Following a run of successes as a bad-ass punk quartet, the latest phase in the RACKETT adventure is one of evolution and determination as vocalist and guitarist Bec Callander leads the project into new sonic territories as a solo pursuit.
With the departure of her bandmates into other personal and professional pursuits, Callander was faced with a significant fork in the road (coupled with a gnarly breakup and the risk of creative burnout) - to fall apart or to forge ahead and embrace the unknown. And following a period of devouring experimental pop and teaming up with longtime collaborator Dave Hammer (Jeffe, Washington, Lime Cordiale, Thundamentals), Callander finally arrived at her musical happy place, perched somewhere between the eccentric punk aesthetics of Robyn and CSS and the sci-fi electro rock of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in a vibrant and glossy future-punk bubble, seen just this week on the first solo RACKETT release Machinations.
Sitting in a softer realm to the previous RACKETT incarnation and mastered by the iconic Chris Gehringer (St Vincent, Rihanna), Machinations is a slinky delight full of glistening charisma and smooth production that sheds the distortion while retaining the potent heart from Callendar's former sonic life, as the lady herself explains:
"RACKETT has always been evolving. Amidst the moving parts, one thing has always been consistent, my love of music and my desire to connect with others. It’s taken a lot of resistance to stay off stage and commit to redefining RACKETT and I’m so pumped to finally share this.”
Armed with a new single and currently embarking on a huge run of shows in Japan, RACKETT are due back on home soil next month to launch the latest chapter in Sydney and Melbourne. But in the meantime, in honour of the brand new RACKETT and Machinations, we grabbed Bec to share her grand machinations for 2020 (including inciting a Heely gang) - check it out below!
MACHINATION #1: Turn Rock Dogs into Dancing Queens My fans are mostly die-hard rock dogs, I was too and I still love a good headbang, but why headbang to music that was made in the ’70s? Technology has evolved and so is music. Constantly reviving the past feels like groundhog day to me and I want to bring my fans into the endless connectivity and power of pop. I want to ignite the inner dork that deep down cannot resist a bit of TOXIC by Britney Spears. I want to bring old rockers into a new era of punk that is fun, limitless and weird.
MACHINATION #2: To light up stages in unknown places I want to go where I can’t. I want to sing where I shouldn’t. I want to take my headset mic and fat synthetic bass into venues throughout the world, popping up in unexpected places. To become a performing nomad.
MACHINATION #3: Collaborate with Charli XCX Charli XCX is my queen, she is constantly evolving the epitome of future punk. Always on the forefront of innovative sounds. I have begun my machination to work with her one day. Playing straight-up rock was limiting to me as artist, it was also, towards the end of last year, a front. What I was listening to was alt pop, then I was getting up on stages and playing rock on the verge of glam rock. Charli XCX is authentic and this is also why I want to machinate myself closer to my idol, so I’m just gonna keep being myself and meditating and girating on the outrageous possibility of collaborating with her one day.
MACHINATION #4: Spend the weekend with Tyler the Creator Do I need to explain?
MACHINATION #5: Become a Heely pro Give me a dance floor underneath my feet and I got that down. Put me on wheels and watch me go ass up. I tried skateboarding and rollerblading and never went anywhere but face down. But I have discovered I have an unexpected ability for Heelys. I wanna be in a Heely gang, currently taking applications.
RACKETT IS CURRENTLY KICKING UP A NEON STORM IN JAPAN, WITH SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE ON THE HORIZON NEXT MONTH FOR TWO SPECIAL LAUNCH SHOWS. MORE INFO BELOW, AND FOR ALL OTHER RACKETT INFO, HEAD HERE.
BY TIANA SPETER