Interview by Kris Peters
There's something to be said when it comes to nostalgia and Aussie music.
Perhaps more so than any other music listening country in the world, Australia genuinely loves and respects music from eras gone by, recognising not only the current state and crop of Australian artists, but also paying homage to the bands who paved the way for a prolonged period of success.
It doesn't hurt when these bands continue to not only tour - but do so with the same youthful zest and energy they delivered in their heyday.
And when a festival like Spring Loaded comes along on a now yearly basis further proof of the credentials and staying power of Aussie talent is laid bare on one stage over one day for all to see.
This years first Spring Loaded, to be held at Bribie Island's Sandstone Point Hotel on June 3, showcases the best of the best of yesteryear, with Spiderbait headlining and being joined by Frenzal Rhomb, Shihad, Magic Dirt, Bodyjar, Eskimo Joe, Ratcat and Screamfeeder.
The festival is living testament to the longevity of Australian bands and music and is all the more special for the fact it is made up only of bands from this part of the world.
Shihad are the only New Zealand band on the line-up and are eager to get out there and play songs from their most recent album Old Gods, which hasn't yet received the attention it deserves due to recent world events.
Frontman Jon Toogood joined HEAVY to chat about Spring Loaded and Shihad's place in the line-up.
"Any opportunity to get me in front of a crowd with that band I'm real happy about," he smiled. "I'm pretty excited."
We bring up the quality of bands on the bill and the fact they are still drawing crowds decades after they first came out.
"It's almost like the nineties all over again," he laughed. "I like these festivals because it's not too uncomfortable backstage because I know everybody (laughs). It's a nice vibe backstage. Everyone is past that really hyper-competitive bollocks that we used to do when we were young, so everyone gets along a lot better. We're there to absolutely slay, but back in the day at the Big Day Out and stuff it was cut-throat."
In the full interview Jon talks about the drawing power of older bands like these, why they still succeed, some of the bands on the line-up and his best touring memory of them, what we can expect from Shihad's set, learning to manage yourself and your body as your career progresses, new material and more.
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