Since releasing the debut record ‘It’ll Grow On Ya’ via Arrest Records, Melbourne punks Blind Man Death Stare haven’t stopped! With a 40 date debut album tour set for Australia, NZ and Asia, playing alongside bands like The Bennies, The Meanies, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Cutaways and Flangipani’s and finishing off the year with a national tour with super best friends Guttermouth… the insanity just keeps coming for these guys. Now they’re teaming up with German skate/thrash punk rockers Straightline for a 13 date tour this month. We chat to lead vocalist and drummer Parker ahead of the tour.
Hey, thanks for chatting to Forte Mag. You’ll be kicking off your 13 date Australian tour soon with Straightline, how did that come about and why now?
It starts real soon and I’m pumped as to see Ze Germans slay it down here. They’re a great bunch of blokes and have a killer live show so I look forward to spending time on the road with them. That’s how the tour basically came about. I was looking for a band we like and want to party with, to come tour Australia with BMDS early 2018 – the universe spoke and boom it all fell into place.
As two epic and energetic bands, what should we be expecting from this tour?
I’d say heaps of dumb shit is going to happen as it always does when we go on tour, so I highly anticipate it will be just the same, if not worse. Someone is bound to get tied up or arrested or off on some wild journey or some crazy shit. The shows are going to be fast, furious and entertaining… there may or may not be a beer bong.
What are some of your favourite places to play on tour?
Anywhere and anywhere! I like going to new places we haven’t toured yet because the unknown is always exciting. But then I like going back and catching up with old mates. So far my faves have been Malaysia Penang and Kuala Lumpur especially. WA is really nice and I like the North Coast of Sydney, we had fun up there on the tour with Guttermouth. We are really looking forward to getting back to Geelong and Ballarat and showing Straightline around our home state. I like everywhere to be honest.
Do you have a favourite thing about living in Melbourne? Is there something that took time to adjust to?
My favourite thing about living in Melbourne would have to be my mates and my dogs – who are also my mates. Naturally I love the music scene here because there’s always a show to go to, often multiple ones in the same night. You’re spoilt for choice. Life is a constant adjustment, full of struggles and wins so I wouldn’t say anything springs to mind that I took a long length of time to adjust too. I don’t find being in new uncomfortable situations hard to adjust too anyway, I feel they make you learn and grow as a person dramatically and exponentially so I tend to look for them more often than not.
Once the tour has wrapped up, what’s next on the cards for the band?
Once this tour is done we’ll continue to work on the new songs for our next album. We’re demoing tracks now and go into the studio with Jay Whalley and Dan Antix at the start of June. I’m also in the middle of booking our maiden Europe Summer Tour. We are already confirmed to play Punk Rock Holiday, Rebellion Fest and more so the rest of the year is going to be busy as always. Should be fun!
When & Where: The Eastern, Ballarat – March 15 & The Barwon Club, Geelong – March 18. Tickets available from blindmandeathstare.com.