Moody: The Jezabels play in Geelong later this month and at Lorne’s Falls Festival at the end of the year.
Erin Pearson
FEW bands have made more of the past 12 months than Sydney quartet The Jezabels.
The band’s four degree-level musicians – vocalist Hayley Mary, guitarist Sam Lockwood, drummer Nik Kaloper and keyboard player Heather Shannon – have shot to international stardom after forming just three years ago in a Sydney café.
The Jezabels never looked back after their first taste of success in a 2007 Sydney University Music competition, which has previously unveiled talent including Powderfinger, Cloud Control and The Vines.
Shannon said a recent “whirlwind” tour across Canada and America had taught the band a lot about life in the music industry.
“It was pretty amazing over there and we were pretty blown away because none of us had really been over to that part of the world,” she said.
“We learned a lot about touring and how hard it can be.
“We did six shows in two days while in America – it was insane – and in Canada we did five consecutive shows in eight days when there was at least 10 hours travelling between each venue.”
Shannon said the band had to work hard to earn its fans.
“Going overseas we were starting again from scratch, we had that first-impressions pressure on us. In Australia people knew us.”
But the band had also struggled to fit into the Australian music scene.
“When we first came out with first EP people where like ‘What’s this? This is weird’,” Shannon said.
“We’re different musically and don’t fit in anywhere.
“We struggled with that for a while. “People didn’t know where to put us and we ended up with a few strange support acts but now more and more we’re paving our own identity.”
Shannon said The Jezabels was now playing its moody yet epic songs in sell-out shows all across the country.
“We just released tickets for a third show in Melbourne for this tour, it’s so good,” she laughed.
“I often need to pinch myself.”
Last month The Jezabels delivered new EP Dark Storm, which hit number on an iTunes album chart.
The album is the band’s third and final release in a trilogy of EPs that began with 2009’s The Man Is Dead.
Shannon said Geelong should expect songs from the band’s latest album, Dark Storm, plus “re-hashed oldies”.
“This tour is exciting because we can play whatever we want at our own shows,” she said.
“We’ll be going all out.”
The Jezabels will be at Bended Elbow on November 25 and at Lorne’s Falls Festival.
