Melbourne-based rockers Calling All Cars have been laying low for the past year or so, begging the question, where is it have they been? Bassist Adam Montgomery tells us about the time off, their forthcoming third album and how desperate they are to get back on the road.
Forming in 2005, the band’s current line-up is very much a family affair, consisting of brothers Haydn and James Ing, with Montgomery (a cousin) stepping in following the departure of Matt Lonergan.
Montogmery speaks fondly of the upsides to working with your kin, demanding the “beauty of the situation” is that you can be ”brutally honest”without any of the hurt feelings.
“So many bands lose it. And not because they’re not writing good tunes or things like that, they just can’t keep it together.
“It’s a marriage of sorts, bands… You spend so much time with these people, and that helps being related because you can kind of, you can get everything out in the open.”
While rumours circulated as to the band’s whereabouts, they was nothing sinister going on and in fact the group were working on their brand spanking new record.
“Basically, that’s been it. We’ve kind of spent the last, maybe 18 months now just writing and writing and writing most days… We’ve just kind of made a decision to step away for a bit and kind of focus on that.”
“A whole lot of the [new] record is a lot more about shaking your hips as opposed to pumping fists.”Previously, albums had been written in the “little gaps” between the bands crammed touring schedule.
2011 in particular saw the trio extremely busy, touring alongside some of the biggest names in the industry – The Foo Fighters and Queens Of The Stone Age.
“We’ve been super lucky with support, it’s all been really good. It’s been an honour to play with some of those bands.”
Specifically, Montgomery found touring with Queens Of The Stone Age a huge learning curve.
“We only played a few shows, but we learnt stacks from that band.”
When questioned over what it’s like to play with the bigger groups Montegomery is bashful, demanding that “you just have to take it in your stride” but admitting that at times it can put you in “a little bit” of a daze.
“Like Foo Fighters for instance, being backstage and Dave Grohl coming into your band room and actually just hanging out … being almost a peer in this bizarre way, that’s a daze for sure… Having a beer with that dude is like alright… That guy was in Nirvana and he’s written some killer, killer songs”.
Renowned for their furious live energy, Montgomery speaks of the need to give everything “100% all of the time” – the group abiding by the notion that you can’t “be all low key and not really care or whatever in rehearsal” and then expect it to come off on stage.
“So many bands lose it. And not because they’re not writing good tunes or things like that, they just can’t keep it together.”“We finish rehearsal and we’re pretty gone, pretty exhausted… But people can see right through… you know, if you’re going through the motions. Nobody wants that.”
All this time off touring have left the three-piece itching to get back on stage, playing a smattering of secret shows around Melbourne, indicating that “it just didn’t feel right” to not be out there playing shows.
The shows have also acted as a sort of road test for the material for their upcoming album – “We weren’t sure how it was gunna work out. But it worked out really well so, we were really happy.”
Set for a release sometime early in 2014, the as yet unnamed album is a little different from their past two records. The two tracks currently dropped on social media, “Werewolves” and “Raise The People” are a little less punk a little more rhythm.
Montgomery describes the shift as not a “super conscious thing” but a natural progression.
“I guess with the first two records we were sort of probably not playing music that we were listening to so much… We wanted to write a record that we would want to hear”.
The LP is influenced by “a little more hip-hop, blues orientated music and groove based tunes” – as opposed to the “straight up thrashing guitar music’” that dominated earlier records.
“A whole lot of the record is a lot more about shaking your hips… As opposed to pumping fists… That was a bit of a mantra I guess. We want to make people move”
At the time of the interview the group were busy rehearsing, prepping for the tour about to commence that will act to promote the new single and eventual upcoming album. He sounds a little tired, but maintains a highly positive attitude throughout another busy, busy period for the band:
“I don’t want to sound cliché but we really love, fucking playing and love being in a band and you know writing and all that kind of stuff… It’s like a bi-product of just really enjoying what you do and avoiding, you know… being some kind of grown up or something. That’s the whole point of it right?”
Calling All Cars Australian Tour 2013
The Werewolves Tour
with special guests Super Best Friends and The Sinking Teeth
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 | JIVE, ADELAIDE (SA)
Tickets: www.moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1300 438 849
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 | DING DONG LOUNGE, MELBOURNE (VIC)
Tickets: www.oztix.com.au | Oztix Retail Outlets
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 | SURFER’S PARADISE BEERGARDEN, SURFER’S PARADISE (QLD)
Free Show
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 | ALHAMBRA LOUNGE, BRISBANE (QLD)
Tickets: www.oztix.com.au| Oztix Retail Outlets
