Marmozets

Typically it would be a bad sign if a band hadn’t released any new material in a four year period but for British rockers Marmozets it was simply a case of multiple unexpected hurdles sprouting up in their path. 

After their breakthrough record, The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets, in 2014 the band went on a long stint of touring then just as they were planning to head back into the studio front woman Becca MacIntyre suffered an injury to her knees which would require multiple surgeries.

During their enforced sabbatical the group were hard at work behind the scenes crafting their most ambitious and provocative work to date for Knowing What You Know Now.

“We hadn’t written any new songs for three years so it was a bit unnerving to begin with,” said guitarist Jack Bottomley. “We wrote the equivalent of three albums in the time off though because we weren’t in any rush and were able to craft the best combination of songs possible.”

With such a long break between records it came as no surprise to both Marmozets themselves and their fans that the music they created for this new record had evolved.

“When we were writing the first record we were all still quite young, my brother Will for example was only 16,” recalled Bottomley. “Now that we were all a bit older we had discovered new types of music and developed our own individual identities to bring to the writing process. We were also more willing to take everyone else’s ideas on board and not be so precious about our own ideas of what a song should be.”

By taking this new direction with their music Bottomley said it has been “lovely” to watch the demographic of the audiences shift. “On the first record it was people aged 18-25 roughly but now it’s younger people at the front then towards the back we have couples in their 60s who enjoy the music.”

This shift in audience composition has been important for Marmozets because they, “always wanted to be a band which appealed to everyone rather than being stuck in a niche.”

Despite not looking forward to the flight here Bottomley told City Hub they are “really excited” to come back to Australia with these new songs.

“We’ve got a completely new lease on life with the live show and we’re enjoying it more than ever.”

Jul 18. Lansdowne Hotel, 2-6 City Rd, Chippendale. $49.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.thelansdownepub.com.au