“I. DRINK. CHEAP. BEER. SO. WHAT. FUCK. YOU.”
With the chorus of “Cheap Beer” in mind, it’s surprising when Brandon Schwartzel, bassist for LA punks FIDLAR, answers the phone sounding fairly sober and a whole lot mellower than expected. Forming in 2009 FIDLAR, which stands for “Fuck It, Dog, Life’s A Risk, are now headed Down Under for their first ever Australian tour.
Schwartzel is downright excited when conversation turns to FIDLAR’s forthcoming tour as part of July’s Splendour In The Grass Festival. His enthusiasm dampens slightly when it’s pointed out that the band hit our shores in the dead of winter, “Oh shit!” he moans. “It’s gonna be our first time. I thought it was gonna be sunny and nice and beaches … Dammit.”
The bassist’s spirits are buoyed when the concept of the Splendour Bender, the nonstop party period before, during and lurching to a crusty end after the festival, is explained to him. “From what I know of meeting some Australian people you guys definitely like to party, I think we’re going to be okay” he laughs.
Having toured with fellow hard-partyers Wavves and Black Lips as well as sharply dressed men The Hives, Schwartzel is well-versed in what to expect not only from Australian bars, but more importantly the intensity of Australian crowds. “Everyone I’ve heard from, like, friends and other bands that have gone to Australia, all say that it’s the best place to play. Especially if you’re in a rock band I hear that kids get really into it and people respond to it, so I’m pretty excited” he says.
“I think we will probably always have those labels of being like ‘slackers’ but we’re not really slackers, we have worked full-time every day for years.”FIDLAR’s Australian tour sees them reunited with friends and fellow LA stoner punks, Wavves. “We do kind of egg each other on” he says of their brothers-in-beer relationship. “As far as the Wavves guys go, they’re always down for anything and we’re kind of the same way. It makes it fun because we’re on the same level. We make mistakes together; it’s like summer camp or something. It’s like a really fucked up summer camp.”
Inevitably, talk turns to the identity of the heavily guarded Splendour mystery band. While Schwartzel isn’t sure who it is, he muses “I was actually thinking what if there is just band called “Mystery Band”. That is such a good idea like ‘who’s gonna be the mystery band?’ and then it’s just some band called Mystery Band.”
Schwartzel himself is hoping for French robots Daft Punk and is delighted when told of their global album launch in Wee Waa. “That’s awesome! That’s pretty big to happen anywhere. That’s so cool.” When asked who he hopes which band it isn’t he quickly answers, “Snow Patrol or something. Everyone would be, like, ‘noooo’!”
Following extensive US, UK and European tours (presumably not with Snow Patrol), the band returned home unhappy with the mix of their self-titled debut album. Making the decision to remix the entire album from scratch, FIDLAR called on the production talents of their friend Rob Schnapf, whose production credits include Elliott Smith, Beck and Powderfinger.
“Now that our record is out, people are starting to listen to it more. Like, ‘oh shit, these guys can actually play’.”Having met Schnapf when bandmates Elvis Kuehn and Zac Carper worked alongside him in a studio in LA, their professional relationship progressed from there. “Rob always really liked our music and we all really liked his work. He is a really talented producer and mixer and so when we decided we wanted to get it mixed by someone he was like, ‘Well, let me try it’”. As far as Schwartzel is concerned, the choice to bring in Schnapf was the right one. “He knows our sound. He killed it on the mixes and did a really good job.”
While the band sorted out their mixing problems, they were then faced with the task of shedding the slacker tag lazily bestowed on them by the press. With song titles such as “Wake Bake Skate”, “Cheap Beer” and “Cocaine”, Schwartzel concedes that it’s easy to write them off at first glance, but people should still delve a little deeper.
“Our song titles are still like “Cheap Beer” and “Cocaine” but when you listen to the songs there is a little more to it than just that. I think we will probably always have those labels of being like ‘slackers’ but we’re not really slackers, we have worked full-time every day for years,” he says
The full-time work has clearly paid off, with the band are attracting wall to wall favourable reviews for their live performances and album – a further dent in the armour of their detractors. Schwartzel is optimistic and concludes, “I think now that the album is out it has changed a little bit because people are actually starting to hear our music more than before whereas they would just read an interview or see a show review . Now that our record is out, people are starting to listen to it more. Like, ‘oh shit, these guys can actually play’.”
FIDLAR Splendour 2013 Sideshows
with support from DUNE RATS
Monday, July 29 – The Corner, Melbourne
Wednesday, July 31 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
Friday, August 2 – Spin Off Festival, Adelaide
Saturday, August 3 – The Bakery, Perth
FIDLAR www.fidlarmusic.com
DUNE RATS facebook.com/dunerats
