Possible Humans’ “Cuz” is an ambling, hands-in-pockets stroll on the sunny side of a Brisbane street. Though the five-piece band are based in Melbourne, vocalist Mark Hewitt wrote the song while visiting Brisbane and says it is an ode to the Queensland capital.“At the time I was obsessed with some idea of death being the gateway to life, to put it crudely, something out of Henry Miller, and Brisbane represented that to me at the time. Decay and oppressive heat and rotting wood, and this awesome woolly music culture that had grown out of it. I was tired and I had a knot in my guts but I felt very alive,” he says.Sung in Hewitt’s (who also plays in Gold Class) deep baritone, the song is backed by unhurried but melodic indie rock .The band, made up of Samuel Tapper, Leon Cranswick, and the three Hewitt brothers; Steven, Adam and Mark, all contribute to writing. Steve sings vocals on "Toroid" the b-side to their debut 7”, to be released on Strange Pursuits.Noisey: What window does the album cover look out from?
Mark Hewitt: That’s Matt Kennedy’s [Kitchen’s Floor] house. Which probably looks nothing like that anymore. It seemed fitting to use that photo for the cover, because the song is kind of a paen to Brisbane. I wrote some of it in that room. At the time I was obsessed with some idea of death being the gateway to life, to put it crudely, something out of Henry Miller, and Brisbane represented that to me at the time. Decay and oppressive heat and rotting wood, and this awesome woolly music culture that had grown out of it. I was tired and I had a knot in my guts but I felt very alive. Looking out into the yard. I am waiting for Matt to notice I have stolen a chunk of Kitchen’s Floor iconography. At least it was me who took the photo, I guess.Do you use the term “Cuz”?
Nah, I can’t really pull off slang like that. Not verbally anyway. Plus it probably means something fucked up in surf slang in Coffs Harbour or Bateman’s Bay, so best to steer clear.What’s it like being in a band with two brothers? Do you know of any other bands that feature three brothers?
It is mostly the best, but very occasionally the absolute worst. We are really good friends. But the curse of being able to talk plainly to each other sometimes leads to conflict. Actually it has a lot lately. Arguments always end well. And we are old enough now to have the wisdom and foresight to take out our bottled violence on music equipment instead of each other’s skulls. Some guitars and amps have been ‘sacrificed’ in the rehearsal space. Probably the worst thing we have done is thrown a mic stand at each other. There is a lot of respect there. I can’t think of many other bands with three brothers in them. Hanson? Blank Realm? I think they have three siblings, anyway.
June 11 - Melbourne at the Old Bar with Shrapnel, Assetstripper and Dag
June 24 - Sydney at Black Wire Records with Aloha Units, Whitney Houston’s Crypt, Shrapnel and Pinkbatts
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Mark Hewitt: That’s Matt Kennedy’s [Kitchen’s Floor] house. Which probably looks nothing like that anymore. It seemed fitting to use that photo for the cover, because the song is kind of a paen to Brisbane. I wrote some of it in that room. At the time I was obsessed with some idea of death being the gateway to life, to put it crudely, something out of Henry Miller, and Brisbane represented that to me at the time. Decay and oppressive heat and rotting wood, and this awesome woolly music culture that had grown out of it. I was tired and I had a knot in my guts but I felt very alive. Looking out into the yard. I am waiting for Matt to notice I have stolen a chunk of Kitchen’s Floor iconography. At least it was me who took the photo, I guess.Do you use the term “Cuz”?
Nah, I can’t really pull off slang like that. Not verbally anyway. Plus it probably means something fucked up in surf slang in Coffs Harbour or Bateman’s Bay, so best to steer clear.What’s it like being in a band with two brothers? Do you know of any other bands that feature three brothers?
It is mostly the best, but very occasionally the absolute worst. We are really good friends. But the curse of being able to talk plainly to each other sometimes leads to conflict. Actually it has a lot lately. Arguments always end well. And we are old enough now to have the wisdom and foresight to take out our bottled violence on music equipment instead of each other’s skulls. Some guitars and amps have been ‘sacrificed’ in the rehearsal space. Probably the worst thing we have done is thrown a mic stand at each other. There is a lot of respect there. I can’t think of many other bands with three brothers in them. Hanson? Blank Realm? I think they have three siblings, anyway.
Possible Humans 7’ launch:
June 11 - Melbourne at the Old Bar with Shrapnel, Assetstripper and Dag
June 24 - Sydney at Black Wire Records with Aloha Units, Whitney Houston’s Crypt, Shrapnel and Pinkbatts