If you’ve ever wanted to learn an instrument but never had the motivation or patience to give it a try, then Evianne Camille, the drummer of Melbourne’s home grown post-punk/rock hero’s ScotDrakula, should be your newfound inspiration.
“I started playing when I was 28, so no one wanted to be in a band with me to begin with. I was a singer and I really wanted to play drums and everyone was like, ‘You’re really old, you’re never going to play drums.’ But I was really determined and started playing about two weeks before our first show,” Camille excitedly recounts.
“I always tell people and they get mad at me. But I am not great at all, I just love being on stage. It’s all about the performance to me. There are always going to be people who are better or worse than you, but as long as you love what you’re doing there is nothing to get embarrassed about. I am so happy I get to play music on stage with my best friends. You can do anything it just takes a bit of time, effort and passion.”
If you aren’t familiar with ScotDrakula, they released their self-titled debut album in 2014 to a great reception. The album delivers a track listing of incredibly diverse punk rock songs that manage to perfectly encapsulate what the band has crafted their esteemed reputation off: a crazy, energetic live show.
With a new album on the way the band couldn’t be more excited. The first single, ‘Skeleton Fever’, released from their forthcoming album was mastered by Mike Young of the legendary Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and shows a much more melodic side of the band. While the rest of the songs on the album were recorded in the most natural environment possible.
“We actually went away to the middle of nowhere and we found an old shed… and basically set up a recording studio. We recorded the whole album in there, just the four of us in like a week and that’s ready to go. We’re just waiting on it being mastered,” she says.
ScotDrakula are about to embark on their biggest Australian tour to date as part of the concept tour, “Up The Guts” which goes from Tasmania to Darwin. Joining them on the road are bands and artists such as Scott and Charlene’s Wedding, Ali E, Ben Wright Smith and Jack, Jo and Friends (featuring members of Big Scary and The Pretty Littles).
However this tour distinguishes itself, not just from the destinations that it is stopping in but due to the bands conducting a handful of community workshops along the way. The plan is to discuss their experiences of the music industry and help out some aspiring musicians in rural communities. The whole concept is the brainchild of James Clarke and Jack Parsons (the Pretty Littles frontman), who wanted to prove to bands the benefits of touring regionally.
Camille who actually works by profession as a high school teacher, is very excited for the upcoming tour – in particular the workshops. “I love the idea of the community workshops and kind of giving back to the community working in music or just to music lovers. We get to take a little bit of our style of music to all these little places. As well as the fact that it’s nice to go out and explore new places and not just always play the cities.”
Written by Alex Callan
When & Where: The Gasometer, Melbourne – July 25, The Golden Vine, Bendigo – July 26, Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine – July 27 & the Loft, Warrnambool – July 28.
