Roll of the Dice: 11 questions with Frenzal Rhomb

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Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A Pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.

Normally, this is where I put in a brief introduction to the artist being interviewed, but lets be honest with each other… its been 30 years and if you somehow don’t know about the Australian skate-punks Frenzal Rhomb we’ve got bigger problems. Instead I will tell you that I immediately fell in love with the song “Genius” and the band when I found them on a Go-Kart Records comp I picked up in 1998. Working out in a timeline when music was still physical and affordable I spent the next few years buying up the band’s back-catalogue off still developing internet marketplaces. Having lead vocalist, Jason Whalley, taking a few moments out of his day to roll the dice with me and chat about band and the new Cup of Pestilence record is a clear high-point for me and I should probably stop gushing so you can read Jason’s self-deprecating replies to my poorly-phrased, generic queries.

Congrats on the release of “The Cup of Pestilence.” What should TGEFM  readers know about the record and the songwriting process that went into it?

Thanks! Oh wow, we started writing this thing about 4 years ago when Dal ( bass, vocals ) joined the band. We tend to demo every song that anyone writes to give it the best chance, and then throw 70 percent of them in the bin. We had 60 demos recorded by the time we went to the Blasting Room. Basically everyone votes for their favourite songs and whatever gets the most votes on the spreadsheet goes on the album. If you don’t like a song, don’t blame us… blame democracy

It’s been over 30 years since Frenzal Rhomb formed. What has changed the  most in the scene and industry from your perspective? What’s been the hardest thing to adapt to and what change have you found to be the most  positive?

I guess the whole ‘people listening to your music basically for free’ thing is different these days but I guess that only matters if someone ever bought your records anyway.. I like that more people have access to bands that they might not have heard. It’s also a good time to be a live music consumer because everyone’s touring so they can sell some t-shirts! 

What stood out most to you with this recording compared to your previous trips to the studio?

I think we’re getting better at honing the songs before we get to the final recording stage.. in the olden days I’d be writing lyrics on the footpath outside the studio and then walk in and record them… you can tell. 

Australia had some of the most stringent measures in place to slow the spread of COVID.  How did the isolation impact your songwriting?  Did you find freedom in having so much down time or was it challenging to write alone without anyone to bounce song ideas off of in real-time?

I don’t think I wrote anything at all during lockdowns. We couldn’t demo so there didn’t seem much point. I got my motorbike license and went swimming at the closest disgusting ferry wharf at the mouth of the Parramatta River. Was nice if you didn’t think about what’s in there. 

What effect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music?

A change of government here was nice. Albo (Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) is a Frenzal fan but I probably shouldn’t mention that in case one of his opponents use it against him. 
Because of our songwriting and culling process the lyrical nature of the album is really dependent on the spreadsheet.. we could have 20 political type songs but none of them made it because the chorus isn’t catchy enough or whatever. Or conversely 5 songs about dogs and horses and they all get on the record because they sound sick and got enough votes! 

What is it about music that you are most passionate about? What motivates you to keep writing?

I still get a kick out of trying to write good songs with pretty defined boundaries. There are a lot of unspoken rules and forbidden chords and beats in Frenzal Rhomb songwriting. It’s actually amazing there’s anything left to use in a song. 

Which of the new songs are you most excited to perform in a live setting?

I’m looking forward to playing “Gone To The Dogs” live but Gordy doesn’t exactly know how it goes so we’ll see. The other dog one has a sick breakdown too. 

Speaking of live shows, are you finding the new fans meshing well with the ones who’ve been around a while?

I’ll let you know when I meet one of these ‘new fans’ you speak of. 

One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?

You’ve probably heard of C.O.F.F.I.N. Love them to bits, just finished recording their new record, it’s a rager. Boudicca from Newcastle are sick and we played with an incredible band up there a cupla weeks ago called Where’s Jimmy? Had some great bands through the studio lately; Tantichrist, Being Jane Lane, The Strike Outs, Private Wives, Crankees, Melvic Centre to name a few! 

Beyond the release of The Cup Of Pestilence, what’s next for Frenzal Rhomb?

Play shows. Hopefully get back to Japan and Europe at some point. Lie down. 

Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?

Thank you!