The Bloodpoets

Member answering/role: Tom (vocals/guitar)

How long have you been together? We formed in late-2006.

How did you all meet? I was busking in Germany where I wrote songs for a demo EP. I came back to Australia and put an ad through Time Off to start playing the EP live. Toddy, our drummer, responded. It took us a fairly long time (probably into 2009) to formalise a line-up. I met Bec at a singer/songwriter night and a few months later she joined. Barney was referred onto us when our bass player left the band. 

You’re on tour in the van – which band or artist is going to keep the most people happy if we throw them on the stereo?  Todd introduced a number of the bands that influenced my writing on the new album, particularly Biffy Clyro and Manchester Orchestra.

Which Brisbane bands before you have been an inspiration (musically or otherwise)? At the moment I’m digging Jeremy Neale’s stuff – A Love Affair To Keep You There is a cracking tune. There are a number of others but too many to mention.

What part do you think Brisbane plays in the music you make? Heaps! The friends, the loose nights at clubs, drunk parties, the people (good and bad), other bands’ music – pretty much everything about Brisbane affects our songs.

Is your band responsible for more make-outs or break-ups? Why? Funny enough, we’d be more responsible for make-outs. We do have a romantic edge to what we do, plus there’s the drinking at shows to kick things along.

What’s in the pipeline for the band in the short term? We have a super cool secret thing that we can’t disclose, but we are releasing some more songs, playing more interstate gigs and hopefully starting to record some new material at the end of the year.

The Bloodpoets launch new album The Grand Machine (Independent) at New Globe Theatre on Friday 5 September.