Article: Mirrored Reflections

Mirrored Reflections



"I’m like ‘dude, don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ve been nude in front of people before, not that often, but it’s okay’."

Were he not already an extraordinarily talented musician, I’m confident there’d be a career waiting for Wally De Backer in the circus. The man otherwise known as GOTYE has displayed the traits of a seasoned all-round circus performer. With a penchant for juggling two different musical acts and recently proving he looks damn good covered head to toe in body paint, De Backer wouldn’t look out of place at a Cirque du Soleil show. Since the last time we spoke, which was way back in 2007 to discuss his breakout masterpiece Like Drawing Blood, the Victorian-based independent artist has gone on to win an ARIA Award, garner the #11 spot in triple j’s countdown of the Hottest 100 Australian albums of all time and, most recently, pack out a stage at Splendour in the Grass. He also somehow finds time to write and tour with his other, less well known ‘60s rock-inspired band The Basics. How on earth does he manage to squeeze talking with journalists into his busy schedule? He multi-tasks, of course.

“I’m actually still at the post office,” admits De Backer, between issuing instructions to an unwitting Australia Post employee. “I’m just trying to Express Post proofs to the UK to get my vinyl finished on time.” The vinyl he’s referring to contains the long-awaited third Gotye album Making Mirrors, something a sizeable portion of his ever-growing fan-base has been waiting on with bated breath for the last five years. There’s the parts you’re probably already familiar with; the Winton Musical Fence-sampling dystopian lamentations of Eyes Wide Open and the beautiful new break-up single Somebody That I Used To Know, which is currently going gangbusters on radio and online (Ashton Kutcher tweeted about it, srsly). But there’s also a slew of yet to be discovered gems, including upbeat and infectiously catchy soul song I Feel Better and State of The Art, a vocally warped love letter to an antique organ.


Juggling apples: easier than juggling bands. / Photo care of FasterLouder.
De Backer appears to have struck a universal nerve with Somebody That I Used To Know, which sees him share vocal duties with up and coming Kiwi singer Kimbra. “It seemed to go down really well with the audience,” he says of the reception the song received at Splendour a few weeks back. “My sound guy clocked them at 115 dBA which is like ten decibels shy of a jumbo jet flying ten metres overhead.” Talk about an enthusiastic response!

One of the reasons the song has soared in popularity is the stunning (and quite revealing) video that accompanies it. With a reputation for producing primarily animated clips, it comes as somewhat a surprise when the camera pans up on what is eventually revealed to be De Backer’s bare thigh. Over the course of the video both he and Kimbra are painstakingly painted from head to foot in a kaleidoscope of colours, a feat which took two very long days of filming to achieve. “There was a bit of deep pain there,” he reveals. “I’ve got a little bit of a bad back so that doesn’t help standing straight for six hours trying not to move. I had moments where I was like ‘okay, this is such a simple thing but man, I’m ready to scream’. But on reflection it was definitely worth it; it proved to be a great clip and it wasn’t so tough in the end. I’d do it again,” he laughs.

What of the fact that he had to stand almost naked in front of a group of people for prolonged periods – surely that must have been a confronting experience? “It felt more awkward for a few people around actually. I cut part of my underpants to gaffa tape them around the part of my leg that’s used in the first shot. Generally over the course of doing those shots the gaffa tape and my underpants would always be flapping open and I was just like ‘oh it’s not even worth bothering. I’m not embarrassed, you know. There’s nothing here we haven’t seen before.’ But the cinematographer would come up and give me some more tape and was like ‘you just take the time you need to be comfortable’ and I’m like ‘dude, don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s alright, I’ve been nude in front of people before, not that often, but it’s okay’,” he giggles.


Try as he might, De Backer’s secondary musical project The Basics has yet to rival the success of his solo work. His steadfast commitment to long-term bandmates Tim Heath and Kris Schroeder is admirable, but likely one of the main causes of the lengthy delay between Gotye albums. But, to his defence, De Backer chips in that Gotye wasn’t completely forgotten in the interim. “I only got a chance to find a way to release Like Drawing Blood in Europe and Japan two years after it came out in Australia,” he explains. “On some level I felt like I was actually still busy with it and was doing active things for Gotye even though in Australia it would have been like I was just off the scene and completely absent.”

De Backer is set to make up for any perceived absence from the Australian music scene over the coming months, as he heads out on tour to delight the nation with new material. So far he’s managed to sell out multiple shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane; an impressive feat. Before we part ways I chide him into pledging that next time it won’t be as long between drinks for Gotye. “I would hope that even if this record goes crazy which, based on how things are going, it seems like it might have the chance to do, that it wouldn’t be five years before I put out another Gotye record,” he laughs. Everyone at these upcoming sold out shows is going to hold you to that, Wally. No pressure.

For details about Gotye's string of upcoming sold out shows, make sure to head over to the man's website.