After 13 years, broken bones, gruelling tours, three full length albums, several arrests, questionable skin infections, and a busload of infuriated tour managers, Bluejuice recently announced that they’re calling it quits at the end of 2014.
Before they close the door, on their way out, the Sydney rockers are releasing a final compilation record, RETROSPECTABLE, which pulls together all the best bits from their three albums, some brand new tunes, and some extra treats and pleasures. As well as the new retrospective collection, the much-loved Aussie band will head out on one final headline tour across the country to bid farewell to their followers. Their lap of honour so to speak, so catch them going out the only way they know how: deafeningly loud, a bit drunk, and dancing maniacally into the night.
To celebrate the band’s career and their last hurrah tour, we chatted with the band’s Jamie Cibej about some of the things he’s learnt during his time as a member of the unforgettable Bluejuice.
Whiskey Is Good. Whiskey Is Bad
We drink a lot of whiskey these days – before, during and after a show. It’s not an admirable thing. It’s clichéd musician behaviour, alcoholism-disguised-as-ritual. Having said that, it’s pretty delicious, and as we all take turns swigging from the same bottle, there’s a sense of community and one-ness with each other, and with whatever brand of mouth herpes is going around at that particular time.
Tour Managers Put Up With Lots Of Shit
When our first drummer quit, we realised we had no one left in the band with any sense of authority or ability to think logically, and so we began to employ tour managers to organise the band’s travel arrangements. We very quickly became almost totally reliant on our tour managers; we were infantilised, wandering around an airport like lost baby cows. Drunken, stoned, irritating baby cows in dire need of a stern herding.
As a result of this and other brattish behaviours, we became something of an annoying handful for our tour managers, who would generally quit after a single tour. I don’t know what my point is really, but we’re sorry, tour managers. We’re sorry for everything.
Staying Healthy On Tour Is Not Possible
Apart from James (who can take his incredible cardio fitness and fuck off, frankly), we’re all pretty unhealthy. In recent years we’ve tried to exercise more (for example, Stav plays basketball wherever he spies a court), but the perfect storm of alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep, and abject laziness all conspire to thwart any attempt at healthy touring. I guess rock and roll is supposed to be less about eating bircher muesli after a few laps of the pool, and more about hoeing into a room service club sandwich on the toilet anyway.
Laundry, Motherfucker! Do You Do It?
We have a history of wearing stupid costumes when we play. Yeti suits, jumpsuits, tracksuits, karate suits, capes, masks, sequined leotards and various other items that embarrass our parents. We also put on a pretty physical show, and as a result, these costumes tend to become soaked in whatever liquid is oozing out of us at the time.
At the end of the night, all the costumes are dumped into a bag where a self-sustaining ecosystem is generated, creating new microbial life. We learned very early on that unless we want to share uneasy memories of the leechy swamp scene in ‘Stand By Me’, it behooves us to launder those bacteria suits at every opportunity. I need to wash my hands just typing this out.
Content Written For Music Websites Should Be Submitted On Time
If you do it two days past deadline, then the entire publicity budget is jeopardised, and your manager will yell at you. That’s what I hear anyway.
‘RETROSPECTABLE: The Farewell Tour’ Dates
WED 24 SEPT UNI BAR, ADELAIDE (LIC/ALL AGES – EVENING)
THU 25 SEPT UNI BAR ADELAIDE SA (LIC/ALL AGES) *SOLD OUT*
FRI 26 SEPT CAPITOL PERTH WA
SAT 27 SEPT RED EARTH ARTS FESTIVAL KARRATHA
WA
WED 01 OCT SOL BAR, MAROOCHYDORE
THU 02 OCT HI FI BRISBANE
QLD
FRI O3 OCT COOLANGATTA HOTEL COOLANGATTA
QLD
SAT 04 OCT GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL BYRON BAY NSW
WED 08 OCT FEDERATION UNIVERSITY, GIPPSLAND CAMPUS
FRI 10 OCT HI FI MELBOURNE VIC *SOLD OUT*
SAT 11 OCT HI FI MELBOURNE VIC (Under 18’s only Matinee show 12-3pm)
SAT 11OCT VILLAGE GREEN HOTEL MULGRAVE
VIC
SUN 12 OCT BARWON CLUB GEELONG
VIC
FRI 17 OCT WAVES WOLLONGONG
VIC
SAT 18 OCT ANU BAR CANBERRA
ACT
THU 23 OCT BAR ON THE HILL NEWCASTLE
NSW
FRI 24 OCT METRO THEATRE SYDNEY NSW (LIC/ALL AGES) *SOLD OUT*
SUN 26 OCT – METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY
THU 06 NOV – MOVIDAS, MACKAY
FRI 07 NOV – THE VENUE, TOWNSVILLE
SAT 08 NOV – THE JACK, CAIRNS
For tickets and info visit www.bluejuice.info
[include_post id=”414593″]
