GNOME - INTERVIEW : "I recorded the last EP in a day"
As you can see, we knew almost nothing about Gnome, which, for us, just consisted of Jay Millar... Well, we shouldn't trust the Internet! Anyway, give their EP a listen, because it's really great!
Preparing for this interview is no mean feat. There is virtually no information about Gnome on the Internet. So let's start by sorting the real from the fake. Is Gnome a one-man band?
Up Until 2025 Gnome has been my solo project, all recordings have been recorded, mixed and released by myself, with the ‘I Like It’ EP being the last ‘solo’ release. Now Gnome is a band with Ned Capp on Guitar, Olly Katsianis on bass, Ethan Robins on drums and myself Jay Millar on lead guitar and lead vocals.
Are you from Melbourne?
Yes, we are from a town 40 minutes out from Melbourne called Frankston.
I've only found Bandcamp for the little info I've gathered. Promotion isn't your thing, is it?
Well I don’t take Bandcamp very seriously and just use it to upload more ‘low-key’ releases, although the ‘I Like It’ EP blew up and has given the band a lot of new listeners and traction. You can find us on instagram @gnome.music and we are also on Spotify
Gnome is a fairly young band. When did you start out? And what is your musical experience?
I've played drums and guitar since the start of school, and I’ve been in many bands, Gnome started playing live in June 2023 just for fun. We didn’t take the band seriously until June 2024.
On the Bandcamp page, we can listen to some of your recordings. What were your influences?
In the early days the Gnome writing and recordings were influenced by bands such as Duster and Mac DeMarco, but my influences evolved into The Beatles, The Easybeats, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Lemon Twigs and many more 60s beat driven rock bands.
I've found on here that Jay Millar does practically everything. Can you tell us how Gnome creates a song? Please give us a little making-of of your excellent latest EP.
For Gnome I have always written and recorded the music in my bedroom. I like doing things quickly before I get bored. I recorded the last EP in a day, sat on my bed with my fake Rickenbacker and wrote and recorded the rhythm guitar and bass to 4 songs, then I recorded the drums, then recorded the lead guitar. Later that night after work I sat down and wrote the lyrics to 3 of the songs, (loophole blues lyrics were written a few months prior) and then recorded the vocals that night. The next morning I mixed it and made an album cover then I uploaded it.
That's the last solo work though, now as a band other members bring ideas and songs to rehearsal and we jam them out, or I will bring a fully written and recorded demo to a rehearsal and we will learn it and start playing it in our live shows.
Tell us why you chose this name... What is its hidden meaning? Was it because it sounded better than Jay Millar, for example 😉?
When I started I didn’t want to use my name, I liked how a lot of slow core bands have weird names like duster, teethe, loving. I had a garden gnome sitting in my window sill above my bed and I thought gnomer would be a cool name, but right before releasing my first single I thought i'd change it to Gnome, as ‘gnomer’ sounds like ‘homer’ from the Simpsons.
Do you often perform live? What is a typical Gnome concert?
We have been playing a lot since 2024, often 3-6 shows a month. The typical Gnome concert is high energy and fast, the four of us jump around, shake our heads and sweat for 30 minutes almost always performing only original material. Recently our sets have consisted of all new songs from an upcoming album we have just recorded together as the band.
Australia is a blessed land for good music. Tell us about your musical Australia.
Australia is very blessed, and we are so lucky that we are surrounded by so many talented, knowledgeable and enthusiastic musicians and bands. Everyone in the Melbourne music scene has is very open to all types of music and bands. We have had the pleasure to gig with some of our favourite Melbourne bands such as Split System, The Prize, Loose Lips, Stimpies, Drunk Mums, DJ Centipede and The Earthworms and plenty more hot bands.
Well the band went into the studio during January and we recorded a full length 12 Track Album. The album will feature re-recorded versions of “I Like It” and “Open Your Eyes” and 10 new tracks. We recorded the album at Singing Bird Studios in Frankston.
This will be the first release with the whole band marking Gnome’s change from my solo project to a 4 piece Rock’n’Roll group from Frankston.
I also want to thank everyone who has supported the last EP, I didn’t expect it to gain so much love and myself and the band truly appreciate each and every listener.
ROCK’N’ROLL!!!
Thank You !
Thank you Jay
Follow them on instagram @gnome.music
Follow them on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/3NxcfuW34UGPTJy1HNK22e?si=VOVgV0zdT8C8vx1Az5B2RA
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