In true OnlyBands style, here comes another very delayed article.
I am very sorry but Quintin and I have spent the last four weeks, void of natural sunlight and air, trapped in a secret underground vault. Necks craned under humming fluorescent lamps, using abacuses, 1950’s computer terminals, chalk boards sprawling with mathematical equations, all in order to count the mountain of votes for the inaugural OnlyBands Music Awards. We’ve finally emerged from the vault thick with plumes of cigar smoke and empty barrels of coffee (and rum) to bring you the victorious winners. A hearty congratulations to them!
But now we’re back to regular business, and after seeing the combined forces of CATPISS and where’s jimmy at Vinnies Dive Bar, it’s safe to say there will be two more candidates for your consideration in 2025. I was joined by Hugh Westcott (Vox) and Jed Fox (Guitar) of the much-loved Newcastle band where’s jimmy on a day and night of non-stop music, to answer the same Five Quickfire Questions as their contemporaries CATPISS, to get their perspective.
1. They say TIME IS A COMMODITY, so what’s something you’d like to make a reality for the band in the next twelve months?
Hugh: Man… getting a support act for the likes of, you mentioned Stiff Richards earlier and uh…
Jed: C.O.F.F.I.N.
Hugh: Yeah C.O.F.F.I.N. Amyl and the Sniffers would be the cherry on top, I imagine.
OB: Hopefully they will read this.
Hugh: Yeah! I mean festivals I guess would be great. Well, more people, another thing is I guess we are on tour at the moment, which is great, but getting out more next year would be step one. There are other things we’d like to happen too, but that’s got to happen first I suppose.
OB: Well now you’ve got plenty of contacts in southeast Queensland now too, so come back again please!
2. I’ve had a Bleak Week and I have Puke Juice and Cat Piss all over my brand-new lounge. What is the best musical formula to remove it?
Hugh: Barry White!
OB: Oh! That is so close to what CATPISS said! Oh… I shouldn’t have spoilt the surprise; they said Marvin Gaye!
(All laughing)
OB: How about you Jed?
Jed: I’m not sure, we’ll do that yeah (Barry White)
Photo by Shelvo.
3. Who has the best Power Stance in the Australian scene in 2024?
(Long pause here…)
Hugh: where’s jimmy!
OB: (After a good laugh between us all) I should have said excluding where’s jimmy,
(Although I have to say that after seeing them perform this track, it really is undisputedly where’s jimmy)
Jed: Amyl. Amyl and the Sniffers, they are absolutely killing it. Yeah overseas, working with so many artists, just killing it everywhere.
OB: They really are, they are popularising a genre that has always been on the fringe, but without selling out, and while maintaining its authenticity. It’s more bringing new audiences into punk too, rather than taking it to meet what is popular.
Jed: Yeah, it’s incredible what they are achieving.
4. I have the Paycheque Blues with only $40 left to spare on a Saturday night out in Newcastle. Where am I going to make the most of it?
Hugh: Oh, there’s definitely a few places, one of them would be the Hamo. That’s a common spot. With two stages, there is always live music happening there from Wednesday to Sunday. Or you can go to Lasso (Lass O’ Gowrie).
OB: My fave, great feed there too.
Hugh: Yeah, it is. The list of venues is almost endless in Newy.
OB: What’s with the six dollar beers in Newcastle? Can that be discussed here please?
Both: Ha-ha-ha-ha!
OB: Is that at the Station?
Jed: Yeah, the Hamo, Hamilton Station Hotel.
OB: Six dollar tinnies, that doesn’t happen anywhere else in Aus in 2024.
Jed: I can’t remember (when I last saw six dollar tinnies anywhere else).
OB: I know, that’s how good it is!
Hugh: The Hamo is great.
Jed: Fuckin oath!
5. What’s the best thing about CATPISS?
Hugh: I reckon their mateship hey. Yeah, like together, they are just such a fun bunch of boys, and you see it on stage. When they play on stage, they deliver it so well because of that.
Jed: Just so good to get along with, and have a great time together with them.
OB: And that mad stage presence.
Jed: Yeah, absolutely.
Hugh: Oh, Heath is great the way he works the crowd. Just great blokes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the physicality of the where’s jimmy set, the physicality of Hugh’s stage performance combined with his powerful voice, and Jed’s power chord shredding was reminiscent of a Van Halen gig from the eighties. This is definitely a band that needs to be put on festival line-ups to get the party started.
Don’t miss where’s jimmy, and please harass them frequently to return to Queensland, or take the road trip down to Newcastle to take in the abundance of music talent, and very cheap beers in the Steel City.
Check out tracks Kick (In the Head), Power Stance, and the EP Paycheque Blues. A warning though, you’ll be craving more!
