Hello there. Who are you and what do you do in the band?
I’m Steve Mulry, singer from the band.
Black Label have been operating for over 25 years next to the likes of Rose Tattoo and The Angels. How has the face of Australian hard rock changed in that time?
There’s not as many true Aussie hard rock bands these days, and I think it’s at least partly due to bands not being allowed to be loud anymore in pubs and clubs. That, of course, is mainly due to neighbours of pubs and clubs, who move within earshot of these venues and then complain about the noise.
Talk us through a night watching Black Label.
We rehearse our show a lot so as to perform at the top of our game every gig. I’m a stickler for getting things right. I’m not necessarily a perfectionist, as perfection doesn’t exist, but I guess I’m an excellentist.
You’ve been handpicked to play at a lot of motorcycle and tattoo shows. Do you get to kick around with the punters afterwards?
We always get on well with the punters and club members at the bike shows. It’s always a great atmosphere. The bike clubs have always been good to us over the years, particularly when we were really attempting to push our name out there and get gigs. No one wanted to book a hard edged boogie rock band at the time. Fortunately, the motorcycle fraternity liked what we did and we were, and still are, booked regularly for bike shows.
