A week out from the match, Megahertz co-captain/PBS breakfast presenter Maddy Mac and King Gizzard multi-instrumentalist (and Rockdogs debutant) Eric Moore tell us what Community Cup means to them, and Melbourne’s culture at large.
“I went to my first Community Cup back when it was at Junction Oval,” Maddy recalls. “I was a presenter at PBS at the time, and thought you could just rock up in your sneakers and play. I didn’t realise quite how seriously it was taken. I went to the match, and there were umpires dressed as The Ramones with their black wigs. The year after there wasn’t a Cup, the year there was no charity partner involved. Following that, there was the new charity partner with Reclink and it moved to Elsternwick Oval. I made sure I got involved as soon as possible, because I didn’t want to miss out.
“This also comes from no interest in AFL proper, it was more an interest in the Community Cup rather than football. That year we didn’t have many training [sessions], we just got together and played and it was all fun and fine. But in the subsequent years we’ve really made the effort to get to know everyone on the Megahertz team and bring together community radio. Since then we’ve got to know each other outside of any Community Cup affiliation as well. Plus the connection with the musicians on the Rockdogs team has grown bigger as well,” Maddy assesses.
“I’ve been going as a punter for the past four years,” Eric states. “I actually ran water a few years ago when I first got to Melbourne, just trying to get involved, giving Timmy Rogers a squirt from a drink bottle. It’s just one of those days, so many people rock up. Having bands play to a massive footy field full of people is just sick. And to be asked to play at half-time is an honour, it’s a Melbourne institution,” he proclaims. “I’m pulling the boots on, which is pretty funny. I haven’t played since I was 17. The other boys are keen, but there’s a one player per band system or something like that. Plus we’d probably take up the whole team, or at least everything,” Eric laughs in reference to King Gizzard’s seven-strong lineup.
With many thousands of Melburnians continuing to rally around our live music scene, plus displaying a passionate will to make a stand for community radio, the Community Cup provides an opportunity for all that is great in our city through the lens of sport. “Well it’s a really inclusive, family-friendly day,” Maddy reasons. “As a community radio station, we know the community is there – whether it’s membership drives for the individual stations or raising awareness of the community radio digital radio cause. So at the Community Cup, we all get to be together there. Without a doubt, the people there watching are the people calling up in the early morning asking about a song, who are SMSing, who are interacting. It’s the one day where we all get together. Also as music lovers, the Community Cup has always had fine bands involved, not only on the teams. Having Blue Ruin last year, and You Am I and Kram involved over the years. And this year having Beasts Of Bourbon, what music-loving Melburnian would miss it?”
As for King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard’s setlist, Eric can’t yet confirm whether we’ll hear the appropriate 12 Bar Bruise album-closer Footy Footy on the day. “I’m not sure actually, we haven’t really talked about it. I guess we should. We’ve only played that song once, and it was as a gag. I think the set will be a bunch of new stuff, songs we worked on during The Drones supports slot a few months back. A bit of a preview of the new album,” he reveals. “We’re dropping the first track next week, which is a 16-minute psych epic. I don’t know how to describe it, but we can’t wait for people to hear it. I guess the album is slated for later in the year, maybe September, once we get all the pieces together – artwork, pressing it up, all that shit. Stu [Mackenzie, frontman] already has the next two albums ready to go. He’s quite a prolific songwriter.”
Though Eric will be making his on-ground debut, Maddy has amassed many years’ worth of Community Cup memories. “The Spazzys ordering pizza to the ground – I don’t know if that was admirable or mad. They’re pretty cunning, those Spazzys. Plus there have been a few questionable high tackles from Tim Rogers. But it doesn’t matter what the result – win, lose or (as it was last year) draw – each year is quite memorable.”
BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
