Twenty years is a long time in the music business, and for Jebediah it comes as a good reason to celebrate their 20th Anniversary with the release of a compilation album aptly titled ‘Twenty’,supported by a subsequent national tour with some old friends that has already kicked off. This is the biggest tour the band has undertaken in a while, and we were lucky enough to catch drummer Brett Mitchell in ‘buzz’ mode getting ready for the tour. Released on May 29 through Sony Music, ‘Twenty’ covers tracks spanning five albums and is packed with ‘The Jebs’ best tunes.
Not that they ever left, but ‘The Jebs’ are well and truly back on the scene! Forming twenty years ago in Perth, brothers Brett and Kevin Mitchell along with friends Chris Daymond and Vanessa Thornton, Jebediah started out as a teenage group who burst onto the Indie scene with such a bang that they were instantly adored by those of us from a certain age bracket who were fortunate enough to have experienced the 90’s Indie/Alternative scene first hand. Brett Mitchell, who recently moved to Melbourne from Perth, was quite philosophical about the band’s success, longevity, and what impact being in ‘The Jebs’ has had on him.
“I don’t think anything that happened with us (Jebediah) could have been predicted by anyone, but I have to say that there’s something really rewarding about being a part of something that’s bigger than yourself. For me, that’s really been a function of the band in my life. It’s very humbling and gratifying,” says Mitchell.
The band’s relationship has never been better according to Mitchell, who states that they have surpassed their darker days and are getting along famously. “We went through a lot during our post-adolescent tumultuous period where, if things were to go wrong, they probably would have done so already. Now we’re all adults and we’ve not only settled down with our own lives and into our own skins, but we’ve settled into each other’s skin a lot more through that shared experience.” There is a definite sense of contentment in Mitchell’s demeanour, and he is a genuinely relaxed soul during our conversation that encompasses various aspects of the music industry, and where Jebediah fits in with that whole scene. Independent music is a loose term in this day and age, but Jebediah fitted that genre perfectly as a cool, non-mainstream act that went for the definitive Indie sound. They played great tunes, looked cool, and by God gave a mean live performance. Not much has changed in that respect, and they still fit perfectly within the fabric of independent tagged music despite having significant commercial success. Mitchell still enjoys the rigors of touring, and hasn’t lost the passion for playing in front of fans. He downplays his role in the band as ‘the quiet drummer in the background’ and insists that outside of Jebediah he’d be lost in obscurity, but in reality he shares the podium with the rest of Jebediah and has been instrumental in their success. He’s never though, felt a sense of entitlement, or that he should be somehow treated differently for being a member of a successful musical group. “One of my regret’s is that I’ve never tried the ‘do you know who I am ‘ line,” he jokingly says.
We talk about the pros and cons of recording versus touring, and whether he has a preference for either. Mitchell ponders for a moment, and gives a diplomatic yet honest response to the question of which he prefers. “Recording is a process that goes over a period of time, and there are opportunities to take time to think about things, revisit things, rewind and analyse them…perhaps over-analyse them. A live show though is a ‘moment’, it’s there and then it’s gone. It’s almost opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of how it’s validated- the audience reaction versus album sales.”
Fortunately, Jebediah have done well in both respects. They have sold a swag of albums, have toured extensively, and still have a legion of fans that will no doubt flock to experience the magic that is The Jebs. They’ve kicked off in Sydney already, and will hit Brisbane, Victoria, Adelaide and Perth THIS MONTH! Come celebrate their 20th Anniversary with them, they’ve brought some really cool friends along to play with them as well!
Interviewed by Darren Hassan
Twitter: @DazzHassan
*Thurs 25 June @HQ, Adelaide, SA SELLING FAST With special guests Red Jezebel
Tickets from www.jebediah.net
JEBEDIAH – ‘TWENTY’ OUT NOW!
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