Interview with Peter Hunt

A big Kooii for Music in the Valley

Music in the Valley is almost here, and the festival crew cannot wait to welcome you back to beautiful Upper Main Arm for a day of incredible live music, family fun and community.

Live music features Kooii, Versace Boys, Trouble of the Good, Club Chaos, the Neighbourhood Choir and a ton more – and there is also Spaghetti Circus, a jumping castle, the mini Olympics, as well as amazing local food and drinks.

Seven spoke to Peter Hunt from Kooii in the lead-up to this fabulous event.

Is there anything new happening for Kooii at the moment?

Yeah, we’re going into the studio to make a start on recording a new album, actually, after this weekend of gigs.

So it’s actually like, this gig at the festival, kind of seeded a weekend of gigs for us, and sort of helped make the decision to go into the studio because there’s lots of factors affecting the alignment, putting everyone together.

So we’re very grateful to Emily for asking us for that reason because it sort of inspired getting a weekend of gigs together, and then like, in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, as well as in Main Arm, and then with the recording. So it’s kind of significant for us, you know. We get to touch in with those three regions, which are, you know, the most significant regions for us in our journey as a band, because, we started in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and the Northern Rivers and Brisbane was where we, kind of grew a lot of our music.

Have you written all the songs for the album, or is that going to happen when you’re in the studio?

Yes, we’ve written a lot of stuff, but you know, it’s a big process. I’m actually just kind of, grounding in with the path towards that because there’s so much we could do and so many ways we could approach it. There’s a couple of songs which I’m sure about.

I think having a plan is a good thing for us, but then also being open to what comes of us being together in the studio. It could be really good, but I think having a plan, a vision of those songs is good, then we can open up to what comes in the moment of us being together in the studio.

How long do you imagine you’ll be in the studio for? And when are you planning a release?

Well, this time we’ve just got three days and would probably have, like a single at least, or a song to share. You know, by the end of the year, and the full album, we’re probably looking at mid next year.

And the new music, are you sticking to your current trajectory, or are you changing the face of Kooii?

I think naturally, through our change in playing and what we lean towards, it’s naturally going to evolve. And it’s been a long time since we’ve released music. We’ve been through many phases and generated a lot of music that hasn’t been recorded.

There’s new songs which obviously have the Kooii energy and feeling to it, but it’s something very reflective of more recent inspiration.

Will the new tracks get an outing at the festival?

Yeah, we’ll play them.

Why do you think it’s important to have these kind of small, intimate festivals?

They’re quite true in the interactions that they facilitate and allow. I mean, it feels like quite a natural communal kind of thing.

You know, there’s families and it’s just a very natural way of gathering.

Peter, are you having enough fun?

Well, yes. In this moment? I’m not having enough fun. What would enough fun mean? Like, what is enough fun? Is there such thing? It’s entwined to something, isn’t it? What makes things fun? I think things that make me feel really alive, like that’s really vital for me. Fun for me is usually accompanied by some other things as well. You know. Joy. I’m up for fun if it’s not distracting me from doing what brings joy.

It’s on this weekend – grab your crew, pack a picnic rug, and come celebrate the music, creativity and community that make the hills of Byron Shire so special. This Sunday from 11am to 4pm at the Upper Main Arm Public School. Entry is free!