BAD//DREEMS have been working their way into our musical memory for the last couple of years. The Adelaide quartet are an ear worm delivery service with a knack for slick garage rock, like an Aus-flecked Replacements, and a penchant for ratchety licks and rolling toms. It’s not too hard to take a shine to.
Debut EP Badlands and a relentless tour schedule saw the band’s devoted following balloon into a national audience over the last 18 months. They’ve nabbed a spot on Triple J’s esteemed Next Crop list for 2014, plus a slot at Adelaide’s Laneway Festival, and they’ve just signed an Ivy League Records deal to wash it all down.
Dumb Ideas, BAD//DREEMS’ latest sonic gem, comes wrapped with a classy-as black-and-white video shot in the hills of Adelaide’s eastern suburbs. Here guitarist Alex Cameron takes us through the 9 smartest ideas which led to the Dumb Ideas clip. It’s like your own personal music video how-to!
Check the vid, the list, some snaps and the band’s upcoming tour dates below.
Watch: BAD//DREEMS – Dumb Ideas
1. Go bush.
Behind the leafy eastern suburbs of Adelaide, there is a hill called Heartbreak Hill. That’s what I call it anyway. It’s horrible to run or walk up, but if you make it there are great hiking tracks through the foothills and valleys.
One day I was running and went down what looked like a wombat trail into a valley and came upon a clearing. There were three abandoned cars which looked like they’d been there for 30 years or so. It was really creepy. I thought I might have discovered the missing link in the Family Murders so I rang Bank SA Crimestoppers.
They never got back to me.
2. Get tanked.
Around this area, I found an old tank, which has amazing views of the metropolis of Adelaide. So we took some photos and decided to film our video for Dumb Ideas there.
3. Live in Adelaide.
There’s something about the geography of Adelaide that sums up the psyche of the city for me. It’s buffered against the coast by the Adelaide Hills, a metaphorical wall separating it from the eastern states.
When you look out to sea, you’re really looking out into the ocean but just across the Gulf of St Vincent to the Yorke Peninsula. From the tank on the hill, you can see nearly all of Adelaide spread out before you, from the sprawling northern suburbs, to Port Adelaide, to the green belt around the city and then more sprawl to the south.
Adelaide – better with deckchairs.
4. Always work with Alexander Watkins and Ben Helweg (Kinsweg).
I’ve known Watto for many years and he is a fantastic man. He is also a Collingwood supporter and a great filmmaker. Ben Helweg is his right hand man, a technical wizard who also makes great Japanese-inspired instrumental jams under the moniker Cat Café.
Together they are a great team. They made our Hoping For video and they made this one. They brought their friends from Tooth and Claw to help out with the big boom. We love working with Kinsweg and hope to continue to do so.
5. Bribe your mates.
We plied our mates with free beer to come and be in the clip. Special mentions go to our TM ‘Melons’ Young and Henry ‘Big Easy’ Nutt, who got there early and helped with setting everything up. In fact, nearly the whole Nutt family was there again after kindly letting us shoot the Hoping For video at the farm at Orrorroo. Good eggs.
“Volunteers”.
6. Make reference to the Adelaide Crows.
The sound snippet at the start is taken from the ’97 grand final, which coincidentally was being re-run on TV the day we were filming this. We don’t even all support the Crows. Ben is a Port supporter. But we don’t talk about that.
7. Make the drummer carry the guitar amp.
I made Miles carry my amp up the hill. He slipped and dropped it, as seen in the clip, and it hasn’t worked since. I guess that’s not such a smart idea.
8. There’s always room for Fondue.
Watkins has recently taken possession of a late-model Volkswagen van, which he has christened the Fondue, due to its cheesy yellow detailing.
9. Drink a beer.
BONUS IDEA!
10. Drink another two beers.
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BAD//DREEMS’ Dumb Ideas Tour, which sees the band playing in record stores across the country, kicks off this weekend in their beloved Adelaide. Details below.
BAD//DREEMS – The Dumb Ideas Tour
Saturday, 17th May 2014 – SOLD OUT!
The Exeter/Title, Adelaide (18+ Show)
Tix: Via Bad//Dreems
Friday, 23rd May 2014
Black Wire Records, Sydney (All Ages Show)
Tix: Via Bad//Dreems
Saturday, 24th May 2014
Music Farmers, Wollongong (All Ages Show)
Tix: Via Bad//Dreems
Saturday, 31st May 2014
Record Paradise, Melbourne (18+ Show)
Tix: Via Bad//Dreems
Saturday, 7th June 2014
Rocking Horse, Brisbane (All Ages Show)
Tix: Via Bad//Dreems
