Gav Ross Beat Magazine  April 2004

Paul Maybury tells Gav Ross to expect smoke and explosions at Rocket Sciences shows this week

Firstly, the crazed four-piece known as Rocket Science need to make a quick Sex Call, then later on next month theyll embark on an Eternal Holiday. Indeed, listeners have missed the trademark rabid thereminesque rock of this Melbourne band since 2002s remarkably cohesive effort Contact High. The first single from the upcoming third full-length is titled Sex Call, and has been well-received over the airwaves before even hitting the stores.

Yeah its gone really well, says guitarist Paul Maybury. Theres going to be some songs on the single that we didnt get on the album one called Monsters, another called Forward and Backwards and one called Stick.

The album was recorded late last year just before the group embarked on another overseas jaunt, this time supporting their good friends The Dirtbombs. There is a special camaraderie between the bands though, since Dirtbombs member Jim Diamond actually took on production duties for Eternal Holiday. He described the album as being a little different when compared to earlier Rocket Science efforts suggesting the tracks are more melodic. Paul believes that constant touring and experience overseas has improved the artists skills in several different ways.

Wed become a much better band by the time we went into the studio, he explains. It was probably the most fun Ive ever had in the studio as well, working with Jim. This is the third album weve made now so we understand the process a bit better. The songwriting has matured. The studio we were in was all analogue too, which suits our sensibility, its sort of more fun to play with. It was just more relaxed. Jims very straight-forward and he knows whats not going to work before he does it, so theres no time wasted with obscure ideas; we just got on with the work and it was great.

The new tracks were mixed as soon as the boys returned home from The Dirtbombs tour.

Jim was on a very tight schedule. From recording our album he went on to make another record in about three days or something, then he had to tour elsewhere with The Dirtbombs.

Between the time of their debut, Welcome Aboard The 3C10, and the release of Contact High, punters at Rocket Science shows were able to hear most of the new material long before it made it onto record. This time around things have been handled differently, with only a few newies played overseas and at their New Years performance at The Espy.

Weve nearly learnt the album now, Paul assures. Its interesting because this was the first time when wed actually had a bunch of songs written that we hadnt performed live, except for a few. Most of the album tracks only came together for the first time with the band when we were in the studio, so it was kind of like the first album in a way. Wed only been together a couple of months when we did the first one, and everything was really nebulous and new. The essence of the songs came through a bit more instead of just the bludgeoning approach of the live band.

The upcoming shows at the Ding Dong Lounge are part of a quick tour this month to promote the single.

This single tour will only be a few cities, he says, but assures that when the album comes out well do more touring and go to some rural places and over to Perth and stuff.

At Ding Dong though, expect something old, something new, and something totally frenetic.

Well definitely be playing about half the new album in the set, Paul says in conclusion. I dont know what to expect because were at the point now, and have been for a while, where most of our equipment is dying because its been on the road now for way too long. So you can expect some smoke and explosions I guess.

Rocket Science play Ding Dong Lounge on April 9 and 10.