Grafton Primary are on the cusp of their final national tour for 2009, the “Records For The Righteous Tour,” which kicks off on 14 August and culminates on 19 September. The tour follows the 2008 release of their debut album Eon, from which the GP boys have endured resonating success, both in Australia, and more recently overseas. ITM’s Wondy spoke with Ben Garden about the ins and outs of touring, hanging with famous people and where Grafton Primary shall go from here.

“We don’t have that many fans in the UK as of yet”, Garden explains, saying that it was still good to “go back in time and play the underground shows again, and play to people that don’t know who the hell you are and don’t know any of your songs. It was refreshing to do that”.

Moreover, their time spent in the UK meant that the lads had an opportunity to get “back to (our) roots”, which was no doubt supremely different to the massive crowds that they have been playing to at big festivals such as Big Day Out, Good Vibrations and Parklife. Playing these sorts of underground gigs is “totally different” to playing festivals, where “the energy is a bit more intense”, and the crowds “react accordingly to what you give them”, Garden explains. Like all musicians, however, they had to start somewhere, and have paid their dues in terms of “playing to some tough crowds over the years”. This has included certain establishments which Ben describes as “the smallest of small venues” containing “15 uninspired people” staring into their beers and not paying them the slightest bit of attention.

Distinctions between the two aside, Ben insists that they “enjoy it all”, and live shows of any calibre have “changed the direction we were going in somewhat, because you’ve got to evolve to doing live shows”.

When I asked if there were imminent plans to begin writing more material following their tour, the Grafton Primary production wizard revealed what fans have been waiting to hear.

“That’s how we started out; writing tunes together in a studio, with no pressure to play live. In the near future we’ll get back in the studio, get inspired again and just get back to where we started from”.

Indeed, where they started from and where they’re going is no doubt to good places. Their music, whilst capturing a distinctive and recognisable vibe, varies in topic from the dark and depressing to radiant and bouncy. Their inspiration for tracks came from a “fairly dark place at times” and Ben describes that the emotions felt at the time “possibly comes through on the album,” and that “in a certain kind of mood, you’re more inclined to want to write music sometimes”.

So, in their opinion, now that they have cemented themselves firmly in the music industry, is it a good place to be? “I’ve always kind of done music myself, so I’ve never not been surrounded by music and musicians” explains Ben, “I guess we just have a bit of a profile now” and although he asserts that it’s a cliché, “it’s what you wanna make it I guess”.

This year however, they will be making a few adjustments to their rituals and routines, as touring last year involved “partying a bit too much” and as a result they have great plans to “wind it down a little bit and get a bit focused”.

Opening their new tour with clearer heads, Grafton Primary are set to hit most capitals cities but they are also intending on doing some smaller shows, such as, aptly, Grafton RSL. Ben says that this will be a “blast from the past”, although admittedly he and Josh left there quite young and didn’t really grow up there. I suggested that perhaps it was fitting for them to play a show at Grafton Primary, and pay tribute to their namesake. Whilst they won’t be doing that on this tour, they have however been back to visit the school, to “drop in and give them a CD”. So did they? Er, apparently not, being a weekend. Given, it’s been a few years since they’ve been in attendance – maybe try play lunch next time lads.

Don’t miss Grafton Primary on their Records For The Righteous tour around Australia in August and September:

14 Aug – Canberra
19 Aug – Frankston
21 Aug – Melbourne
22 Aug – Hobart
29 Aug – Perth
2 Sep – Armidale
3 Sep – Wollongong
4 Sep – Sydney
5 Sep – Brisbane
11 Sep – Adelaide
12 Sep – Gosford
17 Sep – Newcastle
19 Sep – Albury

They also tour Australia with Stereosonic this November and December:

Sat 28th Nov – Moore Park, Hordern, RHI & Surrounds, Sydney
Sun 29th Nov – Claremont Showground, Perth
Sat 5th Dec – Bonython Park, Adelaide
Sat 5th Dec – Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne
Sun 6th Dec – Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane