From Men at Work to Midnight Oil to AC/DC, the Aussies seem to be able to come up with things that are all their own, musically. Strange Karma fit this mold nicely as they mix Zeppelin riffage with funky chords and a rockin’ rhythm section. At times, they are hard rock, other times they are modern rock and then there are times they veer into old school metal, but they never stay in one place long, making listening to Strange Karma a fun ride.

Classic Rock Revisited caught up with The Brothers Strange, vocalist Martin, and guitarist Paul, to learn more about how this band has survived the school of music business hard knocks and why they think that coming to America is what they need to do to make it big.

Strange Karma have many things going for them, they are smart, worldly, hardworking and savvy. Most of all, they are talented songwriters and musicians who are hell bent to take on the world of rock n roll. Its damn time we get away from gaga and goo goo music and remember what real rock is all about. So, ladies and gentleman, may I introduce to you…. The Crocodile Dundee of Rock n’ Roll… Strange Karma.

Paul: Everything was done so independently that no one had really heard of us. It was all done under the radar of critics, writers and promoters. The journey was hell but we are here now.

Martin: We like to keep ourselves open to everything. The more music you listen to the better; the more you create.

Paul: We are not listening to it. Some of those songs are very old. We just want to move forward and move on to the next thing.

Martin: We love playing the songs live and that is what it is all about. Listening to them back is a bit different.

Paul: The songs are like kids that have grown up and left for college.

Paul: It took almost three years. We were unfortunate to meet a lot of snakes and leaches out there in the music industry.

Martin: They, in turn, introduce to you to more leaches and snakes and, before you know it, three years are gone.

Paul: It did. We have had a lot of bad experiences along the way and we are very stubborn. The three of us, Jason [McDonald], as well, he has been in our corner since he joined in 2006, don’t give up.

Martin: Resistance breaks resistance.

Paul: If you see Strange Karma live then there is piano there and you get our whole live experience. “Young and Free” doesn’t sound like Zeppelin. “Done Easy” also doesn’t sound like Zeppelin. However, we are a new band so how is a writer going to let people know what sort of level we are trying to bring this too without comparisons?

Martin: I can’t stand those fucking people; I hate that kind of music. We do what comes naturally; we don’t overthink things a lot. We get together and whatever comes out is what comes out. We stay true to ourselves.

Paul: We are rough around the edges but it shows the real thing. I think it adds a bit of character.

Martin: I don’t think there is any band in the world that has done what we have done. By that I mean that Paul and I have traveled to three continents, unsigned, without management, to gain experience. We have paid our own way and we have played all over the world. We are really real. I don’t think there are a lot of bands that would go to the UK from Australia, or to the USA, unsigned, because it costs a lot of money. We worked a lot of odd jobs. We bring all of these experiences to our music. I think that is why it sounds spunky.

Martin: There were many, many moments like that. We started being roadies for any band that was coming to the UK. The band even broke up in the UK at one point.

Paul: It actually took us a few months to save enough cash to get us back to Australia. That was a bit of a “what are we going to do” moment. We had gear that we needed to get back home as well. It wasn’t as easy as just booking a flight and hopping on a plane. Even just raising the cash to get the plane tickets was tough. There is a hell of a story here.

Martin: It all builds character. We just keep moving forward.

Paul: We’re fucking crazy, man.

Paul: We can make it happen.

Martin: You guys have the venues. All the Australian music industry is doing is copying what you guys are doing. We are just two or three steps behind. It really does not help us out if we are trying to do something different. For us, the key is to break where you are. Our next goal is to hit the States and start playing shows and spreading the word.

Martin: Yes we are. We are getting a complete revamp of the site very soon. We are going to revamp MySpace and Twitter and all that cool stuff very soon. So keep checking us out as you will like what you see.

Paul: We are going to try and get over there this year; probably at the end of what is your summer, something like that.

Martin: [laughter] That is right, man, that’s us.

Martin: In the early days, it started off as just imagination. We would close our eyes and try to come up with tunes. When we started hitting the road, and we gained a lot of life experience, then we started writing from the heart. Paul and I collaborate. As brothers, we will have disagreements but there is nowhere to run. It is not like I am going to go, “I quit on you, bro.” We are not going to quit. It is actually a very positive thing in that manner. We are just going to keep going on.

Martin: We could go into a studio tomorrow and bang out another album. I don’t want to sound like a cocky bastard but that is the truth.

Paul: We have got some guys in Australia that would be keen to do that. It is a great idea but we need to make it to the USA first, as this is where it is all going to blossom for us. We are a band from Australia, who has chops and who has good songs. It will all come together but we just have to cross that Pacific ocean, which is huge.

Paul: [laughter] We will see what happens. We will try to leave some for you guys.

Martin: There is Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple…

Paul: Jimi Hendrix.

Martin: All the old awesome stuff.

Paul: Our parents had good taste in music and they were always playing good music, so that is where it all started for us. Comparing the stuff they were playing to what was playing on the radio was like, come on man… The stuff they were playing was awesome.

Paul: I think that the songwriting has impact. The song “America” doesn’t have a solo and it has a modern kind of feel. There are certain things we do that make that retro style more modern.

Martin: Over the years, we have been able to develop our own style. Every song that we play has that Strange Karma sound going on. Hopefully, that will be a good thing. When people hear our music on the radio then they will know it is Strange Karma, straight away.

Paul: You really get blown away, man.

Martin: I think that is the best result that you can hope for. I think that is what we do it for. For someone to come up to us after a show and say, “Man, that was awesome, ” just feel s great.

Paul: With us, we have had a really long and hard road. We are not spoiled at all. We are really focused and we really work together as a team. I think a lot of those bands got signed when they were younger, and they had a lot of success, so it is easy for them to go, “Fuck you” but with us, if we did that, then we would not be talking to you today.

www.strangekarma.net