The Baby Animals blasted onto the music scene in the late 1980s and, even after more than three decades, they show no signs of slowing down.

In fact, according to lead vocalist and guitarist Suze DeMarchi, the band is as busy as ever.

The rockers, who struck gold with their self-titled debut, ventured to the region in February with the likes of Icehouse, Noiseworks, Wolfmother, Eskimo Joe, Killing Keidi and Bachelor Girl for Red Hot Summer at Speers Point Park.

Now, they’re returning to the Hunter on Saturday 3 May as part of an amazing line-up at Roche Estate, featuring the legendary ZZ Top, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, The Living End, Rose Tattoo and Dallas Frasca.

“It’s going to be great,” DeMarchi admitted.

“But, I also thoroughly enjoyed the recent Red Hot Summer tour, which finished last week.

“It was so good.

“Kav Temperley and Eskimo Joe were on the bill and I had never seen those guys perform before.

“However, I got to know them and they’re terrific… we had a really good time.

“They are Perth people, so they’re my people,” she added with a laugh.

“To see a younger generation in the crowd capped it off, too.

“Lake Macquarie provided a perfect venue, it’s gorgeous with the boats on the lake.

“But, I’ll tell you why the Red Hot Summer people are so successful… they look after the crowds, they’re well run, very well-organised and they take care of the acts.

“So, everyone’s happy and comfortable.

“We’ve been doing those tours for a long time, we’re very lucky.

“As long as they keep asking us back, we are happy to accommodate them.

“I thank my lucky stars every day that people turn up to our gigs.

“So, until it doesn’t happen, we’ll keep playing… and love it.

“It’s a nice feeling we have songs that everyone remembers and can join in.”

The Baby Animals’ impressive catalogue includes Early Warning, Rush You, Painless, One Word, Don’t Tell Me What To Do, Impossible To Fly, Email and At The End of the Day.

They’ll soon add another to the collection, a cover of the Motorhead track Ace Of Spades.

“It’s funny, Chris Cheney from The Living End actually suggested it,” DeMarchi said.

“We were thinking what cover should we do for the new record?

“So, we were going back and forth, then Chris was talking to our drummer (Ricki Rae) and admitted he’d love to hear me sing Ace Of Spades.

“I thought it was a joke and kind of went ‘nah, no way’.

“However, the more I thought about it and the way we could do it, it sounded like us.

“I was thinking of a cross between Ballroom Blitz and that era.

“Then we dragged Chris in to play on it because it was his idea.

“So, he did a solo with Dave (Leslie), which is great because those guys have a little bromance.

“Now, I listen to the track and it just makes me want to laugh and dance, it’s fun.”

DeMarchi and the boys will get to showcase Ace Of Spades at Roche Estate.

Not only is she excited by that prospect, she’s keen to share the stage with ZZ Top, George Thorogood & The Destroyers and, of course, Cheney and his cohorts.

“Seriously, I can’t wait,” she said.

“It’s ZZ Top… growing up, they were everywhere in the late 70s and 80s.

“You know, Legs, Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme Me All Your Lovin and those guitars and beards.

“What’s not to love?

“They have a real particular sound, it’s layers and layers of guitars.

“So, you never pass up an opportunity to go on these tours.

“Last year, we joined Cheap Trick, which was unreal.

“Those guys were incredible and you don’t realise how many hits they’ve had.”

But, touring with huge acts – nationally or internationally – is nothing new for DeMarchi.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” she told the Newcastle Weekly.

“When we toured with Robert Plant, that was kind of epic, two months on the road with him in America.

“We’ve done shows with Paul Rodgers (Free), who was one of my heroes growing up.

“We also spent a few months with Bryan Adams and half a year with Van Halen when they released For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

“That was absolutely mental and took a little while to recover… thankfully, we were young back then.

“I’ve also had the opportunity to play with Suzi Quatro a few times, she’s a massive inspiration for me.

I’ll tell you why the Red Hot Summer people are so successful… they look after the crowds, they’re well run, very well-organised and they take care of the acts.

Suze DeMarchi

“I grew up listening to her, so that kind of made all my dreams come true.

“Believe it or not, I stayed at her house in England.

“She took me up to her eco room and there were all the old leather jumpsuits and the black jacket she wore as Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days.

“She’s still got everything.

“I’m like touching the leather jumpsuit and thinking to myself ‘does it get any better?’”

It will once DeMarchi and the boys finish their fifth studio album, following Baby Animals (1991), Shaved and Dangerous (1993), II Grande Silenzio (2008) and This Is Not the End (2013).

“We need to get a new record out,” she said.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this creative, so I’m really enjoying it.

“It’s a bit sporadic because we’re all over the place… half of us are in Sydney, the other half in Melbourne.

“So, we need to do it that way, however it’s coming along nicely.

“Even though we’ve got a little bit to go, I’m very happy with how it’s sounding.

“And, the excitement’s still there to get into the recording studio.

“I don’t know why but there’s a change in the energy around us, everyone’s really open to being creative again.

“Some people are prolific and they just push stuff out all the time.

“I’m not like that.

“When you make a record, it’s kind of exhausting emotionally.

“So, you’ve got to be in the mood… and we are [on this occasion], we’re putting our heart and soul into it.”

In the meantime, DeMarchi will pour everything into the upcoming tour.

“Of course, we’ll play Ace Of Spades,” she said.

“We wanted to get that song out before the first concert in Bendigo (26 April).

“So, that’ll be in the set, along with the hits and a couple of misses.

“We’re always changing things up… no-one wants to see the same show again and again.

“And, neither do we.

“But, no matter what, a good time’s assured.”

Tickets for the Roche Estate gig are available at www.ticketmaster.com.au

For more entertainment stories:

• Newcastle’s Pete McCredie takes music nationwide
• Silverchair’s Frogstomp celebrates its 30th anniversary
• Hunter-based musicians ready to take on the world

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