The Jezabels
Words: Rob Lyon

The Jezabels have had a massive twelve months, with their music taking them right around the globe, spending plenty of time touring Europe and the United States making people stand up and take notice of these rising stars from Sydney, Australia. Triple J has provided a solid launch pad right here at home for the release of three EP’s and their debut album Prisoner.
The Jezabels return home for a brief tour this June, stepping up the size of venues that they’re playing and bringing a bigger production with them, before heading back overseas again for more touring. Keyboardist Heather Shannon talks with Caught In The Mosh from Seattle, about life in the band and their future plans.
Congratulations, it has been a real whirlwind. Are you pinching yourself with how well things have panned out for The Jezabels?
Yeah, it seems like everything has been positive and really good. It is kind of weird though because we never stopped touring and we don’t get to experience the aftermath of things very much.
From outwards looking in, most would think it has been an overnight revelation but that's not the case. It must be a great feeling knowing that the hard work is paying off now?
Definitely. We’ve worked very hard for the last five years together and for us to be at the stage where we’re at now is pretty awesome. Looking back, for me, the biggest highlight so far is playing The Enmore Theatre, which was like a big moment for us. All our families came down to Sydney to watch us and it was a big stepping stone for us.
Did you think in your wildest imagination that your music would be taking you right around the world?
No, I didn’t think I’d be going to half the places we’ve been to. Even parts of Australia we’d never thought we’d get to. I think I would have always played music and travelled, but maybe not to this extent.
The Jezabels return home for a brief tour this June, stepping up the size of venues that they’re playing and bringing a bigger production with them, before heading back overseas again for more touring. Keyboardist Heather Shannon talks with Caught In The Mosh from Seattle, about life in the band and their future plans.
Congratulations, it has been a real whirlwind. Are you pinching yourself with how well things have panned out for The Jezabels?
Yeah, it seems like everything has been positive and really good. It is kind of weird though because we never stopped touring and we don’t get to experience the aftermath of things very much.
From outwards looking in, most would think it has been an overnight revelation but that's not the case. It must be a great feeling knowing that the hard work is paying off now?
Definitely. We’ve worked very hard for the last five years together and for us to be at the stage where we’re at now is pretty awesome. Looking back, for me, the biggest highlight so far is playing The Enmore Theatre, which was like a big moment for us. All our families came down to Sydney to watch us and it was a big stepping stone for us.
Did you think in your wildest imagination that your music would be taking you right around the world?
No, I didn’t think I’d be going to half the places we’ve been to. Even parts of Australia we’d never thought we’d get to. I think I would have always played music and travelled, but maybe not to this extent.

Will it be a hard decision to press the stop button for touring, to start working on the next album, when you’ve got so much momentum?
There is definitely a time when we will be saying it’s time we get off the road for a while, as there is only so much touring you can do and only so many months you can push yourself when you’re playing every night. It probably won’t be until early next year where we’ll start writing again, as there’s still a lot of touring to go. We’re playing a lot of festivals in Europe and the US as well, which is great for us.
Do you notice much difference between your fans here in Australia and those overseas?
Not really. There’s just more of them! Our shows are heaps smaller here whereas the shows overseas are usually six hundred to a thousand capacity, with the smaller ones being around two hundred. It feels like we’re winning new fans over more than just playing to a solid crowd who have followed us for a long time. Also, they don’t know the back story to us and the build up that happened with our album and three EP’s, as they’ve haven’t been released over there. It is a little bit different but generally the people we play too really like our music and identify with us.
You're playing the larger Thebarton Theatre in Adelaide on this tour. Are you looking forward to get back home and playing bigger venues?
Yes, yes, yes I love the Thebarton Theatre. We played there once with Tegan & Sara and it’s absolutely beautiful. We’ll be playing a lot more new stuff with the majority of the set off Prisoner but some of the old favourites will be there. The lighting show is going to be a big step up and all the production type things will be bigger compared to last time.
Have the songs off Prisoner evolved much compared to the original versions on the album?
I think a little bit and sometimes when you write a song in the studio it doesn’t always feel right to play it the same way live so we do change it up a bit so it feels right to us. It is a bit of a challenge but people should notice the subtle difference.
There is definitely a time when we will be saying it’s time we get off the road for a while, as there is only so much touring you can do and only so many months you can push yourself when you’re playing every night. It probably won’t be until early next year where we’ll start writing again, as there’s still a lot of touring to go. We’re playing a lot of festivals in Europe and the US as well, which is great for us.
Do you notice much difference between your fans here in Australia and those overseas?
Not really. There’s just more of them! Our shows are heaps smaller here whereas the shows overseas are usually six hundred to a thousand capacity, with the smaller ones being around two hundred. It feels like we’re winning new fans over more than just playing to a solid crowd who have followed us for a long time. Also, they don’t know the back story to us and the build up that happened with our album and three EP’s, as they’ve haven’t been released over there. It is a little bit different but generally the people we play too really like our music and identify with us.
You're playing the larger Thebarton Theatre in Adelaide on this tour. Are you looking forward to get back home and playing bigger venues?
Yes, yes, yes I love the Thebarton Theatre. We played there once with Tegan & Sara and it’s absolutely beautiful. We’ll be playing a lot more new stuff with the majority of the set off Prisoner but some of the old favourites will be there. The lighting show is going to be a big step up and all the production type things will be bigger compared to last time.
Have the songs off Prisoner evolved much compared to the original versions on the album?
I think a little bit and sometimes when you write a song in the studio it doesn’t always feel right to play it the same way live so we do change it up a bit so it feels right to us. It is a bit of a challenge but people should notice the subtle difference.

Given the amount of touring you do, how do you keep things fresh?
Alcohol! Sometimes it is hard to keep up the adrenalin but if you have a few drinks that really helps. Or if the venue is nice, or if it’s a sold out show, that makes it a bit more exciting. There are definitely the low nights but we have come to accept that when we chose to be a performer, it is a challenge you have to face every night.
The longer the tour goes on do you find your fellow band mates have any annoying habits?
When we first started touring internationally a couple of years ago, we found it very hard to adapt. We’re all in really good places at the moment and we get along really well and know when to leave someone alone and give them space, rather than push or argue with them. We all love each other and never want to argue, and more often than not, it’s all tiredness and you start to realise that.
Do you have some ideas in the back of your mind as to how album number two might sound?
We have been talking a fair bit about it and we’re really excited to be able to start writing again. There is something with touring, which sounds strange because you’re performing every night, there is something you miss creatively with it, because you’re playing the same songs every night, trying to find a new edge to those songs, but it’s challenging doing that. My mind craves new music, so there is a whole lot of stuff that is pent up by the time we get around to writing again. We’ve all got programs on our computers and bits of paper with ideas on them.
Does the notion of second album blues ever come up in discussions?
No, we haven’t talked about that but I think we’ve dodged that, having released three EP’s. It felt like our first album was actually our second album in a lot of ways, because we waited a long time and were really prepared for it. I have no idea what will happen with our second album but I can see why bands have a lapse on their second album because of the pressures of their record labels and pressures of different musical fashions going on in other parts of the world. Sometimes it can be really dejecting and leads you away from you think. I think you have to remember what you think and what it means to you and staying true to yourself. It probably is easier for us because the four of us are writers and we support each other in that way.
What’s the next big challenge for The Jezabels?
I think it will be recording the second album under record label pressure. We are independent in Australia so we always have one hundred percent creativity but we’ve never had anyone vocal or interfere with our music. Dealing with them will be a bit tricky but just another thing we have to face.
Alcohol! Sometimes it is hard to keep up the adrenalin but if you have a few drinks that really helps. Or if the venue is nice, or if it’s a sold out show, that makes it a bit more exciting. There are definitely the low nights but we have come to accept that when we chose to be a performer, it is a challenge you have to face every night.
The longer the tour goes on do you find your fellow band mates have any annoying habits?
When we first started touring internationally a couple of years ago, we found it very hard to adapt. We’re all in really good places at the moment and we get along really well and know when to leave someone alone and give them space, rather than push or argue with them. We all love each other and never want to argue, and more often than not, it’s all tiredness and you start to realise that.
Do you have some ideas in the back of your mind as to how album number two might sound?
We have been talking a fair bit about it and we’re really excited to be able to start writing again. There is something with touring, which sounds strange because you’re performing every night, there is something you miss creatively with it, because you’re playing the same songs every night, trying to find a new edge to those songs, but it’s challenging doing that. My mind craves new music, so there is a whole lot of stuff that is pent up by the time we get around to writing again. We’ve all got programs on our computers and bits of paper with ideas on them.
Does the notion of second album blues ever come up in discussions?
No, we haven’t talked about that but I think we’ve dodged that, having released three EP’s. It felt like our first album was actually our second album in a lot of ways, because we waited a long time and were really prepared for it. I have no idea what will happen with our second album but I can see why bands have a lapse on their second album because of the pressures of their record labels and pressures of different musical fashions going on in other parts of the world. Sometimes it can be really dejecting and leads you away from you think. I think you have to remember what you think and what it means to you and staying true to yourself. It probably is easier for us because the four of us are writers and we support each other in that way.
What’s the next big challenge for The Jezabels?
I think it will be recording the second album under record label pressure. We are independent in Australia so we always have one hundred percent creativity but we’ve never had anyone vocal or interfere with our music. Dealing with them will be a bit tricky but just another thing we have to face.
Be sure the catch the Jezabels performing live as they tour nationally in June. These shows are the bands most ambitious to date and are set to be a visual and aural extravaganza not to be missed.
Tickets on sale now!
Friday 1st June - Melbourne, Festival Hall - tickets from Ticketmaster
Saturday 2nd June - Adelaide, Thebarton Theatre - tickets from Venuetix
Tuesday 5th June - Perth, Metro City - tickets from OzTix
Thursday 7th June - Brisbane, Convention Centre - tickets from Ticketek
Saturday 9th June - Sydney, Horden Pavillion - tickets from Ticketek