1.What Do You Look For In A Band?
Beck, Karl and I have been together since October 2012. We all get along really well, like one big (little) dysfunctional family. We like to gross each other out, make crude jokes and catch up outside of the band room quite regularly for band bonding/quality time. We take our music seriously. We rehearse, write and gig routinely every week without fail. And when we aren’t doing the band thing we make our living from being private teachers. It is absolutely fundamental to me that the people I play with are people that I connect with well on a person-to-person level – like kindred spirits. Finding a harmonious connection of personalities and musicianship, I think, is crucial to our sound. We sound like we play right from the heart.
We’re influenced heavily by the North Mississippi Hill Country bluesmen, the Chicago bluesmen and the Delta bluesmen – all kinds of bluesmen really. The good kind, that is. We take those influences and get dirty with it. Fuck with it. Make it our own.
2.Keeping Busy
We have been writing and working on new songs for our next recording, which we hope to get rolling later this year, and are gigging regularly around Sydney.
3.Best Gig Ever
Frankie’s Pizza! Last year for the Bleedin’ Gums Blues Fest. The place was pumping on a Sunday night til the wee hours of the morning. It was one of those gigs where you could feel the connection, not just between us and the audience, but also between the other bands. There was a lot of love that night. We will be back there on Thursday January 30 to headline, and again on Sunday February 9 with Barefoot Alley and Frank Sultana and The Sinister Kids.
4.Current Playlist
I’m currently listening to ‘Spoonful’ by Howlin’ Wolf. The space and intention of every note and layer is mesmerising! I’m also listening to ‘You Need Love’ by Willie Dixon, but am really into the Willie Smith and The Juke Joint Rockers’ version. Another great example of space and feel and rock-solid groove.
In terms of Aussie acts, I love ‘Somebody Call The Po’Po’’ by Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk. His album Shakedown is one of the best Aussie blues albums I have heard in a long time. Raw, authentic, Hill Country blues. Our guitarist Karl is really digging ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry of late. She is kind of his hero both musically and spiritually.
5.Your Ultimate Rider
Hookers, coke, weed, Johnny Walker Blue on tap. A stand-up comedian who only does dad jokes. Another stand-up comedian who only does ‘your mum’ jokes. An army of winged monkeys. A juggler. An Elvis impersonator who follows me around and only responds with “Uh-huh” every time I finish a sentence. Our drummer Beck is vegetarian which tends to piss off some venues because she is constantly demanding more vego options on the food rider. Uh-huh.
Catch The Big Blind Ray Trio atFrankie’s Pizza on Thursday January 30 and Sunday February 9
