March 2026

GET TO KNOW… TANIA BOWERS

Nic: I’ll go back to when you were little. Was there much music in your house?

I remember every morning some daggy AM station out of my dad’s radio – I’m pretty sure they played Penny Lane – the Beatles every single morning at the same time. Mum also was mostly radio. We had a John Denver cassette and she liked church hymns.

Nic: What was the home stereo like in your house when you were a kid?

The record player stopped working early on, I remember a Sesame Street vinyl but not much else. It literally was never fixed. Then came a big double-cassette stereo and a host of boom boxes.

Nic: What was your parent’s taste in music like? Did they play records?

Really average except for when relatives came over, they would play lots of South African songs with all the hits at the time. I do remember the 70s, the Village People, “Pass the Dutchie”. Our family gatherings always ended up with everyone dancing in the loungeroom, that probably only stopped when the parents hit their 60s and 70s.

Nic: Not sure how old you were when your family moved to Australia, but what was the first record or cd you bought? I’m having a guess that you might be from the Compact Disc Age.

I’m not sure what came first, 1927’s …Ish or the Church Starfish. But that was high school.

Nic: Who were your favourite bands/singers when you were in Primary School?

I LOVED Boy George. I liked Olivia Newton-John. The Bangles.

Nic: Now some radio questions. Did Triple J turn you on to the ‘alternative/indie’ scene?

No, I think we were all about before JJJ started or we weren’t aware. Mostly radio was just ‘on’ or I stayed glued to the countdown of Australian and US to record them.

Nic: Were you and your sisters glued to Rage on the weekend?

Yes, the earlier the better but Kim used to set up the VCR so we could watch the good programmers from during the night.

Nic: What was the first live concert you went to?

The Sparklers, Big Pig, 1927 and Icehouse at the Entertainment Centre.

Nic: What was the first show you played?

Ooof, a school dance. We had just discovered punk, no one else had.

Nic: Where would you buy your instruments from? What was your first guitar?

Mum bought us classical guitars in primary school and we learnt basic chords and songs I think. I started in Year 5 so that was the first one.

Nic: Where did you rehearse when you first started out?

Mel – our drummer’s granny flat. Looking back that spot was perfect. I don’t think neighbours ever complained and I can’t remember ever going into the actual house. Occasionally downstairs, at our house.

Nic: Are you brave enough to quote lyrics from the first song you ever wrote?

I remember our first songs and I didn’t write the lyrics! I cannot remember the first song I wrote on my own. My cousin wrote sick lyrics though. It went: ‘what would it be like if tomorrow was gone, yesterday was here and today didn’t come’. It was deep!

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Tania was a member of Spdfgh and has performed as Sunday, Via Tania and T Wilds. Her most recent album Ten Songs is available through her Bandcamp.