Life could hardly be more hectic for Melbourne student Leigh Hannah. Aside from his life as a full-time student, Leigh is also the brains behind one of Melbourne’s most promising independent artists – The Townhouses.

Without any help from a manager or agent, Leigh has been able to secure The Townhouses a host of international openings, booked national tours and even received airplay on Triple J.

Of course, this kind of business means Leigh spends a lot of time on his phone, and he spoke to Telstra Exchange about just that.

Firstly, tell us about the type of phone you have. Why did you choose it?

iPhone 3. I’m consistently breaking phones, so I now only use hand-me-downs from various family members.

Can you remember your first mobile?

I think it was one of the first Nokias, however I generally never had ‘credit’ and only really used it to play Snake.

If your phone has a music player, what are we likely to find in your library?

My phone currently consists of lots of Stereolab, Nick Drake, Julian Lynch and the beautiful new Cate Le Bon album.

Which apps do you have and use? Are there any that you would recommend?

Foursquare, Metlink, Yarra Trams, Goodreads, Metronome and Melbourne Coffee Review. I’d highly recommend Melbourne Coffee Review – locates where you are and then gives you a pretty in-depth review of coffee places nearby!

How does your phone help you in your career/industry?

The various ways in which you can save an idea is a huge advantage for me – for example the record function is fantastic for those times a new melody comes into your head. As long as my phone is with me I feel as if I don’t have to worry about forgetting those moments of creativity that happen most often when I’m preoccupied.

The Townhouses second album, entitled Diaspora, will be out in May/June 2012 through Yes Please. You can check out a song off their last album here.