ONE of the toughest things a fledgling band can face is trying to come up with name.
Finding something original in the world wide web of musical outfits can be a challenge. Googling then trying to link cool, irreverent words is an art form; but sometimes it’s those everyday domestic activities that provide unexpected inspiration.
“We were thinking about it for a long time”, says band frontman Daniel Tuite, “then one day we were all on the back balcony at home and mum was gardening and it just came out of Reuben’s mouth.”
And so The Stained Daisies had arrived.
Dan (guitar/vocals), Jayden Hebbard (lead guitar/vocals), Jack Davison (bass) and Reuben Carr (drums/vocals) sowed those seeds for the outfit around eight months ago.
“It was really born out of the open mic nights at the Naked Bean (South Grafton cafe).
“We all really clicked and it just grew from there.”
Dan was already well known for playing around the Clarence for his “covers” gig but said this was his and the other members’ “first proper band”.
And he’s wasting no time getting his original material out there with the band set to release their debut EP at a special launch on Tuesday night.
Dan wrote those songs when he was living in Northern Ireland for a couple of years with a family friend but despite the setting says they aren’t political at all.
“They were influenced by more old-school British music like the Beatles and some Oasis. I feel in love with that style over there.”
Naturally he says he also includes Australian sensibilities in his compositions inspired by home-grown legends such as Powderfinger and Paul Kelly. “Their music is brilliant.”
But apart from these great names, the talented singer/songwriter also cites his grandfather as playing a major role in driving the Grafton raised lad down his musical path
“He introduced me to music. We used to listen to cowboy songs and blues songs and play them on the guitar.”
The singing part came along a little later.
“I didn’t really know I could sing until high school. They just kept encouraging me to be persistent so I practised and practised. My poor mum and dad….” Dan laughs.
Between his education at St Mary’s and McAuley Catholic College, and all those years of jamming, the dedication is slowly starting to pay off for Dan whose dream of working in a touring band is starting to feel like something tangible.
“We’re all Grafton guys so it’ll be great to be able to take our music outside the Clarence. We’ve been talking to venues between Canberra and Brisbane. It’s easy to send them out a demo now so they know what we sound like.”
But first things first. There’s an EP to launch, and an important investor to pay back after covering the expenses associated with recording and releasing your music.
“My mum funded it. Costs kept popping up along the way and she was really great.”
So you’ll be paying her back? “Absolutely”, Dan says without hesitation.
The band also used some creative trading with the Grafton recording studio Kiah to help keep the overheads down. “We told the owner Nathan that we were broke and he said ‘Well I’m getting married soon so you can play at my wedding’ so that came off the bill which was great.”
In the meantime the first of Dan’s ‘pay back his mum’ gigs is the launch on Tuesday at the Great Northern Hotel.
The EP will also be for sale along with a few “collector’s item” T-shirts.
Supporting The Stained Daisies will be some of the band’s friends and Naked Bean cohorts, Ben Jenkins (Clocks & Dice), Glen McClymont (The Ninth Chapter) and Tullara Connors (Siskin River) who will be trading under their name the Ragged Fox Roadshow.
“I love all their bands and look up to them so it’s really flattering to have them at this show to support us. There’s a lot of potential with the live music scene here. All we need now is the punters to get behind us.”
FRIDAY
- Tania & Bones, 8.30pm, Grafton Hotel.
- Duo Mascalto Blues, 9.30pm, Pacific Hotel Yamba.
- Affected by Forces, Yamba Shores Tavern.
- Luke Austen, Yamba Golf Club.
- Calamity Jane (opening night), Criterion Theatre Grafton.
- Willie Hona, Maclean Hotel.
SATURDAY
- Dan Tuite, Zac Page & Jayden Hebbard, 8.30pm. Clocktower Hotel Grafton.
- DJ Blakey, 9pm, Club PO Grafton.
- Black Bird Hum, 9.30pm, the Pacific Hotel, Yamba.
- Club Eshay, Yamba Shores Tavern.
- Calamity Jane, Criterion Theatre Grafton.
SUNDAY
- Diana Anaid Duo, Maclean Hotel.
- Calamity Jane, Criterion Theatre Grafton.
- Yamba Country Music Club from midday featuring Dale Duncan. Yamba Bowling Club.
TUESDAY
- The Stained Daisies EP launch with Ragged Fox Roadshow, Great Northern Hotel, South Grafton.
COMING SOON
- May 29-31: Calamity Jane, Criterion Theatre Grafton.
- May 30: Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow, Saraton Theatre.
- June 6: The Bourkenbacks, South Grafton Ex-Servicemen’s Club.
- June 7: Wendy Matthews & The White Horse Band, Grafton District Services Club.
- June 12: Mental as Anything, Yamba Golf Club.
- June 13: Wendy Matthews & The White Horse Band, Yamba Bowling Club.