L-R: DeBoer, Taylor, Holmström, McCabe
For a band that’s been together for over 20 years, The Dandy Warhols aren’t thinking about slowing down anytime soon and are headed back to Australia for their National tour this month. Speaking from his hometown in Portland, Oregon just prior to a brief trip to Europe, guitarist Peter Holmström is excited about coming back to Oz. “I think it’s great to come back, it’s something we really enjoy doing (touring), if it was up to us we’d go there at least once a year rather than every 2 or so”.
The Dandy Warhols (a name play on American pop-artist Andy Warhol) formed in Portland in 1994, with Courtney Taylor-Taylor (singer), Zia McCabe (keyboardist), Eric Hedford who was later replaced by Brent De Boer (drummer), and Holmström on guitar.
Having released eight studio albums and with an extensive touring schedule, they are one of the hardest working, unpredictable, and most crowd-pleasing bands still around. But for fans of the ‘Dandys’, the only real disappointment is that most of their Australian shows have sold out already, with only Perth and Adelaide having a handful of tickets available.
The Dandys have a huge following here in Australia and love their Aussie fans but feel they haven’t had much time off to see the country, especially Adelaide, but Holmström says it’s definitely something they’d love to do. ”We were on the Big Day Out in 2004 and took the tram to Glenelg, that was amazing. I’d love to do that again…and the wineries.”
Such are the rigours of life on the road!
Regarding their defining sound, Holmström believes it has remained in tact and only changed slightly despite having access to more ‘toys and gadgets’ that could easily alter things. As to what drives the Dandys, he jokingly says that it’s “an inability to do anything else”, but then states that they are always trying to push themselves to create new things, but it comes out similar even with a few tweaks. Their blend of pop and psych-rock are a definitive edge and a by-product of the cool, indie-pop phase of the 90’s.
On the surge of 90’s music, largely Indie and grunge based, it was for the Dandys an incredibly important period for music. “Most of our favourite bands came out of that era, so I’m definitely biased. It was also kind of the last of where there was a ‘music industry’ as such- bands were well defined e.g. Indie, Rock etc. Things have changed in that respect,” says Holmström.
Having a respectable grounding in the industry, they have no doubt influenced other bands that have arrived much later on. Of this, Holmström acknowledges it nonchalantly, in that he doesn’t see this as a motivating factor in what the Dandys are about. “I keep hearing that there are bands that have been influenced by us, I don’t really look out for it perhaps like the other band members do, but I’ve heard that Tame Impala were influenced by us, and maybe a few others”.
Heck, even members of the Dandy Warhols are influenced by themselves. Peter Holmström’s side project, Pete International Airport, is currently in the writing process for a new record that should be finished by the end of this year. “It depends on writing the right lyrics, and finding the right singer, though I’ve got some options”, he confesses. Be on the lookout for it sometime next year!
The Dandys, after 20 years as a band, have a great dynamic together and Holmström attributes this to their laid back approach. “ You don’t take crap personally, everyone has a bad day and you learn when your band mates are having just that, it’s not personal. We focus on what’s important and know how hard it is to keep a band together, as we’ve all had side projects with different personalities. We know how lucky we are it so we’re willing to ride out problems.” With this approach, fans should expect to see and hear the Dandys for quite some time. Word has it they are working on a new album that should take shape after the tour ends in October this year! Now that in itself is just Dandy!
The Dandy Warhols will commence their tour on August 21 in Perth and continue to other cities until September.
Hurry up and get the last tickets for Adelaide and Perth!
NATIONAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES
AUGUST
THURSDAY 21ST – Astor Theatre, Perth Final Tickets
FRIDAY 22ND – Astor Theatre, Perth SOLD OUT
MONDAY 25TH – Corner Hotel, Melbourne SOLD OUT
TUESDAY 26TH – Corner Hotel, Melbourne SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 27TH – Corner Hotel, Melbourne SOLD OUT
FRIDAY 29TH – Enmore Theatre, Sydney SOLD OUT
SATURDAY 30TH – Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane SOLD OUT
SUNDAY 31ST – HQ, Adelaide Final Tickets
SEPTEMBER
TUESDAY 2ND – Corner Hotel, Melbourne SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY 3RD – Corner Hotel, Melbourne SOLD OUT
TICKETS ON SALE NOW THROUGH http://www.metropolistouring.com/current_tours_dandy_warhols_australian_tour.html
Twitter: @TheDandyWarhols
Interviewed by Darren Hassan
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