“I guess when we are at home and surrounded by this lush subtropical paradise, we’re making music in that mood,” says Jack Crowther, lounging somewhere between Mullumbimby and the cosmos. The Babe Rainbow guitarist is reflecting on the making of the band’s most “homegrown” album yet, Slipper Imp and shakaerator, recorded in a towering warehouse on an old banana farm with a creek running beside it and the sound of rain echoing on the tin roof.
Released in April via King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s freshly-minted label p(doom), the album is packed with breezy grooves and sun-soaked weirdness, the kind of music that makes you feel like you’ve just stepped through a lysergic portal into the best parts of 1969.
The Byron Bay psychedelic rockers are now six albums deep, but the vibe’s still loose, the melodies still meandering, and the trees always still tall. “We never wanna escape too far from the hippie power of the music,” says Crowther. “We’re made of rainbow.”
Fresh off their album release tour across Australia and New Zealand (with a dreamy Auckland finale heavily praised by Rolling Stone AU/NZ), we caught up with Crowther to talk banana farms, psychedelic weather systems, and the art of the perfect sun-soaked groove.
Babe Rainbow’s Slipper imp and shakaerator is out now.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: You’ve called this your most “homegrown” record yet. What made it feel that way while you were making it?
Jack Crowther: We got into a good routine at the studio and chipped away at these songs for a while. We’d carpool down the hill from federal to Mullum Creek, a few time[s] a week, life is sweet, it kept us grounded. It was a beautiful year of weather – perfect mix of rain and sun and waves so I guess conditions aligned for a good crop of homegrown songs.
You recorded in this towering old warehouse on a banana farm – with a creek, a tin roof, the whole scene. Did all that seep into the music?
Crowther: Such a good space, the warehouse has really tall ceilings, a big old besser brick building with a tin roof – so you’re safe and sound in a wild storm but you can feel the storm circling around, huffing and puffing. There’s a little creek running right beside it that joins Mullum Creek so there’s always that sound of perpetual water flowing on the periphery. So nice in golden hour afternoon sun shining on the trickling water while you’re doing a take and coming up with some melodies or whatever. We were more relaxed about things like how particular the microphones were placed on the guitar amps or where the vocal takes were. Lots of Angus [Dowling] vocals that were ad lib[bed] while I was doing guitar or synth takes. Then we’d refine. Then we’d cruise into Mullum for a break and cop all the happy hippies at the pub.
There’s a great track on the album called “Aquarium Cowgirl”. What’s going on there – how did that one come to life?
Crowther: Late one night after we came back from Mullum pub to the studio we laid down the take which became the demo which is actually the final. I keep changing my mind about what I think Angus is singing about but it all makes sense in the film clip.
You’ve had a long relationship with King Gizzard, and now you’re on their new label. What’s it like being in each other’s orbit all these years later?
Crowther: Well Stu [King Gizzard frontman Stu Mackenzie] threw down some deadly vocoder on ‘Mt Dub’ and ‘When the milk flows’ while he was mixing the album somewhere in the Mediterranean. That made the shape of the band feel pretty damn smooth. And it reminds us of when Stu mixed our first album and came to Byron in like 2013 or something. We love seeing all the Gizzard guys whenever we get the chance to, they’re such inspiring dudes and we’re honoured to be on their new label.
You’ve always kept things pretty loose in the studio. How do you hang onto that vibe while still pushing into new sounds?
Crowther: At Mullum Creek, life is sweet, we don’t care what’s on our feet.
Nature and psychedelia feel totally intertwined in your music. Do you think the landscape shapes the way the songs come out?
Crowther: Well, your environment affects your mood so directly, so I guess when we are at home and surrounded by this lush sub tropical paradise we’re making music in that mood. If you wanna call it psychedelic you can, the tall trees and the breeze are our lysergia. We love writing and recording music on tour as well though, being inspired by travel and cool people and places around the world… hectic cities, random little towns whatever, it’s all a vibe to catch.
You’ve got another big tour ahead. What do you love most about getting back out there?
Crowther: The hire cars and the dive bars and the different trees – and old buildings.
You’re six albums deep now. What still gets you buzzing about making music together?
Crowther: Food is mood. Also just finding new music that blows yours mind and sets you on a new tangent. It’s also kind of documenting your life… making music in your current state with your mates.
