Kramming it in

It’s been something of a long hiatus for Spiderbait heavyweight Kram, but after almost three years in production, a year of fatherhood under his belt and a renewed, much more grounded view of life, he’s emerging as a solo artist. His latest exploits reflect something of a mixed tape.

“It’s really a whole bunch of different ideas all swimming in the same bowl,” he says.

“Kind of the idea is I wanted to just play it all myself but make it sound like a bunch of different bands, just like you’ve kind of made a mix tape for someone of all the different records.”

Recorded in the confines of a Manhattan Chinatown studio, Kram’s Mix Tape project is the culmination of a much needed new creative outlet.

“I realised I needed to do more than just Spiderbait, and now I’ve done this I feel that I’ve got this whole extra thing, this whole extra arm that I can wave around at parties, you know, I feel very liberated by it.

Working with his good friend and accomplished album engineer Andy Baldwin in the big apple proved just what Kram needed to get this project to completion and delivering something he could be both satisfied and proud of.

“We just had such a good time making the record just the two of us I really wanted to finish it with him and it was also cool because I wanted to sort of take it away from Australia and just kind of reinvigorate my enthusiasm for it.”

Kram or Mark Marr’s foray into solo recordings (Kram is Mark spelt backwards) is a revealing cacophony of musical musings, each song representative of the many layers to Kram.

“The way you pick up on music is a gradual thing and when you end up making that tape of music that you want to hear um, it can come from all different places,” he says resolutely.

Unashamed in expressing this, his newfound tender side, Kram acknowledges his partner (the love of his life) fathering little Loni Marr and the responsibilities associated with those two human factors as creating the shift for him in his career.

“It started as a thing just by myself but now it’s becoming definitely something for the three of us, I have tried to make a record that came from a lot of different place and a lot of different times.”

“Just kind of being open to writing sort of sad songs too, I really like that, just celebrating that I’m really happy and in love with my girl – loving life, I’m lucky to just be here and be happy I am,” he continues.

So eager is Kram to share his current lust for life he eludes to a second side of the mix tape already in production, performing his work is the next challenge, with a few intimate club shows already set down, he hopes to take it to a US audience in the near future too.

“It is looking like some people in the States like it, things are looking pretty good at the moment.”

Kram will continue to concentrate his energies on Spiderbait (that project will never end, lest someone dies in the band) but for now his focus is solely on his Mix Tape.

“I’m really proud of it, I’m glad it has turned out cool.

“I’m just glad I could cut it, you know you have the idea but you’re not really sure how it’s going to turn out.”

KRAM’s Mix Tape featuring single “Silk Suits”, is out through Universal Music. www.universalmusic.com.au

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 22nd, 2009 under Australian Interview, INTERVIEWS.
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