The band members found their way to rock music through a mix of family fandom and digital inspiration. For guitarist and vocalist Charlie, the spark was ignited early: "The first time I heard Pearl Jam was in my Dad’s car when I was thirteen... and I got back in the car and ‘Rats’ was playing, and I was like 'what is this?'" He admits he later learned what he thought was the guitar part was actually the bass-line, noting he was "very lucky" he didn't realise that at the time.

Drummer Marcus's journey started similarly: "I didn't listen to music at all before my brother showed me a band called I, Prevail," a metal act he’s still obsessed with. This led to rock through his mother, who "always blasted Foo Fighters at all hours of the day." Bassist Lachy’s introduction was purely digital: "I never really listened to music at all until I was maybe 12, went over to my cousin's house and he was showing us this cool thing on the PS2 and it was called Guitar Hero." His first taste of rock was "War Pigs by f***ing Black Sabbath, followed by Cherry Bomb by The Runaways."

The band’s combined influences reflect this diverse rock lineage: Charlie cites Pearl Jam, Oasis, Nirvana, Wunderhorse, and Talking Heads; Marcus is into Foo Fighters, Slipknot, Queens of the Stone Age, and Nirvana; and Lachy adds King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Paramore, Oasis, Queens of the Stone Age, and Jamiroquai to the mix.

The Melbourne/Naarm rock scene has a new force in Blondehouse, a three-piece built on shared musical obsessions and a no-nonsense approach to songwriting. Comprised of Charlie, Marcus, and Lachy, the band is quickly turning heads with a sound that aims for "impact rather than so much finesse." In a candid interview, the band opens up about their origins, the absurdity of the music industry, and their highly anticipated upcoming double A-side release.

Blondehouse officially formed in early 2024 after a couple of previous bands involving Charlie and Lachy had dissolved. Charlie, determined not to "spend another year on my ass doing nothing," quickly reached out to Marcus through a mutual friend. He was sitting on "three or four songs that I had written that I needed to play."

The band’s creative process, though rooted in Charlie’s initial ideas, is highly collaborative. Charlie writes the "bare bones" of the songs at home, typically starting with a riff, and then pieces together the puzzle. He sends the other two a solid demo, complete with a click track and guide track, noting, "It’s a lot more collaborative than it used to be." The bandmates "catch what I write really, really well," confirming they are all "very much on the same page of how the song will sound."

This tight understanding has fuelled their current evolution. Marcus notes they’ve "definitely expanded on our sound" and "really fallen into the whole three piece vibe," but their goal is to "sound bigger than what we already have," using harmonies and different instrumentation. Charlie agrees, stating they are moving to push the envelope for "a little bit more impact rather than so much finesse," aiming to be "a really solid rock band."

The band has been intensely focused, having recently signed with Dead Pretty Bookings and welcoming a change of scenery, with Charlie recently moving to Melbourne for "a lot more to do." He notes that the booking agency has given them more time to "divert our focus away from the business side of things and more on the songwriting side of things," which means new releases will be coming "a bit quicker." Marcus says he’s "very, very busy, but good busy," trying to entirely fill his life with music.

The band has seen its share of ups and downs on the live circuit. Charlie cites a headliner at Workers Club as their worst gig, calling it "pretty rough" because "no one knew who we were, and no one cared." Marcus's worst show was one where he "couldn’t hear anything" and was "flying completely blind," leaving him angrier than he’s ever been playing a gig.

However, the high points are what keep them going. Lachy recalls his "return gig" after three months spent between the couch, the bed, and the hospital as incredibly welcoming. The emptiness of a recent show at the Barwon Club was surprisingly not the worst—it gave them the expression to play new, experimental material. Marcus’s favourite show was Charlie’s mafia-themed birthday gig, where all their friends came out.

Their favourite songs to play reflect their driving, heavy groove. Lachy and Marcus both name "The Gun," with Marcus calling it the "most fun drum one to play" because "everything just locks in," and Lachy confirming it gives him his "most fun bass-line." Charlie’s favourite is "Person of Interest" for its straightforward, heavy, '70s rock groove, noting he is "really stoked on the riff and I love Marcus’ drumming on that song so much."

On stage, each member draws inspiration from unique sources. Charlie channels the early days of Eddie Vedder, aiming to completely "lose himself in the music" and convey intensity in his eyes. Marcus channels the precision of II from Sleep Token and the energy of Taylor Hawkins. Lachy, determined to avoid the "root note, nod heads" bass player stereotype, takes inspiration from players like James Jameson, Mikey Shoes from Queens of the Stone Age, and Jeremy Davis from Paramore.

The band has a strong, often critical, philosophy on the music industry:

On Wealth and Bias (Lachy & Marcus): Lachy notes the "impossibility" of doing art to support oneself, lamenting that "you need to be born into money... unless you're already born into the industry, or you're born into extreme wealth." Marcus agrees, frustrated that success often comes down to "who knows who" rather than the quality of the music.

On Streaming (Charlie): Charlie is deeply critical of the current royalty model, noting the "serious problem with wealth accruement to those at the top." He says the distribution is heavily gamed, with the "top 10% get like 60% of the streams," and streaming royalties for small artists are "cooked."

Best Advice: All members stress the same core message: "If you think that music owes you a thing, you're doing it wrong" (Charlie). They urge musicians to do it because they love it and "don't give a shit" about external validation.

Lachy summarises the issue of social media as a "catch 22." While the exposure is a massive plus, the speed of it means "you can become successful overnight and then the following week, no one f***ing knows you again," leading to over-saturation.

Blondehouse is moving full speed ahead with their next release, a double A-side coming out on October 17th called The Gun / Pulling Teeth—"Two tracks for the price of one," as Charlie puts it. They are excited to finally release the songs after playing them live for a while. They plan on hitting the studio again at the end of the year to record more for a release in early 2026. The band is also planning a mini-tour across Victoria for the release and hopes to hit interstate next year.

The final message Charlie shares with their listeners is one of genuine gratitude: "We appreciate everyone who listens to us so much. We know there isn't a ton of you yet, but it's not lost upon us. The effort that people take to come to shows and to listen to our music and... to really give us a crack, means so much."