Tom Parry
THEY got their start in Gippsland; now they’re coming home, and excited to inspire the next generation of musicians.
Collectively, they’re known as Raging Hormones, a five-piece band founded by Nick Manuell.
The band consists of Manuell as lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter; Lucy Rash on vocals and keys; Dave Williams on vocals and guitar; Adrian Van Bloom on drums, and Jon Grace on bass.
Although based in Melbourne, Raging Hormones has strong links to Gippsland – Manuell, Rash and Williams all attended school in Bairnsdale, while Van Bloom hails from Erica.
According to Manuell, it was during the pandemic-induced lockdowns that the band “really kicked-off”.
“I started writing the songs on my own as a way to cheer myself up, and a way to cheer up my partner,” Manuell told the Gippsland Times.
“The whole band (idea) really came from this ridiculous pair of sunglasses that I had found, and felt like they had like a persona attached to them, so I kind of built this band and wrote all these songs to… legitimise becoming this person when you put these sunglasses on.”
The sunglasses in question are large and square with silver rims, and have since been incorporated into the band’s logo.
Manuell likens the sound of Raging Hormones to “proto-punk” music, citing The Jam and The Stooges as influences, but notes they are also “a pretty romantic band”.
“All of the songs are meant to… take all of the issues in your life and kind of help you clear out all the junk from your head and just be happy,” Manuell explained.
“I like the idea of calling the band ‘Ranging Hormones’ (as though) it was some sort of out-of-control thing that … you weren’t in control of – it’s just this guttural thing that comes from deep within you.”
Having released singles and music videos online, Raging Hormones is now preparing to release their first-ever EP: Public Fun – Part 1.
“It was originally an album, but we’ve decided to split it into two EPs and kind of drip-feed it out into the world,” Manuell said.
In recognition of their roots, the band will be launching the EP with a gig at the Gippsland Hotel in Sale, taking place next Friday, June 9.
Photo: File
Their appearance at “The Gippy” was made possible through their association with local musician, producer and promoter Brett Glover, who in recent months has been securing acts for “Live at the Bundy”.
“All the stuff that those guys are doing with the Bundalaguah Hall has been exciting,” Manuell said.
“We have wanted to be involved with that for some time; but you’ve got to tie these things into a release and make it all worthwhile… build a tour and a reason to be down there, things like that.
“We haven’t been able to do it really until this point, and unfortunately The Black Sorrows, I think, I had beaten us to the Bundy Hall for the weekend.”
Hence, Raging Hormones was able to land a spot at the hotel instead.
Manuell also said that it had been “exciting” to see what’s happening with the live music scene in Gippsland.
“Really, I left that area because there was no music scene… I was in Bairnsdale at the time and we put on a couple of shows, but it was really hard to get anything going,” he lamented.
“All of the clubs and pubs in town just wanted the old jukebox blaring away or… electronic club-style music.
“It felt like there was big hole in my lifestyle there, that I needed to move to Melbourne to fill.
“It’s really exciting now that there’s venues popping up, like The Gippy and the Bundy Hall, that are allowing us to come home and do this thing that we’ve loved for so long.
“I think I’ve only ever come back once to do a gig in Bairnsdale at Snap Alley, and that was … probably six years ago now.”
Not only does Manuell believe that there’s a strong future for live music in Gippsland; he also believes it’s a necessity for the area’s youth.
“Rural areas – not that Sale’s all that rural anymore, but the further you go out of the city, the more live music has an importance, I believe,” he said.
“I think that younger people need things to do, to be entertained, and also to be given opportunities, and to feel less alone.”
He noted a recent youth-oriented event he performed at in South Australia – the Caltowie Chilled Out and Fired Up Music Festival – as an example.
“That kind of thing is really important – showing people all the beautiful colours of life, that exist beyond the town that you’re in, can be super beneficial to people’s mental health,” Manuell explained.
As part of their visit to Gippsland, Raging Hormones will also be conducting a workshop for young people at the Bundy Hall the following Saturday, called “Ready, Set, Rock: How to Launch Your Band in 5 DIY Steps”.
“We’re going to talk about song-writing ideas and creativity ideas, which is really about you becoming good at your craft; and then on top of that, we’re going to talk about to run your band like a business,” Manuell said of the event.
“We’re a completely self-sufficient, DIY-style band – we don’t rely on outside stuff, which means we write our own songs, we make our own video clips, we do our own pitching…
“We’ve got so many different people from different walks of life in our band; everybody’s got a different role other than just playing their instrument.”
For more information about the “Ready, Set, Rock” workshop on Saturday, June 10, head to liveatthebundy.com.au and follow the prompts.
For more information about Raging Hormones’ gig at the Gippsland Hotel, head to facebook.com/thegippslandhotel/events