In the beginning, guitarist and vocalist Andy Simpson breathed life into Don Fernando. Forming in Wollongong, NSW in 2006, the band trucked down to Melbourne in ’07. They quickly took root among cramped dives and rock haunts like Cherry Bar.
“The members in the band are completely different to what they are now,” Simpson begins. “We’ve had bass players from Brisbane, drummers from Perth and the other guitarist is from Tassie.” Initially, the ‘Don’ was born to kick out lazy and equally damn heavy stoner jams. “I also decided to start a band where I’d kind of be the boss of it,” Simpson laughs. “I wanted to write most of the material with our main influences being Kyuss, Fu Manchu and Queens of the Stone Age,” Simpson notes. “We throw in a bit of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, too.”
Releasing one EP and two full lengths since, they caught the attention of locales both unusual and far afield. In November last year, Simpson and the band played a mountain of festival and club dates in South America, their “most successful tour so far,” Simpson gladly reports. “In terms of crowds it definitely was the best tour we’ve had. We got an opportunity to play to some bigger audiences. Somehow, probably through the power of the internet these days, we’ve developed a bit of a following over there. We had a profile we were relatively unaware of. Argentina and Brazil have a pretty strong underground stoner rock scene.”
So, it went off without a hitch?
“Oh, there were definitely a few hitches,” Simpson chuckles. “It’s so different over there, compared to touring Europe. We just get off the plane, pick up a van with all our gear and backline and off we go for six weeks. In South America the distances were so vast we couldn’t do that. We’d fly from one gig to the next. The gear would be provided by the other bands. Amps here that cost $1,500 cost twice as much there. But the crowds were good and it was heaps of fun.”
Returning to home soil slotted Don into supporting fellow stoner darlings Clutch on their Soundwave/Earthrocker tour in February and Monster Magnet in Melbourne last Sunday night. The Don’s highly coveted gig was a March-long Wednesday residency at their beloved Cherry Bar. “Cherry Bar is definitely a spiritual home for us,” Simpson enthuses. “Our bass player is the manager there and it’s like a second home for all of us.
“There’s something about Cherry Rock,” Simpson considers, having played Cherry Rock in 2012. “It’s got a certain vibe that I haven’t experienced at any other festival. It’s interesting chatting to the bands. We played when Fu Manchu played and they were stoked. It’s a small crowd compared to some of the other festivals. Everyone’s packed in the alley and just goes nuts!”
The Don’s one goal, apart from kicking arse and rockin’ hard, is leaving a lasting impression on the Cherry Rock faithful and beyond. “We seem to be one of those bands that other bands know about,” Simpson observes. “We get a lot of respect from other bands, like Fu Manchu. I was surprised that they knew of us and been listening to our albums. I think as a band we just have to jump that fence into being more popular with the general public as opposed to dudes in other bands!” Here’s hoping.
BY TOM VALCANIS
