THE CHATS - Interview

THEY'RE the Coolum shed band who have officially gone viral.
The Chats and their track Smoko is gaining traction around the country, with some calling it the song of the year or the best thing since sliced bread.
It is perhaps the most Australian song since Men at Work's Down Under or Cold Chisel's Khe Sahn.
Smoko has racked up 282,204 views on KZbin and the boys are gaining a cult-like following.
Featuring Eamon Sandwith on bass and vocals, Josh Price on guitar and vocals and Matt Boggis on drums, the three-piece are Aussie to the core.
Smoko - a song about exactly that - is shot on a work site and the struggles that Australian tradies go through.
The fellas have only been together 18 months but are fast becoming the next big thing on the Coast.
Lead vocalist Eamon Sandwith said a random jamming session in high school changed their lives.
"We had all been mates for ages but we were just in music class and we just clicked straight away and knew it would work," he said.
"We just write songs that everyday people can relate to. Plus ones that are specific to the Sunny Coast.
"Smoko started when I heard someone - I can't remember who - say it. And I went home that day and wrote the whole song. We then brought it to life, it was pretty easy.
"Those old Aussie pub rock bands, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel and Hunters and Collectors. They're all big influences. But we also really like the new wave of Australian music coming through."
Having a song go viral has the boys "jumping out of their skins".
They're planning a tour all the way to Melbourne to see where it takes them.
"We want to get as big as possible, it is all we have ever wanted to do," he said.
"I picked up a guitar at age 10 and I was hooked. The others are the same.
"We all practise out at a mate's shed in Verrierdale - that's why we call ourselves a shed rock band.
"It is funny, our teachers at school hated us and our sound. Now they've come on board though."

[@maribethshaw9594]

i fucking love these dudes, come to america someday lol

[@danyheatley4153]

Maribeth Shaw sail

[@harrisonwilson-ward9551]

Maribeth Shaw yeah nah u guys got enough

[@brandiiyo]

America needs raw good-ol punk rock like this! 😉❤️

[@cooper9287]

I'm 52 and I'm hooked on these guys!!!

[@Mcgweeezy]

He’ll need more bus money

[@phampton6781]

0:53 "One day we just thought let's start a band, so we did." Can't argue with that straight talking attitude!

[@jackmaster3134]

That's how all the good bands happen like the cramps one day you just do it

[@paulbarker8320]

Crapppy

[@myyoutube-yv3qy]

@@paulbarker8320 fuck up

[@lukemcmullen45]

Now they’re on their 4th album. Bloody legends

[@spiderman-lw2nb]

4 banger albums in a rowk

[@MooPotPie]

I casually mentioned them the other day in a North Carolina (USA) coffee shop. Everyone behind the counter knew who they were. One barista went to the back room - and soon "Smoko" was blasting through the speakers.

[@KLondike5]

@@MooPotPie So did you leave the barista alone?

[@MooPotPie]

@@KLondike5 LOL - eventually.

[@jabbafo]

3 chord punk coming back

[@thetoecurler6852]

I’m on smoko

[@matthewosterman9030]

Please save us

[@idk4529]

@@BigMacSoss Basically Green Day but Australian. Sounds good

[@joddeurter2448]

@@idk4529 apart from the humorous lyrics i just don't see any resemblance to Green Day at all

[@MrEnterbox]

Kylo Fan GrEeN dAy Is So PuNk

[@chocdingdong351]

Nambored.. "Its about living in Nambour and being bored" Bahahah!

[@djjmann]

"....One day, we were like, let's start a bad......so we did." HAHAHAHAHAHAH.

[@clintonleonard5187]

"Everyone was just like 'Oh those people from Chatswood are chat.' Something like that."

[@carltoeski]

Fucking love it

[@arbot5246]

classic

[@jamesatherton1853]

Clinton Leonard like if you roll your ankle or something you go "oh thats chat"

[@YourFriendDevin]

the most Australian thing I’ve ever heard

[@ricardoistudla8641]

Punk is not dead!!! Love these guys!!!

[@paleobay2793]

It's not punk though... It's like garage rock.

[@eclectisetknows1711]

+Paleo Bay You're high.

[@paleobay2793]

Grind Me Into Sludge but it's not punk 😂

[@eclectisetknows1711]

+Paleo Bay high

[@paleobay2793]

Grind Me Into Sludge but is grunge

[@SkelaKing]

I swear, Australia is the only place keeping this genre alive. Keep at it boys, and come to the states one day will ya

[@WeldersFSC]

Aye, British Commonwealth keeping the genre we created alive. Excellent. Love it.

[@bigcheese2128]

@@WeldersFSC the British did not create punk lol it originated from the Detroit scene of the early 70s and the CBGB scene in New York, vivienne westwood and Malcolm mclaren just stole Richard hells style and then gave it to Johnny rotten and assembled the boy band that was the sex pistols

[@WeldersFSC]

@@bigcheese2128 😂 Punk originated in the UK, specifically England, you Americans sure do talk a load of bollocks. UK was busy making music that the world followed whilst you yanks were busy suffering crippling poverty.

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

Matthew bogus luckily his grandad renamed the family from Bogan But the tradition still continues with these Bogan cousins!

[@phillyrocks3847]

Im seeing them in Philly October 2023.

[@KQKQKQKQKQKQ]

They just blew the roof off of Los Angeles lastnight!

[@stevencastillo8914]

Wasn there, the energy was off the charts

[@pedropedroztravels8272]

@@stevencastillo8914 Off the CHATS lol...….

[@xxkawaiimartialartsxx4632]

everyone's new favorite band.

[@joshfrench5858]

And now I hear them almost daily on satellite radio

[@MrTheHillfolk]

100.1 wdst Woodstock NY radio plays em often too.

[@neilwilson5785]

Awesome. Hearing Smoko in a freakin' garage. Just great.

[@KingBlonde]

Glad to see a solid band nowadays, most bands are usually lacking something, play metal or are too niche. These guys have real production, sound exactly the same live and keep a consistent tempo/ beat. Reminds me of old school stuff, top shit mate.

[@turtlemcturtleson]

what's wrong with metal? I feel personally attacked right now :c

[@turtlemcturtleson]

@@adw7890 well at least I'm gorgeous

[@turtlemcturtleson]

@You're fake and gay I get what you mean about it being over produced. There are a lot of bands that have nothing special going for them, but like you said there's still a lot of great bands that i think make up for it

[@bogdanmeoff2399]

@@turtlemcturtleson tbh i feel like metal has always had a good run, but rock and punk...

[@sulkissulking]

@@bogdanmeoff2399 rock and punk are dead, keep coping.

[@nikobellic3856]

Legend has it that this band are legends.

[@assmane999]

I hope they blow up internationally. Their 2 LP's are awesome, and it's exactly what punk is all about.

[@eatmills]

Smoko has hit Toronto Canada!!!!

[@loserdude911]

Coming all the way from Alabama, love this!!

[@sbFreakinxRican]

smoko worldwide

[@Jivolt]

Masters of music. Masters of the interview.

[@rhomboidimason7738]

Pure Genius. Living Legends. Go hard guys, keep on keeping on.

[@joshfutterman3439]

The Chats army. Leave me alone

[@stevenchill5078]

Josh Futterman I’m on smoko!

[@thetoecurler6852]

Leave me alone!

[@KalElvis]

Pure Raw Talent. Love it. I'm on Smoko so leave me alone!

[@smitty0159]

I wish you boys the greatest success in the music industry

[@michaeldunaway4128]

Smitty 01 fuck off you nazi turd

[@smitty0159]

killary supportin bitch

[@michaeldunaway4128]

Smitty 01 inbred Russian troll lol. Sorry I don't support sexual predators and white supremacists 😂 fucking delusional nazi

[@smitty0159]

Michael Dunaway goof.

[@520angling5]

Michael Dunaway Shut the hell up.

[@shepja87]

Being a Brit I didn't know Smoko was Aussie slang, knowing it now just makes so much sense :)

[@jakobthelibrarycard6261]

It's also Kiwi slang.

[@jazzflute2465]

Absolutely brilliant takes me back to 1976/77 with the punk movement sweeping across the UK. Well done lads.

[@babiebitch1756]

"It's about Nambour and being bored there" -Eamon 2018

[@thealleys]

Music needs more of this.

[@kirkcavenaugh758]

I need more great music videos from the chats

[@squiresquiffy3728]

Yep we love ‘em in England too. Punk is alive and well and it’s down under!

[@johnnycage9283]

Bring it to America!

[@forevernow9459]

One day I thought let's start a band, and we did. Straight to the point

[@VivalaryMan]

Bless the smoko

[@doorsheets2637]

A legacy is born....

[@whyamihere229]

There amazing one of my favorite bands

[@Vader-hf9dx]

From Michigan United States listening to the chats

[@CrustPunklilith]

Gotta love how there bringing punk to more people

[@GAB-vq7re]

AMERICA TOUR!!!! I need to see this live or my life will not be complete! Keep rocking! #thechats

[@davisdesigns1153]

love these guys, from SOUTH AFRICA! 🙌✌🎶

[@shawnryder9282]

I hope they come to America

[@user-sp2tm2iz9l]

They're playing in CA soon

[@Teeveepicksures]

they just played boston a few days ago

[@lordXAVIJAANBJERGNOG]

@@user-sp2tm2iz9l They were good.

[@jasonpuliz2604]

All the punks in USA love you guys so much ❤

[@morgandent1105]

love this song!!! I apply it to my job haha awesome! from Edwards AFB California

[@coniemammakin]

Cheers from Greece, guys! Well done...

[@sk8terkek429]

These boys deserve all the recognition they get, hopefully they make it big.

[@jaysonbrown9731]

Love from Victoria, BC Canada!

[@jamesmorris911]

I put 50 people on these guys...and each of them did the same...now EVERYBODY in florida likes them! USA tour please!!!

[@djdazzydeaf7568]

These guys remind me so much of the good old days of the aussie alt-rock of 1998.

[@davidploudre2022]

Chats are playing Pheonix sometime later this year. My friend's band is opening for them at the Crescent Ballroom downtown. Can't wait!!!

[@rorkan138]

Next week!

[@saigeturberville8863]

from mississippi in the states jamming this

[@obidel3813]

Good on you lads!!!

[@janisolson1013]

Love to the Chats from the USA. You guys are AWESOME 🤍

[@shaggy44zebra]

Punk was never dead, it was just on smoko.

[@darkscribblings]

I blast these guys every week. Come play in NYC we need good old punk to come back.

[@violenceisfun991]

I hope these guys play in the UK one day

[@darrenmoses3385]

These dudes are friggin banging!!!

[@EsotericOccultist]

Respect from Los Angeles!

[@Shawnsrumi]

5 years later and the video is at 18 million views

[@rollmops3113]

Bloody love it boys! Aussie!

[@Thomas.harding]

Oi come to England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@tobycarvery2539]

tom harding yes!!!!

[@Kingro619]

keep punk alive!

[@moldyrosemary]

i hope you guy get really popular because you’re awesome and you barely know it I LOVE YOUR MUSIC BBBB

[@visiblestories6042]

I just love The Chats. They are a bunch of REAL AUSSIE kids with the talent to tell the world about Australians! Get yourselves off to the USA & England boys!

[@remol-controto]

Is there something special in those two places? Why not Argentina or Finland?

[@newacidplanet]

@@remol-controto Because England is so close to Australia in terms of the people and culture. USA because they LOVE Aussies and the biggest music scene and audience. NO OTHER REASON. I am in the music industry and was brought up in England and been to the USA on music business. If an artists is hoping to break into overseas markets you start in the most likely places first...

[@gruobn7482]

These dudes kick ass. All their music is f'ing awsome. I love it.

[@brennoncrossingham5943]

Rekindle the good old basic punk very catchy even my 25yr old son loves it im 48yrs old so can enjoy as its like what i grew up listening to sex pistols the clash etc etc etc so on and so forth. 😇🙏😁👂🎶👌

[@leepictoadboi2514]

These guys are such an inspiration to me (I’m trying to start a band as well) hope they keep on writing fuckin banger tunes!

[@paulpaul5606]

Love it 🇬🇧

[@Geckatron]

Smoko, Northern Ireland (Ireland) 06 November 2021. Nice tune.

[@prisonmike420]

I pre ordered their ep can't wait

[@timmyg8206]

Same dude!!! Got all fucking three variants haha

[@oolllliieeee3849]

Cole barton same, I’m fucking keen!!!

[@linetikafovalu1485]

I love their song pub feed

[@guyincognito.]

"Smoko has racked up 282,204 views on KZbin" Yeh it's over 11 million now!

[@lepermessiyah5823]

and 2 months later 13 million lol

love that they have the Aussie flag in their rehersal shed. Good to see some young patriots in the punk scene

[@hahawhatever15]

i need more of this in my life, hope they come to the states

[@assmane999]

Get their LP's in ya

[@tylermoron7584]

Fuck off

[@chn71]

Funny how they were blown away by 600k views, now Smoko has 9.3 million two years later!

[@jdlc903]

I'm 30,English live in UK and this stuff feels like the soundtrack to my 20's (dole, asking smoke breaks on part time jobs, getting a pub feed)

[@PunkRageOnTheFrontPage]

True

[@TurtleTurtlez]

Listenin from the states nice!

[@hmmmmmmmm11]

Opening for Queens of the freakin Stone Age!!!! Damn!

[@fiddlestickzmuzik]

Love it, reminds me of my youth in oz.. great times.

[@WhateverWhenever888]

These guys are so good!

[@stickbreaker1]

Great shit from a few back, how to rock!!!

[@M1A4R8K8]

Let's make THE CHATS famous

[@---df5sr]

I’ve been on smoko before and this song really speaks to me, sums up my attitude to life… I love sticking it to the man

[@waynepantry7023]

You clearly don't know what "smoko" is . . .

[@cahaldoherty2444]

peace from london you bands awesome

[@clinton_jones]

Fuck yeah! Ozzy ginger mullet Smoko all the way!!!!

[@lindholmaren]

Love these dudes

[@panther105]

I'm in the longshore union in Vancouver, Canada. You call us dockers. If a foreman or anyone from any of the docks we work at tries to talk to us during our coffee breaks or lunch, the union reps would go rabid and everything would stop until the egregious error was apologized for and rectified. Don't mess with unions, bro. Love these guys btw. That should have been the first thing I said.

[@mitch-lawless]

“One day we thought let’s start a band. So we did.”

[@nickbailey4134]

"The chads have been rehearsing in the shed"

[@wizkid3643]

I love it. I love the singer

[@jeffstone2136]

These guys are legit. Joy Division sounded like this when they started, so I predict big things for these boys.

[@klausrain111]

I love the band, but in no way do they sound like Joy Division! Lol! Have you even heard Joy Division?

[@echolalia682]

Hopefully not winding up sounding like New Order eventually, or you know......the other thing

[@echolalia682]

@@klausrain111 Have you heard Joy Division before they were Joy Division? They totally sounded like this. Think Warsaw (which was their original name) but less produced, harder, and faster

[@StuartwasDrinkell]

These guy are strayas finest that ginger bowlhead mullet combo is THE DO!

[@ThePanred]

Cheers from portland oregon usa.. Will yall come to the usa? Love this sound guys..!!!! Just discovered your band!! 90s baby here.. reminds me of alot of punk slash nirvana slah alot of good shit!!

[@henrikduende]

Angus Young did actually have a similar bowl muller cut, in 1976

[@mastershake8266]

It's about time someone brought old 80's punk rock back

[@aaaaarrrrrggggghhhh]

1:30 long? wtf man you on smoko or something?

[@schnoz2372]

Hope they come to America some day. I'd pay serious cash for tickets to a Chats show.

[@kris2672]

Let's start a band... So we did Words to live by Bois

[@user-jt9qt2rv7u]

Fucking amazing band !! Best modern old school Punk rock !! Cheers from Russia !

[@scrotooftheninefingers218]

These guys fucking rule. Great energy. Tight songs. There are big things in their future, I feel.

[@mitchywraps6373]

they are playing with foo fighters in a month

[@Genny-Zee]

Hell yeah brothers

[@docmonger2228]

Good on ya boys 🇦🇺🎸🥁

[@MedicFromTF2_REAL]

Love these guys!

[@billbrooks6756]

discovered these guys in Colombia go boys go!