Mother Of All Rock

No band divides music opinion more in this country than Wolfmother. But love them or hate them, they’re once again being thrown onto your musical radar with a new album, ‘Cosmic Egg’, that showcases a brand new line-up.

“The new line-up is going well, it's going really well. We have done about 30 shows and I think we are getting into full swing,” begins lead singer, and lead wolf, Andrew Stockdale.

“We just kind of met through chance. I met Dave (Atkins) at the Little Larder Café (in New Farm). He was like ‘hey, if you need a drummer give us a call’. Just pure chance and we started doing a few songs and I like his style; he has got a lot of - he is a passionate drummer, he plays with a lot of feeling. He brought a lot of energy to the songs.”

The rest of the band fell into place through good fortune, with new keyboardist Ian Peres a friend of Dave and rhythm guitarist Aidan Nemeth - an associate of Stockdale's from Sydney - all coming together in that great hodge podge way. Pure Brisbane.

“It’s good getting home, just like walking out of the gig last night (at the Tivoli); we were driving home and just the air, there is just an atmosphere the smell of the air - the eucalyptus. It's familiar; Brisbane might not have all the other things that other city's have (but) it's a good place to live.”

And how did the crowd react to the new material off 'Cosmic Egg'?

“It really fills out the set; whereas on the first record we have sort of filled those holes and we have discovered new things as well. Now the shows are really powerful. Some songs feel weird playing with the new band, but others I feel really close to so to me they are great.”

And this is what lies at the core of what Stockdale does - he might play some incredible gigs around the world, including Led Zeppelin's induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and an upcoming support for AC/DC - but at his core he’s still an immensely passionate muso who doesn't mind taking the piss out of himself, and his ‘Guitar Hero’ skills.

“I can't remember my score for playing 'Woman', but people have really enjoyed beating me.”

I reckon they would.

Wolfmother's new album, ‘Cosmic Egg’, is out now through Universal Music.