An Interview with Shire (FKA Arvo Haze)
by Elizabeth Mason
On Friday, June 12, Shire (Patrick McLearie, Gus Clifton, Ewan Heslop, and Sylvie Morse) will be releasing their debut single, Decay.
The members of Shire, formerly known as Arvo Haze, have been on hiatus for almost a year after an electrifying two years in the Brisbane scene. They played alongside bands like Peach Fuzz, Hicktown Barnaby, and Dallow (formerly Later Daze). Arvo Haze was characterized by their relaxed indie rock sound with psychedelic rock-influenced guitar riffs, best heard on their most popular single, Caudoroy Dreams. This new project, however, is a purposeful departure from the surf rock sound the band started with.
“I think we collectively…felt sort of disconnected from the name and the direction we were travelling in,” said Clifton, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. “We want to feel passionate about the music and the brand that we create.” McLearie, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist, said they were worried that without following their passion, the music might “lose its spark.”
Morse, Shire’s bassist and another of their vocalists, added that after the group realized their current music wasn’t aligned with their creative vision, the idea to rebrand came as a “sigh of relief.”
Picking a new name was not an easy decision for the band. Apparently, it took around four months before members could agree on the name Shire, using the idyllic rolling hills in The Lord of the Rings to reference the haven they felt their music was. Morse also noted that the band liked the ambiguity the name provided; unlike Arvo Haze, the name Shire doesn’t sound like it belongs to any particular genre.
With a fresh start, Shire is excited for the new music they will create. “The relationships we have built up with other bands and our fans go beyond our name and genre,” said Morse. Heslop, Shire’s drummer, agreed, adding that, “Of course, traction matters, but our music is number one. We needed a rebrand and name change to honour the music.”
Their new single, Decay, is sure to give audiences a thoughtful introduction to their new sound. Clifton noted that, as a long track, Decay also functions as a journey for both the audience and the band. “It’s about the friction between yourself and the person you want to be,” he said.
Heslop, Clifton, McLearie, and Morse all mentioned how much they felt connected to their new music and how much they’ve enjoyed the experiential stage of discovering their new sound. “The goal is to create space that allows people to feel the emotions they can’t quite explain properly to feel safe to express themselves, knowing someone else feels it too,” said Clifton.
Decay isn’t the only new music that the band is releasing—there have been exciting mentions of more soon to come, including an original track by Clifton and a new release of an Arvo Haze classic.
McLearie said that he was excited to explore some of the band’s previous musical inspirations “through a different lens,” while still maintaining the high energy essence of their music and performances.
Shire will be performing their single Decay along with more new tracks at Brisbane’s Mirrorball Ministries on Friday, July 12, and encourage fans to watch closely for any upcoming announcements.
