Australian 90s rock band Grinspoon prepare for national tour to support new album Whatever, Whatever

Ahead of a massive album tour that features regional Queensland dates, Grinspoon’s drummer has opened up about the band’s sudden fame and the wild ride that followed.

Nearly 30 years after they announced themselves on the Australian music scene, the four members of 90s alt-rock outfit Grinspoon have a simple philosophy that has kept them intact, functioning and creative in 2024.

“We were never the most fashionable band, we just kind of cruised along behind those guys,” drummer Kris Hopes said, referring to defunct compatriots like Powderfinger and Silverchair.

“There were lots of different endings for those groups.

“We’re all level-headed dudes and we enjoy what we do so we never stopped – basically we’re almost 30 years deep and we still love it.”

The Lismore quartet, which includes guitarist Pat Davern, bassist Joe Hansen and frontman Phil Jamieson, have plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Grinspoon. Picture: Supplied.

The band, unchanged since 1995, are preparing to hit Queensland and northern New South Wales first as part of a massive national tour to support their first album in 12 years, Whatever, Whatever.

The 45-date run of shows includes regional jaunts to towns they haven’t visited in years, including Toowoomba, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Ballina and Airlie Beach.

Grinspoon in 1997.

Hopes said this reflected the band’s early years grinding and touring prior to the release of 1997 debut album Guide To Better Living, now considered a staple of 90s Aussie rock.

“We couldn’t get gigs into the cities, we’d play shows to 10 people and we just kept slogging it out and building it up, and then would get offers to play festivals,” he said.

Surprisingly, this period on Struggle Street came after the band won Triple J’s Unearthed competition in 1995 with their song Sickfest.

The win has become part of Grinspoon’s folklore, and the national broadcaster has frequently cited the band’s success through Unearthed to pitch it to other up-and-coming artists.

Grinspoon performing live. Source: SUPPLIED.

Whatever, Whatever, the band’s eighth record and first since 2012, has already enjoyed some initial success on the back of singles Unknown Pretenders and Never Say Never, with the album reaching third on the ARIA charts.

But Hopes said it was very nearly a completely different album, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“What we did is we recorded a different version right before Covid hit, it was 15 songs in Adelaide,” he said.

“Listening back to those songs during Covid, we thought it was s--- so we got rid of it.

“We kept maybe two songs, but we decided we’ve got make sure it’s our best stuff.

“For this album, we said ‘bring your best three or four songs’.

“It was better that everyone could bring their songs (to the group) that’s the way we did it on Guide To Better Living.”

Australian rock band Grinspoon return with new album whatever, whatever. Picture: Michelle Grace Hunder / Supplied.

With a 30th anniversary tour around the corner in 2025, Hopes said he was looking forward to next 18 months — not just for them, but also for an Australian music industry that has struggled to recover since the pandemic.

“For the industry, we need to just get back on track. It’s been so many years of s---, for that to get back on track,” he said.

Grinspoon’s Whatever, Whenever, Wherever tour with Press Club kicks off from September 17 and includes a show at the Powerhouse in Toowoomba on September 21.

For details and tickets, head to grinspoon.com.au.

Originally published as Australian 90s rock band Grinspoon prepare for national tour to support new album Whatever, Whatever