Built On Secrets – The Highwire Daze Legacy Interviews

Built On Secrets – 2013 – Photo by Neal Walters Photography

Built On Secrets: A State of Utter Orgasmic Bliss

Fans of acts such as All Time Low and Jimmy Eat World need to look to Australia and discover the infectious compositions of Built On Secrets. With one self-released effort under their belt entitled Reflections and the word of mouth that followed, Built On Secrets found themselves a new home with Artery Recordings.  And now with the unveiling of The Disconnect, Built On Secrets are destined to place the pop punk world into a state of utter orgasmic bliss!

Editor’s Note in 2020: Built On Secrets never make it to the States, and would play their final show later on that year in Australia. I still think their two CD’s The Disconnect and Reflections are two of the most underrated pop punk releases that would have eventually landed them on the Vans Warped Tour and beyond – had they stayed together. Luke Steel and Rich Hebden are now in a band called Cold Tide. Here is the interview we conducted with vocalist Luke Steel upon the release of their second and final album The Disconnect, released through Artery…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Built On Secrets, and how long the band has been together.
My name is Luke Steel and I sing for Built On Secrets. We’ll be nearing the 5 year mark come September.

Where is the band based out of and what is the music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We are based out of Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne is the music capital of Australia and we have a very vibrant and passionate scene here, albeit a much smaller one in comparison to the US. Our good friends in ‘Sound Of Seasons’ are a band you should definitely be checking out.

Is there any story or concept behind the CD title The Disconnect?
There isn’t a concept per se in relation to the record, but there are definitely many reoccurring themes which are prevalent throughout the record, all of which I’ve drawn upon from my crazy mind over a countless period of time.

Select two songs from The Disconnect and what inspired the lyrics?
Surrender – The lyrics were inspired by this band and our desire to keep pushing even through all the trials and tribulations we have faced over the past 5 years. It’s basically us saying that we may get knocked down, but you can sure as hell guarantee we’ll keep getting right back up, time and time again.

Dream Chasers – The lyrics were inspired when I was in the studio in Altanta, Georgia at 3am during the recording process and just realizing the enormity and the weight of where I was and what this band was doing and achieving together. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be able to make this record with ZK in the US, but as the message in the song effectively states, you are in control of your dreams and desires and if you want something bad enough, you and only you can ultimately make those dreams a reality.

Who produced The Disconnect and what was it like working with them?
Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (ZK Productions) were the amazing producers with whom we were lucky enough to work with. The experience was mind-blowing; never in our wildest dreams would we have thought we’d get to work with such renowned producers, who are responsible for some of our favourite records. They are amazing people and amazing musicians who were instrumental in turning this record into so much more than what we’d ever imagined it to be.

What could one expect from a live Built On Secrets show?
Ambience, delays and a sense that the world could crumble around you at any waking moment, all whilst enveloped in a state of utter orgasmic bliss.

Any strange or scary happenings while out on the road or at a show?
We’ve had many strange happenings, although none of which hold a candle to almost being run down by a truck, which was transporting a house, at 4am in the morning, on abandoned highway, with a police escort screaming countless profanities at us to clear the way. The lights were so bright from the mega truck we initially thought E.T. was coming to try and phone home with us.

How did you wind up on Artery Recordings?
Well our manager actually works for Artery and as soon as the guys at Artery heard the record for the first time, they offered us a deal we couldn’t refuse. We couldn’t be happier being with a label that is truly passionate about our band and our record.

How does The Disconnect compare to your previous album Reflections and will Artery be re-releasing it here in the States?
Whilst we’re still proud of Reflections, that was the band during its infancy and with time growth is always going to occur. The Disconnect, to us, is effectively our coming out party in a sense; we feel it truly represents this band at its best. As far as I’m aware there will be no re-release of Reflections in the States.

If you could open for any band either now or from the past, what band would it be and why?
This is without a doubt the trickiest question of the entire interview haha. Personally I’d have to say Jimmy Eat World. They have been my favourite band since I was 13 years old and I could die a very happy man in knowing we’d supported them.

Have you ever pet or nearly ran over a kangaroo?
Many times! During my early school camps (many, many moons ago) I’ve had countless opportunities to pet numerous Kangaroos and yes we’ve had numerous near misses with Kangaroos out on the road. Fortunately for us (and the kangaroos) we haven’t ended up on the latest version of Road Kill caught on tape. However, our friend Trenton in the band Hands Like Houses was not no so lucky haha.

What¹s up next in the summer for Built On Secrets?
Well unfortunately for us, it is winter here at the moment (I despise cold weather more than anything), but in short touring, touring and more touring!

Any final words of wisdom?
Just want to say thanks for the time and a thank you to anyone who is reading this.  Be sure to go and pick up a copy of our debut record ‘The Disconnect’ out now through Artery Recordings. We GUARANTEE you’ll love it!

Built On Secrets was:
Luke Steel – Vocals
Eli Menezes – Guitar/Vocals
Richard Hebden – Guitar
Daniel Aquilina – Bass
Stefan Frederic – Drums

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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