In an angelic concoction of art, craft, music and love, Melbourne/Naarm-based rockers My Guardian Angel are releasing their divine debut album Hello Love this October 2nd. We caught up with Buffy and Ada to chat about how the band came together, how they come up with songs and where their beautifully chaotic visual sensibilities come from.

How did My Guardian Angel begin? Buffy: When we first met (in art school – we got through one year before dropping out to go on tour together) we got along almost scarily quickly – when making art and conversation, showing up for each other before we knew each other very well – leading to many situations where one said to the other, “you must be my guardian angel.”

Both overwhelmed by the pressure of working solo and the dynamics of working in groups where everyone doesn't just magically agree on things, we decided to start My Guardian Angel as a free-for-all project, playing with whatever mediums we felt like and inviting collaborators to come and go as they please.

Sum up your new album Hello Love in a sentence. Ada: Welcome to the world baby, there’s so many things we don't quite know how to show you, but please take our hands and sing along while we try.

What role does art and craft-making have in the world of My Guardian Angel? Buffy: We actually began collaborating with art and craft before we recorded any music – it's been natural to include that within the band and has continued to develop alongside our music. While we were writing our earlier EPs, we were at art school where we were being introduced to lots of different art-making processes and experimenting across mediums and played a lot with genre through that. 

We’ve stayed true to those ideas during our album writing, but in unpacking and thinking deeper on the thoughts and experiences we were having we realised just how much the world is full of love and joy, but there’s also lots of sadness and rubbish. Just as we need to sing to get through the pain we must craft and get rid of as much trash as we can.

For the album we have been so lucky to work with Blossom Rot Records, collecting vinyl by artists that had disappointed us with their actions/political stances – and received many donations from wonderful friends and the community as well – which will be recycled by the lovely Program Records and pressed into our debut record.

We have kept the record sleeves and will use them as materials for sculptural works we collaborate on regularly – sparkly queer-Frankenstein versions of things we want but cannot afford, outfits, handbags, large swords and other fantastical weapons sculpted out of rubbish and coated in fabric and sequins.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by quirky sassy and powerful band that is going places (@myguardianangel333)

Walk us through the My Guardian Angel songwriting process. Ada: We usually begin by finding lyrics in conversations we have because we hang out all the goddamn time. Often, we will write them down and leave it (or joke about it) for a while until one of us comes up with a melody and sends the other one a poorly made GarageBand phone demo. Then we obsessively listen.

For a lot of the tracks on Hello Love, we built off those initial demos with the help of our guitarist/housemate/friend Tom, who produces all our music (thank you Tom). We get to jam and workshop the songs while slowly recording them, also with lots of musical input from our drummer Tom (yes two different guys – both Tom, both very helpful, thank you Toms). 

Where do you gather inspiration from for My Guardian Angel’s visual aesthetic? Buffy: We find it in all sorts of places! Mostly girls and gays – femme-punk, riot grrl, Guerilla Girls, Hilma Af Kilnt, Kimya Dawson, Harmony Tividad, Cibo Matto, fantastic old ladies who smile at us on the street. Trying to be maximalist and chaotic like if Ninajirachi hated their computer, if Ashnikko loved recycling, plus Alaska Thunderfuck trash dress (Drag Race S5 EP1). We’re always inspired by the desire to do the things we want to see more of in the world, to customise our avatars and exercise all the free will we’ve got.

Who are your favourite local musicians at the moment? Ada: We were so excited to book an album launch because we get to invite some of our favourite local artists to play with us! On the lineup we have Callystha, Baby Ouzo, Hugh F and Nicholas Currie – who we are all very big fans of. There are so many different sounds coming out of Naarm, which is so great. Recently we have been loving Chooki, Quality Used Cars, Nat Pavlovic, Snowy, Blue Communications, Clover Blue, Wet Kiss, Lifetime Warranty and Trap Card. Some acts from other parts of this continent we think are amazing are Sweet Boy Sonnet, Xiao Xiao, Nika Mo, Miss Kannina, Mess Esque, Body Type and VOIID.

Describe the perfect scene in which to listen to Hello Love. Buffy: The perfect scene is at our aforementioned album launch of course – it is on October 10th and we will play the whole thing in order because we are nerds in that way. (You can nab tickets this-a-way.)

If you can’t make it, that is okay – there is more than one right answer. The perfect listening scene is on a headphone/joint walk during sunset, a late night or early morning bath, while making something (food or art maybe), really any time or place you might want a guardian angel singing in your ears.

Feast your earholes on My Guardian Angel over here. After more music chats? Spy our chinwag with superstar Matahara or check out our chat with punk-rockers Sweetie. Plus, sign up to our newsletter to stay in the music loop.