Enola Fall

Originating from Hobart Tasmania, Enola Fall formed in 2003. Beginning at a rough start, the band survived.

“We were actually called ‘Melatonin’ for awhile, but we were nearly sued by another band with the same name,” Joe Nuttall said. “We had to come up with something fast…we opened up a dictionary and an encyclopedia and pointed to two random pages.”

Their first gig was in Tasmania.

“We weren’t very well-rehearsed and we stuffed up a whole heap,” Nuttall said. “It became apparent that intent and energy are often much more important than being tight and rehearsed. Bit of a punk aesthetic.”

The band has been influenced by many bands such as Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Broken Social Scene and The Dresden Dolls. Some of which the band has been able to open for.

“We’ve toured extensively around Australia and also the UK and Germany,” Nuttall said. “On those tours we supported Amanda Palmer (lead singer of the Dresden Dolls), The Violent Femmes, The Jezabels, Turin Brakes…etc. Although it’s sometimes difficult to travel, we’ve managed it anyway.”

Since Enola Fall’s start, they have become successful with their recent album.

“It’s a change for us,” Nuttall said. “Less cabaret and more noise, but that seems to go over really well.”

Their future plans are to travel to the states and do a college tour as well as play Coachella and play some shows in Japan.

Here is their newest music video, “Andromeda”.



“The room is where we practice and write. We took two small cameras and attached them to anything we could find, kind of hung them from the ceiling and threw them around,” Nuttall said.

Band members include:

Joe Nuttall: Vocals, guitar, banjo, and keys
Stan Barnes: Drums and trombone
Lochie James: Guitar
Nick Howe: Bass

Click “Read More” for the interview.



Where is the band from originally? How did the band form?

The band is from Hobart Tasmania, formed from the ashes of several different projects.

How did you come up with the name Enola Fall?

Ha! The name is complete nonsense. We were actually called 'Melatonin' for awhile, but we were nearly sued by a another band with the same name. So we had to come up with something fast.. we opened up a dictionary and an encyclopaedia and pointed to two random pages. And voila!

Who are the members of your band? Are they all original and what do they play?

There's me, I play guitar, banjo, keys and sing. Stan Barnes who plays drums and trombone, Lochie James on guitars, and Nick Howe on bass.

How and when did you get your start?

2003, then again in 2006. It's been a stop start sort of road.

Who are your influences?

Tom Waits, a lot of Canadian bands like Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Broken Social Scene etc.. The Dresden Dolls, an Australian band called The Drones, and alcohol. Lots of alcohol.

How did you know what type of music you wanted to play?

We didn't, and still don't. It's a not a conscious decision.

What artists have you been listening to lately?

Burial, The Avalanches, Beck, Animal Collective, Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Battles and Pivot.

If you could see any band in the world, which one would it be and where?

Possible or impossible? If they have to still be touring, probably Tom Waits. If we could bend time and space; probably Joy Division.

Do you have any superstitions going into a concert?

Tequila. Seriously.

Who writes your music and how do you get your ideas for the songs?

We practice/write in a basement room in Tasmania. It's basically underground. We go in there and jam for hours and songs kind of materialize out of that environment.

What inspires you to keep your music going?

Quite honestly, the thought of an office job. Brrr

Have you come across any obstacles when trying to get your music out?

Tasmania is a pretty isolated place. The tyranny of distance is perhaps the biggest obstacle.

Have you been able to tour? If so, what did you learn and who were you able to perform with?

We've toured extensively around Australia. And also the UK and Germany. On those tours we supported Amanda Palmer, The Violent Femmes, The Jezabels, Turin Brakes etc etc.. so although it's sometimes been difficult to travel, we've manged it a lot anyway.

Where was your first gig and what did you learn from it?

First gig was here in Tassie. We weren't very well rehearsed and we stuffed up a whole heap. But it became apparent that intent and energy are often much more important that being tight and rehearsed. Bit of a punk aesthetic.

Where is your favorite place perform?

The Australian festivals during summer. They have such an amazing vibe and I encourage everyone to try to attend at least one.

How did you create your music video for “Andromeda?”

The room is where we practice and write. So we took two small cameras and attached them to anything we could find, kind of hung them from the ceiling and threw them around. Hopefully it's not too pretentious. :)

How many albums do you have out?

Three at the moment. Some are easier to come by than others. We have a brand new EP coming out in a couple of months as well.

What was the response to your recent album?

Great! It's a change for us. Less cabaret and more noise. But that seems to go over really well, so that's ok.

What are your future plans?

We really want to get over to the states. A college tour would be ideal, but I'd love to play Coachella. After that, hopefully some shows in Japan.

What do you do on your free time outside of being in the band?

I'm a Jiu jitsu instructor, so that takes up a lot of my time. It;'s a great way to relax after touring as well. :)