+ Coffee with Craigos
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WEEKENDER SPECIAL
Lost boy zine a music, arts, literature, zine
joy
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u b n je
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wtf iz in dis Gigs
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Records
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Pinch Hitter Demo Spencer Scott EP Shadow League 7” Postblue Split
Interviews
Jen Buxton 6-8 Postblue 9 Bennies 10 - 11 Joyce Manor 12 - 13
Art
14 14
Monet Modernists
Books
15 15
‘Death In Brunswick’ - Boyd Oxlade ‘Wool’ - Hugh Howey
Extra
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Melbourne Coffee With Craigos
Thanks to Andy and all the PCR team for another successful Weekender. Thank YOU for buying LBZ and supporting the community it fosters. Huge thanks to Jules, Matt, Riley and Craigos for contributing. Infinite thanks to Jen, Wil and Bosma for being legends. all photos courtesy of the respective owners. all design: jasmin stengos - jasminstengos@gmail.com all text: oliver dan-cuthbert - triangleshoe@hotmail.com
HEAD OVER TO: www.lostboyrecords.tumblr.com 2
September
gigs
Smith Street Band w/ Joyce Manor and Cheap Girls 4th Transit Bar, Canberra (18+) PREKENDER PARTY: Joyce Manor w/ Cheap Girls, Grim Fandango, Initials, Ride The Tiger and Freak Wave 5th The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood (18+) POISON CITY WEEKENDER 6th John Curtin Hotel (18+) 7th Corner Hotel (18+) 8th Reverence Hotel (18+) Joyce Manor w/ Grim Fandango 10th Animal House, Adelaide (AA) 11th Pica Bar, Perth (18+) The Getaway Plan 12th Prince of Wales, Bunbury (18+) 13th Players Bar, Mandurah (18+) 14th Rosemount Hotel, Perth (18+) 15th YMCA HQ, Perth (-18) 20th Black Market, Adelaide (18+) Shadow League 13th Chardon’s Corner, Brisbane FREE SHOW 14th TBA, Brisbane 15th Brews Bros, Brisbane (AA) 28th Reverence Hotel, Melbourne (18+) Fresh Nelson, Yo Put That Bag Back On and Harbourer 15th Beatdisc, Parramatta (AA) Ben David and Dan Cribb w/ locals 19th Newport Hotel, Fremantle 20th Pica Bar, Perth 26th Crown and Anchor, Adelaide 27th Gertrudes Brown Couch, Melbourne 28th Blackwire, Sydney 29th Hamilton Station, Newcastle Melbourne Ska Orchestra 21st The Gov, Adelaide 27th Fly By Night, Fremantle 28th Astor Theatre, Perth (18+) Family Values (Newy) + famous punk headliners 22nd Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle 30th Hamilton Station, Newcastle Hoodlum Shouts with Life & Limb 26th Pastoral Hotel, Dubbo 27th Empire Hotel, Cobar 28th Palace Hotel, Broken Hill 29th Patton Park, Broken Hill
October
Hoodlum Shouts and Life & Limb 3rd Holland Pool, West Wyalong 4th Southern Cross Cinema, Young Here and Now Fest: 50 Lions, Level, Survival, Search and Destroy, Warbrain, Outsiders Code, Crisis Alert 4th Enigma Bar, Adelaide (18+) Shadow League 5th TBA, Geelong 6th Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne (18+) 26th Barley Corn, Melbourne
November
Melbourne Ska Orchestra 9th Factory Theatre, Sydney (AA) Thrash ‘Em All: Terrorential, One Take Earthquake, Grim Demise, Disparo, Counterattack, Atomic Death Squad, Hostile Objects, Disintegrator, Fuck Outs, Family Values + more TBA 9th The Square, Sydney Hits and Pits 2.0: Black Flag, BoySetsFire, Bad Astronaut, Ataris, Snuff, No Fun At All, Good For You, Off With Their Heads, Jughead’s Revenge 15th Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast (18+) 16th The Hi-Fi, Brisbane (18+) 17th The Hi-Fi, Sydney (18+) 22nd Palace Theatre, Melbourne (18+) 23rd The Gov, Adelaide (18+) 24th Capitol & Amplifier, Perth (18+) designed by jaz at clamnesiadesigns.tumblr.com
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Vision
September 10 6 - 8 pm
Isaac Graham Gracie & Sam Nick van Breda Pinch Hitter
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at the UNSW Roundhouse Beer Garden
head to the FB pg
records
Demo – Pinch Hitter | Self-Released Getting bored of all the acoustic guitars floating around the scene at the moment? No, neither are we, but something different is always nice to hear. Enter Pinch Hitter, Sydney banjo duo composed of the talented best friends, Dave Drayton and Nick van Breda. With lyrical content similar to Breda’s solo work, often encompassing the banal and every day, it seems his voice was made to go with the intricate instrumental work, often resembling math-rock sensibilities (except on fucking banjos). The more upbeat ‘Nine-To-Fine’ opens the demo with an ode to working at home and the pitfalls of working life. The emphatic chorus, “Don’t wanna go to work / don’t wanna go to work / I’d rather go to war / then give myself a clause”, will ring in your mind for days and can be heard echoing for miles around Blackwire. ‘Body Clocks’ and ‘So Much For The Road’ continue the personal, almost confession-like lyrical content, matched with catchy instrumentals that will have you head-nodding from the opening note. The particularly listener-friendly vibe from these tracks is evident in how easily they can be sunga-long too and become instant hits after one play. Although this Demo was released in March, there is no excuse not to get your feels on and check out the ‘banjo awesomeness’ that is Pinch Hitter. LP coming later this year. Stream and order now from: http://pinchhitter.bandcamp.com/ or catch their room-silencing performance at Weekender.
Spencer Scott – Spencer Scott | Self-Released The debut release from Spencer Scott is sure to garner some attention for the Newcastle teenager. Following in the footsteps of locals such as Wil Wagner and Ben David, Scott adds his own sound to the growing mix of acoustic folk-punk storytellers. With lyrical content drawing on his personal life – Drinking, relationships, watching Scrubs – Scott has already produced several catchy tracks that are well worth the listen. Lacking some of the intensity of his contemporaries, Scott’s self-titled EP is a more relaxing and laid back listen; a refreshing change from other recent releases. Particularly noticeable are his vocals, which have a distinct ‘country’ tinge to them, but not so much that it becomes offensive to those who don’t enjoy the genre. Stand-out tracks include ‘Bourbon & Coke’ and ‘How I Spent The Year’. With a solid EP under his belt and having already scored a support for Isaac Graham recently, Scott is sure to be included on more Newcastle bills and hopefully a Sydney show or two. Grab this EP whilst there are still copies so you can say you heard him before your mates! Stream and order now from: spencerscott.bandcamp.com
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As It Falls – Shadow League | Jackknife Records The first time I heard mention of Shadow League was when Ben David proclaimed them to be Australia’s best band. Although I might not make a claim that big (yet), this release seriously puts the band up there. If you loved Shadow League’s LP, Ghost In Our Sails, you will no doubt be enamoured with their new 7”, with the atmosphere remaining very similar. Having a pretty unique style that resembles somewhat ‘slowed down’ punk, most evident musically is the omnipresent percussion that genuinely adds an extra dimension to each track – this is to be expected, however, with the band made of only two members, drums/vocals and guitar/vocals. Another standout feature of the band are the distinct vocals, rough and passionate, which will stay fixated in your mind for days. When combined with easy to learn sing-a-long parts, like “we drive for ours / to anywhere / we don’t sleep / we don’t care” in ‘Mariachi’, these four tracks will become live favourites, getting the whole crowd involved. Hosting a bunch of guest appearances from some of Australia’s greatest – Wil Wagner, Ben David, Lucy Wilson – this is catchy and chilled out punk that doesn’t hold back emotionally. Another 2013 must have release from Australia’s top label. Stream and pre-order now from: shadowleague.bandcamp.com
Split – Postblue/Flowermouth | Hindsight Records Opening with strong drums, rising star Postblue slow things down on this split with Perth mates Flowermouth. Still tuning a strong Smashing Pumpkins influence in the tracks they offer on their first release since debut EP Lap Year, ‘Posture’ is a great way to kick off and can be easily imagined as the first song at a gig, sluggishly building up to the final blow. With a smooth transition into ‘Kids Need Jesus’, listeners are delivered a track that wouldn’t sound out of place on Lap Year. This second offering is more centralised around the vocals that are classic Postblue, with lyrics to match. The droning style is irresistible head-nodding material, however with both tracks clocking in just over four minutes, one can’t help wanting more – one can only hope an LP will be released by the end of the year. A sharp juxtaposition is apparent as soon as Flowermouth’s first track ‘Tell Me’ begins, taking a markedly different form. More typically punk in nature, the instrumental composition alone is enough to psych you up, climaxing with an atmospheric ending. Vocals alter between styles, with very clean becoming an almost snarl at points. Final track ‘Isolate’ is more of a bridging track between bands and may have been better placed. Unfortunately, this track may be the least exciting on the split, skipping back and forth between slow and normal pace too often, ending too quickly and sounding like a B-Side to Flowermouth’s recently released EP Nostalgia. Stream and free download here: bandcamp.hindsightrecords.com.au Buy cassettes here: store.hindsightrecords.com.au
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jen buxton After a few years off, Like…Alaska have recently reformed to play a show at the Poison City Weekender. What was the catalyst for you guys to play together again? Well we had the reissue coming out, and it seemed like a good time to get together and play all the old tunes again - especially at a show like the Weekender, where we knew all our mates and the bands we've toured with over the years would be in the one place. We stopped being a band at the right time, but I think the Weekender will be really special and we are all looking forward to it.
Will we be seeing Like…Alaska again anytime soon, or is it a one-off show for the Weekender?
At present we don't have any other plans except for the Weekender. We do drink together a lot though, so god knows what mischief we'll eventually get up to.
Are you excited to see the band’s LP, On Against Want, get a vinyl pressing s¬¬o many years after it was originally released?
I'm really proud of that record; it was the first time I was ever involved in anything resembling proper professional musicianship, recording in a studio, involvement with a label, all that sort of fancy stuff. I was also fucking seventeen. I remember a really strong sense of possibility and excitement around the creation of that record with all my best friends, it was a really rad time and I'm glad that people liked the end product enough for it to get a vinyl reissue. I remember saying like five years ago if I ever got my voice recorded on vinyl I would happily quit music - I think this will be the sixth time. It feels pretty crazy.
Since Like…Alaska have broken up, you have established a pretty good name for yourself as a solo artist. Does the atmosphere differ significantly when playing gigs alone to with a full band?
There are less people to hide behind, that's for sure. Some aspects are easier - travel, organisation, if I decide to have a tantrum and go home, etc. But I do miss the camaraderie of being in a band, travelling together, trying not to murder each other in your sleep, that kind of thing. Like…Alaska were a band for nearly seven years – we lasted longer than most marriages. Being a soloist after that is kind of like being a pentuple divorcee. It's mostly about building up your confidence to face people by yourself.
Within the band vocals are shared, and often interchange in songs. Was the writing process also a joint effort and, if so, was it strange at first to be writing all the lyrics yourself for your solo recordings?
There were three songwriters in Like... Alaska, so we would pretty much write the bones ourselves and then bring them to practice to flesh them out. The process of writing wasn't so much collaborative as "you do a bit that works with the rest of this" which is how we have so many different sounding songs – three different people were writing them. During Like…Alaska I was still writing solo songs, things that wouldn't have quite worked with the band, but I loved being able to work on technical stuff that you tend to ignore if you have to play and sing all by yourself. Some of the bass lines I wrote for that band I am still stoked on today. Writing for solo work wasn't really much different, I just didn't have anybody else to make things sound more interesting, so I had to cut less corners.
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Following your debut 2011 LP, Don’t Change Your Plans, you have recently released an EP, Desperation Demos. Did you change anything in terms of writing or recording for this release in comparison to the LP?
I'm going to admit something here which I freely have many times before – I am not very good at this pretend job. I tend to write from compulsion alone, until I feel like I have "enough" things for "something," and then I go from there. I am still daily amazed that people happen to give a shit about listening to the things that I have to do to keep myself from going unmanageably crazy. In the case of the Demos, I had thirty bucks in the bank and had to go on tour to Brisbane and Tasmania the next day. So I spent it on blank CDs and stayed up til 2am making something I could trade for food if necessary. There is truly no method to this madness; the beauty of Poison City Records is that artists have full creative control, no schedule, no contracts. I will basically keep doing things haphazardly until I want to stop or someone in charge tells me to. The next thing I put out might be a full length or another split or it might be a children's book, I just have no idea or plans. Not terribly professional, but my father taught me it's more important to be honest than charming.
Preorders are now up for your split 7” with Lincoln le Fevre through Poison City Records, so the next few months are going to be pretty crazy for you! Having recorded the 7” recently in Tassie with Linc himself, what was the process like and what can we expect from the split?
I'm not good in the studio because I don't like the sound of my own voice, so I imagine the whole thing was a bit more fun for me (drinking wine in the daytime, smoking cigarettes, climbing mountains) than it was for Linc (having to rewrite my shitty songs for me, sighing, being tall.) We were pretty laidback about it, Linc's studio is in his house in Hobart and we recorded over a couple of days in between playing some shows (and some Xbox.) The way the thing came up is a testament to his talent as an engineer as well as a performer. He has an excellent ear for subtle changes and additions and he really brought those songs to life. I'm very happy with how everything came out and I can't wait for people to hear the whole thing.
You are doing two sets for the Weekender, one by yourself and the other with Like…Alaska. Of the other bands playing who are you most excited to see play?
I'm incredibly excited to see Cory Branan, who That EP went straight to number one on bandcamp I am probably going to hide from all Weekender and the rest of the shows we're doing together. when it was first released and is currently getting But the best thing about Weekender really is the vinyl treatment. Were you surprised by the seeing all your mates and their bands - we get to extensively positive response to it? play with Arrows, Pinch Hitter, I can't wait to see Honestly, yes. I knew a few people were Lu at the Old Bar, the Bennies, there's a Blueline upset they had missed out on copies after All Reunion. There's not a single act affiliated with Tomorrow's Shoeys but I honestly thought it was this weekend that isn't top notch. I am always mostly because of my kid's excellent artwork incredibly, incredibly proud and humble to be than anything else. I thought I would get a few surrounded by these people. people interested, but my naive understanding of information technology led to a general feeling of being overwhelmed that is still going on to this day. Some of the messages people have sent me over bandcamp are really incredible, and I still can't describe how it feels that something that came out of a moment of literal desperation is now something I can hold in my hands and drop a needle onto. It's very, very humbling.
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What impact do you think the Weekender has on the scene it supports?
We call it the Family Reunion. I think this is the fifth or fourth one? Not counting the unofficial first year at the Espy, maybe? Not only does it highlight some amazing Australian bands, support local venues and also give a platform for some incredible international acts to be able to tour here, it’s just an excellent rallying of community. I never feel safer or happier at a show than I do at Weekender, and I never feel safe or happy anywhere. Everyone involved in the organisation and execution is just such an excellent person, people look out for each other, there is a real sense of togetherness; of being part of something. It’s a very unique thing and we’re lucky to have it.
A lot of our readers will be heading over to Melbourne for the Weekender, would you care to share your favourite places to visit when you are down there?
Between all the shows, recovery, and seeing friends there’s not a lot of time to do sightseeing! The Poison City Store on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy will be a legend convention over the weekend, and is positioned ideally across from a Lord of the Fries. Other than that, make the Reverence Hotel your home base for all your giant dog patting/Bloody Mary drinking needs.
Post-Weekender you’re also doing a national tour with Cory Branan and Lincoln. I think it’s safe to say these gigs will be an incredible display of song-writing and acoustic music, but is the touring life all it’s cracked up to be?
As far as touring goes, you can play a good show anywhere - sometimes you drive for eight hours and someone sings Happy Birthday through your set (ask me and Pinch Hitter about this) sometimes you play around the corner and it’s the best show ever. Touring is hard for me because I don’t like being away from my son a lot and my partner’s band also tours pretty regularly. I am a homebody and a bath fanatic, and honestly touring isn’t always the most enjoyable thing for me. I’d rather be home with my kid. It’s not very punk rock, but it’s true. But the good thing about Australian touring is that so much of it is this “weekend warrior” type stuff, where you just do three or four days in a row pretty close to home, and that’s the stuff I love. I’m really excited to see Cory Branan and the kind of response that Australian audiences will have (hint: prepare to lose your shit.)
Lastly, I was wondering if you could share some of the artists you have been digging lately!
My wonderful, talented friend Lucy Wilson has an EP that’s available digitally or on 7” through her bandcamp at lucywilson.bandcamp.com. I’ve had one of her songs stuck in my head for four months now and I don’t know whether to murder her or give her all my money. I would much rather you buy her record than any of mine.
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postblue
You have just put out your second release, a split cassette with Perth band Flowermouth. How did the split come about? We recorded two songs in early April, and then had nowhere to put them. I talked to the Flowermouth dudes to see if they had any tracks laying around that’d they’d be interested in including on a split. Luckily, they did.
The two Postblue songs on the split have a slightly different, slower atmosphere surrounding them compared to your EP from late last year, Lap Year. Was this a conscious change when writing for the split? Each of our releases seems to be slower than the last. It’s not like we do it on purpose, but I’m not against it.
What was it like to open the main stage at this year’s Splendour In The Grass festival and what was the reaction like from punters?
It was really cool. We didn’t have a huuuugge crowd because it was only 12:30, but there were a few people watching. They seemed to enjoy it, I can’t be sure, though. We got to hang out there for three days and have the best time. There was free bread and ice cream.
You have also played with a pretty diverse group of bands in the last year, including Smith Street Band, Bane, Title Fight, DZ Deathrays and Violent Soho. Are there obvious distinctions between the audiences at different ‘genre’ gigs and do you alter your setlist for them?
The crowds are definitely different, but not in a bad way. The Smith Street/Bane/Title Fight shows were a way more hardcore/punk crowd, which is what we’re used to. We played a show with Violent Soho/DZ Deathrays earlier in the year to a totally different crowd. It was cool though, everyone got really into us and talked to us a bunch after the show. Give me all the genre crowds.
Postblue have a quite unique sound that is obviously influenced by bands from a multitude of genres. What are some of your favourite punk and hardcore releases? I’ll do a current top 3; Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God Outsiders Code - Exiled From Birth Give - Singles Going Confetti
The band have been announced as opening the first night of Weekender, which I was pretty stoked to hear about. Who are you most looking forward to see play?
I am looking forward to seeing Deep Heat, White Walls, The Nation Blue, Grim Fandango, Smith St, Apart From This, Arrows, basically all of the bands on the fest, but mostly Joyce Manor.
What local artists have you guys been digging as a band lately?
I’m going to treat ‘local’ as ‘Australian’. We are all really into Violent Soho. Liam loves White Walls.
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bennies
Having only released an EP, Better Off Dread, a few months ago, you guys have already been back in the recording studio for LP2. Were the tracks all written at the same time, and can we expect a similar vibe from the new tracks? The two releases are totally separate. Better Off Dread was actually recorded a while back, we’d been meaning to release it but touring and shows kept pushing the release date forward. The new album has been written over the past 6 months and is all new material. You can expect to expect the unexpected, we’ve kept true to our psychedelic-punk-reggae-doom-dub-ska roots, it’s a party mix. We are super stoked to be releasing the next album through Poison City Records.... Poison never tasted so sweet...
You started to integrate social issues lyrically on the EP, such as in ‘My Bike’ and ‘(Return To) 9 – 5’, whilst still managing to write them into party songs. Do the tracks continue in this vein on the new LP?
I think there’s a good balance of introspection/personal politics and not taking it (life) too seriously on the new LP. It’s weird as I’m answering this question, I’m wondering, ‘Are bong rips integrating social issues?’ I don’t know if we address hard hitting social issues but we definitely address our social issues, like ‘two or three papers?’ and ‘Why do parties have to end?’. Shit, I just remembered, we have a break up song on the album, it’s the first one I’m told. It’s still totally a party track but you listen to the words and it’s like ‘Snap, that’s harsh’ but without whinging, like Roy Orbison, he would describe the mechanics of a break up and leave the listener heartbroken all the while Roy is chillin’ not caring if his lover would have him.
For the release of Better Off Dread you did a national tour, before that you were national supports on the Smith Street Band’s ‘Young Drunk’ tour. What has the response been like from audiences when you guys play?
I like it when people go mental when the audience is having a royal time, dancing, drinking beers out of shoes, smoking the earth’s most sacred etc. This seems to happen more often these days, more than the early days, both locally and interstate, so I guess the response has been pretty good, they’re not throwing rocks at us.
Despite a lot of your music detailing drug use, I know fans of yours who are straight edge and obviously refrain from the stuff you sing about. However, the music behind, and catchiness of, your songs is still really alluring to them. Do you think the Bennies can have an inclusive appeal through the quality of your music and the passion you put behind it?
Totally! It’s all about expressing yourself and making the best art possible. Whether you like the lyrical content or not, it comes from an honest place, a world that we know, that’s something. One of the beautiful things about playing in the Bennies is that we don’t tolerate these outdated rules of what you can and can’t listen to, everybody is welcome. Self-censorship creates limitations on your imagination, fuck that.
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Both your EP and LP have been put out on vinyl through Jackknife Records. Do you think the resurgence of this medium is a reaction to the ‘must-have-everything-now’ attitude that has prevailed in a recent years, but has also ultimately disconnected any attachments between artist and listener? Do you feel releasing your music on vinyl is vital to maintaining a strong connection with those who listen to it?
Everyone has their theories on the state of the music industry. Music is a form of entertainment, entertainment requires an individual’s attention, attention spans are decreasing because of an increase in the demand for people’s attention. The vinyl ‘ritual’, requires a certain degree of focus, it slows down the opportunity to flick between songs/artist, you tend to listen to the whole album. The short of it, it’s hard not to connect to an artist when you buy and then actually listen to their records. Want to give a shout-out to ever supportive and awesome label that is JACKKIFE Records! Big up!!! I have heard the band are kind of a big deal in Japan, having toured their twice already and released a Japanese exclusive EP. Do you have plans to tour Asia again, and how do the gigs there compare to those you play back home? I’m relatively new to the band, the fellas assure me that Japan is a party beast unto itself. We’re off to Japan later this year but before that we’re playing a run of shows in China. I can’t wait to dive head first into the gigs, the beers and whatever else might ambush us!
As a band with a pretty unique sound, you must have some pretty wide-ranging influences, from ska, punk, reggae and hip-hop. Could you name a few of the artists that had the greatest impact on the band? Black Sabbath and Robert Nester. Between those two artists you can find the architecture of the Bennies.
The Bennies have been announced on this year’s Weekender line-up. Which artists are you most excited to see play?
When I say I want to see everyone, it sounds like a cop out but it’s true, everyone is super talented. The Weekender is a great chance to catch up with mates locally and interstate for a 5 day party. Particularly excited to see The Nation Blue, it’s becoming a rarer experience these days. Luca Brasi, Grim Fandango, Milhouse, Clowns, Apart From This, they’re are all fucking great. Like…Alaska will be re-releasing their album on vinyl, that should be mental.
Being local Melbournites, could you share with us some of your most frequented places to eat/drink/ chill at that we should check out when down for the Weekender? If you haven’t checked out the Reverence in the West, then I suggest you get on board. Great Mexican food, with awesome vegan options. Probably the greatest pub in Melbourne, it’s a sentimental favourite for myself.
I think a lot of people are looking forward to the release of LP2, so when will we be able to hear some new tracks and when do pre-orders go up? The LP is off to be mastered right now. We look forward to releasing it on November 4th, I’m sure pre-orders will kick off before them, will keep you posted.
To finish off, it’s time for you to plug the local/independent bands that everyone should be listening to right now!
Foxtrot are fucking sick, check out their new album. Lucy Wilson has a beautiful 7” coming out. I just saw Freak Wave over the weekend, they are awesome. The Sinking Teeth are smashing it right now. Smith Street’s new EP is delicious but that goes without saying.
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joyce manor
Just before the band jumped on a plane for their first Australian tour and spot at Weekender, we caught up with Joyce Manor bassist Matt to talk about touring, their next release and the importance of Weekender to the community.
The band are about to come down to Australia for the first time. What are you most looking forward to doing whilst here? I really don’t know what to expect, but I am really looking forward to the coffee! Also, I know that holding a koala is sort of a rite of passage for touring bands down there, and I couldn’t be more stoked on that prospect.
Before you play at this year’s Weekender, you are hitting the road with Smith Street Band and Cheap Girls for a national tour. All three bands were on Fest last year, I know you have toured a lot with Cheap Girls before, but did you guys meet Smith Street there, and if so what did you think of the boys?
We actually haven’t met the Smith Street guys yet, but I know we have some mutual friends and I’ve heard great things. I love the Cheap Girls dudes and can’t wait to spend some more time with them.
Weekender acts like a sort of mecca once a year, with people travelling from around the country to Melbourne in support of the community it fosters. Is this a similar vibe to Fest, and do you think such events are critical to the national and global ‘scene’?
Weekender seems similar to Fest for sure, and I think events like this, as well as smaller ones all over the country, are really important in nurturing a community. It really gives people something to look forward to all year, and it brings friends from all over the place together for the weekend. It’s a really, really fun time.
To many fan’s relief you have announced a short Japan tour post-Australia. Do you have different anticipations of what these shows will be like in comparison to the ones Down Under?
The shows in Japan are going to be quite a bit smaller, and I am really excited about that. When I started playing in Joyce Manor, I decided that my #1 goal was to get to Japan, and it’s happening way sooner than I could have anticipated. I can’t wait!
Since your debut self-titled LP, released in 2010, you have gathered quite a loyal fanbase. Have you found audiences to give generally warm receptions across the globe? Yes, it has been great! Our fans have been super great to us all over the place.
I noticed that since Joyce Manor’s inception as a band, you have played a lot of festivals worldwide. Do you see the band as a ‘festival’ band, and do you prefer those shows over much smaller gigs? We actually haven’t played a ton of festivals, and I definitely don’t consider us a “festival band”. They can be a lot of fun, but I’ll take a smaller show over a big outdoor festival any day!
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Both your LPs, particularly 2012’s Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired, are relatively brief in length due to your short songs, so much so that it has left many listeners literally begging for more. Is this an intentional decision made during the writing process, or more spontaneous in nature? It’s just the way Barry’s songwriting process works! No conscious decision was made, it’s just the way our songs come out. Short and sweet!
In that LP you included a cover of the classic song ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’. Why did you incorporate this track and do you think its message, despite being originally written over 30 years ago, is still relevant today?
We chose the cover because it’s one of the first songs Barry and Chase played together as a two piece, and just because it’s a really good song. We honestly didn’t give much thought to its message at the time!
Are any new releases in the works at the moment? LP3?
Yes! We have a few songs recorded for our next record, and we are going to be finishing it up in November. Our friend Joe Reinhart from Algernon Cadwallader is producing it, and it’s our best stuff yet. We should have it out in the spring.
All your releases have been pressed on vinyl, and have quickly sold out. What merits are there in producing vinyl records instead of CDs or virtual downloads, and do you think artists can build a stronger relationship with their audiences through vinyl?
Vinyl is a lot more personal than other formats, and these days people who actually collect music want to have it on vinyl. I collect a lot of records, and for us, whether or not we should press vinyl was never a question!
As a last question, I tend to ask artists to give us a few local/independent music recommendations. Obviously you guys aren’t local, so to give us some diversity, are there any American bands you would like to plug? Merry Christmas are a really great band from here in Torrance! Also check out Chase Ambler, a really sweet punk rock band from Denver, CO.
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art
Monet’s Garden @ National Gallery of Victoria
This is an absolutely incredible exhibition, centred around Monet’s famous waterlily scenes. Although it may seem like a stretch of the wallet, the money is well spent with the gallery providing four massive rooms full of works, as well as a panoramic view film and multi-screen information display regarding the artist’s life. These works convey the sheer magnificence of the natural world at its most base in a way that only a great painter can. Of course the greatest attraction of this collection are the waterlily scenes, however there are literally enough works on display for you to get submersed in the sublime for hours. The most pertinent and surprising works though are those painted later in the artist’s life, when he began fall into blindness. With pieces coming from all over the world, including Tokyo and Paris, the curation of this exhibition shows a true appreciation for not only Monet’s body of work, but his art practice and the artist himself. This beautiful collection of works from the defining Impressionist painter cannot be recommended enough; if you are in Melbourne for Weekender it is absolutely worth the trip.
Opening Hours:
10am – 5pm daily. Closed Tuesdays. ‘Friday Nights at Monet’s Garden’: 5.30pm – 9.30pm CLOSES 8th SEPTEMBER.
Ticket Prices: Adult $26 Conc. $22.50 Child $10
Sydney Moderns: Art For A New World @ Art Gallery of New South Wales In the exhibition of almost two hundred works currently on display as part of the Sydney Moderns, there is a great diversity from breath-taking to completely boring. Composed of ten rooms that feature a range of subjects, most impressive are the works at the beginning which depict the Harbour Bridge and then the deep-rooted influence of music on Modernist painting. A multitude of paintings of the Harbour Bridge under construction are included, showing the significance of it to the Sydney Modernists, representing a new era of technology, engineering and aesthetics to adapt to. The fluidity of the Bridge and its assimilation into the natural landscape portrayed by various artists is particularly striking. The next part of particular interest was the short segment on music and its place in Modernism, with several artworks and some ‘colour wheels’ which isolate shades of colour and represent them as musical notes. Modernist experimentation with music was ultimately an attempt to create works which could stimulate multiple senses, often displaying complementary blocks of colour together. This representation of music is executed beautifully in the chosen works on display. An exhibition such as this has been long awaited, and the AGNSW has pulled it off brilliantly, addressing all aspects of Modernist art and design and including a diverse range of subjects that reflect on the overwhelming change of the early twentieth century that would come to shape so much of culture today.
Opening Hours:
Ticket Prices:
10am – 5pm daily. Wednesday ‘Art After Hours’: 5pm – 9pm. Exhibition closes 7th October.
Adults $15 Conc. $12
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books
Death In Brunswick – Boyd Oxlade
“…but now the club was a rock ‘n’ roll venue where the drinks were still exorbitant but the musicians were paid a pittance and nobody had a good time as far as Carl could see, and as for the rest, the funny business, well what about it? The less I know the better.” This iconic Australian novel provides a bleak depiction of Melbourne in the late eighties, centred on the pub-rock scene. Despite being a tale of black-comedy, Oxlade also brilliantly integrates social satire of the novel’s milieu, including racism, sex, drugs and left-wing politics. Middle-aged and washed up Carl, a cook at a seedy Brunswick rock pub, is faced with a murder in his kitchen one night when he thought nothing else could go wrong in his life. The story unravels as best mate and gravedigger Dave (not Drayton), helps Carl hide the body and overcome his anxieties surrounding the unfortunate event. Not an incredibly long text, but gripping none the less. Highly recommended, and perfect to take to Weekender or as a casual read for a (slightly serious) laugh. First published 1987; currently available in ‘Text Classics’ format.
Wool – Hugh Howey “Holston turned back to survey the muddy, lifeless landscape. It only looked depressing compared to scenes from the children’s books – the only books to survive the uprising. Most people doubted those colours in the books … when compared to the stifling silo, that muddy grey view outside looked like some kind of salvation, just the sort of open air men were born to breathe.” Good dystopian novels that are more than just 1984 or Brave New World rehashes are hard to stumble upon these days, but Hugh Howey has managed to create an epic novel, the first in a trilogy, of a post-apocalyptic Earth. With a unique concept, Howey’s text is set in a giant underground silo, the only place left that is liveable for humans. A brutal legal system has been instituted, wherein anyone breaking the law is sent to death by ‘cleaning’ – the task of polishing the above ground cameras that allow those in the silo to see what remains of the outside world. A dark secret underlies the very foundation and establishment of the silo, however, and many will die as it is revealed. Regardless of its lame title, this is possibly the best novel of its kind in recent years, and will be one that you can literally not put down. A definite read for any sci-fi or dystopian literature fan! First published 2013.
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Craigos’ Top Five Coffee Spots For The Weekender Weekend
Guest article this issue comes from Craigos Wainwright of Midnight Funeral. As a local Melbourne coffee aficionado, we asked him to give us a rundown of the top spots to check out when we’re down for Weekender.
For number 3, I am going to mention a place I have only been a few times, based on location alone: Cheerio in Richmond.
Cheerio is a small cafe, and is run by Seven Seeds alumni. They also use Seven Seeds coffee. They have a small menu (the toasted sandwich was bloody amazing I actually stop here every work when I was there: Cheesy, with day, and once or twice on the lovely ham and some great bread). weekends. The owners and staff The only bummer for me is that have all done time in some of they don’t do bacon with their Melbourne’s best cafes. The vibe eggs. You can get double smoked is really good. A small space, ham, but it still isn’t bacon. This amazing coffee (no hot chocolate will be a good one for those of you or anything like that available) and staying in Richmond, and it is near a small cake selection (If you are in the Corner Hotel. It closes pretty town on the Friday morning, make early though. sure you pick up a cruffin!).
My number 1 pick for coffee in Melbourne is Everyday Coffee!
Everyday Coffee
33 Johnston St. Collingwood Monday – Saturday: 7am to 5pm Sunday: 8am to 5pm
Next up, is Proud Mary Coffee in Collingwood. I often hit this joint on the weekend (it used to be my morning stop until Everyday opened). The vibe is super busy, and at times you can wait up to half an hour for a seat (more if you are in a big group) but the coffee is awesome, the food is frigging mental, and they do chocolates, juices and all sorts of fancy stuff. Retail and take away are pretty quick though. A good all-rounder.
Proud Mary Coffee
172 Oxford St. Collingwood Monday – Friday: 7am to 4pm Saturday – Sunday: 8am to 4pm
Cheerio
323 Lennox Street. Richmond
Industry Beans
Warehouse 3, Cnr Rose St & Fitzroy St. Fitzroy Monday – Friday: 7am – 4pm Saturday & Sunday 8am – 5pm
And last but not least, the place that reportedly started the coffee culture as we know it in Melbourne.. Auction Rooms in North Melbourne. I don’t get out this way that much, as it is on the other side of town to myself, but this place is awesome. The staff know and love what they do. The coffee is top shelf, and their food staples are also spot on. The venue is pretty big, and you shouldn’t have to wait too long for a seat, even on the old Sunday Morning breaky!
Auction Rooms Cafe
103-107 Errol St. North Melbourne Monday – Friday: 7am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday: 7:30am t0o 5pm
Number 4 is a new(ish) one for me, and I was introduced to this place by my mate Jackson (Urns) – Industry And, here’s some places that Beans. deserve a plug anyways: This place does amazing staples, all sorts of coffee (heaps of filter options, and great blacks and whites), and the vibe is bloody amazing. Add to this that it is a stones throw from Poison City Records, I reckon that this one will get a thumping the days around Weekender! I recommend the “Magic” (double ristretto 3/4 flat white), or any of their filter coffee. They do Veg/Vegan options, and a banging bacon and eggs!
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Market Lane coffee: Shop 13 Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road. South Yarra The Brunswick East Project: 438 Lygon St. Brunswick East St Ali North: 815 Nicholson St, Carlton North Brother Baba Budan: 359 Little Bourke St. Melbourne I hope you weirdos all have a ball at The Weekender, and make sure you drink beers out of shoes all night, and coffees in cafes all day! Jen Buxton 7”, Milhouse 12” and more now available from Midnight Funeral.