Creative Conversations 022: PLGRMS' Return From A Hiatus
Words by Callum MacDonald
PLGRMS produce the kind of music that soundtracks the more challenging moments in life. After being forced into hiatus due to medical battles within the project, PLGRMS have overcome their own life challenging moments with a string of new music in 2020. We sat down with member, Jonathan Bowden, to gain a deeper insight into the bands return from hiatus, and the story behind their new single ‘Limbs’.
Futuremag Music: I guess with the pandemic forcing the world into the state that it’s in, I’m interested to know how this has affected the project’s dynamic? Have you both been able to continue the PLGRMS project “business as usual” or have the circumstances affected that?
PLGRMS: When the initial lockdown happened in Sydney, we did a few Zoom studio sessions which was cool...sometimes it's nice to do something a bit different to the usual, as you can get some interesting results that you wouldn't have otherwise. We also played Delivered Live, which was a live broadcast to a virtual audience. It was good to be playing together, but it was a strange vibe playing to an empty room with a handful of camera crew.
Since then however, aside from still not being able to play shows, it is pretty much business as usual.
Futuremag Music: ‘Limbs’ is the second reveal since your long awaited return this year, following a forced hiatus in early 2019, can you tell us about the nature of the hiatus and how you both reconnected to continue the PLGRMS journey?
PLGRMS: Jake had a bit of a battle with chronic pain in his back. It got so bad at some points that he couldn't get out of bed, let alone put on a guitar or fly anywhere for a show. We still did studio sessions when and where we could, so we were always in touch and "doing stuff"... just nowhere near as frequently or with the output we would've liked.
PLGRMS (Provided)
Futuremag Music: As you’re both established writers, do you both write songs for the project individually or is the process strictly collaborative?
PLGRMS: The way we work, is one of us will bring an idea to the table, and then we'll flesh it musically and production-wise...then Jake will take it away and work on lyrics which he will bring back and then we bounce it back and forth until we have a final product we're both happy with.
We are looking at ways we could do it differently for the next batch of songs we do...not because it's not working, but because a different process might lead to different results.
Futuremag Music: You worked with Ross James of upsidedownhead on the production of ‘Limbs’, how did that relationship come about?
PLGRMS: I've known Ross now for about ten years. We met initially when both of us were teaching music together at a school. He worked on our debut single 'Pieces' with us and has been on every song since...he's pretty much a ghost member of PLGRMS.
Futuremag Music: The PLGRMS sound has a very signature ‘cinematic’ tone in its nature, is this a premeditated thought for the project’s style? What are some of your key artist influences?
PLGRMS: I have been in several bands in differing styles, and I think the music I have always written has been quite evocative and cinematic in tone, regardless of the style or genre it's in. Some of our key influences include Coldplay (particularly early Coldplay more from a melodic and harmonic standpoint), Glass Animals, Jack Garratt and Beach House.
Futuremag Music: Lastly, outside of music, where/what might someone find you doing in your spare time?
PLGRMS: I have an almost two-year-old running around at home, so he keeps me pretty busy and takes up a lot of my "spare time".