61 - Eamon Sandwith of The Chats

Get ready to thrash into the new year with the electric energy of Eamon Sandwith from The Chats. Our latest episode isn't just a backstage pass; it's a whirlwind ride alongside the punk rock sensation. From trading beers and stories with Dave Grohl to navigating the larger-than-life presence of Guns N' Roses, Eamon recounts the highs and jolts of The Chats' incredible 2023. And with a new record lurking around the corner, Eamon spills on what's crackling next for this Aussie powerhouse.

Hit the rewind button with us as we trace Eamon's punk genesis back to grade seven, when Nirvana and Green Day were more than just music—they were a call to arms. Eamon's evolution from a viral "Smoko" sensation to a stalwart of the Australian music scene is as rebellious as it is inspiring. We'll take you through the gritty crescendo of the '90s skate punk scene, the cosmic lineage of punk that runs through Eamon's veins, and how The Chats harnessed their overnight viral fame, catapulting from local gigs to international tours.

Eamon isn't just about the raucous riffs and sweat-soaked mosh pits; he's a storyteller, and this episode reveals the raw creativity behind The Chats' music. Peel back the curtain on Eamons's songwriting alchemy, from the initial spark of a phrase or riff to the collaborative magic that shapes their anthems. And while Eamon's heart beats fastest on the live stage, he gives us a peek into the band's future rumbles with upcoming tours and the teasing promise of fresh tunes ready to set the punk world ablaze. Strap in and crank it up—this is one for the books. Brought to you by Sailor Jerry!

https://sailorjerry.com
https://www.thechatslovebeer.com/

Transcript

matt caughthran: 0:07

Oh yeah, what's up, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to episode 61 of the Sailor Jerry podcast. My name is Matt Cawthorne and I know it's been a long time, but I am still your host. And yes, Sailor Jerry, Spicestrum is still made the old school way 92 proof bold and smooth as hell. Ladies and gentlemen, we are back, and the immortal words of Timberland and Aliyah has been a long time. I shouldn't have left you without a dope beat to step two. I hope everybody out there is doing great. Happy New Year across the world. I hope 2024 brings everybody nothing but happiness. Much love to the pod gods for bringing me back on the airwaves Last year, the 20th anniversary of the band. The touring schedule was so hectic, so incredible, but it was something that really demanded 100% of my time, energy and focus. So we had to put the pod on ice for a while, but we're back. Like Brandon Frazier and Encino man, Our guest today is none other than young Australian legend, Aiman Sandwith from the punk rock band the Chats.

matt caughthran: 1:39

In this episode, Aiman and I catch up to discuss the highlights of their crazy 2023. We also talk about the origin of the band, the crazy viral success of their song Smoco. We talk about meeting punk rock legends, the amazing history of Australian music, writing a new Chats record and so much more. This is an awesome episode, so sit back, relax, pour yourself. Some say Jerry Go another shrimp on the barbie and let's go Yo Aiman, what's up man? Hey Matt, how you doing, I'm good, can you hear me alright?

Eamon Sandwith: 2:52

Yeah, yeah, he great.

matt caughthran: 2:54

Hell yeah, dude, what's up? It's good to see your face. Yeah, you too, man, how you been? Oh, I'm good man, I'm good, I'm chilling. Happy New Year, brother.

Eamon Sandwith: 3:03

Yeah, happy New Year happy holidays and all that.

matt caughthran: 3:07

Awesome man. You know I appreciate you, my man being the first guest of 2024 on the Sailor Jerry podcast here. It's been a while since we caught up, so thank you very much for your time, man.

Eamon Sandwith: 3:19

Oh, thanks for having me. It's dope to be the first of the year.

matt caughthran: 3:24

How's the vibe at home right now? How's Australia doing? Yeah, it's good man.

Eamon Sandwith: 3:29

I'm not really doing anything this month gig-wise, just gonna hang at home for a bit, been up with my mums about a couple hours north over Christmas, you know, just doing family shit you guys have been touring way more than us and we're gonna get into that.

matt caughthran: 3:44

But I was just in Australia to end the year and it was so much fun, so insane best place in the world to me. But it's nice to take a break. Man, the holidays are sacred, you know, definitely definitely.

Eamon Sandwith: 3:57

How was that tour? That was with Civic right.

matt caughthran: 3:59

Yeah, dude. Yeah, I had Jim on the podcast and you know he's a trip. He's a great guy. That band rips. They remind me so much of the Saints and it was really cool to see them live. Yeah, I hadn't seen them live before. It was so cool to see them.

Eamon Sandwith: 4:15

Yeah, really great great dudes yeah awesome man, awesome.

matt caughthran: 4:19

Well, you know, before we kind of get into 2024 here, I want to look back on the year that was 2023 for you guys, because you know very usual for the chats you guys have been touring nonstop, playing nonstop. Looking back on the year, what were some of the highlights for you?

Eamon Sandwith: 4:39

Highlights Well, we did Not the start of the year, it was more towards the middle. It was May. We did a run in the UK about two weeks with the chisel. You know them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that was really good. Shows were awesome. It was just great to watch that band tear it up every night. I mean they were sick, Really good dudes. So, yeah, that was a highlight. And about a month ago we did about five shows here in Australia with the Foo Fighters. So that was another highlight for me. They were all really cool guys and they were all down the hang. And you know, just getting a stand on the side of the stage and watch them play in front of like thousands of people, it was just really cool. It was a really sick experience.

matt caughthran: 5:26

Yeah, that's crazy man. We did some Mariachi O'Bronk shows with the Foo Fighters back a number of years ago and it was the same thing, man One, I was just blown away. I mean, obviously you got Pat Smear, who's in the germs and punk rock legend. You got Dave Grohl. Everyone knows who Dave Grohl is, you don't need to say anything about him. But I mean, they're so cool and they love music and they're so personal and they just want to hang and have a good time and it's so cool to see that on such a massive scale. It's mind blowing, man.

Eamon Sandwith: 6:05

Definitely, and the only other band that we've really toured with on that level was Guns N' Roses, and that was kind of a different experience because we didn't get to really meet any of them. But Foo Fighters, they're just down the hang. They just want to have a beer and talk about what's going on. It was really cool just sitting down and talking to them.

matt caughthran: 6:27

Yeah, man. So no, there was no Axl experience. You got Nestle. You didn't even see him, Did you?

Eamon Sandwith: 6:35

see him.

matt caughthran: 6:37

To go do it.

Eamon Sandwith: 6:38

We saw him, like you know, across the across the stadium, but uh no, I didn't meet any of them. Um, not even Duff. I thought Duff might've wanted to say G'day, but I don't know, I guess. I guess they probably like they probably get a fucking helicopter into the gig like that dropped down off a rope like Tom Cruise style. They probably got no time to be saying hello.

matt caughthran: 7:02

Uh, everyone's got time to say hello man. That's bullshit, I think. Uh, I hear you about Duff, though he does seem like the most kind of personable one and I know you know like Joey knows Duff really well and I know he's a good guy. But it bombs me out that you guys didn't get like a guns and roses hang or a fucking you know, some sort of moment with those guys. Like even kiss takes pictures with everybody, you know yeah.

Eamon Sandwith: 7:29

Yeah, I mean yeah, maybe we should jump on that gig next year. I'm sure they've got another 20 years in them. Absolutely, absolutely.

matt caughthran: 7:36

Man. So, uh, let's get into a little bit of history of the band here for people who don't know about you guys. Okay, um, the band started in 2016. Am I correct there?

Eamon Sandwith: 7:50

Yeah, that's right.

matt caughthran: 7:51

Okay, so walk me through the origin story of the chats here.

Eamon Sandwith: 7:56

Yeah, no, no, we were all in the same same high school class. We were all in the same music class actually, which is how the band really began. Because we had an assignment that was get into a group and make an original song, no way. And it was like, yeah, it was like something out of like a you know Disney channel TV show, like we look around the room and like no one's wanting to be in our group. So we were like, oh, I guess we're, guess we're in the group together. So we, we start, you know we're, we're all mates already.

Eamon Sandwith: 8:25

But we, we weren't really like super into music to the point of wanting to start a band, and I'm sure we probably spoke about it at some point, but actually doing it was a different thing. So it was pretty good. We had this assignment because that turned into the first chat song and I remember of the whole class I think we got like the lowest, the lowest mark, I think we passed. But everyone else was like, oh, that's such a beautiful composition. And ours was like, yeah, but where's everybody?

matt caughthran: 8:57

else? Where's everybody else now? Where's everybody else now?

Eamon Sandwith: 9:00

Yeah, they're not on the Sailor Jerry podcast, but but that made us go like, oh, this is really fun, like we should keep doing this. So we start hanging out on the weekends and, yeah, we were in grade 12 at the time, so we would have been about 16 or 17. And where we grew up there were only two venues and they weren't the kind of places that would put on a local band. It would be like, you know, a pretty big national band with a big, you know, local support. They wouldn't just put on, you know, like a high school punk band or whatever.

Eamon Sandwith: 9:34

So we, we found a way to start playing. We would, because, you know, in high school that's like a party every weekend. So we would go to who was holding the party and we'd go hey, I bet you'd, I bet you'd like a band to play at the party, wouldn't you? And they'd be like oh yeah, that'd be great. You know, probably imagining a band who's going to play songs that people like and stuff. We'd show up with all our shit. You know, we'd bring our own PA and our own amps and all that and we'd just play at the party and usually there'd be a few people, you know, getting into it. But you know, most of them would just be sitting off to the side like where's the DJ? Get the DJ out, you know.

Eamon Sandwith: 10:10

But yeah, and we just kept just kept giggling around, playing parties and stuff, and then we started getting a few gigs and house shows and stuff. So that kind of got the band rolling a bit. We are, you know, we just recorded whenever we could and just put the songs just straight on band camp. We were never really worried too much about making CDs or records or anything. But yeah, then the Smoco clip kind of went viral about a year later after that and started getting some actual gigs. And you know it was a bit weird back then just being like kind of known for one song and it's kind of still like that a bit these days with certain people. But yeah, it's a weird thing just being known for like the one song, even though it's cool that people are like I love that song, it's like yeah, we got some other ones, you know.

matt caughthran: 11:02

No, yeah, I mean for sure. But yeah, and I want to get into Smoco here in a bit, but before just real quick about you know your own kind of journey with music. Before the band free chats what was your life like? You know, like when did you kind of first get into music? You know, is there any like history of artistry or music in the family or anything like that?

Eamon Sandwith: 11:27

No, not in the family. My grandma plays piano, and that's about it. But when I was, yeah, I think I really got into music around grade seven. I would have been about 12 years old, and that's kind of when I started playing guitar too. Yeah, the bands that really got me into music was like Nirvana, green Day, and then you know, and then you go on a couple years and you'd get into your dead Kennedys and your Ramones and that kind of stuff. And, yeah, around the time the chat started I would have been listening to a lot of you know like kind of 80s, maybe like West Coast hardcore and that kind of stuff. And you know also just like classic 70s, like British kind of punk, and you know, Australian stuff as well.

matt caughthran: 12:15

So what Australian stuff were you listening to?

Eamon Sandwith: 12:19

A lot of like cosmic psychos, saints Radio, birdman X, the Australian X, yeah, just kind of like the classic like 70, 80s kind of stuff. And you know, making my way through the music world as I went.

matt caughthran: 12:38

Did you ever get into any of the like you know, like Skatepunk, 90s Australian stuff, like you know Living End and Frenzel Rom and all that stuff?

Eamon Sandwith: 12:48

Oh, yeah, yeah, I always loved Frenzel Living End. I, um, yeah, I had the first CD, which was, like you know, prisoner Society and all that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was like one of my first CDs and yeah, yeah, I really loved both of those bands and you know bands like the Hard Ones and the Menys and stuff too.

matt caughthran: 13:07

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We got to one of our early tours down in Australia. We played a bunch of shows with the Hard Ones and Nun Chuck, a Superfly and all these great Australian bands. There's so many great Australian bands, man, and it's the coolest thing and I'm so stoked that you guys are part of that great history which leads to Smoco. The video comes out and I mean now as we sit, the song obviously rips, but over 20 million views on YouTube. That's got like 19,000 comments on it. How many streams? A zillion when I mean you're dude, you're like, you know, you're a young kid, dude, you're having fun, like what was that? You gotta walk us through the Smoco craziness. How did it feel as it was happening?

Eamon Sandwith: 13:58

I mean it was pretty exciting because I couldn't remember the day it happened. It was literally an overnight thing, because I remember when that video went up it had been up for about three months or so and me and the other guys we'd be like you know, we'd be stoked. We go oh, did you see? The video got 1000 views on YouTube.

Eamon Sandwith: 14:14

You know we'd be like refreshing it like, oh, I got another three views. And then all of a sudden yeah, I can remember the day I woke up real late, or maybe at like midday or something. I had all these missed calls and everyone was going like, oh, like, check out the video, it's going nuts. And now I've logged on and it had like half a million views or something and I was a bit like, oh, this is a bit weird. Oh so, yeah, I couldn't really figure out how it happened. I figured it out eventually that some Facebook page had posted it and like, oh, check out this video. And people had gone and found it on YouTube and checked it out there. But anyway, it was exciting.

Eamon Sandwith: 14:52

But it was also a bit like weird, because I remember around that time, you know, I still lives at home, I still lives at my mum's house, and I was getting on the bus, you know, probably to go to the pub or band practice or something, and this kid on the bus was like, oh, you're the Smokoguy, aren't you? And I was like, oh, I guess I didn't plan for it to be like that, you know, but yeah, it's just weird things like that. And then, you know, I would turn on the news and they were talking about the video on the news like we weren't even on the program and they were like oh, and in news there's a band in the sunshine, cause, look at this video. And I was just going what the hell you know? But I don't know. I knew it would kind of fizzle out after a while and I thought maybe, you know, interest in the band would go with that. But luckily it seems that people kind of dug the other stuff enough to give off a shit. So still here, no it's really cool man.

matt caughthran: 15:48

It's really cool how the song brought a lot of attention on you guys and you guys were ready for it. You know it's like you were ready for it. You were ready to play more tunes, to tour, to get out there and to show everybody what you were made of. What was your first tour outside of Australia?

Eamon Sandwith: 16:07

That would have been. We went to the UK and Europe for about two weeks or so and that was towards the end of 2018. So, yeah, we'd, probably we'd done a few shows around Australia like just, you know, east Coast kind of gigs, and then, yeah, it's a funny story, like the guy who still books our shows over there. So back in the day I used to do all of the band stuff, all of the emails and the merch and all that stuff, the stuff that you don't miss.

Eamon Sandwith: 16:39

But yeah, I was kind of getting overwhelmed at all of these gig offers and stuff, people wanting us to go overseas. So this guy, Sean, our agent over there, he emails us going like, hey, I reckon I could get you guys a tour over here in UK and Europe. And I was just kind of you know all in my head about this whole thing. So I emailed him back, just going piss off. And he still brings it up all these years later and he's like I can't believe he told me to piss off in that email.

Eamon Sandwith: 17:09

But yeah, I just didn't see it working out. I was like they're not going to like us over there. It's just going to be weird. They're going to be like who are these idiots? You know, but I don't know. I guess I kind of underestimated that you know people. Still, I think we go the best over there actually. I think we kind of do the best in any country really.

matt caughthran: 17:29

Yeah, the UK is an awesome, awesome place to play, man, and that must have been. I mean, I remember, you know, the first time going over there with the Bronx. It's such an incredible time, you know, in like a band's career and history. And you know, you guys going over there all the way from Australia, you know, young as fuck telling promoters to piss off. It must have been so much, it must have been so much fucking fun, man. It's like it's so fucking cool. You know, when you look back on the quote unquote, early days of the band, what are some things that you think about, as far as you know how the bands evolve now, like you know, obviously I know Josh is in the mix now and you know it just feels like the spirit of the band is only getting stronger.

Eamon Sandwith: 18:16

Yeah, I mean the band definitely changed a bit when Josh came on board. As a band kind of should. When they get a new guitarist, I think I mean you don't want. You don't want to get a new guy in and be like, all right, play like him, you know. So, yeah, I guess the band kind of changed there, I mean the spirit of it. I feel like it's still kind of the same because we're still just three mates who all grew up together and just love playing music and yeah, and we still kind of have the same approach towards the band, like oh, you know, let's not take it too seriously, it could all end tomorrow, so let's just have fun, you know.

matt caughthran: 18:53

Yeah, man, I think that translates to you. Know, in everything you do, you know records, definitely live. What's your preference between recording, touring live? Do you love them both equally, or are you a studio guy? You know, obviously, I know you love to play live, but how do you feel about the studio?

Eamon Sandwith: 19:12

Studio. No-transcript. I don't know, I feel like I kind of hate it. I don't hate it, that's a strong word, but it just does my head in, especially because you know the way that we make songs. They're all. It's very like verse, chorus, verse, chorus, chucking some chords, maybe a solo. So it's not like we're sitting there at the desk trying to like add in any orchestra sections or anything, so we're just trying to like play the songs and get out of there. You know, yeah, I mean, every time we've recorded it's not like it's been like a bad experience, but I definitely do prefer the energy of playing live, you know, being in the room with everyone everyone's stoked to be there rather than just, like you know, another day in the studio with these two guys and whoever's recording, and just sit around and be like, oh, maybe I could do that a little bit better. You know, I don't know, we're not perfectionists, I'll put it that way.

matt caughthran: 20:06

Yeah, the studio can be. You know it can be a. It can suck. Dude Studio can definitely suck. You know I feel like playing live. Every now and then a show can go wrong, but for the most part playing live always rules.

Eamon Sandwith: 20:20

Yeah, yeah, and that's you know. And if you have a show where you go, oh you know, could have done that a bit better. Maybe that wasn't my best, you just go. Oh well, I'll do better tomorrow night. You know? Whereas, yeah, whereas if you stuff up the record, it's like oh well, there you go.

matt caughthran: 20:36

Yeah, yeah, it's tough, man, it's tough. I have you know. There's. There's moments on records that I can listen back to and I'm just like God, it's like it still bugs me that like, oh, I should have done this or I should have done that. It's hard to let that stuff go for me. Do you have any moments on record where you're just like, ah, fuck, I could have done that better or I should have done this, or do you just, it is what it is, you let it go.

Eamon Sandwith: 21:00

Yeah, I'm kind of like it is what it is. I mean, one thing that I can really think of is the first EP, the one that came out in 2016,. That's just like that's borderline unlistable to me, I feel like it's just really slow and the songs just aren't very good. But you know, but you look back and it's like oh, you know, we were 16 in high school having a good time, so there's a bit of charm to it, but at the same time it's like I can't believe anyone would want that non-vinyl.

matt caughthran: 21:31

Yeah, no, I know that feeling. It's like, you know, obviously everyone kind of. You know they get a lot of, you know, attention and love for their first record because it's that kind of it's that expression of everything they've been holding in up to that point. But when I go back and listen to the first Bronx record, it just it just kind of there's certain things that just get me about it. You know it's like I love it, but I think it's just hard Because for me, like as far as like my actual voice it was, it was like it took me a long time, man, to feel like confident, like especially in the studio, you know, like confident in what I was doing and all that stuff and and it's cool to hear that like the vulnerability you know I guess, and just the rawness and the early stuff, but I do it just kind of takes me back to that spot when I listen to it.

matt caughthran: 22:24

And so I know there's, you know, as a listener, a fan of the band or whatever people are going to dig, that kind of nuance. But you know it took me a long time to kind of figure it out. So I definitely hear that when I go back and listen to it and that's why I love playing the old songs live, because I feel like I can, you know, I feel like I'm more equipped now you know, to do them better. You know what I'm saying.

matt caughthran: 22:44

Yeah you know I wanted to wrap with you about writing a song and the chats song process. How do you guys you know take a song from basically you know nothing to something you know, as it start with a lyric? Does it start with a riff? Is there no rhyme or reason to it? How do you guys work?

Eamon Sandwith: 23:05

Usually when I'm writing a song, it'll be like words first, but it'll be like maybe a phrase or you know just something funny I've heard a little quip or something that I heard and then just kind of sew it up from there, you know, chuck in a riff. Yeah, I'll usually start with like some sort of chorus idea and then and I'll be like all right, like how's that making you feel, you know, like what's going on there? I'll try not to look at it as like formulaic, but but the way that everyone writes music, it's always kind of going to be in your own style, you know.

matt caughthran: 23:42

When it comes time. And you got, you know, hey guys, I got a. You know I got three, four ideas, kind of just skeletons. Do you guys get in the room and hammer all the details out together?

Eamon Sandwith: 23:52

Yeah, yeah, we try to as much as we can. We all kind of live apart now, which is which isn't too bad, because you know we play every so often that we can just go meet up a day or two earlier and run through some tracks. But yeah, we're trying to get a new record going this year. I've got a bunch of songs that I haven't even shown the guys yet because we just haven't had that opportunity to do so. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm really looking forward to that. I mean, that's kind of my favorite part of being a band, not really the touring or the studio, but just hanging out with your mates and being like what do you reckon of this? And everyone gets stoked on a riff or something.

matt caughthran: 24:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, just doing that for a while, and see what that takes you.

matt caughthran: 24:33

Yeah, it's the fucking best. It's the fucking best man, and I love that. You know, going back to the lyric conversation, that idea of you know just kind of writing something around a phrase or you know a chorus or something like that, like I feel like that's like the ACDC like formula, that is just like the coolest thing and the Hives do that really well too where it's just like you know it's just, you know I'm a problem child, or you know they just got like one line and it's just like it's so good, and then just right backwards from that, you know.

Eamon Sandwith: 25:09

Totally, you know. For a while I felt like, oh, this is like a bit of a cop out, isn't it? Just getting these titles and just seeing what happens. But I was like, no, it's kind of like just everyone's got their own way of, you know, creating stuff, However dumb it may be.

matt caughthran: 25:26

Yeah, there's no fucking rules when it comes to writing songs, especially rock and roll, especially punk rock stuff. It's, like you know, like and I noticed this on Get Fucked, your guys's last record, which I love, and it came out in 2022. You know, there's a little bit more of an evolution, kind of lyrically and mood wise, I think there was just like a little bit. It just got a little deeper, you know, and it didn't get like you know, I'm not talking like deep, deep, but it felt like a little bit deeper and it's cool to see. You know.

matt caughthran: 26:01

It's cool to see evolution on all different fronts when it comes to art, music, bands, because I mean, you guys are a fun band man. You guys are fun, but you're also you have like this Ramones thing, where you're like intense too, you know, but you sing about like whatever the fuck you want to sing about, but you're serious about it. But it's like this cool juxtaposition that fucks with people and it's awesome, you know. So it's like it's cool. It's cool to see that kind of evolve a little bit and I really like, I really thought Get Fucked was like you know, I thought it was the best record you guys have done so far and I'm looking forward to what you do next, man, thanks so much, man.

Eamon Sandwith: 26:41

I really appreciate that. Get Fucked great, because it's like it's still a little goofy, but it's not like taking the piss, you know. It's like it's still having a good time. But yeah, maybe there's some lyrical stuff on there. It's like a little not super heavy, but a little more serious, you know.

matt caughthran: 26:59

Yeah, man. Yeah, it's a. You know, I've got to help us if the chats get serious, you know. Do you have a journal? Amen. Do you have a journal? No, no.

Eamon Sandwith: 27:11

I tried doing that on one tour and I read it recently and it's, like you know, july 13th. Two hungover can't be fucked and there's just no more on that page.

matt caughthran: 27:21

Yeah did I have to say? Did I have to say one? I have all these old writing books from, like you know, early on in the band when I was like doing the same thing, you know I was like listen to the, you know, get in the van when I was, you know, a younger guy, and then you think about, you know you're going to tour the world, you're going to write all these intense journal entries and document all this stuff you're going through and I read back and it's just like you know, tired, hungover. The food in England sucks, you know like. It's just like you know it might as well be caveman drawings, you know, but it's cool to at least have them to look back on. But I couldn't keep it up. You know what?

Eamon Sandwith: 28:00

I mean Totally. Yeah, I was reading Get in the Van last year and it's kind of remarkable how some of the shows he talks about he's like yeah, had a really good night tonight, the crowd was awesome, and then the next night is like I am a pit of human despair, Like nothing can ever touch you, you know. It's just like what the fuck happened that day, man.

matt caughthran: 28:22

I like what he starts, like riding in the trailer by himself, like the bands in the van, the bands in the van, and he's just in the trailer, just like in darkness, and he's like dude, what are you doing?

Eamon Sandwith: 28:34

Yeah, yeah, the darkness is my friend. It's like man, you're just putting yourself through this shit now, Just putting yourself through misery to have something to write about.

matt caughthran: 28:43

Let's wrap about. You know Australia and the amazing history of rock and roll, punk rock there. You know, I always try to pick the brain of any Australian friend musician that I have or know, because it feels like some of the best rock and roll and punk come out of Australia. It's just a fact. I mean, it's a sound, it's a feel and it's a sound, and it's hard to put your you know, your finger on what makes it so great. But to me I think it's just like a rodness and just an attitude that just comes from, you know, being far away from everybody else and just kind of being a self-contained you know country, you know. So what makes Australian rock and roll, music, punk rock? What makes it special Do you? Why do you think it's so good?

Eamon Sandwith: 29:41

That's a good question. I mean part of it for me, and maybe this is more Queensland than the rest of Australia, but Queensland's always been a very authoritarian, mostly right wing kind of you know place where you know if you are the sort of person who does identify with, like you know, the dead Kennedys or you know any of that, you are more likely to be kind of ostracised from. You know that attitude. Yeah, but another thing is is just I don't know.

Eamon Sandwith: 30:18

I think people just have grown up with it. Like I can talk about it from my generation, like my dad he was born 68 or something, so he lived like through the 80s and 90s and stuff, but in the 70s but he was always really keen to show me all the music he grew up with. Like you know, he showed me Radio Birdman, the Saints and all that. You know all that good shit. So I think it also comes from just a long lineage of people just always being into that music. Like you talk to anyone who's really like around 40 or 50 in Sydney and just ask them about music and they'll be like oh, I saw the angels, you know, down the Botany View Hotel, saw the Divinals a few times back then you know they'll just go on without all the bands I've seen.

Eamon Sandwith: 31:03

So while it's, I think it's still, you know, in the grand scheme of things, australia's kind of more ignored by the you know the rest of the music world. But I feel like it's kind of worked in our advantage in some sort of weird way that we've kind of just gone, you know stuff, the rest of years. We've got everything we need here. So that's why I feel, anyway. Maybe a lot of Australians might disagree.

matt caughthran: 31:28

No, I mean, well, I think it's like, I think there is a little bit that involved. I think there's like there's definitely a pride in the history of, you know, the music, and I think that comes through and I feel like when you hear ACDC, when you hear the Saints, when you hear the hard ons, when you hear all those bands, you know they're having. They're having fun too. You know like it's like Australia is a fucking fun place, man. It's like people love to party there. You know, people love to have a good time and I just think that the music that comes out of Australia I'm just such a fan of, and I think, especially in rock and roll and punk rock, it's so special, man. And if people out there, you know, haven't had the opportunity to dive into all the great music that's come out of Australia, you got to do it because it's a fucking bottomless pit of just awesomeness.

Eamon Sandwith: 32:18

Absolutely yeah, I can't agree with you more though.

Eamon Sandwith: 32:21

It's a great time to be around that kind of music. I mean, even like I was kind of, I was definitely super into all of the you know up and coming Australian stuff when I was, you know, getting into music. You know, start my chats and stuff. I was just, you know, like you go on band camp, you find bands that aren't getting played on the radio, no one's really talking about, and you know, maybe they've done a couple gigs at the front bar of the tote Melbourne or something and you just listen into it like wow, this is, you know, actually a unique, you know representation of punk rock and this this is this band that has maybe done a few shows is just, you know, pumping out these tunes. Yeah, it's just, it's an exciting. It's an exciting place to be at the moment.

matt caughthran: 33:05

I think yeah, man, that's cool. Let's rank worst or just go best to worst. Okay, we're gonna go Perth. Okay, adelaide, sydney, melbourne, brisbane what do you got what's number one? It's gotta be Brisbane.

Eamon Sandwith: 33:19

It's gotta be Brisbane. I feel like I'd be running out of town with a bunch of pitchforks if. I put any yellow one. I'm gonna go Melbourne after Brisbane, sydney after that and then Perth and then Adelaide. Sorry, adelaide oh.

matt caughthran: 33:37

Adelaide.

Eamon Sandwith: 33:40

You know for any, for any Adelaideans out there who may have been hurt by that. Just just remember this you got, at least you got. You got one over Canberra, alright, so you won that one. You didn't even sink it Canberra, you forgot about it.

matt caughthran: 33:57

No, no no, well, you know, I mean I every time. I always make this joke Every time we go to Adelaide. That you know, because we always played. I think it was at the gov there.

matt caughthran: 34:07

Yeah yeah, yeah, it goes awesome. We, we always play there and I always, I always tell the audience like hey, you know the once again the promoter was like hey, you know, you guys could just go to Perth. You know you don't have to play, you don't have to play Adelaide, you know you could just do Sydney, melbourne, brisbane and then just go to Perth.

matt caughthran: 34:27

You know, technically you don't even have to go to Perth and I spoke with them but it's like, but honestly, adelaide's always a great show, it's awesome and I love that club, but yeah, it's I, it's. I mean, it's no doubt it's the last on the list, of course and shout out to Canberra. I don't think we played Canberra for probably Maybe four or five years, but we've been there, we've been there.

Eamon Sandwith: 34:50

Yeah, yeah, you don't need to Sydney, but that's the thing like Adelaide people they love it when bands come through and it is a big music city, like there's been a lot of good bands from Adelaide, but uh, yeah, I mean it's just, it's a bit of a weird place like all the churches and stuff, I don't know. It gives me the heebie-jeebies a bit.

matt caughthran: 35:08

Yeah, yeah, I got you, I got you. All right, let's go. Let's go with some, some punk classics here. We got the Ramones, we got dead Kennedys, the descendants, misfits and the clash. How do you rank those five? Oh man?

Eamon Sandwith: 35:25

Okay, okay, ramones number one I'm gonna go. Descendants number two, dead Kennedys number three, and then the clash and then the Misfits, but I'm sorry to penalize the Misfits there only on the Michael Graves years. Oh.

matt caughthran: 35:42

Yeah yeah yeah, michael Graves, years are. They're definitely a years of demarcation. Let's just say that.

Eamon Sandwith: 35:51

Were you into that stuff.

matt caughthran: 35:53

No, no, I remember, you know, I remember Michael Graves, you know that record and I remember they had a single called the dig up her bones and I remember hearing that. But I, you know, I'm a, I'm a Danzig guy man, I love Danzig, I, I love them. I probably put, I would put the Misfits before the. I would probably go Ramones, misfits, descendants, then Kennedys clash, but I fuck, I don't know, it's hard man, it's hard I saw the.

matt caughthran: 36:27

I saw the photo you guys got with Jello Biafra. He's a pretty awesome dude right. Did he get a chance to rap with him?

Eamon Sandwith: 36:33

Yeah, yeah, we were. We were talking shit with him for a while. He was really funny because, you know, we were like oh, that's that's Jello, like let's go say hi.

Eamon Sandwith: 36:41

We walk up and and Josh is like you know how you going, I'm Josh, and he just turns around and goes Biafra, jello. It was so cool, but uh, yeah, that was, that was someone I was almost a bit I don't know, I was a bit, you know, a bit weird about approaching, was a bit apprehensive because you know, he's such an intense personality that I was like, oh man, I'm just gonna get wound up in this conversation that I can't get out of, and it was a bit like that, like I had to go. All right, man, sorry, I gotta go like pack up some stuff and just like left. It was really cool speaking to him, but uh, yeah, he's, he's the fucking man and a total, a total screwball.

matt caughthran: 37:22

I remember the first time I met him was at Blackpool Rebellion Festival in the UK. It was like he was playing and and I don't know, have you guys done that festival? It's like a crazy, like English punk fest. It's like it's, it's, it's wild, dude, it's it's, it's a wild one, but it's a really good time. I haven't done it, but I know the one.

matt caughthran: 37:46

Yeah, so we were there and you know, I see this guy and I see this guy and I don't I doesn't dawn on me that it's Jello yet but so I see this guy and he's just like he's, he's power walking, like power walking around backstage and like I'm like what is this dude doing? And then I look at the, I look it was like you know, zone in on him and his gel. I realized this job. I'm like, oh my god, like you know, I've never, never seen the guy, never you know anything like that. So I was so blown away but he went. It was so, it was so funny dude. He was like it was legit, like just like full-on, just just like this power walking, just like power walking. But he was like get it, that's like how he was getting like psyched up for the gig, and then he went on stage and he fucking crushed it, you know, and it was the coolest thing. It was the coolest thing.

matt caughthran: 38:51

Shout out to Jello because he is the fucking man.

matt caughthran: 38:54

You know, it's like I always had so many opportunities to see the Ramones when I was younger and I blew that, and even you know the descendants man, like I never thought I'd see them and then you know, when they came back with, everything sucks.

matt caughthran: 39:07

That was such an important thing and you know, seeing them and being able to play with them is just like the coolest fucking thing. Obviously, joe Strummer's past I never got to see the clash. So I just think it's really cool and important to like man, when you get to meet, like you know, you know dude, like when you're playing festivals, or like you're playing, like you know you get to meet Jello, you get to meet Milo, you know, you get to meet all these, like even when you know, when we were playing with Circle Jerks, keith Morris, all these, I mean, these dudes are, like you know, they're legends, dude, and they're so important to our history in punk and rock and roll and man, it's so cool to be able to meet these guys and interact with them and still be able to see these bands that have been so important to me and, I know, so important to you. It's a trip.

Eamon Sandwith: 40:00

Yeah, yeah, I'm stoked. Those bands are still doing their thing. You know like negative approach is still doing shows. This is what he mentioned there, like the original, misfits is still doing shows the Whale and Danzig and Jerry I don't know who's dropped.

matt caughthran: 40:15

How about when John Brandon was backstage in Detroit, when we were on tour together?

Eamon Sandwith: 40:20

Oh, that was awesome, that was so cool.

matt caughthran: 40:23

And what Nikki Corvette to that was a. That was a good one, man.

Eamon Sandwith: 40:28

I think he was there. Yeah, yeah, I remember that show quite vividly because I remember, like looking over, and you know, john's side of stage is like this and I was like I'm in he must fucking hate us, and afterwards he's like still got that face on that was good, he's so fucking funny.

matt caughthran: 40:47

Oh, dude, he's got the loudest voice, bro. It's so insanely loud, it's fucking crazy.

Eamon Sandwith: 40:53

It was awesome.

matt caughthran: 40:53

What about? Okay, what about Kiss, acdc, iron Maiden, metallica what do you got?

Eamon Sandwith: 41:00

ACDC top Metallica Kiss Maiden oh.

matt caughthran: 41:07

I like that. Yeah, Do you have any interest in modern metal or are you going, you know, are you listening to Metallica? You listening to, you know all the classic good stuff.

Eamon Sandwith: 41:20

Yeah, I mean nothing really modern other than power trip. Really yeah, yeah.

matt caughthran: 41:26

I mean.

Eamon Sandwith: 41:26

I went through a big, big like kind of thrash phase when I was about 12 or so and you know like you know your mega deaths, but you know I love that I feel like that's kind of what led me into, led me into the hardcore kind of realm of stuff that are.

Eamon Sandwith: 41:43

Yeah, I always thought that shit was awesome. I just never I could never wrap my head around it on the guitar. So I think I feel like that's kind of where it maybe wore off on me a little bit. I still love listening to that stuff, but I feel like if I could, if I could have wrapped my head around the riffs a little bit more like I could with punk, then, yeah, maybe I would have. Maybe I would have stuck on that train.

matt caughthran: 42:04

I don't want to take up too much more your time here. Amen, I know you guys are just about to kick off the bargain band tour in Australia. Right, that's going in February, and then I know you guys are doing punk rock bowling. What else is on tap for 2024?

Eamon Sandwith: 42:18

Well, yeah, we're coming over for punk rock bowling. We got a couple of other festivals around that time the names escape me, but they're going to be in May and we're going to have some shows of our own in May. We're going to a bunch of places we haven't been yet. It's just going to be exciting. Yeah and yeah, I think we're going to go over to UK Europe at the end of the year and try and bong out another album while we're at home.

matt caughthran: 42:45

Hell yeah, what are? What are some spots you guys haven't played yet we're having the chats, man.

Eamon Sandwith: 42:49

We haven't been to Charlotte.

matt caughthran: 42:53

Yeah.

Eamon Sandwith: 42:54

Yeah, that's just like off the top of my head, because I know the band we're playing with Like.

Eamon Sandwith: 42:59

Brazil or like something you know, charlotte, no it's all in the States, but it's a yeah, it's like you know, for example, like we're not doing LA, I think we're doing somewhere like an hour out, maybe Pomona or something like that, I don't know. But yeah, I'd have to have a look at the actual schedule. I'm not truly up to date, but I know we're going to a bunch of places we haven't been, like you know. For example, we're not doing Detroit, we're doing like Grand Rapids or something like that.

matt caughthran: 43:34

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Eamon Sandwith: 43:36

So like a little, some places a little out of the way, I guess.

matt caughthran: 43:39

Yeah, awesome, man Awesome, and I'm stoked to hear the news about the new record. I know people are going to be really excited about that. I appreciate your time. Amen. My man has been great catching up with you. I do have one last question here. It's a little bit of a doozy, but it's a Sailor Jerry podcast tradition. What to you, is the meaning of life?

Eamon Sandwith: 44:06

Shit. I think just to you know, be good to the people around you and have as much of a good time as you can my man Appreciate your time. Amen. Thanks for having me on the podcast.

matt caughthran: 44:19

Yeah, oh yeah. That's a wrap on episode 61 of the Sailor Jerry podcast. As always, huge amounts of respect and gratitude to our guest, the one and only Aiman Sandwith from the chats. Thank you so much for your time. Amen, you are the man, and the future looks bright for the chats and punk rock in general.

matt caughthran: 44:45

You can follow Aiman on Instagram at Aiman Sandwith. His first name is spelled E A M O N. Of course you got to follow the chats. They're going to be playing around the world in 2024. A lot of stuff in the States, like you heard Aiman say, but they are an incredible band to catch live. So if they come to your city, make sure, grab a ticket, go support. I promise you you will not be disappointed. Of course you should be following Sailor Jerry on Instagram, on X, on all that good stuff. You can follow me at two and three. Matman, do not forget that Sailor Jerry Spice drum is still made the old school way 92 proof, bold and smooth as hell. Thank you for continuing to listen to the podcast. It feels so good to be back. We'll see you in two weeks, peace.