We’re here with Brigitte Handley and the Dark Shadows. So please introduce yourselves. 

Brigitte: Hi I’m Brigitte.

Carly: Hi, I’m Carly the bass player

Nerida: I’m Nerida I play drums 

So you are from where exactly?

 
Brigitte: Sydney, Australia 

So how excited were you to play with the Quakes? I kind of saw some head bobbing going on while they were playing. 

Brigitte: It was amazing. It was like a dream come true. 

Have you ever seen the Quakes before?

 
Carly: That was my first time

Brigitte: I’ve seen them once before 

Somebody had mentioned that you have actually been to the states before. 

Brigitte: Yeah I’ve been here a few times before, but this is the first time with my own band 

How about you two have you been to the states before? 

Carly: this is my first time

Ned: I have been here once before 

What do you think since this is the first time? 

Carly: Oh, it’s great I’m having a really great time enjoying all the really great music I am seeing and enjoying playing here 

How did the show go tonight, you think? 

Carly: Oh, I think it went well. It was a nice crowd

Brigitte: There was a good vibe and everyone was amped up to see the Quakes 

When did the EP come out? 

Brigitte: It came out last year 

Was it just recorded as kind of a demo thing or what is the story behind that? 

Brigitte: Yeah we just layed down the five tracks to begin with. We are working on an album. It was independent. We just wanted to have something out there so we could go on tour with. 

What are the plans for a full length album? 

Brigitte: We are working on that at the moment.

Carly: It’s in the background.

Brigitte: We are working on some new songs 

How did you make the connections here in the states to get over here and play some shows? 

Brigitte: Paul Roman asked us to do some Quakes shows. I was trying to get some other shows and I spoke to Daniel from the Rezurex and he was going to be in Australia when we were here. He sent me a message when he got back from Europe and said he was going to be on tour here in the states so he invited us up and we came. We were happy to come up here and do two shows with the Quakes, but it was great to get some other shows. 

How long has the band been together? 

Brigitte: About two years probably. Carly and I. Nerida has just joined full time. 

How would you describe your music? 

Brigitte: It’s tricky. Obviously there are the influences of rockabilly and psychobilly because I grew up loving all that music, but it’s kind of got a darker edge, punk, attitude. 

I just don’t hear anything that is like it. 

Brigitte: That’s a good thing.

Carly: We don’t try to sound like anyone else.

Brigitte: We just do what we do and have fun doing it 

Do you know when your full length will come out? 

Brigitte: Well we’re not too sure we might do another EP before. If that is the case we will probably do that next year. 

So some of the songs have the monster type lyrics like “Sleeping with the Vampire”, but others have a whole individual element to them and even the EP is titled Identity, so the stand up for your rights thing is that kind of where the lyrics are leading to? 

Brigitte: Yeah I am all for people being themselves and being true to themselves and I think that is what we are doing through this

Carly: Don’t compromise on who you are

Brigitte: Yeah be yourself 

How much input does everyone have? Does just one person write the music? 

Brigitte: I pretty much write the songs and then bring them and we jam and stuff. 

What is the scene like in Australia? 

Carly: The underground scene is kind of small so there is a lot of merging. I know people who go to ska shows and rockabilly shows. Everyone is kind of getting into all the other music that is out there. 

Do you see that here or is it just a lot of kids with quiffs? 

Brigitte: Yeah there is a lot of quiffs, but that is a good thing. The scene here is a more condensed population so in Australia it is smaller because there is just not as many people. It’s different, the scene here is growing and it’s grown since the last time I came out. 

When did you last come out? 

Brigitte: It was about four years ago. I played some shows with Danny B. Harvey playing guitar. 

How about the distance between shows, the driving time? 

Brigitte: Oh yeah, fifteen hours was our longest drive.

Carly: It’s pretty crazy in our 11-seater van. It’s cramped, but you think “I’m going to be playing tonight” and it gets you through. 

How can people get a hold of you and your music? 

Brigitte: Probably through our MySpace which is myspace.com/brigittehandley you can contact us direct through that and listen to the songs. Our website www.brigittehandley.com you can order our merchandise and CDs. It’s on iTunes now so you can download it.