The story starts after a night out at Cherry Bar watching Bruce Kulick with some of the Cheap Trick roadies. “We left Cherry Bar that night and drove to Rochford Wines where they have A Day On The Green and we saw a sign that said ‘Artist’s carpark’ and we thought, ‘Well, we’re artists’. I guess we took it more broadly,” Oswald laughs. “We had a folder with nothing in it, walked around, talked to all the security guards and hung out backstage and that kind of thing. Eventually, got to meet Billy Idol… He’s so cool and he’s got the attitude and he’s the ultimate rock singer.”
Two of Idol’s groupies, well into their 40s, took a liking to the Midnight Alibi boys and ended up talking to Idol about them, saying they were in a band and suggesting he listen to their music.
“When we got to meet him, he says to us, ‘I think those girls want to fuck you.’ And we say, ‘What should we do about it Billy?’ and he says, ‘You should probably hook up with them or get their phone number or something’.”
Composed of four Albury-Wodonga boys, Midnight Alibi are all about good, old-fashioned rock’n’roll. The band’s influences are wide and varied, but they don’t like to compare themselves to anyone else. “We’re an original band. We’re not trying to imitate anybody or jump on a bandwagon or anything,” says Oswald.
While Oswald listens to everything from Seattle grunge through to Delta Blues, guitarist Jake Collins is a fan of Clutch, drummer Jamie Stacey likes Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam, and bass player Dan Klappert is a hair metal fan.
“Every show we’ve played, we always have someone come up to us and say we sound like a certain artist, but it’s never the same artist,” Oswald says. Sometimes the comparisons are a little off-the-mark – think Mötley Crüe or The Doors – but sometimes they’re just completely bizarre.
“The worst feedback and best feedback we’ve ever had was a lady who said that we were the worst INXS tribute band she’d ever seen. She was upset because we didn’t even play any of their hit songs. I have no idea why she assumed we were an INXS tribute band. Maybe she thought we were playing B-sides or something?”
Basically they’re a ballsy Aussie rock band, but at just three years old, Midnight Alibi are constantly working on evolving their sound. The band have just launched their new EP Love Yourself Sick at Cherry Bar. Following up this January’s Preach It EP, Oswald reckons Love Yourself Sick holds some nice surprises.
“Preach It was no holds barred, flat out rock’n’roll. We wanted to give this one a bit more room to breathe. It still has that edge that Preach It has, but it has a bit more groove to it, a bit more feel, a bit more soul.”
And there was nowhere better to launch the EP than Cherry Bar. “It’s our favourite venue. It’s just cool. We just go there and we get to play rock music and then we can have a drink and listen to our favourite bands on vinyl. It’s our home away from home and we love it.”
Oswald becomes rather Zen when he talks about the band’s future plans. “As long as you’re making your music and you’re travelling around playing shows, you’ve made it. You live the dream in different ways. If your artistic vision is to have five cars and a mansion, you’re in the wrong business.”
BY ISABELLE ODERBERG
