This month sees the return of DIY punk trailblazer Jeff Rosenstock to Australia for a national tour in support of his recent 2016 solo album, 'Worry'.
A regular visitor to Australia with his other projects as well as producing the last two albums from The Smith Street Band, this will only be the second time Jeff has visited with his solo band in tow.
“For me personally, the amount of time I've spent in Australia at this point it feels like a second home, especially Melbourne,” he says. “It's cool and I'm glad we're finally coming there.
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“It feels like the record's been out for so long; we haven't been to Australia yet, even though it's barely been a year. We've been everywhere else and we're saving my fave for last, honestly. I'm really, really looking forward to Australia this time, it's the best.”
'Worry' is Jeff's third solo album, following his 2012 debut 'I Look Like Shit' and 2015 sophomore 'We Cool?'. Jeff says the overwhelmingly positive response to the record has taken him by surprise, especially when performing live.
“I've made a bunch of records and the response to this one definitely felt different,” he says, “but you know, I don't go into any of them thinking: 'Oh, this is going to be the f@#%ing one.' I feel like I'm old enough to not be naïve and think an album is ever going to be 'the one'.
“The response has been really good. It's been surprising and it's been exciting to feel like we've got a connection with people; that's my favourite part of playing live is the connection. It feels like the connection has felt stronger touring on this record, which is super-f@#%ing cool and was not expected.”
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Jeff's connection to Australia runs deep. However, Jeff is less concerned with attaching credits to his name than he is about having a good time making music with friends. “I don't give a f@#% about that shit though,” he laughs. “I just want to make a good record with my buddies.
“I’ve thought about that from time to time, but it's like, 'what?' Then I'll just have people I don't want to work with asking me to make records together? I just feel really lucky that [TSSB] wanted to work with me at the same time that I wanted to do that stuff.”
Among some of Jeff's most cherished memories are his recent experiences working with The Smith Street Band, particularly performing live at The Wonky Donkey in Victoria. “It was cool to play there and then to see Smith Street Band play [2014 album] 'Throw Me In The River' front to back a few blocks from where we recorded it and where I hadn't been for about a year,” Jeff says.
“That's the kind of stuff that really stays with you.
“I like Australia, everybody is nice. That's probably not true, I bet there's some real shit-heads in Australia but we don't come across them too often.”
Jeff Rosenstock Tour Dates
Sun 3 Sep - Sounds Of The Suburbs (Sydney)Tue 5 Sep - RAD Bar (Wollongong)
Wed 6 Sep - Beatdisc Records (Sydney)
Thu 7 Sep - The Lair (Sydney)
Fri 8 Sep - Hamilton Station Hotel (Newcastle)
Sat 9 Sep - Crowbar (Brisbane)
Mon 11 Sep - Transit Bar (Canberra)
Wed 13 Sep - The Edinburgh Castle Hotel (Adelaide)
Thu 14 Sep - The Gasometer (Melbourne)
Fri 15 Sep - Poison City Weekender (Melbourne)
Sat 16 Sep - Karova Lounge (Ballarat)
Sun 17 Sep - Wrangler Studios (Melbourne)
