LETTER FROM THE EDITORS During winter-time, dudes get it way easier so we find the best way to compensate for this is to do it just like them. There is the ever-problematic stockings, which seem to ladder after no wears at all. Ditch your skirts and dresses this season and instead, do it like a dude. Baggy boyfriend jeans, cropped jumpers, Doc Martens and boyish silhouettes are a must this season. Everyone knows that boys get it easier, so we find the best way to compensate for this is to do it just like them. This issue also focuses on some of the best male talent Brisbane has to offer in the creative scene. From jewellery maker Luke Maninov to artist Gus Eagleton, there is some serious talent here in Brisbane. We also feature some great all dude Brisbane bands, Tundra and Settling. Get ready to do it like a brother, do it like a dude.
Founders Nicole Pires (Editor) nicole@izemagazine.com Madeline Hay (Art Director) madeline@izemagazine.com
regulars Matt Meintjes (Film Writer) Lucia Stein (Literature Writer) Alice Waterhouse (Fashion Writer)
DISCLAIMER Any views or opinions in this magazine are of the authors and not of IZE as a whole. We endeavour to bring you the most upto-date and accurate information, though we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will occur.
Photography by Demi Cambridge - See the full shoot on page 58
contents 06 08 10 22 26 28 30 32 34 46 48 51 54 58 60 72 76 79 82 84 86 91
IZE Loves... Trend Report, by Alice Waterhouse Side By Side, by Rachel Dray Thrift Shoppin’ by Nick Capell Naked In The Night Luke Maninov RAW:Brisbane Guide to Getting Over Someone The Suburbs, by Justin Vague Top Chick Flicks That Dudes Are Put Through Gus Eagleton Vinyl Is Cool (Again) Gigs In Brisbane Tundra Three Blocks, by Demi Cambridge 10 Bands You Can Not Miss At SITG Settling. Album Reviews Most Dateable Film Characters by Caitlin Low Top Dude Flicks by Matt Meintjes The Male Protagonist by Lucia Stein Do It Like A Dude Playlist
Photography by Rachel Dray See the full shoot on page 10
IZE LOVES go violets
The Go Violets are four Brisbane girls, who, apart from oozing cool and being gorgeous also make amazing music. Their latest single Josie feels like a 90s teen movie, in the best of ways. They’ve recently featured on Jeremy Neale’s single In Stranger Times and just hopped off a tour supporting for him. The girls can also be spotted in the Major Leagues Teen Mums film clip looking hip whilst munching on food. Total girl crush.
Photo by Jon Baginski
UNIF
Unif is like the treasure trove clothing shop of your dreams. With rainbow patterns galore mixed with edgy leather wear, satanic references, yin and yang symbols
to cats, Unif has everything to bring out your inner punk. You’re literally going to open the onlineshop and want to buy everything.
big sound
Big Sound is a huge global music conference that occurs here in Brisbane. Taking place on 11th - 13th September, the event is bringing in speakers including Billy Bragg, Amanda Palmer and Regurgitator. Among the huge line-up of artists expect to see Xavier Rudd, Megan Washington, The John Steel Singers, Stonefield, Bleeding Knees Club, Jungle Giants, Spit Syndicate, Dune Rats and Club Feet. If that’s not enough to make you wet your pants, I don’t know what will.
the place beyond the pines The Place Beyond the Pines is arguably the best film of 2013 thus far. Featuring Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes and Bradley Cooper, the film takes you on multiple journeys. It begins with Gosling as a motor biking circus performer, who is confronted with the fact that he’s had a child with Mendes who is now oneyears-old. From its beginning story, it spirals into a completely different narrative and it’s almost like three films in one. It’s directed by the same guy who did the offbeat indie love film, Blue Valentine. It’s a completely different style to his previous hit, but a resounding success nonetheless.
milk sick
Milk Sick is another online store following the Kawaii trend that’s popular at the moment. Even if it wasn’t cool, the clothes, accessories and shoes are out of this planet. It’s run by Alex Wall’s girlfriend (BKC) so you can expect it to be oozing with cool and will have you looking like you’ve stepped right out of the Teenage Girls film clip.
TREND REPORT Words by alice waterhouse
don a fur coat
This season’s catwalks were stage to a variety of fur coats, from the simplest of styles to those that resembled Sulley’s fur from ‘Monster’s Inc.’ WIth the wide range of vegan furs available, there is no excuse not to coat up in one of these delightfully scary statement pieces.
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chunky knits
The revamped oversized boyfriend sweater is a key trend for this Winter. Dare to wear psychedelic, chunky knitwear with a patchwork style weave and a combination of textures. Bright colours and the ‘handmade’ look are an esstential element!
you got swag?
This season embrace your inner swag and let it surface through bold text tees and bright sneakers. Street wear is a key inspiration for this trend, so look to the streets of Brisbane to see what’s out there. In keeping with this month’s theme: girls get swagger and do it like a dude!
side by side PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel Dray STYLING Nyla Jade MODELS Blake @ Mirror Mirror & Meaghan @ Viviens HAIR & MAKE UP Rose Moffat
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thrift shoppin’ words by nick capell
The humble ‘thrift shop’ a place to dump those nasty old threads that you grew out of years ago under the guise of helping out those in need, has had a resurgence into the public spotlight in recent times, resulting from a healthy shot in the arm from pop culture. Thanks in part to the rhythmic stylings of Ben Haggerty, better known as Macklemore and his partner in crime Ryan Lewis, and gen-Y’s obsession with recycled fashion, op shops the world over are experiencing increased influxes of youth looking for a bargain. Brisbane is no exception. Now, I asked one of the lovely ladies at Endeavour in Paddington about her views on any possible correlation between the release and meteoric rise of Macklemore’s ode to thrift shopping, from mid2012 to early next year. Although she had no clue who Macklemore was (generational gap and all), she did comment that there had been a marked influx of younger people over the past six months particularly those of the fairer sex; admittedly Paddington has always been rather smitten with its op shops.
Now as any university student and gen-Y citizen struggling for a dollar will admit, sourcing cool fashion on the cheap is cause for a Tiger Woods fist pump. Problem is with the Macklemore-inspired thrift shopping surge it is becoming increasingly a luck of the draw situation (it invariably always is) and hours can be spent trawling through clothes racks in thrift shops in vain - and ain’t nobody got time fo dat. So I’ve been sent on a mission to find the thrift shop hotspots around Brisbane, and point you in the right direction in your “thrifty” search for your next wardrobe addition, as well as to persuade those of you who have discarded thrift shopping as a legitimate way to fill your wardrobe with quality kit. For those of you that consider themselves fashion savvy and ‘in the loop’ of where to head for the best thrift shop attire in Brisbane, what I’m about to write may be old news, but for those relatively new to the notion of thrift shopping (thanks to Macklemore or perhaps a new found sense of nostalgia) this info may be a godsend to your outdated closet. Before I start laying down my critique of Brisbane’s op shop circuit, let me
just give a brief description of the manner in which I approach grading them. Admittedly any thrift shop on any given day can have a number of really good items or they could have jack all; it is honestly a luck of the draw scenario. With this in mind, I decided that visiting each location three times was the right way to go about forming an opinion. I felt that some female input and opinion was needed in judging process, so I enlisted the help of one of my friends with matching ‘X’ chromosomes to give me a more balanced outlook on the recycled goods market in Brisbane, and also just asked some of the general public for their feelings about the shops that they had just visited. Finally, these judgements are made on the basis of pricing and consistency of stock; no consideration was given to store vibe or customer service - I mean you can’t expect volunteers to be too happy to see you. So without further ado let me give you the low down on a few of the best places to go for quality, stain-free, pre-loved clothes in old Brisbane town.
endeavour, paddington For all the lads, and the womanfolk with an androgynous streak out there (we are ‘doing it like a dude’ this time around after all), the previously mentioned Endeavour in the heart of Paddington (Hint, hint: I’m really giving this one a major shout out, seriously give it a go!) is chocka-block full of trendy
attire that won’t put too great of a strain on your wallet. Whilst a tad more exy than your average Vinnies or Lifeline, Endeavour offers a much wider range of quality second hand goods, with a nostalgic feel about the majority of the stock, and besides, we all know you can’t put a price on
the peace of mind one has when feeling around the pockets of a newly acquired preloved garment and not worrying about finding a preloved syringe. This place is a real class act with more male gear than most other op shops around town.
lifeline ‘supa’ store, newmarket rd The Lifeline ‘Supa’ Store on Newmarket Road; my oh my. This joint is a veritable treasure trove of recycled goods, and I stress ‘goods’ here because this place does not simply stock second hand clothes, far from it. I don’t think I’ve seen a more extensive collection of recycled walking aids (crutches, canes etc.) anywhere in my time to rival the one at the Newmarket Road Lifeline; plus I found some traditional Scandinavian clogs
(google that if you don’t know what I’m talking about), nuf’ said. But honestly, if there was ever an op shop to embody the adage of one man’s trash being another man’s treasure, it is indeed this one. The amount of bric-a-brac in this place is phenomenal; give it a look if you have some spare moolah lying about because I guarantee it will be worth your while. Honourable mention to the Salvos outlet on Glenrosa Road,
Red Hill; it is in much the same vein as this shop and is especially good for those looking for some preloved furniture, but Newmarket Road wins out in overall selection.
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top tips
- Go in ready to find nothing - Don’t head in with anything specific in mind, what’s there is what’s there - Be willing to shop around, or head to areas with op shop clusters (Paddington, Annerley, etc) - Rich people have better quality clothes (Annerley may be the exception here, no offence) - Don’t get tempted by the low prices, stay strong - remain thrifty!
annerly thrift shops Brisbane’s thrift shop strip along Ipswich road Annerley, consisting of Asthma Foundation Annerley, Lifeline’s Vintage Revival store, Aid for the Blind Annerley and a Vinnies outlet, provides some of the most concentrated thrift shopping in the city. Given the
relatively random nature of op shopping this cluster of second hand stores gives shoppers much better odds of finding a bargain; it’s basically a thriftier version of the type of op shopping that Paddington and West End offer - with the best location in West
End being mainly vintage vendors anyway. Also be sure to check out the Antique store if you head to Annerley, some really cool knickknacks in there; be warned that it is not an op shop by any means.
hey hey it’s yesterday’s thrift shop Finally, tucked away in the backstreets between Paddington and Rosalie “Hey Hey It’s Yesterday’s Thrift Shop” supplies chicks gear in abundance, honestly I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more lopsided ration of female to male stock in any other op shop I’ve
visited. That being said, ladies get your wallets ready because this quaint little store really does hold some quality gear. Added bonus with this one, for those of you especially thrifty readers, on the last Sunday of every month is the “Backyard Bargains”. All in
all, “Yesterday’s” is a really cool independent thrift shop. Assorted clothes and other bargains mixed in with a heavy dose of philanthropy (with proceeds going to brain injured children), make this one a winner.
So there you have it. Whilst we may not have all the selection of bargain recycled clothes and other goods that certain other capital cities have in their op shops (let’s face it there is no beating Melbourne) there is always the chance of getting lucky and snaring an absolute steal at any location around the city; don’t forget your local Salvos or Vinnies. Happy Shopping!
naked in the night Naked in the Night is a Brisbane menswear label created by James North and Michael Hughes. Their designs are fresh, stylish and cool. The brand is very on trend and has been making a mark on the fashion scene in Brisbane and internationally. IZE catches up with James North about Naked in the Night.
How did Naked in the Night come about and who is behind the brand? James North and Michael Hughes created Naked in the Night in late 2012. We both had studied or completed a trade and working in our specialised fields but were looking to do a bit more, something we both enjoyed working which wasn’t the daily repetitive routine we were becoming used to. I, James, have always been interested in working for a clothing company, nothing too fancy, but the clothes I liked to buy and wear, it would be a dream job for me. I found it hard to gain experience in
that field in Brisbane, and would have to relocate to have a better chance of scoring a job. I decided that the best way would be to start my own label, I could design the clothes I wanted to wear and do it at my pace, learning new processes and learning about the industry. I was talking with old school mates about it, and unknown to me Michael had also been looking into printing his own shirts and starting up a label. We found it to be the perfect opportunity to team up together, and Naked in the Night Clothing Co was born.
We soon expanded our range, including hats, button up shirts and shorts and launched our online store in February 2013. You both come from diverse backgrounds (James studied Multimedia and Michael is an electrician). Was working in the fashion industry always a goal for you both? No, I don’t think it was always a direct goal for us from a young age, but more found that we had an interest in it and had the attitude that if we don’t try it, we’ll never know. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted
to do when I left school, but always enjoyed working creatively on paper and on the computer. I studied Multimedia Design at uni because it touched on a wide range of possible future career paths. I enjoyed graphic design the most and based my studies around that, and after uni, taught myself to set up websites, and the process of designing and creating garments. Considering that the name ‘Naked in the Night’ comes from Molly’s Chambers by Kings of Leon, is music an inspiration for the brand? Sure, we both are big fans of music, and yes it can help inspire certain pieces, but that wouldn’t be the only thing that draws inspiration. I guess music and fashion go hand in hand, and there are many genres of music we like and many artists we could picture wearing our gear. What is your design process when making a new collection? As we are rather new on the scene, we haven’t had many lots of ‘collections’ come through. When we launched our online store in February we aimed to have a good sized range to show what our brand was about and what we were capable of creating. We didn’t want to be known for just doing tee’s but also hats, button up shirts, shorts and so on. Since then, we have a few new products getting ready to bring out. It started of by creating a design for the front of a tee and once that was finalised, we dug around to see what other items we could create with the same feel. Not necessarily the same pattern or material, but something that ties in with each other so you know they belong from the same family. Stocking tees, shirts, singlets, shorts and hats, what products
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are next on the agenda for Naked in the Night? We have some new hat and tee designs coming out soon, hopefully not to long now. We are also looking into bringing out some jumpers and other winter items to keep warm. Who is the ideal Naked in the Night customer? We see our gear best suited for guys into their street wear, are into the music scene and like to look good. Describe your own style in three words. Laid Back. Street. Hip. In Brisbane, there is a small amount of menswear only brands and stores. Do you find any difficulties in trying to succeed in this niche? We haven’t really taken much notice on what’s going on around us, as in competing with anyone or anything. At the moment we are solely based online so we are targeting the whole of Australia
rather than just Brisbane. We are just trying to continue to grow awareness of the brand and take it as it comes. What advice can you give to young people in Brisbane wanting to start up their own label? Just to jump in and give it a go. It can be tough in the beginning, working out all the processes to the business, but once you get your head around everything and get everything sorted, you can have a heap of fun with it. Where is next for Naked in the Night? We just want to keep expanding our range and brand around the country. Keep on doing events we are invited to, being published in as many editorials as possible and build up a nice portfolio of achievements and have more people take notice.
SHOP ONLINE:
www.nakedinthenight.com.au
luke maninov I first stumbled upon Luke Maninov at a Finders Kepper’s market in Brisbane at The Old Museum. Among many other jewellery makers, Maninov stood out with his unique handcrafted pieces, which are intricately designed and truly different. IZE caught up with Luke Maninov about his jewellery, the upcoming collection and his great new website.
www.lukemaninov.com
How long have you been designing jewellery? About three years. I’d been thinking about it for a lot longer but had always assumed I wouldn’t be able to get the results I wanted. In 2011 I started experimenting with jewellery techniques and haven’t looked back. I guess it was a good lesson in learning to ignore hesitation. You have a graduate background in neuroscience and psychology. How did this translate into jewellery making and how does this influence your work? My work in neuroscience is very visual - I spend a lot of time working with researchers and their images and thinking in 3D space. There has definitely been an influence on my jewellery from this, and more so in the small sculptures I’ve been exploring recently. All of your jewellery and objects are beautifully handcrafted. Can you explain the process of making each piece? Each piece usually starts as a drawing (usually when I’m making something else!). Sometimes quite rough but something that captures the memory so I can see it again later. Then, I will design the piece. To do this I use wax which involves a combination of carving, mouldmaking and melting. I incorporate a lot of organic forms in this process. Once I’ve finished the wax I make a plaster cast around it. Then, I melt the wax out and kiln dry the plaster
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so that I’m left with a hollow cast into which I can pour the molten metal. When the metal is poured the cast is destroyed leaving the raw metal behind. Lastly, through a series of careful and detailed polishing steps this rough piece of metal becomes the finished piece. I don’t think people realise just how much work goes into true handmade jewellery. I certainly didn’t. When you look at a ring you are looking at the work of many tools and a lot of attention and time. Something unique that has been held and worked and brought into this world from formless wax. What are your experiences with trying to make it in the fashion industry in Brisbane? It’s hard to make it in fashion. No one needs to be reminded of that. But that is exactly what filters out everyone who falls even slightly short of having an epic amount of passion. It’s really amazing to meet and work with people that are passionate about what they do. Passion like that is addictive to be around. As for Brisbane, I think we still have a lot of people disinterested and uninspired by fashion, or just lacking the courage to express themselves. Sometimes it really feels like there is a culturally enforced effort to ensure everyone dresses down here in Brisbane. Especially for men. We’re slowly changing as the city grows. We’ll get there.
You were the 2012 winner of the RAW Showcase fashion award. How do incentives like RAW help emerging designers like yourself? One of the hardest things in being creative is getting your work noticed. RAW plays a hugely important role in this. We have a lot of talent here in Brisbane worth noticing. Where do you draw inspiration for your collections? Like many, a lot my inspiration comes from nature but as I move into larger works I’m starting to explore more than just form. Consciousness and perception, the things which drew me to neuroscience, are more and more becoming sources of inspiration in my work. What are your favourite materials to work with? Wax. There is so much freedom. Can you tell us about the upcoming collection and launch of your new website? Ring sizes are often difficult to get right so I’ve just finished designing a number of open styled rings that are easier for people to order online without worrying so much about their size. These are being released with my new website at the end of May, with lots of new photography! A new collection will follow this very soon :)
Photography by Emily Nelson
raw Brisbane
As I approached Brunswick St in the Fortitude Valley, a long line cascaded down the street and blocked my view as I was searching for RAW’s new venue at the Arena. Little did I know that the line was for RAW: Generations. RAW is a showcase for emerging creatives including filmmakers, make-up artists, musicians, designers and artists. Since its original showcase in Brisbane in June 2012, RAW has grown to be one of the biggest events for creatives in this city. Brisbane was chosen as not only the first Australian city to host the event, but it was also the first city outside of the United States to host RAW. Kristen Wehlow, RAW Brisbane Executive Director and Showcase Director, explains why Brisbane was chosen. “The Founder and Executive Director of RAW U.S., Heidi Luerra, has some strong ties to Brisbane and knows that it has a thriving arts scene just waiting to be discovered and showcase” Wehlow says. With a background in event planning, Wehlow became involved in RAW Brisbane having known Luerra from a young age. “Heidi Luerra, and I went to school
together when her family lived out here when she was younger. As it happened, both of our careers took us into the world of events and when it came to an international launch it was an obvious choice for me to take the next step with Heidi and the RAW team into an international expansion”. Wehlow says. RAW Brisbane was originally held at Fortitude Valley nightclub, Oh Hello. However, in 2013 the venue moved to The Arena, which is also in the Valley. On the move, Wehlow says “Oh Hello was a great space for our first season and the team there were great to work with! Even after just a few shows we realised that there was a lot of potential out there and we decided to shift to a larger space in order to put on a larger show with more artists involved”. At its new venue, RAW: Generation broke the record for the most presold tickets to a RAW showcase ever, all around the world. The Arena is a huge venue, it almost felt like Pans Labyrinth with art, films and other goodies hiding around every corner. The upstairs also had the short film of the showcase played on loop throughout the
night. “The Arena is a fantastic venue. We have so much space to work with and it allows us to not only feature more artists, but to also get some different styles of work involved, be it roaming performers, installation art and beyond” says Kristen. The success of RAW Brisbane is that it gives the creative community a hub to convene and have their work on display. It is also inclusive of all genres and types of music, art, films and performances. The showcase is now held bi-monthly. Wehlow says that we can expect something different from the showcase every time. “Now that we’re in our new venue, The Arena, we’re always coming up with new ideas and discovering new spaces that we can use! We’re also always meeting new artists with fantastic ideas who want to do something a little different with their performance/display etc.” she says. The next RAW Showcase is RAW:Elevation on 19 July 2013.
www.rawartists.org/Brisbane
guide to...
getting over someone through (good) music
I don’t know much about music therapy but there’s a lot to be said about the power of music in helping to get over someone. It applies whether they’re a long time partner, an on-and-off again fling that was never really defined, a life-long crush or just that cute someone you admire from afar (creepy). The process of getting over someone is horrible. A quick Google search on “how to get over someone through songs” will be greeted with you-go-girl empowerment songs like R-E-S-P-E-C-T and anything Kelly Clarkson. What seems to be missed out is the fact that it’s okay to join the pity party, in fact it’s totally acceptable. This is our guide to getting over someone through (good) music.
skinny love - bon iver At surface value (and from the way Birdy sings it), it may sound like Bon Iver is singing about his skinny girlfriend. But this is totally false. “Come on skinny love just last the year” is not about anorexia but about the end of a relationship. Most specifically, it is about the malaise and sadness that comes
with knowing it’s coming to the end and the resignation that nothing is going to save it. Best listened to when you’re on the cusp of breaking up. Good luck with timing that right. (Sidenote: if this doesn’t work, anything else from ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ will surely do the trick).
i only think of you - the horrors
words by nicole pires
Whoever said it’s easier to get over someone by just forgetting about him or her is completely wrong. Step one of the process is to wallow to your heart’s content. There is a plethora of great wallowing music. However, I Only Think of You by The Horrors is easily the best. The song gets more heartbreaking as it
leads from its “It’s a lonely coming down to describing the hollow feeling that loss of love makes you feel. The line “Don’t ask, because you knew this could never last” resonates with us all, knowing something couldn’t last but trying anyway. So many feels.
everything we had - the academy is... Okay so wallowing isn’t selfindulgent, it’s totally legitimate. That’s why it’s always good to have a second song to help in this part of the process. A throwback to pop/punk, The Academy Is…’s Everything We Had is the sort of
song you can sob to. It outright speaks to the relationship being finished and the regrets this causes. With a lyric like “Take the pain out of love and then love won’t exist”, how can you not shed a tear? Even more feels.
feeling better - the teenagers Okay, reflection and self-pity time is finished. Now’s the time you’re supposed to get over them. If Since You’ve Been Gone is not your thing then The Teenagers’ Feeling Better ought to work a treat. Even though the song is pretty much a
plug for the Teenagers, chanting “feeling better, feeling better” over and over again will get the message through to your brain. It’s like talking yourself into feeling alright.
it’s nice to be alive - ball park music It’s time to get optimistic and nothing screams #lovinglife more than It’s Nice to Be Alive. This is the song that is going to get you out of your bedroom hideaway. That might be a bit of an exaggeration
(you’ve probably left the house for school/uni/work or whatever). But hey, it’s sure going to get you out of your slump and reinstall some positivity towards life.
fuck it - dune rats So you’re getting happy but sometimes instead of straight out happiness you need to raise the spirits by getting a bit riled up. Fuck It by Dune Rats is like a big F U to the ex. “I didn’t like you much…
we are never getting back together - taylor swift
Warning: this is only to be used in emergency situations when Dune Rats aren’t helping to kill the urge to go in for that post break-up hook-up. I know I said the words “good music” but there is nothing like a Taylor Swift revenge song
for a little reassurance. When you realise that she was probably aiming the song at about ten people (Classic Taylor) it makes it kind of pathetic. But who cares, there’s nothing like a TayTay power song to help ease the pain.
fuck it” is the opening chant to the song. Most therapeutic when listened to super loud in your car yelling out the lyrics at passing vehicles.
THE SUBURBS PHOTOGRAPHY Justin Vague STYLING Madeline Roberts MODELS Madeleine Day @ Viviens HMUA Eden McCosker
top chick-flicks that dudes are put through words by matt meintjes It’s inevitable that at some point a dude is going to sit down with his girl in front of the TV and she’ll be the one making the movie selection. There is very little a dude can do in these situations – laugh along with her at the funny parts, cuddle her in the romantic parts or be the shoulder to cry on in the sad parts. It’s also likely that after watching a romantic chick-flick her expectations of him will be higher in the romance department. But it’s an unavoidable fact of life that every dude will have to watch numerous chick-flicks in the pursuit of love. Keeping that in mind, here are some of the top chick-flicks that dudes are put through.
mean girls
To say this is a quotable chick flick is an understatement. This is the most quotable chick flick, period. So much so that IMDb lists a grand total of 149 quotes from the film, outdoing Step Brothers’ own listed
number of 87. I don’t feel like I have to say much about Mean Girls, it’s basically written into the lore of being a teenage girl.
the notebook Following up from the most quotable chick flick, we have arguably the most romantic one. The film follows the story of Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) and their love that defies social class and the lives that were planned out for them. Again, I struggle to imagine a female reader having not seen The Notebook, so why recount the story when you all know it by heart? EDITOR NOTE: Maddy has never seen this movie as she thinks it will make her cry.
FILM
she’s the man Amanda Bynes was doing the whole cross-dressing thing before Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler, and quite frankly did it much, much better. After her school’s female soccer team is cut, Viola (Bynes) takes advantage of her brother’s absence to impersonate him and join a rival school’s male team. Trying to keep up her double life proves difficult as she
begins to show an interest in the team’s heartthrob Duke (Channing Tatum). The film has some funny one-liners (“Word G-Money” and “So… Do you like cheese?” come to mind) and a pretty memorable scene to do with a bad nose bleed (you know which one I’m talking about). All in all, it’s one of the better chick-flicks for a dude to sit through.
twilight
I know the general consensus of the Twilight Saga is that it’s old news now, but girls, don’t tell me you weren’t a fan when the original film came out. It’s understandable – Stephanie Meyer probably started the trend on supernatural teen fiction and the hype surrounding the first film was huge. By the end of the second movie social circles were divided: were you a fan of Edward’s vampire blue-steel stare, or Jacob’s toned midsection? If a dude’s girl was ever a fan of the series, he should be prepared to have to sit through at least one viewing of this sparkling-vampire tale.
john tucker must die
“Don’t Get Mad. Get Even.” The tagline of John Tucker Must Die pretty much sums up the premise of the film: Three girls, each cheated on with the other by John Tucker (Jesse Matcalfe), attempt to
get revenge by using the new girl on campus as a part of their plan. Of course, things rarely go exactly as planned and Kate (Brittany Snow) begins to think she’s falling for John.
gus eagleton
ART
Introducing Gus Eagleton, talented Brisbane-based artist who can do amazing things with paint, oils, and spray paint. His art is impressive, and his philosophy on the industry is honest and inspiring. With great murals and exhibitions up his sleeve, there are only good things to come from Gus Eagleton.
www.guseagleton.com | guseagleton.blogspot.com
When did your passion for art first develop and how did it progress? Like a lot of people I started out drawing, just doodling here and there, nothing too fancy just fun cartoons. I only realised that I wanted to be apart of art as a creative lifestyle when I started to receive positive encouragement from friends and family. Positive encouragement shouldn’t be taken for granted, the things you say to people can really affect them wether you know it or not. Although I had an interest in creating it wasn’t till after school that I decided to take the whole thing to the next level and to really gear myself into creating a career out of something I love doing. The first step for me was to move away from the coastal town of Coffs
Harbour, to somewhere I could learn and take in the art around me. So I decided to move to Brisbane and so far it’s been great. What are your preferred mediums to use? I’m a painter by trade, well that’s what I started out as and that’s what has followed me through till this day. I’m much more open to other forms of art now. I try not to set boundaries on art because art is limitless, if you set boundaries then what is left to learn, where can we go from there. If I had to pick mediums I’m a big fan of oils and spray paint! On one-hand oils are malleable and are nice to use over a long period of time. Spray paint is the complete opposite as it’s immediate and challenging, there’s hundreds of ways you can use it with plenty of effects as well as its potential for large-scale
work. They both produce a final product filled with rich colour. Where do you draw inspiration from when you’re working on a piece of street art, a mural or a body of work? A consistent thing for me throughout my work is people, whether it has to do with life in general or things that surround it. I look at theories and or ideas as if to gain a deeper understanding of people. I just find this bizarre thing we call life the only thing that really matters, its just so interesting to think about all the different things that make up personalities and circumstances. There are just endless questions with out answers and I wish I could get those answers with the stroke of a brush or spray of a can. And I may never come to a conclusion, but maybe I’ll figure a few things
out along the way. You were recently commissioned for an amazing mural for Optiko Eyewear. Can you explain the design process of that piece? Optiko was great, I used the opportunity to explore even further what I was doing in my street art. As well as twisting it to something that could be related to the store. I wanted to create the piece to reflect timeless style, a new school vs. old school situation. Because that’s how I feel Optiko runs their store, they’re always bringing in stuff that you can’t get anywhere else stuff that could be considered art, and I really miss that about retail. These days there’s no fine touch everybody just follows the crowd and generally has all the same boring stuff. For me retail is dead. What’s it like making a career as an artist in the creative sphere? Its not easy I’ll tell you that, but I
enjoy it. If you work hard enough you can make something of yourself. I mean sometimes you end up juggling a million things at once and it does get stressful, but I’d still prefer to do that then punch the clock 9 till 5. I’m not exactly where I want to be, but I’m slowly getting there, it’s all experience. Over time you come to an understanding of how this whole art career thing can work, it’s just getting there that’s the hard part. What do you want people to take away from your art? I hope they can take what they can from it; it would be nice to think that maybe I could inspire others to do what they love, life is to short to waste. And if all I can do is brighten a few people’s day then that’s good enough for me. If you could sum up your overall aesthetic with one song, what would it be?
That’s a tough question, one song there’s just too many. What I will do is plug my friend’s band, Desmond Cheese, they are killing it right now. They have a new album coming out in the next couple of months you should look them up. For me, I would have to say Dope Remix Edit is a great song and so is Swampy well I guess that’s two... oh well. Where do you dream of taking your art? I dream of taking it as far as it will go, the sky is the limit. I would love to have regular shows overseas that would be awesome. But for now I’m hoping to be in a position where I can make art for a living. When I mean living, I mean casually above the poverty line. It would also be nice if I could intrigue and be inspiring along the way.
All images at Rockaway Records
vinyl is cool (again)
words by nicole pires Music pre-CDs and digital downloads can only be described as a listening experience. Instead of hitting play on a CD player or iPod, the process of putting on a vinyl record or LP/ EP was a task in itself. There was the careful removal of the record from the sleeve, wiping off the dust, making sure the surface of the vinyl wasn’t touched as it was gently placed on the turntable. There was the delicacy of lifting the needle and gently setting it down on just the right spot. Finally, there was the anticipation as groups of friends sat gathered around the player as the record spun and the needle hummed against the vinyl until the music finally began. After CDs and eventually MP3 digital forms of music emerged, it would seem this painstaking way to listen to music would disappear in the same manner VHS faded into the past. However, recently there has been a resurgence of vinyl. It’s not older
vinyl collectors who are the source of this trend but young people who have been the instigators of this renaissance. This may come as a shock to many. Why would youngsters be buying the most antiquated form of music in this technological age? The Nielsen Company & Billboard’s 2012 Music Industry Report revealed a surprising trend. It reaffirmed fears about rapidly decreasing CD sales. In a one-year study between 2011 and 2012, CD sales were down 13.5 per cent. However, the report dispelled fears that the music industry was suffering from a complete lack of sales. Digital downloads, which are the newest format to buy music, were up 9.1 per cent in the same period. The real surprise of the report was that vinyl sales in 2012 increased by 17.7 per cent compared to 2011. This increase is far greater than the rate in which
digital sales are growing. Scott Johnson owned an independent record shop Rockaway Records for 21 years. The store has been in various locations, including Paddington, Ashgrove and Springwood with its new location in Westfield Carindale. Rockaway Records is one of the only independent record stores in Australia to be located in a major shopping mall. Johnson says that it was Westfield who chased them into locating there. “This shopping centre that is known for ‘let’s get the top notch fashion and this and that’, they actually chased us to come in here. So that’s how much they thought that the whole outlook of collectables and vinyl is changing.” In their previous Springwood location, the average age group coming into the store was between 33 and 55. Since the move to Carindale at the end of 2012, a good 60 to 70 per cent
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we’re finding more and more that they want something tangible because at the moment, you have nothing tangible.
of people coming in are aged between 20 and 30. In terms of vinyl versus CDs and digital downloads, the cost factor doesn’t come into it. In fact, to buy a new vinyl now is more expensive than buying a CD or digital download. When Johnson was growing up in the pre-Internet era, listening to records was a social thing. “We’d sit around and we’d all play the music and read the covers and talk about it and what’s coming out from America that we can’t get here and that was the social aspect of it. So it was the actual interaction that took place in a room, not over the net,” says Johnson. He says that for youth now, their music collection is on a hard drive and isn’t a physical artefact. “We’re finding more and more that they want something
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tangible because at the moment, you have nothing tangible. Everything’s on your computer and that’s your life.”
Jono Colliver is a Melbourne musician who plays bass for band Kashmere Club and also plays in Vance Joy. 25-year-old Colliver is an avid vinyl collector who received his first record from his uncle when he was 16. He cites one of the main reasons for buying vinyl as the fact that records are far more collectable and tangible than CDs. Most first issues of new vinyl are released with a digital download. Colliver says that this is something he finds attractive. “As vinyl became cheaper and more bands release new stuff on vinyl with a digital element, the choice became easy. Vinyl for the bookshelf (and the occasional sit down experience in
the lounge room) and digital for my driving/running/work times,” says Colliver. Scott Johnson from Rockaway Records also found that the free digital download with the vinyl is a huge factor for young customers. He commented that they are able to have tangible vinyl and also be able to put a copy to put on their computers and digital music listening devices. However, CDs could still be considered an artefact so this doesn’t fully explain why vinyl is viewed as more of a collector’s item. This younger generation of vinyl collectors were not part of the record era. Instead, they have grown up with the clear sound of CDs and MP3s whose quality does not age or degrade over time. When CDs were first invented, they were hailed as being cutting edge technology with such a small disc being able to fit many more songs than an LP. Contrary to the amazing technology that has made listening to music much easier, the youth of today yearn for the nostalgic sound that LPs exude. “Audiophiles will probably beg to differ, but I find the ‘quality’ of vinyl is generally not as clean as a CD. You have a bit of crackle with dust, and over time and many plays it could degrade. Vinyl is mastered differently to CD’s however, and seems to have (to my ears at least) a more creamy and natural sounding bass, and also a very crisp and clean high end. I prefer to listening to vinyl, maybe it’s the crisp highs you can hear straight off the player too. MP3’s (depending on the quality) usually destroys a lot of the high end and low end,” says Colliver. Many up-and-coming Australian musicians are releasing their albums on vinyl including ARIA nominated Tame Impala who have released their albums as LPs and EP singles on 7-inch records. As a
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musician himself, Colliver explains the appeal of releasing music on vinyl. “I want to leave a mark on the world with the things I create. Vinyl is big and bold, and has an ageless quality. People traditionally take a lot of pride and care in vinyl, which I don’t think they really do with plastic CD’s. I like the image it exudes; I like the experience it forces the listener to partake in. It’s a physical exercise to play a record, and I think it makes strong connections in the brain to carry out such an exercise to be rewarded with sound…it makes the listener feel like they’ve played a part in the process,” says Colliver. The experience of listening to LPs and EPs, where the names of musical collaborators would be printed in bold on the sleeve has been lost on CDs and MP3 downloads. The social aspect of discussing these artists’ names and other places where their names have appeared or on other groups’ vinyls is coming back
with the growth of sales of vinyl records. The future of vinyl is still widely unknown. Whilst lifelong vinyl collectors will always exist, Johnson doesn’t know if it’s a fad with the youth or if they will be the new long-term collectors. If it is a fad, he believes there are at least two to three years left until the vinyl resurgence dies down again. Jono Colliver is optimistic about the future of vinyl. “I think as the digital market increases so too will vinyls. For those who are into their worldly possessions and collecting, and accumulating…I feel like Vinyl is the perfect physical memento to have. I also think it’s becoming more and more ‘cool’ to use vinyl, which is great. Good. Increase demand for it and make it more readily available and cheaper for bands to release. Great music engages us, mentally, emotionally, and physically when we listen to it, it should engage us when we play it too.”
gigs in brisbane With so many great bands playing in Brisbane, it was hard to decide on just one gig to review. Porque no los dos? Enjoy reviews of Cub Scouts, Track & Field, San Cisco and Tame Impala.
cub scouts 28 March 2013 Black Bear Lodge
Photo courtesy of adamNOTeve
Before embarking on their first major overseas tour, Cub Scouts played one last show in their Brisbane hometown. The Black Bear Lodge show marked a huge feat for the Cubbies, their first ever sold out show. Cub Scouts are talented, humble musicians who know how to connect with their audience. Each individual shines on stage, something rare for a band to accomplish. The highlight of the show was when singer Tim Nelson led a Beyoncé/Destiny’s Child mash-up including Say My Name, Jumping Jumping and
Crazy in Love. They also played newly released single Pool, as well as favourites Told You So, Hands and Did You Hear. They ended the night with an explosion of confetti playing track Evie, which is about Nelson’s dog Evie (who is almost as famous as the band members). There are times when you go to a gig and you realise you are witnessing something special. Cub Scouts have that special something that is going to see them soaring to heights higher than most Brisbane bands dare to dream.
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Dirty Love Photography
track & Field
26 April 2013 - The Rev (Electric Playground)
The Track & Field boutique music event saw Asta, Dune Rats, Jungle Giants and Alpine all share the stage for one majestic night. The gig was located in an alley behind Eclectic Playground (or The Rev as it’s known to some). The area was the perfect size with the audience filling the entire space surrounding the stage. Tasmanian youngster, Asta, kicked of the night’s antics. The fact that she’s so young and so talented is a marvel to watch on stage, and also a bit depressing in a why-can’t-I-be-you kind of a way. She played her singles My Hearts is on Fire and Escape which were the tracks that launched her to national success last year. Following Asta were Brisbane lads, Dune Rats. As per usual, they brought they’re crazy energy to the stage and played one full on set. They played some of their
new stuff from ‘Smile’ EP including the huge hit Red Light Green Light, Stoner Pop and the already released Fuck It (which of course had the crowd yelling it’s famous chant). They also played Pogo from the ‘Social Atoms’ EP and a real old one, Wooo! From the ‘Sexy Beach’ EP. With quite a DIY story to success, Dune Rats really make their fans feel as if they’re apart of the music. Following their set was another Brisbane band, The Jungle Giants took the stage. After walking on to the Geto Boys Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta, the lead vocalist Sam Hales proclaimed something to the lines of “I’m fucking drunk” and after turning to the wings, “my manager just lost his smile.” They opened on You’ve Got Something from the ‘She’s a Riot’ EP in 2012, which launched them to national success. They
also played No One Needs to Know and She’s a Riot form the same EP. With their first full-length album in the works, they gave the crowd a sneak peak into a couple of new songs. If these songs are anything to go by, the album is going to be pretty sweet. Headlining the night was Melbournian band, Alpine. They’re seasoned performers and musicians, so their set was definitely a standout. They played all the big hits from debut album ‘A Is For Alpine’ including Hands, Villages, Seeing Red and Gasoline. Their performance was completely captivating with the dual vocals of front women Phoebe Baker and Lou James leading some great dance moves. Overall, Track & Field was a great event and I look forward to the next concert.
tame impala 8 May 2013 Brisbane Convention Centre Enchanting, psychedelic and bewitching. It’s as if Tame Impala made-up these words, although nothing can adequately describe the experience of seeing them live. In the band’s early days, Kevin Parker struggled with the woes of transforming his hypnotic music to a live version that has the same effect. He’s mastered the trade, and along with his touring band they put on a magnificent show. The crowd was getting jittery before the band took the stage. I was feeling nervous, not wanting to bear my expectations being unfulfilled. When Tame Impala took to the stage and opened with It’s Not Meant To Be, the crowd was soaring high (both figuratively and probably literally). They smoothly transitioned into Endors Toi before leading the crowd into a one of the best songs of the evening, Apocalypse Dreams. They subtly led into the next song with a few disjointed bars. It didn’t take the audience long to figure out the song was Solitude is Bliss, which was met with a rapture of cheers and shouts. After a mellow turn to Music to Walk Home By they stepped up the energy again with a huge performance of Elephant. Mid-song, the lights plummeted and Parker dropped to his knees at the front of the stage. The drummer began a long drum fill before the rest of the members slowly began joining in. After a huge solo, they ended the song with one last emphatic bar of Elephant. Next they stepped it back with a dreamy performance of Feels Like
We Only Go Backwards. After an Auto-Prog, Tame Impala smashed out a few more ‘Lonerism’ songs Keep on Lying, Be Above It and Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind. They followed with a completely abridged version of Mind Mischief. It’s one the strongest tracks from the new album, so the fact that they completely spun it on top of is head was a bold move. Whilst it was a cool change up, it would have been great to hear it performed in its original form. They then played Alter Ego from ‘Innerspeaker’ and Half Glass Full of Wine from their first EP.
After departing from the stage, they returned for their encore to rapture of noise by the audience. They performed another AutoProg and then finished on Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control. Instead of finishing on one of their massive hits, they ended on a song that completely wrapped the show. This shows that Tame Impala in complete control of their music. They’re not about doing what they should do to be pleasing, but what’s best for the music overall. And that’s something rare to find in musicians these days.
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San Cisco 17 May 2013 The Zoo
Having low expectations for a show really paid off in the case of San Cisco. Whilst their music is exceptionally catchy, well written and produced, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will translate well live. However, San Cisco’s show proved that despite their age, these youngsters are no rookies to the music business. They began with Rocket Ship from the ‘Awkward EP’, which had the crowd burst instantly into dancing. They then followed by playing some songs from the new album including Lyall, Stella, Hunter and Metaphor. The rest of the band exited the stage and left lead singer Jordie to perform bonus track from the album, John’s Song acoustically. It was good to see the band strip right back and have Jordie play the
mellow tune. Immediately after the song, the band re-grouped on stage and they brought the energy right up performing Girls Do Cry. They then played the much anticipated Awkward, sending the crowd into a frenzy as they sang the catchy tune lyric-for-lyric. After performing another song of the new album, Nepal, it was hard to imagine there were many more big tracks to come. But then they played Fred Astaire, Beach, Wild Things and finished on a lively No Friends. Spirits were lifted walking out of San Cisco. It was the kind feel good show that made you feel happy and glad to be apart of their music.
tundra
The Tundra boys are first year out of high school and already have some sweet tunes up their sleeves. Even though they’re young Tundra have found their own sound, something that bands struggle entire careers to master. IZE Talks to band members Rohan and Joel about their music, geography, inspirations and the Fortitude Valley. Who makes up Tundra? Rob: Rohan Kindt on bass and vocals, Tom Beh on drums, Joel Clish on rhythm guitar and myself on lead guitar. I’ve read that “tundra” is a geographical term to do with the Arctic. Are the band geography enthusiasts? R: Rohan and I are kinda nerds about stuff like that. We used to watch a lot of random science and space documentaries and get all excited about them together. Anyways one day we were on the phone discussing our
new band and paging through old encyclopaedias and the word just came up and we decided then and there that it would be our name. Brisbane’s music scene is growing at a ridiculous rate and we’re claiming some of the best Australian bands to become big lately. Do you feel like this will benefit you because you’re riding on a wave? Joel: Definitely. There’s so much talent coming through Brisbane with a wide range of sounds and we have so many friends that love making music just as much as us
and being successful together would be really cool. How much time have you been spending in the studio? R: We’ve had a few sessions in the last few weeks; it’s probably one of my favourite parts of being in a band. We’re currently tracking a bunch of demos for our first EP and it’s exciting. Also we’re lucky to be a part of the IMP Indie100 project, so we’ll be in the studio this Friday putting together a track for that.
When can we expect your first release? J: Not too long now! We’re already planning our final recording dates, and I think our first EP will probably be out towards the end of this year. All of you have great command of your instruments but that doesn’t necessarily mean that as a band you would gel together. Did this happen naturally or did you have to work on it? R: Yeah, I think it’s something you have to work on. We definitely have a certain kind of chemistry as a band, it just feels right. But if it’s been a while since we’ve last seen each other/played it can take a little while for it to be feeling natural again. You write your own material, could you walk me through how you would compose a track? R: Every song is different for us, but often Rohan will write some lyrics and some basic song sections and then bring it to rehearsal and we’ll all just sort of work out parts and put it together and make it sound natural and good. We sometimes jam stuff out but I’d say as a whole we like to compose our songs with explicit ideas on where we want them to go.
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What has been the best show you have played to date? J: We have been really lucky to play at some awesome venues around Brisbane, but I think our favourite gig so far has been a small gig, which was put on at the powerhouse. The powerhouse has an amazing sound and although we didn’t pull the biggest crowd we ever have, it was still enough to bring energy to the place.
a really unique pop band fronted by a classical composer, and that definitely comes through in their music. They have a hugely refined attention to detail with their sounds and we admire that. We also dig a heap of hip-hop and jazz and experimental sorts of music (we love bands that fiddle with time signatures and rhythms), but we also get down to a lot of pop sometimes too.
Tundra were playing some amazing (18+) Brisbane venues when you were in high school and just out of it. How did you manage to get into the bars afterwards? J: It really depended on the licensing of the venue. Some places would let us party on after the show (until our parents decided it was time to leave), but some would leave us stranded on the valley streets until ungodly hours of the night before rushing us in and out to play our set.
When you’re not all playing together, what do the members of Tundra get up to? R: We all go to uni, which kinda makes it hard to rehearse sometimes, but one day when we convince our parents that we’re going to be rich & famous we can all quit and just play songs and have lots of fun.
Who are your individual music inspirations? R: There’s a bunch of really interesting music being made around the world at the moment, and we’re pretty excited to be getting amongst it all. A band we draw a lot of inspiration from is Snowmine from New York. They’re
Can you share with us some exciting Tundra news on the horizon? J: We have a bunch of exciting stuff in the works, namely with our new material and stuff, but we also have a few awesome shows planned soon with some of our friends and it’s just really cool because playing music is great. All this stuff will be announced with a lot more detail on our Facebook page too. www.facebook.com/tundrabris
unearthed | Facebook
James wears Dirtbox shirt, Naked in the Night cap and BOX VINTAGE button up David wears Dirtbox jacket and shirt Jack wears Naked in the Night shirt, BOX VINTAGE jacket and Dirtbox pants
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s k c o l b e e r h photographer demi ca
mbridge
stylists the haute monster you are what you wear models jack, david & james @ viviens hmua laura bell
David wears Dirtbox shirt
Jack wears Naked in the Night shirt
James wears BOX VINTAGE shirt and pants Jack wears Naked in the Night shirt, Dirtbox pants and BOX VINTAGE leather bomber David wears Naked in the Night shirt
Jack wears BOX VINTAGE shirt and jacket and Dirtbox pants
David wears Naked in the Night shirt and hat and BOX VINTAGE button-up
James wears Naked in the Night button-up and t-shirt and Dirtbox pants
Jack wears Naked in the Night shirt, Dirtbox pants and trench David wears Dirtbox button-up (worn underneath) and pull-over James wears Dirtbox shirt and pants
10 bands you can’t miss at
SITG
So you see the Splendour in the Grass line-up, and there’s just so many bands it’s overwhelming. Just to make sure nothing is overseen, this list presents 10 of the bands you’d be crazy to miss at Splendour.
frank ocean
Quite “frankly”, it would be a massive loss to miss out on seeing Frank Ocean at Splendour in the Grass. Whilst his roots were in singing for rapper collective Odd Future, Ocean has made a huge name for himself and is one of the most established artists in the collective. In 2012, he strapped a Grammy under his belt for best Hip Hop album for the majestic
“Channel Orange”. The album is flawless, and arguably was deserving of album of the year. He has a clearly defined sound, which is something many young artists spend years trying to perfect. Splendour marks Frank Ocean’s first Australian tour and this is sure to become apart of music history.
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The national The National are one of the more seasoned performers to headline Splendour 2013. Having formed in 1999, they’re no rookies to the music industry. On the back of their sixth studio album “Trouble Will Find Me”, Splendour will be the band’s solitary stop. It’s hard to enunciate what makes The National a stand out band amongst many others of the indie/ rock/alternative variety.
wavves
Three years since their breakthrough album King of the Beach Wavves have finally released their fourth album Afraid of Heights. Front dude Nathan Williams who began the project back in 2008 has produced an album even more self-loathing than its predecessors. Williams is fast to show off his new maturity and the songs have more depth than ever. However, it’s still bundled in its fast-paced package making Wavves the quintessential surf rock band of the generation.
fidlar
Fresh off supporting a headlining Wavves tour, these two bands really go hand-in-hand. Fidlar is a bit like Wavves younger brother. Their music is more surfer punk with songs like Whore, Max Can’t Surf and Wake Bake Skate truly reminiscent of skater house party music. Fidlar’s debut self-titled album is a remarkable first effort.
babyshambles Remember the time when British supermodel Kate Moss dated that drugged up rocker? That guy was Pete Doherty, and he belongs to the Baby Shambles. Despite Doherty’s notoriety in the media, his band is pretty sweet. The band is about the music so Babyshambles always put on a good, authentic show.
palma violets
Palma Violets are the newest instalment in the amazing throng of British indie rock bands. However, they obviously have that special something that has set them aside from all the other musicians struggling to make it
in England. Their debut album ‘180’ features unforgettable tracks Step Up for the Cool Cats and Best Friend. They’ll put on seriously amped-up show so you’re going to want to get amongst it.
unknown mortal orchestra
Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be bringing their sundrenched sound to Splendour this year. Their latest offering ‘II’ features beautiful, breezy songs like So Good at Being in Trouble and Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark). Easily one of the most dreamy and atmospheric bands at Splendour, the vibe of their show will be phenomenal.
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Photography by Justin Vague
brisbane bands There’s got to be something in the water up north because a few upand-coming Brisbane bands managed to make the Splendour line-up. The more seasoned of the four, Violent Soho, have been making waves for quite a while. However, its rising bands Dune Rats, Jungle Giants and Cub Scouts who have been making a huge splash on the national and international music scene. Make sure you support these locals, and you may as well because they’re ridiculously good bands. On ya Brisbane.
haim
Haim is the three fresh-faced Haim sisters and drummer Dash Hutton out of Los Angeles. You probably know them as the band that just about everybody has been talking about since they broke through in 2012. Their noted physical beauty
everything everything Everything Everything’s second album ‘Arc’ does not hold back. It’s an amalgamation of energised tunes that will get stuck in your head for days. This kind of music lends perfectly for shows that you can dance to, mosh to and have an all around good time.
is not to be overshadowed by their dreamy harmonies and superb song writing skills on tracks like Falling and Forever. Bewitching in every sense of the word, they do say good things come in threes.
Laura McGrath Photography
settling.
Settling is a two-piece band from Brisbane that is made up of Timothy Swanston and Kurtis Tupangaia. They created a buzz after recording a cover of Beyonce’s Put a Ring On It together they formed the band. They quickly realised that their duo worked, and thus formed Settling. You played your first show at X& Y last night, how are you guys feeling today? Tim: Yeah I think we’re both feeling really great today, Kurtis: Not really. Are you hungover at all? Tim: I’m a little bit hungover. Kurtis: Personally I’m a little wretched today to be honest, but I feel that it’s a good sign that we had a very good night last night. Friends (X&Y) is a really cool venue. Kurtis: It was a really cool stage, just the area and stuff, people were right there. I liked how
compressed it was like in terms of how everyone was bunched together. Even though we had a fair few people there, looking out we could see a fair few faces and it seemed like a lot more people than there might have been. Settling began when you recorded a cover of Put A Ring on It by Beyonce together. After putting it on the Internet, the song quickly became successful. Had you decided you were going to be in a band prior to this? Tim: So originally we were both solo projects before that and I intended to do a cover with Kurtis’s beautiful voice to create some more interest
in my solo stuff. But after that and just with the ridiculous response it received, especially from Italy. We realised that the combination worked quite well and that my style of instrumentation and composing really suited Kurtis’s style of singing and song writing. Yeah we thought the combination worked really well and after that response it was in about two or three days that I called Kurtis on the phone saying mate, this needs to be a full time partnership. Kurtis: Yeah that’s pretty much exactly what happened. We had an amazing response and were like we probably should actually get
together and write some original stuff and do our own thing. Yeah that was how all of this started. We had our friend Sophie along to help us out, we had a bunch of review online on ‘The Indie Shuffle’ and there was another one on a blog ‘Hand Clap Movement’ which was a really good one as well. People were talking about how excited they were to hear more from us so that really prompted us to want to do more with it. Where did the name Settling come from? Tim: Well my original solo name was bloody ‘Six Strings and a Member’, which was quite inappropriate. So when I started to revamp my entire act I thought that I needed a new name. Partly it was my reflection on how little I care about band names and also just the fact that look, I was settling on a band name. But it really grew on me and then when Kurtis came along into the mix we decided to stick with it for a little bit but we thought we can change it down the line. It grew on us too when people kept confusing it with ‘Centre Link’. It really grew on us and now it’s just a big inside joke and we probably wouldn’t change it at all because it’s hilarious for us. So are you going to release a track called Youth Allowance? Tim: Yeah we are, Youth Allowance is a big hit in the mix, we’ve done some studies. The other one coming up is Pensions which is a good one. It’s all from ‘Sounds of
the Urban Street’ which is our first album. Kurtis: No no no, it’s ‘The Sound of Centre Link’. Can you tell us about your first EP that is in the works? Tim: We’ll tell you some things. It’s a bit of an eclectic mix to be honest. It’s with some rap, some acoustic kind of folk. Kurtis: I think at the moment we’re just sort of coming out writing music from so many different angles just because we’ve got so many different influences and we don’t really want to restrict ourselves to one style. We want to see what we can do and see what works and what people respond to. That’s sort of what is really obvious in our music at the moment where there’s just so many different styles. Have you worked out a date for the EP’s release? Tim: We originally said on The Indie Shuffle and things back when they asked a couple of questions for us that we’d have something by July I think I said. To be honest I think I was being quite optimistic. At this stage I think August/July. Kurtis: I think at the moment we’ve got the material, we’re trying to focus on more live music and that sort of thing, we’re trying to get some more gigs and stuff. We’re focusing on that instead of the recording process just yet. I think
once we really get down to our launch and we focus on it, it won’t take long. Individually, who do you cite as your musical influences? Kurtis: I guess I’ve never really thought of my style individually what music influences I have. Growing up I listened on my parents’ side to a lot of jazzy music, which comes across in some of the vocals. Otherwise, just a lot more modern stuff. Childish Gambino is probably a big one, on the more rap side. And Arctic Monkeys definitely. Tim: Kurtis and I, we obviously have a lot of different influences, which really reflects in our song writing. I find myself really influenced by Bombay Bicycle Club for a lot of acoustic songs i.e. a lot of their older acoustic numbers. But for my modern kind of rock stuff I generally site The Kooks, also Arctic Monkeys and some Bloc Party is what we’ve really been listening to/really liking What about the Brisbane music scene, do you have a favourite Brisbane band/musician at the moment? Tim: We both really like Jeremy Neale. Kurtis: Probably crushing pretty hard on him at the moment. Tim: All of these acts that he’s in, Teen Sensations and Tiger Beams and Velociraptor and his solo stuff.
Laura McGrath Photography What about the Go Violets who are on his newest track? Tim: The Go Violets are awesome. Kurtis: They’re beautiful women. We were just watching the video clip for In Stranger Times earlier and yeah, great video. Best gig you have been to in the last twelve months? Tim: I went to go see The XX, which was about one or two months ago. I don’t really remember I don’t have a very good knowledge of time. But after that gig I went home and wrote about five or six songs. One of them, it’s just called Someone which is available on our website for free download. That one seemed to be quite a big hit so The XX was a really big influence that night and that gig was fantastic. Kurtis: For me it’s probably a tossup. I saw Velociraptor, I think that
was about a month ago, that was a really good gig at Alhambra. Probably that or tossing up between Gambino at Big Day Out where I was up the front listening to Death Grips for like an hour, which was an ordeal. And just like dying of dehydration and my phone overheated in my pocket and died and I came out just completely drenched. I was kind of wedged between a dude and I was grinding awkwardly against his back with the mass of the crowd. But that was an amazing gig at the front, got to touch Gambino. I think Tim was there for that one but neither of us knew the other person was there. When can we next see Settling perform? Tim: Nothing yet, which is probably kind of bad. We’ve got our sights set on a couple of shows so Sophie, who is our wonderful band manager, she’s look at. It’s just the
fact that a lot of things haven’t been organised as such in the holidays. Right now I’ve got exams and Kurtis has also got exams. We’re just going to focus on uni for a little bit. Kurtis: In the past few weeks we’ve been getting ready for the gig last night and we’ve just been practicing our music so much that I think the next two weeks will be uni weeks and then after that get into it as much as possible. We’ll definitely post up on our Facebook site when we have something in the works.
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NEW tunes
RAP
wolf - tyler, the creator Tyler, The Creator from rapper collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All is notorious for being completely shocking and laying himself emotionally bare in his music. ‘Wolf’ follows on from debut album ‘Bastard’ and critically acclaimed ‘Goblin’. It’s the most melodic of the three albums with the amount of work he’s put into the beats being obvious. The result of growing up and dealing with fame has led to a mature album in its content. Whilst he strays away from past themes of rape and murder as seen on his earlier stuff, it’s still just as dark. Like normal,
he has woven a narrative into the album encompassing some of his alter egos. The story in ‘Wolf’ follows Tyler as the character Wolf, fictional character Sam and his girlfriend Salem who Wolf likes. Rusty explores this narrative, as does final track Lone, which sees the return of his therapist Dr T.C. Awkward and Ifhy are Tyler’s take on love songs, reminiscent of Her on ‘Goblin’. The first single of the album Domo 23 is more like traditional Tyler, the quick wit raps that brought him to fame in the first place. However, standout track of the album is Colossus, which
has been labelled Tyler’s own Stan (Eminem’s song about his stalker). Whilst it looks specifically about one crazed fan’s obsession with him, Tyler also brings to the forefront all of his reservations about the fame and being a role model. For Tyler, The Creator fans ‘Wolf’ can go either way because his songs are so diverse. He perfectly sums the conundrum up in Rusty. “Analog fans are getting sick of the rape / All the “Tron Cat” fans are getting sick of the lakes / But what about me bitch? I’m getting sick of complaints.”
INDIE/ALTERNATIVE
modern vampires of the city - vampire weekend
‘Modern Vampires of the City’ is different to anything they’ve made before. Whilst the album still sounds uniquely Vampire Weekend, it’s a much more produced sound that what was heard on ‘Vampire Weekend’ and ‘Contra’. The first track off the album Diane Young is still the catchiest in a ‘make you want to dance’ kind of way. Saying this, all the other tracks have that inane Vampire Weekend ability to stay on your mind long after you’ve listened to them. That’s the thing about VW, they will infiltrate your stream of unconsciousness and embed themselves in your
everyday life. Unbelievers, Finger Back and Worship You are all also fast nuggets of VW gold. However, their two standout are the ones the multilayered tracks Step and Ya Hey. Vampire Weekend are renowned for their interesting lyrics. On Step, Ezra Koenig’s soft murmuring vocals make reference to Pachebel’s Canon, Modest Mouse and Hindu Temples. It’s so lyrically clever that you’d have to be a genius (or Koenig) to understand everything he’s alluding to in the song. Ya Hey has Koenig singing a distorted “Ya Hey” in the chorus, which sounds a bit weird but is
also uber memorable. Vampire Weekend pull it right back on opening track Obvious Bicycle, Hannah Hunt and Hudson. They end the album on another slower song Young Lion. With a fanciful piano, the only line of the song “You take your time, young lion” is repeated throughout. It’s a much more retrospective song to end the album than is normally expected of Vampire Weekend’s upbeat repertoire. Whilst the album is different to anything they’ve produced before, this new Vampire Weekend is just as good.
MUSIC
ROCK
comedown machine - the strokes
When the first single of The Strokes new album was released, fans got excited. All The Time was reminiscent of the “old” Strokes. With two amazing albums debut albums ‘Is This It’ and Room on Fire’, their last album ‘Angles’ was a disappointment for some, having lost that unique Strokes sound. They had a lot to prove with this new album, and for the diehard fans, they delivered on The Strokes aesthetic. Whilst All The Time is still the most reminiscent of classic Strokes, the strength of ‘Comedown Machine’ is that it’s managed to mix old Strokes with mixing the newer sounds of Under
Cover of Darkness and Machu Picchu. What this has resulted in is a completely new sound, something that needs to be kept in mind when listening to the new album. In fact, the album is most successful when it’s not trying to do what it has always done. Tap Out and One Way Trigger amalgamate boppy electronic melodies while still being quintessentially rock. They’re appealing tracks, but they’re not going to have you jumping out of your seat. 80’s Comedown Machine is the real gem off the album. Casablancas is at his best when his voice takes on that yearning, forlorn quality.
The track perfectly slow, it’s drawn out but doesn’t flag. The following song Slow Animals is pulled back track, but with cleaner vocals. The final track of the album, Call It Fate Call It Karma, is a bit of an anomaly. It’s what one would imagine if The Strokes were producing music in another era altogether, which isn’t a good thing. For those nostalgic for the original Strokes album, ‘Comedown Machine’ is a disappointment. However, for those ready to embrace their new sound the album is still a success in its own right.
most dateable film characters Words by caitlin low
I’m the sort of sad sack who bases her life decisions on fictional film characters. So where better to find a potential life partner than in a quirky rom-com or drama? Here, I countdown the six most dateable movie characters residing in my humble DVD collection - second date not guaranteed.
6. troy dyer in ‘reality bites’
Grungy, eloquent and disarmingly intellectual, Troy Dyer (Ethan Hawke) is the poster boy of the ‘90s slacker – the real-life version
of Daria’s Trent Lane. “Hello, you’ve reached the winter of our discontent,” he’d quip as he answers your call. Troy may act too cool for everything (even Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch), but keep cracking at that sugar crust and you’ll soon reach a crème brulee filling of sweet sensitivity. His perfect date? “You and me and five bucks.”
5. AJ in ‘empire records’ If AJ (Johnny Whitworth) had an eHarmony profile, it would read: ‘creative type with interests in art, music and ‘90s Liv Tyler’. But let’s face it – with a smile like that, AJ would never need an eHarmony profile. Just imagine working with
this charmingly disheveled artist at the world’s most iconic record store, where you’d listen to The Cranberries and Gin Blossoms 24/7. Every day would be Rex Manning Day.
4. oscar in ‘feast of love’ One night while he was wasted, Oscar (Toby Hemingway) had a dream about “an African monkey whispering all this creepy shit in his ear about how he would OD in an alleyway”. He promptly kicked his drug habit and became the
lovable blond barista/boyfriend/ fiancé/father he is today. A word of warning though: if you believe in happy endings, stop the movie fifteen minutes from the end. Your tear ducts can thank me later.
3. scott pilgrim
FILM
Hypothetically speaking, if you were to date Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), you’d be living in his world. A world where pixel-swords are spawned from thin air and swear words are bleeped straight from your mouth. Aubrey Plaza would even work at your local music store/coffee shop/everywhere. And then of course, Scott would gallantly risk his three lives to battle your seven evil exes.
2. nick in ‘nick and norah’s infinite playlist’ Mike Cera, why art thou so dateable? This time, he’s a sensitive muso pining after his manipulative ex-girlfriend. With all his relationship dramas, Nick may be too blind to notice you – but when
he does, you can look forward to an influx of meticulously illustrated mix CDs (do not trash these). Come date night, he’ll invite you to his gig and you’ll cruise along NYC streets in his rusty yellow Yugo.
1. tom hansen in ‘500 days of summer’
Obviously. With his floppy hair, nerdy cardigans and penchant for IKEA outings, Tom Hansen (Joseph-Gordon Levitt) is the ultimate shoo-in. You’d go record hunting with him by day and sing drunken karaoke together by night. The aspiring architect would even proclaim his love for you via a Hall and Oates musical number – animated birds and all. Just don’t break his heart, or you’ll be passive-aggressively insulted on a Hallmark card.
top dude flicks words by matt meintjes
It’s a tough ask, filtering through years and years of quality bro-flicks to determine the much loved classics of dudes around the world. Dude movies essentially come in two forms: raunchy, inappropriate, laugh-till-you-cry comedies or intense action flicks; and in some cases, both. The stereotypical dude doesn’t care about awards or critical acclaim. Is it hilarious? We’ll watch it. Are there guns, multiple explosions and car chases? We’ll watch it. Is it quotable? Hell yes we’ll watch it.
step brothers When you see Will Ferrell in a trailer or plastered on a poster for any film you can be almost certain that it will be a dude movie. Step Brothers best exemplifies this. The following hours after watching this film arw inevitably spent requoting all the memorable scenes and one-liners, not just from Ferrell but also John C Reilly who gel well as a duo on the screen. For those that don’t know, the story follows two middle-aged men, still living at home, who are forced
superbad It’s that coming of age film that seems to somehow capture at least one awkward moment experienced by most dudes – though of course when it’s happening on-screen it is much, much funnier. Seth (Jonah Hill), Evan (Michael Cera) and Fogell/”McLovin” (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) are three unpopular high school students desperate to get their sex lives moving before separating to college next year. With one last party to fulfil this goal, what the boys will have to go through will have all dudes in stiches.
Memorable Quote: “So your name is just McLovin’?” “Yeah!” “Badass!”
into becoming room mates when their respective single parents get married. Mischief follows as the two fight against each other, then join forces to thwart the plans their parents have to sell their home. It’s a must see for all dudes out there. Memorable Quote: “I’m going upstairs... Cause I’m gonna put my nutsack on your drumset!”
FILM
bad boys
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, officers of the Miami Police Department, combine for car chases, drug busts and plenty of gun slinging action. The
interaction between the two, one a young bachelor and the other a family man, makes for some comedic value in an action packed film, ticking most of the dude movie checklist. It’s not a surprise to see Michael Bay in the director’s seat – expect the same over-the-
300
It’s one of the most famous battles of ancient history. 300 follows the events leading up to and including the Battle of Thermopylae where three hundred Spartan soldiers fought to defend Greece from the incoming Persian army, with infantry numbers thought to be well over one-hundred thousand. Whilst I can’t verify its historical accuracy, that’s not something
the dark knight/iron man trilogies This last spot was hard – but in keeping with a more modern take on dude movies, one always has to put a comic book hero somewhere in the mix. On one hand you have badass Batman: silent but deadly, fighting for justice (something all dudes can believe in) and living life as a billionaire when not crime fighting. On the other, Iron Man: fighting bad-guys in a high-tech suit (something all dudes secretly desire) and living life as a billionaire even when crime fighting. Arguably these two
franchises have become the most prominent superhero trilogies for the new generation of dudes. There’s always a bit of nostalgia when seeing that superhero you dressed up as when you were a kid on the silver screen and along with all the action sequences and memorable one-liners, these are definitely dude movies. Memorable Quotes: “Wanna know how I got these scars?” “You know, it’s moments like these when I realise how much of a superhero I am.”
top approach to Bad Boys that we became accustomed to in the Transformers franchise. Memorable Quote: “This is bad. No, let me call it what it is. This is fucked up.”
a dude should consider when watching 300. It’s a film that pulls out the heart of every dude and preaches the message of bravery and honour – oh, and did I mention there’s blood? Lots of blood. Memorable Quote: “THIS IS SPARTA!”
the male protagonists words by lucia stein
the zahir The protagonist is a nameless renowned author who, after being married for 10 years, discovers that his wife Esther has left without a trace. We’re led to believe that his search takes him from “South America to Spain, France, Croatia and eventually, the bleakly beautiful landscape of Central Asia…”. Yet, although the characters travel in the book, most of his treks are told retrospectively. Instead we are taken on a spiritual journey as the main character tries to find out what made Esther leave, and discovers himself along the way. It’s filled with ponderings and conversations that are used to teach us a lesson on life. The most important lesson of the novel perhaps is found in a conversation between him and his girlfriend. “Marie, let’s suppose that two firemen go into a forest to put out a small fire. Afterwards, when they emerge and go over to a stream,
the face of one is all smeared with black, while the other man’s face is completely clean. My question is this: which of the two will wash his face? ‘That’s a silly question. The one with the dirty face of course.’ ‘No, the one with the dirty face will look at the other man and assume that he looks like him. And, vice versa, the man with the clean face will see his colleague covered in grime and say to himself: I must be dirty too. I’d better have a wash.” It’s an important lesson about how people look for themselves in other people. The book is filled with similar teachings, encouraging his audience to self-reflect. The message might be different but his meaning is universal. It’s important for us to stop once in a while and have a look at the world around us.
BOOK
a portrait of dorian gray “He (Dorian) would creep upstairs to the locked room…and stand, with a mirror, in front of the portrait that Basil Hallward had painted of him, looking now at the evil and aging face on the canvas, and now at the fair young face that laughed back at him from the polished glass…He grew more and more enamoured of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul”. Oscar Wilde’s classic, Dorian Gray is an exploration of the darker side of humanity. We’re first introduced to Dorian Gray as a bright, beautiful young man standing for a painting for his friend and artist, Basil Haywood. Absent from this
bright scene however is the dark and sinister nature that develops after Dorian glimpses his portrait. It’s the Jekyll and Hyde of an earlier generation, following Dorian Gray as he navigates a double life. On the outside he appears the extremely handsome and very eligible bachelor of London’s high society. Yet, his obsession with vanity soon leads him to another, hidden life of debauchery. After sparking a huge amount of controversy when first released, the book is now celebrated as a classic and a lesson in the dangers of vanity and self-obsession.
the beautiful and the damned “There was the odour of the tobacco always – both of them smoked incessantly; it was in their clothes, their blankets, the curtains, and the ash-littered carpets. Added to this was the wretched aura of stale wine, with its inevitable suggestion of beauty gone foul and revelry remembered in disgust.”
In the spirit of F. Scott Fitzgerald and release of The Great Gatsby, I felt inspired to review one of his other works. The Beautiful and the Damned follows Anthony and Gloria who appear to have it all. They are young, rich, beautiful and have their whole lives in front of them. They fall desperately in love, get married and life was one big party, if only for a while. It is
when things start to fall apart that you discover not everything is at it appears. The higher you are, the further you have to fall. It attempts to look at similarly important themes in a considered way but at some points the reader is left a little disappointed. The beginning is slow, preventing the reader from really connecting with the book. It is only after Anthony meets Gloria when it begins to take off. Just as the title suggests, Anthony and Gloria may appear on the surface as beautiful people from well-bred families but underneath their carefully constructed façade is the inescapable truth that they are damned.
BOOK
the piper’s son The Piper’s Son is another Melina Marchetta classic where we see the story unfold through the eyes of a male protagonist. The story follows on from Marchetta’s previous novel, Saving Francesca but this time its protagonist Thomas MacKee who’s at the crossroads. The glimpses we saw of him throughout her previous novel immediately have us connecting with Tom. He’s just as explosive and stubborn, but all Tom wants in life is oblivion. The last five years have left Tom broken and in serious need of help. The trigger is when he loses
his uncle in the London bombings. After that Tom’s life has been on a steady decline. He’s fallen out with the old gang and found himself surrounded by the wrong crowd. He’s lost himself to a world of drugs and isolation but when he hears the piper’s call will it be enough to bring him back? In classic Marchetta style it’s very emotional and extremely real. Anyone can relate to the struggle Tom goes through to find himself and how hard it is to put back the pieces after everything is torn apart.
noughts & crosses Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses is a powerful and emotive exploration into the lives of two teenagers, sixteen-year-old Callum and fourteen-year-old Sephy. They come from completely different backgrounds. Callum is white and a Nought. Sephy is black and a Cross. In this world, Noughts are outcasts while the Crosses rule. The line between both groups is very clear. No one can cross it. Yet, Callum and Sephy try to do just that. They don’t understand why things are the way they are and do all they can to fight against
it. We cheer on Sephy and Callum as they attempt to change the way society thinks. In doing so we are also forced to confront our own experiences as well as the experiences of those before us. It might not be a new concept but it’s certainly an engaging one that had me second-guessing myself right until the end. This is a powerful book with a number of important messages that stays with you long after you have turned the last page.
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/playlist/ Mardy Bum - Arctic Monkeys Caroline - Bad//Dreems Myth - Beach House Feel - Bleeding Knees Club Needle - Born Ruffians Doin’ It Right - Daft Punk Back to the Middle - Deer Hunter Runner - Go Violets No Waves - Fidlar Stepson - Foals Leave Me Out - Jeff the Brotherhood All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem Broke - Modest Mouse Heavenfaced - The National There Will Come A Time - Noah & the Whale Spoiled - Sebodah Extinction - The Soft Pack Bad Mood - Step Panther Rip Tide - Vance Joy
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