Everyone’s favourite WA exports Tired Lion have had us raising our sweaty fists in the air for a while now, with the four-piece reminding us all just how great the grunge revival can be. A ferociously tenacious band, both on stage and behind the scenes, Tired Lion have just dropped their full-length debut Dumb Days, a record that’s proved to be everything fans could have asked for and more.
So in the lead up to their appearance at Grampians Music Festival in February, Music Feeds sat down with drummer Ethan Darnell to chat about the live experience, inspiration and why they’re looking forward to becoming Mountain Lions at one of Victoria’s freshest music festivals.
MUSIC FEEDS: Why do you like to play music?
ETHAN DARNELL: It just feels right to me I’m not interested in much else in life. The feeling of being creative and making something from nothing is a real treat.
MF: As a drummer, is there anyone in particular that inspires you and your craft, or someone that you’ve continually admired over a period of time?
ED: It’s always a revolving door but a drummer that comes to mind would be Zach Danziger. I love anything that guy does. At the moment I’m getting into recording so I have just been checking out different records and producers to see what they do, which lead me to find A Different Ship by Here We Go Magic. I love the way that record sounds and it inspires to try and get those sounds even I have no idea what I’m doing.
MF: Dumb Days was released in September, congrats again! How are you feeling about the record a month or so on from release?
ED: Yeah good, I don’t really mull on things. Before the record was out it had been finished for some time so that honeymoon period wore off. I’m super proud of the record.
MF: So many of the Tired Lion tracks are really personal and as heavy as the sound can be sometimes, it can be a really intimate listening experience. What’s it like to play those tracks live?
ED: When we play live I think the focus is on catering to the audience and making them have the best time possible. There are some songs, in particular, I associate with stages in my life and they always spring back to mind when we play them. If it’s a bad memory it will make me angry, which I guess then helps the song if it’s in the same vein.
MF: On the band’s Facebook Page the interests are listed as; ‘Japanese Food, Old Clothes, Tea, and Beanies’, which is a really great and eclectic collection of objects. Does it give a bit of an insight into life behind the scenes for Tired Lion?
ED: (laughs) We wrote that when we were super young, although I feel like we all still really enjoy those things.
MF: You’re playing Grampians Music Festival in February, it’s such a unique and kind of remote environment, will that make for a different performance experience?
ED: It’s always lovely and inspiring to play in a beautiful location, we also haven’t been there before so I’m sure we will check out the area. We will probably be vibed-up because we all dig remote locations.
MF: Is there anyone on the lineup that you’re really looking forward to seeing as a punter, as well as sharing the stage with as a performer?
ED: Polish Club are rad and I’m keen to see them again. I’ve also seen IV League and Jarrow before and they always deliver so pumped to check them. Haven’t seen Ruby Fields but I want to, so that will be great. Just keen to get out there and chill most of all.
Catch Tired Lion performing live at Victoria’s Grampians Music Festival from Friday, 2nd February – Sunday, 4th February 2018.
