Concrete examples of cohesion in Australian band culture today aren’t as common as you’d first consider. Gyroscope however is one band who fit the category perfectly. Together 12 years, they found their beginnings as 17 year old school mates. Hailing from the Eastern Suburbs of Perth in West Australia they’ve worked harder than most to establish themselves alongside heavyweight Oz rock acts such as Wolfmother and Grinspoon. Today, they remain as the original outfit (minus one), something the latter bands cannot boast. A gradual ascendancy over this period has afforded them a significant following; particularly among the valuable Triple J live music listener and the pub-rock patrons. This appeal has allowed them the grace to evolve and experiment with their sound. They themselves are critical of their variety-filled career, conceding that 2008’s offering Breed Obsession could have been from a variety of their previous work, the result fragmented direction.
According to Zoc (Zoran Trivic), the guitarist in the band, the lads were so comfortable with the idea of cohesion, especially as being representative of both their performance side and personal lives, they decided to adopt it as the title for their upcoming fourth album.
“Cohesion was with the song writing between the four members of the band and our lives in general,” says Zoc.
“I just got married, Dan’s married, Rob’s got his girlfriend and we’ve all got friends and family back in Perth and to take off three months at a time, to the UK or US, you’ve got these extra stresses. We’re not 17 anymore, so cohesion was about making sure everything in your life - the music and everything – was working together,” he continues.
Seated and enjoying a well-earned afternoon Corona on the deck of their Brisbane-home (The Point Apartments, Kangaroo Point), Brad Campbell (bassist)and Zoc aren’t showing signs of fatigue. This is despite day one of the five day, fly-by-night promo tour (taking in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Alice Springs, Brisbane and Perth probably should have left them bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. Take the freak storm which left them grounded on the tarmac at home for three hours to their less welcoming delayed arrival into Brisbane at three in the morning – no cabs at the closed airport, aswell a day spent trekking across town and to the Gold Coast for commercial radio promo and other press engagements, the two present as remarkably composed creatures.
Laid back, these instantly likeable guys, settle quickly into a very ‘cohesive’ conversation style, bouncing from one to the other with ease, at times it’s as if they’re one person in speak-sync. Clearly no novices to the game they play, both are image-aware, while remarkably individual in their looks. Zoc as the immaculately dressed, beret to the side and sunglass affixed, contrasted alongside the wild and wiry (Sideshow bob-like) mopped Brad whose piercing blue eyes are intent on maintaining eye contact there is never any question that these two aren’t sure who they are or what they’re about.
The intensity and passion the close like brother musos emanate serves them well both in their on-stage and off- personas. Visibly upbeat and excited to tell the journey behind this album, their pride for it is immediately evident. And why shouldn’t it be - their personal sentiment is it’s the best thing they’ve produced yet. Fortunately this time around the four were lucky enough to be offered a salary by their newest label recruit, so the pair admit the ride is one they are completely appreciative to be on.
“People go you know we’ve seen you on tele and on the radios and you’ve got a couple of successful records, you guys must be raking it in, but well the story of Australian music is you’ve got to work so hard for so long for so little return. You’ve just got to love the music you know and we’re not rich or famous or anything but to be able to make music for a living is all we’ve ever wanted to do,” Zoc says sincerely.
The group, who share studio quarters with Perth all-stars, Karnivool, and End of Fashion, were disciplined in their approach. Seeing their reprieve from their ‘boring’ day jobs as time to get serious and treat the making of their music like a ‘real job.’
“We were fairly strict on ourselves, which is good, because otherwise it’s pretty easy to get lazy and drink beers every day, but if you treat it like a job it was worth it you know,” says Brad.
Amidst the long hours spent writing and demo-ing in the studio – a flurry of chicken feathers escaping through the window of the nearby chicken factory - the band produced at least 30 quality tracks which gave them as Brad suggested room for b-sides if they needed them.
The progression then from demo to recording presented an unbelievable (even to the group) opportunity, one which they dreamed of as school boys when first starting their band. Gil Noughton, producer to bands including Queen, The Pixies, Coldplay, Oasis and idols to Gyroscope the Foo Fighters, had agreed to take on the boys and their project.
“He’s been on our list since we started, to get him on this record was pretty special,” says Brad. “He’s the one producer ever since we were kids (Foo Fighters: Colour and the shape) favourite records, so one day if we can make a record with this guy, “ Zoran adds.
Absolutely over the moon with their new producer, the boys hopped a plane (at Gil’s request) to Wales and found themselves entering the renowned Rockford Studios, a music museum for any avid music fan, none of it’s memorabilia and heritage was lost on a zealous Zoc. “It was cool. We’d be working away and someone would go, ‘Oh yeh, you know that tree out there, that’s where Coldplay came up with Yellow on their album Parachutes. And that wall over there is where Liam used to sit and write his lyrics and we call it the ‘wonder wall’ because that’s where he came up with Wonder Wall.’ You know there was just so much history.”
The pinnacle of this nostalgic studio for Zoc was in fact playing keys for a couple of the songs on the same piano Freddy Mercury had done for Bohemian Rhapsody. A solid eight or nine weeks in the studio (with the exception of one night out to London to be Gil’s wingman to the touring Pixies who’d requested Gil to attend their show) and the band’s dedication to the record was beginning to pay dividends. Praise from the taskmaster and ‘dad figure’ Gil unexpectedly delivered the lads to top two bands to work with.
“He did tell us that we were the most hardworking band, most prepared band that he’d ever work with and we were like, are you serious – actually second most, equal first with Dave Grohl.”
As the cloak is lifted on Cohesion the album the lads remain firm that they’re committed to Australia because their Australian fanbase is established it doesn’t make sense to leave that all behind. Besides it adds to the overall sense of cohesion of the band is shooting for
“That’s the whole idea of the album, feels like everything is working properly now, everyone knows their role sort of better at what they’re doing and I don’t know everything just sort of seems right at the moment.”
Gyroscope’s fourth release: Cohesion is available through Universal, www.getmusic.com.au
Sid O’Neil is as typical Gen Y, as they come. Creative, artistic and entrepreneurial he’s also susceptible to losing motivation and struggles to pay attention to the things that don’t matter to him. As the front man to original Melbourne-based trio The Vasco Era he’s currently erring on the side of stimulated, but it’s not because of the music he and his band mate’s brother Ted O’Neil and Michael Fitzgerald recently produced. Rather it’s the shift in perspective he’s undergone while waiting for their latest album to be released.
At just age 23 Sid claims to have undergone a quarter-life crisis attributable he believes to the sophomore album (recorded almost a year ago) being delayed for release. Too much time spent wondering how it would pan out prompted him to make some radical life decisions. Those choices have proved to have profound implications on his day-to-day to living.
“I thought maybe I should quit being a musician and do something meaningful with my life and I just took a plane to Queensland the next day stayed on people’s couches and stuff, then I ended up with a girlfriend and I’m studying social work now, by correspondence from a uni just near Byron so I’m a bit more balanced these days,” he said.
It’s obvious as he speaks in a dopey, freshly woken voice he’s recently enjoyed either an afternoon kip or a ‘morning’ wake-up call mid afternoon. Sid oscillates between excited and apathetic when he’s asked about The Vasco Era’s latest record Lucille. “We recorded it like a year ago, so it’s a weird thing, our excitement about it isn’t so relevant anymore.
“All of the responses we’ve had and the reviews about it so far have been really good, so it’s kind of exciting to get that, to get some credit, cos our last one didn’t review nearly as well.
Sid is fairly impatient for the release to occur so he and the lads can get on and start a new project.
A brief history lesson for those unfamiliar with The Vasco Era’s catalogue, they released a debut LP : Oh we do like to be beside the seaside (no doubt referencing their Apollo Bay roots) back in 2007 and then have not really been heard of since, reasons for which Sid is matter-of-fact in explaining. Basically his creativity was being compromised.
“I was homeless in Melbourne, trying to write songs, getting really pissed and taking lots of drugs and those things don’t go together cos you’re not that creative when you’re taking heaps of ecstacy unless you’re the Happy Mondays.
“I have spent a lot of time not making anything good up, so that’s why it took so long really.”
Lucille (as an album) takes a narrative approach, following the lives of two central characters, Lucille and Sam. The idea for this record he claims was generated by a chance visit to a town in Northern NSW at again a time when he was struggling to come up with ideas for songs.
“I went there for a party for two days, cos it’s like a place I wouldn’t usually go and it was something different, and I met this couple.
“She’s a stripper, and I don’t know if he was like religious or priest dude and he was acting fairly jealous and he didn’t act like he liked what she was doing but he liked her and that’s where the idea sort of came from.”
The fruits of his findings are cleverly expressed via a bluesy baseline and rockabilly sensibility. Despite Sid’s noticeably laconic nature, he’s assured of his ability to make good music. Though he will admit the ability is spread evenly amongst the three members. “Ted’s [older brother] got better general knowledge and he’s probably academically a little bit more talented but musically I’m more creative than him.
“If you ask him any question about anything he’ll know the answer but … I’m better at making up songs,” he laughs.
Whereas, Michael, he’s completely different, he’s technical, he went to the conservatorium in Melbourne, to learn about the f…cking xylophone and I don’t know, triangle or whatever you do in the orchestra, symphony and stuff. “He’s obviously talented in a whole other way, the technical kind of way so it works pretty good the three of us, cos I’m not technical by any means.”
When broached with the concept he’s talented, Sid pauses and after some protesting awkwardly accepts the compliment. Choosing instead to reference musical genius, John Lennon’s belief that there is no such thing as talent you just do things for a long time and you end up pretty good at it. “I was good at drums when I was a kid but I didn’t think I’d be a good guitarist which is what I do in this band, it’s more just that keeping on doing it, for ages.”
As the trio prepare to tour their record, he’s at peace with fame as a concept, and reveals he’s not so much interested in being recognised, but that he’s keen to be recognised for his music and has adjusted his expectations for his musical career trajectory. “I’m not so reliant on what people say or how the music goes really, which is a better balance especially in Australia to try and be a musician for a living, it doesn’t work, unless you want to make music to deliberately sell records, like deliberately cap your music which I really don’t want to do.
“Unless you’re one of those that makes music by compromising what you want to say and I couldn’t live with myself if that happened, so I’m going to be a social worker and help other people that take drugs.”
The Vasco Era take their new album, Lucille on the road throughout April /May. Visit www.myspace.com/thevascoera for dates and purchase their album via Universal’s www.getmusic.com.au.
