Speaking to another Australian, whether you know them or you don't, is amazing. There's that same familliar accent and way of speech. In this case it was like we were already aquainted.

I had a really great chat with Ben Quinn, 22, (bass and vocals) youngest member of Baby Sugar Loud. We had a few things in common too like reading and writing which was a great conversation piece.

Ben attended Fort Street High School with Justin Playford, 24 (guitar) and Stuart Miller, also 24 (drums). The band just seemed to happen, they all of a sudden started playing. Their first ep was released when Ben was a mere 18 years of age. None of them had been in any other bands previously and they are doing really well for their first band.

He finds it "very hard to describe (their style of) music, but i guess it's Rock and Roll... it's colourful.
I said I thought in some places that their music was a little 'poppy'.
"Pop is just Rock... pop is just..." rock with the 'op' was my addition, and Ben agreed.

"Baby Sugar Loud is just three words out of three different people. Everyone said a word and it just came out. It means nothing. Stu our drummer and two of his mates made it up."

Their debut album Difficult Pleasures was recorded in Sydney at Festival Studio with the help of Chris Dicky "an English guy who has done amazing bands like the pogues, Sinead O'Connor and Morrisey. He's a beautiful guy, very special. He's just had a baby!"
HANG ON!!!
"He's very special I said."

The band had broken up for 18 months before the album was recorded. This was only for two weeks so don't panic!! They were simply unhappy with the music they were playing and they knew that they could write music that they were happy with. So they took the 18 months off to write this new material.

The reason the album is called "Difficult Pleasures" is that, during this time, they were sitting around watching a Brett Whitely documentary on the television and were listening carefully to what he said.
".... pick up a pencil, a crayon, charcoal or anything and start to draw... and draw... and draw. Most of it will be shit, but eventually you will draw something that you won't recognise. That will be you drawing. As an artist, that will be the beginning of difficult pleasures to come."
As Ben put it, they all thought "yeah!" (with a slight sound of relief in his voice). The album that they wanted to make finally began to emerge from within.
"It took six weeks to record, four weeks of recording and two weeks of mixing."
How many hours were you in the studio each day?
"Lots and lots and lots of hours each day. By the end it was getting pretty tense. We all wanted to beat each other up. There were no hiccups apart from that... The photos in the record sleeve? They're out of a crap video we made!!"
Hey, you're not supposed to say that! Your supposed to say it's fantastic!
"No, it's crap! If you want to see a great video you should see our video to 'Sweet Heavens Above'. I am really happy with it. We're all going to work in business suits and we get on a train and go to a building in North Sydney. The others are completely unaware of what is going on. I put down my briefcase, start taking my clothes off and get out an orange flying suit. I climb to the top of the building, put on the suit, some goggles and a scarf... and dive off. We had a stuntman and all. It was cool!"

'Nothing is New' was the first single to come from the album before it was actually released. Ben said it was a good introduction to the bands new sound.
"'Tumble Forward' came out and didn't do much at all."
Hey I liked it! I play it on my show! "Thanks! Good on ya! 'Sweet Heavens Above' just came out with the album. 'Over It' will hopefully be the next single. That song is probably our fave."
They had two ep's before their debut album. They are presently writing material for their second album but I was told that it is nowhere near finished.

"Justin would be caring, sensitive, arrogant. Stuart... top bloke, excellent, fantastic musician. Me... I'm just me. My interests include waterskiing, horse riding.... nah!! I read, I write short stories. I like making music with other friends. Stu... he... I don't know what Stu does. Justin paints. Oh yeah, and they both look after kids. Stuart cooks with them and Justin paints their faces!"
I was also told that Justin can play the piano, bass and guitar whilst Stuart plays the bass, guitar and the drums. Ben plays recorders on the album which he seemed quite proud of! He also plays piano, drums, guitar and the tinwhistle!

Ben mentioned that "we've played with everyone, not too many internationals. We like playing with Powderfinger because we're good mates and they're fun to play with. It doesn't really matter. It's always good to see new bands. We've got lots of good buddies in the music business, there is lots of wankers."
And you're not mentioning any names?
"Nah, everyone's a mate."

I might just mention one very fantastic thing about Ben. When he was a drinker (he has recenlty passed his first year of being a non-drinker by choice) he "did love the Coopers Red!" The man has taste!!

And what words of wisdom did this Balmain born Aussie lad have to say to the world (well, Adelaide at least)???
"Um... ah... no... what about... ah... don't fuck your mate!?!?"
Language, PLEASE!!

These three guys have great potential and deserve every bit of praise they get. I wish them well... on their mission.