A Quick Chat with Special Guest

'All My Friends (Are Making Love)' is your first pop(ish) single. What inspired you to explore a more melodic and playful direction?

I think it was mainly the desire to write something as simple as possible, whilst trying to still make it interesting. There is a beautiful quality in two chord songs and there’s also a challenge, but ultimately, I think we wanted to play around with our typical songwriting style.

The track started with experiments in egg-punk. What is it about the genre's lo-fi textures and catchy melodies that appealed to you?

Jett and I (Joss) have loved this genre for years. It’s been very much influential for us from the very beginning of Special Guest, although perhaps this is the first time we have made it so apparent. The DIY style of the genre, the messiness, and the playfulness, has always been at the core of our songs and our approach to music. I think what we have really tried to capture in All My Friends (Are Making Love), is the feeling or essence of egg-punk; joy.

You've dedicated an entire EP to different versions of the same song. What made this particular track worth revisiting?

We all love this song, so naturally we all wanted to refine the song as much as possible in the studio. However, it took a while to reach a point where we thought the studio mix was an appropriate representation of our vision for the song. Jett and Milo both worked on separate mixes of the song, and we also had a version sent off to Julian Cue (Gut Health), to see how he would interpret it. So eventually we were left with 3 or 4 versions of the same song; all of which expressed a unique perspective of the song’s nature. Ultimately, it was the love for the track – in all of its unique forms – that lead us to dedicate an EP to it.

The Player 1 and Player 2 versions are designed to be played simultaneously on two phones. Whose idea was this unusual listening experience?

It was mine (Joss). Since we had already had the idea to make the song into an EP, I was curious of how else we may alter the audience’s experience and interpretation of the song. The Player 1 and Player 2 idea, I thought, was a format that compliments the central theme of the song; friendship. My dad always talked about this record he once got from MAD magazine, whereby the vinyl itself had specific split grooves that meant the song had randomized alternative endings. I found it fascinating how the medium of the track (vinyl) could influence the message of the song. So, I wanted to see how contemporary mediums (streaming platforms) could offer new meanings and ways to experience music.

You've gone from selling out Victorian headline shows to performing at Pol'and'Rock in front of more than 750,000 people. What's been the biggest surprise of 2026?

Honestly, the entire year of 2026, and everything it has offered has been a surprise in and of itself. In no way could we have predicated where we would be, or what we have done this year. We are all extremely grateful to all the opportunities that have presented themselves to us in the last 12 months.

You're heading back onto Australian stages with The Slims, No Turns and Dr Sure's Unusual Practice. What can audiences expect from these upcoming shows?

We are always looking for new ways to improve and expand our live shows. For the next few shows, we will be bringing human-size puppets to the stage. We were fortunate enough to meet incredible puppet makers who have built us two incredible costumes that will be used for upcoming live shows and short films.