Spending 2024 consistently building towards this moment off the back of singles ‘Baby Can’t Bite’, ‘Jesus Was A Goon Sack’ and ‘Nostalgia‘, Newcastle’s Goon Gremlins have arrived at an exciting milestone for their year: the release of their debut EP, Tell Your Friends You Love Them.
6 tracks of vibrant and rich indie music that captures the essence of Goon Gremlins perfectly, Tell Your Friends You Love Them is an intensely personal offering, as much as it has been made to connect with their fans and new audiences alike.
‘Shifting Space’ – an EP highlight and focus of the record – is a beautiful dedication to Angelina Burke’s brother Xavier, who passed away as a teenager. The ideas of loss, grief, and life’s fleeting phases are explored with nuance and sensitivity here; ‘Shifting Space’ is a tribute, but also a love letter to healing.
Applying these sentiments to the broader EP, Burke explains, “It’s a reminder to tell the people that you care about that they are appreciated. This is especially true as life is fleeting and losing someone can leave you wishing you said it more. I wrote the song to let him know that I was broken for a very long time, but now seven years later I’m at a place where I can finally claim that I’m doing okay. Not to say that my guts still don’t twist when I think about it, but it’s shifted into something more of an appreciation that I got to grow up with someone like him. My friends, many of whom knew my brother well, were entirely the reason I was able to cope with his loss and push through every other dark place.” GOON GREMLINS, ANGELINA BURKE
Tell Your Friends You Love Them journeys themes of perseverance and enjoying life as well, especially when surrounded by your closest friends and loved ones.
The way Goon Gremlins have continued to evolve into such a tight unit over the last few years, is testament to their connection as a group going through the motions of creativity and personal growth together. And it can be heard on tracks like ‘Wasted’ and ‘Jesus Was A Goon Sack’.
Recording Tell Your Friends You Love Them with Gareth Hudson at Hazy Cosmic Jive, Goon Gremlins felt supported in having the opportunity to have fun and experiment in the studio.
“Gareth is an amazing producer and brings such a comfortable energy to the studio that it allowed us to experiment with different sounds we wouldn’t have initially implemented into the tracks. ‘Nostalgia’ and ‘Shifting Space’ both use an Ebow on the electric guitar to create harmonies and dreamy riffs that are carried throughout the songs.
We wrote new harmonies and lead lines for a lot of the songs in the recording process itself. These were the last things that tied them together and made the songs we’ve been playing for years finally complete.” GOON GREMLINS, ANGELINA BURKE
With the release of Tell Your Friends You Love Them, Goon Gremlins are anticipating a great summer ahead.
Racking up impressive performances at events like SpringFest and The Gum Ball, as well as supporting notable names including Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, The Buoys and Pacific Avenue; the band will be capping off their 2024 schedule with appearances at The Peoples Blockade on the 22nd of November in Newcastle (alongside Peter Garrett, Angie McMahon and John Butler), before headlining their own Newcastle show on the 7th of December at Playstate on Fern.
The band have also been tapped to support DZ Deathrays next year, opening up for the legendary band during their Newcastle Leg in March.
UPCOMING SHOWS
Friday 22nd of November The Peoples Blockade Newcastle NSW
w/ Peter Garrett, Angie McMahon, John Butler
Saturday 7th of December Playstate On Fern Newcastle NSW
Supported by Soy Boy, C.O.B.B & Babylon
Thursday 13th of March King St Band Room Newcastle NSWTICKETS
Supporting DZ Deathrays