Although seemingly a band on the cusp of the big time, Melbourne’s Horsell Common are trying to use their successes to give other young acts a leg up. A promotion they ran through MySpace was well received and, as a result, seven up-and-comers are supporting the Horsell boys on their headlining tour to promote new album The Rescue.

Going through all the entries was half the fun. “There was some awesome stuff in there,” reckons Mark Stewart, who handles vocal and guitar. “We busted our arse for so long. That’s where it all starts [and] it’s bloody impossible to get shows nowadays so we thought we’d help out.”

It’s the band’s chance to do for other hopefuls what’s been done for them. “We get tonnes of help – especially with Shihad,” Mark agrees.

Nice segue Marky. Horsell Common and The Galvatrons are currently assisting Shihad with rocking-out duties on the ex-pat Kiwis’ One Will Hear The Tour .

Shihad’s Karl Kippenberger told me a couple of weeks ago that they asked Horsell Common on the tour ‘cause, “We liked them.”

The feeling is obviously mutual. “They’re a band who we really respect and are probably the best band to learn off,” says Mark, explaining that Shihad have delivered an excellent lesson in giving the punters what they paid for. “We’ve played shows on this tour, some to over a thousand people, some to three hundred. [Shihad] go as hard as they can every single time.”

A lot of young bands who have gigged with Shihad have made similar comments, but I want to know if there’s any decent backstage goss he can impart.

Laughing like he knows something naughty, Mark subscribes to the old adage, ‘what happens on tour stays on tour’. ”[One] good thing is how generous they are. They give us free run of their rider because [otherwise] we’d pretty much get a six pack of beer and a packet of chips,” he laughs.

Realising that the Shihad tour ends only three days before Horsell Common’s tour kicks off, I ask why they scheduled them so closely together. Mark reckons it’s pretty handy practice. “We’re playing a few songs off our new album, trying to see what works in front of a live audience.”

And how does your average young band maintain the stamina needed to execute two back-to-back tours? “That’s what the three days is for!’ he exclaims. ‘I’ll sleep for two of them then head for Canberra on the third – it’ll be great!’

Busy, busy, busy. Then there’s the small issue of their lack of a drummer. Having a chat about Leigh Pengelly’s scheduled departure, it sounds almost like breaking up with a girlfriend – no offense. “We were really devastated. Luke [ Cripps , bass player] and I had a few drinks, played Golden Eye on 64 for a few hours and decided that we’d look for another drummer.” I remind Mark of an earlier quote he gave where he said he wouldn’t want to be in a band with anyone else, and he admits that things have changed. “We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t think we could, at least, make the band better.”

So how’s the talent? “We’ve tried out shit loads of drummers so far. There are so many good drummers, but it’s the sitting down for a beer thing, seeing how you get along. That’s the most important part at the end of the day.”

I am quite pleased that Horsell Common are doing another Melbourne show, explaining that I missed the Shihad support gig as I had to dog-sit my Mum’s Jack Russell. While I’m moaning to Mark that it was highly un-rock ’n’ roll, he laughs at my misfortune, admitting, “We know all about looking after the animals at the moment, especially after the last twenty-four hour debacle.”

The what?

After a little prod, Mark continues. “‘We found a kitten at a truck stop two hours out of Sydney. There was definitely no one around, he was pretty straggly and friendly, so we popped him the car and bought him to Sydney. The lady we were staying with, her folks were looking for a cat, so we saved a cat!’ Bless. See kids? It’s not all sex, drugs and debauchery!”

And, I wonder, once these two tours are put to bed, are they just going to drop in a heap and do a bit of R & R? Kinda…

“We’re going to take a few months off. We’ll have a new drummer so we need to learn how to become a band within a short space of time then get straight back into it!”

Catch Horsell Common’s Rescue National Tour on the following dates:

Thursday 20 March: Jamison Inn, Canberra, ACT (Lic/All Ages)
Friday 21 March: Annandale Hotel, Sydney, NSW
Saturday 22 March: Rosie’s, Brisbane, QLD
Friday 28 March: Batman Fawkner, Launceston, TAS
Saturday 29 March: Brisbane Hotel, Hobart, TAS
Friday 4 April: Fowlers Live, Adelaide, SA (Lic/All Ages)
Saturday 5th April: Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC