THE Elston Gun boys get along so well they have to make up reasons to fight.
“We have battles to decide who’s the alpha male,” says guitarist and vocalist Seamus Johnson. “Mostly they’re battles of wit but sometimes they’re physical, like who can run faster or win a wrestle. Dan wants to be alpha male…”
“I don’t want to be alpha male!” interrupts bassist Dan Rainey. “I’m the dormant alpha male,” he says more quietly.
“I like to sit back and be the alpha male from a distance,” says Seamus. “I think Tom thinks he’s the alpha male too, but he can’t even wear shoes.”
Guitarist Tom Darlow can’t wear shoes?
“Na. It’s only weird when it’s six degrees outside and he’s barefoot in stubbies,” says Seamus. “I think it’s from his time traveling through Europe. He didn’t stay in backpackers, instead he battled bums for bushes to sleep in.”
“They say it’ll either make or break the band but I’m cool with that. I’d rather give it a go and fail miserably than stay here treading water.”
These boys have many colourful stories for a group of 24 and 25 year olds - and this interview is with only half the band. Elston Gun was formed the year after Seamus and drummer Hayden Linney left high school. Hayden ran into Dan at the jazz school, who was asked to play bass. Tom was ‘discovered’ last year.
Dan: “When you’re looking for new people it’s never all about the music. It matters of course, but the industry’s more about people and if you don’t have a similar personality it’s not going to work. The process can be intense. You’ve got to be able to chill out when it’s getting serious, and take it seriously when it’s not serious enough. Did that make sense?”
Seamus and Dan crack up again. These boys are contagious.
The rock band’s fan base “transcends age groups”, but can be generally summarized as people who “like listening to guitar solos and watching people rocking out on stage”.
Seamus: “It’s pretty guitar-y, pretty ‘reow’,” (making a noise like a big cat).
Unfortunately for them, rock music isn’t what’s ‘in’ right now.
“I think we were cool once,” says Dan.
“Na I don’t think so, eh,” says Seamus.
“If we were Dubstep DJ’s we’d be pretty cool,” says Dan.
Seamus: “Yeah, Dubstep’s cool, eh?”
While rock ‘n’ roll might not be ‘cool’ right now, a lot of people seem to love the catchy but very definitely original sound Elston Gun is creating.
Wellington fans will be disappointed to learn the boys are heading to the UK next year.
“I love Wellington with all my heart,” says Dan. “But it’s time to branch out, for the band’s sake. They say it’ll either make or break the band but I’m cool with that. I’d rather give it a go and fail miserably than stay here treading water.”
The boys feel that original and diverse new music often lacks the support it requires, “purely because it doesn’t quite fit the stock standard and rehashed format that funding bodies like NZ On Air have come to rely upon”.
That’s a story for another day.
When it comes to the UK though, Elston Gun already has offers of a helping hand.
“Geoff Barradale who manages the Arctic Monkeys asked us to play when they were in Wellington and he loved the music. He’s going to help us out a bit,” says Dan.
Bodega bar’s Murray Hepple is also providing advice, based on 25 years of international band and tour management.
Elston Gun released its four-track EP Have Some Awesome on October 27. The EP is available on iTunes, or for $30, fans can get the EP, a t-shirt, a ticket to on of their EP release gigs and a free drink on release night. They play Bodega for the Have Some Awesome release on Friday November 19, with support from the Slur Tones, The Lost Boys and Milktrain.