Merriweather attended The Patch Primary School, Billanook College, Blackburn High School and Swinburne Senior Secondary College (for year 11) and left school when he was aged 17. His musical education began with violin lessons at the age of four; he started guitar at age 13; his music grades at Blackburn High were average. As a teen, he was in a social environment that cultivated violent tendencies and on one occasion was charged with assault. After dropping out of school, he focused his attention on music, taking vocal lessons and performing in clubs around Melbourne.