Track By Track: Tim Guy

Recorded in Melbourne, Auckland and Christchurch, with origins even more widespread, ‘Dreaming of a Night Mango’ is TIM GUY’s fourth album. Here the songwriter muses on some of its idiosyncrasies, though not on its curious title.

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‘Many People I Know’

I wrote it as soon as I got back from a tour in Europe. I left Germany exactly on the day where it turned into winter: you could feel the sky starting to close in, my shoe had sprung a leak and I was meant to stop in Singapore to see my sister but in hindsight I was so burnt out and with no money I didn’t stop till I got back into Melbourne.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.]Many People I Know by tim guy

‘Riding Dinosaurs’

I like the turns it takes. It took a while to get right as a recording. Took a few goes. It’s a song full of accidents.

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‘Fire Goes Out’

Nathanael Riley came over in the morning to record this song with me and he worked up the guitar part so beautifully. I was living right across from old Pentridge, Nat was really hungover and it was just a great weird scene.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.]03 Fire Goes Out by tim guy

‘Armour Weight’

It’s an ANZAC song for my grandfather, but I want it to be about making people calm and relaxed rather than a document of a war or something. It’s more of a therapeutic song for ex-soldiers.

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‘Battlefield’

I recorded this one up by the Tweed River in Northern NSW. Had a great couple of weeks staying at my friends’ house; they have a studio type of thing. There’s all these night insects and creatures making all their noises outside the window, and birds hanging in the trees.

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‘Little Brother’

The place I really enjoy exploring is when there is a hint of a faraway feeling, like the feeling you are left with in the morning when you wake up from a dream and you can’t recall the dream but there is a distinct remnant of a ‘feeling’. For this it’s blurry sleeping bags, surfboards, early-morning Australian coastlines.

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‘River I Been’

Tried to make a cycle song where the chords stay the same the whole way. We were living in Northcote, on High Street, in a tiny apartment at the time. My buddy Sam Prebble and I did this one lots on tour and worked a good version together. One night we were singing together in Berlin in an apartment, and a local kid popped his head in the front door. Sam’s instant reaction was to say in German “This is a house!” but it translated later to “This is my bathroom.”

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.]07 River I Been by tim guy

‘Strangers’

A balcony in Auckland. Actually, it’s a deck that sits by a stream. Also it’s within earshot of the motorway. A great spot, and I know many songs have been written there. It’s just a magic little pocket.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.]08 Strangers by tim guy

‘Domino’

This album has a lot of acoustic guitar stuff and it needed a breather, so ‘Domino’ gives it that space. It turned out well. Track 9: sometimes a song can get lost down there … it works turned up really loud. Great drumming from Daniel Brates, and freedom bass from Jeremy Toy.

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‘Everyone But Me’s Got A Radio Song’

Months before the song came together I had put the chords down on my phone, and when we were headed to the studio I needed something to record so I went through all my phone notes and found the basic pattern. Then the words were pretty much waiting really. I considered taking another tack with it ... but not much point. It was done in an afternoon, it feels like it could and may drop off the edge of the world at any moment, but I’m glad it’s on there.

[Historical embedded media is withheld pending rights review.]10 Everyone But Me's Got A Radio Song by tim guy

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‘Dreaming of a Night Mango’ comes out tomorrow (April 5) through Lost & Lonesome. His album tour starts today (April 4).

Thurs, April 4 – Lock n Load Bistro, Brisbane, QLD [free]
Fri, April 5 – Sol Bar, Maroochydoore, QLD [free]
Sat, April 6 – Gov’s Espressso, Gold Coast, QLD
Thurs, April 11 – Yours & Owls, Wollongong, NSW
Fri, April 12 – The Green Room Lounge, Sydney, NSW
Sat, April 13 – The Front Gallery & Cafe, Canberra, ACT
Sun, April 14 – Albion Hotel, Albury, NSW
Thurs, April 18 – The Grace Emily Hotel, Adelaide, SA
Fri, April 19 – The Old Mt Gambier Gaol, Mt Gambier, SA
Wed, April 24 – The Grace Darling, Melbourne, VIC