The Grogans are about to cap off a massive year, and they’ve got plenty to celebrate.
Five years after the release of their debut album Just What You Want (2019), the Melbourne garage rock trio took the opportunity to mark the milestone with a national Australian tour, revisiting some favourite spots and diving into their older tracks, including some anthems that haven’t seen the light of day for a while.
2024, it’s fair to say, has been a year packed with highlights: not only did The Grogans support Ocean Alley in the US but they also toured across the UK and Europe, playing some of their biggest crowds to date.
Their latest single, “Oh Boy”, showcased a fresh direction for the band, with even more new music on the horizon for 2025.
“’Oh Boy’ is a love song in a sense but also is a song of reassurance. It’s easy to over complicate and worry in a relationship and sometimes it’s best to just trust in love,” the hard-working band said about the track.
As they prepare to wind down their banner year with a performance at Beyond the Valley 2024 alongside massive names like FISHER, Ice Spice, and Royel Otis, we caught up with the band’s guitarist Gus Vasic to reflect on a whirlwind 12 months and what’s coming next.
Beyond the Valley will take place at Barunah Plains from December 28th-January 1st. For more information, visit beyondthevalley.com.au
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How did your Australian tour go?
Gus Vasic: It was awesome! We revisited some places we’ve played before and celebrated the five-year anniversary of our first album. It was fun diving into some older tracks we hadn’t played in a while. It’s great to switch things up and explore our whole catalogue – it’s hard to do that with the usual setlists, so it was a nice change.
What was it like going back to those older tracks? Did you rework them or stick to the originals?
Our live versions are usually pretty different from the recordings, with little improv moments and the occasional forgotten lyric (laughs). So, they naturally evolve a bit.
Five years since that debut album – did you take time to reflect on your journey as a band?
Yeah, we were looking at old photos from when we were recording. It’s crazy how fast those five years flew by. We’ve aged a bit, but it’s been a formative time. We’ve kept busy, toured heaps, and been lucky to see a lot of the world while playing as much as we can.
You’ve had a huge year, including touring with Ocean Alley in the US. How was that?!
It was our first time in the States supporting them, and it was sick. The tour was busy, but we got to play some beautiful venues, and the experience was amazing.
Is there any show or venue that stands out as a favourite?
That’s a tough one. We played so many cool venues with them, like Irving Plaza in New York. There was also one in Atlanta that I can’t quite remember the name of, but the whole tour kind of blends into one incredible experience.
Did you learn anything from that tour to take into your own headline shows?
Touring with bands that are on that next level is always a great learning experience. Seeing how they run things, their crew setups, and how they deal with challenges – like when things go wrong – was invaluable. We definitely learned a lot.
Did you play any festivals overseas?
Yeah, festivals overseas are great. The crowd is always different from a headline show. People often don’t know who we are, so if they stick around and enjoy the set, it’s a great feeling. It’s a solid way to gauge how we’re doing in reaching new listeners.
Your new single, “Oh Boy”, feels like a fresh direction. What inspired it?
It’s been awesome to have that track out. We debuted it in London the night it was released, and it’s definitely a step in a new direction for us. We’ve got more tracks on the way, each showcasing different influences we’ve been gathering on the road.
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What have been some of those influences?
We’ve been listening to so much music lately. When you’re on the road, you get a lot of inspiration from the places you visit and the experiences you have. It’s definitely fueling the creative process for our new music.
You’re wrapping up the year at Beyond the Valley. Excited?
Yeah, it’s our first time playing, and we’re on the 29th. We’re super pumped for it!
Have you checked out the lineup? Is there anyone you’re keen to see?
There are heaps of great bands, but I’m especially excited to see Royel Otis. I haven’t seen them live yet, so I’m really looking forward to it.
Is there anything you change in your sets for a festival slot? What can we expect?
We definitely adjust things for a festival. We like to keep it high-energy and keep the vibe up, especially since the set is shorter than a full headline show.
Got any time off over Christmas before then?
We’ve got a few shows left, but we have some weekends off leading up to Christmas. It’ll be nice to have a bit of downtime at home.
Can we expect more new music in 2025?
Definitely! We’ve got a lot in the bank that we’re excited to share, so keep an eye out for it.
