Party Starters

The wait for irascible bluesmongers Gay Paris' sophomore album The Last Good Party is finally over. After laying down the manifesto with single The Demarcation Of Joseph Hollybone, the ball-tearing Sydney four-piece deigned it necessary to launch its awesome powers onto the unsuspecting masses. Frontman Luke “Wailin H” Monks admits that whilst the wait has been long, it's been longer for the band.

“We just want (the launch) to be done so we can get out on the road,” he explains. “It took so long for this record to be done because of a serious illness on my part, and as with all albums you live with them for a while then sit on them after the album is done for a couple months. I haven't even held the sexy package in my hands, and we all know that the best feeling is a sexy package in the hands. I'm just glad we got the thing in the bag. Now I'm quite keen to throw that bag in the river and see what crawls out.”

The Last Good Party has more grunt, more aggression, but not in the sense of confrontation. Monks asserts that the power within Gay Paris may provide conflicting emotions, but its irresistible nature is undeniable, in part due to new additions to the genetic makeup.

“I can definitely tell you that we are more arrogant this time around,” he admits. “We've got a lot more confidence in what we do; we know what Gay Paris is. Six-Guns (Adam Simpson –drums) brought a lot to the table, as far as songwriting goes. No diss to people who have been in the band before but Six Guns isn't just a drummer and international fancy boy, he's a songwriter. Even at production level and during the demos he would help shape things, even if mostly it was him saying, 'Hey, you guys are right'. Then gaining that confidence, that then gives way to arrogance, the hubris, the excess – after touring a while, it's all important. In fact that is what I'd tell any young band – be arrogant. You can hear on the record that we believe we are the greatest. And if you don't believe that, then I don't believe you.”

Such a standpoint is understandable – Gay Paris is the type of band that cannot sit still, and thrive on the stage with sweaty crowds in their thrall. Therefore the incoming tour is their biggest yet, pulling in a wide array of regional centres in order to spread the fever.

“There's excitement for the album, and there should be, but people should really be excited about these shows because it will be ridiculous,” Monks espouses. “Touring is like the grand procession of a monarch adventurer. We get our entourage, we gather our goods, and if we can afford servants we ensure they have a good time on the road too. We've got outfits to rival any Persian king. We couldn't have everything we wanted – yet – so there are no pyrotechnics or tamed animals. But I think we will win people over. People at bars lose their inhibitions, so when we lose ours they will follow suit. 'f the really hairy man on stage says it's okay, then it must be okay'. And if we end up leaving these towns with all the women, then the men mustn't have been adequate lovers.”

Gay Paris will be playing the following dates:

Wednesday 24 April – The Cambridge, Newcastle NSW
Thursday 25 April – Port Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie NSW
Friday 26 April 26 – The Joynt, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 4 May – Cherry Bar, Melbourne VIC
Sunday 5 May – Cherry Rock, Melbourne VIC
Friday 10 May – Royal Oak Hotel, Launceston TAS
Saturday 11 May – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart TAS
Friday 17 May – The Enigma, Adelaide SA
Saturday 18 May – Jetty Bar, Glenelg SA
Thursday 23 May – Moonshine Bar, Manly NSW
Friday 24 May – Fitzroy Hotel, Windsor NSW
Saturday 25 May – Railway Express Club, Darwin NT
Friday 31 May – The Loft, Warnambool VIC
Saturday 1 June – Rock and Load Festival, St Kilda VIC
Friday 7 June – Annandale Hotel, Sydney NSW
Saturday 8 June – North St Bar and Café, Batemans Bay NSW
Friday 14 June – Sphere Nightspot, Sutherland NSW
Saturday June 15 - Baroque Bar, Carrington Hotel, Katoomba NSW
Friday 21 June – The Northern, Byron Bay NSW
Thursday 27 June – Mojos, Fremantle WA
Friday 28 June – Yah Yah's, Perth WA
Saturday 29 June – Prince of Wales, Bunbury WA