There’s something special about Brisbane bands. There is a reason The Valley thrives as an internationally recognised centre of independent musical prominence. There’s a vibe; an energy. Even in the earliest hours, the music hums; the arteries of Ann, Brunswick and Wickham Streets beat with a pulse. Gigs regularly feel like polished intimate rehearsals where new songs are tested to see what works and what sends the punters to the bar. Musicians come and go from stages, or stay on to play with the next act – nearly every working muso being in at least one other band.
In talking with Ben Corbett about Gentle Ben and His Sensitive Side, insights into some of the elements that make this place, and these people, so special are offered openly and warmly; no matter the chill wind that has once again whipped up the mall just as this weekend’s Valley Fiesta approaches.
“Ha ha,” Ben softly laughs, “We had a bit of an extended hiatus. There’s not really any great reason for that, other than line up changes.” On being asked what himself and the gentlemen of the Sensitive Side have been up to since the 2005 release of The Sober Light of Day, he is visibly enthused by playing live and welcoming Texas Tea’s Kate Jacobsen to the permanent line-up; while patiently lamenting the challenge of being in a scene with a burgeoning talent pool of musicians – trying to get everyone together to practice when members have work, life and commitments to other bands vying for their time.
“Practice is hard to get together, so it is drawn out a bit, but that helps the creative process, you can really work with your ideas. It’s Dylan [McCormack] and I who write the songs. He’ll play a riff or part of a song on the guitar and I’ll warble something to go with it. Then we rework it and change it and discard it then put it back together again. We consider ourselves the Morrissey and Johnny Marr of Brisbane. There are fights over who gets to be Johnny Marr, because no-one wants to be Morrissey.”
Dylan McCormack’s musical contribution to the band has not gone unnoticed to audiences and critics alike, GBHSS live performances and studio recordings reaping a dedicated fan base and hugely positive reviews in various publications. “Dylan is a constant fount of ideas.” Ben praises, “He finds it very hard to settle on one.” Again down-playing the role of his own vocal and lyrical talents in the writing process, he adds, “Sometimes I feel the most valuable thing I can do is go: “That one! That one! That’s the best one, let’s stick with that.”
When asked about current sources of inspiration, Ben needs no time for contemplation; his songs come from both the light and dark places of the heart. “The things I like to write about probably haven’t really changed from the beginning. I kinda like to write skewed love songs. Or songs that sound like they are love songs, but on a closer listen they have very little to do with love, or at least not in the traditional sense of it.”
Mentioning commentary around their last album that suggested Ben was getting less and less sensitive, a question as to whether this will continue in their upcoming work raises a sincere laugh from across the table, “Ah no, in fact the upcoming stuff is probably a little bit sweeter…about falling in love, but not in a classic way. More like, ‘Oh my god, I’m so drunk, can you hold my hair while I throw up?’ Love songs are quite difficult to write because they have been so over done. For me to attempt something like that I have to try to get a new perspective on it and skew it a little bit.”
Relaxed and talkative, a quiet confidence radiates from this man. Classically handsome in that tall, dark, blue-eyed way, Ben’s presence and energy during live performances embodies all that is it to be the purveyor of sexy, sleazy, alt-country rock and blues. When discussing the mental preparation for these raunch-infused shows (as his perceived stage personae is in such juxtaposition to the polite, reserved kind of guy he is generally), he admits that being asked to sing at parties or do any public speaking is absolutely terrifying, however getting out there on stage is not a personae, but another part of him being unleashed.
This unleashing is not more evidenced than when he’s half of the rampaging tag team sibling-rock frontmen of Six Foot Hick. Stalwarts of the hardcore scene, Ben thoroughly enjoys the physically raucous and yet musically intuitive relationship he has with older brother Geoff, “It is just has a force of its own. We don’t even practice unless it’s for a recording. It just happens.” However, although The Hick play live more, notions of GBHSS being a side project have long been left by the wayside and there are definite plans to add further complexity to the Sensitive Side’s sound.
“I’m trying to be more adventurous and remove the idea of what the band is trying to do,” Ben tells me. “We’re known as a sad rock pop band with a Latin influence. We’ll be looking to introduce some elements that will probably make the listener more uncomfortable. I’d love to get some synthesisers and stuff in there.” Referencing the Handsome Family and The Devastations, there is seriousness in his will to defy traditionalist views of the alt-country genre. “It’s no good becoming a museum piece. I kinda like the idea of using whatever is at your disposal to get the point across. The tenant of the Sensitive Side is that the song is what’s most important.”
So, what can we look forward to from Gentle Ben and His Sensitive Side at Fiesta? A mixture of the classic, the road-tested and possibly some brand new sounds of sensitivity GB-style. With a Six Ft Hick European tour taking Ben out of the country in October, it will be closer to the end of the year before GBHSS can get back on stage or into a studio, so make sure you get yourself and the person you love to the see this very special Brisbane band in this very special musical place.
Gentle Ben and His Sensitive Side play the Valley Fiesta, Chinatown Mall Stage, 5pm on Sunday.
