Shearin’ and Buddy Dingo are two of our favourite bands kicking around right now. That’s exactly why we asked them both to come and play our Happy Mag Issue 10 Launch Party at The Marlborough Hotel on Friday, February 15th.
But before these two bands share a stage with one another next Friday, they caught up to chat about utes, battered fish, the Oz Jackpot Lotto, and a whole lot more.
Before they share the stage at our Issue 10 Launch Party next Friday, we asked Buddy Dino and Shearin’ to interview each other. Here are the results.
Buddy interviews Shearin’
BUDDY: If you lads weren’t a band but actually 5 pieces of a seafood basket, who would be what delicious battered, crumbed or grilled piece?
SHEARIN: What about a grilling on the Murray cod crisis that’s battering our Murray river system or the crumbed up pollies takin payments from the cotton industry. I dunno, I guess maybe Phil the guitarist he’s got the most crumb out of anyone.
BUDDY: If you could choose any place in Australia to record your next record where would it be and why?
SHEARIN: Marrar pub. It’s just out the back of bum fuck and they have this amazingly clean pipe system where even the reshes tastes so good it’s like drinking a caramel thick shake for the first time. A good sound requires great nectar and this beer has put this town on the map. So this location would be ideal.
BUDDY: Recently a bloke invaded ya Botany View show! Has he since been in contact with you lads to play a private backyard show to all his Mosman mates?
SHEARIN: Yeah, he actually got in contact and he’s a prominent liberal donor and he’s asked us to play the after party for Tony Abbott’s post-election party when he retains the seat of Warringah. It’s actually not a paying gig but we happily obliged.
BUDDY: If you won the 35 mill oz lotto jackpot tomorrow, as a band, how would ya spend it? (After booze and vitamins)
SHEARIN: I thought it was only 20 million? Well, we would do all maybe buy a blimp to promote the gigs then would blow it all on the nile and probably end up in New Idea with a lovely riches to rags tale.
BUDDY: What was ya writing process like for ya recent EP?
SHEARIN: Mainly a bit of back an fourth. Most of the time we just jam a new riff and work backwards from there.
BUDDY: Neighbours or Home & Away and why?
SHEARIN: Home and Away, the dungeon episode in particular.
BUDDY: What’s your favourite track of yours to play live?
SHEARIN: Takin the field, the punters love it.
BUDDY: Here’s a gear nerd question. What’s each of ya fav piece of gear ya own and can’t leave the house without?
SHEARIN: One of the boys found a 70s Ibanez fuzz wah at a demo site a few years back and it cuts deep, sounds like Warren Ellis having a meth psychosis.
BUDDY: Who thought up of ya band name and does it have any hidden/inside meaning to ya’s?
SHEARIN: We started out as an Ed Sheerin tribute act, but generally we say as in “shearin’ the head off a cold frosty one“.
BUDDY: Where do ya see or hope to see Shearin in 20 years?
SHEARIN: Addicted to Valium and negative gearing.
Shearin interview Buddy Dingo
SHEARIN: What do you think about when you’re alone in the car?
BUDDY: Usually about new ideas for songs! I do a lot of driving and driving alone, so I try and use it to work on music stuff in me head. I also think about food a lot, but that’s not just in the car! And also I think a lot about the future and how I’m gonna spend me big lotto win that I’ve yet to win!!
SHEARIN: What was the last gift you gave somebody?
BUDDY: I bought Uncle Brad a retro alarm clock radio for Xmas cause I was his secret Santa. He works for NRMA roadside assist on call and wasn’t around at Xmas. Although I’ve seen him 3 times since and keep forgetting to give it to him. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow morning! Thanx for reminding me :)
SHEARIN: What is the current cd or tape you have in your stereo?
BUDDY: I have a tape deck in my ute which I have Billy Bragg –Talking With The Taxman About Poetry in it at the moment. My friend’s mum from school gave it to me on CD when I started writing songs! I loved it heaps and recently found it on cassette, so just revisiting it and gettin inspired again!
SHEARIN: Describe the colour blue to somebody who is blind?
BUDDY: I watched an amazing doco on this recently! U have to use other senses to explain it well. So I’d definitely take someone blind to the ocean and let them hear waves crashing and feel the breeze. Or touching ice or something else cold as well!
SHEARIN: What’s your favourite song from the 90s?
BUDDY: That is the hardest question ever mates! I think my top 10 songs are mostly from the 90s! I’m gonna say, only because I heard it today for the first time in ages, but I’ll say REM – Losing My Religion! But yeah really changes from day to day! If ya ask me tommorow I could say Freestyler by Bomfunk MCs, which I just looked up and it was released oct 1999 so just made it in!
BUDDY: Do you drive up from the Riverina for every gig?
SHEARIN: Yes I do! I enjoy the serenity of the 6-7 hour trip. Although I’m slowly saving up to catch a REX Flight! 2-minute noodles for 6 months should get me a one-way ticket!
SHEARIN: Have you ever drove home after a show?
BUDDY: Yes I have and it was a punish. I broke down 8km from home and end up walking the rest of the way at 4am. Me phone had died, 8 foot Roos on the loose, generic foggy nite. All the ingredients for an outback horror movie. But I survived so Hollywood missed out!
SHEARIN: What’s your best time from Narrandera and back?
BUDDY: 11 hours 27 minutes. Should be 13 hours if all goes well. Anyways yeah still got me license and didn’t get caught speeding that trip. So suck on those eggs coppa dogs!
SHEARIN: Did you know most of our band are from Wagga?
BUDDY: I knew Jeremy was, but nah I didn’t. We need to do a Riverina Tour ASAP!!
SHEARIN: How do you keep cool in Narrandera?
BUDDY: Me parents in law own a property on Bundigerry Creek about 10km out of town past the Five Mile Beach on the Old Wagga Rd. Great place to swim if ya don’t mind the shrimp nibbling at ya toes when ya first get it. Also a grouse fishing and camping spot where I spend Easter and Xmas holidays with the Fam. Other than that usually in the aircon work ute driving around on 46 plus summer days!
SHEARIN: Do you get the 5 o’clock wave up your way?
BUDDY: Nah 6 oclock it hits Narrandera. Tried surfing it last week. Failed miserably!
SHEARIN: Have you been to the henty field days?
BUDDY: Yes I’ve been twice! I went last year for work and had a small stall I worked at. Great atmosphere and some top dog farm machinery if ya into that jazz. We should definitely both apply to perform their this year!
SHEARIN: What inspired the driving my ute film clip?
BUDDY: I really just wanted to drive my 97 triton around roads and streets that meant something to me around Sydney’s inner west and south towards Wollongong. It’s got a lot more meaning to it if I start explaining the story of why I chose each street/road/place. But yeah definitely the inspiration was obviously my Ute that I love and also the stories/life moments of the streets/roads/places that are featured.
SHEARIN: What was the highlight of the Bibby tour for you? Any crazy stories?
BUDDY: Just hanging out with Pete and the lads. They’re absolute top blokes not just top musicians. Wollongong show was a corker! Canberra after party was Bonza! Crazy stories will be kept secret till I put out me book one day lol!!
SHEARIN: What does 2019 have in store for Buddy Dingo?
BUDDY: Gonna tone up and get some some abs!! Gonna bug the parra eels heaps until they let me play at half time at one of their matches. And hopefully keep writing new songs that make people happy!
SHEARIN: How was it playing the birdhouse bar in wagga?
BUDDY: It was surprisingly one of the best solo shows I played last year. It was my first time playing in Wagga and didn’t know what to except but the crowd was a great mix of folk and they all had a smile on their faces. I also had a real nice stage introuder which was heaps of fun, just an old bloke that got lost, but we had a quick yarn together and then I pointed him in the right direction!!
Shearin’ and Buddy Dingo will both be playing our Issue 10 Launch Party on February 15th. More info here.
