The Hotseat: Aaron Osborne of I Exist
on January 22nd, 2012I Exist have kicked of their ‘Keepin It Denim‘ tour and will next hit up Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne on this current run of dates that include the Blood, Sweat & Beers fest in Sydney on February 4th. An all-ages the following day at Blackwire Records has just been announced too. The band continue touring in support of their ‘II: The Broken Passage‘ album released last year via Resist Records, and is just about to get an international release too. Aaron from the band took the time to answer our Hotseat questions this week. Expand this post to check out his answers, and re-cap their upcoming tour dates.
THE BASICS
Name : Aaron Osborne
Band : I Exist
Job In Band : Guitar/Vocals
Website Address : www.facebook.com/iexistcbr
HOME
Hometown : Canberra
Hometown is best known for : Porn, Weed, Politicians and the newly outlawed Fireworks.
Best venue in your hometown : ANU Bar
Favourite show you’ve seen in your hometown : Changes all the time, but probably the last Hard Luck show a few years ago, so wild.
Favourite show you’ve played in your hometown : Our album launch this year, was amazing so many people came out, had a blast.
THE BAND
How did the band first come to exist? I got bored of playing drums all the time, so started writing songs, got mates to play them with me, here we are now.
How long has the band been going? About 3 years now.
Any particular story behind the name? At one point we were something of an atheist band haha ‘God doesn’t exist, but I do’ was the quote explaining it I think. Who cares, as soon as you hear a band the name doesn’t matter anyway haha.
What’s your most recent release? Tell us a little about it… Our last album II: The Broken Passage. I love the record, I love the songs on it, I love how it sounds, it was an awesome experience getting to record it and I couldn’t be happier, go suss it!
Got a personal stand out achievement of your band to date? Getting the opportunity to play with bands that inspired me to write the songs for this band like Blood Duster, Mindsnare, Ringworm, Acid King, tonnes more.
OFF THE STAGE
What was your first introduction to music that made you think seriously about playing it? Listening to my dad listen to Kiss / ACDC / Chisel and stuff when I was a kid and my mother making me play every musical instrument under the sun badly until I stuck with guitar haha.
Any particular band / album or song that you personally credit as a major influence? Eyehategod’s ‘Take as Needed for Pain’ record changed my life and everything about how I saw and heard music, and Black Sabbath’s ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ two amazing records!
Your first band name, and what style did you play? Echo Inside, high school band haha, nu metal, then thrash, then groovy metal shit, then death metal, trend hopped every year we heard a heavier band haha.
Most prized music related item you own? Everything with Eyehategod written on it.
When you’re not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? Watching TV on DVD, driving to and from Canberra and work / uni.
The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is… Seeing my friends in different cities and my band (dorky I know) I live in a different city and they are my best friends, so getting to see them is sick haha.
The thing you least look forward to before a tour is… Rapidly running out of money as soon as I leave home.
ON THE STAGE
When on offer, what’s your one must have item on the rider? Beer.
Favourite place you’ve toured… and why? New Zealand is one of the coolest places Ive been and I had a great time there, so much to see and to drink and cool places.
Most memorable show you’ve played? and why? Probably Hardcore 2010, 4 guitarists etc, or Bastardfest in Sydney, so many cramped sweaty people in the Sando and a chick was on someone’s shoulders, it felt like I was in Green Day at Lollapalooza or something.
Got a favourite song to play live? The Temptress, always.
Any embarrassing on stage moments come to mind? Nearly falling all the time, Jake kicking out leads, not really embarrassing, I just laugh at it haha.
Any pre-show rituals? Drinking probably haha.
What do you find is the hardest aspect of touring in a band today? Making sure everyone is at places on time and not losing people.
RIGHT NOW
Last song you listened to? ‘Your Majesty’ by Gentlemans Pistols
Last album you acquired? ’Anatomy is Destiny’ by Exhumed, lost the old copy haha.
Which band or album is currently on high rotation? Gentlemans Pistols, The Roots and Corrosion of Conformity.
Tell us an up and coming band or artist you think we should go and listen to right now? Hydromedusa from Adelaide, some of the coolest music coming out of Australia I’ve heard in ages, old school, great riffs.
What’s on the cards for the next few months for the band? We have our ‘Keeping it Denim’ tour, our album is also about to come out in the US / Europe on Lost Shepherd / Prosthetic Records, then writing songs, playing more shows and having a beer.
IF ONLY…
You can pick any one album for your band to cover in full, what would it be and why? Probably something by Sabbath, because every song on every Ozzy record is a ripper.
You can pick any one band / artist to cover one of your albums in full, what would it be, and why? The Roots, to see what they would do with it.
One band you wish you were able to see live but never had the chance? Pantera.
One venue you have yet to play that you would love to? The Espy in Melbourne, I like the venue and it has wild history, Im just interested to give it a crack haha.
The chance comes up to fill in for a member of a band for one tour, which band would it be, and why? Eyehategod, because I would try so hard not to fuck up, id probably fuck it up heaps and that would be perfect for them.
A headline tour overseas comes up, tell us two bands you’d take along to support your band. I’d take Sex Wizard and Phantoms, because they are legends and I love them both.
PLUG TIME
Got any last words? Keeping It Denim tour! Come out to one of the dates, we’ll be playing new songs, drinking, having fun and you should too. If you haven’t already check out our album ‘II: The Broken Passage’ out now on Resist Records. Thanks for the interview!
I Exist – II: The Broken Passage
Available now on Resist Records.
Pick up a copy on CD or Vinyl online now [Here] with free postage.
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Resist Presents…
I EXIST
“Keepin It Denim” Tour 2012
JANUARY
28th – Thriller, Brisbane [18+] w/ Shackles, Civil War, Acid Snake.
29th – Between The Walls, Brisbane [AA] w/ Fires Of Waco, Civil War, Dead Frogs.
FEBRUARY
3rd – The Basement, Canberra [18+] w/ Life and Limb, Venom Eyes, Something Must Break.
4th – Annandale Hotel, Sydney [18+] [Blood, Sweat & Beers] Full details and tickets [Here]
5th – Blackwire Records, Annandale [AA] w/ Stolen Youth, Luca Brasi
10th – Animal House, Adelaide [AA] w/ Sex Wizard, Robotosaurus, The Weight.
11th – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne [18+] w/ Anchors, Ill Vision, Backlash.
12th – Black Goat Warehouse, Melbourne [AA] w/ Trench Sisters, Shit Weather, Outright.
—> Tickets available at the door.
—> For more information, visit [Here].
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