Squid Fishing

and so we started recording. We went to Brisbane and then Melbourne to record songs, and it just got progressively more serious and it’s been incredible. It’s been a difficult process too; I don’t know how professional bands do it, but maybe it’s easier for them because they’ve got a bit more money up their sleeves and have their managers and bookings people to take care of stuff for them. But for us, we’re all trying to work and support ourselves to go on tour because with something like touring, you see money on tour, but you don’t really get it until the end: until you’ve got those door sales or ticket or merchandise sales. So you have to book your flights first, and your van hire; all that stuff is huge, but if you’ve got like-minded people in your team who want it just as much as you do, you’re going through it together.

Why the name ‘Squid Fishing’?

I wish I had an exciting story to tell, but honestly, one day I was walking through somewhere in the Huon Valley with a friend of mine and he was pointing out all the boats on the water, saying which boat was capable of doing what type of things. Then he points at one boat and says ‘… and that’s where they go squid fishing’ (haha). I was like, ‘squid fishing?’ and he goes ‘yeah’, and then I say, ‘I’ve never heard those words together in my life! I LOVE IT! Haha, I’m going to call my band that!’ Fast forward three years and I’m like ‘Hey guys, let’s be called SQUID FISHING!’ and everyone was like, ‘Okay, I guess so’ (haha). I don’t know what it was about it, but when I heard those two words together I just thought it rolls; it sounded beautiful to say. The connotation of fishing as well, it makes me think of two people sitting out in the middle of nowhere on a boat, just going for a fish. It’s silly, but its fun. For the sound that we are, which is quite ‘emo’, it’s definitely a very happy name!

You also got a Falls Festival slot; that’s a big one! How did it go?

It was incredible! We were stoked to have the opportunity. It was so good playing on a huge stage: I thought I was going to be nervous. We all thought we were going to be nervous. Then we stepped out onto the stage on the day and just immediately felt calm. It was fantastic, and so nice to have perfect equipment around us: nothing went wrong and the engineers were attentive. It was just incredible and I was so stoked!

When the world returns to live music events post-pandemic, what do you and the band hope to be doing?

Ultimately, every musician wants to travel and tour the world playing arenas and all that kind of amazing stuff. But for me personally, when I write music I’m really critical of it. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve just listened to and seen so much good art in the world that I know what I want to achieve, and that I want people to feel and understand something I’ve written. Being able to convey the sound, a feeling or an idea. So probably, a real personal goal for me is that I’d love to be able to produce music that I know has perfectly encapsulated the feelings I’m trying to convey: that’s my idea of success.

What’s your feeling about music in the COVID scene?

It goes without saying, the whole situation absolutely sucks and everyone is being affected. Ultimately for me and the band, we just had to cancel all our gigs and a tour that we had planned for later in the year. We’re just trying to do our best to use the time now to be really productive writing some new music, which I think every artist is doing. I think most artists right now are probably thinking, ‘Okay I’m going to tuck myself away and I’m going to write good stuff in this time that I have to be at home. Then we’ll hit them hard later in the summertime!’ It’s times like these though that really force you to count your blessings. Fortunately, I’m feeling really thankful that I’ve got somewhere safe to sleep and a family who checks in with me and people who message to see if I’m doing okay, like my friends checking in. So yeah, I’m just thankful at the moment and just hoping that it’s all over soon.

If you’d like to check out Zena Mohamad’s band SQUID FISHING, look them up at: https:// www.facebook.com/SquidFishingMusic/.