Tell us more about the name — what does it mean?
The true story is that we came up with it randomly and thought it was cool. The post rationalisation is that the name juxtaposes two seemingly incompatible concepts—the natural and organic with the inorganic and man-made. That’s pretty fitting as the two of us are combining our distinct musical tastes and instincts—Luke alternative, Jenna pop—to create something new.
Using only high school superlatives, explain yourselves and your personalities.
Let us try to channel our inner teenie bopper…We’re, like, the cutest music couple ever—cuter than Jack and Meg, Avril and Chad. Jenna, being a ranga, is instinctively super passionate about the music. All that unbridled passion makes her the most persistent in the scene too, no matter how many community radio rejections we get. Luke hails from the romanticised land of jackaroos, drovers, and dingos. Coming with that territory, he’s totally hard-working, virile, and a little bit dangerous. Like Hugh Jackman. Combined, we’re basically the most socially-conscious, empathetic, generous, and friendly people you could meet. Finally, we’re sorry that people are so jealous of us, but we can’t help it that we’re popular.
If you had to explain your sound without using music terms, how would you do it?
Hmmm…Maybe you could think about how you feel when you’re dreaming. In a good dream you might drift along listlessly. A bad dream might be jarring and urgent. Or you might pine with the lovelorn feeling of something in between.
What are your favourite bevvy and snack lineup?
Being Aussie and Kiwi, the natural, ultimate combination is Milo and Tim Tams. However, Milo may very well come under both the “bevvy” and “snack” categories, being an Energy Food Drink. But we will treat it as a bevvy for the purposes of this answer. No matter what the preparation guide on the tin says, the optimum Milo to milk ratio is two-thirds Milo to one-third milk. Tim Tams are a suitable companion to a cold Milo, but if Milo is served hot, Tim Tam Slams are in order.
If you could have anyone open for you, who would it be?
The show would be us, Brooke Fraser, and Josh Pyke as we each have a hero in one of these artists…but we would be the openers.
Local artists you’re frothing and we should be too?
Fellow Waikato-dwellers Rat Cafe have a super slick sound. Also, There’s A Tuesday and Terrible Sons from Otautahi. Can I give an Aussie local? Melbournians Flyying Colours.
What is the one thing you want to achieve as artists?
If there was only one thing, it would be to move people in some way. Spur them to action, render comfort; stir something inside them.
What’s on the horizon for Bird Machine, what should we be on the lookout for?
Our self-produced EP is out from November 25, 2022. We’re gonna gig as much as possible around a PhD (here at the University of Waikato, by the way) and raising two little red-headed fireballs, so look out for us on the circuit. Specifically, we actually plan to tour in 2023! We’ve already started writing the makings of a second EP or potentially an album that we will produce from our home studio in 2023. So lots on the horizon!
