Every few years, someone declares rock and roll dead. And every few years, it crawls back from the grave, lights a cigarette and plugs back in.
Metal bands are edging back into the charts, and hard rock streaming numbers have been outpacing the usual suspects. The Thing are part of this latest wave. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, the four-piece knows a thing or two about survival.
“Some days you get eaten alive, and some days you’re on top of the world,” says bassist/vocalist Zane Acord. The familiar struggle that comes with trying to break through as an independent band in an arts capital is not for the weak-willed.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Rooftop gardening, furniture restoration and restaurant shifts were just some of the odd jobs the quartet worked to cover rent until music could take over. Still, the hard slog continues, with the band playing over 300 shows across Europe and the US since dropping their debut, Here’s The Thing, in 2023. With the release of their third record, self-titled The Thing, the group are psyched to begin their opening run of Australian shows later this month.
Cutting their teeth outside the crowded city was crucial in establishing their audience. “It gave us a ton of confidence,” recalls guitarist Michael Carter. “When we got back to New York, we had a ton of energy and excitement to book shows and do things that would grow our band’s presence.”
Recording in a poolhouse behind their tour manager’s childhood home, they tasked themselves with producing an exclusively analog album in under a month, all tracked live to tape. Barring a swift adjustment period, the medium’s restrictions only elevated their creativity.
“Your hand is forced and you have to commit to things,” Zane explains. “It kind of squashes overthinking.”
“Even the accidents are amazing,” adds vocalist/guitarist Jack Bradley. “Somebody will mess up, and you just play off of it. You might think it’s shit in the moment, but when you listen back, it’s actually added to the song.”
The result is a record that captures the group’s raw chemistry with palpable warmth thanks to its unpolished charm. Alongside jazz drummer Lucas Ebeling, the band self-produces everything under their label, Onion Records. The DIY ethos applies to all they do, designing their own visuals, merch and music videos – all shot on VHS between tour dates.
Michael says this practice has kept them honest and helped unearth what makes The Thing unique. “It just feels super authentic and homemade, and people have told us it really comes through. I think it allows people to latch onto what we’re doing a little more, because it doesn’t really look or sound like anything else.”
After honing their craft through relentless touring and sheer chutzpah, The Thing decided their latest work should sport their name.
“Most bands, especially in the ’60s and ’70s, have a self-titled album, and it’s usually the coolest and strongest,” Jack says. “I think this is the most realised our project has ever been.”
There are clear shades of The Kinks, Byrds, and Rolling Stones, but The Thing meld those influences into something wholly theirs.
View this post on Instagram
While the instrumental weaves through classic elements of garage, jangle, and psych-rock, their lyrics dig into the chaos of modern life: feelings of uncertainty, messy situationships and the strain of surviving in a city forever on the move. A perfect culmination of these themes is the album’s closing track, Irresistible, a seductive, dance-floor banger that doubles as a love-hate letter to New York.
“It’s a very real place,” Zane says, dubbing it equal parts beautiful and insane. “It’s a rollercoaster of feeling.” Despite the city’s hefty price tag and fierce competition, they can’t imagine living anywhere else.
“Everything’s pretty much against you being an independent rock band,” Zane admits. “But it’s also the epicentre of rock and roll right now.”
Praising the likes of Model/Actriz, Geese and YHWH Nailgun, they say that being surrounded by New York’s wealth of rising acts helps them stay nimble.
“They’re making truly new sounds and styles of music,” Michael says. “So it’s definitely cool moving forward to try to find something new to contribute, and they’re helping push us to that point.”
Down-to-earth and playfully cheeky, it’s no wonder The Thing have always dreamt of playing to their Australian counterparts. “Good to hear we should expect rowdy audiences,” Jack laughs. “We really appreciate the energy people give us. Even a boo is fine!”
The Thing are playing The Curtin on October 18. Grab tickets here.
