1.Growing Up
The popular view is that musicians are kids that never grow up. Given some of the things that ‘adults’ get up to, there is a very good reason why not to. I grew up in a family of nine with six brothers. I saw myself as a bit different but found I could define myself through the music and songs that I related to. My dad played the tea chest bass in a jug band and my grandfather was the lead trumpet in a municipal brass band. Phil’s father, now retired, was a music teacher, composer, choirmaster and cathedral organist. Mick’s uncle taught him 4/4 time and a paradiddle.
2.Inspirations
My inspirations are Huddie Ledbetter, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane, Billy Bragg, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jethro Tull, Sex Pistols, The Clash and Midnight Oil. Phil likes The Beatles. He loves good melodies and harmonies. He also likes ’70s rock. Mick’s inspirations come from life and literature. His favourite musicians are Rush, King Crimson, Living Colour, Nile, Ihsahn, Mike Patton, Philip Glass, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Jethro Tull.
3.Your Band
The Urban Guerillas is a three-piece with myself on guitar and vocals, Phil Paviour on bass and vocals and Mick Elsley on drums and vocals. I met Phil when he responded to an ad in 1992. Mick joined the band in 2000 after being recommended by a friend. What unites us all is the passion to play energetic, socially relevant music with intent and attitude. It is quite fulfilling to harness the rock beast, fire it up and ride it with attitude and passion. It’s really about communication, presented in the most dynamic musical sense to create entertainment.
4.The Music You Make
The Urban Guerillas have released 13 albums in various formats; our latest is the My Kind EP which is available in stores and online. We record at Damien Gerard Studio with Russell Pilling to capture that live feel in the studio.
5.Music, Right Here, Right Now
The success of venues seems more than ever to be driven by the band’s capacity to bring people rather than any core clientele ready for new entertainment. That puts a bit more of the onus of a successful night on the bands themselves. We mostly see the bands who we support and the bands that we chose to support us at shows. Spy vs Spy is the obvious standout.
[The Urban Guerillas photo by Alec Smart]
My Kind is out now through Waterfront.The Urban Guerillas play theCaringbah Hotel Saturday November 19 and Beaches Thirroulon Friday December 2, withSpy vs Spy. Also appearing at Carols By Blowtorch, Union Hotel, Thursday December 8.
