Jacob Suck: “We’re Still Big Hair Guys”
Five-piece Wollongong/Newcastle pop-punk band Jacob make music destined to fuck up your neck. Stretch before you headbang: hair-raising guitar riffs and pounding drums are the order of pretty much every Jacob track.
They’ve just released their new single, Hospital, and it’s the latest taste of their upcoming album. It’s a bite-sized burst of pop-punk energy that’ll take your day from zero to… a lot. Forget the trip to the coffee shop – go for a stroll around the block and slap on your headphones. The buzz will carry you throughout any particularly tedious errands you need to handle.
Hospital is a celebration of The Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder, who’s often considered one of the most elusive figures in all of comedy. Just don’t take the lyrics as biographical, because as Jacob’s lead singer Ruairi Burns admits, they did take a “few creative liberties” with the story details mentioned. Junkee caught up with Ruairi to chat about contracting chicken pox multiple times (which might be the clearest example of something that sucks in this column to date), Settlers of Catan and dealing with a particularly persistent rash. Hit up Ruairi if you want a game of Catan.
Junkee: A mistake that turned into an opportunity?
Once, we had a gig in the Gold Coast fall through, so we went to Dreamworld instead. It was awesome.
Cringe quote you used to live by?
“It’s not about the music. It’s about the hair”. We’re still big hair guys. Style, colour, it’s all important.
Worst advice you got and blindly followed?
“Can you PLEASE turn your amps down, you’re ruining my daughter’s birthday.”
The worst failure you’re up for sharing, and what you learned from it?
I’m comfortable sharing anything, how dare you suggest otherwise.
Anything you used to be wrong about?
I was pretty sure that you could only get chicken pox once. But at the height of the COVID pandemic, I contracted it for the second time. The doctor laughed in my face.
Embarrassing internet habit?
I play around two hours of online Settlers of Catan a day. My handle is AcidPhreak if anyone reading this plays.
Ideal morning routine versus actual morning routine?
Dream scenario is to wake up somewhere entirely dark, like a cave or coffin.
In reality, I have my head wrapped up in a t-shirt, my brown noise machine blaring and my arms crossed on my chest like a vampire.
Something very off-brand for you?
[Our drummer] Stu not wearing a hat or beanie, going bare dome in the wind. For me, I’d say athletics or eggs.
Bad health decision?
I had a rash for so long that I ran out of pharmacies in Newcastle to go to. I don’t like the idea of buying anti-fungal cream from the same person more than once.
What do you waste money on?
VHS board games, skulls and bouncy balls from the IGA vending machine.
Worst procrastination habit?
Writing more songs instead of putting out the perfectly good songs we have at home.
Jacob’s new single Hospital is out now.
Like our Sucks column? Check out our full catalogue of chats here.
Illustration credit: Matt Lauricella, @pigeonboyart