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Deaf Wish Drop a New Record and Video Before Heading to the US to Crush Heads

The Melbourne four-piece go pop on the video for "Cool Comment".

Melbourne bruisers Deaf Wish don’t mess around. Their first US record release is on iconic label Sub Pop. Why not? Their self titled debut CD-R was originally released inside a Spirit of Tasmania barf bag.

St Vincent’s, the new 7” EP will be their first recording since 2010’s Mercy and to celebrate they are about to embark on a 22-date US tour that includes a spot on the Aussie-dominated Gonerfest lineup. They’ve also just released a video for one of the tracks “Cool Comment”, a poppier number than their usual blown-out punk/noise-rock.

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Directed by Deaf Wish drummer Daniel Twomey, the video stars Ally Spazzy from Melbourne’s Spazzys playing a star struck teen and seems inspired in part by A-Ha’s “Take on Me” and 60s bubblegum pop.

The new four-song 7” follows three LPs and two 7”s on small Australian labels with names such as Exo, Radio Records and Idget Records. None with quite the same prestige as Sub Pop.

Their self-titled 2007 debut LP, originally released, as a CD-R in a vomit bag, will also get a vinyl reissue via Homeless Records on September 15.

We had a chat to Twombs about the video.

Noisey: What book is Ally reading?

Daniel Twomey: The cover is a doctored original comic from 1980 Photo-Love Annual, 1980: Real-life Romance and Tearful True Confessions. Just the old colour photocopy glued to the front. Cinemagic.

For a video based on a teenage heartthrob mag/comic it seems pretty dark.

That was [guitarist] Jensen [Tjhung]. He really came through with the goods there. But that's tame compared to the original when a nurse is torn apart by the decision to help a hunky patient suicide, a twin assumes her sisters identity and takes her husband after she falls off a cliff while cross-country skiing. You want darkness? Those scriptwriters give Michael Haneke a run for his money.

But it also has a short and happy ending that involves sweet and sour pork. What happens next?

They drink cheap wine in Box Hill and then head down the Tote for a quiet one. I don't know but it screams for a sequel if you ask me.

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Ally is a natural.

Fuck yes, the shitty Canon G10 camera that I borrowed loved her! That's her bedroom. Nothing has changed in there since she was sixteen. She has a hamburger phone and Kiss posters. The shoot was so quick. She had Bryan Ferry on. I fired directions and she delivered. A pro. But that's why Beverly Hills 90210 cast 32-year-olds as teenagers. They can act!

The song is poppy. A departure from previous Deaf Wish songs.

I guess it is. The new album is a mixed bag really. “Cool Comment” is quite unlike the others. They're songs that we've been hauling around and working on for a while so they had a bit more time to ferment than other Deaf Wish recordings.

Before kicking off their US tour in Columbus, Ohio next month, the band will launch the 7’ at a hometown farewell show at the John Curtin Hotel on Saturday, September 13.

Deaf Wish US 2014

Sept 20 – Columbus, Ruby Tuesday

Sept 21 – Detroit, PJ’s Lagerhouse

Sept 22 – Cleveland, Now That’s Class

Sept 23 – Kalamazoo, Louie’s

Sept 24 – Chicago, Empty Bottle

Sept 25 – St Louis, CBGB

Sept 26 – Memphis, Gonerfest

Sept 27 – Atlanta, The Earl

Sept 28 – New Orleans, Siberia

Sept 29 – San Antonio, The Mix

Sept 30 – Austin, The Mohawk

Oct 1 – Philadelphia, Kungfu Necktie

Oct 2 – NYC, Death By Audio

Oct 3 – NYC, TBC

Oct 4 – Seattle, Black Lodge

Oct 5 – Portland, the Know

Oct 6 – Sacramento, Café Colonial

Oct 7 – San Francisco, The Hemlock

Oct 8 – Davis, Chillanova House

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Oct 9 – Oakland, Eli’s Mile Hile

Oct 10 – LA, Café Nela

Oct 11 – LA, Permanent Records

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