We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files, but we don’t like regurgitating press releases or asking the easy questions. At Tone Deaf we only ask the tough questions, so just hold still, grit your teeth, clench your buttocks and be still while we put on the rubber gloves, apply the thumbscrews, and pull out our thermometer while you open up and say ahhhhhhhhhhh… Truthful answers only or we drink your rider while you’re on stage.
Who gets the most ‘off stage action’ in the band? What’s the secret to their success?
Ummm…. I’m gonna get told-off for saying this… but Tarquin is the most beloved band-mate. All the dudes in the band are stunners and worthy of the attention of Pikelet fans, but he wins by far… because he’s single, and an excellent flirt. Matt and Shags are both in long-term relationships. I’m also single but seemingly completely undesirable post-gig. No biggy though.
Have you ever been arrested? Where were you, and what was it for?
Nope I’ve never been arrested. I did enjoy shop-lifting as a teen though and came very close to being caught once. I was also chased once by a crazed truck-owner for doing drunken graffiti on his truck. It was a stupid idea.
What’s been the worst day job you’ve ever had?
There have been several that could be classed as ‘the worst’ in different ways… I worked at Maccas and HJs when I was in high school and that was predictably horrible, demeaning and under-paid. Fairly suitable for an angst-ridden teen though… Toughened me up a bit. I also worked at Luna Park for a bit, which was fairly good because of the other staff, but awful because of the children vomiting and customers being downright despicable at times. Plus I’ve done my fair share of mind-numbing office jobs and call-centres.
Sex, drugs and groupies – In what order do you prefer them and how often?
I’d say in the order that you’ve listed them. Sex would be enjoyable on a regular basis if I could find a boyfriend I liked a lot and who also liked me a lot. I’m not a fan of the one-night situations these days. Drugs are fine once in a while depending on what I have to do during the week following as I tend to recover from any substance extremely slowly. For that reason I tend to avoid them because I’m always very busy. If I ever do dabble it tends to be at a light-weight level due to a low-tolerance and extreme need for control of my reality.
Take us back to the first gig you went to. Where was it and what was the venue?
The first gig I went to was Alanis Morissette, when I was twelve or thirteen. It was at what is now known as Rod Laver Arena (or whatever it’s called now… They seem to change the names every year or so.) Back then I think it was just called The Tennis Centre, which is quaint and innocent somehow by comparison. Frente opened the show and I thought they were far superior and under-rated by the Alanis audience. I met Angie Hart from Frente recently and told her all about it.
What’s your favourite site to download music from and do you ever pay for it? Can we find any of your releases there?
I like the bandcamp/soundcloud thing that is going on at the moment. I pay for downloads if that is what the artist wants. I like the immediacy of those sites and also you can listen to high-quality music files for free before purchasing. My bandcamp is here: http://pikelet.bandcamp.com/
I put new home-recordings in there regularly in the ‘Random Recordings’ album.
What’s the furthest you’d go to win over a new fan?
I generally enjoy having a good chat with audience members after a show… But in my experience if someone likes or dislikes your music there doesn’t tend to be too much you can do to change that. I’m just making music I like (and hopefully that my band mates also like) and I’m stoked when other people do too. If they don’t, that’s OK by me.
Right, here’s the plug section – tell us about upcoming gigs/tours and releases.
We (full-band Pikelet) are playing this Saturday the 19th of March with Sophie Brous and her band (who are now calling themselves ‘Brous’.) The show is at the Toff in Town. From 8:30PM.
During the middle of the year we’re going to tour a little bit as a full-band… Probably just Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. More details on the facebook/Twitter:
http://www.facebook.com/pikeletmusic
http://twitter.com/pikeletmusic
