From their humble beginnings as Melbournian buskers, to releasing number one AIR-charting albums, Jack and Pat Pierce are rocking the world with their alternative folk-pop style.
The brothers' crooning tones and seductive guitars have won the heart of many an audience the world over. Pat and Jack take time out to discuss life, touring and tennis.
You're performing at the Byron Bay Bluesfest soon, which you guys described as a “dream come true”; how stoked are you to be performing there?
[Pat Pierce] We’re absolutely thrilled! We’ve always wanted to play that festival, one of Australia’s most coveted! They have always had the most incredible line-ups and this year is no different. We both have never been, so I think we’re most looking forward to kicking around and checking out the other acts playing. Best thing about playing festivals is actually being able to go!
What's your favourite part of being on tour?
Playing in new cities to new people. When we toured with The Cat Empire we were so lucky to be playing to huge rooms, like l’Olympia in Paris. We walked out onto stage in a country we’ve only played small venues/ festivals and were welcomed with a few thousand people. It was incredible! This happened again and again in Switzerland, Czech Republic, Portugal and Spain and we just LOVED it! Also the festival scene. We played a lot of festivals this year, and the European festival line-ups were ace. As I said before, getting to be a punter for awesome Australian festivals is amazing, but a festival in Europe or India that we’d never even imagine to visit it something special.
Last year you also showcased at Canadian Music Week and CMJ in the US as well as performing at The Great Escape in the UK; how were those experiences?
Interesting. It’s a strange thing to play to a room full of experts who are watching intently at a thousand other bands and searching for something in each of them. It’s not like a normal show. You feel like they’re going to get bored of you because they’ve seen it all before. Because we started out busking we just imagined that it’s like a busking set. Then you see some of the faces in the crowd and know that there’s some big wigs there and you get a bit nervous. Although, after the Canadian one, we got into the groove a bit and by the time we’d finished the UK tour in Brighton, we arrived in New York ready and raring! We had an incredible time.
You guys are also performing at the Australian Open again. What type of experience is that performing to crowds who aren't there to see you? And are you tennis fans?
The Australian Open is an interesting one, because it’s a very chilled session during the day, in the sun. It’s ace (see what I did there?). Playing to people who aren’t there to see us is basically how we started out with our busking, so we get excited and take it on as a challenge – see if we can get the crowd onside. Also, everyone drinks and has a ball at the tennis so we’re going to love it! And yes I love a good game of tennis.
You were recently on tour in India for the first time, tell us a bit about that. Any crazy adventures you can regale us with?
India was incredible! Such a bustling place full of life and energy. The audiences were incredible, and all knew how to dance! It was just insane! All the bands became friends almost immediately as it was a touring festival (think Grooving The Moo) and so we were all in the same hotels. This leads very easily (as I’m sure you can imagine) to some wild nights. We hit up a karaoke bar in Mumbai and by the end of the night four different bands (about 15 people) were all holding the mic together as we belted out Queen’s epic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
Indeed, you performed in 15 countries last year. You guys started out busking on the streets of Melbourne, did you ever envision yourselves getting this big?
No. No chance! We couldn’t believe that we could ever tour Australia, let alone the world. We were just busking so we could travel and playing so we could have fun. When we played our first European Lowlands festival in 2014 we were pinching ourselves non-stop; and that still hasn’t changed. We often wake up and forget where we are, then get excited all over again because were in Barcelona, Prague, London etc. It’s the best job in the world! I think we were really unprepared for being away so much as we were tired a lot this year!!
Do you think there's a difference in how crowds react to your music depending on the country?
I think certainly there’s a difference between the crowds. Barcelona was probably the most wild, I think we could have crowd surfed the whole gig!! And the Dutch (I love the Dutch) are like your kooky Aunty, they’re just incredibly lovely and randomly kind. Indian people know how to dance too! We didn’t know what to expect but they really made us feel welcome!
Describe the writing process for your songs.
Oh, we’re hopeless at getting together and putting pen to paper. When it happens it happens quick and then we’re done and ready for playing it live. I’m always writing down notes for my phone, and pondering up new ideas. However we really have to be in the jam to get something fully out. I think because we spend so much time together our songwriting process has really evolved. We now write much more of the song on our own and then bring it to the other brother.
What was your favorite memory of 2015, why?
Playing l’Olympia in Paris was incredible; but I think it would have been walking out onstage at Pinkpop. We had the label (and ourselves and stage crew) blowing up beach balls before the show, so we released them halfway through Pat’s solo. It was so cool watch pat just shred and play the rockstar bit and then have 500 beach balls bouncing around the tent. We had an AMAZING time there!
Your latest EP was 'Into The Dirt', released in September. How does it capture the current sound of you guys?
I think that it came out very nicely as a studio album for us. We’re always looking at how we can evolve and bring new and exciting things to the show. I think ‘Into The Dirt’ was a great stepping-stone to the album. Our live show is very energy based so translating that to the studio can be quite difficult. The quieter songs in 'Black Dog' and 'Mumma Please' were certainly not the high energy that we usually do, but something that we’ve now incorporated into our set. With our new songs I want to update our set so we’re showcasing our new ideas, and a more edgy sound. Push the boundaries a little and see what we can really accomplish. I think that’s so important.
Are you working on new music at the moment?
Yes indeed we are! We have some really exciting stuff that we want to sink our teeth into over the next few months and get out there.
You've sold 50,000 albums independently... that's a staggering number given people stopped buying CDs ten years ago; and you had the highest selling CD sales at the Netherland's Pinkpop Festival last year; what's your secret?
We got really lucky!! We started busking at a time in Melbourne when we could more often than not get the best spot almost non-stop on Bourke St Mall, five days a week. These days it's difficult to get two busks on the mall as there’s so much more talent (don’t get me wrong, this is a GREAT thing for Melbourne). Also because we were unknown we just played with lots of energy and people had no way of getting our music elsewhere: we weren’t on Spotify! The same thing happened in Holland when we played at Lowlands. It was an awesome festival with a great vibe and we just played really well. The only way they could take any music home was to buy our CD. Now, while there were some really REALLY big bands playing that year we were astounded! Although, everyone already has their songs, or can listen to them on Spotify; and they couldn’t with us. I think we just got really lucky!
If you could have any artist cover one of your songs, who would you choose and why?
Pat: Jack White. He has such a unique twisted view on the world; it wouild be amazing to hear his twist on our songs.
Jack: Eddie Vedder. What a voice. He’s one of the reasons I got into music. His voice over our songs would be better. Better. Better man. Better maaaaaaaaaaaaaan.
Written by Justin Smareglia
Pierce Brothers Tour Dates
Thu 14 Jan - The Cambridge (Newcastle)Fri 15 Jan - Woolly Mammoth (Brisbane)
Sat 16 Jan - Solbar (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 17 Jan - Cool Summer Festival (Mt Hotham)
Thu 21 Jan - Karova Lounge (Ballarat)
Fri 22 Jan - Prince Bandroom (Melbourne)
Tues 26 Jan - Arnhem Club (Nhulunbuy)
Wed 27 Jan - Arnhem Club (Nhulunbuy)
Thu 3 Mar - The Spiegeltent, Garden Of Unearthly Delights (Adelaide)
Fri 11-Mon 14 Mar - Port Fairy Folk Festival
Fri 18 Mar - Jack Rabbit Slims (Perth)
Sat 19 Mar - Nukara Festival (Chapman Valley)
Sat 26-Sun 27 Mar - Bluesfest (Byron Bay)
