The Melbourne band, headed by enigmatic frontman Angus Leslie, has been doing music for music’s sake for so long that their recent sold-out album launches came as a complete surprise.
“It was great! We’ve really just done what we’ve always enjoyed doing and it’s great that people are enjoying and coming to our shows. The Northcote Social Club show reached capacity so early that half our door list couldn’t get in!”
What Sex On Toast have always done, however, is play instrumentally diverse experimental music, as evidenced on their debut self-titled album that came out last month. Leslie and co. have gone in a Quincy Jones and Prince-inspired neo-soul direction. This has resulted in the band being seen right in the mix of a Melbourne soul scene that is currently going gangbusters with other local acts including Hiatus Kaiyote, Cactus Channel and Saskwatch.
Leslie discusses being a part of this ‘scene’. “We kind of are and we kind of aren’t. There’s definitely some stylistic things that we’re doing that has absolutely nothing to do with that – the kind of Mr. Bungle-y absurd Frank Zappa stuff we have been doing for years. But there is bit more of soul and funk in our sound that I guess sees us grouped in with those groups, however it is very specific.”
The second single from Sex On Toast’s debut album is called Hold My Love,and it is a sultry, smooth soul track that is dressed perfectly with Leslie’s baritone pleading with an unseen lover to accept his affections. So drenched in romance is this tune it drips with humorous irony.
“I would never want to get rid of that, I think that it is important to overtly have a sense of humour about what you’re doing. I don’t really like going to see stuff that is completely serious all the time. It’s great to see something that is fun and funny,” explains Leslie.
Despite this humorous overlay, Sex On Toast are comprised of nine very serious musicians, says Leslie.
“Well currently we have the Star brothers Al*n [Alan on keys left] and Ph*l*p [Philip on bass]. They reunited after a ten-year feud – they did a lot of sessions in the mid-‘80s but the feud began when a hot chocolate was spilled. Well Al*n spilt a hot chocolate on Ph*l*p’s leg and he didn’t want to say sorry.
“Then we have Bovril, who is a trumpet player and singer, then James Bowers who is a terrific keyboard player [right keys] and talk-boxer, Zak Pidd kind of a studly backing singer. There’s Louis King the guitar virtuoso from Fairfield. Jeez there’s a lot of them, I hope I remember them. Then there’s Johnny Bassoon who is a pretty unique individual – he’s a classical bassoon player who is quite a wild improviser – he plays bassoon for the ladies. And then there’s Gary T but he sells PCP so I shouldn’t really talk about him. Gary T plays the drums but I’d prefer not to talk about him.”
Due to the intensely hallucinogenic effect of PCP, Leslie now grapples with the possibility that Gary T is not even aware he is performing half the time. “I think the PCP confuses him and he doesn’t know if he’s on stage or off stage,” states Leslie matter-of-factly.
It is this juxtaposition of ridiculous propositions – Gary T does not do PCP and the Starr brother did not have a feud in the ‘80s – and serious musicianship that sees Sex On Toast as headline artists for Stonnington Jazz Festival and Equinox Records at Revolver on Saturday May 24.
“I can’t wait to play it, I just hope I remember to thank all the members when I’m on stage or there could be a few awkward silences backstage after the show.”
BY DAN WATT
