SHAMZINE #4 by SHAMZINE

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Pott Street

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Roy mackonkey Reviews, GIG REVIEWS & GIG GUIDE

20 11

SHAMZINE

oi youse mob By Wilburr This morning I woke up with Sleep Tonight by Roy Mackonkey in my head (still). It’s the perfect song. It’s not just filler until the catchy hook/ chorus, no sir, its a constant hookfest. From go to woe. Guitars, vocals, basslines, drum feels, it’s all win as. To the face, even. I saw them play it at HEAVYbyHEAVY and it has been the soundtrack to my days since. These guys are a frikkin AMAZING band. And have been for over ten years. So why the fuck arent they packing out stadiums across the globe? Same goes for ZedMajor, The Wicked Garden and Burrfoot. Sure I might be a little biased towards Burrfoot, but fuck it, whatever... It’s still a good question. Why arent these bands household names? The quality of their songs are certainly, without a doubt, as good as anything else out there. In most cases, better. Give me a choice between Generic Radio Song #2198 and ZedMajor’s The Devil Is A Gentleman, and its Zeds everytime. Its not even a choice that my brain needs to concisely engage itself to make. But ask your regular Person On The Street what their favourite Wicked Garden song is and you’d get a blank stare as a response. I’m only too painfully aware of the argument that when people go out they want to hear stuff they already know. Most folks just want to unwind, get hammered and forget how shit life is. No one really cares about underground bands, stupid scenes and shitty zines. It’s not real. I’ve got two days to forget how shit my life is, how much of a wanker my boss is, how unimportant and insignifigant my “career” is, and hopefully I can get to that level of drunk where I’m aware and coordinated enough to be charming at someone who maybe will let me maybe do the sex with them, but not so drunk as to resemble a certain Dead Kennedys song. While this is true, look at The Street That Shall Not Be Named. The two biggest culprits now have closed down. They totally subscribed to the covers/ beer/ loud sports

US MOB

GIVE US A SHOUT EDITORIAL ed@shamzine.com ADVERTISING ads@shamzine.com ABUSE helveticunt@shamzine.com RING A DING DING 0424 670 149 Burrfoot SHAMZINEd at TrainWrecked

noise buisness model and they are both in recievership. So I guess maybe people don’t want to listen to shit old covers as well.

Maybe there’s a middle ground where a band can play some covers and some originals, but really, if you want to hear Mustang Sally, put it on the fucking CD player. Don’t make those poor musicians go through it again. Everytime a covers band plays Mustang Sally, a kitten dies. Everytime a “band” butchers Sex On Fire, Jesus is crucifed again.

Everytime an original band is overlooked for a gig so a cover band can play a list of songs that are on the CD player, creativity, culture and civilisation takes a shuddering lurch BACKWARDS. So for fuck’s sake, go buy Roy Maconkey’s new album when it comes out. And if you’re at some other venue that is perpetuating the downward spiral of society by paying covers bands stupid amounts of money to play someone elses songs BADLY, then for the love of D-Minor, LEAVE!

Jaxon & Emma at TrainWrecked

OUR MATES

SHAMZINE is pretty much by:

Wilburr - Zine guy, content decider, overwhelmingly positive cynic. Steve-o Lees - Driver/distributor, charisma, junk food aficionado. Liam Parry-Mills - Realist, fundamentally uncertain role. Zac East - Lister of lists, manly chops, red pen wielder. Nico Liengme - Whiskey whiskey whiskey whiskey whiskey whisk...

SHAMZINE

Roy Maconkey’s John Coulehan at HEAVYbyHEAVY

Lachlan West - Phat beats (with a captical F), drum skinner. Lyon Mann (Jimmy R) - Rock godee, key player.

Cover photo: ZedMajor @ HEAVYbyHEAVY 2011 Photo by Jimmy James R.

Nooz snippets

Letters to ed ED is ED

Hey SHAMZINE peeps, I’ve noticed something at that music shop at Casuarina, and gig SHAMZINE podcast turns 10 flyers. They put up posters for fuking cold chilsel but take down This was meant to be out last month, but local gig flyers. What the fuck do they want? Why will they only NEVERTHELESS, all the SHAMZINE staff have chosen get behind shit old shit bands? Is it that they only put up posters their favourite track by an NT band and talked a bit for gigs that they sell tickets for? So they’ll only support someabout it. Check the podcast on SHAMZINE.com thing if their pockets are lined? If I had a choice between cold chisel and HxH or Trainwrecked, well it’s not even a desicion my Aborted Jesus Milkshake at BITG? brain has to engage itslef to make? Can you ask them why they’re After flogging the NT News polls for best coffee, resident such a dick about band posters? Gangstalicious Booty Stomp grinding shit-stirrers AJM have hijacked a poll by chief

minister Paul Henderson on Facebook for national acts to headline next year’s Bass in the Farce festival. We here at SHAMZINE, being such super eager fans of this festival think that AJM would provide a suitable cockslap to the powers that be, and those who waste taxpayers money on faddish pop music instead of supporting the local original music scene (like the original aim of BITG was supposed to be). Vote #1, AJM!

Flano on Spics n Specs

Forgot to mention this last month, but our very own Leah Flanagan was a guest on Spics & Specs last month, alongside Irish comedian Jimoin and bloody John Williamson. Pretty sure you can still catch this episode on ABC’s iView player... it’s episode 17.

New Roy album

Local legends Roy Mackonkey are gearing up for the release of a new full-length album “Abandonment Issues” early next year. We here at SHAMZINE can’t wait to hear what they’ve come up with, as the new tracks sampled at HEAVYbyHEAVY were off the charts. WOOT!

Classos

• Classo listings are free for buying/selling gear or musos seeking bands/bands seeking musos. Just email your listing to shamzinent@gmail.com or post it up in the ‘darwin music scene’ Facebook group. WANTED TO BUY/ SWAP or TRADE Badges with pictures of trains on them. Will consider swapping old 80s The Cure badges, or a sample album of early 90s Niteclub Hits like Slave To The Music and Riding The Night and anything from Ace Of Bass. Or that song Mouth.

FOR SALE Collection of reality television promotional materials for shows like; The Farmer Wants A Wang, Survivor Mitchell St and Hells Kitchen (featuring the Fannie Bay Pizza Nazi). WANTED TO BUY Big red pillows for my dog Tinkerbell to hump. Man you should see her go. It’s like a digestive thing.

Dear Gangstalicious Booty Stomp, You have a deadly name. You also make some astute observations. I think I sense a story brewing here. Keep an eye out in future issue for the truth. Dear Ed, Have you read APRA’s latest survey at all? I doubt it but anyway it states that in 2009/2010 the live music industry injected up to 1.23 BILLON DOLLARS into the national economy 1and I’m sure as hell betting that’s not the government’s funding, but rather all that dirty filthy muso’s money, and yet places like Happy Yess, Browns Mart and live music in general in Darwin rarely see a cent let alone the 1.23 BILLON DOLLARS that we part with, (or the 70,000+ dollars of government money used to build a brand spanking high tech cricket facility!!) Just sayin. Jaquline North

1. http://musicnt.com.au/2011/09/19/live-music-billion-dollar-baby/

Dear Ms North, Yeah its bullshit isn’t it. Did you also know that the Guttermen just dropped 4 million dollars on a new squash centre in Marrarra? (http://www.ntnews. com.au/article/2011 /05/02/229221_ ntsport.html) And places like the Happy Yess and Music NT are struggling to get day to day funding. And don’t get me started on that shitty money sinkhole that is Bass In The Grass. That’s making great networks and creating opportunities for local musicians to meet their peers and all that right there... God I wish I had a sarcasm font... I guess the only thing to do is let the Guttermen know that you/ we know how shit they are and to get their shit together or we just won’t vote for them again.

Every night after dinner she humps that massive pillow for hours. I’d be more disturbed if it wasn’t so fucking cute. So any pillows you can throw my way would be great.

FOR SALE/ FREE TO GOOD HOME That guy at the Rapid Creek Markets that sings country songs, horribly, at volume. Will throw in a free set of earplugs or a songbook with some new songs for him to learn or both. Must get rid of quick.

WANTED Christo to get back from holidays in Greece so I can get a decent cup of frikkin coffee again. These other places may THINK they employ baristas, but mostly the brew is shit... mostly (exception to AJM - Ed’s Ed).

SHAMZINE

POTT STREET By Megan Spencer/MusicNT

On the map

Serious business...

Northern Territory hip hop band Pott Street have been busy working on their second album, after gaining good national airplay and exposure for their 2010 debut, ‘High North’.

Struggle was used as a ‘closer’ on ABC’-TVs Stateline program, also added to the ABC Radio Darwin weekly music playlist not long afterwards, with airplay on Triple J Oz music show Home & Hosed.

Local Territory stations Radio Larrakia, TEABBA and Territory FM have also been playing it since its the single’s release in 2010.

After the disappointing cancellation of a support gig this year in Darwin for US rapper Ice Cube (the gig was eventually confirmed as a fake and falsely promoted, with The Music Network currently reporting it has been rescheduled for later in 2012), right now Pott Street is remixing ‘High North’ track, D-Town Is My City.

The track features four other local hip hop crews, with a special teeshirt giveaway to accompany the

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iTunes release at the start of October. It will allow the band to start another promotional push with more artists involved.

Pott Street’s forthcoming second album will include 12 songs, with three already completed. The as yet untitled album is slated for a Christmas release according to producer and MC, Gusto.

Having recently set up The Pott Street Studio, Gusto has been busy “recording, producing, mixing and mastering for other local artists”.

Currently he is working on “a mixtape for local singer Aria and it’s coming out amazing!” he says.

“We are about to start on producing an EP for ADK (Artistry Dominance Krew)”, adding “the Pott Street Studio has been in high demand.” “We learned lots from our last release so we’re hoping to have the process He and fellow band member Fliz go a little smoother and quicker this have also been helping out with time”, he says. sound engineering at a number of NT “We’ve got outside production by community music events, with many Young Brother on the single for this music workshop offers also coming new album and we’ll be getting some their way. features from local artists too”. Young The band look set to emerge on the Brother was nominated for a ‘Best stage again in October, so stay tuned Emerging Artist’ award at this year’s to the Music NT Events Calendar to National Indigenous Music Awards, find out details. which Pott Street themselves won in View the entire music video of 2009. Struggle – as shot by the NT ABC Pott Street, at the 2009 IMAs, Stateline crew – on the Pott Street after winning the Award for ‘Best Facebook Page, and listen to a story Emerging Artist’. about Pott Street on Radio National program, Awaye!

Roy mackonkey =By Zac East How long has Roy Mackonkey been together and performing for? The band started in 1997 , John, Brian and I are the original members so we’ve been playing on and off together for 14yrs, Fletcher is the new guy! he has been with us for the last 6 years. Over the last couple years we have been living in separate states so regular gigs have been harder to do. We have toured nationally and internationally but those gigs were months apart. What is one of memorable gigs?

your

most

Mate! for me one of the most memorable was when we played a Thursday night residency at the old Vic Hotel back in 2000, we had James Mangohig (Sietta) on bass back then and before the gig we used to amp ourselves up by listening to At The Drive In! When we got onstage we lit it up from the get go! Total energy and rock n roll, John diving into the drums! James and I were bouncing around all over the place, Steve (Terracotta Pigeons) was just an octopus of arms, sticks and drum fills! The crowd was going crazy, beer was flowing, couples were fornicating on wine barrels, some guy was cranking himself at the bar! everyone had a good time that night!

Hawaii on the way back home. Our gigs were well received but we lost the opportunity to play in Ireland to a fucken laptop band from Sydney, but we did get to play live on a TV show and have been asked to come back for this years festival.

Heard you guys were recently recording? Where was it done and was it for your next album?

We recorded with Chart Song Studios in Brisbane over 2 weeks in May. We re-worked 4 older songs and a new song which are all going into the hat for an album! We have a lot more songs to record though before we I understand that you guys played decide on which ones make the cut, at a Canadian festival. Tell us about you can hear 3 of the songs which are on our myspace account (www. that? myspace.com/roymackonkey). Indie Week Festival 2010, Toronto Canada! Bands from all over the Any interesting people you’ve met world get together for one week to whilst playing/touring? meet and greet industry big wigs and Our Lady Peace and The Watchmen get to play in an awesome city with are Canadian bands who have a thriving music scene! We applied been an influence on our musical through Sonicbids and were lucky inspiration for a long time now! enough to be selected, there were So when we got to Toronto I was about 4 other Aussie bands from stoked to be in the same city where Syd, Melb and Adelaide there as well. those guys have been rocking since The organizers were fantastic and the early 90’s, At our last gig for the everything ran smooth, the flights are festival we met an artist called Billy killers though, we ended up missing Pettinger (aka Billy the Kid) She is transfers and staying over night in great friends with Raine Maida from

OLP and has recorded many songs with him... I never got to meet Raine but I did find out that Billy used to go out with the drummer from the band called Smashmouth and turns out the drummer is a friend of my friend Brad Polain (drummer for Notorious) here in Darwin! So its interesting that in some odd way we connected together! Billy is a rising star in Canada and is also a good friend now and has even put us on her thank you notes for her new album which was just released last month.

Any advice for aspiring musicians or bands? Always keep an open mind and learn from your peers, stay creative and keep striving to better your style and sound, always have fun and don’t think your better than anyone else. Get your shit together and get on the road! Touring is important for bands to not only gain more fans but also to step out of their comfort zones and see where they are musically and professionally.

Where do you see Roy Mackonkey in the future? I see the band releasing albums and touring a lot more.

SHAMZINE

Roy Maconkey at HEAVYbyHEAVY

guest were guys you If 5 name Rage, on programmers songs you’d want to play:

and is there anything you’d like to see more of? The local scene has a great vibe at the moment, its resurgence is really starting to take off again thanks to the hard work of people involved with Shamzine and Music NT. I would like to see more of the pubs take a bigger interest in local original music like they used too. We had a residency at the Vic Hotel back in 2000 and we also played Discovery, Time Nightclub (next to squires) and

Faith No More : Falling to Pieces Beastie Boys : Sabotage

Guns n Roses : Nightrain Incubus : In your room

Porcupine Tree : Fear of a blank planet

What do you think of the local scene where it is at the moment,

It's only shit if there's balls invovled I fucking HATE sports. Man on man. The sweat. The passion. It sounds like a gay porno, until you hear the homophobia... I don’t classify Roller Derby as one of those Loud Sports Noises kind of sports. Yeah it’s tough and aggressive, but theres just not that dumb meat-head mentality that goes with tackling one another and

passing balls and the like. Roller Derby is about as punk as a team sport can be. And it’s frikkin awesome.

The NT is having it’s first Roller Derby bout on 29th October. All the deets are as follows but I just thought it needed to be said that Roller Derby is awesome and Loud Sports Noises sports are shit.

Ahem... no balls here.

SHAMZINE

But then you knew that ‘cause you’re one of the Good Ones. That’s why you’re reading SHAMZINE right?

“The battle between the Northern Territory’s first two Roller Derby Leagues is here!! Malice Springs Roller Derby League (MSRD) are on a ‘Highway to Roll’ as they travel to clash with the Darwin

the Beachfront. There needs to be a sit down with club owners and Music NT so they can work out a better strategy of inputting original music into venues on a regular basis.

What’s the best thing about playing live original music? Its always the best when the band is tight and nothing goes wrong! but also when the crowd is going off and the energy bouncing back and forth between the band and fans is always a winner. Roller Girls (DRG) in a head-to-head battle on wheels. The show-down is on the 29th October at Marrara Indoor Stadium. Doors opening at 6pm. Roller derby is an amazing fast paced, full contact women’s sport played on quad roller skates. A Roller Derby bout has the atmosphere of a boxing match, more hits than rugby, and more strategy than chess. This is a bout not to be missed, so get your tickets, fire up and GET YOUR ROLL ON! Bring the family, bring your mates but get in quick because the stadium has limited seating! Tickets are cash only sales available from the 1st OCT at Viva La Body - City, Groove Cafe – Nighcliff and Spokes NT – Palmerston. For more information go to www.darwinrollergirls.com.au.”

See what I mean? It’s just like two bands putting on a gig and one of them touring for it. It’s DIY sports. Support it.

The beast of broaden By Lyon Mann Rico Suave is Broaden City, the producer of Darwin’s most excruciatingly beautiful Electronica music, with wings of a destination unknown. But at the turn of a second everything can become brutal and a little paranoid. With massive Heavy Metal and Digital Music influences, Broaden City will surely take you away, away to have your consciousness stripped bare in front of your vision. I give you, Metatronica. What adds to the Broaden City mysteriousness even more is, Rico’s hesitation to show his face unobscured in photographs and post any more than snippet, teaser samples of his songs online. I caught up with Rico on one lazy, build-up Sunday and captured a 10 minute window into the mind of one of the most intelligent and creative people I’ve met. It is as follows. Oh Lord, what fresh hell is this?

Shamzine: Rico, how long have you been producing tracks under the name, Broaden City? Broaden City: Uh, that’s interesting, the concept of Broaden City, well it’s been around for ages and when I say ages I’ll say 2003. When I started producing I was just going by the name Rico. I didn’t start using the name, Broaden City until 2009.

So you were performing the same music since then, but just as Rico? I was a bedroom producer from 2003 up until 2008 and I started doing shows in, yeah, 2009. I’ve probably done about 5 since then. You could count them on one hand, the shows I’ve done.

it was just writing down feelings in poems and the poems, they were just songs, I could see them as songs. A good friend gave me a particular music producing program and I started tinkering around with it and the fuckin stuff I was making with it sounded like songs! So it was still just me expressing what I wanted to express but the words kind of got pushed aside and it became all about the music.

What is your influence today?

main

musical

Always has been, always will be, Deftones. Inspiration from music is always Deftones. They have this really fucked up mish mash, it’s a combination of beauty behind all What are your roots, what inspired this brutality. You really need to you to make music? appreciate it to hear the beauty....... Ah, there’s two parts to this, really it started off with Poetry, I went through a phase where I really wanted to express myself and I didn’t know how, first it was words, yeah

I’m inspired by a lot of shit, but yeah, Deftones.

What are your songs about, as in what do they mean to you?

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That’s... Look I’ll be really open with you. The songs, they’re me, it’s fuckin me opening up my soul and the good and bad aspects of me. It’s so fuckin raw and revealing, it’s my backbone that you’re listening to.

even know who to collaborate with, I guess I need to find somebody who’s on that same fucked up level that Broaden City’s at, and I’d really like to find that person or persons but I’m really busy with work. I’m open to collaboration if time permits.

Onstage you have an unusual presence, you seem to transcend the physical. Where are you when your performing? I’m not there, I am not even in the room. I have to remove myself, it just gets too much. So I guess what you’re looking at is a manifestation of me trying to get out of the room. It’s just too intense.

None, there’s no goals whatsoever. I’m an old bloke too busy doing the career thing. Broaden is selfindulgence for me. Honestly, I think I’ve peaked already too, I’ve produced a massive amount of material and I think I’ve reached... I’ll be honest I made something recently and it just sounded like a Depeche Mode rip off, maybe we could collaborate. But yeah no goals just self-indulgence.

Not really, well I did one sort of fun collaboration where I got a good friend to do some vocals over my beats. It was like a Heavy Metal/ Electronica thing.... But yeah musical collaboration, none as of yet. I don’t

Well I think I really have peaked, I hope I haven’t. I’d like to keep making stuff that’s as intense as I have made. I hope I can keep up that quality and stay on that level that I’ve reached.

So it’s a self-portrait?

Most definitely, you hear the dark and you hear the light.

Have you collaborated with any other Territory musicians?

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What are the main goals you hope to achieve with, Broaden City?

How different do you think your music will sound five years from now?

Can we expect a record release in the near future? Definitely, I’m signed to Skinnyfish Records and there’s two albums coming out. I was a Hip Hop artist so the stuff coming out will have vocals on it. I don’t do vocals live because I think the fuckin music stands well enough on it’s own and it’s strong enough to capture people. There are some vocals, however, that people do need to hear to get on board with the whole concept and story behind Broaden City. So, yeah, a couple of things coming out that people will hear of soon. Finally, the most important question of all, when is your next gig?

Well I recently said that there wasn’t going to be anymore shows, but if people want to see me, I’ll fuckin do ‘em just to make people happy. There are a lot of people who haven’t seen me play so, yes there’ll be more shows. If people want to see ‘em, I’ll do ‘em.

Reviews Black Can Clan - Delusions of Grandeur

By Steve-O Lees

or sometimes you want to remember something a bit closer to home. Black Can Clan covers all of that, and everything in between in just over half an hour of music.

I first heard ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ at the Uni Bar at CDU. It created a relaxed atmosphere whilst everyone was getting there drink on after a “hard” day of Uni.

If you are a fan of local N.T roots music, Papua New Guinea reggae, country, and grooves there are a few things you need to know about this record, and one of those things is that you will want this album in your music collection. You will want to get your hands on these groups of songs, which cover a range of different issues and emotions from politics, to Greek legends (Helen of Troy).

When you buy a record (or even worse, when you try to create your own album), you want to go on a journey, you want the audience, (“the listener”) to escape into a world that might not be their own,

Pott Street - High North

Original compositions on this record, gave me high respects for Eddie as a song writer and as a musician. Each song gives you a sense of hope and struggle, and a thought for close relatives, but keeping a sensor of humour and lightness (mainly with the vocal melody and music) on heavier subjects. Stand out tracks on the album include ‘Helen’ (a story about Helen of Troy), ‘Longtime’, and ‘Morning Star’ (a song commemorating Eddies home back in PNG)

Listening to ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ from the Black Can Clan, I paid attention to the serious side of Eddie Obara, which opened me up to ideas and thoughts that affect race, relationships, war, family and respect. Remembering his roots from PNG, and paying respect to local community’s Produced, mixed and mastered by in the Northern Territory, Eddie pays Eddie Obara and Black Can Clan, and tribute to his heritage and gracefully co-produced by Cal Williams at the CDU sings in language (or should I say in studios, ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ features several languages, Roro & Motu from a variety of local musicians from Jason PNG and Yunlgnu Mata from North Irvine (drums) and Tommy Anderson Eastern Arnhem Land). This record (bass) from Room 1.05. Imbi Davidson also includes 3 instrumental pieces (banjo), Benny Repu (keyboard), and Greg that glue the record from start to finish. Stock who played the electric mandolin Track one opens with a didgeridoo on ‘Territory’ (soon to be ‘TerrorTree’). (played by Lionel Spratt) and a flamenco acoustic guitar, then soulfully ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ is a record you can into an Australian classic of ‘Long work too, read too, or have on in the backMemory’ and ‘Chocolate Milk’ (I vote round when friends are over. ‘Delusions to be an Eddie Obara hit) . A cover of of Grandeur’ is a true Territory Flavour R.E.M’s ‘Orange Crush’, a class project with PNG and other worldly influences from last year’s CDU’s VET Music wrapped up in this 16 track album. One course found its way on the record, but of my favourite records for 2011, I hope in the Black Can Clan’s way of finger it sees its way into your music collection picking and entertaining vocals making and becomes part of the Darwin’s musical it another track that was meant to be heritage. on this record.

By Lachlan Right from the get go Pott Street’s album ‘High North’s’ production value come off slicker than an oil spill on a artic ice field , a true testament to the hard work of all the Pott Street Crew and putting pen to paper, (if you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years Pott Street consists of Tim Johnson AKA ‘Fliz’ Vocals & Production, Zac Watt AKA ‘Gus’ Vocals & Production, Adam Austin AKA ‘O’ Zee’ Vocals, Mandy Garling AKA ‘Dizzle’ Vocals & Instruments) Their latest album ‘High North’ dropped mid last year after building much anticipation from their fans through

many numerous live shows around the NT, gaining airplay on local, national and international radio stations and their famous annual Pott Street Xmas parties.

Although ‘High North’ is slightly different to what you’d expect (when I say ‘you’d’ I’m implying that your hip hop roots come from the more slimy underground, n ol’ dirty side of things) from local aussie hip hop, as the beats, rhymes, vocals and overall production is PUMPING and extrmeeeeeely slick , but still containing a real love for the aussie hip hop vibe. Also adhering closely to their classic American’s influences, such as Dr Dre and Cypress Hill, makes for a

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Terracotta Pigeons - Ever Forever Never By Zac

2009’s Ever-Forever-Never is a clinical masterpiece. This album really says what Terracotta Pigeons are about, although I will admit there is something missing in this 9-track Rock album – and here’s why.

Musically, it’s fantastic, with a cool mix of overdistorted, noise-gated guitars, and marching, anthemetic-style drumming. The vocal harmonies are pitch perfect, which is great - but I was expecting more like what Terracotta Pigeons produce live on stage. There’s something crazy about the trio, and that’s the only thing missing from this album – that effortless, international-level energy. I’ve seen them many a time, most notably at The Chippo and the launch of this Album at the Beachfront Hotel (which was loud as fuck, my then-unborn child was going crazy with all the vibrations), and it’s a shame they didn’t get to capture all of that magic on this release.

very interesting twist creating a hybrid of styles, thus making the music really intriguing to follow as their sound is very much a mix of the two. Especially from the storybook rhymes of the blood sweat and good times that Pott Street has done since their beginnings to pretty much present days complemented by the sweet soothing vocals from Dizzle. Highlight tracks for me were struggle, my street, music is my mistress and music sets me free. ‘High North’ screams to be cranked right past the legal decibel level of any airfield or any safe level of sound along Mitchell Street.

SHAMZINE

It seems to be the sort of album you listen to with headphones on, as there’s a lot that goes on vocally and you can only catch by being totally immersed in the song. Steve Smith hides a lot for those who go looking for it - which, to me, is a sign of musical brilliance. Every time I think, “I think this is my favourite track from this album”, I hear the next one and immediately replace the previous favoured track with the current one, which is awesome. I just wish “A Letter from Them”was not as robotic and futuristic, ‘cos it could be heavy as fuck. But I’m under the impression Steve wrote it to sound like that, so mission accomplished there.

The vocals seem to be the driving force on these tracks, the music itself serves as the lead and wave in which the singing rides on. The guitar-hooks really do tie in

And Indeed ‘High North’ would be right at home in any club, and this brings me to my next point and I have to be honest this activates an automatic switch in my head that just hears anything to do with a nightclub and goes into non music hearing mode, and this is NOT because the M.C.’s or the music is bad in anyway shape or form it’s just there’s so much of it everywhere that most of it turns to mush for me. BUT!! ‘High North’ was different! I could relate to what they were saying and what they are saying is real, wouldn’t have opened for Bone thugs and Outlawz if they weren’t.

with the vocals nicely, with the bass right there the whole way through. You end up remembering the words of the songs as opposed to the riffs from the guitars, which is cool as Steve writes some killer lyrics.

“Pins and Needles”, the afore mentioned “Jungle Muse”and the album title track, “Ever-Forever-Never”, are probably my favoured tracks from this album, as they seem the most jammy and organic as opposed to methodic and slotted like the others.

Like I said, a little too perfect in terms of timing of the instruments and the overall production of the piece , but none the less a solid album. And if you haven’t yet done it: go out and see them live. You will NEVER be disappointed. I never have. Terracotta Pidgeons at the iNTune Showbag

I tell you next time these guys are playing in a club I’m dragging my sorry ass to see them, and that’s a HUGEE thing for me. To actually to go into Mitchell Street with the intent to watch and listen to the music (SEROULSY ask anyone of my mates) and I suggest you do, no, I tell you too! Trust me you’ll have one helleva time (Or at the very least grab one of their albums from their website www. pottstreet.com) the hard work shines through Pott Street, Respect!

HEAVYbyHEAVY 2011

@Darwin Entertainment Centre

Words by Wilburr, photos by Jimmy James R. Steve-o & Nico Sometimes, the snowball just explodes. I walked into the Duhwin Entertainment Center (DEC) early afternoon for soundcheck and was gobsmacked. A full PA. A big stage, scaffolds of lights hanging from the roof, this was the Real Deal, and god dammit, I’m lucky enough to be part of it. Cue insane stomach butterflys and that dropping feeling in your stomach where it feels like you need to diarea, but when you take a seat, nothing comes out. I call it constareah. I often rant at my SHAMZINE team about playing in shit bands for 13 years and the positive mindset that ensues after the first time it dawns on you how great mainstream drinking venues are, your part in the sale/ continuation of a drinking culture as a performer in such a place, and of course the patrons. But at Heavy By Heavy 2011 (HBH) I saw something that I really, honestly have never seen. More on that observation later... Highlights of the night are from when I walked in and started moshing to TWG, the first good skank I’ve had in years, until the end when all the bands were in a circle, arms around shoulders “we shall not be moved” style, singing and chanting and laughing and smiling. That is correct, the highlight was the whole show. As mentioned, The Wicked Garden kicked the night off with a solid, tight powerful set. Remember these are the guys that took the bar and exploded it at the Yess earlier in the year? Zacs vocals were hitting all the right notes in all the right places while his fat riffage intertwined with Rudys punchy basslines and Lachies unique intense drum feels. They The Wicked Garden

Sept 9

even played a couple of newer songs which shows how much they are developing as a group and songwriters. Looking forward to seeing these guys do more. TWG played one of the tightest, solidest performances ive seen them or any band play. What a start to the evening. Unbroken Expanses Jason Foran (drummer, tyranid player, ginger ninja) doesn’t know what an UBX is. An Unbroken Expanse however, is a band from Tennant Creek. They followed TWGs set with all guns blazing. All pistons firing. So much energy. Such catchy tunes. Again, I find myself moshing and skanking uncontrolably. This is where I need to be. Right here, hearing this, skanking like its 87 and Op Ivy is on the stereo... Sex In The Desert followed definately not UBX. Sex In The Desert (SitD) play tight, dynamic rock songs like seasoned pros. Big clever song compostions, dueling saxophone vs guitar solos, a bass sound that can only come from a double quad stack (drool, can haz naow plz?) songs about Shapelle Corby... and a live show that you really need to see. Oh my frikkin Gods, Roymackonkey are fucking good. I forgot how fucking awesome and powerful this band is. Brians flawless slippery bass lines and impeccable techinque. Darryls riffage and blistering guitar solos. John O Trons brilliant vocal style and the stories he tells. Fletchers unique drum brilliance. Theres a reason the Roys are Duhwin rock royalty, and bearing witness to the performance cements the fact. A musical force. Zed Major followed the Roys. (down into ten thousand pieces) Goats creepy, eerie bass line to Cosmos the start of a jourBurrfoot

ney (like we starting from scratch) that takes me from high to dizzying to terrifying... Steve-O smashes the rythem while Jimmy wails like its the End Of all Things. Jay is Duhwins most under rated and solid drummer. Dylans voice and melodies are many coloured and interesting, then his lyrics sink in and the introspection starts. Zed Major dont play songs, they tell stories. They dont play riffs they embark on sonic journeys. Next up, Burrfoot. We launched our second EP “As Yet Nameless” at HBH. Zac was awesome enough to give us the headlining spot. I had just watched five bands nail it. Just fucking hammer it. Every band was on fire! The sound was cranking, the lights were subtle and ambient, not over powering. The light production did what it was supposed to do, complement the performers, not detract from them. Thats how you can tell a pro light/ sound person/ show. So anyway, my brain was a bunch of gibbering messes as it had been blown away constantly all evening, in piles or sprayed on the walls through out the DEC, so I was feeling a little anxious. But, as always, as soon as I locked in with Duane Tom and Fletcher, there was nothing else. Everything is right here. Now is the only thing that matters. Ill just be giving myself over to this energy and power for the next thirty or forty minutes. Would you all care to join me? Oh you would? then lets go shall we... D... Playing in Burrfoot makes me smile. Singing songs with people makes me smile. I really love and am humbled by the people that came to watch us, brought our EP, sang and danced with us. Man, this is what its all about.

Broaden City

SHAMZINE

Roy Mackonkey

ZedMajor

Unbroken Expanse

We played our hearts out. We gave it ten billion percent. The energy was feeding back and forth, growing more powerful with each open D minor chord. I went to a different place, eyes rolled back, jaw gaping like a drowning fish, and a room full of people where right there with me. So grateful. So what I hadnt seen before... I saw six bands working together as equals for something that was greater than any of its parts. Six original, passionate, talented, fucking AWESOME acts of international standard, all working together, to make one hell of a live show. HBH just blew me away. We really love the Yess. If you dont believe me, well, you just should, cause we do. Um. But sometimes you have to go bigger. Play louder, on a bigger PA. With a lighting spectacular. You know, lazers and cakes, that sort of thing. Nico from Top End Terror (TET) said to Zac from Duhwin Music Scene (DMS) and the Wicked Garden (TWG) “You should do this years HBH. And you should do it at the DEC roflstomplolzwtf do it at the DEC Ilulz@joo.com”. Then Zac said “Yeah. Yeah we SHOULD do it at DEC” and you know what, he did

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Sex in the Desert

it. He fucking did it. A show of such epicness couldnt have happened without lots of people working really hard leading up to the event, and on the night. TET and SHAMZINE plan on releasing a live DVD compilation of the night and the call went out for filmers and cameras. Matty Enth, Rico City, Lachie Garden, Tony Trenchcoat, Nico Terror, Sham-O-Steve and Brutal Brooke all stepped up and filmed or took photos. All on there own time, and they all PAID FOR A TICKET no matter how hard we tried to convince them otherwise. Thats love and dedication right there. Emma Rowe and Steve-O ran the SHAMZINE stall all night, selling SitD, definatley-not-UBX and Burrfoot CDs, Roy shirts, giving away SHAMZINES and just being the approachable friendly faces of SHAMZINE... Then theres the stage crew. Pedro and Nathan Crucible and Steve Apathy were pro as. If we needed anything it was done. I touched on the lights before but I just cant stress how subtley brilliant the light show was. Delicate washes from muted to soft. A deeply astute sense of when changes should go where in songs.

None of this Set And Forget chase your tail shennangans, this is a pro light show with a pro lighting op that listens to the music and understands how to compliment it. Whenever I play a gig and see that Pedro is mixing I breath a sigh of relief. Im going to hear anything and eveything I need to in my monitors. And I know, I’m positivley CERTAIN that the sound out front is going to be massive when its big, and gentle when its soft. Theres a reason Pedro is head soundguy at the DEC, and its cause hes fucking good. Fullstop. Steve Apathy was the man on the stage when needed. If a stand fell, he was already there putting it back up. If a lead unplugged, he was already there running the line looking for where it came out. And he never once got in the way of the bands. He was like a ninja, skittering and dodging around flailing musicians as he was intent on doing what needed to be done and getting on with it. The crew really did a great job. Professional and skilled, but it looked like they were having as much fun as everyone else. And that was Heavy By Heavy. After all the gear was packed down and the crew/ bands were about to leave something amazing happened. Out of nowhere six bands and the entire crew all stood arms around each others shoulders, as one, and sang, chanted, jumped laughed smiled and spun Zac around in the air. There was comraderie. There was community. We did it. Fun positive and loud. It’s right here for the taking, and it’s ours, and we made it ourselves. *sigh*

Jackie o to mc By Wilburr There’s many reasons why Frenzal Rhomb playing the Ski Club on Sat the 8th isnt shit. Heres a few. One, its not at that shithole venue that got shut down because of shitness. Two they have 3, thats right, THREE local supports (Aborted Jesus Milkshake, Unbroken Expanse and Burrfoot) and finally, it’s frikkin Frenzal frikkin Rhomb ffs!

I’ve loved Frenzal since I was a fourteen year-old skate grommit from rural Queensland. Songs like Theres Your Dad, Mum Changed The Locks, Theme to Home And Away, that one where they sing the Just Cant Get Enough lyrics but change it to Just Cant Get It Up, through to the anthemic classics like Get Fucked You Fucking Fuckwit, Cones, Karn Kaant, Punch In The Face, Russel Crow’s Band, Ball Chef, Worlds Fuckest Cunt all the way up to Bird Attack and Knucklehead, changed my life and inspired me to want to play music.

frenzal gig?

And what a show they put on... Last time they played fireworks were exploded, the kids at the all-ages show in Katherine got to get on stage and jam nu metal riffs with Frenzal, the Crumbs Mobile did burnouts over fireworks... It was an epic night that I still relate in stories cause of how awesome it was.

Anyway, I spoke to Dr Lindsay about what we can expect at the show, what they’ve been up to and planking on croc traps in bikinis. He said they were going to play all their songs in the style of Burrfoot (slow, loud, heavy) therefore the set will last five or six hours. They are working hard with Gordy (drummer) to maintain a level of drunkness where he is not too smashed to play, but drunk enough to not be able to read the set list. Apparently he doesn’t get unco when he’s hammered, he just cant read.

So I cant stress how much you should go to this gig. ‘Sif you wouldn’t go see Frenzal Rhomb, Aborted Jesus Milkshake, Unbroken Expanse and Burrfoot?

Oh I just remembered some more... Local Resident Failure, Fuck You And The BIG news however is the band Your Stupid Band, and that secret I could list just half of the piss funny are in the final stages of negotiating song where they sing “Ben is a cunt” song names here and fill the entire a special MC slot for Jackie O. for about ten minutes... issue of SHAMZINE. Oh Jesus, these cunts again?

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GIG GUIDE or Got a gig coming up? Tag SHAMZINE on the Facebook event e. email us at shamzinent@gmail.com with the who, when and wher

Sat 1st Bastardfest Darwin w/ Psycroptic (TAS), Katabasis (NSW), Amagon (QLD), Miazma (Alice Springs), Unbroken Expanse (Tennant Creek) Hate for Fate, Calabria’s Fall, ZedMajor, The Horror (Alice Springs), Abysm, Aborted Jesus Milkshake, Faces in the Fire, Burrfoot, Crucible, FEMA and The Wicked Garden @ Brown’s Mart | licensed all-ages | 4pm | $40/32.50

Sun 2nd

Rustflower @ Darwin Ski Club | 4.30pm | FREE Sunday Folk & Jazz @ Parap Railway Club Folk 2pm, Jazz 5pm | FREE

Sat 15th Danny Ammon + special guest @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $5

Thurs 20th

Ali Tapper + guests @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $5

Fri 21st

Reggae Fever! @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $7

Mark Hilton @ Parap Railway Club | 8pm | $TBA

Live Music (Margelis Hamann) @ Darwin City Library | 12-1pm | FREE

First Sunday Blues @ PINT Club Marrara | 2pm-6pm

Sat 22nd

Happy Yess Karaoke! @ Happy Yess | 9.30pm | FREE

Thurs 27th

Thurs 6th

Fri 7th

All-ages youth gig @ Happy Yess | 8pm | $5

Live Music (Josephina Huq/Mark Hilton) @ Casuarina/Darwin City Libraries | 12-1pm | FREE

Sat 8th

Frenzal Rhomb w/ Unbroken Expanse, AJM & Burrfoot @ Darwin Ski Club | 6.30pm | licensed allages | www.oztix.com.au for tickets. Sono & Cynic + friends @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $5 The Neo w/ Dave Spry and the Dark Horse @ Parap Railway Club | 8pm | $10

Thurs 13th

Asylum Seeker Support Fundraiser @ Happy Yess

Junk Town + The Rattling Mudguards @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $5

Anti-Nuclear NT Art Auction + Music @ Happy Yess | 7pm

Fri 28th

MEGABASS! @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $7

Live Music (Lookarounds) @ Darwin City Library | 12.30-1.30pm | FREE

Sat 29th

Halloween Holocaust 3 w/ ABORTED JESUS MILKSHAKE, FEMA & CAIN’S PLAGUE @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $5

Roller Derby Bout: Darwin Roller Girls vs Malice Springs @ Marrara Indoor Stadium | 7pm | $10/5

Fri 14th

Chloe and Silas @ Parap Railway Club | 8pm | $10 Metal on Vinyl @ Happy Yess | 10pm | $5

Live Music (Margelis Hamann/Lookarounds) @ Casuarina/Darwin City Libraries | 12-1pm | FREE

SHAMZINE

Most of these events were aggregated from online resources such as MusicNT, Off the Leash, Happy Yess and Darwin Entertainment Centre. They are subject to change at short notice and we suggest you check the venue website closer to the date to be sure.

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