Finding the right sort of outfit

End of Fashion are serious about music without taking themselves too seriously.

A few years ago, Aussie musician Justin Burford had his sights on designing clothes. "But fashion labels are much more expensive to start up than rock bands," he laughs, referring to his non-sartorial outfit, End of Fashion.

He still enjoys op-shopping and customising his threads, but for now he's concentrating his energy on music. The band are in the country for a promo tour, building on the momentum of their single O Yeah from their eponymous debut album, at No 3 across the ditch.

Burford's not particularly cool heroes are Elton John and Freddy Mercury, artists whose image is as strong as their music.

His trembling rock vocal has an intensity reminiscent of his Queen hero, although sometimes it's a darker, more emotional Jeff Buckley.

He says their forte is "contradiction". They're serious about music without taking themselves too seriously.

Burford prides himself on his original songs but says nothing's too sacred to pinch.

"I like taking the piss out of pop music even though I love writing and making pop music. I love taking the piss out of fashion and fashion posers even though I could be described as one of them.

"A song like O Yeah is not the most profound statement ever made. It's well put to music, it's digestible. We're very well aware of that."

Although elements of their music suggest they grew up listening to grunge, End of Fashion's sound is cleaner and poppier, infused with flashes of electronica; they're more likely to wear plastic pants than ripped jeans.

Once upon a time that was all they could afford.

"This band's been through some major lows and a lot of it has to do with the fact you've got no money and you're staying in these dodgy little places with barely anything to eat. It can suck, y'know? But you've got to earn your stripes, you've got to go through that."

Burford has certainly done so - he and guitarist Rod Aravena were in the Sleepy Jackson for two years. When they left, the press were quick to blame the Sleepy's singer, Kiwi Luke Steele, saying he was too much of a control freak and the pair had had a falling out.

They also hinted that Burford was in a sticky situation given his girlfriend is Steele's sister, Katy (singer in Little Birdy).

But Burford says his departure was more to do with fulfilling his goals as a songwriter.

"I probably would've been in that band a lot longer if it was geared toward a group feeling. I've never been the most gifted musician as far as playing instruments goes but I've always had a gift for writing songs and melodies. I was a muso in that band, I wasn't utilising my talent. It was nothing personal."

Even with the formation of his new band, the revolving line-up was doing his head in until recently. Past members include a drummer from a metal background - "We had to surgically remove his double kick pedal" - a drummer with a dodgy past and a stroppy session musician who'd played with Tim Finn's band.

"She was trouble," says Burford. "She didn't know what it's like to join a band and she didn't like the fact we weren't getting a paycheck in our account every week. We weren't staying in the ritziest of hotels, it was hostels and stuff. She just hated it and let everybody know. So she didn't last long. We turned around and very kindly asked her to leave."

Since getting it together Burford has embraced the responsibilities of frontman.

"It took me a while to shake my early 90s shoe-gazing influences and step up to become more of the performer I've always wanted to be, not quite as camp as Freddy Mercury but conscious of charisma."

True to his contradictory ways, Burford hopes End of Fashion will be around long enough for him to become the next Michael Stipe or Bono, despite thinking of the U2 frontman in less than glowing terms.

"I love him, I love what he does but what a tosser. I think he's hilarious."

Who: End of Fashion

What: Self-titled album, out now