Sometimes here at Music Feeds, we just can’t interview every artist we’d like to. So on this occasion, out of equal parts necessity and curiosity, we enlisted them to do our job for us.
Today, Perth’s own Great Gable have unleashed their debut record Tracing Faces. Written in a cabin among the Karri forests and a Chestnut Farm in Western Australia, and recorded at The Music Farm in Byron Bay, the album showcases the band’s progression of sound and their relationships with each other, helped along by producers Alex Henriksson and Matt Corby.
In celebration of the release, we thought we’d see what would happen if we let them all interview each other. Let the mayhem begin.
Alex Whiteman (vox & guitar) questions his bandmates
Alex: Callum, as the strongest chess player in the band (the only one that can beat Corby) if life was a game of chess what piece would you be? And why?
Callum: Haha bro I think I’d be a knight because they have the special ability to like move over pieces and are awesome at defending and supporting other pieces like the queen in attacks.
Alex: Matt, you’ve picked up the nickname “Punga” somewhere along the line. Which is also the name of a song of ours. How’d you get the name and where’d it start?
Matt: ‘Twas actually my grandad’s nickname, and he had a footy guernsey on the wall at my house. I vaguely remember you seeing it and saying, “Oi I’m going to start calling you Punga” and I said “Nah that won’t stick bruz”, then we wrote a song and didn’t have a name for it so we nicknamed it ‘Punga’ and it stuck ever since. Immortalised in a reggae song. Apparently it’s also a type of fern in New Zealand, they all seem to think the song was named after that, but now you know the real truth.
Alex: Chris, in 2017 you became the final piece to the Gable puzzle but I’m interested to know what your thoughts were on Great Gable before you joined the band…
Chris: I hadn’t really listened to any of your songs online, but I do recall being on the same bill as Great Gable supporting New Navy at the Causeway in Vic Park during 2016 where Al’s unique voice caught my ear.
Callum Guy (drums) questions his bandmates
Callum: Alex, recently you’ve talked about when you retire you want to get a farm. What animals would you get and what would you name them?
Alex: I really fancy a miniature goat that I think I’ll call Geezer. Also, I’d love some pigs to get mucky with.
Callum: Matt, how many times have you watched Harry Potter in your life and why do you like it so much?
Matt: How long is a piece of string? Who really knows! I’ve definitely watched it more times than I’ve had hot dinners. I still think the books are better but. You get more of an insight into everything. I grew up watching it as a kid, and always thought, “gee wizz how good would it be to be able to do magic though?” Could conjure up some hot riffs!
Callum: Chris, just wondering if you could comment about the future of AI and would you get a Tesla Cybertruck?
Chris: Geewizz what a question, thanks Cal. I’d have to say that I’m just as excited as I am concerned on the development of AI… So many wonderful things will come from this technology, but at the same time, it’s a worrying thought of how much damage could follow if it fell into the wrong hands. I was keen on the idea of a Cybertruck, but I’d have to say that the 2021 Tesla Pickup has caught my eye.
Chris Bye (bass) questions his bandmates
Chris: Cal, what about “Roo” patties ticks all your boxes when it comes to making the “Roo” perfect burger?
Callum: Simplicity is key when cooking the burger, bitta butter and taco seasoning when on the fry. Egg and beetroot compliment it really well too.
Chris: Matt, what’d you get up to when you left the band and our manager in the airport cafeteria to punch your biannual virgin lounge pass that time we missed a 7am flight and had to wait 6hrs for the next connecting flight?
Matt: As I walk up to the big pearly gates, I was greeted by an angel and a bowl of mints. “Wow” I thought, “this place is like heaven”. I grabbed a mint or 2 and flashed my ticket. “Welcome to the lounge sir, we hope you enjoy your time here”. I walk up the stairs and thought to myself, 3rd level, this is serious business! Once I reached the holy destination, I immediately saddled up the in the biggest, comfiest chair I could find. I walked through a door made of rainbows and sunshine and found myself looking at a buffet as far as the eye could see. “Free!?” I exclaimed, yes it was true! All the food and freshly made soy flat whites that the heart would ever desire! I really was in some sort of wonderland.
As I made my way through the delicious assortments of breakfasts, I kicked back in the chair made of clouds and chucked on some Netflix. Then these little magical elves came down from above and started giving me neck massages, they then told me of a wonderful room called ‘The Restroom’. They said that it was rarely inhabited and you could explore freely without interruption. I thought this place can’t be real, I have to see this for myself. Low and behold, it was like I was in my own home.
After replenishing myself with my 3rd soy flatty for the day I then tucked into some lunch. I believe I had some sort of curry. It then came time to leave, I made my way back down into the cafeteria after having the best time of my life. I really wish you all could have joined me, I was thinking of you all the whole time. Hopefully, when we can tour again, we can experience this most wonderful thing that life has given us together, The Airport Lounge.
Chris: Al, if you had to swap bodies with one of your beloved back yard chickens, which one would you pick and why?
Alex: Curry Puff – Because she lays the least amount of eggs.
Matt Preen (lead guitar) questions his bandmates
Matt: Alex, your brother is a well-known cricketer and you’re a well-known rock and roll star. Do you think you’re a better cricketer than he is? Who is mum and dad more proud of?
Alex: I hope I’m a better cricketer than Sam is a musician because I actually played cricket and Sam’s guitar has sat in its case for a long, long time. He definitely used to smash me in a game of backyard cricket though. Mum’s Instagram bio is “Al is number 1 son” – that says it all I think.
Matt: Chris, you’ve been reading ‘The Omnivores Dilemma’ ever since I’ve known you, what’s the craziest fact about food you have learnt? Will you ever finish the book?
Chris: Man great question. I’d probably have to boil it down to learning that the end of World War II sparked the beginning of the industrialisation of the food industry: The US government had a large supply of fertilizer left over when they didn’t need to produce as many bombs which they then began spraying on corn crops to increase their yield. I’ve actually really been enjoying re-reading the first 150 pages each year, so at this rate, I’m not too sure…
Matt: Also is it true you had a lip ring when you first joined the band? Why’d you get rid of it?
Chris: Nah bro that was just a rumour.
Matt: Hi Jonny Stix how’s it going! You’re a man of solid routine. Can you walk me through a day in the life of Cal? Starting with what time you wake up normally.
Callum: Hey Mett, chillin’ massive what about you?? Well yeah if I haven’t got anything on I’ll most likely wake up around lunch and then always coffee first. Then like cook some breaky, head to the gym, come back more food, shower and get in the Word and chill, more food and then practise/writing, more food then hanging with housemates and then more food and bed.
Matt: This year we’ve only played 3 gigs and Chris was missing for 2 of those so I had to fill in on bass, what did you think of my time & rhythm feel?
Callum: Man not bad considering you were learning the parts.
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