There will always be intense emotions and a melody. Music means a lot to me. It’s very sensual, essential and a central thing in my life. It’s the one thing I always come back to – my longest standing love affair. – Rai Thistlewayte
Since exploding onto Australia’s airwaves in 2003, Thirsty Merc has emerged as a major player in the Australian music scene. Drawing upon the influences of jazz, soul, folk, rock and country music, Rai Thistlethwayte, Phil Stack, Sean Carey and Karl Robertson are rapidly cementing their names and talents into the Australian consciousness.
With their supreme musicianship, striking melodies and narrative lyrics, it was their self deprecating manner in the delivery of their emotive libretto that first marked Thirsty Merc as distinctive. With a successful second album under their belt and many a tour to their credit including an upcoming support to American heavyweights Matchbox Twenty,the band is moving from strength to strength.
Certainly their live performances remain as stuff of legends, but it is their matchless honesty and musical integrity that highlights the promise of this Sydney based band. And with their second album Slideshows flying off the shelves and a tour about to kick off, the impetus of Thirsty Merc show no signs of decelerating.
Named for an old petrol guzzling Mercedes that Rai used to drive to rehearsals, as a band, Thirsty Merc is indeed hard work – something that Rai is quick to note subsequently leads to ‘thirsty work’. This ‘play on words’ is a big feature to Thirsty Merc’s personality, with such tunes as Emancipate Myself and I Wish Somebody Would Build A Bridge (So I can Get Over Myself) from their highly successful self-titled debut album, a testament to their amusing ‘take the piss’ style. But with an introduction album that Rai explains was more about “getting noticed”, the follow up of SlideShows emerges as an in depth exploration into the relationships of people and their environment.
“We wanted to look at the simple elements,” Rai asserts. “We’ve all been through huge changes. I’ve grown up a bit since the first album,” he reveals. “We wanted to retain the art of the song and take this into a different stratosphere. This album has been a solace for me,” Rai divulges. “In many ways, it’s a dialogue with me sitting at the piano. I’ve been getting back into my jazz piano – returning to my roots. And Slideshows is like that – a nostalgic journey that looks into people and relationships. My songs are always about people,” Rai points out. “There will always be intense emotions and a melody. Music means a lot to me. It’s very sensual, essential and a central thing in my life. It’s the one thing I always come back to – my longest standing love affair.”
With Slideshows reported to be ’”more serious album than the first”, the album reflects on the break up in relationships and living in today’s world of “internet, MySpace, YouTube, static, advertising and commercial-meets-fashion-meets-whatever.” “With the music, I’ve definitely tried to be more honest with myself about it,” Rai outlines in his notes on the album. “That’s the way I want to play this stuff, because it’s the truth. Things aren’t always 100 per cent shiny and great.” To me, Rai points out that “mics don’t lie. They show everything up. You can hear the truth and the honesty in the music.” And what are his thoughts now that the album is out? “The music has become realised,” Rai observes, “and the response has been great.” And what inspires Rai? “Relationships and my family,” he states. “Trying to belong, trying to see where I fit, intense emotions and a good melody. I just want to be a motherfucker with my craft.”
Rai is an undisputed talent; his strengths as the frontman and songwriter are certainly essential to the band. However, as a song needs chords, harmonies, rhythm and colours to complete it, Karl, Sean and Phil as the surrounding textures are never too far away to balance Rai’s dazzling skills. With a family background that hails from northern England – which thus accounts for the curious spelling of his name – Rai grew up in a very musical family, taking on guitar and piano before heading to the Sydney Conservatorium to study under Jude Bailey for a Bachelor of Music Jazz degree. “I’m not normal,” Rai wryly admits, clearly referring to his unpredictable, aggressive and reckless Aries nature.
Having travelled in similar circles for many years, Rai and Phil first met through mutual friends and began performing with each other in jazz bands. With Phil delivering many a Jaco-Pastorius-influenced groove throughout the tunes, his superb bass skills are a solid foundation to the group. Often found performing alongside James Morrison on tree, Phil Stack is noted as one of the best jazz bassists and musicians in the country. “Phil is a monstrously good muso,” Rai affirms.
Karl as the drummer of the group has been with the band since its inception, his background definitively in rock. Sean knew Rai while as youngsters in Dubbo. As the ‘newer’ member of the group since arriving to the band in 2004, Sean is very much into his rock, though he has previously acknowledged that he is a bit of a “pansy” because he listens “to all kinds of country”. “Me and Sean go a bit nuts and can be the clowns of the band.” Rai affirms. “Karl is not good at being the clown. He is very level headed and maintains his cool at all times. So yeh – we’re a crazy little family on our own”
With another Australian tour coming up, including supporting American heavyweights Matchbox Twenty, this “crazy little family” will be returning to the road with a new album under their belt to add to their stage performances and plenty of energy to burn. “We’ll get through it all,” Rai maintains. “We’re used to touring now. With the start of the new year, it’s a good time to be out and about. We’ll take what works from both albums and just play. We’re all feeling very buoyant about it.”
And which is Rai’s preference – the studio or the stage? “I can’t distinguish which is better,” Rai laughs. “It’s like the chicken and the egg thing. On stage, anything can happen. I love the spontaneity. But in the studio, from start to finish it’s all there and what I want the music to be.” And how does Rai think Thirsty Merc stand out? “Well, it’s the people involved and the use of our musical influences,” Rai notes. “The way we play a groove together is a stylistic way of our music. Anything we do is going to have that Australian flavour.” And what does Rai try to achieve in his performances? “I just try and connect,” Rai comments. “I like to be in the audience as much as be on the stage. I give a lot. I like to give people a little slice of me.
“Life is grander than a grand piano,” Rai quips. Indeed, with Thirsty Merc working so harmoniously together and the charisma of Rai Thistlethwayte at the helm, it is hardly surprising that their agreeable relationship and incredible talents are aspects to be happy with. The greatness of Thirsty Merc, whilst apparent in their music and their skills, is likewise reflected in the honesty and integrity of their musicianship. With so much to look forward to, the last thing Thirsty Merc will be doing is crying in denial.
For deets on Thirsty merc’s Feb/March tour click HERE
