WHEN it comes to music consumption, everyone has a guilty pleasure hidden from the rest of the world.
For Andrew Thomson, lead guitarist and percussionist for emerging Brisbane indie melodic-pop rockers The Medics, that shameless admission comes in the form of one rather polarising R&B/pop diva.
“(Growing up), I was into Mariah Carey, U2 and all that kind of stuff,” Thomson laughed over the phone from his adopted town of Brisbane, ahead of playing alongside one of his musical heroes, Kanye West, at the Gold Coast leg of the Big Day Out festival.
“None of us actually came from a proper musical household, although (drummer and vocalist) Jindhu (Lawrie)’s dad is a very well-known musician (Bunna Lawrie, of Indigenous band Coloured Stone).”
The Medics formed in the sub-tropic climes of Cairns – originally as a quintet before downsizing to a quartet – as a group of high schoolers playing at the local pub and PCYC.
“You had to take your own speakers and if you wanted a stage, you had to get your own stage,” Thomson chuckled.
Being in a band, however, was not a conscious decision for the then Gold Coast-born and based teenager, who moved to North Queensland aged 11, after his dad secured a new job.
“Moving to Cairns was the best thing that happened, really, as there wasn’t a strong sense of wanting to be in a band as a kid. We just all started gigging together and a hobby became a bit more of a passion,” he recalled.
In 2010, the boys set up house in Brisbane and made a name for themselves with the release of their debut EP, This Boat We Call Love.
That same year, they were named the Deadly Award Band of the Year, in honour of the outfit’s Indigenous heritage (Thomson’s mother hails from England and his father is part Aboriginal).
“I don’t hold (my ancestry strongly) personally, but my dad’s a principal at an Indigenous school in Townsville, and has a strong connection up there,” Thomson said.
“Like, he will buy me Indigenous paintings from the Cape (York Peninsula), or drums that have been made in Arnhem Land.
“But Jindhu and (guitarist and lead vocalist) Kahl (Wallace) are Indigenous and have a really strong grasp on it; they’re almost semi-religious (in the way they) bring (their culture) to the everyday things they do.”
The Medics – whose debut LP will drop mid-this year – are making their second trip west to play at the Perth International Arts Festival’s new outdoor music venue, and while in town, hope to catch up with pals, local indie electro-pop duo Tim & Jean.
“We’ll see if they’ll be around and also take some time out to see (key festival drawcards) Death Cab for Cutie and Bon Iver.”
The Medics play the Festival Gardens at Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge, on February 12.
Emilia Vranjes