Interview by Stuart Blythe
LMM: You’ve recently returned to Australia after 10 years in the USA.
How was the USA experience and what prompted your return to Australia?

Penny Hewson: I’d spent quite a bit of time traveling around the USA with my past bands prior to moving there, and although Los Angeles wasn’t necessarily at the top of my list of places I wanted to live I was able to create my own niche in amongst it all. I initially went over because I was offered a great job at the beginning of the dot-com boom to help musicians figure out how to navigate their way through the internet to connect with their fans and to empower bands to be a bit more DIY, etc. So it was a great opportunity for me to do something I was passionate about, one thing led to another, I made great friends, got into the buzz of life in a big city and all of a sudden a decade zoomed by. I was always going to be coming home to Australia, I just caught up in daily life over there and guess I was waiting for things to slow down. But LA never slows down! Ultimately I was really wanting to make this solo album but I just wasn’t in the right place to do it. I had to come home to Melbourne to find a certain “quietude” in order for it to happen.
 
 
LMM: You’re about to release your second solo album “It’s An Endless Desire”
How was the recording process and working with producer Phil Butson (Sea Stories)?

Penny Hewson: Phil was fantastic to work with. We’d recorded together a fair bit back in the Sea Stories/Sing Sing Studio days and both had good memories of that time. He really understood what I was wanting this album to be and he was super supportive. He’s got great ears, a very honest approach to recording and knows when to drill into the finer details and when to just let things be. In terms of the recording process we kept things really simple and organic. I wrote all the songs on piano, and really really wanted to capture that feel of me sitting singing at my piano (vintage grand that I’d shipped back from the States) so it’s as though you’re sitting in the room with me, and getting that breathiness in the vocals, or hearing my fingers move up guitar strings, etc. So Phil offered to bring his equipment over to my place and we set up our own makeshift studio to record in that exact environment. Initially I wanted to keep all the songs as just piano and voice, kind of laid bare and with that rawness and space. But then I felt compelled to add some viola/strings and a little guitar… and there were various harmonies dancing around my head. Then a few songs were begging for drums, just some light brushes on snare and maybe cymbals.. then it occurred to us that double bass would really help round out things out in the bottom end! I invited a couple of friends in to sing, and another to add flute… and then trumpet. LOL the songs just kind of took their own path.
 
 
LMM: You’ve signed with Popboomerang Records, how did that come about?

Penny Hewson: Scott @ Popboomerang was a fan of my past bands and we had been in touch via Facebook (as you do) as he was trying to hunt down an old Sunglass t-shirt or some old b-sides or something! When I got back to Melbourne we hung out a bit and he was one of the first people I gave a copy of the album to. And he must’ve really liked it I guess! :)
 
 
LMM: “It’s An Endless Desire” album release is preceded with a double A-side single ‘This One’s For You/My Lover’s Touch’.
For the uninitiated, how do you describe your sound/music?

Penny Hewson: I guess I’d describe it as reflective, melodic, atmospheric and worth a couple of listens! I was imagining it as more of a late night album that has different shades and subtleties to explore, and not so much about it being songs to grab your attention or to sing along to. More of an album that you’d play on a long drive up an interstate highway.
 
 
LMM: What’s planned for 2012 and beyond?

Penny Hewson: Right now we’re getting the album ready for release in August, and I’ve just put a band together and have starting to play shows around Melbourne. There’s so many unique little venues around these days – I really liked playing at Pure Pop Records last weekend, they’ve got a nice set-up in the courtyard out back of their store. And it’s a cool place to hang out and rifle through CDs between bands. I’m hoping to play lots of shows in 2012, tour nationally, and then will head back to the States to do some shows over there. And if things go well then I’ll add UK/Europe to the list also! Beyond that I’d love to get a song or two into a film soundtrack, I think some of the sounds and imagery would suit that kind of thing. I actually did a film scoring course while I was living in LA. That would be a dream gig.

Visit Penny Hewson website.