WEST Perth musician Michael Tan says getting away from “the norm” is a top priority for his new rock band Village Kid, which seems like an easy feat considering the diverse musical background of the five band members.
Tan, a violinist turned keyboarder player, has a classical persuasion and enjoys playing works from romantic composers Claude Debussy and Frederic Chopin, while fellow musicians individually claim blues and jazz, soul, and funk as their influences.
The result is a unique blending of sounds, similar to now defunct Brisbane band George.
“Our ambition is to push musical boundaries and incorporate contrasting contemporary and classical styles in a rock context and take it to an international audience,” he said.
Village Kid released its debut EP Colourful Girl earlier this month and will mark the launch next week (July 28) with a live performance at The Paramount nightclub in Northbridge.
When he isn’t busy with his instruments – he also plays guitar, flute, piano and organ – Tan works as an audiologist.
He also has a PhD in psychoacoustics, the study of how the brain perceives sound, which has had a large effect on the way he approaches music and writing.
“My studies have focused on the perception of expected and unexpected sounds, and how a combination of the two can give a sense of familiarity yet also provide interest and excitement,” he said.
Village Kid (named after a champion WA racehorse) has used the Internet to market its music. The members have performed in live shows via social networking sites and released their EP on the iTunes online digital media store.