Interview by Bec Harbour
It’s a cooler day in Brisbane when I had a catch up with Quan about all things Regurgitator, their upcoming release Invader and their latest single ‘Cocaine Runaway’.
We talk about the impressively large mic that Quan has (apparently good for shouting into – Metallica use them) and get onto my first impressions of the new album.
B – I have had a few run throughs of the album, I was blown away, you guys should be so proud of it. It’s amazing.
Q – Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I’m a very harsh critic of my own work and while I feel like it’s a bit of a harbinger of doom, this one I do feel very proud of and I feel like it’s because of the contributors on this record like JK-47 and Tyson, and Peaches, I feel so honoured to have those people on there and work with them. And be in that creative space with them. I think that’s what’s really pushed it over the edge for me for this one.
Our efforts are neither here nor there, we did the best we could, but having those people really made a huge difference for me personally. And the way I feel about the record in general.
B – I gave it the first listen through and emailed Paul [Curtis – Regurgitator manager] and said holy shit this new one is amazing, he was like yeah, I know! I’ll pass that on, but that was only a few days ago, he might not have got that through to you yet!
Q – Ha ha yes.
B – I thought it was a very much a listen straight through. It was still that pastiche of styles that the band is known for, it was very much play through, did you guys take a lot of time working out the tracking? It flows, but Regurgitator flows?
Q – Yeah, exactly. When we come to the end of every record, that process of tracking order is usually quite difficult. And often it falls into the hands of Benjamin because he is actually quite good at doing that sort of thing.
It was more of a collaborative between us two on this one. There was a bit of tweaking when the master came back the first time, we weren’t quite happy with the arrangement so we moved a couple of things around, the tricky one was of course was putting Tyson’s poem and where it might break the flow of the record in just the right way. And introduce the next song, I think we got it right. I think you’re right, it’s all over the place with this band so it’s very difficult to know if it’s going to work or not.
B – I wouldn’t expect anything less from Regurgitator. As you may recognise I shoot you guys a lot in Brisbane and am fairly familiar with the live act. How do you think this one is going to translate on stage? I have noticed a lot more technical stuff on this one.
Q – There is a lot more tech stuff and we did a lot more work on our own for this one, I have had to go back and learn it all again. But what I have done is audition a fabulous guitarist, Sarah, keytarist that has never played with us before. She was a fan when she was a kid – I think she’ll come along with us on tour, so she will be like a 4th member. She’ll help fill out some of the gaps, like I explained to her, for us it’s not being technically proficient and being one of the best bands out there, it’s about connecting with the audience, making sure we have a good time and that vibe flows between us in a responsive way.
Quan at Regurgitators UNITS25 – phốtos by Bec Harbour
She will definitely fill out the record, there will be a few more backing tracks that there has been, and that idea of having backing tracks has changed so much since the 90’s, I remember when we first started doing it it was such a big no-no, I spoke to Sarah about it the other week, and she was like yeah, you see metal bands and there is so much backing track you think is that right, should we expect more? But no one really cares anymore.
In fact, it’s almost expected, younger people expect to hear it, I think they would have more to say if it didn’t sound like the record. It will be a nice balance between having an extra member and being able to recreate the record onstage.
B – You aren’t going to make her wear the bunny suit, are you?
Q – Sarah is not the same type of performer as Shane. Shane and Seja the two keyboardists we have had in the past are in a different league. Shane is an incredible MC and hype-man, a little sloppier player, and Seja is really tight technically, not as flamboyant. Sarah falls somewhere in-between, she can kinda do everything, she has played in metal bands for years, is a goth-metal person, she is really lovely.
B – The creation process for Invader – what takes you from hey, we have enough songs to put a record out? With all members in the band living in separate cities (Quan in Melbourne, Ben in Brisbane, Pete in Sydney), how do you pull it all together? Especially since for the last 18 months or so you guys have been touring pretty relentlessly?
Q – The writing has separated itself, since Unit really. Ben and I are the principal songwriters, so we’ll work on our own styles and our own individual tracks. When it comes to tracking the record, we feel the need for Peter to be involved, and have a studio space that he can make a racket in with his drums, we want live drums. For this record I used more live drums than I have for a very long time, most of the tracks that I contributed to the record have Peter playing on them. Strangely Ben didn’t end up using a lot of the tracks we tracked with Peter up in Brisbane.
This record started about 18 months ago, we did a session up in Brisbane, I have lost the name of it, just outside of Brisbane [B – was it Airlock?] No it wasn’t Airlock, I’m just trying to think of the name of the guy, it’s escaped me, it is on the record. One of the songs, ‘Tsunami’ is from that session, 18 months ago. I was not prepared for that session and I felt really discombobulated and I hadn’t written much at all for this record because I had just released my own solo record.
I needed to get back on the horse and get back into the flow of Regurgitator writing. I didn’t get much out of that session at all. I did start writing ‘Epic’ on my phone when we were staying at the place, and then we got a few more songs together and we were in the zone, wrote quite a few more songs and then decided we needed to do a drum session up in Brisbane again.
We all went up to Brisbane, Pete did a drum session at Hunting Grounds in Moorooka. All of the drums that are tracked there are on the record. Particularly on mine, but I don’t think Ben kept many. Most of his stuff is actually programmed, which is quite strange for him I thought.
B – Possibly trying something different?
Q – I think more than me, he struggled with writing this record. Ben is definitely more the person who wants to get in the room with everyone and write together. I’m the opposite. I think he felt forced to more on his own and that’s harder for him.
B – I spoke to Ben when he released his solo album maybe 2 years ago now, and he said he was really struggling with writing and he went on a retreat [for song writing]. He said that forcing himself to write a song a day really helped with his song writing, but he really enjoyed the collaboration with the group at the end of the day.
Q – He definitely needs that, he has always been a more social animal, he needs the connectivity. I’m the guy who goes into the dungeon and works relentlessly until I get something out of it. The thing that really pushed me, and honed my edge for the writing process, was that Rick Rubin book, about creativity. I wasn’t expecting to get anything out of it at all, it reads like a Zen Buddhist book so I liked that aspect of it. It did help me let go of some of the blocks that occur as a writer, in your life and creative life. I think that helped me a lot reading that.
The other big inspiration for this record were some books that I read on indigenous thinking which I had never really paid my full attention toward. Braiding Sweetgrass by [Robin Wall] Kimmerer and Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta and also to some extent, Merlin Shelldrake’s book about fungi, This Entangled Life. It really got me thinking about indigenous knowledge systems and how they actually function.
It changed the whole conversation in my head, I have always thought of myself as an ally, but did not really know how to articulate in my own mind, the cultural differences and the perspectives that were so vastly incoherent to each other.
I was so taken with his [Tyson Yunkaporta] book Sand Talk, that I randomly reached out and said “hey listen, I love your work, I think you are an incredible thinker, an incredible shit-stirrer” and he reminded me of myself in some ways because of his attitude toward the system and the way he approached talking about it. He graciously offered this poem to go on the record, the idea behind the record was slowly forming, and Invaderwas the title that I came up with that gave it a soul, and his poem happened to be perfect for that feel.
B – The poem is absolutely beautiful.
Q – It’s a stunning one, and it was called ‘Ark’ originally for obvious reasons, and I asked him if he was happy with the title, if that’s what he wanted it called, he said I dunno, it’s just a bastard poem that no one wanted at the time. It was in his archives because no one wanted to publish it.
He is very laconic on emails, but I was blown away reading his book and his more recent one Right Story, Wrong Story as well. There are some really great take-aways and everyone should read it.
B – Even though it seems to be a bit quieter [in the mainstream media] at the moment, indigenous rights still has to be bubbling away in the background. I lived in Darwin for 20 years, I studied teaching in the Northern Territory and they teach you to think and be in the same mindset of indigenous people or it is really difficult to engage the kids. And I understand that there is [discussion around the thinking] and it’s amazing to hear about your journey to that end. And be on that path of help me understand.
Q – Absolutely. The choices that have been made socially, particularly over the last year, have really pushed me toward that further. Strangely enough, I feel that Ben, because he is a much more social person, more socially connected, he has always been more socially connected with indigenous people. He has plenty of connections friend-wise and workwise, I am more of a recluse, so this was an in for me as I am much more intellectually inclined and reading about things, and understanding in that way.
But it’s interesting that you talk about having to think like [indigenous people], that was a concept that I didn’t fully understand, that the intelligence that is indigenous, is created through [their] networks, and is contained in the networks between each and every person in the community.
That’s the way the knowledge is held, and if you break those connections in the way that only colonialism can do, you destroy those systems, you destroy that knowledge, you put that knowledge at threat. That is what I got out of reading Sand Talk, understanding the way that the intelligence works and it’s sophisticated, and the way that it protects itself from being completely destroyed, knowledge is contained in all objects, in all networks and all people.
And every node is as important as each other. And that is fascinating, I never thought of it in that way and it makes perfect sense. It’s really important to get your head around it, and it’s so important for this country and its people.
B – And if you are going to become a successful ally, get that understanding of the cultural [nuances].
Q – Absolutely, and the one take-away from Right Story, Wrong Story it’s really about coming into relation with people, when it comes to being on the right or wrong side or being in a binary system, it’s not really how those systems work, in indigenous cultures, its more about coming into relationship so you understand the other person’s perspective. Not arguing points in a binary system, like our government for example, a law system where it’s us versus them, that idea of coming to relationship is really fascinating and really important.
B – to move onto the relationships on this record, you had Tyson, but also Peaches and JK-47, how did they come on board? I know Paul had a lot to do with her tours.
Q – I just asked. I visited her [Peaches] in Europe when I had a sabbatical year and was driving around, in my midlife crisis, in my 40’s or late 30’s I should say, and I met up with her in Berlin when she was living there, and we [Regurgitator] played her biggest show here in Australia when she played Big Day Out and played ‘Rock Star’ behind her as we were so taken with her first record.
It was recorded with Andy Gill, who has just sadly passed away, and it was just her on that groovebox, but we loved the power behind it, and I saw her recently at Northcote Theatre, and her voice has just gotten better and better, and her shows and performances, just next level. And it’s really lovely to see an older artist to perform with such verve and such power, and it’s so inspirational to see that.
I had been wanting to reach out and work with her for a while, this is the first time I have actually collaborated with anyone other than Ben, it was a little scary for me as I really didn’t know how to do it, and she was yeah sure, I’ll do a feature for you and she graciously filmed herself on a camera in Copenhagen, it was easy, she knew what she was doing and did it quickly, and I thought it was great.
B – The other collaboration is with Brian Canham, of Pseudo Echo on your latest single ‘Cocaine Runaway’ for the video and your directorial debut as well?
Q – I haven’t really directed a live clip since the early day, I have done a few animations, but nothing really live.
B – So how did this come about? He did have a fantastic mullet in the 80’s which fits…
Q – We did a show with him, and yeah I know [about the mullet ] right? Looking at older photos of him, I was like, how can we take him back to that? I think his girlfriend was quite chuffed actually haha. [B – Racquel] Yes, I think it took her back about 10 years I think.
We just played this random council show at Melton with him, maybe 3 or 4 months ago, we met and they seemed really lovely and they have a new drummer who is quite young that they found on the internet, she was really lovely and a fan of the band and we had a chat.
I got chatting with Brian and said we have to do this clip, would you be interested in doing a feature, I think you’d be perfect for the part, he said yeah sure. And that was pretty much it. I just contacted him after we finished mixing the record and said it’s ready to go, can I send it to you and send you the synopsis? He was right into it.
No questions, he liked the song. I always thought it was an 80’s song, but he automatically associated it with synth-wave, now that I listen to it, it does sound like a synth-wave song rather than a classic 80’s song.
B – The video looked like it was way too much fun to make?
Q – Brian was such a great sport and did such a great job, I really didn’t know what to expect, fortunately there was not going to be any hard-lip-syncing parts, or hard acting parts, he really got into the character, we worked with some really great people, a really great film maker down here, Ben. He was perfect for the part and I spoke with him about working with older and younger people.
The great thing about working with older people like Peaches and Brian, you can use their experience, they know how to fail, they know how to succeed, they know how to do things differently, in a way they know will work. But also using younger people like Ben is great because they have this incredible well-spring of energy, a willingness to try new things and not be too critical.
If you surround yourself with younger creatives and older creatives, you have this incredible balance, the [energy] of both sides, that can push you as an artist as well.
B – So touring, it’s relentless…
Q – I know, I know…
B – When I get asked to shoot you guys, I’m like where are they now?
Q – I’m sorry…
B – Don’t be – I love watching you guys.
Q – And that’s what constantly amazes us, the crowd responses have been, even in this last year have been a lift in level. When we did that Weezer tour, I think it was that Boondall show [Brisbane Entertainment Centre] where I felt that in my entire career, at 50 that I could perform naturally and entertain a crowd of that size, I’d never felt that before.
Even though we have played in that venue before and we’ve played big shows before, like the Big Day Out, I have always felt really still in my shell and not sure how to entertain that size crowd. That was definitely a turning point for me. And to his credit he [Paul] has put us on some really great bills lately, particularly recently like Golden Plains, astonishing, and really great.
It amazes me that fans still go for it and really enjoy the energy we put out. I am really thankful for that. And this next tour, 30 shows in 2 months, which is a show every second day almost. We are a little worried about our health, maintaining our health.
B – You might have to get one of those cones or cocoons you wrap yourself in.
Q – Cones?
B – Almost like a shell, that you wrap yourself in and it’s like a sensory deprivation thing…
Q – You can get those? I might have to get one. Can you wrap them up and take them on tour?
B – I’m not really sure, they seem to be felt and fluffy on the inside. I have only seen them online.
Q – I might have to look into that… Ben stopped drinking about 8 months ago and he is really seeing the health benefits and I am trying to do HIIT every day and get fitter. Because it is going to be brutal. And we are getting on.
Hopefully we will be able to perform at our best for all the shows, but I’m sure there’ll be ups and downs haha..
B – You are both still recognisable from the Tu Plang days, so I think you’re doing ok. You’re not all (makes a mangled noise).
Q – We haven’t morphed haha! But that’s part of the reason why we can keep doing this, if you want to keep going, you have to look after yourself.
B – Did you find in the last 18 months, which has been the UNITS25 tour, I noticed that younger people were coming in?
Q – Yeah, yes! You’re absolutely right and it’s really heartening that young people are seeing something there that our first young audience saw I think. Which is really amazing to see and I think this record will strike a chord with a younger audience, I mean I can’t really say but I think there’s stuff on this record that will really grab them, stuff about the world that is really important to talk about.
The way the world is changing and how complex things are becoming, I think that is encapsulated better on this record than any other we have done recently.
B – Can I share something that happened when Screamfeeder put out their last album?
Q – Sure.
B – I had one of the very young reviewers message me raving about this new band that they had found. I asked them to flick through a link to the music so I could have a listen. I was like, um mate, this is Screamfeeder, they have been around longer than you have been alive. I was having an email chat with Tim [Steward] in the next couple of days and I related this back to him – he was so chuffed and he had a good laugh – I really hope this happens for you guys.
Q – So do I, it is one of the good things about the internet and how people find and discover new music, there’s not a lot of history available instantly, unless you do some digging, not that many people have the time, but when you do discover something, it’s like its come out of the void. And it feels brand new, and it doesn’t matter where it came from, what era. Music discovery is not linear, it’s from all over, from here, from there. You have that randomness and that element of surprise, which is great.
From here we talk about what can be expected on the tour, new costumes by local Brisbane designers Dogstar are on the cards as well as improving their stage banter after I said they usually respond to some lark shouting at them from the crowd (home crowds – amiright?) and the changing roles in the band with Ben becoming more introverted and himself becoming more outgoing. Then Quan says he wants to share a strange situation he encountered recently.
Q – I had the strangest situation just recently I had not spoken with Martin Lee, our first drummer for 22 years maybe. And the last conversation I did have with him, he said that his lawyers had sent me a letter. [B – oh no!!] and before that I don’t think I had seen him in the flesh for close to 25 years.
I was in Melbourne dropping off some guitar straps at a shop that was nowhere near my house, and I was like 10 metres from the door and I hear behind me “Quan Yeomans, is that Quan Yeoman’s?!” I turn around and it’s Martin Lee walking down the street. I looked at him and said “oh my god, I have not seen you for a quarter of a century..” and we hugged, and I said that I was about to meet Brian Canham about the video and can we meet up later for coffee?
And we did, we spoke for 2 hours, and it was wonderful. There was a lot of acrimony when we split obviously, and no contact from that moment. It was a really wonderful full-circle moment where all all hatchets were buried and rusted away and we just talked as a couple of middle-aged men, it was lovely to hear his life story and it really closed a chapter for me.
B – It’s great to have these things happen, it’s like a weight you didn’t even know was there drops off…
Q – Definitely – and it was a one in a billion chance, he lives in Mexico and he was in Melbourne for 3 days, the chances were in the billions.
B – You were meant to, the universe moved something.
Q – That’s the way I took it too.
