It’s going to be a big week for Killing Heidi.
Announced earlier this year, the enduring Aussie rock band’s special anniversary tour is finally around the corner. Ella and Jesse Hooper are hitting the road to celebrate 25 years of their beloved debut album, Reflector, which spawned hits such as “Weir” and “Mascara”.
Reflector became the fastest-selling Australian album in history, and the four-times platinum album cemented the band as pioneers of modern Australian rock, shaping the scene as the new millennium kicked off.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ ahead of the tour, Jesse reflected (sorry) on Reflector, noting how their new live show has changed how the album sounds.
“It’s like we’re reinterpreting it with 25 years of touring and experience,” he said. “It’s still the same songs, but they’ve got a different intensity and maturity now. We’ve rehearsed Reflector in full, and it opens with all the heavy hitters… it’s a very different kind of set.”
Jesse also revealed what fans can expect from the tour setlist. “We’re playing songs like ‘John’s Song’ and ‘A Jar Labelled Small’, and we haven’t played them in 25 years,” he said. “They’re longer, heavier, more intricate. They don’t usually make it into the festival sets, so it’s a real treat.”
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Elsewhere in the interview, Jesse discussed the accompanying deluxe edition of Reflector, which is packed with demos, rarities, and live recordings.
“There were boxes of tapes, old cassettes, demos. It was a lot to go through,” he told Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “Some stuff didn’t make sense — just like someone’s sketch. But then you’d stumble on these great embryonic versions of the songs we all know, and that’s what made it so special.
“I think fans will be surprised by how intimate some of these recordings are. You can hear the uncertainty, the experimentation… It’s not polished, and that’s what makes it beautiful.”
Killing Heidi’s anniversary tour kicks off on Friday, June 20th at The Gov in Adelaide, followed by Saturday, June 21st at Magnet House in Perth. The tour continues on Thursday, June 26th at The Tivoli in Brisbane, Friday, June 27th at Liberty Hall in Sydney, and wraps up on Saturday, June 28th at Northcote Theatre in Northcote.
Tickets are on sale via www.destroyalllines.com.
