Local fuzz junkies “Swamp Donkey” recently descended on the Pandamonium Records studio to record a track for Northern Exposure 2021. With Fender Jaguars in hand, and enormous pedalboards it tow, they laid down the glorious noisefest that is “Muscle Memory”
We caught up with singer/guitar player Joel Goodman on what this song is about, now don’t be shy Joel, tell us what you really think..
“Muscle Memory was written just after the same-sex postal survey occurred in Australia. A lot of gutless and cowardly politicians were afraid to stand up and put into law equal rights for same sex couples. So they shirked the responsibility and put it out to the general public. Because we all know that major legislation that has potentially harmful ramifications on people’s lives and mental health is best handled like an AM radio poll. (“Is there enough water fountains in your local park? Yes or No? Ring in and tell us what you think”)
Malcolm Turnbull showed in that moment that although he may personally be pro-same sex marriage; he would still quite happily send all those people down the river if it secured his position in the big chair for just a bit longer. Truly one of the most hypocritical and cowardly snakes that ever made it to PM. Sure Tony Abbott is a garbage human scum-fiend, but that’s what’s written on the label and the contents in the packet are no surprise. Asking the public to decide if all Australians should be treated like humans with equal needs and rights was a green light that triggered a wave of nut jobs to crawl out of shadows and start spewing out non sensical and narrow minded nastiness. Who remembers the baker on Q&A that was shaking with homophobic fury at the thought that he may one day have to make a wedding cake for… two guys? No!!!!! Oh you poor fellow, you are truly the victim in this ghastly situation. Maybe just change your bakery’s name to the “Anti Gay Bakery” so all people with a heart know to avoid you. Then you can truly live in your bigoted bubble only interacting with like minded troglodytes such as yourself. Of course in the end same-sex marriage won; just like a Gold Logie recipient. But only by 62%. So the message being sent by Australia to same sex couples was: “yeah ok sure I guess you can have you wedding then, BUT… you just watch your back!”(That last bit is the 38% that are still out there lurking and seething with ignorance and threats).
Oh and of course then there’s the music – I was mucking around on my Fender Jaguar (the best way to come up with jangly garage rock is to just pickup a Jag and mess around on it for a while through a vintage MXR Distortion+ pedal into a tube amp).After I stumbled onto my main riff I then stumbled out a solo and wrote everything else around that. I then took it to the band to show them and tried to verbalise what influences, emotions and dynamics I was hoping to hear (dolewave/garage rock with sprinklings of Eddy Current) and they sprinkled their magic on top to form this lil gem”
Swamp Donkey will be playing at the massive launch party for Northern Exposure 2021 at Skypark (A.J Hacket) on the 17th of April along with the 15 other bands featured on the compilation. Tickets are strictly limited due to COOVID plan so it is advised to pre purchase your tickets to ensure entry. Tickets are available here:- https://ajhackettcairns.wildapricot.org/event-4179213
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