When The Mavis's released their sophomore album 'Pink Pills' in 1998, the band from Ballarat were catapulted to the forefront of Australian music.
The platinum-selling album made them national treasures, scoring them an ARIA nomination as well as tour support slots for pop princess Kylie Minogue. 'Pink Pills' also birthed two singles that remain prevalent as classic hits: 'Cry' and 'Naughty Boy'.
Founding member and vocalist Matt Thomas recalls the studio sessions for 'Pink Pills' as equally exhilarating and emotionally exhausting. “We did a tour and planned to record the album in Byron Bay,” Matt says.
“We toured all the way up from Melbourne to Byron Bay, got there and had a really big party. We were exhausted and wasted and we had to start recording our album in this tropical paradise; it was a bit intense actually. A lot of tension, a lot of fights and emotional breakdowns in the first half of the album. That tension made some really good tracks.”
Matt's sister and partner in the band, Beki also remembers the recording period as one fraught with angst and excitement. “Recording 'Pink Pills' was intense in every way. We were like one, big, crazy family,” she says.
“I remember being at Rocking Horse Studios in Byron Bay and Matt and our producer Kalju [Tonuma] getting inspired and completely changing songs at the last minute and me having to learn a new part and sing it on the spot.
“We pushed ourselves to make the album as amazing as possible. Lots of laughter and tears along the way.”
Twenty years on from the release of 'Pink Pills' and the album is still considered a masterpiece ahead of its time, blending rock, pop and electronic music with a vibrant, cyber-punk aesthetic in a twirling ballet matching weird with wonderful. “I think the album is timeless,” Beki says.
“Like us, it never really fitted into any category and I think it captures the essence of The Mavis’s – we’ve always had our glittery-pop side and our intense, weird-heavy side too. I’m grateful so many people loved it!”
For both Matt and Beki, 'Pink Pills' also represents a key moment in their own path through adolescence into maturity as well as their relationship dynamic as siblings and bandmates “My sister and I at the time were growing up; Bek was 14 when we started and I was 16, right back at the start,” Matt says.
“So we were together all the time and trying to find our own identities – we're very different people – so there was a lot of tension there, but that kind of worked on-stage and also with our vocals. We get along a lot better now than we did then; we got on great then but we were just kids a lot of the time, growing up.”
The Mavis's celebrate with a 20th anniversary tour for 'Pink Pills', which brings Matt and Beki back together with original second guitarist Nik Gill. “I'm just excited to be on-stage, hang out with my soul-mates and just plug in the guitars,” Matt says.
“I'm really looking forward to playing those songs again with Nik because we had different guitar sounds that complement each other; that's one thing I really miss.”
Beki adds: “I am imagining the shows will be better than ever and I'm hoping our fans will come out and have an amazing night with us for a Mavis’s-style party, with great songs, old faves, some surprises, good hair and outfits.”
The Mavis's Tour 2018
Fri 4 May - Grand Hotel (Mornington)Sat 5 May - Villa Noosa (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 6 May - Stones Corner Festival (Brisbane)
Wed 9 May - The Gov (Adelaide)
Thu 10 May - The Metro Theatre (Sydney)
Fri 11 May - The Prince Hotel (Melbourne)
Sat 12 May - Karova Lounge (Ballarat)
