When choosing a band name, it can be an agonising process or come in an instant. Sometimes the name sticks for an unknown reason, only becoming clear with the passage of time.
When one indie, prog-rock band from Adelaide had to choose their moniker, selecting a flower that doubles as a girl's name might not have been the first choice, but maybe they have more in common than one might think.
Some say the beauty of a flower, once seen, will endure forever, and endurance is certainly one pin upon the decorated breast of The Violets.
Adopting their floral garbs in the early '90s, they sprang onto the scene with force, opening two Big Day Out festivals, and winning Album Of The Year at the South Australian Music Awards with their passionate debut 'Leased Regret'.
Thirty years later, the very same group are playing that album in the same manner as all those years ago, fresh as a daisy. "It's daunting really. It gives you a measurement of time that you weren't counting on," frontman Matt Cahill muses.
"At the time, we'd only been signed a year and a half and we'd released a couple of singles. Phantom were looking for a full-length record, so we went into the studio and recorded every single song we had.
"At the time, I was just a young guy making a record. I didn't think 30 years in the future. The following year it was nominated for Album Of The Year at the Music Industry Awards (SAMI) and we actually took it out, which really surprised me."
Creativity has always been a large part of Cahill's winning hand. The band wrote the song 'Sideways' (opening song of their 2022 record 'Smoke, Mirrors & Other Half-Truths'), in 20 minutes, testament to Cahill's ability to channel what needs to be said in real time.
The album marked a moment of saving grace for a band mired in the dark depths of COVID. "It was such a relief because we hadn't actually been in the same room for a long time. When the pandemic hit, it called a halt to everybody playing live.
"Us musicians were sitting around going, 'what can we do? How can we circumvent this?' We all had the same idea at the same time. So emails started going back and forth.
"In the back of your mind, you're wondering about getting in the same room after so long and such different side projects. I was doing a jazz bop fusion [project]. I guess everyone was secretly hopeful, but secretly worried at the same time. That kicked out very quickly and the whole record fell together in a fortnight. It was a relief."
While some lyricists moan and agonise over a phrase for days, Cahill finds the process subconscious and cathartic, expressing without fear or judgement. "In the early days when I was a young writer, I was obviously into poetry," he laughs.
"I would often have poems that I readapted into lyrics, but over time, I've gotten into the process of auto writing. Basically, it provides the lyrics from the get go, and it's not until I look back later and zoom out that I realised topically what it was about. It's a subconscious process.
"I've learned to trust in it, and just spit it out. It's a fantastic process now. The modern landscape has forced artists to really question what they're in this for.
"Ten to fifteen years ago we had to say, 'we're obviously not going to make millions of dollars, so what are we doing this for? We're doing it for the love of it.' That's a place you arrive at if you're a dedicated lyricist and singer."
With almost 35 years under his decorated belt, Cahill remarks the simple things are often the most valuable when onstage, offering his must-have piece of gear.
"My inner-ear monitors. I'm a soft singer in a loud band, so it's difficult to pitch if you can't hear. They're my favourite piece of gear at the moment."
Celebrating 'Leased Regret' alone didn't sit right for a band that always made friends wherever they went, so they called upon old friends to create a memorable night worthy of appreciating the years gone by.
The Violets called upon Batteries Not Included and The Jaynes to fill an unforgettable bill for the 30th anniversary show. "Back in the day in about '91, Batteries Not Included graciously gave us our very first show," Cahill recalls.
"We opened for them, and we all became friends; and we've played with The Jaynes as well on many occasions. A couple of years ago, we realised this anniversary was coming up and it was a really good excuse for a show.
"We started hunting around, saying, 'are you guys doing anything? Would it be too much trouble to get back together?' And now we have this triple bill at The Gov. It's been great, everyone's reconnected."
Cahill shares what fans can expect from a packed evening, and their deepest intentions for the show. "There will be a mixture of old and new. We've got another new album in the can that we recorded earlier in the year, that's coming out next year.
"We're obviously going to play our favourites from 'Leased Regret'. So it's old and new, but we really want to reconnect with our fan base and take it from there with the same energy that we've always had."
The Violets play The Gov (Adelaide) 29 August, joined by Batteries Not Included and The Jaynes.
