Advertisement

Flat Chat: ‘Everyone enjoys a bit of juvenile delinquency’

The Chats are the Sunshine Coast lads singing about buying AC/DC CDs from Sanity and getting banned from Coolum Bowls Club – but finding the gold in niche bits of Aussie life has been the secret to their global success.

Dec 08, 2021, updated Dec 08, 2021
The Chats: Matt Boggis (left), Josh Hardy (middle), Eamon Sandwith (right) (Image: Matt Walter)

The Chats: Matt Boggis (left), Josh Hardy (middle), Eamon Sandwith (right) (Image: Matt Walter)

The Chats have become a household name as a shed rock trio from the Sunshine Coast writing punchy punk tunes observing life as normal blokes in Australia.

After going viral with the release of their hit song ‘Smoko’ in 2017, they were only on the up from there, going on international tours and opening for Iggy Pop.

Four years on they are only getting bigger. InQueensland spoke to guitarist Josh Hardy as they wind up to the release of their next album.

Hardy was poached from his long time band The Unknowns making his living as a roofer, replacing Josh Price as guitarist in 2020.

He said his first studio recording with The Chats was for a charity album with Metallica, wedged somewhere between Miley Cyrus and IDLES.

“Yeah, it’s ridiculous. Once we set it up it was easy to put together, we chose to cover Holier Than Thou and it took us about an hour to record,” said Hardy.

“But it is totally crazy the people we are on that album with.”

The Chats released their first full length album in 2020. High Risk Behaviour was a scorching 14 song, 30 minute ode to everything from getting kicked out of Rics Bar in Fortitude Valley, getting Ross River virus, and swigging longnecks in the heat.

They’re due out to release their newest album some time in 2022 having just finished recording in September but they’re keeping the release date under wraps, with one released single.

“When we wrote AC/DC CD we wanted to write something about growing up listening to the Aussie greats.

“It’s about being a kid and going to Sanity with your 20 dollar gift card that you got for Christmas or your birthday and buying CDs that you’ll listen to forever.

“The Chats are a celebration of Australian culture and all the good things that come with it, they’re easy to write songs for because you can just be walking down the street and see something funny and that’s the basis of a Chats song.”

 

“It’s hilarious how big The Chats are across the world. Everyone loves the idea of juvenile delinquency, which is part of the appeal.

InQueensland in your inbox. The best local news every workday at lunch time.
By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement andPrivacy Policy & Cookie Statement. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

“It’s all about keeping that youthfulness in your music.”

Hardy said the wave of Aussie pub punk has been coming for a while, mentioning the likes of Amyl & the Sniffers and Cosmic Psychos who have been carving out a path through the world for a little while now.

“When we were kids there weren’t really Aussie punk bands around, I remember seeing Amyl at The Foundry as a support act now all of a sudden five years later they’re huge.

“Even with the way people are dressing, there’s a punk resurgence happening.”

Hardy said that he’s gone from being a roofer full time and playing in The Unknowns to prepping for an international tour in 2022.

“Before this, I was playing in The Unknowns and other bands for years and trying to make a living, working on roofs. When I got the call that I can make pennies writing as much music as I could, it was a no-brainer.”

The boys are currently gigging around Australia, scheduled to play This That Festival at the Sandstone Point Hotel before flying across the ditch to play dates in western Europe, the U.K. and then playing a whole load of U.S. and Canada dates.

This That Festival is going to be amazing, it’s nice and close to home. I’ve never played there before but I can’t wait for it,” said Hardy.

This That Festival will see The Chats play alongside artists such as Meg Mac, Polish Club, San Cisco, and The Presets.

The festival will go ahead with its inaugural event on at Sandstone Point Hotel in March 2022. 

Local News Matters
Advertisement

We strive to deliver the best local independent coverage of the issues that matter to Queenslanders.

Copyright © 2024 InQueensland.
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy