By BEN CAMERON
DAN Sultan might still be chasing that elusive US record deal but it’s never going to come at the expense of his sometimes genre-eschewing style.
Sultan enjoyed something of a breakthrough year in 2014, winning a host of awards on the back of rockin’ numbers such as No More Explanations and Under Your Skin, but he was given a reminder of what’s left to achieve late in the closing months.
Playing three showcases in three days to music labels in New York and Los Angeles in October, a US record deal remained unsigned.
“That was frustrating,” he says.
“We were hoping to get a record deal. We got some good reports, had a lot of labels and a lot of interest, but nobody was going to sign it.
“The deals that were offered, we figured we might just hold out to the next record and see what happens.
“It went well, but didn’t go as well as it could have, it didn’t go as bad as it could have either.
“I’m not going to make a record for Americans or Europeans, I’m going to make a record for me.”
He said the situation was similar to his early days when he couldn’t get airplay for his first two records.
“I experienced the same thing in Australia,” he says.
“I didn’t belong to a genre.
“Triple J wouldn’t play my first record, they couldn’t see where it fit.
“I’ve never really felt like I have a style of a way of doing things.
But putting on some live shows turned the tide, including a gig in Western Australia which helped win over Triple J talent spotters.
“I haven’t done any of that in America and I haven’t done any of that in Europe,” he says.
“It’s something that I’m used to. It can be frustrating, but I understand, it’s a business.
“If I had a fan base over there it would be a different story but I don’t, I understand.”
He says his “rockier, grittier” third album Blackbird, released in April and won an ARIA for Best Rock Album, was the sound of him wearing his heart on his sleeve.
“I wanted to make a rock ’n’ roll album,” he says.
“It’s the first album where I’ve been able to make it how I wanted to make it. Working with other people can be great, but it can also squash your vision.
“And I feel like I’ve neglected my vision for too long.”
He’s still found the time to collaborate with friends; two legendary Pauls, Kelly and Dempsey, on EP Dirty Ground (“I was made to feel like it was OK that I was there, if that makes sense. It was very humbling to work with them”) and a quick trip to Adelaide to sing on Hilltop Hoods’ latest record Walking Under Stars.
He admits appearing on a hip-hop record was never high on his priority list.
“I never would have cancelled it out, but it wouldn’t been my first gig,” he says of guesting on Rumble Young Man Rumble.
“We’re great friends, we’ve known each other for a while.
“They said we should do something together. They gave me a call when they were doing their new record.
“I spent the afternoon in a studio in Adelaide, it was pretty mellow, we had a good laugh as we always do.
“And then we went and got a counter meal somewhere and I flew home that night.”
Despite missing out on a US deal, 2014 has been a belter for Sultan.
“It’s been a very big year,” he says.
“It was nice to seek some affirmation and some rewards from working so hard.
“I don’t mind working hard (though). We had a lot more radio play and had more work than I’ve ever had in the past for any other record.
“It feels like it’s really paying off.”
Dan Sultan plays Warragul’s West Gippsland Arts Centre on Friday 6 March.
