Red Riders - Making plans
» Red Riders Change of Venue for Perth Show - January 31, 2007
» Dappled Cities Fly + Red Riders - Governor Hindmarsh, SA - June 24, 2007
» Dappled Cities Fly + Red Riders - Corner Hotel, The, Vic - June 23, 2007
» Red Riders - Corner Hotel, The, Vic - June 23, 2007
» Red Riders - Globe, The, QLD - March 9, 2007
I had always been so intrigued by the story of how the Red Riders came to be. Adrian and Alex meeting randomly at a Black Rebel Motorcycle gig; Matt, as an exchange student from New Zealand, meeting Adrian during school; and Tom sitting next to Matt on the plane over back to Australia. So when I caught up with their bassist, Matt, I had to bring up the topic of how much fate had been involved to bring the band together.
“I think fate plays a part in getting together,” Matt agrees, “it’s really hard to find people to be in a band with. I think fate will take you through the first six months but then friendship needs to take you the rest of the way, and we are very lucky that we are also great friends as well as digging each other musically.”
Being the great friends that they are, they bring about a collective energy to the stage. Gaining the majority of their fan-base through word of mouth, while playing shows around Sydney, the Red Riders definitely have unique and memorable stage presence and personas. It isn’t often that you see a band with the bassist standing right in the centre, with co-vocalists, Adrian and Alex, on either side of him. It is always amazing to find a drummer like Tom who can maintain an incredibly straight posture even during a crazy drum pattern. I wondered what other quirks this band could have to offer.
“There are so many it’s hard to list. A band is a mixture of contradictions and erratic personalities and when you spend a lot of time with one another they all come out,” Matt says.
He then reveals that Adrian has borderline obsessive compulsive disorder, while Alex gets really, really annoying due to ‘youngest child syndrome’, and that Tom is so vague that he shouldn’t have more than one kid, in fear of losing any others. Matt, on the other hand, has a borderline split personality and finds that he cannot make up his mind on things.
I hate to do it, but I ask Matt to describe the sound of their new EP, The Plan A. He starts his answer with an expected response.
“This is the question that every band hates to answer!” But continues, “It’s a very fast-paced EP, quite energetic. We wanted this EP to give people a taste of what it feels like to be at a Red Riders show, I think that comes across quite well. As the EP was originally recorded as a demo, there is the energy you get at a live show.”
On the topic of live shows, the band is heading out on tour to launch the new EP. Matt explains how he has a love/hate relationship with touring.
“Love playing live. Hate getting home late to be woken in two hours to drive to the next gig.”
However, there are amazing things that happen on tour. Things that could make you laugh until you cry. Things that certain band members can never live down.
“The funniest thing to date is that image of Tom’s white ginger ass pressed up against the window of a Toyota Tarago on the Hume back from Melbourne!” Matt laughs, “We were convoying it back with The Cops and were throwing insults via signs on the windows when Tom decided to make his statement. I think The Cops nearly drove off the road with fright!”
The Red Riders have been touring rather solidly since their conception and have supported the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Cops, The Mess Hall and more recently, Youth Group. I ask Matt if they are honestly sick of supporting other bands.
“No way,” Matt says, “It’s great to play with bands you love. There are some really great Aussie bands out there at the moment and we love having the chance to play with these bands.”
So, Matt what they have been listening to recently.
“We all have our own tastes, but I have been getting into the new Gwen Stefani album. Also revisiting Nirvana, The Beatles, and Neil Young.”
“After an NME special on Blur, young Adrian has been rediscovering Blur, as well as finding love in the heart of Springsteen and Dylan. Alex has been sinking his teeth into his usual favourites You Am I and practising his dance moves to Michael Jackson. Tom is too immersed in his photography and his girl to have time to listen to music.”
This expresses how their musical eclecticism reflects upon their sound and individual personalities. However, as a whole, they are definitely just simply an incredible live act that you can actually dance to. Music aside, they can be categorised as a hip ‘haircuts and jackets’ band. I ask Matt if he could make any one thing fashionable, what would it be.
“I think it’s time to bring back hyper-coloured t-shirts,” He claims, “they were so cool when I was about eight. I have heard stories of mass hysteria surrounding the purchase of the right coloured t-shirt.”
Leaving the past behind, what’s coming up for the Red Riders in the future?
“Hoping to record the album early next year and have it out in August 2006.”
Taking the band overseas?
“That would be great, there has been talk but we will see how that goes. We would like to be ready to go overseas when we do go.”
The Red Riders are launching their new EP, The Plan A, in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane this month.
