The Rumjacks

Fresh from a year of overseas touring and new music, we had a chat to legends The Rumjacks about being true to their music, the best Irish pub around and their upcoming tour.
Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to chat with Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?
I’m Googling Warrnambool… And listening to ‘Stranded – The chronicles of Australian punk.’
The tour starts in a matter of days too, how are you all feeling ahead of this lot of shows?
Very happy to be hitting up a few favourite haunts and catching up with good friends again. What a way to finish up a great year.
With this tour you’ll be heading to Warrnambool for the first time, have you heard much on what to expect down there?
Apparently there’s a cheese museum?!! And really looking forward to playing with Them Bruins & Lemonbait.
Given the tour is titled ‘Home Rule’ what has been the stage/show over your career that you’ve totally ruled?
Our final show at Bluesfest, Byron Bay earlier this year. We were pitted directly against the amazing Ben Harper, who was playing right next door, and we still managed to pack out our stage and turn the place three kinds of sideways… Nobody would leave afterward and so we came back and played an encore in the dark.
This was the year The Rumjacks headed overseas too, has it given you a thirst for touring overseas now?
Absolutely, we’re already planning our overseas touring for 2016, and have announced several shows, including Mighty Sounds Festival in the Czech Republic, and Open Flair Festival in Germany.
You’ve previously said of your newest release ‘Sober & Godless’ , that is has a bigger confidence in production this time around, how do you plan on matching that confidence live?
We can’t help ourselves BUT do these songs proper justice, they were written with so much conviction I think it’s impossible to play them without the same, Especially when punters loosen up and let go, they really take us with them. Playing around 40 shows in 50 days across 12 countries really helped condition us too.
The album too is just real talent with no auto tune/click track, how important is it for your fans to know that what they hear in the album is undoubtedly your own sound?
Zero auto tune or click track on this album.. The Universe and everything within it is inherently imperfect. To work against that and manufacture ‘perfection’ must surely sit at odds with us as listeners at some deep level. If music really is communication then why garble the message?
A lot of musicians these days do use auto tune, were you ever tempted to?
:>YUCK!
It’s well know ‘An Irish Pub Song’ is a massive hit with millions of views online, do you think there’d be another pub you could put together a jingle for?
Aussie themed pubs abroad maybe?
Do you have a favourite Irish Pub somewhere in the world?
The Grand Khaan Irish Pub in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Thanks again for taking the time to chat with us, are there any last words of wisdom you’d like to share with our readers?
Seriously now, on Nov 20  go visit ‘El Chiringuito de La Roja’ in Geelong Harbour for Gerry’s Mussel Paella, then come see us at The Barwon Club – Gerry builds memories, we just provide the soundtrack.
Thanks so much for the chat, we look forward to seeing you!
When & Where: Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood – November 19, Barwon Club, Geelong – November 20 & The Loft, Warrnambool – November 21