These guys are on a roll.
Turning heads this week are Melbourne garage rock trio, Bad Bangs, who are back with the single ‘Too Much’.
Led by vocalist and guitarist Shelby De Fazio, Bad Bangs have been kicking around since 2016. The band’s debut EP, Grow It Out, landed a year ago and was followed this June by the single ‘Crush’.
‘Too Much’ is a no-frills garage rock stomper, which was only recently added to the band’s live set. “We all noted how it just gelled when we first played it live,” says De Fazio.
Feeling confident, the band decided to jump in the studio and seize the unvarnished energy.
“It was a refreshing approach, as all of our other tracks had been test run at gigs for some time before recording them,” De Fazio says.
Bad Bangs recorded ‘Too Much’ at Fish Bones Tone Shack with good friend Fabian Hunter Shaw (Chube Screamer, Girlatones, China Beach) behind the boards. It was tracked live, straight to tape, which explains its warm tone.
“As a three-piece, the process of recording live is great,” says De Fazio. “It feels like we can capture the same level of energy that we project when we perform.”
The recording is notable for introducing keys to the Bad Bangs setup.
“On a recent trip to Japan, I impulsively bought a little synth and have been trying to learn to use it,” says De Fazio. “It’s a super simple line tucked in there, but we found it was a nice little Easter egg to throw in and shake things up.”
Lyrically, ‘Too Much’ takes a look at both the complexities and ironic simplicities of relationships.
“I wrote it after a bit of a light bulb moment – an experience of building something up in my own head and letting my guard down then, in hindsight, realising it for what it was.
“It stands as a bit of a reminder to look out for yourself and not get caught up. Be honest and kind to yourself and read what’s right in front of you.”
‘Too Much’ represents a steady refinement of the Bad Bangs sound.
“I’d like to think that, stylistically, our sound is maturing and coming into its own. We’re dipping our toes into the water before diving into a debut LP.”
First up, they’ve got a four-date NSW/Victorian single tour to get through. “It was a big goal of ours this year to play shows outside of Melbourne and we’ve managed to sneak it in before the end of the year.”
They’ll take some time out after the tour to get stuck into that debut full length.
See Bad Bangs at The Retreat Hotel on Saturday November 30 with Floodlights, Major Plains and Bluey.
