Interview with The John Steel Singers

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you'll have probably seen my post bigging up The John Steel Singers from Brisbane, Australia. If you liked what you heard then you'll be pleased to hear that today, which is appropriately sunny and hot and all summer-like, we have an interview with them for you to read. Topics for discussion include their band name, the influence of Triple J and why the music scene down under is so damn good right now.

Max: Perhaps the most unoriginal first question in an interview ever - how on Earth did you decide on a name like The John Steel Singers?

John Steel Singers: It came to Tim in a dream, apparently he had been watching a lot of Starsky and Hutch and had a dream about being in a detective duo with a guy called John Steel, John was a mixture of all the great crime fighting figures of the 80's. Chuck Norris's hat, Tom Selleck's moustache etc. He also had the mane of a wild stallion and a penchant for Cubans and carrots. And a great singing voice. Tim has some disturbingly erotic dreams.

M: What music did you grow up listening to and made you want to be in a band?

JSS: My father has a horrible collection of M.O.R. Country Rock records. Thankfully I didn't absorb too much of that because I was always disgusted by it.

M: You've been compared with an eclectic bunch of musicians - from Johnny Cash to The Beach Boys. Do you find it odd and/or flattering to be compared to such historical artists?

JSS: Both for sure, the Beach Boys are a favourite of everyone in the band so to be compared to them, although it seems highly inconceivable to me, is flattering as hell.

M: You're heading out on a Triple J-associated tour (The Flying High Tour). How much does the backing by Triple J really help a band like yours?

JSS: It has been really awesome… The support they have given us from our earlier demos has taken us from nobodies to well…occasionally known bodies. It is quite amazing just to have the Triple J drum logo on our tour posters.

M: What other touring plans do you have after The Flying High Tour? Is there any ambition to play gigs overseas?

JSS: Hells yeah!! If all goes to plan then we'll hopefully make it off this god forsaken land sometime next year… But its just in dream format at the moment, no formal plans have been made… We'll be spending the rest of the year touring around our beautiful country and doing our best to not have regular jobs.

M: I understand you've just re-released your EP as a mini-album in Australia. Are they any plans for a full-length LP?

JSS: Hells yeah!! The super secret plan is for another EP in a couple of months and then a full release closer to the end of year… But that's super secret so this email will self destruct 10 seconds after being read in full… Of course if you just skip one word then the self destruct beacon wont be activated… But that's super secret so this sentence will self destruct 10 seconds after being read in full… But if you skip one word then disaster will be diverted.

M: How would you best describe the music scene in Australia at the moment and what bands would you recommend?

JSS: The music scene is joyous… since spell check didn't flag that word I'm assuming that its real so I'm sticking with it.. some great local bands are Cloud Control who we are doing the Flying High tour with and also Yves Klein Blue who hail from Brisbane as well. A Sydney band called Richard In Your Mind have released an album full of wonderful psychedelic tunes and if you happen upon a Cuthbert And The Nightwalkers song you are guaranteed to grin like a fool.

You can listen to tracks from their mini-album, The Beagle And The Dove, on their MySpace.

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