Spiderbait returns to the region

ALT-rockers Spiderbait are set to return to the Northern Rivers after a long time between drinks and are playing the Hotel Brunswick next month.

The band’s origin story is rock-world folklore: three young friends from a small country town who took on the Australian music scene on their own terms.

Formed originally in 1989 by guitarist Daniel ‘Whitt’ Whitty, drummer Mark ‘Kram’ Maher and bass player and singer Janet English, 30 years later they remain triumphant and friendships are unscathed.

“There was no grand plan, no planning involved at all, actually,” English said.

“We all left our little country town of Finley, because you had to go if you wanted to do anything.

“Melbourne had a very cool scene, and every weekend we would go to The Corner Hotel, and we’d see Cosmic Psychos, or the Meanies, and the Hard Ons would come down from Sydney.

“The punk rock scene was bubbling in Melbourne in the 90s. I never really expected anything to come of it, and suddenly it exploded.

“At that time, triple j went national, and suddenly, everyone from WA to regional Queensland was hearing your music, and that changed the whole landscape completely.

“Then Big Day Out started, and it was an exciting time. So, it was a bit of timing and a lot of luck.”

Over seven albums, they garnered 19 ARIA nominations and won a few. It was the first Australian act to take out the triple j Hottest 100 for Buy Me A Pony in 1996, and the 2004 version of Lead Belly’s Black Betty went to No.1 on the ARIA charts.

Two things the artist didn’t have to deal with for the first part of her career were AI and streaming algorithms.

“When we started, we were still on vinyl, and then went to CD, streaming didn’t exist at all, so it’s a whole different world,” English said.

“The way we started was as friends, going to pubs, watching bands, and I still go to live shows. There will never be anything ever to replace seeing a band live. There’s nothing better than being part of a crowd; it’s like an organism.

“I think kids will always get together and play music with their friends, because there’s just something so primitive and human about doing that.

“As things get more refined and artificial, people will kick down the doors and make music again.

“I have great faith in the industry to bubble up from the grassroots again, as it always has, and always will.”

English attended the ill-fated concert by Amyl and the Sniffers at Federation Square in Melbourne last week, which was abruptly shut down by police only minutes before it was due to start.

“I was just so thrilled to see so many kids there, so many young women, tons of girls, and it inspired so many people,” she said.

“It was a shame, but they had to shut it down; there was no other way.

“As we were all filing out, there were so many people on the street, and the vibe was just joyous. It made me think, there’s life in the old punk rock scene yet.

“It’s very healthy and I’m very encouraged,” she said of the new wave of Australian artists.

“I see lots of fantastic bands coming up and a lot in the punk scene.

“There are a lot of girls playing music now, and that’s really exciting, and makes for a great future for music in Australia.”

Spiderbait plays on December 18. For tickets, visit hotelbrunswick.com.au/event/spiderbait