No matter what side of the fence you’re on, there’s no denying that Sticky Fingers have managed to become contentious figures in the world of Australian music.
For a bit of background, it’s worth noting that upon Sticky Fingers’ entrance into the Aussie music scene back in 2008, they were met with widespread praise from their ever-growing fanbase, who relished their mix of indie rock and reggae.
Before long, the group had released their debut album in 2013, with their follow-ups – 2014’s Land Of Pleasure and 2016’s Westway (The Glitter & The Slums) – hitting #3 and #1 on the Aussie charts, respectively.
However, it was around this time that things began to go wrong for the group. Following allegations of racial abuse, the group revealed at the end of 2016 that they were breaking up after a run of final shows.
In 2018 though, the group announced their comeback, generating more controversy following an interview with triple j’s Tom Tilley which saw them appear to sum up their past indiscretions with the phrases “boys will be boys” and “shit happens”.
Needless to say, public opinion was definitely against the group, with Sticky Fingers being likened to US President Donald Trump due to their “‘us against the world’ mentality.”
Despite all of this negative press and poor publicity, it appears as though it’s still full steam ahead for the Sticky Fingers train, as they continue to ride a wave of continual success.
Check out Sticky Fingers’ Facebook post:
Having released their fourth album – Yours To Keep – earlier this year, bassist Paddy Cornwall was quick to hit back at the likes of triple j, who seemingly blacklisted the band from the airwaves following their highly-publicised incidents.
“I got something to say, that no one else has the fucking cojones to say in Australia,” Cornwall explained in a rant shared on Instagram.
“triple j, fuck you and your fucking artist repertoire. We don’t fucking need you. We don’t want you because you play your fucking bullshit and you’re a bunch of fucking maggots.
“We’re over here in the UK doing what we fucking do. You can do what you fucking do. Stay in your corner. Stay in your fucking lane.”
Cornwall was, of course, correct. Sticky Fingers were indeed over in the UK, knee-deep in a tour that saw them performing at venues all over the world to thousands of fans.
However, while the majority of their controversy seemed to be found in their native Australia, many were somewhat apprehensive when the band announced back in May that they would be kicking off a tour of Aussie arenas in early November.
As it turns out though, Sticky Fingers have defied the odds, overcoming the effects of an apparent radio blacklist, countless pieces of negative publicity, and what appeared to be an almost country-wide shunning to perform some of their biggest shows to date.
In fact, taking to Facebook earlier today, the band noted how their Friday night show at Sydney’s 21,000 capacity Qudos Bank Arena was completely sold out, seemingly exceeding all expectations of those that had written the band off previously.
While this raises questions of whether Australian music-lovers have short memories, or if Sticky Fingers have managed to somehow return to favour over the last year, there’s no denying the fact that they’ve managed to pull off an impressive feat for a band whose career seemed almost over just last year.
