Interview: The Jezebels

How’s your day going? Yeah, ours is going alright. Trudging through it all. We learned how to use a credit card for the first time – and don’t fucking laugh, because we need stuff fully extrapolated and subsequently explained to us on the reg in order for us to understand it, and also we haven’t actually owned a credit card before, let alone a company credit card. Why do we even have one? Not sure. Accounts said something about getting out of the habit of diminishing capital and monitoring cashflow. We thought that cashflow meant that you either had money for shit or you didn’t have money for said-shit; whether things “flow” in that sense largely depends on what you’ve got to flow with. Turns out we were wrong. It is all very confusing. Still, we can use it now. Go us. We had a rather amazing breakfast this morning having met up with our buddy of yore (and ex-Killing Moon’er himself, in fact) Ed Hill who being a card-carrying member of Soho House not only enabled us to get to the rather-incredible eggs benedict that they’re carrying in such settings, but also allowed us to whine at him as we so often do about various things whilst bearing witness to us munching down on them eggs. Nice one Ed. Seeing Ed always reminds us of where this whole thing started – the blog, we mean, later evolving into a label, then a management thingy (it wasn’t a company at that point), to what we are now in all our credit card flashy glory. It was very different then, even though it was a short space of time relatively-speaking, and so the perpetual state of nostalgia we’re currently directly correlates to a similar sentiment when we’re talking about The Jezabels. We remember them being staples of Amazing Radio – another brand synonymous with our with convoluted beginnings – and listening to Endless Summer on a regular basis as a result. Indeed, Charlie Ashcroft of Amazing Radio (and now BT Music, we guess) fame took us along to see them at Heaven around about the same time that we evidently (or an actual reviewer did, rather) reviewed them for an NME Awards show in 2012. All very weird and highly coincidental. Like we say, it all seems like it was a lifetime ago; yet it wasn’t. So when we got the heads up that the band were back with a new album called Synthia – out now via Caroline International – which itself alludes to the ongoing burning subject of feminine empowerment, and we’re told the rather cleverly-placed video for recent single Pleasure Drive is, basically, about that. We were rather delighted that they were up for a chat with us about….stuff. That’s right, the same old shash we ask everyone. Clearly their turn is way overdue. Here we go.

Please could you introduce yourselves for the hi-brow readership of the Killing Moon blog?

My name is Nik and I am the drummer in a band called The Jezabels. We’re an indie/rock/pop/goth/disco band from Sydney, Australia – we formed about 8 years ago. Hayley, Sam and Heather sing, play guitar and play keys respectively. We make music together, do crosswords, eat a lot of Vietnamese food, get angry at stuff, feel happy about stuff, rehearse, tour and drink.

KM: Greetings, Nik. The name’s Moon. Killing Moon. Fuckin’ proud to meet ya. Here is our favourite song of yours. We sing it in the shower sometimes, but only every other day because on the other days we sing Jimmy Eat World in the shower. That’s nice, isn’t it.

Favourite release of the last 12 months, and why?

New Bermuda by Deafheaven is currently my favourite album of the last 12 months. It’s pure chaos at times and takes you on a great journey. Repetitive blast beats seem to put me in some sort of trance while the slowly moving chord changes tell quite a story. They’re usually suspended but finally land on a bright major chord for that sweet release. I have to mention that Björk‘s new album is a close second – the opening vocals to Lionsong are incredible.

KM: Björk-schmork. Let’s go with your deaf guys.

Favourite show of the last 12 months, and why?

I saw Future Islands at a festival at NOS Alive in Lisbon last year. My god, their music is so good it’s ridiculous. Samuel Herring is one of the most captivating frontmen I’ve ever seen. They sounded incredible and played with some much energy I couldn’t help but dance, and I hate dancing. Would see them alive over and over again given the opportunity.

KM: Wait, there’s a festival IN a festival? NOS Alive? Lisbon? HERRING? DANCING? WUT.

If you could moon anyone, or anything, who or what would it be?

I can moon anyone or anything.

KM: Gotta string you up for being a smart-arse there. A clever dick. A cheeky chappy. Didn’t answer the bloody question though, did you? Here’s a picture of a gnome with it’s bum showing. That’ll fucking teach you.

You’re about to be killed. You get to pick one song to hear before your inevitable demise. What’s it gonna be?

Like most things I think it’d be quite circumstantial – like for instance if I was on a demolition site and was about to be killed by a wrecking ball I’d probably choose Miley Cyrus‘ song about wrecking balls because it’d be pretty funny to die like that, especially if people are watching. Or even better I’d appreciate the irony of listening to Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees right before I’m about to die. Would probably end up choosing the theme tune to the Andy Griffith show.

KM: It’s been a long day and we’re tired, as we’re sure you are with all your Vietnamese food-eatin’ and your Pleasure Drivin’. You get Miley. Here she is. Look at her go.

Killing In The Name Of, or Dark Side Of The Moon?

Killing In The Name of – the message in that song is still as relevant today as it was in ’92. Rage against the Machine are simply incredible.

Synthia is out now via Caroline International.

Thanks to David Sullivan at Wilful Publicity