ROOT!: Never Out of the Question, Part One

“Well, Lisa, it's like when you're standing there at the school disco and your mate tells you to go and ask the most impossibly beautiful, ice-cold untouchable girl in the place for a dance, and his chilling, Poe-like justification for this act of obvious and complete self-worth suicide is: "what have you got to lose?"”

DC Root is waxing philosophical on the creation of the follow-up to ROOT!’s debut album, Root Supposed He Was Out of the Question. The album blended alt.country hooks with rock and roll and DC’s acerbic wit and frontman prowess. So, I ask, sweat fogging my glasses from the invasive heat in my office, what is the sound of the new album?

“This time, well, it's all over the place like the proverbial madman's shit. There's sort of punk, whatever that is, there's loops, there's a sort of Ronettes-type track, there's early 70's Oz rock, there's a thematic thread in the lyrics, but also musical "leitmotifs" - Yes! I am such a terrible wanker! We write in an un-air-conditioned storeroom that's really only big enough for one person and my beer fridge. The beer fridge is non-negotiable” DC states, moving our office’s depressing maroon-velvety couch beside my desk so it doesn’t feel like a job interview.

You mention “The Surface Paradise” in some of your work, I ask professionally, despite the casual nature of this very interesting encounter. What is that exactly? Where is it? Can you get there by bus?

“The Surface Paradise. I guess you could say this is my romantic longing for a time or a place, or a state of mind, something bygone, something that maybe never existed. When everything didn't have to be "sexy". So everything, from your milk carton to your accounts payable spreadsheet, to your war correspondent - everything has to be sexy. It's taking the fun out of sex. And it's completely and totally all-pervasive. Comedians are all spunks. Suddenly you got these soul singers, like, what's her name... Joss Stone? Where are the ugly people? Did Rudy Giuliani get them swept off the streets? That Marshall McLuhan, who said "the medium is the message", well, he was only half right. There isn't any fucking message. Get your picture on Facebook looking like you're a movie star, and watch the newest show about how to be Australia's Next Underworld Hitman whilst looking good naked, and, well...”

What about these “Groove Police”? Should we be wary of them?

“Think Hugo Weaving. Or if I'm being too nerdy, think of the next time you go to a dinner party and someone makes you feel stupid for not liking TV on the Radio”

DC gestures with his hands to imply “and so it is”. I realize we have been talking for nearly half an hour without even mentioning ROOT!’s first show for the new year this Friday night. Now, though you’d have to be stupid not to, why should Joe Punter come down to see ROOT! in action?

“Well, look, if you want a cute, fluffy-haired, spindly-legged Kooks-type group who really want you to hug them as long as they can still see the mirror over your shoulder, we're not much chop. If you want a group singing about the pain of forgetting the pin number of Dad's trust fund account, again, nope. With ROOT!, you get the rough edges. Hands that have seen an actual day's work. Mortgage scars. But you know where you stand with this band. We don't lie to you and say "I just want a cuddle." We want to take your mind to bed. Or... alternately, come along and watch me make a fool of myself. Should be a hoot” It becomes too exasperatingly hot in Dwarf HQ so I suggest to DC that perhaps an interview site by the Yarra (because don’t rats scurrying to the sound of bagpipes and church bells just make you wanna be journalistic?) would be more appealing. And off we go. Stay tuned...

ROOT! play the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne on Friday Feb 6 and the Brisbane Hotel in Hobart on Feb 14.

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