Brothers, John and Kim Scott have spent the better part of the festive season rehearsing with Adelaide based drummer Eli Green, who will join them on the Songs Of The Third and Fifth national album tour this March, sitting in for regular TMOC drummer John Stanier, who is unable to tour due to his current commitments with US band Tomahawk.
At just 22 years of age, Eli is currently a member of screamo-band Life Pilot, who reached #1 on the Triple J Unearthed Metal charts for their 2012 demo. Life Pilot were also nominated on Triple J’s Short, Fast & Loud show (along side TMOC) for “Best Heavy Release”. Additionally, Green is the co-writer, arranger, and drummer/percussionist with South Australian singer Julia Hennning who played two sold-out performances at at the Sydney Opera House Studio earlier in 2012.
We sat down with John Scott and talked festivals, new band members, and deep thought killing machines.
Tone Deaf: What’s your earliest memory of performing and who inspired you to start?
John Scott: Earliest memory is performing a song “You Can’t Get Me I’m A Part Of The Union” at primary school with some friends on stage for the largely pro-Labour Party teachers when I was about 7 with a cardboard guitar my dad made for me and ironically when he was having trouble with the union at his work.
You must answer this question honestly or we steal your rider. What and where was the first gig you went to?
The first gig I attended was in 1978 at the Apollo Stadium in Adelaide and saw Elvis Costello and the Attractions supported by Jo Jo Zepp and the Falcons. I was 15 years old.
So the big question, ten years between albums, what’s been keeping you busy in that decade?
We all work day jobs. During that time I had a daughter with my partner, bought a house and continued working to provide for my family while writing for the new album. Later my partner left me, took my daughter and I sold the house, left work and moved down South to be near my daughter and her school.
The fall-out from the split with my partner caused me to delay completing the album as sometimes I was unable to motivate myself to go to the studio. Sometimes going to the studio was my only escape from what was then a bleak existence.
You’re heading out on tour for Songs Of The Third And Fifth, your first national tour in 6 years. What are you most looking forward to about hitting the road?
I look forward to playing first and fore mostly, plus catching up with friends in other cities that I haven’t seen for a long time.
You’ve brought on Eli Green to replace John Stanier, how did you learn about the 22-year-old drummer? What was it about his style that won him the role?
I met Eli through mutual acquaintances and asked if he’d help Kim [Scott, bassist] and I get rehearsed for the tour as we obviously need a drummer when rehearsing. He turned up to the first practice with every song transcribed to musical drum notation and he knew the songs better than we did! That was when I realised he was an exceptional drummer, up till then I was just looking for someone to rehearse with.
You’re also hitting up Aunty Meredith’s Golden Plains Festival as part of your tour, have you visited the Supernatural Amphitheatre before? Who on the lineup are you keen to see?
We have played Meredith a couple of times. I’m most keen to see Cat Power, Dinosaur Junior, and [George Clinton’s] P-Funkadelic…
It’s been over a decade since your last record, are you expecting to draw new fans in for the album? Or have you found that it’s the older fans that have flocked to the album?
The faithful have definitely supported the new album, but we seem to have a fair few new fans as well. I guess the tour will reveal all.
Coming from Adelaide, what’s your take on the Small Bars Amendment being passed through Parliament? Do you feel that the live music scene is struggling in the City of Churches?
There is really nothing can be done while pokies rule the pub scene – plus who would want to put up with drunken audiences when you can rake in cold hard cash through pokies. Unless some sort of grant scheme is offered to venues to put on live music, I think it is the death of live music as we once knew it.
What changes to the landscape of the music industry has affected the Mark of Cain most since you were last actively touring? What stays the same?
Nothing much in the landscape has affected us to my knowledge as we’ve always just chugged along oblivious to whatever is the new cool trendy thing in music. If there is a venue, we will play it.
Do you have any particular ritual before you go on stage, or even a lucky charm you take with you?
We like a bit of quiet time before playing, but mainly we just sit together until it’s time to go on, else we watch the bands playing before us. Afterwards we do a post-mortem on the show, and after that, we can party, or go home and sleep…
If you could curate your own festival, where would it be, who would be on the bill, how many people would you let in and what features would it have (attractions/food/bars etc)?
I’d look at holding it in Adelaide of course, with a large selection of bands who never get played on Triple J or anywhere else and then if its in the summer have a whole lot of water themed park like attractions, turned off of course when the bands play. Jazz would also be played, but no techno. Anyone caught E-ing would be forced to be a clown for a year…
Because it’s more fun to do things together, which living Australian artist would you most like to collaborate with? Tell us why?
I think Warren Ellis still needs to complete a recording with us; we have a song from This Is This he was supposed to play on, but his wife gave birth and so it never happened.
What is your band’s music the best soundtrack for?
Deep thought killing machines, a sort of existential hero taking out the trash and stitching up exit wounds.
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The Mark Of Cain Australian Tour 2013 Dates
Songs Of The Third and Fifth National Album Tour Dates
With special guests. Tickets On Sale Now
Friday March 8th – HQ, Adelaide SA
with special guests Blacklevel Embassy
Tickets $38.90 + bf from www.venuetix.com.au ph: 82258888
Sunday March 10th – Golden Plains, Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre
www.goldenplains.com.au
Friday March 15th – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne VIC
with special guests Blacklevel Embassy and Wicked City
125 Swanston Street Melbourne
Tickets $36.00 + bf from www.thehifi.com.au
Sunday March 17th – Capitol, Perth WA
With special guests Eleven He Reaches London
Tickets $36.00 + bf from www.heatseeker.com.au or www.oztix.com.au
Thursday March 21st – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane QLD
with special guests Blacklevel Embassy and The Sea Shall Not Have Them
Tickets $36.00 + bf rom www.thehifi.com.au
Friday March 22nd – Coolangatta Hotel, QLD
Cnr Warner Street & Marine Parade Coolangatta
Tickets $33.00 + bf from www.thecoolyhotel.com.au
Saturday March 23rd – The Metro, Sydney NSW
with special guests Blacklevel Embassy and Zeahorse
Tickets $41.90 (includes booking fee, some transaction fees may apply) from www.ticketek.com.au or ph: 132849
