Words by Art Jefferson
Images courtesy of October and The Eyes
Everything about October and The Eyes spells rock & roll superstar. Whether it be her musical hybrid of dark, sexy post-punk, psychedelic, rockabilly, stoner rock, glam, and electronica, her fierce performance ability, and even her look, it’s safe to say that she was blessed by the Gods to be born with the complete package. In a way, she is the continuation of that artistic vision that have fostered some of the most unique and impactful musicians throughout the years, strongly carrying the torch to uphold that legacy, all the while doing it on her own terms.
October and The Eyes grew up in Blenheim, New Zealand. And while she describes herself as a ‘small town girl’, her immediate musical environment was larger than the norm. Her mother is a classically trained pianist, her older brothers are also musicians, and her father is a great lover of 60s rock & roll, blues and more. It wasn’t long before the music bug bit her as well. October and The Eyes began experimenting with production before she was a teenager. Continuously honing her craft, she started singing in places around her town before eventually packing her bags and moving to London.
In 2020, October and The Eyes released her debut EP Dogs and Gods. As bold as the title itself, the 6-track record was punchy, raw and utterly seductive. Her performance on the EP demonstrated an uncanny ability to go from wild and theatrical to all-out alluring, Dogs and Gods was that firmly built bridge of her musical loves from decades ago to the modern sensibility of the now. With tracks such as ‘Playing God’, ‘The Unravelling’, and ‘Dark Dog’, those who had tastes for acts such as Iggy Pop to Suicide were fully nourished.
October and The Eyes’ new EP Who Upset You? finds her expanding her palette of sound even wider, meshing everything from noise rock, blues, industrial, and even drawing inspiration from Ethiopian jazz. The lead-off singles ‘Spiral’ and ‘When I Was Your Girl’ showcased that perfect balance between edgy and irresistibly enticing. Already a natural force to be reckoned with, this is October and The Eyes putting the stamp on her wondrous magic of artistry that will leave a mountainous mark.
I read that you grew up in a musical household, with your mother being a classical pianist, as well as having musician siblings. However, when did you discover the sounds of post-punk, psych, etc and what were some of those early records that instantly grabbed you?
October – Yeah, I always had an appreciation for quite a vast array of musical genres from a young age, thanks to my classically trained Mother and music loving Dad. If you know me, you know my first foray into being a “fan” was when I was 10 or so and fell in love with The Doors after my dad played their debut album on one of our road trips. They’re still one of my favourites too. I remember being so enamoured and fascinated with Jim even at such a young age – he unfortunately determined the trajectory of my interest in particular men for the foreseeable future ha. Then of course, there’s Jimmy Hendrix, and The Who, and The Rolling Stones who my dad was also a fan of. I remember my first discovery of music that was outside of what my peers or family were listening to at age 13 or so when I discovered The Smiths (Morrisey, what happened to you!). My Dad really hated 80’s music (I guess cause he was an 80’s teen?) so would make fun of my enthusiasm for them along with The Cure, Echo and The Bunnymen, and bands like that. It wasn’t until I left home at 18 that really solidified my love of Post-Punk with my discovery of Bauhaus, Gang of Four and Siouxsie Sioux who I still very much adore
You learned music production at a very early age. What sort of sounds were you crafting and recording during those initial stages?
October – Oh god the songs I made as a 12 year old were incredibly embarrassing. I would sneak into my brother’s room while he was out and use his computer to go on GarageBand and make all sorts of silly stuff. I was just excited that I didn’t need to rely on other people to help me record and flesh out these little songs I was writing in solitude. It was liberating to have thousands of sounds to choose from all inside my computer – I could make the parts I wrote on piano sound like a Bandura or a harp or a bassy synth. I certainly didn’t have any particular idea of musical direction back then, it was just fun and a means of entertaining myself.
Growing up in New Zealand, you once described yourself as a small town girl. Do you think it had its advantages in a sense that it helped to fuel your imagination as well as a drive for something more?
October – I’m about as “small town girl” as you can get. I grew up in a tiny town called Blenheim, always feeling like a bit of an alien there and constantly looking outwards for inspiration. In a way, I’m thankful that I was so bored because it led me to be constantly creative, always making something in order to entertain myself. While all my other friendships’ had part time jobs at supermarkets or clothing stores, my part time job was singing in bars or at wineries – and it was good cash too for a teenager. I think that feeling of not quite feeling comfortable or satisfied or understood in my hometown drove me to seek out the fringe and to seek out extremities and that is what has gotten me to where I am now, musically and geographically.
Your first EP Dogs and Gods is still in rotation for me! It’s dark, sexy, and steamy. When you started to work on this EP, did you already have a clear indication of where you wanted to take it in terms of the musical mood of the record or did it happen throughout the recording process? Every track is really cohesive.
October – Well it’s really just a product of all my favourite music that I was listening to at the time. In the same breath, I was very aware that I didn’t want it to be a “throwback” record. It’s one thing to pull on influences of the past, but anther to entirely emulate them. I’m always aware that I want my music to still sound modern and relevant, so that was always in the back of my mind. I’m glad you think it sounds cohesive! I was worried that it wasn’t so much, but I always have a blind spot when it comes to analysing my own music to tell the truth.
Your song ’Spiral’ has a dizzying and whirling factor to it musically, all the while still maintaining that signature sexy appeal. What inspired this particular track?
October – The initial demo was started with just the beat you hear at the beginning of the track that my friend Oliver made for me to riff over. I think it was that particular metallic, rebating spring sound effect that inspired the theme, title and the rest of the track really. It sounded like it could spiral out of control and boomerang away at any given moment, which also weirdly reflected a particular friendship I was trying to make sense of at the time. Then adding to the beat, I wanted haunted surf guitar riffs layered over top – Have always loved Dick Dale, Link Wray and the likes, and more recently Charlie Megira.
When you’re writing a song like ‘When I Was Your Girl’, is it hard at times to have to revisit those memories spent with someone or is it more therapeutic and strengthening to be able to get it off your chest and move forward?
October – I started writing that almost straight after having broken up with my boyfriend, flying back to NZ because of covid and then having to quarantine with him for two weeks ha. Quite a fucked up way to end things given the circumstances. When I was finally back at my parents, sitting in my childhood bedroom I wrote the tiny inklings of what the song would become and then didn’t revisit it for about a year. It was a necessary catharsis to go through, although I never want to have to go through that kind of experience for the sake of art ever again. I’m better at making when I’m happy – none of this tortured artist bullshit ha.
With your latest EP ‘Who Upset You?’, was it fully written and recorded in London? If so, how would you compare the creative process with this one compared to your debut?
October – Aside from ‘WIWYG’ and ‘Walk the Line’ – yes. ‘Walk the line’ is the oldest track on the EP which I actually wrote a few years ago in an NZ hospital having just endured a spinal tap – thats a whole other story though. This recording process was slightly different from the last in that my band members were more involved in the recording process. Last time it was mainly my shitty recorded parts Frankensteined with live sections from various different musicians. This time it felt more communal and consistent, also having the luxury to rehearse and play the tracks out live a few times before heading to the studio.
I have to mention the style and fashionable aspect of you. You actually model as well, having worked with giants like Balenciaga. Now ironically I’ve actually seen you randomly in Dalston and even then you displayed a great sense of style. Can you talk about how how style plays a part of who you are?
October – Haha – if music actually paid the bills then I wouldn’t model! It’s always a strange one talking about the “fashion” side of my life, because it’s really a lot less considered and thought out then what it may seem. I don’t know! I like clothes and how transformative they are and It’s really just been a part of who I am since I can remember. I hold a lot of respect toward certain fashion designers, and think it’s as much of an art form as music and art. As Cosey Fanni Tutti says, “my life is my art, and my art is my life”
With your new record wrapped up, what plans do you have for the rest of 2022 that you can let us in on?
October – Writing and writing and more writing. Hopefully in a more collaborative sense with other artists too. Some more shows! We’ll be playing Manchester Psych Fest in September. Other than that, I’ll be trying not to get cancelled.
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