Reverb Magazine: Issue 33

newcastle|hunter|coast #033 April ‘09

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Dylan Moran Black humour, Irish style

Grunge History 101 with Pearl Jam + Ben Kweller Riding Shotgun + Lock Up Your Sisters… it’s The Protectors

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No. 33

41 Sound Relief index 08 14 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 36

letter from ed

Guilty Milligan Dear Reader,

ReverbMagazineislocallyowned&publishedbyThe Lockup Garage.

Printed by Spotpress Pty Ltd: sales@spotpress.com. au

Could it be that the Newcastle music scene is experiencing a renaissance? While it seemed that Australia had turned its back on Newcastle’s bands,

Cam

Krud beekay und krudmn

Kevie Kevvie circa 1988

Editorial - nick@reverbstreetpress.com.au - 4929 4739 Entertainment Guide - gigguide@reverbstreetpress.com.au Sales Enquiries - sales@reverbstreetpress.com.au Sales Manager - kevin@reverbstreetpress.com.au - 0410 295 360 Production Manager.- cam@reverbstreetpress.com.au - 0414 672 095 6

3 x Dylan Moran live DVD packs. Each set contains a copy of Monster and Like, Totally

Until next month, Nick Milligan x

Email editorial@reverbstreetpress.com.au and let us know what you want.

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Nick Milligan

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suddenly they’re infiltrating the nation’s ears. From Here Come The Birds playing Splendour, to Vaudeville playing the Big Day Out, The Protectors supporting Eagles Of Death Metal, Firekites about to make another beautiful record, Seabellies making trips around the world, and astonishing new recordings by Of The Red Sea and The Tunstalls, there’s a lot to get excited about.

Editor Sub-Editor

38 42 43 44

News Ben Kweller Dweezil Zappa Rodney Crowell Augie March / True Live The Protectors Dylan Moran CD Reviews Gig Guide lady Sovereign / One Jonathan The Dears Snob Scrilla / Washington The Church / Eric Bibb Behind Crimson Eyes / Mark Wilkinson Pearl Jam Dan Granero / The Duke Spirit Sneaky Sound System Motoring: Nissan GT-R Fashion: Blues Travellers Live Reviews Gamer’s Corner Film Reviews Socials

Kevin Bull Kieran Ferguson Courtney Fitzsimmons Sean Frazer Chrissy Kavalieros Liana McDonald Noah Cross

Nathaniel Try Marija Zeko Terry Paull Ashleigh Gray Krystal Ryan Jess Henderson J.D. Ross Beckley Veronique Moseley Andrew Chesham David Long Cherie Moseley Mark Moldre Greg Smee

Lots of goodies for you to grab for nix.

An email is all it takes.

4 x Tijuana Cartel They Come CDs 20 x Iron Maiden - Flight 666 double passes 3 x Chad ‘Hollywood’ Bennett WBF World Interim Welterweight title fight @ Newcastle Panthers double passes

Photographers

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Kevin Bull Kieran Ferguson Robyn Moore Michelle Ho Chrissy Kavalieros Courtney Fitzsimmons Sean Roche Jim Graham Terry Paull Mark Snelson Lakshal Perera Kieth Abigail Chris Brown

Cameron Bennett Nick Milligan Kevin Bull

Sales Kevin Bull Nick Milligan Any comments can be sent to editorial@ reverbstreetpress.com.au or give us a call on 4929 4739.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

NEWS

FIREKITES

Firekites Announce Shows Before Album

THE SEABELLIES

Reverb Turns Three This July will mark issue #36 of Reverb Magazine, which will make Newcastle, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley’s official music and culture publication three years old! To celebrate, Reverb is going to throw a third birthday party which is sure to be the wildest and most exclusive event on the 2009 calendar. Taking place on Saturday

July 18, 2009, at The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, Reverb will celebrate three massive years with performances by The Seabellies, Fear Of Monsters, Menna, and The Tunstalls (more acts to be announced). Tickets will be $15.00 and available through Moshtix from May 9, 2009. Come and party with us.

Newcastle Comedian Wins NSW Raw Comedy Finale New South Wales’ newest up-and-coming comedian, 18 year-old Novacastrian Rhys Nicholson, performed to a sold-out audience of 280 loud and excited punters at the Raw Comedy NSW State Final at Comedy Store in Moore Park, impressing judges to win the final. Mikey Mileos was runner up. Rhys will now compete in the Raw Comedy National Grand Final at the Melbourne Comedy Festival on Sunday 19 April, 2009, at the Melbourne Town Hall, for his chance to take the Raw Comedy title and win a trip to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe! Run by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Raw Comedy is Australia’s largest and most prestigious open mic comedy competition, with 59 gigs announced in every capital city and major regional centres across the country.

New Placebo Record

With a thirteen year history that takes in five studio albums, ten million album sales, breakdowns, clean ups and the dizzy swell of global success, Placebo are set to return with their first new album since the release of Meds in 2006. Released on June 8th, the new album is titled Battle For The Sun. Upon completion of the ‘Meds’ tour that took in stadium appearances in Chile, Mexico, Brazil, France and Germany, personal relationships within the band had

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April sees local stars, Firekites, play three very select shows to round off a year of touring for their beautifully layered debut album The Bowery, before they head back into the studio to record the follow up, ready for release in late 2009. Since the release of The Bowery, Firekites have played with some of their favourite bands including Built To Spill, Iron & Wine, The Sea and Cake, Laura Marling, Bill Callahan, Stars, The Tallest Man on Earth, Holly Throsby and Crayon Fields - as well as slots on Laneway and Peat’s Ridge festivals. Don’t miss Firekites at The Cambridge Hotel on Thursday April 16, 2009, with support from The Church’s Steve Kilbey and The Maple Trail. Tickets available through Moshtix.

Sabretung Return in ‘09 Local thrash metallers Sabretung return to the stage on the Easter Saturday April 11 at the Cambridge Hotel. Since achieving the runner-up position in last year’s Resonate band comp, the band has been preparing for their debut record Conquest. In support will be Indisperse, SoulTremor and Cerebral Contortion. Doors open 9pm and entry is $10 at the door.

become strained leading to an emotional split with Steve Hewitt, their drummer since 1996. Hewitt was replaced by 22-year old Californian Steve Forrest, who the band first spotted playing with one of their US support bands Evaline in 2006. “We were looking for somebody whose enthusiasm could rub off on us,” explains singer, Brian Molko. “Someone who would experience all of these things that we’d already experienced for the first time and for their excitement to raise us up out of our jadedness and make us into kids again.”

MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS

Come Together For The Kids

Sydney’s big two day festival, Come Together, returns to Luna Park’s Big Top in 2009. Happening on Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7, the indie festival will host the likes of Midnight Juggernauts, Datarock, Bliss n Eso, Muph & Plutonic, Funkoars, A Death In The Family, Behind Crimson Eyes, Something With Numbers, Kram, Here Come The Birds, Red Riders, Infusion, Pez, The Paper & The Plane, Astronomy Class, Dukes Of Windsor, Quan, Spod, Oh Mercy, and Wolf & Cub (to name but a few). A one day pass, which includes free rides, is only $67.00 plus booking fee, or you can get a two day pass for $117.00 plus booking fee. If you ask us, it’s a bargain. Head to www.cometogether.com.au for more details.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

NEWS

Gumball is Back

HOWLING BELLS

At The Toll Of The Bells

Howling Bells return! Produced by Dan Grech-Marguerat (Radiohead, Air, Sam Sparro, Kooks), their new album, Radio Wars, sees the band melding their dark and brooding past with more triumphant, rhythmic grooves to create a sound that will equally entrance and thrill - the first single ‘Into The Chaos’ a spellbinding case in point. It was recently listed by UK rock bible NME as one of their Top 10 must hear albums of 2009. Catch them at The Cambridge Hotel on Thursday May 14, 2009. Tickets available through Moshtix and Bigtix.

Following the disappointment of last year’s cancellation, The Gum Ball is back for 2009.

This year’s event will be held Saturday May 30 at “Dashville”, a private patch of secluded bushland at Belford on the edge of the Upper Hunter, and will once again feature a solid line up of emerging acts from right round Australia.

Already added to the bill are The Fumes, Mihirangi, Downhills Home, Marshall & The Fro, The Dennis Boys, Nick & Leisl, Extended Family, as well as Newcastle based acts Kira Puru & the Very Geordie Malones, The Evening Son, Errol JM & The Trade Secrets and Zoe K & The Money Shot Band.

Tickets are $70 inc (children U/12 are free) available via the website thegumball.com.au.

There is also a “buy 10 get 1 free” deal.

The Loft go on Holidays

Another Round For Cog

While their latest record Sharing Space is working hard for them in Europe and the UK, gaining rave reviews from music press and fans alike, the Cog boys have been busily putting the finishing touches on their national Between Oceans Tour May / June 2009. Cog are thrilled to announce Manchester’s kings of post-metal, Oceansize will make their maiden voyage to Australia to join them for this run.

When Oceansize christened themselves back at the start of the third millennium, they didn’t just pick a name, they set themselves a challenge. Their mission statement was to make the biggest music possible, adventures on the high seas of future-rock giganticism that could never, ever stop. Melbourne three piece Calling All Cars will join Cog and Oceansize, debuting the release of ‘Disconnect ‘, the first single off their debut album due later in 2009. Head to Newcastle Panthers on Friday June 12, 2009, or Entrance Leagues Club on Sunday June 14. Tickets available now through Moshtix.

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THE FUMES

Going Underground The Grand Hotel at the top of town has been given a wakeup call, and the answer is live music. April will see the relaunching of The Underground as a live music venue.

The publican at The Grand, Mike Angus, has answered the requests of Uni students for a great venue to hang out and hear high quality live bands. The gig lights will be turned on for the opening on Thursday April 9 with Moonlight Drive. Skoota will perform on Friday 17 & Well Swung the following Friday 24. Wonderful news, and well done Mike.

The Loft are gearing up for the school holidays in the only way they know how, two big weeks of activities and gigs. Running from 11 to 24 April for 12 to 25 year olds, some of the activities highlights include Manga & Animation Classes at New Lambton Library, Video & Short Film Production at Wallsend Library and Freestyle BMX Clinic at Maryland Skatepark. Other activities including Dungeons & Dragons gaming sessions, Breakdancing, Skateboarding Clinics, Hip Hop Music Production & MC Jam, Independent Magazine Publishing and Movie Nights.

The list of gigs is pretty impressive as well. Saturday 11 - I Walk The Line (Finland) + The Optionals + Like....Alaska + Not Ok(Qld) + Judged By You. Friday 17 - Dropsaw + Mark My Words + Tenth Dan + Hard Man + more. Saturday 18 - The State of East London (Melb) + The Storm Picturesque + Safe Hands + What Lies Within + more . Friday 24 - Free entry Acoustic Show with Joshwa Leigh + Searching Within + Autumn Green + 1989.

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 9

NEWS

Cashin at The Doylo

MARK CASHIN AND THE LIL’ HUSSYS

With a busy 2009 ahead of him, Mark Cashin and the Lil’ Hussys give us a taster of their newly written material at the Doyalson RSL Friday April 3.

The video for the soon to be release new single has been completed, and with tours of Melbourne, LA, Hollywood and San Diego planned for the coming months, now is the time to catch Cashin.

To make the night all the more enticing, Sony Music have donated a huge CD/ DVD pack plus an autographed guitar all retailing over $1000 which will be raffled off to help the boys on their way to LA. Supports are Underscore, 3 Stripe Ave and Melbourne band Sleeplever, it’s free entry and it all kicks off at 8pm.

“...the freeloading photographer.”

In early March, music website Fasterlouder’s South Australian editor Rodney Magazinivic described live music photographers as “freeloading” within an open forum. The incident occurred while discussing the recent Coldplay live photographer’s release form. The exact quote from Magazinivic, “A band lets you access the concert, at no cost, to take photos. You do the job and in most instances get to stay for the show as well. In exchange for that access you accept the conditions they impose on you, the freeloading photographer.” It should be made clear that Fasterlouder’s online content is provided primarily by contributors. Fasterloader do not pay for content from contributors. This content includes live music images, and once supplied to Fasterlouder they are able to use it for anything they wish to, forever, without any financial payment to the contributor. Now I ask you, who is the real freeloader.

The Bob Evans Triple Play

Not one, not two but three big chances to catch Bob Evans in the Newcastle / Central Coast region during May and June. Album number three, Goodnight, Bull Creek will be released April 3, and it shows a different side to Bob. “This is my rock album. I’m saying goodbye to the suburbs.” The new album was recorded in Nashville with producer Brad Jones (Josh Rouse, Sheryl Crow) who also produced the last Bob Evans album Suburban Songbook. The first chance to see Bob will be at Lizottes, Kincumber on Tuesday May 12, then the following night at the Bar On The Hill, Wednesday May 13. If that’s not enough Bob for you, he will be at the Woodport Inn, Sunday June 7.

Gee Wizz the New Alternative Based out of Blush nightclub in Gosford, Gee Wizz is a new alternative event that is turning the term “Alternative’ on its head. Held on the last Thursday of each month, Gee Wizz showcases local, national and international acts plus DJ’s playing a mix of alternative music. What got me real excited though was the Punk Rock Karaoke. I can’t wait to see some Dead Kennedys or Bad Religion being belted out by the locals.

Plenty of stuff to win and take home with you as Vans, Boomtown Records, Taperjean Music, The Audio Army/SONY BMG, Firewire Music Company and Burn City Burn Records have all come on board with merch. So if you are sick of the standard toss you get at the nightclub down the road, Gee Wizz at Blush Nightclub in Gosford might just make your month worth while.

OF THE RED SEA

Of The Red Sea EP Launch

With a highly impressive self-titled EP about to be released, Of The Red Sea will be playing the Beach Hotel, Friday April 3 to celebrate the event. “It’s beautifully crafted rock, that simmers in its own ambience, rising and falling with bursts of energy,” is a quote taken from the CD review later in this issue. The first single, ‘Escalators’, has been added to rotation on FBi radio and will surely have Triple J success. The EP, mixed by Wayne Connolly, has been doing the rounds here in the Reverb office - bring on the EP launch!

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REVERB presents Live & Local - $13.50

Thursday, 2 April 2009

Writers in the Round

w/ Karl Broadie, Felicity Urquhart, Kim Richey and Kevin Bennett - $25 Friday, 3 April 2009 Bruce Mathiski and George Golla - $35 Sunday, 5 April 2009 Eugene Hideaway Bridges - $65 Tuesday, 7 April 2009 Ruthie Foster - $46 Wednesday, 8 April 2009 REVERB presents Live & Local - $13.50 Thursday 9, Saturday 11, Sunday 12 April 2009 Diesel w/ Luke Koteras - sold out Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 April 2009 Eric Bibb w/ Jason Lowe - sold out Thursday, 16 April 2009 Steve Sesnik - $25 Friday, 17 April 2009 The Guitar Wizards - $22 Saturday, 18 April 2009 Andrew Winton - $17 Sunday, 19 April 2009 Neil Murray w/ special guest Jim Mogine (Midnight Oil) - $25 Wednesday, 22 April 2009 REVERB presents Live & Local - $13.50 Thursday, 23 April 2009 Mike McCarthy - $17 Friday, 24 April 2009 Floyd Vincent and the Child Brides - $25 Saturday, 25 April 2009 John English w/ Jonahs Road - $95 Sunday,26 April 2009 Old Man River w/ Ashley Mannix - $20 Wednesday, 29 April 2009 REVERB presents Live & Local - $13.50 Thursday, 30 April 2009 The Hands - $20

Phone: 02 4368 2017

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Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

NEWS

Front End Loader At The Grand Junction

FRONT END LOADER

April appears to be the month of the pub-rock veterans. Frenzal Rhomb and Nancy Vandal are at the Bar On the Hill on Saturday April 25, and to get you all sweaty in preparation, their old 90’s stage mates Front End Loader blast the Grand Junction Hotel up in Maitland the night before, Friday April 24. Once regulars on the pub rock circuit, FEL now pick and choose their gigs carefully. A quick check of their Myspace reveals find that this is a return visit to the Grand Junction having played there July 2008. In a post pushing that gig, it says “Top-shelf, Aussie Cock/Pop/ Rock provided by Front End Loader, an Australian-made, proudly familyowned company and a brand you can really trust.” Trust them indeed, this gig’s going to be s**t hot.

Lizotte’s Comes to Newcastle

DIESEL

For those of you who have been itching to get that Live and Cookin’ @ Lizottes feeling, well the wait is over. The new Lizotte’s venue will be located in one of the area’s great cultural icons, the venue formerly known as the Kings Theatre in Lambton, and will be transformed into a luxurious and intimate restaurant venue. For those of you who are familiar with Lizottes at Kincumber, you will know what to expect. The best artists, fine dining, and personal service. The final details as to the artists already booked are a bit sketchy, but expect Diesel, Richard Clapton, Jon Stevens, Jeff Lang and Doc Neeson to be there not long after the doors open in early June.

JEFF MARTIN

Jeff Martin Comes To The Party Jeff Martin (formally of the Tea Party) returns to Australia with renowned percussionist Wayne Sheehy. Martin’s new band The Armada will be releasing their self-titled album May. The pair will be performing a run of intimate acoustic shows, and Newcastle has been included. These shows will be an extension of The Armada, celebrating the musical journey that Martin has experienced from his days with The Tea Party and his solo career to the launch of his new monster The Armada. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be blown away. Jeff Martin and Wayne Sheehy will play The Cambridge Hotel on Sunday May 17.

BONJAH

Bonjah at Dawn Having just released their debut Until Dawn, Bonjah play three shows in our region in the coming month. Bonjah’s tale is truly unique. A few guys meet in New Zealand and start a band. They then decide to move to Melbourne to try to make some money doing what they love best – making music. Bonjah were granted the last ever legal busking license for a full piece band in Melbourne two years ago and have since lived exclusively off their music, selling in excess of 15,000 CD’s along the way. Plenty of chances to catch them.

Wednesday April 22 sees them doing a lunchtime gig at Newcastle Uni, then Friday 24 at Queens Wharf Brewery. Then it is up to Maitland, Thursday 30 at the Grand Junction Hotel.

info@reverbstreetpress.com - 02 4929 4739

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 11

NEWS

A New Night For U18 Kids

Newcastle Panthers are doing their thing for the Under 18 crowd with the introduction of the Elev8 underage events. The launch will be on Friday April 17 with The Potbelleez, DJ Ules, DJ Peter Gunz and DJ Nick Skitz. The is followed by DJ Troy T, MC Jayson, Amber Savage, Aga, Jaytee on Friday April 24. The nights run from 7pm to 11pm with an age restriction of 14-17. Tickets are $22 at the door. For more information go to elev8u18.com.au

The CBD Gets In On The Act

The newly refurbished CBD, featuring new sounds and new lights, is playing host to regular dance nights, with Ned Kelly, Menna, ChaseOh, Loods and Chooos as its hosts. Be there on Saturday April 4, 2009, for a guest appearance by Act Yo Age, two beat freaks of the night who are tipped to be the next hot thing. With a new song, ‘Lucky 13’, on their new compilation Sweat It Out! Vol. 2 for Ajax’s label, these are guys that you don’t want to miss.

Sending out an S.O.S Support Original Song continues at the Beach Hotel with another couple of great line-ups, as well as some fine incentives to get you, the punters, excited. The aim is to support the original artists and give them somewhere to perform. A place for their friends, family and fans can all meet to enjoy original music. Bands assist in promoting the night by giving their fans, friends & family a free ticket to the night. On arrival to the venue they present their ticket to bar staff and in return you will receive a voucher containing some discounts from the Beach Hotel, Beaumont Street Beat and Pacific Dreams. Sounds a good deal to me. If you are a band and you are keen to play at S.O.S then send an email to me-shell@eao.com.au for further details. Coming up at S.O.S. in April, Friday 3 with A Nighttime Skyway and Of The Red Sea, then Friday 17 with Purenvy and Mad Charlie.

Splendour Dates We’re delighted to announce that this year’s instalment of Australia’s much-loved Splendour In The Grass event will take place on Saturday July 25 and Sunday July 26 in Byron Bay. Event organisers can also confirm that Splendour 2009 will be staged once again at Belongil Fields, which has been home for the past eight years. Splendour hopes to be at its new home in 2010, the festival’s 10th anniversary.

Tickets for Splendour In The Grass 2009 will go on sale in May with the first stage of the line-up to be rolled out towards the end of April.

Jump on the phone to book your accommodation and let the line-up rumours begin.

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edition 033 - Apr 09 - 13

BEN KWELLER

BACK

For many music lovers, Austin-based rock star BEN KWELLER is the undisputed prince of power pop.

A regular visitor to our shores, Kweller has released a new album that celebrates his childhood love of country music. NICK MILLIGAN spoke to the songwriter about his latest record, Changing Horses.

Where are you at the moment?

I’m in Athens, Georgia. The home of REM and The B-52’s.

You’ve taken a different musical direction on your new album, Changing Horses. What impact has your new country material had on the vibe of your live show?

It’s been really fun, because I get to play a lot of old songs that I don’t play too often.

I do more of my rootsier songs and my folk songs. The sets have been really fun because my fans are like, ‘Holy shit, you never play that song!’ All the hits are done in more of a Changing Horses style.

What can you tell me about your new song ‘Ballad Of Wendy Baker’?

Wendy was a girl that I grew up with, but she died in car crash when we were in high school. So I wrote that song. A few days after she died I was at a Chinese restaurant with some friends and my fortune cookie said, ‘No one loves till it’s gone’. I was like, ‘Holy fuck’. I went back home and I sat on my bed and wrote that song. I guess I was about fifteen. I thought about putting the song on different albums but it never worked out.

Changing Horses felt like the right album for it to live on.

I believe you did some shows in America with Australia’s most talented young folk singer, Whitley?

Yeah, Whitley and I are best friends. We did some shows over in Australia and I love his music so much and he’s such a great guy, that I invited him to America to open up my Fall tour of the States. I wanted to expose my fans to his music. I think he could do really well here in the States.

You’re a regular to Australian shores.

Is there anything about Australia that you look forward to getting back to?

Australia is like a second home to me now.

I’ve done a lot of the tourist things, so now it’s more of a comfort to be there. I think it’s more comforting than it is exciting, because I stay in the same hotels everywhere and I have friends in each town. I have my favourite places to go. I just look forward to seeing my friends and playing my new music to my fans, because my Australian fans are some of the best in the world.

Why was this the right time in your music career to make a country album?

The truth, which is boring really, is that all the songs were ready. I started working on Changing Horses back in 2004. I wrote the title ‘Changing Horses’ in my sketchbook and I had four songs at the time. I had ‘Hurtin’ You’, ‘Ballad Of Wendy Baker’, ‘Homeward Bound’ and ‘Wantin’ Her Again’. So over the years I kept writing some more. After the last album I looked in my sketch book and my list was up to 16 songs, so I decided to pick my favourite ten and make the album. I didn’t think it would get this much attention. It was just an album I’d been meaning to put out for a while. I’m always writing songs and making album lists in my sketch book. I always have around three albums that are unfinished and whichever one you finish first is the one you record.

Do you get restless when you’re not writing new material?

Yeah. I try not to force it, but it’s really important for me to always make music and create new things. That’s what’s frustrating about the music business—it’s always behind what you’re making.

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On Changing Horses there’s an anthem called ‘Fight’. Is it fun writing those sort of songs?

Well, I’ve always been one to question authority and I like to put my middle finger up to people that try to tell you to be like them. That’s probably one theme that you could pick up on that has to do with Ben Kweller. I definitely don’t conform to what everyone else is doing.

That’s something that I hope other young people can believe in as well. It’s so important to be independent.

“… I like to put my middle finger up to people that try to tell you to be like them.”

I’m always an album ahead—I’ve already written all the songs for my next album.

I can’t wait to get into the studio, but right now I have to keep touring Changing Horses. It’s always a battle, because you want your albums to be released and you want the record company to push hard and get it into stores.

What can you reveal about your next album?

You know, I shouldn’t really talk about it because it will probably change on me. All I can say is, it will be different from anything else I’ve done and I can guarantee that I’ll be the singer.

What do you think you would have thought of Changing Horses if someone had played it to you back when you were in your band Radish?

Oh, back in Radish I would have loved it! Because I was a Garth Brooks fan way before I was a Kurt Cobain fan. Kurt got me into really underground rock ‘n’ roll and punk rock. Every teenage boy in America wanted to be Kurt Cobain, so

my first bands were Nirvana rip-offs. I still loved all different music. Grunge and punk was my favourite at the time, but I still loved everything. I’ve always been very open minded, so I always appreciated country. There’s two types of music – good music or bad music. You either like something or you don’t. There’s good jazz and there’s jazz that sucks. It’s the same with classical. It’s just a personal thing.

Because Changing Horses is a different style of music, did you approach the production differently?

Not really, because I always record on tape and my engineer Steve Mazur has recorded all my albums. We always go in with the same approach and that is to record everything as pure and direct as possible, with the best microphones and output gear. When you make a record it’s always the same goal. You want it to sound as good and natural as possible.

You use different tricks though, like on this album it’s all acoustic guitars and piano.

There’s a few electric guitars, but not much. The pedal steel is electric also.

Has the song changed a lot since you wrote it?

No, actually. It’s very similar to how it’s always been. I always knew I wanted to have strings on it. I wish the strings were louder on the recording. It’s one song that me and Steve, the engineer, wish we could redo. But all in all, I love the song and it’s a special one to me.

Was it difficult to choose the first single from Changing Horses?

You know, it’s tricky to pick a single off all of my albums. Because you never know what you want your first statement to be.

For me, the whole album is a statement, so it’s hard to always pick one song to represent them all.

Has this album opened your popularity to a country audience?

The craziest thing about this album is that there’s so many new fans being made – people who have never heard of me before. They think I’m some new country singer that’s come along. It’s really exciting. CMT [Country Music Television] here in the States has been playing the ‘Fight’ video on heavy rotation.

Plans for 2009?

After Australia, I’m coming home [to Austin].

Then I head to Europe, then I head back to do the West Coast of America. It will be interesting to see how far the album goes in the country world. That’s the unknown.

But I’m in no rush. Right now we’re just going to ride the horse, man!

Kweller plays The Cambridge on April 13, 2009. Changing Horses is out now.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

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edition 033 - Apr 09 - 15

DWEE ZIL Z APPA

In the Name of the Father

In his ongoing quest to reintroduce his father’s music to a new generation, DWEEZIL ZAPPA is coming to Newcastle with Zappa Plays Zappa. Having toured the world, the musical extravaganza is recognised as the most authentic showcase of Frank Zappa’s music that one can experience, featuring numerous members of his original backing bands.

Dweezil spoke with NICK MILLIGAN about his father’s genius.

PHOTO: MICHAEL MESKER/ZAPPA FAMILY TRUST

Your 2009 tour of Australia is the second time Zappa Plays Zappa has come to Australia. Were you surprised by the success of the previous trip?

I had been told that Australian audiences can be somewhat fickle, or difficult to illicit a really strong response from. I’d been told that even by Australian artists. But I found [the crowds] to be very enthusiastic about what could have been perceived as a cover band. People arrive with their arms crossed, saying, ‘Well, show us what you’ve got.’

But by the end of it they’re very impressed and glad that you made it there to play.

Is the line-up for the upcoming tour very different to the previous?

It’s not that different. It’s the same band minus one keyboardist – we’re not going to have our lead keyboard player any more.

Steve Vai is also not with us on this trip. Ray White (Frank Zappa’s original vocalist) will be with us again. It’s the same core band.

We’ve also learned a lot of different songs since the last time we were down there.

The show changes drastically night after night. If we get a sense from the audience that they’re interested in other songs than what we have planned for that evening, then I sometimes barter with them on songs. I’ll offer a few suggestions and I’ll see what gets the best response.

One of your motives for putting together Zappa Plays Zappa was to expose a new generation to Frank’s compositions. Have you been happy with the number of young people coming to the shows?

Since we started we’ve definitely seen more young people each time out. We’ve also played a bunch of festivals where the majority is a younger audience. Later this year we’re going to be playing with Dream Theater, and not that they have an extremely young audience, but they have an audience that is probably not

16

that familiar with Frank’s music overall. Zappa Plays Zappa is for core fans, but it’s also for people who’ve never heard the music before. The reason that we make the song suggestions stems from my own memories of seeing the shows as I was growing up and being so impressed by the musicians in my father’s band. I used to think, ‘Wow, how do they remember this stuff?’ Now the audience is saying the exact same thing to us (laughs).

Frank Zappa (pictured inset) was very prolific in his life time, releasing 57 albums. He’s also had 22 released posthumously. How was he able to make so much music?

I don’t know! It’s shocking. It’s not normal for somebody to write that much music and that much great music. In general, he did it amazingly quickly. He would sometimes release five albums in one year and that’s pretty insane. But he would work 18 or 20 hour days every day of the year. When he was recording records and working with great musicians that he had trained very well, it was recorded very quickly. Even if it was really hard, they’d get through multiple tunes in a day. It would be recorded and ready to mix. Redoing a guitar track or a bass track wouldn’t fly on Frank’s schedule.

His musicians would get it right in one or two takes. There’s an energy to the records, because everyone knew what they were doing. The recordings really stand the test of time. Sonically, my dad really knew a lot about the studio and the best way to record things. It was a part of the composition and he’d use the studio like an instrument.

Everything was in its place and he was very familiar with the whole EQ spectrum and

which instruments need to go where. He would also arrange the songs so everything could be heard properly – it’s a real art.

Because Frank had so many albums, it can be quite daunting for someone who wants to get into his music.

Where do you recommend that people start?

Usually – and this is what we did with the first tour – I recommend stuff from Apostrophe (‘) and Over-Night Sensation as the starting point because I think those two records have a really great sound to them and the material on there has a good combination of rock, blues and funk, with a bit of jazz. There’s a sense of humour from time to time. But it shows when Frank was really starting to hit his stride and finding his unique voice, in terms of making statements with different instrumentation. That’s when you really hear some percussion and marimba stuff taking over. He finally found a band that could play some of his harder material.

Then you should go back to Freak Out!, Absolutely Free and We’re Only In It For The Money and you can see the difference in ten years. It makes you recognise the difference in his playing and writing overall.

Sometimes when people just hear the early albums they think, ‘Oh, these are supposed to be a weird studio records.’ [The studio] was a playground for him at the time, but a lot of that early stuff was played live, to varying degrees. But that period of the 70s – middle to late 70s – is what I grew up watching him write and work on, so it’s always been one of my favourite eras.

Many perceived Frank Zappa to be a true eccentric. Do you think he ever played up to that image?

Well, I don’t think he purposely stood out to become a public personality. People became interested in his opinion on a lot of things, but he was mostly interested in writing music. He felt that the whole

celebrity side [of his life] was not of any interest. But if he did have something that he wanted to share his view on he would tell the truth, even when it was not popular to do that. I think that gave him a reputation that made him seem dangerous to certain conservative types.

Ultimately, [Frank] operated differently from everyone else. He had his own record company and owned his own master tapes. You don’t see many other artists in that position. He didn’t have to answer to anyone. It meant that he could put out different sounded music that he was interested in, and he could release whatever he was working on at that time. If other people liked it, that was great. He was never trying to write a hit song. His music was an artistic expression for him. But [his label] was such a different business model for him. It meant that his albums didn’t have instant Platinum sales, but over the last 30 to 40 years he’s sold millions of copies of some albums.

A lot of people are familiar with Frank’s sense of humour – did that ever over-shadow his serious works?

I think that in general, a sense of humour is welcome in people’s lives. But you put it with music and people think you’re a comedy artist and don’t take you seriously.

People seem more inclined to respect someone who is really pompous and a ‘serious artiste’. If someone has a sense of humour, then they’re ‘just fuckin’ around.’

That’s where the real disservice to my dad’s career comes from. People think they know Frank’s music because they’ve only heard ‘Dancin’ Fool’ or ‘Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow’, but they don’t really have a clue about my dad’s music.

Zappa Plays Zappa hits the Newcastle Civic Theatre on Sunday April 12, 2009. Don’t miss what is guaranteed to be an amazing journey through the world of Frank Zappa.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

RODNEY CROWELL

The Houston Kid Arrives Your upcoming tour of Australia is the first time you’ve ever been here – why has it taken you so long to get here?

Well man, I’m swimming… I’m just to the south of the big island of Hawaii, so I should be there in a while (chuckles).

Frankly, I don’t like to fly that much. I’ve been invited a few times—once I welched on the whole deal, which probably made some people angry. But I’ve always wanted to go, but the time was never right. Let’s hope that I didn’t leave it too long.

You’ve been making music since the late 70s. Has your approach to songwriting changed a lot over the years?

Most of what I bring to songwriting was formed in the early 70s when I was in the lucky position to be around Guy Clarke, Townes Van Zandt and Mickey Newbury. I got to see first-hand how they went about the work. Basically those guys approached it as poets. Whether or not I ever achieve poetry is not for me to say, but I still approach it that way. Really what that means, is that if I ever catch myself trying to write a song for any other reason than what the song can be, I shut it down. In other words, if you came to me and said, ‘write a hit song for Keith Urban,’ and I have written a hit song for him, I couldn’t do it. There would be some sort of agenda in the writing. If I’m just confident and hone the craft and I get inspiration of some sort, and write it for the real reason, which is to make that song alive in the world, I’ll usually get it. All the other reasons really stand in the way of writing a good song.

Does a poetic songwriter focus on the lyrics very early in the writing?

Yeah, the lyrics need to stand on their own.

I need to be able to recite them to you without the music. You should be able to take the music away and stand in a room and recite it. If you can look them in the eye and say every word, then you’ve achieved that buoyancy that language is designed for.

Is that why your new album, Sex & Gasoline, is more stripped back? Did you want the lyrics to be right at the forefront of the music?

I wouldn’t say that my intent was to put the lyrics at the forefront, but the sensibility behind Sex & Gasoline is more the way they approach recording at [producer] Joe Henry’s place. The material on Sex & Gasoline was a darker kind of material.

Intuition played well because I called Joe to ask him to help me to do it. For me, it paid- off well. Every note that I played on the guitar and sang is live on the floor with the musicians. We didn’t do any overdubbing and we didn’t clean anything up. It was just the basic performance.

When producing my own records, I’m guilty of cleaning them up too much. It’s a nice lesson learned.

You’ve often been described as a country artist, but your music has never fitted into one genre. How do you perceive yourself these days?

Gosh, [country music] doesn’t hardly exist any more. I was down in Texas not long ago and I ran in to Willie Nelson, quite

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While RODNEY CROWELL is considered one of America’s biggest country artists, the singer, songwriter, producer and former son-in-law of the late Johnny Cash, his music always walked the boundaries of the mainstream. Crowell explains to NICK MILLIGAN why it has taken him 31 years to tour Australia for the very first time.

by accident. We had a conversation and we were listening to some music, and we agreed that country music still exists, but hardly on the airwaves. I think of myself more as a folk singer. I like the art form of country music, but it’s a good way to go into real obscurity. You stand a far better chance of trying to write more meaningful songs and presenting yourself more as a folk singer.

Do you ever go back and listen to your early material from the late 70s?

I like the songs but I don’t care much for the recordings. It’s hard for me to listen to a recording I did in 1980 and not feel, ‘man, give me those eleven songs and let me record them again, and I can show you how they really go.’ I’m a better singer, performer and record maker now. People think I’m a very harsh critic of my early work, but I wrote some good songs. For me, the songwriter arrived more fully realised than the recording artist did.

Is it true that Sex & Gasoline is mostly written from a female perspective?

Well, let me clear that up. I can’t write from a female perspective. The songs that I wrote on Sex & Gasoline are from a male perspective of someone trying to sort out what is going on with a female very close to him who is in danger of losing her life.

You have a very extensive back catalogue, but are there any songs that you could single out as being the most proud of?

‘Jewel Of The South’ is a song I’m particularly proud of. I think it’s a fine piece of writing. ‘’Til I Gain Control

Again’ is a really inspired song - maybe the writing isn’t as good as ‘Jewel Of The South’, but I think inspirationally it really captures something. ‘Ain’t Living Long Like This’ is as good a country rock song as there is—no false humility here. I’ve heard so many different bands play it, that I’ve finally had to admit that that song just works. I’m particularly fond of ‘Closer To Heaven’ on the new record, as a bit of tongue-in-cheek truth.

Do you write best when you’re on the road or do you need to be in the one place?

Best work comes in all forms. On the road sometimes. For some reason Ireland does that to me. You know, cross my fingers, I hope Australia does that to me. Sometimes I’ll go to a place where I like the culture.

I’ve got pals from Australia and my take on Australia is that it’s a pub culture and I like pub cultures because it’s really based on conversation, language and story-telling.

I generally get inspired when I’m somewhere near pub culture because the conversation is so lively and there’s so much humour. To me it’s humanity at it’s best.

Is it true you’re writing a memoir?

Yeah, there was a story that I wanted to tell.

The memoir is not at all about my music career. Maybe a paragraph about that. But it’s the story of where I grew up and all the colourful people that were around me.

Maybe that’s why I fancy pub culture so much. In Houston [Texas], there’s what we call ‘honky tonk’. The honky tonk culture is not far from pub culture.

Rodney Crowell plays the Factory Theatre, Sydney, on Wednesday April 5, 2009. His latest album, Sex & Gasoline, is out now.

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 17

AUGIE MARCH

|

TRUE LIVE

Quiet Times

Riding on a wave created by four critically acclaimed albums, Augie March are leaving the electricity at home, taking only acoustics on the road with them. KEVIN BULL spoke with guitarist ADAM DONOVAN about the forthcoming ‘On The Quiet’ tour, and the steps needed to put such a tour together.

Finding Truth

If you haven’t heard of True Live and you like a mix of hip hop, jazz and classical then it’s time you checked them out. Their first album, The Shape of It was received with great reviews. Now they have just launched their long awaited follow-up album, Found Lost. KRYSTAL RYAN chatted with vocalist RYAN ‘RHyNO’ RITCHIE. You’re about to head out for the ‘On The Quiet’ tour - acoustic instruments, intimate venues. Why is this the right time for the band to do this?

The bones of this idea were assembled on an American tour when we had to do small promo performances in radio stations and magazine offices. We grabbed some different acoustic instruments and made the most of it. It started to become quite enjoyable. I think it was almost inevitable to bring it to the stage. So the timing was always going to suit us.

Was it an easy process to prepare the songs for the tour?

It was definitely enjoyable. Some songs fell into place really quickly and others not so quickly. We basically played nearly every song from every album to find out what would and wouldn’t work. At the moment we have about 30 songs to build a set.

Given the choice, would you prefer the audience to be hard-up against the stage?

As long as they are in the room somewhere, i’m happy.

Watch Me Disappear has been out for five months now. Has this fourth album been an enjoyable ride so far?

I think the most enjoying part is playing the live show. After being together for these years the music seems to flow a little better. I guess it is the result of having been doing it together for a while.

Give me the first five words that come to mind when you think ‘Watch Me Disappear’.

Hmm… you sound like my therapist.

You worked with producer Joe Chiccarelli for Watch Me Disappear.

How was this experience?

It was a long process that was not without some dramas but I think that is unavoidable when you bring six guys into a room each wanting a turn to be heard. I think we worked well together. A lot of sweat and blood lubricated with tears and beers.

What elements did he bring to the recording process?

Joe brought a pretty solid work ethic to

18

the table. We haven’t made an album like that before. He was meticulous in the recording process, trying to push us further than we’ve gone before in order to get something out of us.

Augie March have been together for well over 10 years now. Does the youthful enthusiasm and naivety of a young band morph into something else over time?

Perhaps. I’d like to think that being in a band shields you from growing up and maturing but sadly it’s not the case. I love it when you can hear naivety in a recording. I’m trying to bottle that stuff but… you know.

What are the most important lessons you have learnt over this time?

The next time someone comes up with an idea of linking all the world’s computers that will revolutionise the music industry, I’m going to carefully consider all the options available.

Your third album Moo, You Bloody Choir brought with it critical acclaim, awards, and multiple tours of the US. Was this shift in momentum an easy situation to adjust to?

It appeared to be happening outside the band so it didn’t seem to be much of a situation to adjust to. Life goes on.

Does this sort of attention change a band?

I don’t think so. We started asking for a bigger rider. So I guess it changed our levels of inebriation.

Did it have an effect on the preparation for the recording of Watch Me Disappear?

It’s always difficult to make an album. The pressure comes from wanting to make a good album. What has happened before is out of our control. We try to approach it one album at a time. Go Swans.

What band would you love to support?

The Gorillaz in cartoon land.

Who’s your ideal support band?

Bon Jovi Augie March play the Cambridge Hotel on April 4 as part of their On The Quiet tour.

How would you describe your style of music?

That’s a really tough one! I’d say it’s kind of post modern music, particularly with the new album. It really draws from all the good things that we really like about music, from Howlin Wolf to David Bowie.

It’s kind of seventies stuff to Jay Z to Just Blazed to Charles Mingus to Miles Davis.

It’s a big blend of stuff.

There are six of you in the band.

How do you all get your ideas across for material?

Usually I come in with the chart and everyone plays their instrument. I record it and manipulate it the way I want. I suppose it comes from what I want as influences and creative wise. Also I listen to a lot of what they do and to what the other bands do. I always take that on board, use it as influence and go back and reference to them and say, “You know this is the kind of stuff I want, but you know this better than me so how do you think we could do it to get it there?” And that’s how we achieve the sounds that we want to achieve.

So can we expect you guys playing in Newcastle anytime soon?

Yeah, definitely. With our next tour we are looking forward to coming to Newcastle.

Newcastle is always one of our favourite destinations to play because it’s such an open minded musical community. They all get right into what they are listening too which is exactly what we need to make our shit work.

Do you find your audience differs from city to city?

Yeah completely, as I said you get your Newcastle cats with your dudes who are big hip hop heads digging our stuff and then you get to Melbourne where the people have a more traditional love of what True Live means. Going over to Perth we get a lot of arts festivals and we get a lot more of the higher end art crowd.

People who still want to dance and stuff but it’s just not as rough. I don’t mind it rough to be honest.

How do you handle the fame?

I don’t really. I don’t mean like fame, I

mean when you do something in the public eye. Within this band or with any of the artists I am involved in, you open yourself up for criticism and the whole Myspace, Facebook thing. There’s some crazy people out there with some crazy opinions of you, and it’s difficult. The transition for me was from being a music geek that hangs out in a room with a computer or in a band room, to being someone that gets to play in front of twelve hundred people or more, looking and waiting to hear his voice, to hear his opinions and to hear his band mates and the band that we have created together.

That is always a tough transition I suppose.

What can we expect from your latest album Found Lost?

It’s just a real bigger sound, a bigger representation of the band. It’s a lot more musical and lyrical. There is a lot more singing on it. The rapping is still there and still doing its thing, it’s just a lot bigger as a record. Its not as controlled as The Shape Of It was.

What is your favourite track?

At the moment I am listening to the song ‘Got You Back’. I wrote that like two years ago for my ex-girl and it was all about modern love and how much I have got to say on that. She did some horrible shit and it happens in a lot of relationships. I remember I was in the studio with the guy mixing it and the assistant engineer who is now my ex-fiancés husband. They are married now. The head engineer turned around and said “Look, if she doesn’t come back to you after hearing this, I don’t believe in love any more,” and I had to look over and say, “Well you have to talk to the assistant engineer because he married her.” It was quite an experience.

What’s next for True Live?

We are going to tour this album around and hopefully radio will get behind it.

Hopefully Triple J can dig it and we can make it happen. Tour around and show everyone why we are such a great live band. After that we will be back in the studio working on album number three.

To see more on True Live checkout www. myspace.com/truelive

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

THE PROTECTORS

The Great Protectors They could almost be considered babies in an industry that can take years to make and break artists, but this group of Newcastle boys are growing up fast.

PETE STALS, vocalist for The Protectors, discusses the band’s achievements with JESS HENDERSON.

Pete Stals (lead vocals/guitar), Sunny Wood (drums/backing vocals), Will Wood (bass/ backing vocals) and Willy Coleman (guitar/ backing vocals) have gone from strength to strength since forming The Protectors in early 2008.

Now, only a year on, this independent band has supported some major acts including End of Fashion, British India, Wolf & Cub and The Vasco Era and have just finished up a run of shows with Mickey Avalon.

“They’ve been going really good – it’s been a really positive response from everyone,” Stals muses.

With so many good supports under their belt, The Protectors have only had time to do a handful of their own headline shows, but hope to change this with the release of their debut EP Tarantula on April 10.

“We’ve played a few shows up and down the East Coast. We’re going to do a run of dates around the country [starting with] our Sydney launch at the Oxford Art Factory on the 11th of April,” says Stals.

The fact that The Protectors have achieved such widespread acclaim without the backing of an EP or album is testament to the energy and intensity of their live shows.

“We’ve been pretty lucky without having an EP or anything so far,” says Stals. The band doesn’t have a booking agent and record their demos in a small home studio. “I’ve got a little recording set-up at home in my

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little music room. I usually just record the songs and then show them to the guys and then we just go from there.”

‘All Systems Go’ was the demo that helped The Protectors break onto the airwaves of Triple J. “The first time we heard our music on Triple J was great. The song was recorded at home so it was a pretty big shock.

We were doing a residency at Spectrum and Triple J’s Vijay Khurana came by, liked our music and the next day played a song!”

Caroline Tran was equally impressed and soon started playing the band’s demo on Home and Hosed.

With a home studio recorded demo receiving Triple J airplay and run upon run of good supports, the next step for The Protectors was to record and release their debut EP. Producer Scott Horscroft (Silverchair, The Presets, The Sleepy Jackson), impressed by the energy of the band, agreed to come on board as producer. “We recorded our EP Tarantula at Big Jesus Burger studios in Surry Hills, Scott Horscroft’s studio. Scott is a gem, we all admire the work he has done. We all got on really well together,” says Stals.

The first song lifted from Tarantula is ‘I’m a Sister’ and it’s already receiving some Triple J airplay. It’s a fast paced, high energy song showcasing the screaming power of Stals vocals. “The guys from Purple Sneakers did a remix for the second track off the EP called ‘I’m a Sister’,” Stals advises. “We’ve also

done a video [for it].” Photographer Steve Baccon (Dave Grohl, ACDC) shot the video clip for the track which can be viewed on the band’s myspace page. The stop motion clip shows off a chaotic array of images and has already been played on Rage.

When listening to The Protectors for the first time, Stals’ powerful vocal range immediately stands out. From screaming to sweet falsetto, his ability to punch out an array of sounds and emotions using the strength of his voice is striking. Stals admits that it’s hard to look after his voice while on tour but has a few tried and tested remedies to keep it in top shape.

Firstly there’s water – and lots of it. Avoiding the after party is another good idea, but sadly not as easy as it sounds. Red wine was remedy number three and strangely enough Capilano honey also makes the list. I get the feeling remedy number three – red wine – is more conducive to the band’s image.

Having relocated to Sydney, returning to their hometown of Newcastle to launch their debut EP is something the band are really looking forward to. “We’ve played the Cambridge a couple of times but not for a while. It’s going to be good to get back there!” says Stals. “We have loads of friends in bands around Newcastle and we go see them play when we can.”

The Protectors will be launching their debut EP Tarantula at the Cambridge Hotel on April 17.

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 19

DYL AN MOR AN

Black Comedy From his roles in Black Books to Shaun Of The Dead, Irish comedian DYLAN MORAN has never been afraid to tell it like it is. With an imminent Australian tour entitled What It Is, the writer, actor and funnyman spoke to NICK MILLIGAN about falling into comedy.

If you’re familiar with the stand-up comedy of Dylan Moran, then you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Irish comedian hates coming to Australia. In his 2006 live DVD, Like, Totally…, the morose funnyman states, “Why would anyone want to go [to Australia]? It’s a ridiculous place!

Three-quarters of a mile from the surface of the sun. People audibly crackling as they walk past you on the street… It’s not supposed to be inhabited… they fling themselves into the sea, which is inhabited almost exclusively by things designed to kill you – sharks, jellyfish, swimming knives – they’re all in there…”

So is the comedian’s view of Australia really so bleak? “No,” chuckles Moran. “I hugely enjoy it. I’m very much looking forward to coming back. Australia is one of the few places, from a European point of view, where you feel a huge sense of adventure when travelling there. Even though we live in a technologically advanced age, it’s still an awfully long way away. When you journey to another world it’s enjoyable to be bounced out of your own complacent view of things, and that certainly happens in Australia.”

Moran has toured Australia many times, his cult following increasingly exponentially with the continued popularity of his TV series Black Books, in which he played the pessimistic, irritable and often drunk protagonist Bernard Black. He stepped further into the mainstream with roles in films such as Shaun Of The Dead and Run Fatboy Run. In April and May, Moran will return to sold-out audiences with his tour, What It Is.

“Nobody could act how I do on stage all the time… well, they could but they’d be in a maximum security prison.”

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“It seems to be that everything is in such flux at the moment,” says Moran, when asked about the content of his new tour, “and there’s such an awful lot going on. In this time we’re in there’s a change of administration in America, war in the Middle East and heightened awareness of the planet, along with the differing influence of individual countries. Everybody is talking about this and how it’s going to affect us.

It’s as though everyone is being prepared for a huge era of change, where Europe and America won’t be as dominant and we’ll have to live in a different way, because the world will be led by China and India.

There will be huge change, one way or the other.”

“That’s all very interesting and worth talking about, to a degree,” continues Moran, “but I find there’s only so much an individual can care about or process. What I tend to talk about [in the show] is what doesn’t change.

That’s why the show is called What It Is. You live in this or that period of history, but there are certain things you have to care about all the time. In fact, one of the big decisions you have to make is what you choose not to care about.”

Moran fell into comedy with ease. As he puts it, “Not being able to find a job or having any useful qualifications helped a great deal.” Once a week as a teenager, he would go to a local comedy club where he decided that he was capable of making a crowd laugh.

“I went to a comedy club and I was not expecting very much actually, but I was hugely impressed. I remember thinking,

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

‘I can do that,’ so I came back the next week and did it,” explains Moran.

It was very fortunate that Moran made a career in comedy, as he had not been a model student in high school. “I was very distracted and very bored,” admits Moran.

“I was essentially a huge, pulsing heap of acne at the back of the room wishing I was elsewhere.”

Didn’t any school subjects interest Moran as a teenager? “‘Escape’ was the main field that I wanted to pursue. And I did. I didn’t line myself up for the job market. I did none of the things that you’re supposed to do. I didn’t care either – I was as adolescent as it’s possible to be. I was pure hormones. [But] I don’t really regret that.”

When he was picked up for a role in the British sitcom How Do You Want Me? in 1998, Moran had his first taste of acting in front of a camera. He would go on to secure the small role of ‘Rufus The Thief’ in Notting Hill.

Just like stand-up, Moran took to TV and film like a duck to water. “It wasn’t difficult, it was quite natural. That’s not arrogant – I think it was ignorance more than anything. I didn’t know what it was I was supposed to do, so I just did what I thought was the right thing to do. I didn’t torture myself about it because I didn’t have any training. That’s probably why I was asked to do another job afterwards, because I wasn’t trying to do anything.”

“It’s like the difference between talking to your friends in a bar [and talking to strangers],” says Moran of acting to camera. “When you’re telling a story to your friends, you can be exaggerated. Your friends know you and they know the reason why you’re being exaggerated. When you’re acting to camera, which is essentially the same as doing it to someone who doesn’t know you, you have to not tell it, but show it as if it’s happening to you.”

In 2000 Moran starred his own dark comedy, Black Books, which he also co-wrote.

With comedic actors Tamsin Grieg and Bill Bailey by his side, the show quickly gained a cult following around the world, particularly in Australia.

“One of the reasons why people in Australia like Black Books must be because [Bernard] said things that other people felt they weren’t allowed to. Australian people, in my experience, are fairly direct. They will say what’s on their mind. It’s funny that people went for it so much, because Australian people strike me as being quite honest and straight up. Perhaps they want to be more honest.”

Bernard Black’s drunken, grumpy persona

is often mirrored in Moran’s stand-up comedy. Do people often assume that Moran’s real life persona is equally dark?

“I look back and Bernard Black looks very mentally ill to me. I don’t feel like that any more. I probably did at the time, from the pressure of doing a comedy show once every six months. It’s very hard to say where the line between me and the character stopped. It’s the same with the stand-up stuff.”

Indeed, it seems that the line between the real Moran and his characters is often blurred. “I sometimes behave how I am on stage. It’s a real overlap. Nobody could act how I do on stage all the time… well, they could but they’d be in a maximum security prison.”

There’s one Moran scene that many people remember and that’s the moment in Shaun Of The Dead when his character is torn limb from limb by marauding zombies.

It’s equal parts gore and sickening fun.

“That scene took hours [to shoot]. Of course, it’s odd because you’re trying to think of how you would react if that was happening to you,” chuckles Moran.

“That’s basically guess work. I have limited experience in that field. Anything like that where you have to take a leap outside what you know, is fun to do.”

Moran’s next major step into mainstream cinema was in the relatively successful David Schwimmer film Run Fatboy Run, where he was again paired with his Shaun Of The Dead co-star, Simon Pegg. But his next cinema release is an important one for the comedian. “I’ve got a film coming out in April called A Film With Me In It, which doesn’t refer to me but the other guy, Mark O’Doherty who wrote the film.

It’s very dark, very funny and it’s the film I’m the most proud to have done. We shot it with very little money over three weeks in Dublin. I want everyone to go and see it.”

Despite having done hundreds of shows around the world, its been a long time since one of his performances has gone to the dogs. “I can remember the odd time a long time ago when I was trying to find out what you can do and what you can’t do [with live comedy]. Deciding to hate an audience is a bad move. I think I probably did that once or twice as a young performer. But time goes by and you realise that you don’t want to put yourself in that position. You only do what you want to do.”

Dylan Moran’s Civic Theatre 5pm show on Saturday May 16, 2009, are selling extremely fast. His 8pm show has already sold out.

To add to our excitement about Dylan Moran’s 2009 What It Is tour, Universal Home Entertainment are offering you the chance to win one of three Dylan Moran live DVD packs. Each set contains a copy of Monster and Like, Totally… Just email editorial@reverbstreetpress.com.au to win!

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edition 033 - Apr 09 - 21

CD REVIEWS

FEATURE ALBUMS

STILL FLYIN’ Never Gonna Touch The Ground Lost And Lonesome

THE JEZABELS

The Man Is Dead EP Independent 4.5/5 There’s something strangely satisfying about a power rock ballad, complete with piano and Concrete Blonde vocals, that’s about a relationship based upon ecstasy.

Indeed, ‘Disco Biscuit Love’ opens this mightily impressive EP release from the Sydney four-piece. The vocals evoke the same melodrama and cinematic qualities of Tori Amos or Kate Bush, but furious drum parts and sparse, ebbing instrumentation make this something strikingly original.

‘OId Little Girls’ is a small masterpiece, but every track here reveals something with repeated listens. Wow. Noah Cross

4/5 Taking the buoyant and joyous indie-pop of groups like Architecture In Helsinki and MGMT, San Francisco’s Still Flyin’ sprinkle their bouncing party anthems with everything from dub and ska, to underground jazz and Motown.

Lead single ‘Good Thing It’s A Ghost Town Around Here’, is instantly catchy, but makes much more sense when heard in the context of the album.

There’s the appropriately titled instrumental ‘Act Of Jamming’, a song called ‘Dead Memory Man’ which sounds like Chicago on helium, and the ode to horror ‘Haunted Houses’. A very mixed bag, Still Flyin’ don’t really deserve to be described in words, because it won’t do them justice. Nick Milligan

GOMEZ

A New Tide ATO/Shock 4/5 Having built a cult following throughout their career, British five-piece Gomez, have been an ever-evolving beast. Always innovative and never afraid of experimentation, the group’s new album, A New Tide, summarises everything that’s so unique about their music. Still distinctly reminiscent of 70s Americana-folk, this sixth studio record is a beautifully crafted return to form. It unfolds with each listen, shifting between instantly catchy rock retreats and spacey, evocative ballads. From the hooks of ‘Very Strange’ to the crashing finale of ‘Sunset Gates’, this is indeed a new tide for Gomez. Nick Milligan

LILY ALLEN

It’s Not Me, It’s You EMI

4/5

LEADER CHEETAH

The Sunspot Letters Spunk/EMI 4/5 The first thing that strikes you about Dan Crannitch’s stinging voice is its similarity to Interpol’s Paul Banks, a very young Bernard Fanning or Figurines’ Christian Hjelm. But musically, Leader Cheetah’s shimmering guitar rock is in a world of its own. Hailing from Adelaide, the fourpiece indie-rock group have released a debut album that is arresting from the opening track. With crashing Neil Young arrangements and buzzing jangles of shiny guitar, there’s a timeless quality echoing in the production of each track. While they may be something of an unknown entity, this incredibly impressive debut will quickly bring them to international attention.

Nick Milligan

22

Let’s face it – while her songs are always catchy and singable, it’s Lily Allen’s candour that we love. She sings about sex, relationships, celebrity culture and society with refreshing realism. ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ is as ruthlessly honest as her debut album in this regard, but Allen herself has matured with age, less bent on shaming her exes and more concerned with the deeper problems of society. Infectious melodies are set to lush pop arrangements thanks to the input of Greg Kurstin (of The Bird And The Bee), who produced the album. Hugh Milligan

FEVER RAY

Fever Ray etcetc/Rabid 4/5 Fever Ray is the solo incarnation of Karin Dreijer Andersson, one half of Swedish musical duo The Knife. Her self-titled debut is drawn from vast sonic landscapes, with primal drones and hollow chants – it’s almost tribal. Equal parts minimal techno and Native American vision quest, it’s captivating due largely to Karin’s unique and penetrating voice. It has to be said that the songs are all in the same vein and the album seldom changes pace, but the music is so trance-inducing that you wouldn’t want it to. Hugh Milligan

ROYKSOPP Junior

Wall Of Sound/EMI 4/5 In this modern era of electronic music, Norway’s Röyksopp continue to keep ahead of the game. Compared to previous efforts, this third studio album is a far more sexy, pulsing and harder electronic soundscape, with the glistening, Scandinavian voices of Robyn, Lykke Li, Karin Dreijer Andersson (The Knife, Fever Ray) and Anneli Drecker (Bel Canto, a-ha) spread throughout. ‘The Girl And The Robot’ and ‘This Must Be It’ are pure ecstacy.

The duo are planning a more “introspective” follow-up record called Senior, which is tipped for release in late 2009. Röyksopp, please give us more. Nick Milligan

YEAH YEAH YEAHS It’s Blitz!

Modular/ Universal 4/5 With its pounding dance beats, electronic pulses and anthemic choruses, the third album from New York trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a very different animal to their previous releases. It’s dance music without any of the mindless connotations that accompany it – the songs feel vast and epic but still retain an indie edge and moments of beautiful musicality (‘Skeletons’ is a case in point).

Karen O proves her versatility once again, wailing and murmuring with equal intensity.

While songs like ‘Runaway’ are definite lyrical standouts, you really can’t go past the innervating power of ‘Zero’. Hugh Milligan

OF THE RED SEA

Of The Red Sea Independent 4.5/5 With soaring dynamics and slow buildups, this is a hugely impressive EP from Newcastle’s potential superstars, Of The Red Sea. It’s beautifully crafted rock, that simmers in its own ambience, rising and falling with bursts of energy. ‘We Run In The Night’ is a climactic journey and a gripping introduction to these four tracks. There’s a very Australian indie sound to the EP, which is mixed by Wayne Connolly, but there are echoes of everyone from Death Cab For Cutie to Jimmy Eat World and The Secret Machines - paricularly in the ebbs and flows of the finale, ‘By Morning’. Keep your ears peeled for the beautifully dark, electrically charged ‘Escalators’. Nick Milligan

BLACK LIPS 200 Million Thousand Speak n Spell 3.5/5

Black Lips continue to pull pages from the 60s garage history books, creating a collage that is very much their own. If The Turtles, The Animals, The Stooges and Radio Birdman formed a supergroup, then you’d be in the same ball park as this Atlanta four-piece. This fifth studio album drifts in a haze, shifting between garage-rock, candycoated Detroit punk ditties and psychedelic flourishes. Cole Alexander’s gravel voice is at odds with the music, but for Black Lips it works. Echoed, crackly production gives the tracks a vintage quality. Nice. Noah Cross

EVERMORE

Truth Of The World: Welcome To The Show Warner

3.5/5 I’m a sucker for a good concept album, so to have two to review this month (along with The Decemberists - see feature album) puts me right in seventh heaven. This is Evermore unlike you’ve heard them before, so shed all preconceptions. This daring piece of continuous music, which buzzes and crackles with sci-fi echoes, electro-pulses and voice samples, revels in the theatricality of groups like Muse, Queen and Sgt. Peppers. Focusing on themes of the media and its relationship with commercialism - and the subsequent impact on humans - Truth Of The World is nothing if not ambitious. Nick Milligan

McKISKO Glorio

el niño el niño 4/5 Helen Franzmann, Queenslander and qualified nurse, found her true calling as a musician while staying in the UK and Spain, and first adopted the alias McKisko in 2007. Now she has released her debut album, and it’s a surprisingly raw and intense experience.

Her songs are drawn from simple riffs and an almost minimalistic ambience, but possess a remarkable poignancy. Tracks like ‘How Are We’ are utterly haunting, with ghostly backing vocals and whispering string lines that give you chills. This is definitely one artist to keep an eye on in the future. Hugh Milligan

THE DEARS Missiles

SonyBMG 4/5 Arriving in the wake of every member of Montreal’s The Dears departing the band except deep-voiced singer Murray Lightburn and his wife, keyboardist Natalia Yanchak, Missiles is a far more introspective and elusive record that its glorious predecessor, Gang Of Losers. While Gang contained numerous moments of loud indie-rock, soul and blues interludes, all layered with evocative melody, Missiles requires far more work by the listener.

With lyrical references to ‘demons’ and ‘the devil’, Lightburn also takes us on a far darker journey. It’s quintessential Dears, each song unfolding with repeated listens. Noah Cross

THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE Rules Modular 4/5 Norwegian singer Erlend Øye has his fingers in a few musical pies, but are we complaining?

From his collaborations with Röyksopp (check out ‘Remind Me’), to his low-fi folk project Kings Of Convenience, Øye is a marvellous talent. In The Whitest Boy Alive, the warm, resonant timbre of his voice is like a silk sheet that’s been thrown over a mesmerising carpet of down tempo dream-pop. It’s incredibly sexy music, complete with slinking guitar parts and buzzing synths. There’s too many gems on Rules to mention - just get a copy and let it wash over you. Nick Milligan

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CD REVIEWS

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

THE DECEMBERISTS The Hazards Of Love Capitol/EMI 5/5

arrangements. In one track, dreamy, spacious folk songs themselves become thumping heavy rock songs.

Fusing fable-like storytelling with slow building folk-rock explosions, The Hazards Of Love should truly put Oregon four-piece The Decemberists on the map. If Death Cab For Cutie, Pink Floyd and Black Mountain collaborated on a rock opera, it might sound something like this.

Principal songwriter Colin Meloy shares vocal duties with My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden and Lavendar Diamond’s Becky Stark. Meloy voices the character of William (as well as a murdering knave) and Stark is the voice of his lover Margaret.

Worden plays the role of the jealous and vengeful Forest Queen. Their dueling vocals, particularly on the heavy tracks like ‘The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing’, are very reminiscent of Black Mountain - even drawing on the Vancouver band’s love of Sabbath-like guitar riffs and chilling Hammond B-3 organ.

The Hazards Of Love is one seamless piece of music, each track flowing into the next. It’s progressive structure refuses to release you from its grip from the opening ‘Prelude’ to its stirring finale, ‘The Hazards Of Love 4 (Drowned)’.

Telling the story of a woman in a relationship with a man who shapeshifts into various creatures, it’s a poetic metaphor that swirls with melodrama that’s married beautifully with a rollercoaster of

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY Small Town Stories Resist 4/5 Melbourne quartet A Death In The Family provide a contemplative, emotional and sincere offering on this, their second full length album. Laden generously with extracurricular instruments and samples, this release works powerfully as a journey from start to finish and not just 10 songs spat out at random. ‘Sinking Slowly’ is a stand out track, beginning with a slow depressive intro, accompanied by piano keys which create an eerily poignant mood. The diversity in tempo and texture on this recording prove the band has taken influences from far and wide to create a rock sound they can proudly lay claim to as their own. Nathaniel Try

STEVEN WILSON Insurgentes Shock 3/5

The album title may seem weird to some but when we’re talking Steven Wilson we come to an understanding. I believe the experience this album delivers is the sensation that Steven wanted to achieve. An album that’s heavy in certain tracks, yet mellow and acid-rock in others. A few songs are like watching a romantic movie. Each individual track is so unique that when compiled together it becomes a clever mix-up of baffling grunge guitar licks, unperturbed piano play, off-beat grooves and the impressive falsetto voice of Steven Wilson. Insurgentes is here to fascinate its listeners - to amaze any music freak.

Sean Frazer

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Meloy’s conjures radiant mythological and bard-like ditties with ease. Tracks like ‘Isn’t It A Lovely Night?’ are like a painting of two lovers rejoicing in a forest after sundown. But of course, like any good fairy tale, villains lurk in the shadows whom the heroes must overcome.

That’s why ‘The Wanting Comes In Waves’ soars into the clouds before twisting into dirty blues.

With backing vocals by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, The Hazards Of Love is nothing short of a modern classic. A completely immersive and whimsical experience, one best listened to from start to end through headphones, it’s littered with recurring motifs and gut-wrenching beauty.

Sweeping in scope, this sets a benchmark for ambition.

Nick Milligan

CHRIS ISAAK Mr Lucky Universal

3.5/5 The time is up, no longer are we waiting.

Chris Isaak has released his first album in seven years, Mr. Lucky. Lyrically, the tracks on this album post signs of a romantic heartbreak in Isaak’s life. If the song title doesn’t say enough, ‘Breaking Apart’ gets the message through with it’s opening line “Just another day without you…” The reason this album is so delicate to the ear is the fact that the band hasn’t overplayed the music.

Michelle Branch and Trisha Yearwood also feature on two of the songs, playing the part of the lost lover. This album is a passionate rock ‘n roll piece of perfection - An album worth the wait. Sean Frazer

THE SAINTS Live 2007 Shock 4.5/5

To follow up on their ripping sets at this year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties, The Saints give the faithful and newly converted this gripping document of their powers. Recorded July 17, 2007, at the Brisbane Pig City concert, it captures a band whose members had not performed live together for near 30 years. Not that you could tell; it’s tight yet shambolic, it’s still relevant, and it’s a delight to hear Chris Bailey being as irreverent as ever. From the opening horns of ‘Swing For The City’, there is purpose to the set. ‘I’m Stranded’ delivers as much attitude as it did back in 1976, and ‘Know Your Product’s’ horn blasts propel it along at a blistering pace. Kevin Bull

THE BROKEN WEST Now Or Heaven

CLASSIC ALBUMS

Merge Records

3.5/5 Although musically and lyrically this album ranks pretty highly, it is never a good sign when one cannot distinguish between the tracks as they all sound exactly the same.

However, that is not to say that the album isn’t worthy in itself. Smooth, honey-like vocals and melodic indie hooks capture the listener and create a somewhat euphoric atmosphere, completely relaxing, and driving out any unwanted feelings of stress or anxiety accumulated from a hard day’s work. This is the perfect album to chill out to. Ashleigh Gray

THIN LIZZY

Still Dangerous Shock 4/5

Back in 1978, Thin Lizzy released Live and Dangerous, a double live set that is widely considered one of the greatest live albums of all time. Unfortunately overdubs and post production were used heavily. Still Dangerous has none of this. It is raw and powerful, capturing the 1977 classic quartet of Lynott, Downey, Gorman and Robertson in their prime. ‘Jailbreak’, ‘Boys Are Back In Town’ and ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ sound as fresh as ever. If you are a fan of good, honest rock n’ roll, definitely add this to your Ipod.

Kevin Bull

SEASICK STEVE

PEARL JAM Ten (Reissue) SonyBMG 5/5 Rising from Seattle’s blossoming grunge scene and bands like Green River and Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam released this powerful debut in 1990. It did as much for the popularity of grunge rock as Nirvana’s Nevermind (which it quickly out sold). Riddled with radio hits like ‘Alive’, ‘Even Flow’, ‘Oceans’ and ‘Jeremy’, the riffs, the solos and Eddie Vedder’s tortured vocals have stood the test of time. This resissue of the album is a must-have for fans, with a bonus remastered disc that features a bevvy of unreleased songs from the Ten recording sessions. There’s the colossal rock of ‘Brother’ and ‘Just A Girl’, the live favourite ‘State Of Love and Trust’ and the grinding, swampy blues of ‘Evil Goat’. An assured classic.

Nick Milligan

I Started Out With Nothing...

Warner 4.5/5

Sixty eight year old Oakland born Bluesman Seasick Steve is the world’s Grand Daddy, playing tunes on wacky old guitars and telling stories to us, his Grand children, about his life as a hobo, a tramp and a bum. From the first listen of this album you’re captivated form start to finish. You’ll hear the years of a life well lived, not only in the stories he tells but in his worn, sincere voice. There’s songs about nothing in the soulful opener (‘Started Out With Nothin’’), songs about wine (‘Thunderbird’) and songs about “nasty little bugs called chiggers, that get on your ankles and bite you and such” (‘Chiggers’). JD

THE VERY END Vs. Life Dockyard1 3.5/5

This debut album from German thrash metal up and comers is… surprisingly entertaining, and from a rock ‘n’ roller, that’s saying something.

The guitarists need to be praised merely for keeping up with the sheer pace the drummer sets in opener ‘Flatline’. ‘Exit Plan’ somehow morphs from a thrash killer into an 80’s metal machine. ‘Sewn Eye Sleep’ is nothing short of an epic. It has peculiar but fitting sections, (think Queen gone gruff) completed by a driving riff reminiscent of Velvet Revolver. Every song has at least one bizarre, unexpected and intriguing quality, but not in a way which sounds like a slosh of idiotic time signatures, feedback and unnatural tempos. JD

BURN ONE UP Various Roadrunner 5/5

Personally speaking, this is the greatest stoner rock compilation around. Released in 1997 though Roadrunner, it is a treasure-trove for lovers of the genre. The real prize is the opening track, ’18 A.D.’ by the newly formed Queens of the Stone Age, a song that was unavailable until the recent B-Sides and Rarities release. For me, the introduction to Karma To Burn through the song ‘Ma Petit Mort’ was the highlight.

Their self-titled debut also kicks arse. The fuzzed guitar of Fu Manchu gets a showing with ‘Asphalt Rising’, and ‘Feel The Burn’ by Floodgate rattles to bottom end. It states on the cover “More than 60 minutes of cosmic sludge rock”. Believe it, this is the business.

Kevin Bull

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 23

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Got a computer? Written a song? Learn to record it so you can put it on MySpace.

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Wednesday 29 April Hamilton Station Hotel Grim Demise + Born From The Ashes + Anno Domini + Osmium Grid Lizottes, Kincumber Suzette Bennett + Mark Wilkinson + Clint Crichton + Sally Singleton Woodport Inn The Lazys

Thursday 30 April Blush Nightclub Gee Wizz w/ The Mounzers + Shouts The Motorcade + My Name for your Name Cambridge Hotel Lisa Mitchell Grand Junction Hotel Bonjah Lizottes, Kincumber The Hands Prince of Wales Hotel Mark Wells

Apr 1

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Apr 22 Brought to you by My Song Cast Apr 29 Suzette Bennett + Mark Wilkinson + Clint Crichton + Sally Singleton

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Wednesday 1 April Cambridge Hotel The Devoted Few + Veto Civic Theatre David Campbell Delany Hotel Daniel March + Marissa Saroca Enmore Theatre The Human League Hamilton Station Hotel Memorial Drive + Villian + Origin of Janken Lizottes, Kincumber The Sunpilots + Sally Singleton + Bobby Virtue Metro Theatre Elbow The Forum The Kills + Louis XIV

Thursday 2 April Chilli Lounge Juke Kartel + Town Hall Steps + One Jonathan + Origin of Janken Lizottes, Kincumber Karl Broadie + Felicity Urquat + Kim Richie + Kevin Bennett Metro Theatre M83 + The Do Prince of Wales Hotel Troy Kemp Queens Wharf Brewery Broadway Mile

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Annandale Hotel Evan Dando Catherine Hill Bay Hotel Dan Granero Gallipoli Legion Club Hot Club of Cowtown Grand Junction Hotel 8-Ball Aitken + Bird of Phoenix Movement Hamilton Station Hotel Dactlyspondee + James Wileym + Jen Buxton Lizottes, Kincumber Eugene Hideaway Bridges Prince of Wales Hotel Karma Cops + Anna Kay Queens Wharf Brewery Lisa Hunt

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Cambridge Hotel Crystal Cove Civic Theatre Eric Bibb Hamilton Station Hotel Crashin Planes + Liberation Front + No Heroes Lizottes, Kincumber Sarah Humphreys + Daniel Lee Kendall + Mike McCarthy Northern Star Hotel Marty Worrall + Jeremy Barnes

Beachcomber Hotel Holy Thursday Cambridge Hotel Grafton Primary + Pomomofo + Fictions Grand Junction Hotel DJ Jonathan Lizottes, Kincumber Diesel + Luke Koteras Manning Bar Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg Metro Theatre Ben Harper and the Relentless Seven Newcastle Panthers Jimmy Barnes Prince of Wales Hotel John Larder View Factory Birds and Belles Woodport Inn Nick Skitz

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Friday 17 April Cambridge Hotel The Protectors EP launch Chilli Lounge Requiem of the Damned Erina Leagues Club Nick and Liesl + One Jonathan Grand Junction Hotel The Tunstalls + Empire Burlesque Hamilton Station Hotel Philadelphia Grand Jury + Washington + Hungry Kids of Hungary Hunter Valley Brewery The Potbelleez Lizottes, Kincumber The Guitar Wizards w/ Dia Pritchard + Luke Koteras + Dexter Moore + Peter Toohey Metro Theatre Keane Newcastle Panthers Potbelleez + DJ Ules + DJ Peter Gunz + DJ Nick Skitz Prince of Wales Hotel Cosy Velour The Loft Dropsaw + Mark My Words + Tenth Dan + Violence + Hard Man

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Thursday 9 April

Saturday 4 April Beach Hotel The Sienna View + The Owls Brackets and Jam, Lake Munmorah Stormcellar + Tonks and Green + Racz and Waters Cambridge Hotel Augie March + Nickson Wing + Andrew Morris

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Monday 13 April

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Wednesday 22 April

Civic Theatre Zappa plays Zappa Grand Junction Hotel Austin Busch and the Good Reasons Hamilton Station Hotel The Coconut Tree (oh) + Jen Buxton Lizottes, Kincumber Diesel + Luke Koteras Premier Hotel Steve Edmonds Band Prince of Wales Hotel Grant Wolter + Empire Burlesque

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Sunday 26 April Gaelic Club Glenn Hughes Grand Junction Hotel Zoe K and the Money Shot Band Hamilton Station Hotel The Coconut Tree (oh) + Jen Buxton Kent Hotel Steve Edmonds Band Lizottes, Kincumber Old Man River Prince of Wales Hotel Fictions + Ben Fletcher

Wednesday 29 April Hamilton Station Hotel Grim Demise + Born From The Ashes + Anno Domini + Osmium Grid Lizottes, Kincumber Suzette Bennett + Mark Wilkinson + Clint Crichton + Sally Singleton Woodport Inn The Lazys

Thursday 30 April Blush Nightclub Gee Wizz w/ The Mounzers + Shouts The Motorcade + My Name for your Name Cambridge Hotel Lisa Mitchell Grand Junction Hotel Bonjah Lizottes, Kincumber The Hands Prince of Wales Hotel Mark Wells

Apr 1

Sally Singleton + Sunpilots + Bobby Virtue

Apr 8

Daniel lee Kendall + Mike McCarthy + Sarah Humphreys

Apr 22 Brought to you by My Song Cast Apr 29 Suzette Bennett + Mark Wilkinson + Clint Crichton + Sally Singleton

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L ADY SOVEREIGN

|

O N E J O N AT H A N

That’s One Jonathan, not two

Sovereign Rule Lady Sovereign launches her second album, Jigsaw, this month.

With a reputation of being unconventional, non-conformist and adamantly true to herself, she proves yet again that being successful doesn’t always involve meeting expectations.

VERONIQUE MOSELEY and ROSS BECKLEY interviewed the ‘street rat’ who rhythmically beat the odds and made the world take notice.

Refreshing, forward, animated and to the point. Make no bones about it, Lady Sovereign doesn’t mince her words. What she loves most about her musical career is ‘the ability to be me’. Fame is unlikely to compromise her beliefs—she is who she is and says it, no matter what the consequence. This quality is reflected in her music, which is fast rising in popularity in not only the UK, but in America and Australia.

From her home in London, Lady Sovereign sounds relaxed. “I enjoy Australian interviews,” she says, “you guys are all so laid back.” Asked if she’s been to Australia before, her voice lifts with some excitement. “Yeah, about two years ago, it was great. We only did a mini-tour, about four shows —not enough, but that’s all the time we had. I can’t wait to come back.”

She’s hoping to tour in September with a more extensive itinerary. “The only trouble with Australia is that it’s so bloody far away!” she says, laughing.

So how did Lady Sovereign end up in the music world? By all reports she started singing at the age of 14. That’s the public persona, but what was she doing prior to that time? A reflective pause and a giggle: “I was a street rat, just basically hanging on the streets. I hated school and loved football, wish I could have been good at playing it. I still love it, I’m a real Monday night fan. Manchester United has to be the best team in the world!” At 15 she was kicked out of school but never looked back. “I didn’t have many friends at school as I was seen by others as different. I was pretty much a loner.”

With her school uniform swapped for sneakers and tracksuits, Lady Sovereign swamped the hip hop underground clubs of east London with her own inimitable style. From MC rapper circles and pirate radio stations in the UK she eventually gathered enough original material to hit the studio to release her debut album Public Warning which contained the smash hit ‘Love Me or Hate Me’. The US embraced Lady Sovereign and her brand of music. “They virtually shut down Times Square for my album,” she said.

Much of our conversation is sprinkled with comments related to the importance of a

26

person being who they are. It’s obviously one of her central values, and the music she writes and recites mirrors her determination to defy what people think they ought to hear and see. “There are always expectations but I do my own thing. My music differs according to when I’m writing it—at times about stuff I want to get off my chest, other times it’s just seemingly pointless stuff I might be thinking and that admission goes against expectations. I don’t care, I do what feels right for me,” says Sovereign.

A strong belief in ‘what’s meant to be’ guides her through life. We ask her for an example. “Well, I got kicked out of school, not a great thing to happen. But if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be here talking to you today. My life would have taken on another direction. I’ve always had a feeling that someone is watching over me. I go with my intuition, and it’s worked for me, I was just being ‘me’ and the rest just happened.”

Lady Sovereign has certainly done exceptionally well and maintains an independence in her career unusual for someone aged just 21. Not only claiming fame as a performer/songwriter she now also owns Midget Records. In partnership with EMI Music Services, she holds all the creative reigns, crucially her A&R, marketing and promotion. “All mine,” she whispers with pride. She has every reason to be proud.

Her progress has been self driven and continues on a strong uphill climb.

Her latest CD is due for release in April.

Entitled Jigsaw, it tells her story of the last two years in a style that is all hers. This time around, as well as rapping, Lady Sovereign does something a little bit different; she sings. Inspired by a relationship breakdown, the album’s title track, ‘Jigsaw’, is personal. “I was seeing someone, it was pretty deep. I was lovedup. Then it all fucked up and I just wanted to sing about it, really. I’m not the best singer in the world but you listen to it and you definitely feel it, you know.“ She herself admits the album is somewhat unpredictable, but that’s what works for her. No set genres, no expectations.

Jigsaw is released in April through Liberation.

You may not have heard of One Jonathan, yet, but this Central Coast based band is starting their rise with the launch of their debut, self-titled EP. ANDREW CHESHAM chats with JONNY LAKE about being the inspiration for the band’s name, gravel sex on a Saturday night, and the new EP. Where does the band name, One Jonathan, come from?

That was pretty spur of the moment.

There was a write-up we had to do in the paper. We hadn’t really decided on a band name. The brothers in the band (Rob and Matt Swords, vocals and guitar, respectively) thought it was pretty funny, for some reason, that my mum still calls me Jonathan, and they thought, ‘there’s only one Jonathan in the band’ So they decided to call it One Jonathan and we just stuck to it.

How does it feel to have the band named after you?

It’s pretty cool. People comment on it being me, “oh, so you’re the Jonathan?”

It’s a good conversation starter. I get good feedback from that. It’s good to see your name on a car window sticker that may drive by, and you don’t know who they are. It’s pretty cool. I’m getting used to it.

Who are your band’s influences?

Everything from Led Zeppelin to Jimi Hendrix to Bob Marley, and Incubus, all that kind of stuff. And newer music, the Triple J scene. We really like the Triple J music. We love independent music.

Are your songs from personal experience?

They’re all written collaboratively amongst the band. Rob is always writing, on any piece of paper he’s got. At any point in time he’ll be writing words and ideas down. He takes the lyrical thing. All the melodies and the guitar work is brought together when we jam. It’s kind of informal. It’s about life, girls, surfing, all that stuff.

On your MySpace page it says that your sound is like “gravel sex on a Saturday night.” What does that mean?

Ya, I don’t know. One of the boys thought they would just throw that one in there.

That’s something that gets changed quite a bit. If someone thinks of something they want they’ll just put it in. That’s just one of those random things they put in there.

How was it making the new EP, One Jonathan?

It was great fun. We spent quite a bit of time on it in the studio at Terrigal. So it was nice and close to home. It was a nice relaxed vibe. We could spend whatever time we wanted; we weren’t stuck to a schedule. When we felt ready for each section we would work on it. We weren’t trying to bust anything out. We just spent

some time on it. We got all our mates in there a few times to come hang out. It was really nice and relaxed.

What was the biggest thing you learned from it?

I think, our timing. Recording, picking apart every section, and listening back to it individually is, I think, the best learning curve for your music; because, when you play live sometimes things get lost and you don’t actually pick up on it. I think the recording process is great, where you can pick it all apart, and sit in a relaxed environment and play your part. It brings a new light to each part of the music. You actually hear different sounds and what it should be doing.

What’s your favourite thing about playing live?

The energy really. We love live music. Live music is definitely one of our favourite things. When you got all your mates and all the other people in a big room, the sound, with all the drums and all the energy, it’s really quite exciting. Plus, it’s great fun to blow off some steam and try some new stuff.

Are you very interactive with the crowd?

Definitely, we’re very interactive. Rob, he’s a great front man. He’s always rattling away, teasing people and all that fun stuff.

He loves that interaction.

Is there anything that’s specifically ‘One Jonathan’ to do.

We like to bust out a big jam, get involved and jump around like hooligans. We try to mix it up a bit everytime we play so people don’t know what to expect.

What’s been the most unexpected thing to happen at a performance?

I think people actually knowing the songs now. When you got fresh faces at the front that you don’t necessarily know singing your songs, it’s exciting.

What are you looking forward to about the launch?

We’re looking forward to travelling with the music. We want to get on the festival vibe. We love going to festivals ourselves.

So to get in there is always a dream. So that’s what we’re looking forward to, just to travel and the lifestyle. Our next mission is to have an album and lots of airplay.

The One Jonathan EP launch is at the Erina Leagues Club, April 17, from 8pm. The One Jonathan EP is available at the launch, their shows or through MySpace.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

THE DEARS

The Dears Despite turmoil within their group, Montreal’s The Dears have released a beautiful new album called Missiles. It’s loaded with the cinematic blues-tinged rock that their fans have fallen in love with. In this candid interview, singer MURRAY LIGHTBURN chats to NICK MILLIGAN about what he went through to let Missiles see the light of day.

“I’m at a bit of a crossroads, which is why I’m at a loss for words right now,” chuckles Murray Lightburn, the singer and driving force behind Montreal’s shining stars, The Dears. We’re three quarters of the way through our interview and I can tell he is wrestling with every answer. “This era of The Dears is winding down and I’m thinking about the future with this band we’ve put together. It’s really tough, but I don’t know the answer to any of these questions. I’m just bullshitting my way through this interview.”

considered, slow-moving record, one that perhaps requires more concentration than the penetrating melodies of Gang Of Losers.

This is a candid moment between myself and Lightburn, who is always a wonderful challenge to interview. Indeed, The Dears are clearly going through a state of flux.

In the early stages of the recording of their latest album, Missiles, four members of the band walked out, leaving its only two original members, Lightburn and his wife, keyboardist Natalia Yanchak.

Creative tensions in the band led to the new record being called Missiles. “It was easier to call it Missiles, because of all the stuff going on around while making the album. There was a ‘doomed’ feeling to it.

It was intense. That stuff can be really hard to deal with, but you try to motor through and get on with it,” explains Lightburn.

Lightburn assembled a new, seven-piece band and finished what had become a tumultuous recording process. “The circumstances around making Missiles was pretty exceptional stuff and it was a really tough period. I never really worried about whether the album would get made.

The main reason why The Dears is still going is because there’s all this music to play. Dare I say, it’s just about the music,” chuckles Lightburn. “[Musically,] there were no clear ideas at all,” adds Lightburn.

“It was a bit of a free-for-all, which was definitely exciting.”

There was a change in the The Dears’ personnel just after the recording of their 2003 breakthrough album, No Cities Left. That configuration would go on to record their 2006 masterpiece Gang Of Losers. This recent change in line-up has led to Missiles being a very

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“Well, the thing is, it’s inevitable that people aren’t going to stick around forever, so you just have to roll with it.

I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve seen things change all the time and I always take it personally, but in the end I realise that there’s nothing really I can do.

That’s just how it is,” explains Lightburn.

Lightburn admits that Missiles is a large contrast to Gang Of Losers, but it’s still an accessible album. “I think things being ‘a challenge’ is subjective. It’s not completely atonal rock that we’re making.

It’s drawn-out and dense at times, but it’s challenging in the face of Britney Spears or Madonna. It’s not really that challenging.

We’re not trying to force a square peg into a round hole. The music comes in and there are days in the studio when I’m by myself and there’s five or six guys up in the grill of the music, forcing their opinions.

The result is what it is. It’s a very natural, organic process. Our career—the entire Dears entity—is a very natural, organic process. When you start out in a band, everyone is in a rush to get to the top of the charts and have millions of fans around the world. That process is not entirely organic - there’s usually someone giving it a push in that direction. The Dears have never been in a situation where we’ve had that ‘puppet master’ thing going on,” chuckles Lightburn. “We let the chips fall where they may.”

Lightburn indicates that there are no concrete plans for The Dears to tour Missiles in Australia, but expresses a desire to book a solid run of dates on our shores. With all the smoke that has emerged around the band, perhaps they’ll be drawn to our sunlight.

Missiles is out now through SonyBMG.

edition 033 - Apr 08 - 27

SNOB SCRILLA

|

WASHINGTON

The Heartbreak Kid

A quick listen to any of SNOB SCRILLA’S songs reveals that this Sydney-based hip hop artist refuses to be bound by any stereotypes. DAVID LONG chats with Sean – as his friends call him – about giving to charity, university life, and his favourite indie rock album.

The first thing Snob Scrilla wants to know is why he’s not in Reverb’s top friends on MySpace. I tell him I don’t look after the MySpace page to which he replies “you have to tell them man, I just added them as friends and they haven’t even accepted me.”

We both agree this is a little rude, though I’m sure the good folk at Reverb would be happy to fix that up (hint hint).

Snob Scrilla is originally from California, though he says that he “never really fitted in with the typical American upbringing. That meant when I got to the age of 18 I wasn’t the typical American kid and I wanted to get out of the bubble.”

This is when I discover that Sean first moved to Newcastle from the US, and that he attended the University of Newcastle to study a Bachelor of Communication. Sean asks me if I have Susan Kerrigan in any of my classes, he says “if you have her you have to tell her I said what’s up. Susan Kerrigan got me through my degree in Newcastle; she kept me in the country actually. If it

Washington’s State At just 21, WASHINGTON is renowned for her unusual mix of genres and styles, but she’s already been through a few musical phases, as she tells VERONIQUE MOSELEY and ROSS BECKLEY.

wasn’t for Susan there would be no Snob Scrilla project.” Sean realises that he’s off track and asks with a laugh, “Am I throwing you off?” He isn’t, though I am suddenly a little more self conscious of my questions considering I’m interviewing someone who has already completed the course I am currently enrolled in.

Sean has always been into hip hop since he was really young; “I think since, maybe year 6, I started writing rhymes.” But he doesn’t really agree with the hip hop tag; “I don’t know if what I do now could be called hip hop, it really crosses so many genres.

To call it Aussie hip hop would be almost blasphemous; the music I make isn’t coming from the same place as Bliss n Eso or The Hilltop Hoods you know.” Sean continues, “as far as the music I’m making now, it really evolved when I first moved to Sydney. It’s like an amalgamation of my experience of living in the States and my new experience of living in Australia.”

A lot of Snob Scrilla’s songs are infused with a strong message. I asked Sean where the ideas for the messages can come from. “A lot of it is personal experience; the rule for this project was whatever comes out in the studio that day, that’s what I’m going to do. I think it’s more about the time I was caught in.

Sometimes it’s literally what happened that day, or what I read in the newspaper

How long have you been writing songs?

Since I was about eleven. My first complete song was called ‘Fickle Heart’ and it was unbelievably shit. It sounded like the worst Avril Lavigne song you’ve ever heard with lyrics by Mark Hoppus.

Who were your earliest musical heroes, and who are they today?

I grew up watching those really old MGM movie musicals. I was obsessed with Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Ruby Keeler, Ann Miller, Judy Garland… today, they are people like Rufus Wainwright, Danny Elfman, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Stevie Nicks. I am inspired by artists who have the ability to create their own world, whether through their lyrics or their music or their stagecraft.

You studied music. Can you tell us a little about the highs and lows?

Highs were definitely the collaborative nature of being in a big building with hundreds of other young musicians. I think I learnt more from my friends than I did from the course! That’s where my love of collaborating and co-writing started. As far as lows go, it was quite difficult to sing anything other than jazz when I was there, and I found that frustrating.

Jazz, folk, indie rock… you have an unusual combination of influences.

What made you settle on your current sound?

I’m sure that everybody’s style grows and develops organically, and mine’s definitely no different. The only conscious decision I made to get into one particular style was the ‘jazz’ course at uni, but I spent most of my time there learning to compose, not really learning to sing like Ella Fitzgerald.

28

on the bus on my way to the studio you know. So it was really organic, it wasn’t poised for anything. It was just a very honest expression of my feelings at the time,” says Sean.

Snob Scrilla’s songs also contain a lot of rock elements. I asked him if he has a rock back ground. “I don’t have a rock background per se, but I do listen to a lot of rock. I listen to all kinds of stuff. My favourite band actually is Tokyo Police Club. My favourite EP/album of all time is A Lesson In Crime.

Snob Scrilla’s new video clip, ‘Houston’, features Sean himself running through the streets at night with a group of young people. They’re running from people with balaclavas on and dressed all in black, who keep catching members of the group and holding them back while explosions keep going off around them. I was curious as to what these scenes are depicting, so I asked Sean. “I’m glad you asked because I think a lot of people take it literally but it’s not. It’s basically a metaphor for the issues I’m talking about in the song. We have these social issues that are spreading, and essentially the guys with the masks are representing those issues. The people running are trying to get away from these problems with no recourse, to no avail. We need to deal with these issues, because essentially running away from it hasn’t been working.”

Snob Scrilla’s debut album, Day One, is out now through Ivy League.

What sorts of things and/or events inspire your lyrics?

The last two songs that I wrote were, one, my will in song form [it’s called ‘Underground’], for when I am dead , and the last one is called ‘Five and Ten’ – it’s about my sister, about how I was a total bitch to her when we were growing up but now I think she’s awesome. I usually write from a fairly personal place and I suppose my lyrics are quite direct. I’ve tried coding my message in more cryptic lyrics but I just end up sounding like a dickhead.

Do you feel that different things affect your writing now than when you were just starting out?

I think as I get older I’m writing about slightly more universal themes. [‘Fickle Heart’] was about some guy on a bus who stopped sitting next to me and started sitting next to some other girl… deep, so deep.

If asked to state two things about the world today that really concern you, what would they be?

Well, I really wish everybody wasn’t so disconnected from each other. I spent some time in the US last year and if you smile at someone on the subway, it’s like you’ve just spat in their face. That makes me really sad, you know, that we can be so emotionally isolated.

What is the best advice that has ever been given to you, and who said it?

Someone once said ‘just be yourself, because chances are most people won’t like you anyway,’ which is quite empowering, in a sideways kind of way.

Washington appears at The Hamilton Station Hotel on April 17.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

THE CHURCH

|

ERIC BIBB

Bibb-lical Proportions

Heralding from a worldfamous musical family, ERIC BIBB has transcended the bounds of success himself, having performed for the likes of BB King and the King of Sweden.

CHERIE MOSELEY recently had a chat about what lies ahead.

You once played 130 shows in a single year. How do you find the energy to live such a jet-set lifestyle all year around?

Well, I have a wonderful team that I work with on the road, and I also do my best to regularly practice some yoga. It’s helped me keep my stamina and energy flowing when otherwise I would have fallen in a heap.

Keeping The Faith A new album from THE CHURCH, a band that has continued to remain a creative force in Australian music is always an exciting prospect.

MARK MOLDRE was lucky enough to speak to drummer/producer/songwriter, TIM POWLES, over dinner.

With each Church album tending to sound quite different from the next, what can we expect with this new one?

The making of Untitled #23 has definitely resulted in some kind of simplicity and style that gives the album a point of difference to all that went before it. In particular it’s a shift away from the renaissance jangle of 2006’s Uninvited Like The Clouds – it has a sense of deconstruction and at the same time total purpose, but without some of the pomp and ceremony of earlier Church classics. It’s melodically original and at times almost harmonically obtuse, stark and yet lush, it doesn’t try to do everything in one go, it’s relaxed and grown up, arty but really solid.

What can we expect to hear at the shows this time round?

It’s very much a concert set from album two till album 26 (who’s counting), we’ve pulled some encore faves actually into the set – even included a song from Remote Luxury, a song the band haven’t ever played since I’ve been in it, and that’s over 16 years. We’ve included five new songs from the new album and retired a few we just couldn’t maintain enthusiasm for. It’s been a very natural and mostly democratic process – we’ll have friends onstage, too.

You were the last person to join the band, but it seems that you’re a strong creative and logistical force in the band: writing, producing, engineering, mixing, booking shows etc… would you agree?

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Yes, I was the last to join, in the early nineties actually, and yes, I’m a strong creative and logistical force in the band, all that stuff, but so are the others. Where I definitely spend more time than the others is in the production and logistical running of things – though Marty Willson-Piper has taken over in the last few years there, so I stay heavily involved on a daily basis but now focus more on helping the band achieve the sonic stuff we need to, in the studio and onstage.

The Church have managed to retain their credibility as a creative force.

Why haven’t The Church gone the way of many other Oz Bands that appeared in the 80s?

There are so many reasons for this, not all of them mine or mine to explain. But I do know that a combination of telling the ‘man’ to go jump, pride in being different from the pack. Determination to not become an outer suburban party or concept band, a continued ability to attract audiences in Europe and USA, that is, an international awareness and aspiration, a healthy inability to toe the line and be corporate when required – that’s not always planned but sometimes caused by less than healthy personal histories – living in different countries or never really having been fully embraced by the mainstream anyway. For example, people often say ‘Oh yeah, The Church— I love them, they’re a fave, I always play their stuff, yeah cool band… are they still together?’

You’ve said in the past that your childhood exposed you to the music lifestyle… how impact did this have on your decision to pursue music?

It was highly influential, without a doubt.

Without that close connection with musicians across all sorts of genres and backgrounds, and the world of performing, I wouldn’t have been so enthralled by it.

It was the closeness of working musicians, some of them legendary, that eventually made me realise that music was something I would undoubtedly enjoy doing.

Your uncle, John Lewis, was a worldfamous jazz pianist and composer.

Do you feel having such a successful uncle helped or hindered you?

My dad was more of a direct influence on myself musically. My uncle was an example of a shining musician with great style, but it really was my father’s career that inspired me most of all to pick up a guitar for myself.

I’ve noticed that you made a record with your father… what was it like working so closely with someone you grew up with?

We’ve actually done two albums together, and it was just so rewarding to work with my father and be in a position to produce him. It was very easy and comfortable to coax his best performance out of him, because I know his voice better than anyone in the world. We share such a bond, and it was a joy to be given the opportunity to work with him. There were definitely some fun moments in that recording process!

What was the best gig you ever had, and what made it so great?

It would have to be when I performed a song I’d written about BB King for BB King.

It was a televised music awards ceremony in Sweden where he was being honoured, and the King of Sweden and his family were present also. Just to be able to sing that song for him was easily one of the greatest moments in my musical career to date.

You’ve just released another album, how long did it take to record?

Well the basic tracks were recorded in Nashville, with a week of live sessions.

The tracks then took two months to be fine-tuned in Stockholm.

Have you got any memorable experiences from any recording process?

Every time I record is a great experience… but one unforgettable moment was about 12 years ago when I recorded with Pop Staples and his daughter Mavis Staples, both of whom are definitely heroes of mine.

How do you go about inspiring yourself to write your songs?

The best songs come to you when they’re ready to be received. You just have to let the universe know, and the ideas will come to you in some form or another. I mean, sometimes you’re going to sit there and go through the exercise of trying to write, and it just won’t work. The best work is never forced, it just appears. Of course, reading novels and biographies of all sorts of genres gives me ideas and inspiration also.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music?

I absolutely love to read, and love woodworking. When I’m stationary, it’s something I do as often as possible. I also do quite a bit of writing.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

I hope to still be performing for enthusiastic audiences, but also spending more time writing (in general, not just song lyrics) and teaching others about music. Maybe staying off the road a bit more, but in the end it’s what I love doing most. Basically, I guess I’ll be doing more of the same but less touring.

Is there a particular gig in Australia you’re looking forward to?

Well, I’ve been here six times, and every time I come to Australia I’ve been so happy to discover such a beautiful place with so many music lovers, who have welcomed me so emphatically.

I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Cairns and the Northern Territory this time around though, because they seem like harsher environments, away from the bustle of the city.

Eric Bibb is performing at the Civic Theatre, Newcastle, April 8, and at Lizottes, Kincumber, April 14 and 15

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 29

BEHIND CRIMSON EYES

|

MARK WILKINSON

Seeing Red New album, new tour. frontman, JOSH STUART.

SEAN FRAZER

speaks with Behind Crimson Eyes

Your self-titled album has just hit stores.

What can we expect from this album that’s going to be a bit different from your previous records?

Well to begin with this album doesn’t have any screaming, so I think that’s a bit different. Before this one we had albums that consisted of screaming and elements of heavier music. This one is a lot more melody focused. I think after our previous record being so dark and heavy; it was more of a fictional writing piece. We wanted this album to be the opposite of that last record.

Lyrically, what inspired the album?

A few tracks on there discuss relationships, because three of us at the time had break ups of fairly long term ones. Songs like ‘Fighting for our Lives’ and ‘This is Who We Are’ were songs that were based on our perception of the band and our perception of how we write music.

Is there a song on the album that has more meaning to you then others?

The song that I empathise with best is called ‘Coming Home’ – it’s about being away on tour and how hard it can be at times when even though you’re around a lot of people you can still feel lonely.

How long did you guys spend on getting the ten songs ready for recording?

We started writing way back in November of 2007. But the songs we wrote at the

end of 2007 didn’t even make it to the recording pre-production stage. So it was a good 6-8 months of writing and we went into the studio with thirteen songs, coming out of there with what we thought were our best ten. We didn’t want to just put “filler” songs in there just for the sake of making the record longer.

You guys are doing a tour kicking off on May 1. Does touring become strenuous, or is touring a home away from home for you guys?

At times it’s a difficult thing, to be away on tour. Then other times you just want to be away—it’s a weird paradox. When you’ve been away for a couple of weeks you want to be home and in your own environment, able to have a shower and sleep in your own bed. But as soon as your home for a couple of days you want to be back out on the road. You’re always kind of battling between the two. At the moment we haven’t done our own headline tour in about six months, so it’s going to be cool to get on the road again.

How many all-age shows can we expect on the May tour?

We try to do all-age shows in every city. I think we tend to have a better under-age following, but I think this new record will appeal a lot more to an over-age market. The songs are a bit more mature and we’re older but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Plenty of people would love to do what you guys are doing; touring, recording, etcetera – what advice would you give to a band starting out today?

The internet definitely played a massive part in our band in getting exposure.

You’ve got to be creative in the way you promote yourself but at the same time it still takes that hard work and dedication.

There’s no point in trying to make money off your music by selling your CDs. I think the best way is to give away your music for free, even if it costs $500 to record. Just give it away – it’s going to help your band in the long run to gain more exposure.

You’ve played some big shows such as Taste of Chaos, Big Day Out, Homebake, to name a few. What has been the highlight show for you so far?

I think our best show ever was at Yellow Road House, near Wollongong. It was in the middle of nowhere on the side of a highway.

We rocked up and it was this massive room and we said “Fuckin’ hell – how are we going to fill this?” We went and had dinner, came back and the place was chockers! It was the most surreal experience, a show that we had no expectation for ended up being one of the coolest shows we’ve ever had.

there. I played some big shows and some pretty random gigs as well. It was a good experience.”

pulled back, pensive version of this poppy track. “I always liked that song growing up.

It was a catchy pop song and I liked the melody and drive of the song. And then when I started writing music, I revisited it and listened to the lyrics. The sentiment of the song feels quite different from the way it is produced lyrically. I wanted my interpretation of it to reflect what I thought the song was trying to say lyrically.”

Behind Crimson Eyes are touring nationally.

Their new self-titled CD is out now.

The Wait Is Over While touring to promote his latest EP, Counting Down the Hours, MARK WILKINSON talks with ANDREW CHESHAM about the album, why Ireland is a great place to play and what makes for a great cover song.

In terms of flow, this wasn’t the smoothest of interviews. Two mobile phones died during the process, due to dead batteries.

Finally he had to find a pay phone.

Thankfully, Mark Wilkinson was persistent.

Each time one died he would call me back. As Wilkinson noted, after calling me for the fourth time, “it’s been a comedy of errors.” Still, we got through it and I learned more about him and his new EP. Wilkinson, originally trained in piano and cello, didn’t learn guitar until his final year at university. His room-mate taught him a few chords, and things grew from there.

“When I started to play guitar,” Wilkinson explained, “I was always more interested in playing my own songs than other versions of songs.”

Wilkinson took his compositions public through live performance and the release of his first EP, Cellophane Life —the title track was a finalist in the Australian-based New Artists 2 Radio (NA2R) competition.

Wilkinson has just released his second EP, Counting Down The Hours, produced

by Ant Winehouse. Two tracks from this album, ‘Keep Fighting’ and the title track ‘Counting Down The Hours,’ were also finalists in the NA2R competition.

Comparing the process of creating the two EPs, Wilkinson said this time “I felt like I knew what I was doing, not to say that I’m an expert, but, I knew myself better. And, working with Ant, we had a better idea of

30

how we wanted the songs to end up, and were closer with how the songs ended up sounding. We had a bit more direction.”

Wilkinson collaborated with notable producer Iestyn Polson on the track ‘His Song’. “It was an interesting experience,” Mark explained. “He liked the song and he had an idea of taking it in a different direction. I was keen to work with him and keen to see how he would have produced the song.”

In terms of the sound of Counting Down The Hours, Wilkinson was pleased with one track in particular. “I’m happy with the whole thing. But track one, ‘Keep Fighting’, pretty much sounds as I would like it to sound. I’m never one hundred per cent happy. But I think that track got the closest to what I wanted.”

The final track ended up being a happy surprise. “We recorded ‘Five Years’ as the last track and it wasn’t necessarily gonna be on the EP… it was a last minute decision to have a crack at it. We were happy with the way it sounded so that was a happy surprise.”

Last year, Wilkinson avoided the Australian winter by crossing the ocean for a tour of Europe. “I toured around in July and August of last year. We covered the big cities like London, Paris and Berlin, where I played at Popkomm. It was different.

I got to learn how the industry is over

Time away helped to mature the Sydneybased singer/songwriter. “It helps when you’re in a foreign environment. Coming back you have a little bit more confidence and a little bit more experience.”

Of all the places he played, Wilkinson was quite impressed with Ireland. “I played the most shows there and they have a vibrant scene with a lot of music going on all over the place. So being a musician it was a pretty cool place to be.”

Despite wanting to learn his own songs when he started playing guitar, Wilkinson still likes to pay homage to his musical influences. If you search YouTube for some of Wilkinson’s live performances, you’ll find his cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’. Wilkinson plays a

When asked what he felt to be important of a good cover, Wilkinson replied “I think it helps to put your own spin on it. At least approach the song with a different perspective and paint it in a different light so you’re not just doing the song the way it’s been done before.”

Mark Wilkinson will be playing at Lizotte’s on April 29. Counting Down The Hours and Cellophane Life can be purchased online from his website, markwilkinsonmusic.com, or iTunes.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

THE

TEN

COMMANDMENTS

Emerging from Seattle’s grunge scene, Pearl Jam released their seminal record Ten in 1991. Ten million copies later and a myriad of classic tracks, the legendary album has been reissued. Reverb spoke with vocalist EDDIE VEDDER, guitarists STONE GOSSARD and MIKE MCCREADY, bassist JEFF AMENT and drummer MATT CAMERON. In early 1990 the future of the Seattle rock scene appeared to be Mother Love Bone, in which Stone and Jeff wrote many of the songs. The band was fronted by the charismatic Andrew Wood and was signed to a major label. Days before the release of the band’s debut album, Apple, Wood took a heroin overdose. When Andrew died did you feel your chance was gone?

JEFF AMENT: I felt like maybe that was my one shot. I hung out with Stone a little right after Andy died. We’d go on long bike rides, sit around, have coffee and talk about anything other than being in a band together. Right around the same time Stone said that he and Mike [McCready] had been playing some new songs that he’d written and did I want to play on the demos that they were gunna cut.

When Eddie flew up to Seattle he insisted on going straight from the plane into the rehearsal studio. How did you get on?

MIKE MCCREADY: The first time Ed came to the studio he was wearing a Butthole Surfers t-shirt. He had long hair but it was shaved at the side, cut off shorts and Doc Marten boots that were fairly worn in and a tan because he was living in California. He was my size. He was short, unassuming but when he opened his mouth he had this thunderous voice and I was stoked.

The trio of Stone, Jeff and Mike quickly put together some song ideas. Matt Cameron, drummer with Soundgarden was recruited to play on the demo tapes. Eight years later he joined Pearl Jam as their full time drummer. The trio were still looking for a singer and a drummer.

STONE GOSSARD: We loved Uplift Mofo Party Plan, the Chilli Peppers’ record and the drumming on that record. Because we’d had some success in terms of getting signed, we were like OK maybe we should be bold enough to call up [drummer] Jack Irons and see what he’s doing because we heard at that time he wasn’t playing with the Chilli Peppers anymore. He was playing with Eleven, and I literally just asked him on the way out the door “if you know of any singers let us know,” so he said, “Yeah, I do. I know a guy. Crazy Eddie.”

EDDIE: Jeff and I had talked on the phone a few times so we had been establishing a relationship and Mike McCready… well I just couldn’t believe him. I’d never been around a guitar player who could play like that. Stone is a very confident player. They had a stronger foundation than any band I had ever known.

EDDIE VEDDER:

I was more familiar with Soundgarden and Mudhoney than Mother Love Bone. Maybe that was good so it didn’t come with a whole lot of weight attached to it. I played the tape at work on the midnight shift at the gas station and there was something different about it. It stood out musically though I wasn’t sure how I would fit into it but the songs stuck in my head that night. The next morning I had a surf and it was still in my head.

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I knew this was one of those moments that only come once in a band’s career. He was the missing piece. Everybody was firing on all cylinders and Ed was a guy that could lead us to the promised land. I had no idea it was gunna be as huge as it did but I knew we were good.

I remember taking the tapes home every night to a little hotel that I stayed in down the street. It was dark and rainy, typical Seattle. I just remember it sounded different but with elements of all the things I appreciated in music. It had a groove that was its own animal, which evolved in a way that I hadn’t seen or heard with other people’s songs. It had its own identity.

I was in Seattle for a week and the next Monday I was back at work but I had this tape we had recorded, evidence that something did occur. It took a couple of weeks for it to sink in and then they were saying “are you ready to rearrange your life and move up to Seattle?” Thanks to the generosity of spirit of the people like Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron… all the Soundgarden and Mudhoney guys, being welcomed into the neighbourhood went a long way to make me feel part of the whole thing.

In the early days, Ten was a slow seller and the band toured for months promoting it. During his first shows Eddie Vedder was a restrained front man. By the end he was an inspired performer. What caused that change?

MIKE: What made Ed change from being stoic and being introspective was when Chris Cornell from Soundgarden took him out drinking and gave him an idea of maybe loosening up. I don’t know what he did but after he hung out with Chris he started to open up a little bit more. Then we went on tour, we went to Europe a few times and he became this guy who would climb everywhere during the middle of the songs. I was worried every time he did it.

We were in San Diego – it was us, Nirvana and the Chilli Peppers. He jumped up on this scaffolding bar, threw his microphone cord over it, climbed up it maybe 40 feet up, while we were doing the solo for ‘Alive’. I’m thinking this guy’s gunna fall and kill himself and our career’s over.

“It had a groove that was its own animal...”

EDDIE: When we got in front of a crowd it was hard not to push things to make sure that it was gunna be a gig to remember.

Of course you should be able to do it just with chord changes and the way you deliver a song. But suddenly the Evel Knievel part of me took over and I felt the urge to push the audience to the edge and pay attention.

STONE:

Ed knows how to inhabit a song and people can see it in his eyes and they hear it in his voice and they just fall into that. I knew everything had gelled on the road where we had transcendent shows.

The next record was probably where it felt better recording wise. I saw how it could change and evolve which gave me a lot of inspiration to go “we can do ballads, we can do fast stuff, we can do slow stuff, we can do punk stuff.” To have Ed sing on anything, the way he writes lyrics and the way he approaches your material is fantastic. He hears things and once he’s onto it he’ll give you such incredible variety in terms of vocal approaches and rhythm and story. He’s so great with different points of view that it’s like going to Disneyland.

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 31

DAN GRANERO

|

THE DUKE SPIRIT

With Nothing to Lose With his ‘life is what you make it’ motto, blues musician DAN GRANERO risked it all for a passionate belief in his music. CHERIE MOSELEY discovered the risk is paying off, with a second international tour booked and the imminent release of his new album, Can’t Stand to Lose.

Do you have a network of supportive people around you? How do the significant ones help you out?

Yes, I am grateful to have a genuine network of supportive people and supportive companies. My loving family and friends are always around to offer help financially, physically and emotionally.

They also get me more Bundys when I run out! I also have awesome support from major corporations with Fender Australia being my main one. Fender are responsible for supplying me with the best guitars and amps in the world. I built my sound and style on Fender gear so it is way cool to have them support my career.

What’s the wisest thing anyone has ever said to you?

Life is what you make it.

Can you tell us a little about your first international tour. What were your most memorable moments?

I met American promoter/bassist Maury ‘Hooter’ Saslaff through my good friend and fellow bluesman, Glen Terry. Hooter asked me if I would be interested in coming to Scandinavia for a few months as he could book me for many shows and introduce me to a new market. I accepted the offer and was booked for nine weeks playing a total of 70 shows throughout Denmark, Sweden and Norway. I performed at major festivals to thousands, and small historic blues cafes with 80 people. It was a great experience and I met some great people on the road.

I met Petey Bogle, who was lined up as my drummer on tour with Hooter’s Blues Band. Petey and I became great friends, and we asked Keelie Management to book us direct in Europe this year along with Lawrence Gambale on bass.

The tour was not all as glamorous as it appeared to be, and there were some colourful moments behind the scenes.

Was there a particular moment in your life that was the catalyst for the commencement of your musical journey?

I guess when my Dad let me hold his 1976 Fender Stratocaster guitar when I was about four or five. I knew as soon as I held it in my tiny hands that I was destined to play it.

Are the themes of your lyrics based on personal experience, or the experiences of others that you know?

My lyrics are based on about 95 per cent of my own experiences, and five per cent about people close to me.

High Spirits

You’re about to launch an album, can you tell us a little about the process of recording this album?

I asked one of my long-time friends, Dave Scotland, legendary producer/engineer, to assist me in capturing and recording that ‘live sound’. I chose two of my dear friends, Michael Williams on drums and Lawrence Gambale on bass. We chose the ideal location to record—the newly empty house of Michael Williams. It had a large room with really nice acoustics. We set up the drums and the amps, dialled up our tones, then we just hit record and played the songs live. We were all having so much fun, that we ended up tracking the entire album in under six hours! What you hear on the record is what we played in that room, there are no overdubs, it is all played in one take. You can even hear the amp hum and snare rattles while I am playing in the intro of a few tracks because the amp was up so loud! It was very real.

Describe your music in three words.

Energetic, rockin’ blues.

Dan Granero plays the Catho Hill Pub on April 5, the Woodport Inn, May 1, Bayview Hotel, May 2. His album launch, May 3, is at Diggers at The Entrance.

It’s become very cool to be a fan of The Duke Spirit, but don’t let the attention of fashionistas deter you. NOAH CROSS spoke to LUKE FORD, guitarist from the British four-piece.

Where are you at the moment?

I’m standing on the steps of a really old, stone mansion in South Wales, where we’ve just come to record some demos.

We’re recording demos for the next album.

It’s a pretty weird, dilapidated place. It took us about six hours to drive from London and when we got here it was pitch black. There was a light on, the door was open, the fire was on… it’s a pretty scary place actually. It looks like the interior of every 70s slasher, horror film that you can remember—like The Shining or something.

Now we’ve just got to get some ideas together before we shit ourselves.

You recorded your second album, Neptune, at the Rancho De La Luna, where Josh Homme famously hosts his Desert Sessions project. What was that experience like? Lots of tequila?

I’d say more crystal meth. The town around Joshua Tree is full of meth-heads. On the other hand it’s an incredibly inspiring landscape. It’s a clichéd thing to say but it’s a dangerous place to live. Everything seems out to get you there; snakes, spiders, coyotes, even the plants are out to eat you with cactus fucking everywhere, you’re bound to get spiked. That’s the contrast amongst the danger, you see a lot of painters out there and outsider art in bars and cafes and sculptures in the desert. It’s just weird, especially coming from London.

There’s definitely good tequila and conversation to be had out there though.

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If you had chosen not to pursue music, is there anything else you could see yourself doing?

Over the years I tried to do the ‘normal’ things, from an air conditioning mechanic, electrician, salesman, storeman and even a guitar repairer, but I just couldn’t do it.

I always felt something was missing when I wasn’t playing music. I believe I have to play music as it is a gift and a strong part of me. I can’t imagine my life any other way.

Tell me about how The Duke Spirit formed.

I was studying English and Photography in Cheltenham, where Liela [Moss, singer] was growing up. She was doing an art course there. We met there. Cheltenham is near Bristol. It’s the West Country.

Toby [Butler, bassist] was going to college there too. We all moved to London with the idea of forming a band. We messed around for a few years with other people.

We did a seven-inch. It was an acoustic thing. We were a band called Solomon.

Necessity required that Soloman be more stripped back, but when that band came to an end we turned our focus to doing what we wanted to do, so the music became more electrified.

What was your reaction when you heard Leila’s voice for the first time?

It was quite amazing, really. I’d known her for a while in Cheltenham. I had no idea that she could sing. She had pretty strong opinions about music, so we’d get into arguments about records. We were sharing a flat and she would sing while washing the dishes, and I’d say, ‘What the fuck is that?’ It took a while to convince her to record with me, but it was immediately obvious that we could do something really great.

Neptune is available now through Etch n Sketch.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM

On The Sneak With their Poptronic tour about to dance across the length of the East Coast, Sneaky Sound System are riding high. MARIJA ZEKO caught up with ANGUS MCDONALD (Black Angus) as they finish up a whirlwind tour of the US. and it’s always a great opportunity to give your fans a little of something else.

Whilst we started out in clubs, and that’s probably where we’re most comfortable, we always have a great time at festivals.

Where did the name Sneaky Sound System originate?

Daimon and I started a night a while ago called Sneaky Sundays. As you might expect, it was on Sunday nights. Initially it was me DJ’ing and Daimon MC’ing and being the natural born ‘hype-man’ that he is, it was over the top. When we got Connie on board and started touring we needed a name and Sneaky Sound System seemed like a sensible option.

As far as making it in the big league, that’s not something we’re too concerned with. Obviously we want to be successful, we want people to hear our music, but we don’t have set targets or a list of indicators or anything like that. It’s cliché, but at the end of the day we just want to keep writing music we like and performing it to people who like it.

What was it like supporting Robbie Williams on his Close Encounters tour?

Incredible. The man is obviously an amazing performer and to tour with him was a great opportunity. That sort of chance doesn’t come along every day.

Also, he’s a great guy. We had lots of fun.

What was the recent UK tour like?

Fantastic. We’re yet to have a bad time in the UK. The shows have been great and we’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of great people along the way. You hear people bitch about how much of a drag the touring life is, but we always have fun, that’s why we’re here.

What’s it like having ‘I Love It’ as the longest (70 weeks) charting single on The Australian Aria charts?

People keep mentioning this and whilst I try not to get too caught up in it, I can’t help but be really chuffed about it. It’s a pretty special achievement, especially in the context of this country’s pop history to date.

Do you have a strong following in the UK? The UK has been really receptive to us, dare I say ‘embracing’ of us, which is great. People just seem to get what we do and where we’re coming from, so it all feels really natural and not too removed from where we started out. We’re really lucky in that regard.

What was it like being one of the headline acts at this year’s Big Day Out, and has this confirmed your ‘made it in the big league’ status?

The Big Day Out tour was a lot of fun

Where is your strongest fan base?

I would be lying if I didn’t say Australia. We started out here, did the hard yards here, grew as a band here, this is where it all happened and we’re really grateful to all the fans that have supported us along the way.

You are headlining the Poptronica tour in April—are you excited about that?

Very excited indeed, although to be honest it would be a little bit weird if we weren’t headlining it because it’s our tour.

But yeah it’s going to be especially good to go beyond the capital cities and play some shows a bit further out to the fans.

What else is going on for Sneaky Sound System in 2009?

More singles and more touring. With the singles, we’ve got some killer remixes lined up and ready to go that we’re pretty excited about. Obviously we’re proud of what we put out ourselves but hearing other people’s interpretations is always really exciting, and we’re equally excited to share it with everyone. Beyond that, there is some secret-squirrel collaboration stuff happening behind the scenes but I can’t really go into that right now.

Sneaky Sound System performs at Newcastle Panthers Friday, April 10, and the Doyalson RSL Saturday, April 11.

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edition 033 - Apr 09 - 33

GENERAL MOTORING

Let the Games Begin The war of words between Nissan and Porsche continues unabated as to which is quicker around the Nurburgring.

REVIEWED

Nissan GT-R REVIEWED BY

Peter Douglas

Warner twin-clutch, six-speed manual and an advanced version of Nissan’s ATESSA all-wheel-drive system. Beefy.

audio, heated leather sports seats for four, aluminium pedals, dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth connectivity as well as the usual power operated ancillaries.

Much to Porsche’s annoyance, Nissan seems to hold sway with its new GTR but the ‘boxheads’ will have nothing of it and will certainly throw down the gauntlet after they have the ‘right’ car.

For an additional $4000, the Premium version gains special paint, colour coated alloys and other ancillary upgrades.

Nissan’s secret weapon apart from the GTR is a whacko test pilot called Toshio Suzuki who punted the weighty Nissan around in 7min 29sec.

He was here a couple of weeks back to add some spice to the local launch of the new GT-R, delayed so we would get the ‘09 version which is quicker and faster and has more kit than the ‘08 model. It’s also more expensive than projected at a starting price of $155,800, or about $65k less than the base Porsche 911 Carrera.

Suzuki-san is a talented Japan Formula 3000 driver and is totally at home drifting and cajoling the beefy GT-R around a tight race track at extremely high speed. Hot laps with him at the wheel are a hoot.

We had a chance to complete 10 laps of the Eastern Creek race track on our own in the new GT-R. It’s a piece of work.

This sort of money buys you into the German V8 wolf pack of Mercedes’ C63AMG and BMW M3 as well as some hot VWs and Audis, not forgetting the HSV W427 and Lexus IS-F. None of the V8s would see which way the V6 GT-R went in a straight line or around corners.

Without launch control, Nissan reckons the ‘09 GT-R will put away a 0-100kph sprint in 3.3 seconds. They are dreamin’.

We’d like to see it done but have no doubt it’s possible, especially with the arsenal of go fast components under the GT-R’s stylistically challenged exterior.

First and foremost is a hand-built 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V6 of 3.8 litres with 357kW/ 588Nm output.

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The car looks good in parts particularly around the rear quarters while the front looks a bit goofy we reckon. Various materials are used throughout the body including carbon fibre, aluminium, high tensile steel and plastics.

In the old money, that’s about 480 horsepower… not quite the magic 500.

It drives all four wheels through a Borg Warner twin-clutch, automated, six-speed manual transmission and on through an advanced version of Nissan’s ATESSA allwheel-drive system to 20-inch wheels with run-flat Bridgestones.

The brakes are huge 380mm discs with six piston Brembo calipers up front and four piston units at the rear. Numerous electronic systems modulate the car’s dynamics which are selectable right up to full race mode or ultimately, everything switched off (nearly).

Paddle shift offers slick gear changes complete with a throttle ‘blip’ on the downchange to synchronise engine speed with gear speed. There’s also full auto mode for traffic taming.

A flat undertray helps GT-R achieve an aerodynamics rating of 0.27Cd. The interior has a flash Japanese look to it – all dials and red read outs.

Our track drive experience demonstrated just how quick this car can be; brutal and controlled springs instantly to mind.

Acceleration is incredible from any speed and the handling is right up there with the engine thanks to the all wheel drive and Bilstein suspension with aluminium components.

Brakes positively pop out your eyes, almost and minimal fade though a few more laps would probably have sorted ‘em out. This may be the most powerful engine Nissan has ever built but it still qualifies as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle ULEV under Japanese law and is capable of an impressive 12.4-litres/100km of 98 octane.

GT-R is built according to Nissan’s ‘midship’ formula with the engine up front and the gearbox and diff’ down the back to improve weight distribution. A composite prop shaft joins the two.

Apart from the more powerful and torquey engine, the ‘09 spec gains spring and damper changes, ABS and suspension link changes, a 74L tank and new look wheels. It will be sold through 11 Nissan High Performance Centres dotted around the country.

The GT-R in base spec weighs in at around 1750kg but plenty of that is due to all the goodies you get like a large multi-function metre in the centre of the dash, Bose

Take a number and join the queue or alternatively, get on the list for the R-spec version that will undoubtedly make its way here sooner or later. Now yer talkin’…

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

Adver tisement

On average, 1 in 4 hospitalisa tions of people aged 15 -24 happen beca use of alcohol. www.australia.gov.au/drinkingnightmare

Authorised by the Australian Government, Capital Hill, Canberra.

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edition 033 - Apr 09 - 35

travellers

TOP Beau (left) wears a Ben Sherman shirt, Lee vest, Arvust tie, Wrangler Jeans and boots by Julius Marlow.

Dan (middle) wears Industrie hoodie, Black Sabbath vintage tee, Wrangler jeans and boots by Julius Marlow. Tim wears black Nudi jeans, David Jones belt, Volcom tee, vintage leather jacket and boots

by Karadonis.

ABOVE Beau wears American Apparel tee, Lee jeans and boots by Julius Marlow. Tim (middle) wears Volcom tee, Nudi jeans and Karadonis boots.

LEFT

Dan wears The Tunstalls’ ‘Chief Tunstall’ custom tee.

LEFT Tim (left) wears Ben Sherman black and white check tee, vintage 80s pencil tie, Nudi jeans and David Jones belt. Dan (centre) wears The Tunstalls’ ‘black logo tee’, Wrangler jeans, and boots by Julius Marlow. Beau (right) wears American Apparel tee, Lee jeans and boots by Julius Marlow.

Photography by Chris Brown Thank you to The Tunstalls. Visit myspace.com/thetunstalls

LIVE REVIEWS

SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS Oasis Youth Centre Saturday February 21, 2009 to have heard this band at full potential. I believe the sound lacked in level for the first few songs, the vocals seemed drowned out by the bass, a technical error out of the bands control.

SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS

We Are Grace opened up the night with a superb R&R performance, a band that shines talent through out all members.

Slow Down Honey have produced a sound so unique to itself you would need to see it to believe it.

A very modern yet 80s rock feel springs to mind if I ever had to place these guys in a genre.

The Inheritors played third and once again placed a smile upon faces.

These guys are a very tight, catchy and fun three piece band showing signs of big things to come.

This was my first time seeing Behind Crimson Eyes, a great warm up to the headlining act.

However I would have liked

I’ve seen Something with Numbers a handful of times over the years, at this venue and at plenty of others. They braced the stage in true Something With Numbers fashion; Up-beat, heavy and dance driven. Playing songs from there latest album Engineering the Soul mixed in with a few familiar hits from previous albums, this was the “best of” set I’d been waiting to see for a while.

The set was perfectly balanced out by a few acoustic songs halfway through. Closing the night with ‘Stay With Me Bright Eyes’, Jake gave a lucky punter the chance to play the tambourine, spreading the love to their much adored all-age crowd. Being a local band, we’ve seen these guys progress to the highest levels musically. This set put in stone the maturity and excitement that these guys are all about. A stellar performance by a band I could watch over and over again.

Review by Sean Frazer Images by Kieth Abigail

SOUNDWAVE Eastern Creek, Sydney Sunday February 22, 2009

EVERGREEN TERRACE

Bringing most of the best heavy bands in the world to our shores, this, the third year of Soundwave had the biggest and best lineup yet. An unheard of 55 international acts says it all, and despite the 2 hour entrance line that again made many people miss the first few bands, the bands more than made up for it. Less the Jake and Goldfinger brought the ska beats early on, while the mainstage acts entertained the hair and makeup crowd in the afternoon.

Mathcore heavyweights Dillinger Escape Plan presented their blistering tempo changes and non linear tunes, while on the hardcore stage, Evergreen Terrace and Poison the Well whipped most of the crowd into kung-fu dancing and circle work.

Later out on the far stages, serious heavy shit was delivered by Unearth, In Flames, and Lamb of God who delivered ripping sets. While Horse

Headliners Alice in Chains had most of the 30k+ crowd in awe. New singer William Duvall was channeling the spirit of Layne Stanley and had an amazing sound and presence. But the real star of the show, guitarist Jerry Cantrell left many mouths on the ground. His massive wall of sound and spot on wailing guitar solos brought back many memories of the legendary grunge sound that they were famous for.

Massive hits like ‘Rooster’ and ‘Down in a Hole’ impressed many, finishing their amazing set with ‘Would?’

AFRO MOSES The Basement, Sydney Friday February 27, 2009

JOSH PYKE Bar On The Hill Thursday February 26, 2009

JOSH PYKE

To open the night Jackson McLaren, a solo acoustic guitarist and Josh Pyke’s brother, began to set the mood as the crowd arrived.

Following was Cloud Control, a band hailing from the Blue Mountains.

An energetic band that really began to rev the crowd up in anticipation for Josh Pyke through their energy to dance and move with the music they were performing.

By the end Josh had played 21 songs; it was a great gig to be apart of and to witness. Josh was very receptive to the audience and interacted with them regularly but didn’t over-do it. It felt so easy to simply stand, listen and be taken away by the songs. The violinist in the band grew up in Newcastle, and even went to the Uni. Playing for his home town was clearly fun for him.

Energy rippled through the crowd as Josh made his way on stage and began the chords of ‘Chimney’s Afire’.

We were instantly drawn in and singing along to the words we knew. Many members of the crowd were taking photos of the folk singer in the first few songs, so Josh provided them with a good photo moment; he climbed up onto a speaker and the cameras went crazy. The favourites were ‘Lighthouse Song’, ‘Memories and Dust’ and ‘Make you Happy’.

The final song ‘Middle of the Hill’ had its name chanted before the band had started to play, and again, as Josh played his first few chords the energy exploded and the crowd sung every word.

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the Band grated my ears and distracted from the heaviest lady in rock and her band Lacuna Coil, who brought a touch of beauty to the hardness.

Back to the main stage for the highly anticipated headlines. Pensylvanian “Crud Boys” Bloodhound Gang were an amusing and entertaining blend of hip hop delivery and potty mouth rawk.

A very successful night for both Josh and his supports. Everyone enjoyed themselves and all seemed to be fans.

Review by Courtney Fitzsimmons Images by Robyn Moore

LACUNA COIL

Always at the forefront of stage and lighting design, NIN played in their words, a set of songs they like playing. Still including crowd favourites like ‘Wish’, ‘Head like a Hole’, ‘March of the Pigs’ and the tear jerkers ‘Hurt’ and ‘Something I Can Never Have’, their stage shows will be greatly missed.

Review and Images by Kieran Ferguson NINE INCH NAILS

ALICE IN CHAINS

OF MONTREAL Manning Bar, Sydney Tuesday March 3, 2009

AFRO MOSES

Are you ready to dance? Are you ready to sing? Are you ready to go to Africa?

These were the questions put to the sold out crowd at The Basement and with a resounding yes, Afro Moses and his 14 piece band, Moses O’Jah took to the stage.

The band’s appearance made a strong statement. Dressed in black cloaks and wearing white masks that read Black? White? Young? Old? Beautiful? Ugly? Rich? Poor?

Human Love, while Afro was cloaked in white and wearing angel wings, the message of unity and equality was intense.

Afro is a born showman.

From the moment he walks on stage he performs with such energy and passion.

Every song has a message and his band creates a beat that commands you to dance.

From the brass section, keyboards, drummers, singers and guitar players, each member of the

ALICE IN CHAINS

band bought something special, and the addition of traditional voodoo dancers bought the energy in the room to great heights which kept the crowd dancing for the entire three hour set.

Highlights included the high energy ‘Highlife Karneval’, the powerful ‘No Victims’ as well as the uplifting ‘Fly Like a Butterfly’. The set wrapped up with an absolutely electric cover of Bob Marley’s ‘Sun is Shining’ which had the entire crowd jumping.

It is not often you get to experience a performance such as Afro’s, where you are left feeling not only entertained, but deeply inspired, and connected to your fellow man.

Review and Images by Chrissy Kavalieros

OF MONTREAL

I’m always in a good mood when there’s a gig at The Manning Bar. It shies away from mainstream acts, is a good place to mingle and has a relaxed ambience.

This was a great setting for New Zealand act Ruby Suns to play a great number of songs from their latest album Sea Lion.

The indie/pop vibe had a definite folk, spiritual feel to it that got the hips swaying.

Songs such as ‘Oh Mojave’ and ‘Kenya Dig It’ worked well on the audience as singer Ryan McPhun sang with lots of love, further illustrated on ‘Tane Mahuta’ and ‘Don’t Touch The Dusty Fruit’.

Lights out, stage black and before too long Of Montreal, ignited the vibe with their indie, electro mojo. Eccentric singer Kevin Barnes commanded attention with his flamboyant “Look at me” guise as he sang “We were born the mutants with leafing” and for the

remainder of the night the music was a mix of soft/ slow and pandemonium onslaught with very little room for a breather. It was a great combination to keep one on their toes, as the crowd immersed themselves into the performance and cheered on the band they had come to see.

The theatrics were rife as they let loose some strange characters such as a gigantic golden Buddha that added to the odd yet wonderful kaleidoscope of imagery that is seldom seen these days. Lots of fun was had via interaction, a few laughs and a host of funky numbers such as ‘The Sunlandic Twins’, ‘She’s A Rejector’ and ‘Gronlandic Edit’. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but a great band to see nevertheless.

Review by Marija Zeko Images by Michelle Ho

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

LIVE REVIEWS

BLACK MOUNTAIN Annandale Hotel, Sydney Thursday March 5, 2009

BIRDS OF TOKYO Panthers, Newcastle Friday March 6, 2009 Ian Kenny (vocals,) and Anthony Jackson (bass) were moving around together with their instruments, and just having a rocking good time. Adam Weston (drummer) was elevated on stage and had a powerful involvement.

of quiet, humble people.

Matt Camirand picked up his guitar, his long beard in tow. The band launched into ‘Tyrants’ from their recent Into The Future record. There were people around me that had clearly been to the previous night’s performance - Black Mountain t-shirts everywhere.

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Just like Newcastle University’s Big O extravaganza, Black Mountain’s two nights at the Annandale was an example of a colossal band playing in a shoebox.

Luckily for the group’s cult following in Sydney, it was a chance to get up close and personal with the world’s leading purveyors of 70s influenced progressive rock.

The Wahas opened proceedings with their pseudo-Strokes, retro shambles, which draws from shoegaze and garage rock. Their ‘I don’t give a fuck attitiude’ and duel vocalists made them surprisingly entertaining and the songs weren’t half bad either.

Black Mountain took to the stage, clearly a group

The group were fairly restrained on stage, even in the ‘rock-out’ moments, but the slow-building intensity of the songs were hypnotic - and very loud.

Female vocalist Amber Webber was understated and surprisingly gorgeous as she stood in the middle of the stage, surrounded by the shaggy, uncouth members of the Vancouver rock group. Her penetrating vocals were tortured and powerful.

The set list included ‘Angels’, ‘Wucan’, ‘Queens Will Play’, ‘Stormy High’ and ‘Evil Ways’ from Into The Future, and ‘Druganaut’ and ‘Heart Of Snow’ from their debut, self-titled record. There were also some seemingly new songs called ‘13 Walls’ and ‘Shelter’. It’s only a matter of time before Black Mountain fill arenas.

Review by Nick Milligan Images By Kevin Bull

THE TUNSTALLS Cambridge Hotel Saturday March 7, 2009

THE TUNSTALLS

As I arrived for the beginning of The Deposits set, the atmosphere and a good crowd was growing in The Glass House at the Cambridge.

On came the blues/garage band The Tunstalls and opened the set with ‘What Your Doing Now’, which was a good song to start with, but the quality of the sound was not as impressive as I had hoped for. The crowd appeared restless but were enjoying themselves. Throughout some of the songs played over the night, the lead singer Dan Shakespeare played the harmonica which added an interesting flare to the sound.

I didn’t have much interest through the first half a dozen songs, they didn’t captivate me, but then ‘Get

THE BIG O Bar On The Hill Friday March 6, 2009

BIRDS OF TOKYO

Birds Of Tokyo stand out as a band that have moved forward insanely fast and grabbed my attention powerfully with the blink of an eye. With Universes, the bands second album, a more moody and complex collection released only nine months ago, Birds of Tokyo have achieved the kind of status that usually takes years.

Those who had never seen them live were blown away by their enthusiastic show.

The lighting on stage was fantastic, but the sound at times was chaotic, and muffled Adam Spark’s (guitarist) outstanding solos.

The start of the performance saw all four band members getting into their music like there was no tomorrow. Sparks,

When Kenny picked up an acoustic guitar and sang ‘Bakers Son,’ I was floored.

One of the more melodic pieces on Universes, this song and its passionate performance struck a chord with everyone there. The thing I loved most about Birds live was their connection with the audience and their obvious enjoyment throughout the concert. ‘Broken Bones’ saw the crowd go crazy, and over a sea of hands I saw all the band members smiling and really loving what they saw in all of us… which, when I see a band is exactly what I want to experience.

They encored with ‘Silhouettic’, which only added to the crowd’s vigour and as we all busted out into the quiet foyer of the club, we gave the local pokie punters a fright. The Birds of Tokyo energy was still pumping strong.

Review by Liana McDonald Images by Courtney Fitzsimmons

Their sound reminded me of the real classic 70’s era guitar style that you hear in many of the greatest artists. Along with the guitar, I enjoyed watching the drummer; he was full of energy through every song and really got into the performance. The bass was a little loud and appeared to sound slightly distorted, so it affected the overall feel of the music.

Overall though, it was a good show. Everything really picked up in the middle of the performance and from then it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Review and Images by Courtney Fitzsimmons

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As The Music launch into ‘The People’ it becomes clear that this night of music won’t be repeated in Newcastle for a long time.

As one of England’s most anthemtic rock bands, The Music’s primal beats are designed to knock down stadiums, let alone small university bars. It was to the credit of the builders and designers of The Bar On The Hill that the structure did not indeed collapse.

The event was kicked off

by Bluejuice, Yves Klein Blue and Cassette Kids, each warming up the crowd in equal parts.

Ben Lee arrived to an intimate crowd on the outside stage at BOTH. His many hits (‘Cigarettes Will Kill You’, ‘Catch My Disease’, ‘We’re All In This Together’) were

Lungs are regular visitors to this neck of the woods.

In their short existence the Sydney based trio have already released two EP’s and one full length album. Tonight’s offering delivered a guitar heavy set, void of boring clichés, inclusive of catchy hooks and crunching changes demonstrating their musical competence.

Like...Alaska pulled a large portion of the crowd for the night. This Newcastle based five piece entertain with appealing sing-a-long type folk rock.

Vocal duties are pooled amongst three singers to

The aforementioned Music stole the show, with their world renowned live show.

Massive riffs, even larger beats and Robert Harvey’s towering vocals. A class act.

Review by Nick Milligan Images by Sean Roche

CHILDREN COLLIDE

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

Newcastle punk pranksters Wiseheimer amused the early birds with some melodic tunes along the lines of Strung Out or Lagwagon. These guys have been bringing the party for over ten years, so if you think you haven’t seen them, you probably have and were too drunk to remember.

Scotland’s The Fratellis opened with their ball-busting rock tune ‘Flathead’, before launching into a high-energy set. The crowd danced and went wild. As you would expect, ‘Chelsea Dagger’ had the audience singing at the top of their lungs. Definitely a rock band you need to see.

THE O BALL Bar On The Hill Friday March 13, 2009

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY Cambridge Hotel Friday March 13, 2009

Along Song’ started. The intro to this song grabbed me and in the end I really enjoyed myself. From here, the music stepped up a notch. ‘Welcome Lion’, ‘Drifterman’, and ‘When I Was Young’ followed, all having that same sound; a little heavier rock than the earlier songs. I was charmed.

THE MUSIC

accompanied by tracks from his joyous, yet mediocre new album The Rebirth Of Venus. The highlight of his set was an acoustic rendition of ‘Ben Lee’ by The Ataris, which is one of the most scathing ‘diss-songs’ every written about an artist. Even Ben Lee haters would have to admit, that there was something satisfying about Lee’s rendition of the song, robbing it of it’s wicked intent.

create a rich layered sound, backed up by some often neglected instruments such as slide guitar and keyboard. Crowd favourites included ‘Scorn’ and ‘1,2,3’.

Melbourne quartet A Death In The Family’s latest release Small Town Stories, coupled with a remarkable live show has well deservedly placed them at the forefront of Australia’s punk rock scene.

Sure, they haven’t altered their approach a great deal since their debut full length This Microscopic War, but this time ADITF appeared more refined and comfortable than ever before.

The audience embraced the tracks ‘Sinking Slowly’, ‘Vodka & Balconies’ and ‘Familiar Strangers’ If you spent your Friday the 13th being gloomy and gruesome, you missed out!

Review by Nathaniel Try Images by Jim Graham

Newcastle was the place to be on Friday 13th, for another year of The O’Ball at Bar on the Hill, Newcastle University. This year’s line up was a mix of some of the best bands on the local scene who ensured a sold out concert.

The ambience was red hot as many happy go lucky folk let their hair down, wore something black and ultimately gave a big cheer for the bands to perform.

The heavies for the night Children Collide, Dukes of Windsor and British India were worth the wait as the night went up a notch. British India toured on the back of their newly released single ‘God Is Dead’ as the indie outfit churned ‘I Said I’m Sorry’ among other notable songs like ‘Black and White Radio’ that kept the night long gig going.

to the night. Another band touring for the month, the 3 piece were all too happy to unleash ‘Social Currency’ to a rapturous applause coupled with an energetic performance.

But nothing could be taken away from the mighty Dukes of Windsor who held their own with their fusion of pop, rock and melody. They are always a pleasure to see and this time was no exception as they churned out a hearty performance with their biggies ‘No Disguise, ‘Runaway’ and ‘It’s a War’.

A great performance full of verve that complemented other acts very well.

This is definitely a gig that needs to be circled on the calendar annually.

Review By Marija Zeko Images By Robyn Moore

Not taking anything away from Children Collide, they were well equipped to release their contribution

edition 033 - Apr 09 - 39

LIVE REVIEWS

BLUE MOUNTAIN FOLK FESTIVAL Katoomba March 13 - 15, 2009

LIOR Lizottes Sunday March 15, 2009

PAUL KELLY

Katoomba is one of the East Coast’s most spectacular areas to visit. It has a depth of culture and colour that can be breath taking, so when you add in a wonderfully diverse event such as the Blue Mountain Folk Festival, your adding an extra layer of culture and colour that already exists in Katoomba in plentiful supply.

The Blue Mountains Folk Festival also boasts a diverse blend of international guests on the bill right along side some of the best talent that Australia has to offer.

There are household names such as Paul Kelly and Chris Wilson, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter.

If you consider a good handful of stand alone stage and marquee setups with added venue stages including the likes of the beautiful Carrington and the Katoomba RSL club, the diversity of venues is as varied and interesting as the many performers.

Such a wonderful array of places to be. As a matter of fact, the hardest part of a weekend at the festival, is trying to juggle times and places to fit in as much of the experience as possible.

The list of international performers is endless, from brilliant bands such as Shooglenifty, a six piece band from Scotland weilding there own brand of folk rock, and Preston Reed from the USA who conjures magic from his humble guitar.

The last time CW Stoneking played in Newcastle was on a Sunday night two years ago at the Lass O’Gowrie.

Since then his popularity has soared, so it was no surprise that he was able to fill the Cambridge on a Thursday night.

Opening the show was US solo artist Mamie Minch who played to a strong crowd and easily won over the CW Stoneking faithful. Minch plays an old time blend of blues, country and bluegrass on steel guitar whilst belting out humorous tales with her powerful voice. She had the crowd entranced with moving ballads like ‘Fortified Wine Widow’ and heads were nodding in unison to the footstomping ‘Razorburn Blues’. Her fan base here is set to grow immensely on the back of this tour.

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LIOR

Catching Lior in such an intimate setting as Lizottes is just perfect. His take on the indie acoustic ballad, coupled with his angelic voice found a welcoming audience within this venue’s walls.

THE BAKERY

SHOOGLENIFTY

I have to confess, for all the great bands and artist from all corners of the globe, my personal favourite was the Sydney band The Bakery.

Absolute energy and fun in a crazy funk filled hour left me wanting more. All in all, it was a wonderful event in a beautiful town. See you all there next year.

Next up was CW Stoneking and his Primitive Horn Orchestra.

As he walked onto the stage his fan’s faces lit up and their attention did not sway for the duration of the show. Stoneking and his band have a knack of transporting you to a lost time in a far away land with their authentic style of pre-war blues laced with Dixieland jazz, calypso and bluegrass.

The whole show was amazing but it was the bigger numbers like ‘Brave Son of America’ and ‘The Love Me or Die’ where the band were in full swing that really stood out and even had people dancing in the smoking area outside. Quieter tunes like the Hank Williams influenced ‘Talkin’ Lion Blues’ were also impressive and the couple of songs where he was joined by his wife Kristy on vocals were pure magic.

Judging by the smiles on the punters faces at the end of the show, I seriously doubt anyone left this show disappointed.

It was a very memorable performance from an amazingly talented musician.

Review and Images by Mark Snelson

Playing the first of two sell-out shows here at Lizottes speaks loudly regarding Lior’s place within the Australian music scene, as did the applause and cheers as he walked on stage armed with his acoustic.

The strength of Lior’s work is clear when it is noted that there are only two studio albums to draw from, and there was never a dull moment during the night.

Review and Images by Terry Paull

CW STONEKING Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Thursday March 19, 2009

CW STONEKING

PUGSLEY BUZZARD

‘I’ll Forget You’ had a lifting quality with gorgeous harmonies. It really soared

Wilson and the Will Drummond (bass) contributed to British India’s distinct imperfect and raw sound, and the Matt O’Gorman (drums) hit hard beats that got the crowd rocking all around me.

British India, a unique and well known Melbournian band took to the stage tonight at the club closest to my house, so I was stoked! The small area at the Entrance Leagues Club was packed with so many locals and friends it felt a great casual night out at the pub.

When Nic Wilson (guitarist) walked out in a pair of big comfy socks and Declan Melia (vocals) strolled out nonchalantly, everyone cheered and it filled the entire space with excitement and anticipation. I was right up the front in the thick of it, soaking up the sweaty and pulsating mosh pit vibe that I’ve experienced before at festivals in front of the same band, but never expected to find at my local club.

It was a night where your favourite song was delivered with beauty, and those which you may not be that familiar with, were complete and welcomed surprises.

‘This Old Love’ showed a tenderness that is always not far away. In this setting of stripped acoustic though, tenderness was always at your fingertips.

A thoroughly enjoyable gig, one that I am sure this sold out crowd will remember for a long time.

Review and Images by Kevin Bull

KINGS OF LEON Newcastle Entertainment Centre Sunday March 22, 2009

BRITISH INDIA Entrance Leagues Club Thursday March 19, 2009

BRITISH INDIA

and was one of the many highlights of the night.

The quality in Lior’s voice was on show with ‘Heal Me’, hitting notes with incredible ease.

They started out creating a feeling of nostalgia with old tunes from Guillotine, an album released years ago. I was personally transported back to Homebake in 2006 where I first discovered British India’s clangy, grungy sound and Melia’s addictive wailing vocals.

The people rocking it out in the mosh pit felt the oomph of ‘Tie up my hands’, and ‘Run the Red Light’, two meaty tracks from Guillotine. ‘Said I’m Sorry’, a song from their newer album, Thieves was my most memorable part of their performance.

Their energetic delivery and the fact that everyone knew this tune, had the place singing jumping and cheering from top to bottom, back to front.

Great band...bad sound (sorry Entrance Leagues...

I’ll still come in for a beer).

Review by Liana McDonald Images by Sean Roche

KINGS OF LEON

Before the days of ‘Sex On Fire’, Kings Of Leon were a raw, ball-tearing live rock band, and you know what?

They still are.

Opening with ‘Crawl’, from their much heralded, commercial breakthrough Only By The Night, the final night of their massive Australian areana tour was a showcase of early material. They quickly slinked into ‘Taper Jean Girl’ and ‘My Party’, then ‘Red Morning Light’, ‘Four Kicks’, ‘Wasted Time’, ‘Molly’s Chambers’, ‘California Waiting’, ‘The Bucket’, ‘Knocked Up’ and the haunting ‘Milk’.

It was surprising to see the crowd’s recognition of tracks that aren’t on Only

By The Night, as so much has been made of the ‘new fans’ that have discovered KOL on commercial radio.

Indeed, ‘Sex On Fire’ arrived three quarters of the way into the set and there was a rapturous response. Hands went in the air and the crowd

screamed every note. Yeah, it’s a big pop song, but it’s undeniably anthemic.

‘On Call’, ‘Fans’ and ‘Use Somebody’ sounded gigantic, the band wearing their ‘rock star’ tag with obvious comfort. Singer Caleb Followill was a man of few words, but this has always been the case.

Swooning girls were not hard to find, so why waste time on stage banter?

The encore contained the maniacal ‘Charmer’, which was followed by a brand new, slow-burning, Southern blues number which fans have dubbed ‘Ain’t Gonna Sell My Soul To The Devil’. With ‘Black Fingernail’ as the curtain closer, this was a hardworking, world class rock band at their very best.

Review by Nick Milligan Images by Kevin Bull

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LIVE REVIEWS

SOUND RELIEF Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Saturday March 14, 2009

FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL Randwick Racecourse, Sydney Saturday February 28, 2009

BARRY GIBB AND OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN

N*E*R*D

Future Music is a massive day out and has quickly become a prominent fixture on Australia’s festival circuit.

Compared to other events of this magnitude, queues for bars and toilets were brief.

In contrast, getting anywhere near the aptly titled ‘Future Music’ stage was near impossible. It seemed too small an area to house some of the main acts, like N*E*R*D, Paul Oakenfold and Basement Jaxx. As much as I wanted to see these headliners, I found it physically impossible to get close enough or hear anything worthwhile.

The biggest capacity stage seemed to be ‘The Grand Stand’, which hosted CSS, Grandmaster Flash, Mr Oizo and Joachim Garraud. Earlier in the day we caught The Herd, who were out to represent Aussie hip hop.

BASEMENT JAXX

The majority of the Future Music crowd consisted of your typical shirtless body-builder guys followed by their bimbo girlfriends. But there was also the regular festival-heads who were just out for a good time.

GRANDMASTER FLASH

If you got to the ‘Future Music’ stage early, you would have caught Hook N Sling, who got the crowd pumped with the Sebastien Leger remix of Marilyn Manson’s ‘Beautiful People’. Beats don’t come much phatter than that.

Tocadisco really put on a show and their interaction with the crowd was exceptional, keeping you in suspense with massive build ups and insane baselines. It was ultimate party music.

The Aston Shuffle always stand out with their summer festival anthems. So chunky you can carve it. As you looked around the crowd you could see that everyone was loving it.

They were thinking, “Fuckin’ woomp yeah.”

In the space of a few short weeks, the music industry and punters have come together in support of the Victorian bushfire and Queensland flood victims. The result, Sound Relief.

With a big crowd having arrived early, Coldplay opening the day to an enormous roar as they launched in ‘Yellow’. On cue, the mandatory yellow balloons full of confetti bounced and burst over the crowd.

The highlight of the set, if not the day was the John Farnham joining Coldplay for ‘You’re The Voice’. It was fantastic to see Farnham on stage again.

The new look Wolfmother followed and it unfortunately felt like a “by the numbers” performance. There was little excitement being exhibited on stage by Andrew Stockdale.

Everyone seems to love Josh Pyke. Big reception as he walked onstage, and to each of the songs he delivered.

I did feel though that it was difficult to fill such a big arena with his sweet acoustics.

JET

Marcia Hines took the stage like royalty. Only a single song delivered but I could have taken a whole set. Beautiful to look at, and joy to the ears.

Following a deadset diva, the 19 year old starlet by the name Taylor Swift gave us blonde hair, cheesecake smile, and moves straight out of “Performance 101”. Great to what and photograph, but a bit too calculated.

MARCIA HINES

Jet, like Wolfmother appeared rather flipant.

You get the feeling that they are getting sick of living off ‘Are You Gonna be My Girl’.

The Presets are THE Australian band at the moment. The return of the rain midway through their set did nothing to dampen the frenzied crowd.

All in all, Future Music stands as Australia’s premiere electronic festival - you can understand why it pulls such a massive crowd.

It can only get bigger.

With fond memories of the band during my youth, Icehouse were a major reason for Review By Greg Smee me being here. Terribly strong performance Images By Lakshal Perera from a band that had not played together for over 15 years. Quite fitting that their final song ‘Great Southern Land’ is such an Aussie icon.

Two Australian music legends closed the night. Barry Gibb and Olivia Newton-John gave a warm and affectionate set, with Gibb swinging the hips during ‘Jive Talkin’’, and holding Olivia during ‘Islands In The Stream’.

To catch these two Aussie icons on stage together was something I could not have imagined.

CSS

TAYLOR SWIFT

All in all, a wonderfully successful day. Good on you Sydney.

MR OIZO

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Review and Images By Kevin Bull

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Mario Gets The Net

Following the immense success of the Wii’s online Virtual Console program, it seems that Nintendo are dipping more and more into their back catalogue.

REVIEWED

New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis RATED

7.5/10 REVIEWED BY

Hugh Milligan

New Play Control! is a revival of old GameCube classics, reworked with graphical upgrades and adapted for use with the Wiimote. Pikmin, released in Australia last month, was the first game to make the transition.

It’s little wonder that Mario Power Tennis is the next obvious candidate for a makeover. Wii Sports, with its simple and intuitive gestures, demonstrated just how well tennis games could be realised on Nintendo’s console. It is unusual, then, that the new control scheme for Mario Power Tennis is so finicky and cumbersome.

All the various tennis strokes are mapped to the Wiimote, which can be swung in nine different directions. This seems logical in theory, but relies upon incredibly precise movement. During heated matches, when you’re frantically swinging the Wiimote to keep up with your opponent, the game will often misjudge your swing. Diagonal strokes seem far easier to pull off than horizontal or vertical ones. Lobs and drop shots, techniques you’ll rely upon frequently, require perfect vertical accuracy or the game will misinterpret your gesture as a top spin or slice.

There are other variables. The speed at which you swing the Wiimote governs the power you’ll put into your shot, and the timing of your swing determines the direction the ball will travel in – trying to juggle so many elements of motion in an instant is very difficult.

Unlike the GameCube version, which allowed you to manually aim your shot and exploit exposed areas of the court, the Wii control scheme involves a lot of reflexive swinging with no indication of where your ball is going to go. As a result, the gameplay is more random than tactical.

This is not such a disadvantage against human opponents, who have no more fine control than you do – multiplayer is certainly the strongest element of Mario Power Tennis, and the reason you’ll keep

coming back to it. The game features several game modes for up to four players, from the generic to the bizarre.

Apart from standard hard, clay and grass courts, there are a number of ‘gimmick’ courts drawn from past Mario games (most notably Super Mario Sunshine and Luigi’s Mansion). These are designed with tricks and obstacles to make matches even more chaotic, such as moving floors, puddles of goo or ghosts that impede players.

These may not be to everyone’s liking, but they’re a fun diversion from regular play and add a nostalgic twist for Mario fans. The ‘Item’ mode is zanier still, adding Mario Kart-esque item boxes to the court whose contents can be used to harass and confound your opponent. In addition, the game includes a number of tennis-themed mini-games for one to four players.

Visually, the game has been much improved. The characters are now, in fact, sharper and more detailed than their Mario Kart Wii counterparts, and each is bursting with charm. The Power Shots available to every character trigger fantastic animations when they’re used, many of which again refer to previous Mario games (such as Luigi’s poltergust or Bowser Jr’s magic paintbrush). The courts are saturated in colour and incredibly pretty, and small touches like shadows at dusk are well considered.

The menus are similarly polished and can all be navigated by pointing with the Wiimote.

Despite its faults, Mario Power Tennis is still a great multiplayer party game that celebrates some of the best known Mario titles from the GameCube era.

The control scheme isn’t such a bother when playing with friends (although there won’t be a great deal of strategy involved). It can be, however, frustrating in the single-player tournament mode, as your opponents have far more control over the court than you do. You’ll need to be persistent to unlock all of the game’s characters and stages.

Guinness World Records 2009 – Gamer’s Edition REVIEWED

Guinness World Records 2009 – Gamer’s Editions REVIEWED BY

Hugh Milligan

If there is a single universal law of gaming, it is this: no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone better.

Those who believe otherwise need only look through the latest Guinness Book for gamers to see the most dedicated of our kind and their maddening obsession with their game(s) of choice.

The book is not simply an archive of best scores, but an illustrated history of some of the finest and most iconic titles to be released in recent years. The panel of contributors give their list of top 50 console games [which you may or may not agree

42

with], as well as overviews of various consoles and genres and interviews with notable game developers. It’s a compendium that any gamer will love pouring over.

A lot of over great titles inevitably get overlooked of course – there’s only so much space to cover the entire gaming industry.

If there’s a real annoyance, though, it’s that the book is narrated rather subjectively by its editors. They’ll tell you in no uncertain terms what they thought of particular games, and without their name printed on the page you won’t even know who they are most of the time.

Newcastle, Hunter and Coast’s largest music, entertainment and lifestyle magazine

MOVIE REVIEWS

Reasons to Watch the Watchmen If Christopher Nolan’s stunning epic The Dark Knight restored your faith in comic adaptations, then Watchmen will make you want to join the priesthood.

Directed by Zack Snyder (300, Dawn Of The Dead), this faithful adaptation of the 12-part DC comic takes place in an alternate version of American history. In the 1940s a group of superheroes emerge, who experience a rise and fall in public popularity, ending up either dead, locked away in mental asylums or hiding in anonymity. In the 1960s, under the government of Richard Nixon, a new batch of heroes appear and help America win the Vietnam War. Now the world has its eyes on the tensions between the US and the USSR, which teeters on the brink of nuclear conflict.

Watchmen begins as a hard-boiled detective film, with the bad-ass, overcoat

REVIEWED

Watchmen RATED

5 Stars REVIEWED BY

Nick Milligan wearing, masked avenger Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) as its husky narrator.

Investigating the murder of one of the Watchmen, a morally bankrupt man known as The Comedian, Rorschach soon realises that there is great evil at work.

Watchmen succeeds in every aspect. Using Zack Snyder’s inventive, constantly jawdropping visual style (that managed to carry the under-plotted 300), this very long film is a powerful experience. Its characters are deeply layered, ambiguous and compelling, acted by a non-superstar

The Wrestler returns... no, not that Wrestler

REVIEWED

12 Rounds RATED

3 Stars REVIEWED BY

Mark Snelson

cast (with the exception of the always excellent Billy Crudup). The dialogue is darkly funny, but grabs you in the serious moments. The soundtrack features Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Simon & Garfunkel and Leonard Cohen (need I say more?).

The action sequences are incredibly visceral and the moments of extreme violence are unexpected and effective. The sequencing and editing of the film, with frequent time shifts, is perfectly calculated, allowing the very complex narrative to slowly peel itself back.

It’s shameful that comic adaptations have gained a poor reputation, as they provide so many opportunities to explore the human condition. Just like The Dark Knight, Watchmen examines human nature and all the ugliness and fear that dwells within. As the credits roll and the unsettling finale has unfolded, Watchmen will linger with you long beyond the cinema.

One should not go into a movie like 12 Rounds with huge expectations of a complex plot and deep character development. It is, after all, directed by the man who bought us Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger and The Long Kiss Goodnight and stars wrestling superstar John Cena in the lead role. It is a non-stop action ride through the streets of New Orleans and when I say non-stop I mean it – director Renny Harlin barely lets the audience up for air between each hi-octane action sequence.

Cena plays Detective Danny Fisher who was successful in arresting Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen), an international thiefcome-terrorist who was wanted by the FBI. Unfortunately, in the process Jackson’s girlfriend dies at the scene and he vows to make Fisher pay for his loss. A year later Jackson busts out of prison, kidnaps Fisher’s girlfriend Molly and forces him to play a game that involves successfully completing 12 seemingly impossible tasks in order to save her life.

John Cena comes across as a Matt Damon on steroids albeit with a more limited acting range. But with many of the huge action stars of the 80s and 90s now aging and/or entering politics, there is a void to be filled and Cena seems capable. I do not think Aidan Gillen was the right choice to play the evil mastermind. He doesn’t come across as scary or convincing, despite the hideous things we are told he has done.

12 Rounds is what it is – a big dumb action movie and the fact that Harlin does not pretend it is anything else is what makes it enjoyable. If you feel like switching your thinking cap off for two hours and are in the mood for a visual adrenaline kick then this could well do the trick.

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Spy Versus Spy Gets Too Slippery REVIEWED

Duplicity RATED

2.5 Stars REVIEWED BY

Mark Snelson Duplicity reunites Clive Owen and Julia Roberts for the first time since 2004’s Closer and marks Tony Gilroy’s second film as director. Gilroy is known for his work as screenwriter on the Bourne series and his impressive directorial debut Michael Clayton in 2007. After watching Duplicity however, one cannot help but feel that his writing has become too clever for its own good and ends up tripping over itself.

An encounter in Dubai between MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and CIA operative Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) ends in deceit by Stenwick and it is something that Koval will never forget. Both end up leaving their government intelligence jobs to enter the far more profitable world of corporate spying and soon find themselves working for rival multinational corporations. These companies are headed by two of the most fiercely competitive CEOs you are ever likely to encounter; Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) and Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti) – who would have thought the soap product business could be so cutthroat?

When Garsik gets wind that Tully has a product in the works that could net his competitor unlimited billions, things reach fever pitch and the pressure mounts on Koval to find out what Tully’s company are up to. As if uncovering corporate secrets was not difficult enough, things get even more complex when Koval confronts Stenwick about the Dubai incident only to find that they still harbour strong feelings for each other.

A major flaw with this film is the completely unnecessary time shifts. They make Duplicity confusing when it should be a straight forward affair. Don’t get me wrong, the non-linear approach can work – look at 21 Grams or Memento – but here it just seems like a gimmick that serves no purpose.

This is a real shame as the dialogue is snappy and the plot is quite clever, but it is all let down by poor structure. Also, whilst individually Owen and Roberts are playing their roles very well, romantic chemistry between them is lacking. A relationship between two leads in a spy flick should sizzle but in Duplicity they constantly seem on the verge of a break-up.

Duplicity is one of those terribly frustrating movies that has a great cast, looks fantastic and has moments of brilliance, but it is put together wrong. Luckily the ending is one of the more satisfying moments in the film.

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