RACKETT have been turning heads at break-neck speed over the past few months.
Delivering live sets dripping with energy, and drawing from a diverse sonic palette that encompasses punk, garage, shoegaze and sugary pop, they are one of the most exciting indie acts to emerge from Sydney in the last year.
Oozing with confidence, incandescent style and an electrifying theatrical presence, they band have three brilliant singles under their belt, with a national tour and EP not far off.
The trio are also serving as the muse for a new collaboration between General Pants and Insight, Drowned In Sound – a collection inspired by crate digging, mornings spent binging on Rage, and arvos consumed with smashing out Nirvana covers in your parent’s garage.
To celebrate Drowned In Sound, we caught up with RACKETT frontwoman Bec Callander to talk Spice Girls covers, co-ordinated outfits and shaved heads. Check out the band repping the Insight collection below.
If you’re not across RACKETT yet, now’s your chance to get to know them. We chat to the band about Spice Girls covers, co-ordinated outfits and shaved heads.
HAPPY: How was RACKETT born and when did you first start making music as a band?
RACKETT: The idea of RACKETT was born in 1998 when we were dressing up and performing Spice Girls covers in primary school whilst performing in school bands. Veering off onto different creative paths, it took 10 years of partying, sales jobs, screen tests, jams and alternative career fails for us to make RACKETT, returning to that initial idea and what we love and are good at: playing music.
HAPPY: How did the name come about?
RACKETT: The meaning of ‘racket’ is to make a load unpleasant noise – that’s the punk in us. It also means archaic – the noise and liveliness of fashionable society, that’s the sass in us. And it also means a group moving together in a forward momentum.
HAPPY: Definitely vibing the outfit co-ordination and the Joan Jett style jumpsuits in the video for BATS. You don’t see many contemporary bands rocking uniforms these days – can you talk us through RACKETT’s style, and any influences that may have contributed to creating your look?
RACKETT: Entertainment. Outfits allow us to extend our creativity and create something memorable for our audiences. Coming from theatrical backgrounds, we’ve learned that the stage is sacred and the chance to be on there is an honour, that’s why we pay particular attention to as much detail as possible.
HAPPY: You guys made a pretty big splash at Electric Lady a few weeks back. How did it feel paying that show? What inspired you to shave your head?
RACKETT: Thank you. There was a lot of talk about women and equality leading up to and around the event, I wanted to neutralise my identity (be both masculine and feminine) and see how much my image and gender was actually effecting our fans.
HAPPY: Prey takes on a softer, more playful side to RACKETT’s usual ass-kicking, garage sound. Will you be exploring a new musical direction with the upcoming EP?
RACKETT: We would describe our music as trans-genre. We explore all types of genres, fully commit to a country ballad or slice up a jazz melody and put it to a metal beat. We’d like to take a journey with our fans through a range of styles. The EP is mostly punk-pop, recorded and produced by Dave Hammer, so, yes there will be mixed styles, but a continuity in the production.
HAPPY: What are some bands who inspire you. Who would you most love to tour with?
RACKETT: We’d love to tour with King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Pond (congrats to Bodytype), HAIM, Mick Jagger, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, The Garden, Grimes, PJ Harvey, Muse.
HAPPY: What can fans expect from RACKETT over the coming months?
RACKETT: We like to say expect to get your money’s worth. We will give you everything, we will sweat, cry, scream, shred, bleed for your enjoyment!
Check out the Drowned In Sound collection below and here – or shop it exclusively at General Pants stores around the country.
