Plainsunset

S: Hasbi (ex-bassist), Wan (ex-drummer) and Me were blown away when we listened to Green Day’s Kerplunk for the first time even before Dookie was released. Then we deep dived into other Lookout Record bands and that gave the inspiration to write songs. Few years later we had Jon came in and the rest was history.

J: Basically we were collectively inspired by the gigantic heady wave of the Alternative movement that came out, with the coming of bands like Nirvana, but the bands that gave us a sound or something to start with were guys like Fifteen, Avail, young Green Day, Rancid, all the Lookout! Records people. And then in the course of studying music and it’s influences, more came in. Naturally, bands like The Ramones, Bad Brains, Fugazi, Dead Kennedy, NOFX, Pennywise, and their descendants like Lifetime all came into play. I believe in that period, as a bunch of nineteen year olds, we were still in our formative stage in terms of sound and challenging ourselves. To a large degree, we still are. We’d better be, anyway.

S: I actually didn’t know there was actually a big hardcore punk scene when we started out. We don’t really think that anyone listened or paid attention to what we were doing and also didn’t expect that Big O would have supported pop-punk bands. Then suddenly we were on the cover! And also I think without the support from Straits Records who release our first album ‘Runaway’ we would not achieve much and no one would notice us. From then on we got to know many other pop-punk / punk rock bands like SMD, Facelift, 59 minutes … etc and started playing more shows. It was such a boost to our gigging portfolio. Thank you so much Big O.

J: At the time, the initial inspiration that Big O provided was incredible to a bunch of 17-yo muso wannabes. They started the ball rolling by telling us about the fact that, yes, locally-written music exists, when all you had that that particular point were a select group of characters that record labels and media focused on. When they started to mention bands like The Dongs, I went into this headspace of ‘why the hell aren’t I trying for myself?’. And I guess, that creatively speaking, that is the most important step anyone can take, that’s how it begins.

J: For sure, at first. Even within the scene at first, It was challenging because we were too rough to be ‘indie’ at the time, to ‘pop’ to be hardcore and too soft to be ‘crusty’. Sham remembers that one of our first gigs he could hear people laughing at us , I think. It was a different mentality back then and I guess in some ways, it has it’s similarities now, particularly because there are some attitudes towards ‘harder’ music.

In many ways, pop punk still lives in that ‘neither here nor there’, space for most people here. It sometimes feels like for many, you have to have a mood, I guess.

S: Yeah I remember that till this day. We were playing in a Hardcore / Punk show where half of the bill were famous bands. Nobody moshed and people did not understand what we were doing some were even laughing. It was pretty demoralising but we pushed on through. About gaining mainstream acceptance, I don’t know what is mainstream anymore. Is it still cause you are signed to a major label and people call you sell outs? Well I guess we sold out.

J: The first, to New Zealand, unquestionably. We were just a bunch of kids who were scared, didn’t really know what we were doing and knew we would probably lose money on it, but I told the boys that it had occurred to me that it was fairly unexplored territory. And we’d admired and envied all the punk and hardcore bands we had been listening to, and they had experienced it, sometimes repeatedly. So we thought, ‘that’s an experience we want before we pack that side of life away’. It’s an incredible feeling of going into the road less (or not) travelled, and that is something that I think we will be proud of, always.

S: Actually yes it was the New Zealand tour. But more unforgettable is when one of the girls flashed her boobs at Ronny (ex-drummer) to get a free CD. Now that is funny!!!

J: Not kidding, I wouldn’t know, and dare not comment on that. It’s nice to have people remember, undeniably.

S: Hmmm I am not sure actually. Maybe.

J: Well, based on its history of the last 30 or so years, it’s always going to evolve. It depends on whether you like it or not. I feel like when I listen to proto-emo bands in the late 90s, the O.Gs like American Football, Braid, Mineral, Sunny Day Real Estate, that there’s always an element of pop-punk that starts them up. Then when The Get Up Kids and the almighty Lifetime or Jimmy Eat World happened, you could hear it’s impact there too. That’s not to say that it went into bands like My Chemical Romance eventually, whether or not emo kids want to admit it or not. Now I hear it heavily in bands like Forests but with a twist.

As I said, it’ll keep moving and transforming, like some sort of Jason Bourne in a crowd, taking guises and elements from its surrounding culture and circumstance.

S: I think pop-punk is now for everyone ever since it became mainstream. If you enjoy the music, come to the shows. I don’t care what background you are. It is all about having fun on the dance floor.

S: We are so honoured to be invited for this show, sharing the stage with all the pioneers. Thank you so much Big O.

J: Like I’m back in the late 90’s, pre-millennium. Let me be straight; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all!

J: Hopefully, it’s to remind people to keep being creative and to know it’s within our reach. In the context of today’s kids, to remember that we are part of an ecosystem, and there is more out there to an experience than our social media reveals. I think you need to insert a ‘Take Me There’ image here. Heh.

S: I am old skool like that so I want a physical copy of Big O. I wanna see local bands on the cover of a magazine again. And the role should be just like last time. Interviews, Reviews, Opinion pieces … etc. Bring it back not only for punk bands but the music scene in general.

J: We are at the moment, still writing, about halfway through. We will hopefully will get a recording out, maybe play a few shows. The new stuff is based on a challenge that Sham dropped without realising he dropped one. “Music just isn’t dangerous anymore.” So I am busy trying to find that balance between natural and unexpected.

We are hoping to showcase and test out the new songs with live audiences this year. Some stuff we have tried out and the reaction has been what we’ve been hoping for. Other songs we are practicing a little more before trying them out the next couple of shows.

S: Since I am living in Melbourne now. I leave it to the band to decide on what they wanna do. If I can come down and play shows I will. If not there is Joseph who can cover guitars for me if we have any shows.

J: We never left, we’re just lazy.

S: Carry on with the Programme and Keep on Dancing.