Josh Pyke

So you're auctioning off the guitar boat from the 'Make You Happy' clip: what's that all about? Well, we had to do something with it. But seriously, the majority of the proceeds are going to go to the Indigenous Literacy Project, and I'm launching an event called Busking for Change this year, so it'll also help get that off the ground. Raising literacy levels is something that I've been aware of forever because my Mum's a teacher.

Was the boat your best idea ever? I have to admit it wasn't really my idea: it was Andy Cassell's [Ivy League Records' founding father]. We were thinking of ideas for the video and he sent me a two-word email that read "Guitar boat".

Did you have to get some kind of boating license to drive it? I'm not sure of the technicalities surrounding that one. Ahh, I guess what I'm trying to say is I didn't.

Breaches of maritime law aside, how's Chimney's Afire going? Great: it's really close to going gold, which is exciting because it hasn't been out long. I'm going to be touring this album for at least a year so I'm paying it big attention and waiting a little while to start on another record.

Should we expect another Chimneys-styled affair? I was talking about this last night, and I'm really tempted to make some changes to my style, but building the career I've got was actually really, really time consuming. I would love to take a couple of years off and release a concept album, but realistically, people probably aren't going to buy it. And I kind of need to pay my rent.

You're a Sydney boy through and through: what're your thoughts on our scene? Well, I saw Bon Iver play last night and I really enjoyed it but it made me realise there are so many bands in Australia making similar, if not better music. You know, you go to the Hopetoun on a Saturday night and see heaps of bands doing music of that calibre.

Anyone we should know about? I really love The Curse of Company, which is Dave Renwick from Dappled Cities, Sarah Kelly from redsunband and Jack Ladder, and I also like The Woods Themselves a lot. Midway through Bon Iver I thought, "Yeah, this is really good, but I probably like The Woods Themselves better."

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