Jericco have been absolute stalwarts of Melbourne’s always-burning rock scene for the better half of a decade, but have announced that after a solid seven year run of pumping out some of Australia’s best melody and noise, they’re now calling it a day.
Having been fans of these guys for years now, we’re sad to see them go – and we’re certainly not the only ones, with fans traveling from interstate to catch their upcoming farewell show in November at the ideal hometown surrounds of the iconic Corner Hotel.
As the band bring this chapter of their lives to a close, we’ve had a chat with founding member Roy Amar about their achievements, the amazing times they’ve had, and the tough decision to leave Jericco behind.
Let’s get the big one out of the way: why have you decided to call it a day?
Unfortunately life got in the way. Our singer has recently moved to Canada, which makes rehearsals and gigs pretty challenging. Our drummer is a very busy man and runs a large venue in Melbourne whilst pursuing a career in tour managing and teching. I’ve dedicated a lot of time recently to starting my own artist development and management company, which launched the same month that I became a father to an incredible little boy.
But without the excuses… There came a time when we thought that the band had reached its peak, and we would rather quit than stick around trying to relive the glory days. It was an extremely tough decision, but one that we’re confident with. Doesn’t make it any less sad though.
What are some of the highlights from the past seven years?
When I’m looking back at it all, everything was amazing. (laughs) Some of the festivals that we played in the early days were incredible. I remember the first one we played when we opened at Come Together Festival in Sydney at Luna Park. I think it was 2010, and that gig was so much fun as our band had never played on a stage that huge before. We absolutely killed it and left such an awesome impression that the promoter got us back on the lineup the year after in a later time slot where we played to a full house!
Pyramid Rock Festival over the new year was also an incredible experience. Meeting, chatting and partying with all those amazing acts backstage was not only so much fun but incredibly motivating… I just want to do it all over again! (laughs)
Touring with Karnivool, Mammal and Dead Letter Circus were also huge times for the band. We were on cloud nine, everything was easy and it just worked itself out. Wow, those were the days! Bands like Jericco, Twelve Foot Ninja, Circles and MM9 all cutting our teeth playing shows together, supporting huge bands that we looked up to – and my god the partying. I’m s0 happy that we took a camera everywhere, I have tons of crazy footage and the best pictures ever!
Selling out our first show at The Excelsior Hotel in Sydney, that place and that gig were amazing! Being interviewed on Triple J with John Safran and Father Bob is also something I’ll always remember.
Charting with our debut record and also our second was damn exciting, too. We were constantly getting updates from our publicist, and at the same time thinking to ourselves, “who the fark is buying this album we wrote?” (laughs)
Packing out the Prince Bandroom for our launch a year ago was another huge achievement… and a massive night. (laughs) I could list so much more.
What were your expectations when you first formed the band?
When I started this band all I wanted was to find friends who had similar interests and who would jam with me, listen to some tunes, and share a beer. I was here in Australia pretty much alone – I came over from Israel a few years before on my own to travel, and after some backpacking I decided to stay (I’ll tell you the whole story if you buy me a beer!)
I had no expectations, really. I thought we might have some fun, write a bit, jam some songs, and we might even play a gig here and there. All I wanted was to play music; I had no idea about the industry, where to start or what to do. My plan was simple: get a band, make some friends, play some gigs, have a few beers, meet even more people, and just have fun and get my new life in Australia going.
Jericco became a family. An Israeli, a Palestinian and three blokes from Frankston! (laughs) It really was the best time ever.
How have the past seven years defied or lived up to those expectations?
It exceeded all my expectations and beyond. We ended up playing hundreds of shows, festivals, parties, and a few showcases. We sold out so many of our headline shows, and charted top five on the iTunes, AIR and ARIA charts.
We wrote songs that people wanted to listen to, sing along to and purchase, and these songs took me all over Australia. I have been to so many amazing cities and towns with this band, and traveled to places I never would have otherwise. We met so many amazing, talented people and traveled all over our beautiful country… We’ve laughed, cried, partied and made friends for life!
What has the reaction from fans been to the news of your split?
It’s been full on.
I seriously didn’t know how many people have been touched by our music and by us as people. We always spent a lot of time with the fans and count so many of them as really close mates, and we have had some really amazing times with so many people. It was very hard to announce, and the amount of emails, texts, phone calls and messages in the last few days have made for a heart-crushing experience.
My Facebook feed in the last few days been nuts, there’s so much love and it’s so appreciated by myself and the rest of the band. You do get the odd person who’s pissed off, especially because we’re playing only one show in Melbourne. It’s understandable, but we don’t have the resources to do a full farewell tour right now. This gig will be a tough one, and we so appreciate everyone that buys a ticket.
Why pick The Corner for your final gig?
Only because it is one of the best live venues in Australia, if not the best!
I love this place and I have seen some of my favourite acts smashing that stage. I have had some really good, crazy nights over there, and it’s a venue we have always wanted to play. It just makes sense to do it there!
What are you expecting from your last show – and what can we expect?
Tears and beers of course! We have a huge set for this show. We’ll be playing stacks of old favourites and all the latest hits. We have a couple of old friends (Fetah and Jordan) joining us on stage for a couple of songs, which will be really exciting for both the band and fans.
We’re getting a lot of messages from interstate fans saying that they got their tickets, which is amazing! I can’t wait to see the whole extended Jericco family in one room, all together for the last time.
Jericco will be having their last hurrah at The Corner on November 5, and it’s sure to be a damn great show – check it out here, and grab your tickets now.
