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Rating: And with this, it's three.
Not even for the Ramones have I written as much as for Amyl And The Sniffers, and that is enough to confirm what I wrote at the close of the page dedicated to «Big Attraction», their second EP: «… Amyl and the Sniffers are here and now, perhaps the best thing that has happened to punk music in the new century.»
It turned out that Amyl and the Sniffers truly arrived on DeBaser, here and now.
What follows is the account – in the original and with the translation, better than a literary work – of a series of questions I proposed to the Melbourne band a few days ago and the answers that I found in my email inbox at 2:10 this morning.
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First of all, can you tell me something about the start of the band and make a brief presentation of the band’s members?
For starters, can you tell me something about how the band started and briefly introduce the members?
Amyl and the Sniffers started early 2016. We'd wanted to start a house band for a while and then we all got home from work, set up the gear in my bedroom, we formed, wrote and recorded the E.P 'Giddy Up' that night and put it out the next day. We had a different bassist then, Calum. He recorded, mixed, and mastered it all. It's funny we had no idea about what sound we wanted and I'd never done anything to do with singing before really. Dec was still in his Big W uniform. When we recorded it, it was done through D.I so on all the tracks Declan and Calum couldn't hear themselves playing.
The band's made up of Dec Martens on guitar, Bryce Wilson on drums, Gus Romer plays bass, he's been in the band since March 17, and me Amy Taylor. I sing.
Amyl and the Sniffers were formed in early 2016. We wanted to set up a small group of friends for a while and so one day, back from work, we gathered at my place and we brought all the equipment to my room and that night we wrote and recorded the EP «Giddy Up» and the next day we started circulating it. At that time we had another bassist, Calum, and he recorded, mixed, and mastered everything. The funny thing is we had no idea how we wanted that record to sound, and I had never seriously sung before that night. Dec (the guitarist) was still wearing his uniform from Big W (a department store in Melbourne). We did the recording with a D.I. Box and Declan and Calum didn't even hear what they were playing.
The band consists of Dec Martens on guitar, Bryce Wilson on drums, Gus Romer on bass since March 2017, and then there's me, Amyl, on vocals.
Although you are very young, your musical style seems very close to certain kind of Australian punk from the 1970’s (Saints, Victims, Fun Things, and so on). By the way, are there groups that have influenced you in a particular way and which you inspire to? For instance, I saw in a video on YouTube that you covered «Alone With You» by The Sunnyboys and that surprised me a lot.
Despite being very young, your musical style seems very close to the Australian punk of the seventies (Saints, Victims, Fun Things, and the like). Are there any groups that have particularly influenced you and that you aspire to? For example, on YouTube, there's a video where you cover «Alone With You» by the Sunnyboys, which surprised me a lot.
I think we gather influence from a variety of sounds and bands. We all have different influences, Dec knows a lot about 70's Australian music like all the bands who played the Sunbury music festivals (A rock festival in the outer Suburb from Melbourne) and all the Countdown and Vander and Young styles so I'd say he brings that as well as the Heavy Metal like Brats, Tank, and Motorhead. Gus is right into the current Australian punk like bands on AARGHT Records, Bedroom Suck, and shit. We all draw influence from different things though. Sunnyboys is a ripper. I think because when we first started we had never had a planned genre, I think we all feel flexible in what we make, and because we like heaps of different music it can be exciting, especially because we're currently writing our debut album.
We are influenced by various sounds and bands. Each of us has different influences. Dec knows a lot about Australian music from the 70s and all the bands that played at Sunbury (a rock festival that takes place on the outskirts of Melbourne) and a lot of music like Countdown, Vander, and Young. These are his influences, but also the heavy metal of Brats, Tank, and Motorhead. Gus follows the current Australian punk scene closely, the bands of AARGHT Records, Bedroom Sucks, and Shit. As mentioned, everyone has their influences (…) Anyway, we have very varied tastes, perhaps because when we started we didn't decide to play just one particular genre of music, and now that we're working on our first album, the fact that we like so much different music is exciting.
I found your music thanks to your Bandcamp page. Many punk groups refuse to distribute their own music over the internet and I noticed that your two first works are now also available on vinyl. So, what relationship do you have with network music? Do you prefer traditional ways to promote and distribute your music? By the way, will you publish new songs soon?
I discovered you through your Bandcamp page. Many punk bands refuse to distribute their music online and I noticed that now your first two EPs are also available on vinyl. What is your relationship with online music distribution? Do you prefer traditional ways to promote and distribute your music? Anyway, will you be releasing new songs soon?
We just want as many people to come to our live shows and have a good, sweaty time with us. The internet has always been good for that because it means they can listen to our shit and decide if they like us before giving any money away. I've always been pretty broke, so we all like the idea that if people want the music on their computer, they can have it for free on our Bandcamp.
At the same time, Vinyl is fucking awesome, and it's so exciting that we'll have something physical and people will be able to play it from their Vinyl collection. Both sides are sick.
We're in the process of writing our first album now. Not too far from finished too. Very exciting.
We like it when people come to our concerts and have fun and sweat with us. The internet is useful because everyone can listen to the shit we play and get an idea before spending money (…) We like the idea that if people want to have the music on their computer, then they can find it for free on our Bandcamp page.
But vinyl is damn wonderful, and we're excited that soon we'll have our music on a physical medium and that people can even pull our vinyl out of their collection (…)
We are currently working on our first album. It will be ready soon. It is really exciting.
I suppose the next year’s tour will take you for the first time out of Australia. So, how do you feel to come and play to the other side of the world? Are you becoming famous (it would be a great thing)?
I think that next year's tour will take you to play for the first time outside of Australia. How do you feel about playing on the other side of the world? Are you becoming famous (because that would be a great thing)?
Fuck yeah. Can't wait for it all. We just bloody love playing music and seeing people having a ball so it should be unreal to take it overseas.
Hell yeah. We can't wait. We absolutely love playing and seeing people get wild, and it doesn't seem real to us that we will be able to do it on the other side of the world.
Finally, can you tell me something about the current Australian rock scene and suggest some groups to keep an eye on, besides you (for instance, I really like Bikini Cops)?
Lastly, can you tell me something about the current Australian rock scene and suggest some groups to keep an eye on, besides you (for example, I really like the Bikini Cops)?
I'd say check out a band from Tasmania called The Dreggs, The Submissives (they don't play anymore but I dig it) Sex Drive, Mini Skirt, Pist Idiots, NO CLASS, Pagan. I'll put links to their music below. There's also a new band called Pistol Peaches I'm excited for.
I suggest you give a listen to The Dreggs, from Tasmania, to The Submissives (they no longer play, but I really like them), to Sex Drive, to Mini Skirt, to Pist Idiots, to NO CLASS, to Pagan. I'll provide some links to listen to them. There's also a new band, the Pistol Peaches, that I really like.
https://dreggstas.bandcamp.com
https://thesubmissives.bandcamp.com
https://miniskirt666.bandcamp.com
https://sexdriveaus.bandcamp.com
https://pistidiots.bandcamp.com
https://noclassoz.bandcamp.com
https://pagancult.bandcamp.com
Amyl
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Then, if a "reason" is needed for this new little page on Amyl and the Sniffers other than having gone completely crazy for them, know that the vinyl collecting the first two EPs has been released, so far available only on their Bandcamp page.
And also know that in May 2018, Amyl and the Sniffers will come to play in Italy, and whoever misses it should be stricken with the plague!
And, last but not least, a huge thank you to heartshapedbox for the idea for this interview (and hopefully many others) and the indispensable help in preparing the questions.
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