(Editor’s Note: This interview was recorded on the holiest of days, April 20th, but as usual, there’s been quite the delay with the release. It’s the OnlyBands way! All responses have been edited for clarity.)
I love Fat Dog and The Tits. They represent everything that’s great about the Brisbane punk community: the outrageous talent, the driving commitment, the freedom of expression, the experimentation, and a bit of spectacle, all tied together through a sincere connection with a loving audience. The local seven-piece punk outfit have been making some waves around here lately. It won’t be long before it’s impossible to escape the croon of their clarinet as it echoes out across the streets of Fortitude Valley.
I was lucky enough to sit down with Samantha “Fat Dog” Taylor (vocals), Matthew Campbell (drums), and Keisha Wheeler McMullen (clarinet) ahead of their set at GRAIN ’s 20th SILO show at The Brightside to ask them five quickfire questions!
1.You get to hijack all the screens in Times Square for a few minutes just to play one song of yours, what song would you play to the world?
Matthew: If it could hold a song of ours hahaha!
Keisha: Only one song?
Matthew: I’d say put an Arse song on!
(All three of them laugh)
Samantha/Fat Dog: I’d say either Money or Junky Witch.
2. What’s the one album that you’d choose to be sent off into space to be listened to by aliens as their very first taste of human music?
Matthew: Primitive Species by Arse.
Keisha: Yes!
Samantha/Fat Dog: Definitely 100%!
3.If you had to choose another Australian artist to cover one of your songs for Like a Version, who would they be and why?
All Members: Arse!
OB: Hahahah! Love it!
Samantha/Fat Dog: We love them so much.
OB: Yeah, they are fucking nuts. aren’t they the best?
Matthew: This is Arse appreciation hour.
Samantha/Fat Dog: Yep, Arse appreciation hour.
OB: What song?
Samantha/Fat Dog: Oh…
(An excited discussion ensued as they kept choosing Arse songs. This was one of our harder ones!)
Matthew and Keisha: An Arse version of Junkie Witch.
Samantha/Fat Dog: Yes!
OB: So, a version of you guys covering a version of theirs, that they cover?
Samantha/Fat Dog: (laughs) love it!
4. Being 4/20 today, if you had the chance to partner with a dispensary and have weed strain after your band, what would you name it? (And you can’t call it Arse!)
Matthew: I’ll leave that one for Fatty.
Samantha/Fat Dog: Hm….
Matthew: We have our bass player Adrian. He is a mad stoner. He’d love this question.
Samantha/Fat Dog: Cosmic Tit!
OB: And what would its qualities be do you reckon?
Samantha/Fat Dog: It would be a fluffy leaf. Nice and fluffy. Not a dense flower.
Matthew: Bush weed style.
Keisha: An indica strain.
Samantha/Fat Dog: Yeah, a knock you on your arse type of strain, 33%.
Matthew: A line of coke, some LSD, all in the one grinder.
(Official branding has come in post-script from Samantha, and the agreed weed strain answer is: Busty Bulldog and the Tantalising Tit. I would imagine this would have a seven-layer concoction with each level more intense than the last.)
5. The lineup for SILO 21 got announced the other day which meant I had to change this question, but if you had to put forward another Australian artist or band to play SILO 22, who would they be and why?
Keisha: I would suggest Knee.
Samantha/Fat Dog: Yep, Knee would be awesome. Or Midgee.
Dakota (Our photographer): Yeah, sick local bands!
OB: See Quintin knows everyone, and Dakota knows every band. I’m still learning.
Samantha/Fat Dog: And if we can I’d add Shock Value if we can. We love them.
Dakota (@strictly.sentimental) has really out done herself with these photos! They’re incredible!
Fat Dog and The Tits don’t have a massive amount of music out, but hopefully that will change soon! In the mean time, you can listen to all their tracks below: