Melbourne pub-rockers The Meanies are about to set out on the road to celebrate the release of rip-snorter of a new album It’s Not Me, It’s You, and we got vocalist Link to run us through five of the bands biggest career mistakes, so you can avoid the hell out of em. #TheMoreYouKnow.
1. Drinking too much before a show to the point of finishing a show after a few songs.
The one show that comes to mind was a show we did down in Sorrento. I pretty much skulled a bottle of bourbon and tequilas and shit before the show and I got through about three songs. I think I might of broken a fold back and a mic, which we got charged for, and accidentally kicked a girl in the head – just dancing, I’d never do that on purpose. I ended up getting dragged off the stage by either the manager or one of the band members and that was the end of that show. Later on threw up on myself, pissed the bed – it was a sign of things to come.
2. Breaking up when we were getting bigger and bigger.
Only a mistake financially speaking as the heart and mind weren’t in at the time. From an artistic point of mind I don’t really regret it. I think if I had have just kept doing that it would have been a lot harder to do all the other bands that I did. It would have just been too pigeonholed.
That was only a minor reason, the major reason was I was pretty mentally unstable and just had to get out of it before it completely – well it self-imploded – but before it self-imploded in a more spectacular fashion.
Listen: The Meanies – 10% Weird
https://soundcloud.com/cheersquad-1/10-weird-the-meanies
3. Leaving it so long between overseas tours.
We just didn’t have the opportunities or the money to do it. Having said that we have done it six times and are looking at the seventh next year. But every time we went we probably lost money and it would take us a while to pay that money back. It makes it hard to go back six months later when you’re in debt to the tune of $10,000 or whatever, you know. I don’t know if there was even grants happening back then. But it was quite a spin out the first time we went overseas.
I think Barcelona was our first show. We got taken out to dinner by the promoters and they stuffed us full of food and we get to the venue and it’s packed with 400, 500 people and we’re told we have to go on now. So we were just full of food and sober, so it wasn’t the best experience, but at the same time it was great to have that many people come see your band for your first trip overseas.
4. Only taking one pair of jeans on the first euro tour, which I ripped in the first show.
I only ended up buying a new pair on the last day of the tour. Believe it or not I think I had some tracksuit pants and some cut off kaki pants, which I wore for all those shows. I didn’t have any money at all. We went to stay at Hamburg for two weeks and I didn’t have much money then, so by the time the tour actually started I didn’t have a cent to my name. So I just couldn’t afford to buy any.
5: Not taking free amps from a certain maker when they were offered.
I’m not going to say who it is, but the brand, at the time, was considered to be pretty shitty. But I think they ended up doing some half decent amps and look, you know, if something free is offered – you take it! Otherwise they might not offer again – which they didn’t.
‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ is out now via Poison City Records, grab the tour dates and deets below!
Listen: The Meanies – There’s A Gap
https://soundcloud.com/poisoncityrecords/the-meanies-theres-a-gap/s-dumrm
The Meanies – It’s Not Me, It’s You National Tour
Tickets on sale now
Friday, 2nd October
The Tote, Melbourne
Tickets: Oztix
Saturday, 3rd October
Newtown Social Club, Sydney (Rolling Stone Live Lodge)
Tickets: Ticket Scout
Sunday, 4th October
Crowbar, Brisbane
Tickets: Oztix
Friday, November 6th
Enigma Bar, Adelaide
Tickets: Moshtix
Saturday, November 21st
River Rocks, Geelong
Tickets: OzTix
Friday, December 4th
Amplifier, Perth
Tickets: Amplifier
Saturday, December 5th
Hyfest, Wollongong
