It’s a stirring song rich in pride for our motherland, but the video for Gyroscope’s latest single Australia almost became the Perth rockers’ epitaph. Gyroscope drummer Rob Nassif says the sweeping landscape shots captured at the close of their video almost finished the band off.
“You see the shot at the end of the chopper flying back revealing all the cliffs, but another shot they didn’t really use was the chopper flying from behind us on the edge of the cliff and shooting down,” Rob recalls. “Because the chopper was flying so low, it blew us all forward. It was only five or six metres above us and the propeller was so powerful it blew us a metre forward. We were only a metre from the cliff edge, so poor fuckin’ Zoc [Zoran Trivic, guitarist] was just centimetres from getting blown off the cliff! That wasn’t a great feeling, but the end scene is just majestic.”
Speaking to Rip It Up on the eve of the band’s tour with Shihad to celebrate their number one album Breed Obsession, Rob is in a far more comfortable place than a breezy cliff edge.
“Mate, I’m in the lovely King’s Park in Perth overlooking the city and it’s beautiful. Because I’ve got so many interviews today I thought it would be nice to do it in a nice location. I’ve made a little picnic lunch for myself and brought the paper along in case the interview doesn’t go so well and I can read it at the same time!”
While recording their third album in Liverpool with Manic Street Preachers producer Dave Eringa last year, Gyroscope kept Australian music media updated on their progress via postcards.
“We did! We sent out a bunch because we wanted to remind people we were still alive and were feeling lucky that we were recording in Liverpool. I’m the guy who posted all those postcards, so I’m responsible for you receiving that postcard Scottie – I’m glad you got it.”
Reports suggest the band’s time in the UK spent recording Breed Obsession was a horribly cold experience.
“Oh dude!” Rob exclaims as the chills return. “Granted, it was their worst summer in recorded history, but we were there for 61 days in England and we had four days of sunshine. And it was their summer! The rest of the time we were in Liverpool it was like torrential, hardcore winter rain everyday. I felt sorry that these poor buggers get two months of summer in July and August and here it is pissing down non-stop. It was exciting to be there, but a bit more sun would have been nice.”
The band’s frigid time overseas paid off, with Breed Obsession hitting number one on the ARIA chart upon its March release. Although the band never expected such a strong debut, the momentum had been building. An extraordinary round of Big Day Out shows just months before had reinforced what an impressive live band Gyroscope had become.
“So many things came together for us and debuting at number one was one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had, basically. I definitely felt there was a certain type of momentum that was starting to sweep the band in a bigger direction and the first show at the Gold Coast at the Big Day Out there were about 12,000 people watching us. People couldn’t even get into the tent. I was like, ‘Hang on a second. What’s the story here? We’re not this big.’ But that was the way all the shows on the Big Day Out went – there were obviously a lot of new people who had got into the band along with the older fans who’d always supported us.”
Rob confirms that Gyroscope HQ went into party mode when the announcement came through in March that Breed Obsession had hit the top of the charts.
“I was at a mate’s buck’s party, so I was already half smashed when I heard the news. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or cheer. I got in touch with the boys, we all met at the Amplifier Bar and did a round of tequilas, a round of Jäger bombs and had a great time. It was one of those great moments where you look the band in the eye and know they’ve gone through the same shit you’ve gone through. For it to happen on our third album meant it’s been done so naturally as well – there’s no hype or gimmick or feeling we’ve come out of nowhere. We’ve been doing this for 10 years and it’s a great feeling.”
Seeing Shihad and Gyroscope together on the one bill will be sensory dynamite. While the bands are good friends, it’s no secret both acts will be attempting to blow the other off stage every night.
“I just know that at this very point in time Shihad are locked away in a rehearsal room saying, ‘We’re gonna fuck Gyroscope up, man! Who the fuck do they think they are?’ We are actually really good buddies with those guys, but you know what? At nine o’clock this morning Gyroscope were also locked away in a rehearsal room and we were going, ‘We’re going to blow Shihad off the stage!’ It’s a healthy thing, you know? It’s really going to push us.”
I’m sure Shihad frontman Johnny Toogood isn’t going to go down without a fight!
“You just wait, man. Johnny Toogood is going to be on the greatest form of his life and I just know they’re already plotting our downfall. We’ve never rehearsed so much for a tour, so it just shows what friendly competition can do for you.”
Gyroscope, Shihad and Sugar Army play Mannum’s Pretoria Hotel on Sat Sep 6 and HQ on Sun Sep 8. Breed Obsession is out now through Warner.