Interview by Kris Peters
Sydney's merchants of sludge Black Rheno have hit the road again, this time on an East Coast tour of Australia to celebrate… well, to celebrate that they are a touring band and that's what touring bands do!
Since announcing themselves with the heavy as fuck and funnier than childbirth single No Time For Numb Nuts back in 2016 Black Rheno have epitomised the very spirit of Australian music, often driving ten hours to play a show while allowing themselves nothing more than cheese and crackers for dinner so they didn't run out of petrol between gigs.
You may smirk, but I have seen it first-hand.
With a dedication to touring and music almost as complete as their ability to entertain, Black Rheno are one of those bands that manage to make an impression everywhere they go, even sometimes being invited to come back.
That tenacious will to do what they love paid handsome dividends earlier this year when Black Rheno joined good mates and equally hard-working Aussie metal larrikins King Parrot for a show with Pantera in Adelaide. Not only was it reward for effort, but it also got the trio so wrapped up in their own achievements they decided then and there to hit the road once more with one thought, and one objective only. To tell the world exactly who they are and why they are here with one simple question that has become the catch cry for the whole tour.
Who The Fuck Are Black Rheno?
Of course, HEAVY has our own ideas of how that question should be answered, but we felt obliged to speak with frontman Ryan Miller first before announcing it publicly to see if he could sway our opinion one way or another. With the first three shows completed last weekend, we start by asking how their quest for recognition has gone thus far.
"Good," he enthused. "It was our first time out at Penrith. There's a new venue out there called Elton Chongs and I want to give them a massive plug because they are fucken awesome."
Not being able to avoid the elephant lurking in the corner of the room any longer, we broach the name of the tour and suggest that there surely couldn't be many people left who don't know who the fuck Black Rheno are.
"I'm sure there are plenty," he brushed off dismissively, "but it's more like do we know who Black Rheno is? Do we really know just who we really are? We need to go out and discover who we really are. We have to get to the core of who Black Rheno really is."
In the full interview, Ryan discussed the challenges and aspirations related to touring, highlighting the demanding nature of touring in Australia and the intricate process of organizing tours. He expressed his deep appreciation for the touring experience and the thrill of living for the music. The conversation also included details about Black Rheno's recent tour shows in New South Wales, upcoming tour dates in Victoria and Queensland, and the addition of a special show with Wretch in Canberra.
He delved into the essence of the band, contemplating their identity and the challenge of encapsulating their music in just a few words. The discussion also touched on their natural, unpretentious stage presence and the significance of touring with local support bands. He also discussed the show with Pantera and how special it was personally and musically, and finished with a plug for the new Black Label beer that is on sale at all but two of the shows.