Brisbane dance-pop band the Belligerents are set to release a new EP and embark on their first major tour. I got the chance to ask bassist Konstantine a few questions before it all kicks off…
I’ve heard all sorts of stories about the band forming – strange German girls? Dating each other’s sisters? Let’s set the story straight once and for all…
James and Konsti [sic] knew each other from school, Lewis knew Konsti because Konsti was/is dating his sister and Lewis knew Andy because he pashed his sister once at a festival. Stag came along soon after and the band was formed as one.
Some of your influences shine through pretty clearly in your recordings (Foals, for example), but what are some less obvious bands or artists that have helped to shape the sound of the Belligerents?
Talking heads, Nintendo 64, The Rapture, The Klaxons, Metronomy, Ke$ha, NWA and Eminem
You’ve had amazing success with the Triple J Unearthed program. How has this helped the band so far?
It helped us heaps. We got our tunes on the radio, which means a lot of exposure to a lot of people. It’s also a great way for people to find out about us. It’s not the be all and end all but it is an amazing tool for bands.
Pretty much every live review I’ve read praises you guys for your energy – is there anything you do to prep yourselves before a show to give that much energy?
We like to do naked stretch exercises. Lewis is a professional equestrian so he knows how to properly warm up for shows which is a real advantage for the whole band. Three days prior to our shows we only eat raw meat, which gives us a bit of an edge compared to other performers.
Why was it so important to capture this energy so well on the record?
The energy of our live show is very important to us. We wanted to make a record that captures the energy without adding elements that we aren’t able to recreate live. Every part that is played on the record is played live as well.
Is the title of your new EP Less Arty, More Party referring to anything specific?
We were chatting one day and trying to figure out whether we could get on this festival bill. Then I said something along the lines of: “I don’t think we fit in there. We’re less arty more party.” Lewis the smart little munchkin picked up on it and we decided that it described our band perfectly.
I saw you guys support the Paper Scissors last year – how were they to play with? What other bands have you enjoyed playing/touring with?
Paper Scissors support was fun, those guys play some cool music and we had a mad booty shake with them. Some of our other supports have been Metronomy, Neon Indian and Yacht Club Djs and they all blew us away for different reasons.
You have a pretty decent tour coming up in April for the new EP – what has your touring experience been like so far? Any hilarious stories to tell yet?
We played a show in late-2010 at the Evelyn Hotel in Melbourne with Northeast Party House. The show was insane, big crowd, great bands, but it was all the stuff that happened around it was even funnier. I got food poisoning and barely made it onto the plane, after the show Lewis nearly got arrested because he pissed off a cab driver, Andy passed out and James got lucky.
What can the uninitiated expect from a live show?
Naked men wearing nothing but black sunglasses, pony’s [sic], blow up dolls, confetti and bumper cars.
What’s on the horizon for the Belligerents after this east coast tour?
We’ve got a plan for the rest of 2011 but that’s super secret. What we can tell you is the party won’t story and we’ll be releasing some even fresher tunes later this year.
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