Things have been going from strength to strength for Sisters Doll, but 2024 looks like the band will be taking further steps forward to cement their growing reputation as one of Australia’s ‘One to Watch’ bands. With a new album due out later this year as well as appearing on Rock the Boat in October, the year looks to be panning out nicely. Add into that Glamfest Australia, which kicks off tomorrow night (Friday) in Melbourne and you can see why Sisters Doll are pretty excited for the year ahead.
Andrew Slaidins caught up with frontman Brennan Mileto to talk about their impact in 2023, the excitement of Glamfest, new music and much more…
Andrew: Hey Brennan, Happy New Year to you and the band; welcome to The Rockpit. Thank you for giving up your Thursday night for us. How has 2024 been for the band so far?
Brennan: It been great! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you guys as well. I can’t believe we are in February already. 2024 has been a bit quiet on the band front. We have been getting a few mixes through for the new album which has been pretty exciting. That’s pretty much wrapped up now; we are just finalising a few things. Our first hit out of the year is at Glamfest which is pretty exciting as we haven’t been onstage since last October when we played Perth after our trip to America. We have been itching to get back on stage, it’s been a while.
Andrew: That would have been the longest time you have been away from the stage in forever. Last year seemed to be pretty full on you the band.
Brennan: It’s been hectic there have been a lot of personal things going on in our lives now individually now that we are little older. When we were younger it was go, go, go, go all the time. Being a little bit older you can’t just jump at everything all the time. We have had to be a little more planned and strategic in what we do.
Andrew: Before we launch into everything that is 2024 for Sisters Doll. Let’s recap 2023. What a milestone year for the band. As a band you achieved successes that many artists only wish for, played internationally and I guess the big one was a break through to mainstream commercial radio with ‘Change’.
Brennan: Being played on mainstream radio that was a big one. That’s the one thing we have always wanted to be on. Honestly, I thought it was only going to be played once. I think you can still request it; I got a message the other night from someone saying they just heard it which was cool to learn. We have been sending songs to MMM and other commercial radio stations for years. So, to finally after ten years to get a song they have liked and gravitated to enough to add is an incredible feeling. It just goes to show that these stations do listen, you have to have that right spark in a tune that the musical director connects to. Luckily for us they found that in ‘Change’. For us it was so satisfying and in a way gratifying that in some way a song that you have written has struck something and touched other people. It’s a really cool feeling.
Andrew: What was the catalyst for it being added? Was it first featured on Night’s with Dave Gleeson?
Brennan: It was originally played on MMM’s Homegrown show where it got a little bit of traction. Then the station pitched it to Dave Gleeson to add to his show which was on at an earlier time slot and has a bigger audience. From there we did an interview with him. We are playing on Rock the Boat later this year; The Screaming Jets are a part of the line-up we are on as well. It created a bit of a common talking point, so it will be great to join all the dots together then.
Andrew: I know of a few artists that have gone, how the hell did they do that? My answer has been with persistence, passion and a willingness to back themselves. It’s not being afraid of knocking on that door and being willing to make the most of opportunities that present themselves.
Brennan: We pitched ‘Prisoner’ and ‘Kiss Me’, same producer, same recording studio, same writing method and with ‘Change’ they found something that suited their market. I never write a song to specifically be tailored to a market like mainstream radio; however the goal is to have a song that is recognised and played on the radio for what it is. We have been going for thirteen years now and in that time the band has had a lot of doors opened for us which we are so grateful for. At the same time, we have had more doors slammed in our faces. Being on MMM hasn’t changed the world for us but it’s something I’m really proud of. It’s a story I get to tell my kids on day. I’m super proud of what we achieved with ‘Change’. It’s another check off the list and whether anyone else finds significance in being played on MMM it’s something as a band did and I’m proud of it. As a band we are proud of it; it’s gratifying to have achieved that as a songwriter and performer.
Andrew: Given that the band started off with one of the biggest public platforms possible in Australia’s Got Talent. You were introduced to millions of Australian households. That is seriously a once in a lifetime opportunity for any artist. To still be doing things your way and not being coerced into a disposable career you have created a career for yourselves. Thirteen years is no small feat for any band to still keep tackling the world the way you do and controlling your own success. It all has to feel a little surreal at times.
Brennan: It’s persistence. There are moments where we wish we were at the next level that we could take that next step with ease. Personally, I always want what’s next, I’m constantly chasing as I want more. If we were to call it quits after this album, I would be super proud of what we achieved. It’s that fire inside that keeps asking you what can we achieve, ticking boxes as we go is what it’s all about and keeps us going. It’s always what the next goal. You never really know the timing of when things will happen. Pitching the three singles last year taught us that you never know what might happen. ‘Change’ reached the right ears and they liked it and added us to the playlist.
Andrew: The message behind that is inspirational to any artist or band out there. Never give up. Talking about the singles and the videos from last year, the guys you worked with are both friends of mine and immense talents. How did you find working with Ricki Rae at Lighthill Studios and Ian Ritter who directed and filmed your videos?
Brennan: It’s been amazing! We have gone from working on our stuff in a home studio to working with people who do this for a living. They do what they do because they as good at what they do. If we start with Ian he is just a genius. We went to him and said look we are a bit light on ideas for what we want to do with the video for ‘Change’. We played him the song and said I have the best spot the best location and I have been wanting do something with a band out here for ages. Every time he went to use the locations something happened; whether it was covid or the band broke up, or something just happened so he never had a chance to use this location on a shoot. It turned out great. He also filmed ‘Prisoner’ for us, while it was our original concept, he adds his flair and just brought it to life. He makes us feel good about ourselves and just brings the best out in us. I think he really enjoys working with us, which is great. Ricki, I just can’t praise enough. There is nothing I could say that expresses how amazing he has been. He is a magician, he brings out the best in all of us. The songs were there and the basis of the songs were, what he brought out in the songs is incredible. The little touches and tweaks he made were amazing, sonically we believe we have ever sounded better. Your last album is always your favourite album as an artist or your best album. This album is definitely going to be a step up and we can’t wait to hear the finished record. I definitely think this album is a step above and a lot of that has to do with Ricki. Obviously, the songs are the core of the album, we have all grown up and developed as players and writers. The hardest thing I have had to explain to people over the years is when you start as a young band you get pushed into a category, there is always a comparison and pre conceived idea of what you are all about without giving you a go. I hope with this album people that may not have given us a go back then give us a listen and discover that there are some really good songs on the album. You know as you get older you experience different things, life experiences and go through things that influence your writing. Like anything the more you write the better you get at it, and like I said Ricki brought the best out of each song. It has been just the four of us in the studio Ricki, Bryce, Austin and myself, no outside writers or collaborations, it has just been in the studio. I think we sent Ricki about thirty-two
demo’s, he picked what he thought were the twelve best songs and hopefully the album will elevate us to the next level we want to be at and open up more opportunities for us.
Andrew: Your final release for 2023 was a cover of the Kiss track ‘God Gave Rock N Roll To You’, was that a part of the Ricki Rae sessions and will it be on the new album?
Brennan: That was a part of those sessions. We had a bit of extra time up our sleeves, we recorded the twelve tracks and there was an opportunity to do something else which I can’t reveal at the moment and had some extra time. So instead of setting up the studio to again to record just one track we all decided that we could utilise being set up to record another song. We all put our heads together to see what song we wanted to do, we ummed and ahhh’d over which song and because we have a bit of a Kiss following through playing with Bruce Kulick, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, having been on the Kiss Kruise we thought we would tackle a Kiss song. “God Gave” was a part of our set so we figured it made sense to record it. Even though it’s not originally a Kiss song we could also give it our spin. It quite a challenging song and it also allowed us to show off the musicality side of the band. Bryce smashed out the drum tracks and we figured we would get to it one day. As we were spending more time in the studio and were really able to knuckle down on what we were doing we banked enough time to finish the track. We had originally planned to release another of the new albums tracks as a single, but timing was kind of off being the end of the year so we went with GGRNRTY so that there wasn’t a huge gap in presence for us. It was mixed and mastered ahead of time and sitting there, it was an obvious choice. The intent behind it was to also keep our streaming stats growing add interest to listeners and create more interest when the album gets released. It’s made a difference GGRNRTY actually doubled our monthly listeners.
Andrew: Will ‘God Gave Rock N Roll To YOU’ be on the album?
Brennan: No, it won’t be. The new album is all original material. We are still finalising the track order. I guess the ultimate plan would be to do a deluxe version of the album down the track and perhaps release it there with some of the demo’s so people can compare the original idea of a song to what it became on the album.
Andrew: GlamFest is just around the corner and not only are Sister Doll playing at GlamFest you are a part of the international headline billing. That has to feel pretty surreal how did that come to be?
Brennan: It’s great to be sharing the stage with some iconic bands. It’s always a privilege and we don’t take these opportunities lightly. We have been rehearsing and no matter what gig it is we always give 110%. It’s these gigs where you always seem to find an extra 10% because you want to give your best. I think every band that plays at these events wants to be noted as a stand out band, to be the band that everyone is talking about how great they were. These kinds of gigs are always fun and seem to push you a little harder to be your best. That’s what we are excited about. We haven’t gigged for so long or been in front of an audience as we have been in the studio or working our regular jobs, dealing with life outside of music, it’s what drives the three of us. As you know you, don’t make a lot of money in the industry anymore, we do it because we love it. What we do love about the industry is being on stage performing in front of an audience. I am really looking forward to just being back on stage again and rubbing shoulder with some of these international bands which will hopefully help when we go overseas again. It a great way to network and build contacts. We are humbled to be a part of it and thanks to Silverback Touring for letting us be a part of it and on another run of GlamFest this year.
Andrew: It’s obvious that your work ethic and business ethic has presented this opportunity for you again. It’s well deserved.
Brennan: Thank you!
Andrew: If it’s something that I have notice over the last twelve months or so it is how you have really developed as a band. The singles are testament to growth in your song writing skills. Performance wise the show is more of your own personalities rather than adaptations or guides that you have used to set performance benchmarks for yourselves. You have found your true identities and that comes with growth on all levels. The level up has been
significant in all aspects of the band. That is what I have come to love about you guys. Your ability to adapt the first single to work alongside the newest single is great, there is a timelessness to the show and its flow.
Brennan: Again, thank you, I appreciate you saying that.
Andrew: Looking back to when you recorded the debut album ‘Welcome To The Dollhouse’ to recording the forthcoming album, what was the biggest discovery or learning curve you experienced?
Brennan: When you record your first album it is just so exciting, it’s your first time is a proper studio, it’s sounding good. Until then you watch videos of yourself playing and get an idea of how you sound. Hearing yourself with the disciplines of the studio it’s so exciting. Being so green to that it’s an amazing experience. With the second album we had been playing the tracks live before the studio and hearing them come to life in a studio environment was exciting. With the new album we have definitely learned more about delving into a song, breaking it into pieces and bring something exciting to the studio while still having the energy of it being played live. With Bryce, Ricki worked him and would suggest a slightly different approach by adding little intricacies to excite his studio performance. With us all being in the studio during the recording we got to listen to every little part as it was being recorded. When you get to listen back to it and hear the changes or the things that were added in, the things you tried differently it gives you a different perspective and appreciation of what we
created together.
Andrew: Is there a release date set for the forthcoming album yet and will there be a new single to coincide with Glamfest?
Brennan: No new single for GlamFest, but there will definitely be one after. We are looking at March at this stage. The album release; we are hoping to have it out sometime in June. We would love to have it out there sooner but it’s our baby and we don’t want to have it out there too soon. There are things we want to do to build further anticipation before it’s release because once it’s out there it’s out there (laughs)
Andrew: Does the band have any international touring plans for 2024?
Brennan: Probably not this year unless an opportunity presents itself, then we will make it work. We already have Rock The Boat locked in for October of this year. That’s a seven-day cruise out of Sydney. We are excited about that one as there will be a lot Australian promoters and managers in attendance. Hopefully we get to create a bit of a stir, get a buzz happening that could capture the attention of other agents within Australia which would be nice. We are in talks with Monsters Of Rock Cruise to see how we might be able to make that happen. We want to push things as much as we can get back to the States. We would love to go to Europe and we are in the early stages of talking to some European promoters. We need to find the right angle to get there and make it worth-while. The reason we have gone to America so often is that we have always had a big opportunity that we were able to base other shows around. Being able to pick up a big headline support or a festival that we can base our time around that date and do other shows around that.
Andrew: To warm up for these upcoming shows you have had a couple of solo shows around Melbourne, Bryce has a gig with his Motley Crue tribute Looks That Kill, does Austin have a side project that we should know about?
Brennan: Not Really, Austin has been asked to do a couple of things. He is pretty content doing what he is doing. He does a little bit of session work here and there, but in terms of playing live he is pretty devoted to Sister Doll. Austin absolutely shines on this new album. People will be blown away by what he done on this album. All the guitars and bass are him. I didn’t play a thing on it. I wrote and sang almost everything on the album, but Austin has just come along in leaps and bounds on this one.
Andrew: That actually kind of led into this next question. There is a fourth Mileto brother, has there been any thought of introducing him into the band?
Brennan: Between you and whoever this goes out to he was going to join us for GlamFest. We had a thought that this could maybe be the time, but don’t worry it definitely in the thought process. Maybe by the time we get to the album launch in June you might another member onstage, which would be nice.
Andrew: Are there any of the local acts on the Glamfest bill that you are keen to see or checkout for the first time?
Brennan: It’s funny we have played with a lot of the Australian bands over the years. Even though some of the bands have had line up changes throughout the years it’s still great to see them going. We are good friends with the guys from Ablaze and Ragdoll, obviously Cassidy Paris is killing it at the moment. There are so many bands that I want to see. Shotgun Mistress I’m yet to see and will be checking out. Obviously, there are bands like The Revolation that you introduced us to back in October that are a great band even though they aren’t on the GlamFest, I did see that they supported Candlebox recently. We have never had any egos. We know that everyone wants to achieve, they have their dreams and goals. The hardest thing for me is I don’t get out too much because of my job and where we live is a fair way from the city so I don’t get out as much I would like to. It’s great to see that we still have a strong scene that does it because they love it. It’s going to be a great little run and hopefully people buy the tickets and come out to see the shows. It’s a great line up, great bands and great value for what you get to see. It’s going to be amazing. Really when you break the ticket price down and it’s not much more than $10 per band. It’s an event people need to get to.
Andrew: You have the Doll Army, the fan club and you have some of the most loyal fans which is amazing. I have seen you guys get gifted with fan made things, what the most unique thing a fan has given you guys?
Brennan: Our fans are really good, they usually give us things that are nice and heartfelt. One of the coolest things we were given was a custom set of bobbleheads that looked like us. I don’t want this to sound negative in anyway, but the most unusual thing we have been given by a fan was a set of dolls that were made from flower pots with string for the limbs painted to look like us. That was strange in the sense that I hadn’t seen anything done like that before, they look so cool when they are all together.
Andrew: Thank you so much for your time tonight Brennan. Here’s to a huge 2024 for the band and I will see you at GlamFest.
Brennan: Thank you for reaching out to me and I will catch up with you at Glamfest. Let’s do something again when we are ready to launch the album.
