Q & A: Jebediah frontman Kevin Mitchell talks to Neala Johnson about their new self-titled album, their record label but not about those bagpipes. - Hit Magazine, Thursday 22/02/02, Herald Sun (VIC).
You've just released the second single, Nothing Lasts Forever, from your forthcoming self-titled album. Is Jebediah's audience still around, because you've been out of the spotlight for some time?
I didn't really feel like we'd been out of the spotlight for so long because we were keeping busy, but you forget that people aren't hearing your stuff, that you're not in the magazines. It's got to the stage now where it's our third record, and I'm really happy with our fanbase, and I just want to keep that. I know the record company would probably have dother things to say about it, but i really dig our fanbase as a group, they're still into it.
Are you worried about emulating the success of your 1997 debut album Slightly Odway?
We were so lucky with Odway, and we knew that even at the time, so it didn't come as any big disappointment for us that (second album) Of Someday Shambles didn't sell as much. We almost felt guilty the amount of (Odway) records we ended up selling, because after a couple of years we thought the record was pretty average. It was a really awesome time, but the times they have a' changed...but it's not going to change what we do.
Did you think you had to prove that Slightly Odway's big sales weren't a fluke?
We did, and that was really creeping into our attitudes in a big way, almost to the risk of taking over. I still really like Shambles and I still think it's a good album, but we couldn't have given it a better title - it was a shambles, and we were all over the place at the time. I think we've come out of that whole experience realising we don't need to take things so seriously, and we don't have to prove anything to anyone.
Your labelmates Something For Kate have climbed the Oz rock ladder with their latest album. Is it time for Jebediah to do the same?
I'm really happy for Something For Kate, they deserve their increased success, but at the same time I'm not going to look at other bands and what they're doing, what's the point? I love Powderfinger, but I don't want to make a Powderfinger record. I love Radiohead, but goddamn it, if i hear one more band that tries to sound like them I'm going to punch my stereo in.
Jebediah haven't been compared to too many bands in the past.
Yeah, and I reckon with this record we probably sound the most Jebediah we ever have. And that's something we've embraced. I guess it comes with confidence. To be a really good band you just have to be as true to yourself as possible, and if that means that you get criticism because you sing through your nose or you're a little bit too happy and you're not seroius enough, fuck that shit, it doesn't matter.
Did that kind of criticism get to you in the early days?
In the early days we were so young and naive, that it was pretty easy to brush off. But there was a period during Shambles where it got to me. That was all a learning curve, and I've got a much different attitude now, I think we all do.
What was a new musical adventure for the band in the making of the Jebediah album?
Well we did throw in an instrument we'd never used before, I don't think that needs, ah, mentioning.
So you're sick of talking about those bagpipes in Fall Down?
I'm fucking so sick of talking about bagpipes.
How deeply involved is Jebediah in the business side of your record label, Redline?
Very limited. We don't have the skills for starters. We discuss the stuff we're going to put out. Basically it's our investment, and we hand over the managerial responsibilities to people we trust to do a much better job than we would.
Why did you start the label?
We'd never see the money, it would just sit in the bank account for Jebediah, so we thought we may as well use it on something where something will happen.
Do you enjoy playing A & R man for Redline?
I haven't really played it. (laughs) I like to joke about it heaps, walking into pubs and telling starry-eyed 16-year-olds I'm going to make them big stars, but it's never actually happened.
You're getting these kids' hopes up just for your own amusement?
Well...we've all been totally blown away by how many names are wanting us to put out their stuff, even bands where majore labels are interested. We've only been around for a couple of yeras, but we've achieved heaps.
Before you go, I've just got a question about bagpipes...
(laughs) Okay, seeya. Bye