Scared of Sharks Archives

Sydney Post-Punk Powerhouse, Scared of Sharks, Tapped into the Cultural Zeigest with ‘Last Train to Wyong’

Posted on 8 December 2024

Scared of Sharks became Australia’s equivalent to Half Man Half Biscuit with their trippy tongue-in-cheek electro post-punk track, Last Train to Wyong. Charged with cultural humour, brashy tones and psychonautic grooves, the single invites you to live vicariously through the incident that inspired the single, which also happens to encapsulate the infamously zany energy of the outfit which is currently priming the airwaves for the release of their debut EP, Double Happiness.

After drummer Tim Shady got too cooked at a rave in Sydney, lost all his belongings, hopped on a train and headed in the wrong direction home, Scared of Sharks seized the opportunity to orchestrate an anecdotal earworm. Maybe we can’t all say we’ve been there, but we can all agree that the loveable rogues of which the powerhouse comprises have a knack for storytelling with more humour than you are likely to see if you head to any open mic comedy show.

The ingenious reframing of that iconic ‘Democracy Manifest’ quote into “What’s the charge, riding a train, a lovely New South Wales train?’ is the highlight of the track that ensures even in this throwaway culture, Shares of Sharks are here to thrive and endure.

Last Train to Wyong will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp, from December 8^th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Scared of Sharks Interview: From Chaotic Tales to Live-to-Tape High Octane Fidelity

Posted on 7 December 2024

Scared of Sharks sit at the intersection of humour, raw energy, and unapologetically Australian references. Ahead of their debut EP, ‘Double Happiness’, the trio shared insights into their creative process, the chaos that inspired their latest single, ‘Last Train to Wyong’, and their live-to-tape recording approach. From their roots in Mogareeka to their presence on the East Coast, the band unpacks how geography, storytelling, and collaboration shape their sound, offering a fresh perspective on how authenticity and live performance energy translate into their recorded material.

Scared of Sharks, welcome to A&R Factory! Thanks for connecting with us ahead of your next release, Last Train to Wyong. The track stems from quite a chaotic and humorous personal experience. How did this specific event inspire the tone and narrative of the track, and do you think storytelling in this vein defines Scared of Sharks’ approach to songwriting?

Thanks For Having Us!

Yes and no. We’ve got a couple of songs that are a bit more narrative-based and then a few that are a bit more personal to Taylor. Wyong is the first song that all three of us wrote together. We kinda just jammed it out over a few days with everyone contributing their own bits.

The second verse of Last Train to Wyong references the ‘Democracy Manifest Bloke’, an iconic Australian cultural touchstone. How important is incorporating humour and local references in your music to connecting with your audience?

Very important. I think the whole world loves Australian bands when they sound Australian. Whilst not everyone is going to get every reference, as long as it’s not forced, people just enjoy it for what it is.

Your forthcoming EP, Double Happiness, promises a mix of genres, from post-hardcore to alternative folk. How did you navigate pouring such diverse influences while maintaining a cohesive identity across the EP?

Well, I guess we all listen to a lot of different bands and artists, and it sort of naturally came out like that. We originally just had the five heavier songs but thought the EP needed one moment of reprieve in there so added Cauliflower at the last minute.

What do you hope the decision to record the EP live-to-tape brings to the EP from a listener’s perspective?

We’ve been playing these songs live for the past couple of years, so it just made sense to do them that way. Few little overdubs here and there. Hopefully the live feel comes through when people are listening at home.

You’ve gone from Mogareeka to the Illawarra, and now you’re making waves up and down the East Coast. How has your geographic journey influenced your music, and do you see it as integral to your band’s story?

I’m not too sure, there was no live music down around Mogareeka which is why Taylor moved up the coast to the Illawarra. There are definitely heaps of good bands and music up here plus we’re right next to Sydney so it just makes it so much easier to get gigs and meet other people in bands.

Your live shows have been described as high-energy and humorous. How do you channel that same dynamism and connection with fans into your recorded material?

Just not taking things too seriously and if someone has a silly idea for a skit or something try it out.

Tim Shady’s drumming, Louis Crouton’s basslines, and Taylor Schwifty’s lyrics are all highlighted as key components of your sound. How do you all collaborate to ensure each element shines while creating something greater as a whole?

We try not to step on each toes so to speak. Generally, Taylor will bring in the chords and lyrics, then Tim & Loui will come up with their own parts & have their say if they think anything can be tweaked to make the song better. We just try to make it so we’re all working towards making the song as good as possible.

Your journey from your first release in 2021 to this debut EP has been eventful, including independent tours and festival appearances. What pivotal moments stand out during this time?

Probably the first tour we did, didn’t exactly pack out every venue haha but it was just sick to be travelling with your mates around the place to go play shows.

Stream Scared of Sharks on Spotify and Bandcamp or connect with the artist on Facebook and Instagram.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast