In this week's 10 Questions we get to know Toxic Garden Gnomes, a pop-rock band from Brisbane, Australia.

Their song 'Out Of It' is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists

You can follow Toxic Garden Gnomes on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

1. Tell us a little about where you are from.

Toxic Garden Gnomes are an Australian based band that have existed for many years. Their sound is an amalgam of 80’s new wave , 90’s punk funk and naughties punk. We’ve supported everyone from The Cramps to Midnight Oil and have toured extensively in Australia. Our sound is an amalgam of 80’s new wave , 90’s punk funk and 00s punk.

Currently we’re in preproduction to go into the studio in September to record a number of songs and videos for release by the end of the year which is exciting for us.

2. What inspired Toxic Garden Gnomes to start playing and making music?

We formed in high school and have been musically active ever since. We were delinquents and music became our collective therapy. Turning to music and gigging gave us a sense of purpose and focus and although we can’t say we lived exemplary lives we didn’t end up in prison and actually turned things around through our music careers.

We toured hard in our younger years but these days we only record and play the odd gig. Our parents all played big roles in supporting our musical endeavors. Our first professional performance was when we were aged 15 -17 and we had a brick thrown at our car when we left.

It was at this point we knew this was the career for us.

3. Who are Toxic Garden Gnomes's biggest musical influences?

Our influences vary greatly from Talking Heads, Brian Eno to AC/DC, System of a Down, John Fruisciante from RHCP to Suicidal Tendencies, Avenge Sevenfold, Primus, Iggy Pop and Bowie

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

To continue recording and making music and videos with the odd gig , practicing, learning more about production and engineering. I’m lucky to live in a very musical town so I get to experience a lot of like minded people in my area and of course online the world has become a much smaller place.

If Charles Connolly reviewed one of our new songs I’d be beside myself!

5. Tell us about your creative process.

Generally we will come up with ideas just through jamming and mucking about. Usually we’ll just have a jam on a germ of an idea and then take it away to our home studios and refine it. lyrics are the last stage of the process. We don’t limit ourselves or become formulaic too much so anything is always possible. Things can happen quite by accident and change from song to song.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

Well, it would differ for every member in the band but for me personally it’s currently Changes by Bowie. Just the way the song is structured, the chords, the minimalist drums and production and the hooks are all perfection in my book.

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?

Don’t get into the music industry for sex, drugs and rock and roll. There’s plenty of that already in life. Being a musician is a calling just like the priesthood but by the looks of it a lot more fun. Be good to your parents and give back more than you take.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

Being a parent. Seeing where practice leads you with your craft. I used to be a hopeless drummer and I still don’t rate myself but I did the hard yards and put in the effort. I’ve played some shows that I’ll never forget where everything has just come together and those moments are gold. There’s nothing like it.

9. What's been your most embarrassing moment so far?

When I was 15, at my first gig, I wore a purple vinyl waistcoat with no shirt and nikko pen tattoos. We had a brick thrown through our back windscreen and escaped with barely our lives.

10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

Lowest point was suffering from addiction and highest point was overcoming it.

In 2023 I was formally diagnosed with ADHD and I finally had an answer to why I was such a naughty boy and to why I was and the band were such a bunch of misfits. I went from car thief to good parent, I think that is my proudest achievement.