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Frequently Asked Questions
These q & a's haven't been authorised by any of the Waifs. These are typical questions posed at gigs and on the Waifs discussion group. The answers are as accurate as we could make them but please don't quote us!
How do The Waifs keep so fit? I reckon they're about the healthiest musicians in the country. OK, so they can head to the wildside every now and then(!) but generally they eat like athletes, guzzle heaps of water and even get out for runs when they have time. No wonder they have so much energy and presence on stage. The girls used to be netball stars in their day... but we still talk to them...
When will the Waifs be playing in Australia again?
The Waifs are currently touring Australia doing solo gigs as well as the Big Day Out series and gigs with Ani Di Franco and Bob Dylan. Check their official website for the latest news.
One of the girls sings about wanting to marry someone called Gillian... what's the story?
Gillian is Josh's mum - he wrote the song so I guess you have to imagine him singing it. Word is that in the first eight years of Waifdom, Josh was too shy to sing either on stage or even to the rest of the band. Things have changed and A while ago, Josh was writing and planning for his own solo album. One listen to Gillian from the self titled album tells you that Josh's Mum is clearly a wonderful person.
Are the Waifs really from WA? I thought they were from Sydney but someone else said they're from Melbourne...
Vikki and Donna grew up in Albany WA and while in Broome they met Josh who was travelling. Josh is from a town called Moruya which is on the Moruya River, in the Eurobodalla Shire of NSW, about 30 kilometres south of Batemans Bay. They moved to Melbourne in 96 to seek mainstream attention and shifted to the warmer climes of Sydney in 1999 for... well, a change as far as I could tell. Josh and Vikki still drift between Sydney, Albany, Melbourne and Moruya while Donna has called Bondi home.
Now that their international career has really taken hold, you could say they are more nomadic than ever.
The Waifs are always written about as trio but often they play with a drummer, bass and violinist. Who's who?
The Waifs are Vikki Simpson (acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals), Josh Cunningham (lead guitar, vocals) and Donna Simpson (acoustic guitar, tambourine, shaker eggs, vocals, mandolin).
Dave McDonald has been playing drums for the Waifs in shows since 1999 and is the drummer on Sink or Swim and Up All Night, the Waifs' latest two albums.
Ben Franz is feeling right at home on the bass with the Waifs, even though they hired him for his dred locks and he cut them off soon after touring began.
Formerly, a bass player called Stuie toured with the Waifs.
Fiddlers literally fight each other for this gig - Jen Anderson is the resident recording fiddler and sometimes blesses the Waifs and the crowd with her presence, mainly in Melbourne but Sydney crowds have seen her twice. Andrew Clermont, the really tall fiddler you see playing with every second band at folk festivals probably has the next highest number of Waifs gigs under his belt. Fresh on the scene is Jodie Moore. Proving that you need to be at least 6 foot 2 to be a successful fiddler, Jodie Moore brings her wa wa skeleton fiddle and eccentric riffs to life during shows. Jodie recently supported the Waifs with her band Dirty Lucy and was called upon to support the Waifs for a few songs during their own set as well.
To complete the entourage there's Emma, the door and merch bitch (her own words), who has a smile and a friendly greeting for everyone. This actor will no doubt go onto fame and fortune in other areas of showbiz before too long.
There are versions of Billy Jones on the first two albums. Why isn't it on the Sink or Swim or Up All Night albums especially as the rap version is so great live?
Beats the hell out of me...! When asked, Donna said that the version recorded in the studio didn't turn out well enough and they didn't have a good live version of it recorded. My money is on the rap version being on the upcoming live double album.
