January Issue
Brisbane | Free
W A F I A Plus the top talents set to tear it up in 2018
The must-own summer accessory for 2018
The masked bands setting a batshit trend
Brit comedy megastar Jimmy Carr
Drug Alert kits use the same technology as that found in professional screening laboratories, without the need to send them away to obtain result.
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CONCRETE AND GOLD
AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2018
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
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I See You Australia 2018
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handsometours. com
Credits Publisher Street Press Australia Pty Ltd Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast National Editor – Magazines Mark Neilsen Group Senior Editor/National Arts Editor Maxim Boon Editors Bryget Chrisfield, Daniel Cribb, Neil Griffiths, Velvet Winter Assistant Editor/Social Media Co-Ordinator Jessica Dale Editorial Assistant Sam Wall Gig Guide Henry Gibson gigs@themusic.com.au
Shady government cover-ups are nothing to feel hopeful about... most of the time.
Senior Contributors Steve Bell, Ross Clelland, Cyclone, Jeff Jenkins Contributors Nic Addenbrooke, Annelise Ball, Emily Blackburn, Melissa Borg, Anthony Carew, Uppy Chatterjee, Roshan Clerke, Shaun Colnan, Brendan Crabb, Guy Davis, Joe Dolan, Jack Doonar, Benny Doyle, Chris Familton, Guido Farnell, Liz Giuffre, Carley Hall, Tobias Handke, Mark Hebblewhite, Samantha Jonscher, Kate Kingsmill, Tim Kroenert, Matt MacMaster, Taylor Marshall, MJ O’Neill, Ben Nicol, Carly Packer, Natasha Pinto, Michael Prebeg, Mick Radojkovic, Jake Sun, Rod Whitfield
I
managed to catch Errol Morris’ Wormwood — the Netflix docudrama about Eric Olson’s mission to uncover the truth behind his father’s death — towards the end of last year. Strangely, it’s given me hope for 2018. Like many, I was first made aware of Olson’s plight through Jon Ronson’s 2004 book The Men Who Stare At Goats. Here’s a person who has not given up hope of finding justice for his father’s death in 1953. He has spent his entire life dedicated to this cause. The 1953 death involved LSD, a suspected CIA cover-up and a connection to mind-control and germ warfare conspiracies. Interest in the story has ebbed and flowed across the decades but Olson has persisted. And, spoiler alert, at last it looks like Olson may find something akin to closure. And there it is — hope. Over fifty years of tapping away at a seemingly immovable object, Olson is experiencing some movement. Persistence can make change. It’s got me thinking, with the past two years considered so awful (see last month’s editor’s note), maybe things can turnaround in 2018. Or, if not straight away, at least things can maybe turnaround in fifty years time like they did for Olson. Yay, Eric Olson, for giving us a thin thread of hope for the future... Th is month we take a look at what has been a long campaign to change the date of Australia Day. Our very own Jessica Dale investigates what hope triple j’s small step in moving its Hottest 100 countdown might mean for this movement. Also in this issue, our first of 2018, we’re taking a hopeful look at things to come. We have gathered together what we think will be the music and cultural highlights of 2018. Our cover story celebrates Australian acts that we think should break out this year; either someone completely underground ready for their first moment of wider recognition or someone that is top of the ladder in their hometown and ready for national recognition. We’ve also marked out the big album releases that we think could be the ones you’ll be needing in your end of year lists (sorry, but it’s never too early to start thinking about those). There’s also a watch-list of those we think will make waves in the Australian arts scene during 2018, plus a hit-list of movies, TV shows, theatre and art to look out for over the next 12 months. We reckon 2018 could be a pretty sweet year. Here’s hoping.
Senior Photographers Cole Bennetts, Kane Hibberd Photographers Rohan Anderson, Andrew Briscoe, Stephen Booth, Pete Dovgan, Jodie Downie, Simone Fisher, Lucinda Goodwin, Josh Groom, Clare Hawley, Bianca Holderness, Jay Hynes, Dave Kan, Yaseera Moosa, Hayden Nixon, Angela Padovan, Markus Ravik, Bobby Rein, Peter Sharp, Barry Shipplock, Terry Soo, John Stubbs, Bec Taylor
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Contact Us Melbourne Head Office Ph: 03 9421 4499 459-461 Victoria Street Brunswick West Vic 3055 PO Box 231 Brunswick West Vic 3055 Sydney Ph: 02 9331 7077 Suite 129, 111 Flinders St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Brisbane Ph: 07 3252 9666 228 Wickham St Fortitude Valley Qld 4006
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Andrew Mast Group Managing Editor
Cover photo by Cole Bennetts
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Our contributors
This month
Dan Cribb Currently working on a web series, pop punk tribute to The Simpsons, his own album and watching an unhealthy amount of television on a regular basis, Dan Cribb also finds the time to be The Music’s WA, SA and Tas editor. Because those are the best states. Fight me. Editor’s Letter
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Making smart the new sexy
39
The month’s best binge watching
17
Jimmy Carr
40
Sh*t we did: probiotic showering
19
The 2018 album hit list
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Guest Editorial Boomtick Director Liam Mazzucchelli on festival fence jumping..
Romper Stomper
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The controversial movie about Australia’s far-right gets a TV reboot.
45 Jessica Dale Jess is The Music’s Assistant Editor and Social Media Coordinator, working across all things print and online. Jess is a regular guest on ABC Radio and occasionally pops up on The Music Podcast With Dave & Neil. She likes to follow Pearl Jam around the world in her spare time.
Wafia Plus all the talent set to tear it up in 2018
The music acts to watch in 2018 The artists to watch in 2018
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The Arts The best of the month
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Film & TV reviews
49
The Rocky Horror Show
50
Nirvanna The Band
51
24 26 28
Amyl & The Sniffers Tiny Little Houses
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Howzat!
30
The 2018 film, theatre and art hit list Our essential guide to must-see arts events of 2018.
Change the date The musicians campaigning for indigenous reconciliation
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Australian Prog Rock
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Costumes are taking Aussie music to strange new places.
Tim Potter
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The big picture
The bands behind the masks
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Tim has spent the last eleven years working in the music industry in London, New York and all over this big brown land. He prefers reading over watching TV, loves traveling, and like Jerri Blank, as long as he doesn’t bleed or cry, he’ll do it. He lives on the Far North Coast of NSW.
Your Town Belle Miners
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The Music’s ultimate quiz
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Live reviews recap
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The End
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App of the month: Mediation Studio The benefits of mediation are well known, but it can be (ironically) pretty stressful trying to master this ancient art. Now you can get your new-year-new-me plans off to the best start with this top-rated app that helps guide meditation noobs with courses crafted by world-class gurus. Aaaaaaand relax…
Parkway Drive
Horizontour Parkway Drive’s ten-year anniversary tour for their goldcertified second album Horizons is upon us. The Byron Bay band hit the road the day after playing UNIFY 2018 (12 Jan) with Sydney band Polaris in tow.
You don’t win friends with salad Music and BBQ are just about our two favourite things, so just imagine our excitement for Meatstock 2018! Tex Perkins is headlining and will be joined on the bill by the likes of Henry Wagons, The Davidson Brothers, Dusty Boots and more. Plus there will be more meat than you can poke a stick at. Get in quick for tickets to events in March and May.
Foo Fighters
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Stream dreams
Gin & Zeus If you like history and drinking then Spirits: A Drunken Dive Into Myths & Legends is your people. Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifini mix a new drink biweekly and dig into weird and wonderful myths, legends and lore from ancient Greece to New Jersey.
This month’s best binge watching
Lovesick: Season 3
Formally known as Scrotal Recall, this Brit sitcom about the highs and lows of
Solid gold
relationships centres on unlucky-in-love Dylan, a 20-something who is forced to fess up to his former conquests after being
Foo Fighters’ Aussie Concrete & Gold run kicks off in Perth, 20 Jan. They’re heading ‘round the country with Weezer and alternating local support from Cosmic Kahuna, The Preatures, DZ Deathrays, Clowns and Amyl & The Sniffers.
diagnosed with chlamydia. If only he can track them all down. As relatable as it is hilarious, this surprisingly touching comedy is a little bit of British genius. Airs from 1 Jan on Netflix
Grace & Frankie: Season 4
The masterful pairing of Jane Fonda and Lily Fatboy Slim
Tomlin has spun a series of comedy gold that
Right here, right now Electric Gardens dropped its line-up way back in August, revealing the return of Fatboy Slim along with performances from an army of genre heavyweights. Th is month the party finally kicks off in WA before hitting the east coast.
has found favour with a surprisingly diverse crowd. For this fourth helping of the show, which explores the friendship between two old enemies brought together when their respective husbands leave them for each other, Friends star Lisa Kudrow joins the cast. Airs from 19 Jan on Netflix
Romper Stomper
Set 25-years after the events of the cult film, creator Geoffrey Wright once again plumbs the dark depths of Australia’s right-wing subculture, to reveal just how alive this odious
Overnight post
quarter of Australian society still is. Powerful, violent and relevant storytelling that’s a much-watch for anyone who likes their TV to
Parcels
Parcels are taking a quick break from conquering the world to tour Australia with Datf Punk co-write Overnight this month. They’ll stop in Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland before wrapping up in their hometown of Byron Bay.
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be a sucker-punch of hardcore drama. Airs from 1 Jan on Stan
Read the signs
Podcast of the month:
Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) wants her daughter’s killer found and she’ll kick every hornet’s nest in Missouri to make it happen. Director Martin McDonagh’s latest deeply touching darkly comic work Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri finally reaches Australia on 1 Jan.
Chasing Ghosts
The likes of Serial and Dirty John may be chart toppers on a global scale, but there are some pretty awesome locally made true crime casts that can definitely hold their own. Th is New Zealand-made six-part doco explores Nicola Cruickshank’s search for her daughter Amber-Lee, one of NZ’s most baffling disappearances. Th ree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Nicola Cruickshank
Th e Selecter/Th e Beat
High skaciety January’s doubling down on 2 Tone ska pioneers. California legends The Beat and English outfit The Selecter’s co-headline tour is finally hitting Australian stages at the end of more than 40 gigs around the UK.
Miss Blanks
Don’t miss Blanks Stranger Th ings
After nailing sets at The Plot and Meredith, Miss Blanks‘ Diary Of A Thotaholic tour starts in earnest this month. Blanks will hit the east coast with Jesswar and DJ Baby Mama before doing another round with Laneway in Feb.
The deathly Hawkins Netflix has tapped Joss Whedon to produce a Harry Potter series starring Hawkins residents Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Noah Schnapp (Will) and Caleb McLaughlin. No word on a release date, but obviously it can’t get here soon enough.
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ReDiscovery
Sh*t we did With Maxim Boon
For all the trekkies who got sucked into Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman’s addition to Federation canon only to hit the season break in November the wait is finally over. Star Trek: Discovery picks back up on 7 Jan.
Star Trek: Discovery
Probiotic Showering This month, it’s not so much shit we did as it is shit we didn’t. When it comes to personal hygiene, most people would agree that a daily scrub is a must. Personally, I just feel plain rank if I don’t hop through the shower of a morning. But science has a different opinion. Every few years, dermatologists pipe up with research that offers the optimum washing routine, and some can be eye-wateringly sparse. Now, if you’re a coal miner or a bin man or you work in a sewage plant, regular washing is non-negotiable. But for the rest of us desk jockeys, bath time should only occur once a week, according to a 2016 study by Dr. Elaine Larson, infectious disease expert and associate dean for research at Columbia University. Daily or twice daily showering only helps the body “aesthetically” according to Larson, and worst still,
Ayla
such a rigorous soaping can not only
Dollgrouse
damage the skin, stripping it of healthy oils, it can also disrupt the balance of the body’s “microbiome” – the good
Brisbane singer Ayla’s EP Let’s Talk Monday drops this 12 Jan, the same day she takes her recent single Porcelain Doll on tour. Ayla will begin her run in her home state before heading to Melbourne and Sydney.
bacteria that help our bodies function. So, we gave the once a week shower routine a crack, to see if the science is worth the stink.
The Verdict To be fair to any dermatologists who might be reading this, this probably wasn’t the best experiment to test drive in the middle of summer. Because (surprise, surprise) not washing for a week when you’re shvitzing your pits off through a heatwave is going to result in you generating some pretty ripe aromas. Apparently, BO is a good indicator of having a healthy amount of bodily flora, so given the stenchy fug I
Two x sighted
managed to cultivate, my friendly bacteria must have been having a fullblown fiesta. But to be totally honest,
Th e xx
Th is month, London indie rock trio The xx are visiting for the first time since 2013 in support of their latest album, I See You. Kelela and Earl Sweatshirt are set to support.
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I’d rather kill off the little suckers and keep myself from making people gag on the bus. Sorry science, but this is one inconvenient truth I’m going to politely ignore.
Festival fence jumping has gone from a harmless rite of passage to coordinated acts of violence and it’s costing the industry (and punters) big Social media coordinated incidents have seen fence jumping spiral into a major crisis for large event producers, and with only minor (rarely enforced) penalties as the main deterrent, many festivals are having to bear the cost of expensive security upgrades to keep their ticketholders safe. Festival Promoter and Boomtick Director Liam Mazzucchelli shares his take on the growing issue.
A
But the cost most don’t consider is the reputational damage to the event brand. Artists, suppliers and stakeholders are all impacted by the negative associations. When touring artists and logistics providers witness this kind of behaviour it leaves a sour taste and reflects poorly on us all; not just the event but the city. Certain cities have become synonymous with fence-jumping and that’s just bad for business. So, what do we do about it? Aren’t the fence jumpers breaking the law? It seems there isn’t a clear answer and while police are often singled out as being the solution, it’s just not that simple. These offenders seem to understand Crowd Controllers have no jurisdictional authority. They’re not deterred by Move On notices, and local government laws often make it difficult to prosecute for trespass. As a deterrent, there needs to be consequences for actions, but jumpers often fall between the regulatory cracks of the criminal code, local government laws and the Liquor Control Act. As a result, we have no clear and measurable punishment for fence jumping, and therefore no effective way to tackle the issue beyond expensive security upgrades. ‘Alcohol-fuelled violence’ was the hot-button issue a decade ago and the industry and its regulators developed strategies which brought about social change rather than just relying on police to mop up the mess. I’m not suggesting ‘jumping’ is as significant an issue, but a similar approach could be taken with an awareness campaign calling out this type of behaviour for what it is, illustrating the wider impacts it has on festivals and their sustainability. Parents; it’s not OK to let your kids jump at festivals. We know most of you know they’re doing it. Friends; don’t encourage your mates. Patrons; don’t let these idiots ruin your day out. Call ‘em out. And for those who still think jumping is an innocent bit of fun or a victimless crime, it’s worth considering just how such activities could, in the worst-case scenario, lead to major incidents. We operate in a new world where festivals and similar events are considered high-risk large public gatherings. The risk management and execution of public safety is paramount, but it also relies on the public cooperating with event organisers to makes sure those precautions work as they’re supposed to. All resourcing should be focused on managing patron safety and experience within the event. Let us get on with creating a great event for the people have purchased tickets.
s we head into the summer season of music festivals, it seems timely the issue of fence-jumping be discussed. What used to be seen as a bit of harmless fun (hell, even considered a rite of passage as a 17year-old) has in recent years become a curse and a blight on our industry; never before have we seen the level of violence, organisation and disruption that’s become so common now. Coordinating themselves on social media and setting out to cause as much mayhem and antisocial disruption as possible, seems to be the fence-jumper’s objective. Not satisfied with a sneaky entry, (WA) events have experienced packs of often violent young men and women who think it’s OK to push over fences and storm the gates en masse, or hurl projectiles with absolutely no regard for any authority or person’s safety. There are many examples over the last three to five years which involve horrific physical and verbal abuse aimed at people simply doing their job. The culture of ‘jumping’ also seems to be just as much about the 10-seconds of infamy jumpers get on social media when they post, rather than actually gaining entry. ‘Jumpers’ show no regard for the ticket purchasing patrons on the other side of the fence. As event producers, we should be able to put a compliant temporary fence around an approved site and focus on providing a safe, well-run event for the patrons who have purchased tickets. A patron is entitled to party safe within a licensed area without the fear of some dickhead smashing into them as they run through the crowd to evade capture, or worse, push a fence panel onto them. Th is potential for physical harm is just one of the real costs, but there are other costs, both direct and intangible, and they’re adding up. The type of organised ‘jumping’ we see today results in the deployment of additional resources to deal specifically with the issue; additional fencing, dedicated fence line and exclusion zone security, container walls, CCTV, insurances, User Pays police. These are just a few examples, but they add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost base. Initially, these costs are borne by the event, but ultimately they flow onto the consumer and are reflected in higher ticket prices. One recent Perth event went from installing 2.2km of fence line in 2016 to 5km in 2017 in total fencing just to protect the site from jumpers. In laymen’s terms, that’s increasing from two fence lines up to five.
“These offenders seem to understand Crowd Controllers have no jurisdictional authority. They’re not deterred by Move On notices, and local government laws often make it difficult to prosecute for trespass. As a deterrent, there needs to be consequences for actions, but jumpers often fall between the regulatory cracks.”
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The Queensland artist who's letting the air in Wafia is just about to drop her second EP, VIII, which draws inspiration from a simple but crucial source. She shares her process with Joe Dolan. Feature pic by Cole Bennetts.
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ne of the first things you notice about Wafia AlRikabi is just how confident she is in herself. It’s not arrogant or self-aggrandising; it’s a refreshing maturity that is almost unheard of in artists her age. At just 24, the singer is about to release her second EP, VIII, which sees Al-Rikabi experimenting with thematic elements in an incredibly sophisticated and interesting way. “I have to think about my work in terms of conceptual bodies of work,” she explains. “I don’t really know how to make standalone songs or singles — I really like things being packaged in a particular way. Not for any other reason but that it satisfies me.” Speaking on capturing ideas in her music, Al-Rikabi continues, “With my very first EP I was dealing with themes of transition and copper and I really wanted to extend that. I was really drawn to the concept of oxygen for this record. That’s why it’s called VIII: because that’s the atomic number for oxygen. I really wanted to play with themes of intangibility, necessity and transparency. That’s what really weaves the EP together, and every song may sound different to the last, but they are bound together by this concept.” Al-Rikabi, who goes by the mononymous stage name Wafia, says that her peers have played a massive part in this remarkable approach to composition. “Initially what drew me to it is that I have a lot of friends who are visual artists,” she says, “and I came to realise that what I make is intangible. I can’t hold it. I can never grasp it. Even my voice isn’t really there, do you know what I mean? It was this whole fascination with music: you can reprint it and you can duplicate it, and all that stuff, but you can’t actually hold it. That was what started everything there, and I feel like the characteristics of oxygen really tie my thoughts together.” It is perhaps this way of thinking that has led to AlRikabi heading into the studio with more hands at the ready than ever before. One such addition, fellow labelmate Ta-Ku, has been on the Wafia train for a while now, but still sings her praises at every opportunity. “She pushes me outside of my comfort zone,” he reflects on their time together. “I trust her a lot and really respect her vision and advice. She’s never afraid to tell you exactly how she feels. It’s so refreshing.” After first collaborating on their track Meet In The Middle, Ta-Ku (real name Regan Matthews), is excited to see where the new EP takes his musician friend. “I’m not sure how audiences will react to the new stuff, but I know they will see many sides to her — musically and lyrically. She’s not afraid to tell her story even if it means surfacing hurt and buried feelings. I feel many people love her honesty and have similar stories they would like to tell. She’s a brave woman of colour who is passionate about her music and the message that it sends.”
Al-Rikabi is just as grateful for her time working with her VIII collaborators, stating, “They’re looking at it objectively, which I really like. The reason why I adore working with so many people is because I love collaboration, and I just feel like I wouldn’t be working with these people if their opinion didn’t matter to me. Especially in the beginning, I really like to see what a producer does on their first go. After just hearing about what the song is about or whatever, and not influencing their direction too much — because there’s a reason I’m going to them. I trust their taste, so sometimes I need to just let them be so my ideas don’t cloud theirs.” It’s not just her fellow artists that Al-Rikabi has excited; A&R rep Dan Zilber sees just why the singer stands out from the crowd.
“It was this whole fascination with music: you can reprint it and you can duplicate it, and all that stuff, but you can’t actually hold it.”
“She’s so much more than a beautiful voice,” he says. “She has a confidence that is always so impressive, especially because she also has a vulnerability that she finds difficult to hide. For me, that’s Wafia’s project... A story with depth, told with both confidence and vulnerability. And yes, a beautiful voice,” he laughs. “She has this incredible balance between being accessible and having something genuine to say. I think we need more artists who want to say something meaningful, both in the music industry and society more broadly — especially strong, female artists who have a diverse view of the world.” Zilber, who has followed Al-Rikabi’s rise from its early stages, says that her commitment to her own ideas is an invigorating approach to making music. “So much of my job is creative and coming up with ideas that could work for an artist. Th is is the case with Wafia, but she always gives a very strong steer on where she wants to end up with an idea. My role becomes about helping her achieve the thing she can hear or see in her head, not about manufacturing an out-
come. There’s never any cynicism about working with her. Her commitment to creating her own narrative, her desire to connect with her audience and her interest in being a pop artist with depth — that’s what makes her stand out.” There’s little wonder as to how Al-Rikabi has amassed the attention of some very high-profile industry names. And though she admits it was intimidating at first, the artist has come to disassociate the people she’s working with from their accolades. “I was working with some people that have won Grammys, and at first I thought ‘oh, I can’t say this, they’ll have a go at me’, but then I went, ‘Wait a minute, that actually doesn’t matter. There’s no ego in this room right now, we’re on an equal playing field. We all chose to be here today, Grammy or not.’ “I was going into these rooms with people who were my idols or had worked with my idols, and I was only disappointed because I was putting so much emphasis on them or their body of work prior. When you put that much expectation on a person or a collaborator, it’s inevitably going to fail. Then my manager said these really important words to me. He said ‘everyone is one song away’. That changed my perspective on music essentially. Suddenly I didn’t care who I was working with, what they had won, who they’ve worked with in the past, it suddenly didn’t matter. If we can work together, to deliver a really great song, that’s all that matters at the end of the day.” Al-Rikabi may be a new relatively new face on the scene, but the Bodies singer has quickly acquired a professional standard towards the craft. She’s been writing songs for only four years and yet she already knows when she feels the need to take her hand off the tiller. “At some point,” she declares, “you’ve got to know when to stop adding stuff. I think in the midst of when I’m creating and stuff I can never tell what’s good — objectively, or even what I like. I just get really consumed in it, so sometimes I need, like, a week away from it and then I can come back and say ‘no, this is good’. Otherwise, I tend to overthink. And if I overthink every song or every project I’m never going to put anything out, you know? So sometimes I just have to sit back and just go ‘this is the best I can do’. “I feel like it’s never quite straightforward. I feel like I’m always learning, and every process with every EP has been vastly different than the last. I never go into it thinking I know what to expect, I definitely try to keep an open mind and just trust the process... I think the rule now is just to not hold back anymore, and I feel like this EP has opened the floodgates for me to continue to do that.”
VIII (Future Classic) is out this month.
Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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Tearing it up: the acts and artists set to smash it in 2018 New Year’s is more than just a routinely disappointing night punctuated by shitty pyrotechnics, it’s a cultural reset button. The ‘best of’ lists have been tallied, the sales numbers logged and the awards doled out (usually to three or four people). Everybody’s gone home. What’s left is a clean slate, a brand new 12-month vacuum in need of some fresh stars to fill it. Here are a few bright sparks we think might do the job in 2018.
1: Jesswar Queensland Jesswar has ripped through the Queensland music scene in the last 12 months; the Brisbane-based, Fiji-born MC has been kicking goals left, right and center; she’s supported the likes of Seth Sentry and Lady Leshurr and is well overdue for an LP. She’s recently signed to Golden Era Records and her debut single Savage is just as baller as it sounds. As The Music eloquently put in our review of her 2017 BIGSOUND showcase “Jesswar is automatic attitude as fuck. A sawn-off with bodies on it — not seen since MC Lyte.” Truer words were never spoken.
2: Daggy Man Queensland Thomas Calder is a man of many guises, first releasing three superb albums with The Trouble With Templeton. He was awarded the prestigious Grant McLennan Fellowship in late 2014 and spent three and a half months honing his songwriting craft in London, before re-emerging in 2016 under the moniker Daggy Man. The Music picked up on his debut single What You Desire immediately, premiering it exclusively. Not
long after followed his 2017 LP, A Lazy Kind Of Pain, showcasing an unflinchingly raw side of the singer-songwriter. Never one to rest on his laurels, Calder is already teasing new music to be released in 2018.
3: The Beautiful Monument Victoria Just try not to get The Beautiful Monument’s Disorder stuck in your head. The Melbourne group have been busy this year with the release of their debut album and touring around the country. They wowed crowds at BIGSOUND, with one The Music reviewer noting that with their ability to balance “both raw energy and an impressive stage presence, the Melbourne band dig deep”. In a scene that can be set in its ways, The Beautiful Monument are a much-needed change and certain to influence a new wave of acts.
4: The Money War Western Australia WA indie-rock duo The Money War have already established a solid presence in their
hometown, forming from already revered local outfits Rainy Day Women and Warning Birds. With their latest single, Hold On — described by buzz label I Oh You as having “effortless magnificence embedded within” — the pair set their sights on the east coast, embarking on their first Australian headline stint in December. That’s after they caught Meg Mac’s attention earlier in the year and scored an opening slot on her album tour. They are currently recording their debut album, which will be released around April/ May 2018.
5: Dear Seattle New South Wales 2017 saw Sydney band Dear Seattle drop their self-titled EP, dominate their BIGSOUND showcases, support Kingswood nationally, complete their own run of shows AND then be one of the first acts signed to Violent Soho guitarist James Tidswell’s label, Domestic Lala. “A friend sent me Dear Seattle when there was just one song out from the self-titled EP and on the first listen, my jaw dropped,” says Tidswell. “I’ve been to every show since, I’m just smitten.” Dear Seattle are dropping their EP on vinyl in January and are on the bill for some of 2018’s biggest festivals.
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6: Mane South Australia Adelaide-based goth pop newcomer Mane, aka Paige Renee Court, has quickly developed a sound most artists spend a career trying to perfect. The singer builds immersive soundscapes with her haunting and distinctive vocals, which weave through dark electronic sounds; a captivating force channelled into new single What If The Love Dies. Having supported the likes of Ali Barter, City Calm Down and The Temper Trap in recent months, alongside a European/UK tour, we don’t think there’s any risk of the buzz fading anytime soon. With new music just around the corner, you can expect a stack more touring from Mane in 2018.
7: Kaiit Victoria “Prepare for to partake in the two G’s with this one: gluttony and greed. You’ll want to pig out on the lush soul vibes and keep this song all to yourself.” That’s how triple j Unearthed music director Dave Ruby Howe described Kaiit’s track 2000 N Somethin. Kaiit brings together a multitude of influences in her music, including everything
from her Pink Floyd loving parents to a childhood spent between Melbourne and Papua New Guinea. Kaiit will be joining the likes The Avalanches, Kamasi Washington and more at 2018’s Golden Plains festival.
8: All Fires The Fire Tasmania Hobartians All Fires The Fire should have been on one of these lists back when they released their last LP Caves, the polished post-punk gem instead largely ignored on the mainland and followed by a five-year hiatus. Even The Go-Between’s Robert Forster singled them out for possessing “the doom-y, 4AD Records aura of dislocation and imposing landscape”. Their new LP Songs Of The Silent Age is lurking on the horizon and judging by the lead single Wild, you’ll want to keep one wary eye on it.
9: Kardajala Kirridarra Northern Territory Northern Territory outfit Kardajala Kirridarra blew punters and reviewers alike away at their 2017 BIGSOUND showcase, which they crowdfunded over $10,000 to
get to from the Central Desert region of the Northern Territory. Their lyrics are sung in English and Mudburra, a rarely heard Indigenous language, making their music a unique and delightful experience. Their debut self-titled album, which The Music described as “beautiful, expressive, unique, elegant, hypnotic and heartbreaking”, led to them being nominated for Double J Artist of the Year and got them signed to Ground Control Music Management.
Also watch out for: Clea (Qld); Lupa J (NSW); Gnightz (Qld); Ferla (Vic); Nice Biscuit (Qld); Verge Collection (WA); Borneo (NSW); Heavy Lids (NSW); Donny Love (Qld); The Saim (WA); The Southern
10: Lazertits Victoria “Hey there, ho there, do you wanna go there?” Yeah Nah? Then man you better get the fuck out of the way because Lazertits are quickly joining emus and roos in the ranks of Aussie icons that never evolved any interest in backing down. Triple J’s Home & Hosed host Dom Alessio called Boss Bitch “a late contender for the Best Lyrics Of 2016 award” and their fulllength debut in November had all the wit, sarcasm and furious guitar fuzz of the 2016 single nine times over. Catch them live ‘round the country in Jan for the Swim Tits summer tour.
River Band (WA); Belle Haven (Vic); Young Offenders (SA); Hexdebt (Vic); Spotting (Vic); Press Club (Vic); Orion (NSW); No Sister (Vic); Bench Press (Vic); Hot Potato Band (NSW)
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Calling all culture vultures: if you’re on the hunt for the hottest young talents set to soar in 2018, look no further. In consultation with some of Australia’s best arts writers and critics, The Music’s Arts Editor Maxim Boon has cherry-picked a selection of the most dynamic, daring and downright brilliant artists in the country. From the worlds of the visual arts, dance, theatre, comedy, film and TV, this crop of ten bright young things are the names to look out for over the coming year.
1: James Batchelor Choreographer and dancer
For James Batchelor, like many dancemakers, his practice springs from lived experience. It’s this fact that makes his work particularly impressive; in a relatively short career, he’s already amassed a body of work and collaborative credits that have allowed him to develop an impressively honed approach to physical expression. Since graduating from the Victorian College of Art in 2012, he has produced consistently innovative work that explores the interplay between the conceptual and anatomical, for major institutions and companies including Chunky Move, Dancehouse, and Dance Massive. In 2018, he begins his first major international engagement, as Assistant Director of Dance Theatre Heidelberg in Germany.
2: Ghenoa Gela Performance maker
Few young artists can claim to be a polymath with the same variety of skills as Ghenoa Gela, and few are as prestigiously decorated. Within her canon, this proud Torres Strait Islander woman from Rockhampton, Central Queensland, boasts work spanning dance, circus, theatre, comedy and television, and her prize wins include the 2016 Keir Choreographic Award and the 2017 Deadly Funny Melbourne International Comedy Award. Th is month, the Sydney Festival will present one her most high-profile outings to date, with the world premiere of a major new work, My Urrwai, a social and political study of Islander heritage and colonialism.
3: Michael Simms Painter
The Adelaide-born, Sydney-based painter is bringing a new perspective to figurative art with a style that both embraces a contemporary vibe while respecting the technically virtuosic draughtsmanship of the art form’s traditions. While his work includes landscapes, it’s Simms’ portraits that have snared the attention of Australia’s art scene, as well as a series of notable sitters including the likes of Booker Prizewinning novelist Thomas Keneally, actors Esther Hannaford and Genevieve Lemon, and legendary Helpmann Award-winning cabaret performer Paul Capsis. In addition to featuring at exhibitions across Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, he is also currently a resident artist at Sydney’s Project 504.
4: Kamil Ellis Actor
He may be only 17, but this talented Wiradjuri actor already boasts a CV to rival colleagues decades his senior. He’s a skilled
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dancer, an experienced actor of both stage and screen — his most notable credits include principal roles in the hit shows Nowhere Boys and Cleverman — and a seasoned TV presenter, helming Logie Awardnominated wildlife show Bushwhacked! Hot on the heels of a superb turn as a witch and Fleance in MTC’s much-anticipated production of Macbeth, starring Jai Courtney, Ellis will make his most high-profile theatre appearance to date in October 2018, starring in the world premiere of Albert Belz’s Astroman, for MTC.
5: Maggie McKenna Actor
It’s all too common that fine Australian talents often head overseas to make their careers in more opportunity-rich corners of the globe. And so it was for Maggie McKenna, who was studying acting in LA when a friend persuaded her to audition for the world premiere of what is set to become the biggest Aussie stage show since Priscilla: Muriel’s Wedding The Musical. Making her Australian stage debut in the leading role last November has earned her a slew of rave reviews and laid the foundation for a stellar Australian career. Given her mum is comedy icon and Kath And Kim creator Gina Riley, stardom is in her blood.
6: Mama Alto
Cabaret singer and activist The self-described “gender transcendent diva” is both a bastion of the great heritage of the salon chanteuse and a radically subversive shot in the arm for contemporary Australian cabaret. 2017 has been a watershed year for this songbird, starring in Declan Greene’s hit queer farce The Homosexuals in Melbourne and Sydney, sharing the stage with drag icon Taylor Mac at Melbourne Festival, and delivering an acclaimed tour of their show Torch Songs, picking up a nomination for BroadwayWorld’s Best Actress in a Play, and Artist of the Year at the Globe LGBTI Awards along the way. In 2018, be sure to catch their new show, Queerly Beloved.
7: Daniel Monks Actor and filmmaker
It’s been a huge year for Daniel Monks, both on stage, on screen and behind the camera. His first feature film, Pulse, written, starring and produced by Monk, not only headlined at Sydney Film Festival and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, but also made its international premiere at the Busan International Film Festival where it picked up the Flash Forward Award — the first Australian film to take out the coveted gong. In live theatre, he delivered a powerhouse performance starring in Matthew Lutton and Tom Wright’s The Real
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And Imagined Life Of The Elephant Man for Malthouse Theatre, and he continues to be a powerful advocate for disabled artists across the sector.
8: Danielle Walker Comedian
When this funny lady won the coveted Raw Comedy National Champion gong in 2016, she had only been dabbling in stand-up comedy for a little more than a year. Th is remarkable achievement is surely a testament to Walker’s innate aptitude for comic delivery. Her giggly shtick is a heady combination of the anecdotal and the downright deranged, which has earned her appearances on the ABC’s Comedy Up Late and Stand And Deliver. In 2018, she will debut her first full-length show, which will tour across the country during comedy fest season and her performance at 2017’s Just For Laughs at the Sydney Opera House is set to be broadcast on The Comedy Channel.
9: Owen Phillips Theatrical Designer
It’s easy to overlook how much set and costume design contribute to the success of a piece of theatre, but every so often as a designer with a truly unique vision emerges whose work simply cannot be ignored. Owen Phillips has consistently proven to be one such visionary with theatrical concepts that simultaneously support the actors on stage while shining in their own right; a talent especially evident in his award-winning staging for Dean Bryant’s wildly successful production of Little Shop Of Horrors, which played Sydney and Melbourne seasons in 2016. Unsurprisingly, major companies have lined up to engage his skills, including MTC, The Production Company, and Darlinghurst Theatre.
10:Jean Tong Playwright
Discovering an artist who is on the cusp of their big break is a thrilling thing, and very few indie productions have left so many in the arts scene as unanimously impressed as Jean Tong’s clever, quirky, and fabulously queer musical comedy Romeo Is Not The Only Fruit, premiered at 2017’s Poppy Seed Theatre Festival. Her theatre thrives in challenging and interrogating social and political issues while disarming them with wit-soaked humour and touching humanity. All these qualities will be on show in her major theatre company debut in May, when her new play Hungry Ghosts is premiered by Melbourne Theatre Company.
Smelling the roses with Amyl & The Sniffers Amyl & The Sniffers are out for blood, but lead singer Amy Taylor and guitarist Declan Martens tell Sam Wall they’ll settle for an audience where “everyone’s got a mullet”. Feature pics by Kane Hibberd.
“I chucked ‘em back in the crowd and some old Oi cunt thought it was my undies so he was sniffing ‘em and putting ‘em in his mouth.”
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rom their home-job mullets to their three-chord riffs, Amyl & The Sniffers are a purely Australian protopunk, pub-rock throwback; bluntly antagonistic, gleefully aggressive and impossible to look away from. “I find the beauty in the filth,” sneers frontwoman Amy Taylor on Pleasure Forever, a song packed with coarse, brattish heat that’s equal parts ‘70s Western Sydney and of 21stcentury Saint Kilda. It’s not beautiful, but it is irresistible. It takes less than 20 minutes to listen to everything Amyl & The Sniffers have recorded, but since forming in early 2016 they’ve become one of Melbourne’s biggest live draws. Guitarist Declan Martens admits the reaction has been surprising;“I mean Amy — I reckon Amy probably for months had been planning to make a fucken sick band,” he jokes. “But with me? Nah. I wasn’t expecting even to start another band. None of this has been planned.” You can’t fault the results. Bands plan and god laughs, and making it up on the fly has been working a treat. But with growing exposure and industry types kicking down the door you have to wonder if pressure is mounting for them to refine their approach. “Not really pressure,” says Taylor. “We probably think about it more. Before we definitely didn’t think about it, we just thought, ‘Let’s just put it out.’” Truer words. The genesis of Amyl & The Sniffers’ debut EP Giddy Up — conceived, written, recorded and uploaded in an afternoon by a handful of housemates after work — became a twice-told tale in less than two years. Their second EP Big Attraction, released almost a year to the day after the first, was hard proof it wasn’t a fluke, even if they mostly wrote it because it’s hard to play full shows with just four songs. “It was one of those things,” says Martens. “When we did our second EP those songs were all written just so we could fill out a set that we were getting booked for. And now it’s, like, planned, and [about] how we want our music to sound. I feel a lot more pressure... It used to be like, ‘Whatever you got, we’ll just put it together. We’ll just throw it together and no one’s gonna give a fuck so long as we’re making noise.’” Plenty of people gave a fuck. In three months Amyl & The Sniffers went from a ten-minute, 2am slot at Yah Yah’s — “supporting Dumb Punts, I think it was” — to playing with legendary Runaways rocker Cherie Currie. They’ll start 2018 opening for Foo Fighters, with their debut album slated for mid-year. In between, they were one of the most hotly anticipated and acts at BIGSOUND 2017 and terrorised the country with Cosmic Psychos. Surprisingly, they don’t feel this has translated to a distinguishable fanbase, as yet, although they’ve developed a pretty close relationship with the fans they do have. “There’s a couple of parents,” says Martens. “But as far as young people go we haven’t really got a fanbase, I don’t think. I’m still waiting for an Amyl gig where everyone’s got a mullet. We haven’t had that yet, but hopefully one day. That’s what I want.” “We got to cut a mullet once,” says Taylor. “That’s my favourite thing, is cutting mullets after a gig,” shares Martens. “Yeah, there was these two blokes that came [to a Brisbane gig],” says Taylor. “One had a mullet and we cut the other bloke’s mullet. And then they came when we
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played with the Psychos and they both had hats on. I was like, ‘Boys! How ya doing?’ I took both their hats off and they were bald underneath. I was like, ‘What happened?’ and they’re like, ‘Awww, our bosses weren’t happy’.” If imitation is the highest form of flattery, we’re not sure what somebody asking you to give them your haircut on the spot is. But we’d argue that having people rock your ‘do is a good step towards a dedicated following. “They’re are always wasted, though,” says Martens. “They’re always wasted and they’re goin’, ‘Aw, can you cut me a mullet?’ Yeah, if you can get me scissors.” Fair warning, Martens sounds like he doubles as the band’s hairdresser to some extent, but maybe approach with caution if you’re thinking of commissioning him at the pub. “That bloke looked like he’d just had half a session of chemotherapy,” says Taylor. “We got bored of it after three minutes. “They’re the best, though,” she continues. “One of those blokes, every time we play in Brisbane he chucks his jocks on stage. Th is one time he chucked his jocks on stage... I chucked ‘em back in the crowd and some old Oi cunt thought it was my undies so he was sniffing ‘em and putting ‘em in his mouth.” It’s not just dirty knickers and willingness for a trim that people bring to the party. With a name like Amyl & The Sniffers, and their proud ratbag reputation, it was pretty much guaranteed people would eventually come bearing ‘gifts’ relating to their namesake. “Fucken, like one out of five gigs,” confirms Taylor. “I wish they brought more,” says Martens. “I remember the first time I did it on stage it was our second-ever Sydney gig and they just shoved it right up all of our noses, and then that’s when you realise how hard it is to play on amyl. It’s actually really hard. I’ve learned to play drunk, but I haven’t learned to play on amyl yet. Another hot tip if you want to make friends at a Sniffers gig: don’t stand in the corner and bob your head. “I really like a mosh,” says Martens, “otherwise I feel like we’re not doing really well, you know what I mean? I think it’s partly — the people who are moshing don’t care how you sound so you can just fuck up as much as you want to.” Crowdiness has been going the way of the muscle car the last few years, certainly in Melbourne, and Taylor and Martens both admit they prefer interstate energy — although they mention The Bendigo, The Croxton, The Pier and Old Bar as local faves. “We’ve played Cherry Fest and that was really good,” adds Martens. “There was blood on the stage after the set, which was good.” Ah, anybody they knew? “Yeah, yeah, we knew whose it was, it was a mate of ours.” Taylor mentions an added benefit of coming off stage looking like a bare-knuckle boxer is that it keeps the creeps away. “I was wearing a white top and I got a tram home that night, and this old bloke who was fucked off his face was sitting next to me being like, ‘Do you want to get married? Can I get off the tram with you?’ I lifted out my shirt and I was like, ‘Don’t try me, cunt,’ and he just shut up... It looked like I’d just went and stabbed somebody.”
Big Attraction/Giddy Up vinyl (Homeless) is out now.
Debut albums, engagement parties and proverbs for idiots; it’s all in a day for Tiny Little Houses Melbourne’s Tiny Little Houses are on the brink of releasing their debut album. Uppy Chatterjee caught up with frontman Caleb Karvountzis to find out just what can be expected. Feature pics by Kane Hibberd.
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e’re catching Tiny Little Houses frontman Caleb Karvountzis in the middle of his engagement party preparations. His fiance works full time, he explains, so the planning responsibilities have fallen on him. They’re catering for 100 people, but Karvountzis seems pretty relaxed — “it’s very exciting, it’s keeping me busy”. Tiny Little Houses burst onto the scene in 2015 with the single, Easy, off their debut EP, You Tore Out My Heart. The release saw the quartet swiftly snapped up by Ivy League Records, as well as booking behemoths WME. Now the Melbourne lo-fi noise/folk act are inching towards the release of their debut record, Idiot Proverbs, and we ask Karvountzis just what kind of idiot proverbs we’re in store for, given that so many of their recent songs — Milo Tin, Entitled Generation, Garbage Bin — trail the world-weary attitudes of millennials who have been hard done by by those before them. In Entitled Generation, Karvountzis sings, “I’m 25 and still not living out of home/Got two degrees and I’m stuck working on the phone/So, damn our entitled generation... I hear inflation keeps on going through the roof/But baby boomers got two condos left to spruce/So, damn our entitled generation.” Depressing maybe, but not wrong. “I think [that first line is] everyone in the band!” he laughs. “Sean [Mullins]’s a music lawyer, so he’s quite a skilled person... But I’ve been living at home and we’re all about 25, and I think we can all just relate with that feeling of not meeting your own expectations and floundering around a little bit. That was the other thing on this album,” he sighs. “I feel like we all got taught... we all got told that ‘you can be Prime Minister and you can be an astronaut if you just set your mind to it’, but it’s just not the reality of how the world is. I think that’s contributing to the world’s [poor] mental health and it’s not a very good way to look at life, to always be aspiring to be something great when [the] reality is that the vast majority of us won’t be something great. And that’s OK and the world needs to continue with people who DON’T aspire to be great, but they’re happy and they’re comfortable with where they are in life. I think that’s something that
as a society we need to be more comfortable with: limiting our expectations. “I think that the reason why I write all those songs in that kind of way [is] because I do believe it in a lot of ways. I do actually think that we as a generation are, you know, we have it pretty good — we have it pretty bad as well,” he contemplates aloud. Garbage Bin is bleaker still, a song written initially with the late Fergus Miller of Melbourne act Bored Nothing and re-recorded after his passing last year. “That song was pretty personal to me. That one I recorded initially with my friend Ferg from Bored Nothing who passed away and it was pretty bleak already but became more bleak after he passed,” Karvountzis remembers. “When I re-recorded it, I changed some of the lyrics to reflect that, but yeah. There’s just a natural range of emotions — you’re gonna have times when you’re really bleak and down, but there’s always hope. I think that that song sounds weirdly joyous at the same time, because I think once you get something off your chest, then you can feel better about it. That song [is] definitely [that]
“I think now, most of the album I don’t even really connect with that much because I’m in a really good place and I feel really happy.”
for me, that when I sing it, and when I wrote it, I got it off my chest and it felt fantastic.” Karvountzis’ astute, though somewhat wry, observations don’t really accurately portray how he is as a person. He’s chipper and excitable when talking about music he’s inspired by (Neutral Milk Hotel, Elliott Smith, Modest Mouse, Weezer) and just one scroll through the band’s social media feeds show a mischievous, meme-loving persona — not the ones flooding your Facebook newsfeed and created by ten year olds these days, but the super-odd, offbeat ones you find trawling the depths of Reddit. He says he loves anything to do with Clive Palmer and Mr Rental. But then one post from October hilariously declares: “no more memes we r a serious band only from now
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on and u will respect us ok”. It all seems at odds with the jaded, distrustful nature of so many of their tunes, but Karvountzis explains he’s no longer at the place he was when he was writing Idiot Proverbs. “I think now, most of the album I don’t even really connect with that much because I’m in a really good place and I feel really happy. I’m getting married, just everything’s going really good. But things can easily just go just as bad on the other end and that’s just the experience of life,” Karvountzis adds matter-of-factly. “It felt like there was a lot of stuff I needed to get off my chest and since writing and recording all those songs, I probably haven’t written for, like, months and months. Only the other week I started writing [again]. Stuff started coming out again.” He describes himself as “not a political person”, but a fly-on-the-wall observer of society. “I’m not trying to make something political and I’m not a political person, but I like to look at society and stuff. I guess that’s what the album’s about — being interested in society and history and philosophy, but you’re not really that much of an intellect but you just wanna have an opinion. That’s kind of where I’m coming from. I don’t really take myself too seriously on it — that’s just kind of what I observe. “I’m not trying to take shots at anybody — more just trying to take shots at myself but through the lens of, like, being caught in the middle of it all. I’m quite a religious person so I see things from quite a religious side, I see things from the secular side, and I feel like I’ve got a fairly good middle ground between both points of view.” Karvountzis and bandmate Al Yamin are of the Jehovah’s Witness faith, meaning they “stay neutral in everything from voting to going to military service”. Christmas, birthdays, Easter and the like are also not traditionally celebrated. When pushed on specific political topics, he adds, “I don’t really pay much attention to politics ... We just stay out of it — it’s none of my business to talk and impose on other people what they do, so I just look at it from afar.” All the while, also watching from afar was Winterman & Goldstein director and the band’s
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Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
A&R, Pete Lusty, who quickly became obsessed with Tiny Little Houses’ distinct “disaffected youth” writing style and personalities. “When we saw them play the tracks [from Idiot Proverbs] live for the first time it was like watching a whole different band. It really did rock and Caleb had all this personality going on,” says Lusty. “To me they come across like a bunch of misfits. They don’t look like a band and they aren’t really part of a cool scene or anything. Caleb is this skinny indie kid, Sean has metal hair and matching mo, Al and Clancy [Bond] are ‘fully heaps nonchalant’ but are actually really tight and powerful. They each have their own personality and it’s fun to watch. They will blow everyone away!”
Idiot Proverbs (Ivy League) is released 12 Jan. Tiny Little Houses tour from 24 Feb.
HOWZAT!
Hot book
Local Music By Jeff Jenkins
2018, do you know what I mean?
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n many ways — too many deaths, too few homegrown hits — 2017 was a dog of a year. But 2018 is actually the Year of the Dog. This century is now old enough to vote and drink. Who knows how it will play out? “I’m eighteen and I don’t know what I want,” Alice Cooper sang in I’m Eighteen. But here are 18 things we want — and expect — in 2018: Kylie’s biggest year yet. She’s turning 50, it’s the 30th anniversary of her debut album, and it’s also 30 years since she became the youngest Gold Logie winner and The LocoMotion became her biggest US hit. Will her rumoured country album arrive? A new prime-time music show, showcasing Australian talent. C’mon ABC, you know you want to. Top 40 radio started in Australia, on 2UE in Sydney, 60 years ago. Here’s hoping commercial radio plays more Australian music this year and we end up with more homegrown hits on the charts than 2017’s record low. Huge 30th birthday celebrations for The Fauves. Comeback of the year? It’s ten years since
It’s 60 years since Australia’s first rock anthem, Johnny O’Keefe’s Wild One. Which Aussie band should cover this classic? Or maybe an album of covers? We’d love to see a few more album reviews in the press. Pick up a newspaper these days and you’ll struggle to find any music coverage.
lation featuring all the Australian recordings, including the unreleased material in the Festival vaults? It’s the 40th anniversary of Cold Chisel’s self-titled debut album. I’m not sure what Chisel have got planned, but Ian Moss and Don Walker are doing their own thing. Mossy has got a fine new solo album, his first
Beeb Birtles —
Every Day Of My Life Some big 2018 milestones: it’s 40 years since Little River Band’s Reminiscing hit number three in the US (“the best 1970s song in the world” — Frank Sinatra) and LRB manager Glenn Wheatley will turn 70 on 23 Jan. Beeb Birtles is the first LRB founding member to write a book. Every Day Of My Life — named after the 1976 single he wrote for the band — is an important book, as LRB’s achievements are often overlooked (six Top 10 singles in America, the first Australian-based band to have a gold album in the US). Howzat! gave Beeb a hand editing the book and it was fascinating to read his account of the LRB name dramas. Some people argue, “Well, they sold the rights, bad luck”. But, as Beeb points out, he never received any financial compensation, nor did he sign any documents relinquishing his rights. It’s an immigrant story, revealing how a Dutch boy named Gerard Bertelkamp became Beeb Birtles.
Kylie Minogue
Ruby Boots
Gabriella Cilmi topped the charts with Sweet About Me, which also won an ARIA for Single Of The Year. She hasn’t released an album in five years, but she’s still only 26, and she’s too big a talent to be missing in action. A box set from Howzat!’s all-time favourite band, Horsehead.
A solo EP from Skipping Girl Vinegar singer Mark Lang. It’s 60 years in August since the Brothers Gibb arrived in Australia. They were here for less than nine years, but their Aussie output was extraordinary, though underrated. How about a Bee Gees compi-
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in nine years. The self-titled set will be out in March. Also in March, Don is releasing a vinyl box set called Blacktop, featuring his three solo albums, two Catfish albums and a live album. There are gems in this catalogue. More venues opening than closing. It’s 40 years since The Triffids formed. Fingers crossed, Jonathan Alley’s longawaited David McComb documentary, Love In Bright Landscapes, will arrive this year. Rick Springfield to finally return to Australia for a tour. His new blues album, The Snake King (no doubt inspired by his good buddy Russell Morris’ blues trilogy), is the best thing he’s done since Jessie’s Girl. It’s 30 years since ARIA started the Hall of Fame. How about another special standalone event this year, to induct multiple acts, including big stars like Rick Springfield, Mondo Rock and Stephen Cummings, as well as some record producers and songwriters? After the triumphant return of Midnight Oil, which Australian band do we want to see re-form in 2018: Silverchair? Powderfinger? Savage Garden? New albums from Missy Higgins, Perry Keyes, Paul Andrews, Ruby Boots, Augie March and Courtney Barnett. And no more sex scandals or bullying. How ‘bout we all just treat each other with respect?
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Hot album
Tiny Little Houses — Idiot Proverbs
Some idiot proverbs: Nothing succeeds like success. Success has many fathers, while failure is an orphan. A house is not a home. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. These may, or may not, be relevant to Tiny Little Houses’ debut album, Idiot Proverbs. This is geeky goodness, recalling classic slacker pop of the ‘90s. They seem to have a good handle on the music business: “And you’re hot until you’re not,” singer Caleb Karvountzis states matter-of-factly in Team Player. Right now, they’re hot.
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P H I L A D E LP H I A G R A N D J U RY • G O O C H PA L M S H AT C H I E • H O L L OW C OV E S • C A R M O U F L AG E ROS E M I DAS.G O L D • N I N A J I R AC H I • J E S S L O C K E • B U G S B OAT S H OW • N I C E B I S C U I T • E M E R S O N S N O W E • H O L I DAY PA R T Y • AY L A
K I N G I V • AU S T E N • J E S S WA R • F R I T Z • J O U K M I S T R O W • T H E G A M E T E S • O R L A N D O F U R I O U S F E E L S C L U B • P O R T R OYA L • F I R S T B E I G E • E AT YO U R H E A R T O U T • C H A K R A E F E N D I S T R A N G E R L A N D • J E F F E • H E Y B A B Y • P I N K M AT T E R • K E E L A N M A K EARTHLINGS • TWINFOLDS • HOPE D • ZAPED
THE ZOO • THE FLYING COCK • THE BRIGHTSIDE THE FOUNDRY • CROWBAR • BL ACK BEAR LODGE • BARBAR A T H E M O U N TA I N G O AT VA L L E Y C R AW L
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KWEER PRESENTS: DRAG JNR THURSDAYS AT BRIGHTY
PANIC! AT THE DISCO TRIBUTE NIGHT BARKS AND BREWS
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SUMMER SCORCHER FEST ‘18
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F R E E E N T RY & D O O R S F RO M 5 P M
Sundial, Select Music and themusic.com.au present
HEAPS GOOD FRIENDS HUG ME March /April 2018 Tour 23 MAR Hills Are Alive Festival SOUTH GIPPSLAND 24 MAR Workers Club MELBOURNE 29 MAR Black Bear Lodge BRISBANE 11 APR Beach Road Hotel BONDI 12 APR Rad Bar WOLLONGONG 13 APR Small Ballroom NEWCASTLE 14 APR Chippendale Hotel SYDNEY 20 APR Rocket Bar ADELAIDE 21 APR Jack Rabbit Slim’s PERTH www.heapsgoodfriends.com
Hug Me EP out 2 March 2018
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What’s in a date? Australia’s present musicians fight to acknowledge a shameful past
For the past few years, the debate around triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown has become as much about the day it’s held on as it is about the music. Jessica Dale looks into the political reaction since the youth broadcaster announced they’re moving the countdown.
“The Arts and Communications Minister was shameless in his determination to use his position to influence the ABC Board.”
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7 November 2017 was a big day for triple j. After years of debate around moving their annual Hottest 100 countdown from 26 January, the youth broadcaster announced that the countdown would now be taking place on the fourth weekend of January in 2018 and 2019. It’s to become known as the Hottest 100 Weekend, with the 2018 event covering the top 100 songs of the year on Saturday 27 Jan and the top 200 the following day. For a lot of people, the Hottest 100 countdown and Australia Day are symbiotic - something that can’t be separated. For a lot of people, 26 January represents a day that couldn’t be further from a celebration. For the broadcaster, they have chosen to separate the two because “the Hottest 100 shouldn’t be part of a debate about the day it’s on”. The decision to officially move the countdown was reached after consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and, eventually, a survey in August asking the triple j community, “How do you feel about triple j’s Hottest 100 being on January 26th?” Of the 64,990 responses received, 60% of people supported moving the date, 39% of people did not support moving the date and 1% had no opinion on the matter. In the weeks following the announcement, there were calls from both sides of the debate, one of the most prominent being from Minister for Communications and the Arts Senator Mitch Fifield. The morning after the announcement, Minister Fifield told ABC’s News Breakfast program, “There are a relatively small number of people who have an issue with the fact that Australia Day is celebrated on January 26,” adding that he had already “made [his] view clear to the ABC” and that he would be “asking the Board of the ABC, who have the ultimate programming and editorial responsibility, to reconsider this”. The Music reached out to discuss these statements, however Minister Fifield was unavailable for an interview but did provide further comments on the topic.
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“The ABC and triple j should not be putting themselves in a position where their programming decisions are seen as making loud political statements. Triple J has pointed to two surveys that they conducted of their listeners, but the ABC and triple j have a broader responsibility than to just one market segment. They have a responsibility to the entire Australian people who render in excess of $1 billion a year to the organisation,” says Fifield. “Poll after poll demonstrates public support for Australia Day as 26 January. The ABC should respect that. The ABC has legislated independence with regard to programming decisions and the ABC Board has ultimate responsibility for these matters. However, I have written to the chair of the ABC to ask that the Board reconsider and reverse this decision. It will be a matter for the ABC Board to determine, but the government’s view is that they ought to recognise the overwhelming view of Australians on this issue.” Equally as vocal in the situation is Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, the Greens spokesperson on Arts and Media, who released a joint statement with Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues, Senator Rachel Siewert, congratulating triple j on their decision. It reads, in part: “We are aware that Communications Minister Senator Mitch Fifield has asked you to reverse triple j’s decision; we urge the Board to stick with triple j’s decision which was made in consultation with the station’s listenership and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.” In a statement to The Music, HansonYoung did not shy away from sharing her opinion on Fifield’s comments, saying that “the Arts and Communications Minister was shameless in his determination to use his position to influence the ABC Board”. “Triple j must be applauded for being a part of positive change in our society through heavy consultation with their listenership and much-loved artists featured on the station. It’s the listeners, not the opinions of those in
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parliament, who should be considered in this decision,” says Hanson-Young. “Lauding the Hottest 100 as some kind of Australia Day mainstay is a stretch considering it debuted on March 5, 1989, and didn’t fall [consistently] on Australia Day until 1998. The Hottest 100 is an event to be celebrated in its own right, and triple j should have autonomy over when to broadcast it. “It’s important to note that ARIA winner AB Original’s song January 26, which advocates for changing the date, came in at number 16 in this year’s countdown. A song with such a strong message obviously resonated with hundreds of thousands of Australians, especially the thousands of people who told triple j to move their countdown.” It would be hard not to recognise the significance of AB Original’s January 26 (feat Dan Sultan). The duo, Briggs and Trials, have been forthcoming in their views to not only change the date of the Hottest 100 but also Australia Day. “They said, ‘Hey, Briggs, pick a date’ (okay)/’You know, one we can celebrate’(for sure)/’Where we can come together (yeah)/ Talk about the weather, call that Australia Day’,” they say in the track. The announcement of the triple j move came just the day before the 2017 ARIA Awards, which both Briggs and Trials attended. Their album, Reclaim Australia, was nominated for a slew of awards, and they were also presenting and performing on the evening. “It’s a beautiful tip of the hat and a beautiful baby step towards a very big race, and a very long journey that we’re all a part of,” Trials told Shepparton News of the date change. “And it’s beautiful that we’ve got ears up there that wanna talk and listen and communicate with us.” The Music also reached out to ABC’s Communications department for comment and requested an interview with managing director Michelle Guthrie. Both requests were declined.
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Water & Light Ray Collins Be it crashing waves, cresting foams, mighty swells or turbulent currents, for photographer Ray Collins, all things maritime are his muse. The Aussie sea whisperer tells us more about his latest collection. It’s clear to see from your body of work that you share a deep connection with the sea. Where did this fascination with the ocean come from? It’s really all I’ve ever known. My first memories are of the water and it’s been the one constant throughout my life. It’s the essence of pure energy and I turn to it for cleansing and healing. I float in it to think. I submerge with clouded thoughts and re-emerge with clarity. I ride its waves and celebrate. I watch the sun rise over and fall behind it from all corners of the world. Whenever I’m near it, I am home. It’s helped forge foundations of humility, respect, courage and patience — lessons that have carried over to who I am as an artist and more importantly, shaped who I am as a human being. Where did you shoot this latest collection, and how do you achieve just the right interplay of light and water in your images? During the making of this book, I hung harnesses out of doorless helicopters in Hawaii, swam amongst and below freezing north Atlantic seas of Iceland, sailed through the remote and uninhabited island chains of the Indonesian archipelago, documented a once in a decade Tahitian mega swell, and drove for days on end to the desolate reefs and bomboras of Australia’s raw southern and eastern coastlines. Achieving the right composition is a process of constant refinement I guess, I never went into it with a plan or a look. It’s just a reflection of the relationship I have with the water. I’ve found that during the course of documenting waves my work has become a lot more abstract than when I had started. Some images are almost unrecognisable as breaking waves, or even water. People’s first reaction is that it is a mountain or some other solid landscape style image. The perspectives you achieve are breathtaking. How do you capture these dynamic close-ups? Choosing the right lenses for the right conditions I think, and missing a lot of opportunities and moments to concentrate on the harder and more rewarding shot. I rarely use zoom lenses; 90% of my kit are prime lenses — which means the zoom is in your feet (or flippers in my case).
Impetus, 2017
The joy and drama and beauty of the water are very apparent in your photography, but there is a strong sense of the awesome, elemental power of the sea. How do you seek out that balance between beauty and brutality? I merely document what I see. Like all art, it is open to interpretation and as we’re all individuals we all take something different away from it. I want to make people ‘feel’ something. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a pleasant feeling either. I just let the water and light be my guide.
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Water & Light is available now at raycollinsphoto.com
Progressive politics Prog is known for pushing the limits and boundaries of what’s possible in music. Ahead of 2018’s Progfest tour, Leprous’ Einar Solberg, Voyager’s Simone Dow, and Alithia’s Tibor Gede open up to Rod Whitfield on applying that same approach away from the music.
Einar Solberg of Leprous
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rogressive rock. Progressive metal. Or, to wrap it all up in one nice, convenient box, the sub-genre known affectionately by its aficionados as ‘prog’. On the eve of Australia’s premier — in fact, only true progressive heavy music festival Progfest — it’s a great time to talk about this fairly divisive and somewhat esoteric genre of music. Having had its true genesis (pun intended) and peak during the ‘70s, the genre has had a renaissance of sorts over the last ten years or so, both here in Australia and also around the world. With prog in a place of good health, The Music chats in-depth with members of three of the key acts making appearances on the 2018 Progfest line-up — Einar Solberg from the festival’s first-ever major international headliner, Norwegian group Leprous; Simone Dow from Perth legends Voyager; and Tibor Gede from Melbourne avant-garde rockers Alithia — to discuss the origins and relative health of the scene, its future and the dearth of women playing in progressive bands. While the Australian progressive music scene is world class in quality, the same is not said of its profile. Outside the echo chamber we call ‘the Aussie progressive scene’, it remains largely unknown in this country and the rest of the world. A good litmus test of this is to ask someone from a long way away what they know of the Aussie scene and Solberg, Leprous’ charismatic singer, fits the bill nicely. He hails from about as far away from Australia as you can get and has only ever visited Aussie shores once. His knowledge of Australian progressive rock and metal is, unsurprisingly and completely understandably, limited. “I know a few,” he states somewhat hesitantly, speaking from his home in Oslo. “The biggest ones would be Karnivool, then of course you have Caligula’s Horse, and Voyager who we toured with last time, Alithia who we just toured Europe with. And that pretty much sums up my knowledge. Unless you call AC/DC progressive rock!,” he laughs. There are many reasons behind this that Solberg is very aware of. “It must be difficult being from Australia and making it into the music industry,” he muses. “Every time you want to go somewhere else in Australia it costs a fortune. Especially the bands from Perth, they’ve got their own city and then the closest thing might be Indonesia, and that’s not a great touring market. “And then there’s the rest of the world; you are so isolated, you have to reach a certain level to ensure that the travel doesn’t have that much of an impact on your budget.”
Gede is in an excellent position to be able to comment on this topic. The Melbourne band has toured and recorded extensively in international markets, as well as Australia, and Gede has a unique take on what the term ‘prog’ means to him. “For me, I think it symbolises two very important things in what’s happening in music today,” Gede explains. “Prog for me is kind of the new punk rock. I talk to a lot of people about it, and a lot of them say that all the new punk, rock and hardcore bands — it’s all very polished now. Punk rock was always about doing something unique, doing something very authentic, something real and without being concerned about the material side of it, whether [or not] you have any commercial success. “Punk rock was always about, ‘Fuck it! We’re going to do what we believe in and what we love and that’s who we are’. Whereas now — and I don’t want to criticise an entire scene or genre — but I’d say prog very much represents that more. It’s one of the most honest scenes you can get now.” He feels that it’s the progressive bands that completely eschew all attempts to appeal to a broad audience in a commercial sense and simply follow their hearts and creative muses. “There is just no commercial inclusivity for this style of music,” he adds. “Nobody cares, people just do whatever the fuck they want to do, and for me that’s punk rock in its very spirit.” As one of a very small percentage of women in progressive music on the festival line-up — as well as the Australian scene and the genre across the planet — Voyager’s co-lead guitar slinger Dow can definitely see an issue when it comes to the amount of females in prog. However, she would prefer proactive responses to this issue. “What I’ve been seeing recently is stuff like — there was a festival where people were getting a bit up in arms because there wasn’t enough of a female representation on the line-up,” Dow explains. “For me, as a woman looking at what goes on, I see a lot of people trying to treat the symptom and not the cause. This whole thing of ‘we need x amount of women on festivals’ and stuff like that; it’s just not the right way of going about it. There just isn’t a 50/50 representation, especially in rock, let’s be realistic. It shouldn’t be a case of ‘we just stuck this band on the bill because they have a woman in the band’. To me, that’s just tokenism.” Gede has more of a broad overview as to why there is a far lower representation of women in the progressive music movement than that of their male counterparts. While we’ve come a long way since those dark times when women were considered men’s property, and weren’t even allowed to vote, he feels there is still a long Simone Dow of Voyager. Pic: Arta Gailume way to go before women have true equality in broader society. “I think the gender imbalance is more across the board in general,” Gede opines. “I think just generally as a community there is still so much work to do to nurture and support and empower women to be involved, there’s still a lot of old-school attitudes around. It’s definitely in the prog world, but I don’t think it’s a prog-specific thing.”
“It shouldn’t be a case of ‘we just stuck this band on the bill because they have a woman in the band’.”
Tibor Gede of Alithia
Progfest tours from 20 Jan.
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Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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rince was a pop maestro, and a pop maestro requires a consummate backing band. For Prince in the ‘90s that was The New Power Generation (The NPG), successors to The Revolution. After participating in Minneapolis’ epic Prince tribute last year, The NPG decided to take their “celebration” of the late musician on the road. Now the nine-piece will hit Bluesfest. The NPG’s music director and keyboardist, Morris Hayes, refers to the collective as “the funk jukebox”. Indeed, The NPG’s Princely repertoire is even more expansive than that of the recently reunited The Revolution, he says, unwittingly perpetuating the Purple One’s traditional inter-band competitiveness. “With The Revolution, when they left, they left with the records they had done. They didn’t have to play NPG music.
Waxing lyrical about the New Power veneration
one of the co-producers with Prince at that time, he threw me a bone. He says, ‘Look, Prince wants to get this track done. Here’s a tape of him playing the piano and he’s just kinda tapping out the beat with his feet, on his boots.’ He said, ‘Just go and arrange the music around what he did.’” Seacer instructed Hayes not to mess with Prince’s ideas. In 1992 Hayes served as bandleader for Prince’s protege/girlfriend Carmen Electra, a pop rapper. He subsequently became The NPG’s keyboardist, replacing Rosie Gaines. Hayes played on Prince albums like Come and The Gold Experience (a personal fave) as the star battled his label, Warner Bros Records. And, with Prince’s (heavy) input, The NPG cut their own LPs. Meanwhile, the posse delivered live. They backed Prince at 2007’s monumental Super Bowl show. Later, Prince and The NPG were joined by a jubi-
The New Power Generation’s music director and keyboardist Morris Hayes shares his rise through the Purple One’s ranks with Cyclone.
“I asked him one day, ‘Prince, what do you think is the thing you do the best?’ He’s like, ‘You know what? Morris, I think, at the end of the day, I’m a poet.” But The NPG had to play Revolution music, because that was all Prince music. And so we had to know a lotta material.” The NPG’s vocalists in Australia will include Gett Off MC Tony Mosley plus guests Tamar Davis and Andre Cymone — Prince’s childhood bestie and original cohort. Prince initially dropped the phrase “the new power generation” in Eye No, the intro to 1988’s acid house-inspired album Lovesexy. He then featured both a band and an anthem by that name in the movie Graffiti Bridge, his eccentric sequel to Purple Rain. Officially inaugurated, The NPG played on Prince’s 1991 ‘urban’ blockbuster, Diamonds And Pearls. Hailing from Arkansas, Hayes entered Prince’s sphere in the mid-’80s. Post-concert in Memphis, Prince’s Revolution entourage caught the muso gigging with his outfit Fingerprint. “They heard the band playing some of their songs and came up afterwards like, ‘You guys play the songs like we do. Everybody else we hear playing our songs, they butcher ‘em — it just sounds terrible.’” Hayes headed to Minneapolis ostensibly to collaborate with The Revolution’s bassist Mark “Brownmark” Brown on his Mazarati vehicle at Prince’s studio hub, Paisley Park. Yet, here, he started from the bottom. “In 1988 I was working at the studio by then as a production assistant, just driving the van and doing whatever.” But Hayes impressed Prince while experimenting with keys parts for The Time’s Shake!, a number on the Graffiti Bridge soundtrack. And he’d cameo in the flick as a member of George Clinton’s troupe. As a (super-)producer, Prince contributed several songs to Martika’s 1991 album Martika’s Kitchen, most famously Love... Thy Will Be Done. However, Hayes finished Don’t Say U Love Me — the production attributed to Paisley Park. “It was funny because [The NPG guitarist] Levi Seacer [Jr], who was
lant Kanye West at the Swedish festival Way Out West for a mega-jam (YouTube it!). “Of course, Kanye is incredible when it comes to what he does,” Hayes notes. “He’s a different kinda cat but, when he gets on the stage, he does what he does. So it’s cool.” Having missed Prince’s first Australian tour with The NPG, circa Diamonds And Pearls, Hayes finally made it here in 2012. “It was amazing,” he recalls. “I actually wanna move to Melbourne. It’s the place where I bought shoes — and Prince complimented me on my shoes.” Nevertheless, that year, Hayes quit. Ever-enigmatic, Prince will always be remembered for his songs, musical chops, showmanship, prolificacy, and aesthetics. But ask Hayes what aspect of Prince doesn’t get enough attention and he cites his “severe” guitar-playing. “I think one of the things we overlook is how many things he does so well,” he explains. “I think it used to kinda bum him out — every time one of these guitar-player magazines come out with the guitar gods, he’s always ranked really low in that! I just never really understood that. It just has to be because he does so much that people sleep on that stuff.” Still, Prince might have answered this question differently. “I asked him one day, ‘Prince, what do you think is the thing you do the best?’ He’s like, ‘You know what? Morris, I think, at the end of the day, I’m a poet. I think I do lyrics best, because I hate bad lyrics, man — nothing bothers me worse than bad lyrics.’”
Morris Hayes of NPG
The New Power Generation tour from 26 Mar and play Bluesfest between 29 Mar – 2 Apr Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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“We’re trying to welcome you into our greasy, oiled-up, disgusting world. Just, be part of it.”
Sometimes the best bands aren’t strictly human Music is universal, so much so that you don’t technically need to be human to make it. Sam Wall meets some sausages and space cuties that put on a sick show.
To read the full story head to theMusic.com.au
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here are a lot of bands in the world. Some are good, some are bad, but it’s rare that they’re genuinely unique. Variety is the spice of life. Control the spice, control the universe. But “band” Phantom Panda Power Wizard Master Smasher know all about that. “Well, we are a bunch of space-travelling Space Cuties from the Panda Galaxy,” explains head Cutie, Starr Panda. “We just come to just Earth when our desire for pasta hits us. We come, we play for pasta (“best carbs in the galaxy”) - and no one ever brings any. It’s really disappointing. And then we have to leave right after the show.” By “leave”, Starr means time and space since PPPWMS are playing at random moments in history as they phase in and out of the continuum. Are they currently in the past? The present? “I have no idea,” he laughs. “That all depends on where you are at that particular time.” More temporally grounded, but no less intriguing, The Burnt Sausages’ origin is all in the name. “It was a travesty, actually,” tells front sausage, Snagz. “We were left on this BBQ, we’d been burnt to a crisp. Horrific. Left behind. No one wanted us, completely unwanted. No one wanted us, that’s the emphasis there, no one. And ah, we were like, ‘Fine. We’ll just lie here, we’re gonna go in the rubbish,’ and luckily this freak gust of wind came in, blew us onto these magic Heat Beads, and we bloody came to life and here we are. We formed a band, yeah? We’re like ‘let’s do it’. And the rest is grease-tery.” Let’s establish something quickly. However you feel about aliens and sausages and their place in the arts, it’s already happening they’re playing some of the most over the top and entertaining shows in town and you can’t stop it. Anybody who wants to write them off out of hand as just a bunch of ETwits and meatheads is just leaving some serious fun on the table. “They can get stuffed,” says Snagz. “We did perform with a particular artist who I don’t think was a big fan of the music, but this artist didn’t actually watch us perform. They just listened to the music and maybe
went, ‘Eeeeeeh.’ It’s like, mate, it’s a combo deal. You gotta look at the whole thing. It’s an experience. Like, welcome to our world. We’re trying to welcome you into our greasy, oiled-up, disgusting world. Just, be part of it. Let yourself go... It’s a picture mate, it’s like a flat picture. No! It’s a picture that jumps out at you and throws stuff all over you and has a smoke machine.” The picture also includes “BBQ punk”, unlimited puns and a rotating cast of backup dancers packing explosive choreography. “We’ve got some regular, amazing, dancing onions and tongs and bread who do come on board the cheese board with us frequently. So they’re bloody legends, they’re great.” PPPWMS switch fancy feet for ‘toons on sheets, projecting classic Bugs Bunny shorts while providing their unorthodox score; “Pretty much everything we’re doing is animated or animatronic or puppets in some way.” For their upcoming album/DVD, however, they’ve had to commission their own animation. “I would love to re-present that music, and those cartoons, to a modern audience. But, you know, Warner Brothers don’t play.” “They had wonderful music already attached - but we put our own little music to it,” says Starr. “And then we presented that with every gimmick you can come up with. We have laser-firing costumes, we have a completely in-sync light show. All our costumes fire lasers and have lights that are all in-sync. Well, I say costumes, like, our ‘faces’ hahaha... We have confetti, we have lasers - I said lasers, we got a lotta of lasers - and we play perfectly in-sync to projected footage, which is everything everybody ever wanted to see.” The display actually snagged Melbourne grind rock legends Blood Duster’s attention, and the Space Cuties working on their recent final shows. “We did their [previous] show as well. That’s when I froze them with CO2. That was really funny. Yeah, they’ve asked for less strobes,” chuckles Starr. “I don’t know what their problem is.” Snagz is a bit confused by the idea of
Burnt Sausages
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working with humans, as well. “Humans have bands? This is the first I’ve heard of it.” She does rattle off a few BBQ punk influences though; The Sauce Pistols, Bread Kennedys, Black Snags. Are there any other snag bands around Oz? “Look, we technically haven’t met any yet,” says Snagz. “Someone did speak to me about starting a BBQ punk band, I shut them down. I said, ‘Hey, that’s our thing.’ Shut them down. So yeah, haven’t come across any yet in Mel-burn, Oz-tray-lia, but you never know what’s around the corner. “[But] it seems like a lot of people are enjoying it,” says Snagz. “Different people from different places, so that’s really good. We still haven’t come across any other sausages, as I said, on any of the circuits. But that’s alright, we’ve got each other to you know, to chat to about that kind of stuff.” PPPWMS, on the other hand, are running into other higher beings all over the place. “We have had a few more aliens rock up,” says Starr. “I wasn’t expecting that. At the last shows, at The Reverence especially. There were some wonderful people in antlers, and they were all spaced-up. That was really cool. And ah, lot of trippers. A lotta trippers are coming to our shows. They like to tell you that’s exactly what they’re doing and it’s like, ‘Ok, phhhah, fuck yeah. How was that?’ [laughs] So yeah, that seems to be our audience. Other space animals, or space creatures, are starting to come, and trippers. And metalheads. We’re attracting a lot of metalheads for some reason.” PPPWMS often get described as metal, which Starr finds confusing, though they “do have big brutal guitars and big fuck-off drums and everything, big base and huge vocals”. We should point out here that their “big fuck-off drums” are actually a giant, kind of terrifying baby-faced spider (“Giggle Muffin? He’s cute as fuck!”). “But then it’s 1960s space lounge, or, I don’t know, bebop. Arabic bebop. German techno. It all just comes out of everywhere. So once you have a listen to it, there’s a lot of stuff going on. A lot of stuff going on. Genre? Not really specific. Which is probably the point.”
Phantom Panda Power Wizard Master Smasher. Pic: Brock Boslem
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In 2018, let’s make smart the new sexy While we were busy making stupid people famous, some world-class boffins were hard at it, mastering the universe.
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he Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Donald Trump, Kurt Coleman, Schapelle Corby, Sophie Monk: if there’s one thing Western pop culture can deliver in spades, it’s making stupid people famous. And, what’s more, we’re all to blame. What began as a guilty voyeuristic pleasure has spiralled out of control, becoming a multibillion-dollar industry. We’ve traded our cultural integrity for a toxic obsession, celebrating shameless self-promotion over actual graft and endeavour. Lofting idiots to positions of significant power, we’ve eroded our morals, our understanding of personal worth, and our aspirations; why become a surgeon or an engineer when you be an “influencer”? But while it may be true that in the fickle realm of social media Kim K’s butt can break the internet while the latest scientific advancements often go unnoticed, that’s not to say the pace of our age of discovery is slowing down. So, to do our part to redress this intellectual imbalance, here are just a small sample of some of the most groundbreaking accomplishments mankind’s unsung scientific heroes made in 2017.
Reusable rockets
Quantum computing
Currently, transporting a human into space has a price tag of around $82 million. However, thanks to billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, that eye-watering cost is set to become a thing of the past. To date, SpaceX has made 20 successful launches and landings of its Falcon 9 rocket, and in the future the craft may also be used for globe-trotting, making any location on earth reachable in under an hour. So, you can look forward to having lunch in Paris and still making it back home to Australia in time for dinner.
Mankind is approaching a new epoch beyond the silicon age. Traditional microchips are fast reaching the zenith of their capabilities, so to ensure future advancements in computer power, quantum technologies capable of billions of simultaneous computations will become commonplace. Microsoft revealed in December a huge investment in the tech, creating its own quantum coding language called Q#. People are probs still likely to use it to search for porn and illegally download Game Of Thrones.
Robotics
Space exploration
Over the past year, robotics has come on in leaps and bounds – literally. Boston Dynamics, one of the world’s leading developers of advanced robots, unveiled the latest version of its humanoid Atlas robot in November, which is capable of acrobatic feats like backflips. Equally impressive, Sophia, built by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, became the first robotic person to address the UN in October and was even granted honorary citizenship by Saudi Arabia. We’ll just have to wait and see if robots end up enslaving the human race.
Many of the world’s greatest minds, including celebrity physicists Stephen Hawking and Bryan Cox, have said that humanity’s longevity depends on humans becoming a multi-planet species. And to this end, in September Elon Musk unveiled a bold vision for colonising Mars. He hopes to start populating the red planet by 2024, although some sceptics have claimed this audacious estimate as unachievable.
Fusion power
Travel
Fusion power is the holy grail for solving the earth’s energy crisis. Several experimental reactors made huge breakthroughs in 2017, with Germany’s Wendelstein 7-X stellarator leading the pack for efficiency. The world’s first fusion power station, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), reached 50% completion in December, with a goal of being fully functional by 2030.
Cars are so last century. The next big revolution in how we get from A to B comes in a vacuum tube and travels at 700km an hour. The “hyperloop” is an experimental vehicle under development that is predicted to totally transform urban development, giving rise to “mega-regions” – sprawling cities over vast regions. And if air travel is more your style, several companies are developing automated passenger drones, with prototypes already taking to the sky.
Artificial intelligence
Environment
Advances in AI are fast reaching a moment of significant transition, moving from the experimental and into practical application. Machine learning is now being used to process data trends and this same tech has been used by NASA to improve its exo-planet hunting Kepler space telescope. AI will also become more attuned to anticipating human needs without instruction, although some scientists fear a potential AI uprising.
Trump may have dumped on the Paris Climate Accord, but there are still some good eggs out there doing their bit for the planet through the power of science. Major breakthroughs this year include advances in solar panel technology making them more discreet, and ground-breaking research into micro-organisms as producers of biofuels, including genetically modified bacteria that can convert CO2, a major cause of climate change, into fuel.
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Nothing but the best
To read the full story head to theMusic.com.au
British comedian, television host, writer, etc Jimmy Carr tells Sam Wall that The Best Of, Ultimate, Gold, Greatest Hits world tour is exactly what it says it is.
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enowned British comedian Jimmy Carr is quick off the blocks. Before we can badger him about his upcoming Australian tour he cottons the name of the mag and sweeps us up in his love of the local tunes. “I’m obsessed by the Australian guy at the moment, Alex Cameron?” says Carr. “That’s the music I’m listening to at the moment. Incredible records. I’ve literally just discovered him. He supported The Killers on tour so I saw him the other night and was just blown away... He sings in character, it’s fabulous. I mean what a guy, and so Australian as well - the voice and the terminology and the ah, I love it.” His own show, once we’ve circled back to it back to it, is of course the very succinctly named Best Of, Ultimate, Gold, Greatest Hits world tour. “I didn’t want any confusion,” expresses Carr. “So I went with
you know, it’s a long, beautiful shaggy dog story. With one-liners, there’s more than 350 jokes in two hours in my show. So you forget them instantly, there’s no way you’re remembering all those jokes. When I went back to do the research for this, to look at my old DVDs and old TV appearances and pick my favourite jokes, I was amazed. I didn’t remember some of the stuff.” There’s pretty clear incentive in marching out yesteryear’s gold. For one thing, you already know it works. But another less obvious benefit for Carr is the freedom of choice. “With every other show, I’ve ever done the audience has picked the jokes. You go out there with like a thousand jokes in preview shows and whatever the audience laugh at, that’s what’s in the show. It’s like, the audience is a genius. The audience regulate comedy. Audiences decide what is and
“The Rolling Stones have been doing this for 20 years. They’ve been knocking out the hits. If they don’t play Paint It Black, you’re very disappointed.” the title that absolutely, it says exactly what it does on the tin... Th is is the absolutely, all the best one-liners. These are the best things over a 15-year career. I suppose it’s being more of an entertainer, I just want people to have a great night.” It makes sense, really. Carr’s style is very much ‘Gatling pun’. After firing off thousands of high-velocity funnies over 15 years, nine tours and god knows how many television appearances, it seems a shame to leave them all sitting in the dust. “Bands have been doing this for years, right? The Rolling Stones have been doing this for 20 years. They’ve been knocking out the hits. If they don’t play Paint It Black, you’re very disappointed. It’s a big hit.” People have claimed that comedy is ‘the new rock’n’roll’ before, but at a structural level there’s a pretty obvious point of difference. Comedy is in many ways about the element of surprise. You’re waiting for the zig and you get zagged. Luckily, the sheer quantity of his work and his rapid delivery work in his favour; “I mean I do one-liners. So no one remembers the jokes.” “A lot of the comedians that I love I’ve watched multiple times,” adds Carr. “Sometimes it’s more difficult with a storyteller. Let’s say if you’re a storyteller, if you’re Billy Connelly and you’re telling a long, shaggy dog story with an end. If you saw that again two weeks later you’d go, ‘Oh you know what, I know what the end of this is. I know where it’s going.’ But you enjoy the journey
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what isn’t funny, and what is and what isn’t acceptable. So the audience always decided. On this one, I decided. It’s my favourite jokes from the last 15 years. These are the ones that still make me laugh... so it’s a joy for me every night as well.” It helps that Carr always leaves a big place in his show for improvisation and audience interact, being especially fond of a bit of heckling. “Asking a comedian to improvise a whole show is like asking a magician to do real magic. But like 20% of the show should be the audience. You should be chatting to people and messing around. “The thing about a live experience is, as opposed to watching something on a streaming service, if you’re doing a live show it should feel like this is special for tonight. Even if some of that’s an artifice. It should feel like, we’re in a room, with people, we’re out, we’ve had a drink, we’re having a laugh. What more do you want?”
Jimmy Carr tours from 9 Jan.
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The 2018 Album hit list 2018 is certainly shaping up to be a great year in music. Here’s the artists you should be looking to for new tunes...
Tash Sultana
The Goon Sax
Major Lazer
(Sony)
(Chapter)
(Warner)
Tash Sultana has conquered the world on the strength of one EP, a standalone single and a few covers. That’s quality over quantity, friend, and this April there’ll be HEAPS of it. That’s when Sultana’s “soulful” full-length debut is slated to drop on Sony, likely dashing everyone else’s ‘Album Of The Year’ hopes.
Up To Anything was hands down one of the best albums of 2016, instantly proving The Goon Sax were much more than just one-third Robert Forster’s kid. We don’t know much about their follow-up, except that it’s being produced by the band with James Cecil and Cameron Bird, of Architecture In Helsinki fame, and it’s out this year. That’ll do for now.
Being a Major Lazer fan has taken some serious patience over recent years. With talk of a new album surfacing in 2015, the electro trio’s fourth album, Music Is The Weapon, is expected to see the light of day in 2018. Four singles including collabs with Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and Travis Scott have already been released.
Father John Misty
Alison Wonderland
Schoolboy Q
(Inertia)
(EMI)
(Universal)
The “most self-important asshole on earth” is back at it again. Father John Misty has self-produced this latest album, his third in four years, and promises you can expect bass synth and “spritely BPMs”. There’s no solid release date from Inertia as yet, but since he was already mixing it in July it can’t be too far off.
Alison Wonderland is set to release her long-awaited followup to Run this year, dropping an early taster with lead single Happy Place in November 2017. While release date details have been guarded, Wonderland revealed the forthcoming album will be called Awake and she has worked with QUIX, Lido and Lorde producer Joel Little.
Rapper Schoolboy Q has been a busy man of late, collaborating with Calvin Harris and RJ on their singles while working through his own fifth album. The LA-based artist says his new record will take a step away from previous releases, focusing on his life as a family man beyond the microphone.
Kylie Minogue
Camp Cope
Vampire Weekend
(Mushroom)
(Poison City)
(Remote)
Rejoice! Kylie Minogue is releasing an album in 2018, her first since 2015’s Kylie Christmas. Despite being a smidge inspired by her recent break-up, you can’t keep Australia’s Queen Of Pop down. Minogue’s even said it’ll be “super positive and inspiring”. The first single drops this month on Mushroom.
Melbourne trio Camp Cope will release their second album, How To Socialise & Make Friends, in March this year. Recorded in just a few days, the band have promised a strippedback and raw release. Lead single The Opener captures the band at their fiery best, so you’ve been warned early not to take this release lightly.
Indie superstars Vampire Weekend are set to return with the amazingly titled, Mitsubishi Macchiato. The album will be the first without founding member and guitarist Rostam Batmanglij, but frontman Ezra Koenig revealed that previous collaborations with artists like Kanye West and listening to ‘simple’ folk songs inspired the songwriting process.
Sarah Blasko
DZ Deathrays
The Wombats
(EMI)
(Mushroom)
(Warner)
Mostly formed over two weeks during a residency at Western Sydney’s Campbelltown Arts Centre in late-2016, Sarah Blasko’s sixth album Depth Of Field (EMI) hits shelves this 23 Feb. If you’re keen see the process behind the indie pioneer’s latest, she actually made a doco dubbed Blasko at same time that you can watch on ABC’s iview platform.
February can’t come soon enough for fans of Queensland power duo DZ Deathrays. Bloody Lovely marks the band’s third long-player, with Burke Reid returning behind the desk as the dance-punk duo get louder, brasher and catchier. Teaser Total Meltdown proved an instant earworm and promised big things for the much-loved noise makers.
With members of The Wombats living in Los Angeles, London and Oslo, work on their fourth album, Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, has been a labour of love. Main man Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy revealed the new record is about escaping the party lifestyle and growing up. The David Lynch-inspired opening single Lemon To A Knife Fight dropped last November.
Thelma Plum
The Presets
(Warner)
(EMI)
After Thelma Plum wrapped her Monsters EP, she was kind enough to give us a taste of the debut album she was working on before disappearing to New York to get recording. That was in July 2016 and we’ve been hanging out ever since. We can’t wait to finally throw the finished product on repeat in 2018.
Th ings have been heating up in the world of The Presets lately. The two-piece released new single Do What You Want last year featuring both DZ Deathrays frontman Shane Parsons and Kirin J Callinan on guitar. The punchy tune is a precursor to an album that The Presets’ Julian Hamilton promises will feel like a party.
Middle Kids
Joyride
(EMI)
(Dew Process)
Like Tash Sultana, Middle Kids made an astounding splash with their debut EP. They toured the world, conquered late-night television and even scored the thumbs up from blink-182’s Mark Hoppus. Somewhere in all that they also found the time to get started on their first LP, which you can get your hands on later this year.
Sydney hip hop figure Joyride will release his highly anticipated debut, Sunrise Chaser, in early 2018 after wowing the local scene for years. With singles Kings & Queens and Aunty Tracey’s Cookies already whipping up a frenzy, the muso, DJ and social media personality has already put the scene on notice.
The Rubens (Mushroom) The pressure is on The Rubens to backup 2015’s mega release, Hoops. Slated for release this year, The Rubens teased fans with the release of new bouncy single, Million Man in October 2017 after working with Run The Jewels collaborators Wilder Zoby and Little Shalimar while recording in New York City.
Vance Joy (Mushroom)
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Aussie folkster Vance Joy has already made waves with his yet to be released Nation Of Two, dropping its first two songs Lay It on Me and the harmony-heavy Like Gold. Recorded in part with producer Dave Bassett, Joy travelled across the US while completing his second full-length.
Troye Sivan
Courtney Barnett
(EMI)
(Milk! Records/Remote Control)
Pop idol Troye Sivan is not one to sit still. Between his acting and YouTube videos, the 22-year-old has been teasing out hints he’s been working on his second album via his various social channels throughout 2017. Sivan has posted pics with songwriter Alex Hope, as well as producers Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat, so here’s to hoping a collab is coming soon.
Her release of this year with Kurt Vile, Lotta Sea Lice, amplified our anticipation for Barnett’s upcoming second album. During an interview with Binaural (Spain), Barnett’s partner Jen Cloher promised the follow-up to Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit will “definitely” drop in 2018. That’s all we got, but it’s on!
Travis Barker (Warner)
Jack White (Sony)
Travis Barker, blink-182’s stickman, has been teasing his second solo album as he readies to return to his hip hop side-project. Barker has named Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Run The Jewels, Wiz Khalifa and The Game among his list of potential collaborators, with the music a major departure from his day job with the poppunk superstars.
The millisecond White’s Servings And Portions From My Boarding House Reach teaser video dropped we collectively lost our shit. The man with the strongest colour palette in music always keeps us guessing and is continuing this trend: strings, fuzzed-out guitar, irate spoken word, jazzy piano - it’s all within the clip. Words including ‘Abulia’, ‘Papillon’, ‘Vache’ and ‘Real Hands’ flash up onscreen - track names, perhaps? Just hurry up and release it, already!
Arctic Monkeys
Marlon Williams
Muse
(Domino)
(Caroline)
(Warner)
Photographer Daniele Cavalli posted some photos on his Instagram account (April, 2017) that got us speculating as to whether Arctic Monkeys had started work on their sixth album. Bassist Nick O’Malley has since revealed during an interview with For The Ride that Arctic Monkeys began work on said album in a “secret location” in September of last year, adding it will be out in 2018. “If it isn’t, we’ve got problems,” he admitted to the motorcycle website.
The first taste from Williams’ upcoming second album, his pessimistically titled duet with Aldous Harding, Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore, is already out there, as is this album’s full track listing. If you’ve attended one of his recent live shows around the country you will have already heard most of these tracks. It’s definitely a departure from the country stylings of his self-titled debut album, and Williams plays keys as well now. Get excited!
Back in August, we interviewed Dominic Howard ahead of the band’s Australian tour announce and he said “...the ball’s rolling as far as, like, getting more tracks together and releasing an album”. If Dig Down, the single they released back in May, 2017 is anything to go by, the outfit are definitely leaning toward the electronic at present. Will it be thematic like Muse’s last album Drones? We’ll just have to wait and see.
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The time is right for another romp through Australia’s dark heart Twenty-five years after Russell Crowe starred in the controversial film about blue-collar Melburnian neo-Nazis, Geoffrey Wright’s Romper Stomper is ripe for a revival. Anthony Carew meets the director and returning lead Jacqueline McKenzie. Director Geoffrey Wright on set with David Wenham and Lachy Hulme
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ith the recent boom in local streaming services, the Australian film & television industry has turned to cannibalising its past to deliver new content, taking to remakes and reboots with a zeal reminiscent of Hollywood. But out of all these series spun from familiar localcinematic titles - Wolf Creek, Picnic At Hanging Rock, Wake In Fright, Chopper - what the new TV series Romper Stomper has, in spades, is cultural relevance. The original 1992 film was director Geoffrey Wright’s response to battles between White Power and Vietnamese gangs in Western Melbourne. But, returning a quarter of a century later, the televisual Romper Stomper gets to riff on the contemporary battles that play out in the mass media: neo-Nazis rebranded as true-blue Aussie patriots, the rising tide of Islamophobia, the right-wing talkback blowhards fanning the flames, and the left-wing activists counter-protesting. “Last year, with Brexit and the rise of Trump, it became obvious that this story needed to be revisited,” says Wright, 58. “I cannot think of another Australian TV show that is more appropriate for the current day. What we present in the series is nothing that you haven’t seen in a million news reports. We’re just getting inside of them.” Where the original film was out “to put the audience inside the bubble of [a neo-Nazi] gang”, the series gets to make good on its own format; to look at its world, of Melbourne in conflict, with race at the centre, from many varied perspectives. “You’re going to get bored of just one point-of-view across six hours, so longform almost obliges that you explore different elements of the story,” says Wright. So, there’s Lachy Hulme as the leader of far right-wing group Patriot Blue, and Sophie Lowe as his seemingly-bland/secretly wicked wife. Toby Wallace, as a young skinhead who rises up the ranks, scans as the series’ breakout star. Nicole Chamoun plays a young Muslim student drawn into the media hysteria, David Wenham as the neo-con shock-jock smug upon his nightly TV pedestal. And a handful of the original cast return: Dan Wyllie now silver-haired, John Brumpton gone full bunker-in-the-bush paranoia, and Jacqueline McKenzie as the upwardly-mobile professional who can’t escape the original film’s past. Over the years, Wright, producer Daniel Scharf, and McKenzie often tossed around the idea of returning to the story. “By the time
we actually set out on production,” McKenzie says, “it’d been something we’d been talking about for 22 years.” McKenzie is talking, in a South Yarra cafe prior to Romper Stomper’s gala premiere, just days after publicly writing about her experience with the film industry’s endemic culture of sexual harassment; but before Russell Crowe would make his car-crash comments on simulated on-screen sodomy at the AACTA Awards a few nights later. “I just wanted to start a conversation,” the 50-year-old says, simply. “Because, we all talk. We’ve all been talking about this for years. Half the time, we’ve been laughing about it: ‘oh, you’re working with such-andsuch, look out, hahaha!’ I felt the need to say something. We need to talk about this, and we need answers. We need this dialogue. I don’t like the idea of naming names, of publicly shaming people. I don’t want to point fingers. What I want to do is discuss how we change this culture that has existed. This is a fabulous opportunity to move forward, and protect ourselves for the future.” McKenzie is, as an interviewee, garrulous and generous. She’s full of ideas for how to change film-sets - completion guarantees being tied to past examples of “disruptive behaviour”, film workers requiring “working with children” qualifications for dealing with child actors - and happy to talk about the #metoo movement, and ideas of greater cultural shifts. But, she’s also there to promote Romper Stomper; the series spun from the film in which she made her debut. “I just remember running, running, running my ass off, up-and-down alleyways in Melbourne,” McKenzie says of the 1992 original. “There was a real sense of camaraderie amongst the actors, a real ensemble. [Because] it was my first film, I didn’t realise how special that was. I thought that all film-sets must feel that way, all directors must work like that.” Having spent years working in studioshot, formula TV-series - “think about those two words: ‘block’ and ‘cover’,” she laughs, of the televisual language, “they’re antifreedom!” - McKenzie is glad to be working with Wright, who still works with his “extraordinary energy”; the camera always moving around actors, through locations (Footscray again features heavily, but the St Kilda foreshore gets a starring role in a pair of series brawls). And, like Wright, she knows that the arrival of Romper Stomper is timely. “I think
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it’s fantastic that we’re telling [this story], that we’re asking these questions,” McKenzie says. “The film, what we were depicting was really fringe. Now, it’s front-row-centre in our society. There’s Charlottesville, that freak [Milo Yiannopoulos] who’s getting way too much air-time right now, travel bans, Trump. It’s not some tiny little group of lost souls with a lot of muscle, it’s part of our cultural dialogue.” Once again, this means that Wright has to answer criticisms of the Romper Stomper story; from those who feel that depicting race-hate and gang violence, even critically, can legitimise its existence. The original film was, famously, denounced by David Stratton, who refused to review it on the grounds that it was “dangerous”. “[That] became a textbook example of how not to treat a film that you’re frightened of, or loathe,” Wright says, even as he sees some of the same arguments playing out, 25 years on. “If you ask [critics] if watching the film turned them into card-carrying fascists, they would say no. But they make the assumption that there are people who could see the film - or now, the series - and suddenly go ‘gee, being a fascist looks like fun, I’m going to do that!’ “There’s a real paralysis in this country,” Wright continues, “in addressing this situation, and the people involved in it. But no one should be scared of having this conversation, of addressing this reality that’s playing out in front of us.”
“With Brexit and the rise of Trump, it became obvious that this story needed to be revisited”
Romper Stomper airs from 1 Jan on Stan. Jacqueline McKenzie as Gabrielle
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Jonny Woo & Le Gateau Chocolat
A Night At The Musicals Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a total noob, this fabulous frolic through the world of musical theatre is a side-splitting romp anyone can get into. Helmed by two of the UK’s most irreverent cabaret stars, Jonny Woo and Le Gateau Chocolat, this messy musical mayhem may not have the polish of Broadway, but that’s not to say it isn’t just as entertaining. Having toured all over the world since it first pranced onto the stage in 2015, this high glam evening of singalongs and duelling divas will put a song in your heart and spring in your stilettos.
A Night At The Musicals plays from 12 Jan at The Arts Centre Gold Coast
The best of The Arts in January
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Queensland Gallery Of Modern Art Yayoi Kusama: Life Is The Heart Of A Rainbow Visionary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is one of the most vibrant, inventive creators of her generation. Th is major retrospective features work across the full spectrum of her practice including her iconic “infinity” and “obliteration” rooms. Until 11 Feb at QAGOMA
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Queensland Gallery Of Modern Art
Gerhard Richter: The Life Of Images Th is is the first major Australian showcase of the renowned German artist, widely considered to be one of the most influential living painters in the world. More than 90 works are on display spanning the full fivedecades of his extraordinary career.
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Until 4 Feb at QAGOMA
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Theatre Division Miracle City
Despite being hailed as one of the best Australian musicals in the canon, performances of Nick Enright and Max Lambert’s masterpiece are scant. Discover this irreverent musical about televangelists.
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From 24 Jan at Brisbane Powerhouse
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Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show Spooky and sexy collide in this camptacular spectacle. Craig McLachlan reprises his award-winning portrayal of the gender-bending Dr Frank N Furter in this outrageous ripper of a show. Audience fancy dress is heartily encouraged. From 17 Jan at QPAC
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Institute of Modern Art Brisbane Hannah Bronte: Umma’s Tongue – Molten At 6000 Degrees Th is probing new film superimposes the connection to land enshrined in the lore of indigenous communities and the ravaging destruction of man’s hunger for natural resources. 15 Jan at the Institute of Modern Art
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Film & TV ★★★½
Black Mirror (Season 4)
Black Mirror (season 4) is now airing on Netflix
Reviewed by Guy Davis
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s if the state of the world wasn’t shithouse enough as we stagger blindly towards the conclusion of 2017, the misery is compounded by the news that everyone’s favourite mordant mate, Charlie Brooker, won’t be airing his regular end-ofyear Wipe program, where he casts his eye over the past 12 months and commiserates about the who, the why and the what-thefuck. Brooker claims he’s spread himself too thin with other projects but Twitter, as ever, knew better: “I suspect it might just have been an hour of him pointing at a rolling news channel and screaming” wrote one wit. Still, all is not lost - we still have six new episodes of Brooker’s future-shock anthology Black Mirror dropping on Netflix, just in time to make us all feel thoroughly dispirited about technology that’s as new as tomorrow and human frailty that’s as old as time itself. Uh ... yay? Yeah, yay. For the most part, at least. In this fourth season of stand-alone stories, Black Mirror - mostly written by Brooker
(with the odd assist from a collaborator) but directed by a line-up of helmers including Jodie Foster, The Road’s John Hillcoat and Hard Candy’s David Slade - continues to make one feel unsettled or just plain icky with its probing and occasionally discomforting insights into dysfunctional relationships between humanity and high-tech (which is why we tune in, right?). But the series is also starting to show a little wear-and-tear, it seems, with sequences or even entire episodes repurposing previous Black Mirror bits with only a few alterations to distinguish them. It’s not exactly a deal-breaker that the surveillance-state story Arkangel, in which helicopter parenting is taken to extremes by a concerned mother, lifts bits and pieces from The Entire History of You, or that the harrowing premise of White Bear, among other ideas, is somewhat rehashed for the lurid Black Museum. But the ring of familiarity may disappoint some who’ve come to admire the series’ originality up until now.
★½
Pitch Perfect 3
Pitch Perfect 3 in cinemas now
Reviewed by Anthony Carew
T
here’s one moment where Pitch Perfect 3 comes to life; this is so obvious to the filmmakers that it’s repeated twice, first as cold open, then as climax. In the absence of any inspired ideas or reason to exist beyond contractual obligation, yet another lap around the competitive-a-cappella-groups block is, for a sequence, suddenly a spy-movie. Due to plot developments that deliver John Lithgow with a bad Australian accent, the rest of the Barden Bellas are kidnapped and held for ransom on a Bond Villain-worthy yacht. And, so, series leads Rebel Wilson and Anna Kendrick must save the day. Cue Wilson transforming into an unstoppable badass, cutely choreographed fights, and a barrage of explosions. It’s absurd to inject such genre work into the world of Pitch Perfect, but the contrast works. Unfortunately, it also serves as an indictment of the rest of the film. The Pitch Perfects are movies about music for people who actually hate music: its a supposed portrayal of “a cappella” that instead
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delivers mimed versions of studio-slick, effects-thick playback. Running this shtick back for a dispiriting third time is less a case of diminishing returns than flogging a dead horse. Now graduated college, the band gets back together as a form of therapy, to escape flagging careers and lives. They undertake a tour of army bases in exotic Mediterranean locations, and they’re in a contest with three stereotypical outfits - country yokels, a trap duo and a rock group - to win a recording deal with DJ Khaled, whose name is mentioned more times in the script than the word ‘and’, the film burnishing his celebrity brand whilst tarnishing its own. Wilson’s comicriffs are still the sole source of laughs, though there’s at least a running gag of mocking the use of familiar, tired tropes (cheap exposition, the semi-anonymous members of the ensemble, the need for competition and resolution) as they’re happening. It’s nice that the film’s aware of its own cliches, but not so nice that writer Kay Cannon couldn’t think of a way not to employ them.
Craig McLachlan on stage with co-stars Rob Mallet and Michelle Smitheram
“Quite often toward the final weeks of shooting, underneath the waistcoat, what you’re not seeing at home is Dr Lucien Blake can’t even do his belt or trousers up.”
Let’s do the timewarp again: Craig McLachlan returns as the sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania What does it take to go from Dr Lucien Blake to Dr Frank-n-Furter? About 16kilos, a good slathering of make-up, and two decades of experience. Tim Potter has a singalong with the former Aussie heartthrob turned drag anti-hero.
“I
arrived on the scene during the golden Kylie & Jason era of Neighbours”, Craig McLachlan tells me over the phone from his Sydney home. Without prompting him, he happily recalls the moment his career rocketed skyward. “The show was very much on the ascent here in Australia breaking all sorts of viewership records, simultaneously it was en route to becoming a monster hit in the United Kingdom — to the point where Neighbours was seen by 20-22 million people, twice a day.” His role as self-professed “lovable larrakin” Henry Ramsay, daughter of Madge, brother of Charlene, made him a household name almost overnight, both here and in the UK. “I remember Kylie and Jason coming back from their publicity trip saying ‘Craigy, it’s like Beatlemania, Culture Club-mania and KISS-mania rolled into one’ and it wasn’t until I got over there that I thought ‘Shit they weren’t kidding, this is insane.’” It’s perhaps unsurprising that McLachlan should be in a nostalgic frame of mind. Currently, he’s in rehearsals to reprise another old role, one far less wholesome than that of his soap opera heyday: Frank’N’Furter of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. Th is is the third time he’ll have played the role of the cross-dressing, fishnet-wearing, makeupcaked, cape-toting mad scientist, since the first time he strutted onto stage as the character in the early nineties. Back at the peak of his Neighbours fame, he received a call from legendary promoter Paul Dainty who was putting
together an all-star production of the classic rock musical and who wanted the world’s most famous guy next door, Henry Ramsay, to play Rocky — the buff, shirtless, slicked up creation of Dr Frank N Furter. “I said to Paul, ‘if you’re ringing up to ask me about Rocky Horror Show, it’s Frank N Furter or it’s nothing!’ and I hung up the phone. My manager said ‘What the fuck? That was Paul Dainty!’ It just goes to show the balls you have when you’re young and full of confidence and kind of naive.” Dainty called back and happily offered him an audition for Frank, but suggested there might be a discord between his public image and such a flamboyant role, made famous by Tim Curry’s iconic screen portrayal. “All the more reason to give it a crack,” Craig argued. Not only did he win the role, he thrived treading the boards as the show’s “Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual Transylvania” and was recruited again twenty years later to play Frank for the show’s 40th anniversary in 2014. Reprising such a daring role decades later is quite an achievement, one even McLachlan acknowledges, particularly since he was playing the eponymous lead in the highly successful ABC Drama The Dr Blake Mysteries and had packed on a few kilos. “Quite often toward the final weeks of shooting, underneath the waistcoat, what you’re not seeing at home is Dr Lucien Blake can’t even do his belt or trousers up,” he admits. “So I’ve got to get down from 96 or 97 kilos down to about 80.” Had McLachlan’s approach to Frank changed over the course of twenty years? “The more recent version of Rocky we brought up to QPAC just a couple of years ago was a bit high-octane energy-wise for me, even more so than the first time i did it when I was just a kid. It was a whole lot of fun, but you know, it was a very athletic approach to Frank. ‘Frank for the new millenium’ if you will. Just as naughty and just as deliciously intoxicating, but we just thought he should be more energised.” The sixteen kilos he’s required to lose in the space of six to seven weeks demands a strict diet and exercise regime. “I’m cracking the whip on myself! I’m Rocky Balboa and
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Apollo Creed all in one! I train six days a week. No complex carbs after midday and I’ve knocked the wine and beer on the head.” After undergoing the transformation when he last took on the role in the 2013 production, his performance was so well-received that he took home the 2014 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical. In addition to his acting chops, McLachlan is a passionate and accomplished musician — picking up the guitar at age eight. Since then, he’s barely put the instrument down, not even during our interview, in which he gushes over Richard O’Brien’s riffs and classic rock’n’roll chord progressions, and performs snippets of songs down the line including Dammit Janet and Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me. Known best for his acoustic pop cover of Bo Diddley’s Mona, the highest selling Australian Single of 1990, McLachlan had been playing in pubs and clubs all through his youth and even been a session player on pop records in the UK, working with now deceased producer and bass player Mark Smith in his Battersea studio. But despite his pub rock pedigree and studio experience, commercial radio refused to play his debut single. “I remember my manager talking to the music directors at radio and they’d say ‘Hell will freeze over before we play that guy’s record, he’s not a musician, he’s a TV star.’ The great irony was that long before Neighbours came along, I was that poor sucker playing guitar in places like the Bayview Hotel, the Cessnock Workers club etc,” he recalls. “They would say I have no credibility and that I can’t play. The truth of the matter is I probably played more pubs than some of the so-called credible artists back in the day.” Despite the lack of radio support, the song was a commercial hit here and in the UK, and ultimately lead him on the path to performing on stage. Unlike many stars of former hit TV shows, McLachlan is proud of his success at an early age and acknowledges it as part of his decades-long career on stage and screen. But at age 52, what brings him back to a role he first played almost three decades ago? He picks up the guitar and strums. “How do you do? I... see you’ve met my... faithful handyman.” He stops. “Can you imagine coming out night after night and hearing the crowd go nuts to that? It’s so addictive and it’s fantastic. And in Queensland, some nights I’m surprised we all weren’t arrested, including the audience. The show they put on was every bit as entertaining as what we were doing on stage.”
Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show plays from 17 Jan at QPAC
Guerrillas in our midst Canadian pals Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol admit Nirvanna The Band The Show can be hard to digest at first. But, as Dan Cribb discovers, it’ll only take a few episodes until you’re hooked.
“I
would look at the trailer for this show, and be like, ‘That looks like a bunch of shit,’” tells Jay McCarrol, one half of Viceland’s Nirvanna The Band The Show. It’s nearing midnight in Toronto and only a few days before the show’s second season premieres, but his partner in crime, Matt Johnson, is in the thick of editing. “Jay doesn’t edit,” Johnson begins, with McCarrol relaxing at home on the other end of the conference call. The series follows the childhood friends as they try to get a hometown show at Toronto venue the Rivoli, with each episode playing out an elaborate and convoluted plan, from inadvertently holding up a bank to trying to crash a Christmas parade, all while parodying iconic films and TV shows like Jurassic Park, Home Alone and Daredevil. Initially emerging as a web series 10 years ago, it was brought back to life earlier this year by Viceland. “Our show doesn’t really look like or seem like any other show that people are groomed to enjoy, where it’s easy for them to settle in right away and know what they’re into,” McCarrol says. “I think when people watch our show, and we’re lucky enough to get them for whatever reason, and they start to dig into it a little bit and give it a chance then it’s really rewarding for them.”
“Some of the time that’s where we’re getting our plots from,” he tells. “But other times, we’re trying to force certain things to happen, so that things will make sense. It kind of goes both ways.” “We’re starting to know what we’re getting into when we shoot certain scenes,” McCaroll says. While the storylines and grand plans in each episode are brilliant on their own, it’s McCarrol and Johnson’s onscreen characters and the dynamics between the two that really drives the show. Their real-life friendship is evident throughout and contributes to the natural flow of things, and something they lean on heavily throughout production, with McCarrol quick to state that neither of them are “proficient or elegant writers”. “We don’t really write the show,” he admits. “We write what we think is a good premise...we always end up looking back at a rough cut and saying, ‘Okay, well only half of this is working,’ and, ‘Look at what just happened here with this person on the street. We need to explore that.’ So we go out and re-shoot. You can see that our hair changes a lot if you look closely,” he laughs. The absurdity of their onscreen personas gets amplified in the season two. “Some of that stuff is some of my favourite stuff that we’ve ever done,” Johnson says on an
I go back to over and over and over and over again, in terms of character.” Johnson’s appreciation of Aussie talent stems from his friendship with local filmmaker Dario Russo, the creator of SBS comedy Danger 5. “[Danger 5] is another Australian original that, in my opinion, is really, really excellent.” “Are we just naming Australian things we know, like Tim Tams?” McCarrol asks. “No, no, these are Australian television shows, Jay. Very important,” Johnson responds. The conversation continues, with a recommendation of Russell Coight’s All Aussie Adventures thrown their way before the pair engages in a conversation reminiscent of what you’d see onscreen. “I’m really liking The Deuce right now,” McCarrol says. “It’s not Australian,” Johnson responds. “I thought he just asked if we were watching any shows?” “No, he said Australian shows.” “Well, I’ll just tell him off the record then, The Deuce is a good show. James Franco is exactly how you want him in it.” The turnaround between seasons was lightning fast in comparison to other shows, and while they’re developing praise from the likes of Rick & Morty creator Justin Roiland (“one of the best shows ever made”), they’re not sure where it’ll go. “We don’t really even
“The characters are basically brain dead in many ways, but then they’re experiencing these complex emotions.”
Its guerrilla-style production is one that Johnson used in his first feature film, The Dirties, which won a wealth of acclaim and even caught Kevin Smith’s attention and saw him release it. Part of makes Nirvanna The Band The Show so charming is that loose production style and its hidden camera scenes, but it wasn’t something they initially gave too much thought to. “We didn’t really plan so hard the whole, ‘Oh, we’re going to shoot it with unsuspecting people and weave them into the plot.’ The media likes to talk about it, but with us, it was just the easiest way that we could tell the story, and the funniest way,” McCarrol explains. “You’re in dude,” Johnson adds, referencing a moment in season one where a brief and unplanned conversation with a stranger outside the venue gives the episode the perfect end note.
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episode entitled The Buddy, which finds the perfect blend of character development and hidden camera content. “I think what Jay and I think is really funny is more of the drama,” he continues. “The characters are basically brain dead in many ways, but then they’re experiencing these complex emotions.” Most episodes begin in their apartment, with the duo messing around or coming up with another scheme. “A lot of people would say that’s just what they want to see,” McCarrol states. “We would say that too sometimes, but really what drives it forward is when we can finally come together and tell a compelling story with a good backbone of characters that make sense off of each other.” “You’ve got a good example of that in your own backyard,” Johnson adds. “The first episode of Summer Heights High, Jay and
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know what our expectations are for how the show can grow,” McCarrol admits. “We’re in the middle of shooting [season 3] right now,” Johnson reveals. “I shouldn’t say in the middle of shooting it, but we’ve shot a good portion of it already. “I hope that it doesn’t come out until next summer because I think that’s almost kind of when it needs to. But I don’t know what the plan is for when it will be delivered.” “Every now and then, we pop our heads above water,” McCarrol says, “but for the most part, we’re just a little tiny team making it as best as we can.”
Nirvanna The Band The Show streaming now on SBS On Demand
The 2018 hit list Well hello there, culture seekers. It’s time to get your brand spanking new diaries out and start pencilling those key events into your cultural calendar. But if you’re having a tough time figuring out just what arts events are worthy of your patronage, allow us to give you some handy hints. Here are our top choices for the best film, theatre, and art to catch over the coming year.
Films as picked by Anthony Carew
The Favorite
Isle Of Dogs
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn Premise: In 18th century England, during the court of Queen Anne, two women become rivals for the Queen’s covert affections. Anticipation: Coming off the back of The Lobster and The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, the Greek weird-wave don is as close to a sure-thing as any director. A period-piece based on a real episode of English history, however, is an unexpected next-move.
Director: Wes Anderson Cast: (voices of) Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Frances McDormand, Greta Gerwig, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton Premise: In a dystopian future Japan where dogs have been quarantined on an island due to an outbreak of ‘canine flu’, a pack of hounds attempt an escape. Anticipation: Nine years after his incredible adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox, Anderson —one of cinema’s most distinctive filmmakers— returns to the realm of stop-motion animation.
High Life
Under The Silver Lake
Director: Claire Denis Cast: Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Juliette Binoche, Lars Eidinger, André Benjamin Premise: A crew of criminals are sent on a deep-space mission in search of alternative energy sources. Anticipation: Denis has spent most of this century dreaming up her sci-fi opus, and, at $8mil, it’s a sizeable-budget feature for the French legend. Th is is officially her first English-language feature, and past Denis exercises in genre (like the incredible Trouble Every Day) have been plenty memorable.
Director: David Robert Mitchell Cast: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Zosia Mamet Premise: A man becomes obsessed with the murder of a billionaire mogul, and its connection to LA’s indie-music underground. Anticipation: Mitchell is two-for-two thus far, with the poignant teen-movie melancholy of The Myth Of The American Sleepover and the instant-classic horror of It Follows. So, anticipate accordingly.
Widows Director: Steve McQueen Cast: Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson, Daniel Kaluuya Premise: When a group of criminals are killed mid-armed robbery, their surviving widows band together to finish the job. Anticipation: A remake of a British ’80s mini-series penned by Lynda La Plante seems a strange next step for McQueen, but, five years after 12 Years A Slave, anticipation for the latest work from the video-artist-turned-Oscarwinner will be high.
Theatre as picked by Maxim Boon
The 39 Steps Queensland Theatre After a barnstorming season in Adelaide, this relentlessly funny and inventive show, pairing the smoky glamour of old Hollywood with the odd ball comedy of slapstick and practical effects, finally arrives in Brisbane. Th is cheeky adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s noir thriller, by Patrick Barlow, offers a helter skelter live action reimagining of the cinema classic, as four actors conjure hundreds of characters on stage. From 24 Feb at QPAC
Carmen & The Firebird Queensland Ballet This double dose of ballet masterworks is steeped in passion, desire, and some of the best dance you’ll find anywhere in Australia in 2018. One of the world’s greatest living dancers and former principal of The Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta, offers his condensed retelling of Bizet’s famous opera Carmen, and wunderkind choreographer Liam Scarlett brings his landmark production of Stravinsky’s fantastical fable, The Firebird. From 25 May at QPAC
Hot Brown Honey Briefs Factory Prepare to have your colonial world rocked by the Honeys, a fierce and fabulous troupe of First Nations cabaret artists here to “fight the power.” Created by Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers and Lisa Fa’alafi, this remarkable revue of brilliantly defiant and thought provoking performances puts the racial stereotyping that still thrives in Australia, and other formerly colonial countries, under the microscope. Not only has this show earned rave reviews across Australia in the past couple of years, it also went down a storm at the Edinburgh Festival. Endorsements don’t come much higher. From 4 Apr at Brisbane Powerhouse
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THE 2018 HIT LIST
Visual Arts as picked by Maxim Boon
Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection
Lucy Forsberg: Transparency And Other Worries
In her most ambitious exhibition to date, this globally celebrated Australia-based artist offers a sprawling retrospective of her fantastical work. Best known for her hyper-real sculptures, Piccinini creates a mythic zoo of unusual, sometimes adorable, often bizarre, and always astounding creatures. In addition to being fascinatingly lifelike, Piccinini’s work often asks questions about compassion, man’s superiority over his animal brethren, and the way, as humans, we project emotional complexities into the world around us. Th is is an artist of incredible virtuosity, who produces work that is not only accessible, it’s profoundly moving.
The recipient of the 2017 Jeremy Hynes Award, Forsberg’s latest body of work explores the intersection between environmental, social and economic systems. Hers is a highly inventive, yet gesturally reserved practice, explored across multiple media. Th is is an opportunity to discover a comprehensive survey of an exciting Brisbane-based artist, whose work also wrestles with social, psychological and intellectual concerns that are very much rooted in the zeitgeist.
From 24 Mar at QAGOMA
Haegue Yang
The 9th Pacific Triennial Of Contemporary Art
The first solo exhibition of the celebrated Korean artist in Australia, this show explores Yang’s incredibly inventive aesthetic across an incredible range of media, including video, sculpture, and most significantly, installation - Yang’s most complex and fascinating work. Th is exhibition will also feature a series of major new sculptures co-commissioned by the IMA and the 21st Biennale Of Sydney.
With pieces representing culturally anchored work from Turkey to Hawai’i, this showcase of art from across the region will feature a substantial number of newly commissioned works, as well as work by emerging talents, shoulder to shoulder with artists leading their respective fields. More than 80 artists in total will be represented, including a large contingency of Australians. Ours is a hugely diverse, multicultural society, and this show beautifully demonstrates how rich and varied the cultural make-up of Australian society is. From 24 Nov at QAGOMA
Good Muslim Boy Queensland Theatre What does it take to be a good Muslim boy? It’s a question fraught with conflicting demands. Family expects one thing, society another. But does a man’s faith negate his humanity? When his kindly and unorthodox father dies unexpectedly while in his native Iran, Osamah Sami must confront the world’s assumptions to fight to bring his dad’s body home to Australia. As hilarious as it is haunting, this profound social study is an intense, relevant piece of storytelling. From 12 Jul at QPAC
Prize Fighter La Boite Theatre Few new plays have received as glowing a reception as Future D Fidel’s remarkable story of a Congolese refugee whose childhood traumas follow him to Australia. Premiered at the 2016 Brisbane Festival, it has since played Sydney Festival, to much acclaim, and will embark on a national tour in 2018. Given Australia’s recent track record with its treatment of refugees, this touching and sobering work is an eye-opening glimpse of the horror and humanity of those forced to flee their homelands or face horrifying consequences. From 5 Sep at the Roundhouse Theatre
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From 1 May at the Institute Of Modern Art
From 1 June at Institute Of Modern Art
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JANUARY
Dena Amy Get ready for some big FOMO if you haven’t already got your ticket to this year’s FOMO Festival. The event that prides itself on its ‘one stage, no clashes’ approach has brought out the big guns for 2018, including an appearance from Aussie DJ, singer and producer Dena Amy plus RL Grime, Kaytranada, Post Malone, SZA and Nina Las Vegas.
6 Jan, Riverstage
This month’s highlights
New eats on the street
Cheeky Poke Bar You had us at Poke Bar (even though we’re probably not pronouncing it correctly), but then we discovered Cheeky Poke Bar opened last month at 3A/63 Skyring Terrace in Newstead and the double entendres went into overdrive. All joshing aside, though, we’re still busy drooling over pics of Cheeky Poke Bar’s gyozas, shichimi endamame and nori tacos! We also hear their cocktail menu is worth a look, which should offset the health aspect nicely.
How the Belle Miners struck gold with their debut album New folk, festive folk pop, eclectic alt folk — call them what you will, Belle Miners are still riding the high of their first album release, and Jaime Jackett and Marina Avros tell Carley Hall it’s about time.
Mallrat. Pic: Sean Pyke
Hood Rat Local lass Mallrat (aka Grace Shaw)’s first Foundry Records show is now sold out, so make sure you snap up tix to her second show, also on 19 Jan, quick-sticks. Her latest single is called Better, but we don’t reckon this star-in-the-making could possibly do any better right now.
I
Salt Meats Cheese Gasworks In the same building at 3B/63 Skyring Terrace in Newstead you can get involved in Salt Meats Cheese Gasworks, which specialises in pizza and pasta. We love the sound of stracchino cheese (a mozzarella/ cream cheese blend – yummo!) plus there’s an alfresco area where you can snack on olives and calamari while watching the world go by.
t’s been a relatively long road but Belle Miners have finally released their debut album and a few years is understandable given the dual nationality of the Australian-Canadian trio. When duo Man & Minx — featuring Aussie Jaime Jackett and Canada’s Felicia Harding — crossed paths with Canadian folk songwriter Marina Avros, it was the musical equivalent of love at first sight. Since combining forces, the trio have mesmerised audiences with their three-part harmonies and, depending on what review you read, “festive folk pop”, “eclectic alt folk” or “new folk” sound. “Felicia said one time if you took ABBA and Crosby, Stills & Nash and they had babies the Belle Miners would be their children,” Avros reveals. The sound that has delighted so many in the live setting since their inception back in 2014 is now literally in the hands of their listeners, with the release of Powerful Owl, produced by JUNO award-winner Joby Baker in British Columbia. But of the ten tracks that grace Powerful Owl, none had the impeccable timing that single Fall In Love With Me had upon its release. Its lush melody and gentle croons unravel a tale of same-sex love and, by complete coincidence, its release coincided with the week our nation went to the polls to vote on the same-sex marriage survey. Not that the group would have shied away from this fortuitous meeting of moments; with Harding and Avros members of the LGBTQIA+ community, coupled with the starkly contrasting fact that Canada has enjoyed marriage equality since 2005, meant the
Jordan Rakei
In Full Bloom If you’ve been spinning Jordan Rakei’s latest Wallflower album as much as we have, you’ll be eager to check out whether this London-via-Brisbane artist can replicate these sweet sounds live. He’s signed to Ninja Tune, ferchrissakes! We’ll see you at The Triffid on 11 Jan.
“There’s just so many more important things than worrying about who’s loving who.”
Saltwater Fish & Chippery Your Insta feed and gut will thank you for dropping into Mooloolaba’s Saltwater Fish & Chippery. The decor is Hamptons-style and the themed interior sets the scene while you to dive into your choice from the menu, which includes traditional fish and chips, a chip butty or spaghettini with local crab, garlic, chilli, parsley and lemon.
trio were watching closely when the ‘yes’ result was announced. “I was holding my breath for our community,” Avros admits. “I think it was nighttime when I saw [the result] and it was a good end to the day. There’s just so many more important things than worrying about who’s loving who; I mean if it’s not hurting anyone then why would you spend millions of dollars on something that you could spend on helping the homeless, the environment, refugees? You could go on and on about where that money could have been better spent. So it was really great when we found out but, really, it shouldn’t have happened like that in the first place.” On top of their new album, that major political decision will be another thing to celebrate when they regroup for a bunch of shows around the country in early 2018. Jackett (the only Aussie in the group) is looking forward to assuming the role of tour guide. “I’m married to an ecologist as well, so I also take on the nature guide role who picks up the lizards and the spiders and the girls just go ‘eeeeeewwww’.”
Belle Miners tour from January 3.
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Killing Heidi
Some Like It Hot The Hotter Than Hell festival is moving around Queensland through Jan and Feb with an irresistible retro line-up including Grinspoon, Jebediah, Killing Heidi and The Superjesus. Make sure you do some exercise to ensure you’re mosh-fit, ‘cause you’ll probably have flashbacks to the Homebake and Livid festivals of yonder year.
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The Music’s ultimate music quiz
Want to keep playing? Head to themusic.com.au for another 50 questions.
What better way to kick off 2018 than by stretching out the ol’ brain muscle and reflecting back on the year that’s been. We’ve put together a 2017 mega quiz for you to test your knowledge and show off to your mates. Remember, if you Google the answers you’re only cheating yourself (plus, you don’t really need to because they can be found at the back of the mag). Happy quizzing!
Round One Okay, we’re keeping it simple for the first round. Here are some easy ones to kick things off. They’ll earn you a one point apiece. 1.
Macklemore courted controversy by performing which song at the 2017 NRL Grand Final?
2.
Which Glasgow-born brothers and major Australian music industry figures both passed away in 2017?
3.
Which musician was confirmed as nabbing the role of Nala in the live action remake of The Lion King?
4.
Which member of One Direction performed at the 2017 ARIA Awards?
5.
Who released the follow-up to their book, Working Class Boy, with Working Class Man?
6.
Who was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame during the 2017 ARIAs?
7.
8.
9.
Which Aussie hip hop duo won a stack of awards with their album Reclaim Australia? Which Foo Fighters side project surprised Sydney with an impromptu gig in August?
Paul Kelly
Jen Cloher
15. Which Sydney act took out Album Of The Year at the 2017 ARIA Awards?
27. Who called Father John Misty “the most self-important asshole on earth”?
16. Who was dubbed ‘the last rockstar’ in a 2017 documentary about their life and death?
28. Two members of which Brisbane band got engaged this year?
17. Stranger was a huge hit for…
29. Which iconic British album got a special 20th anniversary release, featuring previously unreleased tracks Man of War and I Promise, in 2017?
18. Which international artist spent more of 2017 in the charts than not with their album ÷ (Divide)?
30. Which Australian singer transformed Linkin Park’s In The End into a tribute to Chester Bennington for their triple j Like A Version?
Round Two How’s the noggin’ feeling so far? A little rusty after a too festive, festive season? Give this round a go for three points per correct answer. 19. Which Aussie hip hop act was named a Fellow for Australia’s Youtube Creators For Change program? 20. Which Australian band did The Killers cover in their set at the AFL Grand Final?
32. Which US sitcom star teamed with Ben Lee for a debut collab album? 33. Who is the first artist signed to The Smith Street Band’s Poolhouse Records label? 34. Which legendary artist played her last ever Australian shows in April 2017? 35. Sydney’s Dear Seattle broke through with their track The ___ 36. Who released their debut album titled Dumb Days?
21. Which artist broke attendance records at stadiums across the country during their 2017 Australian tour?
What is the name of Eminem’s new album?
10. Which Australian band were nominated for the 2018 Best Dance Recording Grammy Award?
31. What is the name of PNAU member Nick Littlemore’s other band?
22. Alex Lahey made her US late night TV debut on which show?
37. Which iconic punk act was paid tribute to with a mural in Brisbane? 38. Who declared she “won’t be your future heroine” on her debut album?
23. Which Midnight Oil member tore his hamstring on stage during their Australian tour, leading to him performing the remainder of their shows seated?
39. The Opener is the first single off which band’s forthcoming album?
12. Which Norwegian group broke through with their song Magazine?
24. Australia’s first hologram tour, announced for 2018, will feature which artist?
40. Which band re-released their debut album, A Quality Of Mercy?
13. Which Las Vegas rock group released an album so nice they named it twice?
25. Which Aussie band auctioned off a rainbow drum kit to raise money for charity?
41. Caiti Baker released her debut solo album in 2017, it’s called…
14. The Preatures followed-up their 2014 album, Blue Planet Eyes with…
26. Who did Courtney Barnett team up with to release a collaborative album?
11.
Which Aussie music legend scored his first ever ARIA #1 album this year?
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Jess Locke
The Killers
Ecca Vandal
Stella Donnelly
AB Original
49. Which Australian frontman was supposed to join Me First & The Gimme Gimmes on their Australian tour, only to be replaced at the last moment due to illness? 42. Which guitarist from a prominent Brisbane rock band started a label called Domestic La La Records? 43. 2017 breakout star Alex The Astronaut isn’t just a talented musician, what sport is she also known for? 44. The 2017 action film Baby Driver was based on a film clip, directed by Edgar Wright, for which UK band? 45. Which Australian band was sampled on Kendrick Lamar’s track Duckworth from his 2017 album, DAMN?
Round Three
46. What is the name of the organisation launched by blink-182 founding member, Tom DeLonge?
The final round in our quiz is the one that will earn you the most bragging rights and the biggest points, at five for each correct answer.
47. Which Western Australian artist has been making waves with her tracks Boys Will Be Boys and Mechanical Bull? 48. Which UK ‘90s act cancelled their Perth show just hours out from its scheduled start?
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50. Fountaineer released their album, Greater City, Greater Love, as a tribute to which city?
That’s it, you’ve done it! Now, head to the back of the mag to find out just how right or wrong your answers were. If you’re really keen on showing off your win, make sure you tag us on social media @themusiccomau. We hope you got through without too many arguments…
Check page 60 for the answers
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The Weeknd @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Pic: Bobby Rein
alt-J @ Riverstage. Pic: Bobby Rein
The Preatures @ Festival Of The Sun. Pic: Simone Fisher
“The Shins prove tonight in Brisbane that they can still put on one heck of a show, even when they’re in a venue that’s more used to housing ballet.” – Velvet Winter The Shins at QPAC Meg Mac @ Festival Of The Sun. Pic: Simone Fisher
The Music’s ultimate music quiz answers
The Shins @ QPAC. Pic: Yaseera Moosa
Round One: one point each 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
Round Two: three points each
Same Love George and Malcolm Young Beyonce Harry Styles Jimmy Barnes Daryl Braithewaite A.B. Original Chevy Metal Revival Mansionair Paul Kelly Sløtface The Killers (Wonderful, Wonderful) Girlhood Gang of Youths Michael Hutchence Peking Duk Ed Sheeran
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19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
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L-FRESH The LION Midnight Oil Adele Late Night with Seth Meyers Jim Moginie Roy Orbison The Smith Street Band Kurt Vile Ryan Adams Cub Sport Radiohead, OK Computer Gordi Empire of the Sun Josh Radnor Jess Locke Patti Smith Meadows Tired Lion
YOUR TOWN
37. 38. 39. 40. 41.
The Saints Ecca Vandal Camp Cope RVG Zinc
Round Three: five points each 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50.
James Tidswell of Violent Soho Football Mint Royale Hiatus Kaiyote To The Stars Academy Stella Donnelly Placebo Chris Cheney Bendigo
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JANUARY
the best and the worst of the month’s zeitgeist
The lashes Front
Back
It’s high time
Ash smash
Hang (nearly) over
Water torture
Stop the hot
Star bawls
Time magazine’s coveted Person Of The Year cover was scooped not by one individual, but by a movement of women who have dared to challenge the status quo of sexual abuse in Hollywood, collectively named ‘The Silence Breakers’.
Aussie cricket fans finished off the year on a high by taking back the Ashes Cup with a decisive win over the English team, taking the final six wickets required to wrap a victory at the WACA. Good on ya, fellas!
For anyone who has pulled up dusty on New Year’s Day, this glimmer of hope from British scientists will be welcome news. Professor David Nutt of Imperial College predicts that synthetic booze will be getting us drunk, hangover free, within “a generation”.
Well, it turns out Donald Trump drinks water like a toddler chugging on a sippy cup. Mr President, why are you such a comprehensive creep? Take that question to your special prosecutor and investigate it.
Yes, we know it’s a cliche to whine about the weather, but we are well and truly over all these random apocalyptic heatwaves. We may just permanently relocate to the cold room at the bottlo if it continues, just FYI.
The late, great Carrie Fisher’s faithful canine companion, Gary Fischer, watched The Last Jedi, according to Fisher’s former assistant. The little scamp perked up every time Leia appeared on screen and goddamnit our poor breaking hearts can’t take it.
I
The final thought
t’s that time of year again, when we all get the chance to hit the reset button on life and commit to those personal improvement projects we’re totes gonna stick to for the next 12 months (but, let’s face it, we probably won’t). First, though, we’ve got a choice to make: which new year’s resolutions should we embrace this year? Decisions, decisions. There’s the obvious perennial favourites of course: join the gym, go twice, pay the membership fees for the rest of the year while telling yourself, ‘I’ll deffo go next week’. Give up the grog; have a shitty first day back at work because of your back-toschool blues and forgetting the password for your computer, immediately fall off the wagon by necking a bottle of Savvy-B to cheer yourself up. Buy a juicer so you can go on a “cleanse”, realise that kale and wheatgrass smoothies are utterly disgusting and order Dominos because you can’t be arsed cooking. So, let’s just call bullshit on those options and look elsewhere for resolution inspiration. And it just so happens that there’s a very timely muse: Tash Sultana. At her recent Margaret Court Arena appearance, where she drew a whopping crowd that smashed the venue’s attendance records, the insanely talented musician used her stage time to offer a bit of wisdom on that favourite Aussie pastime, discrimination, with a
What’s my new year’s resolution? I’m taking a leaf out of Tash Sultana’s book
Words by Maxim Boon
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pointed nod to the outspoken bigotry of the stadium’s namesake: “The music doesn’t stop for Margaret Court, that’s for sure... I don’t really have too much of an opinion on someone until I think they’re a dickhead but, hey! Get up with the times, fucking hell! ‘Cause there’s seven and a half thousand people here and I don’t think she’s stopped any of this from happening.” Then, beautifully condensed into three simple rules, Sultana delivered the maxims I’ll be sticking by in 2018: “Number one, if you’re a homophobe: you can get the fuck out of my gig. Number two, if you’re a racist: get the fuck out of my gig. And number three, if you’re transphobic: get the fuck outta my gig!” So there you have it. In 2018, I am resolved to keep prejudice, of every form, the fuck outta my gig. Let’s call out the hate and bile and misinformation that blighted 2017 with postal surveys, sexual abuse bombshells and political point-scoring. Let’s show an absolute and unrelenting intolerance of the intolerant. And let’s keep every hint of discrimination and degradation the fuck out of this gig.
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