Midnight Juggernauts: ''Dystopia'' Works

Did any Australian act make a bigger leap in 2007 than Melbourne’s Midnight Juggernauts did? They even grew from a duo to trio in the middle of the year. The foundation for their sell out tours at home and growing international recognition was Dystopia, the independent album released on their own label, Siberia Records, that has now been voted the Best Australian Release in the 2007 Mess+Noise Users’ Poll. Vincent Juggernaut, a.k.a. katzenjammer (pictured above, centre), called in from the Big Day Out to accept the honour.

Congratulations on winning the best album of 2007, as voted by the users of Mess+Noise.

It’s very cool. It’s a big surprise to me and we’re very happy about it.

You used to be a regular poster on the Mess+Noise forums.

I posted a lot. I was always on there. I don’t post as much now, but I still check it every day. I always expect to see some haters on there, but this is a sign that there’s real support out there. We’re really pleased.

How’s the Big Day Out going for you?

This is our first time and it’s amazing – it really is big. We’re on the main stage and it’s a good feeling when you get a response from such a massive crowd.

Have you bonded with anyone?

We’ve made some new friends. It’s pretty relaxed backstage, although I spend most of my time out the front in the crowd just to see the other artists. Backstage Bjork has a travelling DJ with her, so she’ll have a little dance party after the show.

The band’s popularity really exploded in 2007.

2007 was a step up for us. In February we were in the studio recording and then the shows started getting bigger and then we realised that people knew the songs. It’s a bigger beast these days, but it’s not so big that it’s out of our control. It’s still enjoyable for us, we can still be creative.

And in 2008?

We get the album released internationally and we’ll be supporting it over the next few months at festivals.

EMI are releasing the album internationally. Does this mean you’re replacing Robbie Williams, who announced he was going on strike because he didn’t like EMI's new owners?

If we are they’re in a lot of trouble! We’ve been negotiating for a long time because we wanted to sign the right deal. It’s a pretty healthy deal and relationship. We can use their network but we have ownership and creative control. Now overseas we won’t be this strange internet band.

Any truth to the rumour that you were asked to contribute to Kylie’s X album?

No, it’s not true. We’ve had people from EMI and different French people offering various things and suggestions, but we didn’t have Kylie call us up.

What would you have said?

She’s an Australian icon. I grew up with ‘I Should be So Lucky’, so why not? There are worse Australian artists to be linked with.

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