Words by Art Jefferson
Photography by Kae Kitzler and courtesy of Batz
Melbourne band Batz are good…intensely good. With a sound that stirs together indie, surf and punk, just to name a few, they are a representation of everything that is utterly great about rock.
Consisting of Christina Aubry, Joshua Aubry, Dali Platt, Jim Stirton and Jakob Kagan, the band shared a batch of tunes throughout 2015 including the lively garage/punk cut ‘Take It’, ‘Follow Me’ and the lustrous surf rock-fused song ‘Sid & Nancy’. Batz returned in 2016 with the late night rocker ‘3 AM Pony’, which can be considered the soundtrack of the dreg. Even though the song may spring visuals of drunken staggering, hedonistic excursions and grimy nocturnal adventures, Batz managed to make the song sound uber sexy and intriguing.
Having performed a number of shows around Melbourne, Batz are currently in the studio working on their debut EP. If the tunes are anything close their current stock of tracks, then you can expect a monster of a release.
Can you talk about the origins of the band? What year did you guys form?
Christina Aubry – The band originally started in 2015 as a 3 piece. Myself, Joshua (drums) and another guy, he left, then we added Jakob (guitar), Dali (bass) and finally Jim (guitar) and it was a match made in heaven as they say. We have all been friends for ages so the chemistry was already there and we just love making banging music and have similar influences.
Musically you are quite versatile, incorporating everything from punk down to surf into your sound. There are these various elements that you have managed to flawlessly bring together which in my opinion, is perfect rock and roll. What are your individual musical backgrounds?
Christina Aubry – Everyone in the band has had their paws playing in different bands before. From punk bands, electro bands to straight up rock and roll. I guess we enjoy all types of music and like to blend them together to make a sound that is a little bit of each of us individually. You know like a cake, pinch of salt, bit of flour, bake it and voilà perfection.
You all are based in Melbourne which is highly rated for its independent music scene. In your opinion, what do you think attributes to the powerful DIY spirit and how do you personally view Melbourne’s current music environment?
Christina Aubry – We are all super proud to call Melbourne home and especially for its rep as a hub for live music. Locals support local bands. We fight the government to keep venues open and we love that there are so many opportunities to play so many great venues in this city. In Melbourne, music comes first for a lot of people so whether you are an internationally huge band or a DIY band on the local scene you can expect support from fans and other bands which is a really great community vibe.
One of the tracks that I love from Batz is ‘Sid & Nancy’. Whilst the title would suggest a nod at Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, was the writing inspired by their specific dealings or is it more metaphorical for a confusing relationship that anyone could experience?
Christina Aubry – ‘Sid & Nancy’ refers to a confusing love/hate, all consuming relationship that I think we have all had at some point in our lives. It’s that infatuating love that really takes over you as a person. I guess that’s what Sid and Nancy had. Plus they are an ultimate power couple in the punk scene so why the hell not call it that.
Another song that I have to ask you about is your current tune ‘3 AM Pony’. You’ve stated that it’s about being the last in a club with the rest of the dregs after everything has shut down. I described it as an after-hours anthem. What personally motivated you to record the track, because there is an element of naughtiness in the music?
Christina Aubry – Pony is a club that is now shut down in Melbourne that we spent many late night/early mornings in. After leaving a bar at 3 AM generally you would turn up to Pony and dance until the wee hours. So we pay our respects to that filth pit of a palace. ‘3 AM Pony’ was actually recorded at 6 AM reminising about the good times at Pony. It’s got that beat that wants you to get your feet tapping and hips shaking so yeah its an after-hours anthem for sure.
Staying on the topic of dregs, having played loads of gigs around Melbourne, have you witnessed any crazy moments from members in the crowd during your shows or have things been pretty civil?
Christina Aubry – I usually need glasses so I can’t generally see the crowd haha. But at shows it’s usually the band misbehaving the most – water spitting, kicking drums over, me rolling around on the floor. Generally our friends like to heckle us in a supportive way; I think that’s as crazy as they get for now. Maybe I’ll wear contacts next time to report back.
So far the songs that you have shared online are all amazing. Will you be releasing them in the form of an EP anytime soon?
Christina Aubry – We are soon to be recording our first EP with Alex Markwell of The Delta Riggs which is fucking exciting, so there will be a few other songs on there, which we have yet to record.
What other plans or projects do you have lined up that you can share with us?
Christina Aubry – We are writing way more bangers at the moment so keep an eye out for that. Our Bandcamp is being set up. We aren’t too savvy with the internet so we’re trying to keep up with it all. We’re looking at playing a few festivals later in the year and hopefully expanding our following across the pond. General world domination I guess.
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