In our conversation with Marcus Fraser of Starcrazy, he shares how the band translated their high-octane live performances into their self-titled debut album, out October 18th. Marcus also reveals the meticulous preparation that went into rehearsals and how their producer, Mo Mayhem, played a key role in capturing the raw energy of their sound. From glam rock swagger to thrash metal grit, Marcus also discusses the band’s influences, and their unique approach to blending vintage and modern rock styles.
ATN: Your upcoming self-titled album, Starcrazy, is described as successfully transporting the fire and glitter of your live performances into the studio. How did you approach the recording process to ensure that the energy and dynamics of your live shows were faithfully captured on the album?
MF: Firstly, we were very well rehearsed. We were whipped into shape by our producer, Mo Mayhem. Once we had decided on the ten songs that we wanted on the album, we started rehearsing all the songs (as we would perform them live) two nights a week for about two months leading up to recording. This allowed us to record the album mostly live (with overdubs here and there). For instance, all the bass guitar, drums and most guitar you hear on the album were all recorded together as to give the feel of how we perform live. Mo had all the right gear and vision to achieve the sound we were after and Damien Gerard Sound Studios in West Gosford NSW have amazing equipment and expertise as far as capturing our sound.
ATN: In just four years, Starcrazy has gone from EPs to a full-length album. How has your sound evolved from Played For Suckers to Another Day, Another Squalor… and now to your debut album? Were there any specific musical or lyrical elements you wanted to emphasize more in this new release?
MF: We are constantly pushing ourselves to write better songs. I think we have improved as a unit over time in the way of performing together, my vocal ability and our songwriting chops. Musically and lyrically it’s been hard to avoid darker themes with the state of the world lately, we always want to create joy and an escape from the harshness of the world, like the bands we grew up on did such as The Sweet, Alice Cooper, Van Halen etc. On the album, there’s a mix of tongue in cheek/light hearted songs but there’s also songs that represent the struggle of our day to day life and the state of things. Stylistically it’s hard rock in all forms, ranging from power-pop to elements of thrash metal.
ATN: You cite influences like Jane’s Addiction, Cheap Trick, and Alice Cooper, all of whom have left a significant mark on rock history. How do these influences shape your songwriting and performance style, and what do you think Starcrazy brings to the table that is uniquely your own?
MF: I think the main takeaway from growing up on these bands is that their music represents freedom and fun. It’s about expressing yourself in your own way and putting on an engaging, exciting show ! I think a lot of bands crawl up their own ass sometimes and forget that this is show business, it’s entertainment. Sure, you need to take what you’re doing seriously to be good, but don’t take YOURSELF seriously. That’s the ethos that goes with our favourite bands and what we want to represent. What we bring to the table that’s unique to us is the combination of these influences plus our own viewpoint of the world, plus our own experiences. Whether it be frustrations and demons we try to expel through doing what we do or the unbridled joy of creating a song together as a band, it showcases all our personalities.
ATN: Your lyrics twist universally relatable themes into knots, making them both insightful and captivating. Can you share the inspiration behind one of the tracks on the album and how you approached blending complex themes with the vibrant, energetic sound of glam rock?
MF: The last song on the album is titled, “Jar Of Dirt”. I co-wrote it with our bassist, JB. It’s a driving heavy metal song with heaps of interesting musical twists and turns. JB had the music complete but only a single lyric: “When life’s a jar of dirt, you pull my head right out”. I liked the sentiment and set about writing the rest of the lyrics around that phrase. I tried to relate the ‘dirt’/nature aspect of the lyric to a juxtaposition of two different people in a relationship. HER life is full of hope, pretty flowers and lush turf for miles, whereas, HIS is filled with bleakness, concrete and steel (all that is not natural). I used the different musical sections of the song to represent each, correlating with the feel of the music. The jar of dirt lyric comes in at the end of the song, leaving a final positive/romantic sentiment to close the album. I don’t consider my lyrics to be complex but I’m particularly proud of that song.
ATN: Starcrazy is known for combining 70s glam rock swagger with 80s alternative metal charisma, all while maintaining a fresh, contemporary edge. How do you balance paying homage to these older styles with ensuring your music feels relevant and innovative in today’s music scene?
MF: To be honest, we don’t think about it too much. If we’re working on something and it doesn’t excite us, we scrap it. We try our best to not release songs that sound antiquated. Truth is, we don’t feel particularly relevant in Australia as we’re not heavy enough for the punk/hardcore scene but we’re too heavy for the indie crowd. The reality of our situation (and many Australian bands who do similar rock/metal music) is that it’s unlikely we’ll gain any traction in this country and we’d be better off directing our efforts to Europe. We’ll see…
ATN: You’ve mentioned that Starcrazy is on a mission to be the antithesis of mediocrity. What does this mission mean to you as artists, and how do you keep pushing the boundaries of your creativity to achieve this goal?
MF: Our vision of what we want to achieve stylistically hasn’t really changed since we began and that is to create fresh sounding heavy music, a brutal sonic assault with attitude and vitality. All we can do is keep honing in on what makes us sound different to other current bands, which probably includes my bitchy little vocals. Again though, we don’t think about it too much as we still want to enjoy the process and do what comes naturally. Luckily we are all like minded.
ATN: Being an Australian band, how has the local music scene in Sydney and broader Australia influenced your growth and success? Do you find there are specific challenges or advantages to breaking out internationally from Australia compared to other regions?
MF: Personally, I have been extremely influenced by some awesome Sydney bands I’ve seen growing up including Hell City Glamours, Astrodeath and The Lockhearts. Matter of fact, some of my all time fav bands are from Sydney including Divinyls, Died Pretty and of course, AC/DC. It’s definitely a challenge to break out as avenues for our type of music are limited. Then again, some Aussie bands such as Battlesnake and Southern River Band are killing it overseas at the moment which gives us hope.
ATN: As you aim to take Starcrazy global, how has the support differed between your home country of Australia and audiences abroad? What strategies or experiences have been key in helping you build a fanbase outside of Australia?
MF: Ironically a lot of our radio airplay and merch sales have been overseas, we have Alice Cooper’s support which is amazing, he plays us on his radio show. At home, we can sell out a small venue of about 100 – 150 punters which is cool, but again, I don’t think we can get much more traction here unless the lords of Triple J decide that our sound is suddenly fashionable. It’s unfortunately a very fickle market here.
ATN: Attitude seems to be a big part of Starcrazy’s identity, both in your music and your public persona. How do you infuse that attitude into your creative process, and what message do you hope it conveys to your listeners?
MF: I think we are just particularly passionate about what we like. We’ve been listening to glam rock since we were 8 years old and performing music since we were 12, we’ve paid our dues too (many times over) and I think it naturally comes across in the music. I would hope it influences listeners to express themselves somehow, everyone needs a release. You can’t keep your emotions pent up, it’s better to let it out in a moshpit than to beat on someone.
ATN: Working with producer Mo Mayhem and recording at Damien Gerard Sound Studios, what was the most surprising or impactful aspect of the production process for this album? How did these collaborations help shape the final sound of Starcrazy?
MF: The most surprising part was when the engineer, Andrew Beck darted out into the auto scrapyard behind the studio to retrieve a hunk of metal for us to hit with a hammer in order to add a specific percussive sound to the aforementioned song, “Jar Of Dirt”. This man does NOT get his hands literally dirty for just anyone, we were stoked on his investment. Andrew’s studio expertise, Mo’s attention to detail and Russ T. Rokk’s (mixing engineer) ears were all essential in making this album sound as good as it does.
ATN: Being name-checked and played on Alice Cooper’s radio show is a significant endorsement. How did that recognition impact you as a band, and how do you leverage such moments of validation to fuel your creative journey?
MF: It meant that we got a heap of new fans online and more interaction on our Youtube videos (as he shared a few of our music videos on the ‘Nights With Alice Cooper’ Facebook page). Ironically Alice Cooper has always been an inspiration as he’s my father’s favourite artist and therefore one of mine.
ATN: Mental health is one of the themes you explore in your music. How does creating and performing music help you navigate your own mental health, and what do you hope your audience takes away from these themes when they listen to Starcrazy?
MF: I think creating and performing music keeps my head in check as it’s like an outlet. Life in Sydney is a struggle lately, we all work full time jobs but can barely afford the rent. Music is one of the few things in my life that I have truly loved and it will always be there. I hope that at least one of our songs can touch someone and give them hope and inspiration to keep their head up and aim upwards.
SAME 3 QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS ASK
ATN: Artist / band that you feel is the most underrated and why?
MF: Little Hell – They released an album called Demonic Advisory Centre in 2002 and it really made an impression on me as a child. It’s a monster of a heavy rock album, it’s so heavy and gnarly but then finishes with one of the most beautiful love songs I’ve ever heard: “You’re All I’ve Got In This Lousy World”
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to collaborate with and why?
MF: Geese from NYC. I love their singer’s low voice, it’s one of a kind. I think our voices combined doing a harmony would sound amazing, I also think a bit of metal guitar in their sound would be interesting.
ATN: Artist / band that you would like to tour with and why?
MF: Airbourne. It would surely be a non-stop party.
