THE RORTS

In this interview by Fok ‘bs‘, the Australian Heavy Rock’n’Rollers The Rorts talk about their debut EP ‘Big Decisions‘, the freedom that comes with experience, the legendary Geelong rock’n’roll scene, and their determination to create something fresh rather than simply revisit the past.
The trio also discuss authenticity, songwriting, live energy, strong melodies and the importance of keeping the raw character of a three piece band intact.
‘Big Decisions’ feels like the work of musicians who have nothing left to prove, yet still have something important to say.
Did that freedom change the way you approached songwriting compared to your previous bands?
“For sure, I think you get to a certain stage in your life when you care less about what certain people think and do more of what pleases you. Although you’d like people to like your music and buy your records, writing and performing music is very much for us. If someone digs the music, that’s awesome.”
The Geelong scene of the 1990s has almost become part of Australian rock folklore.
Looking back today, what do people usually misunderstand about that era?
“It’s funny, growing up in that scene I probably didn’t appreciate it for what it was, nor do I remember much, its all a bit hazy!! Geelong rocknroll was really at the forefront of the Aussie scene, mostly pushed by Dave Thomas (Bored!). I don’t think I realized until many years after what the Geetroit sound was and how embraced it was around the world. Proud to have been a small part of it.”
Your songs have an immediacy that makes them sound like they were written to be played live rather than endlessly polished in a studio.
How do you know when a song is finished instead of simply becoming overworked?
“I don’t think we’re in any danger of overworking a song. We arrange it until it sounds good enough to play live, refine it until we are happy to record it.”
There is a refreshing lack of nostalgia in your music, even though your roots go back decades.
Was it important for The Rorts to avoid becoming a band that only celebrates the past?
“Very much so. As much as our past brought us back together, we certainly wanted to have our own fresh sound looking for originality.”
The title ‘Big Decisions’ suggests crossroads and consequences.
Looking beyond the lyrics, what has been the biggest musical decision The Rorts have made since the band came together?
“I think getting the band together on a whim was our biggest decision. Everything that has stemmed from that moment has flowed naturally to feel good and right.”
Many modern rock bands seem obsessed with sounding bigger, louder or heavier.
You seem more interested in sounding authentic.
Do you think honesty has become an underrated quality in rock music?
“You are correct about us trying to sound authentic. It was a concious decision to not go too big. At the end of the day, we are a 3 piece band and wanted to keep it sounding that way. I find it amusing when I hear recorded music of a band or artist who has a massive sound, then when seeing them live its a completely different and underwhelming experience.”
If someone removed all the distortion from your guitars, do you believe the songs would still stand on their own?
How important are strong melodies before the volume gets turned up?
“All of these songs start out written on an acoustic guitar and get presented to the band that way to critique. A melody can either make or break a song and attempting to piece together a strong hook is always a welcome challenge. Distorted guitar or not, I am a sucker for a well written tune.”
Coming from the Surf Coast, surrounded by open landscapes and the ocean, do those surroundings influence your songwriting in subtle ways, even when the songs are not directly about those places?
“Unsure, however it’s a pretty cool place to live, so yeah maybe its within our identity without really acknowledging it.”
Your music captures a sense of momentum, almost as if every song is constantly moving forward.
Are you naturally drawn to that energy, or do you deliberately avoid slowing things down?
“There is a sense of purpose within the EP. I guess given its our debut, we wanted to put our best foot forward with a deliberate no bullshit sound which was authentic to us. It’s a rock’n’roll record after all.”
Rock music has always thrived on imperfections.
Can you remember a mistake during recording or rehearsal that unexpectedly became one of your favorite moments on the EP?
“Funnily enough, it all went reasonably according to plan as we’d rehearsed the hell out of the tunes. Dave’s (our drummer) back up vocals and harmonies on all the tunes are one of my highlights as this was not really rehearsed but he nailed them on the day.”
Imagine ‘Big Decisions’ is discovered twenty years from now by someone who knows nothing about The Rorts.
What single impression would you hope they walk away with after hearing those four songs?
“Cool tunes, wish I had have seen them live.”
The EP is only four songs long, yet it already establishes a clear identity.
Looking ahead, do you see The Rorts as a band that will constantly evolve, or one that prefers to perfect a sound once it has found it?
“I think this EP is a development of our identity and sound, however, I doubt and hope that we would never perfect that sound. With each live show and some new songs already written, I hope we are getting that little bit better and understanding what our sound and identity actually is.”
With ‘Big Decisions‘, The Rorts have made a debut that feels less concerned with looking backwards than with moving forward.
Their approach is refreshingly direct:
write strong songs, keep the sound honest, rehearse them until they are ready to be played live and let the chemistry of the three musicians speak for itself.
There is no desire to overproduce, imitate the past or artificially perfect their sound.
Instead, The Rorts are allowing their identity to develop naturally through every rehearsal, every new song and every live show.
If ‘Big Decisions’ is the starting point, the most exciting part may well be discovering where that road takes them next.
by Fok ‘bs‘