With three big shows coming up for Crackwhore over the next four weeks, the band is “dead keen” to be back on the live circui
What better way to sum up your heavy, sleazy, sweaty brand of rock ’n’ roll than with simply… Crackwhore. Think Siouxsie Sioux, The Stooges and The Divinyls, and you’ll get what these Melbourne dirty rockers are all about, then add a sultry frontwoman in the form of X-Stacy [Stacy Brearley] and you’ve got one hell of a good time on your hands.
“Most of our songs are very much riot-girrrl based,” explains Brearley. “It’s about growing up and looking the way you do. One of our first songs was called Bastards which was about exactly that! The line goes, ‘bastards on the street, get away from me’. It’s pretty observational of everyday things, such as dealing with jerks. It’s about empowering myself, really. I love the idea of having these song lyrics that you can just belt out and express yourself on stage, stuff that you can’t really do on a day-to-day basis at work. It’s things that you’re thinking in your head, for example, when an annoying, smelly man sits next to you on the train or bus and you just want to tell this guy to fuck off.”
The idea of an alter-ego also appealed to Brearley, much in the vein of Chrissie Amphlett from The Divinyls, she claims. Letting go, speaking your mind, and somewhat venting at the same time – that’s what Crackwhore was meant to be all about.
“The Divinyls are a big influence because they were coming from that idea of being able to do whatever they wanted on stage,” explains the singer. “Chrissie had an alter ego and she could be someone else on stage. Musically, we’re very Aussie rock, like The Stooges style because we cover everything from faster, harder, punky leanings to rock. Everyone in Crackwhore is or has been whored out to many other side bands in the time we have been together. Naf, our bass-man, can’t let an hour pass without picking up an instrument. He’s the serious muso of the group and responsible for shaping any ideas we come up with.”
According to Brearley, the addition of a new drummer in the shape of Jazz has also been welcomed in the lead up to the band’s upcoming album and 10 year anniversary next year. “Jazz not only smashes the shit out of her drums, she also plays guitar and writes,” adds Brearley. “We’ve been trying to sort out a new release for the past 18 months. We Crackwhores like to do things at our own pace. Since we changed the line up again, it always takes time for a new member to find their groove and Jazz has definitely done that. She brings some serious style and technique to the table and definitely makes us a hell of a lot better looking. We plan on recording over the next three or four months, debuting Jazz bashing out the beats.”
With three big shows coming up for Crackwhore over the next four weeks, the band is “dead keen” to be back on the live circuit, according to Brearley who says the band’s biggest inspiration are their mates and the punters.
“There’s a few things we do like, but a hell of a lot more shit we don’t. Crackwhore has been running long enough that we like to think we’ve got a style all of our own. Next year will be our tenth birthday so we’ll have a big bash for that. Our biggest influences are our mates and the low-lives that join us on the rare occasion we venture out of our lairs. Just like a camel that can store up enough water in its hump to sustain itself, we only occasionally need to venture out to fill our humps.”
CRACKWHORE have a string of shows planned for Melbourne. They’re be at Idgaf on Saturday April 2, Noise Bar on Saturday April 16 and will be topping it off with a stint at Cherry Bar on Good Friday, April 22.
