‘He Came Back For More’: The Matador Singles Club Goes Aussie

Ahead of bands like Royal Headache, Lower Plenty and Dick Diver landing on this year’s 7” series from New York indie icon Matador, TIM SCOTT talks to the label’s Gerard Cosloy and Bits of Shit guitarist Andy Lang about the growing demand for Australian music in the US.

[Historical image is withheld pending rights review.] Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Guided By Voices, Bits of Shit, Cat Power.

One of these is not like the others. Actually, it is. The announcement of the 2013 Matador vinyl singles club sees Australian acts Bits of Shit, Lower Plenty, Dick Diver and Royal Headache joining a venerable list of bands that have released records flying the Matador flag logo.

Singles Going Home Alone, the subscription singles club also featuring records from Cheap Time’s Jeffrey Novak and ’90s indie royalty Superchunk, will release a split 7” between Lower Plenty and Dick Diver (April 23) as well as releases by Bits of Shit (May 21) and Royal Headache (June 11).

Gerard Cosloy, sports blogger and co-owner of the iconic New York label that has become synonymous with indie rock, has long been a fan of Australian music. His Best of 2012 list posted on music blog Brooklyn Vegan included Woollen Kits and Total Control in best records and Bits of Shit performances at Austin’s Beerland and Memphis Goner Fest as live highlights.

“We spent a ridiculous amount of time making lists of our singles club dream team, then even more time arguing over those lists,” explains Cosloy. “It’s a fucking miracle that we could find 12 bands we agreed on, let alone three or four from Australia.”

With Dick Diver, Boom Gates, Lower Plenty and Blank Realm making many critics end of year lists and The Washington Post even listing their top 10 Australian releases, 2012 was a good year for Aussie music Stateside. But Cosloy isn’t that surprised with the growing interest in Australian bands, nor does he think of it as any kind of ‘craze’.

“Yes, the level of awareness is higher than it used to be. But I trust it’s mostly down to the individual attributes of the artists in question.”

“I think it’s safe to say that between all the Australian bands that have been over in the last few years – Slug Guts, Bits of Shit, Deaf Wish, Native Cats, Kitchen’s Floor, Royal Headache, Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys, Whitehorse, Circle Pit, ECSR, Total Control, etc. – and the deep admiration so many fans and musicians here had for [Brisbane fanzine and label] Negative Guest List, yes, the level of awareness is higher than it used to be. Goner Records bringing so many of the bands over makes a big difference, too. But I trust it’s mostly down to the individual attributes of the artists in question rather than anyone actually thinking, ‘I really need to hear more bands from Australia’. I mean, they need to hear more bands from Brighton or Ottawa too, if they’re good.”

For Bits of Shit guitarist Andy Lang, inclusion in the singles club comes as validation and acknowledgement for the band’s energetic, verging on crazy, live performances. After earning a reputation for their buzzing live show and sound, a sold-out LP and a US tour that included an appearance at Gonerfest, he appreciates the recognition.

“We don’t fit neatly into what is happening in alternative music in Australia at the moment.”

“After playing around for a couple of years in Melbourne and being generally ignored, or treated as some sort of novelty, it was nice to be taken seriously by a big shot,” he jokes. “Our music, it would seem, was starting to speak for itself and that made me feel quite proud. Especially when you consider some of the great bands we were playing with here and in the States ... Gerard saw something worthwhile in what we were trying to achieve and I applaud him for that. Especially since we don’t fit neatly into what is happening in alternative music in Australia at the moment.”

While Bits of Shit may seem pretty ‘punk’ for Matador, the label still runs with much the same DIY aesthetic and approach as Homestead, the first label Cosloy was involved in, which released records from the likes of Big Black, The Meatmen and GG Allin as well as Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth. Lang says his favourite Matador artist is New York punk-blues band Railroad Jerk.

“They kinda came in through the back door of the grunge/noise movement but I really enjoyed their obnoxious take on things. They had a sound that was true, that they were only entertaining themselves and that was enough. That’s what it’s all about anyway, isn’t it?

‘Obnoxious take on things’ would be a good way to describe the Bits of Shit sound. With a nod to the punishing punk of early SST records and a frontman in Danny Vanderpol who channels the confrontational charisma of Darby Crash and Poison Idea’s Jerry A, the band left an impression on those who saw them in the US.

“At home we didn’t fit. We couldn’t get gigs with punk bands, hardcore bands or metal bands unless we organised them ourselves. In the States it didn’t matter.”

“Playing in the States was a positive experience but it wasn’t as if U2 had come to town or anything,” laughs Lang. “The gigs were small and we were appreciated by the people that mattered; the people that came to see us. At home we didn’t fit, and it caused problems. We couldn’t get gigs with punk bands, hardcore bands or metal bands unless we organised them ourselves. The scene was too insular and they thought we were weak shit. Hipster bands liked us but their fans didn’t. We got along pretty well with garage and grunge bands here but even then the fit wasn’t right. However, in the States it didn’t matter. Maybe we just didn’t give a shit and were just there to have the time of our lives. People accepted us for what we are, and we had a blast. The Yanks got it ... generally.”

One of the Yanks that got it was Cosloy, who Lang met at a barbecue in Memphis. “He’s a nice guy. He’s obviously a fan of music. He was wearing a Negative FX T-shirt (I think), which impressed me. I guess he would look pretty lame if he was wearing a Pavement or Belle and Sebastian T-shirt. Apparently he saw us play in Texas but I didn’t meet him then. He can’t have hated us cos he came back for more.”

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For more information on the Matador 2013 Singles Club, head here.