To mark the 25th anniversary (last November) of their 'UNIT' album, ('Polyester Girl' is 25!), Regurgitator will tour nationally performing the record in all its pixelated density, along with an extended set of their hits across time.
The Gurge kickstarted the nostalgia feels with a massive home-town mini festival in Brisbane in March featuring a host of their favourite older and newer indie acts.The upcoming run of shows visiting Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Fremantle will see Ben, Quan and Peter joined by DZ Deathrays, Custard (except Hobart), Butterfingers and Glitoris.
As the presser says: 'Code for rhymes. Products of time.'
Here, Butterfingers' Evil Eddie reflects on his favourite memories of Regurgitator across their 30-plus years together.
1: Seeing their first-ever (public) gig at Albert Park for free in 1994
Martin Lee was drumming for them at the time and had a little trigger pad thing with scratch samples and other silly noises on it that he kept throwing into the songs at random points. I also think I wagged school to be there as it was a daytime gig.2: Seeing them support The Prodigy at Festival Hall
There was so much heat on both bands at the time and to have them play together was an absolute pinnacle moment for Brisbane music. Tickets sold quickly, so I could only get a seated ticket but thanks to a lot of heavy strobe, I managed to jump the fence into the standing area without incident. Lots of sweating, jumping and good times.3: Hearing they got signed to Warner
I mean, it's cool to hear about a local band getting some major label support but I also heard that all the existing 'Hamburger' EPs got pulled off the shelves and were restocked with ones that had new artwork featuring the Warner Bros logo. In turn, that instantly made my clean skin one which I'd bought prior, just a little bit rarer. Still got it somewhere.4: 'I Sucked A Lot Of Cock To Get Where I Am'
To hear this played on national radio in the middle of the day was like a magic trick being performed in front of my ears. It was such a win for Brisbane music, and music in general as everything on the radio was feeling a little stiff at that point.Grunge really had musicians on the ropes, as far as how much selling out you were allowed to do before it was uncool, and this song really popped a huge balloon of pent-up tension around it. Obviously, it was hilariously tongue-in-cheek but it also allowed everyone to just relax a little about themselves.
5: 'I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff'
This is probably the most amazing idea for an opening track on a sophomore album ever conceived. Just when all the tall-poppy loppers would usually start hacking away at their former heroes, this one song instantly turned the tables on anyone who had a negative word to say about the new material.It forced everyone to give it a chance and it's exactly what they needed at that point in their career since they'd changed their sound up so much from their previous work and the backlash would have otherwise been inevitable.
Regurgitator's 'UNIT' 25th Anniversary 2023 Tour Dates
Fri 12 May - City Hall (Hobart)* selling fastSat 13 May - Forum Melbourne* sold out
Sun 14 May - Forum Melbourne* selling fast
Sat 20 May - Roundhouse (Sydney)* selling fast
Sun 21 May - ANU Kambri (Canberra)*sold out
Sat 27 May - Thebarton Theatre (Adelaide)
Sun 28 May - Metropolis (Fremantle)* selling fast
Fri 2 Jun - Commonwealth Hotel (Townsville)* Custard only
Sat 3 Jun - Tanks Arts Centre (Cairns)* Custard only
Sat 10 Jun - HOTA (Gold Coast)* Custard only
Regurgitator's 'UNIT' 25th Anniversary 2023 Line-up
RegurgitatorDZ Deathrays
Custard* except Hobart
Butterfingers
Glitoris
