MusicJournoUnpaid Debt interview
August 14th 2006 05:33
Unpaid Debt, Damo is first from the left
Interview with Damo, drummer for Sydney punk band Unpaid Debt
Hear a song from their new album...
Unpaid Debt - click to hear song.
Last year was really busy, we played about 80 shows, we did take a break recently but it was only a break from shows to write and demo new songs… haha
Have you guys done every major city in Australia now?
Nah, we haven't played in Darwin yet, although I'm sure we'd be able to hook up some shows with Plonker if we did and go snake hunting or something with Sean the Bastard (Plonker’s vocalist).
How many shows a year do you think you guys average now? Is it hard to keep your energy up?
The last couple of years we have averaged around 75-80 shows a year, as far as the energy levels go I sleep a lot and when I'm not sleeping I drink a lot of 'v' and 'red bull' and the other guys are a bit younger and skinnier than me so they have no problem
You’re the only original member of the band left - does it still feel like the same band? Is it sad to see so many band members come and go?
It does still feel like the same band in the way that the band is still about the same energy and feeling that we had when we started, which is why we decided to keep the name. The band has less of a ska influence in the sound now but we are still writing punchy, anthemic punk rock songs which is what was part of the original idea for the band was in the beginning. Lots of bands go through line-up changes sometimes with only one or two original members remaining (Frenzal Rhomb, Toe to Toe and One Dollar Short are just a few examples) and Joe and Harry have been in the band for quite some time now (Joe, almost 4 years and Harry for 2 years) and it is just something that happens sometimes unfortunately and sometimes fortunately. I feel that we have only moved forward with the line-up changes we have had, everybody who likes a band obviously has favourite members for some reason or another but the line-up changes in this band have happened for the right reasons, I still see and talk to the other guys that used to be in the band from time to time and we are still good friends and they have all moved onto other things that they are happy doing which is cool
Unpaid Debt's new album, 'Southern Cross Bones'
Why did you guys not stick with the name 'Sucker Punch'?
We tried to register it and some big company had it registered, trademarked and copywrited or something like that, we couldn't use it basically
Do you guys still play stuff off your first two EPs? Do you get many requests for these songs?
We haven't played anything off the first CD for a long time but have talked about pulling a couple of those songs out again, it might happen at some point, we still play 'I'm so happy I could shit' fairly regularly from the second CD, we get the occasional request for 'Chesty Bonds' or 'At the Tav', we just have so many songs that we want to cram in to a set and most bands obviously prefer their newer stuff and want to try it out to see what the reaction is
What are you favourite songs from each EP?
Suckerpunch ep: Lazy, At the Tav
Talk to the Hand: Satan's Rollerblades, Voices, I'm so happy, The perfect guest
Ugly on the Inside: No Apologies, Under your Sway, Naked Truth
Broken Hearts...Broken Bones: I Know, Call it a Day, Safe Like Dynamite, Verity
What sort of musical direction can you see the band moving in?
The 'Broken Hearts...Broken Bones’ EP was kind of an indication of where we are heading, anthem-y punk rock songs, group backing vocals, still plenty of variety, we like to mix things up to keep it interesting, if you liked that EP you'll like the album, it will take what we did on that EP and expand on it.
How much further do you think you guys have to go? Any plans for overseas tours?
There's no end in sight yet, I think we all want to do this as long as it remains fun, and its definitely a lot of fun at the moment, I think all of us will play music in some shape or form for a long time, whether it be in this band or others but Unpaid Debt has a fair way to go yet, we are also hoping to hook up some stuff overseas, we want to try and tour Japan at some point and go from there, we've heard a lot of good things from other bands that have played over there, so that is definitely on the agenda
What have been some of your favourite shows?
W.A is a great place to tour, they have a great scene over there and some killer bands like The Critics and Change of Face, Canberra is brilliant every time we play there as is Wollongong, getting the chance to play bigger shows with international bands is definitely a highlight though, touring with the Mad Caddies and Lagwagon was a lot of fun, playing with the Bouncing Souls was a major highlight as well
Anything else you'd like to add...?
Come down to a show sometime and say hi, or if you don’t want to come and see us a least check out some local bands rather than waiting around for the next international band to tour
Oh, and finally… Any chance of a Spilt Milk reunion show? (Spilt Milk was Damo’s band before Unpaid Debt)
Haha....we actually tried this a couple of years back, Marty (the guitarist) was down in Sydney for a while (he lives in Townsville now) and we had a couple of jams but nothing ever became of it, I'd love to do it, I know Matty (bassist) would too. I'm not ruling it out, it could happen one day
Unpaid Debt - website
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