Korn‘s Jonathan Davis was so excited by ORGY that he created his own record label …
If you’re still yet to hop on the Totty bandwagon, heed this as a warning: once you’re on it, there’s no getting off.
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The Wollongongian indie-punks have been smashing goals left, right, centre and in every other direction humanly possible. After a year of breathless touring and studio time, the trio kicked 2018 off by announcing their new label home as Ratbag Records—the upstart outlet from the 420-friendly legends in Dune Rats—and dropping their crash-hot debut EP, Cut The Poppies.
Cut The Poppies was recorded in the backyard shed of frontwoman Kelly Jansch, before being polished off at Sydney’s Grove Studios with drummer Chris Peruch in the producer’s chair.
Driven by lead single Uncomfortable, the EP shines as five deliciously groovy and impossibly dynamic slices of summer jam material, the likes of which would make for some perfect headbangs when played live at the local pub… Which is why we’re especially stoked right now.
With the EP making waves in pretty much every corner of the Australian alt-rock scene, it makes sense that Totty would head off on a jaw-droppingly massive tour to showcase its sweet tunes in the live realm. They’ll be hitting Coogee, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Wollongong throughout July and August.
And in case you’re not already sold, every show on the tour is free (except for the shows in Brisbane and Wollongong, but c’mon, tickets to those cost less than $15—don’t be a cheapass)! In preparation for the gigs, we hit Jansch up for a bit of playlist inspiration. She’s swung over a list of her all-time favourite albums, and we have to say, it’s… Well, it’s a bit of an interesting one.
We’ve got Avril Lavigne kicking it with Frank Zappa, Tegan And Sara getting friendly with Pissed Jeans and The Wombats jamming out with Yuck, to name just a few. But of course, the best kind of playlist is a dynamic one—so while we go scrounging for our Spotify password, take a peek at what Jansch picked out for us!
10. Tegan And Sara – The Con
This album reminds me heaps of my teenage years. Something about the way their voices work together blows me away—I’ve always been inspired by the way they sing. I went through a phase recently, listening to all their newer stuff and watching live videos of them performing on YouTube, but I’ll always go back to The Con.
9. Jay Reatard – Singles 06–07
It was so hard to chose which Jay Reatard album I wanted to put on this list because I love every single song on every single album with all my heart. I can’t think of many other artists or bands that I listen to where I’ve 100 percent enjoyed every single song off every album they have out. That’s pretty cool.
8. Jethro Tull – Stand Up
Jethro Tull runs alongside Frank Zappa in my mind. He’s an absolute genius. I wish I had half the musical abilities these people had. Jethro Tull is a huge inspiration for me with flute playing—I don’t play much anymore, but when I did, I used to try and learn his songs. I finally can play Bouree, which is on this album. I’m slowly trying to collect all of his vinyl, too, because the art is so sick.
7. Pissed Jeans – King Of Jeans
This is one of the many, many bands I’ve discovered thanks to my brother Brett. He always used to play False Jesii Part 2 in his van on little road trips from Ballina Airport back to Byron Bay when we played in a band together years ago. I remember I always used to try and sneak a look at his phone screen whenever he was playing cool music because I was too scared to ask him the names of all these cool bands.
6. The Wombats – A Guide To Love, Loss and Desperation
The Wombats were one of the first few bands I ever got to see live at a big concert (The Veronicas were the very first). I screamed and screamed every single word to every single song on this album, and I had no voice for days after. But I was so happy.
5. Xavier Rudd – Solace
This is a really special album to me because I can always remember my dad listening to it. Let Me Be got played at his funeral, so I’ve got this weird bittersweet association with it. I love the album, but it also makes me sad.
4. The Grates – Gravity Won’t Get You High
This was one of the first CDs I ever got. I got it for Christmas, but I can’t remember which year—I was super young though. I remember I had the inner sleeve of the CD hanging on my wall for years and years because it was such a cool piece of art.
3. Yuck – Yuck
This is another one I discovered through Brett. Every song on this album reminds me of the beginning days of Totty. Chris and I used to listen to it from start to finish at least twice a day. The way the songs all work and flow together is amazing.
2. Avril Lavigne – Let Go
The soundtrack to my angsty pre-teen years. I don’t know what it is about this album, but I swear it has some of the best pop-punk songs ever written. I used to never understand the song Mobile because I thought she was talking about an actual telephone. I remember mum surprised me with this cassette after primary school one day—best day ever.
1. Frank Zappa – Apostrophe (‘)
Frank Zappa is a genius. He reminds me so much of my dad, half because dad used to listen to him all the time, and half because they look so similar that it’s almost uncanny. I could listen to the title track in the background of my day-to-day life every day, I reckon. It’s amazing.
Cut The Poppies is out now on Ratbag Records.
Jam it digitally via Bandcamp, iTunes, Google Play or Spotify.
Totty are also taking the EP around Australia this month. Catch them at the following dates:
Thursday July 19th – The Northern, Byron Bay
FREE ENTRY
Saturday July 21st – The Foundary, Brisbane
Tickets available now from oztix.com.au
Saturday July 28th – Botany View, Sydney
FREE ENTRY
Friday July 3rd – Yah Yas, Melbourne
FREE ENTRY
Thursday July 9th – Rad Bar, Wollogong
Tickets available now from moshtix.com.au
