Brag#714 by The Brag Magazine

MADE IN SYDNEY MAY 10, 2017

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MUSIC, COMEDY, FILM + MORE

HOW THEY LEFT THEIR WILD SIDE BEHIND

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SHANNON NOLL ONE-ON-ONE WITH RYAN ADAMS

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TAKE A PHOTO OF THIS COVER TO WIN SIGNED SAN CISCO VINYL, MERCH AND TICKETS DETAILS P29

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ALSO INSIDE:

TWIN PEAKS, RADICAL FACE, SONG KITCHEN, TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER SOUNDTRACK REVISITED, SYDNEY DRUM & PERCUSSION SHOW AND MORE!

San Cisco photo by Matsu

The Water out now through Island City/MGM. Playing the Enmore Theatre on Friday June 2.

SAN C

Rare Finds, Select Music, City Recital Hall, Pilerats, FBi and Brag Magazine present

Sun 4 June - City Recital Hall With very special guests

Red Riders & Tyson Koh (Keep Sydney Open) - DJ Set Tickets on-sale via www.vividsydney.com. The new album - Five - out now on Chugg Music/MGM.

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in this issue what you’ll find inside…

The Frontline

Back To Business

8-9

San Cisco’s Jordi Davieson has overcome personal issues to return with new music

10-11

18-19

Ryan Adams gives us an awkward but enlightening interview, Radical Face Sydney Drum & Percussion Show

13-15 The Rise, Fall And Rise Again Of Shannon Noll 16-17 A History Of Skate Punk In Eight Essential Bands 18-19 The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Soundtrack Reviewed, 18 Years Later

“At the start of that year, I had a pretty major shake-up in my personal life. I was really just pissing in the wind.” (8-9)

“When you’re playing 25 songs, it creates this environment where you’re kind of trust-falling each other.” (10-11) 20

Six Things You Need To Know About Twin Peaks As It Returns To Our Screens

21-22 Hounds Of Love reviewed, Song Kitchen donates 100 per cent of its profits to fighting domestic violence, LemonRose food truck 24

Album reviews, First Drafts

Off The Record, Out & About

13-15

26-27 Live reviews 28

Jeff Lang, Pheno, Cable Ties

Giveaways: San Cisco, Dustin Tebbutt & Lisa Mitchell; test your knowledge: how many artists can you name?

Gig guide

21-22

the frontline with Chris Martin, Brandon John and Nathan Jolly ISSUE 714: Wednesday May 24, 2017 PRINT & DIGITAL EDITOR: Chris Martin chris.martin@seventhstreet.media SUB-EDITOR: David Molloy STAFF WRITERS: Joseph Earp, Nathan Jolly, Adam Norris NEWS: Nathan Jolly, Tyler Jenke, Brandon John ART DIRECTOR: Sarah Bryant PHOTOGRAPHER: Ashley Mar ADVERTISING: Josh Burrows - 0411 025 674 josh.burrows@seventhstreet.media PUBLISHER: Seventh Street Media CEO, SEVENTH STREET MEDIA: Luke Girgis - luke.girgis@seventhstreet.media MANAGING EDITOR: Poppy Reid poppy.reid@seventhstreet.media THE GODFATHER: BnJ GIG GUIDE COORDINATOR: Anna Wilson gigguide@seventhstreet.media REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Nat Amat, Arca Bayburt, Lars Brandle, Chelsea Deeley, Matthew Galea, Emily Gibb, Jennifer Hoddinett, Emily Meller, David Molloy, Annie Murney, Adam Norris, George Nott, Daniel Prior, Natalie Rogers, Erin Rooney, Anna Rose, Spencer Scott, Natalie Salvo, Leonardo Silvestrini, Jade Smith, Aaron Streatfeild, Augustus Welby, Jessica Westcott, Zanda Wilson, Stephanie Yip, David James Young Please send mail NOT ACCOUNTS direct to this NEW address Level 2, 9-13 Bibby St, Chiswick NSW 2046 EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors or staff of the BRAG. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: Carrie Huang - accounts@seventhstreet.vc (02) 9713 9269 Level 2, 9-13 Bibby St, Chiswick NSW 2046 DEADLINES: Editorial: Friday 12pm (no extensions) Ad bookings: Friday 5pm (no extensions) Fishished art: No later than 2pm Monday Ad cancellations: Friday 4pm Deadlines are strictly adhered to. Published by Seventh Street Media Pty Ltd All content copyrighted to Seventh Street Media 2017 DISTRIBUTION: Wanna get the BRAG? Email george.sleiman@ seventhstreet.vc PRINTED BY SPOTPRESS: spotpress.com.au 24 – 26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204 follow us:

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YOURS & OWLS FESTIVAL GOES BIG The list of acts that Yours & Owls Festival brought to Wollongong last year was impressive, with bands like The Living End, DMA’s and Hermitude joined by big international names in The Coathangers and Pup – but it turns out they were just getting warmed up, with this year’s lineup hitting it even further out of the park. Having just released their first album in 17 years, At The Drive In are absolutely primed to take the international headline spot, and a host of locals including Dune Rats, The Presets, Safia, Illy, Allday, Northlane and The Preatures are making sure there’s a little something for everyone. Yours & Owls 2017 takes over Stuart Park North on Saturday September 30 and Sunday October 1. Visit yoursandowlsfestival.com for full details.

SMITH STREET IN SYDNEY The Smith Street Band’s long-awaited Enmore Theatre show is finally upon us this Friday May 26. It’ll be the largest headline date in our fair city from the Melbourne lads, whose fourth record More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me landed to a massive reception in April. Expect a full house singing along to ‘Birthdays’, ‘Death To The Lads’ and more, plus a long list of supports including Joyce Manor, Ceres and Allison Weiss.

of his legendary band, and he’ll be bringing new collaborators along for the ride this time – namely The Black Fins, comprising Salliana Campbell on fiddle and backing vocals, Matt Engelbrecht on bass, Andrew Morris on guitar and Declan Kelly on drums. See Fanning with Sahara Beck in support at the Factory Theatre on Saturday October 28 and Sunday October 29.

SKEGSS DO IT FOR THE KIDS Skegss will be joined by their mates Baxter, Flowertruck, Fritz, Good Boy, Los Scallywags, Pist Idiots, Ruby Fields, The Pinheads and Totty for an under-18s mini-festival in Sydney this June. Spaghetti Fest is taking over Oxford Art Factory on Thursday June 15 in celebration of Skegss’ new EP Holiday Food and alongside their national tour of over-18s dates. And with a burgeoning bill of young Aussie talent, we’re pretty damn jealous of those younger music fans who’ll be able to enjoy Spaghetti Fest

this year.

A SOLUTION TO SYDNEY’S WOES? Old warehouses, office blocks, store fronts and everywhere in between could soon be a potential live music venue if a radical new proposal developed by the former Leichhardt Council and the Sydney Fringe Festival is adopted by the Inner West Council. The proposal would allow any non-residential building to be used as a live music space, without the need for any development applications. This is part of former Leichhardt Council mayor Darcy Byrne’s long-held ambition to turn Parramatta Road into an artistic hub. “The obscene cost of property in the Inner West has been destroying the habitat artists depend on for years,” Byrne explained in a press release. “Without a dramatic increase in the spaces available for rehearsal and performance our once famous music and arts scene will become extinct.”

The Preatures

THE SNOWDROPPERS CALL IT QUITS Sydney’s own rock’n’roll bad boys The Snowdroppers have reached the end of the line. London, Pauly K, Cougar Jones and Johnny Wishbone came together ten years ago with a few chords and a dream; in the ensuing months and years they built up a fearsome live reputation and released three albums and an EP. But they’ve decided to hang up the suspenders, and will be playing a final run of shows around the country before their last hurrah at the Factory Theatre on Saturday November 25. In an extra special treat, they’ll perform Too Late To Pray in full, so don’t miss out.

FANNING AT THE FACTORY Bernard Fanning is following up his hit album Civil Dusk with a companion record, Brutal Dawn, arriving this Friday May 26 – and he’s locked in a series of shows to mark the occasion. The former Powderfinger frontman has furthered his already successful solo career following the demise

THE PREATURES PREVIEW NEW MUSIC The Preatures are back in business. The now four-piece lineup fronted by Izzy Manfredi recently shared ‘Girlhood’, the first taste of their forthcoming album, on triple j, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They’ve been hard at work on a second LP following the departure of guitarist Gideon Bensen, and they’ll be sharing the fruits of their labour at a just-announced album preview show at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday June 1. ‘Girlhood’ is out now through iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music, and we can’t wait to hear the rest.

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Back To Business Music Industry News with Lars Brandle

breaking biz Monday May 22 marked five years since Spotify opened for business in Australia, and to celebrate its milestone the streaming giant has been throwing some hefty numbers out. Aussies, according to Spotify, have streamed more than eight million years of music since launch, with Drake taking the title as Australia’s top streamed artist of all time. Flume (at number eight) is the only homegrown artist to crack the top ten. Also, Drizzy’s ‘One Dance’ is the most streamed track (Flume appears twice in the top ten) and Justin Bieber’s Purpose is the market’s most streamed album. Spotify declares it “remains in a strong leadership position in Australia” and backs this up with comScore research which found

MAGNANIMOUS CARTER While we’re on Spotify and numbers, Troy Carter made headlines last week when he said something every other artist has been thinking: that streaming services aren’t paying music creators nearly enough. Carter, who previously managed Lady Gaga and is now Spotify’s global head of creator services, told delegates at the US Music Biz Convention: “We need to reconfigure the value chain.” One company which needn’t bother is Guvera. The Australian streaming music platform, which lurched from one financial disaster to another, has finally bitten the dust. A year after the ASX blocked its attempt to raise more than $100 million on a float, the company has finally pulled the plug. Founder Claes Loberg has stepped aside as director of the company, which was founded on the Gold Coast in 2008, and according to its ASX prospectus, raised $180 million from 3,000 investors before it went belly-up. Also, look for UK face-value ticket resale platform Twickets to announce its launch in Australia (with a hand in some huge upcoming tours) in the near future.

five million Australians visited Spotify’s mobile and desktop platforms in March, though we’re not told how many paid subscribers use the service Down Under. The music service has also pressed the button on a Spotify Turns 5 on-platform hub, details of which can be found on its website. As TIO reported last week, Spotify Australia is on the hunt for a new head after its inaugural managing director Kate Vale decided to pursue options elsewhere. As for the global business, a new report published by investment site The Information suggests they will report annual revenues spiking by about 50% at €2.9bn (US$3.2 billion), though annual operating losses will also widen significantly to between €300m and €400m (US$332 million). businesses were inundated by the Logan River in the aftermath of devastating weather event in March. A separate fundraiser orchestrated by Splendour In The Grass raised more than $69,067 to be distributed across the Tweed Mayor Appeal Fund, Lismore City Council Flood Appeal and the Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre Inc. in the Byron Shire.

the dotted line We are not worthy… but earMUSIC is. Alice Cooper has signed a worldwide deal with earMUSIC, ahead of the release of his first album in six years, Paranormal. The veteran shock rocker cut his new 12-track album in Nashville with Bob Ezrin on production duties and guest spots from U2’s Larry Mullen Jr., ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and Deep Purple’s Roger Glover. Paranormal will arrive Friday July 28 on earMUSIC through Sony Music Entertainment Australia. Cooper will support the new release when he tours Australia this October with support from KISS spaceman Ace Frehley. One Direction’s Niall Horan has signed a multi-territory music publishing administration agreement with Downtown Music Publishing. The Irishman’s post-1D career is in full swing with two singles to his name, ‘This Town’ and the new track ‘Slow Hands’. NYC-based Downtown was also 1D’s publishing administration partner.

departures The final six dates on Soundgarden’s North American tour were scrapped following the death of the grunge rockers’ superstar singer Chris Cornell last week. Cornell – who also performed with Audioslave and Temple Of The Dog, sang the Bond theme for Casino Royale (‘You Know My Name’) and achieved the rare feat of hitting number one on the US albums chart with two bands – is believed to have taken his own life in a hotel room in Detroit where Soundgarden were performing. Cornell recently told reporters he had made good progress on a new Soundgarden album.

CHART GEEK Harry Styles

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Australians again shone in the prestigious US-based International Songwriting Competition (ISC), the winners of which were announced last week. The 2016 competition honoured a total of 60 songs written by Aussies, from the likes of Big Scary, Dallas Frasca, Gang Of Youths, Kate Miller-Heidke and Katrina Burgoyne, a result strong enough to rank Australia just behind the US. “Celebrating the talent of so many Australian songwriters reminds the world how important Australia is to the global music landscape,” explains Candace Avery, the founder and director of ISC. “There is so much incredible talent, and it is always a pleasure to discover up-andcoming Aussie artists as well as getting to revisit more seasoned ones.”

The big number on singles charts around the globe right now is Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s ‘Despacito’ featuring Justin Bieber, which owns top spot in the US, UK and Australia. In the US, it’s the first mostly Spanish language track to reach the summit since Los Del Rio’s ‘Macarena’ in 1996.

FLOOD OF SUPPORT Rock is coming to the rescue. John Williamson, Buzz Bidstrup (The Angels, Gangajang), Mark Evans (AC/DC) and Tyrone Noonan (George) are among the musos lending their voices to a benefit concert for Queenslanders hammered by ex-tropical cyclone Debbie. Kevin Borich (The Party Boys) and James Blundell are also confirmed on the bill for The Flood Aid Rock Legends, a special outdoor fundraising event to be held Sunday June 4 at the Logan Village Hotel. Sponsors include Telstra, Jack Daniels, Mack Trucks and the venue’s owner McGuire Hotel Group, all of whom are contributing cash and in-kind support for the concert. Organisers will allocate 500 free tickets to emergency services, volunteers and flood victims. All profits from gate, food and bar will be donated to the flood victims’ recovery. Some 199 homes and around 20

movers & shakers In other news from Downtown Music Publishing, the publisher’s Nashville office promotes Danny Berrios from A&R manager to A&R director. Staying Stateside, Atlantic Records promoted Dionnee Harper and Marsha St. Hubert to senior vice presidents of urban marketing.

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VALE JACKIE ORSZACZKY Get down to The Basement on Tuesday May 30 for the second Jackie Orszaczky Music Lecture and Concert, which this year sees playwright, author, librettist and muso John Shand taking the lectern. The event, which pays tribute to the late Hungarian-Australian bassist, bandleader and composer Orszaczky, who had a major influence on the musicians orbiting him, will be held in conjunction with APRA AMCOS and the Live Music Office. Afterwards, Orszaczky’s music will be celebrated in a performance by members of his bands. APRA members are invited to compose a piece in the spirit of Jackie’s music and submit an MP3, with a $2,000 cash prize for the winner, which will be announced on the night. Orszaczky, an APRA member for 32 years, was a “hugely influential songwriter, performer and bandleader who made a major and enduring impact on Australian music”, explains Brett Cottle, the CEO of APRA AMCOS, in a statement.

THE BIG STAGE The Amsterdam Dance Event is moving. After 16 years in the Felix Meritis – an impressive multi-storey building that served as the HQ for the Communist Party of the Netherlands after WWII – it will be relocated to DeLaMar Theater for this year’s confab. It’s only a temporary move while renos continue at the grand old home. This year’s ADE takes place October 18-22. Got a chunk of cash burning a hole in your wallet? Live Nation has something for you. The live entertainment giant is selling a limited edition Festival Passport, which gives its owner access to LN’s 90-plus events around the globe, including Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza in the US, Reading and Download Festivals in the UK and Australia’s Falls Fest. The all-in-one ticket costs US$799 (plus 3% credit card fee and shipping). Visit festivalpassport. com for more. It’s official: Coldplay’s A Head Full Of Dreams Tour is a blockbuster. Billboard has crunched the numbers on ticket sales data and it’s looking like an all-time top ten. Worldwide grosses from the tour now total US$308 million and could near US$500 million by the time Chris Martin and co. pull up stumps in October. U2’s 360° Tour is number one on the list, earning US$736 million from 2009-2011. Coldplay should move past the tenth ranked tour

pretty soon: The Rolling Stones’ mid’90s Voodoo Lounge trek, which banked US$320 million.

CROSSING BORDERS Pia Corporation, the company behind Japan’s largest ticket primary agency, Ticket Pia, has launched Tiketore, the market’s first face-value ticket exchange. The service opened for business on May 10 and is endorsed by peak bodies the Japanese Federation of Music Producers (FMPJ), Japanese Association of Music Enterprises (JAME), All-Japan Concert and Live Entertainment Promoters’ Conference (ACPC) and Computer Ticketing Council, all of which backed #ResaleNO, a campaign aimed at stamping out the extortionate sums changing hands on secondary sites. Pia reportedly charges the seller and buyer a 10% handling fee, with the latter also paying for the cost of posting the ticket.

final word Justin Bieber can seemingly bust US chart records at will right now. He’s become the first artist to debut at number one on the Hot 100 in back-to-back weeks after ‘Despacito’ ousted DJ Khaled’s ‘I’m The One’ (on which he guests with three other musos).

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There’s a vacancy at Epic Records where executive VP of media and strategic development Laura Swanson was sacked last week. Swanson was seen as a loyalist to the disgraced former CEO L.A. Reid.

The 2016 competition saw more than US$150,000 in cash and merchandise awarded to 71 winners across multiple genre categories, with ten Aussies placing either first, second or third in their respective categories. Organisers combed through more than 16,000 entries from 137 countries throughout the world. Judges this time included Tom Waits, Ziggy Marley, Bastille, Hardwell, Seymour Stein (chairman/CEO, Sire Records) and the late Chris Cornell. Entries are now open for the 2017 competition. Visit songwritingcompetition.com for more information.

Everyone’s wild about Harry. The former One Direction star Harry Styles blasted to number one in the US, UK and Australia with his debut solo set, Harry Styles. In the US, Harry Styles’ 193,000 combined units are the biggest debut sales week for a UK male artist’s first full-length LP since Nielsen Music began tracking sales back in 1991. And he’s become only the second UK male artist to open at number one with a debut album in the 60-years-plus history of the Billboard 200. Who was the first? His former 1D bandmate Zayn Malik with Mind Of Mine. Styles got a big leg-up with his week-long residency last week on James Corden’s Late Late Show and thanks to the spectacular international success of his album’s lead single, ‘Sign Of The Times’.

SECRET SOUNDS PRESENTS

AND THE BLACK FINS

SAT 28 + SUN 29 OCT | THE FACTORY W/ SAHARA BECK factorytheatre.com.au

ON SALE 9AM FRI 26 MAY bernardfanning.com

BRUTAL DAWN / ALBUM / OUT FRI 26 MAY

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COVER STORY

SAN CISCO Wet And Wild BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

usicians have been using H2O as a form of metaphorical imagery for as long as the two of them have been around – forever, really. Whether it’s Bruce Springsteen’s seminal LP The River or The Go-Betweens’ bittersweet final album Oceans Apart, there are a myriad of different emotions and thoughts that spring to mind with titles that allude to water, water everywhere. When it was announced that Perth indie-pop kids San Cisco would be naming their third studio album The Water, one could have safely assumed they were simply following in this time-honoured tradition. Truth be told, it was actually done to throw listeners off the scent. “The title was actually from Scarlett [Stevens, drums/vocals],” says Jordi Davieson – the band’s primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and lyricist. “It’s one of the tracks on the record, and she really liked this concept of having a separate identity to the music and its themes. The idea was to have the album art, the album title and the music itself all be separate things. The other names we had in the works for the album all had some sort of connection or pertinence to the themes addressed on the album. By separating everything, it allowed everything to kind of exist in its own realms. “The Water, as a title... I mean, I like the ocean, but it’s not about our affiliation with the water. It’s about imagery and identity – it’s about what you think of when you think of the water. It’s meant to be used as a contrast to the songs on the album.” The Water follows on two years after the release of Gracetown,

which debuted in the top five of the Australian ARIA charts. Whereas that record was adamant about reshaping and redefining the band, The Water sees San Cisco – Davieson, Stevens, guitarist Josh Biondillo and bassist Nick Gardner – hone in on their fundamentals and focus on their key strengths. It’s an intentional, purposedriven move that Davieson feels really has brought out the very best in the band. “For this record, I feel like we wanted to bring it back to what we were in the beginning,” he says. “We wanted to really make it sound like a full-band record, but just a little more savvy. It had to be back to basics, but it also had to show a bit of maturity – the kind of album where everything is in its right place. “We worked so much on the last album trying to stretch out into all of these different genres, so I think when we sat down and talked about what we wanted to do next, we had a pretty clear focus and idea of what we’re good at. From there the game plan was simple: ‘Let’s do that, but even better.’” The Water was recorded over several different sessions – some of which would go for weeks at a time – in the band’s native city. Behind the boards once again was acclaimed Western Australian producer Steven Schram, who has worked on both of San Cisco’s previous LPs. Rather than rushing in and attempting to perfectly recreate full-form ideas, San Cisco instead formulated the bulk of the record within their studio sessions, building and dismantling songs as they saw fit. “Pretty much the whole record was written in the studio,” says Davieson. “There were a few tracks that were completed lyrically on my own, just writing in my bedroom. The bulk of

“For this record, I feel like we wanted to bring it back to what we were in the beginning.” 8 :: BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17

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“When we sat down and talked about what we wanted to do next, we had a pretty clear focus and idea of what we’re good at.” “At the start of that year, I had a pretty major shakeup in my personal life. I was really just pissing in the wind.” it, though, was written as we were recording with Steven over the course of about eight months. It was hectic – it was really intense, but I think it worked really well. It definitely worked well in getting a snapshot of what was happening in my life over the course of that time period.” Attempting to pry further into that somewhat loaded sentence bears next to no fruit from the man behind the music – as Davieson will insist, it’s all in the music if you listen closely. Perhaps, with such questioning song titles as ‘Hey, Did I Do You Wrong?’ and ‘Did You Get What You Came For’, one is able to draw their own conclusions. What he will say on the record, however, is that The Water details a considerable amount of his recent personal history – both for better and for worse.

San Cisco photo by Ebony Talijancich

“At the start of that year, I had a pretty major shake-up in my personal life. I was really just pissing in the wind – I was a pretty loose cannon. I didn’t really know what I was doing. I slowly got my moral compass back into play and sorted myself out. When I listen back to the songs that I was writing and recording at the start of that cycle, I immediately get a sense of how different they were in comparison to what I was writing towards the end of it. It’s amazing how much changes over the course of a single year in your life.”

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With The Water finally out in the world, San Cisco are set to take the record out on the road for an extensive run of Australian tour dates, starting in Adelaide and winding up with a weekend at Perth’s illustrious Astor Theatre for some hotly anticipated hometown shows. It’s a lot of gigs, meaning a lot of time with the innermost personal moments in the band’s discography. That’s not something that’s lost on Davieson.

“There are definitely songs that I’ve been singing up onstage where I’ll come to a line that takes me straight back,” he says. “I’ll remember exactly where I was when I wrote it, and what I was thinking about – everything that was going through my mind at the time. That’s pretty crazy when that happens – it brings you back to a very different time in your life.” It’s easy to forget that, even though they’re each still in their 20s, both Davieson and Stevens had an incredibly early start in the world of music. The former was 13 when he began playing as a guitarist in The Real Life Animators, while the latter was all of ten when her original band, The Flairz, started playing rock’n’roll. It’s suggested that, given how young both he and Stevens were when they first started playing in bands, Davieson has more or less grown up in public, with each stage of his life being documented through the trajectory of his musical career. “I dunno about that,” Davieson replies with a laugh. “I dunno if we’re that famous to be considered ‘in the public eye’, to be honest. I will say, though, that I do think a lot about our songs. I often think about how what I’ve written impacts on the people I’ve written about – because it is always about someone. I’ve never been able to write songs about nothing. I don’t tell the person that I’ve written about them, but I think they would know. “I wonder at what point the secret’s out – do you confess, or do you just keep playing the songs and deny everything?” Davieson laughs, before concluding: “Something to think about.” What: The Water out now through Island City/MGM With: Thelma Plum Where: Enmore Theatre When: Friday June 2

“I dunno if we’re that famous to be considered ‘in the public eye’, to be honest.” BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17 :: 9

FEATURE

“I mean, is there a specific… There must be a specific question you’re meaning to ask.”

Ryan Adams A Different Kind Of Surrender By Joseph Earp

yan Adams seems a little wary of being pinned down – or, more pertinently, of saying the wrong thing. Over the phone from California, the acclaimed singersongwriter comes across as someone careful with his words – he often asks for specific rather than vague questions, and always searches for subtext. Even a query about how an audience appears to Adams when he’s up onstage prompts the musician to repeatedly refine what is being asked of him. “Is there a specific… I mean, is there a specific… There must be a specific question you’re meaning to ask,” Adams says. “Because of course we see people out there, because there are people in the audience. But do you mean like, do I see one person in particular?” Kind of, I say. I try again: I was just wondering because I thought it must be interesting to play emotional songs while making unbroken eye con… There is an agonisingly long delay on our line, so Adams’ voice cuts back in – I have accidentally interrupted him. “Am I looking for somebody?” he says. “Do I keep my eyes peeled for somebody?” He asks the question back at me. “‘Do you keep your eyes peeled for somebody?’” And then he laughs. I laugh too, but I’m not entirely sure what I’m laughing at. “I’m usually in the song,” he says, trying to get at the heart of the

question. “I’m wrapped up in the song, so I’m not necessarily thinking about anyone in particular. Or even if I was looking at somebody, we’re not exchanging… It’s a hard feeling to describe.” There follows what feels like a very pregnant pause. “I don’t know how to appropriately describe to you what I’m trying to say … I’m in the song playing it, so it’s a different kind of surrender to an audience member in the show. But together we are making one outcome. Yet no exchange happens that breaks that inertia of what we’re doing with the music.” In the past, Adams’ wary, careful attitude has thrown off a lot of journalists – and to be honest, it does make him an intimidating person to speak to. But it makes a lot of sense in the context of his work, too. After all, Adams’ albums have a kind of beautiful precision to them – no line of a song like ‘Do You Still Love Me?’ is wasted, nor does it ever mean anything Adams doesn’t want it to mean. You listen to Prisoner, his new record, and you just understand; you deeply understand him and what he means, and you deeply understand yourself. Of course, there may be another reason for Adams’ desire to only answer questions that he fully, categorically comprehends: the artist has had his fair share of prying interviewers over the years, journalists keen to push him into revealing something he might not

“No exchange happens that breaks that inertia of what we’re doing with the music.” 10 :: BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17

“When you’re playing 25 songs, it creates this environment where you’re kind of trust-falling each other.” want to reveal. He has had reporters variously nag him for dirt on his split with Mandy Moore; try to probe him about his sobriety; and, in a particularly egregious Q Magazine article, cruelly suggest that he “shrieks” about his struggles with the debilitating Ménière’s disease. But get Adams onto the subject of his pre-show rituals, and that wariness begins to melt away. He is, if not a creature of habit, then clearly a performer who invests a lot in performing – he commits himself to it wholly. “Every day [ahead of a show] is a full day of preparation,” he explains. “The way that our shows go is that we wake up and that day is then just about playing the show. We’ll have soundcheck, which is usually a couple of hours long, but we need that time to just jam and make sure that the sound is good. Then we usually learn a couple of songs that we haven’t learned, cause it’s a deep catalogue, you know? “[Then] the guys and I just talk and chill out and I’ll start casually writing out the setlist, because it’s 25 songs long and you need to make sure that it is structured in just the right way. And then an hour before the show, the band and I just hang out together and get a groove going to talk about the show … I mean, when you’re playing 25 songs, it creates

this environment where you’re kind of trust-falling each other.” That level of preparation has become particularly important given the size of the shows Adams is now playing. His upcoming Australian tour, for example, will see him hit up arenas around the country. “We’re playing on this huge stage which is made of big stacks of huge televisions that run different found footage [clips], and then they work together sometimes to play these different colour motifs,” Adams explains. “It’s nice too, because in the middle of the rock show I can go into the middle of the stage and just play completely unplugged.” He laughs a little, and this time I understand exactly what he’s laughing at. “I love the idea that we can do anything up there, that I can go to any part of my catalogue and move around and have it be the biggest rock moment to just me with my acoustic guitar with the lights, as though I am playing in the middle of a starry field.” His voice goes warm. “I love that versatility.” What: Prisoner out now through Blue Note/EMI With: Middle Kids Where: Hordern Pavilion When: Saturday May 27

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Radical Face

FEATURE

Scratching An Itch By Joseph Earp

“I just seem to be scratching at some unseen itch, and when I’m happy, I stop.”

ore often than not, music is based on the public display of deeply private emotions, and taking to the stage provides a way of externalising deep, dark secrets in the most open and civic setting possible. Yet for Ben Cooper, the Jacksonvillebased musician behind the Radical Face moniker, the public side of making music rarely comes into his process. Sure, the indie folk/rock/electro/postrock/mostly uncategorizable musician frequently takes his beautiful, cathartic songs out on the road, and has a committed fan base that flocks to see him live. But those are things he tries not to worry about when he’s writing. Instead, he keeps his process as internal as possible; digging further within himself rather than constantly peering out. “The projects that I do that are personal remain personal,” Cooper says in his gentle, singsong voice. “If people like them when I’m done, that’s great, but I don’t want to design them for a hypothetical audience. I’d rather just get whatever is inside my head out, and whatever the results are the results.

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“I get terribly selfish,” he laughs. “I just seem to be scratching at some unseen itch, and when I’m happy, I stop. I don’t even know about the result most times. I just know what happens to [me] when it’s out there. I let it go. So I try not to imagine how it will be received when I’m writing.” Part of that approach is based in the mechanics of artistic survival and self-preservation – Cooper never wants his music to become sullied by concerns of the market, or to find himself transforming his process into an occupation rather than a love. “I think you have to actively protect why you got into music. Because when you do it pretty regularly and it gets tied into whether or not you can afford to pay rent, it can take on a very different shape … I’ve actually over the years done more and more music for TV and film in order to earn income. That way

I’m not worried about whether or not anyone likes my records, because I just feel like that would change the way that I write.” As a result, Cooper’s albums have only become more introspective and emotional over time. Best known for The Family Tree trilogy, a string of conceptual records individually titled The Roots, The Branches and The Leaves, Cooper’s music tackles heartbreak, horror and the profound mundane beauty that inflects most of our lives. And although the Family Tree records are framed by the story of the Northcotes, a fictional 19th century family of Cooper’s own devising, really, they are albums grounded in reality; grounded in him. “That third record [2016’s The Leaves] is the most nervous I’ve ever been putting something out into the world, because it’s about my own life. It was kind of strange. I was a little creeped out at

first … It was almost like sharing a diary or something. It wasn’t that I put out anything that I was embarrassed of, or that I put out anything that was false or lies. You just feel a little naked when you do it, a little exposed.” He pauses; thinks. “But I think songwriting is a way of touching things that are scary or negative. There is a practical function to songwriting – you have to think, ‘How do I make these syllables fit? How does this melody work?’ So you can focus on that and that’s how it helps you through stuff. You can push through [sadness]. There are enough little crevasses you can hide in. And eventually, you do move past it.” What: The Family Tree: The Leaves out now through Nettwerk With: Kyle Lionhart Where: Metro Theatre When: Saturday May 27

“I’ve actually over the years done more and more music for TV and film in order to earn income. That way I’m not worried about whether or not anyone likes my records.” BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17 :: 11

Sydney Drum & Percussion Show

FEATURE

Bang That Drum By Joseph Earp

“I really like to get quite emotional when I play.” the moment. For me, that puts me in a whole other headspace. It becomes about not even seeing where the drum kit is, but just about knowing where the parts are. Instead of being technically invested and analysing it, you just start… feeling it. If you can find that meditative space when you’re playing, it doesn’t matter what kind of show you’re playing – it just makes for a better gig, that’s for sure.”

Virgil Donati

rumming is an underconsidered art form. After all, it’s not often you hear someone call Ringo Starr their favourite Beatle. What you encounter instead are lists of ‘The World’s Greatest Drummers’ dominated by musicians who drum and sing, as though merely getting out there and pounding the skins isn’t enough to categorically earn respect; as though drumming is something essential but vaguely inglorious. But for every bad joke and stereotype directed a drummer’s way (Q: “What’s the last thing a drummer says in a band?” A: “Hey guys, why don’t we try one of my songs?”) there is an

awareness-raising event designed to counter it. Take for example the Sydney Drum & Percussion Show, an annual exhibition of the percussive arts designed to bring together drummers young and old so that they might hone their craft – and perhaps vent about how bloody hard it can be too. “The drums are such a physically demanding instrument,” explains Lucius Borich, drummer for prog rock giants Cog and a musical legend who will be appearing at the 2017 iteration of the show. “It doesn’t even matter what kind of shows that you play. I mean, I played a wedding on the weekend and I was playing really soft, but even

then you still need to hold yourself in a certain way and think in a certain way. So when I play bigger, heavier shows [with] Cog, it takes my body a little time to respond to that.” Virgil Donati, an acclaimed Australian drummer who has performed with artists as diverse as Planet X, Ring Of Fire and Steve Vai, would have to agree. “[Being a good drummer] is all about lifestyle,” he says. “If you take care of yourself, your body will give a lot in return. Contemporary drumming places a lot of demands on the performer – not only physically but mentally.” As a result of that physical toll, both Borich and Donati

have rigorous fitness plans in place, and they work hard to make sure they can perform at their very peak. “I have to really try to keep in shape as much as I can,” Borich says. “So I do a lot of yoga, which is really great for my breathing, my circulation and my stretching. And I surf quite a bit too, and do some running and some occasional weights. I’ve got children, so that keeps you pretty active too,” he laughs. “Behind the scenes there is a lot of work that goes into staying in shape,” Donati agrees. “Not the least of which is unrelenting practice, and supplementing that with workouts, runs and a good diet. Although I know

“The drums are such a physically demanding instrument. It doesn’t even matter what kind of shows that you play.” Lucius Borich

[that] runs counter to the stereotype of musicians!” As a result of their rigorous fitness regimes, both performers refrain from staying out till all hours of the morning on tour, and generally prefer to conserve their energy. “I can’t do the partying thing any more,” Borich says. “I used to do that a little bit, but you find out real quick that it just doesn’t serve you at all.” Yet despite the trials associated with such an ascetic outlook, the drummers are rewarded for their hard work by experiences that could almost be described as transcendental. “I really like to get quite emotional when I play,” says Borich. “I just close my eyes and get really into

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“Feelings are the central force in generating great music,” says Donati. “By feelings I mean not only [the physical senses], but also spontaneity and improvisation. Ideas are preconceived. The ability to unite these felt qualities is always a work in progress – I don’t think there is ever an end to that process.” Drummers and fans will be able to see both these artists reach their exalted states if they head along to the Drum & Percussion Show. But that’s not all: as an added bonus, they’ll also be some of the first people in the country exposed to Ascension Drumsticks, Borich’s new business venture. “I’m launching my drumstick brand at the show with my partner Matt Love,” Borich says. “We’re called Ascension Drumsticks and we’re all Australian made and Australian owned … I think Australia needs some homegrown Australian drumsticks. “Also, because I haven’t played in Cog so long, I’ll be performing some Cog songs at the show too. I’ve picked the best songs – there will be a good mixture of different techniques, all featuring different types of drum work, and I will include my electronic stuff too. I’ll be really attacking the kit. I think it’ll be good fun.” Donati, likewise, has already begun warming up for the show. “[I am] rehearsing for several days before leaving LA, and hopefully it will be enough time for me to consolidate my ideas and compositions and execute them flawlessly on the day.” What: Sydney Drum & Percussion Show 2017 With: Thomas Lang, Slim Jim Phantom, Michael Schack, Gang Of Brothers and many more Where: Rosehill Gardens When: Saturday May 27 – Sunday May 28

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FEATURE

Shannon Noll The Rebirth Of

The Fallen Idol

Pagliacci’s Revenge By David James Young

man walks into a doctor’s office. He confesses to the doctor that he is lost, in despair and out of control of his own life. The doctor says, “I know what will cheer you up. Pagiliacci, the famous clown, is performing in town tonight – he is a very funny man. You should go and see him and you’ll feel better.”

“I definitely feel like I didn’t have enough of a chance to really talk about myself and my own life’s stories.”

The man breaks into tears. “But Doctor,” he wails. “I am Pagliacci.” What do we learn from a fable such as this? There are several answers – all of them right in their own way – but one key takeaway is the element of expectation, and the weight it can bear. 2016 may have seen former Australian Idol contestant Shannon Noll turned into a wildfire internet meme within Australia, but this attention came at a cost. A drunken show at the Bridge Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Rozelle resulted in Noll embarking on a rambling rant about political correctness; a visit to the Adelaide strip club Crazy Horse this January went awry and ended in assault charges being laid against Noll. It’s now the middle of the year, and the country’s most famous runner-up is prepared to put that sort of behaviour behind him. He’s all about getting back on the road and taking his music – both old and new – to the people who have stuck with him through thick and thin. It’s hard not to be initially taken aback by Noll’s size when he appears in a stairwell off to the side of Hermann’s Bar, the Sydney University pub and makeshift venue where the man and his band are about to begin a national headlining tour. He’s around six feet tall, inherently imposing, with muscles that bustle out of his denim cut-off vest. His handshake is firm as he fires off what’s essentially an entire arsenal of small talk in quick succession: “G’day, mate! How ya goin’? Ya good? Yeah, that’s the way! Good onya, mate. No worries!” From even these initial moments, it’s abundantly clear that you’re either Noll’s best mate or his worst enemy. You’re either getting a round in with him at the bar or finding yourself on the wrong side of him as the lights come on to remind the late-night punters that they don’t have to go home, but they can’t stay here. Thankfully, tonight Noll is surrounded by people who are either his actual mates or those he treats as such. He’s in a clearer mindset, focused on what lies ahead. “I’ve been going every weekend this year so far,” Noll begins. We’re seated at a bench out the front of the venue as the opening act Dean Ray warms the stage and Noll explains his touring regiment for 2017. “I did the Red Hot Summer tour, which started on the 7th of January and finished last weekend. Now we’ve got this tour, which is another 30-40 dates around the country. “The festival was easy in comparison – you’d get a few days off. This tour has me and the boys working about three or four nights a week. This is the hard yards, mate.” He sighs for a moment, taking it all in, before conceding in the most Nollsie way possible: “It’s all good, but.”

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hannon Noll was born in Orange, in the Central West of New South Wales, in 1975. From there, his family relocated some 200 kilometres further west to the township of Condobolin, a place now synonymous with Noll’s name. Although the young Noll took a keen interest in music, performing in high school and later in a pub band with his brothers, it was never something he perceived to be a viable career path. That, fatefully, would change in a big way when Noll – encouraged by his two brothers – decided to audition for the first season of Australian Idol in 2003. Soon, the entire country was to discover his talents – and the rest, as they say, is history. “It was pretty crazy, man,” Noll says on his Idol baptism by fire. “When you live in a small town, everybody knows who you are. The whole Idol thing just felt like that, albeit on a much, much bigger scale. Every single day would be all these different people wanting your signature or wanting a photo with you. We did the tour with all of the finalists, and then I did my own tour later

on, and at some of the shows there were people who had been lining up for something like five hours before you’d even gotten there. They were crazy times, but you just learned how to roll with it. Really, there wasn’t a great deal else that you could do.” While many artists spend years on the independent circuit before they quote-unquote ‘make it big’, Noll was immediately thrown in the deep end without so much as a swimming certificate. Within a year of Idol, he’d released his debut LP That’s What I’m Talking About. The album went five times platinum and spawned three top five singles, pushing Noll onto some of the biggest stages the country had to offer. Naturally, it was a massive adjustment from his everyday life. “Being a farmhand, I was completely naive to this whole industry,” he recalls. “Thankfully, I had some really great mentors through that time in my life – Ross Fraser is one that immediately comes to mind. He’s an absolute legend of the industry, and he guided me a lot through the cycles of the

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FEATURE

“I feel like it’s all happened for a reason, and now that it’s done we can focus on putting out something that I’m really proud of.”

first few albums. I’m really grateful for that, and I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish under his guidance.

“I like to have a read through the comments, and they’re always pretty funny.”

“For me, listening to and performing those older songs just takes me back to a really important time in my life, when everything was new and really exciting. It’s a total trip down memory lane for me. I look back at it with a warm heart and a smile. I still love the songs.” It’s been around six years since Noll last released a studio album – 2011’s A Million Suns, his fourth. Although the record promisingly debuted in the top ten and led off with one of Noll’s careerbest singles – the critically underrated ‘Switch Me On’ – the album quickly disappeared from the charts and sunk without trace. This was partly to do with a lack of proper label support – at the time, Noll was with Universal – and a lack of focus in terms of the direction Noll and his co-writers wanted to take from a creative standpoint. In the ensuing years, he concentrated on touring. “I average about 180 shows a year,” he says. “A lot of people think I’ve been completely away, but when you’re not playing the big cities every year it’s basically out of sight, out of mind.” This period would also see Noll occasionally releasing standalone singles such as 2012’s ‘Man I Can Trust’ and 2014’s ‘We Only Live Once’, complete with its own hashtag (#WOLO). Now, Noll is hard at work on his fifth studio album – one that he feels will truly be as close to the real-deal Shannon Noll as any of his albums have come. “This isn’t a label-driven thing,” he says emphatically. “This is about who I am as an artist and a performer. I feel like this new album is the first chance that I’ve really had to do that. With my previous albums, a lot of what’s on them was at the dictation of the label – and that’s not really something that you’re able to have control over when they’ve got you signed and there’s a whole team behind it. A lot of times, you just feel like trying to have your own input isn’t going to do anything apart from rock the boat. “There’s always been a lot of give and take with my albums – it might be my name on the front, but I’m only one of the five or six people crafting the whole thing. I’m not saying that I’ve hated making those albums, but I definitely feel like I didn’t have enough of a chance to really talk about myself and my own life’s stories. That’s why this album is different.”

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f course, the so-called ‘lost years’ of Noll’s career also brought some key changes within the immediate personnel who were looking after him and his music.

“What happened was that I had some different stuff going on at the same time – I had new management, and I swapped record labels,” Noll explains. “It takes a while to adjust to those sort of changes, but it’s all in a really good place now. I’m really happy being a part of Warner, and I have a great team of people that I work with. It all just seemed to fall into place. Once I had those things sorted, this whole thing online started happening and we just got straight into it. I feel like it’s all happened for a reason, and now that it’s done we can focus on putting out something that I’m really proud of. I’d rather take my time and make something great than rush into something that I’m going to regret later.” If Noll’s time away from the spotlight was good for anything, it was a chance to spend more time with his three children. A dedicated family man, Noll lights up when discussion turns to his clan. “My eldest [Cody] is 16, my other boy [Blake] is 14 and my daughter [Sienna] is ten,” he says. “It can be hard being away from them, but I think they’re very used to it by now. Cody was 18 months old when I first started touring – it’s kind of the only life that they’ve ever really known. I’m in a better place to manage all of it now, and I know they’re proud of me. “I was only home for a few hours today before I came down for the show, but the boys were telling me that they’d seen me on Sunrise that morning and that I’d done a good job. Even just little things like that are enough to pull me through until I see them next.” As to whether his kids are fans of his music, Noll says: “Being teenagers, they’re obviously not too keen to talk about what their mates chat about with their old man – but I reckon they’d still get a plug in for me.” David Woodward – Noll’s manager over the last two years of his career – is acutely aware of how Noll’s family will always be one of his key priorities. “A couple of weeks ago, I gave Shannon a call and I was trying to book him in for something,” he says. “He checked the date and said to me

that he couldn’t do it – ‘I’m taking Cody and we’re going camping down on the river in Condo for four days.’ I pushed for it – ‘It’s a TV appearance!’ – and he was just like, ‘Sorry, mate – I’ve already booked it in with the kids.’ I couldn’t fault him – he’s a country boy at heart. He’s real, he’s honest and he’s a dedicated father.”

o his family and friends, Shannon Noll is the same man he’s always been: a committed father, a modest country boy, a dedicated musician whose Idol exposure didn’t change his values. But to the rest of Australia, everything has changed. And it all happened when a certain phrase entered the cultural lexicon: “Shannon Noll was robbed of the 2003 Australian Idol title.” Within months of this meme spreading around the internet, Noll had become a prized commodity. His signature song, ‘What About Me’, was mashed up with another memetically revived hit in Darude’s ‘Sandstorm’. A petition to get Noll onto the annual Groovin The Moo festival tour accumulated thousands of signatures, although it sadly didn’t end up happening. Facebook event pages were overtaken by hundreds of commenters adopting the ocker mannerisms of the archetypal Aussie bloke. For a period there, you couldn’t do a single scroll of your Facebook or Twitter timeline without seeing a passing reference to the man lovingly nicknamed ‘Nollsie’. “I think it all started with the fish taco photo,” says Noll of a January 2016 post that showed off his culinary skills. “I didn’t even think about it at the time – I just started reading the comments and it was like, ‘…Oh, no.’ The whole thing just sort of snowballed from there – there were the petitions to get me onto Groovin The Moo and all the Facebook pages that started popping up. “I love that it’s been something that’s brought people together – I’ve definitely noticed the pockets of young people that have been rocking up to shows, and that seems to have amalgamated more and more. Being in this business, it’s an amazing thing to have happen to you.” With the fish tacos also came a now-time-honoured tradition of Facebook users replying to every single post of Noll’s with the same basic format. Each comment begins with the words, “Bet it’s not the first time that you’ve…”

“I think it all started with the fish taco photo. I didn’t even think about it at the time – I just started reading the comments and it was like, ‘…Oh, no.’” thebrag.com

“It’s all in jest, and Shannon’s obviously aware of that, but the truth is that Shannon probably wouldn’t have been able to bounce back in the way that he has if it wasn’t for what they did.” – DAVID WOODWARD, SHANNON NOLL’S MANAGER and then crudely alludes to something else within the post. A recent photo of Noll putting merchandise in a box, for instance, was met with: “Bet that’s not the first time you’ve filled a box.” The comment will then ease off with words to the effect of ‘just kidding’ – “Only pullin’ ya chain,” for instance – before asking after a tool or piece of equipment that Noll has supposedly borrowed from the user in question.

As for Noll himself, he’s generally nonplussed about where the tour may take him. “I guess there’s been a bit more of an audience, if you want to call it that, that has been coming from these sorts of areas,” he says of the university bookings. “That’s fantastic, of course, but we’ll play anywhere. I dunno, mate – a gig’s a gig to us. We just wanna get out there and punch it out.”

The comment almost always alludes to a wife – “the missus” – being particularly agitated at not having the item in question. With a “hooroo” or “ta ta”, or sometimes even both, the post ends.

Indeed, Noll will continue to punch it out for the next few months, from Adelaide to Airlie Beach and everywhere in between. Noll remains faithfully dedicated to playing shows off the beaten track, and as a country-raised performer, it remains incredibly important to him.

“I saw some of the things online,” says Woodward, “and I rang up Shannon to try and figure out what was happening. I was asking, ‘Where does this thing come from of you borrowing all of these things? Do you have a reputation of borrowing or something?’ He just said to me, ‘I’ve got absolutely no idea – I swear to God.’ We love it now. It’s just silly – it’s not something you can read all that much into.”

“It’s really different for country people,” he says. “It’s more than just buying a ticket to the show and getting the bus there and back – you’re looking at a few tanks of petrol, accommodation for the weekend, a few hundred dollars each way. To be able to take the show to them and to their community as opposed to just expecting them to come to you is very important to me.

It’s an odd thing to think of Noll being so at ease with all the humour surrounding his online presence – this is, after all, the same man who challenged comedian Wil Anderson to a boxing match (for charity) after Anderson made some jokes at Noll’s expense during his stand-up. Still, Noll appears to have a sense of clarity about the whole thing. To him, it’s all about the Australian sense of humour – about digging the elbow into the ribs and not having too big of an ego about yourself.

“The audiences are really appreciative of the effort and the thought, as well – you get there and they’re all really up for it. Who knows when the next one will be, y’know? They get right into it and have a great night. A lot of smaller towns and more remote areas are struggling just to survive, so if we’re able to bring a bit of entertainment and lift the spirits of the community at all, it’s always welcome.”

“You can’t laugh at anything unless you can laugh at yourself,” Noll says. “I like to have a read through the comments, and they’re always pretty funny. I’ve had troubles in the past, but I don’t think anyone is being advantageous of that, or going out of their way to make fun of me. It’s just about having a laugh and having a good time, and everyone’s buying into it. I know a fair few older artists who tell me that whenever they’ve got time to kill with a layover in an airport, they’ll just log onto my Facebook page and just have a good laugh at all of it. The fact that it can put a smile on an old rocker’s face… I mean, that’s pretty incredible to me.” Now with a community of more than 180,000 users, Noll’s Facebook fan page is a hotbed of activity on any given day of the week. As a result, Noll tries to not go overboard on the posting. “In this day and age, there’s just so much stuff online to get through,” he reasons. “There’s so many celebrities that will just post a picture of themselves with a caption like ‘I love Thursdays!’ or something stupid like that. I’m always pretty conscious to not do that sort of stuff. If I see something that I find interesting or funny, then I’ll post that. I’m not prolific or anything like that. I’ll only post a couple of things a week, where a lot of accounts will be posting three or four times a day. I think that’s kind of why a lot of the interest is there in my online presence – they never really know what I’m going to post about next.”

t’s nearing showtime at Sydney Uni, and there are around 80 people in the venue. The turnout is perhaps lower than expected – even after the gig was moved from the university’s flagship Manning Bar to the more intimate Hermann’s – but one thing is clear: nobody’s here as a joke, or to enjoy the music ironically. Those who have come out to see the gig genuinely seem as though they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. According to Woodward, the idea behind booking these university shows was less to chase a demographic and more to tip the proverbial Akubra to the younger generation that has raised Noll’s profile again after a period of obscurity. “It’s definitely different – and there’s a risk factor attached to it, too,” the manager says. “It’s not something that we’re doing for some huge financial gain, because that’s just not what this is. There’s pretty good money in the country clubs and RSLs that we frequent. These are just shows that we’re doing as a sort of ‘thank you’ to the 18-to-30-year-olds that have made such a big impact on Shannon’s online presence.

As the Sydney Uni show goes ahead, it’s pound-forpound one of the more entertaining pub rock shows on the circuit. The band members are airtight in their execution of both Noll’s biggest hits and the multiple covers that work their way into the set – ‘Run To Paradise’, ‘The Horses’ and even ‘April Sun In Cuba’ all make an appearance. Vocally, Noll is in fine form – he’s performing with perhaps more clarity and conviction than ever before. Take, for instance, a song like ‘Lift’, the title track from his 2005 album that served for years as the soundtrack to the reality TV show The Biggest Loser. To many, that song has been completely lost to the irony and memetic nature of Noll’s public perception – a song to only be sung along with jokingly in a typically OTT fashion. When introducing it, however, Noll mentions that he’s had a lot of correspondence with fans over the years telling him how much ‘Lift’ has come to mean to them. “If that’s all I ever get out of making music – being able to touch someone else’s life – then I feel like I’ve done a good job,” he says. Before the encore, a stagehand runs onstage to promote Noll’s new single, ‘Southern Sky’. “We’ve got CD singles at the merch booth!” he yells out – a sentence that feels like it hasn’t been said onstage by anyone in at least half a decade. “Let’s get this song in the charts!”

s our interview draws to a close, Noll grabs a quick smoke with Woodward and another managerial assistant. He’s approached by about a half-dozen fans who have spied him from out the front. “I love you!” bellows one girl as she scrambles to pass her friend a camera phone. “I can’t wait to see you, hey!” Noll takes it all in his stride – once again, treating everyone like his mate. Shannon Noll as a meme commodity might not be fresh any more – really, it’s a miracle in the fast-paced nature of modern-day internet culture that it lasted as long as it did. As for Shannon Noll the musician? He’s still in with a fighting chance. He’s not giving up. “It’s just like anything, mate – it ebbs and flows, doesn’t it? You have your higher times and your lower times. Obviously, there was a stage in my career a few years back where things tapered off to a certain degree. I decided to take that time and spend it doing worthwhile stuff – spending more time with my kids, taking them to their footy games and stuff like that. When you work weekends, like I tend to do, that’s not something that you get to do all that much. We’re right back into it now – we’re working on a lot of new stuff, and we just put the new single out. It’s nice to take moments to wind down, but we’re back in business.” Whatever happens next, the story of Shannon Noll is an intriguing one – it’s got rises and falls, redemption and rebuilding, the Crazy Horse and ‘The Horses’. Now, the clown is done crying – it’s time to get back to entertaining the masses. “Why else do you think we’re doing such a big tour?” teases Woodward. “We’re going around and returning all of the things that Shannon has supposedly borrowed from all of these people – spin cycles, lawnmowers, secateurs, blenders…” ■ Shannon Noll plays Rooty Hill RSL on Friday July 14. For full tour dates, visit shannonnoll.com.au.

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FEATURE By Joseph Earp

In k n u P e t a k S f O A History

Essential Bands I ic when talking t’s easy to get academ ater rock; to focus sk d about skate punk an nds and subgenres on definitions and tre itself. After all, how do rather than the music ed designed to be listen you talk about music y wl over without slo to rather than mulled behind? n ow migrating up your

th an messing about wi To that end, rather th y tor ff, here is the his the circumstantial stu er the careers of ov d tol of skate punk as the genre’s titans eight bands; a list of t, uncompromising and their scuzzed- ou achievements.

Dicks

Dicks Born out of the rebellious slop of the Texas punk scene, the Dicks were one of the first bands to combine poppy choruses, incisive political lyrics, and thrashing instrumentation. Unlike the hypermasculine, often vaguely sexist approach taken by other bands of the era, the Dicks offset the brutality of their music with dark humour and surprising doses of self-reflection – their song ‘Off Duty Sailor’ openly confronted the homophobic element to the punk scene. Although the group broke up in 1986, a few years before skater punk made the leap to the mainstream, they nonetheless inspired a bevy of the artists that followed, and the stinking, greasy mark they left on the genre can still be seen to this day.

their music “The Dicks offset the brutality of s of self-reflection.” se do g in ris rp su d an r ou m hu rk with da

Propagandhi

They might have eventually abandoned their roots and transformed into a fully fl edged hardcore band, but Propaghandi’s early albums remain the high point for skate punk as a genre. Well-regarded for their sociocultural hot takes – the band members are committed

vegans, not to mention outspoken critics of institutionalised religion – their music is as boppy as it is barbed, and they have always known how to craft choruses that can prompt mosh pits and furious political discussions in equal measure. Green Day

Green Day It would be remiss of any critic not to at least include one band from skate punk’s big mainstream breakout in a list like this, and of all the groups that cashed in on the phenomenon, Green Day are probably the most adept. Though they are the very definition of a hit-and-miss band – some of their lesser

records are hot garbage, and they fumble as many songs as they nail – one cannot deny the sleek pleasures of Dookie, their greatest achievement. A crammed-together collection of puerile jokes, headbanging choruses and barked lyrics, it’s not hard to see why the work flew off the shelves the way that it did. There’s a reason the thing sold 20 million copies worldwide, after all.

Propagandhi photo by Mandy Malazdrewich

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Their song titles are pretty fucking great too: how can you not love a band that produces tracks like ‘Stick The Fucking Flag Up Your Goddamn Ass, You Sonofabitch’ and ‘Haillie Sellasse, Up Your Ass’.

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m for “FIDLAR (their name is an acrony release a dud single.” to t ye e ar ) sk Ri A ’s fe Li g Do It Fuck

Jay Reatard

FIDLAR

FIDLAR One of the key groups involved in skate punk’s recent resurgence, FIDLAR (their name is an acronym for Fuck It Dog Life’s A Risk) are yet to release a dud single. Over the space of their two albums, the Californians have dropped a series of deliciously dumb paeans dedicated to

surfing, skating and getting stoned, and their raucous live shows are already the stuff of legend. But for every ripe punk hit they have turned in, FIDLAR have a surprisingly heartfelt ballad to offset it – ‘Awkward’ and ‘I Just Wanna Die’ are both shot through with incisive doses of selfdepreciation, and they know that no matter how high you get, there’s always a comedown to follow.

Wavves

Jay Reatard One of the lost titans of the skate punk genre, Jay Reatard’s music blurred a thousand different genre boundaries. His songs alternated between Replacementsesque rancour and the jittery joy that defi nes skate punk, making him a truly unique proposition: each of his songs set a different trope in their sights, and he spent his short career confounding even the fans who tracked his every move.

Wavves Speaking of raucous live shows, you’d be lucky to make it out of a Wavves gig with all of your limbs intact. Moshpits don’t just form when Wavves play – the pits practically split venues down the middle, and the band spends its 90 minutes onstage edging things closer and closer towards abandon.

Blood Visions, his first record, is maybe the genre’s most perfect achievement – a magnum opus that makes his death at the tender age of 29 that much more tragic.

Wavves’ packed catalogue helps them perfectly with this chaotic intent of course – lead songwriter Nathan Williams knows how to write the kind of chorus audiences can’t help but scream back into his face – and their self-titled album is one long, bloodied, fuzzy howl.

Scabz

Scabz photo by Brianna Elton

Skegss

Skegss photo by Francisco Tavoni

Scabz Scabz don’t only mess around with skate punk tropes – their music also pays due homage to garage rock and post-punk too – but the Newtowners are nonetheless one of a few select groups breathing new life into worryingly tried and true punk-pop propositions. Their vigorous singles combine a bleak, recognisably ’Strayan sense of humour with the kind of choruses that have venues heaving – and, perhaps most excitingly of all, they’re only just getting started.

And, like the best skate punk acts on this list, Skegss know how to throw a party or two: their recent shows have been deliciously chaotic, sweaty mosh-fests. A band to watch.

Byron Bay weirdos Skegss are one of Australia’s freshest breakout skate punk acts: their most recent EP Holiday Food is a gutsy, bold collection of tunes that fans have already taken to like flies on honey.

Skegss’ EP Holiday Food is out now through Ratbag Records. See them at Oxford Art Factory on Thursday June 15, Friday June 16, and Sunday June 18 for Spaghetti Fest.

Skegss

“Skegss know how to throw a party or two: their recent shows have been deliciously chaotic, sweaty mosh-fests.” xxx

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FEATURE

Revisiting The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Soundtrack Songs Of A Generation By Nathan Jolly For many, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series marked the first time they were introduced to bands via a video game soundtrack. Pro Skater was directly responsible for the piles of Primus and Goldfinger albums that still pepper op-shops around the country, and is the perfect distillation of that messy Y2K-ridden time around the turn of the century when rap, rock, ska, punk and wallet chains all meshed into some musical hybrid that someone should really construct a theory about. We revisited the first two soundtracks and slipped back into the vibe as easily as doing a Varial Heelflip Judo to Bluntslide.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 1. Dead Kennedys – ‘Police Truck’ A punk rock surf stomp about police brutality by a vehemently anti-corporate band that is best known for appearing on a video game sold for a major multinational conglomerate. Isn’t life grand?

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2. The Ernies – ‘Here And Now’ Faith No More and Rage Against The Machine can be blamed for a lot of terrible cargo-short-wearing, walletchain-whipping, cornrow-white-boy, rap rock turntable horseshit. This makes 311’s ‘Down’ seem like a Beethoven movement.

3. Even Rude – ‘Vilified’ Aiming for the Cobain vocal growl can often result in landing somewhere in the Puddle Of Mudd realm, which is OK if your aim is to sell a million records, get on rock radio, and sleep with an Olsen twin or three, but this song is so pedestrian it almost convinces me skateboarding is a crime.

4. Goldfinger – ‘Superman’ Isn’t it crazy there was a period of time when kids went mental for horndriven, up-stroke pop so cheery it sounds like a juice commercial?

Remember ‘skanking’ and how openly people did this dance in public? The chorus is a bit of a rip from ‘Basket Case’ too. Otherwise, great song!

5. Primus – ‘Jerry Was a Race Car Driver’ Sounds like a migraine nightmare animated by the guy who did Ren & Stimpy. “But the bass player, the bass player…” Oh, shush!

6. Speedealer – ‘Screamer/ Nothing To Me’ Does what it says on the tin. This is actually two songs in one, which is the kind of value you’re dealing with when you buy Tony Hawk on PS1.

7. Suicidal Tendencies – ‘Cyco Vision’ There’s a Suicidal Tendencies song that was on heavy rotation on Channel [V] years ago where they mostly chanted their own band name and got ugly tattoos. I liked it for some reason, despite every ounce of me wanting to reject it like a foreign kidney.

8. The Suicide Machines – ‘New Girl’ Lots of suicide-themed band names here, which may or may not be a CTE-related side effect of all those head-dives on the skate bowl. Google ‘Matt Hoffman’ if you doubt the science.

9. Unsane – ‘Committed’ This would have been a nice song, but some fool recorded the vocals badly so they distort, and then they went and mis-named it too. Sloppy.

10. The Vandals – ‘Euro-Barge’ The Vandals sound like everyone’s first punk band. ‘Euro-Barge’ sounds like a film where Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jason Biggs go on a boat trip to save their relationship and chaos ensues. Also starring Topanga from Boy Meets World.

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FEATURE

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 1. Rage Against The Machine – ‘Guerrilla Radio’ Not to be confused with Gorilla Radio, a tax-funded farce that lasted one broadcast before handlers had to intervene and stunt-dart the entire breakfast team. Also, these motherfuckers invented Limp Bizkit – search your feelings; you know it to be true.

2. Bad Religion – ‘You’ This once sounded like revolution and independence, but now all I can picture is ‘Impossible’ to ‘Shove it’ to ‘Kickflip’ to ‘Indy’ to “Fuck, I always crash out right at the end, this shit is rigged, man – pass me the Cheese Supreme Doritos.”

3. Anthrax feat. Chuck D. of Public Enemy – ‘Bring The Noise’ I like the bit a minute in when the distorted guitars and drums quickly drop out and Chuck D. is left rapping furiously about soap on a rope.

4. Powerman 5000 – ‘When Worlds Collide’ Fun fact: The singer of Powerman 5000 is actually Rob Zombie’s younger brother, so you can probably imagine this song without hearing it. Remember when all those diet-metal singers did the same vocal fry thing as those female NPR broadcasters? Crazy days.

5. Naughty By Nature – ‘Pin The Tail On The Donkey’ Yo, you gone ran your mouth didn’t you? You messed with the wrong motherfuckers. Didn’t anyone warn you how naughty we are? It’s not an acquired characteristic, either – so watch your back!

6. Papa Roach – ‘Blood Brothers’ Oh, I never knew this song was Papa Roach. “It’s in our nature to destroy ourselves / It’s in our nature to kill ourselves / It’s in our nature to kill each other.” This guy would have set off all sorts of red flags for his high school counsellor back in the day, no doubt.

7. The High And Mighty feat. Mos Def & Mad Skillz – ‘B-Boy Document 99’ Historians are conflicted as to whether the ‘B-Boy Document 99’ parchment in the National Museum of American History is indeed the original or a very clever forgery. Whoever does the second verse (Mad Skillz, Google tells me) is like a Jay Z who can keep time.

8. Consumed – ‘Heavy Metal Winner’ This song sounds like a bunch of British guys arguing loudly in some sad tavern about the result of a Premier League game. Actually, not even a Premier League game, a rubbish Third Division repeat from the ’90s they’re airing because it’s Tuesday morning and there’s no football on, innit?

9. Dub Pistols – ‘Cyclone’ This chick is a bad influence on him if she has him running in a cyclone. Just being outdoors during such an environmental disaster is a huge mistake.

10. Swingin’ Utters – ‘Five Lessons Learned’

12. Millencolin – ‘No Cigar’

Ahh, they were so close. The sixth lesson was, “For Chrissake don’t have such a horribly evocative band name!” The seventh was, “Clear your throat before doing the vocal take.”

There’s a great documentary where the Swedish singer of Millencolin is explaining the meaning of each of their songs, and it is so literal sometimes he just quotes the lyrics and says, “That’s what it is about.” It’s quite funny, even if you didn’t just do the accent in your head.

11. Styles Of Beyond – ‘Subculture’ When the second Tony Hawk game introduced more hip hop songs to its soundtrack, my PlayStation skating style became a lot less speed-addled and furious, and way more relaxed, like I had all the time in the world to nail that Kickflip McTwist. You know what I’m talking about.

13. Alley Life feat. Black Planet – ‘Out With The Old’ I think we are about overdue for a resurgence of bands with a dedicated turntablist. This song references ’Slim Shady’, which

should have been a hilariously of-itstime reference but instead sticks out as the only truly timeless thing here.

14. Lagwagon – ‘May 16’ I do love this song, but I’m writing this on May 17, which feels like a metaphor for something substantial and sad. A day late, a buck short.

15. Fu Manchu – ‘Evil Eye’ The clip to this song involves a “Parents Against Rock Emergency Meeting” and it made me a bit nostalgic about the days when parents were the ones rallying against rock music, rather than the ones desperately trying to fan its fl ames.

xxx

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arts in focus

FEATURE

Six Things You Need To Know About

Twin Peaks As It Returns To Our Screens

Fire Walk With Me

[TELEVISION] Fire Walk With Me (Again) By Joseph Earp

years ago, a strange little show named Twin Peaks changed television forever. The series’ unique blending of soap opera tropes and the surreal vision of co-creator David Lynch paved the way for a revolution in storytelling, setting the scene for a whole host of distinctive, stylish and downright odd programs that followed it. It’s not a stretch to say that without the success of Lynch’s bold, disturbing creative direction, status-quo-challenging shows like Mad Men and even Game Of Thrones would have had a hard time finding their feet.

Laura Palmer wrapped in plastic

Now, after two-and-a-half decades off the air, Twin Peaks is making a glorious return with an 18-part limited series hitting our screens on Monday May 22. But before you re-submerge yourself in Lynch’s wild world, it might be best to refresh yourself with the show’s ins and outs. To that end, here are six factoids to brush up on before season three inevitably scrambles your brain.

3. Twin Peaks Is The Bold And The Beautiful On Crack

1. Laura Palmer Is Still (Presumably) Dead The bulk of Twin Peaks’ original plot was framed around the death of the beautiful, mysterious Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) – a seemingly perfect

high school student who washed up on a beach in the show’s very first episode, her cadaver wrapped in a plastic sheet. Although the mystery of who murdered Palmer was abruptly solved halfway through the second season (more on that insane plot development later) one can imagine that her spectre

will continue to haunt the show after its return. It has been confirmed that Lee will return for the third season, although it remains to be seen whether she is back to somehow reprise her role as Palmer, or to reassume the mantle of her other role, Laura’s cousin Maddy.

Despite the weightiness of Twin Peaks’ themes – it frequently explored such taboo topics as underage drug and alcohol abuse, incest, domestic trauma, and the legacy of violence – there was always something delightfully, deliriously soapy about the show. From eyepatch-clad nag Nadine Hurley’s rants about silent blinds to the budding romance between Dale Cooper and Audrey Horne, the show frequently strayed into melodramatic territory, often with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek.

“Without the success of Lynch’s bold, disturbing creative direction, status-quo-challenging shows like Mad Men and even Game Of Thrones would have had a hard time.” 2. Agent Dale Cooper Is Still (Presumably) In Trouble Twin Peaks’ de facto hero was Special Agent Dale Cooper, a coffee-anddonut-loving holistic FBI operative agent played with aplomb by Kyle MacLachlan. Despite eventually solving the Palmer case, Cooper was afforded no happy ending at the end of the second series – indeed (spoilers!),

What: Twin Peaks season three When: First two episodes are available on Stan now

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the show wrapped up with the detective trapped in the mysterious occult netherworld of the Black Lodge, his fate unknown. But given we already know that MacLachlan has signed on for the show’s return – his concerned face dominates the marketing material – it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch to assume we are finally going to see how (or should that be if?) Coop gets out of the pickle he has been bound in for two decades.

Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper

4. Season Two Got Very, Very Weird Although Lynch carefully monitored Twin Peaks’ first season, he was too busy filming the nearperfect Wild At Heart to pay full attention to the second instalment, leaving the show in the hands of staff writers. As a result, Twin Peaks furiously jumped the shark in his absence: the silliness boiled up to the fore and the subtle, beautifully maintained sense of the surreal that the show was built on was almost entirely discarded. Indeed, the show’s central mystery – who killed Laura Palmer? – was answered almost out of the blue when it was abruptly revealed (spoilers!) that Laura’s father Leland killed her while possessed by the spirit of the demonic Bob.

5. Fire Walk With Me Will Be Important For The Third Season

booed at the Cannes Film Festival – Fire Walk With Me is now recognised as one of Lynch’s best films and a masterpiece in its own right.

In 1992, perhaps keen to right the wrongs of the show’s second season, Lynch returned to the world of Twin Peaks and produced Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, a feature-length prequel that explored the sad last days of Laura Palmer. Although initially the subject of some critical derision – it was infamously

Importantly, Lynch has said that it will be valuable for fans to revisit the film before the third season airs, so both newcomers and diehards would do well to check it out. Need more convincing? The film features both Chris Isaak and David Bowie in supporting roles. What more could you want?

6. A Lot Of The Original Cast Members Are Coming Back In addition to Lee and MacLachlan, a swathe of actors from the original series are set to make a reappearance in season three. Among those confirmed to return are Sherilyn Fenn (AKA Audrey Horne, the chanteuse who seduces Coop), Harry Goaz (the eternally weepy Deputy Andy Brennan), Michael Horse (Deputy Hawk, a stoic detective who befriends Coop), Alicia Witt (pre-pubescent princess Gersten Hayward) and many more. Of course, the official cast list should not necessarily be considered categorical: it would be like Lynch to omit a number of names to throw viewers off his scent. Could it be that Laura’s (dead) father Leland might make a return? Is some new incarnation of Bob going to wreak havoc on the town once more? Only time will tell… thebrag.com

arts review ■ Film

Hounds Of Love Is A Confronting New Aussie Thriller That Commands Your Undivided Attention

By Joseph Earp

ounds Of Love, the debut feature by Australian writer-director Ben Young, is about disappearance. Of course, given that the film is framed around the abduction of disaffected teenager Vicki Moloney (Ashleigh Cummings), such a description might sound blatantly bloody obvious – a little like describing American Beauty as a film about plastic bags. But absence and loss don’t only make up the cosmetic surface layer of the film’s plot: rather, the twinned themes soak into every second of this impressive debut, as Hounds Of Love’s gentle melancholia eventually becomes a resounding wail.

“Everyone in the film is missing someone or something – everyone is grieving some loss they can’t even really put into words.”

See, Vicki’s parents, freshly divorced, can’t stand each other – they’re even too hurt and hysterical to properly search for Vicki without bursting into a fresh argument. And even Vicki’s sadistic, murderous captors, John (Stephen Curry) and Evelyn White (Emma Booth), aren’t the sickeningly sweet couple they first seem to be. A custody dispute has barred Evelyn from seeing her own children, and John’s aimless, self-destructive violent streak is rapidly isolating him from the world. Everyone in the film is missing someone or something – everyone is grieving some loss they can’t even really put into words – and Young’s startlingly balanced handling of his heroes and his villains elevates Hounds Of Love into something special indeed. The film’s central escape set piece is horrendously tense, the cinematography is beautiful, and the soundtrack is bubbling, brutal brilliance – but the real clincher is the screenplay, a work that uses a familiar horror cinema trope to explore the dull ache of absence.

deal of fun – but the real breakout performer is Booth. As Evelyn, an abused, damaged yet undeniably cruel sadist, Booth does the finest work of her career, alternating between snarled, vicious threats and sobbed apologies. Indeed, her character’s arc is the film’s real secret weapon, as Booth compels and disgusts the audience in equal measure. Hers is, without a doubt, the best performance in an Australian film that has seen distribution this year. Awards are owed to her.

and poorly paced, and the nice, neat bow that is tied onto the conclusion does leave one wishing Young had gone for something a little more subversive; a little more open-ended. But such quibbles are comparatively minor.

The performances are uniformly excellent – Curry, playing against type, seems to be having a great

That said, the film does have its occasional rough edges: the first 20 minutes are a little slapdash

Hounds Of Love opens in cinemas on Thursday May 25.

All in all, Hounds Of Love is a raw, beating heart of a film – a work of dark, deeply human imagination, pumped thick with blood.

FOOD + DRINK

LemonRose Food Truck

REVIEW

PRICE PER MAIN: $: $0-10 $$: $10-20 $$$: $20-35 $$$$: $35-50 $$$$$: $50+

SYDNEY

BY JESSICA WESTCOTT

emonRose burst onto Sydney’s food truck scene this year, bringing with it a fusion of Middle Eastern and grungy American dining. Often seen outside Batch Brewing Company on Sydenham Road, this bright yellow van has several delectable delights on offer.

The idea for LemonRose was conceived by Antoin Sadafi, a man who has an equal love for hardcore, grizzly American food and nostalgic, flavoursome Middle Eastern cuisine. He decided that the flavours of his heritage (spices, rosewater and lemon juice) could be an easy way to break up the monotony of the major burger chains.

and the culture of funky, relaxed food that he’s trying to create. A bar running under the front counter houses hundreds of knick-knacks that Antoin has curated from his trip across the States. Vintage number plates, comic book buttons and a huge neon sign reading “cheap date night” adorn the display.

The truck itself is a piece of art. Antoin tells me that it took him and his family two years to build and fit it out, and he has lovingly made sure that every square inch reflects him,

“It just says something about what I want to create: good food for a good price, somewhere where you could take a date and have a great time,” he says.

“

When you bite into these babies, the syrup pops and explodes into your mouth, dumpling-style.

As for the food, there’s a handful of options, but each one is a home run. The hero of the truck is the WTF burger ($12), a 24-hour smoked brisket topped with home-made mustard and a rosewater pickle. Antoin steam-cooks the meat over a huge grill in a matter of seconds, then casually flips it onto a soft brioche-style bun. The result is messy, but an explosion of flavours in your mouth. The mixture of mustard, rosewater and spicy pickles are an unexpected twist on the brisket burger we’ve had thousands of times before. As a side dish, LemonRose serves up Shake and Squeeze Fries: thick cut home fries with a herby dipping sauce that are positively moreish. But for me, the highlight offering is the famous amreeka balls: little puffy balls of dough filled with rosewater and orange syrup. When you bite into these babies, the syrup pops and explodes into your mouth, dumpling-style, essentially ruining every other doughnut-based food for me. I should also mention that every recipe includes lemon and rosewater – hence the name. LemonRose drives all over Sydney, so make sure you catch it when you see it. Check its Facebook page for locations: facebook.com/lemonrosesteats.

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FOOD + DRINK

REVIEW

Song Kitchen

PRICE PER MAIN:

$: $0-10 $$: $10-20 $$$: $20-35 $$$$: $35-50 $$$$$: $50+

SYDNEY

BY JESSICA WESTCOTT

here’s something really special about eating for a good cause. And Sydney has one place offers the chance to change people’s lives while you tuck into a delicious meal. You may even have walked past it thinking it was another fine dining establishment you would get around to trying one day.

Built onto the front of the historical YWCA in the CBD, right next to the Anzac Memorial, lies Song Kitchen, a new dining establishment that offers empathy and purpose as dishes, pride of place on its menu. 100 per cent of profits from the Song Kitchen go directly to YWCA NSW programs, and services supporting women and children escaping domestic violence. Head chef Charlotte Gonzales is French, of Gabon origin, and came to Song Kitchen via Felix and Fred’s Paddington. Her dishes are hearty and infused with a French influence. The lovely sommelier starts us off with a 2016 Printhie Sav Blanc from Orange, boasting notes of passionfuit and quite a woody finish. I’m a great fan of Central West wines (I’m biased, as Parkes is my hometown, but that’s besides the point) and I’m pretty chuffed with this selection. Next, we head down to the main eating area. Song Kitchen operates as the eatery for the YWCA, and as such is open for all three meals of the day. Breakfast is more catered towards the grab-and-go patrons, but I hear they serve up a mean buttermilk pancake. We arrive just before the main dinner rush, so we have the pick of seating – the interior is bright in yellows and clean wood finishes, and the large, round tables encourage a community feel that doesn’t run the gamut of being too ‘scout hall’. The whole vibe is classy, but all-welcoming. It comes as a nice surprise that for the entire time we are served by women. In fact, it looks as if the whole staff of Song Kitchen is female – a happy coincidence, but which favourably reflects on its ideals of supporting women in difficult domestic abuse situations. A femaleempowered motif surrounds this venue and it’s a welcome change. We start with bacon-crusted potato skins. Chewy and

“

100 per cent of profits from the Song Kitchen go directly to YWCA NSW programs, and services supporting women and children escaping domestic violence.

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“

We move on to the ‘famous’ mushroom risotto … I would be more than happy to eat nothing but this risotto for the rest of the week.

moreish, these guys are kind of a combination between a soft pretzel and a light ‘n’ tangy chip. Both excellent benchmarks. The bowl is all but licked clean. Next is a rabbit terrine and sourdough bread, which goes down nicely, and a serving of oysters which, unfortunately, aren’t fresh this time and miss the mark for flavour. But all is forgiven when a serving of chargrilled octopus is brought out, impeccably presented, on a bed of garlicy hummus. Good octopus is always chewy on first bite, but then melts in your mouth like a fresh roasted chicken breast. This serving, complete with spicy aleppo, hits every target. A dedicated pasta chef, Gonzales serves us a tagliolini with spanner crab, zucchini, garlic and chives; a light, delicious homage to southern France, and a fresh palate to complement the spanner crab. We move on to the “famous” mushroom risotto, which I can do nothing but wholeheartedly recommend. I would be more than happy to eat nothing but this risotto for the rest of the week. A roasted duck breast, followed by crepes suzette, finish off the night. The warm ambience you get from the girls here is as comforting as it is inviting. It’s no small feat to deliver 100 per cent of profits to a good cause, and so we applaud Song Kitchen for its continued efforts in preventing domestic abuse in 2017. Charitable goodness aside, the food is a knockout, so make a booking pronto and you’ll be able to one-up all of your friends in the ‘good karma’ books for weeks to come. Where: 5/11 Wentworth Ave, Sydney When: Breakfast Mon – Sun 7-11:30am; Lunch Tue – Fri noon-3pm; Dinner Tue – Sat 5-10pm

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Album Reviews What's been crossing our ears this week...

ALBUM OF THE WEEK IN HEARTS WAKE Ark UNFD

What a deceptively beautiful beginning to what is frankly In Hearts Wake’s most gnarly release to date. Ark, their fourth full-length album, lives and breathes with an ebb and flow of bold melodies and purposeful lyrics. Written in support of the band’s involvement with Tangaroa Blue for the We Are Waterborne Initiative, during which In Hearts Wake are leading a series of clean-ups along some of the most polluted waterways on

the east coast of Australia, Ark follows the band’s style of releasing environmentally charged music aimed at creating awareness around important issues. It’s a mantra that does great credit to the group’s level of commitment to the state of our world. The Byron Bay metal maestros waste no time in ripping ears to shreds – after the peaceful ambience of opener ‘Ark’, ‘Passage’ breaks out to tear us a new one. A tsunami of metal crashes down from the word ‘go’, leaving the listener with no choice but to give In Hearts Wake their full attention for the entirety of the album.

Ark provides a very real soundtrack to those issues most often overlooked, with In Hearts Wake creating the perfect metaphor for the potential catastrophes mankind may be subjected to without action. Anna Rose

“Ark follows the band’s style of releasing environmentally charged music aimed at creating awareness around important issues.”

INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK CABLE TIES Cable Ties Poison City

Cable Ties’ self-titled EP is a post-punk achievement, full of grunt and dripping with electronic, lingering garage

rock riffs. Frontwoman Jenny McKechnie’s gutsy vocals are delivered with raw, unapologetic volatility, providing a full-force energy to the already frenetic tracks. Opener ‘The Producer’ showcases buzzing guitar, stringy riffs and powerful vocals which continue to arise consistently throughout the album. ‘You Can’t Hold My Hand’ carries a gritty, fastpaced melody before ‘Fish Bowl’ delivers angst-driven lyrics and catchy hooks. The tracks don’t vary greatly in their sound, but they all manage to display a level of diversity within their genre constraints. ‘Same For Me’ offers a funky

bassline, swishing percussion and a searing guitar solo, while ‘Say What You Mean’ features screeching guitar hooks, bellowing vocals and a cymbalheavy percussive beat before McKechnie launches into a spoken verse on capitalism. ‘Paradise’ borders on psychedelia with its lingering guitar solos and echo chamber vocal effects before the album wraps up with ‘Wasted Time’, which sees more spoken verses and a slowed down, almost indifferent melody. Cable Ties is a slew of hottempered, fast-tempo tunes that is best listened to loud. Kate Streader

“Jenny McKechnie’s gutsy vocals are delivered with raw, unapologetic volatility.”

FIRST DRAFTS Unearthed demos and unfinished hits, as heard by Nathan Jolly Soundgarden – ‘Black Hole Sun’ distinctive, warm tremolo sound that features in a lot of classic ‘60s songs, and gives this tune its wobbly, water-dripping feel – that drove the overall feel of the song, as Cornell was composing it. This no doubt also inspired the streamof-consciousness lyrics that sit somewhere between Edward Lear and John Lennon.

‘Black Hole Sun’ is a pocket symphony, every bit as odd and dreamlike as the wide-eyed songs from the late ’60s that influenced it. Interestingly, it was the use of a Leslie cabinet – an analogue speaker that produces the

Cornell wasn’t sure of the song at first, having sprayed it out in less than 15 minutes. This reluctance isn’t surprising given how far a departure it was from the band’s previous album, the riff-heavy Badmotorfi nger; as Cornell noted, “I wrote the song thinking the band wouldn’t like it – then it became the biggest hit of the summer.”

The most notable and immediate difference in the demo version of ‘Black Hole Sun’ is the removal of the spacey intro atmospherics, which gives a more maudlin vibe – not unlike the intro of ‘Heart Shaped Box’. The extra reverb on Cornell’s voice in the verses suits the trippy mood, but is far too pronounced to be anything else bar a distraction. The muddy chorus is a lot darker than the positively bright version that ended up an MTV staple, and provides a compelling alternative.

It certainly inspired similar psychedelic nonsense from guitarist Kim Thayil, who said, “It wasn’t safe as milk, but it wasn’t glass in someone’s eye either. It was the spoonful of sugar that helps

It is easy to see how fans of the band’s moodier tunes will prefer this version, but it’s also easy to understand why Soundgarden ended up polishing this into a beaming pop beacon – it deserves

to be one of the most popular songs of the past 30 years, and is rightfully so. Nevertheless, it’s comforting to know this darker rendition exists, for those times that sunshine just doesn’t appeal.

“It is easy to see how fans of the band’s moodier tunes will prefer this version.” 24 :: BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17

Just don’t go reading into the song’s B-side, a six-minute song named ‘Like Suicide’. After all, it’s only rock’n’roll, and these are only songs. Listen to the original ‘Black Hole Sun’ demo at thebrag.com.

thebrag.com

In Hearts Wake photo by Ellie Mitchell

hris Cornell died last week, with reports flittering in of suicide; of method; of the meaning behind his final live song. We’re gong to sidestep all that, and revisit the demo for his most-loved song: the soaring, psychedelic 1994 hit ‘Black Hole Sun’.

the medicine go down.” I guess what he was saying is it was the friendly, familiar gateway drug that compelled nine million people to buy the much more abrasive Superunknown album.

out & about

brag beats

Off The Record

Queer(ish) matters with Arca Bayburt

Here’s The Real Reason Why Your Tinder Matches Never Respond

o you’ve spent 15,000 hours swiping through the stank jungle that is Tinder, hoping to chance upon the gurrrl of your dreams. Good for you, putting all that hard work in! Look at you go! You’re not succeeding at Tinder unless your thumb has been worn to a nubbin.

“IF YOU KEEP SWIPING, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT LIKE YOU TOO; THEN YOU GET THAT CUTE DOPAMINE RUSH AGAIN.”

There’s also the relatively new dating app, HER, catering to femaleidentifying humans who like each other. It works much the same way. The app presents to you a veritable buffet of nearby women and you get to pick and choose who you wanna bang, based on what they look like.

A lot of Sydney queers have been forced to flee from their natural habitats due to the changing landscape of the city’s nightlife. Changing cultural and social attitudes around homos have also helped to blur the once clearly segregated gay and straight worlds. This means y’all are tucked away, cruising through your phones. That’s all good, but in my experience, hookup apps promise way more than they deliver. Except Grindr, but that’s an exception we won’t delve into. The number one complaint I hear from women who use these apps: “We matched, but why is nobody saying anything? Why is nobody talking?” Well. These apps are like games. You see something you like, so you swipe. If they like you back and it’s a match, you get a sweet, sweet hit of dopamine come dribbling out of your brain – success! Now, you could stop to enjoy this match, maybe chat her up, say hi or something – or you could continue chasing the dragon. If you keep swiping, somebody else might like you too; then you get that cute dopamine rush again. Who the hell needs to talk to somebody when you’ve got the most perfect slot-machine-esque trap in the world keeping you swiping rather than typing?

Warehouse party photo courtesy Dominic Simpson/Flickr

this week… On Wednesday May 24, the State Parliament of New South Wales is hosting the GLORIAs awards night. Now in their eighth year, the GLORIAs shine a light on outrageous, ridiculous and ignorant comments made about our LGBTI citizens every day. Join Penny Sharpe and a special guest host for a night of fun and fabulousness. Tickets are available now. On Saturday May 27, get down to the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville for a queer full venue takeover. Girlthing and Boything in partnership with Vivid Music are presenting Painting With Lights, an interactive

thebrag.com

Dance and Electronica with Alex Chetverikov

“URBAN SPACES HAVE ALWAYS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN UNDERGROUND DANCE CULTURE.”

The reality is we’re always wondering what’s around the corner. It seems to be a natural curiosity we’ve all got. Contentment can wait, so long as we have the means to discover perhaps a greater pleasure, just a few swipes away.

Connecting with people takes work, and when we’ve got the convenience of these apps, even the barest communication seems like a tonne of effort. It might get you to ask yourself why you use these things in the first place. I’m sure most like the idea of meeting someone with minimal bullshit and maximum return; the problem comes from our stupid monkey brain being too distracted by the method to, y’know, make the most of it. So you’ve matched with the Mega Babe (what I call the chick who disrupts your brain activity long enough to get you to stop swiping and consider typing), more babin’ than all the other babes you’ve matched with. You decide this is the one. This is the person you’ll say hi to. So you do. Chances are she says nothing back. Or maybe you’ll get the awful, awkward, back and forth “heys” and “sups” with nothing more happening. It could be that this Mega Babe is doing what just you were doing before – swiping cruelly, mercilessly, shattering your self-esteem with her non-committal “yeah not much wbu?” before disappearing forever. Maybe you haven’t stopped her clock, so she’s still prowling around, validated by her million silent matches, urged on by the promise of her own Mega Babe. Seriously though, these apps are designed to be used repeatedly – they’ll always titillate you with the promise of someone hotter, of someone smarter and more suited to you. You might never get there, though, because that same mechanism also doesn’t allow you to stop long enough to find out.

Why Warehouse Parties Are A Pure Expression Of Culture

t’s interesting to think about the sort of role that the context and politics of space play in our understanding and experience of music and culture. We unconsciously hold certain expectations and impressions when entering an art gallery, for example, or a nightclub. While we might try and resist these trappings of convention, they otherwise remain firmly ingrained in our public conscience. It’s super refreshing, then, to see warehouse spaces remain active and vibrant in Sydney. Urban spaces have always played an important part in underground dance culture, let alone the transfer and transition of ideas regardless of faculty or discipline. These spaces offer subversive potential. Traditional notions of space, time and performance are

often dissolved and dismantled, inviting experimentation with form and function.

Burning. There are few better starting points for this subculture, and it’s free to watch on YouTube.

At the most basic level, they present a democratic space (largely) free of systematic governance; a fluid, transitional, open context. The spectacle of performance is given greater visibility. They are interactive and emphasize the participatory, repositioning us from spectator or observer to active member. No longer are we separate particles in this grand old universe.

The Sydney-based House of Ayebatonye is hosting The Inaugural Iconic Vogue Ball at one such Marrickville performance space (Brick City Studios) this Saturday May 27, with all proceeds going to charity organisation The Gender Centre. It’s set to feature more than a handful of voguing performances and a slew of DJs to set the scene.

One such example of a creative medium that has flourished in such spaces is the performance art of voguing. This inspiring, unpredictable and endlessly fascinating expression broached a broader audience thanks in part to Jennie Livingston’s fabulous documentary Paris Is

I have to say, this is an incredibly exciting opportunity that embraces self-expression (with free gin cocktails and beer to help some of y’all along). So get on down there and show your support. As Charles Wright and The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band put it: express yourself!

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST

Glitta Supernova

I’m just a little bit in love with DJ Koze again at the moment. You never quite know what to expect with this incredible producer. And he’s an interesting, charismatic bloke to boot. Peep both instalments of the Reincarnations Remix Chapters for an eclectic mix of proper, inventive remixes.

paint party featuring local and interstate artists. Girlthing will be partying in the basement with FlexMami, The Magda Szubanskis, Willo, Mowgli May and Girlthing DJs with live performances from Venus Vamp and more. Meanwhile, Boything will be in the Cabaret Room, featuring Wonky Disko Orchestra, Hidden City, Troy Beman and Dunny Minogue with a live performance from Marzi

Panne and Josie Baker plus more. Also on Saturday May 27 and back by popular demand, Glitta Supernova brings her award-winning show, Body Map, to Giant Dwarf in Redfern. With psychedelic, satirical, personal and political storytelling, Body Map is a deep dive across the consumer bordered planet and into our inner being.

And, to stay on voguing for a hot minute, top label Soul Jazz released the brilliant compilation Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City – a great retrospective of voguing’s favourite musical soundtracks and history.

RECOMMENDED SATURDAY MAY 27

The Iconic Vogue Ball Brick City Studios, Marrickville Simon Caldwell B2B Myles Mac Harpoon Harry

THURSDAY JUNE 1

Donny Benet Band Oxford Art Factory

Burdekin

SATURDAY JUNE 17

Roland Tings, Dro Carey, Kato Tony Yotzi + Adi Toohey The Imperial Hotel Freda’s

SUNDAY JUNE 4

SATURDAY JUNE 10 Venice Calypso

FRIDAY JUNE 30 K-Hand The Red Rattler

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live reviews & snaps

sydney comedy festival ft. vir das

PICS :: AM

What we’ve been out to see...

20:05:17 :: Factory Theatre :: 105 Victoria Rd Marrickville 9550 3666

Bleeding Knees Club’s Chaotic Sydney Comeback Show Proved Punk Is Not Dead By David James Young We might be up in the big smoke of Sydney city this evening, but both of our opening acts proudly call the leisure coast of Wollongong home. First up are White Blanks, a trio that are rambunctious and exuberant in their delivery of garage-dwelling indiepunk. Vocalist/guitarist Marcus Aiello gets so excited during one song that his nose starts bleeding. He rectifies it by shoving in a tissue, and we’re straight back to the joyful noise of whirring guitars and hammering drums. It’s a sweaty mess of swung-about instruments and throattearing choruses, and it’s executed with just the right amount of grit.

knows how to ride it quite like The Pinheads. Who’d have guessed that of all the bands to make a comeback in 2017, one would be Gold Coast punks Bleeding Knees Club? Frontman Alex Wall unexpectedly revived the name late last year with a brand-new lineup – and, although former partnerin-crime Jordan Malane is missed, it’s a real trip to hear these songs again after so many years. Tonight’s show is well and truly sold out, and it’s not long before the entire thing descends into chaos. Bodies spill on and off the stage, while beer is splashed all over pedal boards and mic stands get knocked over. The security guards are having a field day, trying to kick out surfers while three more take flight off the side speakers.

“Bodies spill on and off the stage, while beer is splashed all over pedal boards and mic stands get knocked over.”

The Pinheads take to the stage next, normally a septet but down to six without their keyboardist. Then again, only the real trainspotters would notice such a thing – when the show gets going, it’s hard to focus on anything apart from fearless frontman Jez Player. Equal parts Iggy Pop and Lux Interior, Player throws himself into the surge of the crowd – prowling on top of speakers, bouncing off punters and landing smack-bang on a foldback following some crowdsurfing. There’s a fine line between pleasure and pain, and no band

26 :: BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17

All the while, Wall and co. are powering through a mix of choice cuts from their recent Chew The Gum EP and songs from the early days. The new lineup is tight in its execution, but it’s never at the expense of the songs’ unkempt energy. By the time they’re sloppily covering ‘Tubthumping’ by Chumbawumba and setting the whole thing ablaze with finale ‘Bad Guys’, it feels like all the years this band was absent have passed in a matter of seconds. Bleeding Knees Club played Hudson Ballroom on Friday May 19.

thebrag.com

VIEW FULL GALLERIES AT

thebrag.com/snaps

Boris’ Assault On The Senses Transformed Manning Bar Into A Bloodbath By Joseph Earp There was a drunk man taking sanctuary in the bathroom. “It’s so fucking loud,” he said with a grin, poking little scraps of toilet paper into his ears to protect them. And the headliners hadn’t even begun yet – the source of the scraping, reverbsaturated din this man was hiding from were Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving, a post-rock outfit who have spent the last 12 months capitalising on an already remarkable reputation with a series of stunning live shows. Not that the band’s set was one long bout of scraping aural assault. During key moments, the cacophony of guitars bottomed out, and beautiful, melodic keyboard lines filled the silence. At such times, the heart of this band was revealed: these are musicians who, even in their most unforgiving moments, leave space for a little warmth in their music. It is all the richer for it. Of course, headliners Boris are the veritable masters of such a loud/ loud/quiet approach. In Australia to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their masterpiece Pink and the 25th year since their formation, the Japanese three-piece were as crushing and uncompromising as one might have expected – but, as ever, their ‘speaker stack kicked down a flight of stairs’ approach was accentuated by moments of true melodic beauty. The quietly beautiful opening to ‘Farewell’ has not aged a day in the decade since it was written, while the jazzy ‘N.F. Sorrow’ provided a quiet moment of reflection for a feedback-addled audience that so desperately needed one.

“Their ‘speaker stack kicked down a flight of stairs’ approach was accentuated by moments of true melodic beauty.” That’s not to say the metalheads in attendance walked away from the gig at all disappointed – they, like the rest of us, stumbled out of Manning Bar as though they had been hit by an army of Mack trucks. Tracks like ‘Pink’ and ‘Are You Ready?’ proved so incendiary that those hanging off the coveted spot on the front barrier had to wince back a little bit, and the late-set addition of an honest-to-God gong transformed what had already been a brutal gig into an all-out aural bloodbath, with the front of the stage transformed into a kind of killing floor. And there, throughout it all, were the members of Boris: stoic to a tee, smiling only ever slightly at the assembled mass of battered bodies swirling about in front of them. Genuinely appreciative, they capped off the night with a track from their yet-unreleased record due out this year, introducing the song with softly spoken votes of thanks before launching into the vicious little number. Here’s to another 25 years of Boris. Boris played Manning Bar on Tuesday May 16. PHOTOGRAPHER :: ASHLEY MAR

thebrag.com

BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17 :: 27

on the record WITH

JENNY MCKECHNIE FROM CABLE TIES buying on my own.

The Last Record I Bought I bought the second Pink Tiles album! Mara, the bass player and one of the songwriters in the band, is the volunteer coordinator at PBS. She sees right through bullshit and writes ripper tunes. Paul, who plays guitar in The Pink Tiles, recorded and produced our album and is a genius hitmaker. The album is an absolute pop gem; I especially love the copious amounts of guitar feedback at the end of nearly every song. You’ll notice the same thing on our album – Paul does not do fade outs.

The First Record I Bought When I was a kid I was really into folk music. There was a duo called Kate

Burke and Ruth Hazleton who I absolutely loved. I was really lucky to grow up going to folk festivals and seeing them play because

they normalised the idea that women shred (albeit in a folkie way). Their album Swapping Seasons is the first album I remember

The First Thing I Recorded I was in a Celtic folk band called Dram, as in a dram of whiskey. This was a rather ironic name seeing as four

out of five band members were between 14 and 16 years of age. I played guitar and backed up all these Irish jigs and reels. I also wrote and sang some songs.

The Last Thing I Recorded Our debut album, which we recorded with Paul Maybury of Pink Tiles and Rocket Science. He has a studio called A Secret Location in Fairfield. We’ve released a fair few singles off the album and we are constantly surprised by the good reception they’ve got. Our first single ‘Same For Me’ was recorded a year before everything else. RRR absolutely fanged that thing. We couldn’t have done any of the cool shows we’ve got to do in the last year and a bit without their support for that song.

The Record That Changed My Life The Woods by SleaterKinney. I say this with a little trepidation because people often compare us to that band and it’s a totally inaccurate comparison. Lazy music journalists often compare any band with women in it to Sleater-Kinney because they think women playing music is a genre. The conversation between Carrie and Corin’s guitars blows me away. They weave in and out of each other and paint this writhing, jagged pattern around Janet’s steel-spined drumming. The first time I heard the record I didn’t like it. I had to grow into it and I love that. What: Cable Ties out Friday May 26 through Poison City With: Imperial Broads Where: The Factory Floor When: Friday July 7

on the record WITH

JEFF LANG

The First Record I Bought I think the first record I bought with my own pocket money was the single ‘Rock Lobster’ by The B-52’s. There were birthday present records before then but I think that was the first one I actually spent my own saved funds on. I saw the film clip on the TV show Countdown and I liked the guitar riff and that it was a kinda silly, fun song. I was giving an ear to anything that featured any guitar that was on the TV – Devo, Cold Chisel, AC/DC, B-52’s. Strange bedfellows!

The Last Record I Bought The latest album I bought was Semper Femina by Laura Marling. I’ve been really enjoying her last few and was keen to hear this one as it’s produced

by Blake Mills, who’s a current favourite of mine too. It’s a really simpatico pairing – her songs and singing are as great as ever and her guitar style is really complemented by the arrangements and production touches on the recording.

The First Thing I Recorded I learned clarinet from the age of six to 14 and the teacher worked at Deakin University, a guy named Tony Hughes. They had a two-track reel-to-reel tape machine in the room he’d teach in and he must’ve noticed some kind of aptitude for the machinery because he’d let me stay in after my lesson and experiment with recording stuff on it unsupervised. A lot of trust! I would’ve been about 12 when he

was teaching me. The songs would’ve been pretty dire, but it planted a seed in me for enjoying experimentation with recording that flourishes still.

The Last Thing I Recorded My latest album is called Alone In Bad Company. I recorded and mixed it myself at the Enclave in Melbourne. Apart from drummer extraordinaire Danny McKenna playing on one song and ace songwriter Alison Ferrier singing harmonies on that same song, I played everything myself. The main difference would be that there’s a bit of overdubbing on the album – some bass here, some piano there, et cetera – whereas the gig is a raw, stripped-back affair.

The Record That Changed My Life Bob Dylan’s Desire is an album I heard when I was growing up. It came out when I was six or seven and my folks played it a lot around the house and on car drives interstate. Dylan has been a constant through my life. His songs, his singing and his fearlessness as an artist have all continually kicked me in the arse throughout my life. I go back to Dylan in general and this album in particular when I need a shot of the divine. It’s a wild, untamed beauty he captures, all first-take spontaneity, the sound of band members learning the song as the tape rolls. What: Alone In Bad Company out now through ABC Where: The Basement When: Saturday May 27

five things WITH

JESS GREEN FROM PHENO

Growing Up Mum took me to early childhood music classes. My most intense early musical memory was the joy of singing in a massive choir when I was nine.

Your Band The EP features Bree van Reyk on drums, and as creative producer. Bree and

28 :: BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17

Alyx Dennison is on synths and vocals. I met Alyx working on a dance/ music show together a few years ago and we hit it off instantly. She was one of the first people I told about Pheno and has been so supportive. When I heard her self-titled album in 2015, I was completely blown away. Her voice is one in a million and she’s a very gifted songwriter. I’ve also had the

wonderful Bonnie Stewart on drums for the live shows – she is also an amazing singer-songwriter. David Trumpmanis engineered the EP – he’s a great musician himself and I’ve really trusted his feedback on performances on the album. He’s been a big part of the production of the EP too.

The Music You Make Art pop/art rock; I’m definitely on the experimental end of the spectrum. I’m super inspired by Tune-Yards, St. Vincent, Deerhoof, Dirty Projectors… The live show features a three-piece band, electric guitar, drums, synths,

samples and lots of vocals!

Music, Right Here, Right Now The music scene in Australia is exploding with originality and talent, but it’s a tough city to make a buck. It’s sad that the Newtown Social Club can’t survive, but there are small bars opening up and putting on music. The Gasoline Pony in Marrickville is great, and I’ll be playing at Leadbelly soon – I’ve always loved the theatre of that space. What: Dragon Year out now independently With: Suiix, Bonniesongs Where: Leadbelly When: Sunday May 28

thebrag.com

Cable Ties photo by Danny Cohen

Inspirations The first album I owned was Icehouse – Man Of Colours. Other ’80s idols included Janet Jackson and an important early inspiration was Paul Simon’s Graceland. Dad got me on to Frank Zappa early. Later inspirations include Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

I played together in our first bands in Canberra when we were 16. I was in admiration of her then and am still now – she brings such diversity, having played in all sorts of rock and pop settings, but also is a trained classical percussionist.

name the artists How many musical legends can you find in this picture?

Share your answers at facebook.com/thebragsydney.

win

DUSTIN TEBBUTT & LISA MITCHELL Two of Australia’s finest young songwriters, Dustin Tebbutt and Lisa Mitchell, are combining their powers for a collaborative show as part of Vivid Sydney. This is no tag-team effort – Tebbutt and Mitchell will be working together throughout the set, sharing a band across a 100-minute performance. Altogether, Tebbutt and Mitchell are hitting nine venues around the country, and we’ve got two double passes to the Factory Theatre on Saturday June 10. Enter the draw at thebrag.com/freeshit.

free stuff

SAN CISCO Perth’s favourite indie-pop foursome San Cisco are back with a third album, The Water, and starring on the cover of the BRAG this week. They’re also set to play a massive Sydney show at the Enmore Theatre on Friday June 2. To celebrate, we’re giving away two San Cisco prize packs including a double pass to the show, a signed copy of The Water and a T-shirt!

For your chance to win:

MADE IN SYDNEY MAY 10, 2017

THEBRAG.COM

MUSIC, COMEDY, FILM + MORE

HOW THEY LEFT THEIR WILD SIDE BEHIND

win

a photo of 1. Take this week’s BRAG cover with San Cisco

2. thebrag.com

Post it to Instagram and follow @thebragmag to find out if you win!

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SHANNON NOLL ONE-ON-ON E WITH RYAN ADAMS

[

TAKE A PHOTO OF THIS COVER TO WIN SIGNED SAN CISCO VINYL, MERCH AND TICKETS DETAILS P29

[

ALSO INSIDE:

TWIN PEAKS, RADICAL FACE, SONG KITCHEN, TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER SOUNDTRACK REVISITED, SYDNEY DRUM & PERCUSSION SHOW AND MORE!

BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17 :: 29

g g guide gig g send your listings to : gigguide@seventhstreet.media

For our full gig and club listings, head to thebrag.com/gigs.

pick of the week SATURDAY MAY 27

Camp Cope

SUNDAY MAY 28

Camp Cope The Avalanches

Sydney Opera House

Since I Left You Block Party

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. Friday May 26. 7:30pm/9:30pm. $35. Australia’s rising stars of the indie punk scene, the Melbourne-based Camp Cope make their Opera House debut at Vivid LIVE.

Cream

Northeast Party House

The Avalanches + DJ Shadow + Briggs + more 5pm. $129. THURSDAY MAY 25

Marrickville. 8pm. $17.

Ali Barter Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $17.

Fleet Foxes Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 8pm. $89.

Alma Orquestra Camelot Lounge, Marrickville. 7pm. $20. E Is For Echo + My Perfect Sunday + Romisounds Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington. 9pm. Free.

Goodgod Super Club – feat: Ben Foster + Karizma Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 9pm. $39. Insomnium Bald Faced Stag, Leichardt. 8pm. $51.

Julia Jacklin + Jaala Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $29.45.

Slumberjack Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $28.

Mojito Trio The Temperance Society, Summer Hill. 7pm. Free.

The Smith Street Band + Alison Weiss + Ceres + Joyce Manor

Odlaw Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney. 8pm. Free.

Busby Marou Leadbelly, Newtown. 6pm. $34.70. Cash Savage and The Last Drinks Factory Floor, 30 :: BRAG :: 714 :: 24:05:17

Village People + Bjorn Again State Theatre, Sydney. 7pm. $79.90.

SATURDAY MAY 27 Baro + Good Morning + Nasty Mars Hudson Ballroom, Sydney. 8pm. $22.70. Busby Marou Leadbelly, Newtown. 6pm. $34.70. Gabriel O Pensador Max Watt’s, Moore Park. 10pm. $56. Goodgod Super Club – feat: Magda Bytnerowicz + Steffi Nai Palm

State Theatre, Sydney. Thursday May 25. 8pm. $80.41.

Northeast Party House

Malcolm Bruce (son of Jack), Kofi Baker (son of Ginger) and Will Johns (nephew of Eric Clapton) join guitar legend Robben Ford and Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes for a tribute to the incredible Cream.

Having played to massive crowds at Groovin The Moo, the Melbourne sextet bring their festive tunes to a sold-out Sydney show.

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 9pm. $39. Hellions + Endless Heights Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $23.10. Jeff Lang The Basement, Circular Quay. 7:30pm. $20. Ministry Of Sound – The Reunion 20052008 – feat: Sneaky Sound System + Bang Gang DJs + Goodwill + John Course + Kid Kenobi Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney. 2pm. $74.50.

Skunkhour Metro Theatre, Sydney. 8pm. $37.85. True Vibenation + Project Collective Ska + DJ Krystel Diola Factory Floor, Marrickville. 8pm. $17. Vini Vici Max Watt’s, Moore Park. 9pm. $69.

SUNDAY MAY 28 Crystal Castles Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 8:15pm.

Factory Theatre, Marrickville. Friday May 26. 8pm. $30.

$83.20.

TUESDAY MAY 30

Rock ’n’ Roll & Alternative Market On Tour – feat: Crusin’ Deuces + The Drey Rollan Band + The Rollan Deuces + more Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 11am. $6.

Air Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 8pm. $99.

MONDAY MAY 29

Lisa Hannigan Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 7:30pm. $59.

Nai Palm Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 7:30pm. $59.

Evan Dando Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst. 8pm. $45.

Sun Kil Moon Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 8:30pm. $44.

the BRAG presents

Radical Face Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 7:30pm. $46.20. Ryan Adams + Middle Kids Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. 7pm. $104. Sampha Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. 9:30pm. $59.

SAN CISCO

DAPPLED CITIES

Enmore Theatre Friday June 2

City Recital Hall Sunday June 4

San Cisco photo by Ebony Talijancich

FRIDAY MAY 26

Enmore Theatre, Newtown. 7pm. $52.95.

The Music Of Cream

thebrag.com

CISCO

KIRIN J. CALLINAN B RA V A D O T O U R

P R E S E N T E D BY B R AG , S I B E R I A R EC O R D S & S E L ECT M U S I C

S AT 1 0/6 OXFORD ARTS SYDNEY NEW ALBUM ‘BRAVADO’ OUT JUNE 9TH