I live in the country, as far from cities as possible. But I loved New York, once upon a time. It felt like anything could happen, and it usually did.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
Pazar Food Collective in Canterbury NSW. I think it’s long gone now, but it was the greatest restaurant I ever went to. I still dream about it, many years later. The roasted pumpkin. The labne. Oh my gosh.
FAVOURITE BAR
Titus Jones in Marrickville. Margarita. Tacos. So good.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
Sleep.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Kitty Somerset in Northcote. I lived in Melbourne for a decade and I loved that bar. Tom, the guy who set it up — he was a wonderful barman / host / human. He used to make these apple shots with Zubrowka vodka. It was a happy place, it was like a dickhead-free zone. I miss it.
FAVOURITE WINE AT THE MOMENT
Cripes. That’s a tough one. I’m on the cheap and cheerful at the moment. I shared a few bottles of Vat 47 from Tyrell’s with my parents when they were alive. Sometimes a Vat 1. Beautiful wines.
A WINERY YOU LOVED
My dad worked in the wine industry, so I have some fabulous memories of trips with him – mostly around NSW – Tyrell’s, Brokenwood, Scarborough, Hungerford. I was a kid, but I developed an early appreciation for wine.
NEXT DESTINATION
I’m about to go on tour with a new album, so I’m packing bags again, heading out. Australian capitals, mostly, with a few little detours. I used to tour all the time; I thought that part of my life was over. But here we go again.
DINNER PARTY WITH THREE FAMOUS PEOPLE, GO.
To be honest, I hate the whole concept of fame, it has ruined the world. What if you send me some really famous people and I poison them? That would be cool. Truly.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB
Making music I love with people I love. Sounds corny – it’s incredibly corny – but it’s also true.
What did your time in Machine Gun Fellatio teach you about yourself and life?
In retrospect – It taught me that I was not very smart or clever. It taught me that life is short and that success, fame, value and significance are not necessarily related. It taught me that I should’ve left MGF way sooner than I did.
You relocated to Melbourne and did a stint overseas. Any epiphanies occur in this time?
I relocated to Melbourne while I was still in the band. And then a few years later I went overseas for quite a while. I think I was trying to figure out who I was. I’m not sure about epiphanies – I’m not sure they can be trusted. But I guess I figured out a lot of things in my life at that point, and changed a few things.
Why was the time right to make a new album?
I’d written a lot of songs and a producer named Damian Cafarella talked me into recording some of them. He is a wonderful musician and he made it very easy.
THREE NEW SONGS AND WHY
The album was recorded on the outskirts of Melbourne. Two people – myself and Damian Caf – a bunch of instruments, we just sat and played for several days at a time. No samples, no loops, just a lot of live one-take playing. I think that’s where I’m at in 2026 – really in love with great playing and singing.
My Heart Is In the Wrong Place – it’s a cover of a song by Ben Salter. I don’t do a lot of covers but I watched him perform it in my local pub, and the song stayed with me. I just couldn’t stop singing it.
Unsent Letter – a reworking of a song I did with MGF. I love the song and I’ve been playing it in different ways for a long time. I really love this version.
I’ll Be Alright – a song I wrote with my friend Maree. It’s very country. It kind of freaked me out when we recorded it. I kept asking Damian: is this a good idea? Have I gone mad? Am I going to end up at a rodeo somewhere?
You’ve also worked as a screenwriter; from Underbelly: Vanishing Act to Warnie, and Sweat whichfeatured a young Heath Ledger.
All I can tell you is that as a screenwriter in TV, you’re on the bottom of the ladder. Actually, you’re not even on the ladder. You don’t even get to see the ladder. Screenwriting is a job where everyone else in the entire world thinks that they’re brilliant at it. Everyone believes that they’re a great storyteller, that they know better than you, and that you should just shut up and write down whatever they tell you. You have as much power and respect as a junior typist in a typing-pool in 1951. And – much like I imagine it was in 1951 for those junior typists – you are mostly working for brainless dead-eyed sociopaths. Apart from that, it’s a wonderful career.
Pinky Beecroft’s new album ‘Lonesome Wolf’ is out August 14.
National Album Tour – August/September 2026:
FRI AUG 7 – Crowbar, Brisbane
FRI AUG 21 – Factory Theatre, Sydney
SAT AUG 22 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra
THU SEPT 3 – The Jade, Adelaide
SAT SEPT 5 – Mojo’s Bar, Fremantle
FRI SEPT 11 – Memo Music Hall, Melbourne
