Slug Guts: INTERVIEW!

Slug Guts have a new LP coming out on Negative Guest List and will be touring as part of the Hozac Singles Club - Jimi from the band kindly answered some questions for Gilded Gutter to tell us little more about the band and Australia.

Who is in Slug Guts?

JIMI-

JD-.

FALCO-

NICK-

CAMERON J. HAWES-

JOEY-

Have you been in any previous bands? If so, which ones?

This is the first and only band any of us will ever do.

Tell us about Australia, so many amazing bands are from there, is there something in the drinking water?

Australia is geographically so isolated from America and Europe. I think this isolation breeds a history of pretty fucked up and amazing bands. Aus bands worth listening to Blank Realm, Feathers, Circle Pit, Low Life, Whores, Holy Balm, Uv Race, Total Control, Keep on Dancins, Naked on the Vague..

What are the venues and shows like out there?

Some are wild. Some are shit.

Is there anything you would change about the scene in Australia at all?

No, it is just so bloody perfect, love getting two free drinks, promoters refusing to pay the guarantee they agreed to due to damages, security manhandling people in the band. Wouldn’t change a thing.

With the shows being so rough with security manhandling bands - why do you think that is? Is there a lack of understanding towards you/and other bands like you?

It hasn't happened in ages and were essentially isolated incidents that were largely our fault in retrospect.

When did you have that ‘I can do that moment’ and start a band?

When I was 8 and watching the Jerry Lee Lewis tele movie (not the bit where he marries his 13 year old cousin).

I’ve read; “Slug Guts hail from the baron, heat stricken confines of Brisbane, Australia, a town as desolate as it is depressing and suburban”, is that accurate? Do your surroundings inform your sound at all?

I think to a degree but mostly it is intuitive.

Tell me a little bit about 'Praggin' the Cowboy' it's one of my favourite tracks on 'Howlin' Gang'!

It was written by me and JD. The story is about one of our good friends first week in jail. His expectations and the reality of it.

How did your relationship with Sacred Bones come about after having releases on Stained Circles?

Stained Circles closed after doing a lot of really intense work in a short period, I think touring Jay Reatard, Pink Reason and others to Australia as well as putting out a lot of records forced them to put the label on hiatus for a little while. Sacred bones and us began talking and they offered to do the LP. They are an amazing label to be on.

What was the first record you heard that made an impression on you?

When I was 8 or 9, my dad would blast Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St LP and Roy Orbison’s greatest hits LP, the latter struck me as beautifully fragile and sad music.

What records are playing at home right now? Anything you wanna rave about?

Puffy Areolas- In the Army LP, HTRK- Work, Work, Work LP, Dead Can Dance s/t, Drunks with Guns s/t, Hunters and Collectors s/t LP, Coil-Lovers secret demise.

Do you remember the first show you saw that blew you away?

Don’t remember the first but I do remember the first time I saw Lucas Abella perform his set where he makes sound through breathing on glass, eating the glass and smashing the glass on his face. This left an impression.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen happen at a show?

A kid getting shot in the neck, New Orleans .

How was WFMU with Blank Realm? (The recording is great!)

It was wild. We drove from Cleveland to New York…I think in order to make it on time. We were so exhausted, gross and hungry. Brian Turner bought us snacks and beer. Blank Realm were amazing as per usual. I think the set we recorded sounded good but I have only heard it once. The interview we did with Brian was so fucked. Completely our fault though. We were just weren't making sense. I think he asked JD “How is the tour going?” and JD just replied “Puffy Areolas.” Mentally we were a little fragile.

Any other projects on the go you’d like to tell us about? (In or out of Slug Guts)

Joey is also in Kitchens Floor who have an LP coming out on Siltbreeze soon. I also play in HEX.

What is planned for the future for Slug Guts?

Live LP released on Negative guest List Records in July and an Australian tour to support that. 7” as a part of Hozac Singles Club in August. Finish third LP, which is looking like a double LP. Euro tour in November.

“I’m full of dust and guitars” – Syd Barrett, if you were cracked open what would be inside?

A river of poison and shit that cost me a lot of money. Syd Barrett is an asshole.

Download live set from Slug Guts on WFMU

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