Having wrapped up a two-year stint on the touring circuit, the sisters who make up Macedon Ranges rock group Stonefield are relishing the chance to survey life from the peaks of the Findlay family’s property in Darraweit Guim.
But while they are enjoying the perks of home, the quartet is by no means standing still, with a second album nearing the production stage and another tour, including a November concert at Hanging Rock, only months away.
Vocalist and drummer Amy Findlay says the band is in the process of whittling down about 25 songs for the new album.
Recently released single Golden Dream, produced by Kram of Spiderbait fame, provides a glimpse of a more mature sound.
‘‘It’s definitely a bit of a new direction for us,’’ Findlay says. ‘‘It’s more pyschedelic and dreamy … I’ve been able to find a lot of new ranges in my voice.’’
But Findlay says the new Stonefield is ‘‘definitely still rocky’’ with the heavier tracks delivering even more of a kick than the group’s acclaimed 2013 debut.
She says the sisters didn’t need much time to consider an approach from Michael Gudinski’s Frontier Touring about being part of an all-Australian bill at Hanging Rock.
‘‘It’s such a special place,’’ Findlay says. ‘‘Obviously, it’s very close to home so to be able to perform there with the likes of Cold Chisel is a huge honour.’’
The last time the girls performed at Hanging Rock was at a race day many years ago, well before they toured the world and performed on celebrated stages such as Glastonbury.
While they have carved out successful careers, selling many thousands of albums and earning praise from artists around the globe, Findlay says they remain grateful for being able to perform for a living.
‘‘We just love what we do – that’s our favourite part of being in the band, for sure,” she said. ‘‘Like all sisters we are at each other a fair amount of the time, but to go to all these places and have all these experiences together … it’s very cool.’’
Stonefield, The Living End and Mark Seymour and the Undertow will support Cold Chisel at Hanging Rock on November 21.
For more details, visit www.hangingrockconcerts.com.au
