Legs Electric launch their new single, Wanna Riot, at the Rosemount Hotel on Saturday, March 7, with help from Apache, Custom Royal and King Cactus. BOB GORDON checks in with vocalist, Ama Quinsee.
Tell us about the background to the single and what it’s come to be?
The five songs that made up the EP were five of the first songs that we ever wrote together as Legs Electric. As we continue to write and perform together our sound is naturally going to develop and evolve. Wanna Riot is a result of the growth we’ve experienced since we were in the studio making the EP. We’ve learned how to play to our strengths and what works for us – strong vocal hooks and melodic guitar riffs. Joel Quartermain was big part of this process; he really helped us with the vision that he had for the track as our producer.
Were you pleased with the feedback from last year’s EP? What did you take from it into your next time recording?
Yes! We were thrilled with the feedback not only from our fans, but also from press and radio. Potts from 96FM was one of the first people to pick up on the EP, and having the station’s support at the beginning of the campaign was really nice. They played a couple different tracks and had us as guests on their Friday Live morning show. X-Press and RTRFM were also there early on; it makes such a difference when you’re a young band just starting out. We’ve played a lot around town, with a lot of different bands in support of the EP; it’s been very encouraging to be so well received and to get such a positive response. We feel like we really defined our sound with the EP and wanted to carry that forward into the recording of Wanna Riot.
The band does all sorts of diverse gigs, not the niche shows that many original bands focus on. Is this a deliberate move?
In a way, yes, but we really don’t see ourselves as a niche band – we’re a rock‘n’roll band. We have a very contemporary sound that encompasses a lot of very classic elements, so we tend to have a very broad appeal and attract a diverse audience. The four of us listen to everything from ‘50s and ‘60s rock to a wide variety of more current music; our drummer Kylie went to see the Stones last year and our guitar player Laura recently got back from Soundwave in Adelaide. We can play with rock bands, more alternative triple j type bands, heavy bands, even classic rock bands. Last year we opened for The Supersuckers and The Datsuns, and later this month we’re going to be supporting Uriah Heep at the Astor – that’s pretty diverse! It can be a little unnerving at times but it’s all a part of spreading the rock’n’roll disease.
