Following the release of their first two singles ‘Despite’ and ‘Blatant Ego’ in 2021, self-described “dream-gaze” group Blue Vedder are back today with ‘Please (Proceed)’, a dense and gritty yet evocative single that doubles as another teaser of their forthcoming debut EP Static.

As ‘Please (Proceed)’ begins, we’re thrust into an explosive intro that blurs searing guitar riffs and hard-hitting grooves together, and almost instantly we’re being treated to the adrenergic experience of a rollercoaster ride. It’s not long before we descend into a misleading moment of calm, as Seth’s husky vocals float over a landscape of subdued, stripped-back instrumentation, but it’s a set-up; moments later, we plunge back into a thrilling rupture of reverberation and distortion, zooming us through the wall-of-noise and past one more fiery lead section before ‘Please (Proceed)’ screeches to a halt, leaving us with sonic whiplash.

To give us insight into the new single and to build the anticipation for their EP that’s brewing under the surface, Blue Vedder have shared with us the inspirations that lay as foundations for the sound of ‘Please (Proceed)’.



 Garbage - ‘Supervixen’

Seth: Garbage’s self-titled album was a huge influence on this recording and many to come. While also producing for Blue Vedder, I pay a lot of attention to the production in a lot of music. For me, Garbage has that amazing, thick sound. The opening riff in ‘Please (Proceed)’ definitely pays homage to the riff in ‘Supervixen’.


MILLY - 'Talking Secret'

Seth: I spent a lot of time listening to MILLY back when we were on tour at the beginning of the year. I’d just written ‘Please (Proceed)’, and we’d only just learned the song as a band. The dissonant chords, the laid-back tempo, and dynamics of the band really influenced the heavier stop/start sound for Blue Vedder.


Teenage Fanclub - 'Alcoholiday'

Lachlan: I’m naturally a busier bass player, rather than just doing root notes and the like, which is all well and good for having fun melodies but it’s important to hang back, serve the song and consider the dynamics. With ‘Please Proceed’, this approach is most obvious between the riff and the verse, from really simple to really busy. A band that does this really well are Teenage Fanclub, who I’ve had on repeat recently, especially the song ‘Alcoholiday’. It’s all about what feels right, especially the punchier parts.


Silverchair - 'Abuse Me'

Bryce: Around the time of recording, I was getting back into Silverchair’s album Freak Show - such a classic. ‘Abuse Me’ was a standout track when sourcing inspiration for ‘Please (Proceed)’. The drums hang back for the most part but turn up as necessary, as much as I love to hit them hard it’s important to be a modest drummer!


Armlock - 'Two Shots’

Seth: Armlock are one of my favourite bands from Naarm/Melbourne. The dynamics of this band are great. It feels so soft and nurturing, especially the vocals and guitar in this song. It pushed me to sing softer and to experiment with softer sounds and dynamics.


Hannah Cohen - 'Dissolving'

Lauren: I always pay real attention to melody when I’m listening to music, and love exploring the way it can totally change the dynamic of a track. I am always inspired by ‘Dissolving’ by Hannah Cohen, because her use of melody and harmony bring such an interesting trait to the track. ‘Please (Proceed)’ is on the heavier side, so I wanted to bring some warmth into the mix with the vocals and harmonies. I love the idea of playing with the contrast of soft and hard sounds in our music.


Flyying Colours - 'Not Today'

Seth: Again, I pay a lot of attention to the production of songs. You can’t beat Naarm/Melbourne band Flyying Colours in terms of the achievement to capture their overall sound. The chorus in ‘Please (Proceed)’ was inspired by the wavy, thick sound, with glide guitar and smooth-sounding fuzz.