First #1 LP & Touring With Oasis: Motor Ace Talk Top Memories Ahead Of 20th Anniversary Run

Livid/Oasis tour 2002

It was a great time for the band and our second record had recently hit #1 on the ARIA charts. Though I certainly remember experiencing some personal neurosis around that time, for a few weeks there we had a ball as we ran down the east coast of Australia with Livid Festival. We were on the main stage at a great time, mid afternoon, the crowds were huge and excited, and we were playing at our peak. During the same few weeks we were also playing shows with Oasis on their sideshows for Livid. Quite a ride there.  

First album tour with 'Five Star Laundry' 

The memories are a little vague. But the by the time our first album was finally released, triple j had given at least six of our tracks heavy rotation over a period of about 12 months. It was a dream come true to play around the country to rooms full of people singing the songs back at us.  

First promo tour of Japan 

It was a bit of an instant rock star experience for us in Japan. The second album Shoot This had only been out for very a short period of time - but Carry On had made a bit of an impact there. By the time we arrived for the first promo tour we had fans waiting at hotels and packed in-store performances across the country. Very weird but great fun.

#1 album for 'Shoot This'

We were on stage, toward the end of our set, on a Sunday night in Adelaide when our guitar tech passed on the news that our album had just gone to #1 in Australia. A little Spinal Tap it was. We tried to paint the town red, but it was Sunday night in Adelaide.

Recording/mixing sessions for last album 'Animal' 

Making this record was a real highlight for me. It was mostly recorded at home in Fitzroy. And mixed by the late David Bianco - the loveliest guy I’d ever met. I had a huge amount of time to lose myself in the making of the record, which I did, much to the concern of the record company. Though not our most successful, it sounds great and I’m still very proud of most of the tracks on that record.

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