Gangsta Rock

A hardened indie-rock veteran, Blacklevel Embassy’s Brett O'Riley doesn’t like to mince words. He talks to TIM SCOTT about the trio’s latest record, Triple J airplay and his love of gangsta rap. Photography by MEL MEEK

[Historical image is withheld pending rights review.] As fun as it is to speak to some wide-eyed and super-keen young band about the release of their debut album, it's also refreshing to hang out with a veteran. Someone who has gone through the circus of booking agents, management, major labels, the politics of Triple J high rotation and playing Warrnambool on a Wednesday night.

Meet Brett O'Riley, bass player and vocalist for Melbourne trio Blacklevel Embassy. He’s not one to mince words when it comes to music, the industry and gangsta rap. Perhaps best known for his work with Warped, Ricaine and Little General, his latest project is straight-up, no bullshit rock. Just like his opinions.

Along with guitarist Adam Cooper and new addition Dan McKay of the Nation Blue on drums, the trio’s latest record Asp (out now on Chatterbox Records) is like a Black & Decker product bought from Cash Converters. Loud, smokin' and more than a little bit dangerous.

“Best record I’ve ever been involved,” says O’Riley, matter of factly of the new album.

The best?

“The best,” he repeats. “And Dan McKay is the best drummer in Australia,” he adds.

And the second best?

"Dave, our old drummer," he laughs. "No I really like the guy from Grand Fatal [Rusty Jarratt], Rusty from You Am I is pretty good. That dude from My Disco [Rohan Rebeiro] is fucking incredible.”

It's not so much bitterness or cynicism that O'Riley projects – well, maybe a little – it’s more about honesty. He's not really big on time wasting, especially if it's his.

"Having been doing this shit for as long as I have I get really bored. So unless you give me something new or interesting I'm not really into it,” he says.

“I've been in bands on major labels with booking agents playing at the Tennis Centre to this band playing on the fucking floor at a Brunswick warehouse on a Saturday afternoon.”

“I've done the full gamut. I've been in bands on major labels with booking agents playing at the Tennis Centre to this band playing on the fucking floor at a Brunswick warehouse on a Saturday afternoon. This shit is far more rewarding than the other shit. Because the 20 people who come out are record-collecting geeks like me.

“We are not a social band. People don't come to see us to have a night out. People who like us are music geeks. Dan is the only socialite in the band. I don't tend to go out unless I play. I think that's why it took us this long to get our point across. We don't drink at Pony at 2am.”

Despite their straight talking and rather non-conformist approach to publicity and promotion, the band have managed to strike a chord with those who dig and support heavy music – and even some of those who traditionally haven’t.

“[Richard] Kingsmill loves us. It blows my mind. He is the reason we are getting played on Triple J. We are up on his page of the website. I don't get it. I'm not going to knock it, but I don't understand it. For a band who doesn't give a fuck it's awesome. At first I wasn't even sure about servicing Triple J. I was like, ‘Can we save the five records we are going to give them and sell them at a show?’” he jokes.

It's not something the band hasn't heard before, but the “Chicago sound”, particularly the music associated with Steve Albini, is prominent on all their releases. Recorded by jonboy rock (Hard-Ons, Further, Front End Loader) and mastered by Bob Weston in Chicago, Asp is no different. Still, it's a comparison that O'Riley feels is warranted.

[Historical image is withheld pending rights review.]

"Yeah it's kind of true," he laughs. "I grew up listening to that stuff and Adam uses a particular guitar that sounds a particular way. We try to write rock songs but because we grew up listening to that shit we play it in that way. We just can't help it.”

One song that demonstrates the taught basslines and snapping drums is the album's opener, 'Middle East Distributor'. It’s a song that also comments on racial tensions in Sydney.

“There's a road that takes you from the west of Sydney to Cronulla and its nickname is ‘The Middle East Distributor’. Basically, it's a song about how cunts are fucked. I mean, I'm proud of my country but I'm proud of my country because I can walk up Sydney Road [in Melbourne] and talk to Muslims. I grew up with wogs, they are my best mates and that's why I love Australia because it's a place for everybody, apparently."

Though you wouldn’t necessarily pick it listening to his records, O'Riley is a fan of hip-hop. Part of it no doubt due to its straight talking, no bullshit nature.

"I'm mad for it. I listen to more gangsta then anything else these days. I'm a big Wu [Tang Clan] fan. Obviously I dug NWA first; early ’90s, smoking heaps of weed … Then there was a big gap. I went through my angry phase, didn't touch it, but now I'm back in"

While hardly gangsta, one of the songs on Asp is 'Yo Vanilla', a tribute to the vanillaist of woeful white MCs, Vanilla Ice.

“I wanted to call the song 'Yo Vanilla Kick This One to the VIP Crew’, but it got blackbanned by the other members. I got away with 'Yo Vanilla'.

BLACKLEVEL EMBASSY
Friday, February 6
The Old Bar, Melbourne, VIC

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