On day one of Party in the Paddock, The Examiner reporter KASEY WILKINS sat down with Aussie punk rock band The Chats - bassist and singer Eamon Sandwith, guitarist Josh Price, and drummer Matt Boggis - prior to their massive set on the first night of Party in the Paddock.
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KW: For those people who might not know The Chats, how did you get started?
ES: We started in high school, and we just kept going for some reason.
JP: We moved into our mate's shed pretty much, and the rest is history.
KW: Was it serious to start with, or just a bit of fun?
ES: Not at all. We're still not even really serious about it. We kind of had to learn how to be.
KW: You've been on some big tours with bands like Queens of the Stone Age. Was that intimidating?
JP: Nah, not really. They were all really nice people and made us feel really welcome.
MB: They made us feel really welcome but at the same time it was pretty daunting. It was the first time we had to set up all our gear in front of another band.
MB: But it was cool, they were really nice.
ES: The band was great, they were really nice to us. Being in a room that big is just uncomfortable.
KW: Did Queens of the Stone Age give you any good advice?
ES: Yeah, Josh Homme was bro-ing down with us a bit. He's a pretty philosophical bloke. He'd just go on these long tangents about stuff and then he'd be like, 'what was I talking about?'
JP: Cosmic Psycho's really took us under their wing. The tour we did with them was like our first, proper long tour. They really showed us how to pace ourselves and how to tour.
ES: And how to have fun while touring.
KW: What's it like knowing you've got fans like Josh Homme and Dave Grohl?
ES: It's really weird.
JP: You grow up listening to Nirvana, and then suddenly Dave Grohl is calling you by your nickname and you're like, '...what?'
KW: How are you feeling about heading to Coachella later this year?
ES: Good. I reckon it's going to be really fun.
KW: And you've toured through the US a bit. What were crowds like over there?
JP: Yeah we went last year in July. Crowds were really good! We were surprised at how well it went.
KW: Did the struggle with some of the slang you use in your songs.
ES: Yeah, some things they didn't get.
JP: Every now and then you'd get someone asking you what something meant, but I think they got the general gist of it.
KW: You guys are known to love beer. When you're travelling do you like to try out the local offering or do you have a few favourites you stick to?
JP: We try them. Especially in Europe and stuff where there's all different beers everywhere.
MB: It's mostly all lagers though. Not really like pale ales or fruity beers.
ES: We like loads but we still try out new ones.
JP: I reckon some of the best beers in the world are in Germany. Prague as well - I've never been there, but that's what Josh [Homme] told me.
KW: Have you tried Boags?
ES: Yeah we get that back at home. Is that brewed down here?
KW: Yeah, based in Launceston.
ES: I just had one back at the hotel. Tip top. I like the bitterness.
KW: Do you guys have any bands you look up to for inspiration?
JP: The Ramones.
ES: ACDC, the Cosmic Psychos. Just old punk rock really.
KW: When you guys write, are you basing it off real life experiences?
ES: Most of it is just normal life experience stuff, but then some of it is pretty out there. Just stupid sh*t that we think about.
KW: Excited about your first album being released next month?
ES: Yeah March 27. It's gonna be good.
JP: I'm pretty excited. I listened through the whole thing the other day from start to finish, just to see how we'd go.
ES: Have you not done that yet? Because you were meant to.
JP: I usually skip Pub Feed and that because we've heard them so many times. But I decided to give the whole thing a listen. And it sounds good.
KW: Any other big plans for this year?
JP: We're going to do a few tours, hopefully the album goes really well and we'll see what happens then.
ES: We've got the US tour as well.
KW: You've toured a fair bit now. Any favorite venues?
ES: Crowbar in Brisbane or Sydney, The Corner in Melbourne was great. Down here, the Brisbane Hotel in Hobart was awesome. The Gov in Adelaide is sick.
MB: The Triffid is really good too, I think it's the best.
JP: Manchester though. The Ritz.
ES: Yeah that was sick. We did a good one in the Netherlands in Groningen.
MB: Yeah that was probably the best venue. In terms of all their staff and that. It was like a big charity venue, but it was so sick.
KW: Do you guys prefer playing your own shows or festivals?
JP: I prefer playing our own shows.
ES: I kind of like playing festivals more now than I used to.
JP: I like that you don't have to be as strict with time at your own shows as you do at festivals.
ES: Yes you do! You still have to be on stage at the right time.
MB: But you get to hang out with other bands at festivals and see others acts, which is really fun.
ES: Yeah it's more exciting than when you're on tour and you see the same people 23-hours a day.
MB: With that one our sleep we get?
ES: Yeah, that one hour sleep.
KW: How do you survive touring?
ES: Beer.
JP: If you don't, you kind of just feel worse and worse. You just have to overcome it and have another one. Then three later you think, 'oh actually I feel really good'.
KW: Are you guys sticking around in Launceston long?
JP: We'll see the bands tonight and see what's going on.
ES: We're leaving tomorrow.
KW: Is that for Laneway? How's that gone so far?
JP: Really good! It's been fun so far.
KW: My final question - what's your favourite pub feed?
ES: A parmi.
JP: I'll go a steak and mushy sauce with veggies.
MB: Just chips.
You grow up listening to Nirvana, and then suddenly Dave Grohl is calling you by your nickname and you're like, '...what?'
- Josh Price