Sounds Like Sunset

Today marks 10 weeks since we lost our beautiful friend Dave Challinor. Hardly seems possible.
When i was mixing the album, he was one pair of ears that i trusted, he was along for the ride from the beginning, and it was a strange twist allowed the opportunity for us to have him actually play in the band.
He played bass for us for a few NSW album launch shows in 2019. It was a tumultuous time for him, and it was really nice to know how much he enjoyed learning some news songs, playing a different instrument. He said it kicked him into gear with his new songs a little too. This weekend was so fun and chaotic, we played at Mosh Bar with Sounds Like Sunset and Bre from Library Siesta, and drove south to Port Kembla to play the amazing Servo with Babymachine and Marville. We miss you Dave.

On Saturday 28 January 2023 the beating heart of Sydney’s Sounds Like Sunset suddenly stopped.

Earlier that day David Challinor, the band’s singer, songwriter, and sonic architect, left his home to go for a run. Sounds Like Sunset had played a few nights earlier after a long break. They had been working on new material. A new album was being discussed. They played a blinder of a show. There was a lot to be excited about.

David Challinor went for a run. And he never returned.

The shock rippled out through the community: his family, his children, his bandmates, his friends, his colleagues. While the death of Television guitarist Tom Verlaine dominated the airwaves and music press, the influence and legacy of one of Australia’s most inventive guitarists and songwriters was moving on a different frequency around the world.

Certain words came up time and again as people tried to make sense of his loss. Talented, certainly. Underrated, inarguably. Kind. Generous. Modest. Brilliant. Hilarious. Gentle. Far too loud on stage.

And loved: so very, very loved.

The incredulity at his death, the fury at his being taken without warning, was amplified by the knowledge that there was so much more to come.

Challinor’s dreamy vocals and layered guitars created entire worlds over three critically acclaimed Sounds Like Sunset albums – 2001’s Saturdays, 2005’s Invisible and 2014’s We Could Leave Tonight. You couldn’t tell him that, though; by the time you had fallen in love with anything he’d done, he was already moving on to the next song, the next sound, the next world.

Despite being an accomplished and acclaimed visual artist – and a pioneering artist in Sydney’s close-knit graffiti community in the nineties, under the tag Umph – David preferred to work with a certain degree of anonymity.

Band photo shoots were politely declined. Video clips were started and abandoned. The music was enough to stand for itself – and for those that heard and loved it, that was more than enough. It’s also the reason the music never received the attention it deserved.

He leaves his loved ones, his many bandmates past and present, and a creative community who knew he was something truly special. And he leaves a peerless catalogue of beautiful, glorious music that deserves celebration.

Seek it out. Play it loud.

Andrew P Street

Last ever band photo. January 3, 2023

The world has a little less melody in it again today. Vale Burt Bacharach.

Dave Challinor snuck into a Burt Bacharach function around ‘97 or ‘98 with Stef from Architecture. They hung out with Burt for a bit and drank champagne. Burt signed Dave’s vinyl.

A few days later we were trying to think of a band name. All the ones we’d tried were silly. Dave wanted to call the band ‘Sunset’, but a quick Google (or more likely Alta Vista) search showed there were many bands called Sunset.

Inspiration came in the form of the signed ‘Sounds Like Bacharach’ record.

I found a copy of it in an op shop a couple of Saturdays ago. I took a photo to show Dave C, but didn’t get to it.

Our dear friend Dave Challinor left us yesterday. It all just hurts so much right now.

We love you, Dave.

Image credit: Kristoffer Paulsen

Thanks all for coming out to the Petersham Bowlo last night. Full house! Great times.

It was like a Hopetoun Hotel reunion circa 2001. A couple of pillars blocking the view of the stage and Coopers Green on tap and it would have been just about right.

Make sure you check out Key Out and Juno Point, give them a follow, great bands and old mates.

Looking forward to the next show if someone can get that sorted. We’re hopeless at that sort of thing.

If you’ve got any pictures or video feel free to post it in the comments.

*pics stolen from Matt Thurbon

Our Instagram is back. soundslikesunset. Give it a follow. Go on.

Feeling cute. Might finish a record this week.

Mark it, dude.

Got a little bit more work done on the record over the weekend, then COVID hit. We’ll try again in January.

Rehearsal done. Great Club, Marrickville tonight, with the Finalists, Royal Chant and The Valery Trails.

This Saturday night, The Great Club Marrickville. About 16 years ago Travis saved Hobson’s life out the front of that place, or at least watched as a car came to a screaming halt, narrowly missing our bumbling hero.

True story.

We’re playing with old mates, The Valery Trails, Royal Chant and The Finalists

It’s on. First Sydney show in years. Come down.

Upcoming show at The Great Club in Marrickville with old mates The Valery Trails on September 24. Hope someone brings a drum kit.

So much to tell you about this album-release week, including -live shows!

Sep 16 - Brisbane - It’s Still A Secret with Big League and Royal Chant

Sep 22 - Melbourne - The Gasometer Hotel (upstairs) - with Big League

Sep 24 - Sydney - The Great Club - with Sounds Like Sunset, Royal Chant and The Finalists

More show announcements to come ...

It's been a while (the pic is from our 2018 Texas adventure), so we are looking forward to getting on stage and making some noise.

Hi all. Wish I was telling you something exciting about a record or a show, but just here to say our Instagram has been hacked so don’t engage with any messages from us from there. Ugh. We’ve got our best minds onto it…

I’ve been trying to figure out how to share an event on here for a week, but for the life of me can’t work it out. So here’s a new post instead.

We’re playing on Saturday 5th March at the Link and Pin in Woy Woy with The Cannanes.

It’ll be almost exactly 2 years since we last played a show. Also, almost exactly 20 years since we played with the Cannanes.

Come up/down/over.