Spiderbait are arguably one of the best bands to ever come out of Australia, they were the first Australian band to take out the coveted Number 1 slot in TripleJ’s Hottest 100, they’ve had a huge number 1 hit, they have played massive shows countless times to thousands of people across many countries, they have made and sold piles of records, head-lined multiple festivals and have a career longevity that other bands can only dream about and even had one of their songs feature in a video game. Spiderbait have just released their latest album ‘Sounds in the Key of J’, an album of homage to their Bass player and Vocalist Janet English and before the band hits the road for their first National Tour since 2017, we had the absolute privilege to chat to Drummer/Vocalist KRAM about the new album, the bands love of Janet and the enjoyment they get playing festivals.

Janet English at this year’s Groovin The Moo , Maitland

April has seen you release a new song, a new album, and the news of a national tour, so as a fan thank you for making April the best month of the year. Was the plan originally to release everything at one time, or was it a coincidence and everything aligned at the same time?

Thanks ! It’s great that it’s all happening at once & we are all stoked with the response. It’s actually been a strategy between us & our management & our record label who’ve all been great. Started last year with the 25th anniversary release of Ivy & the Big Apples , then this double album of Janet’s work & heading towards a new Spiderbait album next year.

The new single ‘My Car Is A UFO’ is your first in nine years, can you tell us about the new song, and are you excited to bring new music to your fans?

This new song is actually an old song that was never released. It was discovered on some old recordings that were left over from one of our albums. The label loved the song & wanted to release it as the debut single from the album. It’s trippy for us how big the reaction to the track has been.

Who came up with the concept for the My Car Is A UFO video? Were there any memorable moments during the making of it?

Filmmaker Jesse Richards pitched the video idea to us from an original skateboarding concept that I’d had. He’s done such a great job with the clip we all love it & the cast were brilliant so good. It really captures the essence of the song & what Janet is communicating in it.

The new album ‘Sounds In The Key Of J’ is a compilation that pays homage to your Bass player/ Vocalist, Janet English, how did the idea for this record come about ?

Originally the label had asked us for some playlists to reboot some of our back catalogue. After a while I thought of developing the idea further into actual albums - and the Janet collection was one of those. It occurred to me that there’s never been a definitive collection of all of her songs in order & so I was really keen to create a double album of her work in the band. It’s been brilliant how it’s come together & me and Whitt are so stoked for her & love her so much. To put the icing on the cake our longtime manager Fiona came up with the album title & we used her photos for the cover as well.

“The record is a collection of pretty much every song of Janet’s in Spiderbait , from the very start to now. ”

— KRAM - Spiderbait

Is the album a mix of old and new material?

The record is a collection of pretty much every song of Janet’s in Spiderbait , from the very start to now.

Can we expect a ‘K’ and a ‘W’ next? It could be the SPIDERBAIT take on the KISS, Faces albums?

Jeez not sure about that ?! Sounds fun tho !

You have released the dates for your first headline tour since the Ivy & The Big Apples tour in 2017, are you excited to be getting back out on the road for your own show?

Yes it’s gonna be great - especially after all the uncertainties of Covid. This tour in the Key of J will be unique as well , as we are celebrating Janet’s songs and her place in the history of Australian music.

As someone who has seen you perform multiple times, first early on in your career, the most recent being Scene & Heard in March, your energy, your interaction with the crowd and especially the quality of your music is always on point. How are you able to deliver to such a high standard so consistently?

I have no idea other than to say I just have the best time of my life every time. So maybe that’s the secret. Every show is like a wonderful surprise party and Scene & Heard was no different. We’re experiencing it again with the Groovin the Moo tour at the moment which had been insane mega fun. Crowds are so nuts it is wonderful to behold

What is the one thing you absolutely HAVE to pack when you go on tour?

Lotsa lotsa t-shirts

“Massive crowds do massive things and it’s an incredible feeling being up there”

— KRAM - Spiderbait

Spiderbait are playing Groovin The Moos 3 events in April and The Rubens ‘Valleyways Festival’ in September. Do you enjoy playing festivals and being a part of that festival scene and atmosphere?

Festivals are special for us. Massive crowds do massive things and it’s an incredible feeling being up there. We’ve been playing big festivals for many years and they take you to another level altogether. I love having the crowd sing with me. It is quite literally a euphoric experience.

Do you find that festivals present your music to new a fan base or people who haven’t heard you before?

We definitely find that sometimes. This GTM tour has been like that for sure - which is why it’s been so weird and wonderful the huge crowds we are getting to our shows , they’ve actually been chanting for us before the show even starts which has been surreal. A young friend of mine from Sydney said all her friends were coming to the Moo gig especially to see us , which was sick and they sure made an awesome racket at the show, it was epic . One of the best gigs ever.

Where was the first SPIDERBAIT gig? Was it a success or flop?

First ever SB show was at the legendary Tote Hotel in Collingwood. It was awesome as we got to support The Meanies who are so great.

What is your favourite song to play live from your back catalogue?

Tough question as it moves around a lot. Right now I’m liking The Mob Has Spoken.

You have performed at some extremely high-profile events and with some very famous people. What’s been the highlight in your career so far personally? And why?

I don’t think I can definitively answer that. We’ve had & continue to have so many highs in our crazy journey together. I mean we’ve won the hottest 100 , had a huge number 1 hit, played massive shows countless times to thousands of wonderful people , made & sold a pile of records , got to tell our stories through songs , played insane music together & traveled the world. And stayed dear friends who love each other. So I would say that’s our greatest legacy.

“Being the first Australian band to win the Hottest 100 is special to us and also because of the song itself. Buy me a Pony is just as resonant today as when I wrote it years ago”

— KRAM - Spiderbait

Over the last 30 plus years SPIDERBAIT have won countless awards and accolades, are there any that are particularly special, or stand out to you?

Being the first Australian band to win the Hottest 100 is special to us and also because of the song itself. Buy me a Pony is just as resonant today as when I wrote it years ago. In some ways the best thing about it was knowing the public understood where we were coming from and still do - that means a lot. Black Betty goin to number 1 was also nuts and the awards we’ve received for that track mean a lot as well.

Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is it they do that keeps your world turning?

Quite simply our manager Fiona. She is a one of a kind and we love her so much for her belief in us. We wouldn’t be here without her.

What's next for SPIDERBAIT? What can fans look forward to, from arguably one of the best bands this country has ever produced?

We are working on a new album at the moment for release next year - it’s exciting because the tracks are off chops so far. Can’t wait.