What was the first song you learnt? Saltwater by Julian Lennon. My next door neighbours had a three-tiered organ and used to compete in organ competitions so they were all amazing players. They taught me how to play the chords of Saltwater, which I guess must have just come out at the time. I probably played some other songs before that, but this was the first proper song with chords.
What’s your favourite memory of your early musical life? I love that everything was a revelation. Playing two notes together, playing chords, and then learning how to play bass lines while you were playing chords. The piano and the keyboard are such a cool instruments for experimenting because everything sounds musical, even if it's a really strange chord.
What made you want to play music in the first place? My dad had all these cool records of pop bands from the 60s like The Searchers, The Hollies and Manfred Mann, and I always thought it sounded like they were having heaps of fun. There was always a lot of music around me when I was growing up. And then the first synthesizer I played was the coolest thing i'd ever heard and I decided I wanted to play them all the time.
How old were you when you started playing? I started playing piano when I was about 8. Violin before that. And then synths and guitar when I was about 15 or 16.
Who were your music heroes/idols back then? Who are they now? I was obsessed with John Lennon when I was little, to the point where my dad had to sit me down and tell me he died before I was born and I was never going to meet him. I cried for about two weeks. Then later on when i got into synths I idolised Beck, Ween and Devo. Not too much has changed since then.
What was the name of your first band? Sekiden was my first band and we were together for about 8 years! It was no-brainer-synth-poppy-feel-good songs, mostly played very fast.
Seja is a solo artist from Brisbane and a member of Sekiden and Regurgitator.