PRIVATE WIVES INTERVIEW

Welcome to L.I.M.P magazine’s very first band interview. This is a transcript excerpt of the video interview on YouTube, and was published in L.I.M.P. Magazine Volume 1 in April 2024.

C: Today we are welcomed by well known Wollongong punks Private Wives.

From left to right: ZOE, PHOEBE, LUCY

C: Your debut album “Bad Taste” has had a decent amount of local success. Tell us about the recording experience with Jay from Frenzal Rhomb and how did you arrange that?

PW: I, (Zoe) went to a festival he was playing at called Spingloaded and saw Frenzal Rhomb play. Then just from chatting backstage he found out about the band and just asked to record us so we called him and worked it out. It was a fun experience and he is a really cool dude.

C: If you could re-record “Bad Taste” would you and what would you change?

PW: Maybe yes, maybe no. No in the fact that it’s a moment in time and that’s how we played and where we were at the time and it captures that sound. Yes, in that we have got so much more confident in the songs. We are happy with the way they sound now but if we were to re-record them they would sound different because we are.

C: As a post-COVID band and being in a band before the pandemic how do you find the current atmosphere in the local music scene?

PW: It’s so different. Even after the pandemic calmed down and everything started going back to “normal” we have still noticed it’s much different. When we first got out of lockdown everyone was excited. Then we went back in for 3 months and after that second lock down it feels like people don’t want to go out as much anymore.

C: Who are your local favourite bands currently playing shows

PW: Misso, Muscle Mary, Sweaty Betty, Chimers.

C: In the song “Thirsty” you sing “I will show you mine if you show me yours” Is this a Harry Potter reference and why is JK Rowling your favourite author?

PW: NO! This is definitely not a Harry Potter reference.

C: Fuck, Marry, Kill: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas?

C: Tell us about “Hey Bestie” Obviously an aggressive song about a friend. SPILL!! THE!!!! TEA!!!!

PW: No! Sometimes you have friends and they suck but we are not naming names.

C: How many other words can you name for Penis?

PW: At least 7 maybe… phallus…. willy, member, cock, dick, pin, nob, schlong, john, package, the trunk, william, prince albert, stick…. ohhh sticks a good one.

C: So what’s next for Private Wives?

PW: Gig wise we are playing the Yours & Owls festival and have heaps of Sydney shows later in the year. We have also been working on a bunch of new songs so we are going to set up some recordings soon. (During this part of the interview the girls broke out in acapella and improvised a new song! Check out the video recording.)

C: Have you ever read the Deltora Quest books?

Phoebe: Yes!! I read it when I was a kid. I was in primary school.

Lucy: Was it a green book?

Phoebe: No it was a blue book and it had a picture of a women with a crown and a puppy, on the front. Emily Rhoda. It’s a hit.

C: Worst show you have ever played?

PW: We played a pretty poor show towards the end of our tour at Vic on the Park. The sound dude was a huge dick and we were a bit tired from playing at Lalala’s the night before in Wollongong which was probably the best show we have ever played.

C: So the Wollongong show on your most recent tour was the best show you have played? Why was it so good? Who else played?

PW: We had Rickey’s Breath, Muscle Mary and The Economy.