Amir and the Sniffers believe their story shows that anything is possible in the music industry.
The Australian punk band have just released their third album, Cartoon Darkness, on Rough Trade, which ranks seventh in Music Week’s latest Midweek Sales Flash.
Singer and lyricist Amy Taylor, guitarist Declan Martens, bassist Gus Romer and drummer Bryce Wilson were awarded support slots after their performance at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton in 2018. The acquisition spoke to Music Week about their rise. Foo Fighters, Green Day, Liam Gallagher, etc.
Taylor said of the success so far, “It shows that even though a lot of small music venues are closed and things are very tough, it doesn’t mean music is just dead or over.” . “It’s possible to make music and contribute to your community without having to work a regular job.”
In a feature in Music Week’s November issue, the band reflected on their increasingly mainstream appeal.
“I was watching a Foo Fighters game, trying to scientifically analyze the set and learn their tricks, and then I turned around and saw someone wide-eyed and screaming at the top of their lungs.” said Martens. “And you’re like, ‘Damn, all these songs mean different things to people.'” That’s what’s really special about Mainstream. So I hope that for us as well, but at the same time, I think artists probably have a really hard job. ”
“It seems difficult to sell us into the mainstream,” the guitarist added. “We tell funny stories. In about 99 percent of the world, we sound and look weird.”
“And I don’t sing traditionally,” Taylor said. “Of course, there are some songs that I sing, but they’re like a toad in a blender that has to scream solo.”
Taylor also reflected on using her platform to spread positive messages and spoke about issues in the industry around discrimination, representation, and equality.
“People groping you and calling you names isn’t unique to the music industry, but I feel like the music industry is becoming less and less tolerant of brash bastards.” she said.
“We’ve seen a change just among our musicians. Things that used to be radical now seem less radical. Even pop musicians are now actually talking about feminist issues. .”
“Women always feel so much pressure to be women, to hold political positions, to be strong, to talk about the hard and bad things,” she continued. “But I don’t want people to stop seeing women on stage having fun and enjoying their lives and just being free and laughing and appreciating style and dressing and glamour. I think we hope that we can hold the fort for everyone, and we’re happy to be able to do that, but at the same time, we want to be able to say, ‘Hey bitches, you can have fun tonight.’
Taylor said she feels stronger by using her platform.
“I do it in an engaging way that doesn’t isolate people,” she said. “I don’t really criticize people who don’t know certain things. Even though people may have been shouting the same thing for years and they’ve been listening, where you can understand something. The path to getting there is different for each person.”
Regarding his experience in the music industry, Taylor, who previously studied music business, offered a positive outlook.
“I’m not anti-industry,” she said. “A lot of bands are like that, and I understand why, but we’ve never had any negative experiences with it. We’ve certainly had bad experiences, but that’s a normal part of relationships. is.”
“I like being at the top of what we do. The more knowledge we have, the better,” she added. “I can hold my own and make sure we’re taken care of. That’s who we are.”
Our interview delved into the sometimes harsh realities of life as a touring band in the streaming era.
“The music industry is really struggling,” Taylor said. “With streaming, the live shows are the only income, and not many people buy the physical (music) or merchandise. Shows are much more expensive, and audiences don’t have the money to pay for tickets. People get music for free. Now that I have more access, I feel less motivated to go to shows.”
The singer also pointed out that “Australian bands have to travel much further than British or European bands.”
“For us, it was always, ‘We’re going on tour for four months because that’s what we need to do to break even,'” she said. “Like a lot of bands, we’ve been working hard over the years and our shows are getting bigger and getting better little by little. We used to play six shows a week for four months at a time. show, but now he wants to tour for three weeks at a time to give himself a break.”
The band will play three sold-out nights at London’s Roundhouse in November as part of a UK tour, and will support Fontaines DC at Finsbury Park next summer before headlining at Alexandra Palace.
Rough Trade co-owners Jeff Travis and Janet Leigh were effusive in their praise.
“We’ve been trained to recognize great bands, and that’s what we saw right in front of our eyes. We have one of the greatest front persons in the history of rock and roll. It’s a great band,” Travis said. “What more could you want?”
“With a band this enigmatic and thrilling, that’s a no-brainer,” Lee said. “Every time I see them live, I leave on a high. They are unpretentious, fearless and proud of their roots, all qualities I greatly admire. I am.”
Read the full interview, which also features co-managers Simone Ubaldi and Andrew Parisi, in the latest issue of Music Week, on sale now. Subscribers can read online here.
Photo: John Angus Stewart
