Averting A Crisis With MATT O'KEEFE From THE GREAT ESCAPE

HEAVY Music Interviews

Interview by Kris Peters
Let's face it, coming up with something fresh and unique when it comes to music and the music world is almost impossible these days. With more music at our disposal than ever before meaning a multitude of new bands and artists all clamouring to find their share of the market, it takes something truly special to give you that edge.
And sometimes that edge is the difference between success and failure.
Sydney punk rockers The Great Awake struck that elusive gold recently with their promotional idea for new single Shitty Midlife Crisis proving a master stroke. After unleashing their new album QUIT onto the public, vocalist/guitarist Matt O'Keefe and his bandmates had the idea of creating a completely new platform for their next single, one which would engage both their music and people's minds and sense of adventure.
Thus, The Great Awake playable video game was born, crafted and put together by O'Keefe with a basic, yet effective premise of skating and avoiding obstacles - but of course, dripping with laconic wit and gnarly graphics to match the band's sense of humour. The two releases could easily survive as stand-alone entities, but when put together offer an outlet for youthful exuberance with a soundtrack that takes you back to the days of Tony Hawk.
HEAVY caught up with O'Keefe to find out more.
We discussed their new single Shitty Midlife Crisis and the accompanying playable video game, which was a year-long process for Matt to develop. He emphasized the importance of incorporating fun and nostalgia into their approach and injecting humor and lightheartedness into their interactions. We also discussed the positive reception of Quit and the band's efforts to improve their live shows, plus more.