Meet the Garage to V statefinalists - Tennis

Wed 27th Feb, 2008 in Features

Sydney post punk prog rock outfit Tennis are amongst the acts vying for a slot mainstage at V Festival. Do they have what it takes to make it all the way? FL asks the hard questions…

Was music always an important part of your life?
Yes, music was an important facet of each and every member of Tennis from a very early age. You might even say that our collective musical ears developed from the sonic chamber of the womb. Throbbing elements of The Carpenters, Beatles, Vivaldi, car engines and super market muzak passed through our developing minds. Later as teenagers we listened to Sepultura, Smashing Pumpkins, Silverchair, The Strokes, Notorious B.I.G. and Nirvana etc. For our generation music is shiny and interchangeable.

What’s your earliest musical memory?
Amongst many, hearing wafting strains of Fine Young Cannibals – œShe Drives me Crazy’ across the living room floor and tilting my head up to the flickering TV screen. There was a man so soft yet angular, frustrated but calm, having water poured directly onto his head yet maintaining full composure. Sums up Tennis really.

How would you describe your band’s music?
A salty seastorm of post-punk and proggy rock with occasional thunderbolts of alt-country and italo-disco.

What are your musical influences?
The Rapture, Brian Eno, Tupac, Love of Diagrams, Interpol, DFA 1979, Lee Hazlewood, Joy Division, Gang of Four, Prince, ODB, !!!, Broken Social Scene, Snap! Crackk!, Fela Kuti. There are many, many more, but it’s not a pissing contest right?

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the V Festival?
SMASHING PUMPKINS. They have touched us all in the band in some shape or form. Spiky guitars, nasal whining voice, Zero T-shirts, blind fury, and violence.

If you win Garage to V what would you have in your rider?
We demand three things in our rider:
1.Beer. You need that bitter love juice to keep you going throughout the day.
2.Bocce/Pétanque bowls set. There is no better way of spending time between a set playing a peachy game of bocce. Imagine challenging Billy Corgan, those shiny balls could end up anywhere!
3.Hot towels. I’m not a big fan of these moist things particularly but hey some band members, ahem, have to look after their complexion.

What artist would you want to share a sneaky backstage pash with at the V fest? Why?
Ahhhhhmmmm Billy Corgan…. Or the lead singer from Glass Candy, she’s got a sultry, foxy voice.

Who would you like to share a dressing room with and why?
Unequivocally it would be Billy Corgan. We are quite physical towards each other and occasionally like to wrestle; he would be a welcome addition to the team. This is quite a serious backstage fantasy. Wrestling masks provided. The exchange of musical knowledge would be on quite an amazing level as well.

What’s the key ingredient for having at great day at V festival?
Apart from the usual suspects (good group of friends, keeping up fluids etc) warning signs are appropriate. E.g.

Attention to all sweaty, moist friends and non-friends alike:
Keep the fluoro to a minimum please. According to Australian festival custom people with beards (please note: this does not include pencil moustaches or the five O’clock shadow) are most often the friendliest and least wasted in any given group. Attach yourself accordingly if being mauled/harassed by scary munters.

How important are competitions like Garage to V in the ongoing success of your band?
Very important. Garage to V gives us the opportunity to be appreciated by a wider audience and to grow. We don’t mean this in a sloppy, gushing way but more in the sense that Tennis can reach many sets of ear canals in the ambitious hope that people will react to our music, whether they are excited and ecstatic or resentful and brooding. We want to stick like a prickle in people’s minds.

Don’t forget to RSVP HERE for your place at the G2V Sydney heat at Spectrum with Man Ray, tennis, Cassette Kids Lions at Your Door and Special guests The Brunettes