Pound Cake: A Confectionery Interview With Polish Club

A Pound Cake is described as “denser and firmer than your average cake”. With nine songs in eighteen minutes, it’s also a very fitting title for the new Polish Club album. Funnily enough, that’s how long this interview took as well! David Novak and John-Henry Pajak have got me taking big bites of Pound Cake, satisfying all my rock sensibilities, and dropping big fat chunks of sweet goodness in my coffee…

John: I wish we used that on our press release! Do you write press releases?

OB: Maybe I should?

(Editor’s Note: We do actually, hit us up!)

I sat down for a slice with John and David at the Black Bear Lodge before the Brisbane show of their album tour. While this was originally meant to be a quickfire, it ended up becoming far heftier than that. So make sure to grab some Pound Cake for yourself to enjoy as we dive right into the batter of their eponymous album.

Polish Club are: 

• David Novak – Vocals, guitar
• John-Henry Pajak – Drums

1. The Late Show with David Letterman had some iconic Aus music guests in its time; Silverchair, Tame Impala, and INXS for example. If there was a LATE SHOW with David and John, what Australian music guests would you invite that are in the scene right now? 

John: I like The Vines one, that was my favourite.

David: The Vines one was craaaazy! Have you seen it? Where he just flips out and throws his guitar at the drummer. And Letterman is like “Get out!”.

John: I heard Letterman was like: “You’ll never play in this city again!”

David: They didn’t, I think that was the end of their career, well in the States.

OB: Is there a current Sydney band you like to shout out for a Late Show music spot?

David: I tell you who John would insist, Party Dozen, because he is married to half the band…

John: Yeah, because I’d get a backstage pass.

David: No, we would be hosting them.

John: That’s an easy guess then. And they deserve it.

OB: Oh, Party Dozen! Love them. Are you married to Kirsty Tickle? Originally from Toowoomba?

John: Yeah.

OB: I’m obsessed with Party Dozen!

John: Me too!

David: Well back off bro, she’s taken! She’s married to this guy!

John: Yep, taken, I locked her up! Ha-ha.

OB: They played here last year on my birthday, Dakota gave me the setlist, and I had a photo with Jonno. I’m smiling like an idiot.

John: Oh yeah, whenever you hear sax on our music, it’s Kirsty playing.

OB: It’s the most punkest band I’ve ever seen in my life, with just drums and sax.

John: I know right. They are in Europe right now for six weeks just killing it! So, to answer your question, Party Dozen…

David: And throw in The Wiggles too of course. (I show off my DZ Deathrays and Murray Cook tattoo).

John: Shit yeah! Murray! Oh yeah, and DZ, put them on too. That’s awesome. Murray is a good mate of ours too.

David: He is a dirty little dawg! Ha!

John: He’d love that!

(Note: I finally got to show Murray the Like People tattoo when he played the Junk Bar the other week)

2. SNAFU is a good way to sum up the music industry at the moment, with too many BIGHEAD’s. What advice do you have for punters, artists, and venues not to TAKE IT?

David: Love it, three in one! (song titles)

OB: I got all of the nine tracks into the questions.

David: Very goooood.

David: As John is handing me the mic, it’s like symbolising we’ve got to change the culture, I think. I don’t know how you do it, but I think you have to make people take a punt on music. I think, in Sydney at least, people seem to have lost that willingness to go to their favourite venue because they know that they’ll book a good band and put on a good show. Regardless of whether they know the band or not.

OB: Hmm, yes, I see that trend.

David: I think people are saving their money to spend, like a thousand dollars on a Taylor Swift show, or a sure thing that they save up for. And if you want to make it equitable and on the playing field for everybody at grass roots level it’s got to be, like this isn’t a good answer, because I don’t know how you do it, but there has got to be a “Mind Shift” where people are open to discovering new music, regardless whether or not they know what’s in front of them, if they haven’t heard of the band or… Back in my day, we used to go to the fuckin’ venues, you’d go there because you knew there’s going to be a band there that I will probably, at least find interesting, I don’t know who they are but I am willing to do that.

John: Music discovery is so much more like, just sit on your arse and just let it come to you now. But back in the day it was way harder and fun.

OB: Kind of like what Tash Sultana was saying about how Australians will champion the shit out of an American artist, but not go and see all the great ones here.

David: Totally! And I don’t blame anyone for it except for corporations and algorithms.

John: People will still back Australian artists, but corporations not so much…

David: Exactly, that’s what I mean, and I don’t blame people for thinking that way but people have been hoodwinked into thinking they’ve “discovered things in Spotify”. It’s a fallacy, it doesn’t happen. So, I don’t know how you get people out, physically. That’s the barrier, getting people proactive enough off their arse to show, and I include myself in that (laugh from John), but to me that’s where the big barrier is.

OB: I love what Vic On The Park in Sydney are doing, free shows, getting crowds in.

John: Oh yeah!

David: Yeah, well that’s what John and I wanted to play like a fun, no reason show. Just one that we could play, not lose any money on, but not make any money on… Vic On The Park is the only one in Sydney that; like consistently, every week there is a guarantee that you can play at, the place will be full, because people just go to the Vic regardless.

John: Also at the same time, if you’re playing gigs like that, you kind of cannibalise your own shows that you need to sell tickets to, to keep you going. To pay for making music, it’s really annoying.

David: Catch 22.

OB: I think that is a great quote, “Punters have got to take a punt.”

David: YEAH FULLY! I don’t know how to… I don’t have insight into how to make that work, but surely it starts with more venues, and more people entrusted to make good bookings and more faith in that system, currently it doesn’t exist.

John: There is definitely a big shift in general, how the music industry works right?… I feel like it’s kind of settled, but then there are more changes.

David: Yep, but we were talking yesterday how when we were walking around the streets of Enmore (granted it’s Enmore in Sydney), but there were more people in the last ten years carrying around instruments going to play shows, so something is happening, and there is space for it to grow into something. So, I do have faith it will come back around.

John: I feel like it’s the Gen Alpha, maybe that‘s the one generation… to make it cool!

David: The Betas! Yeah, they need to make it cool, they need to make it cool to go “Oh I’m going to this venue tonight”.

OB: Yeah, I see heaps of young people just saying, let’s make a band.

John: Because being in a band became uncool, but when we were younger it was the coolest thing you could do, and the most fun thing ever, and then it became lame. But I now feel like now it’s coming back around to being fun and cool again.

3. Being Sydney lads, you have the day off to travel. David, you got the keys to the SUZUKI VITARA John, you’ve got the BRAND NEW JET SKI. Where are you heading to on land and sea to chill out for the day? 

John: He has got a worse car than a Suzuki Vitara, he has a 2000 Hyundai Elantra!

David: Oh, it’s subjectively better!

John: And I’ve got a mate at work that will lend me his jet ski. I guess if we are Sydney, we’ve got to go like Botany…

David: I mean I’m already there.

OB: That’s your happy place?

David: Where am I going? Hmm…

John: We’d probably prefer to drive a car and ride a jet ski in a video game.

David: Are you saying, like anywhere in the world?

OB: Well yeah, sure, but we are in QLD right now so…

David: Queensland! We REEEEEEAAAALY want to go to Far North Queensland and play some shows there.

John: Yeah, we haven’t played in like Cairns or Townsville.

David: And it’s impossible to know if we can do that, and sell that many tickets.

John: We’ve not had a support tour there, and we’ve just kind of been waiting for that opportunity to happen.

OB: DZ Deathrays can help you out there with their experience touring those areas.

John: Yeah, go on then.

David: Fucking get on it Shane! Ha!

John: We’ve done our DZ tour though.

(We now digress to discussing DZ far too long!)

David: Just to put a bow on it, I really want to see more of Australia, and I feel that I have not seen enough of it. I only realise that because we’ve been able to see a lot of it as a band, yet you realise how little of the whole country we’ve actually seen…. I’ll go fucking anywhere… I’d love to just drive and see it all… let’s drive.

(David and John break into singing DRIVE!!!, DRIIIIIIVE!!!!!)

John: We just saw the F1 movie before, so we are in the driving headspace, and that rockin’ Ed Sheeran track.

OB: So, in summary, a tropical Far North Queensland Tour?

John: Yeah, yeah that sounds good… one that we are supporting.

David: Oh yeah, built in crap! Ha-ha-ha!

4. Take a moment to think about each other, and tell me. What DO YA love the most about each other?

David: Nice.

John: Well David is one of the most musically talented, naturally… musically talented people I’ve ever met.

David: Oh please!

John: No! no you’ve got like near perfect pitch, and I think Dave is a real generous guy too.

David: I think John is a kind soul (dead pan).

John: Positive affirmation activity! Ha-ha, that is such a generic answer! Ha-ha-ha!

David: No! No, it’s not, it’s actually really rare. Like he’s got a thing where he just has to do things. And you don’t know why people wouldn’t do those things, but he’s like “No, no, no we should do that” and I’m like why? And he’ll say… “Because it’s right, or it’s the nice thing to do”.

John: Like Free Palestine!

David: Yes, we should free Palestine, because it’s right, well that’s the universal truth… but I’m trying to think of an example. Like if we have a cool piece of one-off merch, I’ll be like “Oh cool we can sell it!” and John is like, “Don’t charge for that. No, we can give it to someone, because that is the nice thing to do. And it will make someone’s day.”

John: I’m just a nice guy, I guess.

David: No, but it’s true it is true!! People don’t think in that way. I think I’m nice to people, but there’s… it’s not thinking about being nice, he just does the being nice.

OB: That’s lovely, thank you for that answer.

John: And also… NOVAK HAS GOT A GREEEEAAAAT ASSSSS!!

David: Ha-ha-ha… And a thank you huuuuuuge cock!!! Ha-ha-ha!

John: Like right now! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

David: Yeah, if I’m going to say something nice about myself, I got a huuuge rod! Ha-ha-ha

5. The first recipe for a POUND CAKE is from a cook book in 1747, The Art of Cookery, by Hannah Glasse. Not only does that sound like the perfect title for a Polish Club double album, but it made me think, what are some other secret recipes from David and John that might be SOMETHING ON THE SIDE? (Future plans, side projects (HOBBY BOY?). tours, special gigs etc.) 

John: We’ll, we’ve got the recipe for success, and the next thing we are going to record is a Christmas album. I feel like that’s like…. I don’t know people might like it, maybe people won’t but?

David: It doesn’t matter if people don’t like it. Just as long as they play it every year at Christmas. We are just trying to game the system, I think. Play to our strengths, and shove ourselves into people’s playlists. Also, I’d like to just make like a million bucks on a record at some point! It’s not going to happen, but we have to try.

John: Playing at Bigsound. Yeah, and we’ve got a few other shows, we are playing at the Bangalow. Then we’ll reach out and do a (now shouting over the sound of the line check from 01 Therman) COUPLE OTHER SHOWS AFTER THAT, AND THEN WE’LL DO A CHRISTMAS ALBUM TOUR SHOW END OF THE YEAR!

OB: Christmas gigs rock!

John: NEXT YEAR I GUESS WE’LL TRY AND WRITE ANOTHER ALBUM AND GO OVERSEAS…

(Line check pauses)

OB: And North Queensland…

John: Yeah, we’ll try to get to North Queensland. We were dabbling with overseas before Covid, and then Covid kind of fucked it up for us.

David: The meetings we’ll have at Bigsound to figure out what’s possible, I guess. We can be proactive about anything now; without a label they are imaginable. We just have to hone in on what that is.

John: A bit of Europe action would be nice…

OB: Yeah, you can tour with Party Dozen!

John: Yeah, yeah as the European Party Dozen support, hahaha!

OB: I saw a post with Ben Lee the other day championing Party Dozen.

John: Oh my God, yeah Ben Lee!

David: Ben’s a freak for it!

John: I know. I met Ben, the same time Party Dozen did. And I talked to Ben more than they did! Haha! Where’s my fucking love from Ben Lee ha-ha!

OB: The Party Dozen $50 notes from Coup De Gronk film clip, I have one in a frame, it’s such a treasured possession.

John: I’ve literally got $100,000 in my spare room worth of that shit if you want any more! Jonno spent a lot of time on it. Kirsty was like “What is he actually doing?”. He was legitimately trying to forge money as accurately as possible. He properly researched it. It looks and feels like proper old paper note money!

OB: It really does!

John: I’m so proud of them, particularly Kirsty, they are absolutely killing it.

OB: I’ve interviewed ARSE before (Jonno’s other band) Early on, it’s a dreadful interview, I’ve got to re-do it with them.

John: ARSE! They don’t deserve it (said in jest) ha-ha! Interview Party Dozen or just get them all at once, they always play together.

David: And us, get all three bands together in your next interview.

John: Kirsty is… (Line check gets even louder) PARTY DOZEN IS PLAYING AT THE 4ZZZ 50TH PARTY AT ROMA STREET, GET THEM THEN!

OB: THIS IS THE LOUDEST INTERVIEW YET!

John: YOU RECKON THE MICS IN THE INTERVIEW, ARE GOING TO WORK? THEY (01 THERMAN) SOUND GREAT… (01 Therman put down their tools).

David: Yeah, I’m really distracted, they sounded damn good…

It did work. After thanking the charming duo we exchanged gifts, I received a signed copy of Heavy Weight Heart album, David and John received a Pound Cake (or rather a knock off version being a Madeira cake).

That said Pound Cake became a stage prop and half-time snack during the show, before being thrust into the punters to crowdsurf until it exploded like a mistimed firework, scattered on the Black Bear Lodge dance floor. It was a blistering show, part comedy, and all charisma with swinging rock hit songs from our favourite duo in sweaty boiler suits. Thank you Polish Club, see you at Bigsound and beyond!

Order the one-sided vinyl album Pound Cake, come to Bigsound and remember Polish Club’s advice: “Punters have got to punt.”

Thanks to Luke Johnston (@lukeshots) for all the shots in this article! 

Get your share of the Pound Cake below: