If you were into The Meanies and Nursery Crimes in the 80s and 90s (lots of people were) and can remember anything about the period (watch the number drop), there is a treat on the horizon for you.

Next month, the 2 bands will perform together for the first time in 15 years, with a mighty knees up scheduled for the Northcote Social on June 1. The Scene caught up with The Crimes’ David Dixon to ask him some of the questions you never knew you wanted answered.

 Why the comeback/ how did it come about?
 
We are all massive narcissists and crave the attention, plus our ‘all age’ fan base who were about thirteen at the time have all grown up now (we haven’t unfortunately), and every where we went we were getting ‘when are you going to reform?’ sort of like what the ex BEATLES went through but to an incredibly massively scaled down degree. We also feel that the 90s Crimes material stands the test of time, particularly live, so the oldies can relive their youth and the newbies can get youth! Did I mention the money, drugs and sex?
 
It all came about because we could all actually be in the same room again together without blows being exchanged, and all the old animosity had kind of gone, so we decided to just do ‘choice’ shows, only decent gigs. Only three times now have we seriously, violently hit each other, and I have to stress no real need for the emergency room was required. 
 
Why should we come to the gig?
 
What’s the fucking alternative, the Big Brother ‘Friday Night Games’? No I feel that you are in for a power pop pummelling, a frenzied moshpit of joy and friendly violence. The last few shows have been truly spirited and we’ve had a lot of great feedback, and nobody has been seriously injured, except for that guy who will never walk again. Also it has always been very special when the Meanies have double billed with us, this being the first time in about fourteen years. I’m not forcing you to come, but your existence will be a lonely void of despair and dashed hopes if you don’t.
 
What has changed/ what should we expect?
 
We have Ross (ex Bodyjar) on the skins and he truly beats those drums like they’re his own family. It honestly sounds more like what I had designed the band for than ever, more tight, heavy and pop laden than any of the years we were actually together in the 90s. I think Davarj and Ross really energise the whole rhythm section to the point where we can churn it out the way we’ve always wanted, and if anything it’s a tougher, more honest experience. You can expect us yelling out to everyone to bring us more beer to the stage, these venues are so stingy with the drink riders. You can expect Phil to leap into the crowd, he learned that one while he was in prison in the late 90s.
 
Who’s holding up the best?
 
Probably Davarj, because he has worked consistently since we broke up. I have been basically sitting in my rat infested flat growing my beard and fingernails and doing my best to become Howard Hughes, although I still have that stupid Macauley Culkin face. Phil is very violent, channelled well in the band, but don’t even look at him at a tram stop, he hates that kind of provocation and will just go crazy ape shit bananas on anyone. Ross is in shape, I think his lifestyle of ‘swinging’ and holding guy and girl lurve swap parties keeps him nice and sexed up. James Mcinnes is still a mighty axe man and can blow your perm into the beer trough with one lead break, he’s been fantastic since his rash cleared up.
 
What other projects have you been involved in?
 
Davarj did ‘Pre-Shrunk’ for over ten years, our old drummer Rusty obviously joined ‘You Am I’ and can buy and sell us (and does), Phil has written a lot of stuff with Bodyjar, Ross has drummed with Bodyjar and dabbled in the sacrifice of small beasts, only for ritualistic purposes though……..I have been in and out of electro-shock-therapy so I often have athletes scalp, but I'm fine, really lucid, on a good day anyway.
 
What do you think of the up n coming punk bands?
 
I love some stuff, although what people call ‘punk’ is open to interpretation. Sydney’s ‘Grand Fatal’ are fantastic, as are ‘The Losers’ who are playing at the June 1st show. It is good to hear some melody in some of the new stuff, which we take full credit for and are outraged that we don’t get a bloody royalty from them. What I personally don’t like is EMO(!) or campfire crap like ‘The John Butler Trio’.
 
What was you best Nursery Crimes gig?
 
Our last show celebrating the Arthouse 16th b'day  would be the best show playing wise. As far as ‘historically’ good, we supported Faith No More years back which was exciting and of course Fugazi and Rollins were great too because there were ready made crowds there to lap us up. Most of the live stuff was very rewarding, it only got to be a drag when our last 1993 tour had us playing about 80 shows in a row and that’s when we split up, we just couldn’t stand the sight of each other. I think the absolute best will be this coming one (shameless plug but who cares), the tightness and spirit of this band is honestly at it’s peak right now, even though we are all creeping death into middle age.
 
What does purple taste like?
 
It tastes not unlike going down on Paris Hilton when her herpes simplex breaks out. No seriously, it tastes like anything you like if you are on the right acid.