Cub Sport’s latest release Jesus at the Gay Bar

Words by Rachel Weinberg
Photos by Gabe Hanvey

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with mind.” It bears witness to thoughts, encompasses experiences and realises fantasies. Love guides and rules. It shapes who we are and how we see the world. For Tim Nelson, Zoe Davis, Sam Netterfield and Dan Puusaari, better known as Cub Sport, love is more than a feeling – it is an idea that governs their sonic decisions and musical output. The Australian independent band’s most recent album, Jesus at the Gay Bar, is a testament to this. Characterised by dreamy, introspective lyrics and synth-heavy arrangements, the album journeys through what it means to be who you are and choose who you love.

Standing in the hallway of an ‘abandoned’ Melbourne warehouse, moments before their album pre-release party, Rachel Weinberg spoke to lead singer and songwriter Tim Nelson about the new album, representation in the music industry, friendship, queerness, relationships, and of course, love.

Rachel Weinberg: How are you? How are you feeling?

Tim Nelson: I'm good. A little bit nervous, but mostly excited.

RW: Do you always feel nervous before your live performances?

TN: Not every time, but I think it's dawning on me that tonight people are going to hear the whole album for the first time. It feels like a big deal.

RW: I've read that the album is about love and relationships. I wanted to start with asking what kind of messages you want the songs to convey?

TN: I guess I wanted to offer the truest version of my experiences. When I was younger, there wasn't a lot of same sex themes in music – there were no queer love songs, at least none that were openly queer. So, the goal with this album was to share my experience as genuinely as possible. I hope to provide some sort of inspiration or comfort to other people who are on a similar journey to the one I’ve been on.

RW: What does representation in the music industry mean to you?

TN: Representation in the music industry, and actually any industry, is about creating a feeling of freedom. I know it's been said 100 times before, but when you express yourself openly it gives other people the freedom and confidence to do the same. They'll look at you and see that being who you are doesn’t have to ruin your life. Hopefully this album can help other people work through any fears that they have about expressing themselves.

RW: Why is now the right time to release this album?

Up until this point, I think a lot of my songwriting has been about working through the harder parts of life. So, I decided for this one to be a bit lighter. I wanted to make it about holding on to moments of joy even when you might be experiencing pain and difficulty. And while I don't think that this album completely shies away from life’s darker parts, sonically, it feels more uplifting. Five albums in, it was time to celebrate the point in my life where I am now. This one feels the most like a celebration.

RW: As collaborators for the past twelve years, what do you continue to learn from and about one another as a band?

TN: Mostly it’s us learning about ourselves. We're always evolving in the same direction and witnessing each other’s progress. I think it's rare for friends to even stay close for a decade and their relationship not to fracture even a little bit. When we started, we were teenagers, and although we were all completely different people, we had this shared belief in Cub Sport. That's kind of the thing that has kept us all here. We almost have an indescribable relationship – it's like a family or a best friendship, but then it's also like having business partners that bounce creative ideas off each other. To have landed with a group of people that feel so complimentary and strong, it sounds kind of corny, but I really think it's fate. We were meant to be together.

RW: Fashion, as I can see, is an integral part of your musical identity. I wanted to ask how your style influences or enhances your musical output?

TN: I feel like it's another way to express myself and my vision … It's another way to show your true self. It is always intuitive and I try lots of different things to see what feels right. What I'm wearing for a show can completely transform the performance that I give. Once I came out and started to feel like I could dress to match how I felt on the inside, it elevated the performance. I feel like I’m still on that journey.

RW: Do you think your fashion has evolved from when you started? Have you put more conscious thought into it?

TN: We're always learning how to improve. We’ve built a lot of confidence and gained a sense of what looks good and what doesn't. When we were packing this morning to come here, I was looking at all of our jewellery and I thought ‘wow’, we have some really ugly stuff! [laughs] What were we thinking? [Laughs]

RW: Tell me about the process of wearing KOURH and Olivia Rowan at the Grammys?

TN: Well, for us to even be at the Grammys was such a huge deal, especially for independent and self-managed artists. We never relied on strong connections in the industry to give us a leg up. So, to be there felt really special. If we have an opportunity to be on the world stage, then we want to bring other people up there with us. We want to showcase the extreme talent that so many people wouldn't know about. And I feel like those designers were the best people to bring our vision to life.

RW: And you’re going on tour in the US this year. Although you travel a lot, you always make sure to come home, back to Australia. Why is it important for you all to keep coming back?

TN: Honestly, the main thing that I'm coming back for is my dog, Missy. I’m obsessed [laughs].

RW: What breed is she?

TN: She’s a groodle.

RW: Same colouring as your hair?

TN: Yes! Exactly! So any chance that we can, we go back to Brisbane to see Missy and obviously friends and family as well. I think that Australia is quite a peaceful place to come back to. I was in Brazil a few weeks ago and it was incredible but coming back to Brisbane was very calming.

RW: And then tonight is your pre-release party, which you made a free event. How come you decided to do that?

TN: I wanted it to be accessible for as many people as possible. If they want to be here and hear the album, then they can.  

RW: This album has a lot of dance, electronic and house influence. It sounds faster than your previous albums. What should we expect sonically from the next era of Cub Sport? And do you think your listeners and audience will be surprised by anything?

TN: At this stage, I don't know what's going to come next. I'm always writing in lots of different styles. There's a whole other album that I wrote at the same time as this one which is way more experimental and a bit sadder. It's almost like the dark side of this album. I really love it though. I am thinking about finishing that one off and maybe making it the next release. I've also been working on more dance music. I guess I'll just see what feels right for the next step. I always like to keep it open and be free to evolve in whatever direction feels right.