“It’s got the cock-rock glam vibe going but with the addition of the double bass,” explains James. “It gives us a unique sound, it has a heavy edge to it. Rick Ruin and Riley Strong are two monsters on the guitar – these guys crap killer riffs in their sleep! Lyrically, some people will get a giggle out of the lyrics but it really was what was going on in my head. Sometimes I don’t see why people think the lyrics are funny because that’s just how I am thinking. They’re saying ‘we wanna have a good time so come and join us – but if you’re gonna be a tool box then get the fuck out’.”
Simple and poetic, that is what Thunderstag is all about. Consisting of members with ties to bands like The Shine, Runaway Boys, Voodoo Lovecats, Catwitch and Desecrator, James reveals Thunderstag recently recorded their debut album with Reb Parisi at Melbourne Records.
“Ren Parisi at Melbourne Records recorded it and Finn Keane mastered it at Jack the Bears Deluxe Mastering, they really brought it to life. Some of the songs ended up being even better by the time they were recorded. It really captures the vibe of the band and it’s all balls! The last year and the year before we have spent hibernating in the studio. We have been writing, recording, jamming and having a good time. Wrestlerock to us will be extra special because it is our debut gig and our album launch. It will be history in the making.”
In fact, James claims for many a year to come people will be claiming they were there too, just like they claim now they were there to witness Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson wrestle Krackerjak at a sold-out show at The Hi-Fi Bar in 2008. “Dicko at Wrestlerock was awesome. He really ‘got it’. He wrestled Krackerjak and they blew the roof off that sold-out crowd. He did about three weeks of training, got tights made, was shooting his mouth off on the radio about Krackerjak. He really went full tilt. On the night he turned up in a stretched hummer and came out with bodyguards. All the fans lining up out the front were booing him and giving him hell. He flipped them all the bird and told them where to go. He was fantastic. Away from that he was an absolute professional and really nice guy. He took some hard hits in that match and by the end of it the whole crowd went wild for him because they understood that he had put in the work and he delivered to that audience. It was a real highlight.”
