A Little Bit About the Rock ‘n’ Roll Band Mac the Knife

The five-member rock 'n' roll Hydra emerged from the depths of a sweaty Sydney garage, and their raw, cathartic anthems have been making waves in the music scene. Following the successful releases of "Labour in Vain" and "Blood of My Blood," both of which received extensive airplay on indie radio and Triple J, the band now presents their explosive new single, "Curb My Bite."

"Labour in Vain" and "Blood of My Blood" resonated strongly with audiences and quickly gained popularity with indie radio and Triple J listeners alike. Notably, "Blood of My Blood" had its premiere on the esteemed "Home & Hosed" show with Ash McGregor, further cementing the band's presence in the spotlight. The haunting and captivating music video for "Blood of My Blood" was also added to rotation on prestigious music channels MTV & Rage, drawing even more attention to Mac the Knife's artistic prowess.

Now, with the release of "Curb My Bite," Mac the Knife is ready to take the stage once again. Their music, written for the people, by the people, strikes a chord with its powerful themes and authentic emotions. Fronted by the enthralling Bryn Chapman Parish, also known for his award-winning portrayal of Spider on Netflix's Heartbreak High reboot, the band is a force to be reckoned with.

Mac the Knife's live performances have become legendary in the Sydney music world, earning them the title of "A hidden gem of the Australian Music scene" by Backyard Opera. Their gritty punk rock sound, as praised by Triple J producer Abby Butler, has venues clamoring to host their sweat-inducing shows.

With accolades pouring in and extended radio play on Triple J, FBI, and 2SER, Mac the Knife has firmly established themselves as a formidable presence in the Australian music scene. Now, they are set to embark on their first-ever headline tour, gracing stages along the east coast throughout September 2023.

We caught up with Mac the Knife for a quick interview!

What’s the meaning behind Mac the Knife? 

The name Mac the Knife comes from a play called the Three Penny Opera by Brecht. A shady loan shark named Mac the Knife is its anti hero, and the name kind of stuck with us.

If I listened to your music for the first time, who would I say Mac the Knife sounds like? 

We would like to think our music sounds like the love child of Shame, Fontaines DC, the Strokes, and Car Seat Head Rest. 

What three words best describe Mac the Knife.

ENERGETIC, SLAY, UNWAVERING. 

Both of your previous releases “Labour in Vain” and “Blood of my Blood” have been successful singles. Can you tell us a little bit about each song?

“Labour in Vain” is a battle cry to triumph over the fear of judgements of others. It is a love letter to being a better you, to acknowledging your shit and working through it. “Blood of my Blood” is one of the more personal songs I’ve written. It cuts very close to the bone. It’s true catharsis. It’s about love, making peace with the past, and understanding that humans are complex, fallible beings. Even those who you look up to the most.

What’s your new single, “Curb my Bite”, about?

This song is about me learning to speak my mind, and figuring out that disagreeing with someone is ok, the world isn’t going to end if you exchange a few heated words. 

Were there any challenges you encountered along the song-writing and recording process for “Curb my Bite”?

The EP was actually delayed by almost a year because of covid, we had to move the recording dates twice because of lockdowns. Bloody tough time for everyone in the world, but we couldn’t be more excited to be finally sharing it with everyone after such a long time waiting.

You’ve earned yourselves the title of “a hidden gem of the Australian music scene”. What do you do to make your performances stand out from the rest?

Definitely all of the table climbing, we’ve been known to enter the crowd, climb on things. Get up and personal.  Who knows, maybe we’ll be turning into more of a Known Gem soon hehe.

What are you most excited about for the coming headline tour?

We’ve just come back from a sold out show for our first headline Melbourne show. It was awesome seeing so many faces in the crowd. A wig out to see people in another state singing your lyrics. Terrigal tonight! Then Canberra, and then the Sydney show is shaping up to be a massive one. GE YO TIX!

Does Mac the Knife have any other projects in the works that fans can be excited for?

The release of our second EP, “In the Shadow of it All”, will be coming out early next year and a string of shows up the east coast to accompany the new EP.


”Curb my Bite” is out now on all streaming platforms!


Make sure to follow Mac the Knife on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes and more!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mactheknifeband/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mactheknifeband/

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