The duality of being in both The Bronx – one of the most wildly energetic, exciting bands in modern punk – as well as Mariachi El Bronx (that same band partaking in traditional Mexican folk music) is not exactly like being both Superman and Clark Kent.
Think of it more as being both Superman andBatman – each a hero to their part of the world, each an immeasurable arse-kicker, but each doing it in very different ways. Both bands have been in the full swing of touring this year, and it’s getting to that time where some new material is beginning to bubble under. The Bronx, in this regard, are currently taking priority, given it’s now been three years since the release of the band’s fourth eponymous LP.
“We’re super excited to get cranking on it – we’re working on it right now,” says vocalist Matt Caughthran of what he is colloquially referring to as Bronx 5. “We’ve only been able to get a couple of demos going because we’ve been so busy touring, but we’re looking to get work done in earnest around November. I know we want to get back to just going all out – it feels, in a lot of ways, like there’s a lot we need to get off our chest. I think it’s going to be a pretty aggressive record.”
As for new Mariachi material, Caughthran explains that fans may have to wait a little longer. “We haven’t written anything new for El Bronx,” he confesses. “Both bands have been touring so much this year, we kind of have to make a sacrifice in terms of what material gets written first. It’s not fair on either band to try and write both at the same time. They both deserve equal attention.”
Given that Caughthran spends the majority of his time with The Bronx screaming in people’s faces, while as the leader of Mariachi El Bronx he mostly croons, one could safely assume there is a certain challenge to touring with both bands simultaneously. But Caughthran embraces the uniqueness of his band’s split personality.
“It’s definitely something that I’ve had to get used to,” he says. “It’s definitely strange, but I think it’s strange in a good way. It’s unique, and it’s something that we really love about what we’re doing – no-one else is really doing it. The difficulty comes with trying to get into a rhythm when you’re going back and forth between the two bands. Outside of touring, we don’t try to force the issue – whatever we’re feeling creatively is what we’re going to pursue.”
Despite losing a founding member of the band in drummer Jorma Vik this past June, nothing has slowed the momentum of The Bronx and Mariachi El Bronx this year. Caughthran is particularly excited about both acts on a live front – he more or less guarantees that if you’re coming to see them now, in either form, you’re in for a hell of a performance from musicians with nothing to lose.
“On a personal level, I feel that I’ve found a new plateau of not giving a fuck this year,” he says with a laugh. “I feel like there’s definitely a complete recklessness to our shows. The band is playing really well – ‘focused’ is the wrong word, because we’re so disoriented, but we’re definitely all in it together. Everyone wants to just fucking get crazy, and the energy has just been through the roof. It takes over the place from start to finish – there’s no mercy. I want to continue that – it feels empowering.”
The Bronx and Mariachi El Bronx are set to return to Australia this month. The former will be appearing as support for Brisbane’s Violent Soho on their national tour, and it’s not lost on Caughthran that when The Bronx toured in 2013, one of their openers was none other than Soho themselves. He has no sour grapes about the tables being turned, however.
“It’s so well deserved for those boys,” he enthuses. “We’ve known them for a really long time. We brought them over to the States and did shows with them while they were over here. The music industry can be really fucked up, but they’re hard. They don’t let bullshit break them down. Success like that couldn’t have happened to a more deserving band. It’s so great they wanted us to come out and be a part of these shows – we’re seriously honoured.”
Mariachi El Bronx, meanwhile, are set to play The Lost Lands festival, as well as a key headlining show in Sydney. Though many point to The Bronx’s legendary 2004 Annandale Hotel show, which was filmed for a DVD, as their greatest moment, Caughthran believes Mariachi achieved similar classic status when they headlined Melbourne’s Forum Theatre in 2010.
“It was the most fun show,” he says. “At that point, we were really trying to do something different with Marachi shows – we had a whole section where we were just playing our most quiet, acoustic numbers. We were so nervous about doing that because we had never really done it before. Thankfully, this crowd was so fucking cool, they went with whatever we wanted to do. Everyone was dressed up, everyone was singing along to all our songs… it was just one of those nights I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”
Mariachi El Bronx play atManning Bar on Wednesday November 2; and they support Violent Soho at the Hordern Pavilion on Saturday October 29.
