Inpress Issue 1261

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DAVID HASSELHOFF GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR I AM GIANT CIVIL CIVIC

N O W AVA I L A B L E O N I PA D • W E D N E S DAY 13 F E B R U A RY 2 013 • I S S U E 12 61 • F R E E

FATHER JOHN MISTY

BLINK 182

EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN

WILLIAM ZAPPA

www.themusic.com.au


FOALS

BIFFY CLYRO

TEGAN AND SARA

FRIGHTENED RABBIT PEDESTRIAN VERSE

GIRLS VOLUME 1:

MUSIC FROM THE HBO ORIGINAL SERIES

DJANGO DJANGO

PLAN B

MUSE

THE AMITY AFFLICTION

HOLY FIRE

ILL MANORS

OPPOSITES

THE 2ND LAW

HEARTTHROB

DJANGO DJANGO

CHASING GHOSTS

AVAILABLE FROM PURVEYORS OF FINE MUSIC FOR A LIMITED TIME AT A GREAT PRICE


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THE SP RTING CLUB THURSDAY

Donnie Dureau

Free in the Front Bar 8pm FRIDAY

Brooke Russell & The Mean Reds

Free in the Front Bar 6pm SATURDAY

Red Moon Juke

Free In The Front Bar 7pm SUNDAY

Dan Watkins & Paddy Montgomery

Free in the Front Bar 6pm

27 WESTON ST, BRUNSWICK Tues - Fri 4pm till Late Sat & Sun 12pm till Late

THURSDAY

EMILEE SOUTH 6PM MUSTERED 8PM $10 COURAGE FRIDAY

BRONI EMMA WALL BAND + LOVE LIKE HATE

6PM

8PM $10

SATURDAY

QUINCE PASTE LAUREN BRUCE

5PM 8PM

SUNDAY

TIM GUY ZELUS Open...MON - SAT...from 12pm ‘til late Kitchen til 10pm SUN...from 12pm ‘til 11pm Kitchen til 9pm

TUESDAY

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8PM $5

OPEN MIC NIGHT7PM

Live Music Bookings wesleyannebookings@gmail.com www.wesleyanne.com.au

NEW SUMMER MENU

4PM

Summer Special 2 for 1 meals weekdays before 6pm $12 jugs of Boag’s and Cider OPEN FOR LUNCH FROM MIDDAY

bookings: 9482 1333


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ISSUE 1261

W E D N E S D AY 1 3 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3

Until March 2 - LoopHole Current Exhibiting Artists Anastaszia Ward & Anna Feery Wed 13. 6pm - The Melbourne Producers Club all levels of experience welcome Fri 15. 9pm - Condensed Milk present Milk n Cookies ft. The Blacklist Hour

DONAVON FRANKENREITER

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DJ's Cargo & Ph-ill Butter, MFP (Jap), Winters, Amin Payne & Jackson Miles - VJ Chronic Sans Sat 16. 4pm - Chai Junction celebrate local & international film February Theme - Oscar Nominated Shorts

INPRESS 14 16 18

10pm - Prognosis ft. Rich Curtis, Herc Kass, Chris Meehan, Mish'Chief, Marcus Holder, Aaron Static

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& J-Slyde VISUALS: VJ PiedPiper

22 Tue 19. 7pm - Comfortable Shorts local and international short films, prizes,

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Q&A with directors and writers

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Foreword Line brings you all the latest tour announcements Moves and shakes with Industry News Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on the freedom of an independent release Father John Misty gets emotional; and Einstürzende Neubauten never left the building Blink 182 are penning some new dick jokes for Soundwave Sing along with David Hasselhoff; and a rare interview with Godspeed You! Black Emperor drummer Aidan Girt Crime & The City Solution talk re-forming and outside interests; and nostalgia versus relevance with Pere Ubu Get your dance on with Colin Hay; celebrate with Larry Maluma; get on the road with I Am Giant; and returning home with Civil Civic Electric Mary on Rock The Bay; Square Sounds brings the chiptunes; The Desperados on Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival; and on the fly with Donavon Frankenreiter On The Record rates new releases from Eels and Jessie Ware

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BACK TO INPRESS 37 37 40

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FRONT ROW 33

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Check out This Week In Arts and Art Or Not?, we chat to Pip Carroll about Melbourne Bikefest starting this week, and Anthony Carew sums-up the Transition Film Festival

This week we review Spiegeltent events, Ponydance’s Anybody Waitin’, The Dark Party; GIRLS and Rumour Has It: 60 Minutes Inside Adele, and we spend five minutes with Craig Schuftan Trailer Trash heads up to the rooftop cinemas and Cultural Cringe gives us the arts news We chat to William Zappa about new play Hate and Sam Twyford-Moore, the new director of the Emerging Writers’ Festival, levels about White Night Melbourne event All Nighter

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Gig Of The Week gets angry with Converge LIVE:Reviews takes in The Presets Sarah Petchell will Wake The Dead with her punk and hardcore talk; the freshest in urban news with OG Flavas; Dan Condon blues and roots in Roots Down; and heavy shit with Adamantium Wolf Pop culture therapy with The Breakdown; hip hop with Intelligible Flow; Liz Galinovic decides whether it’s Good Or Shit; and when your club needs a boss, it’s Business Music The best Live gigs of the week and Sorted For EPs If you haven’t appeared in Fred Negro’s Pub, your mother probably still speaks to you; and Jeff Jenkins gets down and local in Howzat! Our Gig Guide fills your diary for the weekend Find your new band and just about everything else in our classy Classifieds

GIVEAWAYS GALORE! BRUNSWICK

SATURDAY ARVO RESIDENCY

The Blackeyed Susans Woohoo! The beloved Susans return for a summer residency to play four big arvos of countrified alt-rock. These are special shows; miss them at your own risk. 5pm

SATURDAY 16 February

Mick Daley & Band (NSW)

Re-mains frontman hits the stage with a local band for a night of lyrical wit, genius and country rock ‘n’ roll. 9pm

SUNDAY 17 February

Alison Ferrier & Band Melodic waltzes, heartsick ballads and haunted blues, evocative of the timeless, romantic music of years gone by. 5pm

THE UNION HOTEL

BRUNSWICK 109 UNION ST, BRUNSWICK 9388 2235

12 • To check out the mags online go to themusic.com.au/mags

We’ve got tickets Transitions Film Festival screenings of Occupy Love and Promised Land; one double pass to Craig Schuftan’s book launch at the Toff tonight; five double passes to West Of Memphis; and a double pass to Flosstradamus at Can’t Say this Friday. Whew!

CREDITS

McMahon, Luke Monks, Fred Negro, Mark Neilsen, Danielle O’Donohue, Matt O’Neill, James Parker, Paul Ransom, Dylan Stewart, Izzy Tolhurst, Nic Toupee, Rob Townsend, Dominique Wall, Doug Wallen.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

EDITORIAL Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast Editor Bryget Chrisfield music@inpress.com.au Assistant Editor Samson McDougall Editorial Assistant Stephanie Liew Arts Coordinator Cassandra Fumi frontrow@inpress.com.au Staff Writer Michael Smith

ADVERTISING sales@inpress.com.au National Sales & Marketing Director Leigh Treweek National Sales Manager – Print Nick Lynagh Account Manager Anna Moull Account Manager Okan Husnu

Senior Contributor Kane Hibberd Jesse Booher, Andrew Briscoe, Chrissie Francis, Jay Hynes, Lou Lou Nutt, Heidi Takla, Elaine Reyes.

INTERNS Jan Wisniewski

EDITORIAL POLICY The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. No part may be reproduced without the consent of the copyright holder. By submitting letters to us for publication, you agree that we may edit the letter for legal, space or other reasons. ©

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CONTRIBUTORS Senior Contributors Jeff Jenkins Overseas Contributors Tom Hawking (US), James McGalliard (UK), Sasha Perera (UK). Writers Nick Argyriou, Aleksia Barron, Atticus Bastow, Steve Bell, Sarah Braybrooke, Luke Carter, Anthony Carew, Rebecca Cook, Adam Curley, Cyclone, Guy Davis, Liza Dezfouli, Dan Condon, Simon Eales, Guido Farnell, Sam Fell, Bob Baker Fish, Warwick Goodman, Cameron Grace, Chris Hayden, Andrew Hazel, Brendan Hitchens, Ching Pei Khoo, Kate Kingsmill, Baz McAlister, Tony

DEADLINES Editorial Friday 5pm Advertising Bookings Friday 5pm Advertising Artwork Monday 5pm General Inquiries info@inpress.com.au (no attachments) Accounts/Administration accounts@streetpress.com.au Gig Guide gigguide@inpress.com.au Distribution distro@inpress.com.au Office Hours 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday

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FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

GO PSYCHO If you could go back to the mid-’80s, consume some psychedelic drug in large quantities and immerse yourself in music that mixes the grooviest ‘60s garage punk with Stooges energy and a lethal dose of World Championship Wrestling, you’d approximate the sights and sounds of garage punks Psychotic Turnbuckles. They’ve reunited and are set to release a double CD, Destroy Dull City. Check them out at Cherry Bar on Saturday 23 March with guests Little Murders.

CRUEL MILLIONS Brisbane’s debonair garage-pop dudes Millions are proud to unveil Cruel, the title track of their latest EP. In the wake of the Cruel EP, Millions rang in 2013 with performances at the Falls Festival, as well as Southbound in Western Australia. They were also named amongst triple j’s Next Crop of artists to watch in 2013. In tandem with this, Millions are proud to announce their first-ever run of Under 18s dates. They’re playing at Pushover Festival on Monday 11 March alongside The Amity Affliction, DZ Deathrays, Violent Soho and more.

WEDNESDAY 13 FEBRUARY

RESIDENCY

ANIMAUX THE MCQUEENS SEVEN YEAR ITCH ENTRY $8, 8.30PM

WILD SOMETHING

THURSDAY 14 FEBRUARY

The finest purveyor of 21st century dream-pop, Wild Nothing will make his debut Australian tour this March. Special guests have now been announced. Opening the show at the Tote on Monday 11 March will be hypnotic trio Bushwalking and New Zealand’s Popstrangers. At the Toff on Tuesday 12, Milk Teddy will begin the proceedings.

EP LAUNCH

RACHEL BY THE STREAM MORTISVILLE ROSIE MISSCHIELF ENTRY $10 DOOR OR $15 WITH EP, 8.30PM $2.50 POTS, $5 VODKAS!

FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY

SQUARE SOUNDS FESTIVAL – DAY ONE

DOSHY CHEAPSHOT RALP MINIKOMI ENTRY $35 DOOR, $30 PRESALE, $50 TOW DAY PASS, 7PM

SATURDAY 16 FEBRUARY

REMIXED LIKE THE WIND Melbourne-based beat-maker/producer Super Magic Hats embraces melody, noise and experimentation. Released in late 2012, Wind is the first single to be taken from Super Magic Hats’ self-titled debut EP, due out in March. The Wind Remixes collection sees Super Magic Hats bringing some of his fellow beatmakers together to produce their own interpretations of the track. It launches this Friday at Horse Bazaar, supported by Colourwaves and Friendships. SMH also performs at Brown Alley on Saturday 23 February and Workers Club on Wednesday 20 March.

SQUARE SOUNDS FESTIVAL – DAY TWO

INPRESS PRESENTS

CTRIX TRASH80 MR. SPASTIC OMODAKA ENTRY $35 DOOR, $30 PRESALE, $50 TOW DAY PASS, 7PM

SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY

THE ARCHETYPAL STREET FANGS ENTRY $6, 1.30PM

EVENING SHOW

RESIDENCY – FINAL NIGHT

PRIVATE LIFE TESSA & THE TYPECAST I KNOW THE CHIEF GRANSTON DISPLAY DJ YASUMO ENTRY $2, 8.30PM

TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY

RESIDENCY

EL MOTH ALEX BOWN

Snowdroppers

MOVING OUT Three and half years since their debut album Too Late To Pray, The Snowdroppers now announce the release of their second album, Moving Out Of Eden, on Friday 22 March. While their debut was an extension of the band’s swampy blues-rock influences, Moving Out of Eden marks The Snowdroppers’ arrival in a less stylised, more grounded set of boots. They hit the road in support of the release with Little Bastard, stopping by the Northcote Social Club on Friday 5 April and Bridge Hotel (Castlemaine) on Saturday 6.

ENTRY $2, 9.30PM

WHAT A SPINNA With his rare combination of pristine house tempo mixing and hip hop rooted turntablism, DJ Spinna has rocked crowds from Iceland to Dubai, South Africa to Japan, and is heading to the Espy Gershwin Room to play a free show on Friday 22 February. A cornerstone of hip hop’s late-‘90s indie uprise, DJ Spinna made much of his first impression on listeners as the musical background of his group The Jigmastas, as well as providing the canvas for an array of that era’s lyrical giants.

HUNGRY LIKE DEWOLFF After touring all over Europe, Dutch band DeWolff are going to embark on their first ever Australian tour on the back of the release of their exclusive Australia-only double album in March. The young three-piece psychedelic space rock’n’roll band will unleash their Hammond organ fuelled brand of psychedelic blues rock in celebration of the release, which features their first two albums, Strange Fruits And Undiscovered Plants and Orchards/Lupine. They perform at the Workers Club on Thursday 21 March.

FACEBOOK.COM/THEWORKERSCLUB INSTAGRAM @THEWORKERSCLUB TWITTER.COM/THEWORKERSCLUB TICKETS FROM THEWORKERSCLUB.COM.AU

COMING UP

TIX AVAILABLE THRU MOSHTIX: PRIVATE LIFE (MONDAYS IN FEBRUARY) EL MOTH (TUESDAYS IN FEBRUARY) ANIMAUX (WEDNESDAY IN FEBRUARY) DIAMOND – RETURN SHOW (FEB 21) J-DILLA TRIBUTE NIGHT (FEB 22) MANGLEWURZEL (MARCH 1) THEY – EP LAUNCH (MAR 9) ELECTRIC HORSE – ALBUM LAUNCH (MAR 14) XENOGRAFT/KETTLESPIDER/BEAR THE MAMMOT – SPLIT EP LAUNCH (MAR 16) SOMETHING TO DO WITH AN IDIOT – ROOFTOP (MARCH 17) DEMON HUNTER + I, A BREATHER – USA (MAR 30)

STRANGE CAST

Following on from the news last month that Queensland singer/songwriter D At Sea would release his debut EP Unconscious worldwide on Friday 8 March, he has now announced a small run of east coast dates to launch the EP. Having first gained attention in early 2012 when his acoustic cover of Parkway Drive’s Carrion went viral, D At Sea has now garnered a loyal and growing fanbase with his original material and live shows. See him at Plastic on Sunday 10 March and Pushover Festival on Monday 11.

I AM THE RIOT SHADOWS AT PLAY (SYD)

MONDAY 18 FEBRUARY

Strange Talk

Melbourne’s electro-pop charmers, Strange Talk, have announced a national tour in support of their hotly anticipated album, Cast Away. From rave drenched anthems to big tom dance floor bangers and minimalist ballads, Cast Away is a take-no-prisoners musical escapade, 11 musical slices of forward-thinking electro-pop goodness. Check them out at the Corner on Thursday 28 March with guests Phebe Starr and Pigeon.

UNCONSCIOUS SEA

MATINEE SHOW – SINGLE LAUNCH

TBC

INPRESS PRESENTS

20, 27 FEB, 6 MAR

(SINGLE TOUR) EMMA HALES THE WALTERS

(WEDNESDAY RESIDENCY) ‘CINEMATIC’ ROAD RATZ, THE BEN ABRAHAM WORKINGHORSE IRONS (20 FEB)

KUJO KINGS

Ainslie Wills is set to release her highly anticipated album You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine on Monday 4 March. The album comprises 12 tracks resplendent with textured layers of guitars, atmospheric strings and buoyant percussion perfectly combined with Wills’ soaring, ethereal vocals, which linger long after the last track has ended. She celebrates the release with her biggest tour to date. Catch her at the Golden Vine (Bendigo) on Saturday 13 April and the Northcote Social Club on Wednesday 24.

SIGN UP TO WORKERS NEWSLETTER DURING FEBRUARY TO WIN MARCH GOLDEN TICKET - DOUBLE PASS TO EVERY SHOW IN MAR - $40 FOOD AND DRINK VOUCHER

WED 13 FEB

BUFFALO TALES

THERE’S A WILLS, THERE’S A WAY

THU 28 FEB TIMOTHY COGHILL PRESENTS

SUN 17 MAR (MATINEE SHOW) ‘TIMBER & STEEL PRESENTS’

THU 7 MAR

WED 13 MAR

THE PRETTY LITTLES

(SINGLE LAUNCH) OH PEP! LITTLE WISE

KAURNA CRONIN

COLD HIKER

FARROW

(SINGLE LAUNCH) BEN WHITING

THU 21 FEB

FRI 1 MAR

FRI 8 MAR

THU 14 MAR

EVERY MONDAY!

CITY CALM DOWN

TULLY ON TULLY

(SINGLE LAUNCH) TULLY ON TULLY HAARLO

(SYD) KING OF THE NORTH SHERIFF

(ALBUM LAUNCH) CANDICE MONIQUE

KOVACULAR (18 FEB) MIKE KAY (25 FEB)

FRI 15 FEB

FRI 22 FEB

SAT 2 MAR

SAT 9 MAR

(SYD) MILK TEDDY DUMB BLONDE

(SYD – EP LAUNCH) THE APHILLIATES FLUENT FORM - 9PM

SUN 3 MAR (MATINÉE SHOW) ‘TIMBER & STEEL PRESENTS’

ROMY RODEO SUN 10 MAR 2013 (LABOUR DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY EVE)

THU 14 FEB (VALENTINES DAY) ‘THE RIPE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY’ FEAT.

TEXTURE LIKE SUN ELIZA HULL

PANAMA (SYD), COLLARBONES

FEELINGS

DIALECTRIX

SAT 16 FEB

SAT 23 FEB (SLAM DAY)

WHITAKER AL PARKINSON

(BRIS – EP LAUNCH) JEREMY NEALE (BRIS VELOCIRAPTOR)

SUN 17 FEB (MATINÉE SHOW) ‘TIMBER & STEEL PRESENTS’

SUN 24 FEB (MATINÉE SHOW)

THE LITTLE STEVIES GUNG HO

JUNGAL

(LIVE CD LAUNCH) TOM RICHARDSON WHEN IN ROAM

14 • For more news/announcements go to themusic.com.au/news

ULTRAVIBRALUX (ALBUM LAUNCH) THE 7 UP’S - 2PM DJ CHRIS GILL (3RRR)

GAY PARIS

THE DEMON PARADE BROTHERS HAND MIRROR

JULIA & THE DEEP SEA SIRENS

THE CAVALCADE (EP LAUNCH) THE SPIN SET

AMALI WARD FRI 15 MAR

KINGFISHA

(BRIS) DUBMARINE (BRIS) SAT 16 MAR

SPLIT SECONDS RAINY DAY WOMEN (WA) THE RED LIGHTS

(ACT - ALBUM LAUNCH) TUESDAYS IN MARCH RESIDENCY SUN 10 MAR (MATINÉE SHOW) SUN 17 MAR ‘TIMBER & STEEL PRESENTS’ FLETCHER WILLOW BEATS SARAH HUMPHREYS COLOURWAVES (5 MAR) (NSW) YOSEMITE (12 MAR) BRONI

LA NIGHTS

ALSO ON THE CALENDAR WED 20 MAR - SUPER MAGIC HATS (EP LAUNCH) THU 21 MAR - DEWOLF (NETHERLANDS) FRI 22 MAR - JORDAN MILLAR (ALBUM TOUR) + JACK CARTY SAT 23 MAR - ROSS DE CHENE HURRICANES (7’’ LAUNCH) SUN 24 MAR (MATINÉE SHOW) - MANNY FOX (SINGLE LAUNCH) SUN 24 MAR - PATRICK JAMES (EP LAUNCH) WED 27 MAR - TOMAS STRODE & THE TOUR GUIDES


Call 1300 304 614 (landline only)

or 03 9614 3441

Application forms available at Police Stations

www.keypass.com.au

15


FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

TOOLING AROUND Taking time from recording their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Tool will be performing a series of headline shows across Australia and New Zealand this April/May. Since the release of their debut EP Opiate more than 20 years ago, Tool have achieved remarkable critical acclaim and commercial success for both their studio releases and phenomenal live performances. Don’t miss them when they perform an all-ages show at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday 27 April.

I N D U S T RY N E W S W I T H S C O T T F I T Z S I M O N S frontline@streetpress.com.au

Gotye

GOTYE SCOOPS MULTIPLE GRAMMYS Australia’s Gotye has scored three Grammy Awards at the 2013 ceremony in Los Angeles, his Making Mirrors album scoring him the prize for Best Alternative Album and the hugely successful hit single Somebody That I Used To Know, which he performed in duet with Kimbra, took the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record Of The Year. Other Aussies up for awards weren’t so lucky, with the Axwell remix of Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl Featuring Georgi Kay’s In My Mind and the Tommy Trash remix of Deadmau5’s The Veldt both losing out to Skrillex & Nero’s remix of the Nero track Promises in the Best Remixed Recording category.

PEATS RIDGE DIRECTOR MAY GIVE COURT TESTIMONY The Peats Ridge Festival saga continues, with claims that the festival’s director Matt Grant could be summoned to court to give a testimony under oath with the company’s new liquidators indicating they’ll pursue a public examination of the case. Following the festival’s collapse and fall-out, a meeting of creditors last week resulted in the remarkable outcome of the liquidation process being taken away from original administrators Jirsch Sutherland. They also voted in a Creditors Committee of ten, including members of John Butler’s management, APRA and Sorted Events.

LADIES, GENTLEMEN Out of Sydney’s Inner West, Australia’s infamously charming hip hop duo Spit Syndicate return with their third LP, Sunday Gentlemen, on which they reveal thoughtful, deeply personal, and sometimes confronting stories with their now-renowned flair. They’re celebrating with a tour, bringing along guests Jackie Onassis. They’ll play at Bar 3909 (Lakes Entrance) on Thursday 11 April, Northcote Social Club on Friday 12, Karova Lounge (Ballarat) on Friday 26 and Movement Festival on Saturday 27.

SCARY MATH

LECTRIXITY

After slaying Australian audiences and critics alike earlier in the year Mutemath are heading back to Australia in 2013 to road test songs for their next album and continue the love affair that has developed between this band and the country. Meanwhile, Big Scary have just been announced as support act. They’ve been hard at work recording their new album Not Art, the follow up to their debut album, Vacation (2011). Catch the two bands at Billboard on Friday 22 March.

After spending the last year or so accustoming himself to fatherhood and fine-tuning his third album The Cold Light Of Day with long-time collaborator Plutonic Lab, Dialectrix is kickstarting 2013 with limited edition release involving some of the world’s best talents. The result is Satellite, an exclusive five-track EP being released to vinyl only (digital download included), with each track showcasing an overseas producer while Dtrix exhibits his technical flow. He performs at Workers Club on Friday 22 February and the Espy on Saturday 23.

IN SEVENTH HEAVEN Mark Seymour & The Undertow will release Seventh Heaven Club on Friday 1 March; it will be the ninth album that Mark has recorded and released since his legendary Australian band Hunters & Collectors disbanded. To celebrate, they’re hitting the road. Catch them at All Saints Estate Rutherglen on Saturday 2 March, Moomba Festival on Sunday 10, Yarraville Club on Friday 22, the Thornbury Theatre on Saturday 23, Elsternwick’s Flying Saucer Club on Sunday 24, the Caravan Club on Friday 26 and Geelong’s Sphinx Hotel on Saturday 18 May.

RESIST RECORDS SIGN VIGILANTE Sydney-based classic hardcore punk outfit Vigilante have signed to Resist Records for the release of their debut EP Quality Of Life. This new project will feature members of prominent Sydney hardcore bands of the ‘90s, including Bad Blood, The Deadwalk, Urban Mayhem, Right Idea and Ill Brigade. Their first EP will be out on Friday 1 March.

NEVILLE STAPLE CANCELLATION A ‘HARD HIT’ The forthcoming tour of Australia from Neville Staple of legendary ska band The Specials has been cancelled, promoters Troubadour Music announced last week, due to medical reasons. The east coast tour was scheduled to happen at the end of next month after being announced a few weeks ago, but Staple has been ordered by doctors to not fly to Australia. Fran Daley of Troubadour Music, who were in charge of the tour, said the cancellation has been a hard hit for the company. “This has come as a huge shock to us. For this to happen to a boutique tour company like us is a hard hit and affects us greatly. We apologise to anyone who has purchased tickets and to all those who were working with us on the show.”

HUB LAUNCHES MELBOURNE OFFICE Management company Hub Artist Services last week announced a Melbourne office that will see the company launch an agency division, as well as continue their management and label interests. Former Premier Artists agent Frankie Kimpton will run the Southern office and will oversee the touring interests of the Hub roster, as well as develop the stand-alone boutique agency. To start the new venture, Kimpton confirmed the agency will book his acts Damn Terran, The Demon Parade, Kate Martin, Universal project Neda and Them Bruins. Winter People and Glass Towers have also come to Hub, but both have existing ties with Hub through either the management or label divisions.

PRESENTED BY

Carole King

WHAT A NATURAL WOMAN This week sees the return of one of music’s true legends; the most successful and esteemed female songwriter in popular music history, Carole King. She’ll bring a rich abundance of timeless compositions from her 25-album repertoire with her, and opening all shows will be Australian singer/ songwriter/guitarist Shane Howard. They perform at the Plenary this Monday and Tuesday.

RUNNING AWAY Lita Ford was a founding member and lead guitarist of the pioneering all-female rock group, The Runaways. Throughout their career, Ford’s guitar playing provided much of the force behind the band’s groundbreaking sound, and as a solo artist Ford’s had the freedom to attack the harder side of song. See her at the Prince Bandroom on Thursday 23 May.

THE STATE OF BEINGS

Rowland S Howard

HOWDY HOWARD To celebrate the launch of live music at the St Kilda Memo, the late Rowland S Howard’s music will be revived over two special nights: Thursday 28 February (sold out) and Friday 1 March. The impressive line-up for the evening consists of Harry Howard, Mick Harvey, JP Shilo, Brian Hooper, TJ Howden (Hungry Ghosts), Tex Perkins, Hugo Race, Jonnine Standish, Conrad Standish, Spencer P Jones and more, with doors at 6:30pm.

PRECIOUS JULIE Julie Andrews, one of the world’s most beloved stage and screen performers, will visit Australia for the first time this May. From her London stage debut at the age of 12 to her defining roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music, Andrews’ extraordinary life story will unfold in a frank and funny evening of memories and insights. The event will be held at Hamer Hall, Friday 31 May.

Australia’s favourite mash-up duo, Yacht Club DJs have made their mark on festival bills across the country and now they are set to bring their party-till the break of dawn shows to clubs around Australia. From their humble beginnings of spinning tunes on weeknights at the local pub, the pair have caused a ruckus at Splendour In The Grass, Parklife, Meredith, Groovin’ The Moo and Falls Festival with their unique mash up style. They stop off at Ding Dong on Saturday 30 March and Karova Lounge (Ballarat) on Saturday 6 April.

LEE GOES OUTBACK Lee Kernaghan is one of Australia’s most prolific music artists. Twenty years after the release of his first album, The Outback Club, he is back with his new release Beautiful Noise. He takes the album on tour with support from The Wolfe Brothers. It stops off at Palms at Crown on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 March, Ballarat Regional Multiplex on Thursday 23 May, Warrnambool Lighthouse Theatre on Friday 24, Geelong’s Costa Hall on Saturday 25, Bendigo’s Capital Theatre on Wednesday 29, Swan Hill Town Hall on Thursday 30 and Shepparton Eastbank Centre on Saturday 2 June.

BRADY BUNCH Irish singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul Brady returns to Australia this March to deliver a solo acoustic performance on an array of instruments including guitar, bouzouki, mandolin and keyboard. He moves effortlessly between traditional folk, pop, rock and blues and isn’t averse to playing tin whistle or mandolin in a session. See him live at the Celtic Club on Friday 15 March.

CHANGING LANE After coming home from showcasing at the world’s largest folk music conference in Toronto, Jordie Lane embarks on The Movement Tour. See him at: Harvester Moon in Bellarine on Friday 8 March, Baby Black Cafe (Bacchus Marsh) on Saturday 9, Moomba Festival on Monday 11, Yackandandah Folk Festival on Friday 22-Saturday 23, Hills Are Alive Festival on Sunday 24, the Four Leaf Sessions on Saturday 13 April, Burke & Wills Winery on Sunday 14 and Apollo Bay Music Festival on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28.

WHAT A GUY Guy Sebastian will embark on his biggest tour yet, playing over 40 shows on his regional Get Along tour. As well as Palais Theatre shows on Friday 5-Sunday 7 April, he’ll visit Nowingi Place Mildura on Saturday 4 May, Lighthouse Theatre Warrnambool on Wednesday 8, GPAC Costa Hall on Friday 10, Shepparton Eastbank Centre on Saturday 11, Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre on Sunday 12 and Monday 13 and Bendigo Capital Theatre on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22.

SAY CHEESE

With their highly anticipated debut album BeingsBeing released next month, Nantes have delivered their latest single, Avid. Paired with ominous visual treatment, the new track coincides with a national tour alongside fellow Sydney outfit Battleships. They perform at the Northcote Social Club on Friday 19 April.

Indie experimental dance band from Japan, Both Cheese decided to drive through Australia this month inxa stolen hire van. They kind of make space music that vomits out filthy swamp blues mixed up with experimental noise and guttural throat singing that leaves most ears bleeding. Go hang with them at the Old Bar this Monday. Supported by Night Party.

PIECES OF THE GALAXIE

WAKE UP YOUR MIND

American songwriting duo Damon & Naomi announce their first Australian tour this April. Since the conclusion of Cambridge, Massachusetts seminal dream pop group Galaxie 500, the band’s rhythm section and co-songwriters Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang have continued their collaboration as a duo, elaborating on a tradition of slow-floating narrative of semi-consciousness. Catch them at the Toff on Sunday 14 April.

Future Entertainment is ecstatic to have Cosmic Gate once again onboard for Future Music this March. Furthermore, this time around the trance heavyweights will be presenting their very own Wake Your Mind trance stage. Expect big production and a carefully curated lineup, which will see Cosmic Gate joined onstage for a special live performance from Emma Hewitt as well as an all star cast of trance heavyweights including W&W, Andy Moor tyDi, Super 8 & Tab and Ben Gold.

16 • For more news/announcements go to themusic.com.au/news

YACHT CLUBBIN’

Tex Napalm & Dimi Dero’s

SUPPORTING ANIMALS A new show and support acts have been announced for Tex Napalm & Dimi Dero’s Partly Animals Australian tour. The Rowland S Howard - Prince of St Kilda tribute on Friday 1 March at Memo has sold out and a second show will be held on Thursday 28 February. Supports are: Mike Noga & The Gents on Thursday 21 February at the Bridge Hotel, The Stickmen and Mike Noga at the Tote on Friday 22; Penny Ikinger, Brian Hooper and Burn In Hell at Lyrebird Lounge on Saturday 23; Kim Salmon at Labour In Vain on Sunday 24; Bitter Sweet Kicks at Prince on Friday 1 March; Harry Howard & The NDE and Euphoriacs at Public Bar on Saturday 2; and Burn In Hell and 27 Winters at Cherry Bar on Sunday 3.


NEWS FROM THE FRONT

INPRESS PRESENTS

Bob Evans

BOB’S YOUR UNCLE Following last year’s Double Life EP acoustic tour and a string of festival shows in January, Bob Evans returns with his full live band to announce the national Familiar Stranger album tour throughout April and May, in anticipation of his fourth studio record and in celebration of his new single Go. The tour stops off at Yarra Hotel Geelong on Thursday 16 May, the Corner on Friday 17 and Meeniyan Town Hall on Saturday 18. Support acts for these shows are Tigertown and Davey Lane.

JORDAN AND JACK Acoustic poets Jordan Miller and Jack Carty will be on the road in March to May for the ‘Cold Lights On A Modern Life’ national tour. These two critically acclaimed singer songwriters will journey all over Australia to share their storytelling with tales of love and loss, and memories of places they’d often prefer to be. The tour stops off at the Workers Club on Friday 22 March and the Loft (Warrnambool) on Saturday 23.

FOREWORD LINE

GETTING THE FIRST DEGREE The First Degree Tour is hitting university campuses nationally this February and March with none other than boogie-inducing Brisbane boys, Last Dinosaurs. What better way to welcome in the new semester and a new year than with these purveyors of partying? Catch them at Monash Clayton on Thursday 7 March with support from Yacht Club DJs, Naysayer & Gilsun and Twinsy.

CHAMPAGNE FOR MY GYPSY FRIENDS Goran Bregovic‘s latest album, Champagne For Gypsies, is a reaction to the extreme pressure that Gypsies (Roma) have been experiencing lately across Europe (expelled from France, Italy, houses burned in Hungary, beaten in Serbia). Featuring an array of guest artists, it’s an album to remind people of their favourite gypsy musicians, who left their mark on popular culture around the world. Goran Bregovic brings Champagne For Gypsies to the Arts Centre on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 March.

INPRESS PRESENTS

JUDGE OR BE JUDGED At Room 680 this Saturday night, witness one of the world’s top ranked DJs, Judge Jules, as he plays his classic club tracks. He’ll be supported by trance DJ Sean Tyas and Melbourne favourite MarLo.

WE ARE THE COCOON HEROES This March, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the underground and heralded king of Ibiza, Sven Väth, will be bringing his full Cocoon Heroes concept to Australia for the very first time. Returning for his fifth performance at Future Music Festival, Väth has curated the strongest techno line-up in Future Music history, which he will head up. Cocoon Heroes will showcase fellow techno-titans Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Seth Troxler and Magda. FMF stops off at Flemington Racecourse on Sunday 10 March.

GROOVY, KOOKY After a rapturous performance at Splendour In The Grass Festival last year, The Kooks are returning to Australia in 2013. They will perform headlining shows in April/ May around the national Groovin’ The Moo Festivals. Tickets go on sale today (Wednesday). Don’t miss The Kooks performing at the Palais on Friday 3 May.

RETURN OF THE GIANTS As well as the already announced Groovin’ The Moo festival dates, They Might Be Giants are very excited to announce they’ll return to our shores to headline their first Australian shows since 2001. With their minimal stage show and innovative Dial-A-Song service, They Might Be Giants were prime movers in the mid-‘80s explosion of visual art, music and performance art that put New York’s East Village scene on the cultural map. Catch their show at the Corner on Thursday 2 May.

BASH IT OUT Julio Bashmore will be embarking on his long-awaited debut Australian tour with special guest support from the man of the moment, T. Williams. One of the freshest talents coming out of Bristol, Bashmore is such a master of the ins and outs of American house that he gives the impression that he was born there. Ahead of the game with his production work, T. Williams defies the conventions of deep house with his innovative skills. They perform at Brown Alley on Friday 15 March.

TURIN TOURIN’ Turin Brakes will play a Sydney sideshow on Thursday 25 April at the Oxford Art Factory in addition to their appearance at The Gum Ball in the Hunter Valley. With a career that emerged in the late ‘90s as part of an underground acoustic band movement in the UK, Turin Brakes quickly gained international status with numerous chart successes and over 1 million records sold.

CUTTING THE WIRE These Machines Cut Razor Wire returns to the Thornbury Theatre on Sunday April 14 with a massive rootsy line-up including Chris Wilson, Charles Jenkins, Les Thomas, Suzannah Espie, The Stillsons (duo), Jed Rowe, Beautiful Change and more to be announced. They’re raising much-needed funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Under 18s may attend if accompanied by a legal guardian and children under 12 get in free.

INDUSTRY NEWS WITH SCOTT FITZSIMONS frontline@streetpress.com.au

Urthboy

SYD MUSIC TASKFORCE NEEDS TO TAKE CONTROL SAYS URTHBOY The inaugural Live Music and Live Performance Taskforce assembled in Sydney last week to discuss the next six months in which the team of eleven music experts will prepare a draft action plan for the City of Sydney Council. The event was supported by musicians Urthboy aka Tim Levinson, Diesel and Tin Sparrow. Levinson hopes that Sydney’s taskforce leads the way in the industry, stating that the local council is “a very influential council and it will be expected that other councils look to it as a leader.” The plan will highlight short, medium and long-term actions needed to flourish Sydney’s live music scene.

MATT GUDINSKI PROMOTED AS MUSHROOM GROUP RE-BRANDS DOUBLE LIGHTNING New York’s explosive dance punk duo Matt & Kim will hit the road in support of their latest album, Lightning. Drawing from their powerful live shows, while still adhering to their minimal two-person studio approach, Matt & Kim set out to create their most diverse, realized and at times raw release to date with Lightning. Having already been announced on the national GTM Festivals, Matt & Kim are excited to announce a few headline shows. They play at Northcote Social Club on Friday 3 May.

MORE MORIARTY After their last sold out Australian tour and more than 600 live shows around the world, Moriarty returns to enchant old and new fans. Moriarty’s six band members have come together from France, Switzerland, Vietnam and the US. Rosemary Moriarty’s remarkable vocals amble over her bandmates’ sound, shifting subtly between a country-western twang, alternative folk and blues and all the beauty of a classically trained vocalist. Check them out at the Spiegeltent on Thursday 14 March.

NEVILLE STAPLE TOUR CANCELLED Due to personal circumstances, The Neville Staple Band’s Australian Tour 2013 has been cancelled. Medical stipulations imposed by Neville Staple’s doctor have restricted him from being able to fly to Australia. Full refunds will be available from the venues.

ELEVATE, MATE Daredevils revel, for Channel [V] is bringing The Ele[V] ator back to Australia’s premier touring festival, Soundwave on Sunday 24 February in Sydney. A VIP bar in the sky, The Ele[V]ator will allow you to down a brew while watching the bands from a bar suspended 50 metres in the air all with a 360 degree view of the event. Guaranteed best seats in the house! To score yourself a seat (among other goodies) head to vmusic.com.au now and enter the competition. It closes this Sunday so hurry up

GHOST OF MERCY The internet is not a place to keep secrets and true to form, just a few days from it being officially announced, it has been leaked that The Ghost Inside, Emmure, Antagonist AD and Hand Of Mercy will be touring across the country in May. There will be more news when the official release has gone out, but for now, note down these dates: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May at the Hi-Fi, with the latter show being under-18.

WE’RE GOING DOWN, DOWN Fall Out Boy are back, with the first single My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up) off their brand new studio album Save Rock And Roll (due out in May) and a blockbuster tour, which will visit our shores. The shows promise a full scale assault of both tracks fans know and love plus new music that showcases their artistic maturity and shoves aside any conventions of genre. Catch them at the Palace on Wednesday 27 March.

It was a big week for the Michael Gudinski-led Mushroom Group, with his son Matt being announced as the company’s new Executive Director. There will also be a significant repositioning for many of the 20 companies that come under the Mushroom umbrella, presenting a united front under a newlyunveiled logo. The senior Gudinski announced all this at an industry function in Melbourne last week, telling the room that “After 40 years in the business I cannot express how proud I am of what the Mushroom Group is today and that my son Matt has stepped up into the role of Executive Director”.

FIRST ARIA OVERALL SALES INCREASE SINCE ‘09 ARIA have reported an increase in recorded music sales revenue across the industry with figures up four percent to $398.1 million – the first increase since 2009. Digital music sales are to thank, with purchases up around 46 percent for 2012. Unfortunately, physical sales remained down though – we purchased 6.42 percent less physical product. This was an improvement however on 2011’s figure of 13.85 percent.

WARNER BUYS PARLOPHONE FROM UNIVERSAL Warner Music Group has officially purchased the iconic Parlophone label from the Universal Music Group. The move comes as UMG’s owner Vivendi looks to strip back its assets in the wake of the acquisition of EMI. To clear the sale of EMI last year, Universal were ordered to sell off 30 percent of EMI’s assets including the catalogue of Mute Records (picked up by BMG) and that of Virgin and Chrysalis. According to Reuters, the Parlophone deal is worth £487 million.

FBI GENERAL MANAGER STEPS DOWN Local community radio station FBi have had a bit of a personnel shake-up this past week, with General Manager Evan Kaldor stepping down from his role. Dan Zilber will replace him in the position, with Stephen Goodhew to take over as Music Director at the station. Kaldor had been GM for five years. He will remain on the board of FBi as well as Treasurer moving forward.

BENDIGO GROOVIN’ THE MOO SOLD OUT The Bendigo leg of this year’s Groovin’ The Moo tour has sold out. Online sales were snapped up quickly, with the local retail outlets that were selling them soon to follow. This is the fourth year running that the Bendigo leg of the event has sold out, with organisers predicting the other areas to follow suit.

PRESENTED BY For more news/announcements go to themusic.com.au/news • 17


Having chosen to release the latest Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album independently, the band’s leader reflects, “You feel very attached to the product”. Bryget Chrisfield also learns fans try to touch Cave’s manhood on a regular basis during performances, he’s “worried about strangling people without having Mark Seymour there to save the day” and is prone to changing the subject when needled about the future of self-described “chick’s band” Grinderman.

STRAIGHT TO HIM

MANNING UP fter announcing from the Supernatural Amphitheatre stage that their Meredith 2011 set marked the end of Grinderman, this scribe descended into a state of woe. “Well you’ve gotta move on,” Nick Cave, who fronts The Bad Seeds and Grinderman, points out. “We made a lot of records. I dunno what’s gonna happen with Grinderman, to be honest. I really don’t know.” You don’t want to be the type of person who rules out a re-formation in case you feel like doing it again now, do you? “You mean Grinderman?” Yeah. “What, do you want me to tell you whether it’s going to happen again or not?” No, it’s better to not… “You do,” Cave interjects with a chuckle. “To be honest I have no idea. Um, right now we’ve got this [Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds] record to concentrate on, so. I mean, you know – I dunno, I dunno.” How does… “This is a weird couch, huh?” *

A

True enough. Inside the suite at St Kilda’s Prince hotel where we chat, the settee is quite rigid. Hence we both sit facing straight ahead, taking in the view and occasionally exercising our neck muscles to

make eye contact. “First date,” Cave jests before repositioning himself into a more relaxed pose, facing this interviewer and extending one arm along the back of the couch. Of course he’s immaculate, clean shaven and modelling the latest in sartorial elegance. A piece of paper and grey lead pencil sit between us, but the writing is in way too minuscule a font to decode discreetly. Cave’s presence is commanding, but he’s a lot more affable than his onstage bravado portends.

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In Mark Seymour’s riveting autobiography, Thirteen Tonne Theory, the author recounts an incident from when he was a roadie for The Birthday Party. Seymour allegedly saved an audience member who was in danger of being strangled by Cave’s mic chord when it looped around the punk’s neck as the frontman leapt from the stage and careened through the crowd. “Did he save him?” Cave queries, raising an eyebrow. “Um, who’s Mark Seymour?” From Hunters & Collectors. “Uh, from Hunters & Collectors. Oh, okay. No, I haven’t read that one. Yeah, I’ll look out for it.” Seymour describes being part of Cave’s congregation when The Birthday Party arrived home from Old Blighty as an intoxicating trip, equal parts terror and euphoria. Being a member of such an audience sounds electrifying. Not that you’d wish for a near death experience by way of gig souvenir. “You’d like Mark Seymour to save you, though,” Cave teases. “The concert’s always like that, they always have been.” Have any of the concerts felt way out of control? “I haven’t strangled anyone for a while.” Cave’s not letting go. “Although maybe that’s untrue. Some of the Grinderman shows… Women love Grinderman, I found in general. You know, it was a chick’s band.” On how many fan injuries he’d estimate go unreported, Cave concludes, “Well, you know, I’m worried about strangling people because without having Mark Seymour there to save the day…” Punters certainly get wound up with Cave as ringmaster. Some YouTube footage circulated at one stage capturing Cave interrupting a song to scold a front row opportunist for attempting to touch his cock. Does he remember that occasion? “Oh no, people do that anyway,” he shares. “I probably made that up and had just forgotten the words or something like that. I can’t remember that specific one, no.”

18 • For more interviews go to themusic.com.au/interviews

The first evidence of new Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds material arrived by way of the Push The Sky Away album trailer late last year. “We didn’t do any long lead press,” Cave acknowledges of how this news seemed to drop out of nowhere. “We just wanted to release the record to everybody at the same time, press included, more or less.” The clip shows Cave and co larking it up at La Fabrique, a recording studio based in a 19th century mansion in the South of France, and Cave allows: “It was quite a sort of joyful event, really… There was a steadiness about the recording of [Push The Sky Away] and a sound that kind of emerged. I mean, we recorded it very quickly but there was something very relaxed about the recording of this. It’s not often the way of a Bad Seeds recording. It’s strange, because the record is quite dark in its way, but the way it’s put across is very relaxed and kind of meditative and not hysterical in the way a lot of Bad Seeds records can get.” A suggestion is thrown out there that the listening experience calls to mind sleepwalking. “Mmm, you can say that.” Cave ponders how

this will read on the page and then offers: “They sleepwalked through this one.”

This in-the-studio footage also hints that “pygmies” feature within the lyrical content but, after scouring the album’s lyric sheets, it appears said pygmies wound up on the cutting room floor. “No, that’s in the song,” Cave counters. “You better go back and do your homework. It’s there in the middle of Higgs Boson Blues. There’s a lot of Higgs Boson Blues that didn’t get into Higgs Boson Blues but that did: ‘The pygmies eat the monkeys’ and all that.” Widely regarded as a hirsute Cave muse, Warren Ellis conjures many trademark mystery sounds throughout the forthcoming Bad Seeds release. It sounds as if a swarm of insects closes in and puts an end to We Real Cool. “Oh yeah? It probably is,” Cave offers. Cue laughter. “Really,” he insists. “He kind of comes to the studio with stuff and god knows where a lot of that stuff comes from. Warren is very secretive about his loops. He brings different ingredients in, stirs them around

at home and comes with this sound that we’ve never heard anything like. But he doesn’t sort of advertise, he doesn’t tell anyone what he’s actually up to in that respect. [Pauses.] Largely because I don’t think anyone gives a fuck,” he laughs. “It’s just – we’re not certain: he plays his stuff, there’s a kind of instant atmosphere that comes from this music that infects everything, and it’s really beautiful to be able to sing over this stuff. It’s an absolute privilege, because you can have a few words, and have this sound, and to sing over it is instantly really emotional. And much of the emotional resonance of those songs comes from what Warren’s doing with his loops, I would say. He’s amazing.” After a longstanding relationship with Mute Records, the imprint responsible for releasing every Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Grinderman record to date, Push The Sky Away will be released independently. “I was worried about it initially – because I was wondering how we could do that, and if we could do that, because I guess you’re sort of led to believe really that it takes certain expertise to be able to do this,” Cave ruminates on the adjustment. “And it does, but it’s not impossible to do it yourself and there’s an enormous freedom to doing it yourself where you can have more control over its outcome. And that’s really exciting. The biggest benefit for me is that you feel very attached to the product in a way that I haven’t really felt for a while with a record. Not that I haven’t felt attached to the record, but, you know, basically I record the thing, I make the cover and kind of walk away from it and this has been much more involved in all the different details of it. It makes the object more precious in a way.” The experience must have given Cave some insight into the job descriptions of record company employees. “I wonder what they do get up to,” Cave admits. * Grinderman have since announced a ‘one-off’ performance within Coachella’s 2013 line-up. WHO: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds WHAT: Push The Sky Away (Bad Seed Ltd) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 2 March, Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Few songwriters are as prolific and consistently brilliant as Nick Cave, yet he claims to have penned some “not very good songs” that just “disappear and die”. “But it’s their fault for not being very good in the first place,” he informs Bryget Chrisfield. Nick Cave hasn’t yet heard Straight To You, the recording of triple j’s tribute concert that mines his 35-plus-year back catalogue, but he’d like to (“I’ve heard it was really good”). It’s lovely when people record your songs. You can actually stand back and listen to them for what they are. And occasionally you get really pleasantly surprised, like you’re actually able to sort of judge the song on some level, which you can’t do obviously if you’re singing it yourself. It’s quite [pauses to fish for the right word] uplifting to hear one of your songs done and the version sounds good. It’s the only way you can ever tell if what you’ve written works as a song, you know.” Are there any songs that Cave leaves off setlists these days because they’re associated with memories he’d rather leave behind? “Some don’t relate anymore, for sure, but that’s not to do with the memory that’s to do with the songs not being very good songs,” he explains. “The songs that really survive, are better songs and can morph into – they have a capacity to change with you. And some don’t. Some are okay, they come out on a record and they’re okay, but they don’t have that ability to travel with you and they just never get played and disappear and die. Poor little things. But it’s their fault for not being very good in the first place.” If a remix winds up improving on a song, does that imply the original was lacking in some way? “Not necessarily,” Cave says, “it’s just done in a different way… Sometimes the people you really love send back stuff that’s kind of unlistenable. I mean, the whole remix thing I don’t quite understand.” Some remixers feel like they want to put their mark on a song too much, perhaps. “That’s not a bad thing though, that’s probably what they should be doing,” Cave elaborates. “I think that the remixes that are least successful are the ones that are too respectful to the actual song. You need a bit of disrespect for the song itself to do a good remix.”


Featuring...

THE STEMS

PETER CASE BAND

BUZZCOCKS FL A M iN ’ GRO OV iES

T L U C R E T S Y o E U L B Performing

‘MA&RotSheNr EGEurDusS sGmUasiTh hiAtsRS’

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MISTS OF CHANGE Father John Misty’s Fear Fun album presented a raw and enveloping edge to folk. Cam Findlay talks to the man behind the moniker, Josh Tillman, about what it took to produce something that represented such an emotional shift. osh Tillman, otherwise and now more widely known as Father John Misty, surprised many with his 2012 album, Fear Fun. The name change was the least part of it. Traditionally, Tillman’s albums (2009’s Vacilando Territory Blues, 2010’s Singing Ax) had been moderately lo-fi folk albums, building on themes that could be found across the whole gamut of pastoral folk music. Then Fear Fun dropped onto shelves with a ridiculously colourful and psychedelic cover; Tillman himself in glaring blue and yellow hue, surrounded by bleeding eyeballs and smiling cats. It marked a grand departure of the old “appreciated but unknown” folk character that Tillman had idolised in musicians like Townes Van Sandt, Nick Drake and Gram Parsons, and a reliance on his own mind as the source of his creative ability.

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That change comes through clearly when in conversation with Josh Tillman. He worries little about creating a persona, more about being honest. “It’s pretty end-of-the-day, so you’ll get a pretty candid version,” Tillman begins on brief reprieve from his ongoing touring duties. “I’m never going to be any younger than I am now,” he adds, “I can deal with it.” He then waxes slightly lyrical about the current state of the tour, and how he feels about presenting himself so frankly to people all around the world. “It’s a financial windfall,” he states sardonically. “It’s a creative failure, but it’s financially viable. It’s what Nietzsche called ‘diseased music’.” A Nietzsche reference isn’t entirely unexpected. Tillman’s creative bodies of work have often seemed to reference philosophical ideas, especially on the idea of perspective and voice. So then is his adoption of the Father John Misty moniker, so exemplified in relation to the release of Fear Fun, and the completely contradictory creative direction he has

apparently taken. “Actually, the name wasn’t really that important,” he clarifies. “That was like the last thing to go. It’s not like you come up with a new name and all of a sudden you’re like, inspired to write songs. I know what you’re saying; there’s this idea that the name was emblematic of some big change. But I think the impetus to write differently doesn’t really have anything to do with furthering my career or anything. I don’t know, it’s not like I was doing it for popularity’s sake. I had to do it, otherwise I wasn’t going to survive creatively.” So less about the name, and more about the music. While Tillman’s unmistakable voice and the same two-stepping guitar strums build the foundation of Fear Fun, the lyrical content and the overall sense of perspective are new ground. It swells in the orchestral environments of Funtimes In Babylon and crashes in the stinging abrasiveness of Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings. It is a much more philosophical album than his previous work. “I really feel like I kind of accomplished what I had gone there to do,” Tillman says of his previous releases. “I think [Fear Fun] is indicative and is the best kind of decoder ring as far as the creative shift goes, but I can tell you that the process of writing the novel for the album was a really big factor. That was, I guess, a non-musical environment where I could expand and explore my narrative and my creative voice.” The novel that Tillman refers to is the one in which he found the frame for Fear Fun. He had dissasociated himself from his songs during his time as drummer for Fleet Foxes, and was in dire need of another muse. “I think the biggest difference in the whole scheme and the most elegant explanation is that I came to this really good understanding of writing in my conversational voice, as opposed to writing in a writer’s voice,” he explains. “I think that people who I’ve known for a long time who have given me feedback have just said that it sounds like me. And I think that was the prime directive of the whole thing, creatively.”

In a sense, the production of Fear Fun, and the space Tillman finds himself in as an artist, is one that he feels comfortable with now; he seems to relish the confidence that this new angle in his career has given him. His humble personality even limited the worry he felt about people seeing the new direction he was going in and being turned off the whole thing. “Well, I guess it wasn’t really worry; worry indicates that I had some inkling that it was gonna be well-received, which I did not,” he states matter-of-factly. “I wasn’t worried, like riding the atomic bomb down to the ground, screaming, ‘Yeehar!’ the whole time; like this very self-reflexive thing. It’s not a very cool narrative, in the end. People

keep saying, ‘Oh, it must have been shocking or a really big deal to change creative direction.’ That isn’t a big deal to me; that’s something creative people do. So to me it felt very par for the course. It was like, ‘Well, naturally’, like you’ve done this change dramatically to give greater access to yourself, and your music has to reflect that. I was just kind of following the grain.” WHO: Father John Misty WHAT: Fear Fun (Sub Pop/Inertia) WHEN & WHERE: Sunday 17 February, Hi-Fi

STRATEGIES AGAINST ARCHITECTURE While some may be said to have left the building, Einsturzende Neubauten are said to have destroyed the building. However, on the eve of their Australian tour, Blixa Bargeld argues otherwise, as a rather contrite Paul Ransom discovers. ule number one: don’t call them industrial (even if the word does appear on their website).

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Despite their now mythic status as one of the true progenitors of the sound that now finds its expression in everything from the Teutonic stomp of Rammstein to the robo-pop of bands like Depeche Mode, Blixa Bargeld is adamant that the band he co-founded on April Fool’s Day 1980 is not, and were never, industrial or revolutionary. Einsturzende Neubauten fans, beware! “I’m sorry, but that’s your interpretation. I never called it industrial. We never tried to be destructive,” Bargeld intones from his apartment in Berlin. “It was just things that happened, like when children play and things go kaput; and I certainly never made any statements about old buildings being better than new buildings.” That a non-industrial (but clearly experimental) German band should be inextricably linked to architecture is right there in the name. Einsturzende Neubauten is most oft translated as ‘collapsing new buildings’; with their moniker making specific reference to what Germans call neubauten, the new buildings that sprang up after 1945 to replace those destroyed during WW2. Typically, the neubauten are considered inferior both aesthetically and structurally to their pre-war counterparts, the altbauten. Reflecting on this, Bargeld recalls the Cold War divide that once cut his country in two. “After the war, in the west at least, you could make a fortune if you had a building company; but in the east they repaired as much as they could. You could still see the bullet marks from the second world war.” As a native of West Berlin, Blixa Bargeld, (born Hans Christian Emmerich in 1959), grew up in a walled city steeped in the pre-apocalyptic atmosphere of the Cold War. “Historically, looking at it, I probably was at one of the epicentres of the Cold War but it played absolutely no role in my day-to-day existence,” he reveals. “To me, living in Berlin felt so absolutely normal that I never thought it was exceptional.” However, it was in this small ‘capitalist’ enclave that EN formed; and the band’s early work shaped itself around the use of improvised instrumentation, often made from scraps scavenged from building sites, and Bargeld’s

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deep, shouted, blood curdling vocals. Albums like 1981’s Kollaps and 1983’s Zeichnungen Des Patienten O.T. not only gained them a burgeoning fan base but attracted the attention of Nick Cave, who famously described Bargeld’s vocals as being something “you would expect to hear from strangled cats or dying children”. Indeed, Bargeld was with Cave (as one of the Bad Seeds) in November 1989 when Berlin, Germany and the geopolitical map world lurched into a new era. “When the actual wall fell, when they opened the border, I was right there in the recording studio with a famous Australian singer mixing one of the pieces that later came out on the record and suddenly the street, which was usually empty, was full of people,” he recalls. “We first saw it on television and then we looked out the window.” By that stage, Bargeld was enjoying the fruits of success as a member of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and the fall of the wall coincided with personal and artistic change. “Very soon after that I left Berlin. I lived in San Francisco and then for seven years in Beijing… Now I’m back in Berlin; but the city where I was born and grew up simply doesn’t exist anymore,” he observes. “In fact, where I’m living now is uncharted territory for me. I don’t know my way around. It’s like a completely new city.” For EN the changes were audible, as their earlier avant-garde edge morphed into more traditional song forms, with Bargeld singing rather than shouting and softer electronic sounds making their way onto records like Tabula Rasa and Ende Neu. Reflecting on this, Bargeld insists that EN never truly had a mission statement. “A lot of things were not so much artistic decisions as they were decisions that came out of a particular life situation,” he explains. “It was not that I thought, ‘Oh, now it’s time to bang on some metal’ it was more the fact that we didn’t have anything. We could not afford instruments. We’ve always been poor so we had to find a different way.” As the 20th century drew to a close the band found itself being referenced by all and sundry in scenes as diverse as dark wave techno and nu-punk. With songs like Blume and Stella Maris, and their infamous expulsion from U2’s Zoo TV tour, Einsturzende Neubauten became a name to drop; not that they were ever what you could call famous.

Far from settling with their modicum of cachet, the band leapt feet first into the age of the internet in 2002 when Bargeld and his wife Erin Zhu created neubauten.org and moved the focus of their activity online. “We invented crowd funding,” Bargeld declares proudly, pointing to a range of albums, DVDs and even USB sticks aimed at the band’s pro-active web following. “Now I read many interviews lately with Amanda Palmer who said she made her album from crowd funding but what most people don’t know is that she was one of the supporters of neubaten.org and she crowd funded our albums.” If all this has helped to sustain EN into their fourth decade, it is their reputation as an unusually ferocious live act that really gets fans buzzing and quite possibly spurred The Drones to invite them to Australia to play at ATP’s boutique, curated I’ll Be Your Mirror event in February, where they will feature alongside fellow ‘noise’ legends My Bloody Valentine and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. For Blixa Bargeld and the rest of Einsturzende Neubauten, the antipodean invitation represents the end of a significant hiatus. “The first time we’ll come together is when we’re in Australia,” he confirms. Creatively, what this represents is the opportunity to look back over a 32-year career and once again reinvent. “The songs will all come out new again,” Bargeld says simply. “Looking at such an extensive

back catalogue, and we are able play about 90 per cent of that, we can make our choices wisely; but obviously we are limited by what we are able to take to Australia. Weight limitations,” he notes wryly, referring to EN’s onstage battery of improvised instruments. On a personal note, it will be Bargeld’s first trip to our shores since he left The Bad Seeds in 2003. “At the time that I was still playing with Nick I was in Australia every year but I haven’t been there since. Has Australia changed in ten years?” he wonders aloud. Just as the Berlin of his childhood has irrevocably altered, so too has the Melbourne with which Bargeld was once so familiar. “I spent a considerable amount of time in St Kilda. My first couple of times in Australia I spent there. That was in the early-‘80s. Then, when I was there in the late ‘90s I thought that St Kilda had changed quite a lot. Gentrification, that’s what it looked like to me,” he concludes, laughing at the suggestion that even in St Kilda the neubauten are everywhere. WHO: Einsturzende Neubauten WHEN & WHERE Sunday 17 February, I’ll Be Your Mirror, Westgate Entertainment Centre, Altona North; Tuesday 19, Palace Theatre


THIS IS GROWING UP From hosting a talk show to a plane crash – a lot has changed for Blink-182 since they made their last trip to Australia nearly a decade ago. While vocalist/ guitarist Tom DeLonge is married with two children, runs numerous companies and is putting together the soundtrack for his second film, Daniel Cribb discovers he’s still making time to pen dick jokes for their appearance at Soundwave. just got a picture of a vagina with eyeballs and a moustache on it yesterday from my friend,” Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge, 37, laughs down the line from his studio, Jupiter Sound, in California, assuring that he is still the same fart joke-fuelled pop punker he’s always been. It’s lunchtime and he’s taking a timeout from recording demos for a new album with his other band, Angels & Airwaves, that will coincide with the band’s second feature film due out in a couple of years. “This will be a very large project with hopefully many, many things that come along with it. I can’t really talk much about it, but this will probably be one of the more exciting things that I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of,” he explains.

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If it’s anything like the band’s film debut, Love, sci-fi fans will be lining up out the door. It’s no secret that DeLonge has always had a fascination with the unexplained and extraterrestrial (see Blink182’s Aliens Exist). After receiving some Gone Squatchin’ attire for Christmas from his managers, his interest is currently consumed by Big Foot. “I wanna find Big Foot like everyone else and if I can contribute, then I shall. He’s out there – he might even be here in the studio with me at this moment… my fascination with strange topics is what keeps me sanely insane,” he laughs. “It’s the one thing that pulls me out of worrying about music all day long, is when I start thinking about weird stuff like that. It’s a lot of fun.”

an important conduit to get the band working again, and that’s really what its goal was. Its goal wasn’t to be the greatest Blink album, its goal wasn’t to be the greatest album – the goal was: can we make an album? And we did and now we can move on to make better stuff.” WHO: Blink-182 WHAT: Dogs Eating Dogs (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday 26 & Wednesday 27 February, Sidney Myer Music Bowl; Friday 1 March, Soundwave, Flemington Racecourse

Such subject matter has drifted away from Blink-182’s music, but they’ve still kept their signature sound, as evident on their debut independent release, Dogs Eating Dogs, which sees them split with Universal Music after 15 years, cutting their ties with major labels for good. “It’s amazing, we’re finally free. We’re able to do whatever we want to do. I mean, with a label, if you ever want to record something, you can’t, because they own it, so then you have to go to them and say, ‘Hey, we want to record something’, and they say, ‘Okay, we’ll get back to you and see if the funds are available to pay for it’. Then they get back to you and they say, ‘We don’t have the funds to do it’. It’s just a big joke, you know. You have to ask them to make music… I think Dogs Eating Dogs is a much better example of what our band can do in these times, rather than when we were on a major label.” With DeLonge first announcing their split with Interscope on Twitter with a picture of Mel Gibson in Braveheart in the midst of yelling “freedom”, one might assume the title Dogs Eating Dogs could, in some way, be a reference to the cut-throat world of major labels. “It’s not. Mark [Hoppus, bass] came up with that – it was a lyric out of one of the songs. He sometimes gets in these interesting moments when he’s flying to and from Europe, back over here, where I think he kind of investigates and swims in the waters of the back of his mind. Sometimes he digs into some dark places – and I think most artists do that – and that’s really where that term came from. It showed its face in the song and it just seemed like a really great line, because everyone can interpret it in different ways. “To me, it’s just very representative of humanity – the constant fight to get ahead and the constant fight to win summed up in three words. To everybody, that’s what’s great about art – it’s different and what I liked about it was it was ambiguous at best, so people can kind of think it means a few different things.” Before the band went on an indefinite hiatus in ’05, the vocal split between DeLonge and Hoppus was almost 50/50, but both Dogs Eating Dogs and 2011’s Neighborhoods seem to be more DeLongeheavy. “It’s not intentional,” Delonge says. “I mean, I’m more prolific now in my career than I’ve ever been. I’ve had a lot of experience over the past ten years, with all the Angels & Airwaves stuff and scoring movies, it comes naturally, or comes more naturally and quicker to me now than it ever has in my life, and you know, I’m a hard worker and I’ve got my studio and I like to be productive.” It was a plane crash drummer Travis Barker was involved in 2008 that was the catalyst for the Blink-182 reunion, but the problem for Australian fans was it was also the thing stopping them coming Down Under. “I don’t blame him one bit; if I was him, I’d be doing the exact same thing. It’s a big hurdle to get over. I think like anybody else your logical steps are making decisions and challenging yourself and preparing emotionally for that kind of stuff, but I can’t even pretend to know how somebody does that, because it’s monumental… we haven’t been down there in a very long time, so I think we’re all looking forward to some really good stuff. It’s gonna be good – I’ve got like three or four dick jokes that I’ve been saving.” The last time Blink-182 toured Australia was in 2004 to promote their self-titled album. Blink-182 saw Hoppus, Barker and DeLonge rent a house just outside of San Diego and spend months there writing. But with Hoppus spending half of his time at his second home in London and, until June 2012, hosting his own talk show, plus with Barker working on his solo material, amongst a slew of other commitments, it’s hard to get the band in one room for long enough to catch up, let alone write and record an album. “My aim was specifically to write music together and not apart, because for Neighborhoods we weren’t together at all – we just weren’t even really talking. This one was, ‘Let’s write music together, and let’s try and show a more progressive form of the band’. What I wanted to do was make [us] challenge Blink’s legacy to be more modernised with larger landscapes and more delicate compositions.” Admitting that Neighborhoods suffered due to the lack of communication, DeLonge believes it was an imperative step in getting the band back on track. “I wouldn’t change anything about that, very specifically because we were able to do it and it was

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HOFF THE CUFF He may refer to himself in the third person and spontaneously burst into song to demonstrate his Billy Flynn (Chicago) was better than Richard Gere’s attempt, but rest assured David Hasselhoff is in on the joke. Bryget Chrisfield grabs the nearest rescue buoy by avoiding burgers. ’m actually in my office in Los Angeles and I’m searching around as we speak, looking for Les Miserables that just came to me in the mail,” David Hasselhoff, widely referred to as The Hoff, shares. “It’s one of the shows that got away from me. I’ve always wanted to play Jean Valjean, you know? Have you seen it?” Affirmative. And found some of the non-singers’ performances below par. “Richard Gere got away with it in Chicago,” Hasselhoff opines, before bursting into a rather accurate impersonation of Gere singing We Both Reached For The Gun: “’Where’d ya come from?/Mississipi/And your parents?,’ He’s doin’ it all kinda camp, you know? Instead of just [sings the same segment à la The Hoff] and doing it the proper way. I’m a big Richard Gere fan and I went, ‘Oh my god, he can’t sing!’ I hated it. I couldn’t stand it.”

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It has to be said that The Hoff’s rendition was better, but then again he has trained with vocal coach Frank Wildhorn, who also worked with Celine Dion. “I’ve got a Broadway voice,” he boasts, “but it’s gotten better and better and better, because it’s like a muscle. And these people that really know how to sing and really have that talent, it’s just like second nature – they’re just like a good golfer – they sing beautifully no matter what. They get it in one take! And then, you know, actors like me who became singers: I was given a really good voice but you’ve got to train it.”

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Hasselhoff also has an illustrious career on the small screen to look back on and doesn’t take his good fortune for granted. “You’re lucky to get one series,” he observes, “I’m lucky to have had three – Young & Restless, a soap opera, then Knightrider and Baywatch – but I mean, god! I’m just blessed because it’s really hard to get one. It’s hard right now to get back into a series. I’m fighting reality and age, and it’s hard for me. I mean, I can certainly do Hoff stuff, or I do a lot of commercials, and I do a lot of parodies and I do good cameos. And I’m doing guest star roles, which get people putting me in the right show.

“One of the stories I tell in my show [An Evening With David Hasselhoff]: I went for an audition once and it was the funniest thing you’ve ever seen. The entire audition was stars, big stars that were outta work, and it was John Schneider from Dukes Of Hazzard, Bruce Boxleitner from Scarecrow & Mrs King and Harry Hamlin from LA Law and Greg – oh, god! I can’t think of his name, from BJ & The Bear.” Greg Evigan? “He’s a cool guy, by the way: Greg Evigan,” Hasselhoff adds. “And we all fuckin’ started laughin’, ‘cause here were all these multimillionaires, out of work, reading for a third lead for a camera with a casting director – not even a fricken director! And we just got the biggest laugh about it, ‘Well things have changed, you know?’ And we signed in, I saw the list and I went, ‘Bruce is here, John’s here,’ and we said, ‘Oh, Shit!’ you know? None of us got it,” he laughs. So who got the part then? “Some unknown… The best part about it is, as you’re walking back through 20th Century Fox studios, everybody’s comin’ out of their cars going, ‘It’s Knight Rider, Knight Rider, David Hasselhoff, the Knight Rider,’ and I wanted to say, ‘Yes, the Knight Rider out of work!’ It’s like, ‘Come on, I don’t wanna be the Knight Rider. I wanna get a job!’ It’s a rough business. “I think the longest I’ve been out of work – it’s usually right after a show like Knight Rider or Baywatch because you’re so typecast. I used to see casting breakdowns and see ‘David Hasselhoff type’ and I’d think, ‘Cool! Here I am! I’m available!’ And they’d go, ‘No, no, not you,’ and I got that all the time… The bigger the part, the harder you fall, I mean, my god! I was up for Superman, I was up for Indiana Jones and I look back on that going, ‘Oh my god! Why?’ you know? I didn’t get it. And when you come down to the wire it’s like that. There ain’t no second prize. “Baywatch was cancelled after its first season on NBC. “And then we ended up buying it and then we lasted 11 years,” Hasselhoff explains. “So in 11 years we saw a lotta people come and go, but the ones who stayed, that were original, we are all still in touch. In fact, we’re probably gonna get together on a Super Bowl party next weekend. I’m gonna give ‘em all a call and, you know, when somebody calls – like, if I call or Pamela [Anderson]

calls or Jeremy Jackson, who plays my son, or David Chokachi or Jason Simmons – they make one call and everybody comes. And it’s just a way of hanging out because we shared so many great moments together.” The Hoff may be the most recognised face on television, but his heart belongs to Broadway with lead roles in Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, The Producers, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll & Hyde and Chicago all featuring on his CV. And Hasselhoff is currently in negotiations to star in a musical. “I’m gonna be doing my own show now called ‘Hoff The Musical’ or ‘Baywatch The Musical’,” he reveals. “We’ve been doing a lot of good business with Peter Pan the panto. I do Hoff The Hook. I’m trying to bring it down to Australia next year, in January. Are the kids still out of school then?” A discussion about how popular pantos are in the UK ensues and The Hoff enthuses, “We ran three runs of [Peter Pan] and we broke all the records every time. The show is so good. It’s such a good production. It’s like a West End musical, you know? And we come in with the crazy Hoff stuff, we do ‘Let’s Go To The Hoff’, ‘I’m Looking For Some Hoff Stuff’ and ‘Jump In My Car’ and it’s all kind of tongue in cheek and a lot of fun and I would love to bring it down.”

For now, it’s An Evening With David Hasselhoff. “We just go where the audience takes us and we really don’t know what we’re getting into,” he confesses. “I know we’re gonna do more rock when we get down there, which is exciting, ‘cause we’ve got some great Aussie rock songs.” Potentially a spoiler alert, The Hoff gives us a scoop on a special guest who may or may not make an appearance during the show. “Mark Holden’s with me, he’s down there and he’s a good friend of mine and, hey! I think he had a song called Be My Lady or something [I Wanna Make You My Lady] – he used to carry a rose around, like, a hundred years ago.” A rendition of this song would be particularly appropriate in Melbourne, where The Hoff visits on Valentine’s Day. This prospect tickles Hasselhoff’s fancy. “I didn’t know that, that’s fantastic!” he extols. “I may have to do a thing where if you wear lingerie you get ten per cent off.” WHO: David Hasselhoff WHAT: An Evening With David Hasselhoff WHEN & WHERE: Thursday 14 February, Corner Hotel

A HUNDRED THOUSAND WORDS Canadian collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor is one of the most iconic bands on the planet, mostly due to their secrecy – their music speaks volumes. In a rare interview, drummer Aidan Girt expresses the importance of avoiding complacency and Chuck D to Brendan Telford. ike most cult cultural touchstones, instrumental band Godspeed You! Black Emperor has risen to heights hitherto unforeseen by most bands of their ilk due to their inaccessibility. Even before their seemingly sudden hiatus was called in ten years ago, the band revelled in shirking the spotlight, both literally (their immersive live shows shrouded the members in shadows) and figuratively (with no singular spokesperson, very few interviews were conducted or band photographs taken). Their debut EP Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada in 1999 didn’t even have the band’s name on the album cover. The air of mystery extended to their music – radio static accompanying portentous voice samples, eye-of-the-storm tranquillity before an explosion of noise that could be physically felt as well as heard. Their song titles, artwork and liner notes across an EP and three albums were the only way to engage in the band’s philosophy, a tactile communion that somehow accentuated these immense cathartic soundscapes. Then there were the live shows, audio/visual experiences that people still talk of in fervent rapture today.

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After coming back to take part in an All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in the UK in 2010, GY!BE have picked up where they left off, a band picking and choosing their moments of exposure, adding acolytes to their cause with every show. Nevertheless their comeback in this age of money-grabbing reunions was still a massive surprise. “There’s a time for a person to make music and a time to make music with a lot of people,” drummer Aidan Girt matter-of-factly states – in the downtime he has put out a number of releases under his own electronic project 1-Speed Bike. “With Godspeed – there are eight of us now [Bruce Cawdron and Norsola Johnson have left the fold, whilst original guitarist Mike Moya is back] – it’s a process. Does it inform our sound? Of course – we are a band in the true sense. We sit down, we talk together, we fight and we stumble our way through it. It’s a fucking nightmare, but it’s how we do it. What we have left is this big sound where everyone’s influence is on it, it’s never a single vision. Everyone has to be there, present.” It has been this channelling of many people’s visions into one singular crystalline focus that has drawn a lot of attention to how the band functions. Girt maintains

22 • For more interviews go to themusic.com.au/interviews

that despite the difficulties inherent in such a large collective of personalities, maintaining a singular vision in a world where history perpetually repeats itself is the overarching impetus to continue. “It’s difficult – there are eight of us travelling in eight, sometimes 16 different directions, so it’s hard to get us all in the same room. But we have worked in this way from the beginning, and nothing has changed. There are always an awful lot of constants. There are still billions of people without food to eat, billions of people that don’t have a proper home. There are millions of people that do have those things but are still under the poverty line. There’s a hole in the ozone layer. Maybe there are different politicians here and there, and the world’s attention goes from one place to another… but the suffering is still there, the inequality is still there. There was no single moment or chance encounter that brought us back, because everything is the same.” Girt doesn’t feel that the hiatus has made any difference to the landscape of the world, musical or otherwise. In fact, whether GY!BE came back now or ten years from now doesn’t change why the band operates – it’s a universal need to commune, connect and release that propels them forward. “I don’t feel any different at all, except for the internet – that thing is pretty baffling,” Girt laughs. “But when we started out, the music industry was really baffling too. So things haven’t really changed in the past ten years. We still want the same thing from our music – that people don’t feel alone, that they can see the bigger world, the suffering and inequalities around them, the shit way that everything is set up from colonialism to capitalism, all of these things that shape their world. So there are all of these head-level things, but there is also a heart-level where people feel lost, a pain that people feel that when people go around their day-to-day business they lose touch of. That’s for me too – I get up in the morning and make my oatmeal and my coffee, I go to get my car fixed… you can get lost. This isn’t escapism though, we play everything with a political context. The nice thing about a band that play 45-minute songs that go from being really quiet to really fucking loud, with nothing to

look at except these crazy films, is that it can take you out of that world and maybe bring you back to that pain that you have held for when you’ve lost things in your life. Hopefully the realisation of why these things are lost to you, why this crazy shit happens, why people are always getting fucked over, will come. Even we take part in that – we still have normal things we feel we have to do, we put gas in our cars… or into planes so we can get to Australia to share this with you!” In their first statement after re-forming, the band stated that all that mattered was the keep on keeping on; all that mattered were the shows. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Girt, and GY!BE, still feel strongly about worldly injustices, largely at the hands of the 1%, and see their music as their way of communicating these grievances. Having stated in the past that they create heavy but joyous music, this attitude persists with 2012’s Hallelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, a record of old and new material that nonetheless continued right where they left off in 2002. While it is obvious that they are compelled to espouse their political viewpoints via statements made in rare interviews and liner notes, the fact that GY!BE is heralded as one of the most forward-thinking political rock bands in the world is a curious thought seeing as they remain an instrumental collective. “You do it through long song titles,” Girt chuckles. “I don’t pay much attention to music journalism, but one thing that stuck with me is that often people will say that we’re an outstanding band with a political vision. I

grew up listening to albums like Crass’ Feeding Of The 5000 or [Public Enemy’s] It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, and if you just look at how many words are in those albums compared to us, it’s crazy. It Takes A Nation… has two hundred thousand words in it or something, and we have a song title and some crazy movie. I think it’s a sign of a problem where us taking the stand that we do is so profound for people. There is so much more talking that needs to be done in the world. We just scratch on the surface of things. We are babies next to Chuck D, we are toddlers in terms of his eloquence or ways of explaining how things are fucked in the world. We didn’t come to exist in a vacuum, we have influences too, and things came before us.” “At the end of the day, I’m just a fucking musician,” Girt asserts. “I’m there trying to make the craziest, fuckedup sounds with my band, and vibing off the band, and creating something, like a fucking musician. When I look out and see all these people who have spent their hard earned money staring at us, that’s heavy. I am blessed that people want that from us, and I am blessed that I get to do that. So I play my balls off, it’s my duty.” WHO: Godspeed You! Black Emperor WHEN & WHERE: Friday 15 February, Forum; Saturday 16, I’ll Be Your Mirror, Westgate Entertainment Centre, Altona North


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TROUBLESHOOTING Crime & The City Solution frontman Simon Bonney runs Guido Farnell through some of his perceptions of the band’s low and high points, and his life outside the shadow of the band.

t feels strange to be writing about Crime & The City Solution, a near mythological band that grew out of Sydney and Melbourne’s post-punk scenes in the late-’70s. They rubbed shoulders with Boys Next Door and The Young Charlatans at the Seaview Ballroom and belonged to a pack of musicians that brought a new perspective to Australian rock. “It was exciting coming to Melbourne from Sydney,” says the band’s frontman Simon Bonney, reminiscing on the phone. “Meeting Rowland S Howard and Ollie Olsen when they came up with the Young Charlatans was interesting. They always had amusing stories to tell and were interesting people. Melbourne was definitely more receptive to the kind music I wanted to play. I remember the Seaview Ballroom as being kind of small and empty most of the time. I think the crowds came later.”

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As the itinerant Bonney moved from Sydney to Melbourne to London to Berlin he established a different incarnation of the band in each city. Still grateful to Mick Harvey for buying him a ticket to London, Bonney admits that it changed his life but he never liked London or the band’s first album, Room Of Lights, which was produced there. “London Crime was not a happy beast,” he says. “It was never more than the sum total of the people in that band and there were a lot of very talented and creative people in that band. It never really quite gelled for me but for some people it did. I just don’t think that as a lyricist I really knew what I was doing until I went to Berlin and started playing with Alex Hacke. I didn’t have such a strong sense of what and how I wanted to say until then.” After releasing just a handful of influential albums, Crime & The City Solution seemingly disappeared at the end of the ‘80s. Bonney gave us a couple of solo albums that were recorded in the States in the early’90s before also bowing out of the spotlight. Just over 20 years later, Bonney and a new incarnation of

Crime & The City Solution have recorded an album called American Twilight in Detroit and are supporting it by hitting the road for an Australian tour this month. It turns out that Bonney made a conscious decision to live and work in America after releasing his last solo album. As a father of two young children he simply wanted to be there for them when they were growing up. “Music has never been the only thing which interests me,” he continues. “I know a lot of people that simply have to make music. They realise at an early age that the world outside music is not for them and they will pursue music ‘til the day they die. I have other interests and responsibilities.” The forthcoming Crime album, American Twilight, is a distillation of Bonney’s reflections on his time in the States. “I didn’t have that burning desire to express a point of view for a long time,” he says. “I didn’t feel as though I had anything relevant to say, which is another reason why I had not written any songs for a long time.” In talking about reconvening the band it seems that Bonney could not have done it without Hacke. “When you think the golden period of a lot of bands, I think the relationship between the guitarist and the singer is quite critical to the creation of a particular sound. That definitely applied to Alex and myself. Without wanting to detract from Mick Harvey’s important contribution to the sound of Crime, Alex’s approach to music was one that brought out of me the lyrics of which I remain the proudest, that I enjoy the most and most represent the kind of things that I am interested in.” WHO: Crime & The City Solution WHEN & WHERE: Sunday 17 February, I’ll Be Your Mirror, Westgate Entertainment Centre, Altona North; Monday 18, Hi-Fi

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SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY Pere Ubu frontman David Thomas tells Tony McMahon he’s “on a long-term project” to replace himself in the band. “It’s a bit like The Rolling Stones replacing everyone in the band and then replacing Mick Jagger. Would they still be The Rolling Stones? I don’t know…” he contemplates. hroughout Pere Ubu frontman David Thomas’ long and brilliant career, there’s always existed a marked similarity between his work and that of the pioneering cinema maverick Orson Welles. Putting aside for a second the physical resemblance, Welles’ oeuvre presents as something like a guide book to the cinema’s now accepted aesthetics and practices, while the Cleveland Ohio rockers – self proclaimed purveyors of avant-garage – have achieved the same textbook status as far as independence, integrity, landmark artistic feats and the not inconsiderable ability to dance, sometimes wildly, to their own unique drumbeat. It’s perhaps no surprise then that Thomas chose to title his band’s new album The Lady From Shanghai after one of Welles’ best-known films.

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At I’ll Be Your Mirror, Pere Ubu will be performing their debut album, The Modern Dance, in its entirety, something they did on a European tour in 2011. Thomas finds it a more than worthwhile pursuit, while acknowledging that, while it’s not sentimental recollection, he doesn’t feel that things are too different from the time he made it. “It’s interesting,” he says. “Most bands don’t get to this point of being able to play something 35 or 38 years after they first made it. Playing these songs again, of course you end up thinking about why you did you do this stuff? And why did you do them a certain way? You listen to little transitions in the songs and things like that and just kind of think, ‘How the hell did we do that?’… If we did it over again today, of course it would be a completely different record, but the principals we were operating by have remained consistent, and that’s an interesting thing to know. It’s not nostalgia or anything. You’re basically asking yourself, ‘Why did we do that?’”

On the question of the relevance of the album threeand-a-half decades after it was first released, Thomas shares, “Well, I did mention the nostalgia thing, but you didn’t pick it up and run with it… I think it still holds up pretty well. I think that at the time we made it, we didn’t have much in common with anyone else, and we still don’t have much in common with anyone else, so that gives you kind of a unique temporal window to look at it through, or something like that.” Thomas has spoken of The Lady From Shanghai as a culmination of Pere Ubu’s decades-long approach to making music. For the recording, Thomas had each of the musicians play their parts in isolation, with him directing or overseeing. Despite their longevity, and proven ability to continue creating, Thomas sees the future as far from set in stone. “Even though when you make a record it’s a matter of the chemistry of the people involved, a band is an idea. It’s not the people. Everyone is replaceable, including me. My theory is that I’m on a long-term project to replace myself. That’s not the next project, mind you, the next project is another album, I’m afraid, but I do hope it will happen eventually. It’s a bit like The Rolling Stones replacing everyone in the band and then replacing Mick Jagger. Would they still be The Rolling Stones? I don’t know, but I couldn’t imagine anyone else pulling it off. I’m going to do it though. I’m going to fire myself.” WHO: Pere Ubu WHAT: Lady From Shanghai (Fire Records) WHEN & WHERE: Sunday 17 February, I’ll Be Your Mirror, Westgate Entertainment Centre, Altona North


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HITTING THE HAY Playing country pubs is a long way from stadium rock stardom but for Colin Hay there’s no contest. As Paul Ransom soon discovers, Hay’s upcoming national tour is more about dancing than greatest hits. f ever the journey metaphor was genuinely illustrative, it must surely be in the case of former Men At Work frontman Colin Hay. From Scotland to St Kilda, share flats to stardom, obscurity to LA, and demon battling to lawsuits, Hay and his music have played to both deafening acclaim and shattering silence. No wonder he’s still trying to find his dance.

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It is perhaps fitting that Hay begins by recounting the tale of his teenage migration to Australia. “We came by ship and we had four weeks, so it definitely felt like a big, big journey,” he recalls. “One of my strongest memories is of being in the middle of the ocean on this massive ship, but the water was like a mill pond and the only thing breaking the water was the ship cutting through, and I remember thinking how small I was in this huge universe.” However, there was a time when Hay and his band were anything but small. The success of 1981’s Business As Usual album and its headline singles Who Can It Be Now and Down Under was as staggering as it was unexpected. For a while Men At Work were the biggest band in the universe, with a simultaneous number one album and single in both the US and UK. Aside from making him a star in his twenties, success had an entirely predictable impact on the rest of his life and career. “I don’t think people realise how incredibly, awesomely fucking huge that thing that happened to us was. So, I came off that and I thought, now what? I mean, there was no way I could ever top it.” In commercial terms, of course, he hasn’t. None of his eleven solo albums since, including 2011’s Gathering Mercury have had anything like the sales impact of the old band. For Hay, this could easily have represented a terminal crisis of confidence. “It was like, ‘How do I compete with myself?’” he muses. “So, in many ways, I treated it like a recovering alcoholic – which I am. When I used to drink I tried to fight it with my will, and that involved picking up the sword every day and trying to slay the dragon. But after a while you realise that you can’t and you just have to not

Zambia via Melbourne roots reggae artist Larry Maluma is celebrating the release of his tenth album, Bakaindi (Ancestors), and celebration is the operative word here, writes Tony McMahon. pick up that sword; just leave it there and say, ‘Just for today I won’t drink’. In a lot of ways I treated the competition with my past in the same way.” Rather than search for sales, Hay has concentrated on building up a solid live base. “In Melbourne in 1988 I was playing at a place called Madigan’s and I was playing to four people. Two or three years before that I’d been playing to one hundred thousand people. That fall from grace was remarkable,” he admits. So he moved to LA and started again. In 2013, after two solid decades on the road, he can now safely say, “It’s like I’m starting again, y’know, and I’m on the way up.” Starting in January, that upward journey will see Colin Hay’s Finding My Dance tour traversing the continent, playing both city and country venues. Whereas cynics might scoff at the idea of playing towns like Bunbury, Frankston and Cessnock, Hay wears it like a badge of honour. “The reason I’m doing them is because I can do them,” he observes. “And anyway, I’d like to know who those cynics are who say your career is finished when you’re ‘reduced’ to playing country venues because it’s a particularly parochial way of looking at things. It’s quite insulting to talk about country audiences in that way, as if it’s somehow demeaning to play to them. So, fuck those guys.” As for the ongoing journey, Hay simply says, “Lately I’ve been thinking, ‘Well, you’ve already arrived’ and it’s really a matter of how that sits with you.” And that, folks could well be a dance inadvertently found. WHO: Colin Hay WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday 12 February, Hamilton Performing Arts Centre; Wednesday 13, Warnambool Light House Theatre; Friday 15, Frankston Arts Centre; Saturday 16, Melbourne Athenaeum Theatre; Tuesday 19, Bendigo Capital Theatre; Wednesday 20, Shepparton River Links Performing Arts Centre

THINKING BIG

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“I think we’re more established in people’s eyes that we’ve done those Australian tours,” he says. “We didn’t just put an album out and disappear, we’ve gone back to a lot of the places that we originally toured and the fanbase is growing and the shows are getting bigger and what we’re actually able to do is getting better. We’re really locked in our own sound, we really know what we’re about as a band now. “And you guys really like your rock and alternative rock, so we’re really trying to get down there and gain that exposure to all those Australian alternative rock fans. Things like touring with Dead Letter Circus and Slash have helped, it’s always get on good supports for like-minded artists, so we’re building things there. We’re a bit gutted that we can’t yet do a full Australian tour, but we’re building to that. Each time when you play a show and an extra 50 people come along, it’s really great, and our Facebook got hammered after we toured with Slash, so it will be interesting to see the numbers that come out to this tour.” The tour will be one of the last the band head out on before returning to the studio to work again with Australia’s premier rock producer Forrester Savell. “We’re ready to hit the studio with five songs and we’ve picked the ten tracks that we’re going to

26 • For more interviews go to themusic.com.au/interviews

he Thornbury Theatre will play host to a rare live performance from Zambian musician Maluma, and there will be special guests and giveaways making the event the party it surely deserves to be. This writer could never imagine publishing ten books, so it is with great interest that Inpress asks Maluma how in the world he approaches making a tenth album? Is there a sense that, as a musician, he needs to explore different territory with each new record? Or is the music simply in him, demanding to come out? The man himself pays homage to art’s mysterious process, while hinting that music making, for him, is not really something he’s ever thought about not doing.

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“I can’t even explain it. I think it just comes out, you know? I’ve been doing it a long time and I really love what I do,” he tells. “You can’t really explain how it works, it just does. As long as you are enjoying what you’re doing it does seem to come easily though.” Given he has nine other albums in circulation, the question of how Maluma sees Bakaindi in relation to the rest of his work kind of asks itself. He refuses to play favourites, naturally enough, but does concede – also as you would expect – that the music must get better each time he records. “Oh, they’re all my babies, I don’t think I could ever choose between them,” he chuckles. “But I think there’s always improvement when I do a new album. Otherwise there wouldn’t be a lot of point doing it. I spent a lot of time making the songs on this record, even though some of the songs are from the last recording. I think there’s about four tracks but I just thought I really needed to use them because they felt good.” Although it’s difficult to categorise this music as anything other than African, Maluma has been in Australia a long time, and there’s a distinct crosspollination of cultures going on here, enriching and universalising the listening experience. Not the least of

these is his choice to sing some songs in English and others in his native tongue of Tonga (not to be confused with Tongan). So then, does all of this add up to make Maluma think of his sound as African-Australian? “I definitely do. I’ve been here a long time and I can’t avoid the influences that are all around me,” he concurs. “It is African-Australian music. I think it’s fair to say that. I don’t think about it though. Again, it just comes out. The only time I’ve ever really thought about it is a couple of times I’ve been singing something in English and I think to myself that maybe I should try something African. If it doesn’t work I don’t force it. I leave it alone, but it usually works out one way or another. It’s the universal language, music, you know.” When it comes to his live show, Maluma says he prefers a big sound to a band with the efficiency and compactness of one that’s easy to tour, and it seems there’s never been too much in the way of grievances about any of his gigs. “I like a big band. I just enjoy the whole thing, you know, even though small bands are easy to take around on a tour. One reason I don’t play a lot is that it’s expensive to get a ten-piece band out on the road. But I’m working on that. Hopefully it’s something I’ll do a lot more of. People seem to have a really good time when they come to the gigs. Everybody’s dancing and having a good time. No one’s ever complained. I’m really looking forward to getting out there and enjoying myself. I hope everyone else does too.” WHO: Larry Maluma WHAT: Bakaindi (Ancestors) (Safari Music) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 23 February, Thornbury Theatre

PRODIGAL SONS

I Am Giant have been dogging it out on the road for two years on the back of their debut LP The Horrifying Truth. That’s not going to stop the alt.rockers from taking one more run at Australia before album number two, drummer Shelton Woolright tells Tom Hersey. ince forming in the latter half of the last decade, UK-via-New Zealand rockers I Am Giant have been putting in the hard yards. In Australia alone the band have done a headlining run up the east coast, helped their good mates in Dead Letter Circus on the No Fracking Way tour and earned a coveted slot opening things up for top-hatted cock-rock legend Slash on his most recent run of Australian dates. Now the four-piece are coming back for another run up the Pacific and according to drummer Shelton Woolright, the band’s Australian touring is now starting to yield dividends.

BRIDGING THE GAP

Founded by two ex-pats after they moved to Europe, Civil Civic are returning home for the first time, launching their debut album. Bassist Ben Green tells Sky Kirkham how excited they are to be back.

take into the studio and those other five are sitting somewhere from fifty-to-eighty per cent finished.” Written around their hectic touring schedule whenever they could grab a free moment, Woolright says the record was conceived during sound checks and in the back of vans and waiting in hotel lobbies. I Am Giant are hoping that their second full-length might see the light of day later this year or early next. So, after touring their debut long player The Horrifying Truth so extensively, what have I Am Giant learnt about their music, and where will album number two see the band head? “I think my musicianship has grown, and so has the other members of the band,” Woolright continues. “Our ability to craft songs together has grown as well. We’ve learnt a bit of stuff along the way about what is going to work on an album and what’s not going to work on an album for whatever reasons… But then it’s still going to be a very much alternative rock record. We’ve been listening to a lot of ‘90s rock and more alternative stuff so I’m sure that somewhere along the line that stuff would have influenced us. I’m not sure how, but I reckon that it would have.” Though I Am Giant have no plans to let up on their frenetic pace or slacken the work ethic that has brought them so far into their career in a relatively short time, Woolright assures Aussie fans that no matter what the band have got going on they’ll always make time to keep coming back down under. “You can’t beat that feeling of playing to a full room,” he says. “If you can get that, then you’ll want to come back to that place. And in Australia we’re starting to fill these rooms, so you’ll definitely see more of us.” WHO: I Am Giant WHEN & WHERE: Thursday 14 February, Ding Dong

ook… I don’t want to gush too much,” Green begins, “but it’s pretty fucking exciting, it really is. Neither of us gets back to Australia very often. I left Australia eight years ago and I’ve only been back twice, so just going back to Australia for any reason for me is just super-exciting, but to go back there with Aaron and play some Civil Civic gigs? We’re both pretty amped about it, to be honest.

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“We’ve always talked about tentatively coming back and kind of doing something half-arsed in Australia – ‘Let’s just go back and see our friends and maybe play a couple of Melbourne shows and maybe try to play a Sydney show’ – but now we’re coming back, we’re playing a great festival and releasing a record, it’s a bit less half-arsed and that’s a great thing. It’s also superb that Remote Control put their hands up and said, ‘Yep, no problem, we’ll put that out’ because they’re a great label and we’ve got a lot of respect for them. It just adds to the whole package.” While they’ve often been described as electrorock, Civil Civic’s debut album, Rules, relies heavily on the more traditional rock instruments. Angular guitar lines dominate proceedings and there’s a surf-rock aspect (albeit distorted) to many of the tracks. According to Green, these are the aspects he sees as the true heart of the band. “That sound is super-deliberate,” he confirms. “It comes from a few different things that we really love in common, which I suppose are really ‘80s things. And it’s tough angular stuff like Gang Of Four and Midnight Oil, big influence, and also The B-52s, another big influence. So that tough, slightly underproduced ‘80s sound where the guitars are really dry and direct and the band was really tight, we love that stuff. I think we prefer to be identified with that than with being some sort of electronic cross-over act.”

As a live act, Civil Civic remain a two-piece, but they’re joined onstage by a drum machine and lighting rig known as The Box. “The way we’ve got our live kind of thing setup with The Box is… I don’t know how much to reveal about The Box,” Green says, “because it’s supposed to be kind of a secret, but there’s a footswitch involved that lets us decide when a section ends, when the next section starts. It’s not like having a backing track, it’s interactive with us and we can make decisions onstage about what’s going to happen. It doesn’t have to be just like putting on a CD. So we can do very tight, arranged stuff and we can also just go off on huge noise-explosion forays into ridiculous land. “That was one of the initial set-in-stone, can’t fuck with it guidelines that we had, that we just couldn’t end up being this two-piece electronic band that seems halffake, with all this stuff going on that you knew was just a backing track. We both hate acts like that, we don’t enjoy watching it, so we just figured, ’Why should we make anyone else watch it?’ And so that’s one thing that’s constrained our writing, it’s limited how we produced the record. Because, basically, our live shows sound pretty much like the record and we’re doing everything. We play guitar and bass. If there are any synth-lines, we have to stop playing guitar or bass and play them. And if there are effects going on, we have to make them happen with effects pedals, or with our Midi controllers. It has to be live. We have to be able to do it.“ WHO: Civil Civic WHAT: Rules (Remote Control) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 16 February, I’ll Be Your Mirror, Westgate Entertainment Centre, Altona North; Tuesday 19, Tote


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BAYSIDE ROLLING As a music fanatic, Electric Mary’s Rusty Brown will be getting down to Rock The Bay at the Espy early enough to check out a few bands. He gives Tony McMahon the inside word on the best spot to perch in the Gershwin Room.

Chiptunes are the order of the weekend at the Square Sounds festival at the Evelyn Hotel. Japan’s Omodaka (aka Soichi Terada) talks circles around Nic Toupee.

think this’ll be our third one,” says Electric Mary frontman Rusty Brown, talking about his iconic band’s appearances at Rock The Bay. “It might even be our forth, but we’ll say it’s our third for now.”

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Despite his uncertainty about the number of Rock The Bays Electric Mary might have played, Brown is in no doubt that what we’re talking about here is one of the best events Melbourne has to offer. More than the incredible line-up – Mary themselves, obviously, as well as The Beards and Engine Three Seven, plus a host of local bands – Brown is particularly chuffed about the old-school way people at the gig discover new music. “It’s such a great day for everybody,” he says. “It’s also a great day for everybody to find new bands. That’s not something that we’re all accustomed to at this stage of our musical existence. Those seem to be days that were left back in the late-’70s and early-’80s, that’s how you used to find new bands back then. At Rock The Bay, you’ve got three rooms, every type of band, there’s something for everybody. It’s a real kind of celebration of rock‘n’roll. And, you know, if your ears need a bit of a rest, you just waltz outside and have a bit of a sit down on the beach in the sunshine. It doesn’t really get much better than that.” So does Brown approach a gig like this any differently to other shows? He doesn’t really give an answer, but in talking about his band’s formidable live performances, he does manage to reveal something of their philosophy. “I can tell you this now without any fear of retribution,” he says, “the one hour in the day that we get to be on stage is the best one hour of the 24. It doesn’t really matter what happens during the day, it matters what happens between the first song and the last one. ” A large bill such as Rock The Bay’s must offer great opportunities for band members to enjoy the other

acts – like some kind of rock geek heaven? “It’s a great opportunity for people in bands to meet other bands and create a bit of rock community, if I can say that,” Brown continues. “The thing about the Gershwin Room is that the side door on the car-parking side goes straight onto the mixer, so I always open the side door and stand behind the mixer and get what he’s getting. If it’s a band I really like, I might sneakily open the door on the side of the stage where no one can see me and watch from there. I’ve done that before. Music is a great passion for me. I love to see other bands and meet new people and speak a whole lot of rock‘n’roll shit, if people will let me. “I really want to see The Beards, actually. I hope we’re not playing at the same time. But I’ll just make sure I get there a few hours early and just have a bit of a wander from room to room. I like to do that because it’s great to see all these bands and maybe discover someone you really like, but it’s also so I can get a feel for how the whole thing’s going. Then I’ll wander off and get ready to go on stage and take no prisoners.” WHO: Electric Mary WHAT: Rock The Bay WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 16 February, Espy

LIFE LESS ORDINARY US inclusion on the Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival bill, The Desperados are psyched to be heading Down Under. Vocalist Lou ‘Slim’ Cervantes tells Tony McMahon how his life could’ve turned out much differently. ith his experience organising the longrunning Camperdown Cruise Rockabilly Festival, promoter Arthur Matsakos should be reasonably confident that his latest offering, the Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival, will become similarly successful. With a line-up boasting the best of local and overseas talent – including The Desperados and Omar Romero from the US, and Australian acts The ReChords, Sun Rising and The Yard Apes – it seems difficult to imagine where anything could go wrong, really. Lou ‘Slim’ Cervantes, vocalist with Californian rockabilly sensations The Desperados, is naturally stoked to be coming to Australia, although it might be fair to say he’s seen one too many tourist adverts.

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“This will be my first time in Australia and I’m extremely excited,” he says, “not only to perform and meet new friends, but I’ve seen pictures and movies and it just looks amazing. [I] can’t wait to witness it for myself. I expect to see kangaroos and koalas and lots of friendly people. I’m a big fan of culture and nature and I love food so I definitely want to try an authentic Australian meal. I want to explore a bit and enjoy the hot weather since it’s been real cold here in California.” There’ll be loads of punters at Ballarat who’ve heard The Desperados’ incredible debut album, On The Rampage. Cervantes says that this is nothing compared to one of his band’s live shows. “When people hear our album it’s cool and everything,” he continues, “they play it loud and get crazy, but it doesn’t compare to seeing us live. I think I get a little too crazy on stage and I feed of the audience. Once the music and cheers start I can’t stay still. You can say our music can be too wild, scary and frantic for some people whom we shall call squares.” What’s Cervantes’ theory of the enduring popularity of rockabilly? Paradoxically, he says that what once was rebellious and then became mainstream, is now antiestablishment once again. He also suggests a sense of community has something to do with it, too.

28 • For more interviews go to themusic.com.au/interviews

CHIP OFF THE OLD CONSOLE hiptunes: little pulses of 8-bit, primitive, crunchy sound; the spectral voices of abandoned oldschool game consoles. Commodore 64s, Segas and Game Boys, old arcade games and homemade frequency generators, having left their cutting edge in a forgotten drawer along with shoulder pads and Virtual Reality goggles, are now finding a new context, a new relevance, in the 21st century.

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a haiku, to Inpress about his upcoming performance. “An ancient song seems to have much power in itself, so that I have got those energy for playing them,” he says, when asked why he incorporates traditional Japanese folk songs into his chippage. When asked whether he feels he gains any power himself from the songs, he replies, guardedly, “I suppose so. I am not sure about this, I hope it does help me.”

Nostalgists for the Amiga-soft years, sonic cowboys (and girls) with more ideas than cash, synthesis geeks and even mainstream pop artists (Snoop Dogg/Lion, Ke$ha, Dizzee Rascal) have taken a stroll down the rich seam of arcade alley in search of a catchy sound from a Donkey Kong childhood. And so, chipsounds have flourished in the last decade and the international chip scene shows very little sign of waning. Melbourne, chipping in (so to speak), is hosting the Square Sounds festival, which will include “music inspired by and created with retro videogame hardware” plus workshops and lectures over three days. Square Sounds joins the six-year strong Blip Festival in New York and numerous events in Japan celebrating, educating, hacking and code-cracking the humble retro game console.

Omodaka doesn’t intend to content himself with channelling just one era of folk music – he’s constantly sifting the archives to learn more. “Japan has many kind of traditions through each era, and now I am getting to know those,” he says.

It might seem obvious but chip music performances work best when (and are often) accompanied by retro visuals from computer games past. The result is a great intoxicating love-in for fans of the day-glo and microsynthetic. But it’s not all cherry-coloured romance for a future past. As with any lasting scene there’s been innovative change since chipsound first found postmillenial fashion. Artists are discovering ways to make their sounds and performances a little unique. One of the more intriguing approaches has been taken by Japanese artist Omodaka, the brainchild of Tokyo musician Soichi Terada. But Omodaka hasn’t attempted to fuse futurism with his retrochips, he’s still looking at the past – just a few hundred years earlier than the invention of the Amiga.

He stresses that his interests aren’t all traditional: “Sometimes I instantaneously feel unity with the folk songs. And it is a great pleasure. But Omodaka has songs of no relation with Japanese traditional folk songs. ‘Chip sounds’ are universal, I suppose – I combine its universal sound and the local things.”

His shows explore a highly entertaining and rather barmy fusion of traditional Japanese performance art kabuki, Japanese folk songs and console jamming. Nearly as inscrutable as his performance, Omodaka hints, like

He incorporates another historic Japanese art, the performance art of kabuki, into his shows. A masked figure strides the stage, gesturing to the audience, speaking through a vocoder, posing in strange gestures. “A shrine maiden plays the game, flat screen sings with retro game consoles and the audiences also play synthesiser controlled by touch panel,” Omodaka explains. “Kabuki began 400 years ago and there are more ancient performing arts in Japan. I would like to learn from other ancient Japanese art like noh.”

In a fittingly abstract summing up of his work, Omodaka sagely nods and delivers a Zen koan any ancient sage would be proud of: “My work is imagining and delusion of combination, I suppose.” WHO: Omodaka WHAT: Square Sounds WHEN & WHERE: Friday 15 and Saturday 16 February, Evelyn

SEIZE THE MOMENT Sometimes the best results come on the fly, unplanned, as Donavon Frankenreiter admits to Michael Smith on the making of album number five. didn’t have anything planned, and I didn’t know the record was just gonna take seven days or any of that stuff,” singer-songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter – on the line from his home in Hawaii recovering from two months on the road before the tour cycle begins all over again here in Australia – admits of his latest album, Start Livin’, cut just with his long-time bass player Matt Grundy.

“I “I believe 1950s rock‘n’roll is kinda underground these days and not many listen or dress like it, but those who do, they do it because it’s something unique and different and I like being different. I was about 12 years old when I first heard of rockabilly and my mind was blown away. I looked into it and just started getting obsessed with the ‘50s. It makes me real happy that there are still people from all over the world listening and supporting the music and lifestyle.” In closing, Cervantes tells the touching story of a life, quite literally, saved by music. It’s not something a lot of musicians would be willing to share, and it’s a feeling that comes through in The Desperados’ music, as well. “I never thought I’d be traveling the world,” he says. “I grew up in the ghetto where there were drugs, gangs and violence happening every day. I had to witness many things I wish I never saw. I couldn’t even afford any instruments, but I tried to avoid all that bad stuff by getting involved with music. I started my first band with instruments that we would borrow and had to return the same day, but luckily I picked up everything real quick and we started playing gigs that wouldn’t pay too much ‘til finally we were able to get our own equipment and here we are now, rockin’ all over the world. I have to thank the owner of the record label, Mr Reb Kennedy from Wild Records, my friends, fans and family because without their support I’d probably be involved with gangs, dead or in jail. I really want people to get more involved with music because music really does save lives, it saved mine and it can save yours.” WHO: The Desperados WHEN & WHERE: Friday 15 to Sunday 17 February, Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival, Camp Street and surrounding venues, Ballarat

“But the first day that we went in there, we recorded the song, Shine, and we had this kind of formula that, you know, me and Matt sat in the room, I played the acoustic and sang and he picked up an instrument and accompanied me on that and sang back-ups, and that was sort of what I told him, that at least I wanted to get out of recording… All these other records I’ve ever done, you built the track up and it’s like, ‘Okay now, go sing on this polished, you know, done track,’ and I always just felt that was kinda difficult for me. I’m used to always playing guitar and singing – and I love recording and experimenting – but it was, why can’t we all sit in a room and I sing and play and do this as a live take?” So that’s just what Frankenreiter did – no real plan, just the two of them in a room, press play and see what was captured. The result, Start Livin’, couldn’t have been fresher – Grundy heard the songs for the first time in the studio – and though the pair then layered up sounds on tracks as they felt they heard them, a banjo here, a mandolin there, it’s a pretty raw, honest representation of Frankenreiter’s music as most of us experience it, live and intimate. It was an approach that suited the lyrical content of the nine songs on this latest collection perfectly, their warmth reflecting the warm, comfortable place in which Frankenreiter now finds himself, happily married, two kids, fabulous home on the Hawaiian island of Kauai; a life equal parts family, music and surfing. “I had a great time in the studio and the songs were fun to sing and play, and they felt fresh to me, too. I don’t know if I did that on purpose or not, but I would write a song and I’d feel like it was complete and

then I would just leave it alone,” he explains. “When I came around to sing it again and I came around to play it, it wasn’t like I had all these preconceived notions about how I wanted it to sound. I wrote the song and I barely knew it enough to play it through, and [Matt] learned it and then we recorded it. “For me, I’ve been married now for, what, 12 years. I’ve got two kids and certainly there was a sort of a theme [on the record]. The passing of [American surfing legend] Andy Irons [from an overdose] – I wrote a song about him called A.I. – and it was just the feelings I’d had since he passed, and that song, it was weird, I sat down and that song wrote itself in five minutes, and it was just, like, emotions that came out. And I just feel like, I turned 40 this year too – I can remember when I was 20 – so that song, Start Livin’ was sort of like the basis of what the vibe of the record was, for me at least, just enjoyin’ the moment; you know, livin’ in the moment. And mostly you can, ‘cause it just goes by so quick.” WHO: Donavon Frankenreiter WHAT: Start Livin’ (Liberator) WHEN & WHERE: Friday 15 February, Woolshed Pub, Docklands (6pm), Prince (9.30pm); Saturday 16, Portsea Hotel (6.30pm), Westernport Hotel, San Remo (10.30pm); Sunday 17, Lorne Hotel (3pm), Torquay Hotel (6.30pm)


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29


SINGLED OUT WITH STEPHANIE LIEW

ON THE RECORD

GOSTELERADIO Albion Independent

Milwaukee Music/MGM Imagine an amalgamation of every middle-ofthe-road song that ever featured in a pre-AFL Grand Final montage. Slow it down a tad. Add some country-rock leanings. And that’s about the extent of this song. (Fittingly, it features on the upcoming AFL-themed film Blinder.)

FALL OUT BOY My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) Universal Patrick Stump’s emo-R&B vocals (and his rock’n’roll screech in the chorus), stadium-sized drums, Pete Wentz’s perpetually teenage ‘poetry’, the everpresent references to ‘the dark’ (probably their favourite allusion/two-word combination), those damn high production values. Yes. Welcome back. Fall Out Boy have never felt like they owe their fans anything (remember how divisive their commercial breakthrough Infinity On High was?) and certainly don’t give a shit about ‘the scene’ or being called sell-outs, etc. Their transition from pop punk to pop rock was not a sign of inauthenticity; quite the contrary. You can hear Stump getting more soulful with each album; Jay-Z featured on Infinity On High opener Thriller, an obvious sign of things to come. In the film clip for My Songs Know... we see rapper 2 Chainz setting fire to FOB’s old albums, which maybe suggests that the FOB we once knew is gone. Despite the genre they lean towards, they’ll still sound like themselves. The fact that people are taking the time to swing flak at FOB means they’ve still got something to offer. In any case, they’re a long way off doing ads for KFC.

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN

A Nigerian Retrospective: 1966-79

La Costa Perdida

Cooperative/Universal

Soundway/Fuse

429/Universal

Ten albums in, Eels look to relaunch themselves with Wonderful, Glorious. It’s been just over two years since the band completed a trilogy of releases, a sequence finished with the somewhat optimistic Tomorrow Morning. But much of that optimism seems to have evaporated for Mark Everett Oliver, aka E, as he resolves to tell it like it is on the album’s opener and mission statement Bombs Away. Over a menacing groove, E growls he’s ‘tired of being complacent’. But having built the tension nicely, the band stop short of producing an explosive pay-off to the song and it’s this failure to let things take flight that almost seems representative of the entire album, one that threatens to go off but is then reined in.

Sure he looks freakishly like Bernie Mac from Oceans Eleven, but Nigerian Tunji Oyelana is one of the lesserknown artists who were creating compelling and idiosyncratic music in Lagos in the late ‘60s and ‘70s. In the west, the imposing spectre of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti tends to obscure the work of pretty much every other Nigerian artist, yet in the last decade a number of compilations have highlighted that there was a lot more really good music being made during this golden period.

Camper Van Beethoven first started peddling their distinctive brand of collegiate rock back in the early‘80s, blending disparate strains of rock, ska, country, folk and Middle Eastern sounds into one fun and esoteric melange. They broke for most of the ‘90s, and La Costa Perdida is just their second collection of originals since their return – with 2004’s sprawling treatise, New Roman Times – and seventh overall (not counting their 2002 remake of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk).

Oyelana has appeared on a couple of Strut and Soundway collections, but this double CD collection really demonstrates the diversity of an artist, who was equally skilled at afro funk, juju, reggae, highlife, afro rock and of course Afrobeat. Oyelana was a singersongwriter, actor, comedian and academic, and this kind of relentless diversity comes across in his music which refuses to be pigeonholed. In fact, it was this point that gave rise to the name of his backing band The Benders, due to their ability to blend and bend musical styles. His Afrobeat was on peer with Kuti, urgent and energetic, yet where Kuit was overtly political, Oyelana was more ethereal, utilising traditional Yoruba folklore as a source of inspiration. Yet for Oyelana, Afrobeat was only the beginning; he refused to be limited, he wanted to do everything. What’s remarkable is the consistency and quality of the music, not to mention that it’s taken this long for his music to be appreciated in the west

Many of the more idiosyncratic kinks of yore have been toned down now, at times making them sound akin to frontman David Lowery’s more straightforward country-rock band Cracker – although Jonathan Segel’s violin squalls are still in evidence as a familiar touchstone. Ostensibly an album about their former stomping ground of northern California, what really links these ten tracks are Lowery’s oft-eccentric lyrics, the sometimes abstract arrangements and the innate chemistry that still exists between the players. It’s a meandering and cruisy listen, far more subdued than we’re used to, but it flows nicely – only the ska-infused Peaches In The Summertime really lifts the tempo. Elsewhere the acerbic Too High For The Love-in, the languid Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out, the sprawling, sun-kissed Northern Californian Girls, the beautifully schizophrenic Summer Days and the softly rollicking title track all recall former glories.

If you’re ready to move beyond the cult of Kuti, into a more complex and frequently surprising yet highly funky realm, then Oyelana is the man for you.

Maturity and craftsmanship mightn’t necessarily suit Camper Van Beethoven as much as their former more impulsive, spontaneous and slightly surreal persona, but La Costa Perdida is nonetheless a strong effort, and it’s great to have them still around making music. A merely good album from a still great band.

VD

D

Rise

TUNJI OYELANA

Wonderful, Glorious

D

FARRAN JONES

LIVE

EELS

VD

“British invasion psych-pop”, as it’s self-described, is pretty spot on for Albion. It’s initially very Beatleslite with its jaunty, short piano and guitar chords and harmonised “ahh”s down to the large-room quality of the vocals – until meaty bass introduces a psych riff breakdown, which is unexpected yet flows sublimely. A heavenly half-time verse follows and if you weren’t floating before you will be by now.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some great moments here. Kinda Fuzzy delivers some wicked jagged blues and second single New Alphabet has a swampy, Tom Waits-esque vibe. Some quiet moments also shine, like the beautifully bleak On The Ropes and happier I’m Building A Shrine. The problem is the sequencing, though, as each time the album builds some momentum they throw in a quiet track to bring it to a halt. And thematically, the notion of E unleashing his opinions goes out the door after the first track. Instead we’re left with E’s usual themes of describing past heartbreaks (True Original) and times when he’s been beaten down (The Turnaround). There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s what Eels are all about, but it wasn’t what was promised at the start and as a result this album falls a little flat. It has some good moments but feels more like a collection slapped together as nothing moulds it into a cohesive whole.

Bob Baker Fish

Paul Barbieri

Steve Bell

THE LITTLE STEVIES Thunder MGM The crystal clear vocals of sisters Byll and Beth Stephens ring out over the sparse yet deep drums, the understated rippling of piano keys, brush of guitar strings and bell-like keyboard tones. Less folk, more dark pop, The Little Stevies have found an edge, an enigmatic sensuality that was never quite attained previously. Aptly, the verses of Thunder are like the calm before the storm that is the chorus.

TARMAC ADAM Chalk On Slate Myspherical Tarmac Adam is the baby of local singer-songwriter Matt O’Donnell, and features Crowded House bassist Nick Seymour. The song is a perfectly acceptable slice of indie pop; it’s catchy, it’s boppy... it just doesn’t get to where you hope it would. It’s missing spark, vibrancy, conviction. A modern spin rooted in pop influences of days past, it peaks a third of the way in (and it goes for under three minutes) and leaves you lukewarm by the end.

ENERATE Unstoppable The A&R Department Some men are not made to sing falsetto, and that’s okay, Josh Graham. Sure, it worked for Passion Pit, but that doesn’t mean it will work for you just because your music takes some cues from them. However, the combination of lo-fi synths, 8-bit ‘video game jump’ noises and traditional drums in this electro-pop ditty results in geeky meets twee in the best way.

COHEED & CAMBRIA

JESSIE WARE

LIVINGSTONE DAISIES

The Afterman: Descension

Devotion

Don’t Know What Happiness Is

V2/Cooperative

Universal

Popboomerang

The ever-evolving and complex storylines on Coheed & Cambria albums have failed to disguise The Afterman: Descension’s very human, beating heart.

After a bunch of star turns on tracks by dubstep-centric leaders such as SBTRKT and Joker, 28-year-old Jessie Ware has given us a complete body of work that defines her as so much more than some pipes for hire.

They kind of give the game away early on; the tracklisting split into side A and side B, eight songs, just over 40 minutes. The Livingstone Daisies know the traditions of the classic pop record, and set about making one of their own.

Wrapped up in sometimes punishing rock (Gravity’s Union) or softer, more melodic but equally intricate tunes (Iron Fist), the band this time around have been able to completely integrate very real emotions into their science-fiction fantasy world. The Afterman: Descension is part of a two album set that began last year with The Afterman: Ascension – a lean, tightlypacked expansion on the story of Sirius Amory, a new character in the story of The Amory Wars (the defining saga that propels most Coheed & Cambria output). While the guitars wail and scream and the drums pound away here, this otherworldly character sings lines like, “Honey, release my heart if you go” and “There is no weight that can bury us beneath the ghosts of all my guilt here in the dark side of me”. For the most, part these songs are accessible and easily digestible, allowing you deeper into their world on each listen, but certainly not shutting you out if you’re not interested in cosmonauts and ‘The Keywork’. Even the proggier tendencies of the band have been sharpened into something a lot neater and more efficient. And though the effect may be a little overbearing, it’s not hard to imagine a double-disc release of these two albums attracting more than just the die-hard fans. Though the original epic Amory Wars albums released by the band had their moments, Coheed & Cambria have finally let go of their indulgent tendencies and are all the better for it. Danielle O’Donohue

30 • For more reviews go to themusic.com.au/reviews

On Devotion, the Brit channels the sounds of vocalists such as Sade Adu and Dido. However, things never feel expected, due in part to the record’s production, which mixes early-‘90s sparseness with the sort of live band soul found in pockets all across London’s East End. And the songs are versatile. This is romance put to reel, no question, but there are tears in this voice. Ware holds a restrained power – her vocals forceful yet never overpowering – and the ease with which she manages to generate emotion is humbling, the simplest pitch shift enough to elicit shivers. From the moment that synth-driven wash hits you on the opening title track – the sounds gliding in and around your ears like fish swimming in a bowl – you’re immersed in this record. It might be designed as relaxing but you can’t help but concentrate and take notice. Wildest Moments is an empowering anthem about stepping away from a fragmented love, while Night Light manages to take an item directly associated with one’s childhood and twist it into an adult metaphor that hits home. And when Ware questions, “Who says no to love?” mid-album, you quickly find yourself pondering the same sentiment. Devotion manages to offer an intelligent take on female soul without any chart-topping cheese and over fraught clichés. If you want a voice of clarity, reason and truth, then sit back and let Jessie Ware glide right over you. Benny Doyle

In the hands of The Walker Brothers – in this case Melbourne’s Van and Cal – they make songs that do the job, not many over the requisite four minutes. There’s usually a whole story, mostly of love coming or going, before the repeat to fade. They even get the right people to complete the band: Liz Stringer adds the necessary female counterpoint in music and voice, and the drummer can sing a bit, too – along with the Paul Kelly and Weddings Parties Anything credits after Michael Barclay’s name. All’s there to serve the songs. From Wednesday’s neatly wrought announcement that the relationship is done, but the life has to go on; “I’m leaving home… The bins go out on Wednesday”, they know how to express the feeling, big and little. Van’s just-gruff-enough-butso-honest voice has the ability to make something as potentially trite as Redhead’s ”Your eyes are blue/ And the sky is too” have real affection to them. Through Blue Solitude’s Beach Boys harmony wigout that takes it to its end, the almost alt.country quieter hurt of Safety In Numbness, or the slightly frayed layers of Keep Searching, they just make it sound easy, and right. Insert all the right power pop names – if you know any – and add Livingstone Daisies to them. Pop of the old school, and damn good at it. Ross Clelland


MARC ROMBOY & KEN ISHII

RIHANNA

TITUS ANDRONICUS

JAMIE LIDELL

Unapologetic

Local Business

Jamie Lidell

Taiyo

Island Def Jam

XL Recordings

Warp/Inertia

Systemic/Balance

Rihanna has long stopped caring what critics think of her and this album’s title and arresting cover proclaim that. Unapologetic, her seventh studio album, maintains the Barbadian babe’s recent predilection for dubstep beats and electronic dance music. Its release, just one year after Talk That Talk, preserves the hard-working cover girl’s trend of dropping an album every year. Lucky for fans, this album seems less hastily assembled.

You’d be forgiven for assuming that a band pinching their name from a Shakespeare play would be some highbrow classical mob, but New Jersey noisemakers Titus Andronicus sure aren’t classical. They’ve probably been guilty of verging on highbrow before – their 2010 sophomore effort The Monitor was a brilliant concept narrative set in the American Civil War – but not on their latest effort, Local Business. It’s a more strippedback affair than its predecessors – definitely more indie rock than punk over the journey – but one still as emotionally powerful as those visceral early efforts.

Throughout his career UK-cum-US vocalist Jamie Lidell has blithely shaken his rump in a musical no-man’s land between pop, dance, funk, soul and the ‘underground’. His 2008 album, Jim, skipped blissfully through the funkier side of ‘70s soul while the follow up, Compass, was directed into Prince-like areas under the playful eye of Beck. Taking a further step in that direction, his latest, eponymously-named album teases up its hair, squeezes into an electric blue leather suit and busts an early ‘80s funk that would have Rick James spinning on his crack pipe. Taking its cue from James, D-Train, The Gap Band and of course the Paisley one, Lidell has fully immersed himself in the analogue funk of the era, a sound that helped create modern R&B and house music.

You can hear the years of experience in the precision of the sounds on Taiyo. Everything is measured for maximum effect; everything has its place and purpose. Though surely that’s what you’d expect when two veterans of the techno scene get together. German DJ/ producer and label owner (Systematic Recordings) Marc Romboy is known for his distinctive brand of tech house, for his leanings towards an old-school Chicago/Detroit sound, and his search for soul in his electronic music productions. Japanese techno legend Ken Ishii, meanwhile, has always had a desire to produce creative alternative techno, offering up some really experimental groundbreaking structures, yet still retaining that banging techno groove. So aside from a shared love of glory days Detroit, what we’ve got is banging techno with both experimental and melodic flourishes. There’s a certain retro feel to the beats, however, there’s also some complexity, something that Ishii has always been keen to develop. In fact there’s a real desire to move beyond tried and true approaches. The eight-minutes-plus title track is a case in point. There’s all kinds of strange sounds flying under what is a relatively conventional techno beat, but midway these really curious hypnotic ethereal Zen-like tones are introduced and take the music into a whole new realm. With weird skittering beats, and bits of field recordings interacting with synth lines, this is really interesting, forward-thinking techno music that still manages to pack a punch. Bob Baker Fish

The first half pulses with club beats. Diamonds, with its catchy chorus and Right Now featuring David Guetta, are among the LP’s best. Eminem’s 30-second snippet on the neuron-killingly repetitive Numb is a weak followup to their previous collaborations. The rap may be Eminem’s worst and is followed, extremely inanely, by a song with an identical tempo. The album’s second half is much more varied. What Now showcases the singer’s growing vocal strength. Nobody’s Business featuring Chris Brown is a feel good duet with a disco tinge that recalls the upbeat mood of Rihanna’s first three albums. The lovebirds’ ‘fuck you’ to critics is reminiscent of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s response to naysayers on Something In Common. The album’s most unexpected lyrics come with a confession about spiritual frailties to Mother Mary and “Mister Jesus”. Some may lament the album’s chilled second half and the lack of musical surprise, but the sampling of multiple styles, including reggae and the erogenous R&B of Ginuwine’s Pony, make the album a worthwhile acquisition. From its cocksure and swaggerdripping opening track to the synth-silly final song, Unapologetic makes no apologies and requires none.

The album finds frontman and songwriter Patrick Stickles in an open and emotionally vulnerable frame of mind, delivering a set of his most honest and self-analytical lyrics to date. My Eating Disorder deals with his lifelong battle with the rare ‘selective eating disorder’ affliction, in Tried To Quit Smoking he admits “It’s not that I wanted to hurt you/I just didn’t care if I did”, while In A Big City finds him confessing “I grew up on one side of the river, I was a disturbed dangerous drifter/Moved over to the other side of the river, now I’m a drop in a deluge of hipsters”. Elsewhere, Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape With The Flood Of Detritus concerns a fatal car accident and how it affects (or fails to affect) those who immediately view the carnage, a telling treatise on the modern malaise. Local Business is another dose of inquisitive and insightful rock’n’roll from a band rapidly building a reputation as both strong songwriters and a fearsome live proposition – here’s hoping that Australian fans get to test that latter hypothesis soon.

But back to the music at hand, opening tracks I’m Selfish and Big Love create a sassy dancefloor maelstrom before being stripped right back to the raw, noisy, robotic sex machine thrusts of What A Shame. Production-wise Lidell shows no shame, happy to wield the cheesiest, most ridiculous of ‘80s synth riffology; the spirit of Roger Troutman is exhumed on Do Yourself A Favour’s vocoder refrains while the Moogs are allowed to run rampant on Lidell’s ode to taking responsibility for ones actions, Blaming Something, a rare moment of thematic restraint in a whirlwind of funky hedonism. The only time Lidell steps away from this glorious codpiece funk is on Why Ya Why, a weird rogue-botic N’awlins jazz swamp-stomp. Though fans of Sam Sparro would definitely find some joy in Jamie Lidell the album, this white boy’s voyage into jheri curl-juiced electro-funk is nowhere as commercial, and infinitely more enjoyable.

Steve Bell

Darren Collins

Jake Dennis

COHEED AND CAMBRIA VOLUME TWO OF DOUBLE ALBUM INSTORE NOW!

ALSO AVAILABLE

VOLUME ONE THE AFTERMAN: ASCENSION

TOURING w. CIRCA SURVIVE

SUNDAY APRIL 21 THE PALACE (18+)

For more reviews go to themusic.com.au/reviews • 31


32


FRONTROW@INPRESS.COM.AU

THIS WEEK IN

ARTS

WHEELY AND TRULY Pip Carroll of Melbourne Bikefest explains how the simplicity of a ride to the Coburg Drive-In with mates will resonate more than all the environmental rhetoric in the world. Simon Eales gets wheeled along.

Nick Cave by Ingvar Kenne

WEDNESDAY 13 22nd FlickerFest – a showcase of the local talent that featured in this year’s FlickerFest competition, it includes screenings of Yardbird, Dave’s Dead and Lois. Kino Cinemas, 6.30pm. Miss Bala – a Mexican drama film written and directed by Gerardo Naranjo. Based on the true story of a former Miss Hispanic America who was arrested for drug trafficking in 2008. This is a chilling look at northern Mexico’s relentless drug wars. The Shadow Electric: Abbotsford Convent, films commence at sundown.

THURSDAY 14 Citizen – an exhibition of portraits by photographer Ingvar Kenne and the launch of his new pictorial book, the subjects of Kenne’s portraits span across all facades of humanity (Nick Cave portrait pictured above). Opening and book signing, Edmund Pearce Gallery, 6pm, exhibiting to Saturday 9 March.

FRIDAY 15 The Queen, The Witch, The Mother – a work in progress showing off this new mini opera written by Zulya Kamalova and directed by Maude Davey for a singer and a live four piece ensemble. Revolt Productions, 7pm. Impro Melbourne – the city’s longest running improvised theatre company, this is the launch of their 2013 season, MCed by artistic director Jason Geary. The Space, 7.30pm. 4000 Miles – a play written by Amy Herzog and directed by Mark Pritchard. It explores the relationship between a grandson who can’t face his life and a grandmother who struggles to remember hers. Red Stitch Actors Theatre, 8pm; to Saturday 9 March. Constellations – a play written by Nick Payne and directed

ART NOT? OR

SPOTTED: Nicholson Street, Abbotsford. To continue the discussion head to @ frontrowSPA and tweet us

by Leticia Cáceres about the possibility that at any given moment several outcomes can coexist simultaneously. Performed by Alison Bell and Leon Ford. MTC, Arts Centre: Fairfax Studio, 4pm and 8.30pm; to Saturday 23 March.

SATURDAY 16 The Art Of Ringo Starr Exhibition – the first ever showing of Ringo Starr’s art in Australia, with over 40 of his individual pieces on display. Each image is formed from drawings Starr creates on his computer and all are individually hand signed by the artist. Ringo Starr, who is here for his Australian tour, will be making a guest appearance at the Opening, Silver K Gallery, to Sunday 28 April. The Summer Solo Series – a dance project produced by Joel Fenton, featuring 15 different dance performances from salsa to flamenco to hip hop. Gasworks Arts Park, 2pm and 7pm. Kiss Me Like You Mean It – a play written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Kate Shearman. This is a comedy about what the true meaning of what love is. The Owl and The Pussycat, 7.30pm; to Saturday 23 February.

What with changing her baby’s nappies and the upcoming 2013 Melbourne Bikefest, festival director Pip Carroll has a lot on her plate. We start our chat with her lamenting that her son “has decided that anytime he gets his nappy off is a good time to wee”. Let’s hope the weather’s less precipitous for the festival’s duration. Run by grass-roots bike advocacy group The Squeaky Wheel, Carroll says Bikefest is “an annual festival designed to celebrate bikes in everyday life. We want to create an experience for the bike rider who isn’t really interested in sport and to create a cultural space for your everyday, casual riding, because we think that that’s the kind of riding that has the biggest impact on sustainability, health and happiness.” It’s a simple ethos but, as Carroll

Raw Comedy – the fifth qualifying heat for this year’s Raw Comedy competition, MCed by Jeff Green and Kate McLennan. The Comics Lounge, 1pm. Tropfest 2013 – tonight the 16 finalists will screen their films live from Sydney so grab a picnic, your mates and make sure your alcohol is in plastic. This is a free event, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, 6pm.

TUESDAY 19

Pic by Reg Yugovic says, bike riding is a simple and beautiful thing. “The bike itself is one of those ingenious human inventions that allows us to propel ourselves. It is sustainable in the true sense of the word, in that it doesn’t need to change and will always exist. “And then, it just makes you really feel good. It’s like a drug. There are a lot of ways that a city can entrap you, but a bike can set you free,” she says, adding to a long history of great quotes about bike riding. The festival, though, is really “just a whole lot of fun, and a lot of it doesn’t have anything to do with riding!” she says, laughing. Nestled amongst the program of speed-dating sessions, picnics, tours, bike design shows, and maintenance workshops is an event for anyone: the Ride-In Movie. Riders meet leaders from bike tour

CH-CHCH-CHCHANGES

SUNDAY 17

x

Helmets are the new concession card during Transitions Film Festival at Cinema Nova.

Anthony Carew takes a look at the Transitions Film Festival, which sta starts this week, and separates the hot ffrom the warming.

Meet In The Middle – a collaborative exhibition of limited edition prints by Kyoko Imazu and Damon Kowarsky. Opening night, Atrium Gallery, 6pm, exhibiting to Monday 1 April. Beyond the Transitions Film Festival’s horrendous title – its banal euphemism making me feel like this is a collection of corporate videos given to the recently downsized – is a programming strain that holds great artistic, cinematic and humanist possibilities. The Human Rights Film Festival has quickly become one of the highlights of the local cinematic calendar, and Transitions – now in its second year – is sketching out a similar place, collecting films based around themes of sustainability, climate change and social change.

Pip Carroll

The big draw in the program is the Australian premiere of Promised Land, which comes loaded with celebrity: Gus Van Sant directing a screenplay penned by stars Matt Damon and John Krasinski, with Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt and Hal Holbrook along for the prestigepicture ride. The film is effectively the romantic Hollywood fictionalisation of all Josh Fox uncovered in Gasland; the obligatory fracking movie finding Damon as gas industry stooge arriving in picturesque small-town America, out to rent out farmland for corporate

group Bikefun at Rushall Station and journey up along Merri Creek to have a bite and catch a flick at the Coburg Drive-In cinema. “There’ll be people there that are really experienced in group ride situations,” Carroll says. “If you’re a new rider, or you’re not really confident on the roads, it’s good to ride in a group. [Riding with other people] is also just a great way to get to know your neighbours and people in your community – you know, share resources and share ideas – which, hey, is also the most important thing in achieving more sustainable communities.” Films showing are yet to be announced but you’ll know for sure that you can canoodle with that special friend without a hand-brake getting in the way. Melbourne is undoubtedly already sympathetic to the biker

mindset, which looks to integrate everyday lifestyle and universal change for good. Bikefest aims to foster this mission. As Carroll puts it, “Humans are complex characters. If you only appeal to someone’s rational intellect, saying it’s more rational to do this, or it’s better for the environment and you put a whole lot of statistics forward, we don’t necessarily respond to that as humans. We respond to experiences that are engaging and memorable.” Through simple, beautiful events like one involving a pedal with friends to watch a movie, Bikefest continues to capture hearts, as well as get them pumping.

he’ss charm charmed by the drilling. Instead, he righteous resistance of the locals, conscience, undergoes a crisis of consc and turns on his corporate overlords. messageIt’s a noble theme for a me blithely movie, but the picture is bl mediocre, breezy and dramatically me stars making the natural charms of its st meaningful. it watchable, but not mean

Elemental focuses on three specific agents of social change, and has a more classic documentary feel; the time spent on the ground with Rajendra Singh (out to restore the Ganges to a non-toxic state), Jay Harman (an engineer and entrepreneur working to create machines that can clear the atmosphere and, thus, fight global warming), and Eriel Deranger (a First Nation activist opposing the idiocy of the Alberta Tar Sands, the insane undertaking that is akin to Man The Oil Addict’s shooting-up-directly-intothe-eyeball phase) making this film both powerfully political and personal.

Occupy Love comes with a festguest introduction from its director, documentarian wandering Canadian docum Velcrow Ripper, last seen oon local Sacred, a screens with Scared Sacre hhand-held, d h ld on-the-ground th d ttour of Ground Zero sites the globe over. Here, he camps out with resistance movements, framing the Occupy insurrections as a love story, with that kind of wilful humanism persisting throughout. Ripper’s narrative persona can sometimes come across as platitude-driven, but by simply being in these spaces his camera captures all kinds of moments of poignant humanism; and a range of interview subjects enliven discussion, especially ‘degrowth’ economist Charles Eisenstein, who manages to convey the current state of late-capitalist society in a succession of brilliantlydevised metaphors and images. Who Cares? is a chronicle of ‘social entrepreneurs’; individuals whose modus operandi is as rallying figure, inspiring cultural change through channels traditionally associated with corporate growth. It’s a fascinating field-of-endeavour, but Mara Mourão’s documentary is, at best, a well-meaning trifle; its New Agey aesthetic and TV-special delivery turning cultural radicalism into softly-lensed feelgoodism.

WHAT: Melbourne Bikefest WHEN & WHERE: Thursday 14 February to Saturday 9 March, various locations

And the Oscar-nominated Chasing Ice goes on-the-ground – or, I guess, on-the-floes – as it follows James Balog, a nature photographer whose work documenting the melting of the world’s glaciers has become a prime piece of Climate Change evidence. There’s lots of common themes that arise across the Transitions program – unchecked corporate power, righteous resistance, Tar Sands, the Arab Spring, Twitter, love – but Global Warming is the biggest; just as it is, undoubtedly, the biggest issue of our time. WHAT: Transitions Film Festival WHEN & WHERE: Friday 15 February to Saturday 23, Federation Square, ACMI and Cinema Nova

GIVEAWAY We have three double passes to give away to Promised Land (Sunday 17 February) and Occupy Love (Thursday 21 February). For your chance to win stalk the Inpress Facebook.

To check out the mags online go to themusic.com.au/mags • 33


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REVIEWS

C U LT U R A L

WAT C H I N G

GIRLS

ONE MAN’S TRASH E5, S2 This Week On Girls? Hannah has a fling with Joshua (Patrick Wilson) and realises her greatest need is “to be happy”. Joshua (not Josh) is a 42-year-old, married/ separated doctor with a fridge stocked with lemonade (real deal, mom and pop, cottage-industry produced lemonade). He begs her to stay (genuinely), makes her cum and nurses her when she faints in the shower. Has Hannah really discovered what she wanted in life by getting a glimpse of it in actuality? Girl Talk Of The Week? Hannah: “I want what everyone wants. I want

PONYDANCE’S ANYBODY WAITIN’? DANCE This Irish dance foursome are cute, funny, energetic and folks are going mad for them. Anybody Waitin’? is a madcap romp and great fun but the show felt short and somewhat thin and underdeveloped. Ponydance (hailing from a place called Sallynoggin; that must help) camp it up with lots of audience participation, but they’re slow to get off the ground and rely on standard tricks and teases that have become mainstream, eg. grabbing drinks from members of the audience and taking sips, sitting on people’s knees or making them squirm through pseudo lap dances. Anybody Waitin’? morphs into a

what they all want. I want all the things. I just want to be happy. ” Shirtless Adam Watch? Okay, again with no Adam but Joshua (Patrick Wilson) sure suffices… wowza, what a bod. Girl On Top? Hannah for taking the initiative to kiss a stranger (Joshua) in his kitchen. And, for bearing herself in a refreshing, no-bullshit tête-à-tête about her deep loneliness and desire to be happy. What We Learnt: Ray is very grumpy. Maybe that’s why the cafe is called Grumpy’s? Cassandra Fumi Screening every Monday night, 8.30pm, Showcase

THE DARK PARTY COMEDY

hilarious gay disco with queeny dramatics but repeats itself with Total Eclipse of the Heart. It’s a crowd-pleaser and gets belly laughs but this is comic dance that doesn’t go far enough. Given the troupe’s name you might expect a moment’s pisstake of the Gangnam Style YouTube clip – a missed opportunity. Liza Dezfouli The Famous Spiegeltent, Arts Centre

The Dark Party by The Dirty Brothers is a mad, freaky comic side show: A Tokyo Shock Boy sort of horrible, physically challenging thing performed by a set of lugubrious characters slowly egging each other on to progressively more painful stunts. Grim surprises are in store with The Dark Party and the shtick here differs from the usual in this sample of ‘sideshow noir’. Some traditional tricks like sword swallowing feature alongside the use of alarming things like electric saws and staple guns. You know how heavy a bowling ball is? Or a car battery? Shudder. You’ll have to see for yourself what they do with them. To look at, The Dirty

RUMOUR HAS IT: SIXTY MINUTES INSIDE ADELE CABARET In today’s celebrity culture there’s nothing more revitalising than a ‘star’ with a sense of irony and a knack for self-deprecation – and Naomi Price as Adele has more than her fair share of both these qualities. She’s wonderfully engaging for the hour-long performance and, even if it’s only a parody, does more for the case of the modern day diva than Beyonce ever has. Her irreverence is made all the more funny by her sense of place and occasion, and she is perfectly crass and crude for the entire show. Her repartee is only punctured by her soulful voice. Even for those who aren’t self-confessed Adele fans, there’s

Brothers resemble the zombies of Split Enz with a ‘homeless gothic’ retro punky aesthetic. This lot are seasoned carnies and their timing and confidence are nicely tuned. The Dark Party is an original show, both appalling and funny. Liza Dezfouli The Famous Spiegeltent, Arts Centre to Saturday 16 February hardly an unrecognisable lyric sung and the audience can’t help but be drawn into the performance. Undoubtedly those who aren’t all that au fait with Adele’s music will find themselves searching ‘Adele live’ next time they’re on YouTube. The similarities between their voices are unmistakable, but what is even more incredible is the way Price manages to capture all the intricacies of an Adele performance. Her dress, movements and mannerisms are uncannily similar to her real-life counterpart. Price is wonderfully supported by her band, who, in true diva style, she ensures never have an opportunity to steal her spotlight. Tim Robertson Chapel Off Chapel Part of StageArt Xposed

ART S TA R T E R

Five minutes with

CRAIG SCHUFTAN What are you reading at the moment? Ben Sisario’s book on The Pixies’ Doolittle. I’m only 20 pages in but I’ve already learned over a dozen things about this band – one of my favourites – that I never knew. Sisario dives right into the existential horror of songs like Bone Machine, but never shies away from the fact that this terrifying music was put together by outwardly normal people playing unremarkable chords. In other words, he understands that the secret of the Pixies’ success has as much to do with normal/weird/normal as with the more famous quiet/loud/quiet.

Who is your favourite author? Robert Hughes. He was an Australian art writer, TV presenter and historian, who worked for many years as Time magazine’s in-house art critic. It’s no exaggeration to say that his The Shock of the New changed my life when I read it for the first time in 1991. What literary character do you relate to the most? I wish I wasn’t, but I’m pretty sure I’m the narrator of Dostoyevsky’s Notes from Underground. Always reasoning my way out of doing stuff and being disappointed as a result, trying to console myself by telling myself that I did nothing because I’m smart, but secretly – or not so secretly – wishing I was the kind of person who could

34 • For more reviews go to themusic.com.au/reviews

act spontaneously, a man of action! Have you ever read a Mills & Boon book? No. All those men of action on the covers put me off. Where did you write the majority of this book? On a succession of kitchen and dining room tables in a series of apartments situated along the M1 tram line in Berlin, Germany. At a cafe in Sydney with an unopened motel-room style container of jam in front of me and a desultory playlist of early 2000s chill music circulating on the stereo. What can the audience expect for The Toff in town book launch? It’s a lecture with a soundtrack, about alternative rock in the ‘90s. It’s about why we make music, what rock’n’roll

is for, and why it starts out good and ends badly. It features 15 bands, 128 songs, four theories of historical decline and five good reasons why self-expression sucks. WHAT: Craig Schuftan: Give It Away WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday 13 February, The Toff In Town GIVEAWAY: To win a double pass stalk the Inpress Facebook

CRINGE

WITH REBECCA COOK With Valentine’s Day upon us, Cringe is turning her attention to romance or perhaps more specifically the business of matchmaking. Last week the Federal Arts Minister, Simon Crean, announced the Wheeler Centre’s Fiona Menzies as the first Chief Executive Officer of the new single agency to drive business investment in the arts – Creative Partnerships Australia. The new agency replaces the Australia Business Arts Foundation and Artsupport Australia. Menzies will have her work cut out for her. Recent ABS stats show donations to cultural organisations by businesses and private individuals has declined from $82 million in 2009-’10 to $59.5 million in 2011-’12. “Private philanthropy and sponsorship is vital for the growth and durability of the cultural industries and enables artists and organisations to plan for the future and produce highquality, challenging and relevant work,” said Minister Crean, in making the appointment. Picking up this Valentine’s vibe, perhaps arts organisations need to make themselves more appealing to prospective businesses and philanthropic funds to at least score a first date. For example, instead of looking so keen, arts organisations should play it cooler – ‘Hey, we’ve got 19 fully cushioned seats, we don’t need your money, but if you really insist…’ They could also tart themselves up a bit – make an effort. A case in point is BalletLab’s new show And All Things Return To Nature Tomorrow, which combines dance with a score by internationally regarded composer Dr Garth Paine, clothing by

TRAILER

Melbourne designer Susan Dimasi from Materialbyproduct, and stage design from architect Matthew Bird. The performance is also a participant in the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program. Although, maybe it does come across as a little too eager to please – half the performance is completely nude. And I guess there are some parts of the performance that would be best left out of any online dating profile. Such as choreographer Phillip Adams’ part of the show is based on his experiences in The Integratron, an acoustically perfect tabernacle in the Mojave Desert built in the 1950s near a supposed UFO landing site, and his research into alien abduction. And I guess the show could be considered a little needy – members of the audience are incorporated into the performance, “participating in an architectural build of the set, and then are reclined into the installation, surrendering to an abduction experience”, according to the presser. No doubt Menzies will be looking into all of this as well as the rise of crowd-funding platforms such as Pozible in her new role. In brief, if you don’t have an official matchmaker, you’re single and looking for an interesting way to meet new potential love interests, then hop along to Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) on Thursday 14 February for a special late-night opening of the Desire Lines exhibition in cahoots with dating for a cause, charity Five In Five. The organisation challenges single people to go on five dates in five weeks and raise funds to break the cycle of social disadvantage. There’ll be champagne, sweets, door prizes as well as a bar, DJs and, presumably, dancing.

TRASH

WITH GUY DAVIS As we begin this edition of Trailer Trash, I hope you’ll allow me a wee bit of promotion for a worthy cause. No, I’m not talking about giving blood or donating organs... Although I suppose those things are helpful in their own ways. What I’m pushing here is a big-screen, open-air treat for Melbourne moviegoers. Film buffs of the fair city will undoubtedly be aware of the Rooftop Cinema – c’mon, you’ve all seen the ads where groovers gravitate to that venue under the stars to drink an imported beer and impress their date with their appreciation of Trainspotting or some such. Look, I’m being unfairly snarky for the sake of a cheap laugh here; the Rooftop Cinema is actually very cool and regularly screens quality stuff. And one such work of quality is the locally-made Exit, a slow-burn psychological drama in which the city is a maze and a handful of obsessives are searching everywhere for the way out. It’s showing at the Rooftop Cinema on Tuesday 19 February, and I highly recommend you give it a whirl. Visit their website for ticketing details, and tell them Guy sent you. No, wait, it’s the internet, it can’t comprehend such a comment... Yet. (Full disclosure: Exit was penned by my friend Martyn Pedler, a very smart cookie and a much better writer than I am. Can I say we’re friends, Martyn? I like to think we are, especially after the time we shared at that underground fight club.) Moving on, let me ask you a question about the upcoming Academy Awards: do you give a fuck? Nope, me neither. I mean, I

know award ceremonies like the Oscars, the Golden Globes (well, not the Globes so much; although their freewheeling, party-hearty approach is making them increasingly more fun) and the like have their place in the grand scheme of showbiz things but, honestly, it’s just starting to feel like the same titles and the same names are getting trotted out again and again. When was the last time you were surprised by a nominee in any high-profile Academy Awards category? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be happy if (okay, when) Daniel Day-Lewis takes home his little golden bowling trophy for his remarkable portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. And I’ll admit to being interested in whether the voters will go for Zero Dark Thirty’s Jessica Chastain or Silver Lining Playbook’s Jennifer Lawrence... Or whether Amour’s Emmanuelle Riva will swoop in and scoop up the Best Actress statue. (I’m gonna say Chastain at this stage.) But something that got me thinking recently was whether something like the Oscars – which remains the benchmark of motion quality to the general public – is out to reward quality craftsmanship or ‘important’ filmmaking. I ask this because there’s been a little bit of Argo backlash as of late, with some pundits suggesting that it’s unworthy of all the praise it’s been receiving. That’s bullshit, of course. Ben Affleck’s film may not be fodder for op-ed writers in the way Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty or even Django Unchained is, but it’s a superbly put-together piece of mainstream cinema. To disrespect that is foolish in the extreme.


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Sam Twyford-Moore

A TEXTCRAZED NIGHT Staying up all night trying to wr is nothing new; but doing it write in a public space? Our nocturnal correspondent Paul Ransom ggets up in the afternoon to chat w with Sam Twyford-Moore about White Night event All Nighter.

“Look, I think we all get inspired at night,” says Sam Twyford-Moore from a campervan in New Zealand. Far from positing any vampiric notions of daylight avoidance, Twyford-Moore is speaking in his capacity as director of the Emerging Writers’ Festival and making particular reference to the aptly monikered upcoming nocturnal literary marathon that is All Nighter. Unsurprisingly the idea here is that a roomful of scribes sit up all night tapping away, geeing each other up and tuning into what their fellow writers have to read out. It’s all part of White Night Melbourne on the weekend of 23 and 24 February, the multi-event overnight spectacle that aims to transform the city into an up-late playground of food, film, art and light. More than that though, All Nighter is also about the romantic mythology of the late-night writer.

“I think this has something very basic to do with writing, which is that it can be hard to concentrate on,” Twyford-Moore theorises. “And so the night, when most people are asleep in bed, or out having a wild time, can be a really productive period for a writer because they can just be left alone. But I wouldn’t wanna take away from that certain mythic quality that the night, the dark, the moon and the stars all possess.” Whether they care to admit or not, writers can be, well, a little precious and bitchy. (My aphorism is better than yours.) So how is putting them in room for a whole night going to work? Will they get anything done? Sure that the night will prove productive, Twyford-Moore says, “When writers get into the zone, they can really concentrate and get a lot of work done. I’ve seen it happen.”

However, there will be additional distractions. All Nighter will feature hourly performances from some well-known literary types, including Luke Ryan, Lawrence Leung and Briohny Doyle. An open mic will also give participants to chance to share their gems. In addition, a 12 hour playlist selected by the bods at The Lifted Brow will enhance the mood. “White Night might see our writers challenged,” Twyford-Moore admits. “There could possibly be a general audience who might come in to see the performances. But I hope the performances will inspire the writers too, and they might get inspired by the crowd too; details to describe, things to add to their work.” Apart from serving as an inspiration and networking opportunity, All Nighter will doubtless be an outlet for caffeine addicts to indulge their passion. After all, writers need stimulation, right? Good thing the Emerging Writers’ Festival folk have already thought of coffee solutions. Although not wanting to directly address the wider literary drug intake question, Twyford-Moore is quite prepared to talk about the morning after. “I would love it if a bunch of writers went out for breakfast on Sunday morning,” he muses. “I have no idea how I’m going to be feeling; but I might be up for a big cook up and a chat about how it all went. I just hope my body clock will keep up through it all.” The spectacle of a gaggle of redeyed wordsmiths shambling out of the Wheeler Centre with their laptop bags and stumbling into nearby cafes will surely be something to, erm, write home about. (Oh yeah – my pun is bigger than yours.) WHAT: All Nighter WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 23 February, White Night Melbourne, Wheeler Centre

UGLY TRUTHS

Twenty-five years on, Stephen Sewell’s Hate is a play as relevant as it’s ever been. Sarah Braybrooke chats with actor William Zappa about tapping into the “visceral rage” that underlies Australian political discourse.

“It reads like it was written yesterday. There will be a number of prominent Australians who think it was written about them, because in some fundamental ways, Australia hasn’t changed a bit.” It’s been nearly a quarter of a century since Stephen Sewell wrote the political drama Hate but, as his words this week show, he’s still confident that his play about power, corruption and abuse in Australia’s elite would be sufficiently close to home to make a few contemporary Australian figures feel distinctly uncomfortable. William Zappa, who plays John Gleason, the lead role in the MTC’s new production, agrees. “It’s incredibly relevant today… It was written just after the big economic crash of the ‘80s, and of course we’ve now had the GFC. There have also been corruption cases going on all over the place,

politicians tearing at each others throats, politicians mocking each other. So it is incredibly pertinent.” Zappa outlines the story. “It’s about a politician and his family gathered together for Easter. There’s a very large family business, and in one way or another they’re all corrupt… They’re all trapped by a storm that’s come in and flooded the rivers and brought telephone lines down. [While they are] trapped there they start to tear at each other,” he laughs wryly. “It’s quite an interesting display of human animal behaviour.” The play was composed by Sewell at the request of the Bicentennial Commission, which in 1988 commemorated 200 years of white settlement in Australia. Does this date it at all? Zappa doesn’t think so. “Let’s put it this way: it was

considered a really bold move to ask Stephen to write for that event,” he says. “He wears his politics on his sleeve, so it was quite a dangerous and daring thing to do. And certainly, my character’s views on how this country was won are pretty strong, and I imagine most people in the audience [on hearing them] will be thinking, ‘My God, what an arsehole!’” Hatred and prejudice are emotions that aren’t too comfortable to look at closely, but Sewell has described how the play aims to tackle some of the “visceral rage” that he believes underlies Australian political discourse. Does Zappa think that Australians are a particularly angry bunch? “I think there are pockets of anger… Where people focus on the things that make them angry, as opposed to the things that make them feel really good about the country.” He cites the debate around ‘boat people’, the incarceration rates of indigenous people and the rise of Pauline Hanson as examples that Australia hasn’t moved on much from the era in which the play was written. “I think one of the things a play like this does,” he continues, “is show that this is stuff that hasn’t changed terribly much at all. In fact, in some cases it’s got worse.” For his depiction of a power-hungry patriarch in the play, Zappa will be drawing on real-life politicians and business operators. His own life doesn’t sound like it will provide much material however; in his spare time he writes poetry and practices Tai Chi, a martial art he describes as being “all about relaxing and breathing, being able to let go”. WHAT: Hate WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday 20 February to Friday 8 March, Malthouse

To check out the mags online go to themusic.com.au/mags • 35


36


MY DISCO TENTH ANNIVERSARY CORNER: 08/02/13

GIG OF THE WEEK

Max Crumbs’ music greets us as we make our way into the Corner bandroom. His smooth, almost liquid sounding songs (reminiscent of Caribou) are a world away from his work in grindcore bands. The acts tonight swap between the main stage and the side stage, with Standish/Carlyon on the side stage next. The duo play a dreamy, heavily ‘80s-influenced R&B, which goes down well with the crowd that’s gradually trickling in. London-based Melbourne expats HTRK are up next on the main stage. The duo make the stage seem huge, as the amps behind them take up more space than they do. While their quiet, minimalist sound works wonderfully on record, as evidenced in 2011’s excellent Work (work, work), it doesn’t quite make the jump to a good live show. Throughout the room, the murmur of conversation competes with the band, drowning out the smaller nuances. Over on the side stage, New War kick off with a song that sounds almost lounge style with a simple bassline, soft drums and Chris Pugmire crooning over the top. The rest of their set fits more with their atmospheric and industrial sound. The crowd picks up with the more upbeat and energetic songs and a handful of people make their way to the front to (try to) dance. Despite the keyboard coming unplugged halfway through, Ghostwalking is a set highlight; as is Revealer which bursts out of the speakers and finishes the short set. The curtains split to reveal the focus of the night’s celebrations, My Disco. Or they would, if it weren’t for the thick layer of smoke and minimal yellow backlight reducing our vision of the band to silhouettes. They don’t waste any time locking into one of their bare-bones grooves that they’ve well and truly made their own over the last ten years. With little time between songs they move their way through crowd favourites and album highlights like Perfect Protection, You Came To Me... and Sun Bear. Guitarist Benjamin Andrews plays like he belongs in a metal band, thrashing his head around with abandon and throwing himself all over the stage while his brother, bassist Liam, largely stays in front of his mic stand. Drummer, Rohan Rebeiro, gets to show off his chops with a five minute drum solo early in the set. While appreciative, the crowd starts to get a bit weary towards the end; luckily the band counters this when the solo transitions seamlessly into Turn, one of the standouts from their last album, Little Joy. My Disco have a knack for longer songs that settle into simple one or two note repetitive grooves that either end abruptly or explode into chaos. The set tonight has plenty of moments of the chaotic and abrasive noise that they do so well, but it ends abruptly, half an hour earlier than advertised. With little warning, exactly an hour after they started, they finish their set, say thanks and that’s it. It’s their party and they’ll leave if they want to. The Presets Pic by Elaine Reyes

THE PRESETS PALACE: 07/02/13

After a sold-out show last night, The Presets take the slow but sure approach in bringing tonight’s crowd at the Palace Theatre to a sweaty conclusion. Make no mistake, there is still an epic and slightly gothic build up to opener Push, off new album Pacifica, the lyrics “In response to what you did/ An impressive operation”, reflecting the band’s current situation nicely – four visual screens beam out from the stage and an exotic army of lights reflect the various moods of the music. Push is followed by A New Sky, and as Girl And The Sea is kicking in, it’s becoming harder to differentiate between Julian Hamilton’s vocals and some of the more passionate crowd members endowed with all-conquering voice boxes. Technically, The Presets are very impressive and write very smart music, with dancing not only an option but an open invitation, and no one is in any real position to refuse. Unfortunately, getting on someone’s shoulders has apparently become such a dangerous pastime that security are practically jumping out of their skin to save these reckless daredevils from themselves (this is not to be misconstrued as ignorance towards serious crowd situations that occur). The Presets continue to get all four levels moving and are showing no signs of a post-show hangover from last night. In fact, Kim Moyes emphasises

a pre-drinking, drip drying ritual of several icy beers as he moves between his mic’d-up-to-theteeth drum kit and front of stage duties, while Hamilton nails every vocal, bosses the keys and shows impressive hip flexibility and charisma. If I Know You and especially This Boy’s In Love are early highlights, as material from Pacifica also features heavily in the first half of the set, including latest singles Promises and the tribal electro of Ghosts. As the hits start rolling in with more frequency, the workout is kicked up several gears, with Hamilton acknowledging this after the duo tear the house down with My People. The crowd is further energised as the band flex their muscles in the second half of the set, songs such as the aforementioned My People, as well as Are You The One? and Fast Seconds displaying the harder edges of the band. AO is a nice counterpoint to the wonderfully menacing vibe the second half of the set cultivates, and Youth In Trouble, also off Pacifica, appears. Yippiyo-Ay, Kicking & Screaming and Talk Like That complete the joyful workout, or so it is thought until a very brief foot stamping cry for an encore is instantaneously met by the super punctual duo. No rock star egos here – you can’t argue with two guys giving the people what they want, when they want it, and The Presets are mechanically on time all night, combining Steamworks and Anywhere for an encore before wishing everyone a safe trip home to boot. David Fegan

Josh Ramselaar

BOHJASS UPAS MILITIA, PATAPHYSICS, SPENCER P JONES & THE ESCAPE COMMITTEE NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB: 31/01/13 It’s pouring outside and scant few make it to an early, deft set from the almighty Spencer P Jones and his Escape Committee. The wry swagger, wiry guitar work and wily attitude that sets him apart from other garage rockers is on show in force tonight. Jones, one of the key evolutionaries, seems to exist as a fuse back to the ‘60s garage rock explosion; at times it seems the sound was born from his melodious hacking. The band, bathed in luminous geometric projections, also boast the brilliance of Dave Nicholls’ drumming and bassist Helen Cattanach’s vocals. A cameo from Evan Dando on The Rain Came is wonderful, but the languid She Walks Between The Raindrops and brief rush of Make ‘Em Cry are the highlights. Pataphysics, a supremely talented three-piece specialising in jazzy hip hop are, it’s blindingly obvious, on the up. Days away from winning a truckload of new fans with a set at Laneway, tonight’s set sees them plugging a smooth Ben Harper-esque soul; playful with the melodies, heavy on the rhythm. If you ever wanted to seduce Lisa Bonet or one of Bob Marley’s grandsons, this is your soundtrack. Always pushing a positive message via some rock solid arrangements, Pataphysics are an excellent choice for this varied line-up. Despite there being only 50-odd people in the audience by the time Bohjass Upas Militia (BUM)

CONVERGE FRIDAY, BILLBOARD Salem, Massachusetts heavy rockers Converge are a band that transcend subgenres and exist between the worlds of hardcore and metal – though the word ‘metalcore’ gets bandied around a bit. Regardless, they’ve been throwing down some ballistic shit for over 20 years now and are about to rip the guts out of Billboard this Friday. They’ve got US sludge metallers Old Man Gloom along for the ride and locals The Broderick opening up. Check some fucking ridiculous neck tattoos! And take your earplugs.

FRONTLASH RUMOUR HAS IT

Adele allegedly scolding Chris Brown for not rising to his feet to congratulate Frank Ocean, who beat him (no, not like that!) in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category, at the Grammys. Like very much.

CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT Hey, all you folk watching Girls every week as it screens in the US, have you tried out its companion show Enlightened? Molly Shannon joined the cast this week. That’s better than topless table tennis.

BLAKE’S NEW FACE Is it just us or does James Blake’s new Retrograde single have shades of The Wilhelm Scream? Still, Blake’s range is glorious and the wonky, eerie synths make the perfect counterpoint for Blake’s celestial pipes.

BACKLASH ANOTHER BITES THE...

The former Nazi and protector of kiddie fiddlers Pope Benny has resigned and ArchFiend Pell isn’t a favourite for replacing him. It’s sad we even care.

WHEELY VAIN Dear ladies who put their makeup on in the car at traffic lights while manning the wheel. Um, do you think you’re doing your best work on the road OR your face?

CHICKEN TONIGHT What’s with those Madden twin-starring KFC ads: “I’m just hugging your chips”; “Think of me while you eat it!”? #didntatleastoneofthemusedtobevegetarianand/oraPETAactivist?

take to the stage, excitement courses through the venue. This 17-piece explorchestra of jazzfunk-psych minimalism match the lo-fi cosmic projections beautifully. Opening with some brassy, noir-ish toning and spectral percussion, the band shows an astonishing level of restraint and silence, leaving the tension of what ‘could’ suddenly explode from the crowded stage lingering through their quieter movements. The band leaps from killer blaxploitation funk and delicate minimalism to Sun Ra freakouts in the tight constraints of a songlength piece, with a mere raising of bandleader Timothy Pledger’s hand. At times BUM’s rhythm section sounds like a programmed backing as it’s so unusual to see and hear such intricate combinations of sounds. Swimming Pool is a blast of exuberant space funk and highlights the fluidity of the guitars and insistence of the brass; the music never feels as crowded as the stage looks. This is a fascinating, unique band and a blast of a show. Andy Hazel

For more reviews go to themusic.com.au/reviews • 37


reading of The Second Coming while wearing a mask of three faces won’t leave the memory soon: “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” he shouts, slamming shut a book and briefly leaving the stage. Returning, the five-piece tear through The Thrill Is Gone, the redemptive riposte of She Tried To Hold Me and Raggle Taggle Gypsy, one of the few songs that escapes the ‘epic’ touch Scott usually brings. The Waterboys’ sound is that of folk music being ripped wide open and made huge. Natural highlights of this are their biggest hits The Whole Of The Moon, a song you can only breathe ‘wow!’ at after hearing; set-closer The Pan Within and their oddly perfect encore of Prince’s Purple Rain. “I know what it’s like here at the Hamer Hall,” says Scott to a now-rapt audience. “I do. They don’t let you dance, you stand up and they get awful freaked out,” he grins before snapping into a fearsome Be My Enemy that elicits a dozen dancers into the aisles, and once-vigilant ushers now shrug. Their second encore of Fisherman’s Blues and A Man Is In Love sees everyone standing, aisles full of dancers and a broadly grinning band. “See you all at Mario’s, Brunswick St, 2pm tomorrow!” shouts Scott. Andy Hazel

Cloud Nothings Pic by Nick Manuell

CLOUD NOTHINGS, VIOLENT SOHO DING DONG: 05/02/13 On a warm Tuesday evening in inner-city Melbourne town, it turns out that a pretty comfortable way to spend half an hour is just sitting on the floor with a bunch of like-minded folks, waiting for some kickass music. Everyone is jovial and chatting to friends, from the bar staff and their red plastic cups to the bands themselves, who can be found on the right side of the velvet rope (that is, the side that the rest of the crowd is on). It’s clear, judging by the size of the crowd as they come on at 9pm, that the secret of Violent Soho is out. They’re tight as fuck, the four-piece as strong as ever. Having last seen them the best part of three years ago, it’s amazing to see how the band have gelled with each other, their hard work and dedication to their craft certainly paying dividends. As the band throw down tunes from their self-titled album like Son Of Sam, Muscle Junkie and their breakout song Jesus Stole My Girlfriend, their ‘90sinspired grunge rock goes down a treat with their diehard fans. It’s newer tracks, though, like Neighbour Neighbour and Tinderbox, that get the hipsters in the audience together, bopping their heads in time. From the outset, as they tune their own guitars during soundcheck, it’s clear that Cleveland band Cloud Nothings are not your pretentious rockstar-filled group. No setlists and, as it will appear, no encore, leave all the traditionalists happy with the gig, and their pure mastery of their craft ensures that no one leaves Ding Dong Lounge with anything less than a smile on their face and the remnants of a beer on their shirt. Opening with Fall In and throwing down tracks from their epic album Attack On Memory like Stay Useless, No Future/No Past and set highlight, the opus Wasted Days, Cloud Nothings live up to the hype that was fuelled by killer Laneway Festival sets over the weekend. If tonight’s set wasn’t on a school night, it would be one for the ages. As it is, this double bill is still one to remember, and a reminder that Tuesdays can be fun, too. Dylan Stewart

CHOOK RACE, PAGEANTS, THE TOWELHEADS GRACE DARLING: 01/02/13 The Towelheads are a few young guys from Geelong making the most of Australian racial stereoptyping and the instrumental surf rock origins of garage bands. They maniacally run through the Grace bandroom and onto the stage having donned their white sheets, fake beards and tea-towel headgear in the toilets. Their triple guitar attack works well as they trade complementary runs. But it is just as fun trying to work out whether to be offended or not as they request beers in atrocious accents. They break a string and bust an amp but it all seems to work in The Towelheads’ favour. Sound issues plague the first song from local sandalgazers Pageants. After a bit of back-and-forth with the concerned sound guy things are rectified to a certain extent, though the band remain a little flat for the rest of the set. Despite this they are working from great source material, and those that

38 • For more reviews go to themusic.com.au/reviews

recognise the songs from last year’s Dark Before Blonde Dawn appreciate the performance. Footprints In The Sand manages to provide a worthy highlight before the night’s main attraction hit the stage. Fresh from launching their new Powernap cassette in Sydney after a bit of a hiatus, Chook Race seem happy to be back on the stage. The three-piece, uniformly dressed in the rock’n’roll staple of white tees and black jeans, kick-off their set with Relax, the opening cut from their new tape. Their guitar-pop sound is familiar to anyone who has attended local gigs in Melbourne recently, but while many other local bands loosely string their melodies together Chook Race keep it tight – the nimble bass work adding another dimension to each song rather than just padding out the band’s sound. The band’s casual presence coupled with the intimate feel of the gig leaves many with a smile on their faces as Chook Race play through a set that omits much of the attitude of their earlier material. The male-female vocal dynamic is key to the sound of the band. The best example comes during the chorus of Pop Song from their debut 7”, as a simple echo harmony works wonders for the “What do I say?” refrain. An excellent night is capped off when the likeable trio pull-off a cover of classic Wire track Mannequin. Chook Race leave the stage as Richie 1250 takes to the decks, not too fussed about selling tapes but content to have played to an approving crowd. Jan Wisniewski

THE WATERBOYS, OH MERCY HAMER HALL: 30/01/13 A good portion of the audience choose to nurse drinks and chat in the carpet-walled corridors outside the auditorium rather than watch Oh Mercy’s set, and it does seem an incongruous location for their show. To a half-full room a painfully sibilant mix does not help Alex Gow’s coruscating take on folk rock. Despite inventive harmonies and imaginative songwriting, the audience seems largely unmoved. Gow’s deadpan humour is a winning addition, and songs like Still Making Me Pay show an acerbic wit at work. Closing with a raucous take on Leonard Cohen’s Memories does however win the audience ‘round and they earn their warm applause.

FLAP!, MIKELANGELO & THE TIN STAR, TAS FLEMING’S HAWAIIAN TRIO

fine job at balancing live, quality performances from Australian artists, and showing off the diversity of wildlife on site. With the stage just metres away from the famed lion’s den, their evening roars are in bizarrely fitting harmony with the more official tunes, even in the case of a performer as delicate as Lisa Mitchell. Providing support are folk duo Georgia Fair, who deliver in spades, with guitarist Ben Riley playing most of the set with Mitchell and band, and Mitchell’s boyfriend Jordan Wilson later accompanying the leading lass for an encore, singing Golden Ship, “like they did in the ‘60s” – reminiscent indeed of an early June and Johnny on stage. Covering a charming selection of her discography, Mitchell delivers songs from debut album Wonder in the form of Stevie and the tirelessly-played-but-everloved Coin Laundry, and more recent odes, The Story Of The Raven And The Mushroom Man, The Present and Spiritus from 2012’s Bless This Mess. The herds of families gathered on the grass suggest that people do actually give the proverbial rats arse about animal conservation, as even the fervent Lisa Mitchell fans amongst the crowd walk through the surrounding enclosures engrossed by the beasts within. Mitchell’s performance closes with droves of punters of all ages dancing in the walkways to the merry Oh! Hark!, a beautiful image to watch the sun set to. Zoo Twilights are relaxed affairs, but perfect for the remaining long summery nights of the season, which will no doubt come to a chilly and grinding halt before you can utter the words Eastern Barred Bandicoot.

NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB: 08/02/13

Izzy Tolhurst

Walking into the bandroom tonight is like walking into the soundtrack to SpongeBob SquarePants – in the best possible way – thanks to Tas Fleming’s Hawaiian Trio. The theme for tonight’s gig is ‘Beach Party’, and in case the music isn’t a dead giveaway, a stage decked out with palm trees, flamingo lights and leis sure is.

RICHARD HAWLEY, ROB SNARSKI

Mikelangelo & The Tin Star are on next, and the capacity crowd are ready for the show – for when it comes to a Mikelangelo performance, it really is a show, not just a gig. And what a show it is. There are multiple costume changes (some on stage) and guests galore, with the wonderful Go Girl Gadget Go Go!, the always always-sultry Saint Clare, and Stu Thomas, who is on guitar duties for tonight. Armed with a number of favourites, such as Action (Is My Middle Name), as well as a couple of songs penned just for tonight, the band’s set is non-stop unadulterated fun. You can’t help but admire the effort this band go to in the name of entertainment – after all, how many bands would create their own ‘vintage’ home movie of a trip to the beach just to be played as a backdrop for one show? It doesn’t take long before Flap! have the audience dancing up a storm to their blend of early jazz, gypsy swing and folk. Eamon McNelis (wearing the shortest of snugly-fitting shorts possible) and Jess Guille (in a fetching Carmen Miranda-esque get-up) lead their band triumphantly through a set which culminates in the merging of the two headliners for a couple of Beach Boys covers, namely California Girls (nicely appropriated as Inner-Northern Girls) and Kokomo. Now this is how to have a beach party! Dominique Wall

LISA MITCHELL, GEORGIA FAIR MELBOURNE ZOO: 08/02/13 Zoo Twilights’ basic (wild) dogma is “Music Against Wildlife Extinction”, and the Melbourne Zoo do a

HI-FI: 29/01/13 Rob Snarski takes to the stage with Dan Luscombe, and while the audience members who are already sitting down remain seated as the duo start, it’s not out of disrespect but more to really soak in Snarski’s music. His and Luscombe’s efforts do not go unrewarded, with an enthusiastic reaction to each number. Welcomed on stage with rapturous applause, Sheffield native Richard Hawley and his band take their places, however, rather than launch immediately into their opening track, Hawley opts for a simple “Hi”. Underwhelmed with the response he receives, he says, “Oh, come on, this is Melbourne. Hi!” The crowd become even more enthusiastic, to which he responds, “Thank you, goodnight!” Two things are clear: one, Hawley has a cheeky and sarcastic sense of humour; and two, he is not going to let his adoring fans off lightly, as getting the crowd to respond louder than before becomes somewhat of a running joke through his set. It is with his statement of, “Okay, let the ceremony begin”, that he and his band launch into Standing At The Sky’s Edge. It’s an interesting choice of opening song, being one of the more mellow numbers off the album of the same name, but that doesn’t bother anyone. The next hour and fifty minutes consist of a mix of tunes, including Don’t Stare At The Sun, Soldier On (which he dedicates to everyone involved with Triple R FM), Before and Lady Solitude. On top of this, we’re treated to many wonderful anecdotes from Hawley, who proves to be as deft with humour as he is with a guitar. Richard Hawley has become a revered musician over the years and just in case his records weren’t enough to concrete that reputation in our minds, tonight’s gig certainly is. Dominique Wall

Playing their first Australian show, The Waterboys’ ringleader Mike Scott wastes no time in cranking the volume and letting the beautifully phrased vitriol fly. Opening with Don’t Bang The Drum, Scott is held, hacking at his guitar, in a warm spotlight while the rest of the band linger in cold blue. He appears ageless in a broad black hat, large glasses and high-collared coat, framed by copious flowing hair. The audience seems physically restrained by the plush chairs and submits to rhythmic nodding despite musical urgings to turn the theatre into an Irish pub. Admitting he’s spent a week in Melbourne and become an addict of Miss Phryne Fisher mysteries, Scott soon makes true on his promise to play ‘songs from all eras of The Waterboys’; When Ye Go Away, flows into their first ever single, the honky-tonk stomp of A Girl Called Johnny. Highlights of their recent album interpreting the poems of WB Yeats come as the stunning White Birds, featuring further violin pyrotechnics from long-time Waterboy Steve Wickham. Scott’s chilling

Richard Hawley Pic by Lou Lou Nutt



ROOTS DOWN

ADAMANTIUM WOLF

WAKE THE DEAD

BLUES ‘N’ ROOTS WITH DAN CONDON ROOTS@INPRESS.COM.AU

THE HEAVY SHIT WITH LOCHLAN WATT

HARDCORE AND PUNK WITH SARAH PETCHELL

metal greatness on Friday 22 February when the release drops through Riot! Entertainment. The Sydney-based band also recently confirmed a Japanese release through Rubicon Records.

Tool

Endless Boogie One of the best modern blues bands I have heard is the mighty Endless Boogie, a New York quartet (usually) who specialise in lengthy slabs of groovy rock’n’roll that take a great deal of influence from good old fashioned blues-based rock of the 1970s. They’re an older bunch of guys who just got together to jam for a few years before they even played their first show; but given the fact that they’re all kinds of involved in the music industry that first show was supporting Stephen Malkmus at the awesome Bowery Ballroom in New York City, so their story is a bit different to that of your regular rock band. Anyway, they’re just about to release Long Island in their home country (it will be out through No Quarter/Inertia in Australia quite soon) and I’m pleased to say that it absolutely destroys. It’s another journey through the realms of psychedelic blues rock and sees them locking into grooves like never before, blazing away with lengthy solos like only they can and, as they tend to do, delivering a couple of shorter, brilliant rock songs that prove they’re not a one trick pony. Keep your eye out for them; the band are going to be back in Australia very soon. No prizes for guessing which festival has booked them… Of course news of a new John Fogerty release is always going to have me fairly excited, so I was thrilled to receive information about Wrote A Song For Everyone, a brand new release from the swamp rock superstar that sees him team up with some pretty big names to reinvent songs from his back catalogue. Now, I’ll be honest, I don’t believe the music of John Fogerty requires reinvention at all, I believe it still sounds completely vital and relevant and awesome and all that kind of jazz. I’ll also say that some of the artists he has enlisted to appear on this record absolutely stink. But, I have to admit, I’m pretty excited about hearing some of it. He does Who’ll Stop The Rain with the great Bob Seger, Long As I Can See The Light with My Morning Jacket, Someday Never Comes with Dawes and closes off the album with Proud Mary alongside Jessica Hudson, Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band. Those all sound pretty exciting, certainly better than the collaborations he has entered into with Kid Rock, Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley. The album will be out through Sony on Friday 31 May, I’ll be sure to report back as soon as I get my hands on a copy. Another hotly anticipated new release from a true rock legend with one hell of a voice is Til Your River Runs Dry, the first album from Eric Burdon in around seven years. Burdon is 71 now, but the couple of times he has toured Australia in the past few years has proven that he’s still an incredible performer with a seriously amazing voice. He also penned most of the tunes on here and he says that he sees these songs as a way to express his own truth, which seems noble enough. Of course Burdon’s biggest claim to fame was being the man out the front of The Animals, while many others prefer his work as the guy who sang some of the biggest songs by the LA funk band War from 1969 to 1971, but he’s put out a handful of pretty good solo records over the years as well. His voice is still very strong; gritty and tough, just like it was back in the day, though the songs are a little slicker in 2013 than they were in 1963! Burdon is also planning on releasing a book and a special 50th anniversary The Animals set in 2013, whether he manages to squeeze another Aussie visit in there remains to be seen.

40 • For more opinion go to themusic.com.au/blog

Well what do you know! The mighty Tool are coming back to Australia, and you can catch them at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday 27 April. While the official press release states that the band are taking a break from recording their fifth album in order to do the shows, enigmatic frontman Maynard Keenan recently confirmed in an interview with Chilean radio station Futuro, that there will be no new Tool album this year, and that he had in fact not written anything for it yet. Tickets for the all-ages event go on sale this week. Scott Ian of Anthrax and Chris Jericho of Fozzy will be teaming up for a couple of Q&Atype spoken word events surrounding their Soundwave performances. Check them out at the Toff In Town in Wednesday 27 February. Rising metalcore sensation The Ghost Inside jumped the gun on the official announcement and recently let the world know that they will return to Australia in May and June. Fellow US group Emmure, New Zealand’s Antagonist AD and Sydney’s Hand Of Mercy are along for all the shows too. Catch them at the Hi-Fi on Saturday 25 May for an 18+ event, and on Sunday 26 May for the underage edition. LORD have released a lyric video for Digital Lies, the title track to their upcoming album. Suss it on YouTube and pick up some melodic

There has been much speculation regarding a mysterious website being promoted by UNFD lately: singularity2013.com. Originally many suspected that it was a touring festival featuring the UNFD artist roster, but the first clue that has been uploaded to YouTube indicates that it’s more than likely a new album from Sydney’s Northlane. The clip is pointing to Friday 22 February, the day before said band kick off their stint on Soundwave, and the featured music and lyrics shown definitely carry all their trademarks. BASTARDFEST is confirmed to be back on for 2013. Head to the Facebook page to have your say on what bands you want to see play at the year’s biggest and best Australian metal touring event with a comment or a vote on the poll. You’d fit right in! Melbourne thrashers 4Arm have been living it up in the USA with Testament and Overkill on The Dark Roots Of Thrash Tour. They’ve got some video diaries documenting their experiences that you can check out over on YouTube. Brisbane metallic noise grinders Idylls have announced that they will soon have a new release out titled Indian Circle, which was said to have been “tracked in between frequent mental collapses, physical blackouts and many trips to hospital and the mental health clinic”. It is the final recording with former drummer Tristan Agostino and first with vocalist Connor Hallam. The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood is, as usual, host to a couple of sweet local metal gigs this weekend. Check out Emerson, Reeds Of The Temptress, Asperity Within, Your World In Ruins and Hands Of Hope on Saturday evening from 8pm, while Desolated, Headless, Seppuku, Fragmenta and Involuntary Convulsion will bring the brutality on Sunday from 4pm.

GOOD OR SHIT ALTERNATIVE POP CULTURE THERAPY WITH LIZ GALINOVIC except the bar-tops. We were practically choking on Australian clichés: hats with corks dangling from them, flannelette shirts, blue chesty Bonds singlets and hairy armpits, roos, koalas, flags, flags, flags, wallabies jerseys, waratahs jerseys, Bintang apparel (haha... hahaha), and more green and gold than you’d find in Leprechaun Land. Basically, if I’d had a sheep, I would have sheared it.

Hilltop Hoods She didn’t roll my bloody Coopers. When I walk into an Australia-themed bar appropriately/inappropriately/ ironically/amusingly named Walkabout, manned by Australians taking advantage of the UK’s Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme, I expect them to remember that before popping the cap a Coopers green should be lovingly rolled before handed over to an Australian who has not forgotten where they come from. It was the first disappointment of the day. Australia Day – Invasion Day – First Fleet Day – 1788 Day – Colonisation Day – call it what you will, the reality is that 26 January is, more than anything else, to contemporary Australians – Hottest 100 Day. Oh, how I wanted to be sitting in the sweltering heat knocking back Coopers with my ethnically hybridised friends and shouting, ‘I knew this song would make it’, or, ‘I can’t BELIEVE this song is on here’, and eating a variety of introduced foods and a few native ones too. Alas, I was in London, and so, as the 26th drew nearer, a friend and I set about looking for an event that would replay the Hottest 100 in our time zone. And this is how we ended up at the Shepherd’s Bush Walkabout, a place we had avoided like an old school friend you never really liked and was now wandering around the same supermarket as you. To find the place, all we had to do was follow the mullets. A sea of 10-90s (10 at the top, 90 at the back) flooded into a large open-plan venue where corrugated iron had been slapped over every surface

What wasn’t to be seen or heard was the Triple J Hottest 100, which I thought was just fucking unAustralian. But I guess I can see where they were going with their all-Australian playlist. All-Australian being defined as ‘popular Australian-band tunes and anything by the Finn brothers’ (as thousands of people sang “Everywhere you go/You always take the weather” I had to have a little chuckle. None of us had brought the weather to England). The Living End, Wolfmother and Jet got more plays here than they have back home in years. Paul Kelly and Hunters & Collectors would appear to have some of the best-known choruses and least-known verses in the current 18-35 year-old age bracket. And a cover band turned Estelle’s American Boy into ‘Australian Boy’ – “take me to Kings Cross, I want to see Cockle Bay” and something about bushwalking. Instead of shouting, ‘I knew this song would make it’, I found myself dryly enquiring how long it would be before they played Hilltop Hoods’ The Nosebleed Section (it was within the first hour). I’m not gonna lie, we walked into the Walkabout expecting to hate on it. And we did. But when Johnny Farnham played, when that voice sang The Voice, we threw our fists in the air, we got our air-mics out, we raised our collective voices, and we stopped walking up and down the stairs on the righthand side because in that moment, this tiny little piece of England became Australia, and Australians STAND TO THE LEFT. At one point, Hunters & Collectors’ Holy Grail played. I turned to one of the girls in our party and said, “Who sings this again?” She looked at me suspiciously and said “Are you sure you’re Australian?” It’s pretty much what I wanted to say to the bar chick who didn’t roll my Coopers.

Funeral For A Friend HAPPY CONVERGE WEEK! The Massachusetts quartet hit the country this week with Old Man Gloom at their side and some of the best local supports opening the shows in the major cities. Converge is touring on the back of their absolutely perfect album All We Love We Leave Behind and I for one cannot wait to hear how these songs translate live. Converge hit Billboard The Venue on Friday 15 February with Melbourne’s own The Broderick kicking off the proceedings. Fall Out Boy have announced an end to their hiatus. Okay, so it was the worst kept secret ever, but an official announcement was made last week with the simultaneous launch of their new single My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up). This track is the first single to be taken from their new album Save Rock And Roll, which will be released in Australia on 3 May (and thanks to our release dates, it means we get the record about four days before the rest of the world). It’s a nice anniversary for the band as well, with the international release date on the 6 May being the 10th anniversary of the release of FOB’s debut fulllength back in 2003, Take This To Your Grave. To coincide with the release of the album, Fall Out Boy will be hitting Australia this March for a couple of really small and intimate shows, with an 18+ gig happening in Melbourne on Wednesday 27 March at The Palace Theatre. Tickets go on sale this Friday 15 February and they’re not going to last long so get in quick and pick them up. Considering the last time I saw FOB was at Acer Arena, seeing them in a venue like the Metro will be something else! Funeral For A Friend have just released their sixth studio album, Conduit, through Roadrunner Records. I haven’t heard it yet, but according to the rumour mill this album is a return to form for the band with the album sounding like Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation or Hours. Being no strangers to our shores, the band is heading back to Australia for an extensive run of shows across the country thanks to Destroy All Lines. Check out the album, then buy a ticket to one of the Victorian shows. You can catch Funeral For A Friend in Melbourne on Tuesday 14 May at the Corner Hotel or on Wednesday on 15 May at Pier Live in Frankston. Tickets to all shows are on sale now, and unfortunately all these shows are 18+. Following the cancellation of the Pennywise tour that was supposed to happen last August, quite a few things have happened. But most important of those was the band reuniting with their frontman, Jim Lindberg. And now the band are making good on their promise to head back with dates booked for April this year. Joining them on this tour will be Face To Face and The Menzingers. Both Pennywise and The Menzingers released fantastic new albums last year (All Or Nothing and On The Impossible Past respectively) and Face To Face have just wrapped up work on their newest album, so it will be great to hear new music from all three bands on the bill. Please note that all tickets held for the August 2012 shows will be honoured for these shows, so make sure you head to the Palace Theatre in Melbourne on Thursday 4 April. Tickets are on sale now. Last up this week, Resist Records have announced the newest addition to their roster with Sydney’s Vigilante. Comprised of some pretty notorious individuals from the Sydney hardcore scene (The Dead Walk, Last Nerve, Bad Blood, Ill Brigade, Right Idea), Vigilante have given a boost to the New York HC aesthetic, with some inspired jams and a dose of social justice in their lyrics. Now the band are releasing their debut 12” EP Quality Of Life through the Resist name. Having sat on a demo for the last two years, this is a highly anticipated record. Pre-orders are now available through the Resist webstore for a limited colour vinyl. If you’re a fan of the band, I recommend that you order through this method as 25 per cent (or $6) of the pre-order price will be donated to Sydney Charity, The Station, who have been serving Sydney’s homeless since 1978.


BUSINESS MUSIC

OG FLAVAS

INTELLIGIBLE FLOW

INVESTING IN CLUB MUSIC WITH PAZ

URBAN AND R&B NEWS BY CYCLONE

HIP HOP NEWS & COMMENTARY WITH ALEKSIA BARRON

Jessie Ware Machel Montano

EVERYBODY FETEING WITH POWDER This past week, carnival celebrations were held worldwide, celebrated with each country’s individual and indigenous musical styles, costumes and tradition. Collectively people rejoice in large open spaces, with dance and song. Collaborative efforts make huge road marches and parades the highlight at all celebrations. In Trinidad and Tobago the celebrations are a tradition that was formed during the French settlement in the 17th century. The term J’ouvert (the contraction of jour ouvert translating to open day or day break) and fête are common terms describing certain days and celebrations associated with carnival, but they also tell the story of colonisation and the emancipation from slavery. The practice of slavery was still present in the Caribbean during a time of French governance, and society was full of opulence among the aristocracy. The celebration of J’ouvert started in a mocking nature, with the enslaved banned from masquerade balls. The banned started their own celebration in backyards, singing songs of folklore and dressing up, sometimes in mockery of the eccentric nature of the French dignitaries. With the emancipation from French slavery in the Caribbean, the celebration flourished and the carnival represented something far greater for the once enslaved Africans. The Caribbean, and in particular Trinidad and Tobago, mark this event annually. It will sometimes coincide with farming traditions and Christian/Catholic festivities like lent that have existed since French colonisation. The TnT fête this year was celebrated from Friday 9 February and climaxed Tuesday 12 February with the announcement of Soca Monarchs for 2013. Soca is a relatively new musical style to TnT, taking over from calypso in the late-1970s. Most attribute soca with carnival, because of its “jump and wave” nature and performance. In 2013 the sound is clearly being inspired by more western pop culture, especially with artists such as Nicki Minaj calling Trinidad home. However most locals will only support the tracks that are driven by the cadence of calypso percussion, but the sound is not defined by traditional instruments. Most sound studios are always encouraging performance using new developments in hardware or elaborate software techniques they are learning online. Soca and carnival come together by Carnival Monday and crowds are entertained in the nation’s capital, Port Of Spain. Hasely Crawford Stadium holds the event as crowds celebrate to the sounds of the past year’s favourite artists to vote for a monarch to lead soca into the New Year. There are no male or female sections, however, the monarchs are divided into individual categories. The most celebrated and exalted categories are for Groovy Soca and Power Soca monarchs, with Indian expats lauding the Chutney Soca category. The Monarch titles this year were won and retained by last year’s winner Machel Montano who took home first place for Groovy Soca monarch followed by Iwer George, Blaxx, and Ravi B. Most interesting was the fact that Montana tied the first place for the Power Soca monarch with soca legend Super Blue, with runner-ups Benjai, and Destra Garcia. From reports online, most were happy with the outcome, many referencing the powder practice hailed by the famous Machal Montano track The Fog. Many came with bottles of ‘powder’ (I take it as baby powder) that is normally used by band members to keep themselves dry during performances. Routinely used to celebrate events, it’s now a large part of soca monarch history.

The alt. urban acts really were the stars of 2013’s Laneway Festival. Poliça’s Auto-Tuned avant soul hit much harder live, diminutive frontwoman Channy Leaneagh, using effects pedals for her vocals, accompanied by a bassist and two drummers. Among the set’s highlights were the murky Leading To Death, funky Dark Star and balladic Wandering Star, all off 2012’s Give You The Ghost. Leaneagh, who admires those innovators Frank Ocean and The Weeknd, could be an R&B Tracey Thorn. It was, as she promised, intense. Jessie Ware’s slinky post-dubstep soul was fuller live, too. Then El-P’s band was fierce, with a charismatic hypeman, fat beats and wigged-out keysman/guitarist/electronic drummer. Ware was spotted in the Melbourne crowd enjoying the Brooklyn MC with her band members. Days before, the glamorous Brit performed an intimate side-show at the Prince Of Wales. Taking In Water was especially lovely. Ware delicately covered her personal fave song, Bobby Caldwell’s What You Won’t Do For Love (stripped-down with just guitar), and Marvin Gaye’s I Want You (segued into from the Bryan Ferry-esque No To Love). Wildest Moments sounded mellower, but no less evocative. The singer closed with Running. OG caught up with Ware at Universal Music’s local office, only to learn that she’s already contemplating the sequel to her acclaimed debut, Devotion. The album, which made the UK top five, was a critical triumph, receiving a Mercury nomination and being included in many a ‘Best of 2012’ list. (Coincidentally, Ware cameoed on another critics’ favourite – Bobby Womack’s The Bravest Man In The Universe.) This month she’s up for two BRITs in the categories of best ‘British Breakthrough Act’ and ‘Female Solo Act’.

The Brixton, London native raved to OG about Poliça’s Laneway show. “I was intrigued how she’s doing that with her voice, what effect they’ve got going, and I really wanna quiz her on it!,” she said of Leaneagh. Ware, who once pursued a career as a tabloid journo, subsequently working as an assistant at the same TV production company as Erika Leonard (aka EL James of Fifty Shades Of Grey infamy), first sang backing vocals for old-school pal Jack Peñate. She’d hook up with SBTRKT, featuring on his eponymous album, while refining her own post-dubstep variant of Sade’s (or Aaliyah’s) quiet storm. Signing to the niche PMR Records, Ware cut Devotion with talented outsiders, her main producer Dave Okumu from the art-rock outfit The Invisible. “I think the whole ‘hitmakers’ thing was intimidating for me – and also nobody really wanted to work with me,” she says. “They weren’t bothered, ‘cause they didn’t know if it was gonna work or not.” The ‘unknown’ journeyed to Bristol to collaborate with the house DJ/producer Julio Bashmore at his parents’ crib, the session spawning 110%. Kid Harpoon, who’s affiliated with Florence & The Machine, handled Wildest Moments. Ware is open to booking super-producers. “I want to be able to try that – and I think maybe doors have been opened through [Devotion].” In fact, she’s “desperate” to connect with Jeff Bhasker, whose credits include Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé Knowles, Lana Del Rey and... fun. Still, she’ll continue to create with Devotion’s team. “I feel like the next album will have maybe more sass,” Ware ponders. “I was scared a lot of the time with my first album. I think I’m gonna channel Chaka Khan more... I feel like it can just be broadened out... Who knows?” Meanwhile, Ware has been forced to reconfigure 110% because of sample problems – she couldn’t clear the late Big Pun’s The Dream Shatterer. She’s retitled the track If You’re Never Gonna Move for a US EP. Ware also duets with UKG queen Katy B on Aaliyah, available on the latter’s free download EP Danger. And urban’s finest are lining up to collaborate with Ware, A$AP Rocky determinedly telling BBC Newsbeat last month, “I’m working with her – I’m going to work with her. I want to bad.”

THE BREAKDOWN POP CULTURE THERAPY WITH ADAM CURLEY

Angel Eyes The influence of David Lynch and, more specifically, Twin Peaks on current musicians of a certain analogue-coveting ilk is hard to ignore. It’s there in the grainy synth undercurrents, in the hushed vocals, which echo those of Julee Cruise, who sang on the theme track to the early-‘90s show. It’s in the chintzy organ sounds, which step from drama to comedy and back to drama within a single note. It’s in the visuals that accompany these musicians, CRT television images of landscapes in hyper-real colours, close-ups of pale faces, possibly dead and sometimes wrapped in plastic. It’s definitely in the fashions. Everyone wants to be Audrey. The reasons are the same reasons any other cult cultural product is taken as an influence 20 years after its first appearance; most of these musicians are young enough to be discovering the television series for the first time, or the first time as adults. The aesthetics of the product are now viewed naively enough to be taken on face value as relics of a more innocent time (because every time before the current time was more innocent). The clutter of the day has fallen aside and we can easily pick the most appealing aspects for evaluation and appropriation. When it comes to Lynch, however, nostalgia is not nostalgia. Not really. Even on first viewing all these years later it’s impossible to view Twin Peaks as an innocent representation of ‘90s culture and impossible to think Lynch an artist simply emoting. There’s a whole lot more going on, and anyone drawing on Lynch’s work is going to have to be a whole lot smarter about their treatment of it. One musician who knows this is Melbourne’s Andrew Cowie, who has just released his third album as Angel

Eyes, Final Fare (Bedroom Suck). First things first: Final Fare pulls influence from further corners than the land of the Log Lady. The album, in fact, begins with a track that sounds very little like anything Angelo Badalamenti, the American composer of the Twin Peaks score (as well as later Lynch films Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive) would be involved in. On End Point, the beats are rapid and cold, riding a rail between shuddering kosmische and current grinding hip hop. ‘Ambient’ keys acting as flute do float over the top in one part of the song, but the track never lets up enough to become anything of a ‘soundtrack’ to one singular scene. It’s a broken pan over sounds new and old, fast-forwarding a battered VHS. Only near the end of the track does Cowie’s baritone enter the album, but it’s stilted, hidden, his words unclear. On the album’s most ‘song-like’ tracks, such as the blossoming dark pop number A Light Distraction (which, like five of the eight tracks, runs un-song-like past the six-minute mark), there’s an ever-present sense of danger, a quiet, disturbing rumbling under the melody, something happening quite outside the song but never outside its consciousness. Elsewhere it’s more obvious – clean tones give way to grating distortion; the rumbling swallows all, turns eerie serenity to doom. And over the top is, if only as a marquee, these early-‘90s Lynchian tones, the effect of a television soundtrack to a postmodern show about death and television. On Twin Peaks, meditative compositions played over long shots of nature and factory processes was used not only to be ominous but to make a link between television drama plots, modern American society and death. Lynch knew not only what he was doing with character and theme but why he was doing them in the realm of television. To watch the show was to watch a country watching a show, was to be immersed in white noise, was to be close to death. On Final Fare, Cowie makes further links 20 years later: Twin Peaks is kosmische is rap is new wave is white noise is listening to an album is moving towards the inevitable end point. Which is, of course, where Final Fare begins.

TZU Since it’ll be Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I’m sure you’re all asking the question, “Which Australian hip hop songs can I enjoy while still inspiring feelings of gooey romance in my other half?” (Wait, what? None of you were asking that question? Seriously, none of you? Well, sod it. You’re all asking it now.) Hip hop has historically not been the most romantic of musical styles – the sort of coupled-up canoodling that you see at an indie-folk concert is quite difficult to pull off when soundtracked by the likes of Dr Dre explaining that “… bitches ain’t shit but hoes and tricks”. However, a few of our home-grown hip hop artists have managed to create some tracks over the years that will allow you to get a bit mushy and romantic without having to resort to a playlist of Bon Iver. So, without further ado, let’s check out Intelligible Flow’s list of Best Australian Hip Hop Tracks To Play On Valentine’s Day. Horrorshow, Walk You Home. Romanticallyinclined hip hop folk adore this track. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to have singlehandedly lifted Thai takeout sales due to fans wanting somewhere referential to scrawl their own love notes. People have used live performances of this track to propose (despite the latter verse’s description of absolutely crushing loss), and it references E.E. Cummings’ poem i carry your heart with me, which nerdy lovebirds have been using to score with one another since 1920. If you’re looking for some hip hop to listen to with a special someone, you cannot go wrong with this track. An honourable mention should also go to Horrorshow’s wonderful track She, which also makes excellent romantic-night-in fodder, and trades the poetry reference for a lovely Shakespeare mention. TZU, She Gets Up. This may just be the only hip hop track in history that uses the word “slut” and “sweet girl” to refer to the same person and somehow gets away with it (I’m chalking it up to Joelistics’ charm). It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you send a TZU fan a text message saying, “I like you heaps and stuff”, they will immediately feel the urge to cook you something delicious and dance with you in a horizontal fashion. Mantra, Perfect Thing. This is the track where one of the nation’s most acclaimed lyricists turned his talent loose on the topic of love – and love for a strong, smart partner, no less. You can just about slow-dance to this one – a rare thing for a hip hop track. Make sure this one is on your V-Day playlist. Thundamentals, The Mash. Fun fact: my review of the Thundas’ album Sleeping On Your Style was the first item I ever had published in a Street Press Australia publication. If memory serves (and it usually does) I described the single The Mash as “a, er, panty-dropper”. There’s a reason that Thundamentals’ gigs get approximately 126.4 per cent sexier whenever this track is played. If you’re trying to move an evening out of the eye-gazing zone and into the danger zone, this track and all its hip-swinging glory might just be the way to do it. Oh, and just so that you can avoid this particular pitfall, we’re also going to give out the award for the Least Romantic Australian Hip Hop Song (if there were a trophy, I’d like to think it would be a miniature, working cold shower). This prize goes, naturally, to the Funkoars for The Greatest Hit. Playing your Valentine a track with the chorus, “Ladies! Is that a bun in the oven?/Want some lovin’? Better suck that gut in!” is a remarkably efficient way to get a negative answer to the second question posed. You’ve been warned. Happy Valentine’s Day!

For more opinion go to themusic.com.au/blog • 41


SORTED FOR EPS

EP FOCUS

WITH JAN WISNIEWSKI

RACHEL BY THE STREAM

Wind Remix (Independent) Super Magic Hats have released a collection of remixes of first single Wind. While the original track placed the pitch-shifted vocal at the front of the mix, allowing joyous samples to move under it, Japanese Wallpaper brings the vocals back into the mix. The more subdued track builds to a subtle peak and is perhaps the most well-crafted mix. Friendships produce something much busier – digital warbles and nature noises included. Flash Forest from Melbourne’s reinterpretation is the most dramatic departure from the original mix. Heavy on beats, some of the strengths of the original are lost, though this is forgiven as the track reaches its climax. Super Magic Hats will launch the Wind Remix collection at Horse Bazaar this Friday.

D AT SEA Unconscious (UNFD) D At Sea aka Doyle Perez rushed to fame with a Parkway Drive cover and continued to rack up YouTube numbers by weaving his softly sung magic through other familiar hardcore tracks. Instead of continuing in the same vein, Perez is releasing his debut EP with all original tunes. He loses some of the excitement that comes with a good reinterpretation of something recognisable but has produced quality acoustic songs that are sure to please his fanbase. His main weapon is his super-smooth voice and at times unique phrasing. Opening track and first single December sets a pretty high bar and the tracks that follow don’t fly too far under, with the surprisingly poignant Unconscious a mid-EP highlight.

ROCKABILLY BEAT BUFFALO TALES – BLOOD & BONE How many releases do you have now? Wes Carr (aka Buffalo Tales): I have many, but this is the first release under the name Buffalo Tales, which is extra exciting. How long did it take to write/record? Not very long, I wrote the songs in a day. Lost was written with Don Walker from Cold Chisel and that took a little longer, but overall it wasn’t long in the scheme of things. What was inspiring you during the making of the EP? A new sound, a new direction, a fresh start. Freedom as an independent musician again.

Starting this Friday and going through to Sunday, the Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival is the latest installment from rockabilly king, Arthur Matsakos. The Desperados (USA), Omar Romero (USA), The ReChords, Sun Rising and The Yard Apes are also on the line-up. A pre-party will be held at the Karova, featuring all the international acts in a wild jam session to get you warmed up for the weekend.

STREAMS OF BUTTER Melbourne mashup mistress Rachel By The Stream will release her new EP Smooth Like Butter this Thursday at the Evelyn Hotel. Mortisville and Rosie MissChief will be supporting. The doors open at 8.30pm with $10 entry or $15 including a copy of the EP.

What’s your favourite song on it? That’s like picking your favourite child.

Will you be launching it? Yes I’m launching it everywhere, my but in particular Wednesday 13 February, Workers Club and Friday 15, Wellers Restaurant, Kangaroo Ground.

Blackchords just signed to ABC Music, they have a new album set for release and have been invited to play SXSW/Canadian Music Week. They now launch new single Oh No with support from The Hello Morning and General Assembly at Ding Dong this Friday.

ALL A DREAM Evocative, magical and dance-able: Reflejos composer Bonnie Smith brings together a community of Melbourne’s finest musicians to create an incredible mix of Latin rhythms and haunting melodies. They launch their second album Solo Sueños on Thursday 28 February at the Northcote Social Club, supported by Afroperuvian band Kunataki. The doors open at 7.30pm with $12 entry.

FAKE FUR

LAURA EXPLORES

Anywhere Else

Laura K Clarke maintains a unique sound while allowing the influences of country, soul and blues to colour her music. Clarke performs at the Vic Hotel with support from Kerryn Fields this Sunday from 5pm.

It’s no surprise that Animaux are putting on another of their infamous residencies at their favourite venue the Evelyn Hotel this February. Tonight they are joined by The McQueens and Seven Year Itch. The doors open at 8.30pm.

PRIVACY ISSUES

NOT SIGNATORIES

Private Life play this Monday at the Evelyn as part of their February residency with Tess & The Typecast, I Know The Chief, Granston Display and DJ Yasumo. The doors open at 8.30pm.

Super Unsigned is the top industry showcase for unsigned bands in Melbourne. The Corner Hotel will host this event over two stages tonight (Wednesday). Featuring Portraits Of August, Karly Jewell, Stella, Mr Woo, Palace Of The King, Strada 9, Mistress Of Ceremony, Dizz Beats, Miss Emily, Alana Porter, Wildfires, and Avantair. The doors open at 6.30pm with $20 entry.

Here, Gung Ho prove that they have the right dynamic and songwriting intelligence to push for wider fame. This EP features their three previous singles; of these, the latest, Strangers, is the standout – with the chorus a superb and thoughtful pop moment. The bass work of Oliver Duncan is the driving force behind Gung Ho’s music and it seems a further mastery of the dual vocal attack has allowed the band to expand on this wonderful foundation; new tracks Autumn and Brusco showing a solid progression in the band’s sound.

KELLUA Overfolds (Fallopian Tunes) Overfolds is the debut work from Simon Gardam as Kellua, his experimental instrumental music spread across six tracks. A playful and adventurous tone characterises the EP. The disregard for structure allows Gardam to loop the foundation of these tracks, bringing in ambient electronics and field recording samples and shifting moods as he pleases. The first half of the EP sees short track lengths stunt potential for further exploration. More time is given towards the end, with Roaming and The Knoll the standouts. Overfolds draws you out of the room and into an imaginary place where nature co-exists peacefully with modern lifestyle.

MUSIC HALL CRASH Look At Me, with its disco-chic groove and smooth vocals, is taken from Vaudeville Smash’s forthcoming debut album, due for release mid-2013. They launch it in the Espy front room on Friday 22 February.

TINY STEVIES The Little Stevies are back with some new tunes. Come to the Workers Club this Saturday to see Byll and Beth and their new five-piece band and a limited edition new live album for sale. They will be supported by the always magnificent Whitaker. Entry is $16.

THE APOLOGY A concert will be held on tonight (Wednesday) on the lawns of Federation Mall, Parliament House to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the historic Apology to the Stolen Generations. The free concert, held from 5.3010pm, includes artists Microwave Jenny and hip hop sensations The Last Kinection, as well as The Black Arm Band, many of whom are Stolen Generations.

42 • For more news/announcements go to themusic.com.au/news

Is this track from a forthcoming/ existing release? It’s the second single from our sophomore album A Thin Line. How long did it take to write/record? This song went through many incarnations before the recorded version. We threw a lot of ideas at it for about two years, which taught us a lot about being able to let go of something that’s irrelevant to the song, even if you’re attached to the part you wrote into it

Do you play it differently live? There is a lot more Punch to it live. Plus being one of the only songs Nick [Milwright, frontman] doesn’t have to play guitar on, it’s good to watch him move ‘round to it!

EARLY LUCK

DARK STRAINS

What’s the song about? Damian Cazaly, guitar: There’s so much distraction in the day to day, just getting on a tram you see most people tuned into alternate digital realities. This song is a reminder to see that for what it is. As well as finding empowerment in the self in a chaotic world.

We’ll like this song if we like… Old photographs of Arnold Schwarzenegger ridding horses or Baryshnikov doing an arabesque on a grand piano in the woods.

For more info see: buffalotales.com.au

Ceres mix elements of alternative indie, poprock and ‘90s emo. They launch their debut EP Luck at Grace Darling this Saturday with friends Skyways Are Highways and Elcaset. The doors open at 9pm with $10 entry.

BLACKCHORDS – OH NO

What was inspiring you during the song’s writing and recording? Working with our producers David Odlum and Mark Stanley. They were pivotal in making this song what it is today. That and Healesville’s wild mushrooms.

We’ll like the EP if we like… I don’t know – Dylan , Ryan Adams... But it’s definitely an eclectic mix of songs. I don’t think you can pigeonhole this one.

GUNG HO (Create Control)

SINGLE FOCUS

Lowtide celebrate the new year with a Tuesday night residency at the Toff in February. Forming in 2009, Lowtide’s richly layered and textured sounds quickly gained them a reputation as one of Australia’s finest shoegaze purveyors. Daryn Sylvester supports this Tuesday. Doors open at 7.30pm with entry $8 dollars.

(Kinship Records)

SUPER MAGIC HATS

Kill Ya Darlins return to Bar Open with their fusion of sequined-glam, riff-laden blues rock every Wednesday night in February. Support comes from A Very Small Band. The doors open at 8.30pm with free entry.

TIDAL WAVES

Smooth Like Butter Each of the five songs on Smooth Like Butter offer up a lot of musical elements, mostly working well together in support of the rootsy voice of Rachel Clutterbuck. Lyrically sampling The Jacksons on Sunshine Moonlight, Clutterbuck suitably displays her best vocal effort of the record, serenading over a slow-funk bassline. Her prowess shines with the easy but memorable melody of Body And Soul – the assortment of backing sounds the most conducive found on the record. The fusion of elements of hip hop, soul and roots music may not normally be advisable but this EP shows it can work. It will launch this Thursday at the Evelyn.

DEATH OF A DARLING

DRONE ON Helping The Citradels launch their new album Psychotic Syndrone will be Grand Rapids, Contrast and Trappist Afterland. Head to Yah Yah’s this Thursday to catch it. The doors open at 8.30pm with $10 entry including a copy of the album.

JUNK TEETH Like Junk and Fucking Teeth come to Yah Yah’s this Friday, all the way from Perth, with support from Hamjam and seven-piece party band The Beegles. The bands start at 9pm with free entry.

SIBLING REUNION Siblings Matt and Beki from The Mavis’s are together again for a one-off Melbourne show and a new EP, Searching For Zero. The Dead Salesmen duo will be supporting them. The doors open at 9pm with $15 entry.

Will you be launching it? Friday 15 February at Ding Dong Lounge with The Hello Morning and The General Assembly in support. For more info see: blackchords.com or facebook.com/blackchords.

CROOKED CHARLIE Charles Jenkins‘ most recent album, Love Your Crooked Neighbor With Your Crooked Heart, has been widely praised as one of last year’s finest and continues a run of releases of staggering quality. Get down to the Drunken Poet at 4pm this Sunday and see it being performed live.

NEXT OF ADKINS Alicia Adkins continues the proud tradition of Texan country, tales of love, loss and the pursuit of both, happiness and the bittersweet, delivered with a voice that commands attention. Adkins plays tonight (Wednesday) at the Drunken Poet from 8pm followed by Jenny Biddle.

SHAMBOLIC The Shambelles are an all girl, ‘60s super group, busting out a variety of obscure covers, some old faves and the odd original tune. The Drunken Poet entirely approves of this shambolic bunch. They play this Saturday night at the Poet from 9pm.

WALKING BLUES This Thursday, Matt Walker will play two sets from 8.30pm at the Post Office Hotel as part of his February residency. He will be playing tracks from his latest album Echoes Of Dawn, accompanied by a full band. Entry is free.

TOO MANY JOHNNIES Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies will play two sets from 10pm at the Post Office Hotel this Friday. Influenced by ‘60s garage-surf, Get Smart and crime detective novels, the quartet is sure to present an intriguing night of music in the vein of The Sonics and The Atlantics. Entry is free.


SINGLE FOCUS

RETURN OF TOWERS

WILD DRUNK

Towers will be playing their return show at Ding Dong Lounge this Saturday. The lead singer is now back after sabbatical so make sure you make it down to welcome him back to the stage. Doors at 8pm, entry is $10.

Tasmanian underground champions Drunk Elk return to Melbourne to play their beautiful ancient melodies and hauntings, with their friends Mad Nanna, Snawklor and The Vivids. Head to the Gasometer this Saturday to witness their captivating live show.

ROLLING ON

LOVE LIKE HATE – NOT MY HEART What’s the song about? Heather Cheketri, guitar/vocals: The song is essentially about the breakdown of a friendship when one person wants to be more than friends with the other. Is this track from a forthcoming/ existing release? The track is from the Rabbit Hole EP released late last year. How long did it take to write/record? The song was written by myself and Sonja [Ter Horst, pianist]. Our EP took over a year to record. As we are from Brisbane, we recorded it in stages in Sydney with Lachlan Mitchell. What was inspiring you during the song’s writing and recording? We had written all the songs sometime before we recorded them – though the inspiration came from the same place most our songs do: they are our interpretations of what we’re going through at the time. We’ll like this song if we like… A mash between Amanda Palmer, Patti Smith and Bat For Lashes. Do you play it differently live? Yes, there is always a dirtier/grungier sound when we play live. Will you be launching it? In Melbourne at the Cornish Arms on Saturday 16 February. For more info see: lovelikehate.com.au

BOTTLED ROCKERS Big waves and frantic rock’n’roll, The Bluebottles feature the guitar-slinging Hubbard brothers. They play two sets this Saturday at the Post Office Hotel from 10pm with free entry.

CASTING SHADOWS Lachlan Bryan’s solo debut Shadow Of The Gun is a collection of 12 original, deeply personal narratives. They represent thinking-person’s country music. Bryan plays two sets from 4.30pm this Sunday at the Post Office Hotel. Entry is free.

COLOUR TESTED

This Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the day the Rolling Stones played a show at Kooyong Tennis Centre in 1973. To celebrate, two shows will be held at the Corner Hotel featuring The Monkey Men (led by Tim Rogers) playing the full set list of that 1973 show. The matinee begins at 1pm and the night show at 7.30pm.

SEXUAL FEELING

The team behind SoundBytes, Melbourne’s best known chipmusic event, is back with Square Sounds Melbourne, a two day audio-visual feast of lo-fi goodness at the Evelyn. This Friday and Saturday will feature a massive lineup of 21 audio-visual acts such as Doshy, Cheapshot, A_Art and Aliceffekt.

Feelings is the new project of former Philadelphia Grand Jury front-man Simon Berkfinger, featuring the dashing Dave Rennick (Dappled Cities) and Dan Williams. Feelings will launch his new single Intercourse at the Workers Club this Friday. Milk Teddy and Dumb Blondes are supporting.

JUST TYPICAL

MUDDY WINGS

The Archetypal will expand your cerebral hemispheres through grimey, honest music from the soul, projected with a message of pure love. Catch them at the Evelyn this Sunday from 1.30pm with supports Street Fangs, I Am The Riot and Shadows At Play.

Swamp Moth rises from the murky mists and revives hard rock’s long forgotten masters of the unholy Riff. Catch them this Friday with The Minute Takers at the Vic Hotel. The doors open at 10pm with free entry.

GASOLINE GRACE The return of Gasoline Stew & The Dump occurs this Friday as they support The Exotics at the Grace Darling. Their music could be described as some rude combination of grindcore, delta blues, R&B and industrial noise. The doors open at 8.30pm with $10 entry.

Tonight at Cherry Bar southern rockers My Dynamite continue their Wednesday residency. The support this week comes from indie-rock trio Kashmere Club. The doors open at 7pm with free entry. DJs will spin to 3am.

A nautical rock extravaganza will hit this Saturday, organised by rocking trio Tequila Mockingbyrd who are launching their debut EP. The event also features Cooper Street, The Naysayers, Scaramouche, Lamp and She Said You. Google Ship Rock’d for details, or head to tinyurl.com/shiprockdticket.

BATTLE ROUND Shangri La returns with the second installment of DJ Battle at the Gasometer tonight (Wednesday). This week sees Hayley McKee (Super Wild Horses) and Rick Milovanovic (Boomgates, Twerps) taking on the winners from the first round. Freen entry.

HASTY APPROACH Your answer to Valentine’s Day is a night at the Gaso with some exciting, up and coming punk bands. The Approach are set to headline the show, and will be joined by To The Rescue, Break The Wall, Fractures and Oedipus Rex. Catch them upstairs at the Gasometer.

LOW EXPECTATIONS Officially kicking off the last leg of his tour at the Empress Hotel this Friday, the Phil Barlow Band is bringing a unique mix of rock, blues and reggae to Melbourne audiences. He will be supported by Al Parkinson on the night. The doors open at 8pm with $10 entry.

SECRET’S OUT

LOVING PRECEDENT

Crystal Magic Records is presenting Secrets’ first live show in Melbourne. Head to the Gasometer this Friday for a night of psychedelic techno, bombastic power-up beats and low bitrate-bummer synthjams, with support from Cartoon and Tlaotlon.

In Hearts Wake have toured relentlessly since August when they first road tested their debut album Divination around the country. To celebrate their new music video for Loreley (The Lovers) they play the Commercial Hotel (South Morang) this Thursday, the Ferntree Gully Hotel on Friday and the Pier Live (Frankston) on Saturday.

FOAM PARTY The Ocean Party are back in Melbourne, with a third album in the works, and looking forward to a February residency at the Tote. This week they are joined by Cat Cat, Actor Buddhists and Extreme Wheeze tonight. The doors open at 8.30pm with $8.

Run Rabbit Run are bringing their folk tunes to Bar Open this Thursday. Come early for the gypsy, traveller tales of Tom Millington, the mad funky grooves of Anthony Young and the chilled out jams of Elliot Friend. The doors open at 9pm with free entry.

TOUGH LOVE Grab your partner (or seek a new one) at the Tote this Thursday, for a lovely night of romantic musical shenanigans. Four shit-hot acts with a strong streak of high-stepping country moods will cast you adrift in a sea of moody love songs. Johnny Gibson & The Hangovers, Sea Legs, Duncan Graham & His Co-Accused and Rex Watts will all appear. The doors open at 8pm with entry for $9.

RUB A DUB DUB Favourite sons and daughters The Dub Captains are getting comfy on Friday nights at Bar Open this February. The 15-piece pseudo-reggae monster will be joined by Dru Chen on the night. The doors open at 10pm with free entry.

MAKING A SPLASH

JUDGEMENT DAY

Nai Palm’s songs are always soulful, cathartic and replenishing without being hemmed by a specific genre. Catch the Hiatus Kaiyote front-woman this Sunday at Bar Open from 4pm with free entry.

PERSONAL EXPLOSIVES

ROCK THE BOAT

ACTIVE BUNNY

IN HER PALM

Bricks bring their melodic thrash metal upstairs to the Gasometer this Saturday with the help of Poison Fish, The Unkind and Gecko Theory. People with weak constitutions are advised not to make the trek up the stairs.

BYTING SOUNDS

Citing themselves as progressive-vintage, All The Colours came together with the ambition of making great music and girls dance. They play the Toff this Saturday with Smile and Singing With Humans in support. The doors open at 7.30pm with $12 entry.

With the recent resurgence in lover’s rock, you gotta come see Melbourne’s answer to it, Judge Pino & The Ruling Motions. They play this Saturday at Bar Open. The doors open at 10pm with free entry.

AND MORTAR

WELCOME TO THE JUNGAL Melbourne roots/rock ladies Jungal are launching their very first live recording at the Workers Club this Sunday. Bringing ingredients of roots, rock, folk and pop to their fiery cauldron, Jungal dish up a musical feast through an energetic, rocking live performance. Funk/roots loop master Tom Richardson and indie-rock quartet When In Roam are also on the bill. The music starts at 2pm with $10 entry.

Australian indie punk-rock musician and song writing legend, Kim Salmon will appear this Saturday at the Tote with special guests. There’s a free BBQ from 6pm with the bandroom doors opening at 8pm. Entry is $12.

SIX OF THE BEST That’s right folks, the annual Sunday Sixpack at the Tote is back for its 15th edition of beers, bands, beards and debauchery. It kicks off at 3pm with the complimentary BBQ before Jarek, Mushroom Giant, Sydonia, Manatarms, Shadowgame and Roussemoff hit the stage after 8pm. Entry is $15.

For more news/announcements go to themusic.com.au/news • 43


HOWZAT! LOCAL MUSIC NEWS BY JEFF JENKINS My brother and I both fell asleep halfway through, but it was an indelible and incredible memory.”

Aerial Maps

PLACES, POSTCARDS & THE SEARCH FOR THE GREATEST NEENISH TART Four decades before Status Quo did a Coles ad, they inspired Adam Gibson to pursue a music career. “Status Quo were massive in my neighbourhood when we were kids, something largely inspired by Sean Kennedy, who would later join The Aerial Maps,” Adam tells Howzat! “Sean was a bit older and led the neighbourhood into the joys of the Quo. I can’t overstate how big they were to us.” The first album Adam bought with his brother was Quo’s Piledriver. “And, amazingly, the first rock concert we saw was Status Quo at Brisbane’s Festival Hall, when I was eight. My father was a big band musician and played a lot at Festival Hall. We were in Queensland on holiday, so he pulled a few strings and we watched from the sound booth up the back.

44 • For more opinion go to themusic.com.au/blog

Adam and Sean are now members of The Aerial Maps, alongside former Hummingbirds’ singer Simon Holmes. They bring Adam’s evocative spoken word pieces to life. These are Australian stories set to music. Following In The Blinding Sunlight and The Sunset Park, Adam is now working towards the third Aerial Maps album. Will it be another concept album? “Both of our albums have, in a sense, been concept albums, particularly The Sunset Park, which was envisaged as a novel-inan-album. Wanky, I know, but fun. Simon Holmes is very big on the idea of ‘working to a brief’; the thought being that by setting specific parameters you aren’t paralysed by options and you can just charge ahead. We’re tossing around a few ideas, one of the strongest being the general concept of an Australian love story. I am also obsessed with the idea of the physical presence of the Great Dividing Range, so we’ll see. I would like it to be out this year, but we have to write and record it first.” Adam recently revealed the three albums that changed his life: Midnight Oil’s Place Without A Postcard, The Triffids’ Born Sandy Devotional and Billy Bragg’s Talking With The Taxman About Poetry. Adam hasn’t met Billy or any of the Triffids, but he refers to “the Jim Moginie stars” in Forgiveness, and Peter Garrett has praised The Aerial Maps’ work: “Adam Gibson writes from the heart, from the street, about the place that moves him most. Ripper real words that are well worth checking out.”

Does Adam need to head out on the road for inspiration? “Definitely. Every good thing I think I’ve written has either been written on, or at least strongly inspired by, trips that I’ve done. That sense of place is really important to me and it’s really a large part of what the Aerial Maps is about.” Adam will be driving to Melbourne to be part of the Livingstone Daisies’ album launch at the Northcote Social Club on Friday, 22 February. The Maps are also playing at Pure Pop at 3pm the next day, followed by a gig with Mike Noga at the Post Office Hotel. Adam loves a road trip and “the search for the greatest neenish tart”. “That project is a lifelong one,” he smiles. “There’s always a small town bakery up around the bend which may or may not serve the greatest holy neenish tart. The thing I find interesting about neenish tarts is that they are, seemingly, a distinctly Australian product, but one that is sort of ‘underground’. Those in-the-know know how good they are, and those that don’t, well, they just don’t get it.”

night at the Corner on Tuesday, starring Nick Barker. After Bon died, Molly tipped he might be replaced by former Easybeats singer Stevie Wright. “I could not think of a more suitable replacement,” Molly said on Countdown on 2 March, 1980. Of course, Bon was irreplaceable.

IS BON, IS GOOD

The Story So Far KEITH URBAN (8)

Howzat!’s buddy Mark Opitz tells a great Bon Scott story. Mark, who engineered AC/DC’s classic Powerage, recalls Bon needing some help when he was writing lyrics. “Mark,” he asked, “have you got anything to smoke?” Mark had a tiny piece of hash. He gave Bon half. “Great, mate,” Bon said, “you saved my life.” About six months later, Mark was working at Alberts when he heard someone calling his name. It was Bon. “Mate, I’ve been looking for you for ages,” Bon smiled, pulling out a massive slab of hash, the size of a family block of chocolate. He broke it in half and gave half to Mark. “I gave him half, so he gave me half,” Mark explains in his new book, Sophisto-punk. Bon died 33 years ago next Tuesday, at the age of 33. To mark the occasion, the theatre show Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be, The Story of Bon Scott is doing one

CHART WATCH Birds of Tokyo move from four to three. Lanterns BIRDS OF TOKYO (3) Holdin On FLUME (22) Best Night JUSTICE CREW (27) What You’ve Done To Me SAMANTHA JADE (32) Flume’s debut album spends just one week on top. Flume FLUME (4) The Sapphires SOUNDTRACK (13) The Byron Sessions PETE MURRAY (17, debut) Armageddon GUY SEBASTIAN (19) Lonerism TAME IMPALA (26) All For You COLD CHISEL (31) The Rubens THE RUBENS (34)

HOWZAT! PLAYLIST Forgiveness THE AERIAL MAPS Beach SAN CISCO Safety In Numbness LIVINGSTONE DAISIES Beside You MARK SEYMOUR Riff Raff AC/DC


45


TOUR GUIDE THE TOOT TOOT TOOTS: Friday 22 February Spiegeltent

THIS WEEK INTERNATIONAL MACKELMORE & RYAN LEWIS: February 13 Palace; 16 Corner Hotel DAVID HASSELHOFF: February 14 Corner Hotel I AM GIANT: February 14 Ding Dong CONVERGE: February 15 Billboard SWANS: February 15 Corner Hotel GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR: February 15 Forum Theatre BLAWAN, MARCELL DETTMAN: February 15 Brown Alley TJR: February 15 Royal Melbourne Hotel JENS LEKMAN: February 15 Garden Party Southbank CLIFF RICHARD: February 15, 16, 18, 19 Hamer Hall JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR: February 15 Ruby’s Lounge (Belgrave); 16 Bruthen Blues & Arts Festival; 17 Northcote Social Club DONAVON FRANKENREITER: February 15 Woolshed Pub (Docklands) and Prince Of Wales; 16 Portsea Hotel and Westernport Hotel (San Remo); 17 Lorne Hotel and Torquay Hotel LEO SAYER: February 16 Melbourne Zoo RINGO STARR: February 16 Festival Hall FATHER JOHN MISTY: February 17 Hi-Fi PICTUREPLANE: February 17 Liberty Social BOTH CHEESE: February 18 Old Bar CAROLE KING: February 18, 19 Plenary EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN: February 19 Palace CIVIL CIVIC: February 19 Tote

NATIONAL TINA ARENA: February 13 Hamer Hall COLIN HAY: February 13 Light House Theatre (Warrnambool); 15 Frankston Arts Centre; 16 Athenaeum Theatre; 19 Capital Theatre (Bendigo) SARAH BLASKO: February 14 Hamer Hall IN HEARTS WAKE: February 14 Commercial Hotel (South Morang); 15 Ferntree Gully Hotel PETE MURRAY: February 14 Spirit Bar & Lounge (Traralgon); 15 Forge Theatre (Bairnsdale); 16 Wool Exchange (Geelong); 17 Riverboats Music Festival (Echuca) BLACKCHORDS: February 15 Ding Dong SUPER MAGIC HATS: February 15 Horse Bazaar BOOM CRASH OPERA: February 15 Espy SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS: February 15 Northcote Social Club FEELINGS: February 15 Workers Club MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA, MIGHTY DUKE & THE LORDS: February 15 Melbourne Zoo ELEPHANT: February 15 Public Bar; 16 Lyrebird Lounge DANIEL MERRIWEATHER: February 16 Corner Hotel BABY ET LULU: February 16 Spiegeltent JUDGE JULES: February 16 Room 680 THE MAVIS’S: February 16 Yah Yah’s NEIL FINN & PAUL KELLY: February 16, 18, 19 Palais Theatre ABBY DOBSON AND LARA GOODRIDGE: February 16 Spiegeltent LITTLE BASTARD: February 17 Labour In Vain CRIME & THE CITY SOLUTION: February 18 Hi-Fi AT LAST – THE ETTA JAMES STORY: February 19 Athenaeum Theatre FESTIVALS RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL: February 15–17 Echuca-Moama ROCK THE BAY FESTIVAL: February 16 Espy I’LL BE YOUR MIRROR: February 16–17 Altona

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL DR FEELGOOD: February 20 Caravan Club; 21 Corner Hotel NORAH JONES: February 21 Plenary MAC MILLER: February 21 Palace TEX NAPALM, DIMI NERO: February 21 Bridge

Hotel (Castlemaine); 22 Tote; 23 Lyrebird Lounge (Elsternwick); 24 Labour In Vain; March 1 Prince; 2 Public Bar; 3 Cherry Bar JOSE JAMES: February 22 Hi-Fi HUXLEY: February 22 Prince DAVID MORALES: February 22 Red Bennies HOW TO DRESS WELL: February 22 Corner Hotel MY BLOODY VALENTINE: February 22 Palace MIGUEL MIGS: February 23 New Guernica MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK: February 25 Hi-Fi PERIPHERY, CROSSFAITH: February 25 Espy Gershwin Room KYUSS LIVES: February 26 Palace OF MICE & MEN: February 26 Hi-Fi GALLOWS: February 6 Corner DRAGONFORCE, THE SWORD: February 25 Billboard BLINK-182: February 26 Sidney Myer Music Bowl MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE: February 26 Billboard THE WEDDING PRESENT: February 26, 27 Northcote Social Club LINKIN PARK: February 27 Rod Laver Arena SIX FEET UNDER, SYLOSIS: February 27 Corner SICK OF IT ALL, MADBALL: February 27 Espy GARBAGE: February 27 Forum Theatre TOMAHAWK: February 27 Billboard SLEEPING WITH SIRENS: February 27 Hi-Fi FLOGGING MOLLY, THE LAWRENCE ARMS, LUCERO: February 27 Palace SUM 41: February 28 Palace SOUL II SOUL: February 28 Trak Lounge BRING ME THE HORIZON: February 28 Billboard DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED, DANKO JONES: February 28 Espy CYPRESS HILL: February 28 Forum Theatre PUSCIFER: February 28 Palais THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH: February 28 Recital Centre BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR: February 28 Arrow On Swanston ANTHRAX: February 28 Hi-Fi DEEP PURPLE, JOURNEY: March 1 Rod Laver Arena PHRONESIS: March 1 Melbourne Recital Centre MANO LE TOUGH: March 1 Revolver SLAUGHTERHOUSE: March 1 Palace ILLAPU: March 2 Dallas Brooks Hall AGORIA: March 2 Brown Alley DEERHOOF: March 3 Schoolhouse Studios ED SHEERAN: March 4, 5, 6 Festival Hall KISS, MÖTLEY CRÜE: March 5, 6 Etihad Stadium FUN: March 5 Palace THE OFFSPRING: March 6 Palace ANTIBALAS: March 6 Corner Hotel ZOË KEATING: March 6 Spiegeltent CAT POWER: March 7 Forum Theatre THE STONE ROSES: March 7 Festival Hall ARLO GUTHRIE: March 7 National Theatre TONY JOE WHITE: March 7 Caravan Music Club (Oakleigh); 8 Thornbury Theatre; 9 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 10 Substation (Newport) DINOSAUR JR: March 7 Corner Hotel; 8 Espy LONDON KLEZMER QUARTET: March 7 Melbourne Recital Centre; 24 Spiegeltent; 25 Melba Hall PURITY RING: March 8 Corner Hotel ROSS MCHENRY FUTURE ENSEMBLE: March 7 Toff RICKIE LEE JONES: March 7 Athenaeum Theatre GEORGE CLINTON & PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC: March 9 Billboard MXPX: March 9 Forest Edge Festival (Neerim East); 10 Corner Hotel TORO Y MOI: March 9 Corner Hotel THE HERBALISER DJS: March 9 Espy PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: March 10 Palace GREG WILSON: March 10 New Guernica WILD NOTHING: March 11 Tote VIEUX FARKA TOURE: March 11 Corner Hotel REDD KROSS: March 12 Espy SMASH MOUTH: March 13 Hi-Fi SEAN TAYLOR: March 13 Northcote Social Club BOB MOULD: March 13, 14 Corner Hotel BLOC PARTY: March 14 Festival Hall OPETH: March 14 Palace JULIO BASHMORE: March 15 Brown Alley NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE: March 15 Rod Laver Arena; 16 Hill Winery THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION: March 15 Espy; 16 Corner Hotel CAROLINE NIN: March 15 Spiegeltent PAUL BRADY: March 15 Celtic Club TITLE FIGHT: March 16 Reverence Hotel; 17 Phoenix Youth Centre ENSIFERUM: March 16 Espy GUNS N’ ROSES: March 17 Sidney Myer Music Bowl THE JACKSONS: March 19 Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre GORAN BREGOVIC: March 19, 20 Arts Centre GLEN HANSARD: March 20, 21, 23 Recital Centre

46 • To check out the mags online go to themusic.com.au/mags

PRESENTS YEASAYER: February 6 Hi-Fi MS MR: February 7 Northcote Social Club STRANGERS: February 8 Workers Club THEM BRUINS: February 8 Purple Sneakers RUBY BOOTS: February 8 Baha Tacos (Rye); 9 Workers Club GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR: February 15 Forum FATHER JOHN MISTY: Februray 17 Hi-Fi PAUL KELLY & NEIL FINN: February 16, 18, 19, 20, March 4, 5 Palais; March 2 A Day On The Green, All Saints Winery (Rutherglen) EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN, MICK HARVEY: February 19 Palace SOJA: April 6 Prince Bandroom CAT POWER: March 7 Forum DINOSAUR JR: March 7 Corner Hotel THE STONE ROSES: March 7 Festival Hall PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL (featuring Arlo Guthrie, Gurrumul, Glen Hansard): March 8-11 Port Fairy TORO Y MOI: March 9 Corner Hotel FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL: (featuring The Stone Roses, The Prodigy, Steve Aoki): March 10 Flemington Racecourse JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION: March 15 Espy; 16 Corner Hotel THIS WILL DESTROY YOU: March 21, 22 Northcote Social Club GRINSPOON: March 22 Hi-Fi; April 24 Bended Elbow (Geelong); 25 Pier Live (Frankston); 26 Inferno (Traralgon); 27 Ferntree Gully Hotel ROBERT CRAY, TAJ MAHAL, SHUGGIE OTIS: March 24 Hamer Hall BONNIE RAITT, MAVIS STAPLES: March 27 State Theatre IGGY & THE STOOGES, BEASTS OF BOURBON: March 27 Festival Hall THE RESIGNATORS: March 22 the Loft (Warrnambool); 23 Bridge Hotel (Castlemaine); 28 Workers Club; 29 Pow (Werribee) BLUESFEST: (featuring Ben Harper, Iggy & The Stooges, Wilco): March 28-April 1 Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm (Byron Bay) ROGER HODGSON: March 28 Palais BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA: April 3 Hamer Hall TEGAN & SARA: May 2 Palais THE KOOKS: May 3 Palais GROOVIN’ THE MOO: May 4 Prince Of Wales Showgrounds (Bendigo) THE HAPPY MONDAYS: May 5 Palace SOMETHING FOR KATE: May 10 Ferntree Gully Hotel; 11 Pier Live (Frankston); 24 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); June 14 Forum

WED 13 The Shabab, The Braves: Grace Darling Hotel - Collingwood Readable Graffiti: Pure Pop Records - St Kilda Kirkis, Nai Palm, Silentjay: John Curtin Hotel - Carlton The Laughing Leaves, Kung Fu In Technicolour, Pons: Old Bar - Fitzroy Buffalo Tales, Emma Hales, The Walters: The Workers Club - Fitzroy My Dynamite, Kashmere Club: Cherry Bar - Melbourne The Ocean Party, Cat Cat, Actor Buddhists, Extreme Wheeze: The Tote - Melbourne Alison Ferrier, Les Thomas: Retreat Hotel - Brunswick Giants Under The Sun: Bendigo Hotel - Collingwood Alicia Adkins, Jenny Biddle: The Drunken Poet - West Melbourne Duncan Graham & His Co-Accused: The Standard Hotel - Fitzroy

Night Market Music: The Public Bar - Melbourne Dizzy’s Big Band, Peter Hearne: Dizzy’s Jazz Club - Richmond Various Artists: First Floor - Fitzroy Various Artists : The Espy - St Kilda Animaux, The Mcqueens, Seven Year Itch: Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy Portraits Of August, Mr Woo, Stella, Palace Of The King, Karly Jewell, Mistress Of Ceremony & Dizz Beats, AlaNa Porter, Avantair, Wildfires, Exile, Slow Jaxx & His Flying Bong Brothers: Corner Hotel - Richmond Various Artists: The Brunswick Hotel Vulgargrad, Gregory Page: Spotted Mallard - Brunswick Hue Blanes Trio, Alister Campbell: 303 - Northcote Kill Ya Darlins, A Very Small Band: Bar Open - Fitzroy

Hayley (Super Wild Horses), Rick (Boomgates/Twerps), + More: The Gasometer Hotel - Collingwood

THU 14 Pete Murray : Spirit Bar & Lounge - Traralgon Mike Tramp, Palace Of The King: Northcote Social CluB - Northcote Atluk, Shadows At Play, The Pope’s Assassins: Empress Hotel - Fitzroy North David Hasselhoff: Corner Hotel - Richmond Anna’s Go-Go Academy: The Vic Hotel - Brunswick Orsome Wells: My Aeon - Brunswick The Icypoles, Monnone Alone, Sheahan Drive: Grace Darling Hotel - Collingwood Counterfeit, Any Last Words, Skindeep Secret: Colonial Hotel - Melbourne Jason Singh Duo: The Common Room - Southbank Hellhound Brown: Pure Pop Records - St Kilda Buffalo Tales: Baha Tacos - Rye Riverkids, Finding Isla, Rhianna Leane, Paper Street Soap Company, The Give: John Curtin Hotel - Carlton Fucking Teeth, Like Junk, Wet Lips, Meth Leopard: Old Bar - Fitzroy Panama, Collarbones, Willow Beats, + Guest Djs: The Workers Club - Fitzroy Emilee South: Wesley Anne - Northcote Revomatix, Dj Vince Peach, Pierre Baroni: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Mustered Courage, The Davidson Brothers: Wesley Anne - Northcote Love Like Hate: Grumpy’s Green - Fitzroy Johnny Gibson & The Hangovers, Sea Legs, Duncan Graham & His Co-Accused, Rex WaTts: The Tote - Melbourne

The Chemist, Lurch & Chief, Apes, Peter Bibby: The Espy - St Kilda Gunslingers, Dazook, Angry Seas: Reverence Hotel - Melbourne Mike Rudd: Famous Blue Raincoat South Kingsville Delivery Boy: The Thornbury Local - Thornbury Don Hillman: The Drunken Poet - West Melbourne Lands, Willow Darling, Harmony Byrne: Lomond Hotel - Brunswick East Fragmenta, Xenos, The Weight Of Silence, Involuntary Convulsion: The Brunswick Hotel - Brunswick The Harlots, The Pretty Littles: Spotted Mallard - Brunswick Noemi Liba: Open Studio - Northcote Pretty City: Great Britain Hotel - Richmond The Citadels, The Grand Rapids, Trappist Afterland, Contrast: Yah Yah’s - Fitzroy Ben Grayson Trio: 303 - Northcote Run Rabbit Run, Elliot Friend, Anthony Young, Tom Millington: Bar Open - Fitzroy Jessica-Jade, Madeleine Jayne, Cardinal: Revolver Upstairs - Prahran I Am Giant: Ding Dong Lounge - Melbourne Pomme Fritz, Tyrannamen: The Gasometer Hotel - Collingwood The Approach, To The Rescue, Break The Wall, Fractures, Oediupus Rex: The Gasometer Hotel - Collingwood

FRI 15 Pete Murray : The Forge Theatre - Bairnsdale

FEELINGS: February 15 Workers Club

The Mercy Kills, Hailmary, Love Like Hate: The Vineyard - St Kilda The Stillsons: Retreat Hotel - Brunswick Sarah Blasko, + Orchestra: Hamer Hall - Melbourne Rachel By The Stream, Mortisville, Rosie Misschief: Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy Ghost Towns Of The Midwest: The Resurrection Hotel - Melbourne Mae Collard Trio: Dizzy’s Jazz Club - Richmond Del Barrio: First Floor - Fitzroy London Cries, Blind Munkee, Darcee Fox: The Espy - St Kilda

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Chris Smith: Forum Jon Stevens, Juzzie Smith : Melbourne Recital Centre - Southbank Phil Barlow Band, Al Parkinson: Empress Hotel - Fitzroy North Joanne Shaw Taylor, John Bacon Blues: Ruby’s Lounge - Belgrave Converge, + Special Guests: Billboard The Venue - Melbourne Marcell Dettmann, Blawan: Brown Alley - Melbourne Swamp Moth, The Minute Takers: The Vic Hotel - Brunswick


Toyota War, Elevator Alligators: Grace Darling Hotel - CoLlingwood Blackchords, The Hello Morning , General Assembly: Ding Dong Lounge - Melbourne Cassie Crawford Duo: The Common Room - Southbank Evermore: The Common Room - Southbank Liz Stringer: Pure Pop Records - St Kilda Ray Beadle, Shannon Bourne: Caravan Music Club - Oakleigh Various Artists : Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival - Ballarat Riverboats Music Festival - Echuca Carlin Grant: Yarraville Club - Yarraville Brad Martin Project, Chris Wilson: Baha Tacos - Rye Donavon Frankenreiter: Woolshed Pub - Docklands Various Artists : Loop - Melbourne John O’Callaghan: Palace Theatre - Melbourne Buffalo Tales: Wellers - Kangaroo Ground The Rebelles, Dj Jumpin’ Josh, Mohair Slim: The Luwow - Melbourne Brothers Grim &Amp; The Blue Murders, Hell Hounds, Lawnton Bowls Club, Dj Ripitup: Old Bar - Fitzroy The Bart Willoughby Band , Yung Warriors, Tabura: The Espy - St Kilda Boom Crash Opera, London Cries, Krista Polvere, Sunset Clause: The Espy - St Kilda Feelings, Milk Teddy, Dumb Blonde: The Workers Club - Fitzroy Omnivum, Blood Line, Anarchy At Dawn, Lucid Planet: The Espy - St Kilda Spencer P Jones: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Flyying Colours, The Citadels, + Special Guests: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Broni: Wesley Anne - Northcote Something With Numbers, Apes, City Vs Country: Northcote Social Club - Northcote Love Like Hate, Emma Wall & The Urban Folk: Wesley Anne - Northcote

Donavon Frankenreiter, Lacasa: Prince Bandroom - St Kilda Echo Drama: Retreat Hotel - Brunswick Cola Wars, Kill The Matador, Shoot ThE Sun, Shadow Queen: Bendigo Hotel - Collingwood The Electric Sun Kings: Karova Lounge - Ballarat My Echo, Jonesez, Constant Killer: John Curtin Hotel - Carlton Doshy (De), Cheapshot (Uk/Jp), Elliot, Huf (Nz), Mr Spastic (Us/It), Pselodux, Starpause, Trash80: Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy Cass Mitchell: Chapel Off Chapel - Prahran Secrets, Cartoon, Tlaotlon: The Gasometer Hotel - Collingwood Wicked City: The Public Bar - Melbourne Agave Maize, Adamus Exul: Cbd Club - Melbourne Hetty Kate & The Irwell Street String Band: Flying Saucer Club - Elsternwick Kim Salmon, + Friends: The Tote - Melbourne Beetet: Dizzy’s Jazz Club - Richmond The Exotics, Gasoline Stew, The Dump: Grace Darling Hotel - Collingwood The Dub Captains, Dru Chen: Bar Open - Fitzroy The Skampz: Burvale Hotel - Nunawading Spectrum: The Ivy Lounge Bar - Olinda Stu Harcourt : The Thornbury Local - Thornbury Swans, Kristof Hahn: Corner Hotel - Richmond Rod Payne & His Full Time Lovers: Lomond Hotel - Brunswick East Tracy Mcneil Band, Dan Waters Band, Matty Green & The Willing: Spotted Mallard - Brunswick Busy Kingdom, Ablaze, Cider Tree Kids, Saving Cleopatra: The Brunswick Hotel - Brunswick Paulie Bignell & The Thornbury Two: Highway 31 - Brunswick Like Junk, Hamjam, The Beegles, Fucking Teeth: Yah Yah’s - Fitzroy Tasty Cakes: Yah Yah’s - Fitzroy

Lloyd Spiegal: The Bridge Hotel - Castlemaine Cocophonics, Sass Frass, Melissa Mann Band: 303 - Northcote Septerrus, Hybrid Nightmares, Harlott, Blacklist, Horizons Edge: ReVolver Upstairs - Prahran Cliff Richard, O’shea: Hamer Hall - Melbourne

SAT 16

Cassie Crawford Duo: The Common Room - Southbank Buffalo Tales: The Common Room - Southbank Mix Method: The Common Room - Southbank Solomons: Pure Pop Records - St Kilda Craig “Kr” Costello: Caravan Music Club - Oakleigh Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival - Ballarat

LONE TYGER: Saturday 16 and Saturday 23 February, Vic Hotel

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: Forum Theatre - Melbourne Drunk Elk, Mad Nanna, Snawklor, The Vivids: The Gasometer Hotel - Collingwood Bricks, Poison Fish, The Unkind, Gecko Theory: The Gasometer Hotel - Collingwood Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band: Festival Hall - West Melbourne Jordan Walker, Underground, Kat Arditto, Indian Red, Finding Isla, Angie Mcmahon, Change The Tide: Empress Hotel - Fitzroy North Lone Tyger, Peter Ewing: The Vic Hotel - Brunswick All The Colours, Smile, Singing For Humans: The Toff In Town - Melbourne Antiskeptic, My Echo, The Spinset: Royal Melbourne Hotel - Melbourne Skyways Are Highways, Elcaset: Grace Darling Hotel - Collingwood The Velvets, + Special Guests: Ding Dong Lounge - Melbourne Dice, Poseidon, Rubber Dub: Ruby’s Lounge - Belgrave

Riverboats Music Festival - Echuca Gail Page: Music Land - Fawkner The Given Motion: Portsea Hotel - Portsea Donavon Frankenreiter: The Westernport Hotel - San Remo Buffalo Tales: Beav’s Bar - Geelong Matt Dwyer & The Dynamites: The Luwow - Melbourne Frank Dixon, Kings For A Day, Sinful Solitude, Daisie, Nick Sharp, Undertow, Blind Reacions, The Lost League, Escape To Neverland, Red Attraction, Midriff Explosion, Golden Brown, Private House, Toxic Daze, Black Revolver & The Stumpy Chumps: Thornbury Theatre - Thornbury Andrea Valeri, Nick Charles, Matt Fagan: Thornbury Theatre - Thornbury The Archetypal, Street Fangs, Goodbye Galaxy, Shadows At Play, Dj Dadjokes: Old Bar - Fitzroy The Little Stevies, Whitaker, Al Parkinson: The Workers Club - Fitzroy

TOUR GUIDE NATIONAL NEIL FINN & PAUL KELLY: February 20, March 4, 5 Palais Theatre; 2 All Saints Winery AT LAST – THE ETTA JAMES STORY: February 20 – March 3 Athenaeum Theatre JULIA STONE: February 20 St Michael’s Church SALLY WHITWELL: February 20 Spiegeltent COLIN HAY: February 20 River Links Performing Arts (Shepparton) THE TOWNHOUSES: February 21 Gasometer HERMITUDE: February 21 Corner Hotel LINES: February 21 Yah Yah’s; 22 Yarra Hotel (Geelong); 23 Espy STONEFIELD, OWL EYES: February 22 Melbourne Zoo THE TOOT TOOT TOOTS: February 22 Spiegeltent PAPER ARMS: February 22 Bendigo Hotel FORCES: February 22 Liberty Social VAUDEVILLE SMASH: February 22 Espy DJ SPINNA: February 22 Espy Gershwin Room DIALECTRIX: February 22 Workers Club; 23 Espy CRISIS ALERT: February 22 Gasometer Hotel; 23 Reverence Hotel; 24 The Place ROSS MCLENNAN: February 23 Spiegeltent GUNG HO: February 23 Workers Club SUPER MAGIC HATS: February 23 Brown Alley; March 20 Workers Club THE SMITH STREET BAND: February 23 Reverence Hotel; 24 Phoenix Youth Centre; 28 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); March 2 the Loft (Warrnambool); 3 Barwon Club (Geelong) BENNY WALKER: February 24 Moonee Valley Festival; March 9 Moomba Festival; 16 Mordialloc By The Bay LITTLE BASTARD: February 24 Labour In Vain AMY DICKSON: February 25 Sidney Myer Music Bowl TEX PERKINS & THE DARK HORSES: February 26, 27 Spiegeltent DRAPHT: February 26 La Trobe Uni (Bendigo); 27 La Trobe Uni (Bundoora); 28 Wool Exchange (Geelong); March 2 Saloon (Traralgon) BIRDS OF TOKYO: February 27 University Of Ballarat; 28 Pier Live (Frankston); March 1 Kay St (Traralgon); 2 Forum Theatre MERLYN QUAIFE: February 27 Spiegeltent THE KITS: February 28 Old Bar TIM ROGERS, THE BAMBOOS: March 1 Melbourne Zoo LOON LAKE: March 1 Corner Hotel NINA FERRO: March 1 Prince Maximilian Hotel THE BAMBOOS, TIM ROGERS, ELECTRIC EMPIRE: March 1 Melbourne Zoo LIOR, GIAN SLATER & INVENIO: March 1 Spiegeltent DEBORAH CONWAY, WILLY ZYGIER: March 1 Wesley Anne; 2 Caravan Club; 3 Potato Shed (Geelong); 28 Lighthouse Theatre (Warrnambool); 30 Bridge Hotel (Castlemaine); 31 Flying Saucer Club THE TIGER & ME: March 1 Riverside Live (Southbank); 15 Elsternwick Hotel; April 12, 13 Workers Club URTHBOY: March 2 Corner Hotel THE DEMON PARADE: March 2 Workers Club RENÉE GEYER: March 2 Spiegeltent NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: March 2 Sidney Myer Music Bowl

SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS: February 15 Northcote Social Club

SODASTREAM: March 2, 3 Northcote Social Club MARK SEYMOUR & THE UNDERTOW: March 2 All Saints Estate Rutherglen; 22 Yarraville Club; 23 Thornbury Theatre; 24 Flying Saucer Club (Elsternwick); 26 Caravan Club; May 18 Sphinx Hotel (Geelong) THE DEMON PARADE: March 2 Workers Club JULIA & THE DEEP SEA SIRENS: March 3 Workers Club JOSEPH TAWADROS: March 6 Spiegeltent CHRISTA HUGHES: March 7 Spiegeltent LAST DINOSAURS: March 7 Monash Uni Clayton PETE MURRAY: March 7 Commercial Hotel (South Morang); 8 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 9 Ferntree Gully Hotel; 10 Pier Hotel (Frankston); 14 Regent Multiplex (Ballarat); 15 Corner Hotel HUSKY, DIE ROTEN PUNKTE: March 8 Melbourne Zoo HIGH TENSION: March 8 Old Bar JORDIE LANE: March 8 Harvester Moon (Bellarine); 9 Baby Black Cafe (Bacchus Marsh); April 14 Burke & Wills Winery TIMOMATIC, BONNIE ANDERSON: March 9 Melbourne Zoo THE PIGS: March 9 Spiegeltent THE ANGELS 100%: March 9 Palms NINE SONS OF DAN: March 9 Phoenix Youth Centre THE SYNCOPATORS: March 10 Spiegeltent D AT SEA: March 10 Plastic POPSTRANGERS, BORED NOTHING: March 10 Gasometer THE CORRESPONDENTS: March 13 Spiegeltent JOE CHINDAMO & ZOE BLACK: March 13 Spiegeltent THE SUNNY COWGIRLS: March 13 Hallam Hotel; 14 Commercial Hotel (South Morang); 15 Gateway Hotel (Corio); 21 Italian-Australian Club (Morwell) MORIARTY: March 14 Spiegeltent THE MCMENAMINS: March 14 Toff THE MARK OF CAIN: March 15 Hi-Fi TUBA SKINNY: March 15 Spiegeltent THE ANGELS (FT DAVE GLEESON): March 15 Prince RUTHIE FOSTER: March 15 Theatre Royal (Castlemaine); 16 Meeniyan Town Hall; 17 Corner DAVID BRIDIE: March 16 Spiegeltent THE WOOHOO REVUE: March 16 Spiegeltent RAINY DAY WOMEN: March 16 Workers Club FLETCHER: March 17 Workers Club KATIE NOONAN: March 19 Spiegeltent SALLY SELTMANN: March 20 Spiegeltent THE CAT EMPIRE: March 20, 21 Prince

To check out the mags online go to themusic.com.au/mags • 47


The Beards, Electric Mary, Sleepmakeswaves, Bellusira, Engine Three Seven, Tim Mcmillan Band, KIng Of The North, The Khyber Belt, Manatarms (Chile), Sleep Parade, Moroccan Kings, New Skinn, Breaking Orbit, Sons Of Abraham, Hailmary, Holliava, High Side Driver, Lung, Swerve, Bottle Of Smoke, Pretty Dulcie, The Villain Epic, The Greeting Method, Apsis, The Caning, Quarterdrive, Dj Esquire, Phil Para Band: The Espy - St Kilda Bob Log III, Both Cheese: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Quince Jam: Wesley Anne - Northcote Lauren Bruce: Wesley Anne - Northcote Jeff Martin, Ray Beadle, Terepai Richmond: Northcote SociAl Club - Northcote Love Like Hate: Cornish Arms Hotel - Brunswick InĂŞs: The Hill Winery - Drysdale Marty Rhone: The Palms - Southbank Gto, The Original Snakeskins, Brad Martin Project: Retreat Hotel - Brunswick A-Art, Aliceffekt (Ca), Ctrix, Hunz, Meneo, Minikomi, Omodaka (Jp), Other Places, Ralp (Sp): Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy

The Shambelles: The Drunken Poet West Melbourne Slow Grind Fever: The Public Bar - Melbourne The Detonators: The B.East - Brunswick East John Montesante Quintet, Andrew Swann: Dizzy’S Jazz Club - Richmond Blues Mountain: Elsternwick Hotel - Elsternwick Moosejaw Rifle Club: Labour In Vain - Fitzroy Various Artists : First Floor - Fitzroy The Skampz: Tudor Inn - Cheltenham Spectrum Trio: Lomond Hotel - Brunswick East Rise Of The Rat, Berlin Postmark, Dj Larrabee: Reverence Hotel - Melbourne Luca Ciarla Quartet, Filfla, Def Fx, John Flanagan: Reverence Hotel - Melbourne Dirty Chapters, Pigtail: Reverence Hotel - Melbourne Heather & Nat Duo: The Thornbury Local - Thornbury Andee Frost: The Toff In Town - Melbourne Daniel Merriweather, Ali Barter, Willow: Corner Hotel - Richmond Spectrum: Lomond Hotel - Brunswick East Shanty Town, Madness Method, Busy Kingdom: Spotted Mallard - Brunswick

Ungus Ungus Ungus, A Lonely Crowd, Full Code, Fritzwicky: The Brunswick Hotel - Brunswick Cherrywood: Great Britain Hotel - Richmond Matt & Beki, The Dead Salesmen Duo: Yah Yah’s - Fitzroy Brothers Grim &Amp; The Blue MUrders: The Bridge Hotel - Castlemaine Neil Finn & Paul Kelly, Lisa Mitchell: Palais Theatre - St Kilda Betty & Oswald: 303 - Northcote Starpause, B.O.O.M.A, Celsius, Rachel Haircut, Minikomi: The Brunswick Hotel - Brunswick Judge Pino & The Ruling Motions: Bar Open - Fitzroy Cliff Richard, O’shea: Hamer Hall - Melbourne

SUN 17 Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band: Festival Hall - West Melbourne Joanne Shaw Taylor, John Mcnamara: Northcote Social Club - Northcote Jouissance, Zombie Psychologist, Dane Certificate: Empress Hotel - Fitzroy North Jarek, Mushroom Giant, Sydonia, Manatarms (Chile), Shadowgame, Roussemoff: The Tote - Melbourne

The F100s: The Gem - Collingwood Daryl Roberts: Wild Thyme Cafe - Warbourton Joe Laf: The Common Room - Southbank Monique Dimattina, Matt Walker: Pure Pop Records - St Kilda Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival - Ballarat Ross Hannaford & The Critters: Caravan Music Club - Oakleigh Little Bastard, Little Sisters: Retreat Hotel - Brunswick Father John Misty, + Special Guests: The Hi-Fi Melbourne - Melbourne Riverboats Music Festival - Echuca Kiss Me!: Acoustic Cafe - Collingwood Pictureplane, Romy, Roland Tings: The Liberty Social - Melbourne Donavon Frankenreiter: Lorne Hotel - Lorne Donavon Frankenreiter: Torquay Hotel - Torquay Saharan Sounds: Fairfield Amphitheatre - Fairfield Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk, Saint Jude, Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats , Dj DraW4: Old Bar - Fitzroy Jungal, Tom Richardson Project , When In Roam: The Workers Club - Fitzroy Nudist Funk Orchestra, The Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada , Ms Butt: The Espy - St Kilda

Mr Black N Blues , Dj Max Crawdaddy: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Open Mic: Rose Of Australia Hotel - Williamstown Tim Guy: Wesley Anne - Northcote Zelus: Wesley Anne - Northcote The Archetypal, Street Fangs, I Am The Riot, Shadows At Play: Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy The Rectifiers: The Standard Hotel - Fitzroy Roesy: The Drunken Poet - West Melbourne Nathan Seeckts: The Public Bar - Melbourne William Irish: The B.East - Brunswick East Phil Para Band: The Bay Hotel - Mornington Ian Birdfrightwheels: La Cannela - Kensington Laura K Clarke, Kerryn Fields: The Vic Hotel - Brunswick Donnie Dureau, Puerto Rico, Dean Bardell Williams: Reverence Hotel - Melbourne Jungal: The Workers Club - Fitzroy The Migrations: The Thornbury Local - Thornbury Carino Sun: Lomond Hotel - Brunswick East

The MonKey Men Ft., Tim Rogers, Davey Lane, Ash Naylor, Matthew Cotter, Stephen Hadley, Bruce Haymes, Jack Howard, Ben Marsland, Eliza & Talei Wolfgramm, Dj Max Crawdaddy, Mc James ‘The Hound Dog’ Young: Corner Hotel - Richmond DJ Andyblack, Haggis: The Toff In Town - Melbourne The Wikimen: Spotted Mallard - Brunswick Paulie Bignell & The Thornbury Two: The Westernport Hotel - San Remo Tom Budge: Great Britain Hotel - Richmond Splendid Chaps: 303 - Northcote Nai Palm: Bar Open - Fitzroy The Menstrual Cycle, + FrieNds: Bar Open - Fitzroy Damien Lazarus, Subb-An, Shaun Reeves, + More: Brown Alley - Melbourne

MON 18 Kovacular: The Workers Club - Fitzroy Bone, Soft Power, Fucking Teeth, Like Junk: Northcote Social Club - Northcote

Private Life, I Know The Chief, Granston Display, Dj Yasumo: Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy Silverstein: Corner Hotel - Richmond Cherry Jam: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Duvz N S-Tea: The Espy - St Kilda Mandek Penha, Sex On Toast, The Red Brigade: The Toff In Town - Melbourne Neil Finn & Paul Kelly, Lisa Mitchell: Palais Theatre - St Kilda Morphology, Blueprint: 303 - Northcote Cliff Richard, O’Shea: Hamer Hall - Melbourne Both Cheese, Night Party: Old Bar - Fitzroy Carole King, Shane Howard: The Plenary - South Wharf

Tax: The Public Bar - Melbourne Nick Barker, Tommy Boyce, Justin Garner, Alex Raunjak, Steve ‘Venom’ Brown: Corner Hotel - Richmond Civil Civic: The Tote - Melbourne Monash Big Band: Dizzy’s Jazz Club - Richmond Lowtide, Darren Sylvester: The Toff In Town - Melbourne Neil Finn & Paul Kelly, Lisa Mitchell: Palais Theatre - St Kilda The River & The Road,

TUE 19

Brooke Russell & The

Einsturzende Neubauten: Palace Theatre - Melbourne Ac/Dshe: Pure Pop Records - St Kilda Heather Peace: Thornbury Theatre - Thornbury Massive: Cherry Bar - Melbourne Mick Pealing & The Prairie Oysters: Flying Saucer Club - Elsternwick Isaac De Heer: Retreat Hotel - Brunswick El Moth, AlEx Bowen: Evelyn Hotel - Fitzroy

Mean Reds, Farrow: 303 - Northcote Bighead Ella, Monster Jeans, JUst Us League: The Brunswick Hotel - Brunswick Cliff Richard, O’shea: Hamer Hall - Melbourne Carol King, Shane Howard: The Plenary - South Wharf

“Live At The Lomond� THU 14TH

140 Sydney Rd

BRUNSWICKHOTEL.NET

8.30PM

9387 6637

NO COVER CHARGE

WEDNESDAY THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY

THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL’S OPEN MIC WITH YOUR HOST BRODIE GET IN AND REGISTER FROM 7PM ONWARDS $10 JUGS OF BRUNSWICK BITTER THURSDAY THE 14TH OF FEBRUARY - 8PM TILL 1AM

$3 SCHOONERS OF CARLTON DRAUGHT - $5 BASIC SPIRITS 8PM

FRAGMENTA (SA)

WITH GUESTS INVOLUNTARY CONVULSION, XENOS, THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE FRIDAY THE 15TH OF FEBRUARY - 9PM

BUSY KINGDOM

WITH GUESTS ABLAZE, CIDER TREE KIDS, SAVING CLEOPATRA SATURDAY THE 16TH OF FEBRUARY - 5PM

TINSLEY WATERHOUSE X 3 SETS 9PM

UNGUS UNGUS UNGUS (NSW)

WITH GUESTS A LONELY CROWD, FULL CODE, FRITZWICKY SUNDAY THE 17TH OF FEBRUARY - 4PM - IN THE BEER GARDEN

SQUARE SOUND FESTIVAL AFTER PARTY FEATURING STARPAUSE, B.O.O.M.A., CELSIUS, RACHEL HAIRCUT, MINIKOMI 8PM

AMY GANTER AND THE LOVE AND SQUALORS WITH GUESTS RHYTHM BUGS AND LION CITY LOST BOY, ÂC‚ANTO YOUNG MONDAY THE 18TH OF FEBRUARY - 8PM

“LET’S GET FUNNY AT THE BRUNNY�

WITH COMEDIC PERFORMANCES BY ASHLEY FILS-AIME AND FRIENDS $10 JUGS OF CARLTON DRAUGHT

(Psychedelic folk vibe)

+43 C7

+8=4 +78B:4H +><4= ?< ;8280 3:8=B ?< 4==H 833;4 (7DAB C7

?< 0<4B DCC ?< >= 8;;<0= A8 C7

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?< +44:;H (A8E80

TUESDAY THE 19TH OF FEBRUARY - 8PM

THE BRUNSWICK HOTEL DISCOVERY NIGHT

GIVING CHANCES TO UP AND COMING LOCAL TALENT! THIS WEEK: BIGHEAD ELLA, MONSTER JEANS, JUST US LEAGUE

48 • To check out the mags online go to themusic.com.au/mags

LANDS & WILLOW DARLING & HARMONY BRYNE

(74 AD=:4= $>4C $44; 'CA44C 8A42C;H >??>B8C4 %D44= *82 !0A:4C $7>=4 FFF C743AD=:4=?>4C 2>< 0D

ROD PAYNE & FULLTIME LOVERS

FRI 15TH 9:30PM

(Sultry R&B)

SAT 16TH

SPECTRUM

SUN 17TH

CARINO SON

SUN 17TH

MARTY KELLY & AUBURY MAHER

9:30PM

5:30PM

9:00PM

(Oz-rock legends)

(Cuban grooves)

(Acoustic roots)

TUES 19TH 8:00PM

IRISH SESSION (Acoustic diddley-diddley)

ALL GIGS FREE

~ EXCELLENT RESTAURANT AND BAR MEALS


49


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50

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SERVICES BEAUTY SERVICES Fully Qualified & 8yrs Experience, Thai Massage $49/hr or Sensual Balinese Aroma $69/hr. In/Out calls, Male/ Female Welcome. www.takecaremassage.com.au - By Anson 0433646338 iFlogID: 17428

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OTHER Develop any computer skills you need; onsite tuition at home or work. Melbourne based. Call Aaron 0451 208 675 http://cardboardemporium.net iFlogID: 20883

Get your Band or Business Online Cost effectively from $299 including Hosting, Shopping Cart and 5 email addresses! Contact info@bizwebsites.com.au or see www.bizwebsites.com.au. iFlogID: 15454

If you want to use DRUGS, that’s your business If you want to STOP, we can help. Narcotics Anonymous 9519 6200 www.na.org.au iFlogID: 16217

New Musicians Chat Site, available for artists who wish to discuss their music. Go to http://express.paltalk. com/?refc=86001 and enjoy some conversations with other musicians. Open part time at present. iFlogID: 20990

Tarot Card Readings by Karen. Over 30yrs Exp. “When you need to know” Always welcome new customers. www.tarotreadingsbykaren.com Parties and Private readings P: 0432 689 546. Evenings & weekends available. iFlogID: 19301

What happens when you start paying attention? When you become an active member and start participating in this elusive thing we call life. WWW.WHATISTHEHAPS.COM iFlogID: 17980

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Guitarist/Singer wanted for established ‘all live’ covers duo from January. Confirmed regular gigs already booked. Style of duo is relaxed but also upbeat. Professionals only need apply. 0402 980 602 iFlogID: 20407

Rhythm Guitar, Keys, Backup Vox needed! Kilby’s the name. Melbourne based. Our sound is light/dark indie rock. Listen here: triplejunearthed. com/Kilby. Email here: kilbytheband@ gmail.com - Must have dedication/ good gear/love for music! iFlogID: 20987

KEYBOARD KEYBOARDIST REQUIRED, for Elvis covers plus variety of songs including originals. Rehearsals Campbelltown to Blacktown. Must be able to rehearse once a week. Ph: 0425 246 253 Alex iFlogID: 20796

TUITION $25 PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS singing guitar keyboard piano drums violin tuition music instruments sales service & repairs ph: 0418 172 506 JAC MUSIC SCHOOL - EPPING iFlogID: 20244

English & Media Studies Tutor available. Professional, quality and affordable service since 2000. (B.A. U.Q.) Enquiries are welcome. iFlogID: 19266

WANTED OTHER I’m a songwriter looking for people to make my music work. If you’re a musician, please contact me and see if my music interests you. iFlogID: 20852




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