It’s been a big year for Melbourne punk/ska party boys The Bennies. Since releasing second LPRainbows In Spacelate last year, the foursome has conducted a series of sold-out Australian tours, supported the likes of Dead Kennedys and played shows in China, New Zealand and the US. What’s more, not only were The Bennies one of the few Australian acts on the Soundwave 2014 lineup, they’ve been invited back to play at next year’s festival.
As the band’s job requirements become more demanding, the primary pursuit remains unchanged: to have a damn good time. “Spirits are high, the gigs have been great, no dramas,” says The Bennies guitarist Jules Rozenbergs. “Just setting ’em up and knocking ’em down. I’m totally stoked that it’s having a positive impression on people and that they’re getting inspired. It’s fairly fucking rewarding.”
Several of The Bennies’ songs refer to getting drunk and high and pushing all worries aside. It’s safe to assume the band members practise what they preach and know how to make the most of tour life’s constant invitation to let loose. However, they basically haven’t had any time off in the past 12 months, so has the excess of fun taken its toll by now?
“I could be at work and I could be dealing with customers,” Rozenbergs says. “The grass is super-green on the performance side. I never forget that. I’ve got a smile on my face because I don’t have to slave away today to pay my rent. We’re out on the road making our art. If we keep it in perspective, it’s just been kind of dreamy and everyone’s just so fuckin’ lovely. We’re blessed, man.”
Further proof that The Bennies’ party-boy appeal now holds weight outside of the underground punk community lies in the fact they recently stormed through a massive regional tour. But while the band has made considerable advances in the last year, it’s not an overnight success story. The Bennies are an independently run operation and the band members have spent several years learning how to effectively do things themselves.
“Each one of us has been playing music for quite a while now,” Rozenbergs says. “You start from like Tuesday night, Battle of the Bands, some fucking crook is trying to make you sell 200 tickets to go on a compilation that’s never going to get pressed. And you learn that you just got ripped off and you push through and you play a Wednesday night and this can happen for fucking ages. The evolution to get anywhere is like a lot of small victories. I see it like this education that has only just begun.
“Behind the scenes there’s a lot of hard work that goes into putting this stuff together,” he continues. “When the feedback from the people and the effort you’re putting in – when that ratio works, then you can’t help but be humbled and just really thank the people who are helping you do it.”
Rainbows In Space was released through Melbourne-based punk rock imprint Poison City Records, whose roster includes other local successes The Smith Street Band, The Nation Blue and Clowns. Rozenbergs believes that raising the band in Melbourne has played a crucial role in developing both a fearless attitude and genre-blending sound.
“The music scene in Melbourne is extremely competitive and it’s a tight-knit group of really passionate individuals. But if you can cut your teeth against the Melbourne critics’ association, it toughens you up for sure. It’s not easy and a lot of people get discouraged, but once people see you’re really working for it, there’s encouragement, there’s people willing to pull you up.
“There’s not a lot of money going around,” he adds. “It’s a passion-based industry. In Melbourne, where we’re blessed to have so many bands and live venues and music seven days a week, 24/7, the standard just keeps going up and as the standard goes up, you get better.”
Being serious about your art doesn’t necessarily mean producing work that should be described as ‘serious’. Rainbows In Space features songs such as ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’, ‘Ice Cold Beers And Juicy Juicy Buds’ and ganja-soaked love letter ‘Sensi-mi’. While The Bennies’ commitment to their vocation certainly isn’t in doubt, the content being expressed is somewhat eyebrow-raising. However, Rozenbergs contends that they’re simply heeding to their own outlook.
“Even if it’s dumb-head fun, it’s constructive. We are positive guys, that’s our vibe. You go listen to Lydia Lunch and that’s like fucking heavy, heavy shit and that’s going to resonate in someone. Our only pressure is to be true to where we come from. We write for us and [we’re] expressing our concerns. Even sometimes to make a fucking song that’s just about smoking heaps of joints, I want to fucking hear that song.”
It’s plain to see that The Bennies’ core positivity isn’t dwindling. As far as Rozenbergs can tell, there are plenty of good times to come.
“This is dream come true, 101,” he says. “We’re learning, we make mistakes and shit like that, but we really feel like we’re part of something together and that’s pretty powerful shit, man. That’s a fair old fucking booster rocket for our ambition and our ability and willingness to get better at our instruments and write better songs.”
Rainbows In Space out now through Poison City. Catch them atatSoundwave Festival 2015alongsideSlipknot, Faith No More, Soundgarden, Marilyn Manson, Incubus, Lamb Of God, Fall Out Boy, Ministry, Judas Priest and many more atSydney Olympic ParkfromSaturday February 28 and Sunday March 1.
