Project Reverb - What Emily Has Seen

Project Reverb turn difficult subject matter into bright and hooky indie-pop

My first listen to “What Emily Has Seen” caught me off guard. It sounds like a sunny little indie-pop song until the weight underneath starts to sink in. There’s a crisp and melodic indie-pop drive, with guitars sitting in this warm wash of reverb that gives the whole thing a slightly dreamy, radio-friendly glow. But there’s something pretty heavy underneath all those bright melodies.

John Huggart’s influences range from the Beatles and Ben Lee through the Rolling Stones, Sia, San Cisco and DMA’s, and I like how the song pulls that wide palette toward something very straightforward and catchy.

Interview with Project Reverb

(•)> You’re someone who spends a lot of time listening to other people’s music. Through Indie, Over 50, you’ve created a place where independent musicians can put their original work out there and actually have someone listen. At the same time, you’re still writing and recording your own songs, so I’m curious about what that constant exposure to other artists does to your own creative process.

You spend your time on Indie, Over 50 encouraging other musicians to put their original work into the world, while also being a songwriter yourself. Does hearing hundreds of submissions every month change the way you judge your own songs?

Yes. The bar is so much higher, it has made me feel very humble as there is genuinely so much great talent, music and songs being released. But I release because that’s how I breathe – it is what we do as an artist, a creative, a songwriter.

(•)> You describe this recording as a return to your roots, with the band playing live in the studio. What did you want to recover from the way you made music earlier in your life?

Two things – playing with Gary, and playing acoustic drums. With these songs it is Gary and I singing again together, playing the instruments, collaborating with the producers to finalise arrangements and add the pro sprinkles of instrumentation. But ultimately looking up and seeing Gary there, like I did 40 years earlier for our first release! And for me, as a drummer, it was a delight to be back in a real studio playing real drums. Of the dozen songs I have released, the producer may have organised a session drummer, or programmed drums. Sometimes I played a digital kit and they had their way with the Midi tracks – this time I was “pushing air”.

(•)> Your best mate has been part of your life for 40 years and plays on this track. How did that history between you affect the performance once you were actually recording together?

A surprising, and special part of this process, was the confidence had in Gary and I singing on these new releases. We went into the process expecting one of the producers to sing, or to secure local or remote talent to deliver the vocals. This took us back to our Tascam 4 track, dodgy PA, and cheap guitar days of simply playing together – sharing a vision for our songs, and delivering to the best of our abilities.

(•)> Was there anything about playing with someone who knew you long before Project Reverb that made the performance more instinctive or less self-conscious?

Gary and I know each other so well, and have played for so many years and gigs together, we can communicate with a look, a smile, a nod.

(•)> You’ve worked with a variety of producers, singers and musicians across your Project Reverb catalogue. What made this particular song feel like one that needed to be captured live rather than constructed piece by piece?

We purposely wanted to be in a studio, collaborating with producers, experimenting and failing, laughing and discovering. We achieved a lot of that in pre-production where we worked with Ash and Jamie from Black Halo to lift the songs from how we had “always played them” and elevated to the songs we release today.

(•)> Your songwriting has been recognised in competitions including the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. When you’re writing now, do you still think in terms of craft — melody, lyric, structure — or has experience made the process more instinctive?

Still the craft, lit by some spark – a line, a riff, a feeling. “What Emily Has Seen” was written many years ago – but built on the truth of seeing someone I love, enduring more than any should bear. But adopting the “make a sad song sound happy” vibe by developing what I believe is a catchy alliteration chorus,

(•)> Faith, Hope & Love was written years before it became a recognised song for you, including being sung by your daughter. How has your understanding of what makes a song meaningful changed since that period?

Singing with my daughter, whether the first home recording demo of “Faith, Hope and Love” when she was a child, or together on stage as finalists in an Australian songwriting competition, has truly been a highlight of my life. The meaning comes from the inspiration of the song – originally prompted by the terror unfolding across New York, London and Bali, but then in its meaning of the people and places where we bought the song to life and shared it with those who have appreciated the song for its enduring message of hope.

(•)> You’ve said your music is a “pot pourri” of styles rather than something tied to one genre. What musical territory does this new song explore that you haven’t really touched before?

This is in my traditional wheelhouse – written as a singer songwriter, bought to life as an adult contemporary pop rock song.

(•)> There’s an interesting contrast between your serious songwriting ambitions and the slightly self-deprecating identity of an “unemployed CEO and whiskey lover.” How much humour do you think belongs in the Project Reverb persona?

I call myself an unemployed CEO, firstly because I am no longer in (or seeking) full time employment, but also because I always introduced myself in my corporate career, as originally an “unemployed rock star”. It always brought a smile, and potentially opened up a conversation about music.

(•)> Running Indie, Over 50 means you’re constantly hearing people explain why their songs matter. What have you learned from those artists about the stories people attach to their music — and has any of that changed the way you write?

The themes are enduring – love, loss, life. Certainly an over 50 cohort often venture into the fear or joys of living with old age, or the loss of dear ones, and reflection on lives lived well. Ultimately – these songs are intensely personal, but what lifts a great song into our consciousness, is its ability to share a human truth that we can all relate to, despite the unique personal circumstances. As a result, we can all relate to “Let it be”, “Modern Love”, or “Shake it off”.

(•)> Your channel has grown from a personal experiment into a community built around older independent artists continuing to release original music. Does being part of that community give you a different perspective on your own decision to keep creating?

It inspires me to keep creating, as most artists do, in spite of the obstacles – supply is greater than demand, and the ability to connect with impact is limited by our imagination, ability or budget.

(•)> After decades of writing music and now helping other artists navigate releasing it later in life, what do you think this new Project Reverb track says about what can still happen creatively when you refuse to put an expiry date on songwriting?

At Indie, Over 50 I say “your song is not written yet, so rock on, and keep indie, over 50”

(^)> After more than 40 years of writing, playing and making music, what still excites you most when you start working on a new song, and what do you hope people take away when they hear your music?

I am 62, songwriter and musician since school - an enthusiastic amateur. I have played in cover and originals bands in different iterations over 40 years as drummer, bassist or guitarist. I have had some modest success with songwriting - my song "Faith, Hope & love" was a finalist (top 4) for John Lennon Songwriting Competition and placed as a finalist with mutiple songs in International and Australian local competitions.

I put out a vinyl single record in 1988 with my mate under band name Jang Rok - no breakthrough commercial success but I earnt some royalties for radio play.

Since 2021 I started relesing songs as Project Reverb - an artist vehicle where the common denominator is my songwriting. I have worked with several producers, and singers - and as a result there is no coherent "sound", and the genre is mostly pop/rock.

Like most independent artists, aged over 50, I struggle with promotion and new social media - and posting into the void. So as I freed up my diary from full time employment I started a YouTube channel called "Indie, Over 50". It has grown decently with over 6,000 subscribers and is monetised and I run playlists for these artists om YouTube and Spotify.

Perhaps my preferred and better skill is lyrics - meaning without cliche (hopefully) and centred on human truths. Next I love melodies. Then I absolutely love playing and being inspired by talented producers and real musos!!

I am a boring accountant by trade who has made a career in sales, marketing and ultimately CEO of multiple public and private companies. Today I hold a portfolio career comprising corporate boards, advisory and industry roles. in energy, tech and charity.

I am happily married long term with two children and 1 grand daughter. My daughter is an amazing singer - though that is not her current vocation and she appears as the artist "Unah" on a couple of my recordings.

Basically I am a boring corporate guy who loves hanging around with creative types.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check Project Reverb out on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist