Exactly one year after the release of their debut self-titled album, Bat Country are back with the brutal follow up release 'SLUG'.
The album features 11 new tracks and hints at everything from modern jazz to experimental rock, metal, country, film music, free-improvisation and more.
Who is Bat Country...
Bat Country represents the combined creative vision of three Melbourne artists (Sarah Galdes - Drums, Stephen Hornby - Bass, Lincoln Mckenzie - Guitar). The band formed at the beginning of 2013 after all 3 members graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts, contemporary improvisation course with the intention of forming a longstanding committed band.
Our music is a confluence of instrumental jazz, contemporary improvisation and experimental rock. Expect guitar pedals, rich harmonies, dynamics, humour, eclectic compositions and intricate arrangements. The diversity inherent in their music is a manifestation of the collaborative process they have undertaken, with all three members contributing equally to the compositions and performances.
We sound like...
We've reached a point in our lives where we are no longer bound by the physical restraints of our earthly bodies. That, or we've just let ourselves go and devolved into the true sloths that we are.
Our first gig was...
In an igloo under the sea, on Brunswick St, I think.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision...
We chose it cause ‘BA’ is close to the beginning of the alphabet, which means we’re close to the top of list of artists in your iTunes/ iPod. We couldn’t think of any names starting with A…
In the studio we usually...
Tighten up our tunes followed by spurts of meowing…
If we could tour with anyone...
We would go with Nepalese sherpas. They’re very strong and they keep you out of trouble. And our mums. We love our mums.
Social media is...
The best and worst thing to happen to our generation
My favourite app at the moment is...
‘tramTracker’ comes in vey handy.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time... I (Stephen) made a really important speech and I decided to try out a non-racist joke. I had totally not done my homework and so didn't realise that I was actually speaking to a room full of racists. Everyone was really offended and I felt mortified because I had misread the situation... It was really insensitive of me.
Life on the road can be...
Extremely rewarding and efficient. It wasn't long ago that if you wanted to go to say, I know, let's say Sydney from... Phillip Island... Well you had to go through really deep bushland and it would have taken hours. Now that there are roads, you can literally get there in minutes and you just end up saving so much time. It's just good now that we all have so much time I think. Like with Eastlink and stuff.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains...
I usually enjoy covering myself with some sort of sauce before a gig to get myself in the right headspace. So, I think having a variety of sauces available keeps us pretty happy. We don't really ask for that much, just some sauce and a little privacy. You'd be surprised at how many venues have a problem with this though.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in, was...
I was on my way to my daily lunch and cocktails at Vue De Monde. I was pretty hungry and we only had a few hours for a lunch break. I was meeting up with my boss and he brings the limo to the curb to pick me up and suggests that we go just get something quick from Sydney Rd on the way to the airport. He soon came to his senses but, just the thought of being seen hanging around a rough area like that with those sort of people was enough to send me into a panic attack. I was terrified.
What famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band...
I reckon maybe someone like Donald Trump would be good because people know who he is and Tony Abbott is probably way too busy to have time to dedicate to our band. Again, it's just a question of time really, we're just lucky to have so much of it.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party...
I reckon Barry, Bob and Shaz would be a pretty wild combination. Because none of them know each other that well and they all have completely different ideas about acceptable eating habits, political views and hygiene levels. Come to think of it, I don't think they would get along at all actually... Hmmmm, next question.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us?
We’d start with an entrée of boiled spam slathered in a miscellaneous orange goo. The main would be twice cooked horse hooves with a side of shoelaces and cans of spaghetti without the spaghetti. We would finish with our favourite desert, the Sahara, where we would drop you off and you would have to Bear Grills your way back to civilization.
No matter the expense, send me a case of...
IPA!
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was...
It was a beautiful September morning, I arose to the sound of birds chirping and bees trying to get intimate with them. I wandered down to the old watering hole and gym and started my routine, then I left and never came back.
What's the one chore you dislike the most?
Taking out the compost or band admin or preparing to engulf a live penguin.
Do you have any phobias...
Being really high up and not being able to hold onto anything freaks me out. And magpies in mating season. And those two things put together. Whoa!
Would you ever partake in a reality show? If so, what type?
We really love ‘The Truman Show’. We’d love to live in a world that was entirely fabricated for other peoples amusement and be completely oblivious to it.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down?
I'd probably bring down our friends Marcos, Cheryl and Cattie by releasing a million baby marmoset monkeys into their rooms while they're sleeping and then force them to co-habitat for 30 years! Eventually the babies will grow up into delightful adult monkeys. They will rule the humans and the humans will become their monkey slaves. For 6 months. Then I'd release the monkeys and humans and say something like 'uou got pranked!'.
'SLUG' is available on 2 December.
