Laneway is most definitely the festival that keeps on giving, and this time they’ve delivered one of the finest purveyors of post-punk in globe right now, Eagulls (the creators of possibly one of the grossest music videos of recent years).
Havung spent the past six months playing sold out shows UK tour with the likes of Franz Ferdinand and Manic Street Preachers as well as headlining sold out shows across the UK, Europe and the States, the Leads based five piece are set to indulge Aussie audiences with their futuristic-retro version of post-punk at Laneway Festival and with accompanying side shows in Sydney and Adelaide.
What sets them apart rests with frontman George Mitchell’s vitriolic bark, the band’s buzz-saw guitars shrouded with effect haze and that on-point timing which makes for a captivating listen on record, and will surely provide for an killer live show also.
With a sound that references notable punk influencers Joy Division, Dinosaur Jr. and the like, but offers a refreshing, modern-day take on the genre, we chatted with the band’s vocalist George Mitchell about the six records that changed his life.
The Cure – Seventeen Seconds
1980, Fiction
“Think I love this record so much, because The Cure were one of the first real bands I felt a connection with that wasn’t what everybody else listened to. I was at an age where I was really starting to understand ‘alternative’ music, but a lot of it at the time was really heavy and abrasive, which I did enjoy, but once I was introduced to The Cure, a lot changed for me. I was introduced to a whole new genre that I didn’t know existed. To me they’re the perfect band.
I discovered the album around the age of 15/16, my friend had given me a ‘best of’ album, I’d never heard any of their songs before and instantly connected with them. I’ve listened to them constantly ever since, swapping and changing between albums depending on what else I was listening to at the time, but Seventeen Seconds will always remain my favourite. I usually listen to it when by myself or on long journeys. The track ‘A Forest’ is probably one the greatest songs ever recorded. In my little opinion.”
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
1991, Creation
Apart from the sheer noise and grandness of the album, I also love it for its cult status. There’s so much hearsay about the album that its legendary in its own right. This album was also
important just before Eagulls started, it was an album we all bonded over together, its influence is obvious.
I’d heard the album many times before, but it wasn’t until I moved to Leeds that I really gave into the album, around 2007(ish), me and Goldy (Guitar, Eagulls) use to have it on all the time, we later went on a trip to Barcelona to see it performed live, which was interesting and an important moment in the birth of Eagulls. I reckon you could play those first 4 hits of the snare on opening track ‘Only Shallow’ to anyone and they’ll be able to tell you the band instantly.
The Smiths – Louder Than Bombs
1987, Sire/ Rough Trade
I love The Smiths a great deal, on writing this I couldn’t decide which album of theirs I liked collectively the most, so this compilation will have to do. One of the best British bands that will ever live. The tracks on this compilation offer every emotion, which is why I love it. I was introduced to The Smiths around the same time as The Cure back when I was a young(er) lad (by the same person actually, George’s older brother). So much melody in a band that I didn’t think possible compared to the punk and hardcore music i was exposed to at the time. As i grew older the meaning behind the songs really began to become important to me.
I discovered this record in George’s (vocals, Eagulls) older brothers car on the way to Matlock, for some reason we were all wearing oversized suits, probably something to do with David Byrne, I have a photo of the exact moment somewhere, again around the age of 15/16. I listen to this record all too often.
Our driver and good friend Stu knows more about the tracks on this album than anybody in the world, probably/maybe.
Talking Heads- Stop Making Sense
1984 Sire/ Warner Bros
I think Talking Heads were one of the first American bands I really fell in love with. After hearing them for the first time, I did my best to work through their catalogue of material, even though ‘Stop Making Sense’ is a live one, recored for the film, its still my favourite. Its such an uplifting album, musically untouchable, the compositions, rhythms and lyricsŠWe use to joke to each other that eventually, say album number 10, that we’d like Eagulls to one day sound like Talking Heads.
I can’t quite remember the first time I heard them, probably around 2007/8 or when I moved to Leeds. I think I saw the film itself first before an album.” Talking Heads are a favourite amongst a lot of our friends, when together we often listen to this album, in the house, in the van, wherever. I think it’s one of those albums that any music lover can appreciate, no matter what genre they’re
into the most.
Lou Reed – Transformer
1972, Transformer
It’s probably an obvious choice, I think this album particularly gets argued about a lot in terms of what people regard as his best work, it certainly would amongst our band, I know some
would say The Velvet Underground produced more important music, or even Blue Mask is better (which I also love), but, in my opinion, this is his best work. To me its another of those albums that take you through various emotions, which I think is important.
It has its more exhilarating tracks, but also more sombre ones, which makes it a real album from start to finish. I like his later work, but I love this album the most because I think it captures his desire to be regarded as a household name the most and truly portrays the New York scene at the times and also an honorary mention to David Bowie for his input.
There was a point were we listened to this album about three times a day in the van whilst on a month long tour around Europe. Not to take any merit away from Lou Reed, but I would love to know what this album would of sounded like had David Bowie not produced.
The Stooges- Funhouse
1970, Elektra
I love all The Stooges albums, along with Iggy Pop’s solo material, but I chose this because it was the first one I purchased, I reckon most people would go for Raw Power as it has a the hits on, but I would say this is actually ‘rawer’ in sound. It feels like the songs are looser and have more improvisation going on, I’m not sure how The Stooges wrote or recorded, but these tracks sound as if they just all got in a room together and did whatever they liked, to great effect.
While I do remember buying it down Leeds market, but I cant remember when. I haven’t for a while, but since putting this together, I feel like a want to go back to all their albums.
Eagulls Tour Dates
Wednesday January 28 – Howler Bar, Melbourne
w/ Sunbeam Sound Machine and Halt Ever
Tickets: h-w-l-r.com
Friday January 30 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
w/ Mere Women and Weak Boys
Tickets: Moshtix
Saturday, 31st January 2015 – Laneway Festival Brisbane
Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills, Brisbane (16+)
Tickets: Moshtix
Sunday, 1st February 2015 – Laneway Festival Sydney
Sydney College Of The Arts (SCA), Rozelle, Sydney*
Tickets: Moshtix
Friday, 6th February 2015 – Laneway Festival Adelaide
Harts Mill, Port Adelaide, Adelaide (16+)
Tickets: Moshtix
Saturday, 7th February 2015 – Laneway Festival Melbourne
Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) And The River’s Edge, Melbourne
Tickets: Moshtix
Sunday, 8th February 2015 – Laneway Festival Fremantle
Esplanade Reserve And West End, Fremantle
Tickets: Moshtix
