Since forming in ’89, Link, Wally, Jaws and Ringo have kept the spirit of The Meanies alive with selected shows every year much to the delight of fans.
2017 is no exception with punters expecting the usual high-voltage Meanies show peppered with a set of favourites including 'Darkside Of My Mind', 'Scum', '10% Weird' and more.
But why are these Australian dates the last Meanies fans can expect from the band? Seems Link has married a Spanish lass and is moving to Europe soon (smart cookie). Wally Meanie fills in the blanks.
Your current album, 'It's Not Me, It's You', seems to pick up right where you left off in the '10% Weird' era; same spirit, energy and the same Meanies vibe. I'm sure you're all older and wiser, but do you ever weirdly feel like you're virtually the same person you were in your 20s two decades later?
(Wally) I definitely feel I’m the same person, for sure. I’m sure I’ve advanced a little, progressed somewhat as a human and experienced a shitload more stuff to make me a lot more worldly-wise.
But when it comes to being a Meanie, nothing’s changed at all except my bass chops are no doubt better with age. I’m still an idiot. Part of the reason for that feeling of 'same same just better' is that 60 per cent of the songs on the album were written pre-1992. They were songs that were demoed back then, but for whatever reason missed the cut 'cos Link was and still is ridiculously prolific. So even great songs like 'There’s A Gap', 'Hey Head', 'Freakout Forever', 'Hug And Kiss', 'Punchin’ Air' and 'Dream Age' fell through the cracks at the time.
Link is moving to Spain shortly after The Dead Of Winter show in Brisbane, why?
Two years ago Link met a wonderful woman named Eneida in Spain while on tour with Sun God Replica. They started a relationship, which blossomed and has now gotten to the proposal stage. They’re to be married later this year and Link will live with her in Barcelona. The lucky bastard.
Does that mean plans are afoot for The Meanies to tour Spain?
The Meanies have toured Spain five times now and yes, with Link already there, the door has opened for tours six, seven, eight and beyond.
Do any Meanies hablas español?
Lo siento, no habla español, although Link is in the process of learning, which of course is a wise move. I’ve always wanted to learn the language, especially seeing as we go so often and Even has been and Money For Rope who I manage have been three or four times now, but I’m not very bright and it’s really hard.
What will the remaining Australian-based Meanies do to satisfy their music-performing urges?
Well Ringo has a proper, full-time job which he finds hard enough to fit The Meanies into, so I’m not sure what he’ll do to satisfy any drumming urges he might have. He may well be happy to wait until we tour Spain again. Our amazing guitarist, Jaws, is also a killer drummer and he plays in The Onyas and the Casanovas, so he’s sorted for ee’s and wizz and I’m still a member of Even but fuck knows what’s going on there! Five years in between albums is a bit slack, but album number seven is reportedly going to be out around Xmas time. I’m just not sure which Xmas that is as that’s been the rumour for three years already.
The Meanies have been known to go crazy live; who and what's the best/worst injury or incident sustained on stage to date?
I’m not sure any injury could be classed as ‘best’, but definitely the worst would be the broken jaw Link got on stage at a pub one night in Melbourne. For whatever reason Link was doing the last song in nothing but a pair of socks and a punter took offence to this display of nudity and king hit Link and sent him sailing back into the drum kit. The crowd went nuts and a bar-room brawl ensued. The culprit had to be rescued from the maddened crowd who didn’t appreciate Link getting clocked like that.
But Link’s done all sorts to himself: deep, self-inflicted flesh wounds, sprained ankles, broken hands, snapped collarbone, broken foot. We did a tour with him in a moon boot only a few years ago after he decided to join the moshpit in Adelaide while wearing no shoes and his foot got crushed.
Back in the day question. Nirvana blew up insanely and topped the charts in 30 countries almost overnight. How crazy was it supporting them on their Australian tour?
Nirvana were so lucky to have us on the bill to help pull a crowd, I tell ya what... But seriously, it was so long ago now it’s hard to recall, but I recall it was just another gig at the time. It wasn’t until a long time after that you go 'wow, that was a pretty special time and place to be a part of'. They did quite a few shows in Australia January-February 1992; we did four of the shows. They were massive.
What's your all-time best Meanies gig or experience?
Way too many to single out one. From our first gigs in Sydney to opening for Pearl Jam in front of a reported 40,000+ at Eastern Creek, from playing the Lansdowne with The Lemonheads to recording in America, from filling the MCG Hotel to playing throughout Europe, there’s been some absolute gems. I could go on but you’d get bored. We’ve been very lucky.
Ten or so words of advice for young bands?
Don’t get ahead of yourself and treat everyone with the respect they deserve.
The Meanies Shows
7-8 Jul - Lansdowne Hotel (Sydney)Fri 14 Jul - Enigma Bar (Adelaide)
Sat 15 Jul - Badlands (Perth)
Sat 29 Jul - Dead Of Winter Festival (Brisbane)
Sun 30 Jul - The Basement (Townsville)
