Known for their bright three-part harmonies, an infectious live energy and penchant for stylish signature suits (they do their own embroidery), Australian acoustic-folk trio The Inadequates are nearing the release of their debut album.
Since emerging from Brisbane's Queen St Mall in the late '10s, where they'd busk most Friday nights, donning those bright suits to attract the attention of passersby, the trio of Marcus, Lawson and Jackson have built a solid repertoire of originals while honing their stage presence.With the release of their debut single 'The New Sensation' at the start of July, followed last week by 'Lethe River', with another single 'Genevieve' landing mid-August, the lads have been dubbed 'the best-dressed band on the folk scene' by the Cobargo Folk Festival, where one of their many colourful performances took place.
With twelve tracks of tight, three-part harmonies, complex and intricate multi-instrumentalism, high energy, and rich emotive cores, their debut album 'Haven't You Heard' is the culmination of their efforts over the last two years. It lands 28 August.
Ahead of its release, which will be followed by a number of live shows, here Marcus, Lawson and Jackson divulge some of their secrets while also providing plenty of LOLs... the stand-up stage beckons guys if you ever get bored of music.
Who are The Inadequates... We are a progressive acoustic band that is all about high energy, huge harmonies and intricate arrangements. We have been playing together since high school, and we initially cut our teeth as a busking band.
We would perform at Queen St Mall in Brisbane every Friday night, which is why we wear our signature bright suits – it began as a tactic to grab attention while busking, but quickly became our look. From there we kept writing, developing our own sound, and now we are releasing our debut album 'Haven't You Heard?'.
We sound like... We are all about slamming our instruments while singing in three-part harmony. We often get compared to bands like Punch Brothers, Mumford & Sons, and Nickel Creek, because of our instrumentation – but we're often told that we are like the acoustic version of Alice In Chains or Split Enz. We like to think we land somewhere in the middle of all those bands, splitting the difference with an accordion.
Our first gig was... Our first public performance together was a very loose, impromptu 15-minute stint busking at Nightquarter Markets in Helensvale in about 2017, while Jackson and Marcus' family band were taking a break between sets. We made about $15, which was enough for a Mr Mooberry ice-cream each. Probably the peak of our career tbh.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... We all used to work together at our local hardware store, and one day the manager degloved his finger in an accident; don't Google that [Ed's note: Too late, already did. Do not Google 'degloved'. Trust.].
He had to go to hospital, leaving only the three of us behind, trying our best to be mighty helpful. When a tradie came in and asked us about concreting or something, we had no idea what to say, so we told him "sorry mate, it's just The Inadequates here today". It kind of stuck from there.
In the studio we usually... Fight about everything, get really excited about the low notes coming from Benja King's double bass, and make our signature dish – an entire Lebanese cucumber in a tortilla wrap with crushed Arnott's Pizza Shapes for garnish. It's better than it sounds.
If we could tour with anyone... The dream gig for us would be touring with Punch Brothers, because they have had such a huge influence on our music. Otherwise idk, probably DJ Khaled or something. Just think that would be funny.
Social media is... Necessary as a band in today's world. It's a grind for sure, but we try to use it as another avenue for our creativity, and we put a lot of effort into filming dumb little skits and promo that we find entertaining.
If we find it funny, then it helps keep us sane while hopefully getting people to listen to our music, which is what's actually important to us.
My favourite app at the moment is... Picking a favourite app is like choosing your favourite child; it's easy if there is one that is clearly the best. For Marcus it's Metronomics, for Lawson it's Virgin Frequent Flyer and for Jackson it's gotta be Clash Of Clans.
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... Marcus threw up mid-set at a gig in Maleny. He'd just come off a cruise ship gig and had some sort of bug, and after about song three had some technical difficulties with his abdomen. He went offstage and threw up, but then came on again and finished the gig afterwards (like a gangster).
Life on the road can be... For us it's the embodiment of suffering for your art. We do a lot of camping while playing, but we've never been very organised in that regard. Once we showed up to a festival with no tent poles, and only beer and Tim Tams for sustenance. The bar is very low.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... Beer and Tim Tams; and maybe tent poles.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in, was... One time we flew to Perth and all our gear arrived except for the accordion.
It was super stressful because we were on a tight timeline for our next flight, but the really scary moment was when it finally appeared on the oversize belt. Suddenly we were a band with an accordion again – for a brief moment we were liberated from that burden, and it was blissful.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... A David Attenborough Inadequates documentary would be huge. What a crossover.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Probably Nashville, just because it's the epicentre of so much great acoustic music. Being in that environment is super inspiring, so if we were to move overseas it'd probably be there.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... The three lead engineers responsible for the design of the Singer EM9305 embroidery machine, so we can give them a piece of our minds. We did all of the embroidery on our new suit jackets ourselves, and we have some gripes.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? Marcus would make you a curry, Lawson would make the single meal he knows how to cook (noodles with honey soy chicken sauce), and Jackson would put a frozen pie in the oven and likely burn it.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? Lawson is team dog. Marcus is team cat. Jackson is team accordion.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Embroidery thread. We can send you a list of colours we need.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... We all visit the gym regularly; our favourite machine is probably the vending.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? We call all of the admin work that goes into being a band 'nadmin'; and it's painful.
Do you have any phobias... Nadmin.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Jackson and Marcus abhor reality TV. Lawson would probably go on 'The Bachelor' if given the chance.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? Mickey O’Donnell from the fiddle-harp duo Mickey & Michelle. We are in a public feud with him to help bolster our respective careers (it worked for Kendrick and Drake).
As for what we'd do, it'd be tricky because we aren't feuding with Michelle (she didn't want any part of it). So whatever we did it'd have to be Mickey specific, but we are coming for him.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Unfortunately Noodle Box isn't open that late. Guess we're going to Sam Coco's instead.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Walter White, because on the side we run a crystal meth production empire. Also I reckon I could huck a pizza on the roof too.
Last show you binge-watched? 'Breaking Bad' felt super relatable.
The Inadequates 2025 Tour Dates
Fri 12 Sep - Butchers Brew Bar (Sydney)Sat 13 Sep - Smith's Alternative (Canberra)
Sun 14 Sep - Frank's Wild Years (Wollongong)
Sat 20 Sep - Home at Roto House (Port Macquarie)
Sun 19 Oct - Lefty's Music Hall (Brisbane)
