Byron Bay based Aussie surfy-garage-punk trio SKEGGS take us through their debut album, My Own Mess, track by track…
SONGS BY BEN REED
“UP IN THE CLOUDS”
“This song is about coming to terms with the uncertainty of some things and accepting that it’s just a part of life. The sky’s not clear every day.”
“INFINITY”
“My backyard is backed up to a rainforest and the house blocks out the street light so it’s real dark out there at night. Sometimes I go out there with a beer, just chill and look up at the lit night sky, and it made me write this song.”
“TRANSACTION FEE”
“This song is about when the pub doesn’t do cash so they direct you to the ATM. Then you end up getting drunk and end up back at the ATM – the fees couldn’t have covered a drink. It’s a rigged system.”
“SMOGGED OUT”
“This is about craving a bit of purity when you’re in a city. Being from a place like Forster, we crave how chill it is there compared to a busy city when you’ve only been there for more than a day.”
“PARADISE”
“This song is about growing up in Forster, appreciating how nice of a place it is, but being keen to see what else is happening in the world.”
“MARGARITA”
“This is about how you can lose your filter when you’re drunk and do and say things you don’t mean. But sometimes it’s possibly a blessing to get things out in the open.”
“STOP”
“This is about thinking about some of the past situations you’ve been in and thinking it could have gone terribly wrong and maybe you should take it easy from now on. But then thinking that’s no way to live because life’s too short.”
“MIDNIGHT EYES”
“This is about when you think you’re really tired so you go lay in bed but can’t get to sleep.”
“HARRY MAC”
“This is about growing up in Forster and never forgetting how nice of a place it is and always taking any opportunities that come your way even if you have to leave somewhere you like — it will always be there.”
“TESTING”
“It’s about recognising your mistakes, and moving forward from it, no matter how old you are. But sometimes we have to do things every now and then to remind ourselves never to do it again.”
“MY OWN MESS”
“This song is about when you get the blues — just remember it will always pass but it’s hard to tell yourself that at the time. It’s normal to feel sad some days.”
“MY MIND”
“This was originally two songs but they tied-in together so it’s like two perspectives singing in first and second person. It’s just based on when your friends get sad and bottle out their emotions. Life just takes time for people to understand things — you can just be in different states at different times and it’s hard to grasp why.
SONGS BY TOBY CREGAN
“ROAD TRIP”
“I wrote this song when I had just got back from a road trip and I was sad because it was over, but it’s a cross reference to the fact that everything is kind of like a road trip. That’s where the line ‘It wouldn’t be if it never stopped’ came from, so you don’t need to be so sad when things come to an end.”
“ALL I NEED TO DO”
“This was actually a song about a person I used to work with who was very passive aggressive and I didn’t really understand what it was they wanted me to do — I didn’t know whether to hold their hand or spit in their face. Work sucks sometimes.”
“COUCH PARTY”
“This one I wrote on the weekend and it is basically about when you can’t be bothered to go to the party and you would prefer to just cruise on the lounge. I feel like it sucks to meet new people all the time, so when you get asked to meet someone’s friends maybe it is better to just sit on the couch.” ■
SKEGGS’ MY OWN MESS IS OUT NOW
For the full article grab the October 2018 issue of MAXIM Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
