Melbourne trio The Pictures return with their first new music in 15 years in the form of a new single ‘I Can’t Hold It Back’, the first taste of an LP, due early 2023. Available digitally, on limited edition marbled blue/black 7” vinyl, and on black vinyl.

The Pictures of course were – are – the singing, songwriting and guitar-slinging vehicle for Davey Lane, best known perhaps to Australian music fans as You Am I’s “newest” member – he joined them in 1999 –  and long-time guitarist. No mere side project, The Pictures, who also featured – feature – bass player Luke Thomas and drummer Brett Wolfenden, were known for their classic tunage and their meaty, beaty, big, and bouncy instrumental punch, which was heard on 5 EPs, 2 albums (including a Triple J Feature Album) and an odds and sods compilation.

The Pictures cut a swathe through the competition early in the new millennium, but were hindered by usual music biz rubbish and the fact that “rock” – which had once more or less been synonymous with “pop” – had by the new millennium been reduced to a misunderstood sub-genre, even if it was seeing a brief “revival” of popularity at the time.

Davey Lane elaborates: “I was burned out and, in hindsight, incredibly depressed and anxious as a result of the band’s experiences. Peripheral things like management/label/money problems (hardly a unique story for a rock band) had sucked all the joy out of it, the not-so-peripheral change of lineup with our drummer Brett Wolfenden parting ways with Luke Thomas and myself altered the chemistry considerably. I also felt we never really “fit” anywhere either, becoming known as “early ’00’s rock revival coulda-beens” kinda pigeonholed us – I felt straightjacketed by it and just wanted to try different styles and new things. My creative endeavours have never been in pursuit of a career, or popularity or whatever – don’t get me wrong I want folks to enjoy them of course – but I’ve always felt the urge to make music for my own happiness and preservation of my mental health. When both of those things are removed from the equation, it’s time to take a step back.”

Following The Pictures’ initial split, Davey himself has carved a path as a solo artist, releasing a slew of singles, EPs and 3 full length albums to date. He has also become an in-demand musician and collaborator, touring with Crowded House, playing in The Stems, and contributing to recordings for Jimmy Barnes, the late Jim Keays (Masters Apprentices) and Chris Bailey (The Saints), and more recently Robyn Hitchcock, Phil Jamieson and Todd Rundgren, who invited Davey to collaborate with him on his upcoming album Space Force. He of course continues a 24-year run with You Am I, on lead guitar and occasional singing/songwriting duties.

Meanwhile, Luke Thomas continued to hone his songwriting craft with his bands the Deserters and Central Rain, while Brett played with Jim Keays, joined The Casanovas, and continues to drum for Davey’s solo band, as well as much-loved ’60s/early ’70s covers band Thee Marshmallow Overcoat, alongside Davey and fellow in-demand musician and collaborator, Ashley Naylor.

The Pictures mark their return with new single ‘I Can’t Hold It Back’, the first taste of an upcoming Pictures LP, due early in 2023 on Cheersquad Records. Restored, rejuvenated and resplendent are Davey, Luke and Brett – the original and classic lineup of The Pictures.

“The time is right,” says Lane, “so why the hell not? We’ve had more than enough time between drinks to shed the baggage and inject fun back into it – we can play and sing better than we ever could back in the day, and we’re coming up with new material that we simply didn’t have the depth of knowledge and experience to produce back then. And we ain’t gettin’ any bloody younger, are we? Who says you can’t teach older dogs newer tricks?!”

I CAN’T HOLD IT BACK – One of the more recent songs written for the upcoming Pictures LP. Written by Davey in 20 minutes flat it’s an explosive piece of guitar-driven pop/rock with an anthemic chorus that speaks to following one’s heart. “As life goes on and you learn to become a better judge of character, knock on wood… People aren’t always what they present themselves to be, and on the same hand people aren’t always the sum of what other people say about them. It’s about following your gut and figuring it out for yourself. It might change your life for the better.”

GROUND CONTROL (4-Track Demo) – A song recorded and released in 2003 on the Something I Don’t Know EP, presented here in its original form as a 4-track demo. “We “properly” recorded this song with Lindsay Gravina later on, but that recording didn’t capture the same nasty, intense energy as the original demo here. We did it on Luke’s 4-track in a rehearsal room. I remember feeding the drums through a blue Boss compression guitar pedal.  The results are very “lo-fi” but, hey, if it works for Cleaners From Venus and Guided By Voices…. also I like the idea of two sides of a 45 representing an evolution of twenty (TWENTY?!? Flippin’ heck….) years.”