MEET VOLYTION
Brisbane indie rock band ‘Custard’ rocked together for about a decade. During this time they released five albums and countless singles, EPs and compilations, performed on television and enjoyed a cult following which saw them regularly appear in the Triple J Hottest 100. The band, which consisted of frontman David McCormack, Paul Medew, Matthew Strong and Glenn Thompson, travelled in the same circles as Grinspoon, Spiderbait, Powerfinger, Regurgitator and The Living End. A ‘less than successful’ US tour, and the pressures of being on the road, spelt their demise. And thus, we were left with a gaping hole in the Aussie music scene. Bass player Paul Medew spoke to PEARL about reformations and the upcoming Between The Bays gig. Your first reunion show after your long hiatus was at Queensland’s 150th Birthday where you played alongside Powderfinger. How was that experience? Well, it was a beautiful Queensland night, magnificent vibe. You know, I’m always so stunned at how huge Powderfinger are, or were. Very memorable. An auspicious way for Custard to have a reunion. Was it a difficult decision to do the gig? It wasn’t hard. I think for the last few years,
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we’d been itching for a reason to get back together. So, yeah, when Powderfinger asked, it was great. How do you guys come to play Between The Bays festival and what attracted you to getting together again? David and ‘The Polaroids’ played last year, and I filled in playing bass. It was a great little festival. When they asked us to do it as ‘Custard’, we jumped at the chance cause it’s got such a great family vibe. In regard to new material, David McCormack was quoted as saying “if the vibes right, we could do it”. Any new stuff on the horizon? There’s talk of it… I dare say it will happen, it’s just coordinating times and places and such. Sometime this year we might sit in a room and throw some stuff around. What can we expect from a Custard show in 2012? There is no plan, we just get calls to do stuff and we happily do it. We’re just really enjoying these occasional get togethers, so while it feels good we’ll do it. Custard play the 7th annual Between The Bays Festival on Saturday February 25. For more info, head to betweenthebays.com and check out our festivals section on pages 35 to 38. SIMON IMREI
Volytion are a three piece hard rock band from Melbourne who are steadily cementing their place in the local scene. The genesis of Volytion was simple. Develop a fresh sound of melodic driven heavy rock that is inspired by interesting rhythms and melodies that intertwine seamlessly. Combining this with a direct but thought provoking lyrical approach that pulls no punches, Volytion’s sound was born. Their debut EP ‘Wait and Hope’ showcases the rhythmic and melodic spectrum of the band which is comprised of vocalist and drummer Joel Williams, guitarist Daniel Holmes and former Peninsula local Kyle Pearson on bass. The sound is described as progressive rock, infused with influences from a range of 90s heavier groove bands like Soundgarden and Helmet, as well as more melodic and mellow sounds. Having already played the stages of renowned Melbourne venues like The Evelyn, The Espy (Gershwin Room), Revolver Upstairs and The Prague, Volytion are currently in preproduction for a new release and will be entering the studio in March. Catch one of their early 2012 dates to see this exciting young band for yourself. Volytion play The John Curtin Hotel (29 Lygon St, Carlton) on February 18, with Zenith ASP and THIRTYONEFIFTY. For more info, head to volytion.com
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