By Arne Sjostedt
Returning to the road for the first time in 18 months, British India is bringing along a new band member.
After farewelling guitarist Nic Wilson, who wanted a change-up from the touring life, Jack Tosi slots into the group. With Tosi bound to provide an injection of new energy, bass player Will Drummond says that things have been sounding positive in the rehearsal room. “It’s great, it’s good, it’s fresh,” he says. “As good as it has always been.”
Yet the test will be when they jump on stage for the first time. “There will definitely be excitement,” says Drummond, who is looking forward to having a new person to vibe off.
And the best thing is, they already know Tosi is going to fit in well. Having known him since they were teens, gelling as personalities is as important as their ability to play well together. “You want to consider these things when you get in a car and a plane with someone,” Drummond says. “You do have to spend a lot of time with these people.”
While discussing life on the road, a mature sounding Drummond was keen to point out that it is not all about enjoying the rock and roll lifestyle. Sure, it may have been in the early years, when they weren’t sure this career path was going to last for them, but nowadays the band gets paid to pick and choose when they kick back or let things rip.
Though off-stage time is not the only world that the boys from British India take a mature approach to. Drummond points out that their priority is to play the best shows they can, which means they focus on two things, writing cool songs and playing them well whenever they do a set. “We don’t think about the industry,” he says. “Publicity, making it bigger, all that sort of stuff, it doesn’t concern me.”
It is all about living that travelling rock minstrel’s life that constitutes the hard yakka and grind of a popular Australian mainstage act. When you focus on that, Drummond says, “the rest will come.”
It is an attitude British India used to get out of the garage and onto the stage in the first place. And not one they plan to change any time soon.
British India play Stonefest at the UC Refectory on Saturday 19 October 2019. Tickets at moshtix.com.au