Mercy Arms have an average age of about 21. They also possess the music knowledge of a bunch of fifty-year-old jazz folk freaks. In my brief time with the boys in the offices of their brand spanking new Levity label, we manage to get into an involved discussion regarding Fats Domino, John Lennon’s heroin addiction, the entire Pink Floyd discography and the merits of playing stadiums with the Strokes. Thom and Kirin are an endless fountain of rock and roll information, the kind that would see them winning Spicks – œn’Specks for the rest of their lives. Hearing Mercy Arms’ latest EP, Kept Low, you wouldn’t really have picked it. I certainly didn’t, and I’m so impressed that I am eventually forcibly told to shut down my interview after it goes twenty minutes overtime.
“We have a very strong support base in Sydney” explains Kirin, looking every bit the rock star in a pink frilly shirt, David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust-era) – esque eye make-up, leather boots and jeans that seem to defy all notions of science by fitting onto his legs. It’s an awesome sight, especially considering that Kirin actually walked down the street frocked up like this, and it’s his kind of – œdevil may care’ attitude that extends into the band’s music. “I told Jules when I met him that I played keyboards’ he laughs. – œThen we got to the first jam and I was bashing away even though I played guitar.” Having been brought up predominantly in the Northern Beaches, Kirin and the gang have a very congenial relaxed manner about them, which belies the kind of inner frenzy you hear on recordings.
DIY is something that Mercy Arms have been about since the very beginning, Kept Low features a stunning album photo taken with both the top and bottom of an ocean swimming scene, “We got it from Getty Images!’ Jules reveals to me, “It was one of those royalty-free pictures so we just pinched it.” Only recently signing to the hotter-than-hell Levity Brand, also home to New Zealand expats Cut Off Your Hands (formerly Shaky Hands). “Levity are great”, exclaims Jules, motioning around the uber-rad office space “And when we start getting free jeans it’ll just be the best.”
But back to the music, Mercy Arms have done absolutely fucking everything. “It’s pretty surreal. We used to play little bars where only our mums would rock up with about seven other people” muses Kirin. They’ve certainly progressed a long-ass way from there, having sold out shows across the country and garnered a huge support base of fans nation-wide in the process, all while having received heaps of airplay from stations like FBi and Triple J. Then there’s their unique take on fashion, as demonstrated by Kirin’s remarkable attire, which has been imitated by their legions of followers, kind of like the Klaxons in the UK. They have opened for the Strokes, rocked out at the Jack Awards and hit some huge festivals as well. “This is our relaxing time,” laughs Jules. Just then a Levity employee, who has brought three chocolate bars for the boys and me, interrupts us. Kirin and Jules get into a philosophical debate about who should get the Boost and who should have to suffer the unfortunate fate of scoring the generic Mars bar. I offer to give up my Boost and take it. The dialogue continues, and finally Kirin sighs and takes the Boost. “Dude,” laughs Jules, “You know I hate Mars Bars!”
“I haven’t spent any royalties on drugs – yet” jokes Kirin. And so begins an even longer deconstruction, that of classic bands and whether they were better during their – œdrug-addled haze’ era or the – œclean as a whistle’ days. When Kirin informs me that John Lennon was fighting with Paul McCartney because he was fucked up on heroin, Jules cannot believe his ears. “No man, that was after” he contests. We congregate into a huddle and talk about precisely when Lennon started injecting venom into the biggest band in the world. Kirin then shifts the focus over to Pink Floyd, mentioning that Darkside Of the Moon was done when Syd Barrett was already out of the picture. Jules interjects and says his favourite album was The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. Kirin picks Wish You Were Here. I’m still trying to figure out when precisely John Lennon hit the H, so I have nothing. These boys move through music at hyper speed. It’s awesome, but totally tiring at the same time.
What’s so endearing about the boys from Mercy Arms is that they really don’t want to talk themselves up, so much so that they start asking me about my band, what I do and where I’m from. “Oh, Bondi!” exclaims Jules, when I tell him I’m one of those Eastside Jewish boys. “Me and my family ate at that kosher bakery once, and all the religious dudes got served before us.” I remind him that he’s probably the closest thing to an Aryan I’ve ever met, and he laughs uproariously. “Next time I’m going to get the long curls (- œpayot’) and a cool Jew hat (that’s a – œkippah’ for all you playing at home) and then I’ll be like number one in the line!” Kirin meanwhile is intrigued that I know his sister Tegan, and even moreso when I tell him that I had a crush on her for about 6 months. “You should have come over man” he jokes, and now I’m seriously embarrassed. And yet, every time I try to steer the conversation back to Mercy Arms, the boys jump on another bandwagon. It’s like chasing a rabbit through a maze, but it’s damn fun!
Who: Mercy Arms
What: Kept Low is out September 1 through Levity
When: Saturday August 25
Where: The Annandale with Ghostwood
to listen to their music now on 