Having wrapped up a UK tour and now in the midst of some American dates, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have been hard at work earning themselves a following overseas. As they’ll happily confirm, it seems Australian psych is starting to earn a name for itself outside of home turf.
With their third album looming ever closer and an imminent Australian showing at The Gum Ball on the cards, we touched base with guitarist Luke Parish (aka Rish) for the latest.
Are overseas crowds treating the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets as enthusiastically as Aussies do? We caught up with guitarist Luke Parish to find out.
HAPPY: Hey folks, long time no chat. What are you up to at the moment?
LUKE: It’s Rish typing on a laptop currently traversing the madness that is the land of the free. Signing off on songs in the back of a van, losing phones, credit cards and marbles. On our way to SXSW for a week of madness. Then a few shows in California before heading home.
HAPPY: How did the UK dates go down? Were there any particularly weird or wonderful nights had over there?
LUKE: The UK dates were awesome, people really respond well and you get some crazy mosh pits, circles of death and all of that. I think every night was pretty weird in summary, we played on a boat one night, that was pretty crazy. Also someone made this Tupperware container that had eyes all over it and it had a crumpet inside with a note and a photo of some vintage porn, class.
HAPPY: I get the sense of a big psychedelic scene in the US, but not so much the UK. Are there any bands you’ve found in the UK scene you could enlighten us on?
LUKE: I think the UK is more on the kind of punk/garage vibe, the support band we had for this run, The Mysterines, were awesome but more so in the vein of garage rock, almost like Kings of Leon. Also other supports we have had in the UK all had a similar vibe. like post punk or something.
HAPPY: Do you think the buzz around Australian psych is being felt as far as the UK or America? Outside of the obvious Tame Impala or King Gizzard exports.
LUKE: There is a lot of communities all over the UK and the US of die hard psych fans, you get people wearing Gizz shirts to our gigs so I think the mutual fan base around Australian psych is booming in pockets of the world, people are watching the scenes and following other exports too like The Murlocs and Stonefield.
HAPPY: Really dig the video for Keen For Kick Ons? which just dropped. Who did you work with on this one? What was the inspiration?
LUKE: We worked with Oli from Better Feeling Films, we had the idea of someone being consumed by an arcade machine a while ago for another song, but he took it to the next level with varying forms of animation making something really unique.
HAPPY: If there really was a PPC video game, what would the story entail? Who would the enemy be?
LUKE: We actually had a game made a couple of years ago for the song Move but it was never released. I think maybe a racing game where we just drive a tour van around at high speed and somehow survive a tour off nothing but Starbucks sandwiches and deep fried chocolate bars. The enemy is obesity and or sanity.
HAPPY: It was pretty awesome to see Dr. Noggin Floggin sell out last year. Will the festival be returning in 2019?
LUKE: Yeah we definitely want to do it again, both years we have had so far have been amazing and it’s so good to see so many new bands coming up in Perth as well, the talent pool is ridiculous.
HAPPY: Speaking of upcoming things, dare I ask how the third album is coming along?
LUKE: So damn close you can taste it.
HAPPY: You’re going to be ducking back down under this April for The Gum Ball. Do you have any other plans for the time back home or is it just some well-earned R&R?
LUKE: I think R&R for sure, we have a huge year ahead with so much touring that those times you’re back you can’t take for granted. Might just go disappear for while into the South West and set up a little camp.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are currently on tour throughout the US and returning to Australia for The Gum Ball on April 25-28.
USA tour tickets available here
The Gum Ball tickets available here
