The Re-Mains, an Australian country rock band, draw inspiration from epic tales reminiscent of Ulysses' adventures, blending banjo-driven melodies with a spirited rock and roll energy. With the endorsement of Barry Tashian from the original Boston Remains, who toured with the Beatles, the band has navigated numerous lineup changes over the years, establishing themselves as one of Australia’s most industrious country rock groups. For the past seven years, they have been on an extensive touring schedule, performing at major festivals such as Splendour in the Grass, East Coast Blues and Roots, and the Tamworth Country Music Festival, as well as countless outback venues and inner-city bars.
Having released three albums and two EPs, the band has garnered critical acclaim, including a four-star rating from Rolling Stone and recognition as the 'best country rock band in Australia' by the Melbourne Age. In their most recent endeavor, they took their music to Canada, where they performed 64 shows across four months, covering routes from Vancouver to Toronto, including appearances at NXNE and the Big Valley Jamboree, where they played to an audience of 15,000.
The Re-Mains' fourth album, "Inland Sea," took three years to produce, but their journey during that time was far from stagnant. Following the release of their acclaimed live album "Love’s Last Stand" in 2006, which also received four stars from Rolling Stone, the band faced a series of challenges, including a near-fatal encounter with a cow in the Northern Territory. This incident, along with various lineup changes, delayed their progress.
Frontman and manager Mick Daley recalls, “We started recording early in 2007, then went on tour to the Territory and had the ‘meat tray’ incident,” which sidelined band members Grunter Bedford and Ramshackle Dave Ramsey. After regrouping, Daley and bassist Tom Jones Jnr experimented with different lineups until Shaun Butcher, who had been recovering from cancer, rejoined and took up the banjo again.
With renewed energy, the band recorded at Christian Pyle’s Lot 61 Studios in Goonengerry, located in the Byron Bay hinterland. They embarked on a remarkable four-month tour of Canada in 2008, traveling 16,000 kilometers in an $800 Chevy van, which became a beloved part of their journey. This tour included appearances on nationally broadcast breakfast television and 65 performances across the country. Upon returning to Australia, they continued to tour, and in 2009, they undertook another extensive journey, adding 18,000 kilometers to their travels, including a circumnavigation of the Rockies with Canadian folk artist Dr Joey Only.
Eventually, the band completed "Inland Sea" after their label, Croxton Records, ceased operations. They received support from Austrade, which provided an export development grant that helped them manage their debts and compensate Christian Pyle for his engineering work on the album. Daley praises Pyle's contributions, stating, “CP is a genius. He takes my rambling ballads and crafts them into something much more considered and refined.”
The album presents a more polished sound compared to their previous releases, which were primarily recorded live to capture the band’s raw energy. “This one has the same energy but includes more overdubbing and fairy dust. It’s a big sound, a dash of 3D,” Daley explains. The album features road songs inspired by their Canadian travels, themes of lost love and loneliness, and an epic tribute to Koori warrior Pumulwuy, alongside the murder ballad "Who Shot Johnny D?" from Nimbin.
As they prepare to promote "Inland Sea," the band plans to tour Australia extensively, including stops in Melbourne, Sydney, and Darwin. Additionally, they will venture out to Bourke, retracing their roots through Brewarrina, Cobar, and Coonamble. Since their inception in 2002, The Re-Mains have earned a reputation as one of the hardest-driving independent bands in Australia, claiming to have played more rodeos, outback dives, and inner-city venues than any other band in the country.
Their festival appearances include notable events such as Splendour in the Grass, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and the Woodford Folk Festival, among many others. Their Canadian tours featured performances at NXNE, NewMusic West, and the Calgary Stampede, with their compilation album reaching number 13 on the Alberta CBC radio charts.
The band fondly remembers their Chevy van, which they dubbed Curtis, describing it as a trusty companion that added character to their adventures. "We jumped in, drove him straight over the Rockies. He threw a starter motor in Calgary and lost his exhaust early, so everywhere we went we sounded like a Panzer battalion on the attack," they recall. After two Canadian tours, the band left the van behind in Vancouver, where it ultimately met its end at the hands of Dr Joey Only.
With plans for a return to Canada next year, The Re-Mains are focused on sharing "Inland Sea" with audiences while continuing to navigate the unpredictable journey of life on the road.
