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 Singer/guitarist JJ SPEEDBALL and writer/typist JAKEB SMITH sit down to discuss the constant shifting of Brisbane rock scene, and how he and his mates have managed to stay relevant for 18 years.
Initially formed in 1989, JJ Speedball and his similarly named band have been a Southside rock institution for the past 18 years. Even now, with the Brisbane rock scene imitating a different era, and the indefatigable Valley being turned from the inside out, JJ and band are still flying the flag. The singer admits though, without places like Club Phoenix, the band would be relegated to the suburbs. “If it wasn’t for Club Phoenix we’d probably be playing in halls and bowls clubs,” he says, though not to describe the ‘burbs as the musical wasteland Valley dwellers would have you believe. “I spot some true rock & roll at small clubs in the suburbs, which blows me away.” This decade has really been all about retro sounds for rock scenes in Australia. It’s those bands that fill the clubs every weekend, playing ‘70s and ‘80s inspired sets, and good on them. “Those 70s days, I believe in just enjoying it for what it is. The new breed, I’m not going to knock the kids for lovin’ it, I say get up and enjoy it, but it’s a different time and place,” JJ says, referring to the influx of new styles since the bands inception. “You had the grunge, then you had the obvious alternate slash mainstream come in, pop punk, cock rock’s come back in now recently and I think it’s hilarious but I like it, the almost ‘80s revival. Even at the university I’m attending, some guy yelled out ‘hey emo’ and I looked at him as like ‘hey dude, I’ve had these clothes since when I was a teenager.’” Yet despite the constant shifting of trends within rock & roll, the band have managed to stay together and relevant all this time. “By still being around today it’s obvious that we knew what it was about when we started, which is nice to know,” JJ says, citing simplicity and flexibility more than anything else. “We can play with a grunge band, a metal band, any type of band. We still come from a ‘50s slash blues slash swamp type sound. Our songs are three or four chords: it’s how you put them it’s how you do it. It’s basically about energy slash attitude slash songwriting. With that, a bit of common courtesy, and treating your fans with a bit of respect.” Finally, I ask JJ what he wants his legacy to the Brisbane music scene to be. “[That] the kids got it. You won’t see us in any annuals, you won’t see a lot of press companies, Penguin Publishing eloquent type thing. But at the end of the day: Southside boy done good. Still alive, trips around the world, hit a ball with a stick. The journey that we’ve had over the time, I mean fuck, 18 years. I expected to look like Doc Neeson but I don’t look like Doc Neeson yet, which I’m really happy about.” The simple things in life really are the best. Why would you want to stop? JJ Speedball rock Club Phoenix July 6, before heading to the Palm Beach Hotel July 13.
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