Gay Paris - Inspiring The People To Bang

I have to admit, an interview with Gay Paris was always going to be a mini moment for me, as the first article I ever wrote was a review of one of their shows. But alas, with a massive set of tour dates on its way, and a brand spankin’ new album heading on the horizon, I’d have to get nostalgic on Wailin’ H Monks (a man that I can only describe as some sort of sex panther) some other time.

Gay Paris very recently handed down to fans the first sneak peak of what to expect from their sophomore album. A forewarning, if you will, that came in the form of The Demarcation of Joseph Hollybone. The track demonstrated the band’s unique brand of sleazy, sludgy, bluesy rock in a very fine form, which was to Monk’s design all along. “Well, for anyone who’s listened to it, they’ll know its not so much banging, as it is bang-able. The track will hopefully inspire everyone alive today – and maybe even the dead – to just bang. Because the Gay Paris statement, other than “Please put your party pants on and drop them” is “C’mon everybody, fuck.”

Monk’s did elaborate further on the important act of thrusting, and not just in said banging. “You can’t do anything without a thrust.”

Anointed The Last Good Party, Gay Paris took a different approach with album #2. Using Pozible: a fan-funded initiative not unlike Kickstarter, though the band put a fresh spin on the concept. Offering up rewards for donations, such as Rap Dudes Doin’ It To You’, where WH raps over a Six Guns-produced beat about anything you like, or you could even choose that they get your name tattooed on them…They not only reached their target of $6,000, they smashed it. “An album for the people, by the people, funded by the people, provided by the heroes of the Gay Parisan epic” he explained. “Realisticlly, when you put all of the stupidly awesome rewards aside, wherein we will debase ourselves, which is by the way what we do on stage all the time, so this is some extra, visual excitement for you.”

“It was the easiest way, you know, you’ve pre-ordered the album now. Sure some people paid like $200 for it, but they’ll get to wear a tuxedo at a Gay Paris dinner party, and let me assure you, Gay Paris won’t put on a half-assed dinner party.” He added. “I’m going to drink a lot”

The success of the crowd-funding proved vital to the process, not so much writing or recording. As Monks stated, without it they wouldn’t have been able to go on tour so soon: “The tour we’re going on, we’ve never done anything like this before…this is some odessy shit. We’ll make money like say, Dr. Dre once we’re on tour, but we don’t have that money now. So if we hadn’t have had that crowd-funding, we wouldn’t have been able to tour the album. And that’s really what the people need. Even if they don’t know it yet.”

Though not wanting to reveal too much on the actual album, Monks was able to shed some light on the otherwise mysterious The Last Good Party. “Well, these are all our songs. Not wanting to sound like an asshole, but we wrote them because we knew they sounded awesome. So if you like Gay Paris, you’re going to like this album” (singing the final words) “because it’s got it all!” (back to speaking now) he added “I’m excited about people experiencing the riffs, I’m excited about people experiencing the message, I want them to know that it’s OK to end the party, because this it, this is the last good one. So the only way to find answers is to just keep going. And then we got some riffs put to that, which I think makes it easier to digest, some things I say are somewhat dense. Some people might call me top, obtuse wanker. Which is fine, I’ve worked very hard to be so.”

With the tour making it’s way through New South Wales this weekend, you needn’t fret about when you can next get your Gay Paris fix. As Monk’s concluded, the band have an “enthusiastic, religious experience that will bring you closer to whatever your concept of the divine may be”. So prepare to leave that gig feeling enlightened. Enlightened and aroused.

Tour dates below.

Saturday, 3 November
Transit Bar, Canberra

Wednesday, 7 November
The Cambridge, Newcastle.
With The Peep Tempel

Thursday, 8 November
The Steyne, Manly
With The Peep Tempel

Friday, 9 November
The Sando, Sydney
With The Peep Tempel + Spank Cauldron

Saturday, 10 November
The Patch, Wollongong
With The Peep Tempel

Thursday, 15 November
Prince of Wales, Bunbury
With The Beards + The Snowdroppers

Saturday, 17 November
Rosemount Hotel, Perth
With The Beards + The Snowdroppers

Sunday, 18 November
The Indi Bar, Scarborough
With The Beards + The Snowdroppers

Friday, 23 November
The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba

Saturday, 24 November
Rics Bar, Fortitude Valley

Friday, 30 November
The Tote, Melbourne
With The Peep Tempel