Adelaide rock and roll outfit The Babes are currently on the road in Australia to promote upcoming debut album Dive Bars and Muscle Cars, an album which basically runs like a soundtrack to last years tour of the United States. While The Babes were sufficiently impressed with the States to base an album around it, drummer Moni Lashes says the American public were equally as receptive.
“They love the ocka Aussie accent”, she laughed. “We didn’t even think that we were that Australian with our accents but it turns out they could spot us a mile away. They seemed to really like our band because we had the girls – my sister and I-, but especially in Sturgis at the rally. I think that was probably the most important American show for us just based on the reactions we got”.
Dive Bars and Muscle Cars has been described musically as the love child of Lynard Skynard and Judas Priest, with Moni admitting the comparisons are flattering and welcome.
“We always thought we had a bit of an Americana sound; a bit of Southern rock and roll with a touch of heavy metal. J.D (vocalist) has quite a cool range. We’ve been influenced a lot by Monster Truck – which is a fairly new Canadian blues ish Southern rock band, but J.D is also influenced by early Pantera so he’s got a few power screams in him as well (laughs), but when we heard that description of us we definitely liked it”!
In the full interview Moni discusses Dive Bars and Muscle Cars in greater depth, including the story behind a couple of the songs, explains the songwriting process, the goals with the album, her Harley Davidson drum kit she is currently using on tour, her world record drumming feat a couple of years ago, playing with siblings, the rest of the tour and where you can buy the album plus more.
