“We’re stoked, we rehearse out there,” he states. “One of our friends is a sculptor, and he’s got his foundry out there, just down near the creek. We’ve been jamming out there for about a year now. We were just asked to play; we’re real excited. The Cambodian Space Project are playing, I haven’t seen them before, apparently they are fuckin’ awesome.
“It’s just like a big celebration of Reservoir,” he continues, “which I guess is going to be the new Northcote in four years, or soon. It’s always moving out – it goes Thornbury, Preston, Reservoir, so you need to get in before its high rise buildings and so on.”
Being a very diverse and adaptable band, Merri Creek Pickers have a different set in store for the festival’s punters than they would normally play at other gigs. “We’re going to play a nice, kind of pop/soul set for this one,” he reveals. “We usually like to play ‘jammy’ stuff, but we’ve got a bunch of soul songs we’re going to play. And it’s a mid afternoon set, so it’s much less prone to big, long jams.
“We’re just going to go down there and have a play and watch all the bands, and look around all the art displays they’ve got around town. Apparently a whole bunch of shops are open, and houses and stuff, there’s people playing in houses and shop fronts, and local art. I think it’s just going to be all happening.”
Pete is impressed with the quirky reputation that the festival has. “Yeah, it sounds really cool, it sounds really interesting,” he enthuses. “We play on the Edwardes St party stage, I think there’s a whole bunch of streets closed off, and everything’s going to be going on, it’ll be fun. Youth fun and adult fun, just demographic fun!” he chuckles.
That musical adaptability comes from the extremely varied backgrounds that all the members of the band have. “Oli’s (guitarist and vocalist Oli Dear) family is really big in the bluegrass scene down here, and around Harrietville and stuff,” he explains. “He grew up around it, he’s just really good at mandolin and guitar. (Vocalist) Alex started off as a folk singer back when I was 15, 16. And we all played in rock bands as well, I think (drummer) Thyme played in a heavy metal band, and Donny played in Alex’s soul band The Dead Cowboys.
“We’ve all kinda had rock backgrounds, but everyone’s got a soft spot for Dylan and Townes Van Zandt, so we all kinda moved in different ways but came back together. And we got obsessed with The Grateful Dead, too. We mellowed out, took some time to reflect.”
The band also have a bunch of more traditional pub shows coming up around Melbourne, including a weekly residency in a venue in Brunswick and a one-off show at The Old Bar in Fitzroy, all with excellent lineups of local talent.
“Yeah, we’re starting a residency at The Spotted Mallard, the next four Wednesdays,” he tells us, “starting on Wednesday March 26. That’s with Miss Eileen and King Lear. I haven’t heard them yet, but they’re supposed to be really good, I’m guessing they are.
“Then we’re at True North, and then we’re at The Old Bar with Laura Imbruglia and Mushroom Horse. There’s this guy, he’s a local sound guy, one of the best sound guys in town, it’s his band. Plus Cahill F Kelly, who’s the singer from Willow Darling. He’s going on first, solo, because he couldn’t get the whole band.”
The rest of the year will see the band focusing on creating their next album. They also toured America last year, and had such a good time Stateside that they are extremely keen to get back there as soon and possible.
“So we’ve got a couple of gigs coming up, then we’re going to try and record our new album, once we get the funds, and then keep on playing, keep on rockin’,” he smiles. “Writing, recording, saving money, and trying to get back over to the America. We went last year, for two and a half months. We did a bunch of show and then went down to New Orleans, to hang out with the Sikh gurus, we re-aligned our spiritual selves, and came home!”
The band were especially enamoured with that southern US city. “I love that place,” he states. “New Orleans in the best place on the planet. It’s alive! Everyone is just really cool and surprised that you’re there, and the city is alive with music, everywhere you go there’s music, and it’s awesome.”
BY ROD WHITFIELD
