The ’Skallions have entertained audiences worldwide over half a decade, with their unique concoction of vaudevillean, cabaret, junkyard gypsy blues. Reminiscent of 20s Paris Bohemia transported to a Romanian tavern and then set adrift on the high seas. Their original blend of music is strongly influenced by the music of eastern Europe, Greece, France and Spain as well as hip hop and hobo jazz.
Their new EP Cat and Fiddle is a collection of musical vignettes from a realm inhabited by back-alley gangster felines, femmes fatales, and silver moon maidens, with a soundtrack somewhere between a Chicago speakeasy, a Hungarian hoedown, and a Halloween party at a south seas pirate haven.
How does a seven-piece vaudeville/cabaret/pirate/rock band come into being?
It’s been a long and organic process, involving an egg on a mountaintop, several thousand gallons of coffee, and a burning desire to stay true to our ethic of being the instigators of piratical riffing, sweaty good times!
Pirates have really come into their own lately. What appeals to the band about such a rascally lot?
There’s something about the lawlessness, mixed with the egalitarian democracy that existed in the golden age of buccaneers, that has influenced the band. All decisions aboard ship had to be made unanimously, except in battle, when the Captain called the shots. Only thing is we’re a band of Captains!
What brings you to our northern climes?
This will be our third trip up this year, touring at the beginning of the year, recording in Byron over winter, and this tour, as well two years previously doing the east coast tour, so we like returning to our favourite venues and catching up with people. This time we’re coming up flogging our new EP The Cat ’n’ Fiddle, and getting that out there, as well as surfing, and eating mangoes!
Complete this sentence: The cat and the fiddle went…
On tour in a beautiful old silver Volvo, he had plenty of fun, with nine gallons o’ rum, and eight other nefarious hobos…
As musicians, do you consider yourselves well travelled when tasked with the job of taking us on a journey through ‘Chicago speakeasies, Hungarian hoedowns, and south-seas Halloween parties’?
We’ll definitely try our utmost, I swear this by the boiling blood that runs through our black hearts, wot say ye!
Friday at Coorabell Hall with special guest Ivy Lucille.
DOORS 7PM / SHOW 8PM?TIX: $17 PRE / $20 AT DOOR? www.kupromotions.com.au
