goodthankyou is a new DIY solo project from Jason John Leigh, frontman of Melbourne’s cult party favourites ‘The Stiffys’ who made their name through raucous live shows across the country, viral videos and typing in all caps. 

 

But this project is very different, it’s a lot more touchy feely. He records everything by himself in a secret storage unit studio, late at night so he won’t be discovered and kicked out.

 

My Dream Rider
 

• A room full of friends who’ve recently napped. 

By the time you’re ready to party after the show, your mates are usually too drunk and want to go to bed. So I’d want a small room with bunk beds for my friends to nap through the show, so they can wake up as a fresh and elite party crew. 

• A vape with five puffs. 

I’ve quit nicotine, but in these situations I really enjoy about five puffs and hate being that guy asking to suck on other people’s vapes.

• A working toilet — with a toilet seat and lockable door. 

It’s very rare you get this on the road. It’s not glamorous but hey I’d feel silly demanding ‘one million doves’ on my rider but then having someone walking in on me on the toilet. 

• Loaded fries. 

I don’t care what you put on them. Load them up with pieces of gumboot, I don’t give a shit. As long as they’ve got that weird fake orange american cheese on them I’ll think they’re fantastic.

• A lockable pie oven. 

Some venues feed you, but I can’t eat before I play. So I’m always leaving food out to eat cold after the show and it always gets stolen or thrown out.

• An extra beer fridge that can only be opened by me. 

I don’t care how they do it — scan my eyes or take some blood or something — as long as it stops everyone stealing my beers. There’s nothing sadder than coming off stage to no beers.

• A pile of tangled guitar leads. 

We have a code in my other band The Stiffys, where if you want to extract yourself from a conversation with a punter you say “Sorry, I’ve got to go and roll up some leads,” then go hide in the green room. No one gets offended because ‘rolling up leads’ sounds like an important job. So I’d like a pile of leads that I could point to if anyone busted me hiding in the green room. 

• Upper class underwear. 

I’ve been wearing Bonds for too long and it’s probably time to step up to the fancy brands. And there is no better feeling than brand new underwear.

• A bottle opener. 

Yes, I can open beers with a lighter if I have to, but I’m tired of pretending it doesn’t hurt my hands. And I’ve never figured out how to flick the lid real good so it makes that pop sound. 

• A bottle of cheap white wine. 

This is already on The Stiffys rider. Venues are happy to do it because it’s cheap, and I’m happy because I’ve got a big bottle to swig on stage that lasts the whole gig and it doesn’t matter if it gets warm. Plus, because of all the adrenaline you don’t really feel the alcohol until after the show, when it all hits at once. So you’ve got to pack up your gear quickly before that happens. 

 

The plug: Everything that you’d like to plug re: new releases, links to music and any show dates and info

My debut album THE KENNARDS SESSIONS just dropped (Spotify link) alongside a karaoke video by Tim Hamilton that’s shot from the bouncing ball’s perspective (the ball has marital issues).