Locals Lounge with Surf Coast rockers Savage Honey

Each month we spotlight a local regional Victorian musician, songwriter or band killing it in our scene.

In the Local’s Lounge this month is Savage Honey. This Surf Coast based five piece have been taking tunes from surf to stage across the state, supporting major touring acts, jumping up on festival stages and leave a delicious sweet taste in audiences mouths!

Explore more incredible music makers from our Locals Lounge series here.

Who is Savage Honey?

Our band, Savage Honey, is based out of Jan Juc on the Victorian Surf Coast. Our music is a blend of Alt/Indie rock, with certain songs adapting more to the structure of Ballads with Irish Influence. We are a 5-piece outfit who collectively feel inspired by bands such as Kings of Leon, Oasis, Powderfinger, and so many more!

 

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How long have you been playing music, and give us the history of your current act?

Savage Honey started about two and a half years ago with our two lead singers, Jake and Dom, leading the charge in songwriting. Since then, our act has only improved and is currently showcasing our upcoming album set for release in February. We pride ourselves in performing a Dynamic and entertaining show with anthems that engage the audience and encourage people to sing along. 

How did you discover your passion for music making and performing?

All our members have had wonderful musical journeys with a vast background in either musical education or simply being self-taught guitarists with a passion for songwriting. At the heart of our collective love for music is our joint feelings of inspiration for performance. For entertaining people who appreciate the art form and overall just having as much fun as possible!

What have been the biggest milestones in your music career to date?

Ooft, that’s a big question, and I think we’ve been so lucky with some of the shows we have played! From supporting bands on tour, such as Pacific Avenue and The Terrys, to supporting acts like Old Mervs and Glass Beams, we have been blessed with the opportunity to play some pretty epic rooms! Aside from standalone shows, we have also played festivals such as Party in the Paddock, Here Comes the Sun (Featuring Ocean Alley, Ball Park Music, South Summit and ourselves) Feastival in Falls Creek, Headlined Flock to the Fields and also jumped on the opportunity to play smaller, more community-based events such as the Annual Beech Forrest Billy Kart race!

Take us inside your catalogue!

Currently, we have 7 singles released and a 13 track album on its way! Once that chapter is complete, we already have a back catalogue of epic tracks that we can’t wait to record and send out to the people.

What is the story behind your new material?

There are so many different experiences that have impacted the music we’re currently creating, from break ups to travel, from deep struggles with mental health to moments of elation and joy being shared with friends. This really helps us keep a dynamic and interesting sound that offers our listeners a wide variety of music.

 

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Who did you work with on your latest release? 

So we have been incredibly lucky to work with Aaron Dobos at Sing Sing studios currently based in Northcote. He’s incredible at what he does and the studio is epic! Highly recommend to all bands and musos.

Give us a gear rundown. What are you currently playing both live and in the studio?

Well myself (Dom – rhythm guitar) am operating with a Strat and a Telly running through either a Vox AC30 amp or my fender deluxe 60s re-issue along with a plethora of pedals. Mainly delay and a blues driver though haha We also have Jay shredding on his Keys (Nord -as per) Josh on the kit, Jake on Bass and lead vocals and rotating list of session guitarists on lead.

What does a typical day of creating music look like for you in the studio, in rehearsals and on the stage?

So when we’re gigging we practice a minimum of once a week at my house in Jan Juc as a full band and when we’re taking time to write and record we mainly focus on the process in the studio and how we can collectively improve whatever track Myself or Jake has written.

What is the gateway song for new fans to listen to to introduce your sound?

Hmmm that’s a tricky question for us! Due to the vast soundscape and style of our songs I feel like it’s kind of mood dependent haha If you’re feeling psyched and energetic I’d lean towards ‘Underdogs’ (featuring Jacob Finch of The Terrys) or ‘Summer Solstice’. If you’re feeling more chill and enjoying a nice drive or cooking up a feed at home then ‘Demons’ and ‘The Patron Saint of Helpless Cases’ or super Vibey. Honestly though they’re all good hahaha

 

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What has been the biggest challenge you face as an artist and how are you pushing through that barrier (if you can!)?

For us it’s been mainly about finding time and keeping the band as number one priority for the members. Life can get in the way when there are bills to pay and jobs to be working. If it were up to us we would be constantly either on tour or in the studio but as many musicians are aware, having a steady income and pursuing that dream can be pretty tricky! Luckily our love for music motivates us to keep at it and we plan to do so as long as it takes to get signed and become universally loved enough to start hopefully making some money to support our art.

How would you characterise the music ecosystem in regional Victoria? (who is creating, what are they creating and what kind of outlets are there to support this?)*

Oh man it is such a wonderful community to be a party of! Only last week Jake and myself were invited to an industry event at the Torquay Hotel where we were super lucky to meet some incredible people who really are the backbone of the industry and pretty much all live in regional Victoria. Chatting to managers from Unified Music, bookers from Lonely Lands, event organisers who promote regional shows, Luke who books incredible bands for the Torquay Hotel and Joel who books The Barwon Heads Hotel, showed me how incredibly supportive this industry is. Legends who manage bands such as Teen Jesus, or The Amity Affliction are also so willing to offer advice to musicians such as ourselves who are hustling to try to make a career out of music. It’s so beautiful and uplifting to see. 

How has being based in regional Victoria elevated your music practice? What kind of support have you received?

Really it’s the community of people who work behind the scenes in this industry that has made being in regional Victoria a wonderful place to build a career as a band. Specifically for us the booker of Torquay Hotel, Luke, has been pivotal in our development and success with his assistance in booking some amazing shows. Being given advice by people such as himself and others is so critical to getting your foot in the door as a band and is a testament to the supportive musical community.

What does 2026 look like for you?

At the moment our plan is to release a few more singles in anticipation for our upcoming album! From there we want to book a run of shows in Regional Victoria and Melbourne and fingers crossed share our music with both fans and people in the industry who may want to work with us as we build our career! We also have some gigs yet to be announced supporting pretty epic bands but you’ll have to wait and see hehe

 

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Who is your biggest music crush? Why?

Hmmm I would say that currently it’s probably Royal Otis. Their melody writing is elite and I’m obsessed with the vocals!

Where can we find you?

You can find us on Instagram and Tik Tok with the handle savage_honey_ and can also access all our music across all major streaming platforms.

Any final comments?

There are so many incredible artists emerging from Victoria at the moment that I couldn’t recommend getting out there and enjoying what they are creating more highly! Show your support and most of all have fun! Music is everything!

Give Savage Honey a listen here and keep up to date with their music journey here.