Stimpies
We spoke to Ned from local Melbourne band ‘Stimpies’ comprised of Ned, Ethan, Bec and Van, have been putting in the work on the band for the last few years and released their debut album “Spent the Night with a Spirit” in March of 2024. Ned sat down and told us a bit about the band and what’s to come, while also giving us some insightful information on what the music industry can be like and how to work through it.
How did Stimpies come together to BE what it is today? How did you all meet and decide to start a band?
Ethan and I met through a mutual who we were going to underage shows with. Skegss, hockey dad, mini skirt... classic 2018-19 stuff. We started to become pretty close and both had shared an interest in starting our own project. We decided we’d get a band started and play a backyard show at his 16th birthday. That’s when we agreed we needed a bass player. I knew Bec from school. She’d been playing double bass with me in jazz bands but never touched an electric. Nonetheless, she picked it up and ripped and all of a sudden we had Stimpies. Van joined recently, replacing Ethan on drums to allow him to come up front and play guitar with me.
How has it been rebranding the band?
Rebranding has been interesting. I’d say we haven’t exactly ‘rebranded’ consciously, more so just matured as people and as musicians and our music is a byproduct of that. I think we’ve also just realised how badly we want to do this, and therefore have become more committed and driven than ever.
What is to come from the band and what should we expect?
We’ve got a lot in the works. We’re dreaming and scheming and planning hard. We’ve been writing dozens of tracks and are currently working on recording them alongside music videos, live sessions and some unique concepts for performances going forward. The songs are shaping up well. It feels like the first time we’ve ever been truly open and honest in our writing, as well as having the confidence to simplify things and trust in the process.
Where should a new fan of Stimpies start? What other artists could you suggest to a new listener? / where to check them out?
For a new fan of Stimpies, start anywhere. We’re just glad to have people fuck with our art!
How should artists first starting out set themselves apart from the crowd anD generate a name for themselves?
I believe as a new artist, don’t think about setting yourself apart from the rest of the scene. Don’t question anything. Focus on what you believe in, what you like, and what you connect with. Find a clear path for the art you want to be making, and the rest will come from there. As long as you’re making something for your own enjoyment, others will enjoy it too.
Is there anyone out there that you are inspired by whether that be mentally or musically? If so, do you find that reflected in your work and how?
We’ve always taken a lot of inspiration from the now broken-up, Chicago-based band, Twin Peaks. I’d say they’ve been our longest-standing musical influence. I think at the moment all of our songwriting is really driven by becoming young adults in the 21st century, as well as the rising insecurity of the social and political state both inside and Outside of Australia. As artists with an opportunity to voice our concern and distaste across numerous listeners, we feel it is important to use that.
Do you find networking to be a big help in growing as an artist or rather take Things into your own hands?
The term “networking” gets thrown around a lot. The way we try to see it is to not get swallowed up by the ins and outs of an industry. Rather, just have a good time, meet as many friendly people as you can, ignore as many unfriendly people as you can, and use your contacts as best you can. Focus on the people who want to help because they want to, and not because they get the better end of the deal.
Being an established artist, are there parts of the industry that aspiring artists should avoid? Are there any scams out there that should be avoided?
There aren’t really ‘scams’ per se, more so just people who know they can get away with not paying bands what they deserve. Don’t take a deal that doesn’t help you. Don’t let someone tell you that you’re “getting paid in exposure” DO NOT under any circumstances take a show at Cherry bar or Yah Yah’s they do not pay their bands and will do anything to weasel their way out of a dollar. Ask anyone.
The industry is like an arm wrestle. When playing a show on a busy night in Melbourne, how do you find yourself a crowd and what do you do to attract people to your show over the many others happening around the night?
We believe a good poster goes a long way. Grab people’s attention and let them know that your show is going to be a really fun time. Other than that, get all of your mates around it and get their mates to get their mates around it. Story posting is huge.
In a world dominated by social media, how do you use platforms to your Advantage or do you tend to steer away from heavy social media use?
Social media for us is a really fine line. It can go a long way for sure, but it also can determine you as a ‘TikTok band’. We try mostly to just post updates and events on our social media and let people’s connection with our music allow our following to grow organically. People fall in love with something more when they feel like they’ve discovered it themselves rather than had it shoved down their throats online.
Has the world around you affected or inspired your work? E.G. covid, world conflicts and multiple crises?
The world around us affects our music a lot. We often reflect on the way that people treat each other, and the way others treat us. There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment. We’re seeing things we’ve never seen before, while at the same time seeing history repeat itself. It’s scary and it’s confusing, and I think people just aren’t sure what to do with themselves. On the other hand, I think our music often provides a contrast against all of the dark and scary. A safe space to feel as though you can step aside from that stuff, and just be.
How did you find the best way or most effective way of generating a fan base?
Either through releasing music or playing live shows? I don’t know how we’ve created our fan base. All I can say is that we’ve always aimed just to be ourselves, make the art that inspires us, and invite people along for the ride. And to be honest, I think that’s the only real way to do it. Otherwise, you lose all essence in what you’re doing.
With the release of your debut album, how did you find the recording process? Were there any challenges or problems you came across and if so how did you overcome them? Did you have any type of promotional plan towards the album or did it all just fall into place?
Recording our debut album was an absolute hoot. We worked out of ColourSound recording studio in Altona, where we’re very familiar, and just chipped away at it day by day. It was honestly about three to four months’ work just recording. Not including writing or pre-production or anything. Ethan and I have formed a really strong brotherly relationship in the studio and an ability to be brutally honest with each other, despite also being on exactly the same page most of the time. We’ve played together since we were 15 so we’ve pretty much morphed into one musician at this point. We didn’t really plan enough towards our release. It was rushed as bec and I planned on leaving. In hindsight, I’d say to others, PLAN EVERYTHING. Record the music and then sit on it until you have EVERYTHING ready to go. Art, timelines, videos, promo. Do everything you can think of. That’s our plan at least for the next release.