Dallas Crane continue their impressive 20 years on the Australian rock & roll circuit with a new album and a country-wide tour.
The band have 13 shows booked to promote their latest release, 'Scoundrels'. “We love it. It's great,” lead singer and guitarist Dave Larkin says about getting back into the studio with the band.
“We haven't really changed our feelings drastically on that front. We recorded it mainly as bass and drum tracks in the studio, but all the guitars and vocals were done at home. One of the vocals was recorded in a car. It was late at night and I couldn't wake the kids up, so I ran a cable out to the car with the microphone and got it done.”
The album was the band's first in nine years, and Dave details why he feels this album differs from previous Dallas Crane releases. “I think one of the main differences is that we didn't try and slam everything on one album. In the past we made the albums erratically, and this time we really wanted to have a gang of songs that we felt belonged next to each other.
“The other main difference is we brought a lot more experience and maturity to it. We got a lot more harsh and critical on what we keep and what we don't keep. We had 25 songs and we cut it down to 10.”
Fans of Dave's all-thrills-no-frills side project Gun Street Girls don't fear, the singer expressed a hint of optimism about the band's future, despite stating that Dallas Crane is the priority at the moment. “I can only do one band at a time. I've never really been a multi act kind of guy, and I haven't really got the time for it either. Never say never though. I'd like to do another record with [Gun Street Girls]. Who knows what our glorious mid life will bring.”
'Scoundrels' has brought audiences back to the sounds of good, old-fashioned Aussie rock & roll. Despite this, Dave still believes there are promising bands coming through in Melbourne that keep to the simple but effective formula of drums, bass and guitar. “I think the way we do things now has become a bit more of a niche than when we started that's for sure.
“We had a lot more contemporaries smashing out this style of music, but I still see a helluva lot of young bands that are really nailing it as well. I think there's so many ways to make music now, people are really exploiting that."From what I see there's still plenty of great bands out there, including some of the ones that come to us wanting to join our tours. Some of them are really, really good. It's hard to say no to everyone. I think [the rock & roll scene] is still pretty healthy. I don't think it's quite been extinguished yet.”
Dave Larkin may be known to many as a rock & roll frontman, but his primary job is as a graphic designer, and he spoke to us about his work with Melbourne Football Club in particular. “I've been working at the club, and I got the opportunity to have a go at designing the new club logo and one thing lead to another and we got it over the line. It was a great project.
Dave Larkin with the Melbourne Football Club logo he designed.“I think music and football are very similar in the sense that they're both industries of hope. They're both really about imagining the impossible, as well as being fun. A lot of musos play footy, and a lot of footy players play an instrument. I go to the footy a lot and someone will yell out 'Dallas Crane' or 'I love the new album'. It's great.”
Written by Liam Steers
Dallas Crane Tour Dates
Fri 29 Jan - The Grand Hotel (Mornington)Sat 30 Jan - Newtown Social Club (Sydney)
Fri 5 Feb - Karova Lounge (Ballarat)
Sat 6 Feb - Jive (Adelaide)
Fri 12 Feb - Shark Bar @ Miami Tavern (Gold Coast)
Sat 13 Feb - Woolly Mammoth (Brisbane)
Fri 19 Feb - Westernport Hotel (San Remo)
Sat 20 Feb - The Corner Hotel (Melbourne)
Thu 25 Feb - Republic Bar (Hobart)
Fri 26 Feb - Club 54 (Launceston)
Thu 17 Mar - Prince Of Wales (Bunbury)
Fri 18 Mar - Indi Bar (Perth)
Sat 19 Mar - Amplifier Bar (Perth)
Fri 1 Apr - Sookie Lounge (Melbourne)
