ChitChat - With Stu MacLeod from Eskimo Joe
INTERVIEW BY: HARRY HARTNEY
Stu MacLeod from Eskimo Joe = Photo By Monika Smith
After two years without national touring, what did it mean to you to play the AFL Grand Final in your home-state of Western Australia?
The Grand Final was a career highlight I will never forget. As a huge AFL fan, it was the ultimate combination of my two passions. It also totally legitimised my band in my son’s eyes, as he’s a massive AFL fan as well! Representing WA with the WA fam of fellow musicians and bands was such an amazing experience. So many laughs and smiles backstage. Super proud of everyone that day. Great memories.
What led to the approach for a darker, more subdued approach to the three covers (Original Sin, Under the Milky Way, Berlin Chair) released in your Locked Down Under series?
I don’t think there was any particular plan to approach them this way. We just went with the instrumentation we had on hand, with the knowledge that things like acoustic drums wouldn’t be particularly easy to factor in. These have all been done via correspondence, so we track parts and send them to each other to finish off. Great fun.
How important is this upcoming ‘The World Repeats Itself Somehow – The Best Of Eskimo Joe’ to celebrating the history of Eskimo Joe?
It’s the single most important work in music history. Ha. Seriously though, it marks almost 25 years of us making music together. It’s a huge milestone for us and one we’re super proud of.
With a 13 song track-list, were there any glaring omissions that you felt had to be cut?
To be honest, it was fairly straightforward picking the tunes, there were no major disagreements. The most controversial is obviously Sweater. We haven’t played that live in over 18 years I think!
How excited are you to get back to nation-wide touring in 2022, particularly in states which have not had live music over the last eighteen months, like Victoria?
It feels like a dream to be able to play a National tour again. To be able to actually step foot in Vic as well!! The Forum is probably my favourite venue in Australia, so that’s one I am definitely looking forward to. Touring Australia has been such a huge part of our careers, so it definitely feels right to be performing these two records back to back to mark the occasion.
With the band performing the entirety of both ‘A Song is A City’ (2004) and ‘Black Fingernails Red Wine’ (2006) on your next tour, what does going back to your older works mean to you after 15 years?
It has been such an awesome experience revisiting these two records. Some of these tracks haven’t been played in over a decade, some actually never played live!! I love listening back to these old songs, not only for the memories they inspire but also to experience true muscle memory; my hands automatically go to the right place before my brain has a chance to remember the songs.
Your band has been going around for 24 years now, which is an impressive feat in its own right. What has been the key to continuing creative success with such a small group over this period of time?
We have always had a shared love of music, production and song-writing that has kept us inspired and engaged in the studio. Coupled with a love of stupid humour on the road, it has kept us in good stead for 24 years. You also have to learn patience, tolerance and empathy from an early point in your career if you want to survive. Lots of different personalities on the road, living in each other’s pockets. That also creates a close bond, like brotherhood. Great stuff.
How do you approach your riff-writing, particularly on tracks like ‘Sarah’, ‘Inshalla’ or ‘Foreign Land’?
It changes with each song. Sometimes, the riff comes first and inspires a melody. Sometimes, the melody can springboard a riff idea. Sometimes the riff is simply following a melody line within the chords. I particularly like the instrumental rock break in Foreign Land. We all had a part in writing that section, so it felt like a true team effort.
Eskimo Joe have achieved so much as a collective, including thirty-five ARIA nominations and eight wins. What is the musical highlight of your career so far?
The next song! I always get so excited when have something new to work on, that’s what really drives me. Having a song on the Instant Karma - Save Darfur album was a big one for me. Knowing that Yoko Ono had picked our version of Mind Games was pretty special.
The band is now a staple in the landscape of Australian music as we know it today, but what other Aussie acts have leant you, individually, the most inspiration over your career?
So many Aussie bands have inspired us. A huge list of names. You Am I, AC/DC, Crowded House, Midnight Oil, INXS, Regurgitator, Cold Chisel, The Vines, Living End, Divinyls, Jebediah, Avalanches, Sleepy Jackson, Little Birdy… Plus so many more.
Photo credit: Jarrad Seng
Eskimo Joe also welcome the release of ‘The World Repeats Itself Somehow – The Best Of Eskimo Joe’ with an exiting run of tour dates in 2022. The band offers fans the chance to hear two of their biggest album, ‘A Song Is A City’ and ‘Black Fingernails, Red Wine’, in their complete form. Tickets and further tour information can be found at: frontiertouring.com/eskimojoe.
Eskimo Joe 2022 Tour Dates:
Saturday 5 March – Fremantle Arts Centre (South Lawn)
Saturday 12 March – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Saturday 19 March – Odeon Theatre, Hobart
Friday 25 March – The Forum, Melbourne
Thursday 31 March – Anita's Theatre, Thirroul
Friday 1 April – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Friday 8 April – The Tivoli, Brisbane
ALBUM OUT DECEMBER 10TH
