In case you needed a reminder, Sydney singer-rapper Chance Waters is a really funny guy.
The quick-witted wordsmith has just announced an upcoming national tour in support of the new single, ‘The Ticket Inspector’, the latest track taken from his forthcoming new album.
But it’s the bizarre tour name that’s making us chuckle: it’s called “A Transit Officer Beat Up My Brother So I Wrote A Funny Song About It Tour.”
It made us wonder, is this a real story?
“Hahaha yes it’s true!” Chance Waters tells Tone Deaf. “Basically my brother got done for overriding his ticket [and] he decided like a thug he’d walk off the bus rather than cop the fine. That didn’t go very well for him.
“This happened before the big overhaul in Sydney where they got rid of these non police transit officers for this very reason, but they basically grabbed him as he tried to leave, he ran, so they chased him down in a car and one of the transit officers tackled him to the ground, punched him in the chest [and] abused him.” “I’m sure we’ll have a few tricks up our sleeve.”
“He took it to court but of course it was five transit officers versus him, so I thought in tribute I’d take a Canterbury Tales approach and memorialise the transit officer as a dickhead for all eternity.” Naturally.
The tribute has culminated in the brand new track appropriately titled ‘The Ticket Inspector’, which sees Waters retelling the event with his trademark infectious humour and intelligent, razor-sharp lyricism. Listen to a preview of the track below.
It’s the second single taken off the Sydneysider’s upcoming album and follows in the similarly catchy footsteps of the sing-along collaboration track ‘Bonnie‘, his bromance with Sydney indie buddies, The Griswolds.
Along with the rock band, the upcoming LP’s impressive list of collaborators includes The Grates’ colourful frontwoman Patience Hodgson (on ‘Looking For Something‘) as well as Brisbane indie troupe Cub Sport, which Waters “can’t wait for people to hear.”
The musician’s past two albums have been met with huge praise from critics and his growing fan base alike, with his sophomore effort Infinity producing two coveted spots in the 2012 Hottest 100 in ‘Young And Dumb’ (#45) and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ (#89).
Having cemented his place in the Australian hip hop scene, naturally the rising hype has added pressure for Waters to deliver a hat-trick.
“I’ve gone through a lot of personal upheaval in my life during the writing and creation of the album so that’s given the whole thing a lot more significance and I’ve definitely felt that… particularly given how well Infinity was received,” he says.
“I think it’s a more solid piece of work than Infinity and there’s a few gems on it I just can’t wait to release.”
For now though, Waters is just keen to kick off the touring duties. “I’ll be playing a bunch of new songs from the record I’m finishing up at the moment which have never been played anywhere, and we always like to pull out fun new things with the band so I’m sure we’ll have a few tricks up our sleeve.”
It has to be asked though, what does his brother make of the tour and single being made in his honour? With a grain of salt, in true Waters family tradition.
“I think he just finds it funny and digs the social justice.”
Chance Waters Australian Tour 2014
“A Transmit Officer Beat Up My Brother So I Wrote A Funny Song About Him” Tour
w/ special guest Brendan Maclean
Friday, April 4 – Cats @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide*
Saturday, April 5 – Howler, Melbourne
Saturday, April 12 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Saturday, May 3 – Zierholz @ UC, Canberra
Friday, May 16 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane
*Brendan Maclean not appearing
Tickets on sale now from www.chancewaters.com
