DESPITE celebrating 10 years together on their aptly titled 10th Anniversary Tour, Jebediah drummer Brett Mitchell isn't too keen on making a fuss.
To Mitchell, turning 10 simply means the band has grown a year older.
``I don't know what to say because all this 10 year stuff ... it's just a number,'' Mitchell said.
``It's a pretty arbitrary milestone I reckon. It is kind of weird to think that we've stuck it out this long. It doesn't seem like 10 years.
``I guess we're proud to have outlasted so many other bands that were around when we started but it could just be sheer stubbornness that we're still together.'' Looking back and remembering the band's very first gig, Mitchell conceded he never thought they would have gone achieve the success that they have with youth anthems like Harpoon and Leaving Home. Jebediah's first show was all very last minute.
Frontman Kevin Mitchell and guitarist Chris Daymond had organised to play a show but there was one small problem they didn't have a band.
Mitchell and bassist Vanessa Thorton were quickly recruited and the band performed a couple of originals and some Pearl Jam and Green Day covers at a high school formal.
``We were awful. We were genuinely shocking.
I think we did get paid some money but after we paid for the PA and things like that, I think we got about $12 each maybe,'' Mitchell laughed.
``I like to think that even though those poor kids got an awful band for their school ball, at least they can say that they saw our very first gig that evening.'' ``But on the basis of that performance, we didn't deserve to stay together.'' It's a good thing they did though.
Jebediah went on to win the National Campus Band Comp which led to gigs supporting Smashing Pumpkins and Silverchair, and the release of the breakthrough album Slightly Odway. The band's latest album Braxton Hicks was released last year on their own label Redline Records and has recently been followed with an EP of new tunes and re- workings.
Catch Jebediah on their 10th Anniversary Tour at The Brewery on Sunday with support from Neon and Red Jezabel. Tickets are on sale at the venue.
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