On the street every second Wednesday
Free Edition #70
11/06/08 -24/06/08 Made in Tasmania
NEWS THE PRESETS TO TOUR TASMANIA! #70 - 11th June to 24th June
Contents 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
News / Fat Lip Studio Diary Even Banawuran The Spazzys The Greenhouse YoungerDryas / Jeff Lang Tracy Redhead / Fiona O’Brien Motley / CC Martini Mind Over Matter A Wilhelm Scream Gig Guide Gig Reviews / CD Reviews Kisschasy DJ Vance / Copyright James Curd Skating Jamie Doom / Gig Reviews Amnesty International Benefit Arts Wrap / Exhibition Review / Matt Costello Seminar Review / Film News Street Fashion / Eyeball Kicks
Contact:
Phone: Advertising: Editorial: Editor: Email: Sub -Editor: Email: Graphic Design: Email: Accounts: Email:
03 6331 0701 advertising@sauce.net.au editorial@sauce.net.au David Williams david@sauce.net.au Tom Wilson twilson@sauce.net.au Simon Hancock simon@sauce.net.au Lisa-Marie Rushton accounts@sauce.net.au
Opinions expressed in Sauce are not necessarily those of the Editor or staff. Sauce Publishing accepts no liability for the accuracy of advertisements.
Contributors Christian Macdonald, Maeve Macgregor, Richard Kemp, Leann Kaczmarski, Lisa-Marie Rushton, Chris Rattray, Ryan Farrington, Tabitha Fletcher, Hannah Keen, Kevin Gleeson, Dave Venter, David Quinn, Stuart Evans, Steve Tauschke, Jimmy McMacken.
Next Edition
Sauce #71 (25th June - 8th July) Deadline: Friday 20th June
In an exclusive for SAUCE Magazine, although dates are yet to be announced, we have it on very good information that The Presets will be playing two shows in Tasmania very soon. We don’t know where, and we don’t know when, but we’ve been told they are going to happen. Check back next edition, for further details. Yay!
BUMTUCK TO UNLEASH NEW MATERIAL LIVE Hobart punks Bumtuck will be unleashing some neverbefore-played-live material at Hobart and Launceston shows later this month, and if that wasn’t good enough they’ll also be bringing down Floating Roach and Rankwaste from Victoria to make some noise with them. th
They play the Brisbane Hotel in Hobart on the 27 of June, and a free show at the Commercial Hotel in Launceston on the 28th. Afterwards they’ll be packing their bags and heading up to Victoria for more shows with Floating Roach and Rankwaste, and also Bastard Squad and No Idea.
THE NO NO’S TOUR MELBOURNE FOR THE THIRD TIME The No No’s have just completed Melbourne tour number three, having headlined a big show with four other bands and burlesque shows. They’ve also just hit the studio to do the follow-up to their debut EP released early last year – so, in other words, they’re very busy! They’ll be playing a big show at Hobart’s Republic Bar on Thursday the 26th – look for a feature interview with the boys in the next edition of SAUCE.
Australian band to land the coveted front cover of NME (New Musical Express). Max Merritt was a superstar in his home country of New Zealand before his fame spread across the Tasman. Between them they have produced an enduring body of work that is testament to their collective creative talent.
THE TRIFFIDS AND MAX MERRITT TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE ARIA HALL OF FAME Russell Morris and Dragon have already been revealed as inductees. Now ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) has announced the next two of five celebrated Australasian music artists who will be inducted into the 2008 ARIA Hall of Fame, on Tuesday the 1st of July at Melbourne Town Hall. Joining Russell Morris and Dragon are two artists who sit at opposite ends of the music spectrum. The Triffids were conceived in Perth in the late 1970s and became the first
THE TRIFFIDS On his impending ARIA Hall of Fame induction, Max Merritt said, “I am pleased and honoured to be inducted in such illustrious company as Russell Morris and Marc Hunter. My Mum, Dad and Stewie would have been very, very proud.” Due to Max’s ongoing battle with kidney failure, whilst in Australia, he will be cared for at the Epworth Hospital Melbourne under consultation with his Los Angeles Nephrologist, Dr. Gregory Krastein.
SISTER ROCK AUSTRALIAN TOUR 08 EVEN SPAZZYS
TRACY redhead
STUDIO DIARY By Dave Venter – www.myspace.com/fatlipstudios 28th May Jimmy Steele – Jimmy came to the studio for advice on his own personal recordings. Jimmy had recorded his band at home using his Zoom HD16CD digital multitrack recorder; it’s a pretty cool unit if you want to get ideas down fast. It’s super easy to operate. Powerhouse Music (Studio 19) has one in the shop if you want to check it out. Jimmy and I imported his thirtyplus songs into my studio rig for mixing and mastering. It sounded great through the Neve and SSL gear. Rock all the way! 1st June The Turnaround (Hobart) – The final vocals were recorded for the new EP; just a few touch-ups and harmonies here and there. So far the band has a total of six tracks for the upcoming EP. It’s a ripper! www.myspace.com/theturnaroundrock 9th June The New Studio – bigger, better, more badass! – Either I’m getting bigger or the studio is getting smaller (both I think!). Fatlip is moving to a bigger, better location, with beautiful acoustics and a comfy control room. This is the weekend I move the gear. It’s gonna be hard work, but it’s worth it. Thanks to all the bands that have made this possible – it really is a dream come true for me! Photos soon ... I promise.
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Fri 20/6 Brisbane Hotel, Hobart Sat 21/6 Batman Fawkner Inn, Launceston
ROCK - MELBOURNE // EVEN
Changing For The Times Ahead
By Tom Wilson
“… In order for us to survive, we’ll have to take some risks on subsequent records.” Ashley Naylor, frontman for Melbourne trio Even, is well aware that they’ve lasted far longer than many other acts playing the kind of music they do, and with the release of their self-titled latest album, he’s already making plans to head in a new direction. Before they do that, though, they’ll be heading in our, supported by The Spazzys and Tracy Redhead, for the Sister Rock Tour this month … One guest on the new record was Peter Holstrom from The Dandy Warhols. How did this come about? I guess we’d struck up a bit of a kinship with that band having toured with them for about six tours. We just sort of all got on really well, and Pete played that song with us one night, and he did a whole array of drone-y, sustained notes. When he got back to Portland he sent me four different Mp3s, and we just picked one and looped it and stuck it on the track, and there you have it. What’s something odd about Even? [Laughs] I guess something odd is that we’re still together … It’s been almost fifteen years – that’s a long time. It’s a long lifespan for a pop group, isn’t it? And also the lack of output; like, we’ve only done five albums in that time, so theoretically we could have been a band that existed for six or seven years, but we sort of doubled our lifespan by not having a strategy, really. We don’t have a career kind of path or any kind of plan, other than to get a record out when the time is right. And you never know when the time is right, because we’re not in or out of fashion, ever. Why self-title it? It’s a number of reasons. We were running out of time when the artwork was supposed to be submitted, and with that particular design, nothing actually read well on the cover, apart from just the logo of the band’s name. We tried all different kinds of song titles and album titles,
and I think the artwork kind of existed as its own thing, so we didn’t want to clutter it up with too much text and too many sort of concepts with the title. And also, it’s a chance for us to re-introduce ourselves; almost putting a stamp of our name on the album. “This is who we are. This is what we do.” It might be the last album of its kind for our band, so we thought it’d be a good way to just establish a very strong album under the band’s name. Why do you say it may be the last album of its kind? I think, for the type of music that we’ve been making, it’s just going to take various left turns from this point on, and that may not mean it goes to a gentler sound – it might mean that it goes to a more experimental sound. But it’s really hard to predict, so I think, this time, we came out all guns blazing, and this is essentially what the band is about, with this record. But in order for us to survive, we’ll have to take some risks on subsequent records. You guys are coming down with the “Sister Rock Tour.” Why is it called “Sister Rock?” Because, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you guys are all boys … Well, if you’d done your research, you’d know there’s a song on the album called Sister Rock … [Laughs] Damn it! I’ve been caught out! [Laughs] Yeah, it’s one of the tracks on the record, and it seems appropriate, given that we’re traveling with a contingent of
predominantly female rock bands – The Spazzys and Tracy Redhead. It’s just a theme for the tour, and it’s a catchy little title … and it’s a kick-arse song too, dude. [Laughs] If you may say so yourself … Definitely! Have you guys played with The Spazzys or Tracy before? We’ve never played with Tracy, but we did a show with The Spazzys once at a greyhound track in outer Melbourne. It was to launch a Hoodoo Gurus tribute record that we both appeared on back in 2004 … We shared the stage at one of the public bars at a greyhound track. It was quite surreal … the theme being that one of the early Hoodoo Gurus clips was shot at a greyhound track in Sydney, so there’s a bit of a tenuous link there. Yeah, it was good. But we haven’t done a lot of shows together, or been on the same bill, so it’ll be good to see how we all kick off. Going back to the album … it took more than two years … Well, two years on the calendar, but actual time in the studio was probably, you know, two months – three months all up over that two-year period. So the biography kind of …
we released [our last album]. [Laughs] Put it this way; this sounds pretty “flighty,” but I’m essentially making a record every time I pick up a guitar, because everything I do … everything I play at home, every riff that I write, is essentially – potentially – going to be release-able, or on a release-able recording. I’m even writing the next record now, if you know what I mean. I’ve already demoed about three or four songs for it, and we’re going to … I say this every time, but we want to really get onto it this time. Of the twelve tracks that make up Even – see, I did do my research [laughs] – which one of them stands out as the most personal; as the most close-to-thebone, do you think? It’s funny, because a couple of them are the same song but with different lyrics, if you know what I mean? You know, probably songs like I Am The Light, because it’s a real kind of “conundrum” song, where you consider yourself to be positive and negative in the same breath. I guess, if there’s a theme to be derived from my lyrics, that’s probably it – the battle between light and dark. It sounds like Star Wars [laughs] … Even play Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 20th, and Launceston’s Batman Fawkner on the 21st. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au
Lies? [Laughs] … It doesn’t “lie”; I mean, theoretically, it was four years since
Thursday 12th of June The Stoics
Friday 13th of June
Sal Kimber & The Good Ole Boys + Ally & The Mockingbirds + Billy Whims 9pm $6
Alley Cat
The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth Street North Hobart 03 6231 2299 Wednesday Night Special 6pm - 9.30pm
Saturday 14th of June Motley & DJ Samrai
$10 Beaut Beer & Bonza Burger Night. Your choice of beef, chicken or vege
+ Dunn D & DJ Grotesque $12 9pm
Alley Cat Burger with chips and a 10oz. of Cascade Draught or Pale Ale.
Friday 13th of June Sal Kimber & The Good Ole Boys Ally & The Mockingbirds Billy Whims 9pm $6 Saturday 14th of June Motley & DJ Samrai Dunn D & DJ Grotesque $12 9pm Sunday 15th of June Sunday Chill with DJs Free Entry & $5 Pizzas! Thursday 19th of June We Are The Kicks Jonno Coleman James Brooks 9pm $4
Friday 20th of June Ivy Street Jordy Beatrix Bae Bouwman 9pm $5 Saturday 21st of June The Snow Queen Ball Solstice Cabaret with the Bone Rattlers & The Emma Dilemma Show and other acts of fabulousness WATCH THIS SPACE! It's gonna be big and white and hairy. Come and celebrate the longest night with us $10 8.30pm Dress Code: white Sunday 22nd of June Sunday chill with DJs Free Entry & $5 Pizzas!
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Turn The Dial To 11 – By Josef Mullar Of Banawurun
11 years ago … A gang of pirates found me floating on a guitar case somewhere off the coast of Queensland. I didn’t know my own name, nor how I had gotten there.
time. I was suffering from a nasty case of octopus guts, so I decided to stay on board and sleep it off. When my brothers returned, they were all changed.
They made me one of their crew, and before long I was scaling masts, drinking whisky and sleeping in piles of gold and treasure like the rest of ‘em. We sailed the seven seas in search of adventure – sometimes without seeing dry land for months at a time.
They spoke of a band by the name of Banawurun who had torn the town apart until night became day and the locals had become ugly. As we sailed away, our shanties were forgotten, and instead the crew sung Banawurun’s mighty hooks.
When we did, though, we’d learn the local folk tunes and teach our sea shanties to all who’d listen.
11 weeks ago … After a failed mutiny attempt, I washed ashore on a barrel of pineapple juice somewhere near Cairns in far north Queensland. In a tropical juice haze, and suffering the harsh realities of dry land for the first time in my memory, I stumbled around this strange country alone;
11 months ago … We landed in Brisbane, and the crew set off in search of a few pints of coconut milk and a good
my only refuge the Banawurun hooks that circled my head. 11 days ago … I met Rudekat, a record industry mogul who was in the tropics delivering fresh vinyl on his tandem bicycle. He brought me news of Banawurun and their upcoming “Nightwatch Tour” and offered me the backseat on his tandem for the long ride back to Brisbane. 11 hours ago … After perhaps the most grueling week-anda-half of my life, Rudekat and I arrived in Brisbane and rode straight to Banawurun HQ to find a band in mourning. It seems Banawurun’s bass player, Rei Jo Friendly, had been so tantalised by the gang of pirates that had visited town all those months ago that he had left the band to pursue a new life on the open seas.
11 minutes ago … I was asked to join the band. I accepted. Five favourite CDs, and why? If every record in the world was to be destroyed, and our only means of preservation was to learn an entire album – almost becoming it – the five members of Banawurun would become: John Coltrane – Love Supreme. Marvin Gaye – What’s Goin On. Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland. Malaika – Malaika. Mignight Oil – 10 to 1 Banawurun play Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 15th of June.
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SAUCE #70
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ROCK - MELBOURNE // THE SPAZZYS
Polishing The Rock By Tom Wilson
“… [Marilyn Manson] is just a pop singer like Hilary Duff …”
A three-headed rock ‘n’ roll monster of infectious tunes and L7-esque attitude, The Spazzys are once again coming at you like a kick in the crotch, armed with a swag of new tracks that’ll remind you how much you love them, and a live show that is not to be underestimated. Ally sounded off to SAUCE … Last we heard, you guys were working on a new album. What stage is that at now? When will it be released? It’s done, it’s finished. It’s taken a while, but it’s all ready, and we are just finalising the artwork. It will be out in August/ September. What can you tell me about this new material, in terms of its sound and vibe? Is it consistent with what you’ve done in the past, or some kind of departure? We think it’s consistent with our last record, but more went into the production of this album than the last one. The pretty bits are prettier and the nasty bits are nastier, and the songs are kind of more realised than the last album ‘cause we actually wanted our lyrics to make sense this time. Last time we were, like, whatever, ‘cause we were always in a hurry to play our songs, ‘cause we just wanted to rock ‘n’ roll. This time we took a little bit more time to tell
some stories and paint some colourful pictures. You’re returning to Tassie this month with Even. What do you remember about your last shows down here? What makes playing here unique compared to other parts of Australia? Last time we came down there, it was for Mustang’s 10th anniversary show and it was a totally kick-ass night. In fact, pretty much every show we’ve done in Tassie has been kickass. I don’t know what it is, because at some shows there are more people than others, but I just feel like the audiences down there always make an effort to have fun. Too much fun! [Laughs] Late last year you posted a poem on your Myspace called Ode To Manson (Best Friends Forever). What is it about Marilyn Manson that you guys respect the most,
and why? Or was it meant sarcastically? It wasn’t sarcastic, even though there are some scathing lines in there. But he was unreal. We had a ball on that tour. I don’t really know that I respect him as such ‘cause he is just a pop singer like Hilary Duff (and The Spazzys), but he was fun and had a really good sense of humour and was kind and didn’t take himself too seriously, so I liked that about him. And mOBSCENE is an awesome song and I wish that I had written it. The first time I saw you guys was at the Falls Festival in Marion Bay some years ago, and I remember one incident where a drunk bogan shouted “show us your tits,” and you promptly ripped him a new one in front of a rapt audience (which was awesome, by the way). To what extent is this kind of crap still an issue? Well Lucy Spazzy is the one who usually handles that kind of
stuff, and she can be scary. But to be honest, I think it’s just a pretty boring thing to yell out. Boring! If Hollywood made a movie about The Spazzys, who would play you guys? What do you think it would be called? And, most importantly, what would it be rated? It would be called Headz Get Twisted. Chloe Sevigny can play me. I think Kat wants Angelina Jolie to play her even though I hate her, and Lucy wants Natalie Portman, but she also thinks that Helen Hunt should play me and that makes me wanna kick her ass. The Spazzys play Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 20th of June, and Launceston’s Batman Fawkner on the 21st. www.myspace.com/thespazzys
KASEY
the
AUDREYS FRIDAY 13 JUNE
CHAMBERS
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WREST POINT ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
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IAN MOSS FRIDAY 25 JULY
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Tickets for Wrest Point & Country Club shows contact 1300 795 257 www.wrestpoint.com.au or www.countryclubtasmania.com.au *Over 18 show only
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Thursday 19th June 2008
Son del Sur & Amnesty International Australia Present
Dance for Darfur To Celebrate Refugee Week Funds will go towards Amnesty International
Support Acts: Chivandra and Tribal Drumming
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MERCHANTS IN GROOVE TIM ROGERS A WILHELM SCREAM MR X FOLLOWED BY THE FRETS BANAWURUN ABBY THE SIGN BEN WELLS (ALBUM LAUNCH) SON DEL SUR (AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE BENEFIT) MDUSU & DAMEZA (ALBUM LAUNCH) + DUNN D JEFF LANG + KARA GRAINGER ACOUSTIC AFRICAN FUNDRAISER CARL RUSH JOE AND THE GIRLS FULA BAND & ESHAK (AFRICAN)
9pm $20+bf pre/$25door 9pm $25 pre/$25door 10pm $10pre/$12door 10pm $10 9pm 8.30pm 9pm 9pm $5 9pm $8 10pm $20+bf pre/$25 door 10pm 8.30pm 8.30pm 9pm $4 cover 9pm
Mondays Hospitality Industry Night 7pm till late Wednesdays Ladies’ Night 5.30-7.30pm – all ladies receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine Fridays Selected cocktails $10 7-9pm
W H A T ’ S
Sundays Live jazz 3-6pm Live acoustic entertainment Thursdays to Saturdays 7.30pm-10.30pm
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DJ Tim every Friday and Saturday 10.30pm till late Friday 27 June Monthly theme night – ‘Winter Wonderland’, enjoy chilled tunes with a heartwarming drink selection
www.countryclubtasmania.com.au/tonicbar | tonicbar@countryclubtasmania.com.au 6714
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SAUCE #70
FEATURES - HOBART // THE GREENHOUSE
Growing Tassie’s Original Music
By Tom Wilson
Wouldn’t it be lovely if we had somewhere specially designed to help grow some great new Tassie talent? Oh, that’s right – we do! Organiser and booking agent Dane Hunnerup took us through “The Greenhouse” of Irish Murphy’s in Hobart … What’s the goal of this new project? What do you hope it will achieve? Basically this project is a commitment by Irish Murphy’s to step right up and inject a whole lot of energy, time and resources into nurturing Tasmania’s burgeoning music situation (as opposed to “scene,” which is a bit naff, isn’t it?) and giving it a name. What Irish and myself are doing is providing robo-doses of original Tasmanian music on the Hobart waterfront. It’s something that has been on the cusp for ages now, and it took the passion of Irish to bring it about.
At this point, how would you describe the music scene in Hobart? What is doing well, and what needs to improve? Oh god, I don’t know if I can or even want to attempt to answer this one … Maybe I can put it best by saying that there are new and exciting things happening all the time. I’d personally like to see more bands moving towards being mar-
ket-ready on a national scale, and treating their bands like a business, but that’s a whole other thing. People don’t have to do that, because music is about fun – I just dig hearing Tassie bands get spins on Triple J. How do interested parties get involved? What steps should they take?
If you play music and want to play at Irish, just drop me a line – dane.hunnerup@gmail.com. You can catch a Greenhouse show five nights a week at Irish Murphy’s in Hobart. Keep an eye on the SAUCE Gig Guide for upcoming shows.
Who is involved in the project, and what roles do they play? Irish have carefully and thoughtfully constructed a team to make this plan come to fruition, starting with Pete Mellows – the licensee-cum-gig photographer injecting the energy and the pints – Amanda Lyall – bar manager extraordinaire and music a-fish-o’-nado – Sam Cole – shining talent in his own right and doubling on the knobs – Caleb Doherty – the “Rain Man of Sound” – and myself as the booking agent. It’s a pretty tight and diverse team. You should witness the stereo wars at our staff shindigs. We are also working with external groups as far-reaching as Disconnect Records, The Hobart Jazz Club and the Medieval Society to name just a couple, which is bringing in a musical mélange unique to the waterfront and, indeed, the whole state. Why call it “Greenhouse”? What’s the meaning behind it? Greenhouse: a building, room, or area (read: pub), usually chiefly of glass (glasses of beer) in which the temperature is maintained within a desired range (hot), used for cultivating tender plants or growing plants out of season (that last bit is wrong, but you get the idea). When, and how often, will this be held, and why? Irish have taken the bold jump towards running live original music five nights a week, which is pretty damn exciting. Sundays will be your jazz/blues and folk nights running during meals and afterwards, so you can come down and test the brand new menu or chillax with a pint and dig the tunes. Mondays will erupt once the winter thaws out. Tuesdays are solos and bands from elsewhere in Tassie testing their stuff in Hobart. Wednesdays are our mega-diversity nights ranging from your Disconnect shows to hip-hop, indie bands, metal and roots. Thursdays will continue to be something like bands doing acoustic sets, but we are also opening them up for touring acts in a cross-venue partnership (ooh, exciting) to be announced shortly. I’ll give you guys the scoop, Tom. [Smiles]
“Irish have taken the bold jump towards running live original music five nights a week …”
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ROCK - LAUNCESTON // YOUNGERDRYAS
When Flying Kites Naked, Where Do You Tie The String?
By Tom Wilson
We could start by telling you that the guys you see here are a young rock troupe from Launceston with a unique sound and an album in the works … but we’d much rather let you know that at least one of them has tried to fly a kite while stark naked. Ace. YoungerDryas frontman Jesse Higgs spoke to SAUCE … When and how did you guys first start making music together? Whilst in high school, Michael Townsend – “T” as he is known – and I played in a few bands together, and had been virtually best friends since a young age. The bands fell apart, but me and T stayed together, and we are now in our second year of college. At the start of year eleven we had songs ready to go that I had written, but we couldn’t find the third wheel. We had many drummers audition, and one that even got too drunk to play one of our gigs at a college – he was kicked out, and we had to play acoustically. In desperate need of a drummer with a stable presence, we finally found Ayden Demeijer. On our second jam he had learnt all the songs, and we started making more. In early 2008 we came across Gazit, an amazing guitarist who can play almost anything with strings on it – slide guitar, and even the occasional banjo. That is, at the moment, our complete sound.
a band of that name. I told T, and not long after that we started. It turns out that the Younger Dryas was a period of rapid climate change that led to an Ice Age around 40,000 years ago. The rapid climate change had an effect of global warming, apparently of the same sort that the planet’s going through now, so it relates to the past in a way – some sort of a reoccurring thing. What releases do you have out at the moment? And what plans do you have to do more in the future?
Be it either an originals or covers set, what makes a great gig for you guys, and why? Having a crowd that are into your music is awesome. It doesn’t matter if there are fifteen people or a thousand – it’s all about the connection of the band with the audience, and this creates the energy. Having people that you know and love come to support you is also a base for a perfect gig. What’s the story behind the name “YoungerDryas”? How did you come to pick that? Band names are always a tricky thing, and are most of the time hard to decide on. One day I was just laying round flicking through channels and some documentary came on. This old guy on the TV said some mysterious words that caught my ear – “YoungerDryas.” I decided from that moment that it was a cool word and that I was going to make
ROCK - AUSTRALIA // JEFF LANG
Communal Sharing In Hobart By Tom Wilson
With the exception of flatulence and syringes, sharing is always a good thing, whatever the commodity. For Jeff Lang, it’s music – “disturbed-folk”, delivered offthe-cuff and always bang-on-target. He spoke to SAUCE before setting his sights on Tasmania …
Would you say that this sort of improvisation reflects the way you write music as well? I guess. I mean, that’s all kind of interconnected in a way, but to work out how would be more something to look at after the fact … someone else would be able to tell me what the connection would be more than [I could]. When you’re doing it, you’re moving close to the ground, so you’re just thinking in terms of gig-to-gig, song-to-song. [Laughs] I don’t try and direct the traffic too much when I’m writing either, you know? I’d rather just keep my conscious mind out of it, and let the songs come through the way they will, and let the story be whatever it’s going to be, and then, if you need to apply a bit of craft to it afterwards to shape it into a certain form if it feels it needs it, then that’s fine. But when the inspiration’s flowing, I’d rather not interrupt it. What have been some of the best shows you’ve ever played, and why? What makes a good show for you? I think the main thing that makes a great show is that real feeling of togetherness with the audience, where it doesn’t feel that it’s a separate trip that you’re on, you know? It’s not a matter of “these people come here and passively sit and watch this person do something,” you know? When it’s a great show, it feels like that’s not the case – it feels like we’re 8
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One of your “General Interests” on your Myspace is “getting naked to fly kites.” How did you come to embrace this hobby? And in what ways is the experience of flying a kite enhanced by being naked? I have a place out of town where, over the years, there have
been some monumental parties. Once you’re out of town, things can get a little wild, especially when there’re a few drinks involved. Things such as group nuddy runs at midnight are common – on one of these occasions flying a kite was attempted ... it was a windy night, and a little cold. One of our songs on our upcoming album is a bit of an ode to these nights. The YoungerDryas play Irish Murphy’s in Launceston on the 11th of June.
“…Group nuddy runs at midnight are common – on one of these occasions flying a kite was attempted …”
You guys have been playing a mix of original and cover sets in recent times. While it’s easy to understand your motives when doing an originals set, how do you look at doing cover gigs? Do you see it as just a way to make some money? Or do you treat it as just another way to get more experience playing live? Original music is of course where our hearts lie, and I’m sure that when we get the right amount of exposure, so that we can financially survive on playing mostly original music, then we will, although it’s great to do a couple of songs that a crowd loves and knows – it’s a total pleasure, and there is a lot of great music out there to cover. Full sets and shows of cover music can, over time, bring you down; it just doesn’t have the energy and vibe of music that you and your best friends have created.
You’re known for not performing with a set list at all. What do you think this brings to the atmosphere of your live shows? I guess it’s just embracing spontaneity rather than trying to script things at the outset. I mean, it’s not something that I necessarily make that big a deal about … There’s occasionally been times where I’ve played with a band at a festival, where you’ve got to make sure that you don’t run overtime. You can’t really wing it so much when you’ve got that time restriction … Occasionally I’ve written out a set … It usually changes, that’s the thing – you get halfway through and you think, “Nah, that’s not the right song to play next” … More frequently – even in a time-restricted thing like that – is that I would just pick a number of songs … “OK, I’ve got an hour; best I don’t plan for any more than eleven songs” … But you can lose track when you’re doing your own show, and it’s far more free … It’s not like you want to go for three hours and test everyone’s patience, but yeah, when it’s a good night, you just feel like the right song to play next is just getting handed to you on a silver platter.
At the moment the band is just releasing a long-awaited demo of four songs – it will be released at our next Irish Murphy’s gig on the 11th of June. This will be followed by an album that is in the process of recording.
all going somewhere, and the music is the conduit for that. Sure, you might be providing the spark by being the person who’s standing up there with an instrument and starting the music flowing, but when it’s actually going, it feels like there’s a great energy exchange that takes place. It sounds all very dippy-hippy, but I’ve felt it enough times to believe that it’s really true; that it’s a communal sort of experience, and you feel like, at the end of a particularly wild ride, that we all went somewhere, and we all don’t know exactly where that was … and everyone would probably have their own description of what that was, but it doesn’t really matter the way that you would describe it afterwards, or how you would process it after the fact. The thing is, when it’s happening, everyone’s just doing it. A term that was used to describe [your sound] which I particularly liked was “disturbed folk music.” Disturbed? Oh, it’s as easy a thing to hang it on something else … you won’t find that in your JB Hi-Fi, in the racks – you won’t find that category – but … I mean, it is linked to tradition but, as anyone does when you’re just going to be honest about where you are and where you’re living and when you’re walking around the place, then I think there’s no need to pretend that you’re living in a different era or a different time. So you end up messing with things, and mixing it up your own way, and it ends up being a kind of “mongrel music,” you know? Jeff Lang plays Launceston’s Tonic Bar at the Country Club on the 20th June and Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 21st of June. To listen to the full interview with Jeff Lang, go to www.sauce.net.au
ROCK - HOBART // FIONA O’BRIEN
Bearing Witness To Our Scene’s Evolution By Tom Wilson
ROCK - SYDNEY // TRACY REDHEAD
Bringing Something Different To “Sister Rock”
By Tom Wilson
For those who know her only by reputation, it might seem strange – Tracy Redhead on the same bill as Even and The Spazzys? But one listen to the Sydney songstress’ latest album Walking Home a Different Way and you’ll see that, with a voice this unique, she could open for Metallica and still bring the house down. She spoke to SAUCE ahead of the Sister Rock tour … Your new single is Where It Fits. What’s the song about? What inspired it? It was inspired from feeling complacent and having no idea why, and basically feeling that I should stop being so indulgent and just get on with it ... I guess it explores why, sometimes, nothing seems to work, and you just can’t get it together. How would you describe yourself as a songwriter – in terms of your lyrics, your vocal style, and your instrumentation? I try not to stick to one style of writing, which is why I like getting involved in lots of projects. I get bored with the same style and try to explore combining genres. I guess I love writing a song which I am happy with that has a good hook and soul to it, then I like to f*ck with the production, arrangement and genre. Then again, I also love to just let it be in its raw form. What’s been happening in the Sydney music scene recently? What genres of music seem to be on the rise? It’s hard to say as the scenes are so dispersed, but electro music like The Presets have definitely been an obvious standout, and minimal tech and baile funk (Brazil) is rising a lot in underground clubs and warehouse parties
(I am told). Oh, and psychedelic rock is a definite favourite for Sydney-siders. In what ways do you think the music and culture of Sydney has shaped you as a musician? I have been lucky to work with some amazing musicians from lots of genres in Sydney which is fun. Also it’s expensive to live here, so I have wasted lots of time having to work to pay rent and eat ... A while ago you recorded with members of The Green Mist collective, for the album Next Stop Antarctica. What was this process like? And what plans do you have to work with these musicians again in the future? What an adventure that was ... I was really excited to be recording with Brian and the guys from The Violent Femmes, as I have always loved their music and have been greatly inspired by it. I guess it was like a dream – I had to keep pinching myself, thinking, “Oh my god – I am in a recording studio with the Femmes, Charlie and Spencer from the Beasts of Bourbon …” Not sure how I fitted into the picture, but it was great fun. You’re also part of a side-project, The Chapel Of Ease. What’s been happening on that front? The Chapel of Ease is a very special recording. We wrote and recorded the album in about four days in this beautiful
little chapel that reminded me of something out of Hansel and Gretel. Charlie was very inspiring, and Julien was great to work with. It was just a really nice group of people, and I think the recording we made really is as achingly beautiful as it was intended. It was also fun because I got to play bass which was a great challenge. The album was released late last month. Tracy Redhead plays Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 20th of June, and Launceston’s Batman Fawkner on the 21st. www.myspace.com/tracyredhead
With more than thirty years experience, and a sense of humour to boot, it’s pretty easy to respect an artist like Fiona O’Brien. Since she first entered the music world, she’s seen our music scene evolve into the beast it is now, and it doesn’t look like she’s going to stop contributing to it anytime soon. With two shows lined up at Brookfield Vineyard this month, we got the low-down … You’ve been performing around Tasmania for more than thirty years. In that time, how have you seen the state’s music scene change and evolve? Certainly there’s a greater acceptance of local talent nowadays, and there’s been a swing back to live performance. Years ago, people just didn’t want to pay to hear local performers – they just wanted “mainland acts.” Technology has also made a huge impact; now you can record and get your music out to the world instantly online. Which local artists and musicians have influenced you in the time you’ve been performing, and why? I can’t really say any have influenced my style, although I always appreciated The Jazzmanians, and respected people like late country music legend Jack Munting for his long-lasting career (sixty years) and his dedication to bringing his own style of music to people via an early radio show (Down The Hillbilly Trail). I used to go out to Longford (northern Tassie) in the 70s and listen to a lot of folk music too. I admire local songwriters Ian Paulin and Jay Fraser amongst many others.
“I’d find it hard to be genre-exclusive. It’d be like an artist painting the same picture over and over with exactly the same paints.” I understand you’ve got a habit of augmenting and expanding covers of songs, usually parodying it. Why is this? What are some examples? I love music and I love comedy, so it’s just natural to me to combine both. I’ll hear a lyric or phrase and just want to mess around with it! When I moved here and heard the local shopping centre is called “Kingston Town” it reminded me of the Harry Belafonte song (Jamaica Farewell) and I added a verse; “Down the shopping centre not so far away, where the lights shine brightly in every shop / I got my shopping but I did not pay, and the store detective he yelled out ‘stop!’ / Needless to say, I ran away, won’t be back for many a day / my heart it did pound, and when I turned around, I found I’d left my little girl in Kingston Town.” You started out as a gospel singer. What prompted you to move into different musical territory? I’ve listened to many different styles of music since I was a kid, so it was just a natural exploration of styles. I’d find it hard to be genre-exclusive. It’d be like an artist painting the same picture over and over with exactly the same paints. You’ve stated online that you’re working on an album of original blues and jazz. What stage is that at now? What can we expect from it? Some songs are completed and I’m working on arrangements – a couple of others still being fine-tuned lyrically. You can expect at least one song which is a little tongue-incheek, but generally songs reflecting my own style. What do you think makes you unique as a performer? Unique? I believe all performers should be unique. I recognise my voice as an instrument, and work to play it as well as possible, exploring new sounds and styles, improving constantly but retaining my own individuality, so listeners can say, “Yeah, un-mistakably Fiona.” In your career so far, what do you think has been your greatest achievement, and why? In my eyes it’s a great achievement to entertain, surprise, inspire or delight an audience. If I’ve done that in my last performance, that’s a great achievement. Fiona O’Brien plays Brookfield Vineyard on the 21st and 22nd of June. www.myspace.com/fionaobrientassiesinger SAUCE #70
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HIP-HOP - MANCHESTER // MOTLEY
Share Offer In Green Mine By Tom Wilson
An MC so good the economy of his homeland suffers in his absence, you should brace yourself, because Motley is coming your way, riding tall on the back of his latest release, the Hairy Nandies EP. In this most intense of witty skirmishes (translation: he’s funny as f*ck), he opened up to SAUCE about his native music scene, supporting De La Soul … and boogers … What’s been happening in the Manchester scene recently? What sounds are popular, and what’s falling by the wayside? Manchester has hit a real low lately, largely due to the fact that I’m not there anymore – trade has hit an all-timelow, the economy is suffering, the pound has dropped, the youths don’t have a real role model to look up to, and people in general are just really depressed and miserable, plus hip-hop shows just don’t carry the same vibe! It’s a shame, and I do feel for my fellow Mancunians, but I felt this was a step I needed to take in order to take us forward as a people in the very near future. What do you see as being the main differences between the Manchester and Australian scenes? The main difference I would have to say is the accent you guys rock on the mic. It sounds so Australian … see, back home we don’t really use the Australian accent too much ... I think accent is the most important thing for any rapper. It’s not about lyrical content or rhyming pattern or flow ... it’s purely about the accent. I mean, the best accent, of course, would be Norwegian ... but if you are not from Norway then you’re pretty stuck. I’m from a mixed background and I have family both in the Caribbean and in Africa (as well as England and Ireland) so I choose to rhyme in my native tongue ... which, of course, is Great Britishenship. In what ways do you think your handle reflects you as an artist? My “handle”, or “street name” as some might suggest, simply means “unlike anything else”, “different”, “multi” (as in multi-ethnicities, multi-coloured – black and white in the same person!), multiple styles and flows ... I feel that reflects everything I encompass as an artist/ producer. I don’t like to be repetitive, because repetition sucks, so if I ever repeat anything, I repeatedly delete the repeat so it doesn’t sound like I’m being repetitive. I also don’t like to sound like anybody else, both lyrically and musically, so people know it’s me when they hear it! In your career you’ve played some pretty prestigious support gigs. What have proved to be the
most memorable, and why? De La Soul, 2002 – three thousand heads, Manchester Academy, my first time opening on a real stage … and it went off! I still get a similar feeling when I’m on stage, but nothing beats that first time ... and De La were awesome too! Also supporting Nelly at the MEN Arena ... I know it was more of a pop crowd, but damn – twenty thousand screaming heads … it’s hard to describe what that felt like! What kind of production process was there for the Hairy Nandies EP? What were the biggest challenges in its creation? The biggest challenge was trying to look cool while wearing “faun” legs ... I think I pulled it off!
“Manchester has hit a real low lately, largely due to the fact that I’m not there anymore …” I couldn’t help but notice the placement of your finger in your latest press shots. How often do you pick your nose? And how would you describe the consistency of your boogers? I will thank you to not ask personal questions! End of interview – I won’t answer any more! Jokes ... I don’t really pick it that much, especially lately ... I’ve had, like, this real weird virus/cough/sore throat (great timing with the tour and all!). So yeah, I find it a bit daunting and scary going up there right now. I have trouble coughing my mucus up, so it’s kinda all backed-up up there. I spend ages just trying to spit it up, kinda like a cat hocking a furball up – it’s real sexy! And when it does finally get out, its consistency would be like lime-flavored jelly ... kinda green with little brown bits in, all wobbly and stuff. I’ll save one in a jar for you if you like. I can bring it to Tassie when I do my shows down there. Motley plays The Alley Cat Bar in Hobart on the 14th of June. www.myspace.com/supermotley
HIP-HOP - MELBOURNE // CC MARTINI
Federal Warning For Orange Cocktail Mix
By Stuart Evans
Look out Australia, CC Martini is on a mission. She’s loud, she’s determined and she has orange hair. She’s also rebellious, cheeky and has more energy than the Duracell bunny. “I like to tell it like it is and convey some sort of humour in my music. Humour is important in the music that I write as it says a lot about my personality,” says a chirpy CC Martini. “That’s the fun thing about writing songs. Songwriting can be entirely fictional and the songwriting process is a bit like a movie, as you can get away with saying things that you wouldn’t normally say in real life. Songwriting is a really good exercise, and is like a condensed way of writing a diary.” As a pop crossover artist, Melbournian Martini is part pop, part hip-hop, and a whole lot of rock. The cantankerous pop princess is known for impish lyrics, appealing melodies and crunching guitars. Of course it’s all enmeshed with beats.
“I went to boarding school, so I don’t like being told what to do or when to do it.”
“I try to go on what music is currently out there and I try to make my music better. My music is represented by my different personalities and moods,” she says. Juxtaposed with catchy hooks, Martini’s focus is on making good music and putting on stellar live performances, which include a live guitarist, a vocalist and cuts and scratches from a supporting DJ. Martini has spent years developing a decent reputation in the music business. She started in all-girl band Venus In Warpaint but ditched the enclave of group life and plunged for a solo career. “The girl band was really a high school thing. There was a bit of space between Venus In Warpaint and taking on my next musical venture. After Venus In Warpaint I actually tried to get duet happening. The duet was more like Salt ‘N’ Peppa – we called ourselves Mango and Cream,” she laughs. As a solo artist, responsibility now rests on her shoulders. She says that she has a good support network, including a supportive record label and management. “It’s obviously easier to co-ordinate one person’s schedule as opposed to a few, especially when in a band or group. Being a solo artist is different. It’s a lot harder in some ways, especially as it’s really my project.” Martini is talking loudly and excitedly, with all the passion you’d expect from someone who enjoys making music. Martini is adamant about the enjoyment factor. “Music is such an enjoyable and really rewarding process. It’s like making a really good meal. You spend ages preparing it and then, when it’s finally done, you can sit back and enjoy the end result. You get a lot of satisfaction out of the entire process.” But it hasn’t all been good news. One recent disappointment is the cancellation of Eve’s national tour. Martini, who first met Eve in Dublin a few years ago, had been supporting the urban performer when her tour was suddenly cancelled.
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“It was so disappointing. I had a five-piece band going on stage with me and it was going to be such a fun thing and fun event, although working with Eve was a great experience and we’re working on more dates.” Martini’s entourage rolls deep. Her gang includes vocalist Tiffany Kommendal, guitarist and producer Kent Morris, bassist Dan Bowden, DJ Miyagi and a drummer. And that’s not including the cheerleading pom-pom girls and rotating support DJs. She admits that, although due to support Eve on the 10th of May, the night wasn’t entirely lost. “We still had a party,” she laughs. Frustrations of the Eve gig aside, the inventory of outspoken and heavyhitting females within hip-hop and urban music seems to be dwindling. Aside from Eve, Martini has many musical influences. “My sound is varied and I listen to a lot of styles. I do like Lil’ Kim as she makes music for herself. I am the same as it depends on what mood I’m in. If I feel like writing a slower song, then I will.” Though always interested in music, Martini’s music tastes are as eclectic as you can get. From pop and grunge to drum and bass and electronic, she says that the end result is reflected in her debut album, All The Way. “I really didn’t set out to make as many different sounding songs as possible. The album just turned out that way. I reckon all the songs and styles all tie together because it’s all part of me,” she says. Martini’s lyrics can be confronting. “Some tracks are mum-friendly but not everyone is going to enjoy what’s on the album,” she laughs. She is, however, proud of one particular aspect of the album. “I was so glad that I got the warning – “moderate impact, coarse language and/or themes” – sticker on the front of the CD. It means I’ve got a bit of cred and that I haven’t gone soft,” she giggles. With successful single Champagne Taste having been well received, her second single off the album, the catchy and hip-pop Double Dutch, has just recently been released. But music is escapism for the rapper, singer and songwriter. It’s a chance for Martini to write down exactly what’s on her mind, regardless of what that might be. Part of that escapism is rebellion. “I’m rebelling against rules. My mum, bless her soul, is quite strict. I went to boarding school, so I don’t like being told what to do or when to do it.” All The Way is out now. www.myspace.com/ccmartini
HIP-HOP - SYDNEY // MIND OVER MATTER
Keeping The Fun From The Paper Run
By Tom Wilson
For fans of hip-hop, spanking and high-fiving the elderly, Christmas has come early in the form of Keepin’ It Breezy, the debut LP of Sydney duo Mind Over Matter. In between doing the ironing for his mum and flogging Natural Causes’ MC Phatchance at video games, former beastly paperboy Smiles Again took some time out to chat with us … How did Mind Over Matter first come into being? What were each of you doing previously? We met at high school in year seven. At the time we weren’t aware that each other even liked hip-hop. Then we fell into the same circle of friends – “The Skaties.” Willow was some nutcase back-flipping rollerblader and I could get from A to B on a skateboard, so we began to build a friendship. Previously, Willow was consumed with his blades, and I was a newspaper-delivering machine – I was a beast, no question. However we slowly fell into writing our own lyrics, practicing freestyles, and finally making songs.
ing about experiences we’ve had, stories we’ve witnessed, heard or created. One thing, though, is we always aim to never be clichéd in anything we do. Nothing’s cheesier than when you can predict an oh-so-obvious outcome. There are a lot of stereotypes that people tend to lay on hip-hop artists – some good, some bad. What are some that you guys defy? And what are some that you embrace? Well the negative ones are the ones that we choose to steer
clear of, such as the “bogan going nowhere” approach that many rappers view as dope. However, I think that this image is quickly decreasing, which is very positive for the scene as a whole. We’re aiming to establish ourselves as rappers that are straight-up, honest, or “real” for the heads who are down on that ebonics shiz. I think that honesty is a trait every MC should embrace, although, with that said, we get down with anything that’s real – e.g. Thirstin Howl is one of the hardest, most gutter dudes in hip-hop and he raps about it, so I dig it. If an MC “does them,” I’m sure I’ll dig it if it’s done well.
You’re about to release Keepin’ It Breezy – how long has this been in the works? And, at this point, what do you think will make it unique in the field of Oz hip-hop? We completed the album back in December and had it set for release on Valentine’s Day, (we figured we’d save couples the trouble of thinking up a wonderful, lovely gift) however ran into a few complications which made February 14th unrealistic. The album took us just over a year to complete in total. When we set out to make the album, we wanted anyone who listened to it to feel like they’d known us for years, so we had to cover a variety of styles, topics, and display different sides of our personalities within the album, and I believe that that is where it holds its uniqueness. It’s definitely something you can slap your girl on the ass and high-five your granddad to at the same time.
What will you be doing ten minutes from now? Well I just finished doing the ironing for mum, and beating my bro’s ass in Marvel vs. Capcom, so I think I’m gonna go round to Phatchance’s (Natural Causes) and beat him in it as well. Keepin’ it Breezy is out now. www.myspace.com/mindovermatteraus
“… You can slap your girl on the ass and high-five your granddad at the same time.”
What’s the story behind the title of the album? Is it maybe saying that you guys think a lot of MCs take themselves too seriously? Basically Willow and I are some pretty “relaxed, like-tohave-a-good-time-crack-a-brew-muzz-it-with-somefriends” kind of dudes, so we figured “let’s let the title of the album sum up what we’re about.” I believe that in life you can choose to let any odd thing annoy you or, alternatively, you could just brush it off – i.e. keep it breezy. For example; mum spills some coffee on my fresh new super-duper white cap. I can choose to spit the dummy at her, or I can just chill out and not let it annoy me … although I might not always choose the latter. It’s definitely a more relaxed approach. How would you describe yourselves as lyricists? What kind of subject matter do you guys tend to deal with, and why? I would describe myself as someone who’s conscious of every line I rap. I always think to myself when writing, “Would my favorite MCs find this dope?” We write about all kinds of subject matter – we’ll poke fun at ourselves often, but then may turn around with a slightly cocky remark. We enjoy writ-
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PUNK - MASSACHUSETTS // A WILHELM SCREAM
Putting The “F*ck You” Back Into Punk! By Dave Williams
“… I’d rather cut my own throat than be dealt a sh*t hand by the music biz.”
The reckless, anarchic spirit that founded punk rock may have faded, but it’s a flag that A Wilhelm Scream are proud to fly. With a new LP and a tour that will be putting them on our doorstep this month, they’re committing Career Suicide, and they couldn’t care less. Nuno Pereira spoke to SAUCE. Lighting the Molotov; Dave Williams … What does a “Wilhelm Scream” sound like? It’s pretty easy, man. If you just watch any of the Star Wars movies, there’s one every ten seconds it seems … every other Storm Trooper that gets shot screams the Wilhelm Scream, so you can’t miss it if you watch Star Wars. How did that come about? Where you guys all Star Wars nerds, and that’s how you banded together originally? We might be Star Wars nerds, but that didn’t really have much to do with it. We had decided to change the band name, because one of the members had left, and we thought it was a good time to get a fresh start. So we went over a laundry list of really awful band names, and then we ended up … a friend of ours mentioned the Wilhelm Scream, like, “Oh, have you guys ever heard of a ‘Wilhelm Scream’?” And we’re like, “No, what is that?” And he told us about how it was this audio clip that’s been used in over five thousand movies, so we were like, “Oh, that’s
pretty awesome,” you know? We ran it by a couple of people, we voted, and bickety-bam, that was the end of that! We’re “A Wilhelm Scream”! [Laughs] You’ve got a new album coming out called Career Suicide, and I love that title. What is it about this album that would be risking career suicide? [Laughs] Well, I don’t think anything’s ever been – in our lives – ever been secure. I think we’ve always been at risk of f*cking something up. We kind of went at this record with an idea that we didn’t really want to make a quote/unquote “popular record”, you know what I mean? We didn’t really want to adhere to any of the common stuff that a lot of bands are doing now; we didn’t want to write songs, you know, for girl jean-clad types, you know that I mean? I’m talking about dudes who wear girl jeans – it’s OK if girls where girl jeans. So we just kind of took that approach to it. We were like, “Screw it; if we’re cutting our own throats, I’d rather cut my own throat than be dealt a shit hand by the music biz,” you know what I mean?
So you’d prefer to swim in your own blood than drown in other people’s shit? Exactly, man! [Laughs] In that sense, maybe we’re committing career suicide, but you know, it’s worth it for us. We’ll just give it a try our own way.
those things – I just want to tour and play shows and make new friends and keep making records, and that’s it, you know?
You’ve got a line on the album; “I wipe my ass with showbiz.” Is that really possible, considering the industry that you’re in? [Laughs] If there’s someone getting paid from this, it’s definitely not me. It’s kind of just a “f*ck you” to certain aspects of this industry, you know what I mean? [With] parts of it, I really do feel like there’re a lot of little bullshit things that we have to deal with on a daily/monthly/yearly basis in this industry that I think are total bullshit, and that have no business here.
I think it’s really refreshing, from my point-of-view, to hear you say this kind of stuff from a band that is termed a “punk band,” because I think something that has been missing from the punk genre for the last three to five years is actually some sort of sentiment of anarchy. I mean, where’s the anarchy gone? It’s gone the way of the Dodo, man. Nowadays it’s all about how many albums can you sell in your first week, and how much hair product you put on in the morning before you leave the house to go do your punk rock gig, you know? That’s never been a part of our ethos, and it probably never will be … I guarantee you it never will be.
So when it comes to those aspects of it, I definitely feel like I could wipe my ass, or definitely take a big shit on it, you know what I mean? [Laughs] I just don’t care enough about
A Wilhelm Scream plays Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 13th of June. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au
> THURSDAY JUNE 12TH Jazz Club '08 @ 7:30, Viktor Zappner Swingtet featuring Hayden Dare from Hobart on trombone and flugelhorn. > FRIDAY JUNE 13TH Ben Wells, 8:00pm > Saturday June 14TH Tim Rogers Goodnight Boys Tour. 8:00pm. $30/$25 > THURSDAY JUNE 19TH Jazz Club '08 @ 7:30 Viktor Zappner Swingtet, featuring Andy Farrell from Wynyard on tenor saxophone and vocals.
254 Mount St Upper Burnie 7320
> FRIDAY JUNE 20TH Blue Gum Jazz Band. 7:30pm. > SATURDAY JUNE 21ST Katy Pakinga. 8:00pm. > SUNDAY JUNE 22ND Tracy Redhead, 5:00pm. $10/$5. 12
SAUCE #70
Saturday June 14th Goodnight Boys Tour
“SEE YOU AT THE DOOR AT SOME STAGE” stagedoor@keypoint.com.au
LAUNCESTON’S
GIG GUIDE 11th June - 24th June WEDNESDAY 11TH HOBART Brisbane Hotel James Brook Irish Murphy’s Jamin + West Doctor West + Trumps Republic Bar & Café Merchants In Groove @ 9PM Syrup Rewind @ 10PM
LAUNCESTON
Music 7 days a week Original music wednesdays Cosy log fires every night
'there's always something happening at irish'
CORD
THURSDAY 12TH BURNIE Stage Door the Café Viktor Zappner Swingtet + Hayden Dare @ 7:30PM Alley Cat Bar The Stoics
T
GU
E
James Hotel DJ Joycie
HOBART
S
NR
211 Brisbane St Launceston 6331 4440
Irish Murphy’s Jesse Higgs & The YoungerDryas
M OM Y
CASH PAID For Quality CDs, Vinyl & Music DVDs We Have A HUGE Range Of Music Tees!
Irish Murphy’s Cait Vertigan + Patrick Berechree + Ray Martians Republic Bar & Café Tim Rogers @ 9PM Syrup Mesh – Adam Turner + Guests @ 10PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Tash & Caz James Hotel PD + 3 Sum @ 10PM Royal Oak Sam Cole + Frankie
102 Elizabeth St Hobart 6234 2039 Tonic Live Acoustic Music @ 7:30PM
FRIDAY 13TH BURNIE Stage Door the Café Ben Wells @ 8PM
HOBART
Recording Mixing Mastering Production Bookings Essential Call Dave Venter for a quote 0408 373 066 or email fatlipstudios@gmail.com
Launceston Studio www.myspace.com/fatlipstudios
160 Elphin Road L a u n c e s t o n TA S 7 2 5 0
Live music Woodfired pizzas Extensive bottleshop ph: 03 6331 1344 fax: 03 6331 2191 e: thenewsteadhotel@hotmail.com
Alley Cat Bar Sal Kimber & The Good Ole Boys + Ally and the Mockingbirds + I Built a Flying Machine @ 9PM Brisbane Hotel James Brook & Friends This Future Chaos + Sunday Something Ruined + As I Fall Through + On Your Feet Soldier + Beneath Betrayl @ 9PM Brookfield Vineyard Daido and the Blue Mosquitos + To’rags Halo Meat The Beat – Camo + Keith + Milestone + B-Side + Scott + Risky + Waz + R-Bent + Outlaw + Kyle + Adam @ 10:30PM Hotel SOHO Live Music @ 6PM Irish Murphy’s Nick & Tom Wolfe + Dr. Fink
James Hotel DJ Cam + DJ Joycie + PD @ 10PM Royal Oak Bossa Vista Tonic Live Acoustic Music @ 7:30PM DJ Tim @ 10:30PM
SATURDAY 14TH Stage Door the Café Tim Rogers @ 8PM
WEDNESDAY 18TH
Stage Door the Café Katy Pakinga @ 8PM
HOBART
HOBART
Irish Murphy’s The Turnaround + Sunday Something Ruined
Alley Cat Bar The Snow Queen Ball Solstice Cabaret – The Bone Rattlers + The Emma Dilemma Show @ 8:30PM
Republic Bar & Café Ben Wells (Album Launch) @ 9PM Syrup Rewind @ 10PM
LAUNCESTON
Alley Cat Bar Motley & DJ Samrai + Dunn D + DJ Grotesque @ 9PM
Irish Murphy’s Soundheist
Brisbane Hotel This Future Chaos + Sunday Something Ruined + As I Fall Through + On Your Feet Soldier + Beneath Betrayl – ALL-AGES @ 3PM The Love-In + Ivy St + Yuri & The Vostok – 18+ @ 9PM Brookfield Vineyard Allan Badalassi @ 12PM Irish Murphy’s Jeremy Matcham + Damage Control Republic Bar & Café Mr X + The Frets @ 10PM Syrup DFD – Smithmonger + Gillie + Tristan Downstairs – Tackyland – Naughts + Rolly + Sam + Nick C @ 10PM Wrest Point The Audreys
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s The Gary Garys James Hotel DJ Joycie + DJ Randall + DJ Cam @ 10PM Royal Oak The Titz Tonic Live Acoustic Music @ 7:30PM DJ Tim @ 10:30PM
SUNDAY 15TH HOBART Alley Cat Bar DJs Brookfield Vineyard Allan Badalassi @ 12PM
James Hotel DJ Joycie
THURSDAY 19TH BURNIE Stage Door the Café Viktor Zappner Swingtet + Andy Farrell @ 7:30PM
HOBART Alley Cat Bar Zoe Zac + Supports @ 9PM Brisbane Hotel Hyperdonia + Each Chains + Random Order Irish Murphy’s Amy Kendall + Invisible Boy + Fink
Syrup Mesh – Adam Turner + Guests @ 10PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Ben Castles James Hotel DJ Craig @ 10PM Royal Oak Elliot Harvey Tonic Live Acoustic Music @ 7:30PM
Irish Murphy’s Nathan Wheldon + Luke Parry + PD
Republic Bar & Café Mdusu & Dameza (Album Launch) + Dunn D @ 10PM
Tonic Live Jazz @ 3PM
Syrup La Casa – Discotouch + Timo + St. Nick Downstairs – Boogie – Nick C @ 10PM
Republic Bar & Café The Sign @ 9PM
James Hotel DJ Joycie + DJ Randall + DJ Craig @ 10PM Royal Oak S&M Tonic Live Acoustic Music @ 7:30PM DJ Tim @ 10:30PM
SUNDAY 22ND BURNIE
Brookfield Vineyard Fiona O’Brien
Alley Cat Bar Ivy Street + Jordy + Beatrix Bae Bouwman @ 9PM
LAUNCESTON
Irish Murphy’s Anton Brello + Ben Wells
Irish Murphy’s The Rogers
HOBART
Irish Murphy’s Garod Matcham + Dr Fink
HOBART
Batman Fawkner Inn Even + The Spazzys + Tracy Redhead
Alley Cat Bar DJs
Republic Bar & Café Banawurun @ 9PM
TUESDAY 17TH
Syrup DFD – James Curd (The Greenskeepers) + Locals Downstairs – Tackyland – Naughts + Rolly + Sam + Nick C @ 10PM
HOBART
Hotel SOHO Live Music @ 6PM
LAUNCESTON
Republic Bar & Café Jeff Lang + Kara Grainger @ 10PM
Stage Door the Café Blue Gum Jazz Band @ 7:30PM
Raincheck Lounge Live Acoustic Music @ 4PM
Irish Murphy’s Christy Tucker
Metz On The Bay End Of Exams Dance Party – DJ Vance (London) @ 9PM
BURNIE
Brookfield Vineyard Folk Night
LAUNCESTON
Irish Murphy’s Kenny Forshaw + The Smashers
Stage Door the Café Tracy Redhead @ 5PM
Irish Murphy’s Mickey & Pete
Republic Bar & Café Abby @ 8:30PM
Brookfield Vineyard Fiona O’Brien + The ReWriteous Brothers
FRIDAY 20TH
Brisbane Hotel Even + The Spazzys + Tracy Redhead
HOBART
Brisbane Hotel Mdusu & Dameza (CD Launch) + DJ Laws + Dee Dare + Dunn D – ALL-AGES @ 3PM
LAUNCESTON Republic Bar & Café Son Del Sur (Amnesty International Refugee Benefit) @ 9PM
Hotel SOHO Open Mic
Syrup La Casa – Matt B + Timo + Discotouch Downstairs – Boogie – Nick C @ 10PM
Irish Murphy’s Long Way Home
BURNIE
HOBART
MONDAY 16TH
Country Club Showroom The Audreys
SATURDAY 21ST
Irish Murphy’s Nathan Wheldon
BURNIE
Republic Bar & Café A Wilhelm Scream @ 10PM
Batman Fawkner Inn Tim Rogers
LAUNCESTON
LAUNCESTON
Hotel SOHO Open Mic Irish Murphy’s Micheal Clennett Raincheck Lounge Live Acoustic Music @ 4PM Republic Bar & Café Acoustic African Fundraiser @ 8:30PM
LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Tash & Caz + Hamish & Sarah + Victor Charlie Charlie Tonic Live Jazz @ 3PM
MONDAY 23RD HOBART Republic Bar & Café Carl Rush @ 8:30PM
Irish Murphy’s The Unit
LAUNCESTON
James Hotel PD + DJ Joycie + DJ Randall @ 10PM
TUESDAY 24TH
Irish Murphy’s Ben Castles
HOBART Irish Murphy’s
Venue Guide BURNIE Stage Door The Cafe 254 Mount St Upper Burnie 64322600 HOBART Brookfield Vineyard 1640 Channel Highway Margate 6267 2880 Irish Murphy’s 21 Salamanca Place 6223 1119 www.irishmurphys.com.au Metz On The Bay 217 Sandy Bay Rd 6224 4444 www.themetz.com.au Syrup 1st Floor 39 Salamanca Place 6224 8249 Raincheck Lounge 392 -394 Elizabeth St. North Hobart 03 6234 5975 Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth St 6234 6954 www.republicbar.com The Brisbane Hotel 3 Brisbane St 6234 4920 thebrisbanehotelhobart@gmail.com The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth St 6231 2299 Wrest Point 410 Sandy Bay Road Sandy Bay 6225 0112 www.wrestpoint.com.au LAUNCESTON Batman Fawkner Inn 35 Cameron St 6331 7222 Country Club Country Club Ave Prospect 6335 5777 www.countryclubtasmania.com.au Irish Murphy’s 211 Brisbane St 6331 4440 www.irishmurphys.com.au James Hotel 122 York Street 6334 7231
Royal Oak The Titz
David McEndowney & Friends
Republic Bar & Café Joe and The Girls @ 9PM
The Newstead Hotel 160 Elphin Rd 6331 1344
Tonic Jeff Lang
LAUNCESTON
The Royal Oak 14 Brisbane St 6331 5346 www.myspace.com/leapinlimpout
Irish Murphy’s The Geale Brothers
SAUCE #70
13
CD REVIEWS
GIG REVIEWS
BLISS N ESO Flying Colours
CHASM Beyond the Beat Tape
I really wanted to check this album out after I heard Bullet and a Target and decided it was one of my favourite tracks of the year. With the Zulu Connections Choir and other artists working on the album, there’s heaps of talent on display here – particularly in the case of … Target, with the choir adding an extra shimmer to the track. The first time through Woodstock 2008 I got a bit confused with the beat change, but I really enjoy it now – it’s a song that will grow on you. The beat production elements on this album are top notch.
For those of you who enjoy down-beat, dubby, reggae-flavoured hiphop/dancehall, you’ll definitely enjoy Obese Records signee and Astonomy Class producer Chasm’s new solo album, Beyond the Beat Tape. Personally, I think Chasm is a great producer, and I think he definitely knows his gear and knows how to use it, however his beats just don’t really move me much on their own. It’s as if the beats are always on the verge of being something amazing, but it takes a good MC or vocalist to tip them over the edge into something awesome, which I think is why he works well with Astronomy Class.
The Sea is Rising is another favourite track off this album, with the beat and hook grabbing my attention from the very first listen. Surprisingly, the skits are quite decent, which I haven’t witnessed much on many albums in the last few years. While I’m not too keen on it, The Truth admittedly sounds interesting. The ZCC works quite well on Never Give Up, and The Field of Dreams is a great note to go out on – it’s a track that is just, quite simply, done well; both its beats and its lyrics quite enjoyable to listen to.
That said, there are some real solid joints on this album, such as the dancehall banger Let the Beat featuring Melbourne up-and-comers Diafrix, and the jazzy headnodder Dream Catcher featuring vocalist Juanita Tippens and Hau of Koolism. Other guests on the album include Urthboy (The Herd), Gina Mitchel, Mantra (Illzilla) and Mdusu amongst a cast of some of Aussie’s finest untapped talent in underground hip-hop. RYAN FARRINGTON
There don’t seem to be any major flaws with Flying Colours. That said, the music that Bliss, Eso and Izm make – while great for what it is – still has room for improvement. Still, the group’s potential is obvious, and, if nothing else, Flying Colours carries the promise of a great follow-up album to come.
KASEY CHAMBERS & SHANE NICHOLSON Rattlin’ Bones
RICHARD KEMP
FROM FIRST TO LAST From First to Last
It’s human nature to want to compare things – contrasting one thing against another helps us to assess and understand it. Yet to fully appreciate From First to Last’s new self-titled album, you have to force yourself to ignore that impulse. From the first seconds of Two As One, the group’s evolution becomes evident. Guitarist Matt Good sings in his usual tone, and the band members use catchy guitar riffs to get some powerful, radio-friendly choruses, with some punctual screaming to boot. Two As One, along with The Other Side and World’s Away, make up a trio of very solid opening songs that get the listener’s attention. All three are upbeat, catchy, good rock songs. The quartet has created an album that cuts out a lot of the technicality found on 2006’s Heroine and brings back some of the rawness and aggression of their earlier releases, with a pinch of arena-rock thrown in. Both Two As One and The Other Side have explosive choruses – Matt Good screaming and yelling at the top of his lungs. World’s Away, the first single off the album, is a bit slower, and brings out the arena-rock sound I mentioned earlier. Fans of the old line-up may struggle with the metamorphosis this band has gone through, but the group’s desire to get away from the screamo genre and start working towards more rock territory is evident on this album. From First To Last have finally found their niche. So take it for what you will – fans will know coming in that this album isn’t going to reinvent the wheel, but it has to be said – it’s incredibly fun to scream along to and rock out with in the car. LEANN KACZMARSKI
THRICE The Illusion Of Safety
Comparing this album to Thrice’s previous work, everything sounds so much more polished and professional. Things feel a great deal more put-together in terms of production quality and the vibe overall. Teppei Teranishi’s guitar leads sound absolutely perfect in both his tone and instrumentation – his work is more fluent than ever. Eddie Breckenridge’s bass is given suitable emphasis throughout, as he is often found picking out lines on his own as opposed to constantly following the guitarists. Riley Breckenridge pounds through the album, and certainly sets an aggressive pace. Mastermind Dustin Kensrue does it once again with his beautiful singing and lyrics. His vocals are more mature and under control – he once again manages to get the perfect blend of smooth singing and brutal screaming. A good portion of the record is what Thrice are famous for – heavy, riff-driven music with a strong sense of melody. This record has such a strong sense of meaning – every scream heard, every drum-roll pulled off, every guitar note played, every bass slap felt, and every word sung all have a purpose. Something that doesn’t change throughout the record is the quality of the songs; just about anyone into music should at least be able to respect this record. Its diverse mix of elements and genres should appeal to many – it is hard-hitting, melodic, beautiful, surprising, epic, extremely well thought-out, wonderfully crafted and written, and an absolutely perfect example of what Thrice is capable of. LEANN KACZMARSKI 14
SAUCE #70
“Smoke don’t rise, fuel don’t burn, sun don’t shine no more / Late one night, sorrow come round, scratchin’ at my door.” Rattlin’ Bones is both the first song on the album and also the first song Kasey Chambers and her husband Shane Nicholson wrote together, telling stories of struggle, pain and love, with a mixture of different sounds, including blues, roots, country and rock. The album has a really unique and different style – a complete departure for Kasey, which is good, showing that she has a taste for change and doesn’t like sticking to the same routine, although some songs don’t seem as catchy as her previous hits; a mixture of slower numbers and singout-loud tracks, and a few little surprises as well. Rattlin’ Bones is a family affair, featuring Kasey’s brother Nash Chambers who, along with Shane Nicholson, helped produce the album. Kasey’s father also contributes by playing a range of instruments, whilst their young son Arlo doesn’t miss out either, singing a short and sweet song at the end of the album. The album reminisces about love, loss and heartache – proof that you don’t have to be heartbroken to write songs that run deep through the core of your emotions. Some of the stand-outs are The Devil’s Inside My Head, Monkey on a Wire, The House That Never Was, Adeline and Jackson Hole, with the title track shining as the album’s high point. Rattlin’ Bones is smooth and edgy, provoking the listener to sing along and learn every word – once you do, it’s pretty hard to leave it alone. LISA-MARIE RUSHTON
IRON MAIDEN Somewhere Back in Time In recent years, Iron Maiden’s enjoyed the kind of popularity not seen since their first ten years back in the eighties. Sensibly then, this compilation of songs draws exclusively from the years 1980 – 1989, presenting not so much of a “best of” album but more an “essential listening” history lesson ideally suited to give the neophyte Maiden fan a taste of their early work. We kick off with the energetically live Churchill’s Speech/Aces High, from 1985’s Live After Death, after this, all bets are off. Each track is iconic in its own way and for its own reasons. The apocalyptic 2 Minutes to Midnight engages with its eminently sing-a-long chorus. Children of the Damned, one of the songs sadly missing from the Maiden show I saw in Melbourne, is restored to its rightful place as one of the classics to be included, right up there with crowd-pleasers Run to the Hills and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Tellingly, it’s from the same album, 1983’s The Number of the Beast, and for those recently introduced to Iron Maiden courtesy of Guitar Hero III, you’ll find that track here as well. Some albums are sadly under-represented on this compilation, and some songs you’d expect to find on such a definitive compilation are missing altogether – Revelations from 1984’s Piece of Mind being the most glaring omission. But, all in all, this is one fan’s opinion as to what should have been featured rather than what actually is featured. By anyone’s standards, the task of distilling eight album’s worth of songs to just fifteen would have been torturous, and it’s perhaps these kind of sacrifices that permitted really kick-ass tracks like the live Phantom of the Opera to be included. Overall, Somewhere Back in Time presents a fantastic opportunity to be introduced to or reacquainted with the output of a legendary band. Furthermore, the cover art marks a welcome return of original Maiden cover artist, Derek Riggs, who has been sorely missed by this particular fan since the early Nineties. Somewhere Back in Time is both nostalgic and, strangely, of its time – which just goes to show how timeless this music really is. CHRIS RATTRAY
Unified Tour UTAS – 9/05/08
Made For Chickens By Robots BRISBANE HOTEL – 23/5/08
To kick off the evening’s events was The Dan Cross Revolution from Melbourne – a one-man dynamo who performed a combination of stand-up comedy and music. The jokes were funny and the music was entertaining; he sang over his own pre-recorded back-up beats in a similar fashion to what came next – The Emma Dilemma show.
Anticipation was high for Bliss N Eso, Funkoars, True Live and The Winnie Coopers; at risk of sounding clichéd, I have to say that the vibe was right. The Winnie Coopers eased us in with some smooth, chilled tunes. I’m not familiar with these guys, but I have to say that they put on a polished support show. It wasn’t until reading up on them that I wish I had taken more time to take in their performance – their resume reads well, having supported the likes of Ugly Duckling, The Beastie Boys and Jurassic Five.
Consisting of two backup dancers and Emma herself, this was a spectacle of high-energy electro, sexy music with synchronised dance moves and elaborate costumes. It should however come with a warning – may contain nudity! Moe Grizzly played next; a unique, psychedelic experimental rock trio impressing with tracks from their latest album Fingering Dixie.
True Live rocked out politely, proving that they are, of course, just all-round nice guys. They have also now established themselves a nice little rep, having supported artists such as The Roots and De La Soul. The Funkoars offended us amusingly, and showed their nice side. They asked our permission to play some of their “new shit” after we’d jumped our way through some of their most popular rhymes. They also came down to join the crowd for a drink after the show, which is never a bad thing.
Then it was time for Made For Chickens By Robots; described as a “good-time garbage blues bastard one-manband,” this was one multi-talented man on stage, wearing a chicken hat as he simultaneously played guitar and percussion while sang – his style of rock was upbeat and individual, and he had everyone up and dancing. It was a good note to finish on for another great night of music and entertainment at the Brisbane Hotel.
Bliss N Eso blazed it up with an energetic and interactive performance. We were treated to some great impromptu beat-boxing from Bliss, and some slammin’ tunes from their highly rotatable new album, and from start to finish they clearly couldn’t help spreading their love for rocking out. It was a great night of Aussie hip-hop, with these artists complimenting each other perfectly. Very nice! High Five!
HANNAH KEEN
TABITHA FLETCHER
COMPETITIONS WIN ONE OF THREE COPIES OF CHASING GRAVITY’S LATEST ALBUM “AUTUMN IN THE PLATINUM DESERT” To enter, email your name, address and which three bands or artists you most want to tour Tassie to competitions@sauce.net.au with “Chasing Gravity” in the subject line. Entries close 23rd of June @ 5PM
WIN ONE OF FIVE COPIES OF MINISTRY OF SOUND’S “HOUSEXY” MIXED BY ALAN THOMPSON AND GRAHAM CORDERY To enter, email your name, address and which three bands or artists you most want to tour Tassie to competitions@sauce.net.au with “Housexy” in the subject line. Entries close 23rd of June @ 5PM
ROCK - MELBOURNE // KISSCHASY
Yank For Inspiration
By Steve Tauschke
After last year undertaking two extensive Australian tours – both big city and regional jaunts – to promote their second album, 2007’s gold-selling Hymns For The Non-Believer, Melbourne rockers Kisschasy are hoping to do some hard yards in the US later this year in the lead up to writing their next record, Steve Tauschke reports … “It’s very easy thing to do in Australia – there only so many places you can go,” comments singer-guitarist Darren Cordeux on the perils of saturation touring. “So we put our foot down and decided that this will be the last tour for this album.” Following their recent national tour with US femme-rockers The Donnas, Kisschasy plan on taking a short hiatus before tackling the US market in the second half of 2008, partly as a means of building on their international fan base but also as inspiration for
writing their third album. “We agreed that before we do another album we really need to start over and basically go back to a place where we’re unknown, and work from the grassroots up again,” says Cordeux, 23. “I think that’s the best way the next album’s going to come out. It’ll be like we’re starting afresh as a new band but we have all this experience, so it’s a really good position to be in. I mean, we know we’re going to lose money but it is exciting.” The six-year-old quartet from Balnarring, on Victoria’s Mornington peninsula, already have a slight advantage in the US given their label Below Par’s recent partnership deal with Pat’s Record Company, co-owned by Pat Magnarella, manager of Green Day and All American Rejects. “He’s going to be releasing our Hymns ... record, but that doesn’t mean we’re headed for anything massive,” says Cordeux, “it means we’ve got a good leg up at
the moment. We’re just going over to see where that takes us and hopefully get on some tours.” After mixing their debut album United Paper People in Seattle three years ago, Kisschasy toured North America briefly that year, attracting an assortment of fans including Sire Records boss Seymour Stein, the veteran industry figure responsible for signing a little-known 70s punk band called The Ramones, and later Madonna and The Smiths in the 80s. “He came to check us out and actually followed all around South-By-South-West,” says Cordeux. “He was very into us and wanted to do a deal. He came to see us in New York as well and I remember us playing a really loud big rock set and I looked out into the crowd and I could see him sitting on a seat right in front of the PA. It must have been so loud, but he’d actually fallen asleep! That wasn’t really good for our egos. Funnily enough the deal fell through.”
Having earned the respect of their peers here in Australia, Kisschasy have garnered much advice from their friends Gyroscope and Eskimo Joe. “Gyroscope have been our best friends for a long time,” says Cordeux.” We’re very much from the same kind of level so we talk to them about a whole range of issues from touring to administration and management. It’s always good to get ideas from other bands because at the end of the day we’re all here to support each other and we all love music.” Kisschasy recently toured nationally. www.myspace.com/kisschasy
“... we put our foot down and decided that this will be the last tour ...”
SAUCE #70
15
TURN THE DIAL TO 11
DJ VANCE 11 years ago … I was seventeen and hadn’t yet discovered the dance music scene, but music was a strong influence then, like with most teenagers. 11 months ago … I had just played at Inigos in South London, one of the most enjoyable sets I’ve ever played. People there go nuts with no inhibitions ... and they get away with dancing all over the bar and tables! It is a cracking little venue that has a rawness I love. 11 weeks ago … I was in Argentina studying Spanish, halfway through a six-month South America tour. 11 days ago … Stef from The Metz called and asked for me to do a set while I was visiting home (living in London now). So I thought “what a great idea – let’s do it!” 11 hours ago … I was hiking on a section of the coastal trail down on the Peninsula … I love coming back to Tassie and being active – it is a nice change from London. 11 minutes ago … I made myself a nice cup of tea – my second today. I’ve been in the UK far too long! Five favourite CDs, and why? Metallica – Metallica – Need I say more? Some of the most influential music of my younger days. Any of the Dirtiest Electro House compilations – It is the style I play, so I download a lot of their tunes. The Killers – Hot Fuss – It has some great dancefloor tracks as well as some easy listening. U2 – Achtung Baby – U2 have a unique sound that I love, and this is my favorite album of theirs. Hotel Costes – French House – Some good baby-making stuff here.
“People there go nuts with no inhibitions ...“
DJ Vance plays The Metz in Hobart on the 21st of June.
DANCE - LONDON // COPYRIGHT
Kicking Goals In The House Of Soul By Dave Williams
Regurgitator once told the world that “Music Is Sport,” but for Sam Holt – one half of London DJ/producer stalwarts Copyright – music is often getting in the way of it. But missing the occasional game of his beloved Liverpool Football Club due to DJing is one of two small sacrifices demanded by a successful music career. The second one? Doing interviews. But he may have walked away from this one with an idea that made it worth his while … You getting a bit sick of doing interviews already? Oh, mate – you’re number three! Alright, let’s talk about something other than music … I don’t know … what do you do for a rush? What gives you a real buzz, outside of music? Going to watch Liverpool Football Club, mate. Did you ever aspire to be a professional player? Yeah, I totally did! [Laughs] And it was a complete failure! So music was the next best thing to running around on the football pitch.
“…Music was the next best thing to running around on the football pitch.”
Have you ever met any of your idols? I have! And was it a bit of a disappointment, or not? They say “you should never meet your idols,” but I was only a young kid, and I met all of the classic Liverpool [players], like [Kenny] Dalglish, Ian Rush … all those guys. My dad managed to get me into the player’s lounge one year. I actually had a little run around on Anfield when I was about seven. So that sort of blew my mind a little bit, and I’ve been like a kid about the football club ever since. When I’m on tour, when I’m DJing or whatever, I’m constantly on my iPhone checking what the latest transfer gossip is, or results. And I always miss every key game! Every key game, I will have a gig – guaranteed! [Laughs] Whenever I watch it, we lose. Just one more sacrifice you’ve got to make for your art, isn’t it? Well yeah, but it’s all good. I mean … my dream one day is to get a season ticket and go and watch the team every week – that’d be fantastic. You could maybe produce a song that Liverpool might use – a team song for the year or something. That’d be pretty cool. I’ve thought about that, actually. I thought of maybe doing one for Arsenal; Arsenal did a whole album of tracks using artists and rappers and all sorts of stuff. They’re a little bit behind at Liverpool at the moment! [Laughs]
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You should send them an email or something, or get your agent to get in touch. Yeah, I like it! We’ve got some good ideas from this interview already – it’s good! After these interviews, what are you going to be doing for the rest of your day? For the rest of my day, I’m going to be having some nice breakfast, and then I’ve got a meeting with our manager and label boss, and we’re just tweaking a remix this afternoon, so I’ll be in the studio. When we finish that remix, we’ve got to get our records ready, because we’ve got our album launch party at Ministry Of Sound on Saturday night, and then pretty much straight after that, we jump on a plane to Ibiza, and we’re playing at the Defected In The House Pacha opening with Bob Sinclar. The album launch with Ministry – that’s got to be one of the high points of your career … and then going onto another with the Defected [opening], playing with Bob Sinclar … Yeah, yeah – it’s great! It’s a great time, now that the album’s coming out. We love playing the Ministry, we do – we do it, like, four, five times a year. The scene in the U.K. has taken a bit of a bashing in the last two, three, four years, with soulful house … We get a couple of little offers, but it’s nothing compared to what’s going on out there internationally … specifically soulful house. Electro and minimal – all that sort of stuff’s really popular – but soulful house has taken a big hit, so it’s really nice to play in London, because we can get a lot of mates out, invite people down to come and see us, and just generally hang out. That’s really important, you know? But it’s a nice thing – a little bit of focus is on us, and we’re really looking forward to it. ONLINE: Sam speaks his mind on Tiesto and soulful house. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce. net.au www.myspace.com/copyrightproductions
DANCE - CHICAGO // JAMES CURD
Soundtrack To Stealing Cars
“… I’m just trying to play GTA now, but I get killed or arrested in like five minutes. It’s pretty tough …”
By Tom Wilson
With tunes from several different projects making waves in the dance world, including one for the soundtrack of a game that’s sold more than six million copies, you’d have to agree that now is a pretty good time to be James Curd, despite all the time spent away from friends, family, and his dog. You started DJing in Chicago in the early 90s. How have you seen the Chicago scene evolve in that time? What trends have come and gone? When I was young the parties were all loft and warehouse parties. Every weekend there would be a few different parties with a wide range of music. Now the only place to hear house music is in the clubs. With that being said, there are only a few clubs in Chicago supporting Chicago house music. Every so often the stars will align and I will be at a great show in Chicago that will remind me of why it was so great during the 90s. What do you think makes Chicago unique in the dance music world? I think Chicago has its own style of DJing and music. The music we grew up on is really unique to Chicago. It breeds a different kind of musician and DJ. I think there are a lot of places around the world that have their own flavour, and Chicago’s funky house is best served up at home. How did The Greenskeepers first form? The Greenskeepers have had many forms. I started making music when I was eighteen years old. During that time, I made a few songs with my long-time friend
Nick Maurer. We decided to call those releases “Greenskeepers.” Before those records even came out, Nick made a move to Germany. I continued to make music on my own under the Greenskeepers name for five years. Then I met a musician in a funk band in Chicago named Mark Share. He came in the studio and worked on a few projects. Mark and I worked on music for about two years. Then Nick came back from Germany and joined the band again in Chicago where we also had Coban Rudish playing bass. Greenskeepers is back to being a project I am mostly working on by myself again, and with Mark. We are going to start a new album with heaps of guests. With The Greenskeepers, you’ve done a track for Grand Theft Auto IV. How did this come about? Are you much of a gamer? I am friends with Ivan over at Rockstar who does the music supervision. We tried to find the right fit for a song to be included in the game for almost six months before we got Vagabond. Vagabond was one of three songs they liked but it was an instrumental. I had Nick come down and sing and JDub come by and do more of a rap that was more specific to what Grand Theft was all about. It was Mark’s original skeleton of a song, and the pieces all came together. Vagabond was one of three songs they were considering for the world-
wide TV ad, and we are really happy they chose it! I really like XBox and Halo and I’m just trying to play GTA now, but I get killed or arrested in like five minutes. It’s pretty tough.
all about the idea, and getting that out of your head and into the song. I have fun making music, so I hope that comes out on the dancefloor.
You’ve also formed another project called, funnily enough, “The Projects.” Why did you decide to do this? Was it a case of wanting to do stuff that you couldn’t do with The Greenskeepers? I have spent so much of my time and energy on Greenskeepers [that] it was just a nice change of pace. The Projects is an album I’m doing in collaboration with Tommie Sunshine. It’s full of robot rock, and it was really fun to go into the studio and see what came out! I’ve also done heaps of music under my own name James Curd, and I have just signed a record to DFA.
What are your plans for the rest of this year? What do you most want to accomplish? I’m finishing up an album with Chris Holms who was the keyboard player for Smashing Pumpkins. I’m also just about to release a GKM/OM mix CD for Electric Circus in Adelaide. I just want to keep pushing the different projects I do on my own or with other artists and DJs in between.
You’re playing in Hobart this month – what can we expect from your set, in terms of sounds and vibes? I never have an idea of what I’ll play until I’m there with the people at the party. I’ll play my home cooking Chicago house, and I’m sure I’ll [play some] robot funk too. As an artist, what kind of philosophy do you have when it comes to making music? I’m all about the idea – a hum, a sample, a sound, a beat. It’s
Lastly, just for fun, what’s the best thing about being James Curd, and what’s the worst? Why? The best thing is seeing new places and meeting new people. The worst thing is missing time with your girlfriend, friends and family. Oh and my dog Morgan. James Curd plays Syrup in Hobart on the 21st of June. www.myspace.com/jamescurd
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SKATING
Laif Johannesen - Wall Ride
SKATE WRAP Four Wheels and a Funeral is an exhibition of artwork on old used skateboards, featuring work from many local artists including Cat Rabbit, Rob O Connor, Extol, Crook, Hash, Spire, Cathy McAuliffe and many more, and includes works in many different media such as stencil art, graph, sculpture, print, ink etc. The exhibition was launched at Jimmy’s Skate and Street (120 Elizabeth St.) on Friday May 23rd, where about a hundred people gathered to appreciate the show and have a drink or four. The exhibition runs until Friday the 20th of June, so make sure you get in there and check it out and support Tasmanian art.
the boys at Hoon Wheels and features some of the world’s greatest hoons ripping up skateparks and streets all over Australia. Skaters include Matt Mumford, Jake Duncombe, Chet Childress, Andrew Currie, Dan Drehobl and Chad Bartie – yeehaw! Last but not least on the DVD front is a BMX DVD out of Tasmania called Forward Motion. This has been out for a couple of months, but is a great local production from South BMX and Sam Orchard, featuring all Tasmanian riders including Trav Mitchell, Toby Orchard, Simon Reid, Mikey Rands and more. This has been getting great recognition around Australia and has even been given rave reviews in magazines as far away as England – great to see some local lads getting amongst it.
This month has seen the release of quite a few top-notch Australian skateboard DVDs. First off the bat is the aptly named Positive Energy out of Melbourne featuring Callum Paul, Jezza Corea, Richard Flude and the amazing Shane “Nugget” O’Neill who, if you watch closely, has a lot of his part filmed here in Tasmania. Also watch closely for cameos from Tassie’s own Ben Smith, George Simmonds and Chris “Dix” Smith. This is one of the best Aussie skate vids I have ever seen, so do yourself a favour and take a gander. Also out of Melbourne is the new Blank DVD Crashing to Earth, featuring Mike Martin, Jonno Rippon, Koby Murphy, Harry Clarke and Dan Van Iersel. This DVD has a real chilled, mellow vibe and some amazing skating to boot. Blank Clothing has been at the forefront of Aussie skating for a long time, so it’s great to see them still pushing the boundaries with the release of their third video.
June 21st is “International Go Skateboarding Day,” so grab your stick and go shredding. If you would like to do this in the company of others then make your way to Blackmans Bay skatepark where Jimmy’s Skate and Street and Redbill Surf will be putting on a skateboard competition in conjunction with Kingston council. There will be lots of prizes from Darkstar, Tensor etc. – more details will be announced closer to the day, but this will certainly be a day not to be missed.
For all you bogans out there, this one’s for you – Hoon the Sequel. As the name suggests, this is the second DVD from
Happy skateboarding.
Stand Up For Yourself, And Skating He’d skated from the age of eleven until he was thirteen … then, he quit. But, a couple of months ago, Tom Gregory – better known as Tommy G – has taken the sport back up. “Skating saved me from becoming a bum or junkie,” Tom said recently. “But now that I have started again, it’s all kids seem to be doing – smoking and drinking. A thing that people used to get paid-out about is now the cool thing to do. The skating community has changed for the worse.” When Tom said this to me, it clicked; at skate parks nowadays, you see a lot of the older skaters showing influence on younger people; showing that it’s cool to smoke or drink or get stoned. They take the love and enjoyment from skating – just doing it to get a rush from it – to having to drink and smoke to get accepted. Beaconsfield skate park is a home to many of the younger skaters, as a lot of the kids from this area come from a rough background. They use skating and bike riding as 18
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Check out the latest Slam Magazine for an article on the Almost team when they were down here in Tasmania. The mag should be out by the time you read this, and the article features Chris Haslam, Torey Pudwill, Cooper Wilt, Lewis Marnell, Shane “Nugget” O’Neill and Tassie’s own Chris “Dix” Smith. In other magazine news, the Skateboard Journal is out this week, and is jam-packed with Tassie action. JIMMY MCMACKEN
an escape from their problems. Until recently, kids came down to the skate park just to skate or ride. Now, they come to cause trouble or smoke and drink. It’s starting to intimidate not only the elderly people in the community, but also the younger kids who are meant to be able to use the park too. These are kids who are meant to follow in our footsteps and see us as an influence. Seeing others smoking and drinking makes the kids think that’s the way to be – the cool thing to do. To be accepted in Beaconsfield, it seems that you either have to be tough or crazy; you either smoke already, or you smoke when you start to ride/skate. If you don’t come when the park needs you to stick up for the other guys then you’re a coward or, to them, a “pussy.” That’s not right. They’re calling you a pussy for doing the smart thing. This park is not the only one like this – there are many out there which have turned nice, kind kids into bogan ferals. The moral of this story is simple; if you want to smoke, that’s up to you, but don’t influence youngsters to join in on your habit. Don’t diss people for saying “no,” but say, “you made the right choice.” If a kid doesn’t want to smoke or drink, I believe that means he/she has a strong inner-self. CHRISTIAN MACDONALD
Photo by Jason Morey
DANCE - AUSTRALIA // JAMIE DOOM
Discombobulate Is Preferred Death
By Tom Wilson
What will spell “doom” for BangGang’s Jamie? A falling disco ball? A crazed punter? An exploding CDJ? God only knows, but we can only hope the Reaper doesn’t tap him on the shoulder until after he raises the roof of Launceston’s James Hotel later this month. But you can never be too sure, can you? Just to be on the safe side, we had a word with him … What have you been working on lately – musically and otherwise? Just got back a three-week European tour with Gus. We played eighteen gigs in twenty days. It was very hectic. Other than that, we are starting work on our next double mix CD for Modular, hosting a room at We Love Festival on Sunday, doing a bunch of stuff for our label (BangGang twelve-inches) and playing lots of records in dark clubs. How did you hook up with BangGang? What’s been happening on that front recently? I didn’t really hook up with BangGang; it was originally just the name of the party that we started together four years ago, and from that everything grew, I guess.
When was the last time something went completely tits-up at a gig? What happened? And how did you deal with it? We played in Mona Vale not too long ago. Someone spilt a beer on a CD deck and we were left with one CD deck and turntables with no slip mats.
“Disco-ball-tothe-face would be cool …”
Looking back on your career so far, what stand out as some of the high and low points, and why? Career? [Laughs] That’s a nice idea. I guess high points have been playing with acts that I admire like Daft Punk, Digitalism, Justice etc.
We tried to make slip mats out of some wetsuit material one of the bar staff had for some reason, but that didn’t really work, so he played the rest of the set with one deck – interesting.
Getting to travel around the world to play to new people is cool, and getting paid to play records in general ain’t too bad either. There are no low points, except if you fly with Ryanair ... argh.
You’re about to play in Launceston – what kind of sounds will you be bringing down with you? What can we expect? Sauna house, goth opera, old rave and sexy trance.
If you could collaborate with any artists, living or dead, who would they be, and why? And what kind of sound do you think you’d create together? Hithouse – he is my favourite 90s house producer. He died in a car crash a few years back. Hopefully we could make something as good as his tune Jack to the Sound of the Underground. These days, what gives you the most satisfaction, both in your creative endeavors and in everyday life? Hanging out with my pet lizard, dimension-erring with Hoodrat and Jovi Bear, having a coffee with my girlfriend, and listening to techno. To play on your handle a bit, what do you think would be your doom? If you were going to die of something, what would it most likely be, and why? Disco-ball-to-the-face would be cool, or maybe just go to one too many nightclubs and discombobulate on the dancefloor. Maybe it will even be in Launceston? Jamie Doom plays what just might be the last gig of his life at Launceston’s James Hotel on the 28th of June. www.myspace.com/jaimedoom
GIG REVIEWS
Cog
WREST POINT – 5/6/08
It’s been quite a while since I went to a gig at the Casino, and also a while since seeing Cog indoors, having caught them a few times at outdoor festivals. There was a good crowd turnout, showing the growing awareness of Cog over the past year. The support act was Sleep Parade. I’m not familiar with their material, but they put on a solid performance. My only criticism would be that, after half-an-hour or so, the songs started to sound the same. Good pop-rock at the heavier end of the genre, but maybe need some work on separation of their sounds and a bit more light and dark in their playing. After a fairly short break, Cog arrived on stage, and immediately their touring experience showed what a difference it makes. Yes, a big lighting rig and fuller PA was a contributing factor, but the power of the sound and the precision these guys deliver made all the difference. And they deliver indoors so much more than outdoors – a huge bass end to the mix that sometimes, in some parts of the room, was almost overpowering. But being a fan of big subs and lots of bottom end, I wasn’t going to complain. While not a band for personal stage theatrics, they just deliver their music, letting the sound and lighting guys do what they do, and they have the combination down to perfection. Wailing guitar solos, solid bass guitar with a massive sound, great drumming – this is how a good three-piece works best. Add the light and dark I found missing in Sleep Parade’s performance and this was one very enjoyable gig for me. KEVIN GLEESON
The Galvatrons
REPUBLIC BAR & CAFE – 29/5/08
Melodic Candy were the support band. I cannot think of a more apt name for these guys. They played well. They sang well. Melodically. The songs were well-constructed. But it was a like eating a big bag of lollies from a discount store. The first lolly tasted OK, but as you consumed more, they tasted progressively worse, until all you’re left with is overload, and nausea. This performance, for me, had no soul. They were going through the motions. They sang about “the lonely city” as if they were singing about going surfing – no feeling. Some people liked the notable efforts by the drummer and bass player, and jumped around, but I wasn’t one of them. In stark contrast were The Galvatrons. I had a smile on my face for all their set, and wished they had kept playing when they had finished. With an 80s-inspired stadium/glam rock sound, with the influence of the current electro trend via a keyboard, I really could picture these guys rocking out to many thousands of people at a festival, with the crowd going crazy. Having toured on the mainland with our own The Scientists of Modern Music, I could now see why they had been paired. They were fun, upbeat, and had passion by the bucket-load. The lead singer gave a super performance, with full-on rock moves reminding me partly of Bon Jovi, and partly of Duran Duran (some 80s references). But the rest of the band were great too; accomplished musicians truly performing for the enjoyment of the audience. These were fun songs you could sing-along to after just a couple of choruses, even though I’d never heard them before, and bouncy beats to which you could shake your booty. They’re on my “to watch” list. DAVE WILLIAMS
coming up [saturday 28th june] bang gang djs featuring jamie doom [coming soon] sam la more, dj bass kleph + hook n sling
club features [wednesday] dj joycie in the front bar [thursday] uni night [friday & saturday] resident djs pd, little cam, joycie, randall, buff star d-lux james hotel 122 york st launceston 6334 7231 SAUCE #70
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If You Had A Chance To Help This Girl,
Would You? Where we live, children bring home drawings from school that are, generally, of happy families, or happy scenes with animals and rainbows. Pictured is a young refugee from Dafur, in a camp in Chad, whose drawing of friends and family being murdered by troops in the region’s civil war illustrates the tragedy of the situation. It’s said that “music sooths the savage beast.” A benefit gig at Hobart this month will raise funds to help people like this girl cope with the savage nature of war. No child should be able to draw an AK-47 based from real-life experience. There are many more just like this girl, and you’ve got a chance to help all of them, and rock out to some great music while you’re at it. To raise awareness of Refugee Week, Amnesty International is joining forces with local band Son Del Sur to present “Dance For Dafur,” a benefit gig to be held at Hobart’s Republic Bar & Café on Thursday the 19th of June. With this show, the organisers are hoping to throw some much needed cash at the Oxfam Darfur Appeal, which will go towards improving the standard of living for people like the girl you see here. Son Del Sur will be joined on the night by the sweet sounds of Chivandra and tribal drumming. Join us for some good times to stop the bad times. Bands kick off at 8:30PM. www.amnesty.org
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ARTS ARTS WRAP - By Maeve MacGregor Lucy Bleach’s exhibition Revue des Deux Monde examines the notions of horizons as tangible and knowledge-based. The exhibition runs until the 28th at INFLIGHT Gallery. Shea Bresnehan and Nicole Robson’s exhibition Out of Home investigates the significance of place. Through connections with – and dislocation from – home, this exhibition explores suburban habitat. The exhibition runs until the 28th at INFLIGHT Gallery. Companion Planting is an exhibition that explores the relationship between people and plants; focusing on our proximity to nature and the residual areas between the spaces we create. The exhibition runs until the 15th at CAST Gallery. Trudi Brinckman’s exhibition of new work On the Other Side of the Mountain opens on Friday the 13th at 6pm at the 6A Gallery. The exhibition runs until the 6th of July. New Zealand artist Phillip Trusttum will be exhibiting a series of paintings at the Bett Gallery until the 8th of July. Simon Cuthbert’s photographic exhibition Branded explores the concept of how we identify other people and sub-cultures through the brand names and labels they
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plaster themselves with. The exhibition runs until the 18 at the Despard Gallery. Anthony Johnson’s first commercial exhibition of sculpture and photographic works I Used to Draw a Lot is currently being held at the Criterion Gallery. The exhibition runs until the 21st. Arts school students studying Art Design and Environment are holding a collaborative exhibition of their work at the Entrepot Gallery. The exhibition runs until the 13th of June. Melinda Oogjes and Tony Richardson open their exhibition System Realities: Relationships Micro and Macro on the 16th at the Entrepot Gallery. The exhibition runs until the 4th of July. The School of Fine Art Print Society is holding a collaborative exhibition of print works at the Entrepot Gallery from the 16th. The exhibition runs until the 4th of July. The collaborative mixed media Asialink/Devonport Regional Gallery Touring Exhibition curated by Jane Stuart, From an Island South, is currently in residence at the Plimsoll Gallery. The exhibition runs until the 20th.
FILM BIGhART – SEEKING AN EDITOR BIGhART are seeking an editor for the Drive project currently in production on the North West Coast. BIGhART is Australia’s highest producing arts and social change organisation, creating new works with unusually inspiring communities and individuals. These long-term projects generate high quality art, utilising community stories, creating new box office for festivals and presenters. Drive is a documentary film/experimental narrative investigating the way our culture values coming-of-age into manhood subsequent to the national epidemic of “autocide” among young men. BIGhART require an editor for 8-10 weeks throughout August and September this year. Fee: $1,000 per week Please send CV and showreel to: Drive Project C/o BIGhART Inc PO Box 901 Devonport 7310 TAS
15/15 INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING 13th June – State Theatre, Hobart – a series of fifteen-minute films made in fifteen hours by emerging filmmakers! www.filmfestival15.com
PLAYBACK THEATRE WORKSHOP Saturday 21st June Where: Frank Wells Hall – The Friends School, 395 Argyle Street, North Hobart Cost: $20 (includes afternoon tea) Hobart Playback Theatre Company is auditioning for new members and presents an opportunity to explore and learn the improvisation skills and techniques of Playback Theatre. They are particularly seeking some musicians and male actors. Actors must be 18+, and are encouraged to attend this workshop to experience the playback theatre form and to be part of the selection process. The company rehearses weekly and provides ongoing mentoring and training in all aspects of improvisation with expert trainers from Tasmania, interstate and overseas. Bookings and enquiries contact Jan on 6278 2314, SMS 0409 979 805, email maddy.colville@bigpond.com.au or visit www.hobartplayback.com.au
THE SHOW ME SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL The Show Me Shorts Film Festival screens a selection of Kiwi and Australian short films at cities nationwide every November. Show Me Shorts is seeking films between three and thirty minutes long, made within the last three years. All genres are accepted so long as the film has a strong New Zealand or Australian component (i.e. be made in NZ/Oz or have NZ/Oz key creatives). The deadline is Monday 7th July. Full entry details can be found at www.showmeshorts.co.nz.
ARISTA - BUSINESS OF DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT & WORKSHOP When: Monday 21st July – Wednesday 23rd July Where: Wrest Point Hotel, Hobart Screen Tasmania is hosting the Business of Development Summit & Workshop. This workshop is aimed at development executives, script assessors, producers and funding agency project managers, and will be a practical workshop designed to develop and consolidate skills in how to effectively read, analyse, write and give critical and productive feedback on scripts. It will also include discussions and panel sessions on the best practice process of development. Early Bird Fee: $600 (before Monday 23rd June) Standard Rate: $700 Enquiries & Bookings: 03 6233 6995 For registrations, special accommodation rates and further information, visit www.screentasmania.com
REALISE YOUR DREAM COMPETITION 2008 The British Council is now calling for Australia’s best and brightest to enter the 2008 Realise Your Dream competition. It’s a professional development award open to all Australians aged under thirty who are involved in creative industries. Winning candidates will be flown to the UK to work with a mentor, and get $8,000 to help live the dream. To go into the running, applicants need to demonstrate their creative potential, and tell them how they’ll benefit by connecting with Britain ’s best. If you’re a winner, they’ll help organise a personally tailored work experience program with a leader in the field. For more information visit www.realiseyourdream.org.au or email realiseyourdream@britishcouncil.org.au.
EXHIBITION REVIEW – COMPANION PLANTING CAST GALLERY – RUNNING UNTIL 15th JUNE Companion Planting is the thirteenth Curatorial Mentorship Program exhibition to be presented with the assistance and sponsorship of the Contemporary Arts Services Tasmania (CAST) Gallery. The Curatorial Mentorship Program is designed to give an opportunity to one individual a year to plan and present their first major group exhibition, and Jack Robins, first-class honours graduate from UTAS in sculptor/installation and the curator of Companion Planting, has grasped the opportunity with two enthusiastic hands. The theory of Companion Planting is the co-operation of life forms – specifically plants – to yield higher productivity. But it is not only in plants that this coexistence is of value. For instance, the Remora fish attach themselves to the backs of sharks and eat the parasites that infest the sharks’ skin. Both benefit through the existence of the other. Companion Planting is an insightful remark on the coexistence and codependence of humanity and our culture with the natural world; we are linked to one another, and the health and wellbeing of one reflects the other. On entering the exhibition, the first object to strike the eye is Lucy Bleach’s Nature is a Language, Can’t You Read? – what seems at first glance to be a rather old and dilapidated foam armchair, but on further inspection, a read of the gallery leaflet and a little prodding, becomes evident as being made from mouldy pear juice agar jelly. Yes, jelly – but don’t write it off just yet. The jelly chair, from a short distance, seems so inviting in the stark, darkened gallery space, and yet it glistens like something alien and unknown from too close. It is possible to imagine the mould growing on it at a heightened speed, like in a David Attenborough documentary. This slightly disgusting, slightly oozing artwork, however, seems to be a (very) alive metaphorical representation of how melded aspects of our culture, lifestyle and comfort are with environmental growth and change.
Applications close 31st July 2008 Raef Sawford’s video works Disturbia and Relativity are both
ENTER TRASHARAMA A-GO-GO 2008 Trasharama is now stalking short films for this year’s festival/competition. Send them your horror, sci-fi, bad taste comedies, dodgymentaries and anything else you would consider low-brow entertainment. They don’t care if it’s old or new, sick or slick ... if it is under fifteen minutes, you can be in the running for awesome prizes and national glory. Trasharama travels Australia during October and November every year, screening the funniest cinematic sludge from the most warped filmmakers around. Checkout conditions of entry and download an entry form from www. trasharama.com.au. Deadline for entries is the 14th August.
ADELAIDE FILM FESTIVAL 2009 CALL FOR ENTRIES The Adelaide Film Festival 2009 is calling for submissions of feature films, documentaries and shorts made in Australia and internationally, completed after February 2007. The Adelaide Film Festival is one of the youngest but most dynamic and innovative film festivals in the world, with a program including special events, live performance and the premiere of films commissioned by the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund. All genres of contemporary screen culture are welcomed, including drama, documentary, experimental, new media and animation. The deadline for both feature film and short film submissions is Friday 17th October 2008. For more information and submission guidelines visit www. adelaidefilmfestival.org, email info@adelaidefilmfestival. org or call 08 8271 1029
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST PRODUCTION When: 1st – 15th November Where: Theatre Royal, Hobart The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Tasmania in association with Allan Jeffrey and Leiz Moore have announced the upcoming production of the Disney musical Beauty and the Beast at the Theatre Royal from the 1st to the 15th of November. For full cast details visit www.beautybeast.com.au. For ticketing info call Theatre Royal on 6233 2299 or Centertainment on 6234 5998.
VIBEWIRE Vibewire.net is in the process of launching a brand spanking new part of their website dedicated to giving young writers a platform to showcase their scripts. They are looking for engaging work from emerging and established playwrights, screenwriters, scriptwriters and anyone else putting together a piece of work that is made to be performed. For further information contact scripts@vibewire.net or visit www.vibewire.net/create
examples of ways in which we attempt to define and control our experiences of nature in boxed and analytical structures, through media (Relativity) or architecture (Disturbia). Michelle Cangiano’s jewelry seems naked and alone without the coexistence of a human body to occupy it, like the Remora fish. Amanda Shone’s Remote Viewing – a cave, or cubby house, made from sleeping bags, has the edge that much contemporary art does; do I enter the artwork? Do I interact? It seems ominous, yet, like a child in the wilderness, interaction with nature seems like the most instinctual thing. Dean Chatwin’s It Won’t Grow ... is an ironically sweet and hopeful, comic approach to the exhibition’s intention; a water sprinkler endlessly running a stream of water over a dormant concrete slab ... will it come to this? Trying to create life from something this barren? Let’s hope not. MAEVE MACGREGOR
GALLERY GUIDE INFLIGHT Gallery 237 Elizabeth St, North Hobart, behind KAOS Café. www.inflightart.com.au CAST (Contemporary Arts Services Tasmania) 27 Tasma St, North Hobart. www.castgallery.org 6A Gallery – 6A Newdegate St, North Hobart. www.myspace.com/six_a Bett Gallery – 369 Elizabeth St., North Hobart. www.bettgallery.com.au Criterion Gallery – 12 Criterion St., Hobart. www.criteriongallery.com.au Long Gallery The Salamanca Arts Centre, Salamanca Place. www.salarts.org.au Studio Gallery Top Floor, Salamanca Arts Centre, Salamanca Place. Despard Gallery – 15 Castray Esplanade, Salamanca. www.despard-gallery.com.au Entrepot Gallery Hunter St, in the School of Fine Art courtyard. Plimsoll Gallery Hunter St, In the School of Fine Art courtyard.
GAMES
Matt Costello Seminar Review Matthew J. Costello has been writing in many different formats for quite a long time. He has written numerous novels, a few short stories, some screenplays, and games; lots and lots of games. His best-known work is ID Software’s Doom 3, however in recent years he has written the game tie-ins for franchises as huge as Pirates of the Caribbean. Currently he is a freelancer, and writes for a number of companies as well as consulting and teaching. To top it off, he’s a funny bugger. He was recently in Tasmania to consult on a couple of developing gaming projects. As a part of his visit he spoke at a Screen Tasmania funded seminar in Hobart about “Growing Worlds: Turning Stories into Games.” Computer and video gaming is currently the fastest growing and also fastest changing entertainment medium. New gaming systems emerge every few years and computers are constantly improving in speed and power, yet since the late 1970s there has been one constant; people want to play games. Initially seen as the domain of children only, games like Pong and Asteroids were simple and had no story. By the time games like Pac-Man, Galaga and Space Invaders came along, their rudimentary stories mattered little, and gamers were already hooked. Yet there were gamers out there who realised that games could tell much more complex stories – they may not be as exciting perhaps, but they had much greater depth. “Graphic adventures” were not too far removed from the old Choose Your Own Adventure books, but they allowed players to explore worlds and experience stories in a totally new interactive way. We have come a long way since the days of typing “walk north”, “pick up knife.” We demand deeper gaming experiences in multiple genres and we want more and more to be the architects of our own stories. Games like Grand Theft Auto IV not only deliver a deep and complex story for the player to follow, but also create a rich and involving world that a player can essentially create their own story within. The fact that the main narrative, including all the side stories, adds up to around a hundred hours of gameplay is meaningless, as it doesn’t account for the hours of meandering fun. It’s positive review in the New York Times serves only to cement the fact that games are a legitimate part of our culture and are coming into their own as not only entertainment, but as an art-form. In recent years, market share for all of the “heritage” media – films, TV, newspapers, novels etc. – has dropped signifi-
cantly, yet the Internet and games have done the exact opposite. While TV and radio stations scramble desperately to remain relevant to a generation of “on demand” viewers, sites like Youtube and Facebook are faced with a difficult conundrum – how do you monetise a free service? Games such as World of Warcraft (WOW) however have developed a working model for financial gain and are drawing millions of players worldwide. In fact, it has been estimated that the current number of online gamers worldwide is approximately seventy three million. That’s a lot of cash to tap into. However, in the end, what most of these gamers are after is entertainment, and generally that comes from stories – which brings us back to writers like Matt Costello, the storytellers of the modern age who are using a whole new toolset to weave their tales and enthrall a hungry audience. It’s not easy though, Canadian games developer Denis Dyack says. “If games are going to be a true dominant art form in this century, we have to elevate them beyond the simple mechanics of gameplay or the graphics. All that matters is actually the experience. When we realised this, that’s when we started focusing on story.” Getting game companies to think of story as being intrinsic to gaming, instead of a kind of “plug-in” that is done late in the process, is a big leap. Thinking of missions as chapters of a story rather than “go here, collect five golden thingamabobs and get the video sequence” may not seem like a big shift in thinking, but it has taken a long time to come around. Half a day’s seminar barely scratches the surface when talking stories and games, and this article has done even less, but if you remain interested there is plenty of information and an interview with Matt on the website for LAMP (Laboratory of Advanced Media Production), www.lamp. edu.au. Thanks to Gary Hayes from LAMP for facts and figures and Karena Slanenka and Screen Tasmania for putting the event on. DAVID QUINN
ZOOT FILM TASMANIA Zoot Film Tasmania has opened up an intermediary distribution arm to assist Tasmanian filmmakers to sell their short films worldwide. This is an exciting new opportunity to get your films distributed. For more details contact Jane or Andy at Zoot Film Tasmania on 6236 9057. SAUCE #70
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Street Fashion
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Ariella 21
Ben 17
Emma 16
Kane 17
Favourite band? Sufjan Stevens.
Favourite band? Elementeighty.
Favourite band? Bliss N Eso.
Favourite band? HIM.
Favourite TV show? News.
Favourite TV show? Scrubs.
Favourite TV show? Desperate Housewives.
Favourite TV show? Viva La Bam.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Never.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Once a week.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Once a month.
How often do you buy the newspaper? Once a week.
What radio station do you listen to? Classic FM.
What radio station do you listen to? Triple J.
What radio station do you listen to? Triple J.
What radio station do you listen to? 7LA.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen? Computer.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Facebook.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Myspace.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Myspace.
Where do you mostly go on the internet? Myspace.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? Shoes.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? Jeans.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? Gravis Hi-Tops.
What’s your favourite item of clothing? Hoodies.
What does your outfit say about you? It’s Sunday!
What does your outfit say about you? My personal style.
What does your outfit say about you? I threw this together.
What does your outfit say about you? Skater bogan.
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? All trends.
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? Nick Milner’s style.
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? Fluoro trackies.
What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous? Skater bogan.
SAUCE #70
SAUCE #70
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IRISH HOBART
FROM PUB STAGE TO RECORD DEAL. WATCH THEM GROW AT THE GREENHOUSE.
ALL FIRE THE FIRE ENOLA FALL BRITISH BATTLEGROUNDS THE CRAZE WAX DOCTOR WEST MAYFIELD ZAC LISTER JAMIN NATHAN WELDON & THE TWO TIMERS THE EMBERS JONI’S PLASTIC SUNDAY TRUMPS CARL FIDLER … AND MANY MORE TO COME.
Sunday through Thursday The Greenhouse cultivates quality new local and touring artists. See the Sauce gig guide or visit irishmurphys.com.au
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY CASCADE GREEN
HOBART
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21 Salamanca Place
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6223 1119
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www.irishmurphys.com.au