Once upon a time in a drunken conversation around a glass outdoor table, we've probably been on the receiving end of "Oi dude, lets start a clothing brand. It'll be sick." You then came up with a few ideas and it was heaps easy, because really, why haven't billabong hired you yet? You're a creative genius.
I'm sure the hype has fizzled and you go back to the table next weekend and talk about making a band or some other shit.
There are a few guys coming from the basements of a disclosed location around Merewether heights naming themselves VHS Cult. They are bringing back a DIY approach to surfing and band merch which in reality is a 'breath' of fresh air to the stagnant industry.
I managed to catch up with Dale Simcoe who was kind enough to answer a few questions on their behalf.
AK: Who are the people behind VHS? Like are you actually a cult?
VHS: There's 4 of us that includes Kurt Jones, Nathan Sheahan, Luck Pritchard and Myself. We also have Nat Tyrrel from Los Scallywagss and Liam Bell from Mild West.
Where it started...
I'd always be watching surf vids with punk soundtracks back in the dar and like the words VHS. So I drew it on my board and Kurty asked me one day "What's the go with it?" and frothed.. He thought to put cult on the title and here was born the first O.G kind of logo. It was the rising sun doors font which works well. Simple yet effective. 3 years ago we made a ghetto screen printer from a wooden photo frame and a heavy duty sheet stapled tightly to the frame and drew up some plastic stencils that are in a draw somewhere.
AK: You seem to put together a handful of events and have some big names wearing your stuff, like Billy from Hockey Dad. You recent put on Death Party 3 which had some amazing bands, care to tell us more?
VHS: Pretty sure Kurty gave him that VHS shirt and took photos of Hockey Dad at the Small Ballroom in exchange for a free ticket. haha, so it's pretty epic that Billy rocks the shirt. We also have to thank Los Scallys for making a sick scene up and down the coast. Cade from Soy (band) told me thats why he likes VHS so much cause we are genuine in what we're trying to do and we are surrounded by talented good mates. So it's exciting watching it unfold.
Nat came up with the name Death Party and it just sums us up in a fucken nutshell. A good environment where people can let loose and not be judged or ridiculed and just have fun. Death Party has been going on for 3 years and we have made it a fundraiser for our mate Appsy (Jason Apps) who became a paraplegic from a tragic snowboarding accident.
(you can follow his journey to recovery on instagram @jason_apps) It really gives the night a great meaning. We are so lucky to have so many good bands we know who want to be involved so its so easy to organise shit as it falls into place.
AK: Whats different about the garage punk/rock scene that draws you in?
VHS: We've alwasys been into punk rock and all sorts of alternative artists, so the themes we like to do revolve around anti-establisment. Even though that sounds lame this day and age. We just want to create a culture aorund the east coast for people who appreciate the creative arts of all mediums. I don't even know what's hot and not these days, I just like the feeling when we post a shirt to small towns up and down the coast. We try keep it genuine as people are more switched on these days and can see through the fake shit.
I also feel that bands are back. For a good 10 years electro styles of music was littering a heap of surfing vids. I mean the soundtracks were sick like Modern Collective by Kai Neville and Stranger than Fiction by Tyler Steele. It's just recently people are back frothing on good up and coming bands with more of a garage rock feel rather than the 90's punk style. But it's all fucken good to me.
AK: If you could have one band headline your event, who would it be?
VHS: Any band? hmm.. King Gizzard, Eddie Currant, AFI, Misfits. Kurt would probably say Queens of the Stone Age, Sheo with the Smashing Pumpkins and Pritch would say Parquet Courts or the Dandy Warhols.
AK: Thats a varying degree of genres, all totally sick bands though.
What are you working on next? Whats the future hold?
VHS: We have the halloween special again this year in late October which I think will be at the Cambridge Hotel but it's still early stages at the moment.
You can keep up to date with VHS cult by following them @vhs.cult or www.vhscult.com
