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Grinspoon - Guide To Better Living National Tour

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by Tema (subscribe)
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Grinspoon


True blue Aussie legends and popular rock band Grinspoon are back after being on hiatus since 2013!

Originally hailing from Lismore in NSW, the band comprises jolly-good frontman, guitarist, and vocal extraordinaire Phil Jamieson, guitarist Pat Davern, bassist Joe Hansen, and drummer Kristian Hopes. Grinspoon isn't your average rock band - consider them to be an integral part of Australian culture, especially if you're a 90s kid!

Having won a number of awards and returning back from a hiatus that was launched in 2013, Grinspoon is back - bigger and better than ever - with their much anticipated 20th Anniversary deluxe edition Guide To Better Living, which will also be released in red-pressed vinyl form as a limited edition.



Last month, I was fortunate enough to score the opportunity to have a chat with Phil, one of the members from the band:

Tema: How did the band members come together to be Grinspoon?
Phil: We all knew each other from growing up in Port Macquarie and also through university connections. I was 19 at the time and playing at the Crab Apple in NSW, where I bumped into Chris and the rest is history.

Tema: Could you like to walk me through the song-making process... of how you guys get the inspiration and ideas for your music?
Phil: I'd get a lot of inspiration from everyday things that were either in front of us or occurred in our surroundings. There was no time to think about rhyme or over-think the music - what flowed out blossomed with authenticity. Sometimes, we'd incorporate distinct features of where we lived into our songs. For example, we'd look at a newspaper article and bring elements from what stood out for us into our music. A cat walking alongside the road. A fire extinguisher brought in the 'pressure points'. These are all noticeable elements in our popular songs that all came about by a distinct feature that they possessed.



Tema: Where have you taken your music?
Phil: While we are primarily Australia-based, we did quite a bit of touring back in the day! We were in the United States from 1997-1998, after which we landed up in Canada. We've also been on tour in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Japan (to name a few).

Tema: How do you feel about your upcoming tour?
Phil: To be honest, although we've been on "hiatus" since 2013, we never really stopped touring. We've got together for about 6 shows and 2 years ago, some of our records were played live. It was an awesome experience and touring is something that we have always enjoyed.

Tema: Having given the deluxe edition a listen, it's great to hear rock that possesses elements of both - the classics as well as hints of modernity. How would you explain your most recent album to someone who hasn't listened to Grinspoon before?
Phil: It's certainly got an intense tune to it. There are so many different themes of teenage angst, humor, and soul that are intertwined into the different songs that bring this deluxe edition together.

Tema: What can people expect from your upcoming shows, as part of your tour?
Phil: We are still in the process of tightening the screws and figuring out the nooks and crannies of the tour, but the audience can anticipate to see a lot of visually appealing content that will complement our songs. Think of crazy outfits, wild props and a high level of energy that will be imminent in our concert-esque atmosphere!

The Guide To Better Living Tour will see the band play the album cover to cover across June-September 2017 - full details are available on the official website.


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Why? If you like rock, you're going to love Grinspoon's deluxe edition.
When: Touring season: June-October
Where: Australia-wide
Cost: $$
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