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THE BASICS Name : Kelly Band : Rex Banner Job In Band : Guitar and shit talk Website Address : www.rexbanner.com HOME Hometown : Sydney Hometown is best known for : A huge bridge made of iron and the target of the rest of the country’s jealousy Best thing about the music scene in your hometown : Plenty of shows, plenty of good people Most influential band to yourself that’s come out of your home town : Midnight Oil or Irrelevant Best up and coming band from your home town would be : Homewrecker THE BAND What’s the story behind the band name? Our old guitarist Josh had a serious Simpson’s fetish and picked out a bunch from the show. This one was the winner. I think second was Monkey Knife Fight. When did the band begin and how did it come about? We had been jamming in various configurations for a few years but it got real when we picked up our old singer Adam from the BP on the corner of Parramatta and Missenden roads in March 2006. Adam was replaced by Cotter in January 2007. And here we are now. How would you describe your sound to the average Joe on the street? Ac/Dc times 5. If they don’t know who Ac/Dc are, I’d ask them for spare change. What’s your current release? Tell us a little about it… Our EP 'The Good Times Are Killing Me' is being re-released through Washed Up / Stomp on June 7 after we sold out of the pressing we did ourselves. Its got extra songs, new art and all that jazz. In July, we are releasing a 6 track split with Sydney hardcore dudes, Homewrecker. Both will be in JB Hi-Fi’s around the country and good independents. What image do you think / hope your music conveys? I don’t give a rat’s arse. We are having fun and fucking around and I hope the audience do too. If you want something conceptual and highbrow go see The Butterfly Effect. BYO copy of Anemia. In five years time the band will be… older and fatter OFF THE STAGE What was your first introduction to music that made you think seriously about playing it? I think it was probably moshing at Homebake to Jebediah and Grinspoon. Sepultura tapes helped out too. What was your first band name and what style did you play? Hahahaha we were called Fat Domino and blended Pantera and Deftones as creatively as every other garage metal band ever! Tell us three albums you couldn’t live without in your collection. Sepultura – Chaos AD, Lifetime – Jersey’s Best Dancers, Throwdown – You Don’t Have To Be Blood To Be Family Best piece of musical advice you’ve been given. Tune! Two groups/artists you’d love to take out on the road. Slayer and Fall Out Boy. Favourite song of your group? We Can’t Stop Here, This Is Donkey Kong Country! Good memories… The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is. The whole thing The thing you least look forward to before a tour is. Going to work the day after tour finishes tired as fuck When your not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? Internetting, getting yelled at by my flatmate’s to clean the bathroom or watching Harvey Birdman ON THE STAGE / ROAD What gear do you use? Team Engl forever (fuck off Trent)… Engl cab, Engl head, boss pedals, shit PRS guitar that I’m trading for a Gibson LP tomorrow! Favourite place (city/town/country) you’ve toured… and why? Brisbane… dudes go crazy and we have lots of friends there. Always an excellent time to be had. The best show you’ve ever played was… and why? A tie between our last Gold Coast show in a tiny garage called Sam’s Shed that had dudes stage diving off the second floor stairs and the last Brisbane show at Rosie’s, which was complete mosh devastation. I feel like Scott Vogel… MORE STAGEDIVES Who hogs the stereo in the van the most? Haha me. My falsetto singing to pop punk through the witching hours has kept Lou and Cotter awake through sleeping pills a few times After a week in the van/bus on tour which band member will have the messiest section, and what would we most likely find stashed there? Jerry, the quiet, unassuming drummer whose bag explodes as soon as we get in the van. There will be powerade bottles everywhere and a few pairs of his girlfriend’s knickers. Who in your group has the worst “bad habit” on tour, and what is it? Brendan. He stinks and can’t drive. Sonofabitch. Most embarrassing moment on tour? Probably last Melbourne trip when Brendan got so fucked up he became a mutant zombie who didn’t wear pants or undies, narrowly avoided getting bashed by Freddy Madball, pissed in kitchen sinks and on lounge room floors and tried to hump other dudes. Luckily we filmed it. Sorry mate. Give us a good quick ‘on the road’ story, funny, embarrassing, memorable, whatever… See above. Leaving Brendan at petrol stations in the desert is also pretty good. Your manager calls and says the venue you are about to play really wants to keep you happy, what’s the first thing you chuck on the rider? Everyone but Lou: more beer. Lou: cocaine RIGHT NOW What’s getting the most spins in your stereo right now? The new New Found Glory/ International Superheroes Of Hardcore album. Tell us a band or artist everyone should check out and why… The Chunks. They are old and Willy needs your money to pay for his hip replacement. www.myspace.com/thechunkspunx If you could change one thing about the music industry today, what would it be? Make bosses more sympathetic to dudes needing time off to tour! As soon as I’ve finished answering these questions I’m about to… pretend to do work but actually lurk Bombshellzine |
