At home in Portland, Oregon, Courtney Taylor-Taylor seems reluctant to be having any down time between The Dandy Warhols' recent UK tour and this month's stint in Australia that includes an appearance at the inaugural Wanderer Festival (a three-day event on the South Coast).
When he realises it's less than two weeks before the indie-rock monsters head down under, that unmistakeable monotone drawl turns to (deep) exaltation. "It's not quite so depressing now!"At this point in the band's career – ten albums in – it's hard for Courtney to say whether global experiences, such as having several days off in between shows on their Australian run, will have any impact on The Dandy Warhols' continued musical output.
"I don’t know. . . I really. . . have no idea," comes Courtney with a rumbling brogue. "It never seems the same, but it never seems to change.
"There's been a lot of metaphors about it, like 'it's a bag of experiences' and so if you don't get up there/ out there, when you wanna write a song, you don't have anything in your bag to reach for to build a song out of – I like that one.
"I think I did give it a lot of thought in the first half of our career, and probably stressed about it, but now, to make music and do all this, we have to tour, we have to keep our sh.t together. Deep questions are hard to answer, man!"
Given their eclectic brand of music, one that journeys between indie rock, grunge, pop-rock and sometimes into the more psychedelic, you might think The Dandy Warhols have had a certain rule book by which they decide who they go out on tour with – but it's not always so.
"It depends on what we feel, we always have to choose between friends. Sometimes your friends with bands that are the perfect vibe and sound, and sometimes your really good friend has this new band that isn't really the right sound, but it doesn't matter, you love them, and they're great anyway, so it's a weird match and you get whatever.
"This Hoodoo Gurus for example, I think that is an amazing match," Courtney continues of the group's upcoming support slot with the Aussie legends.
"We went back to the beginning and listened to what they came from and who they are, and I was really so happy to fall in love with this band.
"I really remember 'I Want You Back' [1984] and the guitars, their debut American record, a classic here. I started playing the hell out of that song three years ago, so it was really strange for them to call us and say 'We want you to play with us'."
So, play with Hodoo Gurus The Dandy Warhols are doing. As well as that, Courtney and his band mates – Peter Holmström, Zia McCabe and Brent DeBoer – will take to the stage at Wanderer Festival on the New South Wales' Sapphire Coast.
The conversation turning to the Aussie bands on the festival's line-up, Courtney is open to recommendations, opportunities to further diversify his listening palette.
It's easy to mistake the low drone of his voice as nonchalant, but really, Courtney is one of the most enthusiastic musicians about. "Cool," he drawls after hearing more about the styles of the likes of bill-mates The Teskey Brothers.
One-worded answers may not seem like there's hope Courtney will check out these artists, but he will. His curiosity for new sounds dictates as such.
And on that note, Courtney reveals The Dandy Warhols are currently in the process of mixing album number eleven. "It's working out super well," he says.
"A couple of years ago, I just wanted to make a record that's extremely hard rock, like metal. So we started every song with a metal guitar riff – I don't mean like hipster sludge rock or anything, I mean like rock rock!
"Like, anything from Pantera to Scorpions, I mean even [Black] Sabbath!" Courtney concludes with a croaking subtlety to what he says next.
"I mean, Sabbath is a bit trendy to do right now, so I don't wanna, you know. . . I don't wanna be part of any club that would have me as a member!
"And as you produce each of them and wanna fill each of those riffs' destinies, one of them ended up going slightly Rolling Stone, and one 'em Pantera, and another ended up going goth dance club, goth club metal. . . They all wander off on their own. It's all kind of Ramones-y.
"It's been great," Courtney continues discussion the new material. "We're close to making it really rip. It's searing, satisfying, and blistering. I'm so close to taking it on and putting it right on my face and just cramming it in!"
The Dandy Warhols play Wanderer Festival 2022, which takes place at Pambula Beach (NSW) 23-25 September.
Wanderer Festival 2022 Line-up
Music Programme
Ziggy AlbertsDMA'S
The Teskey Brothers
The Dandy Warhols
Confidence Man
Curtis Harding
Winston Surfshirt
Wolfmother
Sarah Blasko
Jack River
DZ Deathrays
Josh Pyke
Pierce Brothers
Emma Donovan and The Putbacks
Didirri
The Dreggs
Harvey Sutherland
Isabella Manfredi
The Grogans
Grentperez
Hayley Mary
Alice Ivy
The Vanns
B Wise
Maddy Jane
Muroki
Old Mervs
Maple Glider
Cookin' On 3 Burners
Bakers Eddy
Jess Ribeiro
Body Type
Pania
Cousin Tony's Brand New Firebird
Felicity Dowd
Robyn Martin
Tall Shaun and The Resolution Blues
Magic Machine
Heath Cullen
Anactoria
Gabadu
Djinama Yilaga
Benji and The Saltwater Soundsystem
Bega Sound Collective
The Scaramouche
Bega Valley Men's Choir
Arts Programme
Die Roten PunkteWerk It
Mario Queen Of The Circus
Geraldine Hickey
Children Are Stinky
Dr Hubble's Bubble Show
La Petite Grande
The Burnt Sausages
Monster Siege
Bed Sheet Ghost Party
This Is Me Bunting
Frankentoys
We Shaped Up Like This
Cephalopods
The Beep Test Of Mythical Beings
Face Paint By Children
Karaoke
Alex Ward
Shaquille Aldridge and the Duurunu Miru Dancers
Lizzy Hoo
Sam's Caravan
The Big Lost Band
Lila's World
The Grandest Grand Final
Wiki People
Shapes and Sounds
Guess Who Tarot
The Dandy Warhols support Hoodoo Gurus 2022 Tour Dates
Tue 13 Sep - The Riverstage (Brisbane)Thu 15 Sep - Hordern Pavilion (Sydney)* sold out
Fri 16 Sep - Sidney Myer Music Bowl (Melbourne)
Sat 17 Sep - Hobart City Hall
Tue 20 Sep - Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre
Fri 23 Sep - Belvoir Amphitheatre (Perth)
