For most people, Australia conjures up images of a big red centre, populated by various versions of Mick Dundee or Steve Irwin.
It's tougher than that.
It takes four days to get
from Sydney to Perth--east to west--and few musicians in Australia
these days take on the gritty, tough audiences of rural and outback
Australia, preferring instead the well worn Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane
run of the east coast. But one band has found an untapped spring, a
'coalface' as it were, in this rugged terrain, and they have made it
their mission to share their special pioneering brand of country rock
'n' roll around.
Introducing the Re-mains, and their soundtrack to rough driving.
Mick "Jah Mean" Daley, singer, Guitarist and self-proclaimed 'bard' of the band, whose big
hands work tirelessly to shorten the life of a pair of battered and
somewhat frightened Maton acoustic guitars, explains what the
'coalface' is, and what it means to the heart of the band. Saying 'the coalface' is "metaphysical"
terrain, like the mythical town of Brigadoon, is always just out of
reach, leading you on to the 'pot of gold'. When we see a spectacular
sunset in front of us on the way to another town where we're playing,
we declare, 'the coalface!'"
Hailing from the North coast
of New South Wales, Australia, an area known better for it's 'rainbow'
culture than its rural roots, the Re-mains are setting themselves apart
from both rock and country. They tour Australia prolifically, and as we
speak, are undertaking the enviable task of touring the entire east
coast of Queensland. From the entertainment-starved mining towns to
inner city pubs, the Re-mains pride themselves on touring where no
other bands will tour, sometimes quite literally 'slaying them in the
aisles'. "A bunch of shearers
had been tripping and speeding and drinking all weekend, not drinking
any water, in searing heat conditions, EDaley explains. "They were
dancing maniacally at the end of our set, demanding we play some more.
We played an ACDC song, "Whole Lotta Rosie", and they went into even
greater convulsions, leaping about, screaming, when all of a sudden one
of them dropped. His heart had exploded. I've written a song about it,
called 'My Bootstealin' Days are Over'."
Their latest album, Field Conditions,
is a testament to the band's philosophy of seeing the coalface in
everything, no matter what 'field conditions' the gig throws their way,
they just give it all they've got. "We
just drove nearly 3000km to play a little festival for [AUD]$800, up at
Wallaby Creek, near Cooktown on the Gulf country of far north
Queensland," says Daley. "It was a long, gruelling drive, with some
thankless gigs in between at Mackay and Airlie Beach, where people just
aren't interested in what you're doing. But it was worth it, to arrive
at this lush tropical oasis and play to a really appreciative audience
of people who are really stoked that such a band has travelled so far
to play.
That's
one of the intangible rewards for what we do - people are so delighted
that we'd do such a seemingly crazy thing, in this modern world where
everything has to be accounted for by Little Johnny Howard's
accountants and everything has to be financially above board, that we'd
lose money for the joy of playing seems to create a bit of mystery and
joy in itself. We did some similar stuff in the Northern Territory last
month, going way out to remote communities like Gunbalunya and Ali
Currung to play to Aboriginal people. We get to play alongside some
unique Aboriginal bands who we'd never normally meet."
The Re-mains is in its 'Mark
III' stage. There has been a few comings and goings of members, but now
they are settled into a fine line-up of musicians who are well known in
their own right. Leigh 'Swoop Owly Owl' Ivan, who formed the band with
Daley, is a simply unforgettable guitarist. It was his increasing
passion for lap steel that convinced both him and Daley that turning
slightly left of their rock and roll roots, to country rock 'n' roll,
was worth a shot. Since that time, he has managed to secure sponsorship
from Maton Guitars, an Australian company, who have worked alongside
Ivan in creating his own custom lap steel. Sam 'Uncle Burnin' Luv'
Butcher used to play grunge guitar, but now he plays "the only grunge
banjoist in the world", the band professes. New additions to the band
are Michael 'Wardstock' Ward, who is as well known for his drumming as
his collection of cowboy boots, and the baby of the band, Sam 'Junior'
Martin, who plays the bass in between bouts on a mandolin.
The Re-mains mark III is a
deeper band, unafraid to travel down the dark paths of Country Rock 'n'
Roll, before jolting you back to your foot stamping senses. Their new
Album bears the hallmarks of this, honouring the memory of Johnny Cash,
before romping in with something John Spencer Blues explosion would
give their right arm for. Each individual in the band has such diverse
musical experience that it is futile to try to pin one or two
influences on them. They are acutely aware of where they are going and
how they are going to get there too. They are done with the days of
thinking inner city pubs are the only way to be professional, working
musicians, or that touring blindly overseas will get them the
recognition they so rightly deserve. "We're
not 18-year-olds," says Daley, and we don't wanna go over [to Europe or
the Sates] and do it on the cheap, hoping wildly for some recognition.
We'll go when we have distribution, promotion and touring avenues set
up so our efforts aren't wasted." Daley also manages the band, but
views a partnership with an overseas manager as a viable option for the
future, and has already signed with German label Glitterhouse.
For
now, it's another wide, open road for The Re-mains, and no doubt
another raucous audience in tow. As Daley puts it,"We learn a lot about
the country we live in - stuff that's oozing out of our songs all the
time. The coalface is a living breathing entity and we're a part of it."
If you'd like more information on the Re-Mains, check out:
or listen to The Re-mains live at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, recorded by ABC Radio at:
http://www.abc.net.au/dig/stories/s1190041.htm
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