Garbage have been releasing music for three decades now.
It was their debut self-titled album featuring classic tracks like Only Happy When It Rains and Stupid Girl that catapulted them into focus. In May this year, they released their eighth studio album – Let All That We Imagine Be The Light – a 10-track exposé into the impact love can have in a world too often despondent.
All things considered, Garbage have shaped modern music in a way that speaks volumes of the songwriting prowess of Shirley Manson and the instrumental work of Duke Erikson, Butch Vig and Steve Marker. Now, they are returning to Australia to headline Good Things Festival.
Check out our gig guide here.
“The first festival I ever played down there was Big Day Out,” says Vig, “and it was the most amazing run I think we’ve ever had because we’d play a show and all the musicians got along so well.
“We’d party at the hotel, get up at like 7am and go to the airport. We’d all be on the same plane and fly to the next city. And it was like a travelling band of crazy people. It was a blast. Garbage likes playing festivals because we realise we reach a lot of people beyond just our fan base, but you know that we know that Australia likes to rock.”
And that much is true, considering the success of Good Things, as well as the alternative bands that have come out of Australia. But Garbage have more than just an appreciation for Australia – they’ve got history here.
“People may not be aware, but Garbage was signed to Mushroom Australia before we even met Shirley,” says Vig.
“They were the ones, Michael Gudinski and the people at Mushroom, who green-lit Garbage. They had belief in me to start a band before we even knew what that band was. I remember flying down there on the first Garbage tour and doing press, and I loved it straight away. I’ve always loved Australia, and we felt so warmly received there. Australia is very close to our hearts.”
After the setbacks the band have had during COVID, and also an injury and subsequent surgery that Manson suddenly endured, it seems the band are more eager than ever to play more shows in Australia.
“The process of making our last album was definitely different from any of the other previous seven albums,” he says. “We had to cancel shows last November and December. We’d planned to come to Australia, but that got cancelled because Shirley had to have a total hip replacement. It was quite daunting for her that the rehabilitation and therapy took a long time.”
“We were catapulted into a situation out of our control,” she says. “It felt at the time like a curse, but I actually think it was a gift. It gave us a brand-new shift in perspective.”
And what came of it was the album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, an LP that sifts through the chaos and grief omnipresent in the world to find strength in joy.
“Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, is a lot more about hope and positivity,” says Vig. “I think that’s been a thread through our recent shows. It’s hard to define exactly, but I think that Shirley’s lyrics have spoken to a lot of our fans.
“You know, the world is crazy right now. Not just America, but everywhere. And we, especially Shirley, haven’t been afraid to speak about that. Our fans have a sense of that, and it’s meant there’s been a real sort of community collective at the gigs, and a lot of that comes through in Shirley’s lyrics.”
It’s no wonder the band are as sharp as they have ever been with Manson leading the helm in this newfound way. “We’re playing about as good as we’ve ever played in Garbage,” says Vig.
“A lot of that comes down to having been around for so long, but we also rely on Shirley. If she’s having a great show, we have a killer show, and she’s been on point recently. I mean, she’s been totally focused.”
And you can expect nothing but a stellar performance from the band in their upcoming Good Things appearance.
“Well, every time we’ve been down to Australia, we have a fucking blast. The people are just so cool,” he says. “We’re going to come down there and I’m telling you, we’re going to put the fucking hammer down.”
Garbage are playing Good Things on 5 December. Get tickets here.
