DEAD
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DEAD

DEAD is about to converge on yet another lap of the country with their punk-infused rock and roll show, and to celebrate they are about to release yet another album. Talking about their 2013 (and most recent) release, Idiots, at the start of the interview, it is quite a surprise to learn that Captains of Industry is going to be released at the upcoming Geelong show at the Barwon Club. Speaking with Gem, the drummer for the group, I am quick to learn that DEAD is a lot more commercially successful abroad than in Australia.
“I think the main reason behind that is that Australia is quite conservative with its art and music. What we do pushes the boundaries a little bit and although I don’t think of our music as that weird, we are a lot bigger overseas. It’s a little sad but that’s the fact of the matter; you have to go to where the audiences are, and for the most part that is abroad.”
Recorded in just three days, the new album retains a lot of the magic that made Idiots so successful. Although the band used a different studio and producer for Captains of Industry, the same philosophy and principle of simplistic recording methods was once again followed.
“We finished the last tour and headed straight into the studio with all of these tracks and laid them down very quickly. We would like the opportunity to go over the songs a lot more, but that costs a lot of money and time, of which we don’t have.
“It’d be nice to make an album as produced as Dark Side of the Moon but you make the most of the resources at your disposal. Although there is no particular influence to this record, there are snippets here and there of different bands that we have played with over the years,” Gem said.
Having played in bands together for years, Gem and Jace always wanted to create music – and a lack of enthusiasm by other members allowed for DEAD to start up. From looking at a few YouTube clips of their live performances, it is a very sweaty and high energy affair.
“We wanted to tour more and record more and it felt really natural to just do this duo thing. I literally booked a national tour for us before we had even written a song. Jace writes really fast and so we always have a whole heap of new material lying around. Although 90 per cent of the DEAD stage show is written, there is a lot of room for improvisation when we sit down to write new material. Stuff gets down when you set yourself a deadline, and that’s our work ethic in DEAD.”
Over the next month, DEAD will play a whole heap of regional shows in support of the new album. Tearing up stages in Geelong, Ballarat and Castlemaine, the upcoming tour is going to be nothing short of a sweaty, headbanging, dance affair. With Japanese friends Ithaqua along for the ride, be sure to head out and see one of Australia’s hardest working rock bands in action.
“I can’t tell you how excited we are to head out and play some regional areas. There is going to be a lot of shenanigans and great music on this trip, so if that’s your thing, come down!”
When&Where: The Barwon Club, Geelong – November 6; The Eastern, Ballarat – November 7; and The Bridge, Castlemaine – November 8
By Tex Miller