Poor Little Things- A band from Bern Switzerland
Interview conducted on Feb. 13, 2020
by Dan Locke
POOR LITTLE THINGS is the Debut release from Tina Jackson collaborating with ROLLERBALL guitarist Dave Talon.
Besides Rollerball Dave has one solo album BUTCH IT UP,two releases with THE MARLBORO MEN & played on the KINGS F THE SUN record ROCK TIL YA DIE
What were your up bring?
Dave: I was raised in a military family and went to many schools all over Australia as well as spending 2 years in a British military school in Hong Kong. Hong Kong in the 1970s was an exciting place for a kid. Coming from Australia it was like another planet. Western music culture was everywhere and I became infected with an itch that only Rock & Roll could scratch.
Tina: I was born and raised in Switzerland; I spent my childhood in the Swiss capital Bern. Bern is located in the dead center of Europe. An hour on the train gets you to France, Germany or Italy so it’s a cultural melting pot. We didn’t have a TV when I was a kid, my sister and I entertained ourselves with Craft and Role-Playing games. We lived in a friendly neighborhood with a lot of other children to play so the adventures were endless. I also did Jazz Dancing for several Years. Madonna was one of my Heros, luckly our neighbor had a TV so I could copy her moves.
How did you discover music?
Tina: My father is a musician and played Piano in various Bands. Acts like ZZ Top, Ten Years After and John Fogerty were the sound track of my childhood. When I was about 10, he also started managing Bands and I loved attending gigs with him when possible and was very interested in the lifestyles of the musicians. At the age of 15 I started singing in a School band which lead to a Band called Kashmir, we played a few Concerts around the Neighborhood. Bands like AC DC, Joan Jett, Blondie, Sass Jordan and Motörhead were on high rotation on my Walkman.
Dave: My Mothers Father and My Father both played Guitar. Some of my earliest memories are sitting with Dad while he played songs of the 50’s & 60’s. I got serious at age 7 when I got a tape recorder and a Beatles tape.
The Stones & KISS soon followed and soon after that, A Deep Purple compilation that set me on course to the heavier stuff. In 82 aged 11 I discovered IRON MAIDEN and started playing guitar myself. I started my 1st band in 84 and also played my 1st club gig the same year (A Kids Disco in the Canberra Labour club).
Dave- What was your first guitar and do you still have it?
My 1st Guitar was a MOZART classical guitar that was a brand of the Sydney music store Palings…Yes, I still have it. My 1st Electric guitar was a 70’s IBANEZ Les Paul copy. I wish I still had that. I am an IBANEZ freak and have 5 of them.
Dave- What is your favorite guitar? And what make, model and year is it?
It’s hard to say what my favorite guitar is. I am a collector and Love most of them. I do lean towards Explorer shaped models.
How is the live music scene in Switzerland?
There are plenty of small venues to discover all over Switzerland which also offer a chance for Newcomer Bands to get started. We personally have few favorites venues that we regularly visit and most international bands play Switzerland on their European tours.
Martina- What is Bunny Racket?
Bunny Racket is a basic riff rock band purely for infants and easy on the ears of Adults.
Martina- What is your day job? I see you are in the entertainment industry.
I was working as a Dresser/Buyer for Films for quite a few Years but I’ve taken a long-term break from that and currently work as a Scenic Painter for various Projekt, (Movie Sets, Restaurants etc.)
How did you to meet?
Tina was traveling around Australia with a friend when we meet at a Rollerball Gig in 2001. A Year later we were married. We lived together in Australia 8 years and now 10 years in Europe.
How did the band form?
We had talked about doing a project together for a long time and finally got around to it and made our 1st self-titled EP in 2018. Our mutual Love for 70’s and 80’s Music inspired us to create a sound that takes all the best elements of those eras. A time when Rock and Pop were one and the same. But it’s also important to us to have a healthy dose of originality in our tunes.
How did the band get its name?
Dave’s Mother refers to any small child or animal as a “POOR LITTLE THING”. It was a joke that stuck.
How is it to tour the OZ?
Dave: I have been touring Australia in bands since the early 90’s. It’s always fun but the distances between towns can make it quite hard work. Many times, I’ve played a gig and jumped in a van to drive 10 hours to the next one. These days When in Australia I fly between intercity gigs.
Let’s talk about PLT CD. How did it come to be?
After our 1st EP was well received it was a no brainer to pump out a full-length album. It’s always challenging to get together with collaborators but when you live together it’s a huge convenience when it comes to pre-production etc. The Debut EP is also available on Vinyl from Australian label Volcano Vinyl https://volcanovinyl.bandcamp.com
Did you have any problems while recording it?
Luckily No, it was smooth sailing and we will soon start work on another release. We don’t talk ourselves to seriously. It’s Rock for the sake of Rock!
You have made the Top 25 Radio Indie Alliance out of Japan this week. And your cd has won many people minds as being the best CD of 2019. Do you see big things happening with this cd?
It’s VERY important in any art form to create something your happy with and everything after that is the cream on top. We have been really happy with the response we have received from DISCO’S BURNING so far. We get a kick out of people getting a kick out
of it! We have had some radio rotation in a lot of diverse places & we don’t take it for granted. Hopefully this little wave will continue?
Are you thinking about playing in the USA?
Up till now PLT is a studio project. We have no Plans to gig at this stage but never say never?
Dave- As Rollerball what was the biggest crowd you played?
I’ve played on quite a few commercial festival bills over the years. Maybe the main stage on the Livid festival at the Brisbane show grounds in 2003?
How do you see yourself in 5 years?
Living in the Greek islands and making PLT records…. Yes seriously.
Do you have anything you like to say in closing?
Thanks very much for taking the time to find out more about us & our tunes. We appreciate it and despite the gloom and doom predictions that rock and roll is dead (which we have heard for the last 20 years) we are looking forward to a future drenched in guitar distortion.
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