An Interview with Golf Alpha Bravo

Words by Sarah Morrison

Photo by Pooneh Ghana

Australian singer and guitarist Gab Winterfield has unleashed his new surf-blues solo project Golf Alpha Bravo. The debut album 'The Sundog LP,' will be out on June 12 and released internally on his newly found record label Treasured Recordings.

We caught up with Winterfield to explore his vision for the solo workings, the influence of musical philosophies, the effects of imposter syndrome, wrestling with oneself, and openness to new avenues.  

When did you initially start chipping away at your own solo work? Has this been material you’ve held onto for a few years or something you took into action over the last little while? 

I think I truly started about a year and a half ago/two years ago. Originally, I had all these demos and they were semi-electronic with drum machines and synths and stuff. Then I thought ‘No, this isn't actually what this needs to be.’ In my head, I think of it as going back to the stone-age, we record it live, and we just use drums, guitar, bass, vocals. That’s it. It was quite conscious, keeping things really primal and seeing if, even in 2020, it's a vibe to still be able to do that as best as you can. 

The title of your debut LP ‘The Sundog’ is a play-off of the American musician and composer Moondog. Were his works a main point of reference for the direction you sort of wanted to explore with music elements and the structure for your pieces? 

Aw, he is one of my absolute heroes. He's been someone I've loved since I was a child. I’ve always admired Moondog’s social perspective; he was blind and as being blind can be quite alienating, he loved being in the middle of the city so he could hear people and be a part of the action. Subsequently, his music reflects that, with the sounds of bells mimicking the sounds of streetcars etc, 

I love mid century music. Beeautiful moments in the fifties where the world starts thawing from the wars for the first half of the twentieth century. Everyone starts to get a bit vibey.

Eden Ahbez is also really amazing,

A Sundog is also a phenomenon where the sun appears to have a halo.

You’ve mentioned philosophies quite a bit. What are some of your own philosophies or others that you try to live by?

I have different philosophies in different aspects of my life, I suppose but with music, I want to make a connection in a fairly primal way. 

The idea of bringing things to a rudimentary point of view. Lyrically, still conveying the depths and concerns of the modern person. Banging on drums and reciting poetry. 

Never lose that human connection with the music and therefore with the people as well. I don’t know this even sounds trying in a way but have fun (laughs)! It has to be fun/there has to be that vibe.

Treasured Recordings is a label you’ve constructed and will be releasing your debut LP ‘The Sundog’ on. Why create and release internally rather than get big label support like you’ve been accustomed to having in the past? 

I had some help on a few tracks from Mom+Pop, But I’ve handle the release mostly myself.

There are so many resources at your disposal, for my first solo release I think it makes sense to self release.

Do you have plans to take the label farther? Do you have some acts in mind that you’ve like to get involved with or have already started working with? 

Not really. And I don’t think there’s much I could do to help others coming up. 

You recently released your newest single off the album ‘Stuck Being Me,’ a track focused on the theme of spending time alone. Bit of a coincidence with all that's going on or has it always been considered as a single? 

I wrote ‘Stuck Being Me’ before we were all stuck in Isolation. But it was a conscious decision that I thought the song might connect with people at this time.

I feel like at the moment there's a lot of highlighters on people themselves because they are spending a lot of time with themselves. You sober up from the amount of exchanges you have every day and the noise that you're used to, reduced to the bare nuts and bolts of who you are as a person and whether you're happy with that.

I hope when circumstances improve that people don't shy from tactility. I want people to still feel confident to hug when they see each other.

With hints from the lyrics, were you, at a time, struggling with comparing yourself to others around you? Did you ever find yourself feeling the effects of imposter syndrome? 

I wouldn’t say I’m struggling with comparing myself to others... I think of it more constructively. There are lots of people around me that I admire and look up to.

Could this potentially be a topic included within the lyrics of the song? 

I‘m not sure whether or not I was consciously thinking about that when I was writing it or if it just came out. 

It was definitely thinking about the people I admire and look up too and thinking 'Oh jeez, I'm never going to be like these guys.' 

Did you ever find yourself a bit too much in your own head? 

You constantly wrestle with the overthinking versus the not thinking at all; that flow state. 

You’ve stated “the record moves between looking inward and outward, desire and respite,” could you give me more detail on what exactly you're referencing? Is this within yourself and life experiences? 

It’s my internal self-consciousness I guess. But also thinking about other people and the lay of the land; how the world relates or how someone might fit into the world. There are depths and shallows.

Now that you’re starting new, is it sort of a bit of fresh air? Are you allowing yourself to walk in with open expectations for what’s to come?

I don’t really relate what I’m doing with what I have worked on in the past. To me different projects exist in their own worlds. My goals are always focused on the music, I don’t even really think in terms of expectations.