You want the Bennies at your house party. Yeah, they'll steal your beer and throw cushions out the window, but the four Melbourne thrashers would also make it a night to remember.Wisdom Machine, released this week, is an album that embodies the high-flying party vibes that the band have become known for. From the psychedelic artwork and tracks “Heavy Reggae” and “Legalise (But Don’t Tax)”, you know what you are getting involved in here, and it comes with thick plumes of heady smoke.Jay Walley from Frenzal Rhomb, who the band recently toured with, contributes vocals on the track “Maybe We Can Get High," and trust us when we say that it's not about taking an elevator to the top of the Rialto Building.But it’s not all-freewheeling weed frolicking; “Corruption” is a lethargic, Sabbath-esque crawler about the politics of police involvement in drug crime.In preparation for the release of the new album, we caught up with the band's Anty Horgan to talk weed, tunes, and Frenzals.Noisey: The psychedelic artwork matches the tone of the brilliantly. How collaborative was the process of getting that art made?
Anty Horgan: I’d love to think the artwork is psychedelic, given we were tripping pretty hard when the concept presented itself. My dad painted the middle section of the album cover – and then Chris Cowburn (The Smith Street Band) designed everything else. I think getting my dad to paint in an old-school style combined with Chris’s heavily driven by a psychedelic/Hendrix flavour made for a sweet creamy blend of sugar and spice (with a little Tabasco to boot.)Your tour with Frenzal Rhomb sounds like it was insane.
We toured with them at the end of 2014 with NOFX. All of us had listened to a lot of Frenzal growing up but we'd never had the chance to meet them. They are such down to earth and hilarious dudes. We were nervous about getting in the way and fucking up or something… but they told that attitude to fuck off. On the first night Jay walked into our band room, took one of our beers. He didn’t say anything – but the vibe was huge! Later that night, Gordy and I were smashing the shit out of NOFX’s rider. Gordy actually ended up bringing his family into the recording studio one day and at the time we were his kid Max’s favourite band.
The Bennies Wisdom Machine tour with Off With Their Heads (USA) & HightimeMarch 27 - Launceston at Club 54
March 28 - Hobart at Brisbane Hotel
March 31 - Adelaide at Adelaide Uni Bar
April 1 - Melbourne at Corner Hotel
April 2 - Perth at Amplifier
April 3 - Bunbury at Prince of Wales
April 6 - Canberra at Transit Bar
April 7 - Newcastle at Cambridge Hotel,
April 8 - Sydney at Oxford Art Factory
April 9 - Brisbane at Woolly Mammoth
April 10 - Maroochydore at Sol Bar
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Anty Horgan: I’d love to think the artwork is psychedelic, given we were tripping pretty hard when the concept presented itself. My dad painted the middle section of the album cover – and then Chris Cowburn (The Smith Street Band) designed everything else. I think getting my dad to paint in an old-school style combined with Chris’s heavily driven by a psychedelic/Hendrix flavour made for a sweet creamy blend of sugar and spice (with a little Tabasco to boot.)Your tour with Frenzal Rhomb sounds like it was insane.
We toured with them at the end of 2014 with NOFX. All of us had listened to a lot of Frenzal growing up but we'd never had the chance to meet them. They are such down to earth and hilarious dudes. We were nervous about getting in the way and fucking up or something… but they told that attitude to fuck off. On the first night Jay walked into our band room, took one of our beers. He didn’t say anything – but the vibe was huge! Later that night, Gordy and I were smashing the shit out of NOFX’s rider. Gordy actually ended up bringing his family into the recording studio one day and at the time we were his kid Max’s favourite band.
'Wisdome Machine' is available March 25 via Poison City (Australia/ NZ), Uncle M (Europe) and Paper & Plastick (USA).THE BENNIES – WISDOM MACHINE TOUR
The Bennies Wisdom Machine tour with Off With Their Heads (USA) & HightimeMarch 27 - Launceston at Club 54
March 28 - Hobart at Brisbane Hotel
March 31 - Adelaide at Adelaide Uni Bar
April 1 - Melbourne at Corner Hotel
April 2 - Perth at Amplifier
April 3 - Bunbury at Prince of Wales
April 6 - Canberra at Transit Bar
April 7 - Newcastle at Cambridge Hotel,
April 8 - Sydney at Oxford Art Factory
April 9 - Brisbane at Woolly Mammoth
April 10 - Maroochydore at Sol Bar