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the earthmen

(L-R): Scott Stevens, Nick Batterham

Melbourne modster's and pop tunesmiths The Earthmen have actually been around for a lot longer than most people realise. They formed in 1994 and released two EP's (Teen Sensations, Rise and Fall of my Favourite Sixties Girl) on indie lable Summershine in that year as well. These recordings garnered quite a bit of national and international interest, leading to a tour of the U.S. and Europe.

So how's the tour going?

The tour's really good, this week is a bit heavy. In the studio by day and soundcheck and gig by night and then late night back in the studio, where a lot of drinking happens (laughs).

Playing in front of thousands of people must be a buzz

It's pretty good, It's a lot of fun. The first couple of shows, especially the first show in Perth was insane, that was in front of about 5,000 people and that's a lot people. It sorta freaked me out. But it's all been really good fun. Melbourne was a bit weird, coz we'd been away for a week and then we came home and I think we were still in tour mode. I think our Girlfriends probably hated us. But Sydney's just been great fun. We've done two shows at the Endmore and today's our, "day of" (hah!) and tommorow's the Hordon which has already sold 7,500 tickets. That's a lot of bananas!

Have you met Miss Morrissette?

Yeah we have. All her band are quite nice too. They're all very Los Angeles if you know what I mean. She's enjoying herself quite a lot, but she's not party girl or anything. She's quite sensible. She's been on the road on the road for ten months, so she's going through the motions and enjoying each city for what it's got. It would get a bit tedious I imagine. Not to mean I don't want to be that famous or anything! I mean her album has sold over 10 million copies in the US, it's so obsene. And she's only 21. I'll have to marry her, but she might be a bit too neroutic for my tastes. Actually that probably is my taste (laughs).

What UK bands have been an influence on the you and the Earthmen?

I hate music, I'm not influenced by anyone.

Eh? But you do listen to music don't you?

There is difference between influenced and imitation. There are many numbers of things that influence music and not all of them are music themselves. I'm not going to be a tosser and say man...drugs there are just so many things like lifestyle that it [drugs] creates, that influences itself.

What about UK Music at the moment, do you like much of that?

Well I don't listen to the radio at all, and I don't really buy that many records. I buy the occasional second hand vinyl or something that I think is absolutely f--king great. I really like the Verve, I think they're amazing, and when they broke up that was pretty sad.

they've reformed though

....but, it won't be the same. But they were a very, very good band.

I can't say I really think much of the Bluetones, I think their pretty shitty actually. I hate Blur and all those bands. I never even really liked their first record. Oasis, again, I don't really like them particulary but I can see what they're doing, which is note for note ripoffs.

I really liked the Bernard Bulter/McAlmont record. I thought that was pretty flashy, but then I think that Bernard Butler is my kinda guy. I hated Suede, but I've read a couple of interviews with him in magazines like "guitar player" which are hanging around the studio. The first interview he did after leaving Suede was in Guitar player magazine or something and it was really, really good. I really like his attitude, he was neither here nor there. He just goes with what he wants. He'll hook up with some session musos to get it really good. He made some line about the song 'Yes' that when he writes a song as good as that he's not going to give to band who have the ability to make it anything other than a hit.

Do you listen to much from the 60s and 70s then?

I suppose I could be considered to being retro "man" (laughs) but I just bought a [Pete] Townsend live record record that I used to have on cassette. I've been listening to that a fair bit. I listen to the Byrds, The Beatles and that sort of stuff, Sandy Shaw, Dusty Springfield a bit all over the place really.

How do you feel about the comparisons to Scene Stealer and the Boo Radley's

I don't really care. If it's the way people need to see it to understand it then sure, whatever. I can't say I ever really give a shit about the Boo Radleys they're kind of twee and anally wrapped up in what their doing. I mean compare us to them if you want I'd rather they were a bit more successful.

Is scene stealer a good indicater of what's to come with the album?

Not as in all the rest are samey samey, like another Green Day. It's pretty well all over the place, songwriting wise. Production wise Scene Stealer is going to stand out as being a little different as it's quite sparse and simple. There's lot's of orchrestal sounds and all sorts of other stuff. The level of production on the album is pretty much beyond Scene Stealer.

Caleb Rudd

the earthmen brief discography
		The Earthmen Teen Sensations Favourite sixties girl
Scene Stealer	Hug Me Tighter	EP's/Album
Warner (96)	Warner (96)	Summershine (94)

Most of the Earthmen's Summershine releases can be found at Polyester (where Scott works) and Greg's Music Store