Superjesus rises again

MUSIC

RELEASING a Kylie Minogue cover might seem like a strange way for a rock band to celebrate a major anniversary, but The Superjesus has always marched to the beat of its own drum.

The Adelaide rockers are preparing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their platinum-selling debut album Sumo.

To mark the occasion, the group will re-release an anniversary edition of the album with never-before heard bonus tracks — including the cover of Minogue’s Confide In Me —a vinyl pressing of Sumo and a 19-date tour, dropping by Geelong on Friday, October 5.

While The Superjesus has carved out a career spanning two decades, three albums, two EPs and an induction into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame, Sumo has always held a special spot in the heart of the group.

“(When Sumo came out) … everything went big time,” frontwoman Sarah McLeod said.

“It was terrifying and exciting all at once.

“We worked so hard on that album … to be sitting here talking about it 20 years later, knowing that it was an important part of Australian music history and affected so many people along the way … it feels like an incredible achievement.

“We had no blueprint of how we wanted to sound. Of course we had our influences, but it was the combination of those influences that made us become The Superjesus.”

While a Kylie Minogue cover might seem strange for a rock ’ n’ roll group, the track Confide In Me holds a special place in the heart of the band, being the No.1 single on the ARIA charts when The Superjesus formed in 1994.

“I have always been a Kylie fan,” McLeod said.

“Back in ’96 we recorded a really heavy version of Confide In Me, just for our own amusement.

“No one ever heard it, I can’t even find it to hear it now … I went to the guys and reminded them of the recording, and went straight home to work up a demo of it.

“Within a week we were playing it live on the festival stage and it seemed like the perfect addition to the Sumo 20th anniversary edition.”

Hitting the road again for a proper 19-shows-in-40-nights tour will see the band return to its roots.

“Touring is all about stamina and momentum,” McLeod said.

“In the ’90s we used to tour non-stop, we would play five to six nights a week for months to years at a time.

“This kind of momentum makes the band so incredibly tight — nothing else on earth can make a band better than by playing every night in front of a crowd.

“Since the ’90s we have not toured like this … We want to embark on this tour with no fear, like we did then.”

Bassist Stu Rudd said fans and newcomers alike would be in for a treat with the live gigs.

“We have not played some of the tunes we’ll be playing on this tour for years — seriously, years,” he said.

“It’s going to be one hell of a show, playing Sumo in full, then following up with some faves as well.

“We are so pumped for this tour.” The Superjesus will play at the Barwon Club on Friday, October 5, (18+). For tickets, visit oztix.com.au