Hi Sam, tell us about the new album
Well it’s our second record and we’ve done it pretty much within 12 months of our first record. That’s not terribly common for a lot of bands in or position, but yeah, we felt like doing that just to challenge ourselves and keep things moving.
Do you have a favourite song?
It changes from time to time, I think each track has been my favourite at some stage, but at the moment it’s the third track, Coming Down.
I really like Harbour of Lame Ducks but you’re going to have to explain it to me
Okay, that’s actually my other favourite! I got that term ‘harbour of lame ducks’ from my girlfriend and her family. They always refer to my girlfriend as a ‘harbourer of lame ducks’ and I kind of dropped the extra ‘er’ to flow better in the song. I guess that song is a bit of an ode to all the people who are doing it a bit rough.
Any travelling horror stories?
Being on the road definitely has some horror stories. We had a drunk person break into our hotel one night when we were in Western Australia. He took off all his clothes and passed out on the toilet and we found him there the next morning. That was pretty awkward. He got pretty aggressive too, which made for an interesting morning.
Where does your name come from?
It’s a very boring story. I used to like the phrase ‘ball park figure’ when I was a kid so, long story short, that kind of just morphed into being ‘Ball Park Music’. So when I met my band mates, it just kind of stuck.
What’s the music scene like in Brisbane?
Brisbane’s always been good to us but the good thing about Brisbane is there are lots of venues, and they’re all located in the one suburb, which is Fortitude Valley. So having a central place to play is good because it means that people can just go to that suburb and go to gigs. They don’t really have to plan too much, which helps local bands get a good start. As far as the music goes, there’s so much diversity here and I really think that’s what’s great about Brisbane.
Any tips for backpackers?
Well, it’s funny because there is actually one of the venues here, which is kind of an isolated venue on Roma Street, which is basically in the city and it’s near all of the hostels. I’ve only played there once but I suppose a lot of backpackers come into the city and think that’s all that’s available for them. I would recommend that backpackers jump on a train or a bus and get to Fortitude Valley. They should also check out cool bars that are nearby. Close to the backpacking area is one of my favourite bars called The Scratch. It’s near the big brewery in Milton, so that’s my recommendation.
Where’s your favourite place in Australia?
For me, it’s hard to go past home – which is northern New South Wales, around Lennox Head where I grew up. That also includes Byron Bay, Bangalow and Ballina – that’s where my heart is and I love that part of the country.
What has been your favourite festival?
I’d have to say Splendour in the Grass. Again, I’ve got a real connection to that festival because it’s based in Byron Bay, which is near my family and my home. I’ve been going to Splendour in the Grass every year since I was 16, so that’s kind of a special festival. We finally got to play this year, which was a real thrill and the day went really, really smoothly. We were so pleased with how it went. It’s a great festival and a pleasure to play.
Excited about Homebake this year?
I am, yeah! I’ve never been and I don’t really know what I’m in for. It’s one that’s been running for a really long time and is a great, unique one-off event that celebrates Australian music. Although, they controversially put in an international act this year. It’s cool because it’s got a few non-musical things to offer like the comedy and the markets there, so I’m excited to see what Homebake can bring.
What are your thoughts on Blondie?
To be honest, I don’t know shit about Blondie, I probably couldn’t even tell you one Blondie song, so it doesn’t bother me. I understand that festival promoters need people to buy tickets, so it’s not a big problem in my books.
