DOORS 6:30PM // KITCHEN OPENS 6:30PM // SHOW STARTS 8PM

Through the recent years of lockdowns and silence and having too much time to think, Tex Perkins always found solace in the company of song.  Having his friend Matt Walker as a co-writer-conspirator, Perkins revelled in the experience which prompted the forming and recording of the first Fat Rubber Band album at Walker & #39’s Stovepipe Studios with bassist Steve Hadley, drummer Roger Bergodaz and percussionist Evan Richards. After such an affirmative and creative experience Perkins was itching to commence work on what has become the band’s second album, Other World.

 “The first Fat Rubber Band album was kind of deliberately a little ragged. A bit fuzzy

around the edges” said Perkins. “There is a certain maturity that we now possess where ideas can be realised and take form very quickly. We’ve become a real band. I think what you heard on the first album is the band being formed.”

Eager to get the back-and-forth of song ideas going between Walker and himself,

Perkins presented Pretty Damn Close, a lyrically rueful blues number reminiscent of the late JJ Cale (the band was thinking Bill Withers) “That was the song I wrote just to kind of nudge him, just to say ‘okay man I got a song, the ball is rolling, time for you to reciprocate’,” Perkins recalls. “That was how the first album happened, he’d send me a song I’d hit one back at him, it was like a game of demo tennis.”

 Walker offered the guitar bones of Brand New Man, the lyrics of which came to Perkins as he was driving to meet his grandson, Ernie, for the very first time.  “I’m listening to Matt’s demo while I’m driving and these words are appearing,” he recalls. “I just started describing exactly what was going on, just to begin the writing process. But it led me straight to the chorus, the title and the central idea of the song”. Already a new live favourite, Brand New Man captures the wonderment of new life, but also speaks more broadly about the willingness to change.

 With Pretty Damn Close and Brand New Man committed to tape, the ball was now well and truly rolling.  Respected singer/songwriter Lucie Thorne gifted her newly written song, Around The World, after Perkins had complimented her on it at a gig.  “For Lucie Thorne to give you a song… it’s a bit of a big deal, really,” says Perkins. “She’s very particular and protective of her music.”  Working on the track, the Fat Rubber Band went about fattening it up to make it big, something Thorne herself had expected but Perkins wasn’t hearing it and suggested they ‘go smaller’. Walker put down several takes with a miniature hybrid four-string guitar; (it looks a lot like a ukulele) that was hanging on the studio wall. With a whole new tone, the song was almost there.

Listening to the playback Perkins had an epiphany. ‘It was really just a whim, but I said ‘It’d be great if we could have a saw on this track’. “Steve Hadley was lying there on the studio couch and without opening his eyes says, ‘I know a girl who plays saw. I’ll give her a call’.  Charlie Barker came over later that day and put the saw track on it.  I thought it was perfect, it’s a strange other worldly yet earthy old times sound and I suppose the first taste of why the album ended up being called Other World.”
 
 

While Around The World is indeed quite beautifully haunting, tracks such as Close To You have a rhythmic Sticky Fingers-era Stones quality, while This Monin’ induces a mood of paranoia and blind hope in the same prog rock swamp blues song and The Devil Ain’t Buyin’ - which may or may not be a sequel to the first album’s opening track, Pay The Devil His Due - provides a turn at the crossroads.  “Matt’,” says Perkins. ‘keeps bringing me the devil!”   Walker explains “He had a few lyrics, and I caught onto the idea of the devil ain’t buying. I wanted to take some of this idea of the mythology of how the devil buys the soul. Like the classic Robert Johnson story about selling his soul at the crossroads to the devil. I had this idea of what about if the devil suddenly said, fuck it, I’m not buying souls anymore. Don’t try coming here to make a deal’.”  Walker’s guitar permeations offer sizzle and sauce throughout, leaning in, away and against Perkins dusty baritone and his simple but effective guitar parts. “But his solo!” exclaims Perkins. “It’s like Ry Cooder in ’65 with Captain Beefheart. It’s Matt’s solo that makes it a world-shaker!”

The Last Drop features some middle eastern guitar picking reminiscent of Leonard

Cohen but also inspired by a a riff that Perkins’ son Louie was practicing at home

(Subsequently earning the 12 year old a writing credit on the song).  While Perkins’

work over the decades has suggested that danger, mishap and misfortune may well

be our greatest teachers, there’s food for thought at play amongst any world-weariness. “They’re certainly philosophical,” he says of the tracks on the album. “The song, Nobody Owes You Nothin’, is about pleasing yourself, not hurting anybody else, living your life and doing what you wanna do but don’t fuck over other people in the process – it’s pretty simple ethics.”
 
 While he’s played with many musicians, finding true collaborators is something that

Perkins treasures. During the lockdowns, he pondered whether he would ever

have that day-to-day musician experience again. With The Fat Rubber Band it’s not

just another grouping of musicians playing music together, but a gathering that is very much about the head, heart and soul and something he is clearly grateful for.

“Roger Bergodaz was incredible.  His drum kit was in the control room and he

engineered the record and played drums pretty much at the same time! He constantly created the surroundings where an enthusiastic and positive atmosphere always prevailed. We never came away empty handed.  I loved making this record so much,” Perkins says, “because fucking magic happened. Yes, that’s right, magic or how about alchemy? (A medieval science with a mysterious process that seeks to turn base metals into Gold.)  Well, I dunno about gold, but I witnessed ideas, thoughts, whims and imaginings transmute almost effortlessly into living breathing songs with a soul and a heartbeat and even their own private history every time we went into the studio for this recording. Actually, no, magic is better.”

Perkins explains “This magic came about with the help of over 4O years of experience from each of the Fat Rubber band members.  They’re all truly great players and they’re all really generous collaborators, so I guess what I’m saying is, it doesn’t matter what happens from here.  I’m very aware these days, with 100s of new releases each week, it’s harder than ever to get people to give a shit about a new album from anybody, let alone from a bunch of hairy blokes in their 50s from Australia fronted by a dude that’s been around since the early eighties named ‘Tex’. Actually, I can’t believe you’re still reading this!  But you know it doesn’t really matter, I’ve seen the magic.”

TICKETING INFO 

Please have a digital or printed copy of your ticket ready on arrival along with a valid photo ID. Acceptable ID includes a current and valid Australian Photo Drivers Licence, State Approved ‘Proof of Age’ card or Passport.

The Brunswick Ballroom strives to improve our practices when it comes to sustainability and to reduce our carbon footprint. We don’t sell or provide plastic water bottles.

VENUE INFO 

THE BALLROOM MENU
The kitchen will be serving The Ballroom Menu for this show.
You can view the delicious offerings available by clicking here.

ACCESSIBILITY
The Brunswick Ballroom is Accessible.
The Brunswick Ballroom has made significant improvements to accessibility by installing an Acorn Chairlift. (Model: New Acorn Indoor 180 Curved Stairlift.)

VENUE FAQS
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