Cherry Bums

When we organised our first jam we didn't know what to expect,” explains Speedball, discussing the revival of Brisbane's one and only cherry arse punk rockers. “Playing the songs seriously took me back to another place; singing the lyrics, playing the tunes, looking at the guys' faces, it was very cool fun! One thing about playing with Mungus and Brett, we have unspoken rock'n'roll ESP. You could blindfold us and we'd [still] play like demons. It's a unique chemistry.”

Formed in 1995, this original Scrumfeeder line-up spent three years terrorising unsuspecting rock fans of Brisbane. Playing wherever, whenever and for whoever, their wild shows were punctuated by loud abrasive tunes, ridiculous outfits and plenty of inane banter. In other words, the ultimate riff-centric party band. “It's a cliché, but you could seriously write a killer soapie/novel about the things that happened to [us],” Speedball recalls fondly.

However, they're letting the sexy storylines lay rest. What the three-piece are back to do is sign off properly, on their own terms, even if the current musical landscape offers a new set of rules and challenges.

“Playing in a band today is a different beast,” he admits. “We came into the 'scene' when doing a 7” vinyl was the standard. Now it's boutique. Everyone is in a band these days, and there are different motives. Social trends, the internet has all assisted the change. Scrumfeeder don't fit into the current musical climate. That's why we're just here doing this mission.

“[Even back then], compared to other bands, our style and sound didn't fit nicely into a pigeonhole. We loved '70s punk and glam rock and '80s metal and hardcore. Our sound was a fusion of the latter, classic 4/4 with double kick, thumping bass with Marshall licks. We couldn't describe our style, but through much debatable loungeroom banter at Scrumfeeder HQ, Ponsonby Street, the [expression] 'cherry' was established. We embraced the term and the sound.”

It makes sense for the boys to be returning in 2013, if only for a fleeting weekend. Their beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs are currently sitting atop the NRL ladder, wild and sweaty nights drenched in beer and feedback are becoming de rigueur once more across the city, and for JJ at least, a consistently busy schedule with a variety of other musical projects have kept his playing chops sharp.

“[Come witness] the spectacle that is Scrumfeeder: the songs, the energy, it's all there,” he enthuses. “We have a very respectable set – all killer, no filler. There's something for everyone. We've dug out some classic T-shirt designs and CDs, and will have them available in limited numbers at the shows. But the free love doesn't stop there. Right now, we also have a download available of our 'never released' platinum record on ReverbNation. It was recorded in 1997 at Red Zedz [studio] by none other than Jeff Lovejoy Division.”

For all the additional trimmings that these shows are bringing, though, the biggest treat is going to be found from the chemistry of three mates, doing what they love.

“There's no way around it; we dominated when we were onstage,” Speedball beams. “We loved it, it was so much fun. We got to play with some of our favourite bands, playing everywhere and anywhere, from Melbourne to Mackay, locked and loaded in a Kingswood panel van. It was the most prolific line-up I've ever been in, and I've never squeezed so much out of three years playing in a band. It was one of the [best] times of my life, [and from the beginning], that essentially was the core desire of the band.”

Scrumfeeder will be playing the following dates:

Friday 5 April - Dolphins Harbourside Hotel, Tweed Heads NSW
Saturday 6 April - Ozzie Tavern, Murwillumbah NSW
Sunday 7 April - 633 Ann, Fortitude Valley QLD