Dynamic rock outfit HER have been steadily building a name for themselves on the Australian music scene, with their infectious blending of rock and blues-infused grunge goodness finally getting the band national recognition following the release of their latest EP, Toe Rag.
With members having played with and shared stages with the likes of The Screaming Jets, Keith Richards, Divinyls and Billy Thorpe, HER most certainly have the pedigree for a career in rock, they just need the exposure.
Which comes next weekend in the form of the Mitchell Creek Blues and Rock Festival, where HER have been given the honour of closing out the three day festival on September 15. Undoubtedly the heaviest act of the 120 artists asked to perform, HER are flying the flag for harder-edged music, and do so with pride and enthusiasm.
HEAVY caught up with vocalist Mish Davie and bass player Jerome Smith to find out more.
"It just came out of the blue," Davie enthused about the opportunity to close Mitchell Creek. "I was contemplating where are we going? What are we doing with this band? It's such hard work, and I was really having a downer to the point of thinking I don't even know if it's worth keeping this band going. And then the phone rang, and it was Jimmy, and he said 'hey Mish how would you like to come and play at a festival I organise?' So it was totally out of the blue but he said he had been listening to us for a while, and he was really drawn to the single The Truth, and that's basically how it happened."
Part of HER's appeal comes in the fact that they are continually pushing their musical boundaries in an attempt to break free from the mould of being another in a long line of run-of-the-mill rock bands that are a dime a dozen in music.
"It's such a process," Davie explains of HER's overall sound. "For me personally, I collaborate still with my old guitarist. We've got so much stuff on the shelf we have yet to release, so that has been interesting bringing that in. When I first started this band six years ago, that was all the songs I had with my back catalogue. That first album was quite eclectic. Including Jerome, there's four drummers on the first album, so it was all hired guns. Now it's been 18 months to two years with this line-up, and Mark McLeod (drums) is now on board, and he has a really distinct style, so that's been interesting melding that into what we do with the kind of stoner rock and slower, bluesy rock stuff. It's really amped up the style and pushed it - because Mark is quite a metal player - and he has pushed what we do heavier. But what has happened with Nelson (guitar), Jerome and Christian (guitar) as well is all of us write. It's just so good to get together with a creative and talented group of people who, in their own right, all write music and have their own style."
In the full interview Mish and Jerome talk more about the sound of HER and how it came about, their upcoming show at Mitchell Creek Blues And Rock Fest and what it means to them and their music, what to expect live from HER, the EP Toe Tag and how it was received, pushing their limits musically, finding the balance of genres in the writing and recording stage and more.