Waxhead
Waxhead are an up and coming band that have just released their brand new EP aptly titled Home. With elements of Pink Floyd and Talking Heads these four salty surf rats are hitting the road this summer to support the release. Froggy from the band talks to Across The Ocean about the latest goings on with this hot prospect.
Is it a big build up to your debut EP Home release?
Yeah it’s been an epic journey, from figuring out the arrangements to the release of the EP it would have been a good nine month adventure.
Did you think it would be this much work?
I knew it would take a lot of time but I hardly see it as work, we just all put a lot of time and effort into doing something that we love.
Were there some challenging moments pulling this EP together?
There was definitely some pressure on our drummer Mitch, we hired out a recording studio just ten minutes from my home, and it had a neve desk and recorded to two inch tape. Two days was all we could afford and he had to really nail it as it’s a nightmare physically cutting and stitching back together analogue tape.
Did it test the relationship of all the guys in the band? Did it make you stronger?
I think we stuck together as a tribe really well during the whole process, it definitely pushed everyone and were a much tighter and yes stronger unit because of the process.
What was the biggest challenge in making the EP?
Getting all the parts to make sense and complement each other just right, getting the timing right, making it all groove and keeping our unique and personal feel while playing to a metronome for months on end.
Is there anything different you would do next time?
Don’t think we would pay to use a professional studio and record to tape until we really have the budget for it. In a perfect world I would spend months in a state of the art recording studio and record everything to tape like all my favourite bands; The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd etc. We saved up every cent that we’ve made from a year’s worth of live shows and all we have to show for it is two days in the studio, but damn those drum tracks are fat and warm.
Any plans to do an album?
One day, when we have the right songs for it. Hopefully soon!
With the digital age is the concept of an album dead? Do you still believe in the concept of an album?
I don’t think it’s dead, to the music industry it might as well be dead as they only seem to care about the almighty single but I still believe that the individual music lover would prefer to get to know a band over an album, I mean how else can you get a feel for what the band is going for without the diversity that comes with an LP?
How did Waxhead get together?
Were just four mates from high school, we all grew up surfing together and eventually started having massive jam outs when I converted my bedroom into a jam room. There was never this idea that we were trying to get a band together as we were just having fun but after about a year of jamming we realised that we had enough songs for a funny set and the next week our mate asked us if we could open for Thee Oh Sees at our local watering hole The Northern.
Interesting name, where did it come from?
We all grew up surfing together in Byron, Waxhead is just a funny term for someone who surfs. The name is really straightforward but we all thought it was funny.
How would you describe the music that Waxhead play?
Dirty seaweed rock with a filthy lust for cheeky sounds.
What bands do you take your inspiration from?
We’ve been lovers of music long, long before we ever dreamed of making music together. to give you the short list; Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Black Angles, Violent Soho, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age, The Doors, Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, Patti Smith, Nick Cave and Tame Impala. This list could go on for days.
Are you looking forward to getting on the road for this big summer tour? Any plans to come to Adelaide?
The band is filled with froth, nothing beats touring around the countryside playing shows by night and surfing by day. There is nothing planned for Adelaide at this moment but I think we need to do something about that stat. I hear there is an amazing music scene down there and we’ll certainly be making tracks down that way before you know it.
What can punters expect?
Lots of energy, lots of noise and a fist full of head whacks.
What’s the plan beyond these dates for Waxhead?
We will take a little breather to write some new stuff but also pretty excited about releasing the EP in whole and touring that. There’s talk of heading back overseas which will be rad. Also getting back in the studio at some stage and of course plenty of time in the ocean!
Whether it is rummaging through vinyl at record stores such as Clarity and Title finding hidden gems to scouring the internet to find that album by the next big thing or chasing bands to get that elusive autograph and photo his passion is music all the way.
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