Photo: Parsnip
Recently, I had a chance to chat up the Australian band Parsnip. After seeing them play last at the Curtin in Melbourne, I was obsessed with their unbelievable sound and wanted to learn more about this all-girls group. The bob haircuts stood out so bright – a punctuation mark that kind of rounds out everything about their sound and their style.
Sure enough, they were some of the nicest humble people I had ever met. The ladies gave me the name Sweet Potato as I had a new babe rainbow shirt on with “Sweet Potato” written across the front. I thought this was pretty damn cool. Anyway, enough of my rambling, here are some highlights from our chat:
Where did the name originate from? Do you ladies just love parsnips? They are quite nice. I like using them in my pasta!
The name came from Paris, our bass player/singer/songwriter. I always thought it might be because you can make “Paris” from the letters in Parsnip, but I think she just chose it. It’s weird and kinda sweet and good for roasting. Someone sent us a message the other day saying that they have a greyhound called Parsnip.
How long have you been together?
Hmmm…the idea for a band came at Jerkfest in Geelong in 2016. So around February? Then we started practicing and played our first show in our lounge in June 2016. So one year and two months-ish.
So how did the band get started?
Paris, Caz, and I met and became buddies through our boy pals in the Frowning Clouds. We’d all been in other bands before and had all always wanted to play music with other girls. We’ve become good friends, so it seemed like a perfect fit. Our original keyboard player Sequoia was a friend who played drums in The Clits a few years back, but she had to leave the band about six months ago. Rather conveniently my friend Bec, who I played in a band in Sydney with, had just moved to Melbourne and had keyboard skills, so we asked her to join and she said: “I do”.
When did you find out you were playing with The Babe Rainbow and Bananagun? Have you known the fellas for a while?
I spoke to Angus about Parsnip playing with Babe Rainbow a few months back at his wedding in Byron. I’ve known them for about four years. We met when The Dandelion – a band that I played in in Sydney – played a bunch of shows with them. And Paris tells me that her other band Hierophants played with the Otchkies in about 2011.
Your favorite venue to play?
I think it depends more on what bands are playing and if you’re having a good time or not.
Are we going to see lots of Parsnip concerts in the near future?
Yeah, we’ve got heaps of shows coming up in the next few months. Mostly in Melbourne, but a few interstate too. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to finish and release some recordings before the end of the year.
Advice for up and coming musicians?
A song’s not going to write itself and nothing’s going to start unless you get it started.
And the last question. Was wondering if you had space for an extra band member?
If you get the haircut, you’re in, Sweet Potato.
You can check out more from the ladies of Parsnip here.
