Bad Weather come of age with vulnerable new single The Man or the Boy

Local act Bad Weather are gearing up for a huge start to 2024 with the release of their new single, The Man Or The Boy. Described as their ‘most vulnerable single yet’, the new track builds on Bad Weather’s nostalgia-pop-rock sound, which has seen them riding the MTV rotation wave and receiving praise from heavy-hitters like Music Feeds, Backseat Mafia, Pilerats and more in the past few years. Bad Weather will celebrate the release of The Man Or The Boy with an intimate event at Vinyl Cafe in Leederville on Friday, February 23, where Callum Robertson and Jono Dimascio will perform the new single along with some never-before-heard songs, listen to the new single with fans, and have a bunch of new merch up for grabs (get more info and tickets here). BRAYDEN EDWARDS caught up with Callum Robertson to find out the story behind the song and what we can look forward to on the night.

Congratulations on the release of your new single, The Man or the Boy. How long has this song been in the works for, and how does it feel to finally get it out there?

Thanks so much! This song was written around the middle of last year. We had the music written for it for a few weeks prior to actually making it a finalised song. Finally being able to release it to the world feels amazing. This song feels really special to us as people and as a band. We can’t wait for people to hear it.

Do you recall when you first started writing this track? Was there a certain feeling or time in your life that inspired it?

At the time we wrote this song, it was the middle of 2023. Around that time, I remember slipping into this feeling of loss. Not the loss of someone else, but the loss of something inside of me. The loss of direction and the loss of a spark I’d felt like I’d carried with me for most of my life. It also happened to be the last year of my 20s, which was inevitably becoming something I was thinking about more and more. I guess I’d felt like I’d hit a bit of a wall and started asking myself questions like, ‘Have I become the person I thought I’d be?’ or ‘What does it really mean to be a man?’

And how did you go about capturing it on record? Did you do anything different from the songs you had released before?

I brought most of the music and structure of the song into our home studio. At that time, we were really only missing the chorus. I just couldn’t write the chorus at all. I remember both Jono and I sitting down and listening to the song over and over again. We then decided to set up a microphone and have me just scat in melodies and lyrics. After that, we’d basically finished the chorus in 30 minutes. That technique of just being completely in the moment and not overthinking your creative process is always so rewarding and freeing. After the song was finished, we sat there and listened to it. We both nearly cried. We felt like we’d written one of our best songs and had really nailed everything.

You’ll be celebrating the release with a launch party at Vinyl Cafe on Friday, February 23. What kind of live show can we expect from Bad Weather on the night?

Well, to be honest, we don’t often do a stripped-back show. We’ve always prided ourselves on our full live show with the band. It’s where we feel we shine most. But with this release, we felt like stripping it back and making the performance more intimate to match the vibe of the song. We wanted it to be as sincere as possible. We’ve also got brand new merch and DJ sets, and part proceeds from the show will be donated to Headspace. We’re really looking forward to giving our friends and fans something different.

Who else will be performing, and what makes them a great fit for the occasion?

Our good friend Jade Rich will be supporting us on the night! It’s also her debut solo performance. We’re so excited to have her on the bill. She’s got an incredible, soulful voice.

What’s next for Bad Weather for the rest of 2024 and beyond? Any more new music or live shows in the pipeline we can look out for?

I think for us this year, we really want to put out as much music as we can. Jono and I write all the time; it’s what we love doing, and right now it feels like we’re getting better and better and really starting to carve out our own space in the Australian scene. As for shows, we’ve been asked so many times for eastern states shows. It’s something we’re looking at and will be doing our best to get back over to that side of the country this year!