The Predators

"I have it too, we all have it," proclaims The Predators' Steven Bishop comprehensively, when I lament the final stages of what has been a rather violent virus. "If you have a big night out, if you play a gig, it's a lot better after that. You've got to have confidence to get over this virus.

"Yeah, look, I pump myself with every sort of cold tablet imaginable, and it did the trick. At the end of the gig, I had a huge coughing fit, but I was alright through it."

Illness aside, Bishop and the band (which, I'm obliged to say for promotional reasons, are notable in their inclusion of two members of Powderfinger) are rather chuffed to be going on their first nationwide tour. Well, not exactly nationwide - there are no shows in Adelaide yet. But the wheels are in motion.

"I hope we get to Adelaide, I'm pretty sure we will, later in the year. It sounds good down there, it's the home of rock. I mean, Brisbane's a bit of a home of rock, but Adelaide has spawned some great bands."

I remind him of the epitome of Australian rock, the wonder of Jimmy Barnes and Bon Scott. "You're sitting in the mantle, do you realise, you're in the canon..."

Bishop describes The Predators as an 'EP band'. Not quite comprehending why a band would limit itself to this most fickle of media, I proffer that perhaps Bishop suffers from a lack of ability to concentrate. Characteristically, he agrees. "That's the essence of The Predators, no concentration. We only play very short sets, and it's all or nothing, if you get it, you get it, you stay, but... You know, we need to play that game, you know that Chinese game with the numbers? It's got no numbers in it, does it, it's just lines and dots."

Sudoku? (Actually, you were right the first time, it's full of numbers.) "Sudoku. We need to be a Sudoku band," he declares, before reaching guilefully for the actual topic of our conversation. "We love our indie rock, and we're sort of putting our things on our sleeves, sort of thing. We love The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Cramps, anything gothic - The Sisters Of Mercy, all the '80s bands. That's what we're trying to do on this EP. Early Hoodoo Gurus, we're huge fans of The Church..."

So, basically The Predators are locked in a record collection that ends just before My Bloody Valentine released their world-changing 'Loveless' in 1991. "And it hasn't changed. There hasn't been many additions. Oh no, I do like My Bloody Valentine..." But the band's record collection does hark back before that moment of studio-processed joy. Instead, Bishop prefers "Lots of reverb and big snare drums. And definitely not the big hair bands, not Poison or Striper... I'm a huge Nirvana fan as well, but these guys [the band's Powderfinger component], they're not so into Kurt Cobain. But I was locked in a closet, I can't give him up."

However, after a 15-year absence from the record-buying public, Bishop may well be seen at an indie store before too long. "I tell you what, if you're in a record store in Adelaide, and you see these 18, 19 year olds getting out their guitars and releasing rock records, that's really exciting. I haven't seen that in a while. I think there will be some great bands coming out in the next couple of years.

"Well, rock has gone very sort of, prog rock. There are some really big bands out there shoveling out some staged stuff. When the staged stuff comes out, you know something good is about to hit. It happened in the early '90s, it happened in the late '70s and back in the '60s."

"I just recommend anyone who is into music, or is a bit of a poet or an artist, just get out there and express yourself. I feel society is just getting more repressed, I don't know about you down in Adelaide..." Adelaide? Repressed? "You guys are cracking out, you need to put something in the water and get unrepressed. Because expressionism, I think that's humanity. Humanity is seen in the expression of art, music, writing... And bowling. Be brave."

It might have taken 15 years, but Steven Bishop feels brave. "I'm feeling braver...And it's good to get outside and see some sunlight."

Ben Revi

'Pick Up The Pace' is out now through Universal.