Phil Ballantyne - Vocals/Guitar
Damon Cox - Drums/Vocals
Darek Mudge - Guitar
Joel Potter - Bass
Request to hear Intercooler's 'All Coming Back To Me' or 'Wasted My Day' on triple j radio: SUPER REQUEST or send a text message to 1975 7 555 or call 1300 0555 36.
REVIEWS:
Time Off Magazine 'Carving Others' single review. Jan 2007...
The razor-sharp, killer riff, the intoxicating vocals and the shout-out-loud chorus are just the icing on the cake for this first single from Brisbane quartet Intercooler’s upcoming second record, Forever Or Whatever. Drawing you in and never letting go, ‘Carving Others’ is evidence that we have yet another potential major Brisbane national success story for 2007.
Having already won the Sunscreen Video competition with the clip to this very song, more national household name status is just around the corner. Intercooler are showing signs of a new level of songwriting with, and as such, their album should be high on your list of anticipated albums for this year.
Time Off Magazine 'Forever Or Whatever' album review. Feb 2007...
Studio time can make or break an album, and, after only ever hinting at their full potential, some extra tinkering with producer Magoo has paid huge dividends for indie guitar pop-rockers Intercooler. Forever Or Whatever is easily their finest collection of songs, but the lick, spit and polish of the studio has turned uncut stones into gems.
Florid opener ‘Sail This Into Me’ sets the agenda, with a delicate refrain swelling into grander territory on the back of Lord-esque organ (that’s Jon, not the saviour). Single ‘Carving Others’, ‘Destiny’ and the squelchy, snappy pop of ‘All Coming Back To Me’ are more in line with their past repertoire, yet it’s when Intercooler really shove the envelope that things get interesting - see how the spectre of George Harrison sits on the shoulder of ‘Situations’, or the way the moodiness of ‘Come Back Down’ is amplified by the creeping arrangement.
In a clever ploy, Intercooler fire on all cylinders on the home stretch with the looped, siren soul of ‘Hold Me Again’, the question-is-the answer puzzle of ‘My Problem’ and kiddie-choir backed majesty of ‘OK Girl’.
As the title Forever Or Whatever intimates, depending on its success or failure, this could be Intercooler’s defining coming-of-age or last roll of the dice. Whatever, it deserves a hearty, wide embrace. Don’t dare leave this one unloved.
4 1/2 stars
Rave Magazine 'Forever Or Whatever' album review. Feb 2007...
Album Of The Week
With their debut album being released way back in 2002, it’s taken locals Intercooler quite a while to return with a follow-up. But better late than never, especially when this 14-tracker meets all expectations and then some. With the renowned Magoo joining the band at the production desk, they’ve obviously gone about their task methodically – just listen to the careful layering that’s gone on in opening track Sail This Into Me just for starters – but haven’t stayed there long enough to overcook it all. And, in a neat blend of the fresh and the familiar, they kept their well-honed knack for mixing up crisp melodies and more crafted stuff, but add newer dimensions to it all this time around. So, whether it’s the singalong pop of Wasted My Day, complete with handclaps, gritty but brisk rockers like Move From My Way (deliciously retro without being slavishly so), OK Girl’s acoustic guitar strum and anchored cellos lifting off with a children’s choir, or the anthemic crunch of Carving Others, this is the sound of ambitions being well and truly realised.
In New York recently, they rated Brisbane as one of the cities to watch for new music. Is it too much to suggest Intercooler may be one of the reasons why?
4 stars
Time Off Magazine live review. The Zoo, Brisbane Feb 2007...
As The Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Sticking With You’ fades out, Intercooler emerge to launch their second album Forever Or Whatever, and from square one they are jaw-dropping. Opening with three of the best riffs on the new album (‘Destiny’, ‘Carving Others’, and ‘Move From My Way’), the lads stunningly put their best foot forward in a manner that’d perhaps even please riff-maestro Keith Richards. After taking a minute to catch their breath and address the crowd, they jump into ‘Situations’, and frontman Phil Ballantyne then gees up punters with his shrilled vocal tones on ‘Pop Clothes’. The sweet melody of this song’s chorus morphs into a blinding solo by guitarist Darek Mudge, who throughout the night puts his very tasty, shit-hot flourishes over every tune.
As the drum intro of ‘All Coming Back To Me’ is pounded out with metronome-like precision, Ballantyne prefaces the song by revealing that it’s a true story. After the super-fucking cool ‘Wasted My Day’, Ballantyne grabs an acoustic and Darek jumps on keys for the pleadingly honest album opener ‘Sail This Into Me’.
Intercooler almost beat U2 at their own game with the sublime ‘Hold Me Again’, before inviting four female friends onstage for album (and show) closer ‘OK Girl’. The added cello and harmonies give this song a beautifully lush feel, and the crowd’s cries of “We want more” are met with an encore of two older songs. Playing note-perfect renditions of practically every song on Forever Or Whatever, Intercooler have pulled off a performance that won’t be forgotten for a long time.
Intercooler is back from hiatus, we are in training, we have sweat bands on, there is montage getting a little better each time, with a fade out...
Please listen to the music and check out the clips and be sure to judge harshly because this is a band and this is what the internet was invented for !
The intercooler story:
In 1992 Phil Ballantyne and Joel Potter started a band with their friends Michael Caso, Daniel Mclarren and Ivan Caso. It was called Uncle Extacy, it played a heap of gigs and as was the style of the time it released several 'Tapes" these were cassette tapes that were an early form of music that by way of the CD would eventually become the MP3 players we now download all our music onto for free.
Mostly playing in their home city of Brisbane Uncle Extacy hacked its way through many a gig and smashed up many a piece of equipment eventually getting itself banned from many of the venues and black listed by the majority of booking agents around. It was decided to fool the industry in order to continue getting shows the band must change its name. The name Intercooler was actually the name of a song which then had to be re named Wopperflux because you just can't have the same name for your band as a song ?
It was about this time Daniel Mclarren left the group and Michael Caso stepped up as lead guitarist, Phil then began for the first time to play Rhythm guitar and the band Intercooler started in its early conception. Phil also began to write songs for the band for the first time. The first Intercooler EP came out in Feb. 2007 it was out on Mushroom distribution and went on to sell a glorious 1200 copies mostly to people at shows since there was little or no evidence that the discs actually made it to retail at the time.
Two years and a few hundred gigs later the band had its second split, Ivan Caso left as the groups drummer and Joel Moved to live in London. Around a year later Phil sold his guitar to pay for a ticket to London to show Joel his new songs, and impressed and bored with London and not being in a band Joel returned to Australia to get Intercooler going again. Damon Cox a drummer from several bands that they had played with in the 90's was super keen and one awesome drummer so he was asked to join which he agreed to. Intercooler was then reborn, by early 2001 the band was playing small pubs to 35 people and gradually building up the set list.
'Old School is the New School' was the first intercooler full length album the recording sessions were done in little patches over many months, when the band had a bit of money it would be pooled and the studio booked for a day or two at a time. Jeff Lovejoy recorded the record, eventually it would be made up of 7 new tracks and some remixed versions of some older songs already recorded with Ivan on drums. The band put the album out through Rhythm Ace records which was a label known for 'Stoner Rock' at that time, their roster included Rollerball, the Giants of Science and Forte, Intercooler didn't feel like they fitted in much but the label guys were all keen as so it seemed to work.
Songs such as 'Goodness of the Girl' and 'Leaflet' made it to triple J which gave Intercooler its first chance to be able to tour and play to decent crowds outside its home city of Brisbane. The band toured hard for years, playing over 100 shows a year which is a lot in a small country like Australia.
The first USA tour happened in 2004 with the band being offered shows opening for big acts like Queens of the Stoneage , the Red Hot Chili Peppers and 3 doors down, it was an amazing tour and something that will be talked about by the band for ever by the band, luckily they survived it, against all odds.
After this tour the band were offered more USA as well as Australian tours and the pressure got a bit much, and due to family, job, mortgage and all the other trappings of the real world Michael Caso sadly had to stop touring with Intercooler. He was sorely missed as he is one of this countries best guitar players in my opinion and it was sad that the world never properly discovered him. However he remains involved with Intercooler to this day writing and helping when he can.
The band had to do a full USA Tour with a stranger on guitar, a guy named J.J. or James Elliot Jones as he is known, he was a veteran of many bands in the states and had been on tour for years, most notably in a band with super producer writer Butch Walker called the Marvelous 3. He was a fan at the time of the Intercooler album and jumped at the chance to tour. After a crazy 42 hour flight via everywhere the boys went straight from the Atlanta Airport to a rehearsal room and began working on songs for the tour which began the very next day!!! While not ideal J.J. proved to be the experience of a lifetime, with contacts and connections from one side of the country to the other he showed the guys something that they may never have seen. From meeting guys from the new york dolls to borrowing gear of the Bostones and getting an invite to an Aerosmith guitarists art launch. It was not career defining but it was amazing.
With the departure of Michael a new guitarist was needed, this came when the mnan of rock himself Mr Darek Mudge joined, Daz had played in Screamfeeder for years which was one of the bands favorite Brisbane acts. Amazingly he fitted straight in learning the songs and beginning the writing of the EP the band were about to record. He is one hell of a guitar player and helped pushed Intercooler off stage debauchery to a whole new level over the next few years.
'Dance of a Thousand Promises' was recorded in parts also, the name itself came from a discussion with producer Paul Mckercher who was considered to record, we said we would have to find out how much money we could get and he said ah the old dance of a thousand promises eh? Talking about that fantastic negotiations that go on behind the scenes with labels and money talk.
The first session as done in Byron Bay at a place called Rocking horse studio with Paul 'Woody' Anniston. He had recorded an album for Rocket Science everyone was into at the time. The song he recorded is called "If I try" and was the start of very new and softer sound for the band that would be explored further down the track. The rest of the EP was recorded by Magoo, who would go on to record most of the bands material as well as the other bands the members would go onto.
Intercooler toured relentlessly for 3 years following this, radio picked up If I try and it got the most airplay of all their songs, another track called Cream Puff and Sugarplum also got some spins. The EP did ok for an independent self promo release selling several thousand at shows.
The second album "Forever or Whatever" was recorded by Magoo again, it was the bands first time to actually spend time on a project as they wished, taking 9 weeks to record. It allowed the music to take on new layers such was keys and strings, electronic programing and pretty mush any fun it felt like having with the toys in the studio. Darek is a producer himself so this time round the band took a lot of time actually writing the songs in the studio and experimenting with the concept of not being a 4 piece rock band, not a new concept I realize but it was new at that time for Intercooler.
Forever or whatever came out in 2007, the singles 'All coming back to me' and 'Carving others' and 'wasted my day' all got radio play and some videos were made. Intercooler went to the USA and played CMJ that year, also playing shows in London and in Singapore for the first time.
Damon has gone on to record several records with his other projects recently, one being 'Mary Trembles' if you get a chance get your hands on this record its a fantastic bit of work. Also he has released an EP and an Album with "An Horse' a project he has with Kate Cooper who was formally of "Iron On" (check that out too!) An Horse are living in the USA at present so Damon is busy with that on the road. Darek has his own studio and is toiling away working on albums. Joel & Phil and Michael Caso have been writing new tracks and hard at the "Next Phase" whatever that may be?
Its been a long fun road so far so no point in stopping now !
Stay tuned to find out what happens next.
Love Intercooler...
Intercooler’s sophomore album entitled Forever Or Whatever is out now on Plus One Records/Shock.
Forever Or Whatever
Out Now!
Tracklisting:
1. Sail This Into Me
2. Destiny
3. Carving Others
4. All Coming Back To Me
5. Wasted My Day
6. Situations
7. Futures Created
8. Come Back Down
9. Navigate This
10. Move From My Way
11. Pop Clothes
12. Hold Me Again
13. My Problem
14. Ok Girl
Hello to all, Just thought we'd stop by and say thank you ,to all the awesome bands that have sent in their material which has been aired on the show throughout the years.
We have had an exceptional response through myspace from some of the most talented underground musicians in the world . It is your contribution to our show that show people that there are still actually real musicians out there [and rap is surely not damn music, neither is that techno crap].
Undergroundsounds airs throughout Australia Thursday/Saturdays p.m.
Bands that would like their music aired on any future shows can forward their material to the address below;
Undergroundsounds Program Manager 44 Bambil St, Crestmead,Queensland. Australia.
Hey guys!! We are having our EP Launch on Saturday the 11th July! It’s at Top Floor – 99 Elizabeth St Brsibane City (next to Elizabeth St Arcade) Doors open 6pm and its $10
You should definitely come; it will be a hell of a night out!!
i see your still going strong : ) hey guys. yeah its me, the ranga who took a swig out of your wine back at sounds of spring last year. though you probably dont remember that haha. will sooo see you at riverstage ill be in the front no doubt and ive recruited a mass following also (Y) LOVE your stuff, keep it up
Any idea what time you'll be onstage Sunday? 10:30am - 8pm seems a little vague. I'm attending a film screening that same afternoon and will need to know if I can fit both into my schedule.
great to see the intercooler love bus is still going strong. we supported u guys back in 05 @ the Roxbury in Glebe. we were an acoustic 2 peice then. been working the 3 peice pop thing since then and promoting our new cd "..ism.." would love to do some shows with u again sometime. check us out, keep us in mind. peace.
Wild Marmalade play a special show with Tijuana Cartel,
Friday 20th @ Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley. PRESALE TIX ON OZTIX. See you on the dancefloor !!
Hey guys, I noticed that channel Ten are using "Carving Others" to promote one of their new cop shows. In the ad, you almost see some of her side boob. But I bet that's all you get to see in the actual show too, and they're just trying to trick people into watching for the hope of seeing tits. I hate when they do that.
Hey guyss. its that little kid from fest of the sun but in 06 all grown up well kinda. :) how is everything going. when you gonna play down Byron Bay Way do itt!!!!! ANYWAY keep it cool guys. :) Alisha. x
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