By Conrad MacLean
Hannah Smillie, lead singer of Psychotic Reaction.
Fremantle rock band the Psychotic Reactions are taking off for their first Melbourne tour.
Lead singer Hannah Smillie, who formed the band, last year after previously being a solo performer, will lead the old school Kinks-inspired group at venues in Collingwood and Fitzroy.
Much like Freo rocker Bon Scott, Hannah moved to Australia from Scotland when she was a child. She teaches music at Penny Lane Music School in Fremantle, which is run by her mentor and ex-Stems front man Richard Lane.
The 22-year-old says she owes the rapid success of the four-piece outfit to the friendship that exists between the members, and a strong local following.
“We really appreciate when people relate to us…they come up to us after shows saying “that lyric, I really connected with that,” Hannah told The Bounce.
The band’s music is a mixture of 1960s style garage rock with grunge influences.
“Our name comes from a 60s garage song off the compilation album Nuggets,” she said.
Hannah says she formed the band with all her mates who “Live and breathe music … we just click.”
“Everyone I’ve ever played with is just so amazing … I’m really fortunate to find mates who have that same drive with their music career as me. We get on really well.’’
The Psychotic Reactions will play at the Old Bar in Fitzroy on November 19, and the Grace Darling Hotel in Collingwood on November 22.
The Psychotic Reaction plays on stage. Photo Courtesy of the Band Facebook page.