Wolfmother's Andrew Stockdale talks changes to the music industry ahead of Launceston show

CDs are of declining relevance, computers have become the most important instrument and tours are promoted via social media. 

And no one is more excited by the possibilities such a landscape offers than Andrew Stockdale. 

Alongside bandmates Ian Peres and Alex Carapetis, Stockdale will kick off the Gypsy Caravan Tour on Thursday, visiting every state in Australia before winding up the tour in Launceston on May 21.

The tour follows Wolfmother’s fourth studio album, - 2016’s Victorious - but Stockdale says he’s written new music since then. 

“I just put up a song called Special Lady about two weeks ago on YouTube that was recorded on my laptop on GarageBand,” Stockdale said.

“I didn’t use a single microphone except for a vocal mic, it was all built-in amplifiers and built-in drum machines on the laptop, it’s really trippy. 

“I’ve always mic’d up a drum kit or mic’d up an amplifier on everything, I’ve never used any in-built plugins (before) and my mind is blown by how good it sounds.”

The DIY laptop approach differs remarkably from the band’s past recording experiences.

“On the first Wolfmother record, just to run Pro Tools we had five massive six-foot high towers of computers that was $5000 a week to rent.

“The laptop I’m (using) right now is probably 1000 times more powerful than all of those and a million dollar studio in Hollywood with all the EQs and decks is on a program that is free.

“I’m just trying to use as much of the software and things available.”

But it’s not just recording techniques that have changed.

Stockdale says the 24-hour news cycle also has plenty to offer musicians in 2017. 

“When we put out a record back in the day you’d need an eight month setup with long-lead press because it takes three months for an article to be put in a magazine - that’s over.

“You can drop a song today and it would be on 300 blogs.” 

Wolfmother will play at Club 54 on May 21. 

Tickets are available at club54.oztix.com.au