An Interview with Dumb Punts

Dumb Punts are long time friends of Thrills, and have been ripping up, down and all around our island home for a good few years now. If you’re not familiar with them (*cough loser cough*) it must be a pretty sizeable rock that you’ve been living under. Come on out for there is much to learn.

Dumb Punts are the brain child of Port Macquarie-born brother and sister James (Jimmy G) on Guitar/Vocals x Drums and Ciarn (Seattle) Gallagher on Drums x Vocals/Guitar backed up by their childhood mate Brent Lockhart on Bass.

We were lucky enough to jump on board with the Punts and a bunch of our other favourites (Pist Idiots, Mini Skirt, Charging Stallion) for the Coin Toss Tour back in March this year and can tell you from experience that Dumb Punts playing live in a Bowlo is as good as it gets. They can party with the best of 'em, won’t shy away from a sing along and they have what appears to be a never ending love affair with coffee frappes. They’ve also just dropped their debut full length album titled “The Big One” via Piss Fart Records and a huge run of shows to back it up.

From their anthemic choruses, mental riffs and that not so subtle Aussie twang it’s safe to say Punts are back bigger and better than ever.

We dropped them a line ahead of the weekend to see how they’ve been and get the goss on their upcoming plans.

<a href="http://pissfartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dumb-punts-the-big-one">Dumb Punts - The Big One by PISSFART RECORDS</a>

Let’s get straight in to it...

How’s things? More importantly are you mad I said Port Macquarie and not Bonny Hills?

Yes, yes we are. Mostly because it’s factually incorrect. Technically I’m the only one born there. Ciarn’s from Armidale and Brent was born in Sydney somewhere near a frozen coke machine. We grew up in Bonny Hills, Brent and Ciarn had a gang, they’d like hang out and make raps about sandwiches and shit, or something, fuck I dunno, I’m still reeling from spell-checking the questions.

How did Dumb Punts come about?

Pretty much the story above, then they moved to Melbourne and we started playing, I guess all three of us just always wanted to play music. So you know start one with ya sister and Brent from down the street. Or someone with another name, is Brent a common name? The names aren’t important.

Your first full length is out how does it feel?

It’s funny you say that, 'cause I picked one up the other day and it feels good. Nice weight, clean grooves and the little sleeve it comes in is nice 'cause I always forget to put them back in the cover but at least with the sleeve you’re good. I nearly dropped one of the cool splatter ones the other day but I’ll just give that to the parents.

You sat on this one for a little while, why’s that?

To keep it warm.

“The Big One” tour kicks off this weekend (and is huge!!!) how are you guys warming up for it?

Hot chocolates, Big Red chewing gum, chilli cheese jaffles, hot chips, hot pockets, warm apple pie, leg warmers and pillows.

You guys are going to be driving most of the tour yeah? Who’s landed chauffeur duty?

Well Dan is driving the first trip, he won a competition called ‘Make me a dreamer no more’, he drops his hat all the time so the foundation granted him the honour. He’s chuffed, when he’s not yelling 'cause he dropped his hat. Terrible temper but you know, it makes his day, we have a lift. He was a bit bummed 'cause he’s supposed to be at work but we highlighted the importance of being true to your word and now we’re cruising up the Hume. Dreams really do come true, and Dan didn’t need that job anyway.

After the Aussie leg you guys are off to the UK and Europe with Skeggs, are you pumped for you first run overseas?

Yeah we're psyched, but happy if we get to tour with great mates anywhere. Apart from trying not to get pissed before 11am everyday, touring is pretty sweet, oh! Brent’s up. No more questions.

UP THE PUNTS!