"That eventuated over time. We didn't want people telling us what kind of songs to play and how to dress. We had a really strong idea about what we wanted to be and how we were going do it and we made it a do it yourself thing. If you decide you're not going to chase the dollar but do something that feels right to you, then you may have a difficult period in the early stages. But it's actually better for you in the long run. That social political stuff came as a result of us opening up our eyes to what was happening around us and travelling around the country meeting people."

Was your family and social background an influence on how you found your way to music, and your standing on social issues?

"People have very different family experiences but there is no question about it that it does effect you up to a point. There was music around when I grew up to a point. There was music around when I grew up but we weren't pushed into doing anything in our family. The deal was that whatever you do, just have a good go at it. I left home and bummed around and was a student for awhile. I worked as a truck driver, barman and all the sort of jobs people do to get themselves through Uni. But I discovered music and realised I wanted to try and do something with it. I came into music pretty late. I just happened to come in at a time when the others were putting the Oils together and asked people to sing for them and they ended up with me. I was in a band when I was in Uni for while but the Oils were the first "real" band."

I remember hearing a story that originally Gary Morris was going to be the singer and you were going to be the manager. Is that right?

"That's a great story! (laughs). But it's just a rumour. That's just because I was such a bossy bugger and told everybody what to do.

Do you think the Oils have touched the psyche of your fans in a way to prompt them to voice their opinions on political and social issues?

"Every single person has their own political stance, thier own character, their own nature, thier own set of impulses. There is music for them to choose, and words if they choose to listen sometimes. What happens after that is up to the individual. We don't want to presume or assume that we are taking our audience anywhere. The audience is free to come and go from the Oils, free to agree and disagree. Naturally, we respect our audience's independent mindedness. But at the same time we like to say that it is very cool, if they come on board for some of the issues that we think are important. But it is not part of being an Oils fan."

What about the title Redneck Wonderland?

"There was graffiti on a big main electricity substation down on the Yarra in Melbourne on the way over to Richmond. We saw it (as a comment) on what was happening to our forest and how they had survived a couple of Ice Ages and Aboriginal people, Captain Cook, and whether they were going to survive the government of the 90s. The idea wasn't so much to make a really political record even though it has got some strong songs on it. It was just to make a record which was as open and as honest as it could be which was different for the band. We wanted to really cut into the music and give it a lot more edge, and try out some new technologies and new sounds. We were very happy with the record, we got as far as we could with it. It certainly surprised some fans and some radio stations find it a little tough to play. But when we go out and to the shows live the stuff works really really well."

From Sanity magazine, by None

(Note: this article has not been approved for reproduction.)