ESKIMO JOE Clipsal 500 by Scott McLennan Fresh from a busy week picking up a few more WAMI and ARIA awards for their impressively successful Black Fingernails, Red Wine album, Fremantle trio Eskimo Joe are returning to South Australia for a headline slot on Cougar’s The Spirit Of Party Adelaide at Clipsal 500. The night after the ARIA Chart Awards, Rip It Up found Eskimo Joe frontman Kav Temperley in the midst of turning his Sydney hotel room upside down. “I can’t find my wallet,” Kav began with a laugh. “I definitely had it last night because I managed to get into my hotel room, so I’ll just search my room for my wallet as I speak for you.” Although not much of a car fanatic himself, Kav suggested that Eskimo Joe guitarist Stu Macleod would be indulging in some Clipsal excitement while in Adelaide. “Stu is going to go on a hot lap of the course, since he’s probably a bit more interested in that sort of thing,” Kav suggested. “During the concert we’ll be sure to ask, ‘Who likes Holden? Who likes Ford? Who’s ready to rock?’ though.” Joining Eskimo Joe on the Friday night bill for The Spirit Of Party Adelaide will be You Am I. “Tim Rogers is a funny character and he’s obviously one of the most talented songwriters Australia has produced,” Kav noted, “but he seems to have some demons in him that sometimes get the better of him. Sometimes he’s great to deal with and other times he’s a pain in the arse. He’s a lovely man all the same.” With the Western Australian contingent noticeably strong on this year’s Big Day Out, Kav revealed that acts such as The Sleepy Jackson and Bob Evans mucked around in hotels on the tour recording new songs with Eskimo Joe. “There was a bunch of people rocking in and out of the hotel room as we were recording, drinking beer and having fun,” Kav revealed. “We also got to know the Muse guys quite well – they were really lovely chaps. On the first night of the tour in New Zealand we had a bit of an Ashes Series Australia versus England lawn bowls game, but unfortunately they won. It was close, but I think Stu mouthed to me at one point, ‘Let them win – they might take us on tour!’.” Apart from wowing the crowds with hits from their three albums, the Big Day Out also saw Stu unveil a new tattoo on his left arm featuring a pi symbol enclosed in a circle. “You’d probably have to talk to Stu about that but it’s a circle which represents symmetry,” Kav suggested. “He’s into the idea of perfect design and that kind of stuff. He loves a good design – that’s why he gets into cars as well. He’s a really visual guy rather than an aural guy, so he’s more the design man in the band – that’s his world.” Having conquered Australia with Black Fingernails, Red Wine (which hit number one in the ARIA charts and has now notched up over eight months in the top 20), Eskimo Joe are now thinking globally. “The plan is that we’re just in the final stages of getting an American deal sorted out with a big indie label,” Kav revealed. “We had a look at all the majors and got an offer from one of them, but it’s just a bit of a scary world. You’ve got to have a record company who are 100 percent behind you, otherwise you just get swallowed up. We’ve chosen to go with an indie, but I can’t tell you who it is yet. They are affiliated with Warner though, so it gives it a bit of synchronicity. It seems like a much more positive thing where we are working from the ground up rather than being expected to sell a million copies on our first album.” Before their overseas adventures begin, Eskimo Joe have a special show planned for Adelaide that will see them co-headlining a show with their mates Jet. “That’s the really exciting thing we’re going to do,” Kav excitedly offered. “We’re doing a big national tour but Adelaide basically get the best part of it, since it’s going to be a massive Big Top event with us and Jet, which will be fucking amazing. I’m very excited about that – maybe we can do it in Rundle Mall?” Well Boy George once performed there – perhaps you and Nick Cester can sing a duet on Karma Chameleon. “If Boy George can do then Eskimo Joe and Jet can definitely do it,” Kav reasoned. “Nick has always been really nice to us and since we were going to be doing national tours and hitting Adelaide at the same time, we thought it would be a cool idea to do a big gig together.” Adding to Kav’s enthusiasm was the fact that one of his favourite ‘80s acts, The Police have announced a reunion tour. “Two bands I always wanted to see and never thought I’d have the chance were The Pixies and The Police,” Kav stated. “The Pixies have re-formed and now we’re playing a show with them in Perth, which is just phenomenal, and now The Police have re-formed. You have this little thought about getting the support on the Police tour – how fucking cool would that be?” It makes perfect sense – a bass-playing singer with a three-piece. “I know!” Kav answered. “The worst thing would be if The Police come to Australia with some other bad ’80s band who have re-formed then say that we can do the support – that would be when we say no. We actually got asked to do the INXS, Simple Minds and Arrested Development tour – we respectfully declined. “I’ve just found my wallet!” Kav added in conclusion. “Woo hoo! I’m going to make myself a cup of tea in celebration of finding it.”