DAN SANDERS of GYROSCOPE chats with HEIDI LEIGH AXTON about the band’s adventurous new tour, and what they’ve learnt since starting out in 1997.

It’s always a danger to musicians on ‘Greatest Hits’ tours, that they may turn up to a gig and find the audience knows the lyrics better than they do. (Especially when performing songs they haven’t sung in years.) The smart ones know to immediately aim the mic towards the excited crowd, and get them to sing the bits they don’t remember. As part of Gyroscope’s Choose Your Own Adventure Tour, fans have been given the chance to choose the set-list, so no doubt the boys will be hoping they’ve reacquainted themselves enough with these popular tunes, to avoid any embarrassing moments.

“We’re just rocking up on the night to play songs they’ve picked. It’s kind of cool,” muses guitarist and vocalist Sanders. “These are the quote, unquote, ‘Greatest Hits’, of Gyroscope that they’ve chosen. We’re excited to see what the results are at the end of the voting program; then it’s into the rehearsal room to learn the buggers again.”

Underage fans will be particularly pleased about their all ages gigs, considered a must by Gyroscope due to their experiences with Pub rules and regulations in their youth. “We started playing gigs when we were 15 and 16. We were obviously underage and had to have guardians come along to the gig. We weren’t allowed near the bar or any of that, so we know how hard it is for kids to not only play gigs, but see gigs most of the time.”

Gyroscope’s last album proper, 2010’s Cohesion, was recorded in the same legendary studio used by such bands as Queen, Black Sabbath and Oasis. The boys were mindful not to do the studio an injustice by failing to live up to the history. “Just knowing they previously recorded there…” muses Sanders, “…you walk past the piano that the boys from Queen used or you’re playing on the dartboard, that Ozzie used. There’s bits of graffiti on the walls, so you’re always conscious of it. You’re there to do your job and focus on your own music, but obviously you try to channel whatever is in there … It’s about being positive and using the studio to it’s fullest, whether that be the gear, or vibe or history of the studio. Just to make sure you do a thorough job.”

Does it feel strange looking back at the young kids they were in earlier days, and seeing how far they’ve come? “When we started out, we wouldn’t have dreamed of anything like this. Our biggest thing was to play a gig with Jebediah. After that, there was the next thing to cross off and the next thing … Along the way, we’ve had Gold records and number one sales and all those huge accolades. You don’t sit there staring at it on the wall, saying ‘How good am I?’ You just sit there and go, ‘Cool; that’s like a certificate of appreciation.’ It’s like your uni degree or whatever. You don’t expect something at the end, but if you get it, you know you’ve done your job right.”

GYROSCOPE’s CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE TOUR comes to The Zoo on Wednesday Nov 16, with support from Wolves, Closure In Moscow and City Riots. www.gyroscope.com.au

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