ESKIMO JOE SHARE DRIVING NEW SINGLE THE FIRST TIME
A buoyant yet bittersweet ode to nostalgia, Australian alternative rock icons Eskimo Joe return today armed with The First Time; the band’s first new music since 2021’s 99 Ways. Set to appear at Lookout Festival alongside Live and Incubus before embarking on their National Acoustic Theatre Tour starting this April, The First Time feels familiar yet fresh, with Eskimo Joe capturing the essence of their stadium rock-ready triumph, 2008’s Black Fingernails, Red Wine, alongside some sharp 2024 vigour.
Drawing inspiration from long-time Eskimo Joe creative influences as well as the band’s unshakeable bond, the core of The First Time also evolved following a stacked 2023, with multiple festival appearances sparking the trio to harness the energy of a giant crowd setting into their 2024-penned new track. “We really look up to bands like the Rolling Stones and U2 – those guys who keep touring and creating music over and over again,”shares bass player and vocalist Kav Temperley. “It makes us proud of our musical journey and the people who have taken our songs into their lives. Eskimo Joe is still the three core members. It just wouldn’t be the Eskies without the three of us in a studio or on stage making music together – our friendship is as much a part of the band as the music itself. After an amazing 2023 of playing some huge festivals, there’s this indescribable energy when a massive crowd is singing your songs back at you. We wanted to capture that energy and infuse it into our recording. So, in the first week of January this year, over five days we wrote and recorded The First Time at my studio in Fremantle.”
Opening with Temperley musing “I found myself looking for you, I wonder if you’re looking for me” over glimmering instrumentation and a driving beat, The First Time simultaneously tugs at your heartstrings while charming with creamy melodics and soaring choruses. An undeniable instant Eskimo Joe classic, The First Time ultimately delves into upbeat sentimentality, as Temperley elaborates, “We wanted to write something that set out to encapsulate the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia, that looks back through rose coloured glasses conveniently forgetting the heartache and sleepless nights that came with a certain place and time in our lives. It’s easy in the loneliest moments to look back and take comfort in those memories secretly holding onto that feeling like an addict. The song is also a realisation that holding onto the past might also be holding you back from the present. The subject is nostalgic but so is the sound of this song, it sounds like it could have sat perfectly on the Black Fingernails album.”
Lead guitarist Stu MacLeod says, “You put so much energy into each song, you build it up, tear it down, build it back up again until it matches the band’s vision. I love the energy in this song and the sentiment, and I’m stoked that we get to release it out into the world.” Drummer and guitarist Joel Quartermain adds, “Once it’s out in the world, a song truly exists. Hopefully people connect with it.”
The accompanying music video beautifully documents Eskimo Joe’s many years as a band, with nostalgic footage of their many achievements over the years.
Forming in 1997, Eskimo Joe would go on to become one of Australia’s most enduring acts, with six studio albums and ongoing commercial success in their wake, including 2004’s A Song Is A City and 2006’s Black Fingernails, Red Wine reaching Platinum status, and the latter dominating the ARIA Top 50 Chart for 62 weeks. The Eskimo Joe journey from Fremantle indie rock darlings to an international success story has also seen the band’s impact expand well beyond the studio, with ongoing chart success, 35 ARIA nominations and eight wins, two APRA Awards, countless appearances at major festivals and events across the globe, and frequent appearances in triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown, including their single Black Fingernails, Red Wine taking out the #2 spot in the Hottest 100 of 2006. With performances spanning Sound Relief, Live Earth, at the Sundance Film Festival or, closer to home, at Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass and, most recently, Good Things Festival, Eskimo Joe’s craftsmanship is only amplified by their swaggering live prowess; and it’s this very fact that inspired the band’s newest sonic output while also firmly showcasing Eskimo Joe’s ever-present vitality in the music scene decades into their career.
“It feels great releasing some new music with Eskimo Joe,” Temperley says. “We had such an amazing year last year, playing all different kinds of shows, and ending the year with Good Things Festival that saw us playing in front of crowds of 30,000. We left 2023 feeling so connected with our audiences that we felt that now is the right time to write a new tune.”
“Kicking off in April, we take to the road for the Lookout Festival, unveiling our new single with icons like Incubus and Live,” Temperley concludes.Straight off the back of the festival – April through August, we embark on a 22-show acoustic journey across Australia. This tour allows us to present our music in a more intimate setting, strengthening our connection with our audience. Each performance is crafted to deepen the musical experience, blending the high energy of festival shows with the personal touch of our acoustic sessions.”
The First Time is out today.
ESKIMO JOE – UPCOMING SHOWS
SAT 06 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, SANDSTONE POINT, QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SUN 07 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, SOUTHPORT, QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SAT 13 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, MORNINGTON VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SAT 20 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, WHITFORDS WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets
SAT 27 APR | CIVIC HALL, BALLARAT VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 03 5333 5888
SUN 28 APR | WYNDHAM CULTURAL CENTRE, WERRIBEE VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (03) 8734 6000
SAT 25 MAY | CASULA POWERHOUSE, LIVERPOOL NSW
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 02 8711 7123
SUN 26 MAY | THE CONCOURSE LOUNGE, WILLOUGHBY NSW
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 02 8075 8111
FRI 31 MAY | LOGAN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, LOGAN QLD
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
SAT 1 JUN | PROSERPINE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, PROSERPINE QLD
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office(07) 4945 0405
FRI 21 JUN | RED EARTH ARTS PRECINCT, KARRATHA WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours (no contact on venue)
SAT 22 JUN | CARNARVON CIVIC CENTRE, CARNARVON WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
FRI 28 JUN | ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, ALBANY WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (08) 6212 9292
SUN 30 JUN | ESPERANCE CIVIC CENTRE, ESPERANCE WA
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
FRI 5 JUL | THE WEDGE, SALE VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 03 5143 3200
SAT 6 JUL | KINGSTON CITY HALL, MOORABBIN VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (03) 9556 4440.
SUN 7 JUL | QUEANBEYAN PAC, QUEANBEYAN NSW | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office (02) 6285 6290
TUE 9 JUL | HORSHAM TOWN HALL THEATRE, HORSHAM VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 03 5382 9555
FRI 12 JUL | SWAN HILL TOWN HALL PACC, SWAN HILL VIC
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
SAT 13 JUL | THE ART HOUSE, WYONG NSW
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours | Via Box Office 02 4335 1485
FRI 26 JUL | MOUNT ISA CIVIC CENTRE, MOUNT ISA QLD
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
SUN 28 JUL | ROCKHAMPTON RIVER FESTIVAL, ROCKHAMPTON QLD | ALL AGES
Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
CHARLIE LANE SHARES DRIVING NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘GOLD DRIPS’
An edgy and propulsive new sonic delight from Melbourne singer-songwriter Charlie Lane, the single Gold Drips out today meshes layers of indie pop and rock edges with some new wave charm alongside Lane’s trademark self-aware lyricism. Also accompanied by an aptly gold-themed music video today, Gold Drips is a shimmering return from Lane ahead of launching her new track live onstage next Thursday March 14 at The Workers Club in Fitzroy.
Drafting what would become Gold Drips back in 2019 alongside co-writer Lyra Caltabiano, Lane returned to the track in 2021, taking it to fellow co-writer and producer Adam Jack Heath and developing it together into its final form. Inspired by an eclectic array of artists, including The National, Joy Division, Amy Winehouse, Pink, Kate Nash and Blondie, Lane fused her creative knack for weaving sunshine into relatable honesty alongside diverse inspiration, emerging with a new wave-hued edgy charmer laden with powerful meaning, as Lane explains, “Gold Drips was written around enmeshed families, and a co-dependent relationship; what it is to be stuck in a position of loyalty and remembering your strength to break out of that place to do what’s right, even if that means you have to leave what’s comfortable behind. Adam is another co-writer, and is also the guitarist, keys player and backing vocalist whilst also being the producer for this track. Literally an all-round legend. Louis Spencely is on drums, Jethro (Jet) Kalt on Bass, and the amazing Jasmine Johnston on synth and backings.”
Embracing all things gold for the accompanying Gold Drips music video, Lane worked alongside her press photographer Marcus Coblyn to ultimately bring the clip to life. Seemingly simplistic but pulsing with creativity and cohesive meaning, the Gold Drips video first evolved from ice coffee meetings and the fortuitous discovery of a gold-adjacent airstream, as Lane elaborates, “At first I really struggled to come up with a concept for the clip as I wrote the song quite a few years back, and it has definitely changed its meaning to me over that time. I knew that I didn’t want it to be overly complex and that there was definitely going to be a gold theme going on, so I pushed hard on that one! I was really lucky that I had Marcus onboard as he is super validating and full of ideas. After our “meeting”, which was an iced coffee and hang out at Edinburgh gardens because that’s how you get shit done, I went home and contacted my friends from high school Tarryn and her husband Tim. I knew they had a brass decor airstream for hire at their business lagoon locations and then ideas started flowing.”
Discovering her love of music at a young age, Lane grew up listening to her father’s favourite blues artists, becoming enamoured by the guitarwork of the likes of Buddy Guy, Lloyd Spiegel and Jimmy Hocking alongside her mother’s tastes which spanned Carole King and Joni Mitchell. From writing her first song at the age of 16 to studying at JMC Academy, Lane’s first performance took place at a cabaret festival in 2013, before she turned her gaze from the theatrical arts into more indie waters. Recruiting session players, Lane soon found her stride as a songwriter, with her sound evolving over the years without faltering from her core flair of conjuring charming and authentic music. A queer and disabled woman in the music industry who is “just looking to push boundaries, break down barriers and stigmas,” Lane has established herself as a formidable force on the Melbourne creative scene over the years, with over 100+ shows under her belt while proudly championing inclusivity within the musical realms.
And with much more still to come in 2024, Lane will launch her latest single Gold Drips next week in Melbourne, performing her brand new track at The Workers Club; and there are definitely some surprises in store for the night, as Lane concludes, “This next one is definitely going to be a fun show. We’re doing a lot of new tracks from the album and an old banger that seems to be a fave. I definitely love to keep the stage presence fun and a slight surprise for the boys currently playing with me. Jet is quite new as the bass player, I felt like I gave him quite a scare the last gig jumping so close out of nowhere, as I’m pretty tame in rehearsals. But the show is always a good time.”
Gold Drips is out today, Friday March 8.
CHARLIE LANE – UPCOMING SHOWS
THURS 14 MARCH | THE WORKERS CLUB | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au| 1300 742 545 | All Oztix Outlets
JEBEDIAH SHARE NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘MOTIVATION’ + NEW ALBUM OIKS DUE OUT APRIL 12
A revitalising sonic spark, the upbeat new single Motivation from beloved Perth rockers Jebediah follows on from the group’s dreamy indie single Rubberman, with Motivation unfurling cleverly simple melodics fused with Jebediah’s hard-wired charm. Also accompanied by a new music video that snapshots the band in their natural element, Motivation will also feature on Jebediah’s upcoming new album OIKS; their first album since 2011’s Kosciuszko, which will arrive on April 12, 2024. Pre-orders are available now via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
Ravishing in its simplicity and hypnotic drive, Motivation is an effortless foray into, and extension of, the pillars that have endeared Jebediah to the world since first forming decades ago. From the jangly guitars and undulating melodics pulsing through its verses through to driving anthemic fuzz in its choruses, Motivation was itself motivated by the band’s initial jam sessions that ultimately led to the creation of OIKS. And while it ultimately presents as an undisputed instant Jebediah classic, Motivation also holds a special significance for the band themselves, guided by long-time band friend and OIKS producer Dave Parkin at Blackbird Studios in Perth.
“Motivation was a song that came from the initial in studio jam sessions that kick started the process of recording OIKS,” the band share of their brand new track. “At that stage, we didn’t really know what kind of album we were trying to make. We were simply getting together in a room and making noise and seeing what eventuated. Given that Motivation came from these sessions, it’s a very “band” sounding song, as opposed to some of the more experimental stuff that came along later during the recording process. It captures the sound of the band playing in a room together and we tried not to embellish it too much. This song is a bit of a band favourite for sure, so we are obviously excited about it being released as a single before the album appears.”
Filming the accompanying music video for Motivation in Melbourne, Jebediah worked alongside another long-time collaborator to conjure the laidback visuals. With Arlo Cook behind the camera, who also took the reins on the clip for Gum Up The Bearings, aka the band’s first new single in over a decade released last year, Motivation’s clip is ultimately a mellow gem that authentically captures Jebediah’s enduring multi-generational appeal. Wholesome yet gritty and a perfect accompaniment to the earworm single, the clip is also yet another tempting peek into the upcoming release of OIKS – and the band are as excited as their legion of fans are to unveil their brand new album to the world, as they reveal, “The video clip is intended to represent the simplicity of the song and the fact that we were trying to capture the raw sound of the band playing in a room together. The video was shot in Melbourne by Arlo Cook who has been following us around with a camera since 2015, taking footage at shows all around Australia. We can’t wait for everyone to hear OIKS soon. It was a labour of love that took us five years to complete, often during extremely turbulent times.”
On their impending sixth studio album, OIKS, Jebediah catapult their iconic past and present into a dazzling new era. Remaining consistently active since the release of 2011’s Kosciuszko, Jebediah surge into 2024 with their new album, showcasing their enduring creativity without ever losing sight of their influential indie and alternative rock roots that ultimately shaped the band over the years and led to the eventual creation of OIKS. From its poppin’ and rockin’ lead single Gum Up The Bearings through to the lush Rubberman and dulcet new single Motivation, the overall record was born out of experimentation while in the studio with long-time collaborator Dave Parkin (Red Jezebel, Spacey Jane). The result is an album which finds Jebediah completely at home with their sonic identity in 2024; as iconic as their breakthrough debut Slightly Odway in 1997 but with more vigour than ever before.
Closing out 2023 with a headline tour, as well as appearances in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane as part of Good Things Festival alongside the likes of Fall Out Boy, Limp Bizkit, Devo and Slowly Slowly, Jebediah were also cemented as Western Australian music royalty, with the band inducted into the WAM Hall Of Fame as part of the WA Music Awards last November. From emerging decades ago with infectious hooks and gritty riffs through to soundtracking the late ‘90s and early 2000s with a deluge of hits and snagging multiple ARIA Award nominations, Jebediah are equally at home wowing crowds in dimly-lit crowded pubs as they are weaving musical magic to thousands on festival stages. And with the impending release of OIKS, it feels like Jebediah are only getting warmed up for some incredible things yet to come.
Motivation is out today via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
OIKS will be released on 12 April, 2024 via Cooking Vinyl Australia