Bond is an Australian/British string quartet that specializes in classical crossover music. Bond has been described as the best selling string quartet of all time, selling over four million records with their style of music. The quartet consists of Haylie Ecker (first violin, from Perth, Australia), Eos Chater (second violin, from Cardiff, Wales), Tania Davis (viola, from Sydney) and Gay-Yee Westerhoff (cello, from Hull, England).
They are the four piece string quartet girl band that have revolutionized classical music with their raunchy image and revealing outfits. For your viewing pleasure, a little gallery and for your reading pleasure, an interview with the girls…
What instruments do you play and why did you choose them?
Tania: I chose the Viola, I just love the sounds it can make.
Eos: I chose the violin because my older sister played it. I wanted to be like her.
Gay-Yee: I chose the cello because I think the sound it akes is really intriguing.
Haylie: I play the violin and the piano, my parents suggested I learn the violin and I learnt the piano as part of my musical education.
What made you decide to develop your interest further and take up music as a career?
Eos: I just love music so much and I’m quite good at it so I thought, this is your dream go for it girl!
Gay-Yee: It wasn’t really a conscious decision to go into music, I just couldn’t see myself doing anything else and being happy.
Haylie: I was lucky enough to travel as a child with my family and in LA I had this amazing teacher who, at the time had a few child prodigies who were getting recognised. I decided I wanted to be just like them.
How were you first introduced to each other?
Tania: Haylie and I have been friends since we were teenagers in Australia. I met Eos and Gay-Yee through Tania at college in London.
What did you initially think of forming a band, rather than going down a more traditional route?
Tania: We wanted to do something with music, we all wanted to write and perform our own songs, and we are friends, what could be more fun?
Eos: I had been playing with other bands before but when I met the girls I thought, this is who I want my band to be with.
Gay-Yee: Originally we just saw ourselves as a string quartet. When we formed we didn’t know where we were headed we just wanted to play. Now we feel like a band.
Who came up with the name Bond and why?
Tania: Haylie came up with our name, it was inspired by our love of the music in James Bond films by John Barry, passionate and dramatic!
Haylie: I had a boyfriend at the time who said we should all take on a bond girl persona, in a Spice Girl type way; we just thought it would be really fun! It’s a play on words really, the bond of music and friendship.
Did any other artists inspire you – if so which ones and why?
Tania: Missy Elliot is a huge inspiration, she writes, performs, and produces. She is a very positive powerful artist.
Eos: Artists strong in instrumental music inspire me, like John Barry, Daftpunk and Goldfrapp.
Haylie: Heaps! Music is so personal, I just can’t explain why a musician or a piece of music hits a chord with me.
You have quite a raunchy and fashionable image – do you think that helps to make classical music more up to date?
Tania: We are a band that loves so many different types of music, the music we play is pop with classical influences, so we are classy ladies who have a pop image!
Eos: We don’t see our music as classical. We are a pop band who is influenced by classical music. We also normal girls who love to shop! Having a strong image is important to get our music to a wider audience.
Gay-Yee: Our music is pop that is classically influenced; I hope that will bring classical music in to the mainstream. Also we are girls that dress how we want to, that probably helps too!
Haylie: We don’t do classical music as such; our music is classically inspired. Bond is more pop, hence our image.
Who does the arrangements of your pieces?
Tania: We write and arrange a lot of our music. But we also enjoy working with other people. Over a third of “Classified” is written by us.
Haylie: Matt Dunckley did our orchestral arrangements.
What is your favourite piece of music to play and why?
Tania: For me it has to be Explosive, it is the most powerful and invigorating track to play.
Eos: I love the feeling I get playing Rachmaninovs 2nd symphony, its so powerful I feel like I’m apart of something really amazing.
Gay-Yee: Ace of spades by Motorhead! It makes me feel ready for anything!
Haylie: Dreamstar is my favourite because it reminds me of Kenya. I was on holiday there when I wrote it, it always brings back happy memories.
Describe your new album Classified?
Tania: Classified mostly takes well known classical themes and develops them into new tracks with dance, hip hop, pop and chill out influences. The best way for people to understand Classified is to listen to it!
Eos: Classified is more classically influenced than both Bond and Shine. We are really excited about it.
Gay-Yee: Exciting, Invigorating and Alive.
Haylie: Well that’s Classified… unless you buy it or legally download it of course!
You were the first female instrumental band to enter the UK pop charts ever, and have gone on to have numerous achievements. What do you feel has been your proudest moment?
Tania: Being number 1 in the pop charts in Australia at the moment is the most amazing feeling; all my friends and family in Sydney are so excited.
Gay-Yee: I feel so proud just having the opportunity to perform all over the world.
If you could play with any musician / artist alive or dead, who would you choose and why?
Tania: Jeff Buckley, he was an amazing musician, his music has real emotions behind it.
Eos: I would really like to play with Ravi Shankar.
Gay-Yee:I would love to work with Eminem or Dr. Dre. That would be amazing
Haylie: Henri Mancini, I love his arrangements they are so luscious and Hollywood in feel. I love that.
What would be your words of advice for aspiring Bonds out there?
Tania: GO FOR IT!
Eos: Practice! Go out and join an orchestra, or a group, just enjoy it – music is fun and social. It’s also challenging and technical but it’s worth it, trust me.
Gay-Yee: Enjoy every second of it, that is what music is all about.
Haylie: Just follow your heart and be strong.
What is next for you, and when can we next see you in the UK?
Eos: We are touring Asia, Australia and the USA for the next few months and then back in the UK early next year.
