LOUIS BURKE | Culture | CONTACT
As the days stretch out and the heats sets in, many Australians look forward to the warm and enticing embrace of the summer down under. For lead singer of Thirsty Merc, Rai Thistlethwayte, the seasonal excitement of the average Aussie pales in comparison to his.
“Heh heh heh, royalty season is on the way! December first can’t come soon enough mate!”
Formed in 2002, Thirsty Merc is an Australian pop-rock group most noted for their 2004 Aria nominated self-titled album and out-of-vogue hair and goatee combinations.
Many Australian’s remember them for their 2005 hit single, In The Summertime, a song described my Australian radio announcer Myf Warhurst as:
“..like Vegemite, VB or avoiding a loud ice addict the beach. You can’t really have an Aussie summer without it.”
According to Thistlethwayte, the track’s synonymous nature with the Australian summer has been the continued source of abundant spiritual and financial gain for the Dubbo four-piece who have enjoyed a spike of relevance every summer for the past 11 years.
“Don’t get me wrong, the Bondi Rescue royalties do alright but summer is kingdom come for us mate.”
Speaking with The Advocate bass player Phil Stack shocks us with the revelation that this was completely intentional.
“Originally the song was meant to be a harsh critique of the socio-economic and political issues in Dubbo like the corruption in the turf club and all the stabbings that happened in Orana Mall. But we decided we might make a bit of reliable coin each year if we made it about how good an Aussie summer is.”
With summer around the corner, Stack and his bandmates are rubbing their palms in anticipation of the annual royalties they are expecting in the comings months.
“This year is going to be a big one too. People are done with our government right now. They want to look back at a simpler time; the sweet times, the hot nights…you get me.”
