Having been on hiatus since their 2009 release Six to Midnight, ARIA Award-winners Grinspoon have resurfaced and are going back on tour. They will be releasing their latest album Black Rabbits later this year and are set to play the 2013 Big Day Out in addition to Newcastle’s Fat As Butter festival.

Since releasing their debut EP back in 1995, Grinspoon have climbed the Australian rock charts, played with some of the biggest names in the scene and released six studio albums. Their 2004 album Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills went platinum and earnt them an ARIA award and in addition, they have been nominated for over ten ARIA awards total.

Drummer Kristian Hopes claims Black Rabbits is not a strict stylistic follow-up from Six to Midnight, which was “a bunch of songs that we wanted to put out together and was a heavier rock album. The new album is more of a studio record that we have broken up and produced. It’s a bit more radio friendly but it’s just another turn in our career.” The band has put blood, sweat and tears into their 2012 release with aspirations to master a different direction in music.

Joining them on the Fat As Butter lineup, will be the likes of Good Charlotte, Yellowcard and teenage dirtbags Wheatus to name a few. “It’s going to be fun to play with bands like Good Charlotte,” says Hopes. “It will be cool to hang out with those guys and check their stuff out. We have done Fat As Butter a few times before and it’s always a good show. There’s a bit of a younger crowd which is cool as well.”

Grinspoon are considered Big Day Out veterans, with the recently announced 2013 festival being their fifth appearance n the national bill and  sixth year appearing at the festival. “Last year we filled in for a band that cancelled on the Sydney show and so they put us on as special guests. I can’t even remember which band we replaced but we fuckin’ stole the show anyway,” says the drummer.

Grinspoon appreciate Big Day Out for its spread-out touring schedule allocating enough party time for everyone on tour, as Hopes puts it: “It’s always fun to hang out, enjoying the city you’re in and have good times to catch up with other bands too.”

Hopes has seen the Big Day Out festival evolve into what it is today and recognises its success in diversifying itself over the years. “It’s the only way a huge festival like Big Day Out has been able to stay around for as long as it has you know? There’s always a massive mix of acts on there with different stages and areas.”

Grinspoon has played with BDO headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers in the past and is looking forward to hanging out with the sock-wearing funky monks again: “We’re playing the same stage as them so it should be a good little festival and we do tend to hang out with the bands so we’ll probably get to hang out with them [a bit].”

Grinspoon have been dedicated to the production of Black Rabbits and are ready to showcase their new material. “We’ve put a lot of hard work into this album and it’s taken probably about a year to put together so we really believe in it and we’re going to be touring a lot – we hope the fans like it,” adds Hopes.

The drummer also promised that their Big Day Out setlist will be heavily influenced by their new material. After stealing their fill-in show in Sydney,  surely the Big Day Out veterans will be able to handle the sweaty punters in 2013 – even with some unfamiliar material.

In addition to their scheduled festival shows, Grinspoon have plans to embark on an extensive national tour of their own. “That’s coming up in March/April 2013,” reveals the Grinspoon sticks man “- we’re going regional and all the little places we’ve never been. We haven’t done headline shows in 3 or 4 years so we’re really excited about that.”

After seventeen years in the music scene, Grinspoon will no doubt rise to the top of the music charts with their yet to be released album Black Rabbits and accompanying tour. 

Black Rabbits is out in late Septmeber. While Grinspoon play Fat As Butter festival in Newcastle the same month, followed by a string of Big Day Out dates in January 2013. Tickets are currently on sale for both festivals.

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