Mouthzoff #12

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Y R A S R E IV N N A

PowerMouth Entertainment presents

Issue 12 March 2014

CUT/COPY The return of

v8

PLUS PETE MURRAY / LIOR / THE STRUMS / BERTIE PAGE CLINIC / PIGEON

For further information and enrolment details, please visit www.basslinemusic.com.au

MouthZoff NOVEMBER 2013

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Inside 4 MC WHEELS

Managing Editor Ben Knight

4 THE GROWLERS

24 THE TROTSKIES 25 SPOTLIGHT ON

5 LUCID

26 LIOR

6 ASK ABBY

7 SOUND ADVICE

29 PETE MURRAY LIVE 30 GARAGE GOSS 32 MOUTHZOFF TALKS TO

9 THE STRUMS

34 HEY GERONIMO

11 SONIC BOOM

35 MOUTHZOFF TALKS TO

GC rapper inspires MP

Art direction & layout Mike Roberts

Irish Murphy’s

Interview

interview

The wrap-up

What are a professional muso’s future prospects?

Mark Moroney

External preamps

Interview

Interview

Producers: what do they actually do?

The Trouble With Templeton

36 FUTURE MUSIC In pictures

12 HOUSE MUSIC

MOZO interviewed

13 SMOKING MARTHA Caught live

14 LIVE’N’LOCAL 16 THE KITE STRING TANGLE PIGEON man experiments

18 PIGEON / DAVE GRANEY Reviewed

20 MOUTHZOFF TALKS TO Michelle Xen

LIVE REVIEW 21 The Strums at the Hideaway

38 MOUTHZOFF SOCIAL Out and about

40 cd reviews 42 LACHY DOLEY

CD review and giveaway

43 RED TAPE REDUCTION

Brisbane’s right to be loud

44 PUSSY LOVE

Bertie Page Clinic live

45 WHATZON

Gigs to watch out this month

22 COVER STORY

Cut/Copy interviewed

Regular writers Jae Salmon Sonic Edwards Randy G Abby Skye Angie Everingham Ben Knight Cat Anderson Matt Gleeson Mike Roberts Peter Muldoon Ian Pix Matt Thrower Dave Rowlands Bruce Heath General Manager Abby Skye Business Manager Wayne Ficnerski Photographers Ben Knight Gary Howard Brett Linsley Greg Elkenhans Hi Nrg Studios Bob McGahan Geoff Norris Bruce Heath Lauren Brodie Founder Randy G Web

On the cover: Cut/Copy Pic: Universal Music

www.mouthzoff.com

Advertising/enquiries admin@mouthzoff.com

Editor’s letter Welcome back to all matters music. I’ve had the pleasure of talking with a lot of the major players in the Brisbane music scene this month, and now am more confused than ever. Some say things are great, some say that we are back on top of that wave (that inevitably crashes down), and some are saying that nothing has changed.

One main feature that people agreed on though was the fact that the Brisbane community is more introverted and ‘homely’ compared to their counterparts down south. It’s time to see how we can start shifting this way of life and get people out of the house and into this thriving local music scene.

Whatever you believe, January saw some pretty packed venues, festivals still pulling reasonable crowds and new events popping up with reasonable sensation.

Flick through all your comments and ideas for MouthZoff, dudes, and let’s all try and change this thing as one.

Rock on!

BEN KNIGHT

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MC WHEELS MEMBER for Fisher Mal Brough was so inspired by the work of 20-year-old Sunshine Coast rapper Nathan Tessman aka MC Wheels that he took this amazing young man’s story to Parliament House today, quoting the lyrics to “Fly Away” from MC Wheels debut album ‘My Introduction’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bafmrn2pteI Nathan suffers from a rare degenerative disorder – Giant Axonal Neuropathy – which severely limits his ability to carry out the day-to-day actions we all take for granted. Writing and performing these songs has been a cathartic process for Nathan, and the MC Wheels team were able to crowdfund the album release to share his inspiring message.

MC Wheels’ passionate lyrics came to Brough’s attention when assisting to correct a Centrelink error where Tessman’s mobility allowance was cut and he was told by Centrelink to “get a job”.

www.MCWheels.com.au

www.facebook.com/MCWheelsOfficial

www.youtube.com/MCWheelsTV

talks to BROOKS NEILSEN from

THE GROWLERS

THESE California dreamers are making quite the name for themselves and they have finally brought their so-called ‘Beach Goth’ to our shores. Ian Pix caught them in between recording sessions to answer a few quick questions.

How’s the world travel going? You loving it or is it just another day on the job?

I love it and I love that it’s a job. Grateful to do every exhausting bit of it because I’m not sure I can do anything else!

Super happy to see you make the trip down under. Do you know much about Australia or is it too far away to care?

Ya I’ve been surfing and partying with Aussies for years. Can’t wait to make a mess at their houses for once!

Have you been writing whilst getting around or have you been too busy playing and sightseeing?

We just wrote and recorded another full length record. Finishing it up now in the studio in LA. Non stop.

What do you think about the psychedelia tag? Is there a better way to describe your sound?

Fine by me. It’s just a way for people to share and categorise. Once you hear a band it doesn’t matter what genre

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interview by IAN PIX

someone says it is. Hopefully when people hear us or see us they are just having a good time How long can you keep up this endless touring schedule? Are you living the dream or have you got plans to settle down?

Forrrrever!

Thanks for giving us the time guys and we’ll catch you at the Black Bear Lodge in Brisbane. Do you know what to expect from Brisbane (Brisvegas)?

No and that just got me stoked! Brisvegas? Yew! The Growlers play the Black Bear Lodge 5th March.

Lucid. dreaming

L

UCID. are a creative collective who started hiring themselves out to manage events, before moving into hosting and presenting their own.

Their latest venture was the successful Daydream Festival, run in Acland Lane in Fortitude Valley on the 15th of February. MouthZoff caught up with one of the key creative minds behind Lucid, Ruben Laukkonen, at the Daydream Festival.

We start by talking about how things have been going in the lead up to festival day. Laukonnen tells us it’s the biggest event the Lucid collective have presented to date, with ticket sales so far being good but not great, although there could be improvements to the numbers with sales on the door during the afternoon.

“The easy part,” Laukkonen says, “was the idea; fun and easy to do. The hardest part has been getting people from excited about the idea to actual purchase of a ticket. And the last few days… manic.”

He tells us that the audience for the festival is definitely wider than for earlier events. “It’s not just friends of friends, there have been also approaches from other media and magazines”.

Lucid. – yes the full stop is part of the name – started out in 2011 doing DJ events, essentially creating the kinds of events they themselves wanted

to attend. There is a strong focus on creative ownership and having their own flavour. The main players in the collective have day jobs, as so many of us must in order to support our passions. They’re a diverse group; with one of the guys working for British Gas, another as a professional rugby player, and Laukkonen himself studying his PhD in psychology. As befits a collective organisation, Lucid. want to engage with like-minded others. As their Facebook profile says “We like to involve ourselves with anyone who shares our passion for having fun, creating art, and making friends.”

We ask Laukkonen for his thoughts on the current scene for this type of music. He thinks there is definitely a cultural community that is on the up, a real ‘togetherness vibe’. “People want to find something meaningful to be a part of” he says, “and people in Brisbane don’t need to go interstate or overseas to find that any more”.

He says he’s definitely seen the scene evolve, with genres popping up frequently, almost like memes.

We come back to the Daydream festival, specifically the underlying inspiration of the Holi festival in India, which is a spring festival known as the festival of colour and love. It signifies the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the victory of good over evil, and the opportunity to tend to important

by Cat Anderson and Ben Knight

relationships. This is reflected in the festival’s tagline: Be a part, not apart, in celebrating local music and art.

And it’s clear that the punters participating are doing exactly that; there is a sea of happy faces everywhere we look. Everyone has rocked up in white, with the idea to become all colours of the rainbow as the festival unfolds. The coloured dust being flung in the photographs is called Holi dust, and we have been assured that it is not toxic at all, although perhaps the intricate electronics of a camera might disagree.

The festival is headlined by Tyler Touche, and includes up-and-comer Jordan Rakei on the bill, who while less well-known at present, is starting to generate his own buzz. Other artists on the bill run the gamut from DJs to MCs and bands doing both originals and covers, and all of them get the crowd engaged and dancing.

Laukkonen tells us that the festival is “half movement and half event”, and judging by the enjoyment of all punters present, it is absolutely true. As for what’s next, well, after what will be a well-earned rest, he tells us there will be more events, more enthusiasm, and high hopes. Going by Laukkonen’s own enthusiasm and obvious understanding of the environment in which Lucid. is operating, the future is definitely looking brightly coloured.

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Ask Abby with ABBY SKYE

http://abbyskye.com.au/

What future prospects are there for a professional musician?

W

ith narrow employment opportunities for working musos, corporate monopolies on airplay and television exposure (and the ‘you’ll like what we tell you to’ influence), the effect of talent shows on our culture and perceptions, the meagre financial reward for many musicians that put in substantial hours and investment into their craft and the rapid rate at which our industry is changing makes this one of the most pertinent questions of all. These days, there are thankfully a lot more options to gain education and qualifications in varying areas of the entertainment industry than there was when I was exploring study options, which can at least open up your employment scope or to help you manage your own career or music business. But if writing, playing music and performing is your primary passion and destination, your options are (or at least seem) limited and are often quite precarious.

My tertiary options to continue study in music performance at the Victorian College of the Arts were either a degree in Classical or Jazz. A lot has changed since then, but these two fields still seem to be the epitome of where musicianship excels and the benchmark for ‘trained’ musicians. But I could never help but feel that we were all avoiding the glaring truth that these ultra-talented people would face upon graduation – the employment prospects in their chosen profession. Considering the number of symphony orchestras in the world and the limited number of First Violin positions in them, the long term professional goals of a studying violinist should be carefully thought out. The age-old archetype of the broke jazz muso is a familiar story to far too many amazing artists and not everyone

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to watch little punksters become filthy rich being an “artist”.

There appears (at least to me) to be three general categories of ‘professional’ musicians (unrelated to ability or genre)– 1. Your ground-level guy/gal/group who start out with crappy gear, record their stuff mostly at home, play a bunch of gigs and work their way up to a modest income playing 5+ gigs a week, if they’re willing to play covers. This category is married to a preconceived monetary value for your act that again, has very little to do with how good you actually are. This is largely due to supply, demand, trends and the economy.

Pic: Brett Hotchkins

manages to land them the deal that makes them a star. Which bring me to my next point...

These days, how good you are at something has very little to do with whether you “make it” or not. In fact, you can be good at seemingly nothing at all and become a worldwide super-megastar – we’ve all seen it! At some point, it seems, we stopped revering artists, teachers, scientists, etc. and made auto-tuned pop stars, last generation’s movie-star offspring and people that do stupid things for fame our “celebrities”.

How we got to this point is a subject for another debate entirely, but this is what we’ve got to work with for now.

There’s obviously nothing productive about dwelling on it, however I can totally understand the frustrations of the impeccably trained musicians who struggle to make a living while having

2. Trained and experienced professionals who have mixed in the right circles and get the phone calls to tour or record with the who’s who when they’re in town (where the lifestyle starts to get really interesting), and 3. The likes of Pink, Metallica and Sting. Oh, and One Direction. Music’s megastars.

Just as in so many other areas of life that are proving to not be as fixed as we thought they were –make up your own rules. Think about what you want.

Do you want stardom? Then prepare to have to surrender a lot or do something revolutionary to get it. Do you want to express your musical prowess only to educated connoisseurs who will ‘get it’? Then be prepared to play for peanuts or to tiny audiences, unless you can find a way to get more bums on seats. Do you want to make a good living? Be willing to bend to what your market needs and desires. Despite all the roadblocks, it is still a creative industry and your innovation will be welcomed.

Sound Advice

by PETER MULDOON

external Preamps - do you really need one?

T

his is one of the many questions I had when I was first starting out in sound production, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there. Walk into any well-established studio and you’ll see racks of external hardware all patched into the mixing console. Ask anyone there what it all is and it’ll usually be something along the lines of compressors, limiters, effects, EQs, preamps and more. But what are external preamps and do you really need one?

T-Jay touched on preamps a little in Issue #6 (LINK), but I will attempt to delve deeper into what they are and whether or not a preamp is something you need for your home or project studio.

To understand preamps we first need to understand signal flow. A simple signal flow would be: Sound Source/ Instrument --> Preamp --> Audio Interface (audio to digital conversion) --> DAW --> Audio Interface (digital to audio conversion) --> Output/ Speakers. The job of the preamp is to adjust the signal so that it can be recorded at a suitable level. That is, loud enough to hear clearly, but not so loud that it clips or distorts.

The signal level is adjusted by turning

the gain pot on the preamp. Think of it like an electric guitar that needs to be plugged into an amplifier to be heard.

Without an amp you will not hear the guitar. When it’s turned on, the gain pot controls how much signal there is. Not enough and the guitar will be too quiet; too much and the guitar will distort.

Preamps are exactly the same.

Now we can start to address the question – whether you really need one.

Most audio interfaces on the market will have inbuilt preamps, and the easiest way to tell is if it has a gain pot located somewhere on it. For the price range, brands such as M-Audio and MOTU make great audio interfaces with up to eight channels, all with inbuilt preamps. Mixing consoles also have preamps for each separate channel strip. If you are mixing on a console that is upwards of $3,000 then chances are the inbuilt preamps in that will sound better than those in your audio interface. This is sometimes debatable, but we’ll save that for another issue!

You can buy microphone preamps that are one or two channels and this is to be placed before your audio interface in the signal flow. Some preamps will simply boost and clarify the signal while others can add tone and character, especially when teamed up with

compressors and EQs. Units known as channel strips are a preamp, compressor and EQ built within the one external unit. They are given this name as they emulate the features of a channel strip on a mixing console.

Brands such as Avalon, Universal Audio and Joe Meek make great quality channel strips with quite obvious characteristics that are popularly sought after.

These units can range anywhere from $500 up into the thousands. Teaming these preamps up with compression and EQ allows for many more possibilities when shaping your sounds. This can also be achieved by combining the features as separate units, but it means more cables and is the more expensive option.

You only require one preamp within the basic signal flow. If your interface or mixing console has an inbuilt preamp then you don’t need an external preamp. You may want one though.

Every preamp has its own sound and the potential to change your mix. If you can afford an external preamp then go for it. It may just improve the sound and clarity of your recordings. If it is added character and sound-shaping that you’re after, then the better option may be to invest in a channel strip.

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talks to

The Strums S

INCE the release of their debut EP “Are You Picking Up What What I’m Putting Down” in November 2012, The Strums have been honing their skills and touring relentlessly; taking their rock’n’roll back to the suburbs with all the gusto of their Aussie rock predecessors - think Angels, Cold Chisel, The Living End. Lead singer Jai Sparks talkes to Ian Pix about everything The Strums.

It’s been a massive few years for you guys. Has everything sunk in yet and do you feel like a seasoned Aussie rock outfit?

Great question! I think every time you get up there and tear it up you definitely learn something new. It’s always hard say if you’re seasoned because I think that’s up to the audience to decide that for you. I feel like we are, we’ve all been playing gigs since we were around 14/15 years old so it defi-

nitely feels really natural up there.

You have some real energy when you play on stage, is it hard to get to that level for every gig or is it something that comes naturally?

It’s a funny thing having that energy, you can’t fake it because it’s really obvious if you do. I think with The Strums something just happens, like a spark.

As soon as we step out it’s just natural and us and – above all else – it’s a bunch of fun!

Have you had a long history of listening to the Baby Animals before the opportunity to support? Are you going to approach the shows differently to other supports slots?

We’d definitely all spent time listening to The Baby Animals growing up.

They’re such a legendary and incredible Australian band. I think it’s fair to say we’ve all gone back and listened a lot

Pic: Supplied

more since they approached us and that’s been a really cool thing as well.

We have worked really hard on a really fun rock n roll set for these shows, we’re all pretty excited to get out there and share it.

What do you think of the music scene in Brisbane at the moment?

I think it’s brilliant and vibrant, Brisbane is a really cool place to be based.

There is definitely space for a 150 cap rock’n’roll room so someone please make one haha. There is definitely some great rock n roll music around you just have look past the end of your nose to find it.

Where are The Strums going to be in 5 years time?

The most important Australian rock’n’roll band of our generation!

www.thestrums.com.au

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Live review on P21

Sunday 2nd . HQ . Adelaide Tuesday 4th . CORNER HOTEL . Melbourne Wednesday 5th . METRO THEATRE . Sydney Thursday 6th . PANTHERS . Newcastle (ALL AGES) Friday 7th . HI FI BAR . Brisbane Tickets available from metropolistouring.com and the venues Also appearing at Perth Festival (Fri 28th Feb) . Breath Of Life Festival (Sat 8th March) . Golden Plains Festival (Sun 9th March)

publicenemy.com

twitter.com/mrchuckd

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A Select Touring and Metropolis Touring presentation

Sonic Boom PRODUCERS: WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY DO?

O

k, it’s time for that question that even some seasoned pros will sometimes ask...

Phil Ek describes his role as a producer as “the person who creatively guides or directs the process of making a record, like a director would a movie. The engineer would be more the cameraman of the movie.”

In fact, the role has changed over time, so it will also vary from producer to producer and even project to project.

Once upon a time (1950s and earlier), the various jobs of the recording and marketing process had been carried out by different professionals within the industry: A&R (artist and repertoire) managers found potential new artists and signed them to their labels; professional songwriters created new material; publishing agents sold these songs to the A&R people and staff engineers carried out the task of making the recordings in company-owned studios.

Producers now typically carry out most or all of the various production tasks themselves, including selecting and arranging songs, overseeing sessions (and sometimes also engineering the recordings) and even writing the material, although it became a common practice for producers to claim a writing credit even if they did not actually contribute to the song.

Working with a producer – One of the most overlooked aspects of the producers job is focusing the artistic vision. Whether it’s a fledgling artist who needs guidance in developing a mature sound or finding a core audience; a ‘personality artist’ who has none of their own songs; an artist who writes songs, plays on them and has an idea of their market and direction; or even an RnB artist who needs a fully formed track to add their lyrics and/or melody on top of; they are all guided by the producer to allow audience connection to the song.

Often they will act as an intermediary between the artistic and technical worlds – straddle the artsy side (I need a more ‘orange’ sound) with, for example, the sound engineer (which microphones to use, ‘try the Neumann U87 on this piccolo’).

Logistics – a session doesn’t just happen – someone needs to choose and book the engineer, book studio time (at one with all the necessary tools for the session and the right budget), book and pay session players (musicians that are appropriate for the style, how long to spend on the project.. etc. And you guessed it – the producer does that too.

So, how does this help me?

Well, now you’re more in the know about what they do, you also need to hear the effect the right producer can have on the music.

Pioneers – You’ve undoubtedly heard of Sir George Martin – he pioneered new rock arrangement and recording techniques with The Beatles. Phil Spector is famous for his unique ‘wall of sound’ found on countlesss records from Ike and Tina Turner to The Beatles (Listen to Let It Be and the ‘Let It Be naked sessions’ to hear his influence and the bare recordings without his input for a perfect comparison).

HitmakerS – Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald), Max Martin (Karl Martin Sandberg), Benny Blanco (Benjamin Levin), Shellback (Karl Johan Schuster) and RedOne (Nadir Khayat) can all be lumped together as the guys (singly and collaboratively) who regularly create the modern pop sound that hits number one on the charts regularly. Love it or hate it, these guys have serious craft that keep their work rolling in.

‘That’ sound – Some producers have an instantly-identifiable sound that cuts through regardless of the artist or genre. Listen to the work of Mutt Lange [Robert John Lange] (particularly compare the Lady Gaga song ‘You and

I’ with any of the releases by his then wife, Shania Twain). You could also look at another sound palette he works with by comparing Def Leppard albums such as High ‘n’ Dry, Pyromania, Hysteria and Adrenalize with Acca Daccas Back in Black. John Shanks produced both ‘The Climb’ by Miley Cyrus and ‘All I Want To Do’ by Sheryl Crow – see if you can spot his signature sounds. One producer was put on the map by working with Taylor Swift in the early days – he originally was doing her demos before the ‘real’ producers would come in and re-record the songs. In a commendable act of artistic integrity, Swifty insisted that he be the one to record her album and then the 3 subsequent albums - Nathan Chapman. Also listen to the ‘Two Worlds Collide’ album by The McClymonts for more of the same.

‘No’ Sound – Joe Chiccarelli and Rick Rubin are actually each well known for their transparent sound, that is, they don’t bring any pre-conceived ideas or techniques in the each production but rather work out what they need for each artist. Check out Boy and Bear/ and Johnny Cash’s last album, American Recordings/Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik, respectively.

Teams – The Glam Rock movement wouldn’t be the same with out the Chinnichap (Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman) formula.

The Smeezingtons (Ari Levine, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars [Peter Gene Hernandez]) aren’t well known, but you’ve definitely heard their work...

Multiple Producers – Sometimes an artist may need to straddle two camps to reach their target audience.

For example, Michael Buble released his 2009 album, Crazy Love with individual contributions from David Foster, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica – each of them bringing their own sound and arrangements.

SONIC EDWARDS

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HOUSE MUSIC

talks to

H

ouse Concerts Australia is a notfor-profit network of house concert artists, hosts and concertgoers in Australasia. Since its inception in 2009, HCA now boasts more than 95 hosts throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Typically the host invites guests to attend the performance in their home and requests a donation (usually $10$20) to be paid to the performers, and the host provides accommodation for the artist.

One of the international acts currently touring Australia via the HCA network is Seattle folk/rock/blues duo MoZo; who are travelling around the world on bicycles!

MouthZoff spoke to MoZo’s Aimee Zoe on the road…

Tell us your best/worst/craziest house concert story?

One of the recent best moments was in Napier, NZ. Moe had lived in a hostel in Atlanta 15 years ago, and one of her friends from that time lives in Napier and came to the show! Also, once we played in a beautiful backyard in Los Angeles. They had a bunch of twinkling

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lights setup around the stage, and had a lap pool and hot tub for us after the show. Very deluxe!

Any bicycle mishaps on your travels through US/UK/NZ? We haven’t had any huge bicycle mishaps. Moe got one flat tire back in NZ, but it was a breeze to fix. I’ve had my chain jump off and get stuck a couple times on some of those steep inclines.

Mostly, the riding has been good! Although, the last 2 days we were trying to beat 40 degree weather. That means leaving at daybreak and setting a pretty strenuous pace...if you’re not done by noon, it’s unbearable to cycle.

Where are you travelling to in Australia and what are you looking forward to seeing?

We’re traveling basically from Melbourne to Sydney, with some shows in Canberra in between. We’ll have one short train ride in the middle of that to keep on schedule! Today we’re in Victoria’s high country - it was exciting to startle a kangaroo by the side of the road today...that’s just something that won’t happen anywhere else in the world! It was a quiet, peaceful

ride today. We mostly gazed upward to the eucalyptus trees, hoping to spot a koala. There were several signs we passed warning of koalas, but alas, we didn’t see any!

Also, one of things we enjoy mostly about travel is meeting new people and seeing old friends.

For anyone new to house concerts or MoZo, what can we expect at your shows?

At a MoZo show on our bicycle tour, you’ll hear stripped down versions of our folk-pop-blues. Moe carries a tiny acoustic guitar and harmonicas, and I play a small snare drum with a cymbal clamped on it. We both sing, so you’ll hear lots of harmony as well. Moe’s songs have a lot of emotion in the lyrics, as well some politics. If you’re new to house concerts, you can expect an uniquely intimate performance, including stories about how the songs came about and a chance to chat and interact with the artists. We always have fun! http://www.gomozo.com/ http://houseconcertsaustralia.ning.com/ Ellen Moloney

Smoking Martha

Reviewed by jae salmon

Y

ES she is smoking and NO her name is not Martha.

Tasha, Mick, Aaron and Pablo are Smoking Martha who are headlining this evening at Vibe. The Indooroopilly Hotel plays host to Vibe the newest live music spot on the metro fringe of Brisbane. The space is huge and the sound mix is pretty damn fine and it is straight across the road from the Indooroopilly train station. Oh yeah and the pizzas are a definite must.

Tasha D Smoking Martha Pic: Greg Elkenhans

But I digress. Tonight begins with Hobo Magic who are three guys from Noosa delivering a perfect blend of heavy dirge and 70’s psych rock. Their sound is bringing me momentary flashbacks to Jimi Hendrix which places them solidly in the ‘undeniably talented’ category.

The guys have helped to recreate the 70’s for us tonight by donning caftans and long locks complete the illusion. If you are a lover of the bedrock sounds from that era then you must do yourself a favour and get out to see Hobo Magic next time they play.

BlackDiamond are up next, coming to us from Newcastle these guys know how to rock. Tonight is the first of a nineteen date tour which will take them through New South Wales and Victoria. If

SMOKING MARTHA + DLACKDIAMONDS + HOBO MAGIC VIBE @ INDOOROOPILLY HOTEL

we weren’t already feeling nostalgic after Hobo Magic we are definitely stepping back in time now with BlackDiamond. In a similar bracket to Guns and Roses they rock out so hard the drummer splits the snare skin and a mildly awkward pause follows while a replacement is sourced. I’m digging the banner bearing the BlackDiamond moniker proudly displayed as a backdrop I’m also digging the vest over the bare chest look lead singer Asarri has chosen from wardrobe this evening.

After our journey down memory lane Smoking Martha snaps us back to the present with their fresh approach to the classic blues, rock theme.

While there are familiar traces of sultry female fronted acts of the past Like Baby Animals and the Divinyls, Smoking Martha have transcended the stereotype and brazenly parade their originality with tracks like Sweet as Honey to prove the point. Tasha D who is the lead vocalist for Smoking Martha, commands attention with indisputable visual appeal, accented tonight with a quilted leather look skirt and calf length boots. Ears at a Smoking Martha gig are well catered for too with Tasha’s equally mind blowing voice to listen to. All who hear their performance will catch the fire that Smoking Martha ignites with consummate ease. There is a winning recipe here that will satisfy what is sure to be an ever increasing fan base. Be sure to sample the sizzling goodness of Smoking Martha as soon as possible.

MISSION X Pic: Brett Linsley

MAJOR LEAGUES Pic: Melisa Tihic

JOHN MAYER Pic: Rick Ng

LILY ROUGE Pic: Greg Elkenhans

ELEEA NAVARRO

IAN POWNE STRESS OF LEISURE

Pic: Brett Linsley

Pic: Mike Roberts

SUZI QUATRO Pic: Hi-NRG Studios

DAVE GRANEY Pic: Mike Roberts

the kite string tangle the zoo picS: ben knight

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THE KITE STRING TANGLE

Reviewed by CAT ANDERSON

T

HE Kite String Tangle, aka Brisbane producer Danny Harley who also performs in local five-piece PIGEON, has come from relative obscurity to selling out shows on a headline tour over the course of 2013 and this year. Tonight he performs the first of two sell-out shows at the Zoo to an enthusiastic crowd, supported by Tincture and up-and-coming producer, Kilter, before heading off to the USA for showcase gigs at the South By Southwest festival.

The Kite String Tangle (TKST) is difficult to describe as a genre. Clearly it’s electronic, but Harley’s background in production and composition adds layers of richness to the sound which creates a down-beat style that’s, well, lush is the word that springs to mind. The cool kids clearly agree, with TKST’s single ‘Given

the Chance’ cracking the top 20 in the 2013 Triple J Hottest 100.

Tonight’s performance exhibits both Harley’s prodigious talent as well as his obvious joy in creating and performing his music. He seems both confident and comfortable on stage behind his almost space-ship like collection of “instruments” (computers and samplers really) without appearing to be boxed in by them. The unique lighting display that accompanies the set only adds to the atmosphere.

The set contains the tracks released so far, along with ones that are equally polished and will doubtless appear on TKST’s EP release, planned for April of this year. Throughout, Harley chats to the audience, expressing his appreciation for people coming along and

supporting his music, including taking a photo of the by now ecstatic crowd. He includes one cover version in this set, Lorde’s track ‘Tennis Court’ that gets the crowd singing along. Guest performances by vocalist Tiana and a killer saxophonist whose name I didn’t catch (and can’t find online) added an extra lift to an already impressive set, which was closed with ‘Given the Chance’ and a huge crowd buzz.

The Kite String Tangle’s Facebook profile currently defines the project as ‘experimental’. Given the success of the singles already released, the enjoyment of the full house in the Zoo tonight, and Danny Harley’s undeniable talent, it will be no surprise when that changes and the ‘experiment’ is officially declared a success. Expect bigger and better things to come from TKST.

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

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LIVERE JAE SALMON

I

fIrST picked up PIGEON at the release of single Oh Hebe and their debut EP Parallels and have been a solid fan ever since. They are one of those bands who transcend genres because there are so many parts to their sound, which is only one of the reasons I believe they are soon to reach lofty heights within the music scene.

PIGEON + ZAPED + BACK BACK FORWARD PUNCH ALHAMBRA LOUNGE picS: THOMAS OLIVER

But before we get to PIGEON the support acts tonight are delighting me with their energetic performances at the Alhambra Lounge. Zaped is first up. Pronounced Zarped, Jordan De Pas’ and guitarist entertain with their electro, dance, pop vibes. Zaped is great to watch and listen to. His use of an electronic drum kit in addition to his keyboard is a great combination. He could have plugged the drum beats in as a preset but watching him physically drum is way more pleasing to the eye. The way De Pas’ dances behind his console is also pleasing to watch. To my ear the vocals are akin to Sam Margin, lead singer of The rubens which, for me, firmly places this act in the category of being a pleasure to listen to.

Next up are Back, Back forward Punch from Melbourne. The male, female duo set the dance floor jumping as they deliver their lively set. Laura Boland brings us some really nice vocals and great dance moves

Danny Harley PIGEON

T

Dave Graney

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

P pl ve pl yo ar fl

ONIGHT The Stress of Leisure and Dave Graney are set to put smiles on faces and strike chords in the hearts of lovers of music icons. The proceedings get under way with The Stress of Leisure after a rousing performance by Tylea. The Leisure are one of my favour local bands. Their cruisey, fun, pop, rock sound just makes me want to tweak someone’s cheek. The Stress of Leisure have a kind of organic/ no preservatives added blend to their music that makes tracks titled ‘S on the Beach’ and ‘Sex Time’ seem wholesome enough to play to your granny. I’m a fan of the contradictions this band epitomises, right down to their name. The music is entertaining, relaxing and a joy to experien Ian Powne out front effuses the aura of an ultra personable guy which further connects the audience to this performance. It is also nice to se the ‘boy/girl’ combination of this band, reminiscent of ABBA but that is where the similarity ends. I recommend you engage in an evening of Th Stress of Leisure just as soon as you can.

DAVE GRANEY + STRESS OF CASUaRINAS LEISURE BAR UNDERDOG NEW GLOBE picS; BRUCE HEATH THEATRE picS; MIKE ROBERTS

18

w th Th fi th an w

What can be said about Dave Graney that has not been repeated multiple times already over his thirty-six years of performing. As a recent convert to this man’s endless catalogue of work, what strikes me abou

EVIEWS PIGEON

while Andy Liddell lights up the keys and he stage with his outstanding presence. his act is performing in Brisbane for the rst time tonight and we are loving it. With he use of a Daft Punk style voice modulator nd some steaming hot electro rave tunes we are knocked out by BBfP.

IGEON take the stage and instantly the lace is packed. Alhambra Lounge is a great enue it has a really nice basement feel and lenty of side stage lounge areas where ou can view the bands through rustic brick rches. But tonight we are thronging on the oor in front of the stage bouncing to the

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sounds of PIGEON. Danny Harley out front, regularly sweeping his curly mop across his forehead is a feast for the eyes and ears. It is not difficult to imagine his face on posters in bedrooms anywhere you care to mention, which is all part of the package that gives PIGEON their appeal. But way more importantly, it is the music that sells me on PIGEON. PIGEON play all their hits tonight as part of their ‘Settle In’ EP tour, we hear Oh Hebe from their debut EP, Curtain Call and Two Moon Love from their latest offering only to mention a few. We are also treated to

their awesome Daft Punk medley that got them international air play. As I mentioned at the start of this review I find it very hard to pigeon hole them neatly into a genre, the reason being is the eclectic mix of sound they employ. from the sexy grooves of Luke Cuerel on sax to the multi layered, slick, syth wash and the penchant they have for expressive percussion; PIGEON display a mastery of soundscaping rarely heard. At one point four of the five members were beating rhythms on various percussive implements. Lovers of the cowbell and wood blocks PIGEON weave all these sounds together to entice and entertain listeners.

They further entertain viewers by mixing it up on stage, swapping positions and instruments throughout the set, demonstrating the mastery of their craft. I am suddenly taken by the feeling that I am watching the last gig PIGEON will perform in a small venue. I believe PIGEON are set to take flight to join the flock of emerging prominent artists that this country and indeed this city is producing. It is a great feeling to be in the centre of a crowd that is jumping in time with the music and so obviously digging the vibe being created just a few feet in front of them and possibly not realising they may never be this close to PIGEON again.

his performance is how easy he makes it all look. Graney is the consummate professional replete with flashy guitar techniques, lyrics that flow like milk and a voice like melted chocolate; sweet, smooth and luscious.

He writes about everyday things and always has a story to tell. He would be the ultimate campfire performer and the sun would come up before he ran out of material to deliver.

I don’t often get out to see doyens of the music scene, my feet are normally firmly planted front and centre of garage bands who are full of fresh enthusiasm and creating their sound on the run, so this evening is a nice contrast for me to see how the pro’s do it. There is no denying Graney’s talent and it is easy to see and hear why he is such a well loved and respected character in the Australian music scene. He begins the night accompanied by wife and drummer Clare Moore and a Bassist, but throughout the night they both leave the stage at different points leaving Graney to perform solo. It is at this point that his full brilliance is being uncovered as he easily fills the stage with his presence and captivates us entirely; just him and a guitar. A truly magic moment that I feel absolutely privileged to be sharing.

Jane Elliot The Stress of Leisure

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

19

talks to

MICHELLE XEN Who is Michelle Xen? She is a musician artist hybrid experiment. I feel like she can be who I need her to be. To follow the forms of each stage of the project: shifting and changing with each music release.

How long have you been performing/recording?

I started my solo music project in 2011 writing and recording songs and sounds. I launched the live show and first EP in November 2012. Before the solo project I DJ’d and experimented in a dance act called Edge of Colour. I’ve been writing and performing since high school.

How would you describe your sound?

The sound is driven by pop experimentation,

a clear influence of dance music through synth textures and analogue sounds and strong bass and beat-driven rhythm construction. I want to make sounds like solid neon objects appearing and dissipating in the room.

Best gig you have performed so far and why?

Late last year we performed at the Woodford Folk Festival. All the shows were amazing but there was one in particularly with an incredible crowd where over a thousand people danced, tore up costumes, stage-dived and went kind of crazy… that was my highlight.

Can you explain your creative process?

I write and make in a range of ways, I think you have to first show up, just show up and start and then work with what you have, inspiration or not.

Either way I like to fold the visual into the sound and the sound into the visual.

Sometimes it’s organic and sometimes it’s conceptual. I live for it.

The Brisbane music scene is….

Different to other music scenes in Australia; there are a number of bands pushing electronic music in diverse and interesting ways, and some amazing live performers, generous souls and great songs being made. I have had amazing experiences in the Brisbane music community.

Wouldn’t it be nice…

If we could come together on the streets more and share music and food together as communities, talk and share, rather then hiding in our bubble houses in the burbs at night.

To have more of a sense of being together through the things we make rather than have them as consumable events. Well that’s one idea for today x Michelle Xen appears at the New Globe Theatre on April 23.

BEN KNIGHT http://music.michellexen.tv/

the strums

the strums / say do now / george higgins hideaway pics: lauren brodie

The Strums

N

OT only are they one of Brisbane’s finest exponents of no-holes-barred rock’n’roll, The Strums are also exceptionally nice guys. Perhaps in my eagerness not to miss their gig at The Hideaway, I inadvertently arrived very early - the venue housed around a dozen people (plus bar staff) - but the band were busying themselves around the stage, preparing for a mini soundcheck. Cue a blistering cover of Midnight Oil’s King of the Mountain and lots of mic-testing.

Whoever was doing the sound nailed it perfectly - they sounded fantastic.

By the time first act George Higgins hit the stage, the crowd had started to fill out. He had a good singing voice

and enjoyed a gentle rapport with the audience (including some handclap exercises) - musically there was a definite country & western twang to his songs, reminiscent of an up-tempo Johnny Cash - and the harp which was perched on his collarbones added some nice flavours to his songs. Not worldbeating, but not unpleasant either.

Brissie locals Say Do Now leapt on stage next - lead singer Lauren Porter exuding bucketloads of energy and stage presence as they tore into their uptempo set. SDN are a very slick unit and their tight funk was well received by everyone... although the previouslymentioned fabulous sound somehow became a bit muffled and the guitars

Say Do Now

were inaudible in places. “Candleabra” was a standout song for me - again, so much energy and charisma - thoroughly enjoyable set.

Finally The Strums came on - and by this time the Hideaway was packed.

The sound was back on track, too - and as they exploded into “Big Guitar Riff” everyone heaved and swayed to their set. They bathed us all with non-stop fast. frantic rock’n’roll and comparisons to The Angels, Living End and yes, Midnight Oil, are well-deserved. They effortlessly fit into the great Aussie tradion of full-on Pub Rockers - and I look forward to seeing them again soon.

MIKE ROBERTS

George Higgins

Cut/C

COVER STORY

W

hat a great thing it is to have Cut Copy back in the country. this iconic australian band has made massive inroads to a number of international markets and are now back to wow aussie crowds as part of the Future Music bill. tim hoey from the band was kind enough speak with big CC fan Ben Knight about all things Cut Copy.

Great to see you guys home playing some shows.

Do you still feel like this is home or does it get a little blurred in the constant world travel?

It’s great to be back! No, australia always feels like home. We do spend more time touring overseas and we feel very blessed to be able to take our music around the world, but it always feels good coming home. all our families, friends and partners are here so australia will always feel like home. It will also be the first time for Oz audiences to hear the new material live so we’re excited for that.

I was at that first show at Splendour in the Grass back in 2002 where I saw one guitar, one mixing deck, no light show but 5000 fans dancing like crazy to you. Cut Copy seemed to have such raw energy and enthusiasm, is it still the same feeling playing shows now as back then?

Yeah absolutely, even if our bodies tell us otherwise! It just requires a little more stretching before shows. I guess a lot of it does come down to the audience. If they’re enthusiastic or up for it then we tend to feed off that. as I said before, we feel like we’re in a privileged position so we want to take advantage of that.

Is there one gig that stands out - where you thought “Yes, we’ve made it”?

I guess we never really think in terms of ‘making it’. there’s complacency in that and that can lead to stagnation. We’re always thinking about the next thing; like the next record is going to be better or the next tour is going to be bigger. You always want to feel like you’re contributing something otherwise whats the point?

What’s one country outside australia

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MouthZoff MARCH 2014

that has really caught the Cut Copy bug? Do you make a consistent effort to make sure you keep in touch? america is certainly our biggest market. South america, Mexico and Europe - We tour there a lot.

With the internet nowadays it’s also a lot easier to reach a larger, more global audience. But yeah, you need to get out there in front of people as well.

Do you think the constant search for a new exciting sound is harder to achieve - do you sometimes wish you could just stick to a formula and crank out a few albums while sunning yourself and drinking by the pool? the search for a new sound is the exciting part. You always want to break out of any formula, or create

a new formula for each reco things that are iconic to our release, but the idea is to pu new when we start writing a er that’s in the instrumentat itself. We’re still very much f cord as a complete whole, a with singles. the aim is to cr can be listened to from star changed since Bright Like N the audience patience has c records. It seems like it’s m lists these days. We’re still v record format. I’m also not

Copy

ord. We’ll keep some sound through each ush things somewhere another record, whethtion or the song writing focussed on the the reand not really concerned reate something that t to finish. that hasn’t eon Love even though hanged in regards to ore about itunes playvery concerned with the against sunning myself

interview by BEN KNIGHT

and drinking by the pool…but that can get boring really quickly.

Is there a lot of listening to particular genres of music when you are recording new albums or do you get sick of music after playing all day?

I think we all listen to a lot of different kinds of music and I think that comes through with our music. We aren’t necessarily just interested in dance. I don’t think I listened to any dance music while making this record! Nothing is out of bounds. the trick is to absorb all these different genres and make it a cohesive Cut Copy song.

Do you have any influences outside of music that you believe assists the creative process? absolutely. Both Dan and I come from visual

backgrounds. Dan as a graphic designer, and I studied fine art at university. So a lot of visual art and film come into play when we’re making records.

I think I give Bright Like Neon Lights a spin at least once a month. Is there any room for Bright like Neon Lights classics in your sets these days and are they difficult to play with a full band? If you could just pull out even a few cords of time Stands Still at Brisbane Future Music that would really make my day.

I love that record. Its our debut so it’ll always have a place. We were playing some material from that record on the US/Euro run last year….I know that record means a lot to people here, so…we’ll try and bust something out. anything you want to get up to at home that you can’t do in other parts of the world?

Sleep and see family….pretty standard rock star behaviour right? have to ask what is next for you guys in terms of recording, some dub step maybe or some super cool special guests?

We do have some other projects that we’re working outside of Cut Copy, like collaborations with other artists, and things that are quite removed from Cut Copy. We’d love to finish that and get it out into the world.

It’s really about finding the time! But I’m pretty excited about a lot of it.

Sorry for being so vague, but I don’t want to put it out there until its fully realised. Stay tuned I guess. thanks so much for this dudes, your music makes me proud to be australian and I am always superexcited when I hear rumours of new tracks.

No thank you! We really appreciate you’ve stuck with us for so long!

Cut Copy are currently playing all australian Future Music dates across the country.

www.cutcopy.net

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

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talks to

The Trotskies interview by JAE SALMON

All the reviews say that 2013 was a massive year for The Trotskies. How massive was it?

For ourselves, the most critical element of 2013 was establishing the direction we want to go as a band. Having a clear direction has helped us carry ourselves through 2013 and has given us a real impetus to keep pushing on. Maybe the reviews said it was a massive year simply in comparison, because if one was to check the history books for The Trotskies in any other year there would be nothing, maybe they are just being relative? We played our first gig on June 6th 2013 and since then it has been a busy ride. After releasing a few singles, we released our first EP which has been received in the way we hoped it would be. So we are very content with how the year played out and we have a very clear idea of where we want to go and what we want to do as a band.

Is there a central thought or belief that keeps the band going when the pace gets hectic?

At present, lots of things the band are facing are essentially new to us, and this has rendered the hectic times as a really exciting time. Our first gigs, first interviews, first regional/ interstate shows, first tours etc. do seem a little ‘hectic’.

But its definitely a good hectic. I’d say a central thought that we draw on is how the first EP has created an interest and has allowed us to do these things, but we are nowhere near our ultimate goals. Maybe we can adopt a mantra we can all

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chant when the pace gets a bit much though, we’ll see.

Do The Trotskies have a particular political or ideological viewpoint that they want to share with their audiences?

There may be intrigue in the name however we aren’t mutineers or anything. I’d say we all think pretty liberally, you know, we like a meritocracy over the aristocracy. The themes in our songs revolve around the idea of someone’s position (or lack of) within society - isolation, desperation and frustration are all touched on.

If The Trotskies could have 2014 just the way they wanted it, what would be happening this year for you?

Probably running into Muse at Coachella, stealing a pair of Matt Bellamy’s sci fi ‘Madness’ glasses and seeing if they’ll actually spell out all the things I say on the lenses. Or does that only work for him? Being realistic though, all our effort is currently going into our upcoming EP, which we recorded in February. That’s what 2014 will be all about for us and we will probably outsource the Bellamy project. Playing gigs with artists/bands we are into and are fans of ourselves, continually getting our music out to more people, seeing new faces at shows and some festival love would all be symptomatic of a successful 2014 for us. Everything keeps getting busier and more nuanced and we hope that trend continues.

The Trotskies play March 22 at Trainspotter and March 24 at Ric’s Cafe, Fortitude Valley.

Pics: Mike Roberts

Every month MouthZoff profiles a live venue. This month:

SPOTLIGHT ON

Irish Murphy’s 175 George St, Brisbane

by JAE SALMON

W

ith Saint Patrick’s day fast approaching, MouthZoff thought it might be a nice idea to feature one of our local Irish Pubs who avidly support live music. Irish Murphy’s was the obvious choice. Live music seven nights a week in a fabulous, authentic Irish atmosphere with a pint of Guinness describes perfection in my dictionary.

Today I am speaking with Macca who is the Manager of this fine establishment and we are seated downstairs where the poker machines are secluded and also the place which used to be where the live music happened back in The Treasury days. I ask about the passion the venue has for hosting live music and Macca replies “The live scene is very important for us. Everything else that happens here at Irish Murphy’s hangs off the live music roster. We have so many people that walk in off the street just to hear the music and often after an event at Riverstage or sometimes even after an event at the Entertainment Centre they will come here just to keep the live music experience going for a

http://brisbane.irishmurphys.com.au/

few more hours. The staff love the live music too.”

There is no doubt that the venue is popular with music lovers. If you have ever been to IM’s on a Friday or Saturday night in particular you’d be familiar

with how packed it gets and it is always a fun vibe too. Macca makes the point that often people will come to IM’s on their own but - because the pub is so welcoming and friendly - they soon find new friends. Everyone is just out having fun.

Irish Murphy’s is now gearing up for their week-long St Patrick’s day events that begin on Monday 10th March and conclude on St Pat’s day, Monday 17th.

The feature of the festivities will be the parade and bag pipe band display on Saturday 15th. So if you don’t already have plans for that day then Irish Murphy’s is the place to be for wall-to-wall fun and entertainment. No green beer will be served though, as this place is the real deal and doesn’t need any watered down gimmicks. Get there early and stay all day and night.

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back and may you find a renewed love of frosty beer, friendly faces and fabulous live music at Irish Murphy’s soon.

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

talks to

W

Lior

HAT an honour is was to sit down with one of the nicest guys in Australian music.

Lior was nice enough to spend some time with Ian Pix talking about music opportunity to effect change and what audiences can expect from the new album and east coast tour.

Good to see you getting back up to Brisvegas. What has been happening over the last year?

Good to be coming back. I’ve spent the last year working on the new album in parallel to doing a national tour with the state orchestras, so its been a pretty big year. The last six months have been predominantly taken up with the recording of “Scattered Reflections” which I’m keen to release and set free.

How are you finding playing the new tracks live? Do you plan what they will sound like whilst recording or is this something that comes after release?

I tend not to think about how the songs will present themselves live during the recording so as not to place limitations prematurely on the recording process. I bury my head in the sand in that regard and worry about it later. This album has two distinct sounds, one having the more acoustic and lyrical thread that people will be familiar with, while the other half features a new band and a very different sound to anything I’ve done before. Its the most eclectic thing I’ve done to date. Both sides of it are working really well live however....phew.

You have a really interesting website at the moment where you float

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interview by IAN PIX

around an imaginary little town finding different ways to interact with you as an artist. Do you spend a lot of time thinking about how you can best engage with the online audience and are you an avid social media user?

I wouldn’t call myself an “avid social media user”..I do use it but it works best for me in small doses. I am definitely however into the idea of engaging with my audience, which artistically speaking, are my community. Music is about community more than ever now. It seems we’ve come out of the age of artists hiding behind a façade and building a mystique..everything is so transparent now. People want a real connection and a way to communicate with the artists they are into, and I’ve enjoyed embracing that... it seems to suit me more.

The Old Museum is quite a unique venue in Brisbane. Did you target it for any reason?

I played The Old Musuem a few years back on my last show in Brisbane and really enjoyed the fact it was spacious enough to accommodate a big sound, but intimate enough to handle a more stripped back set as well. Because this album weaves in and out of these two dimensions it seemed like the right space at which to present it live.

MouthZoff is the major sponsor of an upcoming homelessness using music as the main mechanism to bring people together. As a supporter of Make Poverty History what part do you believe music plays in highlighting important causes?

Quite simply, music makes people feel, and feeling is the catalyst for action and change. We can rationalise and intellectualise all we want, but its not until we feel something, that we actually DO something.

Have you had much experience with the Brisbane music/cultural scene?

What do people from Melbourne think of the folk up here in Brisbane?

Not enough to be honest...I’ve tended to get to Brisbane only once a year so haven’t really spent enough time to get a feel of what is going on. I grew up in Sydney and now live in Melbourne, and never really regarded myself as having grown up or existing in any particular scene. To be honest, there is so much going on in Melbourne that people here are pretty focused on the here and now.

Even Sydney seems a million miles away in terms of the culture and music scene on the ground.

We usually give most people an opportunity to mouth off about anything they want. IS there something you have burning that you need to get off your chest?

Well I could mouth off about the complete lack of vision, insight and compassion of the current government...but that would be boring, right? So ....if a car is indicating and in front of you, just let it in for god’s sake. Be kind.

Lior plays The Old Museum on the 6th March and the very next day releases his new album Scattered Reflections.

http://lior.com.au/

PETE MURRAY+THE STONEMASONS REDLAND BAY HOTEL pic: LAUREN BRODIE

Pete Murray Reviewed by ANGIE EVERINGHAM

E

XPECTATIONS were running high when I made my way to see Pete Murray and his band, The Stonemasons, at Redland Bay Hotel last Sunday night. I personally had been looking forward to this gig since interviewing Pete for MouthZoff last month, and I’m pleased to say I was in no way disappointed.

The Sunday night crowd was pumped, and waiting to hear one of their favourite local artists. By the time I arrived, this vertically challenged gig reviewer could barely see Pete and the band ... even in my high heels! Good thing they sounded awesome! Being relegated to the back of the crowd AGAIN, I don’t know how I do it, but I always seem to manage to stand behind unusually tall people who like to sway from side to side in time with the music, and I intermittently lose the ability to get even the briefest glimpse of the band ... alas, I am normally quite comfortable politely squeezing my way through the crowd to get a better view, but having fallen

down a set of stairs earlier that afternoon, my tender bumps and bruises were in no fit state to encourage me to get any closer! If it wasn’t someone of the calibre of Pete Murray, I probably would have stayed at home with the company of an ice-pack.

Pete and the band treated us to a 90 minute showcase of some of the most popular tunes from his career, with a focus on the Feeler album, which was remastered and re-released on its 10th anniversary late last year. Don’t get me wrong, the band was awesome from the front, the sound and lighting were impressive for an outdoor venue, but I was also impressed by the singing from the crowd, especially a lot of the guys where I was standing, who really got into it, and belted out the words at the top of their lungs! Thank you beer ...

Outdoor venues on Brisbane summer afternoons are always risky, and when the sky inevitably opened and drenched us all mid-way through the set, Pete

and the band continued on, belting out their tunes and briefly stopping to wipe down the electronic keyboard and scoop away the puddles forming on the drums ... good work guys! The crowd didn’t seem to mind, and I felt a small sense of relief about standing up the back under cover.

This is the third time I’ve seen Pete Murray live, and it won’t be the last.

I’d go out to see this Aussie artist rain, hail, shine, battered and bruised ... ok preferably not the latter!

In a touching tribute, Pete paid homage to his Dad, who passed away in the Redland Bay area when Pete was a young man of 18. He told us he often feels his Dad around him, but he knew he was close to him tonight, and I’d say he was right. Maybe that’s what made him put on one of the best local gigs I’ve been to in a long time. Whatever it was, I’m certain Mr Murray senior would have been proud of his boy that night. I know I was ... oh what a night!

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Garage Goss zAPED Jordan DePas’ is the man behind the project Zaped (pronounced Zar-ped). The uber talented, solo, home producer De Pas’ could be Brisbane’s answer to Goyte. Zaped is a side project for De Pas’ who is normally the front man for Palindromes. Offering up a chilled out synth wash with luscious vocals mixed in, Zaped will surely be missed when De Pas’ takes his brilliance to Berlin in July for a year.

But luckily for us, before he departs Australia he is heading into the studios with good mates PIGEON to lay down some tracks. Next gig is March 20 at Alhambra Lounge. Just go.

MAgENtA vOyEur Magenta Voyeur have been on the scene for a few years now, playing astounding music and amassing an impressive collection of equipment which they use with great effect to define their sound. Both guitarists and the bass player can boast an array of FX pedals that are used to exquisite perfection. Creating their unique sound requires no less than three keyboards and an organ for Raymond to command. Lead guitarist Mark also plays a synth and shares lead guitar duties with front man, Leon. Their latest single Strigiformes, released on February 14, is a seven minute musical journey that finishes by leaving the listener in a completely different space from where they began. The Bearded Lady at West End, March 9 is the next place to catch a glimpse of Magenta Voyeur.

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LOrDS OF W

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JAE SALMON

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o Motorhead, only much better, Lords standably boasting NME awarding o their film clip for recently released ed Motor. Their second album Club on vinyl and launched in November was keen to emulate their live sound or the album. In order to do this they e room in a house at Maleny and basiplayed. The result is worth a spot in our ever expanding vinyl collection m tenth place in 4ZZZ hottest 100 for oo Much Stuff. Check their Facebook g gigs.

SOME CAN’t

be some can’t but Some Can’t the band, n. “Definitely can what?” I hear you ask.

Definitely can smash your ears with sounds you hope will never end. They promise not only a musical performance, but a show as well. You just never quite know what to expect when Some Can’t rev up. Best news of all is that you can catch them at their album launch on March 28 at the Zoo. Come along and buy an album.

You deserve a great night out.

BErtIE PAgE CLINIC Does it feel like everywhere you turn lately Bertie Page Clinic is on stage? Certainly no complaints here. This is one hard working, nationally and internationally touring outfit. They are an outrageously talented quartet and it is difficult to imagine saying no to an opportunity to see Bertie Page Clinic perform live. Fortunately the opportunity to catch their unparalleled style of pageantry and splendour is coming once again on March 19 at the New Globe Theatre, when the Clinic will open in support of Martha Davis and the Motels. Mad if you miss this one.

PLAStIC FANgS If you have yet to experience Brisbane based trio The Plastic Fangs play their raw, energetic, catchy surf guitar inspired songs live, now’s your chance. Having already played The Zoo twice this year, the Fangs are now taking their unique blend of surf punk to The Valley’s boutique Hideaway Bar on March 8. Intensity, atmosphere and energy are all things to expect when you see them live!! They have scored both national and local airplay on Triple J’s Unearthed Digital Radio channel and locally on 4ZZZ. Watch out for the EP soon to be released, it promises to be something you can really sink your teeth into.

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

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Pic: Supplied

talks to

Mark M Hi Mark, I’ve seen you perform a few times now and I get the soul, RnB, folk vibe and there’s a lot more to you. How would you describe your style?

For some bizarre reason I always find it difficult to describe my style of music, though there are a few definite stylistic influences that have contributed in shaping my style. I guess it’s a kind of melting pot of folk, blues, jazz, soul, and reggae with a hint of country...lol.. so does that paint you a clear picture?.. haha... If I had to put it in a category I’d say Alternative Folk, but I am probably more comfortable letting the audience make up their own minds.

What’s your background in music?

My first introduction to playing the guitar came when I was a young whippersnapper. I discovered my dad’s old nylon string in the closet one

day, picked it up, made some sounds and I was instantly taken in. At the time I was listening to mum & dads record collection, classics from The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Thorpe, Jose Feliciano and Eric Clapton. I listened to these records a lot and began teaching myself some of the melodies, so much fun! A few years later I had a handful of lessons and discovered more about music and writing songs and began jamming, performing and recording with other musicians. This carried on for a number of years (in between many random day jobs) but didn’t really take music very seriously until my late-twenties. That’s when I felt compelled to learn more and improve my craft, so I decided to do some formal study and completed a Bachelor Of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, majoring in Jazz guitar.

You’ve recently been prom Album”Walking Through W land, how did the tour go?

My new album is a projec time coming and, quite fra never coming to fruition, b This album is a body of ar my heart and I feel very h opportunity to share it wit the album here on the Sun friend, manager and prod was mixed by Anthony Co @ Ardline Studios in Los eclectic, earthy and hones featuring some of the fine Sunshine Coast and Brisb

Moroney

moting your New Walls” in New Zea?

t that has been a long ankly, was very close to but that’s another story... rt that is very close to humbled that I have the th everyone. I recorded nshine Coast with good ucer Michael Barry and ormican and Mark Spillain Angeles. The album is st music from the heart, est musicians from the ane.

interview by RANDY G

The NZ “Acoustic Confessions” tour was really a lot of fun. I teamed up with awesome New Zealand singer/songwriter David Shanhun to tour the country in October last year. We did twelve shows in ten days across both islands, traveling in a jampacked four cylinder hatchback loaded up with everything plus the kitchen sink! It was definitely a whirlwind trip and quite hectic at times, but such a rewarding and positive experience. We met heaps of cool people and made some great friends and fans along the way. Highlights for me (apart from some amazing shows) were performing live on TVNZ’s Good Morning Show, meeting the legendary Hank Marvin and seeing some of the beautiful places NZ has to offer. http://www.unbreakableglobal.com/2014/02/06/mark-moroney-live-on-good-morning-show-tvnz/#.UxGWpvm1Z1M

What are your plans for this year?

I am really excited about 2014, lots of new songs in the pipeline and I’ve already started recording a few songs set to be released later in the year!

Aside from plenty of local gigs I will be venturing down to Melbourne for some shows and some other unconfirmed tour opportunities also yet to be announced. But right now I’m really focusing on writing some more songs.

If you could be a fly on the wall for an hour- where and why would you go?

Tough question...so many amazing possibilities. I am a huge Jimi Hendrix fan, so I might fly back to 1969 and land on the headstock of Jimi’s strat during his set at Woodstock and soak all that in for an hour!

With the Bleach festival only days away, ANGIE EVERINGHAM caught up with two local acts starring in the lineup

Pic: www.heygeronimo.com

HEY GERONIMO PETE KILROY

H

EY Geronimo are heading our way for the upcoming Bleach festival, and MouthZOff caught up with them to find out why you should go check them out...

What are Hey Geronimo fans going to see at Bleach Festival?

Any excuse to go to the beach! It’s a great line up. We’ll be playing some of our older songs and some new ones too. Our new tunes sound a bit different. We’re in the writing and pre-production stage of a new album.

What other bands are the boys from Hey Geromino looking forward to seeing at Bleach Festival?

We’re really looking forward to seeing The Trouble with Templeton and Dubmarine.

As a local band, how do you find the

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MouthZoff MARCH 2014

Brisbane live music scene?

of Awesome” ... so check it out!

I love the local music scene! The younger bands have changed the sound of the local scene. I will be surprised if it changes much over the next 10 years.

What music are you currently listening to?

Where are your favourite places to play in and around Brisbane?

It’s hard to go past the Alhambra Lounge and The Zoo. We also love Solbar at Maroochydore. We always have an awesome turnout there, and the crowd really gets into it.

What’s next for Hey Geronimo?

We’re in the studio finishing our album and hope to have it ready for release by the end of 2014. In the meantime, we’re doing a few interstate gigs. Plus we’re releasing a single in the next few weeks. It’s called “The Girl Who Likes Me” from the album “Erring on the Side

DC Arcade, Queens of the Stoneage, Vampire Weekend.

What was the last band you went to see?

Ummmm, I can’t remember if it was Trainspotters, or Baba Ganoush. They were both good!

What do you love about being in Hey Geronimo?

The touring! I’m the newbie in the band, so when we went on tour I was jumping up and down like a puppy! We toured through NSW, Victoria, Perth, Freemantle, Adelaide & Canberra.

Hey Geronimo play the Bleach Festival on Friday March 7

Pic: www.heygeronimo.com

THOMAS CALDER

THE TROUBLE WITH TEMPLETON The Trouble with Templeton join Hey Geronimo on the lineup for the upcoming Bleach festival, and MouthZOff caught up with them to find out why you need to be there to hear them ...

What are The Trouble with Templeton fans going to see at Bleach Festival?

We always put on the best show possible for our fans. It will be an energetic show. We’ll be playing a lot of songs from our album “Rookie”, and giving them some air.

What other bands are the boys from The Trouble with Templeton looking forward to seeing at Bleach Festival?

There’s such a great line up! We’re really looking forward to seeing Violent Soho, Hey Geronimo, Little Scout and Gods.

Congratulations on recently being

signed by Bella Union for worldwide distribution! How does that change the landscape for you as a band?

Thanks! We’re pretty excited that more people get to hear our music. Simon is great to work with and Bella Union is one of our favourite labels. As a band, our focus is now on the overseas market, due to having worldwide distribution, so we’re looking to build our audience.

As a local band, what’s your favourite venue to play live?

The Tivoli... some of the best bands in the world play at The Tiv! Tell me how your band approaches the song writing process.

We’re always writing new music. We had so many tracks to choose from when we came to put the last album

together, we had to condense it down as we had 4 albums worth of songs to choose from! Our song writing process usually starts with Thomas on guitar, he comes up with a tune and we shape the lyrics as it goes along. Then we bring it to the band, and they each add their own instruments. We workshop the song til we have it right, or we change the whole structure of the song sometimes! It’s a bit like starting with a skeleton and adding the muscles, and the skin over it til it takes shape and form.

Make sure you catch The Trouble With Templeton at the Bleach Festival.

They were great to talk with, and they’d love everyone to come out and see the shows, and as they haven’t played live in a while ... they promised the shows will go off!

Interviews by ANGIE EVERINGHAM

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

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Tinie Tempah

Sub Focus

Olle Corneer Dada Life

Thomas Mars Phoenix

Tim Hoey Cut Copy

Pics: IAN PIX Kesi Dryden Rudimental

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Mouth

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Daydream festival

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Daydream festival

Daydream festival

Future Music festival

Future Music festival

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Future Musi

hZoff Social Pics: BEN KNIGHT, BRUCE HEATH

estival

Daydream festival

Pussy Love

Future Music festival

Future Music festival

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CD Reviews MOGWAI Rave Tapes

elIZABeTH ROSe Sensibility Rave Tapes is the eighth studio album for the five piece Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. The sound is undeniably brilliant but not so much a departure from earlier works as it is a reinterpretation. Mogwai delve a little deeper into the world of vintage electronic sounds, so popular with underground artists, to bring us this incarnation.

The standout tracks would be Remurdered which is a lively emulsion of unusual note sequences. Hexon Bogon has some lovely distortion that reminds us of earlier works like Mr Beast. Repelish is great for its weirdness. Blues Hour is the first taste we get of new lyrics and I like the wind up to the breathtaking crescendo on that track.

Mogwai will always produce brilliance and Rave Tapes is no exception even if the tracks do suffer from being somewhat similar sounding, there is enough diversity through the creative use of synth generated instrumentation.

JAE SALMON

IvORY DRIPS A Brilliant Animal Moody little diddy that feels like a scream for help followed by actual screaming. It’s a soft/loud effort that never really gets to the level of conviction required to engage the listener. Some excellent production and cool dreamy parts to the track but still some work to do for the young Sydney lads. Still, I think it would be worth a listen in a little loud local.

IAN PIX

MARk lA Has God S An Anthol

The second single from Sydney electronic artist Elizabeth Rose adds to her growing reputation as someone to watch in 2014. The track showcases her talent as a vocalist backed by instrumentation and samples that keep it interesting. ‘Sensibility’ is slick without sounding over-produced or contrived. Close your eyes and you’re right there in the club.

CAT ANDERSON

PIXIeS eP-2

MouthZoff MARCH 2014

‘Has God Seen M of collection of L mix-tape, presen and a singer. The an excellent coll

OlIv Diffe As with ‘EP – 1’, ‘EP – 2’ is another collection of songs that bear little resemblance to the signature sound of the Pixies. ‘Magdalena’ and ‘Snakes’ give us the only hope that the Pixies formula hasn’t been lost forever.

The familiar sounding rawness to Frank Black’s vocals can be heard in ‘Blue Eyed Hexe’. ‘Magdalena’ is reminiscent of the Bossanova track ‘Havalina’.

‘Greens and Blues’ leaves me thinking somebody has taken Pixies and scrubbed them so violently that a barely perceptible heartbeat remains.

The song is not altogether bad, it just feels like the end credit track of a telemovie. ‘Snakes’ is catchy and gripping in the verses but rather detached in the chorus.

If you are brand new to Pixies you would probably love EP – 2 because the songs are all fine stand-alone tracks. But my rating is given for the fans who had been waiting for new offerings from Pixies - but got disappointment instead.

JAE SALMON

40

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with Ta-K know wh nature o and take pleasura and intri signatur masterfu Definitel afternoo

NeGAN Seen My Shadow? logy 1989 - 2011

SUNNYBOYS Our Best Of

Former Screaming Trees front man Mark Lanegan has been releasing material as a solo artist since 1990, notching up 12 albums, as well as countless collaborations along the way with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and most recently, Isobel Campbell. This collection is material solely from solo releases, although it does include a couple of collaborations, most notably with PJ Harvey. The first disc is presented in hronological order and the other incorporating 12 previously ks, including an interrupted live cover of ‘Blues Run the Game’.

My Shadow’ may not be what fans would consider to be a bestLanegan’s work, but the songs selected flow like a well-curated nting a fine overview of Lanegan’s talent both as a songwriter e inclusion of the bonus disc of unreleased rarities makes this lection of Mark Lanegan’s work for fans and newcomers alike.

CAT ANDERSON

veR TANk erent Speed

Some serious interest generated by this collaboration Ku and you immediately hy. The pure, atmospheric of the track pulls you in es you on a journey of able electronic groove icate layering. Ta-Ku’s re beats balance Tank’s ul synth beautifully. ly one for a leisurely on by the pool.

IAN PIX

Early 80s indie guitar band The Sunnyboys’ highly publicised reunion in 2012 prompted further gigs in 2013, and a headline tour later this month. Late last year, the ABC also screened a documentary about Jeremy Oxley, the main songwriter behind the band and his voluntary exile from the music industry after the band broke up.

In conjunction with that, and ahead of the tour announcement, a collection of their best songs was released.

Bearing in mind that when they were teenagers when first starting out, these songs and the post-punk guitar sound still stack up. All the expected tunes are here, rounded out by a live version of ‘Let You Go’ to close the collection.

Given the recent INXS documentary generating an interest in Australian music of the early eighties, this release and tour by the Sunnyboys will serve to introduce these timeless classics to a new audience as well as giving a great nostalgic kick to those who remember them from the first time around.

CAT ANDERSON

PHANTOGRAM voices Phantogram’s new release seems to have commenced the acts arrival into the mainstream. Something about this new release has opened the door to a wider audience to appreciate the amazing talent that the band obviously possesses.

The opening track “Nothing But Trouble” immediately drops into their psyche with the line, “Do you ever have the feeling you’ve constantly been dreaming this is life?”. The album sees the duo further explore their dark side and plunging into a well of self-doubt.

The album still maintains that dense and strangely danceable beat present in the two previous releases but increases the level of warmth, mystery and sinister aplomb. The percussion seems to stab at you with some urgency and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the album. The accessibility to the sound may put some previous fans off but the now more refined Phantogram are ready to take their place amongst the best electronic acts going around at the moment.

IAN PIX

THe lOve JUNkIeS Chemical Motivation These guys can really project a lot of energy through their crazy grunge guitar sounds and vocalist Mitch McDonald’s intense Cobain like shriek. The song takes you through a journey of quirky melody, engaging lyrics and the best of 90’s grunge then slaps you round the head with a high powered chorus. These dudes have got something here. Expect to see them go places this year IAN PIX

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LACHY DOLEY GIVEAWAY

S

YDNEY-based soul/blues sensation Lachy Doley is no stranger to Queensland. Having first seen him perform here early last year, I was completely captivated by his skilful insanity on the organ as well as the incredible versatility of his voice. When I got the news Lachy is coming to The New Globe Theatre on Saturday March 15 for the MOJO BURNING Festival, what better time to review his album, I thought? In fact Lachy kindly supplied an album for us to give away. So once you’ve finished reading the review, head to the MouthZoff Facebook page and enter your name on the LACHY DOLEY thread and this CD could be yours!

RANDY G

click here

https://www.facebook.com/MouthZoff

LACHY DOLEY: SOS - Singer Organ Soul Singer Organ Soul is the latest album to come from Lachy Doley, since his debut two years ago. Lachy is another of those passionate original artists who refuses to play something that can be categorised and packaged under just one genre. Is the first thing to jump out blues, rock, pop or a sweet soul infusion...? I don’t know - but what I can say is throughout these ten tracks of all-original fun, you’ll find a perfect blend of these four genres with a completely fresh twist. There are no guitars. It’s all Hammond from here baby! Lachy’s voice is gruff, then sultry and the album makes a great transition from a toetapping feel to rockin’ out and then kickin’ back doing nothing much at all. If you appreciate keys-based music, particularly the Hammond, then put this album on your list now! For everyone else, it really is a versatile album with refreshing flavours across so much that I would encourage all to get your hands on a copy and discover Lachy Doley for yourself.

RANDY G

BRISBANE’S RIGHT TO BE LOUD Red tape reduction for liquor and gaming Article by CAT ANDERSON

A

s part of the Qld Government’s push toward red-tape reduction, the Office of Liquor and Gaming, part of the Department of Justice and Attorney General, released a discussion paper last year regarding red tape reduction for liquor and gaming. Among other issues, it was seeking views on noise controls at licenced premises, including how best to regulate noise in venues in regard to the current definition/methodology of unreasonable noise’ as defined by the Liquor Act 1995.

The paper was released in February 2013 with submissions closing a month later. The Office of Liquor and Gaming (OLGR) has since appointed a Red Tape Reduction Expert Panel to review liquor licencing and gaming laws, trading hours and noise regulation. They advised MouthZoff through a media response that they anticipate recommendations regarding noise reduction to be considered by the Government in the first half of this year.

In response to the release of the discussion paper, the Australian Live Entertainment Reform Think-tank (ALERT) was formed, primarily to create awareness and foster discussion around issues affecting the live music industry. ALERT prepared and submitted a response to the OLGR and also created a petition on change.org, which currently has just under 8000 signatures.

MouthZoff also spoke with Shane Wilkie, from ALERT, about where things are at ahead of the anticipated release of the Government’s response to the discussion paper submissions. Wilkie,

who has a background in hospitality and works in the entertainment industry as a musician, says that the system right now isn’t working. “It’s tearing the industry apart and we need to fix this,” he says.

The core of the issue, he says, is twofold. The methodology used to measure noise within a venue – measuring noise dose rather than peak decibel level – as well as how noise complaints get investigated and handled. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some venues can and have been closed down by Liquor Licencing officers on the basis of only a small number of complaints, with no recourse available for the venue. This presents a massive risk to operators, many of which are moving away from hosting live music for fear of breaching licencing conditions.

Wilkie believes this is the start of a slippery slope that impacts the entertainment industry as a whole. Limiting options for entertainment in the evening can contribute to things like alcohol-fuelled violence, as well as negatively impacting tourism areas. The thinking behind reducing trading hours to also limit violence is also flawed, he believes. Many venues who do book live entertainment do so to draw in a crowd, who then stay on and keep spending after the performances finish.

Removing those extra hours of trade also presents a risk to the industry by further limiting opportunities for musicians to perform when it’s no longer worth it to a venue to use them to bring a crowd in.

Wilkie says that reducing trading hours need not stifle entertainment options, if

handled thoughtfully. He cites a recent trip to the United States as an example, where all venues are licenced until 2am regardless. Because they are regulated differently, venues there are happy to still put on entertainment to draw punters in, and close at 2am having made their money for the night.

ALERT was formed to create a forum for constructive discussion; to provide a platform not just for people in the industry but also the general public who want to see live entertainment.

Their ethos is that the current issues impacting the live music industry cannot be laid solely at the feet of government and regulation, nor at residents near venues who have an agenda.

Rather, Wilkie says everyone - government, stakeholders and the general public - need to change their attitudes.

He believes that only through collaboration and compromise will a workable solution be reached, and appropriate changes made to allow the industry to flourish.

Until the government receives the recommendations from the panel, the ALERT campaign is in a holding pattern.

They are reaching out to like-minded groups in other states and keeping abreast of issues impacting other jurisdictions. The petition is still live on Wilkie encourages anyone who is interested to visit the ALERT Facebook page and also the petition. https://www.facebook.com/ALERTforum ALERT Facebook page

change.org - petition

https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/qld-government-reform-noise-control-regulation-in-licensed-venues

Qld Govt discussion paper

http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/resources/gamDocs/DiscussionPaper_RedTapeReduction_Feb_2013.pdf

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PUSSY LOVE : BERTIE PAGE CLINIC + LULU & THE CUTTHROATS + SWITCHBLADE SUZIE NEW GLOBE THEATRE picS: BRUCE HEATH

PUSSY LOVE

O

NCE again, the Bertie Page Clinic and friends put on a show at the New Globe Theatre that rocked the house. This was a night of blues, burlesque, rock, frocks, feathers and leathers. Everyone was there to have fun and let the fur fly! The night was dedicated to Bertie’s love of pussies in all of their various forms. Plenty of cat costumes and kitty ears were on display.

The night opened with Switchblade Suzie with stunning vocals from Willow Nichols and a blues/funk sound that got the crowd up and dancing. Songs like “Dinner and a Show” and “Sweet Honey” showcased the vocal and stage presence of this young four piece band that never fail to please. Expect to see big things out of them in 2014!

Lulu and the Cutthroats brought their

Bertie Page Clinic Above and below: Lulu & the Cutthroats

own brand of purring rock to the Globe - a kitten and three cool cats. Although billed as punk/rock they never really hit the punk side of the spectrum, but they certainly rocked. Lulu’s sound is fresh and raw and the band is tight.

The highlight of the night was the Bertie Page Clinic. The glam rock Queen of Cats strutted, howled, prowled and growled through the set . Opening with “One Swan Pond” from their “Too Loud, Too Naked” album, the Clinic set the scene for an hour of burlesque rock with Bertie displaying all her talents to an enthusiastic crowd.

Finally, hats (and bras and panties) off to the ladies of Lady Marlene’s School of Arts who provided entertainment during band changes throughout the night. Bravo!

BRUCE HEATH

Switchblade Suzie

Bertie Page Clinic

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MouthZoff MARCH 2014

The WhatZon

The WhatZon gig guide is TOTALLY FREE! – list your shows for nothing! Just head to www.mouthzoff.com/whatzon for details

March 2014 DATE ARTIST

VENUE suburb

wED 5 Rockaoke (With Live Band) Americana Edition The Tempo Hotel Fortitude Valley

Everlast & Special GueStreets The Zoo Fortitude Valley THU 6 Black As Blue / Rabbit / LSD Ratkings Beetle Bar Brisbane

Jazz Singers Jam Night Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Natalie de Jager Jazz The Coffee Laboratory Kelvin Grove

Ladi Abundance Project The Press Club Fortitude Valley Pyre and Ice The Tempo Hotel Fortitude Valley FRI 7 Alithia / Balloons Kill Babies / Alpha Omega

/ Charlie Fingers Beetle Bar Brisbane

Georgina PollaRoad Trio Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point The Good Ship New Globe Theatre Fortitude Valley Mission X The Elephant Hotel Fortitude Valley The Holidays / The Cairos / GOVS The Zoo Fortitude Valley SAT 8 Elizabeth Rose Alhambra Lounge Fortitude Valley

Lesuits / Go Van Go / Rise Overrun / The Bumbacults Beetle Bar Brisbane

Jim Kelly’ Thrillseekers Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point The Good Ship (with The Harry Heart Chrysalis) Royal Mail Hotel Goodna Mission X Stanthorpe Apple &

Grape FeStreetival Stanthorpe Plastic Fangs + Buzzrays + Some Jerks The Hideaway Fortitude Valley Slop Rock The Met Fortitude Valley

Dan Sultan & The Medics The Zoo Fortitude Valley

DARLING DOWNS / HALFWAY / MEXICO CITY NEW GLOBE THEATRE FORTITUDE VALLEY SUN 9 Abby Skye Breezes Bar Tweed Heads

Brisbane Big Band Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point TUE 11 Yo La Tengo + GUESTS The Zoo Fortitude Valley WED 12 MAMACHAIR THE JOYNT SOUTH Brisbane THU 13 My Fiction / Michelle Xen & The Neon Wild / Astrid Beetle Bar Brisbane

David Bentley Trio + 1 Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Old Pines / Malo ZIma / Weathered The Zoo Fortitude Valley FRI 14 Li’lFi and her band Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Charlotte McLean Queen Street Mall Brisbane

James and Jones The Lido Cafe Ascott The Gin Club The UndeRoadog Fortitude Valley The Smith Street Band / The Menzingers

/ Grim Fandango The Zoo Fortitude Valley Trashqueen + Hobomagic Vibe - Indooroopilly Hotel Indooroopilly Trashqueen + Hobomagic Vibe - Indooroopilly Hotel Indooroopilly SAT 15 The Levons / Box Falcon / Searlzy & The Mad Cat Beetle Bar Brisbane

Lee Gunness & Caxton Street Jazz Band Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Mojo Burning Fest New Globe Theatre Fortitude Valley

Get Rooted Fest Royal Mail Hotel Goodna

BRETT WINTERFORD (ex-PEREGRINE) QUEEN ST MALL BRISBANE Mission X The Elephant Hotel Fortitude Valley Illy / Jackie Onassis / Remi The Zoo Fortitude Valley SUN 16 Quarteto Bachida, featuring Marcio Bahia (Brazil) Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point

DATE ARTIST

VENUE suburb

SUN 16 Illy / Jackie Onassis / Remi The Zoo Fortitude Valley

BRETT WINTERFORD (ex-PEREGRINE) QUEEN ST MALL BRISBANE TUE 18 The Stray Sisters (Of The Waifs) / Ruby Boots The Zoo Fortitude Valley WED 19 Beejays Muso Club Night Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point MARTHA DAVIS & THE MORELS / BERTIE PAGE CLINIC NEW GLOBE THEATRE FORTITUDE VALLEY THU 20 Grey Wing Trio (Syd) featuring Kristin Berardi Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Natalie de Jager and Amon & Audra Dowse Bar Paddington Natalie de Jager and Amon & Audra Dowse Bar Paddington Switchblade Suzie / Angels Ink / The Stats The Zoo Fortitude Valley FRI 21 Chicks on Speed Alhambra Lounge Fortitude Valley Martha Barrtz Presents Women in Jazz Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Mission X Live Wire Bar CBD Ingrid James and Libor Smoldas The Lido CafE Ascot

Flannlette The Tempo Hotel Fortitude Valley The 52 Pickups The Tempo Hotel Fortitude Valley

Jack Badger The Tempo Hotel Fortitude Valley Smoking Martha The Tempo Hotel Fortitude Valley Twelve Foot Ninja & Special Guests The Zoo Fortitude Valley SAT 22 Yitzhak Yedid Trio & the ConKlezmer Orchestra Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Tall Poppy Indie Rock Party feat. Fox & Firkin / Cassia

/ The Thrill / Dane Adamo Band / George Higgins The Zoo Fortitude Valley The Trotskies Trainspotters CBD SUN 23 Mark Pradella Band featuring Clancy Cullen Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Natalie de Jager CaRoadigan Bar Sandgate Natalie de Jager CaRoadigan Bar Sandgate Coisa Linda - Brazilian band Lock n Load BiStreetro West End

Ladi Abundance Solo The Joynte South Brisbane Sebadoh / Blank Realm / Major Leagues The Zoo Fortitude Valley WED 26 We All Want To The New Globe Theatre Fortitude Valley THU 27 Hot Jazz Alliance featuring Josh Duffee

& Andy Schumm [ USA ] Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Coisa Linda - Brazilian band Glass Bar Fortitude Valley FRI 28 Melissa Western Quintet Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Some Can’t / Flannelette / JunkyaRoad Diamonds

/ Zed Charles Experience The Zoo Fortitude Valley SAT 29 Pugsley BuzzaRoad Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point Calling All Cars / The Love Junkies / The Sinking Teeth The Zoo Fortitude Valley SUN 30 Brisbane Contemporary Jazz Orchestra Brisbane Jazz Club Kangaroo Point The WhatZon gig guide is TOTALLY FREE! – list your shows for nothing! Just head to www.mouthzoff.com/whatzon for details