Five Questions With… Brat Farrar

If you’re a longtime Global Garage listener, you’re probably familiar by now with Brat Farrar (the nom de plume of Aussie punk Sam Agostino, previously of Digger and the Pussycats).

Brat’s third self-titled album in as many years was one of my favorites of 2017, and he shows no signs of slowing down his prolific output. What I love most about this project is how cohesive and surprising it sounds at the same time, swinging from alt-rock to shoegaze and beyond without losing its garage-punk chops. Then again, what else would you expect from a DIY bedroom recording project named after a 1949 crime novel?

Band: Brat Farrar
Country of Origin: Australia

Five Questions

1. What is your desert island disc (the one album you couldn’t live without?)

This is always a tough question. Probably Youth of America by the Wipers

2. How did the band members meet?

Brat Farrar is a recording project where I work on writing and recording the songs myself at home and for live shows I have a rotating cast of friends. Just whoever is available and interested.

3. What is the underground music scene like in your home country?

The music in Australia and especially in Melbourne is incredible. On any Friday or Saturday night in Melbourne there could be 300 or 400 bands playing and probably 200 of them are playing their own material. The scene in Melbourne is a bit like Austin but on steroids, as the city is big – at least 4 million people and spread out, not unlike Los Angeles. Lots of Australian bands now tour all over the place and I think most people are aware of the bigger Australian underground bands thanks to online music sites.

4. What are some of your biggest influences outside of music?

Books, newspapers and general daily life. We are living in the strangest and most interesting times. World politics and digital technologies are crazy, people are not optimistic about the future and the environment is doomed. Plenty to be influenced by there.

5. Tell us about your favorite show you ever played.

It’s hard to pinpoint a favourite but the shows with BlackUp in 2017 in Europe were really special.