Ventolin come out of their shell
"Why don't we see more of them?" That's what everyone around here wants to know.Beacause Ventoiln aren't the type to blow their own trumpet.
"We kind of keep to ourselves," says Ventolin frontman Justin."Especially in the last few months.I guess we've been through a sort of transition period.We've been honing our sound and lately this has been more important to us than gigging" Anyone who heard Ventolin a year ago would be surprised at how much this band has changed.Veering away from the traditional "heavy rock" that the majority of Wollongong bands subscribe to,they are now aiming for something completely different. "We're more stripped back,less complicated," Justin explains."I suppose you could call it post rock/indie rock.I don't know.Basically we are just playing what we want to play." "Our influences have changed too.We've been listening to a lot of Chicago music like Slint and Shellac.I really like that kind of "Math Rock",you know,calculated music." The band also enjoys travelling to Sydney to check out bands."Sometimes you listen to some fantastic song and you just think why didn't I write that," Justin groans. He needn't worry.Listening to Ventolin play live is like walking into a wall of sound.But it is not just because the guys are super tight.Their music seems to include every emotion; picking you up and making you fell,simple as that. Recent gigs at the Unibar and the Oxford gave these guys the perfect opportunity to show the gong their newly polished material.But unlike other bands Ventolin aren't worried about the lack of venue's in the area."We don't want to go overkill,playing gigs every weekend," says Justin."We'd rather just play one gig and enjoy it." The band is currently waiting on the release of their next CD,with lack of funds being the only thing holding them back from the final mastering.They have been lucky enough to work with producer Dave Trump,an enterprising 24 year old who has also worked with Aussie icons such as Pollyanna,You Am I,Something For Kate and Big Heavy Stuff.His experience has helped capture the sound they were looking for. Ventolin will be playing the odd Oxford gig.If you still hasn't seen them,you really,really should.I promise you they are something different.