Pist Idiots: “Love songs are 100% underrated“

EN: I couldn’t be more wrong. I thought Pist Idiots were bad guys, angry, maybe even bitter. But they’re not. They’re true gentlemen who care about having a good time and, most importantly, giving you one. Here is my interview with them, in which we discuss their latest album, Idles, rednecks, and more.

FR: Je ne pouvais pas plus me tromper. Je croyais que les Pist Idiots étaient des bad boys, en colère, peut-être même amers. Ce n’est pas le cas. Les Pist Idiots sont de vrais gentlemen qui veulent passer un bon moment et, surtout, vous en donner un peu. Voici mon interview avec eux. Nous y parlons de leur dernier album, de Idles, des rednecks, et plus encore.

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Introduction

How are you? What’s up with you these days?

Hey man, going pretty well just, trying to squeeze as much shit around work as we can lol. We all work full time jobs, so sometimes it’s hard to get us all together.

I can imagine. Well, good luck with that. Now, if you had to summarize Pist Idiots in just one sentence, what would it be?

Very fucking lucky blokes.

Haha, love it. Sorry for asking such a basic question, but… the band’s name, where does it come from? Are you pist? Are you idiots? You seem like angry guys on most of your videos, indeed…

Apologies not required, this is probably a fresh take on the name anyway. We were just mucking around in Jonos (our drummer) parents garage. We had applied for a battle of the bands at the local pub, our mate Karl said we needed a name and named us accordingly.

Colloquially pissed in Australia as well as being in a foul mood refers to being drunk. At the time, we we’re drunk fucking around and it stuck like glue since. We ain’t angry, little bit idiotic at times but everyone’s got that in them.

Your music

Going back in time, you put out your first songs back in 2017, with “Fuck Off”, “Leave It at that” (I love the video), “99 Bottles”… What has changed in your music since then? Do you approach music differently?

There was a lot of naivety around the songs we released in 2017, since then we’ve probably become more involved in the process, entrenched more in music as a whole. We’ve only been in a band with each other so from then to now we’ve just watched each other learn and grow, our skills and influences have broadened as we’ve matured just a little bit more. It’s also a pretty exciting when you realise.

As much as you’d like to write music with no thought or theory, it would be ignorant to say that our approach to writing is the same as the first songs. We know we’re a live band and probably subconsciously writing music that tends to been played live with an attitude and energy to match. Idiots still write with as much heart as head these days.

Now, Idiocracy is the result of all these years, exactly what we were waiting for. What a masterpiece! Can you tell us about this album underlining philosophy?

Thank you!!! Unfortunately there is no real underlying philosophy or deep message to this album. The one thing we wanted to capture though was an album that represented us, the songs that we released are songs we like to play and sing, they’re written from the heart. It’s a collection of songs that we are all really proud of. Maybe that’s the underlying philosophy.

Sounds good to me!

Who’s Juliette? I listen to this song so many times that I almost feel like I know her.

Mate, everyone’s had Juliet once or many times in their lifetime. She’s just the person from that classic story time and time over. Idiocracy alternates between committed texts and love songs (“She Yells Jack” is a beautiful one).

Are love songs underrated?

Love songs are 100% underrated. Nothing in this world like love.

At times, I feel like Idiocracy is the Aussie answer to Idles. What do you think about that? Not that I think it was made for the purpose of answering Idles, but is it fair to put them side by side?

That articles an excellent article by the way. I can understand the comparison regarding a proletariat voice and what not. Taking the comparison as a big compliment I think your 5 points are a pretty good summary. To put us side by side though like anything I’m sure like Idles their goal is to make music that they enjoy creating and playing live. That’s a big goal of ours as well, as far as lyrical content in our music it’s just honestly what we relate to best, we’re all working separate 9-5 jobs, come from hard working households all live very normal day to day lives it’s only going to lead into our songwriting. We also very much love the pub as well as a BBQ! Get’s too hot outside lol.

Isn’t it? Haha. Have you seen the movie Idiocracy (2006)? The movie is a critic of where society is going. Is it fair to say that, similarly, your LP is an ode to clevercracy? I quote you here: “Oh no, A world run by idiots. I try to think pretty but it ends up hideous And time all warped together and I need to mop the spillage I need to mop the spillage, I need to mop the spillage”.

Actually haven’t watched that movie but have definitely been meaning to. Not an ode as such, more just sometimes y’a wish that dumb greedy cunts weren’t the ones making all calls that directly effect everyone’s livelihoods. Just some general venting of frustration.

The scene

Is there a bogan music scene in Australia, maybe with Amyl and the Sniffers, The Chats, Drunk Mums, and yourselves? If so, do you identify as being part of it?

I wouldn’t necessarily label it bogan but more so just rock n roll, and as far as rock n roll music in Australia goes I do identify us in it and am very stoked be named amongst those above. What a privilege. We’re all a little bogan here and there though there’s no going around it.

Fair enough! There are so many good bands coming out of Melbourne right now. Is it fair to say there are fewer bands out of Sidney? If so, why? And which bands from Sidney should I listen to?

I think it stems from nightlife legislation that was put in place a couple years ago, I can’t really make a comment from what it was like before the lock out laws. Even playing in Melbourne and going out it feels like more a music city. Like bands doing 2am sets shit like that doesn’t happen up here, just seems like there are more live music venues with more bands to play em. Could just be more people in Sydney are into different shit, different music genres. Here are some Sydney bands, though:

Lowlife
COFFIN
Flight to Dubai
Lincoln’s gold
Research Reactor Corp
Bed wetting bad boys
Royal headache
Shogun and the sheets
Arse
Party dozen
Optic nerve
Shady nasty
SPEED
Primitive Blast
Oily boys

Wow, thanks!

You’ve been around for quite some years now. What would you like to change in the music sphere?

I think it’s getting better, but less flops is always better. Other than that not much, everyone should feel welcomed at any show.

What is your favorite album of the last few months?

Amyl’s album is top class. Also, Chubby and the Gang, album Mutts Nuts.

To conclude

And now… here is a (very) complex question: what important truth do very few people agree with you on (whether it concerns music or anything else)?

Fuck deep, got nothing for y’a.

It’s an hard one 🙂 When can we expect some new music from you? Is there any plan for a new LP?

Not anytime soon, really just want to be able to tour Idiocracy as much as we can.

One movie I should watch?

Two of the best Australian movies of all time: Two Hands (1999), and Bad Boy Bubby (1993)

Will do! Last question: is “rock’n’roll dead”?

Can’t kill what never dies, fuck no.