They say inspiration can come from anywhere.
For Markella Vergotis — guitarist, vocalist and lyracist for The Mistaeks — that includes the toilet.
“I actually lived with a housemate who had a subscription to Mens Health Magazine, which was a good read in the toilet,” she laughs.
“The song [new single ‘A Whole ‘Nother Story For Another Time]’ is about living by the magazines and following the stories that preach 'Ten Steps To Get The Girl' and 'Five Tips To Be A Better Me', and so it's ultimately a satire of pop culture.”
Fans of the band won’t be surprised to see them poking fun at self-help magazines, or whatever other topics catch their eye.
They’ve never been ones to take themselves — or anyone else — all that seriously.
“Absolutely, we try not to take ourselves too seriously,” Markella says, “and you can see that in a lot of our live shows. We do a lot of shenanigans.
"If you come to our show you’ll find some choreographed dance routines. We do try and reflect our sense of humour in our lyricism. Basically, we like to have fun.”
The Brisbane alt-rock group mix genres to create an eclectic musical sound that’s equal parts rock and soul, with chunky riffs and danceable rhythms galore.
“I guess our sound was created along the way,” Markella says.
“Up until recently The Mistaeks have been a two-piece including Tom and I. We've recruited Dan and Jake, so it's now a four piece.
"Basically we've come from a variety of different backgrounds, everything from black metal to rock. I also had a solo blues project on the side before this happened.”
Markella calls the band's diverse musical variety "a blessing", although she admits finding difficulty in describing their sound to new listeners.
“To make it easier for booking agents we refer to ourselves as 'alternative rock' but we really don't know what that means. Some call us indie rock but then you've got the same problem — is that a style or a status?
"We play music. How about that?”
The Mistaeks play The New Globe Theatre November 29.