Kate 'Babyshakes' Dillon planted the seedlings of Full Flower Moon Band in the artistic wilderness, away from the industry sunlight.
In 2022, with the release of second album 'Diesel Forever and showcases at BIGSOUND, the Brisbane rock band grew rapidly under the hot house lights. On the ambitious, forthcoming album release 'Megaflower', Babyshakes, never the shrinking violet, is ready to embrace full bloom.While the Full Flower Moon Band founder, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist is a self-professed "studio nerd", she's also a critically acclaimed stage star; you can't read a live review of a FFMB gig without seeing references to her hip swivelling, charisma exuding presence.
When combined with the band's driving riffs and deadpan satirical lyrics, it was a formula for BIGSOUND showcase success. "Having been in the industry for awhile, I know what it's like to not have the holy gaze upon you of the industry," Babyshakes says.
"That first BIGSOUND, I felt the lighting shift and I felt people looking and watching in a new way.
"I've survived as an artist without that attention but when it did kick off, it filled me with so much gratitude because I knew the ripple effect it would have and I was able to grab it by the horns and ride as far as I could while the lights are on me."
With second album, 'Diesel Forever', FFMB put the foot down on the accelerator; they toured it for 18 months. It was a record written, though, at a time where Babyshakes was still stepping onstage in her stilettos as a support act, or maybe a headliner at smaller venues.
The first two singles from upcoming third album, 'Megaflower', rock just as hard, but are crafted with the crowd in mind. 'Devil', for example, begins with an acoustic strum until, one minute in, the galloping drums and fuzzy guitars kick in; it's a tune made for opening a set, with the punters anticipating the thunderclaps after the sunny intro.
"My whole career has been this is the record, but oh my god, the live show is this whole other thing," Babyshakes says. "Maybe I've failed to capture on record the live performances before because they don't say what an incredible live record.
"The live stuff has always been such a point of pride for me. What I'm doing onstage is entirely myself and I'm so grateful that people react the way they do to it. That's something that wasn't about to change any time soon. I think that's what reviewers and crowds pick up on is that is me.
"Thank goodness I don't need to figure that out. If anything it was trying to bridge the gap between what people get in the live show. They are in a way two different mediums. I didn't want to make a live album: I wanted to make a studio record that can then be translated into a live show."
Taking inspiration from fellow charismatic rock stars like David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner, Babyshakes likes to shake off categorisation; each new album is an opportunity to "rebut" the last one.
Music writers have classed her flower as a hemp bud: stoner rock. The early, heavy petals from 'Megaflower', though, indicate the age of flower power may have returned.
'Megaflower' is released 19 July. Pre-order it.
Full Flower Moon Band 2024 Tour Dates
Fri 23 Aug - Howler (Melbourne)Sat 24 Aug - The Bridge (Castlemaine)
Sat 31 Aug - Lion Arts Factory (Adelaide)
Fri 6 Sep - The Princess Theatre (Brisbane)
Fri 13 Sep - King Street Warehouse (Newcastle)
Sat 14 Sep - The Lansdowne (Sydney)
Sun 15 Sep - La La La's (Wollongong)
