on the record · self-interview
Democracy Manifest is a punk band hailing from Brisbane’s southside, comprised of guitarist and vocalist Iggy Bitburg and guitarist Issy Burnie-Forshaw. As the freshest faces in the Brisbane music scene, they stand in stark contrast to the current trend dominated by metal bands known for their slower and more laid-back approach to rehearsals and activities. This dynamic duo is already making waves by planning their own gig and leading the charge in a new wave of bands founded by younger talent within the scene. With several songs already written, they are eager to record a demo album in the near future. Here is our conversation with Iggy.
The self-interview; Democracy Manifest on their name, their influences, their gear and the state of the scene.
It came from this old video of this guy getting arrested, and he went on this funny monologue where he said, 'Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest!' I thought it sounded great, as the names of many bands I like come from inside jokes or catchphrases, so we used it.
Well, we're just starting out, so we haven't written too much yet, but for one of our songs I played what I had to Issy and then we wrote the rest of the guitar parts together. Issy has a whole book full of lyrics, and we just play what sounds great. We write through improvisation.
I can get lost holding my guitar for hours at a time, playing and writing new things. Sometimes just coming back to it or working on it with other people makes the song come together. Jimi Hendrix got great at guitar by doing just that – holding his guitar and playing stuff on it until he fell asleep.
The Catcher In The Rye. It's a great book that encapsulates the feeling of alienation and not being heard, and it comes through in what I write and in the vocal delivery as well. My style is very Lou Reed deadpan. Movies, I don't really get a whole lot of inspiration from them.
I could go on for ages about who we’re influenced by, but I’d say that we’re taking punk and building off it. The Ramones, The Damned, The Sex Pistols, The Fall, that kind of classic punk sound is the basis for our sound. I really like Australian punk, like The Saints, Radio Birdman and a local band called Shock Value, and a lot of it shines through in the riffs we come up with.
Recently I’ve been getting into a variety of stuff, like Jejune, Media Puzzle, The Belair Lip Bombs, Sunny Day Real Estate, Paramore, David Bowie, The Sonics, The Easybeats and that adds another layer of complexity to our sound because now I’m experimenting with single note patterns. I know Issy really likes grunge and metal, and the scene is into that kind of stuff right now.
The entire Ziggy Stardust album by David Bowie. It spans multiple genres, and its pure rock and roll perfection. All We Know Is Falling by Paramore. It has that shimmering Twilight vibe, and I listen to it on repeat a lot. I’m Stranded by The Saints and the white version of Radios Appear by Radio Birdman. Lush Life by The Belair Lip Bombs, Shock Value’s self titled album, Totally Wired by The Fall, and the Ramones’ debut album.
It’s very cliquey. You’ve got to have the right connections to do stuff, basically have friends of friends to succeed. I know Issy knows a lot of people, but I don’t, and it sucks to walk into a gig and be surrounded by people in closed off circles and people who don’t want anything to do with you. I don’t know anyone in the scene to a personal level. Parental support is really what gets a lot of bands far, and I know of a lot of bands that have their parents’ money, with recording studios built into their house, and connections that allow them to get gigs, interviews, and appearences on the radio. No shame on them, but it sucks when the industry plants get the attention instead of people who actually deserve it.
Personally, I’ve received a noise complaint for playing at a reasonable volume through my amp, in the morning. That’s why we rehearse at Issy’s house instead, because her parents are more firm in not being bossed around, and the area her house is in is loud anyway.
You’ve hit the spot mate. We’re kinda like The Saints in that we feel alienated from the rest of the scene. You look at the state of the scene and you see what? Some kids sitting outside the venue smoking dope and not caring about the music. It’s just so trashy and I don’t like the scene anymore. Gigs are costing $30 for no mosh pit. You look at the bands and they come from private schools with racks of cash. We can’t afford a single pedal or new gear. My guitar strap is made of duct tape, and my rig is all second hand. We both use budget guitars. Most of the scene is older teenagers, and they’re age out in a few years. So yeah, I do think we’re trying to bring back the punk and rock and roll energy.
I’m a total nerd when it comes to audio engineering and production. I learnt how to use plugins and DAWs, and how to install patches for my amp. My guitar is a cheap Pacifica I modded. My amp is a Mark 1 Boss Katana, and you can load patches to emulate famous amps, and there’s pedals built in. I just downloaded them from the Boss Tone Exchange website, and it’s pure bliss. I’d say just know your gear inside and out. Learn what all the knobs do. The only things that change a guitar’s sound is the amp, the pickups and your playing. The other things are marketed stuff get you to waste your money.
I’d like to take it as far as possible. We’re currently looking for a drummer, and as for a bassist, me and Issy know of someone who’s perfect for the role. We’re looking to hold a gig around Halloween. The plan is to ask a few bands, get the gear down to Paddo Skatepark, and just play.
You’re not special. Anyone can take a power chord riff and make it into a song, and with the right marketing and connections, they’ll be praised for it. People are more obsessed over how they look, what people think of them or getting the next hit of that drug. Get your act together Brisbane scene, and remember what being punk, goth or metal was originally about, which is rebelling against society, instead of forming a smaller version of the very society you’re supposed to be fighting against in your closed off friend groups and cliques.
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