Alternative, pop rockers from Inner West Sydney, Subtle Mullets are a five-piece, proudly queer group ready to unleash their brand of The Beths meets Wolf Alice grungy alt-rock with their second single 'Her(e)'.
A song that tells the tale of a person's journey away from troubled paths in search of something 'new' elsewhere, 'Her(e)' was recorded with 5-time ARIA Award-winning producer Paul McKercher."When we arrived at the studio, 'Her(e)' wasn't a finished song," lead guitarist Evelyn Hayes says. "So as we were recording we were also trying to finish it.
"Though all the lyrics were completed, we weren't sure on how we wanted 'Her(e)' to sound and the emotions we wanted to portray, which added a certain amount of stress during the recording.
"The lyrics were relatively dark and had a particular sense of nervousness and excitement to them, which was very similar to how we were feeling in the studio.
"I wanted a sound that could express both these emotions as the lyrics were very personal to me."
With successful live shows at The Moshpit and Marrickville Bowlo on their resume, Subtle Mullets are fine-tuning an album they've had ready since last year.
Who is Subtle Mullets... We're a five-piece band from Sydney's Inner West. Starting out in high school, we found our current line-up in 2018 after just one show.
With ages ranging from 21-24, the band are Jessie Waratah (vocalist), siblings Adelaide Hayes (guitar/vocals) and Evelyn Hayes (lead guitar), Hannah Cazar (bassist) and Miriam Sands (drums). We are each self-taught musicians, songwriters and pride ourselves on being a queer band.
We all grew up in the same area and became friends throughout high school; we were all a little 'weird' and that's why we worked so well together. One thing that we all had in common was our love for music and all things creative, so the only logical thing to do was to form a band.
We sound like... We've had people refer us to L7, The Beths and other bands alike. Our grungy style links us to a lot of '90s bands which we all love. We take influence from a lot of different genres, which is very prevalent in our upcoming album.
Our first gig was... We played our first gig together at The Ballroom in Newcastle about three years ago. We stuck around long enough for the venue to turn into a queer night club and we didn't make it home till sun up. Things haven't really changed since then.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... It was a unanimous decision as it highlighted where we grew up, which was the inner west and of course everyone knows the Australian mullet culture.
We had a friend come over with a terribly cut mullet and Adelaide Hayes said: "Well that's a subtle mullet." And we pretty much went from there.
In the studio we usually... We've only been in a recording studio once to record our upcoming album, but it was an experience none of us will ever forget. We were extremely nervous and possibly a bit underprepared, but regardless we got through it together and the result was fantastic.
When we first arrived at the studio we had a few songs that weren't even finished yet, so we were writing some songs on the spot, and yet after the recording, those specific songs seemed like the most prepared.
To add to the craziness of it all, it didn't help that our drummer had just broken her elbow while skateboarding, then our lead singer lost her voice on the last day. We played a gig on the last day with a mute vocalist and a broken drummer. It was a hell of a lot of fun.
If we could tour with anyone... Miss June, The Chats, Green Day, Fidlar, Blink-182.
Social media is... Memes. Memes are at the core of our social media use.
My favourite app at the moment is... Flo. Period. This app helps us schedule our band meetings.
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... Look, there have been so many embarrassing moments we can't recall one specific time, but I'm sure there are gonna be a lot more to come.
Life on the road can be... Chaotically fun. We always know how to have a good time.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... $4 wine and/ or silver tequila.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in, was... Adelaide: "Stranded on a small island in the Philippines after being chased by actual pirates, left with no food, just six bottles of rum. . . not cool for a Type 1 Diabetic."
Jessie: "Being too scared to open a can of tuna because I didn't want the local crocodiles to catch me (sitting by the river in Cairns)."
Hannah: "I almost got kidnapped in France. Turns out you should actually call an Uber before you get in one."
Miriam: "Apparently horses know when you're afraid. Indiana Jones moment in New Zealand."
Evelyn: "Picture this. Slipping on a cheese burger down a main road on one foot in front of gridlocked traffic. . . Alone. The mayo was mad slippery. I went on a journey of self discovery that day." Truely a series of unfortunate events.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Our good mate Chalali Jordane. She has the complex of a celebrity.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Googles 'where does bimini bon boulash live’.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party (why?)... 1. Jacinda Ardern. 2. RuPaul. 3. Snoop Dog/ David Attenborough. This is a power duo.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? A minimum of 15 mi goreng noodles in 1 pot with extra chilli flakes, or if you're picky a fat vegetarian curry.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? We have all grown up around animals all our life. Right now, our menagerie consists of nine animals: two dogs, five cats and two birds. Adelaide has also studied animals and vet nursing.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Blue V for sure (one sugar free for Adelaide).
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Yeah, nah.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Washing the dishes.
Do you have any phobias... Guess who's got what fear ;) Bees. Crustaceans. Tomatoes. Pineapple. Water-based predators.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? SURVIVOR. During lockdown we all would Facetime every episode and discuss strategies.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? Well when I (Evelyn) was in primary school, Miriam thought it'd be funny to prank me. I didn't even know her well at the time, but she proceeded to convince me to eat an Oreo the fastest so I would win the whole packet.
This Oreo appeared harmless at first glance, but alas the cream in the middle had been replaced with toothpaste. I became friends with her later in high school. . . it was hard to forgive.
Best local takeaway joint for a 2am feed that will leave you with a food coma? Canterbury Kebabs. No question.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Jessie: Phoebe from 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S': "They Don't Know That We Know They Know We Know." Hannah: Jake Peralta from 'Brooklyn99': "When did everyone decide to become an adult." Miriam: Ross from 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S': "PIVOT!! PIVOT!!" Evelyn: Tyrion from 'Game Of Thrones': "I drink and I know things." Adelaide: Rapunzel from 'Tangled': "Who knew you could harmonise with the microwave."
Last show you binge-watched? 'Game Of Thrones'. 'Dark'. 'Food Wars'.
