With a strong passion for heavy music and the urge to revisit the foundation of starting a band, members from Mastodon, Brutal Truth, the Despised and more have collaborated to birth the animal that is Primate.
The young quintet pride themselves on representing a raw punk and hardcore attitude, in both their music, which has seen the release of Draw Back A Stump, as well as in their live shows.
Guitarist Bill Kelliher, famous for his career with progressively influenced metal band Mastodon is appreciating the reminiscent early stages of a new and exciting musical project. He perceives his involvement in Primate as an interesting story.
“All of the guys are based in Atlanta and we’re all mutual friends through different folks there” he explains.
“I got to know Kevin (Sharp, vocalist) just from him working on my house ‘cause he’s actually a general contractor in terms of building houses and digging holes when he’s not screaming into a microphone.”
Sharp communicated recording ambitions for a demo with Kelliher who had been doing some writing of his own.
“I have a tiny studio and basically when I started to record for them, I was sort of giving them little producer tips here and there, ‘why don’t you play a guitar solo here’ or ‘why don’t you move this part here’ and stuff like that.”
“[Primate] is definitely different to Mastodon… it’s more carefree.”Whether it was a result of frustration or mere appreciation, the band responded unexpectedly to the Mastodon mastermind. “They were like why don’t you just fucking pick up the guitar and play with us?” Kelliher jammed with the band and officially joined Primate, a band he would play with once per week.
“We were playing together quite consistently and then we got a record deal with Relapse [Records] and it all really picked up momentum from there.”
“It’s definitely different to Mastodon, the music is a lot heavier, faster and simpler and [most importantly] it’s more carefree.” Kelliher emphasises the serious approach of Mastodon, an understandable reality given their musical calibre.
“Primate is something I do for fun and to release some tension.”
On the relaxed premise of how Primate operates, the band have acknowledged several impressive achievements.
“I’m really surprised we’re going to Australia, Japan and New Zealand already. We’re really nobodies, I mean we’re a good band but we’re not really well known” – besides the originating bands that Sharp and Kelliher are from.
Primate spread their name the usual way by travelling on the road in a tour van and attempting to sell merchandise.
“We did a tour last year around this time in the States with High On Fire, Ghosts Of War and a band called Lo-Pan.” Kelliher perceives the American response as relatively positive.
“I think we were pretty well received, I mean I don’t know how many Mastodon fans were out there” he reflects – “but it was playing music along the lines of grindcore and death metal with a little bit of rock and roll thrown in there too.”
“I try to play a couple of guitar solos fast here and there and that’s about it” the guitarist says, downplaying his role and the fast growth of the band.
Kelliher rates the Primate shows highly as they are purely about the music. “There’s no talking and banter in the setlist, we do like fifteen songs in under twenty minutes” the guitarist emphasises.
“It’s going to be a fuckin’ fast and furious, loud and dirty sweaty old man punk rock show.”
“I hate the excessive talking in between songs and fucking telling the people what to do, how to mosh and where to dance; so when we don’t do that, I think we get a pretty good reaction.”
Primate are making their way down to Australia in January for a string of intimate shows, playing to smaller crowds than Kelliher is used to with Mastodon.
“Those are my favourite kind [of shows] though, just getting dirty and sweaty with the fans (it’s awesome).” The 42-year old endorses the free and wild crowd involvement. “We’re the kind of band that you come and get drunk to watch, mosh with your friends and inter-mingle with us on stage.”
He goes on to humbly announce – “I love shows like that, I have been so [far] removed from those intimate shows that this is my way of getting back into that space with the fans.”
Of course Kelliher may as well rent a beach house or hide out after the Primate Australian tour as Mastodon will be (as of recently) heading over only one month later for the Soundwave festival.
“I love Australia, it’s one of my favourite places to go and so I’m stoked to be going there for it. I’ll be avoiding my winter whilst I’m in Australia with a hot summer, it will be great.”
Mastodon are no strangers to Australian shores having played numerous festivals and the sort. “We did Big Day Out a few years ago which was cool and we did Soundwave around two years ago.” With the evolution of Big Day Out over the years, Kelliher felt more assimilated to Soundwave.
“We played with bands like Kvelertak, Gojira and Lamb of God, and the festival was really well organised. There’s always tonnes of people there and any chance we get to go to Australia is worth it for me so we’re looking forward to coming down for Soundwave.”
There might be some cheeky planning going on with Mastodon in Sydney as well. “I think there’s some talk of doing a harbour boat show or something like that, which should be interesting.”
Perhaps AJ Maddah has exhausted all Sydney venues and resorted to sidewave yachts and cruises.
Kelliher is seemingly more excited for the preceding premiere tour for Primate around Australia and suggests what fans can expect.
“It’s going to be a fuckin’ fast and furious, loud and dirty sweaty old man punk rock show (the guitarist laughs).”
To ensure that punters get in the spirit, he adds a reminder – “bring your leathers and your spikes”.
Primate 2014 Australian Tour
1/10/2014 Hi-Fi – Brisbane, Australia [info]
1/11/2014 Hi-Fi – Sydney, Australia [info]
1/12/2014 The Bendigo Hotel – Melbourne, Australia [info]
1/14/2014 The Hi-Fi – Melbourne, Australia [info]
1/16/2014 The Brisbane Hotel – Hobart, Australia [info]
1/17/2014 Enigma – Adelaide, Australia [info]
1/18/2014 Civic Hotel – Perth, Australia [info]
