The Vasco Era Talking Beards, Fights and Flicks

We caught up with Ted from THE VASCO ERA ahead of the bands headline show in Ballarat at Purple Sneakers presents: Movie Night this Saturday.  Turns out Ted knows how to keep the giggles coming as he discusses sibling rivalry, his favourite movies and oh yeah, the music.

We hear you’re deep in preparations for your third album. Can you tell us how that’s been going, and what our readers can expect to hear this time round?

 We finished recording this album (with the insanely creative moniker of "The Vasco Era") about two and a half months ago, then we all split - Fitzy off to Europe, Sid to South America and Ted to a bunch of different places around Australia - and now we are recharged and looking forward to getting on the road again. This album is NOT a concept, which is something we have never done before. It's a bunch of fun.

Have there been any Gallagher-brother punch-ups during the sessions?

Sid and Ted haven't had a punch up since 1998, when Ted was playing with a netball, sitting on the couch at home, and Sid wanted to kick said netball off the hill in front of the house. Ted ended up with a black ear, Sid a fat lip, and a few hours after the fracas, under cover of night, the netball ended up somewhere in the bush down the hill.

We can’t help notice that Ted has had quite spectacular beards over the years while Sid is more baby faced. The Purple Sneakers girls are big fans of the beard.  What is the current facial hair status of the band?

Ted's beard is shortish at the moment, but it has decided to grow again. Sid had a beard for a while, but it disappeared before he went to South America, six weeks ago. Whether or not it has returned is currently a mystery. Fitzy had a beard, but it got stolen by some gypsies inRomaniaand hasn't been seen since.

Ted’s been known to play with bleeding fingers. Have you and the boys picked up any other medical ailments from being in a rock n roll band? Contusion? Finger paralysis? Abnormal fingernail discoloration? Crabs?

Fitzy has a permanent lump on his index finger. Ted has scars on his right hand, some from basses, some from cats and one from a pocket knife. Sid also has scars on his right hand, some from guitars, none from cats and none from crabs.

Speaking of playing and touring, any tales of destruction and debauchery from the road that you’d be willing to share?

There has been hobo's brought back to hotel rooms so they could get a decent night's sleep. There has been swimming in fountains. There has also been (though not on tour) sleeping in a garden after walking about fifteen kilometres trying to find the place one was staying. But that's all in the past (for now, at least).

The Vasco Era loves a cheeky cover (Smiths, Beatles, Hendrix, Elvis, Otis Redding), are you working on one for your next tour, and if so, would you be open to requests? A little Katy Perry, perhaps?

We never actively plan our covers, they just pop up on the spur of the moment. Although, we have been trying to get a cover of ‘Single Ladies’ happening, but we are all finding the choreography quite difficult to come to grips with.

 You’ve toured with bands from The Grates, to Wolfmother to You am I and the best named band of all time (according to our intern, Richard) Stabby Stabby Kill Kill. What Aussies newcomers do you recommend our readers check out?

Eagle and the Worm, Boomgates, Money for Rope, The Bittersweet Kicks, Chk Chk Boom, The Sliding Electric, Big Scary, Abbey May, The Novocaines, Pond, umm, there's more, just can't think...

You’re about to play at the Purple Sneakers Movie Night in Ballarat, what are your all time favourite guilty pleasure flicks?

I just watched Megamind. Funny Funny movie. I'm a big kid, so,Willow, The Dark Crystal, The Labyrinth, The Princess Bride, The Lion King, Aladdin. I also like horror (though the other two don't). The Orphanage,WolfCreek, the Ring. And I like comedy. Monty Python... I like movies a lot. I could go on...

CATCH THE VASCO ERA THIS SATURDAY IN BALLARAT