Dune Rats discuss first signing to Ratbag Records

Brisbane’s self-professed ‘Hyperactive Stoner C*nts’ Dune Rats, announced the first signing to their own label Ratbag Records, SKEGSS.

Speaking to TMN, Dune Rats bassist Brett Jansch said he first met SKEGSS bassist Toby Cregan when the pair were just 12-years-old.

“We were surfing and I filled up his wetsuit with sand and made him a fat cunt and threw him in the ocean,” said Jansch.

“Ever since then Brett’s been trying to give Toby a leg up in life!” added guitarist/vocalist Danny Beusa. “But seriously, we got ‘em on shows last year and thought they were fuckin’ sick.”

The trio from Byron Bay is one of this year’s triple j Unearthed Splendour In The Grass comp winners. SKEGSS will play the hometown festival next week alongside Dune Rats, Blur, Mark Ronson and Florence + The Machine.

Cregan told TMN of the signing: “It’s sick. The fact that we’re all good friends and this signing has come about and been built on a friendship level rather than just our professional goals. Now, we can get the whole squad together and do our own shit because of the opportunities the [Dune Rats] boys have been given.”

Ratbag Records - named after early single Ratbags from Dune Rats’ first EP - uses Warner Music Australia for distribution. “We had the resources from Warner that meant that we could help out bands that we like and offer ‘em sick terms,” the band told TMN.

Warner Music Australia told TMN the promotion of the labels' acts will be handled by WMA "on a case by case basis."

Dune Rats said Johann Ponniah, the head of their label I Oh You, gave them advice during the initial stages of forming Ratbag Records: “He gave us advice on what a good deal was to offer a band like SKEGSS. We’ve been mates with him for years and learnt a lot from him.

“We want Ratbag Records to sign an eclectic smorgasbord of mad people who write sick tunes.”