Australian duo The Presets perform live constantly landing them all over the world. They have supported acts like Daft Punk and played Coachella. The two are sometimes compared to Depeche Mode and after seeing their live set complete with lights and action its well earned.
Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes met at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where they studied classical music. Hamilton focused on vocals and Moyes on drums while both play keyboards.
Since then they have won many awards such as Best Dance Music Video at the UK Music Video Awards and Australian Album of the Year Award at the J Awards.
Along with releasing three studio albums, they have remixed songs for Kylie Minogue, Kings of Leon and Lenny Kravitz over the years.
Windy City Times went backstage before The Presets last show at the Park West to learn more about the men behind the music.
Windy City Times: So the two of you met in college but how did the band turn into a career?
Julian Hamilton: After a very long time. Kim was in a band called Prop; then I joined that band as a multi-instrumental part, with percussion and synths. That was really fun. After a few years we just jammed the two of us with synthesizers and a drum kit. That became The Presets, and we are still doing it today.
Kim Moyes: We also started to get a lot of work as session musicians. By that time we finished our degrees and didn't really know what to do. We decided to give making music a shot. One thing led to another.
WCT: Where does the band name originate from?
Julian Hamilton: Originally, we wanted to make dance music with rock music in it, using preset sound. We weren't thinking too hard about it.
WCT: You remind me of the Pet Shop Boys in some ways, being electronic and a duo.
Julian Hamilton: That's good. We actually DJ'd in Sydney recently and got to meet them and hang out.
WCT: Neil is very nice.
Julian Hamilton: Super-nice and lovely. Obviously, we hold them in high esteem.
WCT: Your song "Promises" sounds very '80s. Are you influenced by that time period?
Kim Moyes: Unintentionally.
Julian Hamilton: We grew up in the '80s.
Kim Moyes: Yeah—that style of music, production, and songwriting is sort of ingrained in us. We don't every try to go out there and make things sound '80s. We just can't help it.
Julian Hamilton: Plus when you hear a baritone voice singing poppy dance songs over synthesizers it will sound '80s.
Kim Moyes: It will sound like Rick Astley.
WCT: I heard he doesn't leave the country much if at all.
Kim Moyes: It is a bit late now anyway.
WCT: You guys are constantly touring.
Julian Hamilton: You have got to. It's the job.
WCT: Do you have a favorite thing about touring?
Kim Moyes: This tour has been fun but it is hard being away from home. It like most other jobs.
WCT: It is late nights for you.
Kim Moyes: Yeah, totally and jet lag is a bitch. It's hard and one day just bleeds into the next. It is the same day every day.
WCT: You are based in Australia?
Kim Moyes: Yes, in Sydney.
WCT: The flight alone is rough.
Julian Hamilton: It's deadly. To go anywhere in the world from Australia is a long, long way.
WCT: In the video for "No Fun," who is the dancer?
Julian Hamilton: I have no idea but he's a really good dancer. The director just found him and cast him. He's not just in one video; he's in like six videos with this project.
Kim Moyes: It's a Google Cube thing.
WCT: Explain this new interactive technology.
Kim Moyes: It's a six-sided video. Every side has a different element of the "No Fun" music. People who watch it can click and drag the cube to see different sides to it. You move it around and mix it yourself.
WCT: Sounds very innovative.
Julian Hamilton: Some fans really like it. We are always looking for an interactive way to connect with the fans. It's fun. I remember when I was young it was the same. You could find different remixes by your favorite artists like Bjork or whomever. I was interested to see how other producers would treat her voice and see what they would do underneath it. I liked getting into the song. I would think for some kids this would be right up their alley or others might think it's a stupid gimmick.
WCT: Bjork performed at Pitchfork not long ago here in Chicago. You perform at festivals all the time—but not Lollapalooza yet.
Julian Hamilton: No, not yet. Can you hook us up with that?
WCT: I will try. North Coast Music Festival might be a good match for you.
Julian Hamilton: We have done Coachella a few times and a bunch of different things over the years.
WCT: You are playing at the Falls Festival on Dec. 30-31, right?
Julian Hamilton: Yes, in Australia. I am looking forward to that.
WCT: Have you noticed differences between the fans in the United States and Australia?
Kim Moyes: Not really. Australia has a reputation for people getting pretty wild at concerts but I think that can happen anywhere, depending on the setting.
WCT: How did you become involved in the Check Yo Ponytail Tour?
Julian Hamilton: It is actually Franki Chan who brought us in. He has a night at a club called Check Yo Ponytail. We
played the very first one of those in 2006. He has organized this tour and we are headlining it. He found the other acts from people he worked with in the past or is interested in.
WCT: How was the success of your single for "My People?"
Julian Hamilton: It was good but kind of weird at the time.
Kim Moyes: You don't think about it when you are in the middle of it. You look back on it with fond memories as a nice thing.
Julian Hamilton: It is like making good music in the studio and having a reward along the way.
WCT: You have a song with Dillon Francis that is out now.
Julian Hamilton: That is his song featuring us. He hit us up on Facebook or something.
Kim Moyes: It was Twitter. He said that he is a big fan of our song "This Boy's in Love" and wanted to do a collaboration.
Julian Hamilton: This happened about two years ago so it takes a while to come out. It is a fun song called "We Are Impossible" on his Money Sucks, Friends Rule album. We are excited to see how that one will go.
WCT: Your song "Steamworks" is named after the gay venue?
Kim Moyes: We have these guys in the Sydney gay community who have been supportive of us. One of them told us about a legendary gay sauna in San Francisco called Steamworks. We put it down as a title for a track we were working on.
WCT: We have a Steamworks not too far from here in Chicago.
Kim Moyes: So it's like a chain? Like Denny's?
WCT: Yes, there is one in Puerto Rico. I think there is one in Toronto.
Kim Moyes: We are going to Toronto tomorrow. I need a bath! Can I take one there?
WCT: They have a whirlpool. [All laugh.] Toronto is only an hour from Chicago.
Julian Hamilton: Flying, yes, but we are taking the bus. That will be more than an hour.
WCT: You toured with Daft Punk. What do they look like without their helmets on?
Kim Moyes: You can Google them. One guy is really skinny and balding and the other other is shorter with shoulder link hair.
WCT: So they are just regular guys?
Kim Moyes: Yes, although the small one, Guy-Manual, was at one of the clubs at an after party and he was walking around with a bad brown leather jacket and sunglasses. He was walking casually in the club and walked straight into a wall.
WCT: That's a little odd.
Julian Hamilton: He didn't mean to do it.
Kim Moyes: He was paving the way for others.
WCT: Are you doing anything fun while in Chicago?
Kim Moyes: I might get a hot dog after the show. That is probably the most fun thing you can do in Chicago.
WCT: Berlin Nightclub is having an after-party for you so there is more to do than hit up a hot dog stand! When are you coming back to Chicago?
Kim Moyes: Possibly on a Steamworks Tour!
WCT: It could be like Bette Midler did in the past, with everyone in towels.
Kim Moyes: She did that?
Julian Hamilton: That's rad!
WCT: Google it! Do you have new music coming out?
Kim Moyes: We are in the studio at the moment so as soon as we finish up with the touring we will be back at it. We have released singles this year.
WCT: Any guest stars on the new album?
Julian Hamilton: Who should we ask?
Kim Moyes: Rick Astley!
Visit www.thepresets.com to follows the boys around the globe.
