With six platinum certifications between them, two top-five chart positions (including a #1), and a half-dozen charting singles, it's statistically certain that if you know Eskimo Joe, you know 'A Song Is A City' and 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine'.
The band's second and third records were released in 2004 and 2006, respectively, and represent the band's highest point within the cultural lexicon of Australia.After several postponements and delays, from late September will finally see the Fremantle trio return to the stage to perform both albums in their entirety, which will feel simultaneously alien and entirely familiar to the veteran band.
"In a way, neither album has ever really left us," says Kav Temperley – the band's lead vocalist and bassist. "There hasn't been a single show that we've played where we haven't played both 'From The Sea' and 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine' since they came out.
"A lot of both albums still feel very much in the present for me, even though it's been over 15 and even nearly 20 years. These albums still very much feel like the DNA of Eskimo Joe, so going back and performing them won't feel entirely out of our comfort zone."
Though there's plenty of muscle memory involved with many of both albums' big hits – among them 'Sarah', 'Smoke' and 'New York' – there are some songs within the tracklist the band have not played since the original tours in support of them.
It's this, Temperley says, that is providing an interesting contrast during rehearsals for the upcoming tour. "There's a few songs from 'A Song Is A City', in particular, that I can't wait to revisit," he says.
"Songs like 'Don't Let It Fly', 'This Room' and the last song on the album, 'Car Crash'. We played them all when the album first came out – I mean, we only had two albums at the time, so you don't have much material to begin with. You're playing everything you have. We're really excited about not only coming back to these songs, but also playing them in sequence."
This, according to the frontman, is a key aspect that differentiates the upcoming tour from your usual greatest-hits fare.
Rather than saving the biggest hits for last, each song will be played in the order it appeared on its respective album – something the trio have come to truly cherish in the age of streaming. "This tour is a real chance to honour both of these albums," Kav says.
"We come from an era of music fans who grew up listening to records, and really valued that experience.
"We loved albums with a storyline – where you can follow the album through beginning, middle and end – and we wrote both of these albums with that in mind.
"With this tour, we're playing the songs how we meant for people to hear them – and we're presenting these albums as a living piece of art, which I think is really beautiful."
Although Eskimo Joe have remained a core trio for its 25-year existence, the band has expanded out in the live setting for many years.
While Temperley and lead guitarist Stuart MacLeod retain their studio positions, drummer Joel Quartermain moves over to guitar and keyboards when the band are performing. On this run, they will be joined by long-serving touring drummer Paul Keenan, as well as a newcomer to the fold in keyboardist Timothy Nelson.
"Joel and Paul grew up together, and they learned drums together too – sitting in the garage, smoking bongs and playing beats," Temperley says with a laugh.
"Having Paul playing drums with us makes the shows feel complete – he's even in the video for 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine' if you look closely.
"As for Timothy, he's an amazing artist in his own right. We feel very lucky to have him on the road with us – which is funny, because 'Girl' [Eskimo Joe's 2001 debut album] was his favourite album growing up. Whenever we play a song from it, he gets really excited."
Eskimo Joe 2022 Tour Dates
Wed 28 Sep - The Tivoli (Brisbane)Fri 30 Sep - Odeon Theatre (Hobart)
Sat 1 Oct - Forum Melbourne
Tue 4 Oct - Thebarton Theatre (Adelaide)
Wed 5 Oct - Enmore Theatre (Sydney)
Sat 15 Oct - Fremantle Arts Centre
