Fred Negro, frontman of the ever-controversial band The Fuck Fucks has spent the better part of 35 years playing around St Kilda and has always stood in support of the region, while Jim Gallagher of Dumb Punts and WOD is a relatively new resident. Both chose to live on the south, both are avid supporters of the south, and while they’re separated in age by a quarter of a decade, they both share a very similar perspective on music.
“A lot of venues are closing down because of a lot of cunts [are] moving in next door and complaining about noise,” Negro remarks. “When I first started with my first band The Editions back in 1979, every pub was a venue and I was doing all the cartoons and advertising for every venue. It’s all changed now; there are hardly any venues because of noise complaints.”
Negro’s astutely aware of the downturn in St Kilda’s live music scene. Still, he remains steadfast in nurturing what’s left of the music culture in the area. Gallagher, on the other hand, doesn’t have a life of playing rock’n’roll in St Kilda that ties him to the area. So we ask him where he normally plays.
“Definitely south side” he says, without a moment’s hesitation. “I’ve been in Melbourne for about three years, and I reckon there’s a handful of standout bands that come through, seemingly out of nowhere, smash shows, get picked up and turn into something like Ausmuteants or The UV Race and kill it. The rest are good, but they don’t have that thing that pushes them to the next level.” Gallagher’s perspective on music in Melbourne is much the same as his perspective on music in the south of Melbourne. The key issues and factors are the same, just on a smaller scale. “There’s a massive electro scene here at the moment, and that’s where everyone’s attention is at, but that doesn’t mean good rock shit and punk shit isn’t getting written. It’s still getting played, you’ve just got to look a little harder to find it.”
Gallagher doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the notion of a huge north vs. south divide. He doesn’t even think that people from either side of Melbourne are having the most profound effect on the music coming out of this city. “I think that Geelong is responsible for it mainly,” he says. “Ausmuteants and Orb – I think Orb are probably the best band in the country.”
The blatant dismissal of the divide from Gallagher is heartening. Negro agrees with him too, and sitting here across from them, it’s hard to argue with their appraisal of music in Melbourne. So if it’s not to do with where you play and who you play with, what is it that you have to do to make it as a band in Melbourne?
“Just not being a cockhead,” Gallagher says. “People want to like a band. There’s so much of, ‘You’ve got to be the coolest cat,’ with stern faces and it’s like, ‘Well my songs are so good that you have to just sit here and listen.’ Fuck that, man. It’s a Saturday night; people want to have a good time. If you’re in a band and people are in a room watching, you have the opportunity to turn it on its head and make it a great night, or you can make it awkward.” Negro interrupts Gallagher: “By being too serious,” he exclaims. “It’s called the entertainment industry for a reason, because it’s meant to be bloody entertaining.” They both nod.
While the differences between Negro and Gallagher are vast, due to age and growing up in completely different musical climates, they don’t seem to be divided on the issue of rock’n’roll. They both maintain a genuine affection for it. It’s exactly that enthusiasm and good nature that these two plan to bring to their performance at St Kilda Festival. When we ask Negro what advice he’d give to someone about how to make their band work, he tells us: “Do everything yourself, try and entertain people and care about it. Care about the people that come to your shows. Just care about your audience and make a racket; if you’re gonna make a racket, make a real racket.”
BY KEATS MULLIGAN
