ROCK CANDY MAGAZINE #13

BEATING THE BLUES Tackling depression head-on while on the job

ISSU E 13 • NOV E M B E R 2014 • F R E E

JOSH SHEEHAN The FMX World Champion tells how it gets dizzy at the top

RICKI LEE On dancing with

other stars and dealing with drag

JULIA STONE Making music with big brother again

RICK ALLEN Def Leppard’s drummer turning sound into art

Port HedlaNd Proving things are not so grim up north

+

Things to do in Phuket Luke Evans is Dracula David Bowie on exhibition Jean Paul Gaultier down under Suiting up for the races

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EDITOR’S LETTER We might have gone and called this edition of Rock Candy the ‘High Art Issue’ since a lot of the content is hoighty-toighty and ‘up’ there.

We feature two special photographic galleries – one starring rock icon David Bowie, who’ll be on exhibition at the Australian Centre of the Moving Image next year; the other starring stunning celebrities dressed by enfant terrible Jean Paul Gaultier (his show currently on at the National Gallery of Victoria).

Our fashion pages are peppered with some seriously suave suiting to inspire your look for racing season. And on the sports and leisure front we send contributor Louis van Senden into the deep blue of the Indian Ocean to get up close and personal with some awe inspiring sea life.

As usual we’ve interviewed a host of arty celebs including Julia Stone (of Angus & Julia Stone fame, don’tchaknow), legendary drummer Rick Allen of Def Leppard fame who’s now making art through his music, Aussie singer-come-dancer-with-the-stars Ricki-Lee, flamboyant mine-site chaplain Lorelle Chapman, and FMX World Champion Josh Sheehan.

If travel is more your thing, read about what to get up to in Port Hedland (and realise it’s not so grim up north) and get some tips on where to stay in bustling Phuket.

Enjoy the read. And the arty pics, of course!

Cover: Singer Ricki Lee releases a new album Dance In The Rain and appears in the current season of Dancing With The Stars.

Antonino Tati Editor

Read it online!!! with interactive contents

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au

PUBLISHED BY CANDY CUSTOM MEDIA PTY LTD P.O. Box 444 Northbridge WA 6865 www.candycustommedia.com.au ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES sales@candymedia.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editor@candymedia.com.au GENERAL ENQUIRIES info@candymedia.com.au

6 | November 2014

MANAGING DIRECTOR Cornelius Curtin conny@candymedia.com.au EDITOR Antonino Tati antonino@candymedia.com.au CREATIVE DESIGN Barbara Bertoli design@candymedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Andrews, Barbara Bertoli, Chuck Bomba, Georgia Dal Brio, Marco Fraschetti, Jake D. Frost, Simone Harle, Alex Harmon, Michael Huxley, Tamas Keefer, Andrea Manno, Michael Mastess, Connie Puntoriero, Debbie Russo, Louis van Senden

Rock Candy Magazine is published in Western Australia by Candy Custom Media Pty Ltd and distributed free of charge to resource industry workers at various locations around Western Australia. All rights reserved. No material published in Rock Candy may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written authority. Views expressed in Rock Candy are not necessarily the views of the editor or publisher.

Rock Candy takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information included or for submitted content. Submissions grant the publisher the right to publish editorial in full or in part. © 2014 Candy Custom Media.

CONTENTS - ISSUE 13 - NOVEMBER

FEATURES 38. OH RICKI, YOU’RE SO FINE

56

Singer Ricki-Lee has confidence like the Australian government has false promises. She chats to Rock Candy about the joy of performance, be it singing on stage or dancing with other stars.

42. BEATING THE BLUES FIFO contributor Simone Harle chats with mine-site chaplain Lorelle Chapman about the importance of keeping things ‘up’ when you’re away.

64

46. AN ABSOLUTE DIVE Deep-sea fishing proves to be an awesome adventure when Rock Candy contributor Louis van Senden encounters all manner of sea-life… most far bigger than the average fish.

52. DIZZY AT THE TOP Jake D. Frost chats with local lad Josh ‘Sheeny’ Sheehan who has double-flipped his way to become FMX World Champion.

54. DRUMMING UP ATTENTION

60

Antonino Tati chats with Def Leppard’s Rick Allen about creating awesome wall art via digital means. And, yes, about the art itself of drumming with only one arm.

56. RELATIVELY FAMILIAR Rock Candy catches up with the prettier half of Angus & Julia Stone about travelling the globe, writing songs “from memory” and losing counts of hits on YouTube.

“I don’t even know what 20 million looks like!” she says.

38

27

46

52

REGULARS

21. POP CULTURE

60. TRAVEL I – DOMESTIC

An interview with the star of Dracula Untold,

10. COMPETITIONS

rugged’n’ready dude Luke Evans.

Who says there’s nothing to do in Port Hedland? Alex Harmon writes that things aren’t so grim up north, suggesting a few good things you could get up to.

Win in-season doubles to see WA-made action film Son Of A Gun and copies of B-grade disaster flick Sharknado 2 on Blu-ray. Believe us, that last one is so bad it’s good!

13. THE BITS UP THE FRONT Statistics show how caravanning is better for your happiness and health; Ghostbusters celebrates 30 years of spook-bustin’.

17. GADGETS & STUFF With Movember around the corner, Rock Candy reviews some shaving, grooming and mo’ related accessories.

19. STICK IT IN YOUR DIARY Ben Elton comments comically on the mining boom; Barnesy goes posh in A Day On The Green; and hype’s already in about the Hopman Cup.

8 | November 2014

24. HOMEGROWN TALENT A few simple Qs to local musos Alex Arpino of The Autumn Isles, and singer Marksman Lloyd.

27. GALLERY I David Bowie Is… is an exhibition on at the Australian Centre of the Moving Image in Melbourne that looks at the music icon’s career over 50 impressive years.

33. GALLERY II He’s dressed some of the sexiest women on the planet. Now the designs of Jean Paul Gaultier are celebrated and on display at the National Gallery of Victoria. Heck, even Kylie can’t wait to see it.

72

64. TRAVEL II – INTERNATIONAL Phuket is similar to Bali in just one sense – the bustling centre of Patong which is as akin to dirty Kuta as can get. As for the rest of this amazing island, there are stacks more therapeutic things-to-do.

71. THE FIFO WIFE Deb Russo tells of the secret to a good relationship: that there are no secrets.

72. FASHION Suiting up in preparation for racing season. Giddy up, then. Photography by Connie Puntoriero with styling by Georgia Dal Brio.

Competitions

ROCK CANDY WINS BEST COVER AT THE MAGGIES 2014 – WIN A SUBSCRIPTION TO HELP US CELEBRATE!

The Maggies are an annual awards event that acknowledges the best magazine covers of the past 12 months. This year, your favourite FIFO lifestyle mag Rock Candy has taken out the award for Best Cover in the Youth & Pop Culture category.

And that makes us oh-so very proud. To celebrate, we’re now making Rock Candy available as a subscription title through trusty website iSubscribe.

Visit isubscribe.com.au for more information. Or, if you’d like to try winning your own subscription to have us delivered direct to your door, simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘Subscription Competition’ to competitions@candymedia.com.au by 5pm, Friday 21 November. Get to it!

WIN! DISASTER SHARK FLICK SHARKNADO 2 ON BLU-RAY

WIN! COPIES OF CRIME THRILLER THE PRINCE ON BLU-RAY

Featuring a star-studded cast of Bruce Willis (A Good Day To Die Hard), John Cusac (Grand Piano), Jason Patric (My Sister’s Keeper) and Jessica Lowndes (90210), The Prince is the dramatic story of a retired crime boss who is forced back into the seedy underworld of his past. The cool factor on this flick is so high, it also stars gangster rapper 50 Cent (aka: Curtis Jackson).

Here’s the synopsis: for 20 years Paul Brennan (Patric), a retired New Orleans crime boss, has lived a quiet life off the grid, running an auto repair garage in remote Mississippi.

When Paul’s only daughter suddenly goes missing from college, he’s got to return to the city to face his former enemies.

This unrelenting action-thriller is available to own on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital with UltraViolet from October 30, but Rock Candy has 10 copies on Blu-ray to give away to lucky readers. Right here, right now.

To try winning a copy of ‘The Prince’ on Blu-ray courtesy of Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘The Prince’ to competitions@candymedia. com.au by 5pm, Friday 14 November.

10 | November 2014

If you’re a fan of B-grade schlock and you revel in disaster films, you’re going to love Sharknado 2.

In fact, this shock/horror/disaster flick, just like its predecessor, is so camp in parts, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching a comedy at times.

The plot is simple; insane, but simple: a giant waterspout lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them slap-bang in the heart of Los Angeles causing, as you can imagine, a ruckus and some major fucked-up scenarios.

Starring Cassie Scerbo, Ian Ziering, Tara Reid and John Heard (and a couple of other people not even we’ve heard of), you’ve got to see this flick if only for a laugh.

‘Sharknado 2’ is out October 24 through Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Rock Candy has 10 copies on DVD to give away. To try winning one, email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘Sharknado 2’ to competitions@candymedia.com. au by 5pm, Friday 14 November.

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HAPPY CAMPERS

For some people, travelling with every mod-con at your fingertips is the pinnacle of luxury, but it can lead to disappointment when, for example, the hairdryer stops working or the PC crashes (oh no, how will we show off our fancy resort photos now?).

For others, an ethos of the simpler, the better keeps them content come holiday-time.

In fact, the Caravan Industry Association of Australia recently found that people who enjoy camping-style vacations are happier and “more invigorated” than their jet-setting counterparts. Not to mention feeling wealthier in the long run.

And who said you had to compromise a contented lifestyle for camping or caravanning?

Depending on your set-up, motorhomes and caravans can make a nice home away from home. Indeed, if you really wanted to, you could even charge and run your laptops and whitegood appliances. According to CIAA’s CEO Stuart Lamont, “Camping and caravanning provide Australians with opportunities to connect, not only with each other but with the world around them. And that’s something guaranteed to make you smile.”

Their research has also shown that 85% of Australians enjoy camping and caravanning at some point in their life. That’s almost nine out of every ten Aussies who can relax and reinvigorate without breaking the bank! Andrea Manno

30 YEARS OF BUSTIN’ SPIRITS’ BALLS

GOOGLE DAT!

It’s hard to believe three decades have passed since the release of the original Ghostbusters movie. That’s 30 years of Ray Parker Jr’s scarily infectious title-track spinning around inside someone’s head somewhere in the world at least once a minute. We bet.

Then came Ghostbusters II with the original stars (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver) all returning to deliver even more serious spook-smashing. Anyway, both movies are being reissued on Blu-ray in a special duo-pack, available October 23.

Special features include remastered picture and sound, heaps of deleted scenes, neverbefore-seen production notes, character sketches and more. So who you gonna call?

JB HiFi exclusively, of course, to pre-order your copy. Michael Mastess

This is the part in the mag where we key a word or two into Google to see what the most popular search queries are on that subject. This issue we typed in one simple word: miners. What surprised us wasn’t the ‘golf’ connection, the ‘work rights’ connection, or even the relatively obscure ‘miners promise’ thing. It was the top hit that shocked us most: ‘miners need cool shoes’. Anyways, we clicked on it to discover it was a site for fans of video game Minecraft, where punters could download unique skins, 3D prints and wallpapers. That this link beats anything resources-related on Google ought to have our captains of industry worried... Chuck Bomba

TICKLE US PINK

A wave of excitement came over us when we learnt that Pink Floyd will be releasing a brand-spanking new album on November 7. Titled The Endless River and described as having its starting point from 1993’s Division Bell sessions, from what we’ve heard so far the record is one trippy affair. Indeed, most of the ‘four-sided’ LP is instrumental with one song only boasting lyrics, namely the not-so-ironically titled Louder Than Words.

Leading up to the album’s release, Sony Music have been very clever in flashing the album’s artwork on buildings in cities around the world including New York, Los Angeles and Sydney.

Says singer David Gilmour, “I think we’ve generally harnessed studio technology to make a very 21st century Pink Floyd album.”

Expect some spooky videos to go viral online, too, then. Antonino Tati

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 13

Gadgets & Stuff y SCENT OF A MAN

MO’ STYLE

Once upon a time, men would complain about the need to shave or groom their facial hair. Nowadays, we seem to thrive on clipping this, manscaping that, even going ‘boutique hipster’ in the beard department.

With Movember right around the corner, we figured it time to review some shaving, grooming and mo’ related accessories.

Yes, we now it looks like a bottle of poppers (that’s amyl nitrate to the uninitiated); alas it’s a vial of ‘beard balm’ to help nourish and subtly scent facial hair. Simply shake, roll liberally over whiskers or beard, then work in with your fingertips. Ingredients that include coconut oil and rosemary extract ought to leave you smelling like, well, temptation itself.

RRP $29.00, available in Original and Firewood, from shavewithvalor.com.

Compiled by Antonino Tati

LATHER UP

RRP $125.00 for travel size brush, from aesop.com/au.

Valor Organics are artisan-made in Byron Bay, NSW, where everything is sourced from scratch including olive, macadamia and avocado oils as well as organic argan and hemp oils.

Perfect for shaving, their products contain no synthetic fragrance and no fake foaming agents. Just the thing, then, for a nice smooth shave.

Soap puck in box, RRP $23.00, available from shavewithvalor.com.

READY, SET, SHAVE

For those serious about maintaining a mo’, you’ll need The Well Groomed Man gift hamper from Aromatherapy Co – a complete shaving and grooming set that includes 200ml exfoliating facial cleanser, 200ml moisturising shaving cream, 500ml nourishing face and body balm, SPF 15 lip balm, and body sponge. We’ll leave it to you to choose your preferred razor.

RRP $95.00, available from thegiftboxcompany.com.au.

14 | November 2014

y

A good grooming session begins with a quality shaving brush. This particular one from Aesop is made of super-fine badger bristles to ensure comfortable lathering of soap while gently lifting facial hair.

MO’ AMBIENCE

It won’t exactly help keep your facial hair tame but it will lend a certain sense of debonair to your décor. This moustacheshaped candle holder is made of salvaged lime tree, hand-sanded, painted, then distressed to give an even more vintage touch.

y

RRP $24.00, available from downthatlittlelane.com.au.

RAISE THE BAR

Handle the drinks-serving with panache – with the help of this duo-functional corkscrew-come-bottle-opener that is shaped like a handlebar moustache. Handle! Bar! Geddit?

RRP $18.00, available from www.maidenshop.com.

This stylish brushed-steel hip-flask stamped with a subtle moustache ought to hint to the rest of them just how much of a gentleman you are. That is until you sneak it into the club and start acting like a cheapskate – pouring spirit shots from it into your three-buckpurchased glass of lemonade. But we won’t tell if you won’t.

A bargain at $24.00, available from yellowoctopus.com.au.

PUT A RING ON IT

Whether you have a mo’ on your face or not oughtn’t be the deciding factor of whether you ought to invest in a gold ring that’s shaped like a ’tache… It’s whether you think there’s a point to the silliness of it al. Anyhoo, should you be inclined to dress up your pinky, this 18ct gold-plated ring measures in at just under 4cm from tip to tip. About the size of a humble mo’, then.

RRP $88.00, available from thelostlanes.com.

y SERVE UP A LITTLE STYLE

We have absolutely no idea what moustaches have to do with wooden spoons but they do add a certain quirkiness to these wooden tea spoons that can be used to stir cuppas or dig into ice cream. Intended for one-time use only, they’re disposable and a snip at $10.95 per pack of 20.

Available from simplysweetsoirees.com.au.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 15

Gadgets & Stuff

TOYS ‘R’ US

The packaging of these products might lead you to believe they’ve come out of the 1920s but rest assured they’ve been made for a very contemporary purpose.

Swoon is a fresh brand making the most of the fledgling adult toy market and delivering an array of sex toys and accessories, from vibrators and ‘pelvic toning balls’ to massage oils and ‘massage candles’. Each product is given a name that oozes innuendo, for example a vibrating wand is tagged ‘Release’, kegel exerciser dubbed ‘Get A Grip’, and lube labelled ‘Smooth Mover’.

So subtle is the packaging that Swoon products are being stocked in family chemists far and wide.

In fact you’ll find them on shelves at Amcal and Guardian as well as independent pharmacies.

Swoon’s press release says their products are “fresh, feminine and fun” and that they promise to “promote greater intimacy and more confidence sexually”. So you can go tell your other half that, then leave her to conducting business down south while you’re tending to work up north. Lisa Andrews To view the full range of Swoon products, visit amcal.com.au or guardianpharmacies.com.au.

WATCH THIS PACE...

To the fit-conscious, counting steps during a walk or calculating the kilometres to push yourself further in a run has now become easier with new tech tools that allow the mind to focus on the exercise rather than do the counting.

The new SureshotGPS Hybrid Golf Watch enables you to do just that and more. Not only will the watch track distance and speed; it will determine the calories you’re burning on the go. Made of comfortable soft rubber, it’s lightweight but makes a major fashion statement on the wrist – chunkier than your average tracking device. Oh, and the SureshotGPS is water-proof to up to 30m so it’s great for snorkelling and diving. Why they’ve put the word ‘golf’ in its name, then, we’re not too sure… Andrea Manno For pricing and information visit sureshotgps.com.

16 | November 2014

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PERFECTLY SYNCED SOUND

Up until recently our boss would play internet radio from his Mac computer – no external speakers for amplification, and no headphones for the sake of discretion. Just tinny-sounding tunes coming from his built-in Apple speakers.

Then we went and plugged into the office router a PLAY:1 speaker from SONOS – et voila! – it was music to our ears.

Thanks to a major software update that allows the listener to set up and run SONOS PLAY:1 speakers on an existing WiFi network, there’s no more need to link up through the usual bridge. So you can go from unpacking the thing to jamming out in just a few simple steps.

In fact within minutes, were streaming highfidelity sound – one speaker on either side of the office – with nary a dropout, echo or delay. Indeed, the sound is so well-rounded on a SONOS PLAY:1 you’ll want a few of these peppered throughout the house. Antonino Tati SONOS PLAY:1 speaker retails at $299, available from quality audio product outlets.

For more information visit sonos.com.

DISCOVER UNIQUE BEAUTY AT THE WALPOLE WILDERNESS CENTRE Three unique and breathtaking wilderness experiences will connect you with nature - all in one day.

3

2

1

Swarbrick

Mount Frankland

Tree Top Walk, Valley of the Giants

Walk above the Giants 600 m walk fully Accessible

Experience the excitement of walking through the canopy of the magnificent tingle forest on the 40 m high Tree Top Walk. Explore the Ancient Empire trail and be captivated by the forest, the plants and animals.

You can also do the Forest by Night run during school holidays and on request. Educational fun for the whole family.

See views like no other Take the universal access path to the new Wilderness Lookout and be rewarded by expansive vistas over the wilderness, or walk around the base of the granite outcrop along the Caldyanup walk trail and take-in the sounds and smells of the forest.

For 360 degree views of the Walpole Wilderness follow in the footsteps of the fire towerman to the summit of Mt Frankland. A site not to be missed!

Ancient Empire is free. Entry prices for Tree Top Walk: Adult $15.00. Child: $7.50, Concession: $10.50, Family: $37.50.

Discover the nature of art Experience peace and contemplation while walking around the Swarbrick art loop which features thought-provoking art pieces like the 39 m long Wilderness Wall of Perceptions. This area is also home to some of Western Australia’s famous old growth Karri trees and provides a majestic backdrop for acclaimed artwork.

Keep an open-mind and enjoy the journey!

The Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre is a 450 km drive from Perth to Walpole.

W E S T E R N AU S T R A L I A

Walpole Wilderness Centre Visit the three sites in one day, at a leisurely pace, and discover unique beauty for yourself.

BEARDMORE ROAD

Swarbrick

Mt Frankland NORTH WALPOLE RD BRIDGE ROAD

WALPOLE

Bow Bridge

Tree Top Walk SOUTH COAST HIGHWAY SOUTHERN OCEAN

There may be hazardous weather conditions during summer - some sites may be closed.

Each site is open every day except the Tree Top Walk closed Christmas Day.

For more information:

www.parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au facebook: www.facebook.com/treetopwalk e: frankland.district@dpaw.wa.gov.au t: (08) 9840 8263

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20

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Growth stocks

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Stocks (S&P 500)

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136

Corporate bills

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150

Commodities (CRB index)

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93

Treasury bills

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172

Municipal bonds

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150

Shipping Containers

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Stick it

in your diary BIG THINGS TO DO OVER YOUR BIG, BIG SUMMER. Compiled by Andrea Manno

December 7 October 25 - November 9

BEN ELTON’S ‘GASP!’

KATHMANDU URBAN

“Imagine a world in which the air we breathe is just another commodity like food and fuel. Something that can be bought and sold according to market forces. How much do you think you’d have to breathe?” That is the question posed by the Black Swan State Theatre Company in introducing Ben Elton’s Gasp!

Originally a play performed in London’s West End in the 1990s, Elton has revamped his stage hit Gasping by inflating it with pertinence to the Australian resources boom and for the 21st century audience.

It’s dark, comical, and something Shakespeare might have written if he were a FIFO with a pen on a three-week-on, one-week-off schedule.

If you feel like you’re stuck in the city and all you do is work but hardly get to see the sights of Perth, you’ve gotta try the Kathmandu Urban.

The series is organised by the outdoor adventure brand Kathmandu and includes events both for those seeking adrenalin-filled adventures and for less-actively-inclined city slickers.

The ‘urban’ side of the events involves competitors racing through Perth’s CBD in teams of two, visiting specific landmarks and enjoying a scavenger hunt along the way. And you don’t need to be a super fitness junkie to participate. Basically, this event is all about getting out there and smelling the roses... so to speak.

‘Gasp!’ is on at the Perth Concert Hall from October 25 to November 9. Tickets are available through ticketek.com.au.

Kathmandu Urban is on December 7 from 12:00pm in the Perth CBD. For more information, visit kathmandu.com.au.

January 4-10

October - November

BARNESY LIVE

It seems there’s just no rest for iconic musician Jimmy Barnes, a.k.a. Barnesy, who topped the charts in September with his 30:30 Hindsight LP while featuring on the cover of this here magazine.

October and November will see Barnesy jet-setting around Oz to perform with various artists he collaborated with on his latest album. Oh, and he’ll be back on deck for the annual ‘A Day On The Green’ across the weekend of November 22 and 23, sharing the stage with The Living End. Expect to hear a heap of classics like Driving Wheels, Working Class Man, No Second Prize and anthem-of-anthems I’d Die To Be With You Tonight.

For information on Jimmy Barnes tour dates across the country, visit frontiertouring.com/jimmybarnes or for ‘A Day On The Green’, visit mellenevents.com or get your tickets through Ticketmaster.

THE HOPMAN CUP

The annual Hopman Cup returns to the centre stage of the sporting calendar in January 2015, held at Perth Arena.

Served up from January 4, the tennis schedule runs for a six-day draw before culminating in the final on January 10.

Team Australia will be represented by Casey Dellacqua and Kick Kyrgios, while the UK will be sporting Andy Murray and Heather Watson.

Canada’s pride, 20-year-old and World No. 7, Eugenie Bouchard, will return for a second swing at the Cup along with teammate, Vasek Pospisil, who’ll be making his debut at the Arena courts.

Tickets are available through ticketek.com.au or authorised outlets.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 19

SAME

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Pop Culture HOME ENTERTAINMENT DRACULA UNTOLD

BLOOD BROTHER

Luke Evans has established himself as one of the most exciting new stars to watch. He’s played Apollo in Clash Of The Titans, Zeus in Immortals, and Aramis in The Three Musketeers. Now he steps into the armour of Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula.

It was last year that Luke Evans became the name on everyone’s lips. As Shaw, the villainous megalomaniac going up against the established ensemble of Fast & Furious 6, Evans attracted the attention of audiences and critics alike.

Following it up with the part of Bard the Bowman in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug meant that few cinemagoers didn’t know who this actor was by the end of 2013.

For 2014, Evans will reprise his role as Bard in the next Hobbit instalment: The Battle Of Five Armies and he’s also just finished shooting the highly anticipated thriller High Rise.

Luke’s rapid ascendancy, and the ease with which he has been able to manage it, might have something to do with the fact that his career as an actor stretches over a decade and has its roots in theatre. After graduating the London Studio Centre in 2000, he enjoyed a string of roles on the West End stage, in productions like Rent, Miss Saigon and Avenue Q. In Dracula Untold, which is out on home entertainment next month, Luke Evans enjoys his first blockbuster film lead, and it’s testament to how far he’s come that he seems to be taking it in his stride. Here he explains the real history behind the Dracula legend, and why Vlad the Impaler isn’t quite as nasty as his name might suggest...

What was so fascinating for you about going back to the beginning of this story?

I’ve been speaking to a few people recently

and everyone seems to enjoy a good origin story. We’re so used to seeing a story when it’s fully established, and coming at you in a film. We’re more interested, nowadays, in how things begin, and it’s nice to see the development of a character - especially a character as old and as famous as Dracula. A lot of people were expecting another Dracula story before the trailer came out, but it’s very clearly not another Dracula story, and that’s very important. People that saw the trailer and will see the film are going to see something very unexpected. It was interesting to read the script when I picked it up and realised that it was the part of the story people don’t know much about. It was about the human - the actual historical figure that Dracula was based on - who was as interesting as Dracula.

Tell us about him.

Vlad Țepeș was a successful leader; he reigned over a peaceful land, even though he was known for being Lord Impaler. He wasn’t impaling people on a daily basis.

Because he lived such a long time ago, he’s been remembered as being Vlad the Impaler, but there was a lot to him. He wasn’t just this bloodthirsty violent man.

He had the respect and love of his people and the admiration of his enemies. He was a successful leader. His enemies killed him and over the centuries that came after, they rewrote history and changed his legacy and so he’s been remembered as Vlad the Impaler, but there was a lot more to him than that. We’re starting right at the beginning, and Dracula the Vampire isn’t important at the beginning of the film. We’re just dealing with the king and the leader. It was a very refreshing take on someone we really wouldn’t know about.

Are we seeing his path to evil?

We have to be careful how evil we make him out to be. We know that in the book, Dracula is a very evil character. But I don’t think we should assume he’s always been

that evil. Thousands of years of loneliness and starvation and thirst for blood has turned him into this evil character. There’s a transition in Dracula’s life from when he was a human, to a vampire, to this very old vampire in the Stoker book. It’s interesting to see that it isn’t black and white. There are flaws to everybody. There are flaws to a good guy and to a bad guy, and that’s why I like it. It’s complicated; the whole storyline is not straightforward. It makes you see the turmoil in this man, and how he’s coming to terms with what’s going on. Should he do it, shouldn’t he do it?

And if he does it, can he come back from it? There’s a lot going on there.

Is the decision to take that dark path a sacrifice for him?

He does make a sacrifice. Evil is the wrong word, because he doesn’t choose to be evil by choosing to be a vampire. If you read old stories about vampires from Eastern Europe, they have many powers. They can disappear in darkness, they can transform into creatures, and they can speak inside your mind. They have immense power and strength. He wanted to gain those things. He didn’t need to be evil; it was more about the powers he would gain as a vampire. In this film, we allow Vlad, once he’s gained the powers, to understand them and come to terms with the fact that he can do all these crazy things like turn into bats, which you see in the trailer.

That’s what he chooses to do.

In the film, we see Vlad controlling bats in an epic battle, but on set that was just you against a green screen, wasn’t it?

Yeah, that has come out really well. It was hard for me doing all of that stuff because I had to really rely on Gary Shore’s direction there. He was talking about this swirl of bats surrounding the tower, and that I was in control of them. It’s all very clear now!

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When it comes to working with a green screen, does your theatre background help?

I think as an actor you need to have a very good imagination, and when you have to do green screen or act opposite something that isn’t actually there – which often seems to happen in the films I’ve been involved with recently – you really need parameters, which are set usually by the director. Then you have free rein to imagine what you need to in your own head, and sometimes when you finally see it on the screen it was exactly how it was, and then other times, as in The Hobbit, Smaug looks nothing like the dragon I had in mind. He’s much bigger!

But you have to use your imagination. I’m sure theatre helped.

Everything helps somewhat, but imagination is the biggest tool when you’re doing green screen. Being able to visualise an image and really believe it’s there. It’s quite fun when you watch it afterwards, and you know that you’re acting against nothing, and everyone’s like, “Oh, it’s so emotional, such a great scene.” I’m thinking, “I was doing that to a taped cross on a curtain 300 yards away.” It’s very odd.

Do you use anything else to get into the emotion of a scene? Music, perhaps?

Yes, music is a good thing and I don’t use it enough.

I will be using it more. Sarah Gadon uses music in a big way, and I remember we did an especially charged scene together in the pickups and it was a big day. I’ve never had trouble with switching into a very dark, emotional place. I don’t know why, I just can. But this one day she was listening to music, and it was a really interesting thing to use that as a tool to get yourself to a place that makes you feel solemn or melancholy. I’ve never had trouble

22 | November 2014

getting deep and dark in my head. I don’t know why.

I’m a very emotional human being, so maybe that’s why I never have trouble doing these massively sad scenes. [Laughs].

Do you ever take the emotion home with you?

I don’t take the emotion home with me but I take the physical exhaustion home. There are times when I left set – especially on Dracula Untold because it was a demanding role physically and emotionally – and I wouldn’t touch food or drink. I just slept and slept until the alarm went off. There were days like that, but I try not to, especially when you’re playing such a heavy, dark character that’s in turmoil for the majority of the story. If you don’t switch off, it can become an incredibly unenjoyable experience.

You’ve done a lot of big films lately. Do you think starring in big movies has changed your life?

Doing Fast And Furious 6 and The Hobbit is a large portion of the reason why I did Dracula Untold. It takes a while to get to that place, and it has changed my life. It changes how people perceive you as an actor. I think that’s definitely happened. I’m carrying a potential new franchise for Universal, and one of their oldest film characters. It’s a big responsibility and it’s a game-changer for me. It’s mad to walk down this corridor and see the big posters with me on them for the first time ever. It’s just me on the poster. It’s a big deal, it’s a really exciting moment, and I’m going to try and enjoy it.

Do you believe in vampires?

No. [Laughs]. Maybe that’s just me being hopeful that there aren’t people with big fangs lurking in the darkness. [Laughs more]. That said, there were a few moments doing this film where it was a bit scary. The transformation was quite scary for

me, both psychologically and physically. It’s not a pleasant thing that happens to Vlad. But it was an interesting thing to play as an actor, to be taken over by this dark, sinister power. ▪ ‘DRACULA UNTOLD’ WILL BE AVAILABLE ON BLU -R AY, DVD AND DIGITAL IN DECEMBER THROUGH UNIVERSAL SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

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ROCK CANDY ASKS A COUPLE OF LOCAL MUSOS A FEW SIMPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR TASTE IN SOUND AND STYLE.

Homegrown Talent

ALEX ARPINO

Singer + guitarist (with The Autumn Isles) What’s currently on your playlist?

I’m loving Lee Ranaldo’s Last Night On Earth, Wings’ Band On The Run, and a band called Burgers Of Beef who’ve got a great record out called Athwart Hawse.

How would you describe your personality?

Artistic, nurturing and insightful. Can be a perfectionist and introverted at times, with the occasional melancholic episode.

MARKSMAN LLOYD Singer

What’s currently on your playlist?

I was listening to Sufjan Stevens Illinois record the other day and remembering how much it affected me when I first heard it. Really diggin’ Meg Mac at the moment, too. That cover she did of the Bill Wither’s song Grandma’s Hands still has my spine tingling.

How would you describe personality?

Kinda shy, kinda insecure, but doing my best to conquer it. I think I’ve learnt how to shed that when I’m on stage. I feel a lot more comfortable being the person I am these days rather than trying to prove myself to other people. It’s a freeing thing.

How would you describe your fashion sense?

My wife is a fashion blogger so I’m lucky in that when I get it ‘wrong’ she’s there to tell me so. Actually, ‘lucky’ could be the wrong word there... I would say I’m pretty traditional, with a touch of hipster but not enough to be completely hipster. Which I suppose is pretty hipster.

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

I think I’d be travelling a lot more. When you’re an independent musician it can quickly take over the majority of your income. The aim is to be in a place where I’m travelling, not just around Australia but overseas, with music, so that I can tie the two together.

I’ve had a few cool opportunities already to play in the States and Singapore. I’d love to do more of that.

MARKSMAN LLOYD’S NEW EP ‘REWRITE THE ENDING’ IS OUT THROUGH FIRESTARTER DISTRIBUTION, AVAILABLE FROM JB HI-FI AND ALL GOOD PHYSICAL/DIGITAL RETAILERS.

24 | November 2014

How would you describe your fashion sense?

Smart, casual, with a dash of retro chic.

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

Painting murals, creating art on canvases and illustrating.

THE AUTUMN ISLES’ NEW ALBUM ‘A BIRD CALLED COGNITION’ IS OUT THROUGH FIRESTARTER DISTRIBUTION, AVAILABLE FROM JB HI-FI AND ALL GOOD PHYSICAL/DIGITAL RETAILERS. (ALEX ARPINO IS PICTURED LEFT.)

DAVID BOWIE IS... ON EXHIBITION

GALLERY - DAVID BOWIE

David Bowie Is… would have to be the definitive tribute to one of the world’s greatest music icons, gender benders, and pioneer of the visual arts. And for the record, we mean David Bowie Is… the book and the exhibition that will be hosted next year at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne.

Bowie’s career has so far spanned 50 years. In the musical realm alone the guy has certainly impressed, selling over 140 million albums and countless singles the world over.

But David Bowie Is… goes way beyond the music behind the man of many faces, traversing Bowie’s influences in the visual arts, the fashion arena, and across all media including digital, of course.

Costumes are very much a focus, with detailed presentations of some of Bowie’s most iconic outfits – from his wild and vibrant Ziggy Stardust get-up, through his spaced-out Pierrot look (that appeared in the Ashes To Ashes video), to the classy suits worn in his early days as part of The Kon-rads, the wardrobe that will be on display at ACMI is well worthy of gallery-like presentation.

Which is why we’re presenting a few of the cooler looks here - months ahead of the show.

The exhibition, which was first held at the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum in London, also draws upon unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive and features obscure objects, album artwork, ultra-cool instruments and other memorabilia. In fact there are more than 300 pieces on display, also including rare photos, stage sets, lyric sheets, previously unseen videos, filmed live shows, and audio interviews with key collaborators of the coinciding book.

Quite simply, David Bowie Is… makes any rock’n’roll exhibition staged before it pale in comparison. And yes, that’s paler than the Thin White Duke himself. Antonino Tati David Bowie Is… is on at ACMI from July 16 to November 1, 2015. More information and ticketing details at acmi.net.au/bowie.

Also available is David Bowie Is… in deluxe hardback through Bloomsbury Publishing, RRP $69.99.

Album cover shoot for ‘Aladdin Sane’, 1973. Photograph by Brian Duffy © Duffy Archive / The David Bowie Archive.

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David Bowie, 1973. Photograph by Masayoshi Sukita Š Sukita / The David Bowie Archive.

GALLERY - DAVID BOWIE

28 | November 2014

Original photography for the ‘Earthling’ album cover, 1997. Photograph by Frank W Ockenfels 3 © Frank W Ockenfels 3.

GALLERY - DAVID BOWIE

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Publicity photograph for The Kon‐rads, 1966. Photograph by Roy Ainsworth. Courtesy of The David Bowie Archive © Victoria and Albert Museum.

GALLERY - DAVID BOWIE

30 | November 2014

Promotional photograph of David Bowie for ‘Diamond Dogs’, 1974. Photograph by Terry O’Neill © Victoria and Albert Museum.

GALLERY - DAVID BOWIE

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GALLERY - JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

DECADENT DESIGNER’S BEST ON DISPLAY Where to begin with regard to the genius of designer Jean Paul Gaultier – l’enfant terrible (as they say in France) of the fashion world?

Well at the beginning of course, and the National Gallery of Victoria is proud to present an exhibition of Gaultier’s designs – from his early years in fashion to present-day couture – in ‘The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’.

The exhibition runs from 17 October 2014 to 8 February 2015, and will feature some of the fashion icon’s most daring designs as worn by a bevy of beauties including Dita von Teese, Kylie Minogue, Andreja Pejić and Nicole Kidman. And yes, yes, of course we’ll be seeing that infamous cone-bra made especially for Madonna’s (pre-Kabbalah) bosom.

In fact, from Gaultier’s very first frock, created in 1971, and the launch of his inaugural ready-to-wear collection in 1976, to his most recent haute couture offerings, visitors will witness a huge variety of the talented designer’s work – 140 superbly crafted and detailed garments in total.

Says JPG, “I’m honoured and flattered that my exhibition is on in Australia. In preparing it, I realised how strong my ties to Australia are. The people are what make this country great; and you Australians certainly excel!”

As it turns out, Nicole Kidman was the designer’s first couture client, and he has worked closely with Kylie on kinky costuming ideas for several of her world tours. Kylie herself says she is flattered to be a part of the exhibition.

“As a longtime fan and admirer of Gaultier, it was a great thrill to collaborate with him for my tour costumes,” says the singer.

“His skill at creating drama and fantasy are second to none.”

Enjoy some of those fantastical creations in this here gallery.

Antonino Tati ‘The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’ is on at the National Gallery of Victoria from 17 October 2014 to 8 February 2015. For more information visit ngv.vic.gov.au.

Peter Lindbergh Jean Paul Gaultier, 2005.

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GALLERY - JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

William Baker Kylie Minogue Virgins (or Madonnas) Collection.

Immaculata gown, Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture, SpringSummer 2007. Net lace dress with large patterned embroidery and white linen cut-outs. © William Baker.

Alix Malka Andreja Pejić in The Boy Can’t Help It, 7 Hollywood magazine, Fantasy Edition, 2013.

Incroyable ensmeble, Confessions of a Child of the Century collection, haute couture Autumn–Winter 2012-13.

Black leather mini tailcoat, black tattoo dévoré pleated velvet jacquard dress.

34 | November 2014

William Baker Kylie Minogue, X Tour for Numéro magazine, 2009.

Médée gown, The Surrealists Collection, Haute Couture Autumn– Winter 2006-07.

Amethyst muslin and organza anatomical dress with rib-cage effect. © William Baker.

GALLERY - JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Peter Lindbergh Nicole Kidman for Vogue Italia, 2010.

Hermès by Jean Paul Gaultier, Women’s Prêt-à-Porter Autumn–Winter 2010-11.

Crocodile print mousseline blouse, skirt and leather harness.

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GALLERY - JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Perou Dita Von Teese, Flaunt 2003.

Dada Collection.

Jean Paul Gaultier Ready-to-Wear, Spring-Summer 1983. Š Perou.

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COVER FEATURE

OH RICKI, YOU’RE SO FINE Singer Ricki-Lee has confidence like the Australian government has false promises. From the get-go she has insisted on being called by a single moniker (albeit a hyphenated one) and she’s contributed to just about every facet of her career, from songwriting to co-producing, creating videos to setting up tours.

Her music itself has been insistent in sum: whether she’s demanding we ‘Do It Like That’, exclaiming ‘Hell No!’ or insisting that we ‘Can’t Touch It’. This year she tells us to ‘Dance In The Rain’ with the release of her fourth studio album in just under a decade. Meanwhile she’s been keeping busy dancing up a storm on the telly…

Interview by Antonino Tati

Hi Ricki. Is it okay if I call you Ricki or do you prefer Ricki-Lee? It’s okay either way. On my birth certificate it’s written with the hyphen, after Ricki-Lee Jones.

I see… [although Ricki Lee Jones spells it without a hyphen]. So your Mum was a fan of Ricki Lee Jones?

Yep. Chuckie’s In Love was her favourite song [released in 1979 though Ricki was born in 1985].

Then you might be familiar with a little-known fact that electronic outfit The Orb once released a song called Little Fluff y Clouds that basically consisted of an entire interview with Ricki Lee Jones put to psychedelic music…

No, but I need to familiarise myself with it, for sure.

If you’re named after the woman, you really need to hear it. It’s a very trippy, cult-classic rave track.

I love the sound of that!

Well fans are loving the sound of your new album. It’s got everything from

38 | November 2014

pop to dance and R&B to reggae. Did you grow up listening to all these genres?

G r o w i n g u p, I l o v e d e v e r y t h i n g from musical theatre to Bob Marley, old-school R&B to Motown. Then I got obsessed with Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Boys II Men… right through to W h it ney a nd Ma r ia h… Ha nson, Backstreet Boys, Britney… I could rattle off names forever!

Bringing things closer to music of the day: one publication described you as a cross between Beyoncé and Kylie.

Would you agree with that description – so far as your sound goes?

That’s a big compliment to me. I couldn’t be a bigger fan of Beyoncé and of Kylie, so to be mentioned in their league is actually a huge compliment. Of course as artists we draw from the people we listen to. I’ve been inspired my whole life by so many artists: from Janet to Gaga, Madonna to Katy Perry. And P!nk. All of them are people who are ‘out there’, outspoken and strong. People unafraid to say what they think and be the person

that they are. They don’t censor or filter themselves.

So far as your look goes, you’ve kind of sexed it up more recently…

Recently! I’ve always dressed this way, really. I love fashion and I love playing up to different parts of my personality.

I’ve never been a girl who wears frills and florals.

But there’s been more of a vibe this year of “the girl growing into a woman” kind of thing…

Yeah... I suppose my age has something to do with it. I’m a 28-year-old woman now.

I’m not 18 like I was when I released my first album. Back then I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure who I was; I was still growing into that. Now, I think I’ve evolved into a woman who is very confident in herself.

Basically, I’ve always been a confident person but nowadays I really know what I like and what I don’t like. And I think I’m a bit more fearless with everything in my life; I’ll try things now that I never have before. With fashion, I don’t try to please anyone else with what I wear; I just wear what I like. To me, fashion is

COVER FEATURE

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COVER FEATURE

just another extension of your creativity as an artist and as a person.

Would you say there’s a certain degree of packaging involved with presenting an artist to their audience?

Well I don’t see myself as a product or package. I see myself as an artist from the ground up: from writing songs to producing them, to coming up with the concepts of my videos. Yes, I have an amazing team of people that I work with but I am in control of all of that. So I’m certainly not an artist that’s a puppet.

Indeed, you executively produced your new album. In layman’s terms, what does your role as executive producer involve?

Basically it means the album is under my control from start to finish. I’m in the driver’s seat in terms of the direction of it, choosing who I write songs with, which producers to work with, and ultimately what it becomes. It’s also my job to make sure the songs work together as a cohesive LP and so I work side by side with each producer to record and edit the vocals as well as produce the music. Then we mix the songs with my engineer and then have them mastered for release.

That’s a lot of work.

But I am lucky to have an incredible team of ridiculously talented people who I’ve spent the last two years making this album with!

When you complete an album, do you ever hit yourself across the head, weeks, days, or even years later and think, “Damn, I wish I’d done that track this way instead of that…”

Actually, no, because I’m in on the entire process from the beginning, and nothing gets to mastering before I’ve given my final seal of approval. There are things that I don’t give into. I have very strong ideas, production-wise, and I work very closely with the producers and with the people that are mixing my songs. I know every instrument, every sound effect, every note, everything. I’m a bit anal when it comes to all of that. In a nutshell, we don’t settle until we’re happy. And that’s because I’ve been in situations in the past where I’ve had a record label decide on my behalf when the songs are finished but as an artist I believed they were only 50 per cent finished. I’m at the age now where – if my name’s going to be on this – you bet that it’s going to be something that I’m 100 per cent proud of.

You perform live quite a bit. What do you love and loathe most about performing on stage?

40 | November 2014

The thing I love most is that every show is a challenge. Every audience is different and it’s amazing to see familiar faces at shows and to also see brand new faces. I love seeing the way people react and sing along to the lyrics that I wrote from my own experiences and my own life. As for any dislikes, I don’t think I have any.

Before appearing on Dancing With The Stars, did you have to practice your dance moves a lot, like, with a professional?

Before the first show I was rehearsing for about four weeks with my dance partner [professional ballroom dancer] Jarryd Byrne.

He’s an amazing teacher and I learnt so much. Ballroom dancing is a whole other world for me, but it’s so much fun!

“I love cooking for my man.

And having friends over and cooking them a big feast. A lot of people find cooking stressful but I find it therapeutic and a great escape. I also love eating good food... so there’s that too!”

You’re doing brilliantly on the show. Good luck in the finals. Now, back to your music, what’s the most bizarre place you’ve been that you’ve heard one of your songs played?

I might be at a gay club with some friends, and when the drag queens are up there doing a show to one of my songs, that is the most bizarre and yet most beautiful things. They dress up like you, and get a costume designed to look like one straight out of your video. I mean, a man dressed up as a woman, miming [ie: lip-synching] to your own song: it’s amazing and I love it.

As they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

So it’s always a compliment?

Absolutely!

You were busy on the makeup front for a while there, having been the face of Covergirl.

Yep, and I loved it. Having grown up with it, and seeing the ‘easy breezy’ Covergirl line, I was so honoured to be a part of it. I like the idea of a brand that gives women confidence to embrace and enhance who they are. I myself love playing with makeup and transforming my looks.

On that note, is variety the name of the game in the music industry these days?

Do you have to constantly reinvent yourself to appeal to a broader range of people thanks to media like the internet?

Not really, because I think everyone seeks out what they like. You just have to stay true to who you are as an artist and true to your style and your own values, and those that relate to it will be drawn to it.

I was first drawn to your single Crazy of two years ago. The video was, well, pretty insane…

I personally loved it. I wanted to shoot it in a mental institution and I wanted to play the patient and the Nazi nurse and the psychologist. Funnily enough, my muse for the psychologist was Victoria Beckham: really quite cold and stark, and looking down her nose…

Why don’t you just say ‘bitchy’…

Well… yeah!

Now, a lot of Rock Candy’s readers are FIFO workers. You could probably relate to them with all the travelling you do in your touring and promotional duties. What are three things that have got to come with you on your travels?

My 6D Canon camera, because I’m a photoholic. My laptop, so that I can make music. And my diary, because I keep a journal every day.

Nice. And finally, what does Ricki-Lee like to do that is totally non-music related – to get your mind away from business and celebrity?

I love cooking for my man! And having friends over and cooking them a big feast.

A lot of people find cooking stressful but I find it therapeutic and a great escape. I also love eating good food... so there’s that too!

[Laughs lots]. ▪ Ricki-Lee’s new album ‘Dance In The Rain’ is out through Universal Music.

COVER FEATURE

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HEALTH

42 | November 2014

HEALTH

BEATING THE BLUES

ROCK CANDY CONTRIBUTOR SIMONE HARLE HAS WORKED FIFO FOR MUCH OF HER ADULT LIFE, AND LIKE EVERY FIFO, SHE’S HAD HER UPS AND DOWNS ON THE JOB. HERE SHE CHATS WITH MINE-SITE CHAPLAIN LORELLE CHAPMAN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THINGS ‘UP’.

W

alking my dog Boo for the last time before f ly-out day is my last indulgence of freedom.

What I like to call my ‘normal’. But on this particular evening it became something of an incomprehensible pondering of the meaning of life.

When I got to the park, I noticed a fragile grey-haired lady, holding a familiar furry friend in her arms. It was her daughter Thea’s dog. Distracted by the canine antics going on around me, I thought I’d misheard her saying her Thea had died that morning (because I had just spoken to her in the park the night before) but how wrong I was. Not only had I heard correctly – Thea had indeed died – but the tragic news revealed she had taken her own life.

I walked home sobbing, wanting to get to my safe place, with a compelling urge to stay with my loved ones and never fly away from them again. But fly I did. At 5am I boarded a plane carrying well over 10 kilos of allowable baggage; you just couldn’t see the excess because it was in my head.

Anyone who does fly-in fly-out work knows the first day of your swing is tough enough. People travel from all over the

state and country to get to the far-reaching corners of mining. It doesn’t matter how long it takes in your plane, train or automobile, once you are there, you WILL work a 9-to-12-hour day. It’s your responsibility to present to work well-rested, fit, healthy, sober, and mentally stable. The latter often a poorly, self-assessed state where homesickness, separation anxiety and isolation from your ‘normal’ is easily hidden but annoyingly present.

Mining has copped a lot of bad press in the last few years for the social impact that working away has on employees’ families. I’ve seen that impact first-hand with the suicide of a close friend but I’ve never seen a company deal with it as proactively as Fortescue Metals Group, and I think its time to give kudos where kudos is due.

Fortescue Chairman Andrew Forrest has implemented empathetic policies and education programs to offset the very real, everyday struggles and issues a transient workforce brings with it to the job. From the get-go, at the first online induction, you are asked to live by the motto “I’m my Brother’s Keeper”.

Indeed I’ve been my brother’s keeper

since I began my journey with Fortescue.

And I get a real sense that someone is also ‘keeping’ me. No matter who you are, where you came from, or what position you are taking on, as you begin your journey with Fortescue, the message is very clear: your safety and wellbeing are paramount and they want to send you home in the same state you turned up to work, if not better.

I’ve never been a particularly religious person, nor have I ever come across a miner delivering the message of some deity up above in a wet mess. I had heard rumours of two pretty cool chaplains on-site – some bloke who likes his ‘bling’ and some chick who likes giving the bloke grief about liking his bling!

It took me a while to pin one of them down for a chat, for Don Fimognari and Lorelle Chapman are the busiest ‘God Squad’ in the Pilbara. And while the reason for their busyness might be of concern, their commitment to duty of care goes above and beyond.

And that gives me great peace of mind.

Af ter Lorelle Chapman introduced herself at our pre-start meeting, I was totally inspired to speak with her further (which has got to be good, right?). I wanted to know www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 43

HEALTH

“It doesn’t stop at the gate when people come up here.

Broadly, we have to deal with people getting news of bereavement, people caring for parents, partners or children, siblings with serious illnesses, depression, anxiety, and the management of all of that.”

44 | November 2014

how a Kiwi gal ended up in the middle of the Pilbara, getting miners to talk about their emotions.

“The opportunity came at the same time I was doing some chaplaincy work in New Zealand,” tells Chapman, “where I was contracted to another government department.” That other government department was the New Zealand police force.

“Back then I was managing high-risk offenders, and with that came lots of issues such as cultural factors, drug and alcohol issues, suicide, mental health, and socio-economic issues.”

Interestingly, though perhaps not so surprisingly, Lorelle also worked for the New Zealand Navy. It’s not a new thought, that mining is the industry twin of the military. And it’s a thought she agrees with.

“Mining is very much the closest thing I’ve seen to a military model because you are mobilising vast amounts of people on rotating rosters, working around heavy equipment and machinery, and it’s an extremely hazardous environment. So there are definite similarities there, particularly in areas of fatigue management, stress management and isolation.”

I tell Lorelle how I consider myself one of the lucky ones working this crazy FIFO life. I don’t leave a partner or kids that I leave behind, hence don’t have the suffering consequences that come with leaving family. But I do miss other things. On my most recent swing, for example, I missed taking my mum to the airport for an overseas holiday. Instead, I had to ring her from the Solomon Hub airstrip when I landed, delivering a quick “goodbye, be safe, I love you”, each verbal gesture taking on a whole new meaning after Thea’s sudden death.

I asked the Chaplain if my story was a familiar one. Her response was perfect: “We deal with all the relative stuff that people experience in everyday life outside the mine site. We carry with us who we are – that being our past experiences, our present, things that are happening in our lives… It doesn’t stop at the gate when people come up here. Broadly, we have to deal with people getting news of bereavement, people caring for parents, partners or children, siblings with serious illnesses, depression, anxiety, and the management of all of that.”

To reference suicide statistics in mining is futile; they are not always accurate and, as someone who works on site and knows people who’ve succumbed to the end-game of depression, most don’t make headlines and nor should they. It’s an intensely personal and tragic journey for a family to deal with the loss of a Son, Brother, Sister, Father, Mother, Friend.

Depression doesn’t discriminate but it is a stealth missile. If you feel the black dog nipping at your heels, and you don’t have a Chaplain on your site, turn to a work buddy or call a family member or friend. Remember, they truly are your keepers. ▪ For someone to talk to call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For more information about depression or anxiety visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au or mensheds.org.au.

This article was written in loving memory of Matt Harding & Thea Williams.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 45

DIVING

AN ABSOLUTE DIVE Getting to the best part of the ocean proves a long and bumpy ride for Rock Candy contributor Louis van Senden, but it’s all worth the effort when he and his diving partner encounter all manner of amazing sea-life, including a family of whales doing their natural thing...

Photography by Louis and Ebony van Senden

46 | November 2014

DIVING

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 47

DIVING

“

Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good.”

Af ter t h ree hours of bumping up, dow n a nd a long t he most horrendous dirt track, the regular bashing sound of the boat trailer had changed pitch to more of a ‘cracking’ sound. A crescendo with each corrugation. This far from civilisation, we had two options. Pull over, unhitch the boat, drive three hours back into town, get a tow-truck, and sell my kidney to pay the bill. Or get a little creative.

We limped another 50 metres before pulling over to inspect the damage. A snapped leaf spring, holding on with a single cable tie, like a taunt from the mate who lent us the boat. In the tradition of wildlife lovers Alby Mangels and Malcolm Douglas, it was time to go ‘bush mechanic’.

A pack of cable ties and one mutilated yoga mat later, and we were back on the road at a somewhat slower pace. A broken boat trailer wasn’t going to put an end to this adventure.

The pitch to my wife Ebony was simple.

One mont h, no toi let, no shower, no fridge, but the most amazing diving on the planet.

When I speak of diving, I’m not referring to the slow cumbersome and restrictive sort that involves strapping an enormous metal tank to your back. I’m talking about free-diving. The art of inhale, exhale, relax and focus. Finding inner peace and channelling that state of mind to descend into the blue on a single lung of air. No bubbles, no dive charts, no depth limits; just you and the ocean. Tent pitched, beds pumped, and gear unpacked, the time had come to hit the ocean.

The turquoise water of the Ningaloo Reef teems with every imaginable sea creature, but accessing it can prove a challenge.

Assessing the boat ramp, a steep beach and heaving shore break, we took our time plucking up the courage. The waves threatened to annihilate our small boat and its contents if our timing was anything but perfect. Picking the gap between bigger set waves, we skull-dragged the boat over the sand and guided it through the impact zone, not looking back till we were well and truly out in the safety of deeper water.

Running over the crystal clear shallow lagoon we had a birds-eye view of the amazing coral playgrounds below. As the bottom dropped deeper, a likely sand edge appeared where Ebony pitched the anchor.

We rolled over the gunwale into the warm clear water below. With an incredible array of five-star seafood on offer, drifting the reef was like browsing a fish shop. I carried a spear-gun to secure our dinner, while Ebony followed, handling the camera.

Spearfishing is the ultimate way to selectively catch a feed. There’s no catch and release; just catch what you want to eat.

Once you’ve got dinner, you can pick up a

48 | November 2014

2

3

4

“WHILE SOME COUNTRIES PERMIT JUMPING IN AND SWIMMING WITH WHALES, AUSTRALIAN LAWS PREVENT INTERFERING WITH THESE MAJESTIC CREATURES… ONLY A LUCKY FEW GET THE CHANCE TO ENCOUNTER A WHALE, AND ONLY WHEN ONE CHOOSES TO APPROACH.” 5

DIVING 1. (Previous page:) A moment to remember - a mother humpback rests with her calf in the clear shallow waters.

2. Large potato cod can be very inquisitive, and love to have a face-to-face stand-off with divers.

3. The dash for safety.

4. Tropical corals take on many shapes and sizes.

5. The Ningaloo Reef is an underwater playground with endless exploring opportunities.

6. Returning to the boat with dinner on hand.

6

6

camera and enjoy the sights free-diving.

After turning down options of spangled emperor, trevally and Spanish mackerel, I couldn’t resist the sweet taste of a northern bluefin tuna that swam a little too close. I looked back at Ebony clinging to the camera as four reef sharks began making their way up through the water column. The fish, spiralling below at the end of my spear, had rung their dinner bells with a plume of blood and they were here to collect. Determined to make sure we were the ones feasting on fresh tuna, I hastily reeled in the injured fish and clamped my arms and legs around it.

“Let’s get out of here before the big sharks arrive!”

I could see the look on Ebony’s face and knew I had pushed far enough. With the tuna quickly dispatched and bleeding, we bade the sharks farewell and made our hasty retreat to the boat.

Gunning the small engine, we followed a wave up the beach and skidded to a stop.

We pulled the boat up the sand less than 50 metres from our campsite. Rope secured to the car, we hauled the boat up the sand where the bow provided an ideal filleting platform. After knocking off some premium fillets, I lit the camp fire. Ebony got to work seasoning the thick fillets and preparing a salad for the gourmet feast. The fillets received a quick searing on each side and our mouths were in ecstasy. Fish this fresh has to be tasted to be appreciated; it’s an experience that money can’t buy!

Camping on the beach, the sand inevitably crept into our tent, our sleeping bags, in fact just about everywhere it could possibly get into. Securing the tent required some out-of-the-box thinking. We filled dry bags with sand to hold down the corners, and secured the anchor ropes to large rocks, burying them to keep us grounded.

Since I first introduced my wife to the underwater world, swimming with a whale has been at the top of our to-do list. Diving with whales is really a luck-of-the-draw occurrence in Australia. While some countries permit jumping in and swimming with whales, Australian laws prevent approaching and interfering with these majestic creatures. Only a lucky few get the chance to encounter a whale and only when one chooses to approach.

We joined the fortunate few.

As the unmistakable calls grew louder, Ebony was the first to notice that there were two distinct sounds. The regular deep baritone of a mother humpback accompanied by a shrieking high-pitched voice. The call of the adult humpback was like a deep bass pounding in a night club; the songs reverberating through our bones.

As the current towed us further along the reef, the mother and calf materialised in front of us. I could never have imagined a more ideal situation to have an encounter

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 49

DIVING

7

7. Camping under the night sky makes you truly appreciate the stars.

8. Living on sand can take some getting used to, but the view makes it worth it.

8

9 10

50 | November 2014

9. The night stars put on quite a show if you have the patience to watch 10. Esky bags like this ‘Fish Chilla’ are ideal for keeping fish cool out on the boat.

with a whale. The ocean had given up the seemingly endless turbulence of the previous week and had become serene. The calf looked fresh out of the womb. I started snapping off a few pics, then turned to see Ebony looking a little concerned. After a little cajoling, she relaxed and we drifted on, coming closer to the whales. After a few amazing moments diving with the gentle giants, the mother decided she’d had enough and kicked her big tail, sending a shock wave across the surface. As they swam away a smile appeared on Ebony’s face that would stay with her for the coming days as we relieved the encounter.

Having dived with whales, manta rays, sea turtles, sharks and an incredible variety of fish, our souls were refreshed. We’d feasted on the freshest fish, slept under the stars, and swam through the amazing coral reef at night. But like all good things, the

time came to un-pitch the tent, deflate the mattress, and pack up the gear.

“Crack.”

The last cable tie on the trailer had done its dash. With only a few kilometres of dirt road before the highway, there was no way we were calling a tow truck. All available ropes were put to good use, lashing the boat to the axle. The expression “if you can’t tie knots, tie lots” came to mind as I looked down at the spider-web of ropes attaching the boat to the trailer. The final stretch of dirt took us half an hour at an average speed of 4km/h but at long last the sealed road appeared and we breathed a collective sigh of relief. We were sunburnt, tired and in desperate need of a shower, but we’d seen sights and had experiences that would stay with us forever.

After all, an adventure without adversity is no adventure at all. ▪

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PROFILE

DIZZY AT THE TOP Local lad Josh Sheehan double-backflips his way to become FMX World Champion.

Interview by Jake D. Frost

W

ith few people crazy enough to even try it, our very own West Oz da redev i l Josh ‘Sheeny’ Sheehan is the only motocross rider current ly nailing the death-defying double backflip – and during competition runs, no less. More than a one-trick pony, this 28-year-old recently jumped to victory at the last two Red Bull X-Fighter events, and has now officially been crowned FMX World Champion.

Like many involved in motocross, Josh honed his talent amidst a rural upbringing.

52 | November 2014

“I grew up on an orchard in Donnybrook, a couple of hours South of Perth,” he tells Rock Candy only days after taking out the coveted title. “I was a typical young boy; my brother and I just loved bikes and cars.

Dad let me work on the farm to earn enough money to buy a motorbike when I was 14.”

And from there Sheeny was hooked: going trail riding, track racing and fooling around on jumps. He admits he entered his first freestyle competition in 2007 “almost out of curiosity”. It was around this time t he t hen-21-yea r-old bega n toying with the idea of regular, single-rotation backflips – even if he did start off somewhat reluctantly.

“I remember first watching riders doing the backflip and thinking that it was an epic move, but I wasn’t sure if I’d ever do it,” he recalls. So what pushed him? “Well, I remember mum saying, ‘You’re not doing one of those’, and that’s probably what made me want to do it even more-so.”

As with many Freestyle MX tricks the progression starts on a BMX, moves on to mini bikes and foam pits, and eventually ends successfully on a full-size motor bike… Or disastrously in a bloody mess at the bottom of

the dirt landing.

Obviously it has all worked out for Josh. After successfully spinning the single and mastering all the other maniac modern moves, Sheeny has won a string of freestyle comps. This has now earned him a spot in the premium Red Bull X-Fighters tournaments, as well as on the famous Nitro Circus Tour.

Quickly on the up-and-up, Sheeny literally went roundand-round, stunning all as he became only the fourth person in history to land a double backflip on a motorbike.

Even though he is now the only FMX rider actively doing the elusive double on call, seemingly with ease, he doesn’t take the feat lightly.

“For me, double flips are definitely the hardest, maybe not so much physically, but mentally it’s just a really tough one to deal with,” he acknowledges. “If you want to put it in a [competition] run, when you get to a new location the ramps can be slightly different and can throw you a bit differently. It’s just a stressful one because you can’t afford to come up short and you can’t just pullout halfway. It’s challenging, but I enjoy a challenge.”

A nd t h a t s u m s up Jos h Sheehan perfectly – an ambitious dynamo blazing his own

trail. Take for example his latest win at the X-Fighters stop in Pretoria, South Africa. It was the final competition of the 2014 series. He’d won the last event in Munich, Germany, and in overall standings he was only a few points behind top competitor, Levi Sher wood. It was between those two; whoever placed best in the inaugural Sout h A f r ica n show wou ld become World Champ.

“I thought it was going to be a nervous, stressful headto-head against Levi at some point,” Sheeny says. But in the end fate would see things differently; Sherwood injured himself early in the qualifying rounds and was unable to continue.

Josh had t he cha mpionship in the bag, but instead of playing it safe and taking it easy, the determined thrillseeker put on a dominating show. With double-backflips, insane f lairs and an array of combos, he took out the individual contest as well as the prestigious annual title.

“It still would’ve been cool to take the championship even if I didn’t win that last event, but it might’ve left some doubt in people’s minds,” he says.

There’s certainly no doubt now: Sheeny is the best FMXer in the world. ▪

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 53

MUSIC

Where most drummers remain in the background of a band – figuratively and quite often literally – Rick Allen of Def Leppard is a bright icon in his own right. For those who don’t know their rock’n’roll history, Rick was in a street-racing accident in 1985, just as the band were gaining true crossover momentum on charts internationally. The accident saw Rick only just overcome complete amputation of his left arm, yet he continued playing with the band and does so to this day.

What this meant was the introduction of an electronic drum kit to complement Rick’s acoust ic pl ay ing, w hich is probably w hy w e he ard sh arper percussi v e sounds in Def Leppard’s music from 19 85 onward (think the power rock tr ack P o u r S o m e S u g a r O n M e ).

Rick Allen is a star not only in the music industry but now in the arts world, creating awesome artworks using a new tool that reads his drum signals and presents them as awesome visuals.

Antonino Tati chats with Rick about making cool art, and indeed the art itself of drumming with one arm.

Hi Rick. So you’re in Malibu at the moment?

I am, I am. But I was in Perth a couple of years ago, touring Australia, as you’re probably aware. I enjoyed Perth. It was a nice change. We flew from New Zealand and I’ve gotta say, the jet lag is brutal!

Ah come on, it’s not that bad… You call Malibu home, however you moved over from England, didn’t you?

That’s right. In ’91 I decided to move here. Kids and you-name-it started arriving and so I have a sort of commitment to the US now, as it were.

You’ve had a long run with Def Leppard but now you’ve moved into the arts world having created some great pieces by turning music into art, per se.

54 | November 2014

Can you explain the technique to Rock Candy readers?

Basically, a company called Scene Four set me up in a dark studio and presented me with these wonderful ‘light sticks’ that became my paint brushes. When you hit the drums with them, they actually light up, and you can view them on a computer screen. I was literally able to use the light sticks as a painter would use a paint brush.

What we did was we captured whole performances – an entire song at a time – and captured that in one single frame using long exposure photography. It wasn’t too long before we realised that these were hidden realms, or hidden worlds – parts of me and the music that I knew existed but hadn’t seen in this light before.

Had you seen the images on a computer monitor before?

No, this is the first time that I had seen them. I knew that they existed from my own imagination but I’d never actually seen them brought into this reality. It was very profound being able to see these images.

So you’ve gotten a real kick out of seeing your music turn into visuals?

It’s wonderful to see that art is interchangeable. If you can play an instrument it’s very refreshing to see that you can push into other areas and express yourself in different ways. As long as you can allow the physical body to catch up.

Tell us why your first collection was titled ‘Electric Hand’.

The actual naming of the collection was really quite easy. It was almost like a window into the soul. Really, all of us have unique footprints so far as artistic endeavours go.

You know, you’re a writer and you have a certain style. This project really showed my true style.

What has feedback from family, friends and the public in general been like to the art?

The response that I’m getting is amazing.

People that could only kind of relate to me on a musical level – whether they come to a show or listen to Def Leppard in general – it was nice to connect with them in a new way.

I believe other musicians are doing similar things, transforming their instrument-playing into visual art. Artists like Matt Sorum from Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Steve Perkins of Jane’s Addiction. When you’re bumping into these guys at music gigs, do you talk ar t or more-so drumming?

All of the above. You know, drummers are an interesting group of people. I mean, you have to sit back there and look at the other musicians’ backsides for your entire career! There’s definitely something wrong – or right – about that. I find other drummers tend to be very humble, at least when I meet them.

Most drummers are quite literally in the background, as you say, often not granted as much attention as the other players in the band. But you of course are a unique talent – especially being able to play drum kits with one arm. You’re quite an icon in the music industry.

Well part of my recovery was to stop really comparing myself now to myself as I used to be. And also to stop comparing myself to others and wishing that I could do the things that I used to do with two arms. It wasn’t until I started to celebrate my uniqueness – not in a big-headed way – but just appreciating that I could do things that other people couldn’t do [that] I could be really grateful for that. And it was a huge part of my recovery relatively early on that really

allowed me to move forward in a way that was confident.

Drumming is obviously a major passion.

You’ve been doing it for years now. What made you aspire to becoming a drummer as a kid? Did you look up to certain bands?

Absolutely. I had an older brother and he used to bring home all these different vinyl LPs and I remember one of the first rock records he brought home was by Deep Purple. So I started listening to them. And to Made In Japan. And The Police. Earlier on when I joined Def Leppard at the age of 15, Steve Clarke, the guitar player that sadly we lost, he really got me into listening to Led Zeppelin and the drumming of John Bonham.

Who then sadly passed as well…

I know. There’s a heck of a band playing up there somewhere!

Well this is why it’s great to see musicians like you throwing yourself into something like art, despite what might otherwise be quite a rock’n’roll lifestyle.

It’s important to do so, to keep yourself sane, isn’t it?

I agree with you, but there was a certain amount of fear in pushing into new areas.

You know, like, will people think this is ridiculous? But like I said, it’s been refreshing that people can really relate to me in a different way. Memories of a show and memories of music are very important, but to actually be able to take something home, especially something as unique as these pieces, and be able to have that hanging on your wall and be able to ponder the music behind the art, I think it’s a great thing.

I read recently that you’re emulating some of your earlier acoustic drumming through the use of the electronic drums.

Is this true?

Whenever I’m working in the studio, I’m constantly pushing into acoustic drums more and more. But when I get out on the road with Def Leppard it’s easier for me to express myself using my electronic kit. That in itself is refreshing to be able to go back and forth between two different types of instrument. But when all is said and done, acoustic drums were the first that I experienced and that was way before electronic drums even came into view, so they are always going to be the foundation of what I do: which is to maintain the physicality of acoustic drums. That will always remain.

So on stage, do you play on an acoustic set as well as an electronic set?

Ultimately, everything apart from kickdrum, snare-drum and cymbals – which are acoustic – is fed through electronic.

Well now that you’ve seen what the electronic contingency can make you create on canvas, do you think Def Leppard will expand on the visual side of things for

your shows? Bigger, better videos, for example?

That’s great food for thought. At some point it will be wonderful to see that on stage, but it’s a lot grander a vision. In reality, these light sticks that I was using, they’re the things that actually created the imagery but I won’t be using them too often.

You’re family must be quite proud of your longevity in the music industry. Indeed I believe it was your Mum who responded to an ad placed by Def Leppard for a new drummer.

Yeah, at the ripe age of 14 I was ready to give up my career in music because I was really fed up with playing with local bands that didn’t want to write their own songs.

There was a piece in the local newspaper that said something like ‘Leppard Loses Skins’ and my Mum encouraged me to call.

In fact, she called and I got an audition. I went down and met with Steve [Clark], the guitar player and Joe [Elliott], the singer.

We went down to a local club and realised that we probably had rubbed shoulders at all the local music gigs. Our experiences were very similar growing up so we immediately felt as though we knew each other.

A few days later I went for the audition and I got the gig. I was very, very fortunate to get in with this band.

Indeed you were. Well thanks for the chat, Rick. I wish you all the success with continuing on with making music and with your ventures in art.

Lovely, man, thank you very much. And come say hello next time we’re in town. ▪ To view or purchase Rick Allen’s artwork, visit rickallenart.com. www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 55

MUSIC

RELATIVELY FAMILIAR

Brother and sister duo Angus & Julia Stone have only been making music together since 2006 but already they’re as engrained in the Aussie vernacular as meat pie and sauce (he’d be the pie, and she’d be the sauce). After delivering solo projects each in 2012 and 2013, this year sees the siblings recording together again, to deliver what critics are saying is their best album yet. Rock Candy chats with Julia Stone about international travelling, writing songs “ from memory”, and losing counts of hits on YouTube.

Interview by Antonino Tati

56 | November 2014

MUSIC

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 57

MUSIC

Hi Julia. You’re from close to Avalon, part of the northern beaches of New South Wales. Do you still call it home?

Well I still call Australia home, for sure, but I can’t really say I’ve been home for a long time. I’ve been based a bit in the US [ie: in Malibu] and a bit in London, largely due to how convenient it is to be overseas [for recording]. I also enjoy the difference of being overseas. I grew up in Australia and have seen a lot of Australia already, so it’s kind of good to venture out a bit and see other worlds.

Do you write a lot on your travels?

Angus and I always write while we’re on the road. And even between tours I like to travel; I especially like going to India which is one of my favourite places to travel to, and so I wrote a few songs there.

Do you find you get a different buzz from different influences depending on where you are in the world?

I’ve never really noticed. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how different I feel in the different places I’ve written in because I haven’t really paid that much attention to it. I do feel different in those various places but I don’t know if it’s solely the environment – you know, the weather, the people, and the culture – that makes me feel that way. It’s also the frame of mind I’m in at that particula r t ime; how I’m feeling mentally and emotionally at that moment.

Could you give an example?

Well, I’ve been to India about six times now, and each time feels different: for example, going straight after a breakup compared to going when you’ve just met someone and started falling in love, do you know what I mean? And it’s not just relationships that influence your way of thinking; it’s friendships, your family…

Life is so vast and complex that it’s hard to pinpoint just where a song comes from.

It’s like, is this coming from sadness, is this coming from pain, is this coming from beauty, or is this coming from love?

There’s just a massive array of shit that goes on in life.

So the songs come as they come?

Yeah, most of the time. Occasionally I get asked to write something specific for somebody, like for a friend’s wedding, or I’ve been asked to write songs for films and TV shows. Then I’m much more conscious about what the idea behind the story and song has to be.

Do you write old-school style, like literally with pen on paper, or on a PC or Mac? I actually don’t do either. I sing and just 58 | November 2014

remember. I don’t actually write down lyrics. The only time I do write down lyrics is when they’re needed for album artwork.

Mostly, they’re written in my head.

Does that mean that when you get into a studio to record, there are often changes to a song?

Absolutely. A song like [her solo track from 2012] Justine – those lyrics changed about 15 times over the period of a year of singing it for fun. It was just one of those songs that I loved the melody of but I was never really attached to any of the lyrics for too long. Even in the studio, each take was with different lyrics.

“Life is so vast and complex that it’s hard to pinpoint just where a song comes from.

It’s like, is this coming from sadness, pain, beauty or love?

There’s just a massive array of shit that goes on in life.”

When you’re making a new record with your brother Angus, how tough is the decision-making process between you?

It’s very much a go-with-the-flow kind of journey. I don’t think Angus and I have ever sat down and planned things. We didn’t even plan recording and playing together like this. In fact, we’ve had moments where we’ve gone, “How did I end up with you, doing this for seven years?”.

You guys grew up together; don’t you ever get tired of being in each other’s faces? Is it necessary to go solo occasionally just to find your own place?

I think it’s really important for us to do that. We’ve grown up a lot together, and it’s certainly challenged us in ways that family do challenge you. But I feel really lucky for having that opportunity to work

with family. Because Angus and I have been living together, and working together, and making music together for so long, we’ve really had to process a lot of stuff and be kind to each other in ways that were different to when you were a kid. When you’re a kid, you fight and you’re a bit vicious. We’re adults now and with that comes a certain maturity, and I’ve been really grateful to have that with Angus. I think, too, that it gave us a lot of confidence to have each other there while doing such a strange job where you’re always away from home and you’re constantly thrown into strange situations.

And now, for both of us to have gone solo for a bit, it was no big deal.

Not a lot of people realise it, but you star ted out with solo ambitions, anyway.

Yeah, like I said we didn’t plan Angus & Julia Stone. He was very much writing his own music and I was writing mine. But we lived together and it just made sense to have open mic nights. I’d sing harmonies on his sets and he’d sing harmonies on my sets. Though we always suppor ted each other, we never thought of ourselves as a combined act. It was just a course of events that lead to us wanting to turn it into a combined band.

Actually, we won this random competition to play a festival. We both won it as solo artists, but we both won the same spot in the festival. They said, “You guys can both play solo spots but you’d have to split the set”. Then it just evolved into working together.

How does it feel to have something like 20 million hits on YouTube for one song and video like Big Jet Plane?

Is it surreal?

To be honest, I can’t get my head around that number. Twenty million is a lot but I just don’t even know what it looks like!

Do you like the fact that these days an artist can go online and see public reaction without having it filtered through a record company? You’ve got comments coming directly from your listeners, with no fan clubs or suits in the way…

I try not to go online and look up [ie: Google] myself. It’s kind of disturbing whether people are saying good things or bad things.

A couple of times I’ve gone on to check a video or something, just wanting to make sure that it’s the right ratio and not being squished. And if I see there are comments underneath, I’ll quickly close the page because even if they’re positive, it can really play with your head. Whether people say good or bad things, it doesn’t really matter.

MUSIC

I just love making music. That said, the internet’s a great thing and I love being able to download stuff and watch things on YouTube, but as a performer and an artist I don’t particularly like the idea that I can potentially see a video of me playing last night. I don’t like that things can be recorded and put up the next day, because it’s embarrassing! I don’t wanna see myself dancing around…

What’s the most surreal place you’ve

heard one of your songs being played?

I was watching a movie called Easy A and I just love Emma Stone [in the lead role] – I think she’s a beautiful actress. Anyway I was really enjoying the film and there’s a scene where she’s driving a car and all of a sudden I can hear Angus’ voice come on, singing Big Jet Plane, and it totally tripped me out! I don’t remember getting an email about it. You do get emails and information [from the record company] but I barely follow all that, so I do get shocked when

things like that happen.

A nice surprise, then. Well, Julia, thanks for the chat. And kudos to both you and Angus for delivering a great new album.

T ha n k you. It’s been g reat spea k i ng with you. ▪ Angus & Julia Stone’s self-titled new album is out through EMI Music and available on iTunes.

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TRAVEL - DOMESTIC

60 | November 2014

NOT SO GRIM UP NORTH PORT HEDLAND IS THE SECOND LARGEST TOWN IN WA’S PILBARA REGION: HOME TO A MASSIVE PROPORTION OF THE STATE’S NATURAL RESOURCES INCLUDING IRON ORE AND MANGANESE. ROCK CANDY CONTRIBUTOR ALEX HARMON SCRATCHES THE TOWN’S TOUGH TURF TO DISCOVER THAT ARTS AND CULTURE ARE THRIVING THERE, TOO.

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ou could say Port Hedland is a lot like Dubai. You’ve got the dry desert climate; you’ve got the trade industry that turns the cog wheels of the country’s economy; and most surprisingly you’ve got the progressive sense of creativity and innovation. While it might not have the indoor water parks and underwater hotels that Dubai boasts, Port Hedland is certainly creating waves of its own with its rich cultural tapestry.

Located in the Pilbara region of northwest WA, Port Hedland is a unique town where industry meets the arts, albeit rather rustically. Home to one of the world’s largest working harbours, it appears to be a tough, working class area but fossick a little deeper and the real gems appear. Even the entrance to BHP is decorated in sculptures by local artists, made from the very iron the town produces. Bondi and Perth have their annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibitions, but Port Hedland can boast a permanent ‘Sculptures by the Desert’ of sorts. Like the wildflowers that bloom every winter, there’s beauty sprouting through that desert dust.

Port Hedland is also the seemingly bizarre location of what is arguably the northwest coast’s biggest music event, the NorthWest Festival. On a hot August weekend, around 6,000 people step into the local Turf Club to watch a swag of international and Australian artists perform.

Big-name acts like the Dandy Warhols, Wolfmother, Missy Higgins, Illy, Art Vs Science and the Ashton Shuffle lured in the crowds this year – young, old, miners, backpackers, even the Mayor of the town was there.

TOWN EVOLVING INTO A CITY Situated 1,600km north of Perth, Port Hedland is often overshadowed by the tourism hot-spots of the Kimberly, and yet the region has the might and strength of a grand city. The thriving street-art scene has attracted artists from all over the world, many having taken up residency in the town. While I was there, Mexican urban artist, illustrator and graphic designer Saner had made his first trip to Australia to create a mural on the main street, while Amsterdam-based street artist Amok Island was flown in to create a mural to coincide with the North West Festival. The canvas he was given, of all places, was the local police station. It was somewhat ironic to see the local cops look on with pride as he spraypainted the outside of their headquarters.

Luckily, Amok went with a modest flatback turtle hatching from its egg – a nod to the turtle breeding ground on the shores of Port Hedland, as opposed to some anti-authoritarian theme.

Port Hedland is a town made up of somewhat transient residents. You have FIFO workers, seafarers, backpackers and grey nomads – even the turtles come and

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go. Between October and March you can witness flatbacks nesting at Pretty Pool and Cemetery Beach. It’s astounding to think that in one of the world’s busiest ports, where millions of tons of cargo pass, you also have a thriving population of turtles.

Then there are the bigger sea monsters – the seafarer ships. To truly get a sense of scale and to see just how big these ships are, a trip out to sea with the local Seafarers Centre is a must. Walking into the centre you get a sense of what really matters in life to a man who has been at sea for months on end. Cold beer, pool tables and high-speed

internet to contact their loved ones are amongst their most precious amenities.

Meanwhile, the gift shop reminds me that these people are tourists, too – a place to purchase a bizarre mix of kangaroo skins, baby formula and macadamia nuts. The chaplains who volunteer at the centre have even launched a harbour tour which gets you up close and personal with the ships as they drop off seafarers for the day. The sheer size of the ships is unbelievable and the joy on the faces of the seafarers as they make their way towards land is incredibly heartwarming.

Various photography by Alex Harmon and courtesy Sunset Events.

TRAVEL - DOMESTIC

STAY:

The Esplanade Hotel theesplanadeporthedland.com.au

GO HARD AT:

The North West Festival northwestfestival.com.au

DRINK UP AT:

The Pier Hotel thepierhotel.net.au

GET CULTURED UP WITH:

form.net.au/project/public

FLY:

Qantas flies from Perth to Port Hedland daily

TRUE FORCE OF NATURE If you want to see how the mining industry truly works, I’d insist you to take a tour of Port Hedland’s most famous ‘theme park’ – BHP Billiton. You get to witness BHP’s iron ore operations in progress where you can literally see the national economy ticking over, from the trains that transport the ore to Port Hedland, to the huge bucket wheel reclaimers and conveyor belts which lead the cargo onto ships bound for all corners of the globe. These days most of the mach i ner y is operated by computer, meaning some of what I saw was being directed by a person sitting in an air-conditioned office in Perth.

Of course you cannot skim over Port Hedland’s reputation for being a rough and ready town. In the summer, the Hedland is prone to temperatures in the high 40s, even while cyclones occasionally tear houses apart. One local informs me that if you look out to sea and can’t see the big iron ore ships, it means they’ve been evacuated and you should probably start packing your bags.

It’s a town that holds the record for the ‘toughest pub in the country’, the Pier Hotel. This pub, which looks like a motel from a horror flick, got its title for playing host to the most amount of stabbings in a single night – as legend has it, the last body count was 86, including six barmaids. Yet when we drop in for a beer, we’re met with friendly faces, a relaxed vibe and live music – elements you’d be hard-pressed to find in a Sydney pub.

It’s true, this town has a long way to go to reach full city status, and even though they have their own ‘staircase to the moon’ on the ripples of Pretty Beach once a month, they don’t want to be another Broome. Just like The Little Engine That Could, Port Hedland seems happy just chugging away as the underdog. That said, the town continues to surprise every tourist that blows in and lets the dust settle on their boots long enough to see the big picture. And while it might look dry and barren like Dubai did 50 years ago, I guarantee you’ll feel a certain ‘big city’ force pulling you into this place. ▪ www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 63

TRAVEL - INTERNATIONAL

GETTING THERE: Thai Airways and Virgin Australia offer flights from Perth to Phuket several times a week with a flight time of just over 6 hours.

Qantas and Jetstar fly Sydney to Phuket with a flight time of approximately 9.5 hours.

For more information visit the individual airlines’ websites.

64 | November 2014

PHUKET, LET’S GO SOMEWERE DIFFERENT FOR A CHANGE… PHUKET IS SIMILAR TO BALI IN ONE SENSE - THE BUSTLING CENTRE OF PATONG IS AS AKIN TO DIRTY KUTA AS CAN GET. AS FOR THE REST OF PHUKET, IT’S AN ISLAND SURROUNDED BY FANTASTIC VISTAS AND CHEQUERED WITH THERAPEUTIC THINGS-TO-DO. Story by Antonino Tati

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or many travellers to South-East Asia, there’s the assumption that the cost for tourists is similar across the board. Let’s get one thing straight: it’s not. Things get decidedly more ex-y when it comes to holidaying in Thailand than, say, Indonesia, and that’s whether you go five-star or backpacker-style.

You notice this the moment you exit Phuket airport. Even if you’re heading to the centre of the island’s chaos, Patong, you’ll be hit with a fare of 800 baht (around AUD$25) which incidentally is more than the cost of a cab from Sydney Airport to Surry Hills!

Cabs generally cost more in Thailand than in Indonesia. In fact, in and around Phuket you have the option of paying about AUD$6 for a ten-minute trip that would otherwise cost you AUD$2 in Bali.

Alternatively, you can opt to take a tuk-tuk, which is basically an open vehicle akin to one you might find on a safari game drive – that is rickety, non-airconditioned, without seatbelts, and with the risk of falling out being 100% yours.

While there are some very tranquil quarters to Phuket, particularly the resorts that dot the northern coast of the island, and even Phuket Town itself, these areas are a far cry from the hustle and bustle of busy Patong Beach. Put simply, Patong is to Phuket what Kuta is to Bali – complete with bad whiffs in the air that forced us to make reference to “that pong in Patong”. But the mess and chaos are not so much the locals’ doing; rather the tourists, who often prefer to bow down to a statue of Ronald McDonald in Buddha pose for a rushed breakfast than anything sincerely culinary.

On that note, steer clear of the Western food chains that are starting to make a mess of Thailand and you’ll find the traditional cuisine here an awesome treat. The key

ingredients in Thai cooking are the four Cs: curry, coconut, chilli, and coriander. Chuck in black pepper, garlic, lime and ginger, and you end up with plenty of permutations of amazing and zesty dishes.

Even the simplest Thai dish will put a spring in your step. For starters, you’ve got to try a traditional Khao Tom soup, which you’ll find in a reputable resort such as Point Yamu by Como served with ginger, spring onion, fried garlic, chicken, pork, shrimp and rice. Yep, just about every food group is covered in any given given Thai dish.

Even in the most ‘boutique’-style resorts, food is relatively affordable. Still not as low-tagged as Bali, but amazingly priced when you compare something like Indigo Pearl’s delectable green curry for 240 baht (AUD$8) with a smaller portion in Perth costing upwards of 16 bucks. And that’s from the resort’s room service menu. As for food in cafés along the beach, delicately crafted entrées are offered for as little as AUD$4 a dish, and substantial mains for a very decent $6.

If you’re the ‘social butterfly’ type who enjoys frequenting hipster places like Potato Head in Bali, the W in Hong Kong or even Matisse in Perth, you’ll get a kick out of popular tourist hang Nikki Beach, the 10th permanent Nikki Beach location in the world, situated on the west coast of Phuket.

Some resorts, like The Pavilions, have a great relationship with hip social venues like Nikki Beach, and will provide free transit to the venue. That said, at The Pavilions, you can skinny dip freely in the morning, dress for high tea in the afternoon, and enjoy 360-degree nature views dining on tapas at night, so there’s not much reason to leave such prestigious accommodation.

Markets are not as vividly laid-out in Phuket as they are in, say, vibrant towns like Seminyak, particularly at night since curfews have frightened a lot of merchants into shutting shop at midnight sharp. While there is less of an official curfew in the resort areas of Thailand than its capital city of Bangkok, store-owners are hesitant to sell in the 24/7 manner they were happy to. Even enjoying a midnight treatment in one of those 200-baht-for-a-one-hour-massage joints is a rarity these days, so be sure to get all those affordable treatments done before dark.

The good thing about shopping in Phuket is that hawking is less of a problem here than in other South-East Asian quarters.

Once you’ve said “no thank-you” to a store attendant (preferably with a smile), he or she will generally leave you alone, unlike other places where “no” means “maybe” or even “yes, and please do keep stalking me” to avid marketeers. On the flipside of the coin, if you’re the one to want to haggle, get ready to quit sooner than later, for once a market-keeper in Phuket makes up his or her mind in price – that’s it.

To get away from city life, there are plenty of great water activities to pursue, from parasailing and kayaking to simply taking a longboat ride to a semi-deserted island. Most resorts offer special adventure packages, and some even include mini tours in your pre-paid itinerary, like Point Yamu

by Como’s day trips to stunning Rang Yai Island, or its full-day cruises around the infamous ‘James Bond Island’ in Phang Nga Bay. Weather-wise, things are generally pleasant year-round in Phuket – even in low season. We were there in August, when it rained just once, and for only 10 minutes.

For the rest of our week’s stay it was pretty much blue skies and pleasant temperatures.

Travelling to Thailand during low season has, in fact, got many benefits including the fact that the beaches are more spacious, local produce comes into season, and the countryside – for those who want to venture out further than the ordinary – is its greenest ever.

Come h ig h sea son – November to February – you can expect hotel rates to triple, airfares to double, and even motorbike rental prices to hike.

Only alcohol – that evil potion that boasts the same currency pretty much anywhere around the world – stays consistent in Thailand. In fact, it’s about as costly as you’ll find back home. Crap alcohol, most of the time (stay away from Thai white wine) but at an insistent $9 a glass – even in the dodgiest of bars.

That said, if you’re thinking of visiting Thailand to drink a lot and make a mess of the place, you’re coming for the wrong reasons.

If you’re planning an itinerary of adventurous outdoor activity, balanced with a little history collecting, fine food-tasting, and lots of lazing about, then Phuket is the perfect holiday destination. Planning on drinking and being a dick, and you’re better off traipsing back to Kuta. You and your boogie board. www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 65

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ACCOMMODATION OPTION I:

INDIGO PEARL

A

big difference between ‘chain’ hotels and boutique establishments is that the former will often impose themselves on traditional spaces, messing these up with their particular brand of gaucheness, while the latter will carefully consider their environment, designing from the ‘outside in’ so that they end up paying homage to a place’s history and current surrounds.

Indigo Pearl Phuket is one such resort that pays tribute to its past and respect to its present, focusing on the historical legacy of Phuket’s tin-mining industry while also highlighting the spectacular surrounds of the island. The name itself might allude more to the stunning blue waters on Phuket’s periphery, but much of the design – right down to the smallest detail – takes its inspiration from the tin trade that was once an integral part of Phuket’s commerce. Indeed, the whole of Thailand relied heavily on tin-mining as a main source of income for centuries up until the early 1930s. (Since then, rubber has been the nation’s main export and now you’ll even see forests of ‘rubber’ trees as you taxi your way up to Indigo Pearl).

So as not to forget its rich heritage, industrial artistry has been instilled in the design and development of just about every facet of Indigo Pearl. From the exposed wooden beams that hold up the ceilings right down to the polished cement floors, ‘rustic’ and ‘practical’ appear to be the key themes here. Each suite and pavilion is fitted out in rich, solid woods, with antique fixtures permeating just about every section. The brass faucets in the bathroom, for example, look like they’ve come straight out of a 1920 s plumbing works, but rest assured these operate as efficiently as any contemporary designer tap brand.

The brains behind the resort’s intricate aesthetics is none other than American designer and architect Bill Bensley, who once famously said that his philosophy on design has always been “the more odd, the better”. Hence Bensley has found a way to blend the quirky with the pragmatic in every

66 | November 2014

detail. Toiletries in the bathroom are contained in resin cases decorated with nuts and bolts.

Stainless steel benches are studded with brass rivets. Even outside, a sense of rustic recycling is evident; for example, automated fans above the day-bed flap back and forth like the vintage air coolers that helped reduce the temperatures in stinking hot tin factories of yesteryear.

To f ur ther help guest s cool down is a generously sized plunge pool in each pool pavilion, set amidst the shady surrounds of your own garden courtyard.

Despite their rustic and natural themes, though, rest assured that every pavilion, villa or suite at Indigo Pearl is equipped with all the necessary mod-cons. High speed Wi-Fi, IDD telephone, mini bar, air-con, satellite TV, even access to a library of up-to-the-minute CD and DVD releases.

But for pure design excellence, an award should go to Indigo Pearl’s Coqoon Spa, a sanctuary of treatment rooms, each perched thirty feet high amid rich rainforest. Seriously, you feel like you’ve entered a giant alien-like pod, surrounded by towering banyan trees from which birds are chirping, as you enjoy a blissful treatment. Their ‘balancing rebirth’ treatment includes reflexology techniques and crystals for the body. It’s apt the treatment rooms here are shaped like cocoons themselves; for you come out feeling totally metamorphosised. Priced at 3,300 baht (around AUD$110), it’s worth it for the view alone!

In a nutshell, Indigo Pearl is an ideal resort for those who want to relax more than party.

Indigo Pearl is situated in Nai Yang Beach and National Park, Phuket, Thailand.

Book with Mr & Mrs Smith for the best available rates and a free extra on arrival. Ring their expert travel team 24/7 on 1300 89 66 27 or visit mrandmrssmith.com. Also, download the free Smith Hotels booking app from the App Store (mrandmrssmith.com/app).

ON A CULINARY NOTE… Indigo Pearl has three main restaurants. First there’s Tin Mine, where lavish buffet breakfasts are hostedand which also offers a la carte for lunch and dinner. The dishes here are a mix of international and Thai street-style.

Black Ginger, a smaller eatery, is strictly Thai; its menu follows ancient recipes that meld sweet, sour and spice nicely.

Rivet Grill is our pick of the bunch, offering new world cuisine with a grill element.

We sampled amazing dishes such as Smoked Yellow Fin Tuna with Caviar, Radish and Miso (for entrée) and Pigeon with Foie Gras, Jerusalem Artichoke and Bay Leaves (for main).

Each dish arrives looking like a true work of art; although science plays a big part of it, according to head chef Fabrizio Crocetta. “To me, cooking is art; science is tradition. I like seeing an evolution of the two combined in my work,” he says.

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A

s you make your way up toward The Pavilions – one of Phuket’s prestigious adults-only resorts perched on the island’s high hills – you know you’re moving into above par territory – not only geographically but stylistically and in terms of service. As the tall front gates open, the first thing notice is a grand Buddha sitting centred, hands clasped in mediation as if to be sending positive vibes out especially for you. And the positive mantra continues throughout the place, only enhanced by plentiful space indoors, a private infinity pool outdoors, and – for most of the villas – some of Thailand’s most spectacular sea views.

Each villa is like a postmodern temple: paredback chic in design with plenty of room to move – be it an ocean-view pavilion with spectacular vista or a penthouse villa where plus-space is a priority.

The penthouse villa also comes with your own private spa and steam room, as do the popular spa-and-pool pavilions.

The Pavilions are a sanctuary with key focus on wellbeing, hence the resort offers an array of spa treatments and massage options from traditional Thai to more western/remedial methods. Beauty options are aplenty, too, so while she keeps busy topping up with facials, he can kill time at the new purpose-built state-of-the-art gym (note: this addition to the resort will be complete by November’s end).

Back ‘home’, the high walls surrounding the gardens of your villa assure privacy, so it’s no surprise when the manager tells you to “feel free to skinny-dip”. No-one else will see you; it’s that simple. A veiled sala adds to the already heavily romantic notion, and we were pleasantly surprised to find a couple of butterflies had even made their way into our sala’s netting, only adding to the picture-perfect scene.

Inside your villa, everything seems super-sized: from the grand sofa in the living space, through the easy-to-navigate kitchenette, to the bathroom with its his and hers vanity areas, free-standing bath and rain shower. On the mod-con front, your ‘house’ is equipped with satellite TV, iPod docking, impressive sound via concealed speakers (the penthouse villa goes one impressive step further with SONOS-fitting), and Wi-Fi throughout the house, all on the house (ie: no internet billing on checking out).

If you’re luck y enough to be st aying in a spa-and-pool pavilion or penthouse villa, a treatment in your own private spa and steam room is a must, morning or evening, or – heck – spoil yourself and make bookings for both!

Popular at The Pavilions, too, are Thai cooking classes, which you can opt to do with a group or in the privacy of your own villa. Not only will you learn easy and delicious Thai recipes to take home with you, but the logo-ed apron is yours to keep.

When you add all the positive elements of The Pavilions up – the practical contemporary style, the space galore, the quality cuisine (see sidebar) and second-to-none spa treatments), the sum puts this resort close to the top of our mustvisit destination list.

The Pavilions are situated in Moo 6, Cherngtalay Thalang, Phuket, Thailand.

Book with Mr & Mrs Smith for best available rates and a free extra on arrival. Ring their expert travel team 24/7 on 1300 89 66 27 or visit mrandmrssmith. com. Also, download the free Smith Hotels booking app from the App Store (mrandmrssmith.com/app).

ACCOMMODATION OPTION II:

THE PAVILIONS

ON A CULINARY NOTE…

Let’s start with breakfast – since it does kick off the day. The big thing to begin your mornings with at The Pavilions is a champagne breakfast in the Plantation Club, where bellini and mimosa offerings change daily. This al fresco restaurant is inspired by colonial homes of the Asian trade routes and offers picturesque views.

A hearty menu tempts you with Pacific Rim specialties, be it at breakfast, lunch or dinner.

While you’re here, be sure to sample the Grilled Wagyu Beef Salad with crunchy toasted rice, kaffir lime leaf, lemon juice and fish sauce (300 baht) or delicious crab sautéed in lemon, dusted in breadcrumbs, then cooked in browned butter (350 baht). All tastes are catered for – from vegetarian to serious lovers of seafood (a delicious lobster club sandwich, 600 baht).

In the afternoon, guests can enjoy high tea in the lounge next door to the library – scrummilicious morsels of savoury and sweet to whet your appetite until dinner-time.

An ideal option for dinner is tapas at the 360 Bar & Grill where you can order a variety of tapas from pan-Asian inspired (egs: soft shell crab in betel leaf cups, sundried Wagyu beef with a spicy Issan dipping sauce) to western tapas (think: sliders, dips; simple seafood bites). The tapas are delish, but best of all are the 360-degree views (hence the restaurant’s name, don’tchaknow).

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TRAVEL - INTERNATIONAL

ACCOMMODATION OPTION III:

POINT YAMU by COMO

T

he first thing you notice when you enter your suite or villa at Point Yamu by COMO are the clean, mini malist lines with occasional bursts of colour. The first thing you’ll say is simply ‘Wow’.

Hotel designer and interior decorator Paola Navone has done a superb job in melding contemporary pragmatics with traditional Thai touches. A row of 12 metal-cast Buddha hands line one wall, for example, which could easily double up as towel holders, should guests feel so decadently inclined. Sea-blue ceramic tiles cover every inch of the walls of one very spacious bathroom, its centre-piece lighting also connoting sea-life, looking like a neon jellyfish.

The resort itself is located on the tip of a peninsula on Phuket’s east coast, hence every guest gets to enjoy spectacular views of sparkling Phang Nga Bay. There’s also a magnificent vista to soak in from the luxury of your own infinity pool – if you happen to have checked into a Bay Pool Suite.

Ever y r o om a nd suit e includes the now-standard mod-cons (satellite television, DDT phone, WiFi, aircon) and the bathroom amenities are so attractively packaged you’ll want to keep nicking them so that they’re replenished nightly.

Elsewhere around the hotel you can sense Navone’s artisanal presence, including wood tiling in the lobby and woven rattan artworks in the corridors – but in vibrant colours. A giant Buddha hand acts as the handle to a vivid orange door – which upon first impression looks like a postmodern temple but turns out to be the entrance to a private dining room.

A shrine in the lobby offers different ‘gifts’

68 | November 2014

to the gods than the usual – musical instruments and fresh flowers aplenty.

Point Yamu by COMO is so well-appointed in creature comforts, you’ll likely want to spend days lazing by the pool or sinking cocktails at the Aqua Bar, but for the more outwardbound there’s a host of things-to-do in the great outdoors (see page opposite).

After a day of adventure, there’s nothing like winding down with a spa treatment. COMO Shambhala Retreat is just what the doctor ordered, using a blend of massage oils to completely calm your mind and rejuvenate your body. Seriously, after a 90-minute treatment I swear I could have kept sleeping. There’s good reason why COMO Shambhala is referred to as a ‘retreat’ and not merely a ‘spa’ – its extensive list of treatment options is very impressive. You can opt for a hot stone massage, Indian head massage, Taksu massage (stronger pressure to really get the blood circulating), shiatsu, acupuncture or good old-fashioned remedial.

As you’d expect from any COMO property, there are other wellbeing options to consider, including a 100-metre swimming pool to chuck laps in, a spacious yoga studio, and huge gym. And on the subject of comparing this establishment with its sister properties, Point Yamu by COMO scores 9 s and 10 s all-round: for everything from heritage and location, to style and taste, and all manner of activities to total relaxation.

Point Yamu by COMO is situated at 225 Moo 7 Paklok, Phuket. Book with Mr & Mrs Smith for best available rates and a free extra on arrival.

Phone 1300 89 66 27 or visit mrandmrssmith.com.

ON A CULINARY NOTE

There are two criteria the chefs at Point Yamu

by COMO abide by: innovation and wellbeing.

On that first note, even breakfast at signature restaurant La Sirena is a marriage of eastern and western cuisine as you’ve never seen. The ‘Thai-style Bacon & Eggs’, for example, consist of a succulent rib of pork paired with perfectlypoached egg on a bed of sweetcorn and sticky rice. Like no breakie I’ve tasted before. Or since.

So good,I’d go back for this dish alone.

Lunch at La Sirena gets decidedly healthier with raw foods keenly featured on the menu.

But this doesn’t mean the dishes aren’t tasty.

On the contrary, while they’re conspicuously light, each meal is a gourmand’s delight, like the veggie curry I enjoyed, served with nutty cous cous and honeyed greens.

As for dinner, you could close your eyes and randomly pick several dishes on the menu at Nahmyaa Thai and you’re sure to be content with your selection. Spicy southern Thai is key here, with inspiration coming mainly from traditional street food, so expect a rotating menu of curries and satays, noodles and grilled fish. In fact seafood is particularly big on the Nahmyaa menu, which might explain why the restaurant itself looks like a vibrant underwater wonderland – again, quirky designs from the magnificent mind of interior rule-breaker Paola Navone!

TRAVEL - INTERNATIONAL

Pictured clockwise from top right: Longboat rides are popular in Thailand, taking tourists from mainland Phuket to secluded islands; cooking classes could see you turning into a master Thai chef; massage treatments with magnificent views at Coqoon Spa, Indigo Pearl resort.

PHUKET: THINGS TO DO

The beauty of this amazing island in the middle of Thailand is that you can do as little as you like and still consider your trip great value for money (it’s that picture-perfect a stay); maybe just stick to spa treatments. Or you could fit in an entire itinerary of outdoor water pursuits, knowing there are plenty of activities to choose from.

1 2

LONGBOAT RIDE

Most resorts offer special adventure packages, and some even include mini tours in your pre-paid itinerary, like Point Yamu by Como’s day trips to amazing Rang Yai Island. The longboat ride there is actually not so long – around 15 minutes, and you can choose to stay an hourand-a-half or for three hours.

Besides swimming, snorkelling and volleyball, there’s not too much else to do on here, but then why would you want to with that relaxing view?

BOAT CRUISES

Point Yamu by Como also offers boat cruises, such as their very popular one to infamous ‘James Bond Island’ in Phang Nga Bay. Of course, this place first found its way on the international map when it featured in the 007 flick The Man With The Golden Gun. A distinctive feature of the bay is the large number of shiny limestone cliffs that jut out of emerald green waters. In short, a postcard-perfect place.

3 4

PARASAILING

You’ll f ind many operator s of para sailing in Phuket, most of them along Patong Beach but also some near the topper-most resort beaches. Price vary depending on who you talk to and what company you’re in (go with a local and you’ll get a fairer price). On average, people pay from 900 baht for a parasail which lasts around five minutes (AUD $30).

JET-SKIING

Jet-skis can be hired at most of Phuket’s major beaches but be warned there’s little regard to safety (as is the case with most water activities off this island).

Note: there’s a danger not only to the jet-skier but to swimmers. We noted speedboats and jet-skis navigating dangerously close to kids swimming in the sea. Just sayin’…

5 6 7

COOKING CLASSES

These are hugely popular in all tourist destinations around Thailand but no more-so than in Phuket where even resorts themselves host short cooking courses for guests. The Pavilions, for example, offer group classes in a shared kitchen, or if you prefer a chef to teach you how to prepare traditional Thai in the privacy of your own pavilion. If your resort doesn’t offer cooking classes, we recommend you look into the Blue Elephant Cooking School in Phuket Town where culinary courses can run up to five days if you’re that keen, and where participants graduate with a certificate, and score a cooking set and apron.

SNORKELLING

The marine and reef life in Phuket is awesome, and the waters of the Andaman Sea are perfect for snorkelling – clear, calm and bursting with bright surprises of fish and coral. The best time to snorkel is November to April when the sea is at its most placid.

MASSAGE THERAPY

Spa treatments are as popular in Phuket as outdoor water pursuits.

Indeed, in some resorts, the spa area is often the highlight feature.

At Indigo Pearl, for example, their Coqoon Spa consists of treatment rooms nestled quite literally in giant nests. Bedroom-sized pods that stand tall amid rich green rainforest, with birds chirping away as you enjoy your blissful treatment. Here, you can choose from massages – traditional Thai to remedial, aromatic body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures and plenty of other beauty remedies.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 69

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PLAY YOUR OWN GAME

The Fifo Wife

Debbie Russo | bio

SECRETS & WIVES

OUR RESIDENT FIFO WIFE DEBBIE RUSSO REVEALS THE SECRET TO A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP: THAT THERE ARE NO SECRETS.

Debbie Russo has been a regular columnist for Rock Candy since the mag’s launch in 2012.

Deb tells it how it is, from the other side of the FIFO fence, as one of those perennially waiting for a partner to return home, only for him to go back to work just weeks later, leaving the matriarch holding the kids and looking after house and home.

I f t h e re’s a s ub j e c t yo u’d like to see Deb write about, send your suggestions to info@candymedia.com.au.

“

So, do you have any tips for a new FIFO wife?” she asked – having just found out I was a FIFO wife of the offshore kind.

Our husbands were friends but other than that I hardly knew this girl.

“Hmmm…,” I pondered. “It’s all fairly commonsense.”

As soon as I uttered that line, I could hear my husband’s words that “commonsense doesn’t stand up in a court of law” echoing through my brain.

“You know what I mean,” she continued. “ Stuff you wouldn’t tell your husband… things to get me through.” And with that statement, she smiled like the cat that caught the bird.

I looked at her not really knowing what to say.

I didn’t know her very well so I figured saying least would be best. Less chance of making an arse of myself.

“Well,” I said, “first of all, there’s no room for secrets in a relationship; especially a FIFO one. Secrets breed all kinds of unnecessary and damaging habits. They also lead to insecurity – and the physical distance between you and your partner does enough of that for you already.”

She looked at me with a glare as though she thought I was joking. As if, really, I’d be living it up and partying while my husband was away.

Shocked, perhaps, that I wasn’t some gold-digger, or that I don’t spend my days dining on long lunches with ladies of leisure and watching Ellen in the afternoons...

I used to joke about doing all of the above, but I don’t see the humour in that anymore.

“There are no secrets to getting by,” I said.

“It’s just one day at a time, like in any relationship. And if you want my honest opinion, I’d say talk to your spouse about everything. Yeah, share everything.”

She appeared to have taken this last bit literally: “Well I read once that you suggested to keep a bank account just for yourself.”

I glanced at her sideways. I liked that she’d read my blog, but didn’t like that she had read this bit the wrong way.

“Yes, I said to keep a bank account for yourself… but not to keep it a secret. I also said your husband should have one of his own, too.”

I was annoyed by the misread. I don’t believe you should squirrel money away in secret, but I believe in each having a little financial independence. It’s healthy for you, and disciplinary.

Having that little something ‘put away’ allows you to treat yourself and to treat your other half with things that are intimate between you and he.

And that’s the only secret worth keeping: one that benefits the both of you. ▪ www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 71

p U y d d i G suit ing

. . . s e c a r up for the

She wears dress by Preen (available through Another Love) and sunglasses by Wildfox (available through Runway Addict).

Headscarf, stylist’s own.

He wears suit, shirt, tie and suspenders all by Scotch & Soda, and sunglasses by Wildfox (all available through Runway Addict).

72 | November 2014

Photogr aphy Connie Pun toriero (conniepuntoriero.com) Photogr aphy Assistan t Tamas Keefer Styling Georgia Dal Brio (anotherlove.com.au) Hair + makeup Michael Hu xley (huxleyschoolofmakeup.com ) Model s Claire (at Vivien’s) + Tyl a (at Chic)

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 73

He wears suit, shirt and tie all by Scotch & Soda (through Runway Addict).

She wears bodysuit by Raw (available at sjlingerie.com.au).

Necklace by Samantha Wills.

74 | November 2014

He wears pants, shirt and tie all by Scotch & Soda (through Runway Addict).

Watch, model’s own.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 75

76 | October 2014

She wears crop top and boy shorts

by Vixen (available at sjlingerie.com. au). Necklace by Samantha Wills.

He wears pants, shirt, tie and suspenders all by Scotch & Soda (through Runway Addict).

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 77

He wears pants, shirt, tie and suspenders all by Scotch & Soda (available through Runway Addict).

78 | November 2014

She wears bodysuit by Raw (available at sjlingerie.com.au).

Necklace by Samantha Wills.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 79

She wears dress by Preen (through Another Love) and sunglasses by Wildfox (through Runway Addict). Bag by Carven (through Another Love).

Headscarf, stylist’s own.

He wears suit, shirt, tie and suspenders all by Scotch & Soda and sunglasses

by Wildfox (all through Runway Addict).

DIRECTORY

RUNWAY ADDICT www.runwayaddict.com.au

ANOTHER LOVE www.anotherlove.com.au

SAMANTHA WILLS www.samanthawills.com

CARVEN www.carven.com

SCOTCH & SODA www.scotch-soda.com

PREEN www.preen.eu

(although best to go through Another Love for Australian orders)

80 | November 2014

(although best to go through Runway Addict for Australian orders)

SJ LINGERIE www.sjlingerie.com.au

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