Heroes of the Big Day Out

Thu 18th Dec, 2008 in Features

Ever wanted to know what feces throwing musician spurred Mike Patton to start one of his many side projects? Or why Birds of Tokyo will always have a place in their hearts for Axle Rose?

Over the next few weeks FasterLouder will run a weekly column revealing the childhood heroes of all the Big Day Out artists. We uncover who or what first inspired them to quit school, pick up a guitar and pursue a life of sex, drugs and rock and roll.

To get things started we spoke to ultra-bubbly Alana Skyring from The Grates and the man behind The Fantomas and many a secret man-crush, the most awesome, Mike Patton.

MIKE PATTON – THE FANTOMAS

My heroes have rarely been musical. When you are at the top of the musical mountain, like I am, you don’t really have anyone to look up to. Quite to the contrary, most of my time and efforts are spent keeping everyone else down in the valleys and away from my precious peak. My heroes are sports stars, chefs, postal workers, you know the real unheralded lifeblood of civilization. The difference makers. The ones that will be remembered lovingly for generations. I’m sorry, I guess I’m a little deeper than most of the musicians you posed this question to.

But let me try.

Wow, musical hero? I guess it would be someone who did not let outside pressures affect the music. Someone that could care less about fame. Someone who never looked at charts or cared about sales figures and marketing plans. Someone who was unique and shocking. Someone who was not afraid to throw up on stage or chase audience members with handfuls of feces……..so I guess that would be either GG Allin or Frank Sinatra.

ALANA – THE GRATES

Trying to choose just one artist or genre to place on a pedestal in this task has become too hard. After mulling, scratching and procrastinating on the internet, I decided to start with the first person who came to mind, and that I played music with – John [guitarist in The Grates]. I remember walking down to the pawn shop at Capalaba (now a wedding dress and formal hire outlet) to buy his first guitar, something cheap and blue which later got scratched with a compass to mark his beer tally ‘November 2004’. Our first band was called Zombie Crime Boss, and we started by learning to play Brain Stew by Green Day (check it out – the chorus is just the same as the verse, only strummed differently!).

Whether just writing songs for the garage, or writing songs for a second album, the friendships that form the base of most bands are all-important. They make or break whether the experience is positive or not, and, further to that, touring and recording and finding the right balance to do what you love on a full-time basis! Over the years, in The Grates, we’ve met some incredible bands; who, through their support of one-another, passion for music, and tough working ethic, have inspired us and smoothed the path ahead. Our first proper festival run was in 2005, when we played the Big Day Out alongside Youth Group. These guys still blow me away with their talent, wit, and openness as people.

However, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity at all if it weren’t for John and Patience, and our strong friendship that has lasted, OFFICIALLY, a decade.”

Stay tuned to FL for our weekly ‘Heroes Of The Big Day Out’ column.