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UK-based alt-punk rock quintet GHOULS will arrive on Australian shores for the very first time this April on their ‘No Better Place To Be’ co-headline tour with Melbourne’s own FOXBLOOD.

GHOULS’ front-man Benedict Goold is just as excited as the rest of his band mates – Sam Mussell (bass), Ben Maz (saxophone), Russel Spencer (trombone) and Jay Swinstead (drums) – to experience all that Australia has to offer and what better way than to tide Aussie fans over than a brand new track called Internet Famous whilst they count down the days until the band arrives.

On the eve of the Internet Famous UK tour, Benedict Goold had a rather extensive chat with AMNplify about all things GHOULS music and their highly anticipated upcoming Australian tour – check it out below!

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Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

The moment I knew that music was going to be a significant part of my life was when I saw Green Day play at the Milton Keynes Bowl in 2005. I was about 13 years old and had been playing guitar for two years. My mum had bought tickets because she had heard that Green Day were a good band and knew I was taking an interest in punk/rock bands. I witnessed firsthand seeing Billie Joe Armstrong stand in front of thousands of people who roared the moment he put his arms in the air. From then on it was all about playing in bands, writing songs and making similar moments with music.

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How does Internet Famous differ to what you’ve released in the past?

My favourite stand out thing about Internet Famous is how the song came together. It was a quick process from writing through to recording it, so it’s come out sounding really organic and fresh. It’s also a song that lyrically isn’t aimed at anyone in particular, being more about the way things are with the internet and social media these days. I’d like to think that it is relatable relates for a lot of people.

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What are the themes explored on the Run album?

Run was written over the period of 2015-2016 and explores everything I and the band were going through at the time: there’s a tale of a relationship break up, misspent nights out, questioning priorities, the British weather, growing up and moving away from family/friends. It took us a while to decide what to call the album, Run stuck out as soon as we thought of it. I myself am actually an avid runner (in the literal sense), but it also relates to running away from the situations and places mentioned in the lyrics as well as a sense of action – as in “go and run, be free”.

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What is the significance behind the name of the upcoming Australian tour?

As a band we have hit the DIY touring scene pretty hard and have some great stories to tell because of it. The Australian tour is no exception. There were times in this band where we were cramming into a five-seat estate car, driving the majority of England just to play to three people. The fact that we are now at the point where we get to travel half way across the world and play shows is mind blowing! There’s literally no better place to be than on tour with your friends, in a place you’ve never been before making memories and having adventures that you wouldn’t get any other way.

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What can fans expect from the upcoming Australian tour?

GHOULS on another continent is the ultimate version of GHOULS. Expect to see five guys who can’t wipe the smiles off their faces because they somehow have ended up in Australia because of the music they play. Feel free to become a part of the adventure/shows/journey!

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What ‘tourist-type’ things do you hope to do whilst you’re on tour in Australia?

Well…we have to go and see a kangaroo and a koala bear. We’re all quite into our cuisines too, so trying out some local food spots and eating Vegemite for breakfast (is that a thing?) will definitely be on the itinerary. I’ll be going running, obviously and a couple of us are keen swimmers too; so we’ll definitely be hitting up some pools and most probably the ocean (even if it’s freezing cold). None of us have ever been to Australia before so we’re just keen to experience everything. Please feel free to give us suggestions.

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What makes GHOULS different from similar sounding bands?

I think what’s different with GHOULS is there aren’t many other similar sounding bands. We have horns but we don’t fall into the typical ‘band with horns’ genres. We play a version of punk/rock but we’re not a typical punk rock band. For us it’s more about being ourselves, putting on a show and having fun so hopefully that appeals to a lot of people. We’re hoping Australia appreciates it!

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What has been your most memorable career highlight to date?

For me, it’s either our first visit to the USA – catching that flight was a dream come to life. It’s a feeling that I’ve never been able to recreate, but I feel as though catching the plane to Australia will do the trick. We also got to play a support at the Brixton Academy which is a big (BIG) venue in London; that’s definitely something I like to tell people about.

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What is something you would like to achieve career-wise that you haven’t done yet?

There are a few things on the list: I personally would love to write a song that becomes an anthem to an era – a bit like when people my age put on one of old Blink 182 songs; I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have a song that prolific. America we have been to, but I’d quite like to reach out to the West Coast on a tour and I’d also love to go to Asia…perhaps somewhere like Japan. Up until now Australia would definitely have been on the list but that’s all becoming a reality!

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If you could play any venue in the world, where would it be and why?

If I could literally play anywhere and it was a guarantee sell out show, I would play the Milton Keynes Bowl, the venue where I saw Green Day play all those years ago. I’d recreate the moment that music became so important to me, only I’d be the one on the stage.

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AMNPLIFY – DB