by Julia Cirignano
photo by Nat Lanyon
Cub Sport is a indie pop band from Australia. The band consists of Tim Nelson, Zoe Davis, Sam Netterfield, and Dan Puusaari. You may have heard of them under their old name Cub Scouts which they were forced to change due to legal issues. I was given the opportunity to talk with the band about the name change, their new album, and their bright future.
While Cub Sport originated in Australia, the band has received worldwide attention. This is due to their universally pleasing music. They have been fortunate with radio support around the world which has given them opportunities to tour internationally.
Cub Sport’s music may consist of young members, but the music is wise beyond their years. Their lyrics are raw, personal, and at times, even self-deprecating. Tim Nelson, the songwriter and lead vocalist of the band, talks about his experience writing for their new album, This is Our Vice, “I tried to be really honest with the lyrics for our album.” Although he says he still enjoys listening to the music, he explains, “it is a strange feeling being so open and knowing that people I’ve never met can have that insight into my life through our album.” This is the magic behind their music.
Throughout the process of writing This is Our Vice, Nelson chose to concentrate on issues that were close to him. He didn’t write the album with one specific idea in mind, but by the end of the process, he came out with a one solid idea, “I was just trying to capture these weird early-twenties years in an honest way. I guess something I’d like people to get out of listening to the album is that it’s okay not to be okay all the time.” Nelson created songs that ended up being therapeutic for his listeners, and also helped him work through personal struggle.
He has been working on his craft as a songwriter for a while now. Along with the writing he does for Cub Sport, he has also collaborated famous song writing in the music industry such as Jim Irvin and Julian Emery. “It was an amazing experience working with writers who have written with some of my favorite artists including Lana Del Rey.” When I ask about specific ways in which these two songwriters have influenced Cub Sport, Nelson explains, “I feel like I’ve had a more thoughtful approach to melody after working with Jim so it has probably influenced Cub Sport indirectly.”
The band became Cub Sport after an incident in 2013 with Scouts Australia. “We received a legal letter from Scouts Australia saying that we couldn’t have the word ‘scout’ in our band name. We had a list of hundreds of new name options, but Cub Sport felt like the smoothest, most fitting name to switch to. We feel like the name Cub Sport still captures the youthful feel of the old name and we’re more than happy to leave behind the scouts association.”
Cub Sport is proud of their young spirits, but they should not be labeled as naive. These fairly young musicians have proven themselves and deserve to be taken seriously. Yet, of course, they will always feel connected to their fan’s, the Cubbies. The band connects with their fans through personal lyrics that target an age group similar to their own. They will continue to grow with their fans, yet under a slightly different name.
The band has been on their This Is Our Vice Tour since May. They have been touring Europe, and will be touring America starting with their show in Philadelphia on June 7th at Milkboy. After that, they will be touring the rest of North America, and ending their tour back in their homeland of Australia this August. Details can be found at their website cubsport.com.
Nelson says that he has even began writing for the next Cub Sport album. “I’ve been writing lots of songs and I feel like the second Cub Sport album is already coming together, so the rest of the year will hopefully hold some time in the studio!” This band is bursting with creativity. Even though they are currently touring, they are still making new music and they’re happy to do so.
Cub Sport is a great band which encompass the seriousness of young adult life. They express their frustration in songs that can be relatable to any age group. Cub Sport confronts life head on with brutal honesty, raw lyrics, and one saving grace that in their positivity towards life. Music has become their therapy, and they have became a saving grace to their Cubbies. “It’s okay not to be okay.”
