PVT Admit They Threw Caution To The Wind When They Were Young

It seems almost surreal to think that Pivot, as they began, initially formed in late 1999, a good 15 years ago. They've proven to be one of those bands who consistently produce quality material, popping up once more just when you think perhaps they're done.

Not so though — they've made some changes over the years, but they're far from done. Initially a five-piece, the band released their debut, Make Me Love You, in 2005, almost immediately afterwards morphing into a three-piece and eventually changing their name to PVT (as a result of legal action brought by an American band, also called Pivot).

"The idea of doing a ten-year anniversary would be fun, mainly because it'd be nice to have a copy of it on vinyl."

Make Me Love You was nominated for a J Award (in the first year of the award's existence), and their follow-up, O Soundtrack My Heart, was awarded Sydney Album Of The Decade (2000s) by local radio station FBi. Since then, they've added Church With No Magic (2010) and Homosapien (2013) to their catalogue, all the while honing their experimental electronic rock'n'roll sound, brothers Laurence and Richard Pike and Dave Miller ensuring PVT kept on keeping on.

This year then, marks a decade since the release of their debut, and what better way to celebrate than to reissue on vinyl? "The idea of reissuing has popped up two or three times in the past few years," concurs Laurence Pike. "People are always asking for it, and it's been out of print for a long time. So the idea of doing a ten-year anniversary would be fun," he says, before adding with a laugh, "mainly because it'd be nice to have a copy of it on vinyl."

It's a seminal record for the group. The only album made with ex-bandmates Adrian Klumpes (keys), Neil Sutherland (bass) and Dave Bowman (turntables), it sees a raw yet disciplined group (years of rehearsal preceded its release) starting a musical journey together. And despite how different the group is now, Make Me Love You still stands up for Pike.

"I hear it and it's so naive in some ways; the music sounds naive, but to me that sounds really enduring, that sense of joy. We were never making that record to prove anything to anyone but ourselves, really. I think as a young band you throw caution to the wind a lot more, and that sense of discovery I think is really enduring."

Releasing alongside the reissue of the album is a bonus disc of sorts, containing various demos and B-sides from sessions recorded prior to its release.

The band will also play their first shows in a couple of years together at Sydney's Small World Festival, which, given Richard Pike is currently based in London, is something special again. "People keep referring to this as an anniversary show, but to me it's a bit of a homecoming gig really," Pike smiles. Add to this the fact the band are well into recording their fifth studio album, due for release next year, and you've got a band who just won't stop — their journey continues.