Thanks so much to Mathew Homberger for the interview! I wrote about the Melbourne band The Silent Reach in the past and some days ago Mathew reached to me to tell me a bit more about the band. I told him, why not do an interview so we could share the information with everyone, and here it is! Please enjoy!
++ Hi Mathew! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?
Thanks for the questions. I continued making music for years. I’d still like to be playing but can’t as I am recovering from an accident, hopefully soon.
++ I notice you are now based in Singapore according to Soundcloud, is that right? Since when have you been there? Is there any good music there that you like?
Yes I live in Singapore. Been here since 2003, except for the year 2011, Melbourne. There are many Philippine bands here, they are quite musical but often play covers. The most recent international acts I saw were U2 and Patti Smith.
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?
For music memories, my father had a German restaurant and I remember the Oom Pah Pah music. Not at all refined but an expression of spirt. I first learnt to play music in high school, percussion, I think music was part of the Arts subject. My first instrument was the bass guitar. I learnt to play bass in my bedroom at home first without an amp, then a little 5Watter. I would try to play along with music while listening. The bands I first listened to were Joy Division, Bauhaus, the Church.
++ Had you been in other bands before The Silent Reach? If so, how did all of these bands sounded like? Are there any recordings?
I’ve never played in any other band. Along with bass I took up guitar and piano and bought equipment for a home studio. An 8 track recorder. Yes there are a couple of recordings during that period on SoundCloud. In an article you mention “crystalline” among my recordings.
++ Where were you from originally? Melbourne?
Born and bred in Melbourne, Australia, to German immigrant parents. I have lived and worked in Germany, staying with my uncle and then renting in Munich.
++ How was Melbourne at the time of The Silent Reach? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?
Melbourne is an artistic place, lots of buskers and painters. Near my high school there was a really cool street in Prahran called Greville Street with a record shop, Greville Records. During my youth vinyl was the order of the day. Audio tapes were the most portable medium, walkman cassette players. I had one and could listen to my music anytime, I say my music as it was possessive.
Other bands around during our day were: the Marnies, we lost battle of bands to the Earthmen, Ripe, Eden, we supported Sea Stories, so many bands! One of my favourites musicians even to this day comes from Melbourne, “Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds”. Other bands I liked in my youth included Brian Eno, Not Drowning Waving, Bauhaus, Yazoo, This Mortal Coil, The Church, Japan and David Sylvian… Some of the most renowned Melbourne venues might include The Prince of Wales, The Venue, The The Old Greek Theatre. Bands often played at local pubs. In Australia the word Pub is derived from public bar at a hotel.
++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?
The Silent Reach started from like minded friends at high school. My identical twin brother Martin played nylon classical guitar. He had a good friend named Greg. At high school Greg also took up guitar, they would often play together at his place. A friend of Greg’s, Andrew, was learning drums. Rehearsal started at his family home. Watching Martin practice in our bedroom I took up bass. We would all meet at Andrew’s place and rehearsed together for about 4 years eventually taking it to the public. When we went public I worked in a pub, The Perseverance Hotel, where we first played. Really the band grew naturally out of friendship, I too was friends with Greg at primary school. Being an identical twin Martin couldn’t leave me out of the picture.
++ I read there were many lineup changes. How many people were involved then? And when did all these changes happen?
Six people played for the Silent Reach. Originally it was a 4 piece, Andrew Lawrence, Greg MacPherson, Martin Homberger and me, Mathew Homberger. That was the line up when we released the Melancholy Love Song EP. We got a new drummer and recorded the “S” CD, renamed online to “Secondment”, and were a five piece at the time with Steven Zafir playing keyboards. Our third release was to be “Narcissus”. All members of the band were old friends. Andrew left the band after the “Melancholy Love Song” EP when Scott joined and Greg left after the “S” CD when Steven joined, there was overlap.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
We rehearsed once a week at a place for that called “The Dane Centre”. We would often write new material at these rehearsals, they went for about 6 hours a session.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
Another good friend’s grandfather was a journalist and author, Osmar White. He wrote a book called The Silent Reach, we liked the title for a band. I think the book was about Papua New Guinea, I’m not sure. We liked the title in reference to music. Silence being the dichotomy of sound, and Reach being an attempt or hope.
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
The Durutti Column
This Mortal Coil
Nick Cave
Classical guitar music
++ As far as I know you only released one 12″ and it was self-released. Wondering why did you choose to put it out that way? How did you enjoy doing label stuff like promoting, distributing the record?
We reached a point where we thought it was time to release a record and see where that took us. There were many bands in Melbourne who self released, afterwards we became a known band.
We had a serious manager at the time who arranged various radio interviews, we were also in newspapers. The record was distributed by Polyesther Records, the CD by Mushroom Records. I am told our releases were also distributed in New Zealand, a Japanese guy told me he bought it there. And a good friend bought our CD in Prague when living there. We were distributed globally in stores that carried obscure bands.
++ Where was it recorded? Who produced the record?
That EP was recorded at Bakehouse Studios, a 24 track in Melbourne, produced by Dane Simpson. Our CD was recorded at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne produced by Miranda McGlaughlan. It was a 48 track studio, definitely a step up from Bakehouse.
++ Were there any labels interested, at any point, to release your music?
Yes, I remember playing a gig specifically for a label. Indeed we were close to signing several times. I remember a label saying show us the song that will break you… They liked our stuff but were interested in how much money might be made, how successful we’d be. It’s always hard to predict success for any band let alone a new one.
++ What about the trees photo on the sleeve of the record. Where was it taken?
At the time of release I was living with a newspaper photo journalist and I found that photo amongst his work. It seemed like a dying forest, we all liked it’s mood.
++ I read that the song “Secondment” was released on CD in 1991 but couldn’t find any information about it? Tell me about this release? Who put it out? Did it have B sides?
“Secondment” is the online name of our CD. It was originally titled “S” and came out in 1991. I also changed the online cover.
++ And supposedly there was to be another single with “Narcissus” right? What happened? Why wasn’t it released?
Narcissus was to be a 3 track EP, containing the single Three. It was only partially recorded. Ordinary life started to take hold for members around then. The usual culprits; jobs, relationships, travel. We were still musically ambitious but got distracted by life.
++ You didn’t appear on any compilations, right?
Appeared on a ‘made in Melbourne’ compilation.
++ Are there still unreleased songs by the band? Or everything was released? Maybe you put demo tapes?
Yes, many unreleased songs. At rehearsal we often came up with something new. Our last gigs had several songs that were building towards another release. Composing music is an act of communication. I’d love to be doing it today, may soon enough, but as a result of an accident the right side of my body doesn’t work properly. I need the right hand for guitar and piano. I try to communicate in other ways, write a bit. Perhaps I’ll find a new way to communicate more like music that encompasses feel.
++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Melancholy Love Song”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
It’s the first song the band ever wrote. Lyrics for all songs were written by Martin, but I did add a couple of lines in Melancholy when breaking up with a girlfriend;
“muffle noise, it is here, hot coffee shivering, these people everywhere
And now I ask,
is it me,
oh your face it shines,
so comfortably”.
Musically we were inspired by the classical guitar. Melancholy love song was our first, so innocent. We followed the standard band trajectory at the time of falling into cynicism and becoming ever grungier.
++ If you were to choose your favorite The Silent Reach song, which one would that be and why?
Probably “She Fall”. Tough to choose one though, many would say Teddy Bears is our best. Then again I reckon “Three” is a pretty good song. “I’ve Been Dying” touches a raw nerve. I find it really hard to pick one track. To recommend a song for a first listen, maybe “Three” best sums up the band.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
Yeah, lots of gigs, a couple of residencies, support gigs. At times we played a gig a week. A guesstimate, around 100 gigs.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
Playing at the Old Greek Theatre with Gondwana Land and Double Cross. But our best gigs were solos at Gershwin room in St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne. I remember playing at the Venue, a large place where internationals sometimes played. One night an unknown person came up afterward a show and said we were like Joy Division. Quite a compliment by my estimation, they didn’t know Joy Division were a favourite.
++ And were there any bad ones?
It’s a little disheartening when only about 10 people turn up to watch a gig. There were a few hard yards in the early days. I think I once gave back as good as I got from the stage.
++ When and why did The Silent Reach stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?
The band kind of disintegrated naturally, other interests became more pressing. I’d say we were done and dusted by 1998, maybe a little later. I held some vague hope until I moved to Germany in 1999. It was certainly over when after returning to Melbourne I moved to Singapore. In Singapore I started composing and playing at home, I wrote crystalline here which you mention on a webpage. When I moved back to Melbourne for a year in 2011 I thought to try again but nothing ever came of it. It’s one of those things music, it never leaves you. We always try to communicate accurately. I believe music is good for emotional, non factual, comms.
++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?
Verdaine, Stephen Zafir and Scott MacKenzie. Another friend who is a musician also played with them, Lisa Gibbs.
++ Has there been any The Silent Reach reunion?
Not yet, we are all over the shop. Europe, Asia, Australia. There is always an interest, but then again maybe it’s a good time to explore other means of communication beyond language.
++ Was there any interest from radio? TV?
Interviews on 3RRR and 3PBS radio, a couple of newspaper articles, maybe a mention on TV.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
Not really, as mentioned sporadic.
++ What about from fanzines?
Did they exist in the 90s? There were a few regulars at gigs. We would meet them after shows, we knew a few people by name. I wouldn’t call them groupies but some might.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
Just following a personal ambition and forming a band. Truly, a highlight of my life. To pursue art and acquire freedom of thought through music, expression, lateral thought. It changed me about as much as my education.
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
I try to write keeping accounts of my thought and actions in a blog, https://mathew-homberger.blog/
On this site there is also the draft of a book I’m writing called “Coma, Memory, Belief”. There’s an older version on Kindle and Google. I’m still focused on communication. Music communicates feelings I think, the modern poet.
++ Never been to Melbourne, so would like to hear from some locals for some recommendations by a local, like sights one shouldn’t miss? Food and drinks one should try?
The Paris end of town, opposite parliment there’s a restaurant called the European, a little doorway to the left and up the stairs a bar called Siglo, I used to frequent the Supper Club below. I once lived in Fitzroy, very close to the city, walkable, the main road there is Brunswick Street, lots of great cafes and bars, it actually where the band started, thre Perseverance Hotel. Maybe hit St Kilda, South Yarra / Prahan is also a good area. That was were I first lived out of home, the Fitzroy. You do need to know where to go, I like alleyways, Melbourne is full of them, and the best restaurants are there, Movida a favourite, but also Flinders Lane, Little Collins St is pretty good.
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
Not really, don’t get me started. I suspect Covid19 is the result of over population, I expect it’s a sign of things to come. I’m often considering evolution, after the industrial revolution we have become ruled by the dollar.We say we value life, what about the poor. I should mention AI, it presents opportunities for evolution. Robots taking care of all our physical needs allowing us to focus on Human Intelligence and things that can’t be replicated by AI. Maybe the Arts, Literature, Poetry, Love etc. I have a technology and spiritual business with my wife that explores the non material world https://www.themetaphysicsalliance.com/
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