Chris (New Skinn) questions Appleberry (Engine Three Seven)…
We have shared stages with each other so many times over the years. I’ve always noticed that E37 has always had an amazing set of songs and killer sound that separates you from the others. How do you come to put these songs together in the style that you do?
The song writing process has evolved over the years and we now write and arrange with much more of a vision for the ‘song’ as a whole rather than just making our parts cool and fun to play. We all have very different influences musically, which is what makes Engine what it is.
Yourself, Casey, Jed and Shane are amazing musos. Multitalented, multi-instrumentalists. How did all of you end up in the same room? How did E37 take its first breath?
Jed, Shane and myself went to high school together. We met Casey at a local jam night near Byron, wrote a few songs, won a busking competition, played the East Coast Blues & Roots festival, the Tamworth Country Music Festival and then wound up in Melbourne playing prog rock shows. True story.
While we’re talking about everyone, what does each member bring to E37? And most importantly, who’s the biggest diva?
Jed has always held the title of Riff Master. Shane-o is the metronome and arrangement king. Casey is the lyrical and melodic genius and I kind of just glue it all together. We rock, paper scissors periodically for diva duties.
You guys have toured with some of the power houses of the Oz music scene. Full Scale, Electric Horse, etc. Got any fun stories from the road?
The best stories are the ones that don’t get published. And they’re also the ones that need all four of us to tell them.
As hard as it is to believe, you all have lives outside of E37. What do you all do when you’re not together?
We enjoy the little things, we hang out with our favourite people and make music in other projects.
So, Rock The Bay! What are you and the E37 boys bringing to your Rock The Bay set? New songs? Hair pieces? Garden Gnomes? What can people expect from you this year?
A whole bunch of new songs from the record we are currently working on.
Finally, what is next for E37? Album? Tour? Rehab? Zombie Apocalypse?
We are going to release our first full-length album later this year before all the zombies break out of rehab and we’ll definitely tour it before the apocalypse.
Appleberry (Engine Three Seven) questions Chris (New Skinn)…
Chris, you seem to play in quite a few bands. What makes New Skinn different from the others?
Each band I play in is a little different in some way. From group dynamics to the style of writing. New Skinn has always been my first love. We’ve worked long and hard to get it to where it is. Every rehearsal I still walk in and get surprised at the talent I get to play alongside and the ideas that everyone brings to the table.
If all the members of New Skinn had to have an animal spirit guide that helped them play their instruments like total legends, what would they be and why?
Greco: A llama/goat hybrid. Phil: Hm, something short yet mighty. An army ant! Xman: A Doberman. Skill, precision and unwavering loyalty. Me: A gazelle. No, wait. A pony. I like to frolic.
How would you describe the music you guys make?
This is always a tough question. We like sitting on that border of rock and metal. We’ve always liked writing the big chorus along with a busy verse or main riffs. Hard rock? Soft metal? Brutal blues? Take your pick.
Do you guys hang out when you’re not playing music together or are you all super busy important types when you’re not rocking tunes?
We definitely try to catch up outside of band camp. We are all super busy. Between the four of us, we’re involved in about eight to 10 bands. But we try catch up for a drink and a BBQ when we can or just go and hang out with each other when someone’s free.
Before a show like Rock The Bay, do you guys have a pre-gig ritual like seeing how many cans of Monster you can skull before you spew?
No energy drinks before a show. I learned the hard way (very long story involving energy drinks, a long drive, no sleep, a jogging track and spewing from the other end). Typically it’s very laid back. Phil and I are usually doing vocal warm ups, and heaps of stretching.
Your last album was released a few years ago, are we expecting to see another New Skinn record soon?
Abso-freaking-lutely! We have been working hard, taking time away from live shows, adding some extra spice and introducing some new elements to our music. Things are really progressing now so we can’t wait to get in the studio and on stage and show the fans what New Skinn has been working on!
