Mousewagon - Get on Board!
Mousewagon is the combination of 5 brisbane boys, influenced by the great British rock bands - The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Paul Weller, Blur, Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Manic Street Preachers, The Sex Pistols, Turin Brakes and... well, you get the picture!
Mousewagon was born when Clayton Ford (vocals/guitars) and Nic Meyer (guitars) met through their hairdresser. “Our mutual hairdresser friend knew each of us was looking for other people to form bands. When she found out we both loved Turin Brakes she put us in touch and the deal was done. Turns out we were both at the Turin Brakes concert at the Zoo last year which was a good icebreaker,” Clay says.
Clay and Nic soon joined forces with bass player Luke Patterson who at the time was playing with Brisbane band Charlotte. Shortly after Luke came on board a young drummer by the name of Barsilius R. Lawson (better known as Bob) joined the gang. Then, 2006 saw the addition of Dan Sando on keys and backing vox – and in the bands words “the wagon was full”.
A lot of bands don't like to answer the question surrounding the creation of their name – often because there is no deep and meaningful reason behind it - but with Mousewagon I was intrigued.
“I found a toy in a store in New Farm that has become the logo / mascot of the band. It’s a mouse’s head on a red wagon… a real live Mousewagon. I am always playing with regular words and putting them into unusual orders. I had actually thought up the name before finding the toy, then when I saw it in the store I thought 'Whoa this has got to be a dream!',” Clay says.
“It’s also a loose reference to a song on Oasis’s first album, but you’d have to look into that yourself to find which one.”
Mousewagon recently signed to an Independent iTunes-style website, Public Revolution.
“The Public Revolution guys are working had at providing an alternative for unsigned bands. They want to provide an alternative to iTunes and major labels. I really hope it goes well for them. The site isn’t officially launched yet but when it goes fully live we’re going to do some promo gigs for them,” Clay says.
February 2006 saw the release of their 'Living' EP. “(the launch went) Fantastic. We’ve had great feedback. At the show and afterwards. Local community radio Triple Z has picked it up and given us great airplay. Also we are growing a steady fan base through our myspace site,” Clay says.
Mousewagon are also a band out there supporting an issue that's important for many Australians, the recent changes to the country's Industrial Relations Law, playing at the “Rock for your rights at Work” gig in early April this year.
“It was great. It felt good for us to support an important issue. Mousewagon was at its sonic best, after months of doing smaller shows it was great to get up on the big stage at the Zoo and cut loose. We also got to meet some more Brisbane acts. There’re some great bands coming out of this town at the moment.”
With quite a few live performances under their belt, Mousewagon describe their live gigs as “hopefully something special, unique and uplifting yet energetic and fun”.
“I think the Alley gig which was the CD launch. We had a great line-up of bands on with us and were surrounded by friends. There was definitely a lot of love in the air! The venue was packed, the sound was good… you know just one of those gigs when everything works out right,” Clay says.
“Response to the new material has been great. It’s encouraging to see people getting behind it, lets you know you are on the right track. I suppose our new material is more layered… more sonically complex. I’m glad that people are responding to it. We’ve been working hard on dynamics and the timing of crescendos and near silence. The next lot of recording will definitely incorporate this.”
What does the future hold for Mousewagon? “Recording mostly. In the near future we plan to get a single out, followed up by an album. Also starting this year we’d like to start branching out to other states for shows,” Clay says.
One final question for Mousewagon had to be asked. Where is the fifth member hiding on your Mousewagon website photo – the photo only shows four of you?!! “That photo was taken late last year.... Dan recently joined. Yeah, we need a new photo! It’s a shame cause Luke looks so handsome in it,” Clay says.
