Page 37 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 103

BV103 pg34-37 Airbourne_BV103 pg37 23/12/2019 00:51 Page 4

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guess the way we see it, we look back on the perbly stable for the best part of 15 years, so it national level, it's probably going to result in a
recording experience with a lot of great memo- was always going to be different but it was al- lot of great Australian bands, and there are
ries, and it really was a great experience being ways about that new energy and tackling things plenty of them, achieving a lot more success on
able to just throw off the baggage and just attack head-on, not so much a reboot or a restart but a an international scale in the next five or ten
each day as it comes rather than having to worry refresh." years, going forward."
too much about the bigger corporate plan or
anything like that. It really was just four mates his Is Our City' is a song that Ryan said or a fitting conclusion, we turn to the final
with all the toys in the world having fun. 'The and Joel worked on lyrically while Ftrack on 'Boneshaker', 'Rock 'N' Roll For
"But anyway, I think it is something we will they were in his house in Melbourne City. While Life' and, with it, we raise the words that Joel
continue with. It's certainly the intention. We'd looking over the city from his balcony, they closes every single Airbourne show with, when
love to just continue and record the next album talked about their history and what they used to he cries ’As long as we're alive and as long as
with a similar mindset and even create a bit of do. They started picking out hotspots and places you're alive, rock ‘n’ roll will never die’ and, in an
an era of albums similar to what a lot of our they used to go 10 or 15 years ago that have era where so many claim the opposite, we ask
favourite bands did where we create a period of since closed down. The continuous threat facing Matt for his thoughts on that ever-topical topic.
records back-to-back with the same producer to music venues is not an unfamiliar one in the UK "Yeah, that line is definitely something that
really create a kind of bookended block of al- nor is the subsequent impact it poses on the live we all believe in", he tells us. "It's something that
bums." music scene, so we asked Harri, who grew up is our lifeblood, it's something that we care
about half any hour from the city, for his thoughts about, it's something that, in a way, we feel al-
ince Harri has been in the band a cou- on the subject as well. most duty-bound to protect and keep pushing
Sple of years now, we ask him about the "Yeah, it's definitely changed," he tells us. forward. We essentially see it that, I'm 31 years
changes and differences he feels he has "When the guys left their home town of War- old and I see The Rolling Stones doing it in their
brought to the rock and roll outfit. He replies, rnambool and moved to Melbourne, it was to mid-70s and shit like that and I’m like, ‘OK cool,
"When I joined the band we went on the road for pursue music and all that kind of stuff and the we're doing this for the next 50 years, then!’
pretty much the first 12 months and kinda felt, places that offered those opportunities for That's essentially the punchline and the senti-
without actually being asked to do it, that a lot of young, developing bands are, unfortunately, ment that it's who we are, what we are and what
my role of being the new guy was to bring as dwindling away. It's a very similar situation to we always will be."
much energy to it as I could. It's obviously some- what we're aware of in places like London and 50 years is a long time but Harri is confident
thing what we love and it's all we can imagine a lot of cities around the world. A lot of the that he and the band will still be doing it in half a
ever doing, but it's fucking hard! We sit here now smaller venues especially, that are the stepping century's time. "Obviously, diets and all that kind
and tonight will be the 44th night of this leg of stone venues where you can come in and play of stuff will need to be adapted to be able to do
the current tour and we haven't been home for on a Tuesday night and get 50 of your mates in it physically, but a band like the Stones does
five months now at this point. It can get grueling to watch you and play your first, your 10th, your give you all the hope in the world. Seeing some-
and it can get difficult… So, whilst none of us 20th show, are closing for various reasons. one like Mick Jagger doing what he does at his
can see ourselves ever doing anything else, it Whether it's to be knocked down for high-rise age, it's incredible, so put the blinkers on, put
does sometimes require that kick up the arse, apartments or whatever but it's very similar in yourself in his shoes and it's not the worst way
renewed kind of energy at certain points to keep Melbourne as well. to spend your 70s!"
kinda pushing along. And whether that's an ex- "I guess it's bad for the local music scene Which is, no doubt, amazing news for fans
citing show where we get to play an awesome because there are fewer places for young bands of Airbourne and their brand of hard rock and we
old theatre and bring some extra production in to play but, in a greater sense, I think it probably can all look forward to these Aussie giants shak-
and things like that, those little things can be forces young Australian bands to make the ing bones for many years and decades to come.
very invigorating and give you a new burst of en- jump. If they are really going to have a crack, Visit www.airbournerock.com for more info
ergy. But I think that was the main thing that I felt they are going to have to come overseas and re- and pick up ‘Boneshaker’, out now on Spinefarm
I should be bringing to the table: a brand new ally take that leap, potentially sooner than they Records.
energy. It was inevitably going to be different, may have ten years ago or something. So yeah,
given that the line-up prior to me joining was su- it's bad on a local level, but I think, on an inter- Words By Michael Coventry

AIRBOURNE