Eora/Sydney alt-rock powerhouse RedHook have exploded onto the global stage with their debut album Postcard from a Living Hell, released 21 April. Having toured extensively with In Hearts Wake last year, the band are currently in the middle of their own national headline tour before playing at Unify Off The Record in June.
We caught up with vocalist Emmy Mack to chat Unify, tours and more.
“It’s been chaotic right now, but loving every minute,” Mack says of their busy schedule.
Postcard from a Living Hell, complete with impressive guest features and a saxophone solo, is one of the most original records to drop in the local heavy scene this year (read our review of the album HERE). It was a long time coming and after a hugely successful debut, RedHook couldn’t be happier with the reception.
“Thank you so much! It was in a way, but I think we released it at the right time. So much relief to finally have it out there and the response has literally blown us away and exceeded all of our expectations. We haven’t really had a second to stop and enjoy it because we’ve been on tour a lot, but it’s been great.”
With half the record previously released as singles, it sounds like fans are enjoying the deep cuts just as much as the live staples.
“The thing that’s made me the happiest is that there isn’t a single song on there that someone hasn’t told me is their favourite, but the hardest part about that is putting together a setlist.”
Having sold out the Brisbane and Adelaide shows of their 11-date headline tour, we asked Emmy what her favourite show of the national run has been so far. The answer was equally bad-arse and horrifying.
“There’s been so many awesome shows and I’ve loved them all, but I think my favourite was probably Perth so far, for a couple of reasons. The crowd was so packed and the energy was insane, but I also have some really bad luck in Perth.
The first time that RedHook played a headline show in Perth I was peer-pressured into doing a shoey on stage and then I had debilitating gastro for like a week after. The second time, I somehow managed to fracture both my feet at the exact same time by jumping off stage and then I had to tour Europe with two broken feet. But this time we broke the curse!”
A highlight of their relentless touring this past year saw RedHook join The Smashing Pumpkins on The World is a Vampire tour in Australia last April. One encounter led to Emmy becoming a brief online sensation after an unusual interaction with the famed frontman.
“It was so amazing, although I think I might have inadvertently started a little bit of beef with Billy Corgan. He was hanging out at the Bribie Island show in the catering area and his social media person was like, ‘Do you guys want a photo?’, and I was like, ‘Hell yes, I want a photo!’. He was everything that you hoped he would be, very gracious and nice.
Then I posted it on my socials and I just captioned it ‘Emmy Mack, smiling politely’, and somehow that post made its way onto a Simpsons meme page. Then on this talk show, he goes, ‘I met this lovely young musician in Australia’, and captioned it, ‘but it’s almost like a dis. Like, are you excited to meet me because I’m me, or because I was on The Simpsons?’.”
Next up on their calendars is the Tasmania and Victoria shows of Unify Off The Record in June, alongside big names like Alpha Wolf, Northlane and Make Them Suffer. The local heavy festival is hitting the road for the first time this month, taking some of the country’s best acts to Mackay, Adelaide, Wollongong, Hobart and Frankston.
“I’m so excited to go back to Tassie! We’re so stoked that this Off The Record show has come along because we were so gutted that we didn’t get to go there on the Postcard tour. There’s so much cool stuff down there and it’s so beautiful. The fans are rad, too, because not much comes their way.”
We also asked who she is most keen to catch up with, but it seems like everyone on the bill is pretty much family by now.
“I’m so excited to see Make Them Suffer because I haven’t seen them live since Alex joined the band and I love her. I’m excited to see In Hearts (Wake) and Banks (Arcade) again, I just miss those bands. It’s a big community vibe with this togetherness. It’ll be disgustingly wholesome.”
As well as some killer live music, Unify Off The Record will also be hosting artist signings, pop-up shops, DJs, panels and songwriting sessions. Fans will be delighted to know that RedHook will be participating in these signings, and Emmy is set to speak at the panels.
“It’s amazing and I really love the ethos behind this festival, I think it’s so important. I’m a big advocate for the idea that positive change starts with the grassroots. Especially in heavy music, it’s really cool to see a festival like this championing diversity and supporting the locals.
“I’m also going to be taking part in a couple of panels at both of the events. I’ll have to double check my emails, but I think it’s going to be a mental health-based panel. I know it’s a controversial thing to say, but generally speaking, I feel like people who listen to heavy music are more in-touch with our own shit mentally. Or at least have the self-awareness to be able to, if not reach out, listen to music to help us with whatever we’re going through.”
Get your tickets to the remaining shows on the Postcard from a Living Hell tour HERE and Unify Off The Record HERE. Stay connected with RedHook on Facebook and Instagram.