Aussie rockers Jebediah have fired up their creative generator and returned to the studio, with the new single 'Gum Up The Bearings' their first original music to land in 12 years.
The news arrives the same day the Perth legends will be inducted into West Australian Music's (WAM) Hall Of Fame during the WAM Awards ceremony in November as part of WA Music Month 2023.The band will also embark on a five-date national tour in November before they join the line-up at Good Things Festival (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) in December.
Outside of sporadic live appearances the last decade of so, Jebediah have remained relatively dormant; though each member has remained active in the scene: Vanessa and Brett played in bands, Chris worked at a record store, and Kevin has focused heavily on his Bob Evans project.
'Gum Up The Bearings' was recorded with longtime collaborator – and honorary fifth band member – Dave Parkin (Red Jezebel, Spacey Jane) at his Blackbird Studios in Perth – and is the band's first new music since 'Kosciuszko' (which hit #6 on the ARIA charts) in 2011.
"It doesn't feel like that many years have passed since 'Kosciuszko', but that's part of the phenomenon of becoming middle aged, I suppose," explains guitarist and vocalist Kevin Mitchell.
"In some respects, it's quite a relief, as we started working on new music back in 2018 and then so much happened during the ensuing years that could have easily just killed the whole project altogether.
"However, I think maybe sheer tenacity won out in the end, and here we are with a brand new song, some five years later. Apart from being a relief, it also feels like an accomplishment for Jebediah to still be creating new music after nearly 30 years together – we're not ready to be a nostalgia act just yet."
'Gum Up The Bearings' also comes accompanied by a video clip directed by the band's close friend and documentarian Arlo Cook. "Arlo made the clip using footage that he has been taking of the band since 2015," Kevin says.
"He has followed us everywhere, to gigs all across Australia as well as the many studio sessions over the years. The song is very much a snapshot of what the band is in its purest and most raw form, so the video clip is designed to reflect that."
One of the biggest keys to the group's enduring status as one of Australia's most beloved groups, shares Kevin, is due to their everlasting bond as a humble band and the friendship and fanbase they've forged.
"As Brett put it some time ago, the secret to longevity as a band is not to break up. I'm sure we have had just as many reasons as any other band to break up at various points in our career, but we just have always decided to keep going.
"If the band was purely a business for us then we would have shut up shop by now. But Jebediah is family to the four of us. We have all grown up together since we were babies. It's not something we have ever wanted to walk away from.
"Besides that, there is a small army of loyal supporters who have stuck with us along the way which gives us a reason to keep going out and playing shows.
"We are also not ready to settle into the comfy armchair of pure nostalgia, so creating new music has become a really important reason for the band to continue. We still enjoy getting out and playing shows in front of people, but we are also curious to see where we can push the band creatively so I suppose those are the two vital ingredients for us at the moment."
@jebediahband Who remembers this? #90s #90snostalgia #90sthrowback ♬ original sound - Jebediah
Jebediah's career will be celebrated in November when the group is inducted into the WAM Hall Of Fame. "It's really, really nice," Kevin says.
"I guess with an award like this, it's not necessarily something you're thinking about during your career, but when they happen it feels good. I think as I've gotten older I've learned to appreciate it a lot more as well.
"Looking back, I feel we've had such a such a good relationship with WA. WA has been so supportive of us for such a long time. That's what it really kind of brings to mind for me, is just the support and the goodwill.
"That's just always been there ever since I was a teenager when we first started and now I'm about to be a 46-year-old. A lot of time has passed, and that supportive goodwill has never ever wavered. That's something that I feel like celebrating."
Tickets to the November tour are on sale.
Jebediah 2023 Tour Dates
Sat 4 Nov - Lion Arts Factory (Adelaide)Thu 9 Nov - The Zoo (Brisbane)
Fri 10 Nov - The Espy (Melbourne)
Sat 11 Nov - Crowbar Sydney
Fri 17 Nov - WAMFest @ The Rechabite (Perth)
Fri 1 Dec - Good Things Festival (Melbourne)
Sat 2 Dec - Good Things Festival (Sydney)
Sun 3 Dec - Good Things Festival (Brisbane)
