Shaquira and my name’s Dave, and we’re here from Amnplify. We’ll ask some questions, then a few deeper questions and then there’s some simple ones at the end. So, are you ready?
B: Absolutely. 

D: How did it all begin?
B: Kurt and I went to high school together. So we finished high school in 97, which was obviously several years ago. We had played together mostly, and then we got a singer and another bass player. The efforts from the old singer was just not there. And his voice probably wasn’t either. Then I met Clint who was living with Kim from Dead Letter Circus. He just came in and sang on some demos that actually had vocals on them. It just blew my mind. I went straight back to Kurt and said, man, this is the guy. You can’t let this guy go. He’s fantastic. 

S: When you first started right at the beginning, did you ever think you would make it this far?
B: As I’d still be alive at 43? Or no? Luckily, we have made it to this point. To be honest, there was really no plan. It wasn’t one of those things where we had a list and we just had to tick the boxes and it would happen, which obviously every band can say. It’s hard to predict any success. We have played with bands that I’ve considered would have gone on to have much bigger careers than we have had and sometimes it just doesn’t translate for some reason to some audiences. Dukes of Windsor, Calling All Cars to name a couple. Dukes of Windsor obviously had a massive song, but the band themselves weren’t really what people wanted to see. So to be fortunate enough to still have an audience now is like it’s pretty humbling. In terms of whether or not we would have expected to be here, we were just writing songs and partying and here we are.

S: And for new fans, how would you describe your sound?
B: I would describe it as alternative rock. I would say that it’s got some good riffs, there’s some great vocal hooks and there’s also some quite ambient melodic part. 

D: Has it changed much over the years?
B: That is a great question actually. Look, we tried to be progressive. I think each album has definitely been a step away from the last. Has it changed much? Not if I listen to IV and then go back and listen to Imago. I don’t hear a great difference. But I’m very close to it as well. Some of those ideas were around through all of those periods of writing. So to me, it’s sort of connected. Some people might say that album doesn’t sound this or that. You guys probably have a more honest opinion of whether we have changed than I do.  

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S: Any new music on the drawing board?
B: We have ideas. There’s lots of ideas, actually. It’s just a matter of everyone is very, very busy. Between the four of us, there’s a thousand children and lots of full-time jobs. So it’s hard to get the time set aside, especially when we’re sort of rehearsing for this tour as well. When we get back, I think we’ll definitely sit down and have a chat about it. See if everyone’s on board for maybe trying to do, you know, at least getting through the demos that we’ve got.

S: And as you visit the iconic ‘Begins Here’ album on this tour, are there any particular songs or moments that hold extra significance for you and why?
B: There’s a few in the set. We’re playing the intro live, which is the first time I’ve ever probably even played that as a band, I think. I kind of recorded drums to Kurt’s ideas in the beginning, once he laid them down. So that’s quite nice, because we’ve got some additional musicians traveling with us as well, and some strings. That’s just a nice, refreshing piece of music to listen to when you’ve been listening to the other tracks non-stop for the last six months rehearsing them. I feel like ‘Filling Silence’ has always been my favorite track. I think it just really showcased how amazing Clint was and Kurt’s songwriting abilities at that point in our career. And it was an enjoyable song to write. It sort of fell together pretty easily when there’s lots of different parts.

S: And the tour is not just a celebration of ‘Begins Here’ but also of your most recent album. Will this be the first time playing it live? 
B: No, we did that album tour last year. We played it in Pert at Metropolis Fremantle.

S: So you’ve got the trivia ticket going on. I think that’s a fantastic addition. How’d you come up with this and what inspired it?
B: It was an idea from a friend of mine who runs social media stuff. There’s none of us, tech savvy enough to do it. He was like, let’s do this. And then he sent me the questions and I got most of them wrong. We thought actually this could be fun and I think we just refined it and he ran with it just as a way to sort of keep people interested and on board. 

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D: If you could ever get them going regularly, I reckon they’d be pretty popular long term.
B: Yeah, we’ve tried some over Christmas the last couple of years, we’ve had a really fun time playing that Spicks and Specks game. Although most of the answers are Tim Rogers, Tex Perkins, You Am I. Pretty close if you chuck in one of them, but it is quite fun. I actually have less knowledge of the Australian music industry than I feel like I should have. So I need to probably just read all the cards before Christmas next year, that might be the way to do it. 

S: After the successful sellout shows, how does the band approach the energy and enthusiasm of the audience and the anticipation building up to the upcoming performances? 
B: Oh yeah, it’s scary. Absolutely. I’ll tell you that right now. We’ve been rehearsing for a while, so it’s fine, but we don’t play a great deal anymore. In terms of live, once upon a time, I think in the 2000s we were always playing live and it was never something that I thought twice about. Even when I was thinking about the Triple J One Night Stands that’s live to the nation plus you’re in front of a decent audience. I just never considered that would be something that might make me a little bit nervous. Whereas now we all definitely get the backstage room to be very quiet prior to the show and everyone just kind of checks in on each other. You know, right?

S: And with tour dates fast approaching, what message do you have for fans who are still considering buying tickets? 
B: Look, it’s just going to be a fun evening. We’re really looking forward to it. So I guess that’s my selling point. But we’ve put a bit of time into it. I mean, we’re really looking forward to it because we’re exploring different things. So it’s almost like new again, which is odd to say that an album is 20 years old, but this experience is gonna be a highlight, definitely for us. Plus we’re almost completely sold out. 

S: And lastly from myself what is the best thing about performing live? And what’s the career highlight? 
B: The best thing about performing live is when it’s working, when it’s on, there’s no better feeling in the world. It doesn’t matter how many people are in front of you. It’s not really about that. When everyone’s in the same room on the same stage, it is the best feeling that you’ll probably ever have in your life. It’s blissful. And the career highlight. Oh, probably the 2007 Big Day Out, I reckon that was pretty massive. We had done the 2004 national Big Day Out then did the 2007 one. Muse at the time were my favorite band. And 2004 had Kings of Leon with Sex on Fire and Metallica. That was another highlight. There was just so much great music on that bill. And the way the Big Day Out ran itself was just, it was just perfect for the artists to mingle and have a great time and really just enjoy as they used to call it the big day off. The international artists and it was spread across three weekends. That was a great experience. 

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D: Having been around for a long time now and being a wise old man, what pieces of advice would you provide to new artists or young artists who want to make it?
B: You have to write music that you like to begin with. You can’t ever write music for someone else. That would probably be my first piece of advice. Trying to write music that people will like is to me is a redundant process because it’s not, it’s not truthful and I think people can see through that. Like the music that we played was literally crafted from hours of Kurt sitting there saying no that’s shit and me saying no that’s shit. We’re at this point where it’s a you know it’s a compromise and you love it. Another piece of advice is don’t sell your soul. Try and fund everything as much as you can. 

D: Alright, let’s finish this off with just a few quick questions. Favourite album?
B: Elbow’s ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ 

D: Favourite artist?
B: Gotye

D: Favourite movie?
B: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 

D: Ah, yes, great movie. Favorite place to visit?
B: Um, I have a place in the desert. North Queensland. 

D: What’s your favourite venue to play?
B: Oh, God, my favourite venue? I love playing at the Annandale actually. That is probably my favourite. 

D: Favourite food? 
B: Favourite food, Pad Thai. 

D: Favourite drink? 
B: Espresso Martini. 

D: Favourite person in history. And you know, you’ve met me, so you… 
B: Lachie Neale (after some thought)

(Ben barracks for Brisbane, Dave barracks for Collingwood. This is where the interview went off the rails for a few minutes lol.)

D: Favourite Tattoo?
B: I’m clean skinned.

D: That’s it mate. Have a great tour and we’ll catch up with you somewhere along the way.
S: Ditto from me.
B: Thanks to you both. I look forward to catching up with you at a show.

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THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT / Photo – Damon Whitely

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Press Release 12th January 2024 (below) HERE

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
‘BEGINS HERE’
20th Anniversary Tour
February 2024
starts next month

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TOUR DATES

Thursday, February 1: The Tivoli, Brisbane – Lic AA
Friday, February 2: The Tivoli, Brisbane – Lic AA SOLD OUT
Saturday, February 3: Enmore Theatre, Sydney – Lic AA  FINAL TICKETS
Sunday, February 4: The Basement, Canberra – 18+ SOLD OUT
Thursday, February 8: Bar On The Hill, Newcastle – 18+ NEW SHOW
Saturday, February 10: Astor Theatre, Perth – Lic AA SOLD OUT
Sunday, February 11: Astor Theatre, Perth – Lic AA NEW SHOW
Saturday, February 17:  Forum, Melbourne – 18+ SOLD OUT
Sunday, February 18:  Forum, Melbourne – 18+ 
Thursday, February 22: Odeon Theatre, Hobart – Lic AA NEW SHOW
Friday, February 23: Hindley St, Music Hall, Adelaide – Lic AA NEW SHOW

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AMNPLIFY – DB