Perth, Australia: the most isolated city in the world and home to your new favorite band, The Faim.
After landing a global contract with BMG, The Faim are a force to be reckoned with. Fueled by hypnotic basslines and choruses you can sing like anthems, the band has no plans of slowing down as they make waves at every city they stop in while supporting Andy Black on his Ghost of North America tour. Even in midst of hectic tour life, we were thrilled to get to talk with bassist and keyboardist Stephen Beerkens before the band makes their highly anticipated return to Salt Lake City.
HC: You visited Utah with Hands Like Houses last year. Utah has a reputation for surprising rock bands with an impressive turnout (a contrast to the state’s infamous Mormon influence). Do you remember anything about that show? Are you excited for your return?
Stephen: The Salt Lake City show was the second show of our tour with Hands Like Houses and I remember it being a super energetic show despite the freezing cold weather outside! We can’t wait to get back there and perform for the people of Utah.
HC: The band has worked with a lot of big names from Pete Wentz to John Feldmann – who had the biggest impact on your creative process?
Stephen: Each artist that we’ve worked with has influenced us in a different way. They all bring forth their different style of songwriting and we take something from every session to apply to our future writing.
HC: What was your “we made it” moment? If it hasn’t hit you yet, when do you think you’ll get there?
Stephen: Kicking goals along our journey as a band is something that we don’t take for granted. One of these would be playing Reading & Leeds festivals for the first time last year. This was such a special moment for us, and the fact that we get to play the festival again this year on an even larger stage is truly amazing!
HC: What does it mean to represent Australia in the world of rock music?
Stephen: We’re so proud to be an Australian band performing across the world. We’ve listened many to Aussie bands growing up and are inspired by them every day.
HC: Walk us through the band’s creative process of songwriting; is it a group effort?
Stephen: Our writing process is definitely a team effort. We all push each other to write outside of our usual boundaries and experiment with new sounds.
HC: Supporting Andy Black on his Ghost of North America Tour is a pretty big accomplishment. How’d that happen?
Stephen: Getting asked to support such established artists such as Andy comes from a lot of hard work. This involved doing a bunch of touring around the world, for example, and building up our band’s profile in the U.S. after touring with Hands Like Houses.
HC: Were there any hometown heroes that influenced the band?
Stephen One of the biggest inspirations from Perth would be INXS. Growing up, this was one band that we all listened to and has influenced us as musicians.
HC: What would you be doing right now if it wasn’t for your music career? Was this always the plan?
Stephen: My love for music is something that has continued to grow over time from the first time I played piano when I was seven. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.
HC: What’s a song by another artist you wish you wrote?
Stephen: I would have loved to have witnessed the writing of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” That is one song that has stood on its own since its release and will continue to be unique through the test of time.
HC: What’s the biggest challenge the band’s faced so far? Have you overcome it?
Stephen: Challenges are faced every day as a band, and we overcome them by working as a team and using our different strengths to tackle problems. One of these includes constantly trying to evolve as musicians and think outside the box in everything we do.
HC: Who’s the band’s dream collaboration?
Stephen: I think collectively as a band one of our dream collaborations would be with Dave Grohl!
HC: What’s the best song of yours to play live? Personally, I’m excited to see “Saints of the Sinners” live!
Stephen: My favorite song to play live is a new one called “Amelie!”
HC: Did you always know the band’s name was going to be The Faim? Did it change?
Stephen: Our band name used to be “Small Town Heroes,” but we changed it as we started heading in a new sonic direction. The word ‘faim’ is French for ‘hunger,’ and it encapsulates our drive to push ourselves in every aspect of what we do as a band.
HC: If you look up the band, your genre is listed as everything from alternative, indie, to pop-punk; what do you define your sound as? Or is it better not to define it at all?
Stephen: Our sound is very fluid, and that’s how we’ve wanted to be from the get-go. We want each song to be diverse and express itself in its unique way that isn’t confined to one overlying genre.
HC: What’s better: touring or playing music festivals?
Stephen: Both have their perks, but my personal favorite is touring as you get to know so many great people through the bands that you tour with.
HC: The band has played festivals headlined by artists like Ozzy Osbourne and Guns N Roses…which artist were you the proudest to share a lineup with?
Stephen: This year we have the privilege of sharing the lineup with Foo Fighters at Reading & Leeds festivals, which is such a huge highlight in our career so far.
You can catch The Faim in Salt Lake City April 16 at the Depot! Buy your tickets here.