A European tour, an acclaimed Comedy Central series, and hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams – it seems like 2018 really was the year of the Whale(s).

For anyone who’s ever played in a band, or even knows someone who plays in a band, These New South Whales’ webseries will undoubtedly strike a chord of familiarity. Following a fictionalised version of the punk four-piece, the series perfectly encapsulates and parodies the ridiculousness of the music industry and the hopes young artists pin on it.

The adept comedic timing of the series, which aired midway through the year, was matched by the mastery of the group’s debut album You Work For Us. Punchy and precise, the record is full of memorable vocal lines and thrashy riffs that deliver all the energy of the TNSW live show straight to your headphones.

With more festival dates, new music, and international touring scheduled for 2019, it’s easy to imagine the TNSW plane continuing to rise as the group upgrade their status as from cocky underdogs to Australia’s premiere punk outfit. We checked in with singer Jamie Timony to see how the year shaped up for the group, have a gander:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owvljTg8Khg

You guys have had a wild 2018 with season two of your show coming out, a national headline tour, and heading over to Europe to support DZ Deathrays. What’s been the highlight so far?

A truly beautiful moment was when Pelvis (who plays our band manager in our Comedy Central series) sang an entire Elvis song acapella backstage at The Metro when we were on tour with DZ. It nearly made me cry. He sung it with so much conviction and joy, god bless him.

What was the best part about Europe?

A bit of tension had formed between Todd and I and it resulted in an argument just before we played a sold out show in London. We had to go out the back of the venue and have a man on man discussion. Mono E Mono. When we came back inside we were closer than ever before. If our friendship was a thirsty plant, honest discussion was the cool, cool water.

How did those shows compare to the ‘No Bridges Left To Burn Tour’?

Well, in Europe we were mostly playing to people who had never seen us play before which was really fun and took us back to how it all started. We always enjoy trying to win people over. The No Bridge tour was amazing because it was our biggest Australian tour to date and people really came out and supported us!! Our crowds in Australia are very enthusiastic when we play. They know the score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69FKzFajBFs

It feels like You Work For Us is still so fresh, but it came out in 2017?! When can we expect to hear some new TNSW?

Why, thank you!!!! Hehe!!! We will be premiering some fre$h new cuts at Mountain Sounds!!!! And releasing some new music in the first half of next year. Very, very excited for the next chapter.

Writing a show and writing music are obviously pretty different pursuits, but do you find there’s some parallels between the two?

Definitely! I feel as though all creative project are similar when you break them down on a fundamental level in terms of process. They all involve dedicating time to sit down and work and play and use ur instinct and have a great time and a bad one too and fuck it up and start again and happy accidents and ideas from GOD and diving into the subconscious and bringing back whatever gold or dirt or cockle shell or old boot you find and the list goes on blah blah blah blah! It’s all scary and fun and painful and rewarding. Also in both of those cases (writing music and a TV show) you start with absolutely nothing and end up with something that didn’t exist before.

You guys are known for welcoming your social media followers individually. How important are the ‘fans’ to you?

Well, first of all I’m insulted by your use of the inverted comma as used in conjunction with the word ‘fans’. Second of all, unfortunately I can’t welcome each fan individually anymore, though I’d really like to; there are far too many of the cunts. I do still try do my best to welcome as many people as I can to our Facebook page though – it’s been a long standing tradition and people seem to enjoy it so I do it for them because their joy brings me joy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-mLc9mebQw

If you had to choose between saving the life of a fan or saving the life of two non-fans, which would you choose?

Hahaha!!! Laugh out loud. Two non fans, I guess!!!!!! Sorry fans!!!!!!

Who would be someone you’d like to have cameo in TNSW Season 3 and why?

Leonardo DiCaprio would play my Mum cos I’ve got a crush on him!

Most punters would associate TNSW shows with sweaty pits, dark rooms, and strobe lights. How is playing at an outdoor stage at a festival different for you guys?

We are incredibly adaptable performers. We make do. One time at Bigsound we weren’t allowed to use our strobe… So, you know what we did? We threw the strobe in the bin and blew everyone’s haircuts off anyway. And we were STILL the talk of Bigsound that year. RAWR XD!

You’re often been credited (by yourselves) as being at the forefront of fashion and getting in there before something is cool. What cool things do we have to look forward to?

Look, let me just correct you there smart arse and go on record to say I don’t think we are at the forefront of fashion at all. Not even close. Don’t put words in my mouth, OK?. But I will say this: We were doing Australiana, dumbass-joke-song-dolewave bullshit before half of the jerks that play it now were even on the map. And don’t talk to me about speed dealer sunglasses. I started that stupid trend. Passé as fuck now, mind you. Joke songs suck. Over the nipple tape too tbh. 2019 can’t come quick enough.

What’s happening in 2019?

New music, new season of our show, overseas trips, tonnes of touring!!!! Lots of new fashions etc!!! Hope your hat has a chin strap!!!!!