Having been a little while since your last release (2011’s We All Die At the Hands of C.G.I.), it’s great to hear the new single The Weekend Bends. Is there a new album on the way?
Of course. We are currently recording and working on tracks for it. The tentative title is Modern Capitalism Gets Things Done.
Listening to The Weekend Bends, it would seem a huge variety in instrumentation and particular emphasis on backing vocals have led to a fuller more rambunctious sound for you guys. Is this a sound you were consciously aiming for?
Definitely. We are really aiming at capturing the energy of our live show more. We have so much fun onstage, and we don’t feel that previous releases ever captured that energy, so getting that feeling on tape is one of our main goals with this record.
Is it something that we can expect of future releases?
We have demoed about 25 tracks so far, and most of them have a big live feel. With seven musicians who all sing and shout we tend to lean that way naturally, but at the same time, we have a few really orchestral songs that are vying for contention. It really will come down to what makes the best record.
Which is the most annoying/difficult instrument to tour with?
Cellos just don’t pack down well. It used to be the harp, but we rarely take it on tour, being so fragile. It’s a bit of a Melbourne only treat now.
And which band member…?
No one really stands out. We all have our good and bad days, but most of the time it just sort of carries on from our live show. We all get along so well, and have an absolute ball on the road.
Are you road testing new material? If so, how has it been received?
We are trying out a couple of new songs. They have all gone down pretty well so far. We are finding we have favourites, so some of them get more stage time than others. We’ve also had a couple of lineup changes which has brought new ideas to old songs which have freshened them up and made them exciting and fun to play again.
How do you guys like to unwind when you get away from music?
I surf, drink whisky and eat Chinese food.
When can we look forward to more new material from you guys?
You can probably expect something from us in October/November.
THE BON SCOTTS play The B.East on Saturday April 12.
