Melbourne based Echo Del Tusker are riding high, having recently released their debut single “Can’t Keep Your Man” to rave reviews and if this is setting the tone for the forthcoming EP, there are big things on the horizon for this experienced four piece rock band, comprising of Estelle Artois (lead vocals/guitar), Brendan Forward (guitar), Mick Quee (bass) and Joshua Potter on drums. The song is a punchy, foot tapping tune with outstanding vocals, a catchy guitar riff throughout and an interesting, unexpected change of tempo midway through… and it will get into your head and buzz around in there all day. The Rockpit caught up with Estelle a few weeks ago, as she recovered from the buzz of a hectic weekend, which saw them finally take to the stage for the band’s first live show at Max Watt’s ‘Rebirth’ gathering and exciting news about some forthcoming live dates, including the band’s first shows in WA…
Sean: Hey Estelle. Thanks for taking the time to chat to us at The Rockpit. How are you?
Estelle: Hey Sean, suffering a bit [laughs]. I think it’s the after effects of a pretty full on weekend.
Sean: [laughs] it sounds like it was a pretty decent night with you guys all finally getting back out there and playing your first live show. How did that feel?
Estelle: I think we were the only ones on the bill that hadn’t played previously – the other bands had all had a few gigs leading up to this one, so we were buzzing the whole time. It felt so good and the venue is awesome – the sound there is great, we had a lighting guy, there is an elevated stage which gives you a sense of presence too, looking out over the crowd. The vibes were incredible, which helped us play well and we got a great response from the crowd.
Sean: Did you get to play a decent set?
Estelle: Yes we played almost everything we have written [laughs]. We played 6 originals and then threw in a cover of Fire by Jimi Hendrix, so it was great.
Sean: I’m due for my first visit to Melbourne in a few weeks, so I’m looking forward to investigating the vibrant music scene.
Estelle: Well, bring a raincoat and sunnies because you never know what you’re gonna get here weatherwise [laughs]
Sean: Sounds like an English summer [laughs]. I’ve got to congratulate you guys on a fantastic debut single, Can’t Keep Your Man. You must all be so pleased, not only with the song but also the reception it has received. It’s such a catchy tune. After I’d heard it a few times it just stayed with me all day [laughs].
Estelle: Aw, thank you, so glad you like it. Yeah, I have a really good friend who said it’s an earworm that stuck in her head, which annoyed her, so that was compliment to me [laughs].
Sean: It’s a great appetizer for what we can expect to hear from you guys. I’m looking forward to the next release already.
Estelle: That’s what we wanted to achieve. We are pretty much there for an EP but we are going to release another single first, which will be pretty soon. It’s nice to write songs in a major key, although the first single isn’t – we want to write songs that will be soundtracks to summertime [laughs]
Sean: Exciting times ahead then. I read you have all had successful times in other bands, but how did you guys get together?
Estelle: We all knew each other and had seen each other’s previous bands playing. Brendan and I are together and we’ve toured together before. So we started writing some material together, wrote really well and didn’t bite each other’s heads off [laughs]
Sean: I’m guessing Brendan is sitting right next to you by the way you laughed then…
Estelle: [laughs] Yes he is… So we started playing around town, doing some acoustic gigs, because we missed playing. It was so easy & convenient with the added bonus of being able to rehearse in our own living room. So we put some demos together and played them to our friend, Josh. We asked him for his thoughts – he’s got a great musical ear and we really respect his opinion – so he signed off on it and then he asked who was going to be the drummer and promptly offered to drum for us. Then we just needed a bass player. Brendan had worked with Mick (Quee) before, so asked him if he was interested & he was very keen – we had jammed with a couple of other bass players but with Quee it just clicked – plus the fact he’s a seasoned musician, who’s toured with loads of bands both interstate & overseas, he’s such a professional. And it helps that we are kind of on the same page. Our main focus is about writing good songs and playing them well, everything else can come second. We have all been in previous bands where the tour schedule has been the higher priority to writing more material and that worked for those bands at the time, but that’s just not how we want to do it.
Sean: So how is the music scene in general going over there right now?
Estelle: I believe Melbourne has the largest ratio of venues for bands to play in, which is why it attracts so many musicians from all over Australia. Brendan is from Newcastle originally & Mick is from a small country town in New South Wales, but if you want to play music then you not only have the city itself but also the rural areas, which offer great opportunities to tour out of the big city. Seeing live music is just really inherent in the culture here. Any any day of the week, you can go out and see a live show, whether it’s music, theatre, ballet… there’s always something going on. It’s so cool.
Sean: So where do your musical influences come from Estelle?
Estelle: At the ripe age of three I was enlisted into dance classes, but I lasted just one year because of my terrible co-ordination and lack of interest – I’d just sit at the back and get into trouble heaps [laughs]. I was always walking around the house singing, and my older sister was already in The Australian Girls’ Choir, which is a national choir, so at four my mum put me into the choir and I was there for eight years until I was twelve, which helped give me a good musical ear, listening to harmonies etc. Because they put on concerts twice a year it helped me learn to be on stage & perform in front of audiences. I just fell in love with it. I tried briefly to get into acting and drama but kept getting knocked back from auditions. I never forget my mum telling me that with my voice, the fact I was writing my own songs and playing piano at the time, I should concentrate on that, so I did. I picked the guitar up at fourteen and ended up playing in a bunch of bands in high school – we had a really good music program at the school. When I finally left school there was a big hole left musically, so then I started looking for bands to play in. And there is my autobiography right there [laughs]
Sean: That is quite an opening chapter to your future autobiography…
Estelle: I forgot to mention that at seventeen, for two years, I had private vocal coaching in jazz style. I had an amazing teacher. I’d never really sung on my own before in front of people before then – but from singing in groups either at school or in the choir to having someone help me one-on-one just helped me improve so much and it did so much for my confidence in my voice too.
Sean: With Tequila Mockingbyrd you got to experience touring in the UK. What was that like?
Estelle: The U.K really embrace Aussie bands and they rolled out the welcome mat for us, definitely. It was really refreshing in the UK to have a maximum of 5 hours in the car between towns [laughs], sometimes it was only 1 or 2 hours. We’d get to the venue and people couldn’t believe that we’d driven 3, 4 or 5 hours – we’re like “you’re kidding right?” So different to the 13 or 14 hour drives between major cities here in Australia. Someone came to see us play in Oxford and they drove an hour & a half to get there… and booked accommodation for that night, and for us an hour and a half is like, nothing [laughs]. It was just so funny to us. Everything was so accessible.
Sean: So, musically, what are you listening too right now?
Estelle: We’ve actually created a playlist for Echo Del Tusker on Spotify, which is pretty much what I’ve been listening to of late. Brendan has introduced me to a really cool band called Alabama Shakes, they have this badass chick on vocals and guitar, kinda bluesy rock and they are great. Been listening to a band called Dead Sarah, who have been around for a few years now, but I’ve only just discovered them. Also listening to The Dead Weather and Joe Bonamassa recently too.
Sean: Quite diverse, so I’ll have a listen. I love to ask my dinner table question and I’m thinking your answers are going to be completely different to the majority of the ones I’ve received recently. Two hour restaurant booking and you have three guests to invite from the music world, dead or alive – who would you like to join you?
Estelle: John Lydon [laughs] he would be pretty interesting; Jack White is an enigma so I’d love to speak to him and Dimebag Daryl, so I could warn him to wear a bullet proof vest next time. Joking aside, we are all huge Pantera fans, which doesn’t come through in our music. Personally, I prefer DOWN but we all love Pantera. I’m sure John Lydon would be asking the waitress ‘Where’s my fucking food?” [laughs]
Sean: Great table of guests – I love it. Now, I got fed an interesting fact about you… You are a black belt.
Estelle: [laughs] Yes I’m very proud of that”.
Sean: I did say I need to word my question carefully and be extra polite…
Estelle: [laughs] I’m not going to hit you down the phone – anyway it’s not about hitting. It’s about defence and feeling strong & powerful.
Sean: So which of the martial arts are you studying and how long have you been doing?
Estelle: I do karate and have always been going to the same school since the beginning. I started when I was twelve and got my black belt when I was sixteen, and if my senseis are reading this… I haven’t been consistent in my training of late but I always go back, no matter how much time has passed between sessions. They are always so welcoming. I’ve had that black belt for so long, so I really want to be going through the dans now. They’ve just introduced Kobudo, which is the art of weaponry, so I’ve been getting to play with swords . It’s great.
Sean: So as we come to the end, my final question is if you could have any song that’s ever been written and say you wrote it, what would it be?
Estelle: Oh no… that is so hard! I always love songs that really move people and there is one song I can think of that moves me to tears so to be able to write a song that could do that would be incredible – that song is Let It Be by The Beatles. It’s such a good song.
Sean: Great choice. I have had people cheat and pick more than one…
Estelle: Actually can I have another one? I’ve just thought of one – Cold Chisel’s Bow River. I was always surrounded by my parent’s music and they were one of the bands they loved. But I only really got into them last year and Bow River is one of those songs that I will sing, sing, sing the shit out of that song on permanent repeat.
Sean: I know Brendan has been with us throughout this chat, in the background, so while he’s there let’s ask him what his song would be.
Estelle: [shouts] Brendan! Sorry he’s just left the room. I reckon he’d say “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong [Shouts] Brendan! Ah he’s back, what song would you like to have been yours out of all the songs ever written?
Brendan: What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
Estelle: [laughs] that’s what I said, I was right. If we were on a dating show we’d win [laughs]
Sean: You’ve won a trip to Perth – the catch is you need to bring the rest of the band. And I have it on good authority that this is actually going to be happening real soon…with you guys supporting Rose Tattoo in November.
Estelle: It is and we are. Our first time in Perth & WA as a band, so what a cool introduction to that part of Australia for us. We are so excited. Everyone has worked so hard behind the scenes to help make this happen, so we really appreciate it.
Sean: So, we have The Ravenswood Hotel on Friday 2nd & The Charles Hotel on Saturday 3rd November (Tickets available from Ticketmaster). Two fantastic old school rock venues here in WA…
Estelle: I’ve heard that, so that makes it even more special for us. Brendan played the Charles Hotel with his previous band, supporting The Screaming Jets there, so it’s an old stomping ground for him [laughs].
Sean: And Rose Tattoo – iconic venues with an even more iconic Australian band…
Estelle: I know and it’s going to make the shows that bit more special for us. We really couldn’t be more excited. This has been such an encouraging few months and this is like the cherry on the top so we can’t wait. Our next gig is on 12th October at The Evelyn Hotel, supporting Ablaze for their No Chaser Album launch. So until then we are going to be in the recording studio finalising the next single and rehearsing hard. Can I just say a huge heartfelt thank you from us all, to everyone who has taken the time to listen to our single and the fantastic feedback we have received. We’ve had so many people say they are excited to see where we are going with this and we are really excited too.
Sean: We’re looking forward to Echo Del Tusker’s journey too, so from all of us here at The Rockpit, we wish you and the guys all the best for the follow-up single & EP and look forward to catching up in November.
Estelle: We can’t wait. Thanks for the chat Sean.
