Grinspoon Answer The Fans

Grinspoon have made a habit out of kicking doors down with releases, and simply strutting their way through the room, somehow getting straight to the bar. It’s been no different with the band’s 2012 album Black Rabbit. Since the album’s recent release, the band have found themselves getting some serious rotation: media and fans alike seemed to simply drool over the album, which is why we gave you, the fans, a chance to hold the mic.

Metaphorically speaking of course, as this is online, but you guys did well none the less. Below are a list of questions shot through by you beautiful readers, and bassist Joe Hansen has done a pretty darn good job at answering them.

Have a read, have a laugh and have a listen to their new tunage!



1. More Than You Are is a bit of an anthem for me and my friends and involves a lot of beer sculling, wrestling eachother and pointing in eachother’s faces. If you could be more than you are, what would you want to be?

I always harboured dreams of playing cricket for Australia when I was a kid. I don’t know if they select guys straight from backyard cricket games, but I definitely haven’t ruled myself out of contention.



2. We know you guys love playing the BDO, and heck knows we love you guys for smashing it every time you play, but what’s the best overseas festival you’ve played at and why?

Warped tour in the US was awesome fun – we did something like 30 gigs all over the States, travelling round in our own tour bus driven by an old Mexican fella. Sometimes we’d wake up in the middle of the night and find his sixteen-year-old son driving – it was hard to get back to sleep on those nights…. You only played a short set so there was a lot of downtime to hang out with all the other bands: Pennywise, Suicidals, Black Eyed Peas etc. Halfway through the tour, The Living End and Frenzals joined us – party time!!

3. Do you have any pre-show rituals? If so, what are they?

Nothing too superstitious – just a couple of beers, a high-five with the boys, quick bit of voodoo, and make sure I’m wearing my lucky undies, and off we go…

4. What brand of jeans does Phil take on tour for maximum movement (when he dances)?

Great question. I have no idea, maybe tweet him @philjamieson…

5. You guys have done quite a bit of regional touring; what is your worst/best/weirdest experience that you have had in a country town?

We played a B&S Ball at Goondiwindi a few years ago; it was massively raining and we just made it through flood waters across the highway to get there. The gig was in the local showground, which had turned into a muddy slop, so all the girls and guys in their best formal wear were completely filthy. On the way out we drove past the cattle yard and there was a couple doing it in the mud – as we passed them the guy paused long enough to yell out “go the fuckin’ spoon”- classy!!



6. When Grinspoon first formed in Lismore, Kristian and Phil were in other bands. Can you still name all the bands you were both in?

Phil was in a band called Dancing With the Daisies in the Fields of Corruption and Kris was in The Galore. Then they were in a band together called Crabapple. Pat was in a band called Pre-fab Jazz and I was in Potbelly, but none of these bands were going when Grinspoon first formed – under the name of Hubcap – got it?

7. Where do you see Grinspoon in 5 years from now, and were you ever expecting this to be a long term project?

To get to do one record let alone seven is so awesome, we never expected to make it out of Lismore, to be honest! We have never set any long term goals in Grinspoon, but hopefully in five years we’ll be just about to release album number nine…



8. If Grinspoon didn’t exist, where do you think you would all be now?

Krisso would probably be managing his own Franklins supermarket, Pat would be running his own day spa in Mullumbimby, Phil would be head video clerk at the Port Macquarie Video Ezy, and I would be selling secondhand CDs at the Lismore car boot market.

9. Can you name 3 Aussie bands that you are digging right now?

Violent Soho, Howl and the Vasco Era



10. How do you feel about all these previously defunct bands reforming to cash in on the 90’s resurgence?

Are you talking about The Superjesus? I hadn’t heard?!!

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