Show a photo of Mildura metal band Headstone Villains to a child, and I’m tipping they’ll shriek in horror and hide. The aesthetic look of the band is the stuff nightmares are made of, and with song titles including “Coffin Dreams” and “We Are The Monsters”, it’s easy to see why. Ashlee Falvo got to know the men behind the make-up to find out what inspires their spine-chilling music, why they chose to chase the darkness and how the public reacts to their vibe. Pictures: Louise Barker
I’ve never come face to face with US rocker Marilyn Manson, but I imagine it’s a similar feeling to sitting down with Shaun Fenn, Jake Eves, Cameron Braes, Jordan Pitt and Thomas Carter.
Put simply, the boys, in their full faces of stage make-up, are utterly terrifying. But they say terror is exactly the emotion they’re aiming for.
And no, this isn’t their everyday get up, and they don’t head off to their Monday to Friday jobs with a full face of make-up.
The look
“For us, the on stage make-up and look is like a uniform,” Jordan explained.
“It’s exactly like anyone else getting dressed for work. You put it on and you know it’s time to get down to business and play the music. For us, it’s very empowering and it also provides that anonymity.”
And the boys say their core fan base locally is not necessarily who you’d expect.
“Mums love us,” Thomas laughed.
“Some of our biggest fans are the 40-year-old mums in the crowd at gigs. They’ll come up to us and say they love the look, which makes us feel all warm and fuzzy.
“We very rarely get negative feedback about our on stage look and presence – people will say that death metal isn’t necessarily their thing, but their son or daughter or whatever would love us.
“It goes to show that appreciation is there, and even if it’s not them personally, there’s someone in their life who can relate to us.”
“One of the main priorities we have is that we want our gigs to be inclusive, we want to create a safe space where anyone and everyone can come and have a good time and feel like they belong,” Shaun said.
“If people can come along to one of our gigs and see us in full faces of makeup, not caring, just rocking out and having a good time, then maybe it will give them the courage to say, ‘OK, if these guys can be themselves and not care, I can too’.”
The history
The five Mildura boys have been friends for years and always shared a mutual love of music, so it was only a matter of time before they combined their passions and created the Headstone Villains.
“All five of us have always loved the villain side of things and the underdog characters, whether it’s in cartoons, movies, whatever,” Jake said.
“It’s almost like an alter ego for us in a way. We get a kick out of it when people get freaked out by the way we look. It’s so funny when you finish a gig and go to the servo or Macca’s in the makeup – yeah, you definitely get a few strange looks.”
It’s clear to see that they feed off each others’ energy and vibe, both on stage and off.
“I think the friendship and history we have together plays a huge part in how we perform,” Shaun said.
“We’re really just a bunch of misfits, playing for other misfits. We respect each others’ vision and creative process and all of us are in it for the exact same reason – the crowd. We play for them, we want them to know that even if you’re a bit different or a bit of a misfit in a small town like Mildura, it’s OK to be yourself.”
The lyrics
Cameron, who writes all the lyrics for the band, says his inspiration comes from various sources including Edgar Allen Poe.
“I like to leave the songs open to interpretation,” he said.
“I’ll listen to the music the boys bring to the table, and I think about what it makes me feel as I hear it.
“A certain sound might make me feel sad or alone, another can give me a burst of energy. I see and visualise it before I actually write anything, it’s all about drawing inspiration from the feeling the music gives you.
“A song like Coffin Dreams, for example – you can listen to that and assume it’s literally about a coffin, or you can hear it and relate to the feeling of being trapped and wanting to rage against that.
“It all comes down to the listener’s interpretation.”
“It’s like giving him a silent film that he has to commentate over,” Jordan said.
The future
So, what’s next for the Headstone Villains?
In the wake of the release of their first EP, titled Witchcraft, Blood, Blasphemy, the boys say their journey will continue to be all about the music.
“People say to us all the time that they never thought a band like ours would come out of a little town like Mildura, but I think there’s actually lot of musos in Mildura that don’t necessarily have the outlets available to them to play,” Jordan said.
“I came to Mildura about 10 years ago, and back then the live music scene in town was great – there was open mic nights and things where local aspiring musicians could do their thing – unfortunately, the music scene has taken a turn towards a more nightclub, DJ direction,” Shaun said.
“If local venues took more of a chance and supported local acts, Mildura could be the hub for live music in regional Victoria – the talent is definitely here, but the support is lacking.”
