TEN QUICK ONES with BRIAN DUNNE of POTATO STARS

Shane | 7 February 2017 | 1 Reply

TEN QUICK ONES with BRIAN DUNNE of POTATO STARS
By Shane Pinnegar

Masters of raucous and abrasive rock n’ roll, Potato Stars have been an indefinable entity on the Perth music scene for decades – part punkish fury, part raw suburban blues, part pop genius and art noisenik experimentation.

With an ever-fluid line-up and a host of EP and album releases to their name, the one constant throughout has been frontman Brian Dunne – aka Prozac Boy – a staunch advocate for the local music scene and a man with an acerbic wit and a driving passion for music. Like John Lee Hooker before him, Dunne has got the blues (albeit a very unique kind of blues) in him, and he’s gotta get it out.

Potato Stars launch their latest EP, Baked, at Bassendean Hotel on Friday, 10th of February, 2017 with support from Dumb Punts (Vic), Delta Kong and Samarobryn.

1.What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?

Ho! Oh ho ho! I’m a… ha ha… ‘musician’? That’s a good one. I think seeing The Saints video for I’m Stranded on Countdown opened my eyes to the fact that music which didn’t sound like The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac existed. And that I could do shit like that too.

2.Who would be your main five musical influences?

I’m not sure I even have five, really. Basically my only actual musical influence is The Fall. If you don’t dig The Fall there is something majorly missing in your life, I honestly pity you. As far as songwriting goes, lyrically, I suppose growing up with Dave Warner also had an effect. Loads of local Perth bands, as well, no doubt.

3.If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Fuck, I’ve worked with some pretty good ones already, I love knocking out songs with Tim Underwood from The Rosemary Beads/Valvolux, Potato Stars latest EP Baked features two songs we wrote together.

4.How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

Bastard cabaret meets loud pop music.

5.What’s the best thing about being a muso?

By Christ you’re a funny bugger. Sincerely? Nothing much… I enjoy getting up on stage and spending time recording.

6.When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Ha ha! Hanging out? As if we do that! Occasionally we grudgefully get together and rehearse.

7.If you weren’t a muso, what would be your dream job?

Jesus fuck, Shane, you’re really cracking me up today. If I wasn’t a ‘muso’ I’d be way richer than I am today.

8.If you were made ruler of the world, what would your first orders be?

I AM the ruler of the world, didn’t you get the memo… erm… tweet?

9.If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I’d go back to the recording of the vocals for Pot Stars own album Perverse and be not quite so drunk when I did my bits for Love Makes You Fat. Or be at the recording sessions for the first B52s album and drop some of that fine acid with the band.

10.What, for you, is the meaning of life??

Oh, raising my daughter well. Her favourite band is Sunnyboys, so I guess that’s parenting done right.

Potato Stars launch their latest EP Baked at Bassendean Hotel on Friday, 10th of February, 2017 with support from Dumb Punts (Vic), Delta Kong and Samarobryn. If you’re in Perth on that date you’d be mad to miss it.

https://www.facebook.com/potstars1/
https://potatostars.bandcamp.com/