Eskimo Joe

It’s something you see quite often in London. Australians. Lots of them. But it’s rare for these Australians, who generally fill and work the bars and pubs of the fair city, to have any musical talent. But there’s the odd exception. And in early December there’ll be a few boys from Fremantle, West Australia’s 'other’ capital, walking the streets and playing a few gigs not only in London, but round the country and good ol’ Ireland as well. Eskimo Joe is their name. And ask any Australian, they’ll tell you there game. After small beginnings as a playful pop group, the group rose to notoriety in the land of insects and things that kill you with their second album Songs From The Sea. The fellas built upon that success and consequently overwhelmed it with the release of their third album Black Fingernails Red Wine. The album was massive. It won Aria awards (The highest Australian industry accolade) and permeated the ears of pretty much everyone in the country with unprecedented radio airplay. They’re currently recording a new album, but will be going back in time to Black Fingernails Red Wine days for the forthcoming tour of the motherland, to coincide with it’s release.

Like so many before them, there reaches a time where one outgrows the shores of home. They’ve conquered Australia and now they want the world! – well I’m sure England would suffice. The boys recently sat down with us to discuss the ins and outs of the tour, new recordings and, appropriately when Australians talk of England, the weather.

Firstly, So how is the recording for the new album going?

We’ve been in the studio now for 4 weeks.
The first week was pretty frustrating, the studio wasn’t setup the way we were hoping, so we had to order in some extra gear and play around with the live rooms to find a decent drum sound. In the end, we ended up using the lounge room, it sounded better than any of the live rooms. But we’re on a good roll now, a cracking pace has been set and the songs are sounding huge. Can’t wait to start mixing.

I see there’s a little snippet of 'Childhood Behavior’ floating about, tell us a bit about the track . . .

That was pretty much the only track Kav (singer, and chief songwriter) showed us for this album that we didn’t want to change at all. We just played along while he sang, overdubbed the piano part and that was the song. We’ve sourced someone to do a string arrangement for it too. Her name is Elena Chernin, an Australian composer we heard of while we were in New York playing a G’Day USA show. The part will be something very simple and bittersweet. It’s the first time we haven’t written the string parts ourselves, so we’re excited and anxious to see how it turns out.

Is it going to hard 'going back in time’ to the Black Fingernails days when you tour and release the album over here?

Not really. We haven’t been playing for a while now, so getting back into the old tunes will be great fun. We’re spending the first few months of 2009 getting the new live show together.

What are your expectations? Do you think it will be a mostly Australian crowd, or are you hoping the word will spread to the English?

There will be some Brits there, for sure, but I think the Aussies will be out on full force. It’ll be great to be able to give them a slice of home.

You toured in the U.S I believe? How did it all go? I heard there was a good reaction to your record . . .

Yeah, the people who bought the record both thought it was great. No, I joke, the response was great, it’s just a hard nut to crack, that US. We had a lot of people rock up to shows who’d seen us last time. They bought posse with them, so the gigs were great. Everyone is so enthusiastic about music over there.

Is there going to be a point in the future when you say 'we’ve done all we can in Australia’ and move over here or the U.S permanently?

I can’t see that happening. Australia will always be our home. We could relocate for a few months here and there.

Looking at you career I imagine you guys to be a band that constantly challenges yourselves and your perceptions, where do you see yourselves in five years?

We’re definitely focusing on trying to become a little more of an international prescence. Some success in Europe would be great.

If you had to describe your band to the NME for one of their sensationalist tabloid grabs in one sentence, what would it be?

Eskimo Joe: Not shit.

And lastly, how is the weather? Cause it snowed here last week, so I hope you’re ready . . . !

Got my gloves on standby!


Thanks guys and good luck with the tour and the recording