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 SEAN MCMAHON, aside from having a thoroughly Scottish name, is also frontman for Melbourne alt-country, psych-rock five-piece, DOWNHILLS HOME. He takes time out from preparing for their upcoming tour to chat with YUMI SED about brotherly tensions, the excitement of Fortitude Valley and running out of petrol.
Downhills Home hit the ground running when they burst onto the scene in 2007 with their debut release, Minor Birds. After receiving critical acclaim off both alternative and mainstream media, the band landed a national tour alongside the Dandy Warhols. I catch up with McMahon as he takes a well-earned break from his day job.
“I’ve been working today, I make furniture,” McMahon says. “But I am a bit sore from a leisurely stroll I had to take last night when I ran out of petrol.” We both laughed – his laugh was one of shame, and mine was one of understanding. I mean, who really knows how long that little petrol light has in it?
I ask McMahon how a band who grew out of suburban Melbourne managed to make an impact so quickly. “Well two of us have been playing for a while,” he explains. “Me and the drummer, Josh Duiker, pretty much taught each other music. He was one of the first people I met when I moved from Geelong to Melbourne in grade six. He had Led Zepplin written on his bag. Once we started taking this band seriously things just happened fast. The keyboardist is my brother, (Brendan McMahon), so there’s been some tension there. We used to get really heated and get into fights but we’ve moved on from that now.”
The impact they made was essentially the result of some really lucky opportunities and a damn good album. McMahon, however, is surprised at the reception the album received considering how quickly it was created. “We started recording Minor Birds after only five gigs,” he says. “The first album was like ‘here’s a whole heap of songs, here we are’. Where as this time around we’re a band that’s fully formed and there’s far more consideration given to the sound we have. The songs on Wolves In The Woods are far more tailored and thought out than Minor Birds.”
Given the close nature of touring together I ask McMahon whether those tensions he mentioned earlier were gone for good. “Well it is complex,” he laughs. “You think you know each other really well when you’re gigging around town but you don’t. Around Melbourne, you turn up to the gig, play and then go home. Once you go on tour there’s a whole new host of things you need to learn about each other.”
This latest tour will see Downhills Home in Brisbane for the first time, and they like the idea so much they’re playing two shows. “We didn’t get to play Brissie on the last tour so I’m glad we’re making it this time,” he says. “I’ve been up there a few times though. Something always happens in the Valley. If you hang around there long enough, some shit will go down. It’s great.”
DOWNHILLS HOME play The Step Inn on Friday Aug 14 and the Spark Bar, Brisbane Powerhouse, on Sunday Aug 16 with Spencer P. Jones. WOLVES IN THE WOODS is out now through MGM. www.downhillshome.com
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