INTERVIEW: Wolf and Cub
- Posted on February 22, 2007 5:48 PM
- 2 comments
By Katie Spain
Have you ever been to a gig to see a band in a massive venue then seen them the week after in an intimate gig that blows the roof off the big one? When I walked out of the Wolf and Cub gig this week I couldn't help but feel I'd been part of something very special; The type of gig I'll one day tell bratty grandkids about when I want to prove I was once young and 'on the ball'.
If I was a star-giving type of journo I'd grab a handful from up above and whack them on a plate for Wolf and Cub. Luckily I'm not a star-spangled rater, so words of praise will have to suffice.
When I heard the Adelaide 'psychedelic rock' band were supporting Wolfmother for their world tour, I knew I had to corner them for a chat. Their headline London gig at the Hammersmith Apollo was out of the question so I stole some of their time after a sound check at the Luminaire in Kilburn, North London. It's not everyday you interview a top band from your hometown in Australia, in a venue merely stumbling distance from your new house in the UK.
There's something special about seeing fresh talent in an intimate venue. The Luminaire has a reputation that far outweighs its bigger competitors; it was voted 'Live Venue of the Year 05/06' by TimeOut magazine and after a recent refurb, is set to continue the success.
It is in the back stairwell that I sit atop a pile of kegs and chat to Joel Byrne, lead singer of Wolf and Cub. Their manager Tim watches on from above, his former chatty Australian accent silenced to make way for Joel's 'tour talk'. Joel however, is quietly spoken and strangely calm amidst the bustle of London. Elsewhere, Adam Edwards, Thomas Mayhew and Joel Carey wind down (or up) before their latest UK gig. No doubt they need a breather, I tell Joel... surely they must be getting travel weary?
"Maybe psychologically" He tells me. "Not physically or anything like that". But the lads enjoy touring, especially when Wolfmother are involved and friendships forged mean that Joel won't even divulge any of their unsavory tour habits. "It's almost got to the point where the bad habits (not that there are any!), but if there were, would be the comforting type of habits; the ones you'd miss when you're not in each other's company. Those guys their crew are fantastic people to tour with - everything about those shows has been fantastic".
Since leaving Australian shores behind they've played in Tokyo, Southampton, London, Manchester, Berlin, Hamburg and Amsterdam. Joel reflects back on the highlights. "We'd been to Japan before and that was fantastic but this time was just as good. If anything it was a little bit better because we got to go to Osaka and play with Wolfmother. It was a very communal vibe because we were traveling together and were able to be in each other's space - in a good way. I'm quite sad actually... it was that kind of tour. When it ended it was really sad to leave each other".
Touring with Wolfmother was obviously a highlight, their headline London gig at the Hammersmith Apollo sold out and the result was a world class venue packed out with Australians and Europeans alike. For me, the view from the balcony was great; one can only imagine how the band must have felt on stage. Joel enlightens me; "It was good for me... for all of us actually. When I walked into the Hammersmith it was insane. It was a bit mystical actually. I didn't really appreciate it as much as one of the other guys who walked out into the crowd and up into one of the upper levels. I don't think I could really appreciate how massive that place really is."
"But you know, it was one of our first shows in London and we were playing the Hammersmith Apollo... thousands of bands playing in London dream of playing there." Indeed they do... but a lot of bands don't have the raw energy and unique stage presence of Wolf and Cub. Their massive twin drums and thumping basslines send a tidal wave of sound over the upturned faces in the audience. The looks of awe in the crowd are testament to a band that dares to experiment and come out surfing above the rest. Not bad for a group that initially met, made a demo and didn't think much more of it.
"Tom the bass player was doing a sound engineering course and we were the band that he wanted to record. He knew me from the town we grew up in and we did a demo and liked it so we sent it around to some venues. We weren't really expecting to do much more than just demo really. We hadn't even thought about how we were going to do a show or how we'd do a recording or anything like that. You never really consciously think about going overseas and traveling or anything - it was just something to do on the weekend."
It doesn't take a genius to work out they've come far. Since touring the world they've seen some pretty crazy things; The Red Light District in Amsterdam, the eclectic side of Berlin and spoilt dogs in Japan. The weirdest thing for Joel however? "I think the strangest thing about touring has been being here with the guys - you know what I mean? I grew up with a couple of them in a country town and they were younger than me. They were my younger brother's friends so even to conceive of being with these guys over here is pretty surreal..."
That's the special thing about Wolf and Cub. The guys are genuine, there's no arrogance, no false rock poses or dismissive glances. It's all about the music. And yes, Joel tells me, they occasionally miss home because Adelaide is "Like a hybrid between a city and a country town".
It's not home time yet though. Before that they play in America, Joel is looking forward to it but is wary. "It just seems like such a fearful place - not because it's especially scary or because there's a lot of trouble there but because I think a lot of people there are scared and they put that fear onto you."
Fear of the future they don't have. He perks up when talking about other bands to keep an eye out for. New Zealand band Die Die Die are top of his list, followed closely by Australian bands Lady Strangelove and Love Of Diagrams.
As for Wolf and Cub, the immediate plan is to head "back to Adelaide to assess the damage. Actually, when we go back to Australia it's another tour with Wolfmother so that'll be pretty cool. We'll then reassess and think about coming back over here."
Let's hope they return sooner rather than later. The UK music scene will be in a better state if they do.
** Check out the band's MySpace for their upcoming gigs **
Comments (2)
GH
I was at this gig too!! Right up the front. I actually went to see the Early Years but was more impressed by these Aussies. You Adelaide people sure pump out some cracking individual bands. Hilltop Hoods are from there too right?
Amazing stuff - might have to give the place a visit.
Posted on February 22, 2007 12:10 PM
Tara
There's another great band signed to the same label as Wolf & Cub in Australia. They're called Snowman and are awesome live! myspace.com/thesnowmanempire
Posted on February 26, 2007 3:03 AM
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