First albums: Hunting Grounds(Howl)

Fri 11th Mar, 2011 in Features

Hunting Grounds, the band that first came to our attention when they won triple j Unearthed High under their old name Howl, will be one of the many attractions at this years Push Over festival.

Their recent name change was prompted after they were repeatedly mistaken for a mistaken for a doom metal band hailing from Rhode Island, but a look back at the band’s first album purchases suggests that they probably never went through a doom metal period.

Although quite how the ska punk, hip-hop and boy band soundtrack to their youthful days in Ballarat led to the “polished yet punky” sounds of their recent debut EP Brothers In Arms is a mystery.

FasterLouder got the low down from each member of the band on their first album, taking us on a trip back into the murky past of musical history (aka the late 90s).

Tim Street (Guitar)
Eminem – The Slim Shady LP

Hi my name is… Tim, and I have quite long hair, however in 1999 that was not the case. You see, back then, I had very short, white, bleached hair, and that was for only one reason; I was a Slim Shady fan. In fact I thought I was Slim. This is because the first album I purchased was Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP. A classic.

At first, as the young WWF fan that I was, I needed a soundtrack to fit the smack downs I was dealing out to my boogie board everyday on the trampoline. I found that Slim fitted perfectly. However, after a while, Eminem was more than just background music, he was my role model. Being in grade 2M was hard, yet Slim’s lyrics (especially in tracks Guilty Conscience and Just Don’t Give a Fuck ) helped guide me through. I mean what eight year old doesn’t get pumped when he hears Eminem’s over-the-top swearing, tales of sex and drugs, and dumping his dead wife’s body in the ocean? Say what you want about Eminem, he (or Dre) can write a sick song, My Name Is proves it. And that’s why I am proud of my first album. And if you don’t agree I will chainsaw you.

Lachlan Morrish (Vocals/Guitar)
5ive – 5ive

The year was 1998 and the boy band scene was all of the rage. Thanks to the genius that is Simon Cowell five young British males (sadly Russel Brand didn’t quite make the cut) made up the pop sensation known as 5ive. At the time I was only a young boy and was watching rage at 8am on a Saturday which introduced to the song When The Lights Go Out. There was just something so catchy about Scott Robinson’s voice which instantly drew me towards this song. As a result I knew I must have this album. Yet, When The Lights Go Out wasn’t my favourite song from this insanely amazing debut. It was the song Slam Dunk Da Funk which completely blew my mind!

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The fact that the album had 17 tracks did little to stop me from having this album played everywhere I went, in mum and dad’s cars, on my tape Walkman and in my room as I was heading to bed. I was so in love with this album I even made my mum record the album to tape! Even the second five track disc that came along with the album was genius. The track Can You Jam especially. So there you have it 5ive’s debut album was my first album I ever bought. Sadly, their comeback in 2006 failed otherwise we could have had another chance to enjoy the band in their prime. If you don’t have this album I highly recommend you buy it!

Michael Belsar (Vocals/Guitar)
Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor

After asking my Mum for a copy of this album both my brothers decided that I was gay and had to be punished, turning my once great childhood into one of trauma and pain. From (suppressed) memory I used to wake up early before anyone else, sneak into the living room with a pair of headphones and listen to the first four songs on repeat (of course I was only six years old so I didn’t have the attention span to listen to a full album) before the beatings started. After my mother got fed up with the constant abuse I took, she decided to buy me a Sony Disc-man so I could listen to my precious anywhere I wanted.

One day after school I was waiting for my mum to come pick me up when I discovered a very interesting thing, the kid in the year below me was named Jackson. After alerting him I liked Michael Jackson then highlighting the fact that my name was Michael and his name was Jackson he pushed me down the slide and I broke my Walkman. The moral of the story – music will only ever tear you down until you are bruised and broken. PS- I haven’t forgotten you Jackson Dower!

Read on to learn about the rhythm section of Hunting Grounds’ early love of Backstreet Boys, Hanson and Smash Mouth