“More than 1.5 billion people use Facebook. A few of them are annoying,” Arj Barker says in his newest song release ‘Disgracebook’: a new project mixing his love of music and comedy. “We all toot our horns sometimes but gosh, your profile’s like a car crash and the horn won’t shut off.”
As I speak with Arj, he is days away from releasing the single, and going out on his own with such a project is something he’s been working towards for years, particularly after his long stint as Dave on Flight of the Concords.
“They’re inspiring,” Arj says of the musical duo he once worked with.
“I’ve always aspired to make music since high school and I’ve always made music with friends and stuff, but they’re one of the better musical comedy acts out there. I like that they have great respect for the music, so it sounds good but is quite funny as well.
“I made this song myself and, in fact, I did make a lot of it while on the road and in hotel rooms on my laptop. I did a lot of the recordings in my hotel room too and it sounds pretty good I guess…I’m really excited.”
For a comedian who is very active on social media, the song takes a look at the negative traits that come along with Facebook (“Look at me! Look at what I did! I made an omelette…Can I get a like for that?” the track mocks).
“A lot of people will enjoy the song and might have a couple of laughs,” a predication at the time that has come to fruition.
“I want to do more for sure, even if no one cares about this song I’ll still try and think of another one.”
Interestingly enough this isn’t the first musical project Arj has been involved in over the last few years. Recently trying his hand at DJing, Arj also found friends in Brisbane band DZ Deathrays and starred in two of their music videos, the most recent of which Arj features as an unrecognisable Satan in ‘Blood On My Leather’.
“I did one with them a little while ago and became friends from that and then they asked me to do another one,” he says.
“The funnest part was that was being filmed upstairs in the function room of the pub and the pub itself was open to the public downstairs. I was going down because there’s a lot of waiting in between takes, and going down and having a beer in the normal pub with all that makeup on. So it would have looked funny me coming in and getting a beer, because it was really intense makeup.”
A bit closer to home, Arj is currently touring his new show ‘Organic’ which he says “might be my best show yet”. Also involved with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Arj makes sure he takes the time to visit regional towns, admitting they are some of the best audiences he’s had.
Written by Amanda Sherring
When & Where: Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong – May 20
Photo: James Penlidis
