Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts Album Focus: The Smith Street Band

Answered by: Michael ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald

Album title? Throw Me In The River

Where did the title of your new album come from? From the song of the same name. I think it represents the theme of the album pretty well.

How many releases do you have now? Three albums, two EPs, four beanies.

How long did it take to write/record? The recording and mixing process took just under two months, but we did a tour with Violent Soho in the middle of that so maybe a bit less.  

Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? The majority of the album was recorded in a holiday house in the Otways, Victoria. The biggest inspiration was feeding the king parrots, rosellas, cockatoos and galahs that hung out on the verandah all day.

What’s your favourite song on it? I Love Life. Sometimes life can be pretty good.

Will you do anything differently next time? Maybe record at a beach house in summer, as opposed to recording in the forest in the middle of winter. Learn to surf and make a metalcore record.

When and where is your launch/next gig? National tour in late January through to the start of March with our mates Pup from Canada, Great Cynics from the UK and Apart From This from Melbourne.
21 Feb, Railway Hotel; 26 Feb, Prince Of Wales; 27 Feb, Rosemount Hotel.
QLD: Solbar, Maroochydore, 4 Feb; The Spotted Cow, 5 Feb.; The Hi-Fi, 6 Feb; Crowbar, 7 Feb; The Northern, Byron Bay, 8 Feb.
NSW: 12 Feb, Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle; Metro Theatre, 13 Feb; Factory Theatre, 14 Feb.
VIC: Music Man Megastore, Bendigo, 28 Jan; Barwon Club, Geelong, 29 Jan; Karova Lounge, Ballarat, 30 Jan; The Hi-Fi, 31 Jan; Northcote Social Club, 1 Feb; The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, 18 Feb.

Website link for more info? thesmithstreetband.com