Yes, Grinspoon’s lauded debut album Guide to Better Living just turned 20 years old, and long-time fans are looking back at the monumental Aussie release with incredibly fond memories.
But if you ask one of its creators, Grinners frontman Phil Jamieson, he doesn’t seem to have much time for celebrating something just because it’s old. Instead, he wants the record to be appreciated only if it still holds up, rather than because of some arbitrary milestone.
“Do we really have to glorify it because it’s old, and even if it is old – shouldn’t it just be good?” Phil asked our writer Genevieve Gao. “If something 15 years old was crap… it shouldn’t be revered all of a sudden.
“I don’t care how old you are – I just turned 40 – but that doesn’t mean shit,” he adds. “If Guide to Better Living was a bag of dicks, there’s no way I’d even think about doing a 20th anniversary for it.”
Presumably though, Phil looks at the record a little bit more fondly than he would a mere sack of phalluses, as the band are heading out on an enormous tour to celebrate the milestone, playing the album in full, along with some later hits.
Two decades is a long time, however, and Phil & Co. are having to work pretty hard to make sure they do the album justice when they belt it out live.
“The record in itself is going to be a challenge to play from start to finish,” he admits. “It’s going to be head down, bum up to make sure we can recreate what we did 20 years ago.”
Grinspoon perform 20 years ago on the classic Recovery
The band are also re-releasing the album as a limited edition vinyl, and will come packaged with a second disc that features the band’s second performance at the legendary New York venue CBGB’s – after their first was an absolute disaster
“The first time we played it, Pat and Kris (Hopes, drums) were so intoxicated that we only got through five songs, because Kris fell offstage,” Phil recalls. “I walked offstage in disgust, and I think Pat quit the band that night. We’d been on the road for way too long.
“The second time we played the CBGB’s, we – or they – made sure they were a little bit sober, and that’s the recording you hear.
“It was always at the end of the tour, New York, because we’d start in Los Angeles and drive across the country. So we were fairly fatigued by the time we walked through the doors… If you thought about the history too much it’d probably bum you out a bit, so we just put our heads down and did what we did.”
We’ll have our full chat with Phil for you soon, including life lessons from the Green Day musical, his frittata skills, and what manages to scare him after all these years.
Don’t miss Grinspoon handing out your dose of quintessential Aussie punk rock when they play Guide to Better Living in full, and a stack of other favourites – full dates and tickets here.
Grinspoon ‘Guide To Better Living’ Tour
Supported by Hockey Dad
Friday, 23rd June
Kay St Entertainment Complex, Traralgon (18+)
Friday, 30th June
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne (AA)
Saturday, 1st July – SOLD OUT
Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave (18+)
Thursday, 6th July – NEW SHOW
Enmore Theatre, Sydney (AA)
Friday, 7th July – SOLD OUT
Enmore Theatre, Sydney (AA)
Saturday, 8th July – SOLD OUT
The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane (18+)
Sunday, 9th July – NEW SHOW
The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane (18+)
Saturday, 29th July
One Tropical Day @ Darwin Ski Club, Darwin (AA) *
Thursday, 3rd August
The Wool Exchange, Geelong (18+)
Friday, 4th August
Pier Bandroom, Frankston (18+)
Saturday, 5th August – SOLD OUT
Granada Tavern, Hobart (18+)
Sunday, 6th August – NEW SHOW
Granada Tavern, Hobart (18+)
Thursday, 10th August
The Jack, Cairns (18+)
Friday, 11th August
Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville (18+)
Saturday, 12th August
Magnums, Airlie Beach (18+)
Thursday, 17th August
Villa Noosa, Noosaville (18+)
Friday, 18th August – SOLD OUT
Redland Bay Hotel, Redland Bay (18+)
Saturday, 19th August
Shaka Fest, Miami Tavern, Gold Coast (18+) *
Thursday, 24th August – SOLD OUT
Dunborough Tavern, Dunsborough (18+
)
Friday, 25th August
Metro City, Perth (18+)
Saturday, 26th August
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide (AA)
Thursday, 31st August – SOLD OUT
The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle (18+)
Friday, 1st September
Lismore City Hall, Lismore (18+)
Saturday, 2nd September – SOLD OUT
Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich (18+)
Thursday, 14th September – SOLD OUT
The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay (18+)
Friday, 15th September – SOLD OUT
Waves, Wollongong (18+)
Saturday, 16th September
UC Refectory, Canberra (18+)
Wednesday, 20th September
CSU, Wagga Wagga (18+)
Thursday, 21st September – NEW SHOW
Barooga Sports Club, Barooga NSW
Friday, 22nd September
Beer Deluxe, Albury (18+)
Saturday, 23rd September – NEW SHOW
NEX Newcastle, Newcastle NSW (18+)
Sunday, 24th September — CANCELLEDBatemans Bay Soldiers Club, Batemans Bay (18+)
* Hockey Dad not appearing
