Rock goes bananas
THE origin of their name is the first indication of just how seriously Bundaberg band The Electric Banana approaches their music.
Taken from the name of the club in comedy cult classic This Is Spinal Tap, the band lives up to the unusual nature of the title.
Teacher Matt Farthing, mower shop worker Dane Costigan and Ergon Energy employee John Sankowsky have been playing together for the past two years, making a name for themselves through their willingness to try anything.
"We can now swap the three instruments between us and play," Farthing said.
"That's one of the things I love about playing with these guys."
The ability of the three musicians to switch around has also given the band impressive range.
"If one of us knows how it goes and enough of the words, we will play it if it's been requested," Farthing said.
Farthing said there were no songs the band had refused to play.
"I do remember we managed Oops, I Did it Again somewhere," he said.
"We have done Man, I Feel Like a Woman, which was a lot of fun as well."
While the band does not object to pop, the members are much happier sticking to the classic pub rock they are more familiar with.
"I probably prefer the stuff from the '70s and the '60s," Costigan said.
"But we seem to get a lot of requests for some really cool '80s stuff."
While the band is open to play anything, they do have their limitations.
"I don't know a lot of the Jack Johnson-type stuff," Costigan said.
The Electric Banana will play at the South Kolan Hotel on Friday and the Agnes Water Tavern on Saturday.
To keep up to date with where the band is playing, search The Electric Banana (Bundaberg) on Facebook.
