For Perth’s indie rock band Tired Lion, a deep love for old school bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Hole is the very thing that their own music springs from. Often-called “Australia’s Indie Grunge Darlings”, the band acknowledges that the term “helps a lot when people when people want a brief description of the band”, but does not let that title limit them, often venturing into other forms of writing styles and pulling from all kinds of genres.
To date, Tired Lion has released an EP titled All We Didn’t Know, and has played countless live sets around Western Australia, a testament to their emerging presence in the music scene. Singaporeans also had the chance to witness their boundless energy as they graced the local stage at Music Matters Live in 2014.
So far, 2015 has been a whirlwind of tours with fellow acts like Australian and British punk rock bands Luca Brasi and Gnarwolves, as well as Melbourne rock band Kingswood, but Tired Lion will not be resting just yet, with more shows lined up this year.
I sat down (virtually) with the easy-going and unabashedly honest trio made up of Ethan, Matt and Sophie.
How did the name, Tired Lion, come about?
Our first bass player said it when we were doing some recordings and it kind of stuck. Other options seemed to be less appealing so we just went with it.
Grunge has a more stripped-down sound as compared to other rock music and that is reflected in your songs. What specific genres do you pull from, other than grunge?
Ethan: I listen to pretty much anything except for screamo metal so I think those styles all bring something different to the jamming room. I like to check out other styles to keep my ears fresh. I find that listening to the same styles leads to no musical motivation.
We are [also] extremely open to doing what the song needs. If the song needs electronic drum grooves and synths, we will do it! We probably will not be doing that anytime soon, though.
How did the band form?
Matt and Sophie and I (Ethan) went to the same high school and began jamming pretty early on. We became comfortable with each other so when the time came to create Tired Lion, it just worked. We had different bass players at first, but when Nick, our current bass player, came into the equation, it clicked.
How do you translate your friendship into your songs?
I think being comfortable has a lot to do with it – if you can sit in a room, share an idea with three people and be prepared for them to say that it sucks or that it is great, you are putting a lot on the line. Sometimes there are tears and smiles but it all helps the band to write the next song.
Desperate, from All We Didn’t Know, has a slightly harsher punch as compared to your other songs. What were your thoughts when writing and producing the song?
This song was written at a time when we all were feeling the pressures of life in some form or another so I think we just put all that aggression into the song. Cliché, I know, but you’ve got to be honest.
How was it like performing at venues such as Music Matters Live in Singapore and sharing the stage with The 1975?
We all share the same idea that no matter what or where the performance is, we have to play our best. Both gigs have moments that we will never forget for similar and different reasons, but they were amazing experiences and we are very privileged.
Tell our readers what can we expect from Tired Lion next!
We are all feeling pretty proud of this release and think it captures Tired Lion best to date. The songs came together well and we felt a deeper connection with them so I think it was a more mature and honest recording process. We are putting all our energy into ensuring the next release is going to be honest to the band. We have some great shows lined up for the year as well and we are really pumped for that.
