Name:
Paul Dornau.
Define your genre in five words or less:
An international mini orchestra.
Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like?
It’s hard to describe because we play so many genres – cumbia, surf rock, benga, dangdut, soul, tarantellas, rancheras, ’20s swing. I guess it’s like the music genre that starts with ‘W’ but I refuse to say it.
If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why?
I’d show Tupac. Just to see him cringe and say “What is this shit?”
What can a punter expect from your live show?
Three women, three men, a trumpet, trombone, two violins, congas, a double bass, two guitars, a drumkit, an accordion , lots of singing in lots of languages and a Cypress Hill cover.
When’s the gig and with who?
Spotted Mallard in Brunswick for the five Thursdays of May. We are being supported every second week by The Sugarfed Leopards (with Steph Brett) and Empat Lima, a ’60s Indonesian girl band cover group.
How long have you been gigging and writing?
Four years.
What inspires or has influenced your music the most?
African rhythms, Mexican songs, surf rock, soul, drinking music from Eastern Europe and Franco Cozzo.
What makes you happiest about what you’re doing?
Working with my friends and getting drunk at work.
And what makes you unhappiest about what you’re doing?
Fighting with my friends and being hungover.
Describe the best gig you have ever played.
Tim Burton watched us once when he came to the exhibition at ACMI. It was our first show. He said he wanted a CD. But we never followed it up. We could be famous now. We also played a cool show in regional France where all these teenagers got up and did a synchronised dance like ‘The Madison’ from that Godard film. One of those two. Actually, if you took all the best parts from every gig that we’ve ever done and put them together, that would be pretty good too.
What advice would you give to bands that are new on the Melbourne music scene?
Play at The Old Bar. Don’t drink Carlton.
