With a lineup to rival its huge mountain surrounds, the 2020 edition of the Grampians Music Festival is gearing up to showcase some stellar homegrown talent against the picturesque Grampian Mountain Ranges.
Carving an enviable reputation for celebrating the insatiable talent and diversity of the Australian music community, the Grampians Music Festival offers a unique experience that spans genres (and 360° mountain views) in a nurturing festival environment.
And kicking off a brand new decade of festivities for 2020, punters can expect to partake of some good vibes and wave-making artists, including the likes of Julia Jacklin, Ecca Vandal and These New South Whales to name but a small few. And in the lead-up to the main event, The Soundcheck is featuring some of the epic musos poised to take the stage come late February next year - and today we're jumping with vocalist Jamie Timony from Sydney punks These New South Whales chatting rural festivals, why the band started - plus! Tune in for a secret or two. Interview below.
Q: Tell us a bit more about you/your band – what’s the “too long, didn’t read” version of how you started playing music?
A: Well, the band was a concept for about 6 months before we even started playing together. It started when I suggested the band name These New South Whales to Luke and Todd when they were trying to think of a name for their other band which is now called I Know Leopard. Everybody laughed at me but I knew it was a good name and we started talking about what kind of band These New South Whales would be from there. It all started as a joke.
Q: The 2020 edition of the Grampians is packed full of some insanely talented artists. What are you most looking forward to next February? Any musical crushes on the lineup you’re particularly keen to see live?
A: The lineup is definitely tight! I’ve never seen Julia Jacklin before so I’d say I’m most looking forward to seeing her.
Q: And The Grampians is obviously an amazing showcase of some of our best and brightest local talent in a beautiful regional setting that wouldn’t often have a lot of festival options. How important do you think these sort of events are to positively impact rural communities?
A: Events like this are fantastic to bring communities together. I love the idea of people from rural areas who don’t often get to see live music getting access to something that might inspire them to make something of their own. I’ll never forget the first bands I saw that made me want to start making music.
Q: You’ll be throwing down onstage at a festival that seems to be going from strength to strength…but if you briefly cast your eye back a way, describe your first ever gig as a band/artist. Were there any total disasters to report, or did everything go smoothly?
A: We played to nobody for a long time in this band and others. But the difference was for TNSW that we never cared if anybody came or not. In fact, we relished in the idea of nobody coming. We started this band because we were sick of taking ourselves and our “careers” as musicians so seriously. There have been some pretty funny hecklers over the years. I remember one drunk lady at one show just standing up the front with her thumbs down for majority of one of our early sets. Characters like her spurred us on.
Q: Now for the clichéd “desert island” question. If you/your band were stranded on a desert island with only one other band on the 2020 Grampians lineup for company – who would you pick and why?
A: Probably Raave Tapes. We are on tour with them now and they’re good people.
Q: You’re starting 2020 off with a huge bang obviously, but is there anything else you can reveal about what’s on the near horizon for you/your band?
A: We are working on a number of exciting projects for 2020. It’s going to be a big year for us. I don’t want to say too much but we are working on more film based projects which we can’t wait to share.
Q: And finally – what’s one little known fact about you or your band that you’re willing to share with us today?
A: That Will and I are bedfellows on tour. We enjoy sleeping in a bed together. It works. Todd and Frank always take the single beds. Also, I’m the permanent designated driver for the band. I love being behind the wheel.
IN THE LIGHT OF DAY (THESE NEW SOUTH WHALES)
YOU CAN CATCH THESE NEW SOUTH WHALES IN ACTION NEXT FEBRUARY AT THE GRAMPIANS MUSIC FESTIVAL, TICKETS ARE ON-SALE RIGHT NOW HERE.
FOR MORE GRAMPIANS MUSIC FESTIVAL INFO HEAD HERE,
AND FOR MORE THESE NEW SOUTH WHALES INFO, HEAD HERE.
BY TIANA SPETER