We spend a couple of minutes with Bonnie Mercer ahead of her support slot for Sleep on Saturday December 6 at The Corner Hotel.
Photo credit: Daniel Oh
What’s going on in the world of Bonnie Mercer?
I’ve been playing quite a few shows around Melbourne over the last few months. I’ve also been jamming with friends, and doing heaps of home recording. Working on releasing some new solo stuff is definitely the priority at the moment. I’m also working out the logistics of doing some more touring in 2015. It’s been a bit too long between lukewarm bain-marie fried food. I’m keen to hit the road again.
What motivates you to make music?
It’s a question I often ask myself, and I guess I’m still trying to figure out the answer. Most of the music I make is predominately improvised, and generating loud, unpredictable sounds from a guitar, some pedals, and a big amp and attempting to reign it all into something hopefully interesting and beautiful is an enjoyable and satisfying process. For some reason I find the whole process to be both extremely nerve-wracking but extraordinarily fulfilling, strangely even when it doesn’t necessarily work out as “planned”. Overcoming the fear of putting myself on a stage in a rather unpredictable position and being able to successfully share that journey with the listener/audience is certainly intense but also rewarding…
What have been the high and low points of your musical experiences so far?
Getting to travel to new places, meeting like-minded people, and forming great friendships through playing music is a big high. I’ve been very lucky to cross paths with many musicians that have inspired and influenced me over the years. Playing guitar with Dumb Numbers and supporting My Bloody Valentine for five shows in North America last year was particularly special. Having Kevin Shields tell me that J Mascis said that he thought I sounded great and that he was happy to see me playing one of his signature guitars was definitely a bizarre experience. Touring with Earth and getting to know those guys over the last few years has also been lovely. They’ve all been extremely friendly, talented, and supportive.
The bad parts occasionally happen when I get sucked in to ‘the matrix’ of my 9 to 5 job, have a momentary lapse of reality and forget that I live for playing music…not a pay check.
What music are you listening to at the moment?
I’ve been on a bit of a 90’s ‘slowcore’ bender at the moment, lots of Codeine and Low. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Underground Lovers, Angel Olsen, Skullflower, Swearin, Grouper, and a band from Olympia called Broken Water. Locally I’ve really enjoyed seeing Little Desert, The Loveless, HITS, Tangrams, Laura Jean, Eves, and ZOND.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which member of the band would get eaten first?
Haha… so this would be one of the major downfalls of playing solo I suppose. Band members are clearly beneficial for many reasons. You can get lonely and hungry playing solo, but the drink rider usually works out kind of well for one. I’ve been playing quite a few shows with Steve Patrick on bass recently. He’s an amazing bass player, and I’m more than happy to share the rider with him. He’s too good of a sort to eat though.
Here’s an opportunity to bitch about something, whether music related or not. What really pisses you off?
The current state of Australian politics really upsets me. I find it incomprehensible that such a racist, sexist and self-interested government could have been voted into power. It makes me worried about the rise of conservatism in this country and all the terrible things that come with it. The Liberal government apparently don’t give a damn about human rights and civil liberties, it’s all about the dollar. May the so-called metadata of this interview be forever enshrined in the databases of ASIO, and may they all rot in hell.
You’re putting together your perfect gig featuring Australian artists? Who would you get to play and where? Feel free to include acts/DJs/bands/venues that no longer exist.
Magic Dirt, Bored!, Coloured Balls, Little Ugly Girls, plus all of the current local bands mentioned above. The Old Bar is my favourite local venue to see bands, but since we have the Dolorean available for time travelling purposes, let’s make it all happen at the Sarah Sands Hotel, Brunswick, 1991. I was too young to ever see a gig there, but as a kid I would see their gig guide in the newspaper and fantasise about having a fake ID. Who knows, it could’ve been a shit hole, but I’m willing to take the chance.
Bonnie Mercer joins Horsehunter in support of Sleep on Saturday December 6 at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne. Pre-sale tickets for that show are sold out though there may be a handful of door sales on the night. Pre-sale tickets for Sleep’s second Melbourne show on December 7, along with the rest of the tour, are on sale now through lifeisnoise.com.
