Don’t expect to see any kilts as Jebediah celebrate 20th anniversary with tour and album

THEY were the adorable punk pop band who ruled the alternative airwaves and now 20 years on Jebediah are out to reclaim those glory days.

Members of band "Jebediah" (L-R) Kevin and Brett Mitchell, Chris Daymond & Vanessa, 22/02/98. Jebediah/Band

IT has been at least 16 years since Kevin Mitchell has listened to Jebediah’s debut album Slightly Odway.

That album became a classic of Australia’s halcyon altrock era, released in September 1997 on the Sony indie imprint Murmur, whose roster also featured Silverchair and Something For Kate.

The Perth teenagers exploded on the burgeoning festival scene off the back of punk pop anthems including Jerks Of Attention, Leaving Home, Harpoon and Animal and stayed buoyant in the charts and regulars on the alternative airwaves for the next five years.

Reunion tour ... Jebediah celebrate their 20th anniversary with an album and tour. Picture: Bradley Hunter

There have been a couple of long breaks since Jebediah called an “indefinite break” in 2005 and now they are prepping for the Twenty tour to celebrate the two-decade anniversary of their formation.

Mitchell and his band mates, drummer brother Brett, guitarist Chris Daymond and bassist Vanessa Thornton have been listening to their back catalogue for the Twenty compilation out this week and flex the muscle memory for the tour.

Text messaging with Mum about the upcoming Jebs tour... pic.twitter.com/BvJtFgDrKT

— Bob Evans (@BobEvansMusic) May 24, 2015

Revisiting those early songs while driving into Melbourne from his Bellarine Peninsula home was right up there with school photo flashbacks for frontman Mitchell.

“In a way, I have kind of avoided it,” he says.

“It was hard to listen to. I loved playing the songs live and living with them in that way but listening to the record, I was in such a hurry to leave it behind.

“It’s exactly like looking at old school photos when you wore dorky clothes and stupid haircuts.”

Birthday cake? The Jebs were always one of those bands who didn’t take themselves too seriously. Picture: Supplied.

The Jebs, as they became affectionately known, were subject to an intense bidding war which by the majority of the local labels — which involved some rather flash lunches and dinners — as word about the band spread beyond Perth.

After signing to Murmur, a label whose reputation was made by signing the teenage rockers of Silverchair after equally ferocious competition from the deep-pocketed multinationals flourishing big cheques, the hype hit the east coast.

“I think we were removed from it,” Mitchell recalls.

“Remember this was well before the internet or social media and living in Perth really was isolation.

“But at that time, as an 18-year-old when we signed, my perception of it was that Murmur really was the only label you would want to sign to and obviously the Silverchair thing loomed so large.

“We went along with the bidding war thing but we never intended to sign with anyone else.”

Mitchell and his band mates took their music seriously. They relished and thrived playing live. But one of their lasting legacies are their humorous, irreverent videos. Just do not mention the kilts.

Their 2001 single Fall Down features bagpipes so the Scottish skirts seemed logical when their video director mate suggested them. Mitchell remains unconvinced it was ever a good idea.

“Everyone thought it would be funny but once the video came out, it got a bit out of control. We were playing Fall Down on Rove they wanted us to wear the kilts. And then every time we did a press shoot, the record label would ask us if we would. We always refused,” he says.

But they weren’t shy about costumes on stage. Mitchell jokes that if all four members could find their array of outfits, the band could do enough costume changes on the Twenty tour to rival Beyoncé.

It appears the Mitchell brothers can easily lay their hands on their various sartorial statements courtesy of their archiving mother but Thornton and Daymond appear to have lost some of the stage and video clothing.

Treasure trove ... The Mitchell brothers can “thank” their mum for keeping all their old photos, posters and costumes. Picture: Supplied.

One of Mitchell’s favourites were the baggy colourful tracksuits they wore during their triumphant main stage sets during the 2000 Big Day Out.

“I was around at mum’s house last year in Perth because we were collecting images and stuff for the anniversary and lo and behold she had the tracksuits wrapped up in zip lock bags,” Mitchell says.

“I was so excited so if Ness and Chris find theirs by some miracle, then this could happen again!

“Somehow I don’t think they were into it as much as I was.”

What happens next for Jebediah remains uncertain. Mitchell says there are two possibilities.

“Neither would surprise me. This could be the last significant chapter of the band, the last time we do a big tour,” he says.

“But we may also kickstart a new phase of writing and working towards something else. It’s one of those thing where you really need momentum and it can be very difficult when you haven’t been playing together or seeing each other for a while to make the magic happen.”

Jebediah play Metro Theatre, Sydney on June 4 and 5. The Tivoli, Brisbane, June 12, The Corner, Melbourne, June 17-20, HQ, Adelaide, June 25 and Astor Theatre, Perth, June 26-28.

Originally published as Don’t expect to see any kilts as Jebediah celebrate 20th anniversary with tour and album