Bloodlines

There's no doubt the all-singing, multi-instrumental, practical traditions of a jug band would be easier to develop in the setting of a large, music-loving family. Growing up alongside Perch Creek in the hills of the Northern Rivers region, eldest Hodgkins sibling Camilla explains, amidst the hustle and bustle of a busy Tamworth Country Music Festival schedule, how her family band evolved.

“We started probably ten years ago and our dad kind of picked up the guitar so we could have someone to play along with at home because we were all getting individual music lessons as young kids,” says the 25-year-old. “It just kind of fell into place that we ended up all learning music and dad would always encourage us to play at home so then we had this little band with dad… [and] us four kids, and we decided to go out to the local markets and do some busking. And it just kept on going ever since then. We would go out busking every weekend on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise and also Queen Street Mall in Brisbane, so yeah that was kind of like the family's income for a few years when we were all growing up. A few years ago dad retired from the band and I found a boyfriend, James [Chandler], who decided to join on double bass and it just keeps evolving and changing and we all really enjoy it and so we keep on doing it.

“We've never thought too much about, you know, sticking to a particular genre but I mean our name has got it all in that we call ourselves The Perch Creek Family Jugband. Jug band music is a style of music that originated from America back in the '20s and even before that in the depression era when there wasn't much money around and the black people of America were just extremely creative and resourceful and picked up things like washboards and jugs. We've always loved that style of music because our dad has always had a great record collection at home and we grew up listening to all kinds of wacky stuff like that. Going off to the Woodford Folk Festival and seeing bands like Mic Conway's National Junk Band and Uncle Bob's Jug Band, we've just been inspired by that. It's just a really fun style of music that doesn't take itself too seriously,” says Hodgkins.

“We don't stick rigidly to jug band music either; we play a few kind of old sounding jug band songs but we've got heaps of original songs that are loosely based around that feel and that style because of the instrumentation that we have. But we go beyond that and sort of play whatever we like.”

Now located in Melbourne, The Perch Creek Family Jugband incorporate guest performances from their youngest three siblings, and 23-year-old brother Ira provides technical assistance, making it truly a family affair. The ensuing fun and frivolity of the tight-knit group, who play instruments as varied as the washboard, trombone, clarinet and of course the jug, while harmonising, guarantees a toe-tapping good time.

“We get really great audiences and lots of positive feedback and everyone says… the joy that we seem to be having on stage is infectious and I think that's true,” she concludes. “We're a family and we have many fights off stage and rehearsals are definitely tiring and troublesome sometimes, but when we come together and play a gig it all just falls away and we're just left having a pretty good time and enjoying it.”

The Perch Creek Family Jugband will be playing the following dates:

Thursday 14 February - Beach Hotel, Byron Bay NSW
Friday 15 February - Beetle Bar, Brisbane QLD