INTERVIEW: The Fauves Andy Cox talks Tropical strength new music

Interview by Bec Harbour

The Fauves lengthy tenure (36 years) has resulted in them outlasting several generations of bands. Long have they posed like big game hunters on the African savannah with their feet astride the lifeless neck of the music industry.

After meeting at high school, the four friends became a regular fixture on the Melbourne live scene from 1988, issuing three self-funded EPs before signing with Polydor records in 1993.  It was the release of their third album, Future Spa, in 1996, that saw the Fauves reach another level of popularity. This was followed by years where they saw more of the country than Australia Post. During this period a film crew followed the band on its travels, and the resulting documentary Fifteen Minutes to Rock aired on national television in late 2000. 

“Released” from Polydor Records shortly afterwards, they settled into wilful obscurity, releasing six remarkable but unheralded albums on Shock Records, each less commercially successful than the last. They released their first double album Driveway Heart Attack by themselves in 2019. It can occasionally be found with the aid of a radio telescope. Their 13th album Tropical Strength was released on 1 November 2024.

Bec had a quick catch up with Andrew ‘Coxy’ Cox last week about the new album, not being American and the long leisurely tour with Custard.

Tropical Strength has 11 tracks. They’ve got lyrics but, yeah nah, who’s got the attention span to read a lyric sheet?

Un-Australians: Have you ever failed the Pub Test? Have you ever had unpatriotic thoughts? Do you laugh every Invasion Day when people tip pink paint over the heads of Captain Cook statues? You may be an un-Australian. Hand in your passport and let the government send you to Nauru immediately.

Try Telling Someone Who Gives a Fuck: In 1928 they banned Lady Chatterley’s Lover. In 2024 you can put “Fuck” in a song title. This song is better Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Well, the book at least. By all accounts gamekeeper Oliver Mellors was an excellent lover.

If You Love Me: There aren’t enough songs in the canon about hypochondriac middle-aged men. You could sing “She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah”. Or you could sing “If you love me, you might have to kill me”. We chose the latter.

Only Wait Forever: Of all the failed, broken, disbanded airlines in aviation history, TAA is our favourite. That’s not what the song’s about but W.B. Yeats didn’t tell you what his poems were about either.

It Kills Your Worst Enemies: The Fauves Tropical Strength – it kills your worst enemies.

Moscow Olympics: In 1980, we were on Year 8 school camp at Mill Valley Christian horse ranch. Well, it was just called Mill Valley Ranch but there was a church there and they made us go to it, and there was horse riding, but we’re scared of horses. The Moscow Olympics were on concurrently.

Guitar Village: We bought our first guitars at Guitar Village in Frankston. We had a song Called Clive of India Curry Powder on our album Nervous Flashlights and were duly supplied with a complimentary box of powered curry products from the kindly proprietors of the worthy company. Hopefully we’ll get a box of guitars this time.

Always Look for the Bad in People: Generally a lot easier task than doing the opposite.

Bursting at the Seams: It could be about middle-aged spread or a batch of defective cricket balls. You do the exegesis.

The Show That Never Goes Away: 5 bonus points for the first person to create a meme with our photo and the caption “The band that never goes away”.

Let Me Stop You There: Sorry for your loss. It’s a bit grim.