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

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.