May Issue
Sydney | Free
D e a r S e at t l e The ascent from dive bars to the album chart Dog art, music and... superpowers? Basically, we go the whole hog on dogs.
Alex Lahey finds empowerment through adversity
Insta thirst traps: how the app is steaming up our screens
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new album
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T R I P L E J F E AT U R E A L B U M SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 19.07 � 21.07 SYDNEY, HORDERN PAVILION, 22.07 NEWCASTLE, CIVIC THEATRE 23.07
MAC DEMARCO HERE COMES THE COWBOY
NEW ALBUM OUT 10.05.19 The Music
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THE NEW ALBUM
OUT NOW
THE NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW
OUT JUNE 14 The Music
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DETAILS AT CONRADOFFICIAL.COM
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Credits Publisher Handshake Media Pty Ltd Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast National Editor – Magazines Mark Neilsen Senior Editor Sam Wall
Game of Auspol
Editors Daniel Cribb, Neil Griffiths
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t the time of writing there are two big unknowns that will be revealed by the end of May. At the end of the month we should know who has won both the federal election and the battle for the Iron Throne. Strap in for epic drama in both #Auspol and the final season of Game Of Thrones. The election is currently playing out as the bigger soap opera of the two. Like many poll watchers I would struggle to name many policies promised by either of the major parties if I was subjected to a pop quiz. However, I could definitely list off a handful of election-related scandals and Twitter trending topics. Finally Australia got its own ‘watergate’ in the election lead-up (it’s about water buybacks, see what Twitter did there?). It’s the biggest 2019 Auspol scandal (so far) so, of course, it involves Barnaby Joyce. It seems like just yesterday since his last scandal, but it’s actually been over a year. We’ve also had Peter Dutton apologise for accusing his opponent of exploiting her disability (she lost a leg in an accident trying to protect her son), plus there was a lot of grief about Bill Shorten dodging a question from a Channel Ten reporter. As I write, trending on Twitter is the hashtag #ILikeBillShorten. It seems the opposition leader’s fan club felt it needed to stand up to what they perceive as the ‘mainstream media’ narrative that Shorten is unlikeable. Kinda sweet. But also kinda like having a parent come to your school to beg the other kids to stop picking you last for sports teams. Game Of Thrones has been experiencing its own unexpected Twitter trends this final season as well. There’s been wild reactions to Bran’s cold stare, Daenerys’ DGAF reaction to Jon’s ‘ew’ reveal and Brienne’s moving knighthood. And, while there’s a possibility that the election result may leave some of us feeling underwhelmed, the outcome of the battles of Westeros is without doubt going to leave most of us devastated. Not only are we going to lose beloved characters, after the finale we are going to be left with dragon-sized holes in our lives without any more Game Of Thrones to watch (even when we eventually get HBO’s GoT prequel, it won’t be the same). Well, we have plenty of content to distract you from contemplating the outcomes of these important events. Most importantly we have doggos. Skip straight to our Your Town section and lose yourself in dog tales. Happy reading.
Assistant Editor/Social Media Co-Ordinator Jessica Dale Editorial Assistant Lauren Baxter Arts Editor Hannah Story Gig Guide Henry Gibson gigs@themusic.com.au Senior Contributors Steve Bell, Maxim Boon, Bryget Chrisfield, 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, Joseph Earp, Chris Familton, Guido Farnell, Donald Finlayson, Liz Giuffre, Carley Hall, Tobias Handke, Tom Hawking, Mark Hebblewhite, Samuel Leighton Dore, Keira Leonard, Joel Lohman, Alannah Maher, Taylor Marshall, Anne Marie Peard, Michael Prebeg, Mick Radojkovic, Stephen A Russell, Jake Sun, Cassie Tongue, Rod Whitfield Senior Photographers Cole Bennetts, Kane Hibberd Photographers Rohan Anderson, Andrew Briscoe, Stephen Booth, Pete Dovgan, Simone Fisher, Lucinda Goodwin, Josh Groom, Clare Hawley, Bianca Holderness, Jay Hynes, Dave Kan, Hayden Nixon, Angela Padovan, Markus Ravik, Bobby Rein, Peter Sharp, Barry Shipplock, Terry Soo, Bec Taylor Advertising Leigh Treweek, Antony Attridge, Brad Edwards sales@themusic.com.au Art Dept Felicity Case-Mejia print@themusic.com.au Admin & Accounts accounts@themusic.com.au Distro distro@themusic.com.au Subscriptions store.themusic.com.au Contact Us Melbourne Ph: 03 9081 9600 26 Napoleon Street Collingwood Vic 3066 Sydney Ph: 02 9331 7077 Suite 129, 111 Flinders St Surry Hills NSW 2010
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Brisbane Ph: 07 3252 9666 info@themusic.com.au www.theMusic.com.au
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NO GEOGRAPHY LIVE 2019
IMAGE BY CALLO ALBANESE. SHOW DIRECTION BY SMITH & LYALL
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
SATURDAY 02 NOVEMBER THE DOME, SYDNEY SHOWGROUND FRONTIERTOURING.COM PRE-SALE: TUE 7 MAY
TICKETS ON SALE: THU 9 MAY T H EC H E M I C A L B R OT H E R S .CO M
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N O G EO G R A P H Y O U T N OW
Our contributors
This month
Joel Burrows
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Editor’s Letter
This month’s best binge watching
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Shit We Did: Screen Abstinence
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Guest editorial: Chief Executive of Live Performance Australia Evelyn Richardson
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Dear Seattle
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Masked singers Are these performers the concealed crusaders we’ve all been waiting for?
Joel Burrows is a writer whose greatest thrill comes from composing his own bios. His
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work has been published by Tone Deaf, Writers Bloc, and this very magazine.
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Album reviews
The Arts OnlyFans Is this the natural evolution of Insta thirst culture?
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The best arts of the month
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Film & TV reviews
Top End Wedding The Indigenous Australian romcom we’ve been waiting for
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The Big Picture: Samuel Luke
I Know Leopard They have a real passion for fancy “jazzy”sounding chords
Alex Lahey From mental health to masturbation
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Bryony Cole
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Evelyn Richardson is the Chief Executive of Live Performance Australia (LPA), the peak body for the live performance industry. LPA has over 400 members nationally, including music promoters and festivals.
Your Town Gone to the dogs The muses, sidekicks and emergency responders who happen to be on the furry side
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Tami Neilson
: K a n e H i b b e rd
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Laurel, Z-Star
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Arthur Jafa
Evelyn Richardson
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Your gigs
This month’s local highlights
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The end
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Samuel Luke is an emerging artist who works with traditional and digital illustration. His practice uses storytelling and graphic narratives to discuss the complexities of gender identity in relation to his own experiences as a transgender man.
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Pure ivool
Karnivool
KaceyMusgraves
Due to overwhelming demand after playing Unify Gathering and a string of WA and SA sideshows back in January, Aussie legends Karnivool are heading out on their first full national tour since 2016. The shows begin on 16 May.
Dead & Buried
Roger that After wowing local crowds with her Splendour In The Grass slot and sideshows in 2017, Maggie Rogers’ Heard It In A Past Life tour lands Down Under this 21 May. The acclaimed US artist wiil play five headline shows as well as taking part in Vivid LIVE.
Podcast of the month: Dead & Buried
Screaming Females. Pic: Grace Winter
On award-winning local podcast Dead & Buried, Carly Godden and Lee Hooper take a deep dive into Melbourne’s hidden history and bygone true crime stories. After an extended break, the second season started this year and is as delightfully disturbing as the first.
Maggie Rogers.
Shoutout The Marissa Paternoster-fronted Screaming Females are coming back to Australia from 22 May. It’s been nearly three years between Aussie tours for the New Jersey punk group, who made their debut run back in 2016.
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BEE stings
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Love him or hate him, Bret Easton Ellis has had an undeniable effect on the literary scene, and now the ultra-violent satirist has turned his hand to nonfiction. You can judge the results for yourself when White drops in hardback this 2 May.
Breat Easton Ellis, White
This month’s best binge watching
Catch-22, Season 1
Graves ituation Kacey Musgraves is here with fourth studio album Golden Hour for her first-ever Australian headline tour. The American pop-country artist will kick off the run at The Tivoli in Brisbane on 10 May before heading to Enmore Theatre in Sydney and Palais Theatre in Melbourne.
One of the 21st century’s most significant novels, Joseph Heller’s 1961 satire made such an impact it joined the English lexicon. Executive produced and partly directed by George Clooney — who also stars alongside Hugh Laurie, Christopher Abbott and Kyle Chandler — the adaption follows a group of American soldiers stationed on the island of Pianosa during World War II.
Streams from 18 May on Stan
iZombie, Season 5
iZombie returns this month for its final season with the promise of a “grave new world”. Inside New Seattle brains are running dry and the dead are getting hungry. Ravi (Rahul Kohli) is still racing to crack a cure as the US government threatens to bomb New Seattle off the map, while Coroner/brain eater Liv Moore (Rose McIver) continues her work as Renegade.
Streams from 3 May on Stan
Tuca & Bertie, Season 1
Ruel the day ARIA Award-winning singer Ruel gets rolling on his huge headlining Aussie tour this month. The run starts this 5 May in Brisbane before before making ten more stops around Oz, including a show at the Sydney Opera House.
Tuca & Bertie is the latest show from the team that created BoJack Horseman. An animated series about the eponymous besties, a care-free toucan with a lust for life (Tiffany Haddish) and a songbird with anxiety
Ruel
problems (Ali Wong), the show is giving off
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strong Broad City with birds vibes. Streams from 3 May on Netflix
God-botherers
Beaming
Everybody knows Godzilla’s the kaiju GOAT — everybody except Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah apparently. The people’s favourite beastie shows them who’s boss in CGI battle royale, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, out 30 May. Godzilla: King Of The Monsters
Brisbane dream-pop prodigy Hatchie, aka Harriette Pilbeam, is taking a running start at launching her debut album in June, with an east coast tour for the lead single Without A Blush beginning 17 May in Melbourne.
Legacy artist
Jamila Woods. Pic: Bradley Murray
Hatchie Pic: Sophie Hur
This month, Chicago-based American singer, songwriter and poet Jamila Woods releases her first full-length album since 2016 debut Heavn. Legacy! Legacy!, with songs inspired by artists like Eartha Kitt and James Baldwin, is out this 10 May.
I would like to… Rage 2
It’s been nearly ten years since gamers cut a path through armies of mutants and bandits with a just handful of murder frisbees and a can-do attitude. This 14 May they’ll get a chance to return to Rage’s post-apocalyptic wasteland in the sequel, Rage 2.
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Sh*t we did With Maxim Boon
Screen Abstinence It may be hard to imagine, but there was once a time when the full sum of all human knowledge wasn’t sitting conveniently in our pocket,
Alice Ivy
when limitless entertainment wasn’t just a few swipes away, and when unfolding events on the other side of the planet weren’t tracked by the second. This sad, strange, under-stimulated era was the time before the advent of mainstream screen culture, and to think of it
Close encounters
now, it seems almost inconceivable that the world ever functioned at all. And yet, for all the advantages that smart
Melbourne singer-songwriter Alice Ivy will hit the road this month with her recent single, the Flint Eastwood-featuring Close To You, in tow. Like A Version collaborator Miss Blanks is coming along for the “monster Australian tour”, which starts 17 May.
devices have gifted us, has our dependency on them gone too far? Excessive screen time has been linked in recent years to a range of maladies from weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer, with several factors – disturbed sleep patterns; poor eating habits while binge watching – exacerbated by screens. Some experts estimate as little as just
Club fandwich
two hours a day of screen time could be harmful, but with so much of our lives inexorably entwined with our devices, is it possible
To celebrate the release of their new tune, Get Better, Aussie favourites Press Club are taking it out on an east coast tour of Australia. The first date is 31 May and the four-piece will perform shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne with special guests Mid City.
to break our screen addiction?
The Verdict Courtesy of the usage app on my phone, I can reveal that my average daily dose of screen time is around 7.5 hours. Now, I don’t see myself as especially afflicted by screen addiction, which probably shows how widespread the issue is. So, how to release myself from screen time’s iron grasp? There are two main
Press Club. Pic: Ian Laidlaw
protocols: daily limits or 24-hour screen fasts. In the interests of science, or something, I gave both approaches a red hot go. Because my professional life dictates that I sit in front of a computer screen all day, the 24-hour cold turkey approach has to be a weekend experiment. In what some might call cheating, I select the Sunday after a boozy night of 3am Karaoke for my 24-hour screen fast, mainly because I’ll be unconscious most of the day. Cunning as this was, what I hadn’t banked on was just how crucial my phone is for hangover management; after a few hours
Deal with the Devil
of dusty boredom, I buckle, order some pizza, and get stuck into a Candy Crush marathon. Daily limiting proves equally ill-fated,
After a massive fan movement to save the show when it was axed by Fox, Lucifer is back for season four at its new home on Netflix this 8 May. The first three seasons will also move across for anyone looking to get caught up.
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although I can proudly report that I have Lucifer
successfully reintroduced reading to my
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tram journeys (albeit via my kindle… so, partial credit?)
Why it’s time to make some noise in this election campaign In the lead-up to the federal election, Chief Executive of Live Performance Australia Evelyn Richardson wants to know where our politicians stand on supporting Australia’s live music industry — and you should too.
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recognises the industry’s broader economic and cultural contribution to the nation. There are some good targeted initiatives, but despite promising nearly $28 million in new spending, it is similarly modest in overall dollar terms. Sounds Australia will receive over $10 million to showcase Australian music to international markets. The Live Music Office will work through Sounds Australia to engage state and local governments on reducing barriers to live performance. Labor will double the Australia Council’s New Recordings Program and provide $5 million to support the establishment of community music hubs to provide places where younger musicians can practice. There is a $7.6 million investment in youth music programs, and support for mental health programs delivered by non-government organisations. An additional $4 million will be provided for cultural diplomacy programs, as well as funding for the training of music managers and the ARIA music teacher award. Labor has also pledged a nationwide ban on ticket buying bots as part of a crackdown on scalping and to consult on any changes to copyright reform. Labor says there will be more announcements in the election lead-up. So, there is some welcome but frankly long overdue recognition of the importance of nurturing and nourishing Australian music. But both sides of politics have a long way to go in putting in place long term strategies for Australia’s live music industry, and arts and culture more broadly, that match its current economic importance, as well as realise its full potential. Australia desperately needs a National Cultural Policy. We also need a National Music Strategy that can address the various barriers and take advantage of the opportunities for industry growth. Some of the priority areas in this strategy would include providing greater access to live music across the community, including in regional and remote areas. We need policies and programs that promote the music industry talent pipeline, for musicians and managers. For example, at home one of the biggest constraints on the industry is rising red tape for live music. There are numerous inefficient, inconsistent, overlapping and burdensome regulations at the local and state level that impact on live music at both indoor and outdoor venues. Live music businesses are hurt by convoluted and cost-prohibitive regulations such as the recently introduced festival regulations in NSW, which were imposed without any industry consultation. While many of these are state and local government issues, there needs to be a national approach so that live music can thrive for the benefit of all Australians. If our artists can’t perform at home, their chances on the global stage are seriously limited. We also need to do more to ensure that all Australian communities can enjoy the live music experience across all genres, from our metropolitan centres through to regional towns and remote communities. This means better support for regional touring programs through the Australia Council and tax incentives for live music venues. We have already demonstrated our global capability, but we need a strategic focus that harnesses our music talent and seizes the opportunities for Australia in the international market. Our physical distance from the world’s biggest music markets makes it even more difficult and expensive for Australian artists, but with the right support, we can see even more Australians headlining international festivals and growing their audiences. We also need more investment in the people who make the music and present the live performances. Starting with music programs in schools through to talent development and industry skills, there is huge scope to grow the talent pool and ensure the industry’s diversity and sustainability into the future. We celebrate our past and present icons, but who is guiding the development of our future talent and leaders? In this digital era, we need to be focusing on the new skills and expertise required to take the Australian soundtrack to domestic and international audiences. We also need a world-first benchmark of not less than 20% for all locally curated streaming playlists. As we go to the polls on 18 May, we should be asking all of our candidates for public office where they stand on supporting Australia’s live music industry as a significant contributor of jobs and economic opportunity, as well as making up an integral part of our social and cultural DNA.
ast weekend as our federal politicians were on the campaign hustings, Tame Impala was headlining on the main stage at Coachella, one of the world’s biggest and most influential music festivals. They were among several Aussie acts performing over two weekends in front of around 250,000 people on the polo fields at Indio in one of the world’s biggest music markets. More Australian musicians will be on stages around the world in coming months, from smaller clubs and venues through to the main stages at big international festivals. Our politicians are quick to don the green and gold when our athletes and sporting teams are doing well in the international arena. Greater recognition and celebration of our Australian artists taking on the world on the stages of Coachella, Bonnaroo, Primavera or Fuji Rock, or even here at home at our own festivals is long overdue. It’s not just a matter of national pride in the musical talent of our fellow Australians and their cultural contribution, although that’s important. Live music also drives job creation and economic activity at home and overseas and is an increasingly valuable Australian export to the world. Yet, it’s woefully overlooked by government in terms of meaningful support compared to many other industries. A recent parliamentary inquiry crunched the numbers. Live music contributes $15.4 billion to the Australian economy, generating 65,000 full and part-time jobs, and is forecast to achieve a compound annual growth rate of almost 3% over the next couple of years. Ticket sales to live events reached almost $2 billion in 2017, with the largest proportion coming from contemporary music ($826 million). More than half of all Australians attended a live music event during 2016, while the number of Australians who attended a live music event at least once a month almost doubled from 10 to 18%. The music industry has always beenintensely competitive and challenging, but it is also going through major changes, particularly as a result of digital disruption. The rise of streaming, as opposed to the sale of physical recordings, is changing the way many artists earn their income, creating challenges as well as new opportunities. It’s also getting harder to find a space to perform or be heard on radio. Our musicians need to be more innovative, agile and resilient than ever before in order to survive, let alone thrive. When you add up the contribution the live music industry makes to our economy, and the world-beating talent we have to offer, the level of support provided by the government for live music is paltry by comparison, whether it’s policy direction or actual funding. By comparison, the Australian Government has a $385 million National Sport Plan (Sport 2030) and even a sports diplomacy strategy. $54 million is being provided over the next couple of years to support Australia’s preparation for the 2020 Olympics. So, what’s on the table for the music industry at this election? Neither of the major parties are really turning up the volume, although there are some notable differences in approach. The Coalition announced a $30.9 million Australian music industry package as part of this year’s Federal Budget. It includes $22.5 million over five years to Live Music Australia to help small businesses with grants of up to $10,000 each for artist costs and investment in equipment or infrastructure to upgrade live music venues and support performance. There’s $2 million (over five years) for a Women In Music mentor program, and $2.7 million in funding for a national Indigenous contemporary music development program. The Australia Council will receive $2 million over four years to increase performance opportunities for musicians, including in regional venues, and an additional $1.6 million for Sounds Australia to promote the Australian music industry in emerging Asian markets. These are welcome steps, but very small in their scope when stacked up against the multi-billion contribution the industry delivers for the economy. They don’t do much to really shift the needle in helping the industry address the issues which will impact on its longer-term potential . The ALP has also released its package for music, Soundtrack Australia. It’s a more comprehensive approach than put forward by the Coalition, which also
“The level of support provided by the government for live music is paltry.”
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You’ve got mail It’s been a relatively rapid ascent from playing dive bars to recording their debut record for Dear Seattle. Frontman Brae Fisher tells Jessica Dale how things have changed for the Sydney four-piece. Cover and feature pic by Pat O’Hara.
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Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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ear Seattle nearly turned down a career-changing offer by accident. Frontman Brae Fisher tells the story with a much more humorous approach though when he shares how the Sydney group were approached by Violent Soho’s James Tidswell in the early days of his label, Domestic La La Records. “It was pretty ridiculous, obviously,” says Fisher of being approached by the guitarist of one of the country’s bestknown groups. “I don’t think we’d even released the EP but we’d released [singles] The Meadows and Afterthought. And we got a message from James Tidswell... “Basically, he sent an email that just sounded like a fan being like, ‘Hey, guys really love the music, hope to catch you at a show soon.’ I just read it and was about to respond being like, ‘Thanks man, that’s awesome. Cheers for reaching out,’ and then send it back because I didn’t read the email address. So I saw then after that [who it was] or whatever and I was just like, ‘What!’ Instantly deleted everything I had just written because well, I can’t just go back as if it’s a fan: ‘Yeah, thanks dude, see ya.’ “So I caught myself and then wrote out like, ‘Oh man, yeah’ — the whole spiel — ‘if you want to hear any of the new stuff, we’d love to get your thoughts,’ and things like that. That’s kind of where it all started. And we ended up meeting up for a beer and just having a chat about everything, because he was starting the 7” Club with Domestic La La. And so originally he just wanted to get us on one of those. He came along, we had some beers and just chatted it out, chatted life, music, everything. And he was just one of us, literally exact same dude, has all the exact same values that we have as a band and was into the same stuff growing up. It was just a really natural thing. And then eventually, I think because we got along so well, we just started talking more and more and more and then it ended up going into an actual signing as opposed to just the 7” Club.” A lucky re-read has ultimately led to big things for the group, with their debut album Don’t Let Go landing on the ARIA Aussie Artists Albums Chart at #10 in its maiden week. It wasn’t their first success though, with their self-titled breakthrough EP gaining them fans around the country, high rotation on triple j and huge attention at BIGSOUND 2017, the magnitude of which is not lost on Fisher. “As a small band who’s used to playing kind of shitty dive bars and that kind of
thing for [the] three years we were operating beforehand, just to even have like triple j recognise it, triple j Unearthed and people that aren’t in our friends group coming to shows was just such a confidence builder,” he laughs. “Where you actually think, ‘Oh, yeah, what we’re doing is actually hitting people,’ and they’ll come up to you at a show afterwards and explain how much a song means and you’ve never met them before in your life. That’s always going to build your confidence in knowing that you’re on the right path of what you want to do and writing music that actually means stuff to people.” Despite the success of the Dear Seattle EP, Fisher did still have some trepidation going into Don’t Let Go, describing it more
“It’s like, everything in music is just different levels of validation. People buying the album is one tick and then buying a ticket for the show is another tick and singing along at the shows is another one. And there’s really no end to how much gluttony you can have, if you really want to buy into it,” he jokes. “But I try and avoid that.” Tidswell’s recollection of that fateful meeting is pretty much the same as Fisher’s, but he seems much more forthright promoting the band’s achievements. “So I’d never heard them and my mate sent it to me, just one song, and he was like, ‘Check out this band. I don’t think they’re meaning to be like Soho as much as you might think.’ And then when I heard it, I was like, ‘Man, it sounds nothing like my band!’ Obviously you think of your own band very differently to what others do, but, ‘Oh man, that sounds nothing like my band,’” he shares. “I looked them up and couldn’t really find much and then just sent them an email straight away and was just like, ‘Dudes, this is awesome.’ I didn’t even have a label or nothing really happening. but once I heard them, I was pretty much like, ‘Dudes, if you’re looking for someone, I’m gonna do this.’ So that’s how that came about. And then they sent me the EP and it has to be one of the best EPs I’ve ever heard. “I instantly became really excited, obviously. And it just went from there and then I was like, ‘Oh well, you know if this is how I’m doing it, may as well throw my hat in the ring for other things,” he continues. In reality, the signing and that email bore a similar amount weight for both parties with Domestic La La growing rapidly in the months after. Tidswell now also works with West Thebarton, Loser and Golden Bats. “With any of the bands that I get to work with, it’s all them. Like 100%,” Tidswell finishes. “You know, I guess I’m lucky enough to get to choose the bands that I know... They just do it. And it would be insanely egotistical of me to think that I did anything else. These bands have got it wherever they go. They would have gone there with anyone but [I’m] lucky enough that I get to go for the ride with them.”
“If they wanted to, they could just tear it to shreds. So it feels pretty good when they don’t.”
as “second album syndrome” than anything else, despite being their first fulllength offering. “It’s one of those things where when you’re putting out an album, you obviously have no idea how it’s going to be received. So it just feels incredible to have people come back to you after you put in two years worth of work into a release. And if they wanted to, they could just tear it to shreds. So it feels pretty good when they don’t,” he says laughing again. The Don’t Let Go album tour began selling out pretty quickly, with the group now stepping up from the aforementioned dive bars to venues like Melbourne’s Corner Hotel and Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory — something that Fisher didn’t expect to happen based on his “gut feeling” but agrees is validating nonetheless.
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Dear Seattle tour from 16 May.
Under the influence With Instagram’s stringent content restrictions, OnlyFans seems like a natural next step. Maxim Boon looks at the platform providing influencers and adult performers a direct line to their audiences.
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he advent of the digital age has gone hand in glove with an unprecedented evolution in human behaviour, and of the various paradigm-shifting advances to have emerged in recent decades, easily the most powerfully altering to the status quo has been social media. Most of the digital portals we use to document, share and curate our daily lives were founded with straightforward and blue-sky ideals in mind. And yet, from these humbly pure beginnings, it’s no hyperbole to say the major digital networking platforms have become cornerstones of our civilisation, radically shifting the ways we engage with the world, develop our values, and express our beliefs. And oftentimes, in ways that are far less wholesome than their architects intended. TheFacebook was created in 2004 as a way to share photos and digitally connect with friends. Today, Facebook is one of the most potently calibrated marketing tools ever created, with a captive audience of billions of consumers worldwide. Twitter had even simpler aspirations when it was founded in 2006, originally conceived as an SMS-style way for people to keep their nearest and dearest up to date with their experiences. Now, it’s become an unfettered pulpit for world leaders and firebrand antagonists alike, making it arguably the most volatile arena of political and social discourse in human history. The reason that social media’s reality has tended to drift from its original intention is down to one simple factor: humanity’s innate capacity for opportunism. As much as social media has altered our behaviour, our behaviours have also altered social media, as unexpected viral bonanzas have opened up new frontiers for commercial and social gain. Indeed, the most committed social media Svengalis have been able to pioneer an entirely new kind of career, as influencers, literally transmuting popular kudos into cash.
But as with any process of evolution, the rules of survival of the fittest apply, or as has proven the case for photosharing site Instagram, survival of the thirstiest. Less than a decade since its launch in October 2010, Instagram has become the kingmaker for influencers, catapulting its most-followed users to celebrity status. A sure-fire method for cultivating the global following essential to an influencer’s cache has capitalised on the evergreen marketing maxim: sex sells. Instagram has strict content rules prohibiting overt eroticism, but this hasn’t stopped millions of influencers from flashing some flesh, using sexually suggestive images as bait for potential followers. However, a new commercial opportunity has entered orbit around Instagram, taking the “thirst-trap” phenomena to the next level. OnlyFans is, in some respects, not unlike Instagram; a platform for sharing photos and videos with followers. Where it differs is in the nature of its content and how that content is monetised. Subscribers to individual profiles pay between $5 to $20 a month to access pics and vids too risque for Instagram, ranging from softcore naughtiness to hardcore kink. A relatively new addition to the social media ecosystem, launched in 2016, OnlyFans was not originally developed as a porn portal. But as has been the case for almost every social media platform, opportunism altered its DNA; for sex workers and performers working in the adult entertainment industry, the synergies were self-evident. What has been more surprising, however, is how widely it has been embraced by social media influencers with no prior experience of producing adult content, with fitness professionals in particular peddling X-rated content alongside their family-friendly gymspiration. A perfect example of this is OnlyFan’s highest earner. Jem Wolfie is based in Perth and began her online career as an influencer on Instagram, attracting more than 2.5 million followers with her fitness and vegan diet blogs. While her OnlyFans following may be smaller, it is wildly lucrative; more than 10,000 subscribers pay $US9.99 a month for access to her channel. Far from being explicitly pornographic, most of her posts are just slightly racier versions of her Insta-content, but on both platforms, critics could call foul of the objectification of a young woman’s body. Wolfie, on the other hand, disagrees, citing in several interviews that being in control of her content, understanding what her viewers want and how far she is prepared to go, is in fact empowering. For the porn industry, OnlyFans is yet another blow to its economic stability in the digital age. Yet for adult performers, it has created a means of attaining professional agency in a way that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. Whereas sets, crew, editing and production costs required the backing of moneyed studios, today, anyone with a decent smartphone can be their own pornographer, in control of their content and its distribution. Adult performers have flocked to OnlyFans, and unsurprisingly, competitor sites riffing on the OnlyFans model have also proliferated over the past couple of years to support this boom. However, while the advantages of OnlyFans for its content creators appear numerous, there are certain question marks over its business model, how it protects its consumers, ensures quality control, avoids infringing international laws and how its “earners” (as OnlyFans content creators are tellingly known) declare their income to various tax entities. Largely, these unanswered questions exist in the fog of an uncharted digital territory. What does seem clear, however, is that the next major digital trend will emerge from somewhere quite unexpected.
“Uncharted digital territory.”
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Long way to the Top End Top End Wedding stars Miranda Tapsell and Gwilym Lee talk to Hannah Story about incorporating a connection to Country into a traditional rom-com.
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iranda Tapsell’s reason for writing Indigenous rom-com Top End Wedding, with co-writer Josh Tyler, is simple: “We both love rom-coms,” the Darwin-born, Larrakia woman enthuses. “[Tyler] had been up to the Territory, my hometown, and I was incredibly proud of coming from there, so he was saying to me, ‘Why don’t we set one up in the Northern Territory?’ It almost seemed too good to pass up.” Tapsell also stars in the film as Lauren, alongside Welsh actor Gwilym Lee, who plays her fiancØ, Ned, as the pair head from Adelaide to Darwin to get hitched. When they arrive, Lauren discovers that her mother, played by Ursula Yovich, has gone missing, so she and Ned set out across the Territory to find her. Lee recalls reading the script in 2017, and initially thinking he knew what he was in for. “I kind of recognised some of the tropes,” Lee begins. “And then it just became something that I had never seen before: that it was about family and that it had this real true heart and depth about identity and belonging and home — that’s what I kind of fell in love with. “And then I got the opportunity to meet the person who wrote it and recognised how personal it was to you,” Lee turns and gestures to Tapsell, “and how much it was your story, and so that made me wanna just get on board and try and do justice to this.” There’s a “missed opportunity”, Tapsell says, when people don’t visit the Top End of Australia, loosely defined as the northernmost part of the Northern Territory, from Alice Springs in the south all the way to islands off the coast, including the Tiwi Islands, where part of the film’s action is set. “We wanted to reflect Australia in a different way. We wanted to point out all the great things that this country has and so that means showing just some of the most beautiful, romantic parts of the Territory: Katherine Gorge, First Rock, Hawk Dreaming in Kakadu National Park, and of course, the Tiwi Islands.” For Lee, it was a privilege to be able to contribute to a rich canon of Indigenous Australian stories. “I remember the day that we were shooting the wedding in Tiwi in the church and being on set and hearing Robbie Collins speak in Tiwi language. I don’t speak Tiwi [and] didn’t understand what he was saying, but the hairs on the back of my neck were stood on end just knowing that this language was being immortalised in film and preserved in that sense.
“In particular, we wanted to celebrate the Tiwi — not only do they have incredible stories and art [but] their love of family is undeniable. And I think sometimes that can be overshadowed by a whole heap of other negative things and I just really wanted to pare it back and go, well this is what I know about community, and the communities that I grew up with. So I’m really glad that that got to so many people.”
“It’s great to be a part of that, and I think the Tiwi community were really welcoming towards us because they were so grateful that we were telling their story faithfully and we were kind of preserving their cultures and history and traditions.” Tapsell and her collaborators, including director Wayne Blair, with whom she previously worked on 2012’s The Sapphires, are grateful to Australia’s Traditional Owners
visit [NT], but to be welcomed by the Traditional Owners — we weren’t tourists, we were kinda engaging with the Owners of this land.” For Tapsell too it was easy to find the emotional honesty in the part of Lauren, as she, like her character, was raised away from her ancestral lands, in Jabiru, around Kakadu National Park: “I had to be really honest about not growing up with the Tiwi community either.” She qualifies, “Not that I had been cut off in the same way Lauren had at all, but I just mean that I grew up on Mirarr land in Kakadu, and I knew my Tiwi family, but the film really brought me to that community and I got to learn my family tree better. “I got to learn my language and I’m still learning my language, so it was a real honour to do that. And I was so lucky that I was embraced by my family and that my family embraced all the crew and cast that had come along with me.”
“I was so lucky that I was embraced by my family and that my family embraced all the crew and cast that had come along with me.” Lee had never been to the Northern Territory before filming Top End Wedding. He says it was “special to go to these parts of the world for the first time”, but also notes that it helped him to approach the role of Ned from an authentic place. “[It was] great for the character, because the character’s a fish out of water as well, so there’s no acting required, you just kinda take it all in. But [it was special] not only to
for getting behind the project, saying that their knowledge “grounded” the film. “We really owe a lot to not only the Tiwi, but the Larrakia, the Jawoyn, the Mirarr, and also the Kaurna in Adelaide just because they just backed the film,” Tapsell begins. “The Traditional Owners backed the film 100%. And the knowledge that they shared with us and all of the help they gave, it really grounded the film.
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Top End Wedding screens from 2 May.
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The big picture
Samuel Luke Emerging artist Samuel Luke features in the third edition of Meet Me In The Pit, an anthology of comics about music by young Australian creatives. We ask Luke about comics, Phoenix and telling personal stories. What made you want to be a part of Meet Me In The Pit? When [editor and publisher] Chris Neill approached me about contributing to Meet Me In The Pit number three, I was so excited to share my comics alongside so many incredible Australian comic creators. I have made some great friends through the zine and comic community, some of whom have been in Meet Me In The Pit, and I knew it was a great opportunity to share my story with them and be a part of it too! What was your inspiration to make this comic? I had wanted to make a comic about If I Ever Feel Better by Phoenix for a long time now. If I Ever Feel Better is the only song I’ve ever heard where I can relate every lyric to how I feel about my gender transition. I see it as coming full circle: I’ve drawn key moments of my transition in the comic, set to the song’s opening line. It’s a very intimate comic, for a very special song to me. Your work is so personal — what about the comic form gives you the space to express difficult things? I’ve found that comics allow me to dive deeper and unpack a narrative more than a standalone image can. In comics, I’m able to fully explore a story, and I feel safer to be vulnerable, knowing that my personal stories are given space and time to breathe and be developed over the coming panels. I love how comics can also show ‘moments’ in one’s personal life, or a larger narrative (especially in autobiographical comics). I find the slow, often carefully considered pace of comics to be a therapeutic platform to express personal difficulties I’ve faced. Separating panels often means breaking down a concept into easily digestible snippets of a story. It allows me, the creator, to reflect on the story or experience, and gives the reader time to go through the story at their own pace. How does If I Ever Feel Better by Phoenix speak to and about you? I didn’t realise I was holding onto so much tension and trauma surrounding my transition, until I heard Phoenix narrating my life back to me, ha. I only discovered If I Ever Feel Better during my honours year of Fine Arts — during that time I was developing a research practice around being transgender, while also not being able to medically transition. The song was playing in our shared studio space by a friend who shared a partition wall with me. I found myself listening to that song on repeat for months on end, becoming immersed in the lyrics and listening in awe to how much they reflected my personal struggles around transitioning genders. To me, the opening line acknowledges that as I transition from female to male, a part of me is ending in order for the other part to start living authentically. Transitioning for me was mentally/physically/emotionally exhausting and allconsuming. But I’m still here. The entire song also speaks to moments where I’ve been so engulfed in feeling intense gender dysphoria, feeling out of control of my body, and putting my life on hold because of those feelings. I wouldn’t go out in the world because I wasn’t comfortable in my own body. But I knew I’d be comfortable one day, and I’d catch up with people, and the rest of my life then, if I ever feel better.
The third issue of Meet Me In The Pit launches at Other Worlds Zine Fair at Marrickville Town Hall on 26 May and Goodspace Gallery on 5 Jun.
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Blowing up
ydney-based synth-pop enthusiasts and soft-rock disciples I Know Leopard have been releasing music here and there ever since 2014’s Illumina EP. But with the April release of their sparkly full-length debut, Love Is A Landmine, and a national tour in May to support it, lead singer, songwriter and keyboardist Luke O’Loughlin is stoked to finally be kicking the band into high gear after years of work. “It’s exciting, but it’s also fucking scary,” laughs O’Loughlin. “It’s weird because we’ve been living with these songs for so long, so I think the scary thing is that it’s gonna be open to scrutiny.” Lucky for him, and the rest of the band, Love Is A Landmine absolutely rules. While it’s most definitely a synth-pop album to its core, the debut record also sees the group fully embracing their ‘70s soft-rock influences more so than ever before. “It’s really, really nice to put out a full body of work and properly get across what we’re all about, it’s a good feeling.” Where I Know Leopard triumph most gloriously over other modern records of the same yacht-rock-y ilk is in their use of intricate chord progressions. “We do have a real passion for fancy, or whatever you call it, ‘jazzy’-sounding chords. We just love a lot of major sevenths and minor sevenths, they’re often quite dreamy-sounding chords. It just comes from listening to a lot of that music and just enjoying it. Listening to it and going, ‘Oh, I really wanna achieve that,’ and then figuring out how to do that, even if it can take a whole day.” Produced entirely by Jack Moffitt of The Preatures, I Know Leopard’s debut record is unsurprisingly a real treat through a good pair of headphones. Years ago, O’Loughlin first met Moffitt through Preatures bandmate, Luke Davison, who coincidentally also played all of the drum parts on Love Is A Landmine. Now a good mate of his, O’Loughlin immediately felt comfortable with Moffitt taking the reins as the producer of such a huge release for the outfit. “Jack’s such a good friend, and we’ve always gotten along really well and we see eye to eye on most things, which is great.” Undoubtedly, having access to Moffitt’s large collection of analogue synths was a big deal for I Know Leopard and the throwback sound they’ve spent years chasing. But according to O’Loughlin, most of the album’s authentic personality comes from Moffitt’s unusual choice to track most of the album live as a band. “It is unusual for a synth-pop album, and it’s very unusual for us generally. Because up until that point we had never tracked anything live. The way we’d made music was that it’d start off as a demo and then from that demo, we’d slowly add things to it until it became the real thing. So it’d be a recording project, and then once it was done then we’d learn how to play it as a live band.” It’s a shift in the creative process that’s paid off big time, both in the studio and on stage. Recent live performances by the band — especially their recent, warmly received set at Austin’s SXSW — have sounded eerily faithful to the record, a tricky translation that synth-oriented bands often struggle to pull off. “The synths are quite dry. We used to use a lot of reverb, but there’s really not much reverb on the album. We just wanted to be quite punchy and dry and not over-polish it. Quite raw in that way. “When Jack first came in it was like, ‘No more of this nonsense, let’s be a real band, let’s play it.’ It was an awesome experience because it just opened up the songs to so many different possibilities. A few of the songs just took such dramatic changes from what they were intended to be, which was great, very exciting. “And out of recording live, you get those little imperfections which really give the record a lot more character and you embrace it. They’re actually some of my favourite moments on the record!”
Pic: Lisa Businovski
I Know Leopard frontman Luke O’Loughlin tells Donald Finlayson how the band changed their spots on their debut LP, Love Is A Landmine.
“It is unusual for a synth-pop album, and it’s very unusual for us generally.”
Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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Love Is A Landmine (Ivy League) is out now. I Know Leopard tour from 17 May.
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Resting on your Laurel Laurel Arnell-Cullen — known monomyously as Laurel — tells Liz Giuffre about the beauty and intimacy in stillness.
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Laurel tours from 22 May.
Pic: Kamila K Stanley
ogviolet is the debut album for UK singer/songwriter/producer Laurel Arnell-Cullen, known mononymously as Laurel. Fresh from SXSW, Arnell-Cullen speaks to The Music on an early morning London phone call, while on tour in the UK with KT Tunstall. Laurel’s work is minimalist but purposeful — there’s clear comparisons to be made with some of the best lady-led folk in the business, but there’s also an edge we’ve not heard before. “You know, I really don’t mind comparisons that much, I think it’s really interesting to hear what people think,” Arnell-Cullen says. “This record has been compared to Florence & The Machine a lot, and I think she’s fucking incredible, and an amazing woman, so it’s always quite nice. I get Fleetwood Mac quite a lot at the moment which is a bit random, but I love Fleetwood Mac, so you know, it’s funny. It’s really interesting hearing what people say, because I can be like, ‘I never thought of that, but you think my record sounds like that.’” Laurel’s artistic aesthetic comes from a healthy mix of new and old approaches to making and presenting music. First sketching ideas in her bedroom on her laptop, she moves to record reel-to-reel, embracing the sound and experience that provides. “With [tape] you can only really get one take, and you can’t as easily copy and paste and save all of the takes, you really just have to wing it a bit more. But I think sometimes that’s what gives it the energy and excitement. It’s what you don’t get if you’ve just sat for hours on one thing. “There’s a lot of times where you do a whole take and it’s great, except for this one little bit. And so actually re-recording that [one bit] means re-recording everything, so you accept it. And those imperfections are what makes music real rather than formulated. So keeping those [little imperfections] are what keeps is authentic.” Also striking about Laurel’s debut are the videos for her singles Lovesick and Same Mistakes. Both are so still as to be almost completely static — an approach that at first
confuses, but then draws the viewer and listener closer. At a time when artists are trying stunts like crazy dances and arresting costumes to get noticed, this understatement is a left turn, and quite the risk in lots of ways. “I’d been watching all of these screen tests in American movies, before we had digital cameras. The night before they would shoot they would do all these tests — they’d roll the tape then send it to the lab just to check the cameras worked — and you can google these, they’re beautiful,” Arnell-Cullen begins. “A lot of the time, in these moments you caught people in their own natural environment, they were just so themselves, so from that we’ve developed a lot of the videos that we made for the album. I thought it might be nice to do something that wasn’t just a static image, but still wasn’t making a full video for it. [And] it’s great because they match the intimacy of the songs too.” Is she concerned that being understated might mean being overlooked? “It’s so funny, people can’t keep their attention on one thing for more than five seconds nowadays. I mean, sometimes you can try making something for that much money or not many resources, but it can end up being not as good. So we kind of just lived within the means of what we had, and I think that’s why these videos are very simplistic but I think they’re very beautiful as well. “It happens at my gigs actually too — I’ve noticed the quieter you play the more people listen. And sometimes you can try and get people to listen by playing really loud when everyone’s talking, but what I’ve started doing is playing really quietly and people shut up. I wonder if there’s something in it. It wasn’t my intention [to make people lean in] — I just made what I felt like making. Which is why it’s so great and so interesting to hear everyone’s takes on it, because of course when you’re making it you don’t have any idea, really.”
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From A to Z Zee Gachette aka Z-Star talks to Rod Whitfield about getting the seal of approval from Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.
The Australian market is becoming more of a priority for Tami Neilson, who is returning in May for her second visit this year. Ahead of the Blues On Broadbeach Music Festival, Chris Familton gets the lowdown on her life as a professional soul and country singer.
“I
’ve always been an album a year kind of girl,” says
Before returning to Australia, Neilson
Tami Neilson, from her home in Auckland, New Zea-
is opening for her hero Mavis Staples for
land. It’s been nearly 12 months since Sassafrass! was
the second time, which has her bursting
released and in timely fashion, she reveals that she’s just fin-
with excitement. “I thought last time that it
ished recording her next album. “Because I tour and play
would be a once in a lifetime opportunity
live a lot I want to always keep it fresh for my fans and for
and now it’s happening again and it’s just
myself, introducing new material every time I tour which I
amazing.”
do regularly.”
Only days before that she’ll also be
With the amount of international touring she’s been
attending New Zealand’s prestigious Taite
clocking up in recent years it begs the question of when
Music Prize as a finalist for Sassafrass!.
she gets to set aside the time to write for each new album.
Then it’s off to the Northern Hemisphere for
“I was continually on tour for the year before Sassafrass!
a German tour.
and the only block of time I had was sitting on my arse in a
With Australia only a three-hour flight
van for eight hours a day driving across Germany. I took my
from Auckland, The Music questions why
noise-cancelling headphones and notebook and bunkered
we haven’t seen her touring here on a
down in the front seat and just became very antisocial but
more regular basis. The good news is she
got an album done. My writing process tends to be that I
will be. “I self-manage in New Zealand and
collect this treasure trove of melodies and lyrics and titles
my international management think more
and keep my little arsenal of ideas and then I book studio
about Europe and America and they for-
time and that’s it, my deadline then makes me knuckle
get about Australia a bit. The intention and
down and cook it all up,” she explains.
investment from them in Australia hasn’t
Recently, on International Women’s Day, Neilson
been a priority and so I’ll be running more
released the bold and beautiful single Big Boss Mama
of that myself and getting over there more,”
that proudly flies the flag for the importance of powerful
she reveals. “The audiences are so wonder-
women in society. It’s a characteristically colourful, holler-
ful and they get my music and they get me.
and-stomp rockabilly-soul track in the tradition of her songs
They’re a bit more boisterous and outgo-
such as Stay Outta My Business and Bananas, and for the
ing and I really connect with that so you’re
most part, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
going to be seeing a lot more of me!”
“I love hearing stories, especially from parents with young kids, girls especially, who say that they love the music,” says Neilson. “I like that, with the fun packaging, it’s really connecting, but not just the music, the lyrics too. Hearing feedback like that as a musician, when it’s some-
Tami Neilson tours from 16 May.
times a hard road to travel, really makes it worthwhile and you realise, yes, it is connecting and it is going to hopefully make a difference with the next generation coming up.” Neilson grew up as a country singer with her family band in Canada, and though she’s always loved and listened to soul music, it has taken her a bit longer to blend and incorporate those influences as strongly as she has over her last few albums. “That’s always what I’ve written, the songs that I was writing back early on still had a soul, gospel, rockabilly sound but Dynamite! was the first album where I went into the studio with a full band. I’d never had a full band before and I’d never had studio time like that. Out of necessity and finance I’d always done it with my brother and dad and mostly acoustic,” Neilson explains. “Dynamite! was the first album I could actually hire a studio and musicians! Those things enabled me to develop my sound more. I’d also grown in confidence and knew the direction I wanted to go and what kind of artist I wanted to be.”
Z-Star Trinity tours from 16 May. Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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Pic: Mrs Jones
“O
h my God, it’s Jimmy Page, and he’s giving me a cuddle!” The international praise for Zee Gachette aka Z-Star, the renowned British-Trinidadian musician, and her many musical incarnations, has come in thick and fast over the course of her career, the most resonant and surreal of which has come from the Led Zeppelin guitar god and other such music legends. You get the feeling Gachette’s head is still spinning over that as she speaks to The Music from the road in rural Victoria. “I got this award for Best Live Act,” she recalls. “Jimmy and Roger Daltrey were giving out the award and they were in the audience. I’d just finished performing my song Murder On My Mind, which is on my new record 16 Tons Of Love. I finished it and Jimmy and Roger just leapt to their feet applauding, and I was just like, ‘Oh my God!’ “Then afterwards, backstage we were talking for quite a long time, and he was like, ‘Did you write that song?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah I wrote it!’ He was super impressed and he said, ‘Wow, you’re a force of nature.’ We’ve struck up a really nice friendship, I know his kids and his ex-wife and stuff. It’s like meeting your god.” Gachette has been in Australia since mid-February, on a lengthy and comprehensive tour of the east coast, which has taken in everything from tiny country pubs to big festivals like Port Fairy and Blues On Broadbeach. The tour takes her all the way through to the end of June, performing as a trio with Beck Flatt and Jez Klysz. “Z-Star Trinity forms one part of the Z-Star universe,” she says. “It’s a power trio, and it’s pretty trashy, big songs, memorable songs. Then there’s Z-Star, the Mothership, which is the full band, and we’ve got Z-Star Delta which is the two-piece, where I play drums and I have my lead guitarist Sebastien [Heintz]. They’re all really different — and all really fun.” The Z-Star Universe’s music transcends all barriers of age, race and religion, and brings people together in that spirit of music and fun. “From Port Fairy to the Blue Mountains, people have been saying, ‘Oh my God, I haven’t danced so much in years!’” she laughs. “And the crowds, it’s a real mix, it’s everyone from great grandmothers to little kids. It’s quite intense, but there’s always a great message in there: it’s uplifting, it’s deeply emotional and it’s going to take you to places.” Gachette feels that this is what draws people to her music: “People connect with it, they connect with the passion of it all — it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you look like.” Another great advantage of doing a tour like this is that she gets to escape a large chunk of the English winter and exchange it for an Aussie summer. “Woo, my God yeah!” she swoons. “I was just speaking to a friend of mine in England this morning, and she was like, ‘It’s still so dark and cold here, I’m so jealous!’ You guys are so lucky here, I love coming over here.” Indeed, Gachette feels a very strong kinship and deep connection with Australia, having toured here extensively over the years. “It’s a great continent, I’ve got lots of friends here, people who’ve moved out here from the UK. The people are really warm, they love music, they still buy CDs, they go out to shows, it’s just a case of stopping the government getting in the way. “It’s so crazy,” she continues, referring to the NSW Government’s crackdown on music festivals, and the impact of policies like the lockout laws on the Sydney music scene. “Music makes people feel good, it’s art, and there should be more investment into that, because we all need it. It’s not just the sunshine that’s going to give us all that buzz. “We all need music as well.”
The life of a big boss mama
Looking after number one As a songwriter, Alex Lahey says she’s often complimented for being “so open and honest and relatable”. She sits down with Bryget Chrisfield to discuss seeing a psychologist for the first time in her life, self-care and writing a song about masturbation. Feature pic by Kane Hibberd.
“You increase your level of vulnerability, but then you also feel quite empowered by doing that — the catharsis of it is quite empowering.”
T
hinking back to typical questions she was asked in interviews conducted around the release of her debut album, 2017’s I Love You Like A Brother, Alex Lahey recalls, “The last cycle was like, ‘[puts on dweeby voice] What’s it like being a woman in the music industry?’ and that was sort of like the discourse a couple of years ago, which every single female artist got so fucking sick of! You know, everyone was like, ‘Oh, reeeeaaally?’” Now that promo for follow-up album The Best Of Luck Club is in full swing, Lahey observes, “I feel like the conversation this time ‘round, for me, is more — self-care is a real topic... I think also, like, Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself is kind of lending itself to that, too, so it’s been an ongoing discussion. “Sitting at a table inside The Mess Hall, a restaurant at the top end of Melbourne’s Bourke Street, Lahey looks content and speaks excitedly between sips of beer. Lahey has previously said that the ten songs on The Best Of Luck Club document 12 months during which she navigated “the highest highs and the lowest lows” in her life to date. When asked whether she would care to elaborate, Lahey pinpoints track three, Interior Demeanour, as “the flagship song for the lows” of said year. “I wrote that after going to a psychologist for the first time ever in my life and I was going through a break-up at the time, which was... particularly hurtful and, like, it was quite bruising. “And I knew — you know, having gone through an experience like that before, on paper — that it would all be ok, and that I would get through it, but I just felt so low at the time, which was out of character for me because usually my emotions are pretty balanced... I was like, ‘I just feel like I wanna check in and I might wanna do this for myself,’ you know? So I went to my GP and did the mental health [plan] thing, which is really great — it’s such a wonderful benefit. And I was like, ‘Look, I’m going through this thing at the moment; I feel like I really wanna go get some advice or guidance.’ And he was really helpful and I ended up getting paired with a psych who, luckily, was a really good fit for me. Because that doesn’t always happen, like, sometimes it takes a few goes. But I got paired up with someone and ended up seeing her for a few sessions. And it’s a funny experience, because you increase your level of vulnerability, but then you also feel quite empowered by doing that — the catharsis of it is quite empowering. “And so that song [Interior Demeanour] is what that is about. And it’s actually the first song that got written for the record, and I remember writing it and being, ‘Oooooooh,
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haha, this is a dark song.’ Also, musically, it’s very angular and, like, super grungy and quite dissonant and I was like, ‘This is quite a change!’ from, you know, the stuff that I’d done before. And I’d written it long before I Love You Like A Brother actually came out and I was sort of like, ‘This is interesting.’ I sort of surprised myself with it.” Did Lahey surprise herself with how much of her own personal experience she was prepared to share through song? “Yeah, I did,” she acknowledges. “It was really cool... People are sort of like, ‘Oh, the songs that you write, you know, you’re so open and honest and relatable’ — whatever that means — and I was sort of like, ‘Oh, yeah, ok,’ like, I never really thought about it that way. And then I wrote that song and I was like, ‘If people thought I was putting myself on the line then...’”’ she laughs. “But it’s also important to talk about; you never want those sort of things to be stigmatised so, yeah! “And then on the other side, a song like Isabella is — I feel every good rock artist should have a song about masturbation and that’s mine... I get asked like, ‘Oh, Isabella, who’s Isabella?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, there’s a popular vibrator on the market called Izzy; so Isabella’s Izzy, yeah.’ And Isabella’s an independent woman who, you know, is highly capable to do whatever she wants and don’t need no one to tell her otherwise. And I feel like if you were gonna personify a vibrator in any way, it’s as that, that person. So Isabella’s that person, yeah.” Earlier on in the day, Lahey caught up with The Best Of Luck Club’s producer Catherine Marks (who she labels “the best engineer in the world”) for the first time since they finished the record. “There’s nothing formal about the way that she works, technically,” Lahey commends of Marks. “So, because of that, she’s so creative and she just has this beautiful sonic palette.” A candid photo of the pair in a recording studio, which Lahey posted on Instagram to mark International Women’s Day this year, speaks volumes about their close working relationship. “The record is just built out of fun,” Lahey enthuses. “I was showing Catherine a video that I had taken of her that she didn’t realise I was taking... There’s a lot of this instrument called Mellotron on the record and she was trying to find, like, the right chords to play, and she kept on fucking it up. And then, at the end, she just lifts up her hands and looks at it and goes, ‘[glances around at our neighbouring tables and whispers] Cunt!’ [laughs]. I showed it to her and she’s just pissing herself... So that’s what we were laughing at.”
The Best Of Luck Club (Nicky Boy/Caroline) is out this month. Alex Lahey tours from 6 Jun.
Alex Lahey is managed by Leigh Treweek who is a director of Handshake Media, owner of this magazine.
Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
Masked band-its Just when you thought the music industry was safe, some bad apples in masks have come to cause trouble in the scene. Could these up-and-coming masked musicians be the concealed crusaders we’ve all been waiting for? Or are they just a bunch of thinly veiled villains? Donald Finlayson investigates. Illustrations by Felicity Case-Mejia.
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emember when you were 13, and Slipknot seemed like the coolest, scariest band in the whole world? But then you got a little older and thought, “Why are these grown-ass men wearing clown masks?”, and, “Are these guys distant relatives of Insane Clown Posse?” It’s confusing stuff. But whether you see a disguise as a stupid gimmick or a fascinating artistic statement, you’ve gotta admit, the masked musicians are here to stay. From MF Doom to Daft Punk to The Aquabats, there are countless incredible artists who choose to conceal their identity for one reason or another. Imagine you had prodigious musical talents that you want to share with the world. Should that then mean that you have to give up your right to pop down to 7/11 without being hassled for selfies or autographs? We reckon not. And just to show you how much we care, here are six of our favourite upand-coming acts who perform in incognito mode.
Phantom Panda Power Wizard Master Smasher
Masked Intruder
Golden Features
If you ever feel like giving your granddad a good scare, show him a video of a Phantom Panda Power Wizard Master Smasher gig. Dressing like Gwar under the influence of Skittles and Wizz Fizz, these Melbourne oddballs play wild, horn-infested doom metal that’s heavy on the lasers. It also used to be choreographed to the visuals of old Bugs Bunny cartoons, but after receiving a cease and desist, they’ve been working on their own animations. How we got to this point in music and culture is really anyone’s guess, but we reckon it’s some kind of glitch in the matrix.
Punk rock with a masked-band gimmick? Whoa, how original! Just kidding, Masked Intruder are alright. With a heavy-pop punk influence, these nice Wisconsin boys play fast songs about love and romance while sporting different coloured balaclavas. Sounds kinky, but you’ve gotta wonder how sweaty it must get under those ski-masks once the tempo really ramps up. Best not to think about it. Their music is fun, quality stuff, even if it does sound like ScoobyDoo chase music most of the time, so check it out if you’ve got a tattoo of a pizza slice or any other form of novelty ink.
Looking a bit like a clumsy high-end smelter, Sydney-based artist Golden Features is yet another producer in the longstanding tradition of making noise while wearing something silly on ya head. This time, it’s an eerie, featureless metal face mask, obviously. Where the hell do these people get custom headgear like this made anyway? Shouting over their sets down at the club, we’ve tried asking a bunch of local DJs if they knew where to get ‘em, only to be met with bullshit answers like, “If you have to ask, you’ll never know.” Typical!
Magic Sword
Leikeli47
Jonathan Bree
Alongside potatoes and Built To Spill, Boise, Idaho can now officially say it’s got three good things going for it thanks to the electronic trio Magic Sword. A mysterious group that plays cool synth-wave music under some expensive-looking LED masks, the music of Magic Sword carries a strong science fiction and video game fantasy theme along with it. In the same way that dungeon-synth music appeals to hardcore D&D players and dudes who own more chainmail than T-shirts, the sci-fi synth-wave of Magic Sword is bound to appeal to folks who genuinely believe that we live in a simulation. Which we do.
With a Pussy Riot-esque hypercolour balaclava and a rap name that sounds like your old Hotmail account, Brooklyn’s Leikeli47 is an artist that deserves the attention of any hip hop head. Lyrically, there’s a great contrast between her aggressive sentiments and the light, sugary flow she delivers them in. Kind of like being choked to death by an ice cream cone — delicious but deadly. Leikeli47 believes that concealing her face gives her a greater sense of courage, like “the Dark Knight, or one of those superheroes” saying that, “The mask, it represents freedom. I’m free with it on.” Let’s hope the rap equivalent of Bane isn’t right around the corner then.
Unlike most masked artists, we’ve all already seen what old mate Jonathan Bree looks like. How can that be? The dude was the fresh-faced poster boy of NZ twee pop during his decade-long tenure with The Brunettes. With his cutesy image behind him and a successful solo career now underway, Bree’s gone from softboy to Slenderman by performing behind a spooky white mask. And with a song like 2017’s You’re So Cool cracking the 10 million view mark on YouTube, he’s clearly onto something. Let this be a lesson for all young artists, never be yourself if you can be a mannequin instead.
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Album Reviews
If you’re not familiar with The National, we’d advise you to start with Boxer. Then if you’re after something a little more raw, High Violet. A little more produced? Trouble Will Find Me. Synthy? Sleep Well Beast. Promise us you’ll give them more than one listen — we’re talking about growers here. It’s a hallmark quality that has endeared The National to so many, soundtracking everything from tender Sunday morning moments to red wine-fuelled debauchery. So where then does I Am Easy To Find slot into the mix? Some fans have speculated it’s a companion piece to Trouble Will Find Me and, with its similar artwork and motifs, they wouldn’t be too far off. In true conspiracy fashion, both albums even have 17 May as their release date. Whoa. But this is an album that asks a broader question: what does it mean to be human? It is a grand statement in the same way it is not a grand statement. It finds beauty in the monotonous and banal, in unwashed dishes and nights spent in front of the television. Yes, there are the autobiographical moments we have come to expect from Matt Berninger and his frequent lyrical collaborator, his wife Carin Besser — look for the inner monologue moment in Not In Kansas — but they’re just part of the album’s inherent humanness. There’s a variety of female vocals in the mix for the first time; most notable Bowie’s longtime collaborator Gail Ann Dorsey. This choir of voices help to reinforce that these are universal themes, universal problems, universal growth. The tender moments on the album — Quiet Light, Light Years, Roman Holiday — are bound to please fans of I Need My
The National
I Am Easy To Find 4AD / Remote Control
HHHH½
Frank Iero & The Future Violents Barriers UNFD
HHHH Heavily distorted guitars and harsh vocals bring punk to the forefront in Frank Iero & The Future Violents’ new album Barriers. As a soulful organ coats opening track, A New Day’s Coming, it soon explodes into an anthemic chorus that is just the beginning of this violent record.Young And Doomed kicks it up a notch with its classic punk tonality and thrashing guitars, while Iero’s vocals are forceful and maniacal in Fever Dream. The frazzled melodies are overflowing with an aggressive energy that throws vivid images of ‘70s punk into our minds. Emily Blackburn
Girl-era National. Eve Owen’s floating vocals over the skittering drums and urgent strings in Where Is Her Head grab you immediately. When Berninger comes in with a frenzied, “I think I’m hittin’ a wall/I hate loving you as much as I do,” we feel our ribcages cracking open, hearts beating bloody on the floor. Dating back over a decade, the presence of Rylan in the accompanying film’s trailer — the film was directed by noted auteur Mike Mills — was enough to send longtime fans into a tizzy. The reenergised version found on the album is a stadium anthem if anything — more Dessner wizardry well worth the wait. Mills’ film, starring Alicia Vikander, and the album don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand however. They are, as Mills suggests, “playfully hostile siblings that love to steal from each other”. Or as Berninger writes, “featherless ideas. and at the end it was a turkey”. Much like the fact we are the sum of our parts, this is an album that speaks volumes as a whole. It is a singular apocalypse. Music that, once again, gets inside your bones, laying down roots. So while questions of humanness might be too vast for a 68-minute runtime, here’s to long drives with Berninger’s baritone soundtracking our individual search for answers. Lauren Baxter
Alex Lahey
Bad Religion
Nicky Boy Records / Caroline
Epitaph
End Of Suffering
HHHH
International Death Cult
The Best Of Luck Club
Age Of Unreason
HHH½
The Best Of Luck Club feels like a haven of sorts — somewhere to go, no matter your mood. The versatility in sounds, styles and stories will have you swept up in the glory of Alex Lahey in no time at all. The unpredictability throughout each song becomes an entertaining ride. What we love about Lahey is the authenticity and relatability of her songwriting. She doesn’t over-romanticise her stories, they tell it how it is, and The Best Of Luck Club is testament to that and more. It’s indie-pop versus rock, created by a powerhouse of an artist, who appears to be simultaneously the coolest and daggiest person you’ve ever met.
Let’s not pretend that Bad Religion’s 17th LP is much different than the 16 that came before it (Into The Unknown excluded, naturally). In fact, most noticeable is that the band haven’t lost a step despite losing both Brooks Wackerman and Greg Hetson in the lengthy gap between now and 2013’s True North. Age Of Unreason sticks to the Bad Religion formula with 14 cuts of gloriously melodic, hard-driving punk rock interspersed with a few mid-tempo stompers. It’s a cliche, but Bad Religion don’t make bad (ahem) records. Age Of Unreason is another entry in what must now be considered the greatest back catalogue in all of punk rock.
Keira Leonard
Mark Hebblewhite
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Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes
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To paraphrase Tywin Lannister chastising Joffrey, anyone who tells you they’re punk are not actually punk. Such is the case here, or at least in the band’s present incarnation. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes’ third album is a meat-and-potatoes collection of alt-rock that offers no real challenge to any sort of establishment. While it’s undeniably easy to listen to and is extremely competent, it has the listener drifting off to other farbetter bands. You wish their songwriting abilities rose to meet their ambitions — the results would’ve been stellar. Matt MacMaster
For more album reviews, go to www.theMusic.com.au
Amon Amarth Berserker
Metal Blade Records / Sony
HHH½
Take a gander at that cover. Utterly ludicrous, yet it captures Berserker’s conviction perfectly. After 27 years of their melodic death-tipped Viking swords striking directly at the heart of heavy metal, one shouldn’t expect otherwise from Amon Amarth. These Swedes rarely stray far from a wellworn template, but have created some of their most epic and melodramatic music in recent years. Fans can thrust drinking horns skywards, as Amon Amarth have unleashed further battle-ready anthems bustling with riffs weightier than a busload of sumo wrestlers and Johan Hegg’s troop-rallying roar. Brendan Crabb
Rosie Lowe
Vampire Weekend
Mavis Staples
Wolf Tone / Caroline
Columbia / Sony
Anti-
Father Of The Bride
YU
We Get By
HHH½
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There’s a deftness of touch on Rosie Lowe’s second album which, considering the heavy feting her debut, Control, attracted in 2016, will be a relief to those already on board. And for newcomers, it’s easy to slink in on her vibes. Here, Lowe’s headspace is steeped in nostalgia for ‘70s funk and soul, with a lyrical hint of Stevie Wonder-ment in Birdsong. Add the down-tempo disco humidity of UEMM, the three 90 second-or-so sketches and ghostly closer Apologise, and YU proves to be a richly atmospheric experience.
Are Vampire Weekend the greatest? Maybe not. But maybe so? Few artists seize and retain our attention as effectively as these children of the Rotten Apple. Then there’s the consistency. At their strongest, Vampire Weekend is the most compelling (ie broad) and insightful (ie deep) band out. To combine breadth and depth is some trick. But to do it as reliably as Koenig’s clan? That’s some feat. This record is incredible, yes. It is also more that that. It is an artistic touchstone. It stands as an example of how great art should make you feel, of the line between accessibility and profundity.
“What good is freedom/If we haven’t learned to be free?” sings the glorious Mavis Staples in opener Change. It’s bookended by the closer, One More Change, where she pulls back to optimism, backed with glorious gospel support. Even when Staples shows signs of being a little weary — proof that she is human like the rest of us — the power in her voice brings her back up again swiftly. Staples’ music remains a blueprint for how to make art true to yourself as the world evolves. In short, this one doesn’t just get by, it gets you up, on your feet, and into many a mood.
James d’Apice
Liz Giuffre
Mac McNaughton
HHHH
Jamila Woods
Sunbeam Sound Machine
Mac DeMarco
Little May
Jagjaguwar / Inertia
Dot Dash / Remote Control
Mac’s Record Label / Spunk
Dew Process / Universal
LEGACY! LEGACY!
Goodness Gracious
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Jamila Woods celebrates her idols on her second album, with each tune bearing the name of a legend she admires. Woods’ response to each of these people is articulate, personal poetry that’s wrapped in honeyed R&B and soul that oozes thick, luscious, deep jazz grooves. Her distinctive vocals are supported by some fine flow from Nitty Scott and Saba. SUN RA rather delightfully embraces an Afrofuturistic attitude as Woods seemingly grows wings and heads out into deep space with co-pilots theMIND and jasminfire. There’s a layering of ideas on this album that blends the past and present to pave the way for the future. Guido Farnell
Here Comes The Cowboy
Blame My Body
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Melbourne songwriter Nick Sowersby’s second long-player plants a foot firmly in the chillwave camp, the lo-fi movement whose wave broke nearly a decade ago, but whose torchbearers still noodle away in garages here and there. The record is a drone from front to back, with woozy, overlapping sounds lazily swarming together to invade your headspace, each element repeating ad infinitum until the song simply gives up. Sowersby has made a very pretty album, but one without any real, discerning features beyond the familiar accoutrements of the genre.
Jizz jazz troubadour Mac DeMarco returns with a borderline comatose fourth album, Here Comes The Cowboy. The bright moments on this album (and there are a few) feel like a victory lap for 2017’s excellent This Old Dog rather than fresh ideas, and the rest of the album is unfortunately too sluggish to compensate. The 13 tracks lean so far into his cheerfully phlegmatic persona, his shtick can’t help but draw comparisons to Bernie, the grinning corpse from the titular film. Whether or not you’ll vibe with this McConaughey-like tone depends on the strength of your relationship with the man.
It’s amazing the deep fallout that can come from something seemingly sweet and simple, but that’s just what you get from Little May’s second album. The ghost-folk duo make an impression with gentle indie beats, light guitars, and cutthroat lyrics in what is an unapologetic and powerful release. Velvety vocals and cool percussion maintain your focus throughout Blame My Body, invoked by Little May’s beautiful and brutal power. They have a powerful method of storytelling that, combined with such an experimental approach to sound and textures, means it’s not difficult to get lost in the wonderful intricacies of their world.
Matt MacMaster
Matt MacMaster
Anna Rose
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Save up to $200 on ticket prices by buying ŤĚ Ě Ě announced and all tickets go on sale Wednesday ŀ Ě
SFF.ORG.AU
Head On Photo Festival Head On Photo Festival, Australia’s leading annual international photography event, returns for its tenth year in 2019. Nick Bowers’ The Composer, pictured, of Bondi-based underground electronica musician Steve Spacek, is one of 40 finalists in the Head On Photo Awards, with the winner due to be announced at the festival launch on 3 May. The full program features Canadian photographer Dina Goldstein and her work Gods Of Suburbia, which places images of faith into subversive context; German-Australian fashion snapper Helmut Newton; and Swiss artist Jenny Rova’s Älskling: A Self-Portrait Through The Eyes Of My Lovers, a collection of 55 shots taken by her nine partners over 25 years. The music line-up includes work from Japanese photographer Kensaku Seki, whose series Of Hope And Fear looks at the rise of hip hop culture in Bhutan; iconic portraits of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and T Rex from Japanese shooter Masayoshi Sukita; and US photographer Chris Cuffaro’s Greatest Hits: Grunge, boasting shots of Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.
Head On Photo Festival runs from 4 May.
Pic: Nick Bowers
The best of The Arts in May
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American Psycho The Musical Both the original book and film adaptation of American Psycho are inexplicably intertwined with ‘80s music, so doesn’t it just make perfect sense that it’s now a musical, scored by the sounds of Tears For Fears, New Order and Huey Lewis & The News? Pic by George Sandman Popov. From 10 May at Hayes Theatre
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Giselle The Australian Ballet are set to beguile audiences again with Maina Gielgud’s production of the Romantic classic Giselle, originally choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot in 1841, about a young woman driven mad by her lover’s deception. Pic by Jeff Busby. From 1 May at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
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English Baroque With Circa Australian Brandenburg Orchestra celebrate their 30th anniversary by collaborating with contemporary circus ensemble Circa to create a work which combines period music and acrobatics in one thrilling show, also featuring guest artist, soprano Jane Sheldon. 2 May at Llewellyn Hall, ANU; from 8 May at City Recital Hall
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The Finders Keepers Satiate your urge to nest when design market The Finders Keepers returns to Barangaroo this month, offering over 200 stalls of bespoke wares from local artists, including The Print Society, Hanami Cosmetics, Happy Society and Bea Bellingham, pictured. Pic by Samee Lapham.
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From 3 May at The Cutaway
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Sparkling Sydney Sydney scores its first festival of bubbly, Sparkling Sydney, this month, boasting over 60 sparkling wines from local and international wineries, from Sparkling Cuvee to Cava, Malbec to Moscato, plus a selection of gourmet food and regional produce. Pic by Fiora Sacco.
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19 May at Pirrama Park
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Festival UnWrapped Festival UnWrapped, the Opera House’s bi-annual showcase of diverse, new and risk-taking contemporary theatre works, lands this month, featuring Ghenoa Gela’s personal My Urrwai, pictured, and Scott Turnbull and Lara Thoms’ playful yet macabre The Director. Pic by David Collins. From 3 May at Sydney Opera House
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Film & TV Dead To Me
HHH½ Streams from 3 May on Netflix
Reviewed by Guy Davis
S
ure, your typical white-bread, uppermiddle-class suburb may seem to have it all, but TV has been teaching us for a while that there are stories of desperation, despair and ennui behind the tasteful fañade. And the most engaging of these stories tend to be enlivened and enhanced by a healthy dash of bracingly black wit. Take the new ten-episode Netflix series Dead To Me, which uses the grieving process as an entry point to explore frustration, friendship and female fury in a funny and honest fashion. And as a bonus, it’s wrapped up in a platonic love story that’s built on a great big lie. When the widowed Jen (Christina Applegate) attends a support group meeting for those who’ve lost loved ones, she’s not really looking for a new best friend. But she finds one in Judy (Linda Cardellini), who muscles her way through Jen’s defences with a combination of dry, goofy humour and heartfelt sympathy. The simpatico pair’s friendship is tested, however, when it’s revealed Judy’s husband Steve (James Mars-
den, delivering a fun and nuanced depiction of entitled douchebaggery) isn’t quite as dead as Judy implied. A plausible explanation later, and the women’s relationship is back on the rails... but one revelation soon leads to another, then another, and that’s not even including the biggest, baddest secret the sweet but screwed-up Judy is keeping from Jen. Let’s be honest, Dead To Me hangs on a plot hook that’s kinda obvious but irresistible nonetheless. And while it’s sharp, insightful and engrossing, it does at times feel like a 90-minute screenplay that’s been padded out to fill ten half-hour episodes. But spending extra time with the dream team of Applegate and the never-better Cardellini is the pay-off for that added length — they’re such a terrific pairing, with complementary comedic chops and the dramatic skills to really illuminate some of the story’s darker and more complex turns. Together and individually, they breathe life into Dead To Me.
Acute Misfortune
HHHH In selected cinemas 9 May
Reviewed by Anthony Carew
W
hen actor Thomas M Wright first read an excerpt from Erik Jensen’s biography of artist Adam Cullen, he wondered: “Why would anybody bother to write a book about this fuckin’ asshole?” And yet Wright soon found himself adapting Acute Misfortune as his debut directorial effort. Dramatically, Acute Misfortune is an arm wrestling two-hander, in which artist and writer grapple in an “unholy negotiation”. Jensen (played by Toby Wallace, last seen on the Romper Stomper TV show) is young and hungry, throwing himself wholly into a brief of his own making, alarm bells ringing not due to his ambition, but his blithe lack of concern for boundaries. He’s egged on, and dragged down, by Cullen (played brilliantly by Daniel Henshall), who’s more a study in the charismatic sociopath than the ‘Great Male Artist’. Across its taut 90 minutes, the downward spiral of this dance summons a horror movie’s sense of slowly mounting dread. As a willing collaborator in the fashioning of narrative, Cullen’s whole life becomes, in turn, a kind of
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theatre; there’s a performative quality to his macho boasts, his endless dick-swinging, his gun-shooting. Rather than making art, Cullen is seen as being more invested in selling a persona, telling a story. “This’ll be good for the book,” Cullen says, both impishly and pragmatically, when he’s about to shoot up heroin in front of Jensen. There’s the obligatory self-destructive drugs and drunkenness, this yet another artist biopic where you know you’re following the subject towards oblivion, and an early grave. But Wright is out to poke at these familiar cliches, to prod at an Australian art world that venerated a man adorned with swastika tattoos. Acute Misfortune’s boxy framing makes the film feel like it’s pressing in on both subject and audience. As its artistic antagonist grows more erratic, horrible, and menacing in behaviour, Wright’s direction effectively imprisons the audience in the middle of a dysfunctional relationship, one thoughtfully addressing the contemporary conversation about conflating the artist and their work.
Still, you won’t find the Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death Ultralight Beam mix on Spotify. “Somebody asked me [once], ‘Where can I get that mix?’ and I was like, ‘That mix doesn’t exist.’ It only exists in the film because something about the haunting quality of it structurally allowed me to break it up and move it around in the way that I wanted to. So you have different things coming in and out over the course of it.” While the content of Jafa’s video essay has been described as reclaiming Black identity from unjust media representations, Jafa stresses his artistic impulse was not “corrective”. “I’m just basically choosing images that to me resonate and that I recognise as being true,” Jafa explains. “I’m not trying to pick something that I think sort of goes against the grain or anything like that. It’s less what I’m doing than the things that I’m refusing to do. What I’m refusing to do is to select images that are about explaining Black people to white folk or something like that. “My criteria for choosing things is that they’re dope, and that they’re magical, and that they in some way or another seem true. So with Love Is The Message... I know there’s been a tendency to sort of frame it in socio-political terms — which you can certainly look at it that way — but I feel like it’s really about trying to figure out how to embody diverse and complex realities of Black being — it’s not all suffering, it’s not all joy, it’s some sort of complicated oscillation between those two polarities.” Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death collages together historical footage, contemporary footage, and Jafa’s home movies of “my daughter getting married, my son running and jumping, my mum dancing at a wedding — things like that”. He says that when he started to collect the images and footage that would become a part of the film, he wasn’t yet thinking of a larger work. He would just save them to his files, aware that footage uploaded to social media or YouTube footage is impermanent — it would “come and go”, sometimes
This is everything
being banned by its host platform: “It had to do with saving them so if I ever wanted to see them again, I could”. Only later would Jafa lay the images and video down on a timeline. “A lot of the things that I’ve done like Love Is The Message or [2013’s] APEX or something like that, they’re essentially slideshows and then at some point someone said, ‘Oh, that’s a movie.’ I really wasn’t initially even thinking of it in those terms. I was just thinking of it in terms of stringing things together that I thought were interesting or disturbing or provocative or beautiful.” While some might imagine it’s difficult to be constantly faced with images of police brutality or Black suffering, the 58-year-old Jafa seems nonplussed. Instead he points to the process of scrapbooking and collage — “collect[ing] images of
Video artist Arthur Jafa speaks to Hannah Story about piecing together images of Black American identity that feel true to him for his film, Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death.
stuff” — as something he has done since he was five years old.
V
“I think most people when they see things that they’re
ideo artist Arthur Jafa came into the public eye as a
disturbed by they recoil from them, but I’ve, in a sense, wired
cinematographer working with directors like Julie
myself over the last 30 years or so to push towards things that
Dash and Spike Lee, and on a number of music videos,
disturb me or I’m intrigued by. More often than not I don’t know why it is I’m saving a particular image.”
including on Solange’s Cranes In The Sky and Jay-Z’s 4:44. But his gallery breakthrough came with the exhibition of
Once Jafa had collated and arranged all the footage and
his seven-minute video essay, Love Is The Message, The Mes-
images, he thought, “Wow, this is kinda interesting, kinda
sage Is Death in New York in November 2016, a series of found
intense.” Still, he never predicted the kind of impact it would
images and footage of Black history and culture, set to Kanye
have not only on Black audiences, but on non-Black people. “I kinda felt like pretty early on that Black folk would
West’s Ultralight Beam. Arthur Jafa’s Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death,
respond to it or would find it provocative, but I certainly never
screens as part of Vivid LIVE’s The Hidden Pulse program of
anticipated the general response to it. It just never occurred to
free screenings and panel discussions, produced in collabora-
me that non-Black or white audiences in particular would be
tion with Hong Kong’s M+ museum of visual culture. After the
moved by it to the degree that they have. It wasn’t that I didn’t
screening, Jafa will also appear in conversation with Sydney
think it was possible — it just never even occurred to me.” Jafa had intended to simply upload the work to YouTube,
artist and curator Brook Andrew. Jafa says choosing Ultralight Beam to score his work was “very intuitive” — he had already cut together Love Is The Mes-
Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death screens on 30 May at Playhouse, Sydney Opera House.
but was convinced by friends to consider a gallery context instead. His friend, artist Kahlil Joseph, took a copy of Love Is
sage, The Message Is Death when he saw West perform the
The Message, The Message Is Death to Art Basel in Switzer-
track on Saturday Night Live in February 2016.
land in June 2016, where he screened it ahead of his original,
“I think in some ways there’s a tension between the song
never-before-seen, director’s cut of Beyonce’s Lemonade film.
and the images because the images didn’t follow the song,
From there, the film was picked up by the high art world, which
you know what I mean?”
was something Jafa had never expected.
He describes it as though the images and the song are “in
“It just all happened very, very abruptly and very sponta-
dialogue”, and calls West’s song a “real innovation in terms of
neously. There was no preconceived-it’s just a confluence of
gospel music”, noting its unusual construction, which utilises
things happening. Even when it was going down it seemed
staggered rhythms at the same time as the traditional intona-
so uncanny in a way. But I definitely feel very blessed that it
tion of gospel music: “It’s an incredible song, above and beyond
has been received the way it has. It certainly changed my life in
that — it’s an amazing song.”
some very concrete kinds of ways.”
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Fuck to the future
Expert Bryony Cole talks to Hannah Story about what ‘sextech’ is and where she sees the $30 billion industry going in the future.
W
websites and digital platforms; products like
around intimacy is. What we’re really talking
teledildonics, aka remote-controlled sex toys;
about when we talk about sex and sexuality
and the simple technology used in medicine
is things like empathy and communication
to treat painful sex.
and all the things that make us human and
That spectrum explains why the industry
also make sex and relationships really great.
is worth $30 billion, growing at 30% per year,
“I think everyone’s experienced that
according to The Guardian. It encapsulates
moment where they’re like, ‘Wow, I’m flicking
so much of our everyday use of technology
through people’s faces while I’m on the toilet,
to enhance our relationships, including those
and they are as disposable as what’s going
dating apps that almost every young, single
down the toilet.’
person seems to be using in 2019.
“And that’s a shocking moment for peo-
“Tinder would be considered sextech,”
ple that have come from [the] pre-dating
Cole confirms, adding again that any technol-
app era. But today, for kids, that’s very nor-
ogy used in relation to sexuality, relationships
mal behaviour, and so that’s sort of where I
and dating falls under the umbrella. “I think
like to drill down and think, ‘Well, how can we
we can safely say pretty much everyone uses
reintroduce the education around relation-
some form of sextech in some part of their
ships and intimacy to that population who
intimate lives today. Even things like Face-
have only known Instagram likes and follows
hen we hear the word ‘sextech’, we might think of
Time and Skype are kind of the original long-
and swipes?”
something outlandish and far removed from us
distance relationship sextech.”
But as well as encompassing digital plat-
like sex robots in Japan. In actuality, its definition
But how do we avoid the pitfalls of dat-
forms for dating and relationships, and sex
is so much broader, and so much more intertwined with our
ing apps, where it feels like everybody is
robots, the sextech industry can help vulner-
daily lives.
replaceable, one of potentially thousands of
able people.
Bryony Cole, who speaks in Sydney at New Horizons: The
potential partners?
“Sextech is for everybody,” Cole affirms.
Future Of Sex as part of Vivid Ideas in May, is described as the
Cole doesn’t think that the way we use
“The most interesting examples are prob-
world’s leading authority on sextech, advising governments,
the technology is the fault of the apps them-
ably either everyday use or the things we
tech titans and entertainment companies about future trends
selves. Instead she points to the importance
don’t typically think about when we think
in the industry. Her podcast Future Of Sex, exploring the way
of education around intimacy.
about sextech. And that’s populations that
our online and offline selves both perceive and shape what
“It’s probably [happening] because we’re
probably aren’t using robots but technology
‘sex’ is and our attitudes to it, has been downloaded over
really lazy, and we’ve evolved to this sort of
[that] can help them — like the disabled pop-
250,000 times.
idea that humans can be on a menu and we
ulation or the ageing population or minority
can select them and then once things get too
groups that need access to sex education.
hard we can deselect them or go, ‘Oh, ok, let’s
Although the robots are fun to talk about, let’s
relook at the menu because that one was too
be honest.”
Cole tells us that sextech is simply “any technology designed to enhance sexuality”. That means that it refers not just to the technology used in relation to sex and relationships — like vibrators or apps
hard, and I don’t want to fight.’
An example of the way sextech help
like Tinder — but also to those related to sexuality, “like gen-
“I think a lot of this has to do with, at the
disadvantaged people comes in the way it’s
der identity, crime and violence reporting, human trafficking,
moment, the lack of awareness and erotic
being used to help women report sexual
sex education, sexual health and any sort of medical-related
intelligence really, or education around inti-
assault on university campuses. The crux of it,
aspects of sexuality”.
macy — that’s what’s lacking here. The sex
for Cole, is figuring out “how do we improve
And those technologies in particular span from emerging
definitely isn’t lacking, and the abundance
the way we report sex crimes or sexual harass-
technology like augmented and virtual reality, and AI; apps,
of people aren’t lacking, but the education
ment and how we do we encourage women to speak up”. “There’s interesting applications that are being used at the moment or are in development around using Bitcoin and using secure platforms where there’s no identity released when you report an assault.” An application that already exists is Callisto, originally used for the reporting of oncampus sexual assaults to identify repeat offenders, which Cole says was designed with survivors in mind. “[It] will only match you once there’s a certain number of assaults reported and you
“I think we can safely say pretty much everyone uses some form of sextech in some part of their intimate lives today.”
can choose whether to reveal your identity or not. [It will] match you to other people that have reported a similar incident with a similar person. And that [tech is] now moving into the workplace.” For Cole, the future of sextech has little to do with technology per se, but instead relates to the way we as a culture think about sex — and the ways that technology can help us to push towards a “more open and shamefree future”. She sees that things are slowly changing in terms of cultural attitudes to sex. “We’re moving towards this more open, shame-free, less judgmental future. Now whether technology can take us there? I believe it can [and] I believe it can also help us with our base level problems like sex education and understanding our health and our bodies and sexual wellness.”
New Horizons: The Future Of Sex is on 25 May at MCA.
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If you or someone you know is impacted by
sexual assault, domestic or family violence,
call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit
1800RESPECT.org.au.
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Mojo Juju
Meatstock Everybody’s favourite BBQ is rolling around Sydney Showgrounds again this 4 & 5 May with another massive line-up of tasty tunes and feeds. As well as cooking classes and demonstrations, there’ll be snags, shish kebabs, steaks, shanks and whatever else you might want to sink your teeth into provided by over 50 BBQ teams. This year’s line-up also boasts sets from Mojo Juju, Adrian Eagle, Busby Marou, Henry Wagons, Frank Sultana and more.
Gone to the dogs To err is human. Dogs, on the other hand, are faultless little angels sent into the world to make life worth living. But while their main deal is hanging about doling out unconditional love, they’ve also been known to help out as muses, sidekicks and, ah, medical professionals.
Every dog in the Art Gallery Of NSW Joel Burrows undertakes the incredibly important task of cataloguing all the very good boys immortalised at the Art Gallery Of NSW. Illustration by Felicity Case-Mejia.
S
ometimes choosing between looking at dogs and looking at art can be paralysing. What happens if you want them together? How could you possibly have a fulfilling weekend viewing one and not the other? So for your sake, we went to the Art Gallery Of NSW to find every dog on display. We stared at the background of over 761 artworks. We studied every abstract painting for pooch-shaped shapes. We even analysed the architecture for any puppers hidden on the walls. All in all, we mapped out 21 dog artworks that featured more than 43 good boys. However, some of you don’t have the time to go look at 43 dogs — so it is vital to narrow down the list to the five best dogs in the gallery. Did we find this task virtually impossible? Yes. Will some of you be angry at this line-up? Absolutely.
1. Town Camp Anywhere – Sally M Nangala Mulda (2018-2019)
Sometimes you go to the galleries for a fun time but instead find an important story to listen to. Town Camp Anywhere is a series that documents how the 2007 NT Intervention, a problematic Federal Government program, impacted the lives of Indigenous
communities. Nangala Mulda paints a town afflicted by prejudiced alcohol laws, job cuts and a constant and unjust police presence. There are also two dogs in one of the paintings. These brown dogs stand next to each other with the text, “hangry two dogs”, suspended above them. These dogs symbolise what’s great about everyday life. Their hunger symbolises that normality can be difficult in oppressive conditions. Town Camp Anywhere is a heart-wrenching series — on as part of The National: New Australian Art — that is worth seeing.
Then allow me to defer to Steven Miller, AGNSW’s Head of the Edmund And Joanna Capon Research Library And Archive. In a 2015 blog, Give Them Back Their Names And Their Dignity, he refers to this painting and asks, “Has nobody noticed that this is a double portrait, with each subject given equal weight by the artist? The donor of the painting, Miss Crookston, always knew the work as Portrait Of Suzanne And Penelope.” Penelope is a cute dog with the best paws in the game. She does deserve her name in the title. Let’s start a petition and change it.
2. Requiescat – Briton Riviere (1888)
4. The Railway Station, Redfern – Arthur Streeton (1893)
Riviere’s Requiescat depicts a fallen soldier with his bloodhound sitting patiently by his side. Because this is a painting, the moment is frozen in time. The dog will forever wait for his master. He will sit there, full of hope, for eternity. Shut up, we’re not crying, you’re crying.
The Railway Station, Redfern is an impressionistic landscape that evokes a gloomy Sydney day. It’s also a painting of a very good boy if you squint at the background. What we enjoy so much about this doggo is its simplicity. You are unable to ascertain if this pooch was a deliberate artistic choice or if Arthur dropped some paint onto his canvas and ran with it.
3. Portrait Of Miss Suzanne Crookston –
Arthur Murch (1935)
5. Study Of A Bloodhound – William Holman Hunt (1848)
In this portrait, we have Penelope graciously allowing a human to pose next to her. That’s right, the terrier deserves top billing. Or equal billing. Don’t believe me?
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This painting deserves a place on the leaderboard for being the only canvas dedicated
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to 100% doggo. It features no landscapes, humans or erotic pop art. Instead, we are treated to a smiling bloodhound with the beefiest back legs imaginable. However, this artwork does lose points for being called a ‘study’. Every dog is a masterpiece. William Hunt should feel ashamed. And there you have it, a map of all the dogs and a list of all the best boys. However, this isn’t to say that the other artworks aren’t worth looking at. I think I saw some cat paintings. I found a cute birdie or two. They are all good animals. They all deserve attention. You should go to the Art Gallery Of NSW. You should go see them today.
The National: New Australian Art is on now at the Art Gallery Of NSW, Carriageworks and the Museum Of Contemporary Art.
Bow wow boogies Do you have a dog-themed playlist on your music streaming platform of choice? No? What’s wrong with you! Here are a few hot picks from Lauren Baxter about the good boys/girls in your life.
The Beatles — Martha My Dear Ahh, ‘The White Album’. We go immediately from Lennon’s alleged heroin ode, to a wholesome tune about McCartney’s sheepdog. No wonder they are
Power pooches While ‘shake hands’ and ‘roll over’ are enough for most faithful hounds, some dogs have mastered tricks that are a little more impressive. Here’s a list of some of the best fuzz balls and the extra special things they can do.
considered by many to be the greatest writing duo of all time — that sequencing. Crisp, clean doggo goodness.
Neil Young — Old King
What’s the old adage again? It’s not a country song until your wife leaves you,
your dog dies or your pickup truck breaks down? While Neil Young might be famed for working with crazed equines rather than canines, Old King is about Young’s dog Elvis. Which is a nice segue to...
Elvis Presley — Old Shep
Bet you thought Hound Dog would make the list. Ha — fools! Elvis wasn’t singing about pups when he took on that 12-bar blues classic so Old Shep it is. But do note, this is depressing AF. You’ll need to go home and immediately hug your furry friend.
The hypnotist Chances are if you’ve ever seen a Border Collie, it’s probably stared you straight in the eyes and looked right on down into the depths of your soul. It’s actually a part of their mad sheep-herding skillz, where their gaze intimidates flocks enough to make them move around.
Pink Floyd — Seamus
Hell yeah — subwoofers blasting actually woofers. Ok, it’s more of a howl, but still. David Gilmour might have said “it wasn’t really as funny to everyone else
[as] it was to us”, but we reckon all albums should have a dog feature. Seamus could have been the next big thing.
Norah Jones — Man Of The Hour
Cardio-pup-monary resuscitation
Norah Jones choosing her dog over men is a mood. “I can’t choose/Between a vegan and a pothead/So I chose you, because you’re sweet/And you give me lots of lovin’ and you eat meat.” And to be honest, we would do exactly
Cocker Spaniels were, like a lot of dogs, originally bred for hunting. They’ve eased off the hunting in the past few centuries and now spend their time being full-time legends. We’d like to award Poncho, the eightyear-old Spanish pupper, our top trophy for learning how to administer CPR. Run, don’t walk, to Google that.
the same.
Oasis — Supersonic
There are a few universal truths we can all agree on. The earth is an oblate spheroid (@ me flat-earthers, I dare you) and the Gallagher brothers are notorious shit-talkers. But apparently the Elsa referred to in Supersonic is actually a gassy dog who chilled out underneath the mixing-desk snacking on Alka Seltzer and, ok, that’s an image we can get behind.
The Fauves — Dogs Are The Best People
Roy from The IT Crowd said it best: “People, what a bunch of bastards.” Hear, hear. So when a tune with lyrics like, “It’s true dogs are the best people/His love comes free and unconditionally,” comes along, we’d have to agree.
Snow Patrol — Chasing Cars Lol.
Spot on Before they were made famous by that much-loved Disney film, Dalmatians were actually a favourite of fire brigades because their barks were much worse than their bite, meaning they’d help clear the way during an emergency. They also made natural companions with horses. Dog bless you our spotty friends.
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Duckwrth
Aurora
For the latest live reviews go to theMusic.com.au
“Groovin The Moo had a bit of everything this year and, once again, got it right.” – Mick Radojkovic
Bad Friday @ Railway Parade, Marrickville. Photo by Simone Fisher.
Groovin The Moo @ Exhibition Park, Canberra. Photos by Ben Nicol.
With an extra stage and their
Shogun & The Sheets
first international act, Bad Friday
As part of Groovin The Moo’s opening weekend, the regional festival hit Canberra with the likes of Billie Eilish, Aurora, Hilltop Hoods,
Duckwrth and many more, and even had another successful pill testing trial.
celebrated their tenth year in style. Performers included DMA’S, The
Jezabels, DZ Deathrays, Shogun & The Sheets and many more.
“Bad Friday has become an institution for promoting local music and should be celebrated more than yearly.”
Middle Kids @ Metro Theatre. Photo by Simone Fisher.
– Mick Radojkovic Not long after wrapping up at Laneway Festival, Middle Kids
turned around and headed straight back out on the road for their own
headline tour, shaking their hometown with a two-night stand.
Montaigne @ Factory Theatre. Photo by Belinda Dipalo.
“Middle Kids are already staking their claim as one of the best bands in the country, but you get the feeling they’ve got so much more to offer.”
Celebrating the release of her
most recent single, For Your Love,
“Her performance will go down as one of the best concerts of the year.”
Montaigne embarked on her first
national tour since mid-2017, kicking off with a home city show.
– Mick Radojkovic
– Mick Radojkovic
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This month’s highlights Ground Control to Major Tom
Van go Vanfest is taking over Forbes Showgrounds this 10 & 11 May with another stacked line-up. This time ‘round there will be performances from Golden Features, PNAU, Broods, Eves Karydas and heaps more.
Corey Glover
To mark the 25th anniversary of Space Oddity, A Bowie Celebration: The David Bowie Alumni tour is heading Down Under. A collection of Bowie’s bandmates and acclaimed singers, including Living Colour’s Corey Glover, hit State Theatre on 10 May.
Furry fury
The Bruce
Mirrors
Broods. Pic: Dana Trippe
Mirrors and Alpha Wolf have new tunes – the Cold Sanctuary and Fault EPs respectively – and are making stops around the country this month in a hardcore triple header with Daybreak. The Sydney leg hits The Lansdowne on 24 May.
Raise the mar
After announcing her full-length debut Can’t Make You Love Me, Gena Rose Bruce is celebrating by launching the latest single from the album. Head to Golden Age Cinema & Bar on 9 May for an earful of Angel Face.
Kesmar
Gena Rose Bruce. Pic: Ryan Downey
Sydney muso Nathan Hawes has restyled himself as Kesmar, a new discotinted project favouring swirling, vintage synths. Now he’s launching his debut EP Up To You at The Vanguard this 18 May.
Song ‘bow Sydney-based artist Rainbow Chan’s second album is incoming. Come celebrate her launch the new lead single Love Isn’t Easy with the help of some yet-to-be-announced special guests at The Gaelic Club on 4 May.
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Hunt;y. Pic: Phebe Schmidt
Rainbow Chan. Pic: Jonno Revanche
Happy Huntly
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Your Town
Huntly are doing the ‘rounds with their recently released, already acclaimed debut album Low Grade Buzz. The Melbourne trio will bring their “doof you can cry to” to Golden Age Cinema & Bar this 4 May.
Want more news, reviews and interviews? Head to the new look theMusic.com.au
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M ay
the best and the worst of the month’s zeitgeist
The lashes Front
Back Pic via Magda Cieleka’s instagram
Best in fest
Wet work
Fr**t
Paradise lost
Dark AF
***spoilers***
Last month was a ripper
Possible spy whale found
The National Museum in
The Bachelor In Paradise
The night is dark and full of
If you’re even five minutes
for festivals across the
by Norwegian fishermen?
Warsaw removed Natalia
blokes are trash - except
terrors. We think, anyway.
late to the party there is
east coast – from a killer
Wearing a camera harness
LL’s 1973 video Consumer
for American Alex. From
Maybe it was a creative
just no way you can use the
Melbourne International
labelled ‘Equipment of St
Art, in which a woman eats
the borderline emotionally
decision but a lot of the final
internet at the moment.
Comedy Festival, to Iggy
Petersburg’? It’s official,
a banana, so as not to “irri-
abusive Ivan, to Bill con-
Game Of Thrones season
That said, there’s probably
Pop and Jack White leading
Putin’s gone full comic book
tate sensitive young people”.
stantly channelling his outer
has been an ink splodge.
no need to actually flog
Bluesfest, to Bleach* up on
villain. He could probably
Protesters then swamped
fuckboy, to Richie’s fear of
’People can’t see shit at
someone who’s given away
the Gold Coast scaring the
find better inspiration than
the gallery en masse to eat
commitment, and Jules’
night’ is a strange thing to
the ending of GoT or Aveng-
shit out of us (in a good way),
Boris Badanov and Natasha
bananas, a great source of
softboi antics, there’s very
get realistic about right at
ers. Like that Domino’s
May has a lot to live up to.
Fatale though.
potassium and an even bet-
few redeemable men
the end of your dragons v
employee assaulted by
ter ‘fuck you’.
here. Aussie women
zombies fantasy epic.
their co-worker. Or the
deserve better.
dude shouting Endgame plot points outside a Hong Kong theatre.
The final thought
Words by Maxim Boon
W
ith the Federal election on the horizon, every airwave, screen, digital portal and news app is now chock full of political rhetoric. But as Shorten and Morrison face off in their bids for the highest office in the land, Aussie politics can seem a tad dreary compared to the high stakes razzmatazz overseas. The prime example is the American spectacle, with its audacious conventions, sensationalist attack ads, and fever-pitched campaigning. Given the possibility of dethroning President Trump in 2020, things have already
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reached levels of near hysterical hyperbole more than a year and half before any voter steps in front of a ballot box. Indeed, it’s hard to overstate how globally influential the ascent of Trump – a political dilettante who had no discernible qualifications to lead when he was elected – has been on international geopolitics. Take for example the recent elections in the Ukraine, where comedian Volodymyr Zelensky, who famously portrayed the country’s head of state on a popular TV show, managed to defeat the incumbent president, Petro Poroshenko, at the polls. It’s pretty much how the world would look if Armando Iannucci and Charlie Brooker were running ‘The Truman Show’. It seems the established architecture of our government systems are woefully susceptible to manipulation. So, how can we save ourselves from subverted democracy? Other than getting on board the fascist train to Dictator-ville, another far more blue-sky option is beginning to emerge. Youth activists are becoming some of the most inspirational figures in the political arena. In the wake of the epidemic of school shootings in the United States and the increasingly alarming effects of global warming, some extraordinarily impressive millennial figureheads have
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shown themselves to be every bit incisive and reasoned as anyone already walking the corridors of power. Sixteen-year-old Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg is a prime example. After spearheading the school strike movement, in which thousands of students all over the world left their classrooms to protest for climate action, her inspirational speeches have galvanised the voice of her generation: “Adults keep saying, ‘We owe it to the young people to give them hope.’ But I don’t want your hope, I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic, I want you to feel the fear I feel every day… I want you to act as if the house was on fire, because it is.” These remarkable words represent one of the most significant political utterances of recent years, and yet, they were spoken by someone who is deemed too young to participate in the democratic process. So, to save our democracy, should the voting age be brought down, empowering a generation who are desperately pleading with their supposedly wiser elders to effect change? When the grown-ups are voting for clowns, maybe it’s time the kids had their say.
