There are moments that you will look back on and remember exactly where you were, who you were with and what you were doing.
For devoted fans of Australian indie rock band, British India, such a moment came on Tuesday, September 18.
Breaking hearts and shattering hopes, guitarist and founding member of the band, Nic Wilson, announced his retirement from music at the end of this year.
Speaking to the Weekender in 2014, Wilson joked that if the popular band was to ever fall apart he’d take up filming weddings.
“Maybe he’s secretly doing that, and he’s wanted to do it this whole time and maybe he’s lying to us now and he’s going to pop up at a wedding we’re at, who knows,” laughed drummer, Matt O’Gorman.
While he’s not becoming a wedding videographer, O’Gorman revealed Wilson was looking to focus on the business he has with his wife and plans of starting a family.
And as with any chapter that comes to an end, the reminiscing about the past 14 years has already begun for O’Gorman.
“I remember the first time that we went to Perth and we were at this party and for whatever reason, these people brought all this food,” O’Gorman said.
“Anyway, the next day was a 40-degree day and Nic and I kind of woke up and we’re just nibbling on these biscuits and we’re like ‘these taste bloody weird’ and they were hash cookies and we had like three each.
“It was our first day off in Perth and the two of us, these pale guys, are walking around Scarborough Beach in board shorts, looking at the sun, completely off our heads. More or less you get those moments between playing shows, the shows are always great, but it’s always little things in between.”
Finishing up with one final tour, the Nic The Poet farewell tour, O’Gorman said the news hadn’t quite sunk in yet, but he was looking forward to getting out on the road and giving Wilson the send off he deserved.
“It’ll be guitar solos going way over the top, you won’t be able to shut Nic up,” he said.
“We all still love each other, we all still love him, and we get to do one more tour, so it kind of ended the best way that it could.”
British India will be performing at Tattersalls Hotel on Friday, December 7 at 8pm. Tickets are $37.70. To purchase tickets, call 4744 2002.
Lauren Suttie is the Weekender’s General & Community News journalist.
