Local musician profile: Shann Lions

What initially motivated you to become a musician?

Where I grew up, a bit over an hour out of Bendigo, we had no internet and a population of 35 people.

I worked on a tomato farm by day after choosing to leave University after a few months.

I didn’t socialise with people, I didn’t play sport, or drink, so I had nothing to do in my downtime. I pestered my dad to teach me a chord a day and I’d play guitar about eight hours a day before and after work plus weekends.

I felt like music is where the misfits go to hide, I could somewhat make weird friends and have some fun.

I started writing my own songs, they were subpar but I decided to move to Bendigo, which to me then was like relocating to New York now.

Can you describe your musical style?

I started out writing grunge stuff, then when I was young my band did heavy power pop with three part harmonies, like Foo Fighters mixed with some Beach Boys.

These days I listen to any type of music from the math rock of Shellac to the pop music of Taylor Swift.

I think my current band, Four Lions, is a rock band with pop overtones and maybe a skerrick of country, roots, etc.

I suppose I just write whatever musically. Four Lions has a certain style, so I know when a song comes out I know if it’s on a pile for Four Lions or not.

I’m also making a solo record. It’s a different direction than Four Lions. I’d say it’s spacious, perhaps like early Neil Young, but with brush strokes of your best late 70s, early 80s compilation tapes.

What are some highlights or fond memories you have from your career?

The highlights to me are our last album Hard Days being the Album Of The Week in the Herald Sun, which is the first truly independent act to achieve this.

We are the first Australian band to be mixed (current single Black and White) by renowned American Grammy winning producer/engineer/mixer Phil Joly.

I’m also starting to produce other artists out of Head Gap Studios in Preston also, where I get to work alongside my great friend Finn Keane who owns the studio and is one amazing engineer too.

It’s the relationships I’ve made with likeminded people which to me is the highlight of my career thus far. I think it’s only started too, I’ve got years ahead of me yet.

How has your music career been affected by COVID? Has there been little change or has it had a substantial effect?

Wide Awake has taken an extra 18 months to make in the stop-start COVID era.

We can’t tour this record outside Victoria once it comes out till 2022, but despite the numerous setbacks I feel Four Lions has created its best record in every gamut of the song writing, performances and production.

We worked so well as a team locking in for those moments, and I think these are the best songs I’ve ever written, too. Positive within a negative is the best outlook.

Feel So Right, the second single from Four Lions forthcoming album Wide Awake is out on 19 August through Verse Chorus Verse. Wide Awake is out on 14 October.