THE ARIAs Who will win big at this year’s awards?
Mr Robot’s Rami Malek is breaking free as Freddie Mercury
The origins of pioneering Aus independent label Elefant Traks
Fantastic actors Jude Law and Ezra Miller — and where to find them
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AMY SHARK LOVE MONSTER
RUEL Breakthrough Artist
Apple Music Album Of The Year Best Female Artist Best Pop Release Apple Music Song Of The Year Best Video Best Australian Live Act Engineer Of The Year (Dann Hume & M Phazes) Best Cover Art (Steve Wyper) Producer Of The Year (Winner: Dann Hume & M Phazes)
JESSICA MAUBOY THE SECRET DAUGHTER SEASON TWO Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album MURIEL’S WEDDING: THE MUSICAL THE ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
TASH SULTANA FLOW STATE
LAH-LAH 10 TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Best Female Artist Best Blues & Roots Album Best Video Best Australian Live Act Producer of the Year Best Cover Art (Ben Lopez)
Best Children’s Album SAM MORAN SANTA’S COMING! Best Children’s Album
PEKING DUK REPRISAL
LUCA BRASI STAY
Best Dance Release Best Group Apple Music Song of the Year Best Video Best Australian Live Act
Best Rock Album PARKWAY DRIVE REVERENCE
RUFUS DU SOL NO PLACE
Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album
Best Dance Release Best Group
POLARIS THE MORTAL COIL Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album
GANG OF YOUTHS WEST THEBARTON DIFFERENT BEINGS BEING DIFFERENT
Best Australian Live Act Best Video
Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album CAMILA CABELLO KHALID P!NK Best International Artist
CONRAD SEWELL HEALING HANDS Apple Music Song of the Year
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Credits Publisher Street Press Australia Pty Ltd Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast National Editor – Magazines Mark Neilsen Group Senior Editor/National Arts Editor Maxim Boon Editors Daniel Cribb, Neil Griffiths, Sam Wall
What I did on my holiday
Assistant Editor/Social Media Co-Ordinator Jessica Dale
I
f there is actually anyone out there who tracks this column closely, you may have noticed last month’s note was penned by our publisher. No, I was not off pursuing my dream to be an Editor-At-Large (seriously, how exotic a job title is that?), it was just time for some annual leave. So, now is the bit when I tell you what I did during that leave… skip a few pars if you really hate ‘what I did on my holiday’ essays.
Editorial Assistant Lauren Baxter Gig Guide Henry Gibson gigs@themusic.com.au Senior Contributors Steve Bell, Bryget Chrisfield, Cyclone, Jeff Jenkins
I was lucky enough to be able to wing my way to London to catch shows by two UK bands who have never toured and, most likely, never will tour Australia. First up was Scottish punk outfit The Rezillos (best known in Australia as The Revillos — but that’s a story for another time). Although the band called it a day back in 1985 (and one ex-member found fame in The Human League), they reformed in 2001 and have since recorded and gigged with various line-ups anchored by front-team Fay Fife and Eugene Reynolds. This year they decided to do that thing many heritage acts do these days and perform one of their early albums in its entirety. For The Rezillos that meant dusting off the 40 year-old Can’t Stand The Rezillos set — the album that gave the band their biggest UK chart hit with Top Of The Pops. The show I witnessed took place at 229 in Fitzrovia, a club that featured a metal detector and weapon pat down upon entry. It was a raucous and fastpaced night (the album has 13 tracks and clocks in at 30 minutes… they did add extra material on the night) with a couple of bonuses that will only be of interest to nerdiest fans of UK ‘70s new wave: support came in the form of Department S and OG punker Spizz Energi was in the audience and managed to knock into me. Gig number two was pretty much at the other end of the live show spectrum. While also a 40th anniversary show, this was a one-off reunion of English electro duo Soft Cell at the 20,000-capacity O2 arena in London’s Greenwich Peninsula. The show had sold out in a matter of hours and my tickets came with a fear-of-heights warning. While only recognised in Australia for their 1981 hit cover of Tainted Love, the band are a part of Britain’s pop culture fabric thanks to a string of hits that includes the anthemic Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (you might know it from soundtracking the credits of LCD Soundsystem’s Shut Up And Play The Hits). Half of the three-hour spectacular found Soft Cell indulging in their more experimental side, at times feeling like you were taking part in an art installation paying tribute to ‘70s horror films. The rest of the show was a celebration of the hits, leading to a finale of Say Hello… that found strangers linking arms, swaying, crying and singing along. That was a lot to take in on one night.
Contributors Nic Addenbrooke, Annelise Ball, Emily Blackburn, Melissa Borg, Anthony Carew, Uppy Chatterjee, Roshan Clerke, Shaun Colnan, Brendan Crabb, Guy Davis, Joe Dolan, Chris Familton, Guido Farnell, Donald Finlayson, Liz Giuffre, Carley Hall, Tobias Handke, Mark Hebblewhite, Kate Kingsmill, Samuel Leighton Dore, Joel Lohman, Matt MacMaster, Taylor Marshall, MJ O’Neill, Carly Packer, 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, Yaseera Moosa, Hayden Nixon, Angela Padovan, Markus Ravik, Bobby Rein, Peter Sharp, Barry Shipplock, Terry Soo, John Stubbs, Bec Taylor
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THE ARIAS Who will win big at this year’s awards?
Mr Robot’s Rami Malek is breaking free as Freddie Mercury
The origins of pioneering Aus hip hop label Elefant Traks
Fantastic actors Jude Law and Ezra Miller — and where to find them
November Issue
Melbourne | Free
Admin & Accounts Meg Burnham, Bella Bi accounts@themusic.com.au Distro distro@themusic.com.au Subscriptions store.themusic.com.au
THE ARIAS Breakthrough artists taking the awards by storm
Mr Robot’s Rami Malek is breaking free as Freddie Mercury
The origins of pioneering Aus hip hop label Elefant Traks
Fantastic actors Jude Law and Ezra Miller — and where to find them
Contact Us Melbourne Head Office Ph: 03 9421 4499 459-461 Victoria Street Brunswick West Vic 3055 PO Box 231 Brunswick West Vic 3055 Sydney Ph: 02 9331 7077 Suite 129, 111 Flinders St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Brisbane Ph: 07 3252 9666 WOTSO Fortitude Valley Qld 4006
T H E
But I’m now back on Australian turf in time for that grand Australian music tradition of the ARIA Awards. We’ve dedicated this edition to the annual event. We not only take our usual stab at predicting this year’s winners but also look back at ARIAs past. Plus, we talk to the artists nominated in what we think is the ARIAs’ most important category, the Breakthrough Artist award. When it was first handed out in 1987 — then known as the Best New Talent category — it went home with Crowded House. So, hey, not bad company to be in. Enjoy the issue and, “Happy award season.”
A R I A S
Breakthrough artists taking the awards by storm
Mr Robot’s Rami Malek is breaking free as Freddie Mercury
The origins of pioneering Aus hip hop label Elefant Traks
Fantastic actors Jude Law and Ezra Miller — and where to find them
info@themusic.com.au www.themusic.com.au
Andrew Mast Group Managing Editor
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Our contributors
This month
Mama Alto Editor’s Letter
14
This month’s best binge watching
19
Shit We Did: Ghost tours
21
Guest editorial: LGBTQIA+ activist and gender transcendent cabaret star Mama Alto
22
Our ARIA Awards form guide
24
Fantastic Beasts
Jude Law, Ezra Miller and more talk The Crimes Of Grindelwald
48
Cash Savage & The Last Drinks
49
Album reviews
50
enn Pic: Cole B
ARIA Awards Breakthough acts on breaking through
26
A look at how the ARIA nominations reflect social change
28
Carmouflage Rose
30 Style If the Will & Bear Hat fits, wear it
34
The Big Picture: ARIAs moments
36 38
Kira Puru
Bohemian Rhapsody Rami Malek catches the butterfly, plus the 40th anniversary of Jazz
Elefant Traks An oral history
40
42
Mama Alto is an award-winning gender transcendent diva, cabaret artiste, jazz singer and community activist. She is a fierce and fabulous non-binary trans femme person of colour, who works with the radical potential of storytelling, strength in softness and power in vulnerability.
Tim Kroenert
The Arts The best arts of the month
54
Film & TV reviews
55
32
The Betoota Advocate
46
The Living End, Oh Pep!
et
ts
44
Matt Corby
Whose line is it anyway?
Fortune Feimster, Just For Laughs
Tim Kroenert is a Melbourne based writer, film and music reviewer. His work has appeared in The Big Issue, IF Magazine, The Melbourne Anglican and elsewhere. He is the editor of the politics and culture magazine Eureka Street.
56 57
Your Town
Tony Mott
Newtown Festival
60
Your gigs
63
This month’s local highlights
64
Spring cleaning
66
Mullum Music Festival
68
The end
70
Tony Mott’s photo career began after he honed his eye photographing at early Divinyls shows and from there he has become one of Australia’s pre-eminent music, film and entertainment photographers. He photographed the very first ARIAs and captured the next dozen or so in a row, and has done them sporadically ever since.
Tony Mott (pictured with filmmaker Warwick Thornton)
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Sahara Beck
Guess who’s Beck
Hey Geronimo
Hot off the BIGSOUND stage, Queensland singer-songwriter and artpop extraordinaire Saraha Beck will be headlining a series of shows from 2 Nov. Word on the street is that she’ll be performing a bunch of new material that’s been recorded earlier this year.
Come say hey Brisbane indie rockers Hey Geronimo are embarking on a new tour in support of their latest album, Content. They’ve described the record as “equal parts Black Mirror and Futurama” so if either of those are up your alley then you can catch Hey Geronimo live starting 2 Nov.
Coming up roses
Jodi Phillis
Cloudy with a chance of Jodi
E^ST
A former member of renowned Aussie rock act The Clouds, Jodi Phillis has recently dropped her fifth solo record as an acoustic solo performer. Come on down and hear the new record, Becoming, along with some other old favourites starting 3 Nov.
Hold on a second, where’s that symbol on the keyboard again? Oh there we go. E^ST aka Mel Bester has a new EP, Life Ain’t Always Roses, and so naturally she’s heading out on tour once again. Catch E^ST on a stage near you from 3 Nov onwards.
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Stream dreams
App of the month: Silly Walks
This month’s best binge watching
For years we were told by adults not to play with our food. Then we grow up, and boom, the hottest mobile game is about a pineapple, a hot dog and a cupcake going on an adventure to stop an evil blender! Grab Silly Walks from the App Store and Google Play now.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Perhaps it’s for the best that She-Ra is receiving the whole reboot treatment rather than her S&M gear-wearing brother, He-Man. Although He-Man’s haircut has become very popular among trendy art girls, it’s about time that She-Ra returned to the spotlight. Based on a true story, it focuses on She-Ra’s quest to liberate the planet of Etheria from the clutches of the evil Hordak with the help of her magical Rampant
Running rampant Glades
Glades of glory November is a big month for the Sydney electronic pop trio Glades. Not only have they got their debut album To Love You coming out 2 Nov, featuring singles like Do Right and Eyes Wide Shut, they’re also embarking on a headline tour beginning 24 Nov.
The whole culture of nerds getting sweaty and excited over anything zombie related has become pretty corny in 2018. But we’ll make an exception for Rampant, a “South Korean historical action zombie film” set in the time of martial arts and feudal warlords. Rampant hits Aussie cinemas 1 Nov.
King Princess
princess friends.
Streams from 16 Nov on Netflix.
Narcos: Mexico
The writers and producers of the original Narcos must be kicking themselves for not stretching the tale of Pablo Escobar out for a few more seasons. Much like the cocaine that Escobar himself trafficked, the show was an absolute money-maker for Netflix. People just couldn’t get enough! Now they’re aiming to repeat that dark success by focusing on the cartels of Mexico, specifically the tale of the Guadalajara cartel in the ‘80s.
Streams 16 Nov on Netflix
Homecoming
Based on the podcast of the same name, psychological thriller Homecoming focuses on a caseworker’s (Julia Roberts) attempts to aid soldiers returning from war. Turns out Roberts doesn’t consider herself to be too good for
Princess for a day
telly after all! But not everything is as it seems, obviously, as Robert’s character becomes
Brooklyn based producer and singer-songwriter King Princess will be making her way to our shores on 2 Nov with a string of headline performances. With her big single 1950 dropping earlier this year when she was just 19, it’s best not to dwell on what you were also doing at 19.
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tangled in a disturbing web of conspiracies and mental torment. Streams from 2 Nov on Amazon Prime
Slowly Slowly
Bill Murray, Jan Vogler and friends
Found in translation With Dr Phil jamming with Good Charlotte and Bill Murray announcing a tour with world-renowned cellist Jan Vogler, it’s high time we acknowledged that we are living in a simulation. Murray describes it as a “collision of America and Europe” and you’ll be able to catch it Down Under starting 7 Nov.
Slow down Melbourne band Slowly Slowly have been having a very busy year. After dropping their second full-length record, St Leonards, earlier this year, they have announced a new national tour beginning 9 Nov. So go out and get your tickets Quickly Quickly! Ay! Ay?
Catherine Tate Live
Are you bovvered (to get tickets)?
Channel surfing
English comedian, writer and former Doctor Who companion Catherine Tate is headed to our shores for a live version of her award winning program, The Catherine Tate Show. She’ll be bringing all her familiar characters like ‘Nan’ Taylor along with her Down Under from 10 Nov.
With his deeper-than-Barry-White voice and modular synth sound, Channel Tres is an artist we’ve been keeping our eye on for quite a while now. And lucky for all of us, he’ll be kicking off his debut Aussie adventure from 10 Nov.
Channel Tres
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Alison Wonderland. Pic: Donslens
Sh*t we did
Down the raving hole
With Maxim Boon
Dye your hair, stock up on glow-sticks and crack out the fluorescent body paint because Alison Wonderland is hitting the road from 22 Nov. This tour comes in support of the Queen of EDM’s sophomore album, Awake. Considering the ridiculousness of her recent shows, it’s bound to be a blast. Bloc Party
Ghost Tours Some people say there are things that go bump in the night. And while some of those aforementioned bumps are almost certainly just drunk people falling over, others may be signs of a realm beyond this mortal coil. I’m talking about ghosts, people. And it just so happens that the places where those bump-making spectres can pierce the veil and return once more to stalk the land of the living are usually scary-ass deserted buildings with chilling backstories. How convenient. So, if there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call? Your local tourist information centre, of course! You see, there are very few corners of our fair country that don’t boast a haunted house or two, because while Australia may be a relatively
Bloc heads Considering old mate Kele Okereke recently did a number of excellent little acoustic shows earlier this year, it’s no surprise that now he’s come back with the whole damn Bloc Party band in tow. Just couldn’t stay away could ya Kele! Catch Bloc Party playing their classic album, Silent Alarm, starting 21 Nov.
young country (notwithstanding the rich, millennia-old history of our First Nations), by jingo, there’re a lot of creepy-AF buildings with abnormally morbid histories Down Under. So, why not leave the Proton Pack at home and go toe-to-toe with a ghostly foe for an evening (while learning a bit of local history in the process)? There’s only one way to find out…
The verdict
Let the good times roll Katamari Damacy, a batshit-crazy classic of the Playstation 2-era is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch in the form of Katamari Damacy Reroll on 30 Nov. With its irreverent sense of humour and J-pop soundtrack, it’s a game that demands to be played by anyone with a funny bone.
Avid readers of this monthly column (in addition to being smart, beautiful, highly discerning devotees of quality journalism) may recall that a few months back, I was an easily frightened man. But then I watched all the Paranormal Activity movies back to back, ala immersion therapy, and hey presto, I was lily-livered no more! In fact, these days, I’ll jump on a horror flick like a bin chicken on a French fry. So I’ll admit, I strutted my stuff into this month’s challenge with a not insignificant amount of hubris. Come at me ghosts! The location for my specific spooktacular showdown was Pentridge Prison just north of Melbourne, where more than 40 of Australia’s most hardened criminals
Eve
are buried, including Aussie folk hero and all-round larrikin legend Ned Kelly. So, to the
Rhythm and news
question that is no doubt on your lips this very moment: di’ya see a ghost brah? I’m sorry to report the supernatural clearly took a night
Ah yes, R&B. A genre full of tunes that can make just about anyone go, “OEUUHHH, MY JAM!!” as soon as they hear the first few notes. So party animals rejoice, R&B Fridays Live is back starting 9 Nov with artists like Eve and Usher in tow.
off during my visit. Mostly, these kind of tours are a history lesson with a bit of ghoulish theatre thrown in, but that’s not to say I didn’t experience a few moments when the hairs on the back of neck were pretty freaked.
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Should major entertainment awards lose gendered categories, or could this, in fact, result in greater exclusion? In recent years, the diversity of identity has become a more visible presence in pop-culture, with trans, non-binary, gender-fluid and agendered artists increasingly celebrated in the mainstream. However, many of the world’s major entertainment awards continue to feature gendered categories that might exclude or disadvantage artists based solely on their personal identity. LGBTQIA+ activist and gendertranscendent cabaret star Mama Alto examines the complexities of this debate.
A
archaic use of “mankind” as a supposedly neutral term to represent all of humanity, despite clearly prioritising and naturalising male as the default. And even once a supposedly gender-neutral term is adopted, many people in mainstream common usage will add a gendered qualifier — “female actor” — once more upholding masculinity as the norm. Is this really equality, or is this type of gender neutrality actually perpetuating age-old ideas of Adam as the original and Eve as secondary? Careful and meticulous frameworks would need to be devised and enacted to ensure gender non-specific awards truly recognised and celebrated diversity, equity and inclusion, whilst never falling into the pitfall of self-satisfied tokenism or empty, supercilious quota-filling. Until we have true gender equality and equity across society, for all genders, eliminating gender-specific award categories may do more harm than good. But where does this leave performers who are transgender, non-binary, or agender? No doubt, for some transgender people who identify with a binary gender it would be highly affirming to win a gendered award. But for many other gender diverse people, maintaining gendered categories may erase and exclude, deeming some ineligible for consideration or requiring denial or revocation of identity in order to be eligible. Would a third award category, specifically for those outside the binary, be a viable option? There is an urgent and vital need for trans representation and visibility. You can’t be it if you can’t see it, and gender diverse children and youth need positive images of transgender adults to show them that there is hope and a future available to them in this world. With increasing hostility towards transgender and gender diverse people in politics and society, now is certainly a time for the arts and entertainment industries lead the way in progressive, positive change. But what does leading the way look like in this situation? There are no simple or easy answers to this debate, and every seeming solution has problematic or unworkable elements. However, what is key here is that this is a highly necessary conversation. The most important element of this debate is that it mirrors back to us how we must do more in all areas of society to engage with, include, embrace, celebrate, and ensure the safety, equality, equity and parity, of women, transgender and gender diverse people. At a time when Western governments are increasingly hostile towards women, trans and gender diverse people — we need change more than ever. Although the entertainment industry can lead the way, and lead by example, we might even suggest that a higher priority is to make a change in society itself, at the coalface. If the Hollywood elite change the name and eligibility of an (already exclusive) trophy and can pat themselves on the back, we would undoubtedly see a trickle-down effect of positivity and wellbeing. But maybe our activism is better spent in campaign and protest of a more direct nature: speaking out against domestic violence against women, advocating for gendered wage parity, pushing to ban non-consensual medical intervention of intersex children, eliminating gay conversion therapy, and creating safer schools, workplaces and bathrooms for transgender and gender diverse people. Although the value of visible platforms such as awards ceremonies is immense, let’s see more of us direct our energy towards putting the pressure upon governments, gatekeepers and powers-that-be to get change happening at a grassroots level in the lives of everyday people.
s awards season rolls around once more, the questions, debates and opinions begin to flow. From the sartorial and romantic (Who’s wearing what, and why? Who is hooking up with who?), to the political and moral (Why isn’t the nominee cohort more diverse? Why is a notable domestic violence perpetrator nominated for a top honour?), there’s much to discuss about the entertainment industry, and awards season focuses our lens directly onto key issues. A debate that recurs with seemingly every major awards ceremony is whether gendered categories — Best Actor and Best Actress, as the most salient example — are outdated. Are they a thing of the past? Are they sexist, suggesting female performers couldn’t hold their own against male counterparts? Are they transphobic, with such categories seemingly excluding people who identify outside of a sex and gender binary? Do they reinforce biological essentialism, suggesting extreme differences between male and female, or do they ensure that the best of the best are recognised and celebrated? These questions reflect broader social issues. In a time when commentators on the left and right are battling in realtime, engaging with a non-stop 24-hour media cycle and social media immediacy, the representation we see in entertainment industry platforms such as award ceremonies can be analysed as microcosms or case studies of the power structures, dominant ideologies and oppressive systems of our society. It is often suggested that to achieve equality, gendered award categories should be abandoned and simply reward the best performance, be it from an individual of any gender. Supporters of this framework see this as a visionary approach, a lead-by-example positive change which the entertainment industry could be at the forefront of. It is certainly an admirable and utopian ideal. However, given that elite showbiz awards operate within the same patriarchal power structures as a broader society, this approach may have serious shortfalls and failings. While abolishing gendered award categories may embody a feminist ideal of equality of the sexes, and could open up award eligibility to people outside of a male/female binary, would this new way of doing things actually see such people winning accolades, or would the top gongs only be handed out amongst the boys’ club? These aren’t merely cynical concerns — the facts support the argument. We live in a world where men are overly represented and paid higher wages than their counterparts, and the entertainment industry reflects this. The recent controversy surrounding pay disparity between Claire Foy and Matt Smith on Netflix original series The Crown is only one of countless examples. Meanwhile, false ideas of meritocracy hide the privileged advantages bestowed by the patriarchy and society, which enable men’s pathways to achievement and encumber the pathways of women, transgender and gender diverse people. These structural and systemic factors and Western society’s track record suggest that subconscious bias would see a mediocre man awarded before a superlative woman, a superior non-binary person, or the most talented gender fluid person. It may even be the case that current mainstream ideas of gender neutrality actually reinforce maleness as the status quo. Linguistically, so-called gender-neutral terms for occupations, crafts or artistry skew towards the masculine — such as “actress” becoming subsumed into “actor.” Sometimes this trend seems uncomfortably reminiscent of the now thankfully largely
“Until we have true gender equality and equity across society, for all genders, eliminating gender-specific award categories may do more harm than good.”
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The late Gurrumul should not be underestimated in this category — he’s up for seven awards this ARIAs for Djarimirri, his posthumously released final album, which reached #1 on the ARIA charts. As the highest selling First Nations musician of all time, taking out Album Of The Year would be a fitting way to pay respect to his impressive 30-year career, and he’s
Who
Will win
at t h e
already won Best World Music Album. Back in 2008, he took out Best Independent Release and Best World Music Album for his debut self-titled LP, then won the latter category again in 2011 for Rrakala and in 2015 for The Gospel Album. While he was up for Album Of The Year in both 2008 and 2011, he’s never taken out the top prize, and maybe this year it’s finally his time. While it’s hard to really judge so many diverse artists performing across so many genres against each other, it seems unlikely that PNAU’s tight electro-dance can break through against Gurrumul or Amy Shark. They’re also up for Best Group,
a r i as ?
which they could take out as a conciliation prize. Unless Alison
From Amy Shark’s expected clean sweep, to Courtney Barnett turning her nose up at second album syndrome with eight deserved nominations, to the close contest between all the very worthy young women up for Breakthrough Artist, here’s Hannah Story and The Music editorial team’s strong opinions about this year’s ARIA contenders in the major general categories.
debut Blue Neighbourhood. That year he also was up for Best
Wonderland stages a coup, they’ve probably got Best Dance Release in the bag. PNAU have never been up for Album Of The Year before, but their 1999 recordSambanova and the lead single from Changa, last year’s Chameleon, each won Best Dance Release. Last of all pop wunderkind Troye Sivan is up for the top gong for the second time, after missing out in 2016 for his 2015 Male Artist and Best Pop Release but lost both to Flume. He’s fighting against even worthier contenders than the formidable Flume this year, and seeing as he’s up for all three categories again it feels disappointing that he’s only really likely to nab Best Male Artist, and even then would somehow have to beat the worthy Gurrumul.
Breakthrough Artist
Alex Lahey — I Love You Like A Brother (Nicky Boy Records/
Caroline Australia) Jack River — Sugar Mountain (I OH YOU)
Mojo Juju — Native Tongue (ABC Music/Universal Music Aus-
tralia) Odette — To A Stranger (EMI) Ruel — Dazed & Confused (RCA Records/Sony Music) Who will win? Mojo Juju
Who should win? Mojo Juju Why? This is such a strong category, let’s say that upfront. All four of the full-length records vying for Breakthrough Artist
are excellent debuts from really powerful young female artists — any of them would be a worthy contender in the Best Female Artist category. Let’s just chuck Ruel out of the running right now — he’s never released an album and Dazed &
Apple Music Album Of The Year
Amy Shark -Love Monster (Wonderlick Recording Com-
Confused isn’t that strong a single, especially when taken next to the polish of his competitors. The most stunning of the albums — which we must stress
pany) Courtney Barnett -Tell Me How You Really Feel (Milk!
again are all excellent — is the Mojo Juju record; she’s really a
(Child Of The Rainbow) (SFM/MGM) PNAU — Changa (etcetc
esting over the course of her career considering the quality
Records/Remote Control Records) Gurrumul — Djarimirri Music) Troye Sivan — Bloom (EMI) Who will win? Amy Shark
Who should win? Courtney Barnett or Gurrumul
powerhouse and she’s going to do something incredibly interof Native Tongue. It’s a brilliant record and it should win this category, and could comfortably win Best Female Artist (sorry Amy Shark) . To be up for Breakthrough Artist you have no ARIA Award
Why? After coming home last year with two ARIAs from
history, so all we can say right now is that all of these women
six nominations, scoring Breakthrough Artist and Best Pop
are going to be nominated again if these debuts are anything
Release for her EP Night Thinker, it looks like this year is the
to go off. Jack River’s and Odette’s are indie-pop records that
year of Amy Shark. Out of nine nominations, it seems pretty
already show off their songwriting prowess and powerful
likely that Shark will leave the ceremony with at least Best
vocals, while Alex Lahey has all the makings of the next big
Pop Release — if she’s not pipped by Troye Sivan’s Bloom —
indie/alt-rock star thanks to her seemingly lackadaisical, but
Best Female Artist and we reckon Apple Album Of The Year.
actually very tight, pop sensibility. Still, this category is Mojo
Love Monster is an indie-pop record with plenty of punch and
Juju’s to win.
Shark’s got the fan base to back it up, vaulting her up to the top of the ARIA charts earlier this year. Still, it’s disappointing that she’s up against Courtney Barnett, whose second album Tell Me How You Really Feel is, in our eyes anyway, the Aussie record of the year, a searing garage-rock record that easily stands up next to her debut Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, which easily took out Breakthrough Artist, Best Independent Release and Best Female Artist in 2015. If she doesn’t score Album Of The Year this year — which she could still manage — she’s almost definitely nabbing Best Rock Album, even against the strength of Camp Cope’s How To Socialise & Make Friends.
Best Female Artist
Alison Wonderland — Awake (EMI) Amy Shark — Love Monster (Wonderlick Recording Company) Courtney Barnett —
Tell Me How You Really Feel (Milk! Records/Remote Control
Records) Sia — Flames (What A Music Ltd, Under Exclusive
Licence to Warner Music Group) Tash Sultana — Flow State (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music) Who will win? Amy Shark
Who should win? Courtney Barnett
The Music
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Why? With the most noms of any artist this year, Amy Shark
Why? It seems reasonably likely that 5 Seconds Of Summer
give someone Album Of The Year, it only makes sense that
alone, Youngblood easily climbing to #1 on the ARIA charts
they’re also the Best Female Artist. Still she’s up against
earlier this year. Against RèFèS DU SOL and Peking Duk sin-
Courtney Barnett, whose record is worthy of taking out
gles, a PNAU record that can’t win Album Of The Year and
either category.
DMA’S second effort, they’ve got a really good shot at ARIA
seems likely to take a sweep of her categories. If you’re gonna
will take out Best Group, based on commercial performance
The pair of frontrunners are up against a Sia single, which
glory with their third record. Their self-titled debut lost out in
honestly should not win — the collab with David Guetta isn’t
this category back in 2014, as did their live record LiveSOS in
even up for Best Dance Release. Still, it seems like it’s simply
2015. Considering they always win the publicly cited catego-
tradition to nominate Sia for Best Female Artist if there’s any-
ries like Song Of The Year and Best Australian Live Act, it would
thing that can be shoehorned in, whether its a single or a full-
be a snub for the panel to ignore their obvious popularity.
length — she’s been up for the award every year since 2014,
Still, it feels like if you think PNAU has one of the top
and actually won three out of four times, first in 2014 for 1000
albums of the year, compared to 5SOS, then maybe their
Forms Of Fear — which also deservedly walked away with
comeback record should nab this spot. They’ll probably lose
Album Of The Year — then in 2016 for This Is Acting, and finally
Album Of The Year against Amy Shark or Gurrumul, so throw
last year for singleThe Greatest.
them a bone and give them this one?
It’s unlikely this will be the year Alison Wonderland wins
DMA’S second effort simply isn’t as solid as their debut,
her first ARIA — she was up for Best Dance Release back in
Hills End, which lost Breakthrough Artist to Montaigne’s supe-
2015 for her debut Run, but lost out to RèFèS. It’s entirely pos-
rior debut in 2016. This year, they don’t really have a shot at
sible she’ll lose out to the rebranded old foe, RèFèS DU SOL
Best Rock Album against Courtney Barnett and Camp Cope.
in the Dance category again, and her record simply isn’t the
Considering they’re up against Album Of The Year nominees
strongest in the very competitive Best Female Artist field.
PNAU for Best Group, it doesn’t seem like this year will be the
Last year Tash Sultana was nominated for but lost Break-
year the Britpop-esque lads take home their first ARIA.
through Artist, Best Blues And Roots Album and Best Inde-
Meanwhile, Peking Duk and RèFèS DU SOL each feel like
pendent Release for her 2016 EP, Notion. They’re now up for
they’re at a disadvantage against full records from their three
both Best Female Artist and Best Blues And Roots Album,
competitors. While each of their songs is fun and undoubtedly
but it seems unlikely they’ll be able to beat out Shark’s stellar
popular, again, they don’t seem to have the same level of suc-
debut. Still, they definitely have a good shot at Best Blues And
cess as 5SOS or the technical skill of PNAU. Both are likely to
Roots Album, unless Mama Kin causes a surprise upset.
lose Best Dance Release to PNAU as well, even after Peking Duk won the category in 2014 for single High, and RèFèS did the same in 2015 for single You Were Right.
Best Male Artist
Dan Sultan — Killer Under A Blood Moon (Liberation Records) Dean Lewis — Be Alright (Island Records Australia/Universal
Best Independent Release
(SFM/MGM) Troye Sivan — Bloom (EMI) Vance Joy — Nation
EMI) Courtney Barnett — Tell Me How You Really Feel (Milk!
Who will win? Troye Sivan
YOU) Gurrumul — Djarimirri (Child Of The Rainbow) (SFM/
Music Australia) Gurrumul — Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow) Of Two (Liberation Records)
Who should win? Gurrumul
Angus & Julia Stone — Snow (Angus & Julia Stone Pty Ltd/
Records/Remote Control Records) DMA’S — For Now (I OH MGM) PNAU — Go Bang (etcetc Music)
Why? Honestly, Troye Sivan’s shiny but emotional pop defi-
nitely deserves a shot at Best Male Artist, and it’s probably going to be the only category, if any, that the young’n may take out. He’s up against the late Gurrumul, who, if he doesn’t receive Album Of The Year, will likely deservedly take out Best Male Artist.
Who will win? Courtney Barnett — Tell Me How You Really Feel
Who should win? Courtney Barnett — Tell Me How You Really Feel
Why? Barnett deserves to take out this category because she’s destined to lose out to very strong competitors also up for
While Dan Sultan’s EP Killer Under A Blood Moon is excel-
Best Female Artist and Album Of The Year. This category isn’t
lent, it’s probably only likely to take out Best Adult Contempo-
half as strong as though, even though it impressively shows
rary Album if anything at all. Sultan won Best Male Artist back
that more than half of the Album Of The Year nominees are
in 2010 for his second album 2009’s Get Out While You Can, as
independent artists. Gurrumul could possibly take out this
well as Best Blues And Roots Album. Then in 2014 and 2017 he
category as well, especially if he doesn’t manage to beat out
was nominated for Best Male Artist again for his EP Blackbird
Dan Sultan for Best Male Artist.
and then his third album Killer, but lost each time, although managed to pick up Best Rock Album for Blackbird.
Angus & Julia Stone won two ARIAs in 2010 for their second record, Down The Way, including the top prize of Album
Dean Lewis hasn’t even released a debut record yet, but
Of The Year, after losing Best Blues And Roots Album for
he’s still up against all these heavyweights in the Australian
2007’s A Book Like This and missing out on Best Rock Album
scene with just a single — he can’t win against them, but it’s
for 2014’s self-titled record. They’re a duo that jumps across
a feat nonetheless. It’s unlikely to be the year Lewis scores his
categories, this year again vying for Best Blues And Roots up
first ARIA; after being nominated last year for Best Pop Release
against the formidable Tash Sultana. Snow, the band’s fourth
and Breakthrough Artist for single Waves, he could surprise
effort, just doesn’t have the independent charm of Barnett’s
and score Best Pop Release, but that seems like a long shot
or the lyrical and musical heft. DMA’S For Now is a worthy but not exactly boundary-
against Amy Shark. Finally Vance Joy rounds out the category, who’ll probably
breaking follow-up to all the hype of their 2016 debut, Hills
lose both this to Sivan or Gurrumul, and Adult Contemporary
End. The catchy dance of PNAU’s return after six years also just
to Dan Sultan. Joy already has a Best Male Artist in his trophy
doesn’t have the darkness and heart to really compete against
case thanks to his 2015 win for his catchy 2014 debut Dream
Barnett or Gurrumul.
Your Life Away. This is his third nomination in this category, after his 2015 win, and losses in 2014 and 2017 for singles Mess Is Min e and Lay It On Me.
Best Group
5 Seconds Of Summer — Youngblood (Capitol UK/EMI)
DMA’S — For Now (I OH YOU) Peking Duk — Fire (Sony Music) PNAU — Go Bang (etcetc Music) RèFèS DU SOL — No Place (Sony Music)
Who will win? 5 Seconds Of Summer
The 2018 ARIA Awards take place on 28 Nov.
Who should win? PNAU
The Music
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ARIAS
Making a bre Ahead of the 31st annual ARIA Awards Lauren Baxter speaks to three of the category’s nominees to discover just what it takes to “break on through to the other side “ Morrison style. Feature pic by Cole Bennetts.
The Music
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26
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ARIAS
ak for it B
“When something crazy happens I freak
“Probably not, I mean not yet,” Sally-
aren’t doing frickin’ terrible,” she reflects in a
out about it like two weeks later, so it kind of
banks ponders. “I don’t think I’ll ever be like
moment of epiphany. “Actually wow I’ve never
looks like I don’t really care,” teen sensation
truly satisfied. I always want to keep pushing
really thought about it like this. Sometimes
It’s a buzzword that we hear thrown
Ruel van Dijk shares a similar method of pro-
and keep going and keep working and never
you talk and hope for the best and then you
around a lot in our industry. But what does
cessing as he sits in an airport about to board
lose my... what’s the word? Vigour, yeah.”
have this realisation — that’s what’s happen-
it actually mean? How can you categorise
a plane for his first headline tour of Europe. “I
“I don’t feel like I’ve broken through yet,”
ing right now. It’s a nice feeling because it’s
someone as a breakthrough artist? Is it more
care a lot! It’s just that I’m still thinking about
van Dijk laughs. “I feel like I’m still going. I
reaffirming that everything I did to try and
than simply acknowledging them at the start
the thing from two weeks ago, you know
feel like everyone’s still going. Everyone’s still
cope wasn’t futile and it makes me kind of
of their career?
what I mean.”
breaking through. No-one really settles.”
proud of myself.”
reakthrough: noun. A sudden, dramatic,
and
important
discovery
or development.
All five of the acts this year are solo art-
He’s admittedly a “little bit nervous” con-
“You know, it is a funny thing to sort
Looking back at some of the past alum-
ists. Four of the five are female. Three of the
sidering he has “never been to an awards
of hear about yourself when you’ve been
ni, it’s not hard to tell ARIA have hit the nail
five spoke to us for this story. All are breaking
show” but at the end of the day, it’s pure unfil-
working in the industry for over a decade,”
on the head with their picks. Does being in
through in their own way.
tered humility. “I’m really just gobsmacked
Mojo Juju chuckles too. “But it’s also like
such esteemed company help to put things
But first, let’s get technical. Originally
about all this. I really don’t know how to react.
yeah it’s cool, I’m happy for this record to be
into perspective?
cropping up in 1989, Breakthrough Awards
I still don’t think it’s real. I just don’t know how
the thing that does sort of get through to a
“Probably,” Sallybanks presumes. “I try
were presented for both Album and Single
to comprehend really any of this. It’s very fast.
broader audience and a greater industry. It’s
not to think about it too much because
until they were merged at the 2010 awards.
I’m just really grateful and it’s just weird to
definitely for me the best record I’ve made
then the pressure is so much but it’s kind
Judged by the Voting Academy (made up of
of like frickin’ amazing that I’m getting rec-
800 industry experts), both solo artists and
ognition alongside people that I’ve admired
groups are eligible, as are both album and single recordings as long as the music was released in the past year. The release must also have appeared in either the ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart or Top 100 Singles Chart in this time. Furthermore, artists and groups are not eligible if they or any member have previously been a final five nominee in an ARIA Awards category or had a previous release that featured in the Top 50 Albums or Singles chart. Still with us? Speaking about the category Dan Rosen, Chief Executive of ARIA thinks it has “always been a very special ARIA Awards category as it acknowledges artists at the very beginning of their career”.
“I guess I’ve never really considered myself or thought of myself in the broader context of all of that but to have that happen it’s like, ‘Oh wow cool. That’s a really nice kind of acknowledgement from the industry.’ It’s very humbling and appreciated for sure.” — Mojo Juju
“A list of past recipients is a roll call of some of our greatest artists including Delta
year’s winner Amy Shark has had an incredible 12 months, going from Breakthrough Artist to being nominated for nine ARIAs. This year’s nominees are an amazing crop of artists and it will undoubtedly be a tough race for the coveted award.” In a sense, artistic careers have never realistically been defined — nor should they — by the immediacy of commercial success. Still, it is part of human nature to crave recognition. And this mainstream acknowledgement is not something to be sneered at. It’s something that all three of the artists welcome with open arms. Rising star Odette aka Georgia Sallybanks beams positivity down the line of the telephone. “How insane! Like what!” she is flabbergasted. “It’s just been crazy. Honestly, when really good things happen, I think a part of me like forgets just a little bit so I’m surprised later on. So when you bring up the two ARIA nominations, I hadn’t even thought about that this morning and now I am on cloud nine.”
Van Dijk too thinks “it’s definitely very strange to be placed in that category”. “It’s very weird to think that all this has happened so fast but yeah I do sometimes think ‘Oh shit, this is happening, this is kicking off.’” So what about all this talk that this is the year for women at the ARIAs? It’s something Mojo Juju and Sallybanks take with a grain of salt. “I think we’re in a really exciting time at the moment — not because everyone’s going, ‘Look at all the women,’ because, we’ve always been here you know,” Sallybanks starts. “I think we are in an exciting time where people at the moment are going look at all these women which means in the future, people will stop going look at all these women,
Goodrem, The Living End, Savage Garden, Silverchair, Flume and Courtney Barnett. Last
for a really long time.”
think that my music is being recognised to
and probably the most important record
such a large extent.”
that I’ve made as well. Important for me on
Mojo “Juju” Ruiz de Luzuriaga has too put
a really personal level.” All these artists have put out intensely
out what has been called one of the most
personal records. Records that were written
important records of the year. Ruminating on the mainstream recognition she says, “It’s funny... it’s kind of repre-
for themselves. Perhaps this is why they have resonated so deeply with their audiences?
sentative of this greater industry and that
“I’m hoping that maybe someone hears
industry recognition that you hope for but I
this record and feels empowered to share
guess as a working musician you just exist in
their story or feels inspired to reflect on their
this industry that operates regardless of that
story,” Mojo Juju begins. “I hope so but I would
as well.”
never ever and I never set out to be a spokes-
“So it’s sort of like as a working musician and a professional musician you kind
person for anyone else, I was just telling my story and my truth.
of are just going about your business,
“It’s really important to me that I main-
doing your thing, trying to make a living
tain that ownership of it... It’s really important
you know and I guess I’ve never really con-
for me to be transparent about the fact that
sidered myself or thought of myself in the
this is a journey for me and I’m still learning so
broader context of all of that but to have
much and I’m just telling my story.”
that happen it’s like, ‘Oh wow cool.’ That’s a
Sallybanks too speaks of the journey
really nice kind of acknowledgement from
she has been on since beginning to write
the industry. It’s very humbling and appre-
these songs over five years ago. “I was once
ciated for sure.”
this completely different person who had
But do they think they have broken
The Music
all this absolute chaos happening around her and out of that I wrote these songs that
through? Whatever they take that to mean.
•
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ARIAS
just look at these artists. That’s something I’m excited for. “It’s really frickin’ awesome women of all walks of life just all coming together in this and just killing it. But yeah I think Australian music can be stereotyped I think as one thing so people only look out for one idea of what it is and you know, it’s like, ‘We’re here! We’re making music! We’re doing it.’” Mojo Juju agrees. “I think there’s a lot of incredible women in the Australian music industry right now and I think there always has been you know, but I have noticed and it really feels like there are so many incredible women who are really at the top of their game in the Australian music industry right now and I think it’s just a reflection of that really. “I
think
it’s
pretty
hard
to
ignore
right now.”
The 2018 ARIA Awards take place on 28 Nov.
The times they are a changin’
Jenny Morris at the 1987 ARIAs, one of only two female winners that year out of 21 categories. Pic: Tony Mott.
Cyclone looks back at ARIAs past to see how Australia’s social conscience has been reflected in the Award’s inclusivity.
A
Launched in 1987, the ARIAs presenta-
mul. As for Best Female Artist? Typically, it’s
But the category, which the ARIAs intro-
tion is today a pivotal event in the Australian
leaned towards pop — a gendered genre. The
duced in 2010, has proven prescient with its
music biz — and a marketing platform as
Torres Strait Islander Christine Anu won in
varied — and cutting-edge — offerings (Shark
much as a mega-party and gossip gather-
1996, paving the way for another Indigenous
won in 2017). This year, Alex Lahey, Jack River,
ing. Still, to the public, the voting system can
pop idol, Jessica Mauboy, in 2013. Barnett
Mojo Juju, Odette and, as the token lad, Ruel
appear opaque. In fact, members of the Aus-
obtained the award in 2015 — welcome for
are all up.
tralian Recording Industry Association can
LGBTQIA visibility. This year’s boldest nomi-
Other criticisms have substance. The late
submit a domestic music release in what-
nee is Alison Wonderland — global superstar
Gurrumul has now won Best World Music
ever category they deem best, providing it
DJ/producer.
Album, one of the ARIAs’ non-televised Fine
was out (and charted) in the relevant period.
Predictably, the Best Group award has
Arts Awards, four times — just recently for
The winners are then decided by The Voting
had predominantly male recipients, whether
Djarimirri (Child Of The Rainbow). However,
Academy — comprising industry peers. But
rock or pop — the Ella Hooper-fronted Kill-
commentators have questioned the applica-
‘genre’ finalists are determined by specialists
ing Heidi crashing through in 2000. The Pre-
tion of ‘world music’ to an Indigenous Austra-
in so-called Judging Schools.
sets brought the rave eight years later. But,
lian artist — and here in Australia. After all, the
ward ceremonies are always conten-
Like the Grammys, the ARIA Album Of
this year, there is not even one Aussie pub-
term is often contested for its marginalising,
tious. And the ARIA Awards — the
The Year has cultural cachet. Alas, since 1987,
rock contender (unless you tenuously count
exoticising and othering of non-Western cre-
2018 bash to be broadcast from Syd-
24 of the 30 recipients have been either male
DMA’S), with big pop and EDM combos pre-
atives. Ironically, in 1992, Gurrumul’s former
ney by the Nine Network on Wednesday 28
solo performers or all-male bands (some
vailing (cue: Canberran DJ/producers Peking
band Yothu Yindi earned Single Of The Year
November — is no exception. But, amid ampli-
scoring multiple times) — and largely white.
Duk, also down last year). What’s more, 2018’s
for the boundary-transcending club record
fied discussion about fostering diversity in
The first female artist to secure Album Of The
Best Rock Album has an affirming number of
Treaty (Filthy Lucre Remix).
the music industry, 2018’s nominations reveal
Year was Suze DeMarchi with her band Baby
female nominees (notably Camp Cope), while
But, as with anything in pop culture, the
auspicious progress from even five years ago.
Animals in 1992. Three years on, Tina Arena
the Best Blues & Roots Album is populated by
ARIAs can be arbitrary. The award for Best
Indeed, non-male artists lead the nomina-
took the gong with Don’t Ask. The majority of
cross-generational female musicians (mind,
Urban Release was initiated in 2004 and, in
tion tally, with Queensland singer-songwriter
acts winning Album Of The Year have been
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album remains
that time, has been won five times by the
Amy Shark up for nine awards on the back of
on the rock (or pop) spectrum. In 2008, The
male-centric). Conversely, the nominations
Hilltop Hoods. 2017’s urban field underscored
her debut, Love Monster. The independent
Presets would be the earliest dance act to
for Best Pop Release have traditionally been
the extent to which Australia’s urban music
Courtney Barnett has eight, and Tash Sultana
claim Album Of The Year with Apocalypso.
among the most fluid of the ARIA categories
has diversified, with AB Original, Illy, REMI,
six. Then the late, great Gurrumul has seven
No hip hopper has ever won. Last year AB
— encompassing dance, R&B and hip hop. In
Thundamentals and Tkay Maidza all nomi-
nominations for his posthumously-issued
Original were nominated for Album Of The
1994, Sound Unlimited — an Aussie hip hop
nated. Nevertheless, in 2018, few artists were
Djarimirri (Child Of The Rainbow), which in
Year with Reclaim Australia (as was Illy) but
outfit with ethnically diverse personnel (and a
proposed — despite a surging scene. And, but
April became the first Indigenous language
lost to (multicultural rockers) Gang Of Youths.
female star in Tina “T-Na” Martinez) — was put
for Mojo Juju and The Hoods’ cohort Adrian
album to top the charts. Could Gurrumul’s
(AB Original did win Best Urban Album.) Yet,
up, only to lose to Peter Andre.
Eagle, the acts are inexplicably all white
classic receive Album Of The Year?
in 2018, the competition is real with Shark,
Curiously, the ARIA Awards’ statistical
Since the early 2010s, Song Of The Year has been voted by the public (together with
Barnett, Gurrumul, PNAU and Troye Sivan.
changes parallel the expansion of the Austra-
Not surprisingly, the Best Male Artist
Best International Act, Best Australian Live
lian music scene — and a generational shift
bracket has long been ruled by white rockers
Act, and Best Video). In 2017 Peking Duk col-
away from rock domination. The industry is
(or popsters) — John Farnham victorious three
lected with Stranger, featuring Sweden’s Elli-
apparently listening — and addressing imbal-
times. In 2009, Daniel Merriweather, who
phant. (The same song reached #9 on triple
ances. (The Age Music Victoria Awards has
came up through the R&B scene, triumphed.
j’s 2016 Hottest 100.)
established gender and diversity quotas for
The following year, Dan Sultan was the first
Some of the controversies engendered
its long lists while replacing the Best Male
Indigenous Australian to win Best Male Artist.
by the ARIAs over the years seem trivial. Iggy
and Best Female Artist categories with Best
Flume repped for Australia’s exploding dance
Azalea’s 2014 Breakthrough Artist coup was
Solo Artist, so as to include musicians identi-
overground in 2013 — and, again, in 2016. In
met with scepticism (and haterism) because
fying as non-binary.)
2018, Sultan is a candidate alongside Gurru-
she’s ostensibly disavowed her Aussie roots.
The Music
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ARIAS
dudes. The 32nd annual ARIA Awards will keep people talking.
The 2018 ARIA Awards take place on 28 Nov.
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Rose-coloured glasses “I’ d rather have a slice of a big cake than just have a small cake to myself.”
Hip hop artist Carmouflage Rose has never been content to just stick to the “regular, regular” of life. Cyclone gets to the bottom of what’s next for Brisbane’s biggest rapper following his major label deal.
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he emerging Brisbane rapper, singer and aesthete Carmouflage Rose (aka Graham “Larry” Herrington) may have discovered a magic formula. Indeed, he is somehow balancing spirituality, creativity, partying, adventure and business acumen in his music career. Though Herrington — whom everyone calls either “Camo” or even just “Larry” — blew up last year with the banger Late Nights, he has been grinding for a while. In 2010 he arrived in Australia as a refugee from Zimbabwe, joining his mum in Queensland. The teen had long sat in as friends created music, helpfully offering feedback. Settling in Brisbane, he began to make his own. “I just wanted to find my purpose and my reason to be on earth — like, I had to find what I was supposed to do, because my whole life I didn’t know what I was supposed to do,” Herrington reveals. Herrington developed a mode of individualist, hybridised hip hop with striking visuals. He’d reference Zimbabwean culture, his childhood love of Jamaican reggae (Damian Marley is a hero), and later influences like Kanye West, The Weeknd and deep house. Quietly ambitious, Herrington soon relocated to Sydney — headquarters of the Australian music industry. “I don’t halfarse stuff,” he says. “I go all the way.” While assembling a mixtape on GarageBand, Herrington reached out to Manu Crooks, another Aussie new wave hip hopper, to collab. “It was very comforting to know that there’s other guys that were doing the same stuff I was trying to do.” Having already shared tracks via triple j’s Unearthed platform, Herrington cut Late Nights with Queensland producer James Angus. Released independently, the slinky house party groove became both a triple j and Spotify smash — and is now certified Gold by ARIA. In March, Herrington announced his signing to Sony Music, airing the percussively futuristic Wildflowers. “I’d rather have a slice of a big cake than just have a small cake to myself — that’s how I look at it,” he says of his going with a major. Recently, Herrington dropped the Afro-trop Let Me Down, featuring George Maple — which the pair performed for Like
A Version, together with a cover of Kanye West’s Heartless. Herrington recalls singing along to Ye’s plaintive 2008 ballad back in Zimbabwe, his brother-in-law constantly blasting it in his ride. “I liked the fact of how Kanye also wrote the song. It’s an intimate conversation in a relationship, I think, with how he’s talking about, ‘How could you be so heartless?’ and stuff — it’s interesting.” Herrington is currently promoting his debut EP Taste, encompassing all his key singles so far. “I’m trying to convey exactly my life experiences and just the person I am in general,” he illuminates. “I wanna show people all sides of the person I am. I can be a very emotional guy, I can be such a party guy, or I can also be an asshole sometimes. It all depends on which Larry you catch sometimes, I think!” Herrington is thrilled to hear that his sound — a blend of dancehall, hip hop and electronica — transcends genre. “It’s Carmouflage Rose baby — that’s what it is!” he quips. And the rapper is hands-on with production. “I’ve never been a person to let [a track] be from a producer and I just rhyme over the top. I like to be part of the process. I like to be in the studio; part of the production. Everything is made in the studio — there’s no pre-writing or pre-production; everything is made organically there.” Next, Herrington — accompanied by his DJ GALLVS — will take Taste on the road, his itinerary including festival appearances and headlining club shows. In the past, Herrington has touted an album project, Roselevel. But he’s in no rush to furnish it. “I’m just trying to get inspired. I wanna live life a little bit,” he ponders. “I just wanna experience, like, skydiving or something — just do some out of the regular, regular.”
Taste (Sony) is out now. Carmouflage Rose tours from 2 Nov. Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
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Hat trick After the chilly winter months, the spring thaw is a welcome relief from the cold. But then summer comes along, bringing stinking hot temps and sky-high levels of UV with it. It’s time to slip, slop, slap y’all! And because we’re a blue-sky thinking sort round these parts, we’re going to consider this yearly PSA as a neat opportunity to make a style statement. When it comes to slapping on a hat, there’s one Aussie-made brand we couldn’t live without. Check out this top-shelf millinery from our mates at Will & Bear. You can find their full range at willandbear.com
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ALBUM OUT NOV 2 TOURING MARCH | APRIL WWW.MATTCORBY.COM The Music
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Make or break Ahead of their national tour, The Betoota Advocate’s Errol Parker and Clancy Overell tell Sam Wall that the perspective’s a bit different in Betoota.
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n an era of fake news and facts too ugly to be true, without much difference in between, the public needs a paper with “authenticity that rivals only the salt on the sunburnt earth” of Queensland Channel Country. Whether or not The Betoota Advocate - skipping past straight news, listicles and hot takes in favour of satirical takedowns - fills that space exactly, its tongue in cheek, aim for the throat reportage has struck home with many Australian readers. That Betoota is a West Queensland ghost town (the last resident died ten years before the paper’s ‘online revival’) has done nothing to slow down Editor-at-large Errol Parker and Editor Clancy Overell. Since the pair first took The Betoota online in 2014, it has attracted close to a million followers across the social media sphere. They’ve sipped tea and tins with “budding spaceman” Sir Richard Branson and conducted a live interview with Prime Minister-at-the-time Malcolm Turnbull. Who then accused them of conspiring to make him look like a pisshead. And then helped them launch their book, Betoota’s Australia. In the last four years, they’ve even broadened their brand to include time-honoured media endeavours such as podcasting, outfitting and brewing. Now, in the latest step forward for the growing outlet, Parker and Overell are taking the secret of their successes on the road. “We don’t really want to give too much away,” says Parker. “But this show is about us sort of lifting the curtain a bit on our organisation, and about how we’ve sort of navigated our way from being a very old, traditional sort of media outlet to being one that’s able to grow and thrive in this very challenging environment for journalism and news at the moment.” “A lot’s kind of happened in media over the last year,” says Overell. “Of course you’ve got the Fairfax merger with Channel Nine, you’ve got Channel Ten with a few layoffs, and the whole kind of landscape as we know it is changing as people try and find answers. And it’s kind of been the opposite for us, we’ve been growin’, as a regional, independent newspaper. So we thought we would share a little bit of that because, you know, the time is now for ‘make or break’ for Australian media.” Though Overell does reveal that the tour will explore “the background of our newspaper, and our town, and our processes” - along with a specially picked guest at each location - his partner stays tightlipped on what those processes might be. “Well that’s kind of the crux of the show, you know,” says Parker. “I guess it’s, you have to approach these things with an open mind and it’s important not to discredit things too early.” “We have the town that we kind of represent and, you know,” says Overell. “Our readers kind of come first and foremost - and the perspective, as you may have learned, is a bit different in Betoota on what is happening in the more metropolitan areas, what’s happening in Canberra. So what you’re essentially seeing is a perspective, I guess you could say, and it’s just our take on what’s happening in the country. And it appears to translate around the country.” The Betootan perspective is usually simple enough to interpret, the pair have a preternatural ability to hit the nail on the head - be it political (“Pauline Hanson Tells Great Barrier Reef It’s Ok To Be White”), social science (“’I’m The Big Dog’” Says Bloke Who Isn’t The Big Dog”), or just the humdrum Australian day-to-day (“Finally A Bubbler With A Bit Of Fucken Go About It”). The broadness of their coverage is another large part of their appeal, and even as they expand much of it still comes with Overell’s or Parker’s byline.
“We have a growing team,” assures Overell. “But it doesn’t matter what capacity you’re running at, you’ve gotta kind of stay glued to it. And you’ve got to develop - it’s kind of like the age-old way with journalism - you’ve got to have your little book, you’ve got to have your sources, your whistleblowers. And you’ve also gotta be reading the room, I guess. So it doesn’t really matter if you’ve got, you know, two people, you could still be churning out news stories all day long. For everyone. And a bit of everything. That sentiment to seems to echo The Betoota ‘s promise to deliver “real and apolitical news” on The Betoota ‘about page’. “I think it’s important to really tell every side to every story,” says Parker, “and to make sure that everyone is sort of fairly represented in the reporting of news.” “Saying things like ‘apolitical’, and ‘just’ and ‘fair’,” says Overell, “kind of can often align you with centrism, which we also aren’t that either. You know, you’ve got to bounce between each spectrum, almost like you’re always fluid about where you sit. Who you’re reporting on and who you’re skewerin”
The Betoota Advocate’s Errol Parker and Clancy Overell tour from 3 Nov
“You know, you’ve got to bounce between each spectrum, almost like you’re always fluid about where you sit. Who you’re reporting on and who you’re skewerin’.”
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IN PICTURES The ARIA Awards aren’t always just about musos collecting hefty, shiny pointy statues. The event always produces some memorable moments both on and off stage - and not just from those collecting awards. Here we go back and look at some notable happenings on the night over the years. 1. The first ARIAs were held in 1987. While not a very diverse event back then, it at least threw together unlikely sorts such as Elton John, INXS and Slim Dusty. Pic by Tony Mott.
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2. The 1988 awards were dominated by Midnight Oil and John Farnham. But it was also the year Kylie Minogue collected her first ARIA - for Highest Selling Single - from British punk-turned-pop-star Feargal Sharkey. Pic by Tony Mott. 3. Two bands ruled at the 2000 ARIAs: Killing Heidi and Madison Avenue (winning four awards each). But it was Madison Avenue everyone was talking about after singer Cheyne Coates stopped mid-performance for a glass of water. Pic by David Anderson. 4. In 1995 a little known Newcastle band won Best New Talent (and four other awards). Here we see Tim Rogers (his band You Am I scored Best Alternative Release for Hi Fi Way ) celebrating with those young ‘uns, known as Silverchair. Pic by Tony Mott. 5. 1992’s Best Male Artist Jimmy Barnes scored some marketing tips from visiting all-time greats Spinal Tap. We’re pretty sure Barnesy already turned it up to 11 though. Pic by Tony Mott. 6. Sometimes it’s just best not to ask. But in 2005 The Hoff was a guest presenter at the ARIAs. He was not only kissed by Ben Lee but he also lifted Missy Higgins off the ground in celebration of her five wins that year. Pic by David Anderson. 7. It’s 2015 and Kylie Minogue is no longer overshadowed by Midnight Oil and John Farnham. Here she is owning the red carpet with one of her global mega-star contemporaries - and by that, we mean Ed Sheeran, not Angela Bishop. Pic by Getty Images. 8. If there was an award for ‘Best Red Carpet Stunts’ at the ARIAs, triple j breakfast presenters would be multiple winners. Over the years we’ve seen various announcers come disguised to the event including as Chet Faker and Gotye and Kimbra in body paint. In 2015, Matt Okine and Alex Dyson appeared as Drake from his Hotline Bling clip. Pic by Getty Images.
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Feelin’ good
Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
Renaissance woman and all-around star Kira Puru chats to Cyclone about the appeal of doom music, the upcoming festival season and just wanting to make people feel good.
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s there anything Kira Puru can’t do? The beguiling singer, songwriter, musician, DJ, visual artist and style icon launched her solo career making “doom-pop” after a spell in the experimental outfit Kira Puru & The Bruise. But now she’s unleashed an inner “bad-ass bitch” for an EP of wonky disco bops. “What I’ve been feeling a lot is, I guess, tossing around this idea of fear and confidence and comfort and just fierceness,” Puru muses from her Melbourne base. Puru was raised in suburban Newcastle, exploring her rich Maori heritage and revelling in pop. A teen diva, she participated in karaoke contests — proud mum in tow. Musically inquisitive and expansive, she has had many phases since. Puru talks about chancing on an unfamiliar sandwich at a deli and savouring that new favourite every day until tiring of it — and, to her, music is similar. “I’ll stumble across a sound or a particular style of writing that really tickles me and I’ll get on that and just listen to that or do that and make that for a certain amount of time.” On completing school, Puru performed as a guitar-toting singer-songwriter — being attracted to the immediacy of “reflective folk music”. She then formed a jazz band. “I had a massive sort of jones for all of those big-voiced divas of anywhere between the ‘20s and the ‘60s.” However, Puru broke out fronting another group, the post-rock band The Bruise. Their song Lonely Child was used as the theme to the ABC’s Redfern Now. They folded in 2013. Realising that she was “over” Newcastle, Puru boldly relocated to Melbourne one winter (a friend “took charge” and drove her down). “I actually felt really burnt out by the music scene at the time. I decided that I was gonna move to Melbourne to give up music and be an accountant or a gardener or something,” she laughs merrily. “But, immediately after I moved down here, I got some work with Illy actually, and that ended up sparking my foray back into music and into collaboration.” Puru gigged as a featured artist and backing vocalist, for everyone from Paul Kelly to Paul Mac to Urthboy. The creative pressure was off her and she could simply intuit. “I just kind of wanted to dip in and out and see what things stimulated me most.” Puru developed a deeper understanding of her vocal range, aesthetics and musical values. “Also, in that, I learnt that I don’t wanna stay still.” Puru re-emerged as a soloist with 2015’s soulful “doom-pop” ballad All Dulled Out (and supported D’Angelo). “I’ve always loved pop music, and I’ve always listened to pop music, no matter where I was at — both in my head and with music. But I was a kid that had a lot of feelings — and doom music, in particular, and that kind of grim, goth, sad, dark vibe has been something that I’ve always been drawn to. So the marriage of doom and pop seemed like a really happy meeting place for me, ‘cause I could incorporate pop structures and some pop sensibilities with doom-style textures and sonic flavours.” Last year, Puru aired the Spotify smash Tension — a groovy teaser from her eponymous EP of individualised R&B, disco and new wave. As a songwriter, she sought cohorts, settling into the studio with Evermore’s Jon Hume. For Puru, who experiences anxiety, this interactive process was at once daunting and challenging. “It sort of allowed some insecurities to resurface.” But she aimed to be “fearless”. And, indeed, the ESG-ish single Molotov is arch yet carefree. Fly is like Kelis leading Blondie. The EP’s climax, Alone, is existentialist gospel house as only Puru might divine. “I think, because I’ve spent a bit of time doing other types of music, and a bit of time in the industry, I’m less concerned with discovering who I am,” she says. “I have more liberty now to just kind of play.” Significantly, as a queer woman of colour, Puru has embraced disco’s sense of liberation — the dancefloor representing a safe space for the marginalised communities to which she belongs. In 2018, Puru has much to celebrate. She appears in the acclaimed doco Her Sound, Her Story. Recently, she covered Katy Perry’s “dope” Last Friday Night (TGIF) for triple j’s Like A Version. Plus, having just wrapped a Listen Out run, Puru will be performing widely this festive season. In late November, she’ll embark on a buzz headline tour with her band. Live, her new material feels “cathartic”. “I just want people to let loose and dance and have fun — that’s my main motivation when I play to people. I obviously pay a little bit of mind to technicality and being able to actually sing the songs properly,” she laughs again. “But I just wanna smash out a bunch of undeniable party bangers and be free and have fun and party. I just want people to feel good.”
“I just want people to let loose and dance and have fun - that’s my main motivation when I play to people.”
Kira Puru (New Tribe/Sony) is out now. Kira Puru tours from 3 Nov.
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Supersonic man If pre-release buzz is anything to go by, Rami Malek ‘s portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody could very well snag him his first Oscar win. Neil Griffiths speaks to the actor about how Queen influenced him growing up, getting Taylor & May’s approval and tackling the most iconic concert performance of the singer’s career.
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ome say Rami Malek was born to play iconic Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. If you’ve seen the trailers for Bohemian Rhapsody — the highly anticipated biopic blockbuster about the music icon’s life — you’ll know the resemblance is uncanny. If you’ve seen the film, you might be one of many who are already tipping the US actor to receive
an Oscar nomination for his incredible performance. And this is no doubt thanks to the intense preparation put into bringing Mercury to the screen; a note that Malek doesn’t take lightly, given his love for the legendary UK group. “I loved the [Queen] catalogue,” Malek shares while in Sydney to promote the film recently. “I loved Bowie before Queen so Under Pressure was a song that is one of my all time favourites. That turned me onto Bohemian Rhapsody and when I heard [that song] I said, ‘What is that and how do I get more?’” As well as making a point to master Mercury’s onstage persona, the LA-born 37-year-old (who was recruited by Bohemian Rhapsody producers thanks largely to his Emmy Award-winning role in USA Network’s Mr Robot ), wanted to mimic the singer’s everyday physicality: his speech, the way he moved, his spontaneity. One way of achieving this was by wearing fake teeth to portray the famous Mercury overbite. Another was relentless YouTube viewing, absorbing how Mercury sang, spoke and engaged with people. Malek also worked with choreographers. He picked up tips from Mercury’s bandmates — Brian May and Roger Taylor. It all came to fruition on day one of shooting Bohemian Rhapsody with arguably the film’s toughest scene: the iconic Live Aid concert in 1985, widely considered as one of the greatest rock performances of all time. So, whose call was it to shoot one of the film’s most pivotal scenes on the first day of production? “I don’t know. I have no idea,” Malek laughs. “That was footage that I just kept watching over and over and over. There were times you’d look at it and go, ‘That’s never gonna work. We’re never gonna be able to do that.’ But after you kind of get through that moment, it seems like everything is gonna be a little bit easier. It was ultimately quite smart to start with that because it galvanized us as a band. The crew saw that if we can do that, there’s no stopping this team. Everybody was looking forward to all the future concert sequences.” May and Taylor had a huge hand in the making of Bohemian Rhapsody ; as well as serving as creative consultants, the duo also had a say in who played each member of the band — Mercury (Malek), May (Gwilym Lee), Taylor (Ben Hardy) and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello). Malek says the Queen band members were especially encouraging on set. “Brian May and Roger Taylor were just very supportive,” Malek recalls. “They obviously watched our audition tapes and they had ultimate say in who got to play them. I think at some point they respected our individuality and what we were bringing to the table. They just wanted to promote that rather than detract from it.” In addition to spectacular sequences such as the Live Aid performance, Bohemian Rhapsody also gives viewers a more intimate perspective on many aspects of Mercury’s life: his songwriting process, his attitude towards live performances, his timidness off stage, his sexuality and his hard partying. Malek says after spending so much time studying the singer, there is no part of Mercury’s being that doesn’t astound him. “You can’t pin [Mercury] down to one fascinating thing. There is nothing about the man that isn’t fascinating,” he says.” He is ultimately one of the coolest, most fascinating, audacious human beings you can ever come across. You know when they say, ‘If you could go back in time and hang out with one person?’ That is by far the one person that I would wanna spend time with.” Despite the critical acclaim for his portrayal and Oscar nomination predictions, Malek remains humble, and instead speaks of his admiration for Queen and Mercury. Living up to his legacy is the real reward for Malek. “I still could watch documentaries over. I listen to music in a different way, [Mercury’s] music in a different way. And then I watch how he just spoke to so many and artists included. I found a relationship with other artists that love Freddie the way I do. But the thing that I found even more fascinating is just how kind I’m finding out he was behind closed doors and just how generous of a human being he was.”
All that Jazz On the 40th anniversary of Queen ‘s Jazz, Tim Kroenert looks back at the final album of their ‘70s creative goldmine.
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orty years ago this November, Queen’s 1970s creative glut culminated with the release of Jazz, their seventh LP in five
years. If the band showed no signs of weariness, their critics certainly did. This, after all, was the album that prompted Rolling Stone ‘s Dave Marsh to hazard that Queen “may be the first truly fascist rock band”. Mitchell Cohen at Creem was even more excoriating: Jazz was “absurdly dull... filled with dumb ideas and imitative posturing”. Perspective is everything. In 2016 Rolling Stone sort-of disowned Marsh’s comments, while three of the album’s singles - Fat Bottomed Girls, Bicycle Race and Don’t Stop Me Now - remain among the most enduring and beloved of Queen’s hits. Don’t Stop Me Now, which Cohen in 1978 called “flaccid cockrock”, is an undisputed anthem, conquering Top Gear ‘s 2005 list of the best driving songs. From their prog/metal roots, Queen in the ‘70s had been trending towards a more radio-friendly sound. On Jazz they are on the cusp, looking back to their heavier origins and ahead to the straightforwardly pop-rock band they would become. But there is a jokey self-awareness that distinguishes Jazz from other Queen records. From the title down, Jazz is marked by a sense of both levity and irony that results in thirteen of Queen’s most exuberant and enjoyable songs. In part, it’s this self-awareness that gives Jazz its staying power. One bugbear for critics in 1978 was a purported cultural elitism in Queen’s music. But elements deemed as pretentious or condescending then are, in hindsight, not only palatable but endearing. More Of That Jazz, with its glitchy callback to several earlier tracks, encapsulates Jazz perfectly: it is Queen parodying Queenas-product. It doesn’t reach the levels of ingenuity as Opera (they’d rarely be so inventive again) but in terms of vision and cogency, it comes close. Most importantly, it is a joy to listen to.
Bohemian Rhapsody is in cinemas from 1 Nov.
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Traking back
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To celebrate their upcoming 20th anniversary, Cyclone chats with the key players of Aussie independent label Elefant Traks.
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he Australian independent label Elefant Traks (or ‘ET’) — home to such acts as The Herd, Hermitude and Horrorshow — is celebrating its 20th anniversary this November with a lavish events program that includes The Elefant In The Room, an evening of stories. The Sydney-based stable began as a beats collective led by bedroom producer Kenny “Traksewt” Sabir. In 1998 he curated Elefant Traks’ inaugural release: the “eclectic” compilation Cursive Writing. Today, Elefant Traks’ history is intertwined with that of the hip hop supergroup, The Herd — the label engendering collabs out of compilations. In 2004, Sabir — who’d already spent a year overseas — stepped away from Elefant Traks to pursue a career in IT. He left the admin to Tim Levinson (The Herd’s MC Urthboy). Elefant Traks gained momentum as The Herd crossed over into the ARIA Top 10 with 2008’s Summerland, while Hermitude unexpectedly became EDM stars (and won the Australian Music Prize for HyperParadise ). Inherently multicultural, and artist-focussed, Elefant Traks heralded an individualistic, diverse and hybridised hip hop and electronic scene in Australia. The hands-on fold readily adapted to the digital era. Indirectly, Elefant Traks launched Caiti Baker via Sietta. Latterly, it’s introduced us to the polymath Indigenous artist Jimblah, cred MCs L-FRESH The LION and B Wise, plus the avant-soul OKENYO. Here, key players tell the ET origin tale.
Kenny “Traksewt” Sabir, Elefant Traks founder and co-director:
“I come from a band background and I got into electronic music. The things I was looking up to were Underworld, what’s happening with Ninja Tune and Warp Records. There wasn’t that kind of alternative here. It’s like, ‘How come Australia doesn’t have this — why can’t we do it now?’”
Richard Tamplenizza, aka The Herd producer/guitarist Sulo, and former Elefant Traks publicist:
“My sister was the connect between myself and Kenny — ‘cause my sister is two years older than me. She was studying at university and she somehow found out about this guy. She was actually working at 2SER, the community radio station here in Sydney. I put together a little demo and then I dropped it at [Sabir’s] house. I slipped it under [the door of] a share house he was living in; in Surry Hills. Then he got back to me, just like, ‘Yeah, this is great — do you wanna put it out?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ I was
actually 16 at the time when I did that. So I was still in school. So the thought of putting out music was so foreign — it was very exciting and just like, ‘Wow, what the hell!’ Yeah, it was a crazy thought. I was completely naive. I had no idea about any of the industry or anything like that.”
Sabir:
“I’d take a receipt book and was going around the different [record] stores, dropping off CDs on consignment and then checking them off in a week or two, if they sold. Then we started going on holidays to Melbourne and Brisbane and taking packs of CDs with us as well. So we started distributing up and down the coast. After a while, we had this big network set up.”
Tim Levinson, aka Urthboy, and Elefant Traks managing director:
“I think I just was predisposed to that organising role. So, when Kenny was driving the label and there were people like Kaho [Cheung, aka Unkle Ho] and a guy called
Sabir:
“[The label] was a hard slog for the first five years — like it wasn’t something [where] I paid myself when I was setting it up. So I’d be working part-time, two days a week or something, doing computer jobs and stuff like that. After a while, I realised that wasn’t for me, doing the day-to-day. I liked setting it up and starting it up, but I wanted to set up and start up other things as well.”
Jane Tyrrell, The Herd singer-songwriter:
“I met The Herd in, I think, 2004 when I was supporting them in a support band. They were at that time I think nine members — and it had swollen above nine, 10 sometimes. I came in for [the album] The Sun Never Sets as a guest artist, 2005. And The Herd at that time maybe kinda crystallised. So the members that had been in and out was settled. Lots of people were getting their full-time jobs and having less time to do the work of the label and others had the time to commit.”
“We’re not afraid to be fast-moving and change with the times.” – Kenny “Trakswet” Sabir
Simon Fellows and, to some extent, Byron [Williams, aka The Herd’s other guitarist Toe-Fu] and Shannon [Kennedy, aka rapper Ozi Batla], I just gravitated to Kenny and to wanting to participate in it. “There was not really a specific role to cover, but it was just that gravitation to something that was happening and wanting to be part of it. I didn’t really have a great skill set, but I had a natural inclination to help out, in a way. So, over time, that changed from manual tasks like assembling CDs — literally like jewel cases and artwork that had been hand-printed — through to postering flyers; going out and just doing all nighters. We were putting posters up around the local area for gigs or even just releases. “I guess it went through to actually sitting down with Kenny and working with him on some of the tasks that needed to be done. But, then, he got a job and went off into another field, where he started working full-time. I suppose that was the first time that I really completely took over the reins. So I think it was just that I was a sucker that was willing to do it.”
The Music
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“I think one of the advantages with Elefant Traks has always been how it started with Kenny and [us] being very hands-on. That DIY ethos has really created strong foundations for the label. We sort of taught ourselves to do everything — and that included helping out artists with management and stuff like that. As the years have gone on, I think the management side has probably become more important. That’s probably been an industry trend as well. Labels have to be a little bit more versatile in how they operate because everything’s changed now. People don’t go out and buy those records anymore. So I think, in a lot of ways, the ethos that started it all hasn’t changed, but everything around us has! The environment has definitely changed.”
Tyrrell:
“I’d studied Fine Arts and Graphic Design and, like Tim, I enjoyed just being involved, basically. In that way, I moved into what we referred to as the ‘Elefant Traks Mansion’ in Enmore shortly after joining the band
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— because we were travelling so much. I was in there with Tim and the boys putting together the CDs and sending off mail and learning the ropes as well. Also, by accident — and with joy — just collaborations would happen ‘cause you’d be around. Somebody would be like, ‘Hey, you wanna do this?’ So I started doing things like cover art and more guest vocals and photo shoots, art direction, and graphic design. That led into many, many years of doing that for Elefant Traks, and kind of unofficially for many of the acts, and eventually my own album [2014’s Echoes In The Aviary ]!”
4.
Levinson:
“The label started, not as a hip hop label, but as a mess — like a dog’s breakfast. We were [doing] a compilation of folk songs, electronic songs, hip hop songs — it was all over the place. You would not have been able to take from those first couple of compilations any inkling of what it would become, because it was more about the spirit. It had a punk, DIY spirit. It was a number of the different artists involved who wanted to create music that wasn’t in any way mainstream in Australia. So it was more about the ideas than the genre. Over time, particularly with The Herd becoming a bit popular, we tended to find other people working in similar spaces. So that’s what led to it becoming a little bit more hip hop-focussed. I feel, in the last seven or eight years, we’ve really tried to get back to that fact that we’re not just a hip hop label. It’s more about the spirit of it.”
Sabir:
“I feel like [Elefant Traks], just like music, is a living thing — you sort of keep on changing and moving and evolving. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve survived. We’re not afraid to be fast-moving and change with the times. I guess, by doing that, there is that ethos of we wanna do well with the artists as well. We never started out, getting into making a label, to make a buck or to become famous. We did it ‘cause we all really loved music... So the legacy is surviving one of the most tumultuous periods of the music business. There’s not that many [labels], apart from the majors, that are still around these days, compared to when we started.”
The ET20 celebrations kick off on 1 Nov.
Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
6.
2.
3.
1. The Herd, Geelong.
5.
2. The Herd playing a benefit for worker’s rights - Rockin’ for Rights at the SCG - in 2007. 3. Apsci, on tour with The Herd. Elefant Traks released Apsci’s first album ‘Get It Twisted’ in 2003. They eventually signed with US label Quannum, a collective that includes DJ Shadow and Blackalicious. 4. The Herd, Woolgoolga - back in the day when we used to drive to Brisbane.
8.
10.
5. Poster bomb protesting against the war in Iraq 2003, King St Newtown near Martin Luther King mural. We used to do all our own postering for every release and tour - late night missions on our pushies. My colleague at the record store at the time said I compromised the act by having our own Elefant branding on there. He was right. 6. Bezerkatron from The Herd. One of the original MCs from The Herd and a founding member of Elefant Traks.
9.
7. Traksewt deep in concentration on the pool table. Brisbane, The Zoo.
7.
8. The Herd performing in 2005 probably ANU given the height of the ceiling. 9. One of many CD reams of ‘An Elefant Never Forgets’. We were too cheap to pay for CD packing, so we would do it ourselves, sometimes getting through thousands of CDs in a night.
11.
10. Luke Dubs from Hermitude, 2004. 11. We were pretty stoked when someone had defaced this billboard ahead of The Herd’s second album, An Elefant Never Forgets (2003).
Written by Unkle Ho, Rokpostya and Urthboy (from the Herd)
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D
Somewhere over the rainbow Juggling new dad duties and caring less about what people think of his music is the pleasantly dichotomous world Matt Corby finds himself in. By Carley Hall.
The Music
“I think the best musicians around aren’t the ones getting interviewed, they’re people that are way beyond what the general public would be able to consume.”
jango the faithful dog barks, black cockatoos mournfully screech as they streak across a clearing overhead and the quiet but striking charm of the Northern Rivers region is heavy and tangible down the other end of the phone line. When Matt Corby calls in, these are the sounds and sights that surround him. In a sense he has all the cares in the world, and none at all; he’s a new dad to a tenmonth-old boy — and admits that he’s not immune to the highs and lows of new parenthood — but he’s also reached a point in his musical career where he’s caring less, if at all, about what people think of his music. At home at his property Rainbow Valley, which is also the namesake of his latest album, Corby explains how a fresh, carefree perspective shaped this new collection of songs, all while juggling his fatherly duties. His first step was to put Rainbow Valley into action as soon as he found out he was going to be a dad. “I spend a lot of time finessing things and I overthink everything, so yeah, it’s hard to do like a 9-5 day then head home and be like, ‘Sweet.’ It doesn’t really work like that,” he laughs. “Well that’s what I thought anyway, but since Hugh has been around I take him down into my home studio and he’s quite happy listening to tunes. He chills out when any music goes on. He loves playing the piano, loves playing the drums. I was like, ‘Yes, we’re gonna be jamming in no time.’” Corby says part of making the decision to start work on his second album also came with a conscious effort to get the writing off the ground and get it recorded in his home and nearby studio The Music Farm in Mullumbimby with producer Dann Hume (Amy Shark, Courtney Barnett, Client Liaison) at the helm. “I was testing the waters a bit: ‘How much of my old selfish life can I integrate into being a dad?’” he says. “And in some moments it’s clear, but in other moments I was like, ‘No, I have time to make some music.’ I had to remind myself that this is my work, this is my living. “It’s hard not to lose yourself in your kid’s life. You don’t want to be one of those people that ends up losing their passion because they can’t devote the same time to it. Which is easier said than done.” The soul/indie/folk sound that launched the young troubadour into the spotlight with much-loved singles Brother, Souls A’Fire and Resolution underlined the raw talent that Corby possessed. It put him in good stead with the release of his debut Telluric in 2016. While those rugged bluesy vocals still dominate on Rainbow Valley, it’s also awash with psychedelic rock and softer tones, courtesy of some offbeat listening choices in the form of a “fucking clever band called Dirty Art Club”. “I’d been listening to their album Basement Seance, which is weird but beautifully arranged samples and really nice beats,” Corby explains. “There was just something about it that was so in line with what I do and it really helped me to
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get that pallet of sounds together. I think it does inform my music but in very minuscule ways. I try to incorporate elements of songs or genres of music into something more ambiguous. “All the elements go into your subconscious and when it does come time to write something it’s all there waiting, and if there’s an opportunity for me to wink at one of those nice elements I’ll try to incorporate it into my music.” Corby’s surroundings also played a key role in the inspiration behind some of the songs. In fact, he credits the anxiety he felt in preparation for becoming a new dad with giving life to single All Fired Up. “There were definitely days where it was a strain on my partner and myself,” he admits. “I’d come into the studio so depleted of energy because I was probably having a bad day and thinking, ‘What’s going to happen? What’s it going to be like?’ From that, a few of the ballads became those songs. All Fired Up has something interesting in it for me; it felt almost spiritual or had some kind of joyful despair that I superimposed into the song.” The interesting journey that led Corby to be one of the finest songwriters in Australia has had its moments. Starting his performing life in the Australian Idol spotlight then proving his skill and self-awareness to shrug off its undesirable taint with a killer voice and musical nous has only served the man and his career well. It’s a development that Corby simply puts down to being able to get out of one’s own way. “I think the best musicians around aren’t the ones getting interviewed, they’re people that are way beyond what the general public would be able to consume,” he laughs. “I write songs that sit on the line of being interesting while being somewhat newish and exciting, but they’re not too far away that people can’t understand what’s happening. “I’m getting better at caring less at the things that aren’t important when creating something. When I was younger I would be really shut off to a lot of ideas because I thought, ‘I can’t do that.’ Now when I’m in the studio I’m like, ‘Fuck it, let’s run with it.’ If it doesn’t sound good then I can be brutal about it and bin it. “I don’t think I’ll ever do my best work — I think that’s the way I’ve always been — but that’s fine because that’s what I should be doing if I want to keep doing a good job for myself.”
Rainbow Valley (Island/Universal) is out this month.
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The Music
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NOVEMBER
The fantastic and the furious
Once again, the wizarding world is under threat — and it’s going to take everyone’s floppy-haired magizoologist to set things right. Rose Johnstone meets the cast of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald for a glimpse of the madness and magic of the second Fantastic Beasts installment.
I
t’s 1927, and shit is about to get real on the streets of Paris. The dangerous dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) has escaped custody and is gathering followers. Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) — who has finally finished his textbook, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them — believes his days of taking down evil are over; but that all changes when Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his help. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald, directed by David Yates, is billed as a darker, more tense, thriller of a sequel to the 2016 romp. JK Rowling, who wrote the screenplay, described the film as “a battle between light and dark”. Basically, expect fewer adorable Bowtruckles and cheeky Nifflers, and more epic showdowns on Parisian rooftops. And, of course, the long-awaited appearance of a young Albus Dumbledore.
Jude Law
Albus Dumbledore: Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts
You’re taking on a role that has already been played by two much-loved actors, Richard Harris and Michael Gambon. Do you feel the weight of this legacy? Well, David and Jo both gave me a huge amount of freedom right from the get-go, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that those two great actors were hanging over my head! But in a way, it’s a blessing because it’s very rare you play a part where you can close your eyes and picture your character as an older person. But, let’s not forget, that’s nearly 100 years later — so I didn’t really feel restricted by it. I felt I was able to demonstrate the challenges that he’s going through as a young man as opposed to being an older man who has resolved all of those issues. So no, not really restricted. Free. How is the dynamic between Dumbledore and Newt different from the relationship between Dumbledore and Harry? The age gap between Harry and Dumbledore is far more accentuated. He’s steering Potter... but he is aware that there are certain things he can’t tell Harry because of his age. That’s not present in his relationship with Newt: it’s much more mutual. There’s also a huge amount of admiration, because, without giving too much away, Albus in this film is dealing with demons which have put him in a certain position. There’s a part of Albus who sees himself as a monster, and loves the fact that this companion is someone who will not judge that and see the good in him.
Eddie Redmayne
Newt Scamander: Magizoologist at the Ministry of Magic
What can you tell us about Newt’s relationship with Tina? We all know that Tina and Newt live happily ever after, so it’s then the question of how are you going to get there. What I love is that Newt has always been very content in himself and his own world (having struggled socially for so long), and through the last adventure he connected with three people, and particularly with Tina — and suddenly it’s opened up a whole chunk of his heart. At the beginning of this film all he wants is to regain that, but suddenly all these things have been put in his way.
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What was it like working with Jude Law as Dumbledore? I’ve known Jude for many years, and I was so thrilled. We had such fun. There’s a moment in the film where Dumbledore, out of nowhere, pulls out an address card out the air. And we got to shooting the scene, and Jude was like, ‘Can I have the card?’. David said, ‘No guys, you don’t need the card, we’ll just put it in with effects,’ and Jude was like, ‘Give me the card.’ For the past few weeks, he’d been training with a magician. The look on his face when he was told that they could just put it in through special effects...
humans all over this world who internalise the idea that their power is not ok, so they push it down into the shadows. And so the idea is that if you deny your calling it will come for you with increasing violence and aggression. With the Obscurus, we know that Credence is an anomaly in the sense that he shouldn’t have lived this long with this force inside of him, so we just don’t know what’s going to happen.
Katherine Waterson Dan Fogler
Jacob Kowalski: Baker, World War I veteran and friend of Newt
What’s it like being the only non-magical member of the group? Everyone else has got a wand — it’s like being in a western without a pistol! You’re just like... ‘Ahh, I’ll be right back, I’ll make some pastries for you guys.’ No, listen, I’ve come to grips with the fact that he’s incredibly brave. He’s the most loyal guy in the world... he’s magical in his own right. Did you base the character on anyone that you’ve known? What’s crazy is that he’s like a relative! My great-grandfather was a baker on the Lower East Side of New York, probably on the same street that we were emulating. Holy crap... that was weird. How much are you allowed to know about where Jacob will eventually end up? During the first movie, Jo sat with some of us and she gave me Jacob’s arc for the entire five films. I thought, ‘Oh my god, this is the greatest journey in the world.’ And then I came back for this film, and we all met for a dinner at the beginning of rehearsals. I sat with Jo and I said I wanted to recap my story. She said, ‘No no, that’s all changed!’ So now, I don’t even know if she’s said that to make me think it’s changed — I don’t know what is the method to her madness!
Ezra Miller
Credence Barebone: Obscurial
What’s happening with Credence at the beginning of the film? He is on the run — he’s murdered a LOT of people. So when you’re on the run in 1927, what do you do? You join the circus! And unfortunately, that’s landed him back in another abusive, restrictive, exploitive situation. The concept of Credence being an Obscurial — a child who has been forced to repress their magical self, which manifests as a dark and destructive force — has resonated deeply with fans. Why do you think that is? I think what Jo has given people is a very useful and powerful metaphor because it applies to all of us in some way or another. Our human power is repressed by society, which prevents us from acknowledging and tapping our full potential. There are definitely specific cases of
Tina Goldstein: Auror at the Magical Congress of the United States of America
Where do we find Tina at the beginning of the new film? I’ve been demoted at work, and at the very end, I get my old job back. That’s a big change for her: she certainly has a great deal more confidence in this film than she did in the first. But, it’s not all coming up roses for her because there’s all this drama with this person [she gestures to Redmayne] so they’re still on slightly unstable ground because some boys aren’t always what they seem to be!
Finding Fantastic Beasts JK Rowling’s extension of the wizarding world has a deeper connection with Potter mythology than you might expect...
1997 Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone is published. In the fifth chapter, Harry and Hagrid go through a list of textbooks that he needs to purchase in Diagon Alley — including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
2001 Alison Sudol
Queenie Goldstein: Legilimens
The Crimes of Grindelwald feels much darker than the first instalment. Will Queenie and Jacob’s romance help to lighten the mood a little bit? Well... it’s complicated because they’re not supposed to know each other, let alone love each other. It’s very forbidden in the backwards system of the United States’ magical law. But, Queenie is not having that. So she bewitches him a little bit. Sometimes you need a little bit of a nudge! You really do want these characters to figure it out but the world is very difficult for them to navigate. Queenie is able to read minds. How does this impact her relationship with Jacob? Queenie is able to read everyone. No one up to this point can really fool her too much... but she’s been objectified by men for a very long time. Being subjected to what men say to a woman is one thing, but then you add to the fact that there’s no filter at all... can you imagine? And so when she meets Jacob, there is such a goodness to his soul and a purity that he cannot fake or contrive, because she sees all of him. He brings her out of herself and this gives her the feeling that she can just be more comfortable than she ever has.
JK
Rowling
releases
the
Fantastic
Beasts And Where To Find Them textbook under the pen name of Newt Scamander. The first edition includes her own illustrations and handwritten notes by Harry, Ron and Hermione.
2013 Warner Bros announces that they will be producing a trilogy inspired by the book.
2014 Rowling publishes a new Harry Potter story on her ‘Pottermore’ website, revealing that following the events of the Potter series, Newt Scamander’s grandson Rolf married Luna Lovegood and had twin boys.
2016 The first film in the franchise — Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them — is released in November, directed by David Yates and written by Rowling. Rowling confirms the series has expanded to five films.
2017 A new edition of Rowling’s 2001 book is published, with six new creatures and a foreword by Newt Scamander.
2018 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald is on general release from 16 Nov
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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald is released.
Pep squad
Throwing off the shackles
Anthony Carew speaks to Olivia Hally from indie-pop duo Oh Pep! about the release of their much anticipated second record, I Wasn’t Only Thinking About You..., the highs and lows of touring, sharing a stage with Billy Bragg and just living the dream in general.
A
fter the release of their debut LP, Stadium Cake, in 2016, Melbourne folk-pop duo Oh Pep! found themselves thrown into a whole new world of high-profile support slots, international festivals, new label deals, and endless tours. As the weeks on the road piled up, their break-out became a new normal with all the travel and the grind of touring soon turning quotidian. It was in those moments that Oh Pep! — Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs -reminded themselves that this was what they’d been working to for years, that they were right there in the moment of making good on their dreams. “When we played Glastonbury last year, we pretty much got off the plane, rocked up, and had to play,” offers Hally, by way of illustrative anecdote, recounting how the band played on the collaborative Leftfield stage with Billy Bragg. “I was super jetlagged, and I really wasn’t excited about the prospect of playing. But, then, I was also like, ‘But, we are playing with Billy Bragg.’ I looked across the stage, and he
As Aussie rock mainstays The Living End return for an eighth full-length, frontman Chris Cheney tells Brendan Crabb about his relationship with their breakthrough anthem. he Living End’s recent decision to
T
“We only decided in like September
launch Don’t Lose It, lead single from
that we were going to make the record, and
new album Wunderbar at small gigs
then [by] January we were already making it,”
in Sydney and Melbourne was greeted with
Cheney laughs. “So there wasn’t a huge turn-
enthusiasm by the punkers’ fanbase. However,
around. Trying to pack up my house in LA in
a fellow journalist/photographer lamented to
shipping containers and think about relocat-
this scribe after the Sydney show that the vet-
ing [back to Melbourne] and trying to write a
erans eschewed breakthrough hit Prisoner Of
record at the same time was nuts.
Society in favour of new material. “It didn’t
“When we got to Germany, the songs still
seem the right time and place to play it,”
needed to be finished off and I really felt like
vocalist/guitarist Chris Cheney says when told
they were influenced by just the surround-
of this. “God, hasn’t he heard it a million times
ings. Every day I would get up, we were stay-
before like we all have?” he laughs.
ing at an Airbnb and a hotel and a few differ-
“We’re so into the (new) record, that we
ent places, but you’d get up in the morning
just went, ‘Fuck it, everyone knows the other
and then you’d walk to the studio. Just walk-
songs. This is the ideal opportunity to be a bit
ing past the subway, past all the German
of a showcase of new songs.’ We’ve always
signs, and your streets, sights and smells and
kind of done that. We used to go out and do
everything, I found it was influencing me. It
these secret gigs where we’d just play all new
was just giving me this kind of... Just this dif-
material, sort of road-test it. We stand behind
ferent approach when I got to the studio each
it [the new album], and I think the audience
day because I was in a completely different
could see that. The one thing people said to
environment. It’s hard to say exactly how it
me was that they have a lot of character and
influenced the record, but I definitely think it’s
personality, these songs. In an era where peo-
got a lot of character that it wouldn’t have had
ple aren’t making records anymore, we have
if I’d just been sitting in my bedroom all day,
made a record.”
every day recording.”
What type of relationship does the front-
Of the new record, the frontman dubs
man have with Prisoner Of Society nowa-
the multi-faceted Death Of The American
days? Cheney pauses before responding. “A
Dream as a “kind of political” but a predomi-
love-hate one. No, I don’t hate it, it’s fine. It’s
nantly personal statement partially inspired
forever going to be the song that kind of put
by his living in Hollywood for several years,
us on the map first I suppose. I think it’s a
while adding that the rest of the tracks on
good song, I just don’t like the recording of it, I
the record are not necessarily political at all.
don’t like the version that we recorded... It was
“There’s a couple of little statements here and
a different time. We were kind of part of that
there, but it’s a very diverse record this one.
whole punk/pop thing, and just the vocals
Whereas [2016’s] Shift was very introspective...
are sung in a certain way that I’m like, I just
That was actually quite dark and grim, to be
wouldn’t sing it that way anymore,” the front-
honest, but this one I find is a little more opti-
man laughs. “But I can appreciate the song,
mistic. There’s a little more hope and a few
and I still think it’s a good song.”
more different kinds of subject matter that
While having a healthy respect for their past,
including
playing
heritage-themed
we’re tackling that I don’t think we would have tackled in our twenties. “We’ve never been like the Oils or some-
ingness to forge ahead has meant 20 years
thing and made a proper, full-blown [political]
on from the multi-platinum success of their
statement. It’s more just been about social
self-titled debut, the trio sought fresh ways
issues and stuff that’s going on, as opposed to
to create on album number eight. The trio
laying down our opinion.”
Pic: Cybele Malinowski
shows previously, the aforementioned will-
— also featuring co-founder, double bassist Scott Owen and long-time drummer Andy Strachan — decamped to Berlin, Germany for recording and pre-production sessions on Wunderbar. They worked alongside producer Tobias Kuhn during the six-week stint.
Wunderbar (BMG) is out now. The Living End tour from 1 Nov.
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Love, politics & last drinks On an autumnal morning in Prague during her European tour, Cash Savage discusses the songwriting shift on her new album Good Citizens and talks with Chris Familton about the importance of her band The Last Drinks.
T
he lead-up to the release of a new album can be a tricky period for an artist to negotiate. Some take it in their stride while others ride the emotions of anticipation, self-doubt and excitement. Cash Savage has of course been through album releases before, but this time around it felt different given the shift in her songwriting to address sociopolitical issues that she felt she could no longer avoid.
Pic: Ebru Yidiz
was playing [A ] New England. And that was one of the first songs Pepi and I had ever shared as a musical collaboration. And, in that fantastic moment, I was really like, ‘You are living the dream.’” Growing up “a pretty serious kid” on Phillip Island, Hally harboured musical dreams all the while. “A lot of the stuff you’re meant to be into down there — surfing, the football, the motorbikes — I just wasn’t into,” she says of her home. Instead, she played classical guitar, endlessly. She left Phillip Island to move to Melbourne and continue her music studies. There, she met Emmerichs. The pair started playing together straight away, and, though high-schoolers, they were ambitious from the drop. “In serious little kid fashion, Pepi and I were, from the start like, ‘We want to be a sustained, touring international band.’” They’d play their first shows in 2009, meaning there were years of tiny gigs in the lead-up to releasing their first album, seven years later. “But I always thought we were doing this, that it was going to happen,” Hally recounts, “even when it was, say, the first time we went to Sydney, and there was hardly anyone there [at the show].” The duo were always, Hally thinks, making accessible music. “We’re doing our take on pop music,” she says. “It’s us, all the things we’ve learned as music geeks, all our quirks to the forefront, all the things we thought were interesting to play, through the filter of a pop song.” Pop comes to the forefront on Oh Pep!’s second LP, I Wasn’t Only Thinking About You..., a brighter, bolder sounding follow-up to their folky debut. “Pepi and I were just, ‘Let’s make a big pop album,’” admits Hally. “We started to employ more typical song structures, more of the verse/chorus form than we had ever done. I think we just got a kick out of it, really. When we listened to it, it was exciting.” Having a whole new set, for the duo, feels like “you’re starting out a new relationship” with the songs. “We’re just still getting to know each other,” Hally laughs. The songs
from Stadium Cake, of course, accompanied them far and wide, played all over the globe. They played them through Europe and North America, when they were opening for Lake Street Dive, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Martha Wainwright, Lord Huron, Billy Bragg and The Mountain Goats. Though they sometimes got sick of playing the same set and often felt the grind of all that travel — “touring is like working 24/7,” Hally sighs — there were also plenty of those moments where they had to pinch themselves; had to remember to savour the taste of dreams come true. “There’ve been multiple occasions where I’m swept up in this wave of, ‘Holy shit!’” says Hally. “That’s what I say when I’m having a good time. Like, when we were playing The Mountain Goats, being able to watch them every night, or the Billy Bragg moment was another. They’re these real instances where I think, ‘Little Liv would not believe this!’”
I Wasn’t Only Thinking About You... (ATO) is out now. Oh Pep! tour from 24 Nov.
“Never more so has it been such a relief to have a new record out. This album is really different for me. Through interviews, I’ve had the opportunity to self-analyse that. The day it came out we got a four-star review in The Guardian and a real weight lifted off me that day,” Savage reveals. “I didn’t realise I was carrying that at all and then I was floating around the rest of the day once that happened.” Heading into the writing of Good Citizens, an album that addresses the marriage equality debate, moral decay and the inherent problems with male-dominated societal structures, Savage knew that it was essential that she start writing about those issues while also still grounding many of the songs in the world of love and relationships. “I wanted to make the album a real snapshot of how I felt at the time and part of that was that I was (and still am) in love. I knew it was going to be more political but I didn’t ever think it wouldn’t have a couple of love songs on there too. These love songs are political too, because of who I am,” she stresses, before adding, “I didn’t really ever see there was a point for me to write songs like this before. I was quite happy to have drunken rants about political systems with my mates down at the pub, but I didn’t see much point putting it in my music. This time I didn’t see there was any other way around it. I had
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never thought I would ever write a political album so it was a surprise for me!” Making a foray into writing about these kinds of issues begs the question as to whether the process acts as a way of Savage dealing with and processing her feelings about them. “Those issues are frustrating full stop so I don’t think the songs made it more frustrating. It definitely helped for me to write about them. I’ve actually quite enjoyed contemplating the different questions that I get asked about those issues, from different people from different walks of life. For me, I guess I’ve found it quite healing.” Over the years Savage’s band The Last Drinks has been an integral part of the sound of her records and the power and passion of her live performances. The line-up has changed as members have taken temporary leave for other musical pursuits (guitarist Joe White is a member of Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever) or for family reasons (guitarist, banjo player Brett Marshall has recently become a dad) but Savage believes the flexibility and nature of the band is its strength. “The band has always been so organic with its changes that its never felt like it’s one sound. To have a genuine shift has given us a lot of freedom and we’ve had to re-work some arrangements. We’ve been playing some of these songs for a long time and it’s nice to mix them up a little bit. It doesn’t feel different and it does feel
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different at the same time. It’s been quite nice actually. There is such a camaraderie within The Last Drinks. We’re just a really good bunch of mates and there’s so much fun had on and off the stage. They’re a phenomenal live band and to be able to stand in front of them is just fucking incredible.”
Good Citizens (Mistletone/Inertia) is out now. Cash Savage & The Last Drinks tour from 23 Nov.
Check The Guide on theMusic.com.au for more details.
Album Reviews
Being the most fun person in the room must be a blessing and curse. When the pressure is on to have a good time, one can imagine everyone’s attention turning to Joyride: a ball of charisma, intelligence, melody, rhythm and arcane sporting trivia. Here, he reveals a little more of himself. Opener On The Level sets up the revelatory tone. In the past when our host has taken to the piano keys, he’s done so with a wink; letting us know that he’s in on the joke, and that piano crooning is played out. Here, the opposite is true. We are offered a promise, we receive an apology, and we are asked to contemplate. This is not the work of a prankster. Left’s Sarah Corry closes the reflection with conviction: “We’ll tear the door off the hinges and burn that fucker to the ground.” The achievement is not quite a Roosevelt quote, but for someone who has walked the line between searing musical engagements and public japes with The Meeting Tree, the development is clear. Critics cower, and the honest are courageous. Joyride is leaving behind those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. Throughout, our host proves his serious, grown-up credentials. Thanks to the internet, the word “epic” no longer means anything but Cut And Run, all swoon and synthy euphoria, does its best to give the word a little meaning. And the hook — the hook! — is a genuine, shining fistpump moment. Blue Batmans has a surprisingly welcome tinge of melancholy. In years past, if Joyride asked us to, “Imagine if you could
Joyride
Sunrise Chaser Dew Process / Universal
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pause one moment, “ we would have thought of a perfect party or a mind-altering experience of some kind. Here, again, we face a blast of genuineness, punctuated by melancholy and nostalgia. It amplifies the arresting melodic journey we’re taken on. Stay Awake is a layered treatise on loneliness and the comfort you take from watching the sunrise with your tired lover. But for a song which is essentially about the consequences of partying hard, it’s surprisingly moving. It works as a microcosm for the record with a moment of fun leading to a moment of introspection. And this is a fun record, for sure! But it carries with it the exquisite pain of yearning. In his Meeting Tree incarnation, Joyride was able to hide behind a sophisticated fañade; he could play the role. Here, we get the whole truth. The development is perhaps most clear on massive banger Kings And Queens, an ode to Sydney, and a dancefloor dirge for its failings. But, again, the silliness is window dressing. There is something profound going on here. When Joyride swoons, “All you fucken cops are gonna have to come and get me! “ it is not an empty joke or a cute brag. It is a glorious call to arms. We are to confront authority and embrace each other. For Joyride — on this record, as never before — having fun is serious business. Get this.
James d’Apice
Glades
Glitoris
Matt Corby
The Prodigy
Warner
Buttercup / MGM
Island / Universal
Take Me To The Hospital / BMG
To Love You
The Policy
Rainbow Valley
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Right from the start, the bubblegum pop melodies of Sydney’s Glades takes hold as Nervous Energy sets the stage for the group’s debut album To Love You. Navigating the waters of various types and stages of love, the album mixes atmospheric layers of synth with slick guitar riffs that turn out tasty tune after tune. Singer Karina Wykes’ celestial vocal harmonies bring a soft edge to the bed of heavy synths and crashing beats. To Love You is openly authentic and raw at its core, delivering the ups and downs of whirlwind loves with tracks you can’t help but dance along to.
It’s no secret that Glitoris is a band that has dealt out a whole heap of attitude in direct response to some pretty fucked up things that have happened over the past couple of years. Sonically, there’s a bunch of glitter thrown at classic punk rock with riffs that Joan Jett could easily have been playing and of course the influence of the glam rock movement of the early ‘70s and riot grrl movement of the ‘90s. Perhaps there are some operatic and musical theatre tendencies in there too. These influences pulsate through heavy distortion and force you to pay attention to lyrics that bite.
Emily Blackburn
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It feels like there should really be more albums under Matt Corby’s belt, given the bandying about of the young gent’s name and music this past near decade. His latest, Rainbow Valley, takes a silky stroll into a slightly more avant-garde realm with some splashes of psychedelic rock amidst his usual rootsy crooners and gospel-backed ballads. First single No Ordinary Life is a clear assertion of Corby shirking off expectations with its dreamy strings and uplifting lyrical journey. It’s a bold and refreshing proclamation to listeners old and new that the reins are firmly in his hands this time around.
It’s kinda nice that Liam Howlett is still hellbent on hanging with his mates and making explosive dance music. On first approach, things seem to be typically brash. Beats get smashed out like typewriters having a hissy fit, rebellious slogans get bellowed and various alarms are deployed accordingly to ward off anyone who accidentally stumbled in expecting him to be growing old gracefully. But what No Tourists is lacking is texture. With brick after brick being lobbed noisily through windows, there’s not a lot of room left for spray can art to at least make the walls look pretty.
Carley Hall
Lauren Baxter
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Album Reviews
Mac McNaughton
For more album reviews, go to www.theMusic.com.au
Drunk Mums
Imagine Dragons
Planningtorock
Dead Can Dance
Pissfart Records
KIDinaKORNER / Universal
Human Level / [PIAS]
[PIAS]
Urban Cowboy
Origins
Powerhouse
Dionysus
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Las Vegas four-piece, Imagine Dragons are back with their fourth album, Origins, and it seems like they wanted to create with no boundaries and make something different and new to them. With every album, Imagine Dragons have written infectious tracks that have left their mark on the music industry. On this album, Imagine Dragons have stepped out of their bubble and explored a new sound. However, the question is, was this the best thing for the band? The talent is there, the lyrics are perfect but the album is mediocre and doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression.
Jam Rostron returns with this luscious excursion into the sweetest synth-pop and seductive electro R&B vibes. While Planningtorock has a fierce reputation for producing experimental and political music, Powerhouse is perhaps Rostron’s most personal and accessible album to date. Working stuttering beats and staccato synths, Non Binary Femme is a gleaming futuristic piece of synth-pop that celebrates identity while twirling us around the dancefloor. A touch too much but offering so Much To Touch, Planningtorock delivers one of their most satisfying albums.
In ancient Greece, Dionysus was the god of winemaking and ritual madness. Not a bad person to have on your guest list and his influence can still be found in spring and harvest festivals throughout Europe, and in turn, Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry’s new album. Dionysus shows that Perry and Gerrard have recharged their batteries and slowly rediscovered their inspiration. One of those comeback albums which fools you into forgetting they were ever away.
Carley Hall
Aneta Grulichova
Guido Farnell
Psycroptic
The Ocean Party
The Smashing Pumpkins
EVP
Spunk
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The charm of Drunk Mums has always lain in their raucous live shows and their no-holds-barred ethos. Every album since their inception a few years back has been a hands-on affair and Urban Cowboy is of course no different, pieced together by the four Melbourne misfits in their committed and carefree way. Solid touring in between albums has sharpened some of the rough edges off their frenzied guitars but the same rambunctious chaos still remains. Gritty swagger is what Urban Cowboy dishes up from opening single Phantom Limb to its closer Ripper.
As The Kingdom Drowns
The Oddfellows’ Hall
Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun
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Having taken dizzying levels of technicality seemingly as far as possible while still remaining listenable via 2006’s Symbols Of Failure, recently Psycroptic has increasingly learnt the value of elements like groove and hooks. Essentially, writing actual songs and affording them room to breathe. While these facets are also prominent on the Tasmanian death metallers’ seventh fulllength, As The Kingdom Drowns is a veritable riff monster that proves to be remarkably consistent in its proverbial battering.
The Oddfellows’ Hall is the Wagga Wagga band’s ninth full-length effort in six years; a feat largely possible due to the democratic way the six members share songwriting duties throughout their records. The album features two songs from each of the players and while it’s not always easy to distinguish between their individual voices, their perspectives are united by a common tendency towards introspection — there’s even a Hamlet reference at one point. These songs continue to document and explore the young band members’ fears and insecurities regarding adulthood with a vulnerability that remains refreshing.
Brendan Crabb
Martha’s Music / Napalm Records
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Ok, let’s get it out of the way. That title is fucking awful and probably makes you think Billy Corgan still lives up his own gothic colon. He might well do but he’s redecorated and invited some of his oldest friends back and things are remarkably smashing. Legendary producer Rick Rubin wouldn’t have been cheap to procure but he’s brought out the best in everyone. Deliciously accessible yet acerbically Pumpkinsesque, Shiny is unexpectedly bright. Mac McNaughton
Roshan Clerke
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Christopher H James
Various VAST EMI
HHH A collection which was written in, and inspired by, the Western Australia Pilbara region, VAST features some impressive songwriters and performers. Overall the sound is relaxed and contemplative indie-folk straddled with country. Standouts include Alexander Gow’s Have A Little Faith (with a lovely hook and refrain); Glenn Richards’ creepy Cossack Tide (inspired by — and written in — a jail cell); Sally Seltmann’s rolling River River and Tyson Mowarin’s Best I Can. All proceeds from the record go back into music making in the area, so listen, contribute and help the creativity continue. Liz Giuffre
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The Australian Ballet: Spartacus Last month, a revolution began in Melbourne. Now it’s blazing a trail to Sydney. Created by Lucas Jervies, one of the hottest choreographic talents in Australia, this new production of Spartacus tells the story of a gladiator who defies the ruling classes, leading a revolt to save his love from enslavement and free his brothers in arms. And if you think ballet is all tutus and pointe shoes, this production begs to differ. Full of muscle-bound brawls, passionate romance and a sensational leading performance by Principal Dancer Kevin Jackson in the title role, Spartacus is a white-knuckle thrill ride of a show that quite literally pulls no punches.
From 9 Nov at Sydney Opera House
The best of The Arts in November
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The Japanese Film Festival Japan has one if the most vibrant film industries in the world, but opportunities to see these cinematic marvels are few and far between. Unless of course a whole festival comes along with a jaw dropping line-up like this one. From 15 Nov at Event Cinemas George Street
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Nick Cave Until No, it’s not the Nick Cave you’re thinking of. This stunning installation is the brainchild of one of America’s most significant living visual artists, and it’s his most ambitious to date, made up of thousands of found objects.
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From 23 Nov at Carriageworks
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Festival Of Dangerous Ideas Australia’s provocative ideas summit returns to grapple with the most contentious topics in the zeitgeist. Headline speakers this year include foppish raconteur Stephen Fry and ex-Westbro Baptist member Megan Phelps-Roper. From 3 Nov at Sydney Opera House
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Zoe Coombs-Marr Bossy Bottom Following the show’s barnstorming debut at this year’s MICF, the former Barry Awardwinning comic says ‘hooroo’ to her alter ego Dave to take the stand-up spotlight as herself. Part of this year’s Yack Festival. From 1 Nov at the Giant Dwarf
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Belvoir Theatre Company The Dance Of Death August Strindberg’s black comedy about a hopelessly dysfunctional marriage on an isolated island, directed by Judy Davis, features an all-star cast including Aussie theatre stalwarts Colin Friels and Pamela Rabe.
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From 10 Nov at Belvoir St Theatre
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Museum of Contemporary Art Primavera 2018 The annual showcase of young Australian artists aged 35 and under this year features eight emerging talents sourced from across the country. The show will explore concepts around identity in contemporary society. From 9 Nov at Museum Of Contemporary Art
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Film & TV Castle Rock
HHHH Airs from 12 Nov on Fox Showcase
Reviewed by Guy Davis
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tephen King is too much of a household name by now to ever go completely out of style, but the bestselling author of tales macabre, horrifying and just plain gross is currently somewhat in vogue. Adaptations of his work new and old on screens big and small are once again proving popular, and the Big Steve brand has such cachet that a whole new series inspired by - not adapted from - his work has been lovingly brought to life. Welcome to King country. Welcome to Castle Rock. The name of this chilling, captivating 10-episode limited-run series will of course ring a few bells with King aficionados - it’s the town in Maine that played host to the events of The Dead Zone, Cujo, The Mist and The Body (the novella that became Stand By Me ). But Castle Rock, while featuring a few characters and locations recurrent in the author’s work, is its own beast - an original tale in the King vein, replete with rich characterisations, disturbing twists and shifts and situations that rend the heart and chill the spine.
Various plotlines intersect and interweave throughout the series, but primarily it follows the return home to Castle Rock of Henry Deaver (Andre Holland), a lawyer with a sad and mysterious childhood, after the discovery of a young man imprisoned deep in the bowels of Shawshank State Penitentiary. Henry’s name is the only word said by the man - dubbed The Kid, and played by It ‘s Bill Skarsgard - and when Henry secures The Kid’s freedom, he also unleashes something malevolent that begins to infect the town and its people. Castle Rock always had its dark side, but now that dark side seems to be growing. There’s a bit of bloat in Castle Rock, but that’s to be expected from a story in the King tradition, isn’t it? And the latter stages take a weird-ass turn that may alienate some viewers. But this is a production put together with reverence for its inspiration (King fans will happily gorge on all the Easter eggs scattered throughout) and a strong desire to make its audience go to sleep with the lights on.
Suspiria
HHHH In cinemas from 8 Nov
Reviewed by Anthony Carew
“T
his isn’t for vanity!” howls an old, necrotic wretch, flesh sagging like a melting doll, barely kept alive by the blackest magic. This sunglasses-clad, almost-Jabba-esque figure has been wheeled out to watch a troupe of ballerinas strut their satanic stuff, occultist symbols depicted by way of dancers’ bodies. She’s witness to an elaborate witchcraft ritual, staged to keep a coven in youthful health and summon a demonic maternal figure from beyond the pale. “This,” she yelps, “is art!” It’s an exclamation pulling double-duty for Suspiria, a remake of Dario Argento’s 1977 giallo classic. This Suspiria is no mindless recreation, but a defiant work of art. It’s the work of a filmmaker, Luca Guadagnino, fresh off delivering a classic of his own, Call Me By Your Name. Rather than some horror fanboy out to pay homage to the past, Guadagnino has his own vision for this old story of a prestigious ballet academy built by witches. His Suspiria has Thom Yorke on the soundtrack, Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
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on the lens, Mia Goth in the cast, holocaust symbolism in the subtext, emotional heart in the drama, gloriously-beauty in the closing credits (No crawl! No white text on a black screen!), and a sprawling 152-minute running time. Many of those minutes are sunk into Suspiria ‘s sustained crescendo: a final-act freakout -see the opening para above- that goes way out there and keeps going. It’s the crowning moment of the movie, not just for its ridiculousness, but because it’s a work of fresh invention, unseen in the original. At that finale the film’s grey/brown visual palette -out to evoke a dreary Berlin winter in 1977, and the city’s Eastern Bloc milieusuddenly turns a surreal red, as if the whole frame has been drenched in blood. Guadagnino has previously been a photographic naturalist, even as his narratives oft courted melodrama, but here he throws his film into hyper-stylisation. This go-for-broke climax summons genuine ambition, not usually associated with safe cinematic remakes.
Just For Laughs Sydney
Things are about to get a whole lot funnier round here! We speak to the fest’s best jests ahead of their arrival Down Under
Fame and Fortune Maxim Boon catches up with American comedian, actor, writer and all-around gay icon Fortune Feimster, to learn about her humble rise to international stardom.
D
uring my research for this article I stumbled upon an interview with American comic Fortune Feimster from back in 2010. At the time a relatively unknown emerging talent on the New York stand-up circuit and a fresh alum of The Groundlings (one of the most highly regarded hotbeds of improv comedy in the US), the piece reveals Fortune as refreshingly humble, almost giddy with disbelief after receiving her first invitation from Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels to appear on his hit show. It paints a picture of a hard-grafting hopeful getting their first shot at the big time, of someone with plenty to prove but with even more determination to prove it. In the eight years or so since Feimster gave that interview, she’s more than made good on the promise of her early career. Landing her first major break on Chelsea Lately in 2013, appearing as a regular roundtable co-host on Chelsea Handler’s hugely popular late night talk show, she has gone on to successfully branch out from standup comic and TV talking head to in-demand comedy actor, appearing in some of America’s top sitcoms, including 2 Broke Girls, Glee, and most notably, Mindy Kaling’s The Mindy Project, as recurring character Colette Kimball-Kinney. Most recently she’s starred in heartwarming coming out-coming of age TV comedy Champions, created by Kaling and producer Charlie Grandy. But even now, with all the career landmarks of an internationally recognised star under her professional belt, as Feimster talks to me about maintaining the two sides of her career — on-screen and live performance — I’m struck by how humble she remains. “I get so much out of both for very different reasons. Stand-up will always be a love of mine because it’s the thing that got people to finally start noticing me. I went through quite a long period of people saying they didn’t get my comedy, that they didn’t get me as a performer,
and I just felt stuck. I didn’t know how to make my voice heard or understood,” she candidly shares. “So it wasn’t until I started doing stand-up that people really clicked with me and seemed to say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s what you’re about, we see where you’re coming from now.’ So, there’s a special place in my heart for stand-up because it feels kinda like homebase for me. I mean, I love acting — more than I thought I would in fact. When I started doing the Mindy Project, over the course of three years, it quickly became a passion. So, I hope I can continue to keep both things — stand-up and acting — going as long as I can.” Today, Feimster is perhaps best known to audiences outside her native US for her TV work, but her easy-going, down-to-earth nature is a very distinctive presence in her live performances. Her shtick on the stand-up stage has always involved an ample amount of self-deprecation -’ Feimster is ostensibly an insult comic who only takes aim at herself. It’s a comic style that’s hard to perfect; laughing at a comedian, instead of with them, can quickly curdle into an uncomfortable experience for an audience. But drawing on the push-pull dynamic between her Deep South upbringing (she’s a self-proclaimed “redneck”) and her more cosmopolitan identity as an out gay woman, Feimster has mastered the balancing act between these two polar ends of her personality. Such a fine-tuned way of cracking wise requires a lot of trial and error, she explains. “I mean, there’s a part of every stand-up’s life where they have to — I dunno if this is the best way to say this — but kinda suck a bit! You have to be prepared for jokes to crash and burn if you want to get better. And we all have an ego, but you have to put that aside for the greater good of comedy, you know?” Intentional sucking aside, when it comes to refining her stand-up Feimster has some of the best comedy sounding boards in the biz. “I’m very lucky that I have a lot of funny
“You have to be prepared for jokes to crash and burn if you want to get better.”
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people in my life. If anything, I’ve just tried to learn from them. Like Mindy and Chelsea are perfect examples, of just how hard you need to work if you want to be a success. Like, Mindy is constantly working on writing a show, being in a show, making a movie, and that’s like an average Tuesday for her. So that’s really shown me that to keep being a success, you’ve got to work, work, work.” While redneck ribbing – delivered in an authentically thick North Carolinian drawl – is still very much a part of her act, as her success has brought her to a more diverse audience, Feimster (who got engaged to her long-time girlfriend Jacquelyn Smith in January this year) has become an increasingly inspirational figure for the LGBTQIA+ community. With her characteristically modest tone, she tells me how this has brought a profoundly touching dimension to her life as a proudly queer celebrity. “It really started when I was on Chelsea Lately, because she is very popular with the gay community. So I would have some people come up to me at live performances and say, ‘I’ve never said this to anyone before, but I’m gay. I don’t know why I told you that, but I am, and I felt I could say it to you.’ Which is such a beautiful thing to experience,” she shares. “I was really taken back when it first happened because I just couldn’t get over the fact that someone had felt I was the person they could tell that to. And for me personally, that really means a lot because I wasn’t out for a really long time, and I had no one I could tell for a really long time, so if someone feels I’m a safe place for them to come to terms with that, I’m just so honoured.” I suggest that once you’ve been a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, as Feimster was in 2017, you’re pretty much a gay icon for life. “Oh yeah! I hadn’t thought of it like that,” she replies. Somehow, it doesn’t surprise me.
Fortune Feimster plays Just For Laughs, 21 Nov at the Sydney Opera House
Going off script In anticipation of the upcoming Whose Line Is It Anyway? national tour, Guy Davis catches up with the show’s longtime star Brad Sherwood to discuss the art of improv.
I
mprovisation may appear to be the kind of thing attempted only by those quick of wit and free of inhibition. But while you may not realise it, you yourself have probably improvised a fair bit already in the course of going about your day today. From the seemingly mundane chat you had with your friendly neighbourhood barista, to the dramatic swerve you made to avoid hitting that jaywalking pedestrian with your car, you’re reacting to what’s around you. That’s improv, baby. But don’t take it from us. Take it instead from Brad Sherwood, who’s been making comedy off the cuff for decades now as one of the key players on the much-loved improvcomedy TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, not to mention a variety of other comedy programs and showcases, and is this month coming to Australia alongside comedy cohorts Colin Mochrie and Greg Proops for a series of live improv gigs. Warning: there will be audience participation. “Improv is a heightened and comedic version of what you and I are doing right now,” Sherwood says during our interview. “Everything you and I are saying is an organic response to what we’re saying to each other. It’s what we as humans do all the time — we improvise. So our comedy is just a funny version of what your brain does all day long.” A very valid point by Sherwood here, but his form of improv is far more entertaining than yours or mine I dare say, so let’s focus on him, a kid who grew up inhaling Mad magazine and the TV comedy of the ‘60s and ‘70s — “I just wanted to digest as much comedy as I possibly could” — while acting in school plays and eventually studying drama at college. Upon graduating, Sherwood made his way to Los Angeles to act professionally and hooked up with an improv group. That changed everything. “It was kind of like that magical instrument someone hands you that you were born to play,” he says. “Like I’d been messing around on my guitar and someone said to me, ‘Yeah, that’s called the blues — here are some albums.’ ‘Oh, wow, this is amazing! ‘ When you’re a funny person and you’re trying to make your friends laugh using what’s going around you, you’re basically already doing improv on a very fundamental
level. But once I took classes and workshops to figure out the rules and structure of it, I was like, ‘Wow, this is what I’ve loved doing my whole life.’ It was a cathartic moment to realise there was a formal art form that existed around it.” Various comedy and acting gigs followed (and his working relationships with Mochrie and Proops along with them), but it was landing a spot on the cast of the UK version of Whose Line? back in the early ‘90s that really got things moving for Sherwood. “I got in touch with the Whose Line? producers through Ryan Stiles [a Whose Line? veteran], who told me the British producers were coming to LA to find new performers,” he recalls. “I went to audition, and it was a long, gruelling, all-day process but I somehow made it onto the show and I’ve been doing it ever since.” Something Sherwood found from travelling to the UK to be a cast member for three years was that improv was essentially a universal skill. “When I went to London to do the show, I was just so excited to have gotten on it, having seen it, but it wasn’t much of a culture shock,” he says. “There’s kind of a universality to audiences, even though they have different cultural references depending on where they’re from or where they’re at in life. But improv is such a fun comedy form — super goofy yet super clever — and we do walk the line between very silly and very intelligent. We say some smart things and act like complete buffoons. Nothing is sacred, and we can locate anyone’s funny bone because we cast such a wide net.” And the same goes for Sherwood’s own enjoyment of the art form. When it comes to the ‘games’ played by himself and his fellow improvisers, he’s equally partial to singing games because of the degree of difficulty — “you’re keeping so many plates spinning by rhyming, doing justice to the singer or the style, staying in key and simply making sense” — and games involving props because they’re just so juve-
nile. “You’re running the permutations of taking this one object and coming up with 50 different ways of using it.and invariably they’re penis jokes,” he deadpans. Sherwood, Mochrie and Proops will be hitting the bulk of Australia’s capital cities from mid-November, and while the trio has been working together in one formation or another for a long, long while now, Sherwood says they all retain the ability to surprise one another with their improv skills. “My job is to say whatever pops into my mind and their job is to say whatever pops into their minds,” he explains. “So we’re constantly reacting, and on any given day either one of them is going to have an entirely different reference or even an attitude based on how they’re feeling that day — their own personality can affect the way they’re improvising. You can’t just think, ‘Well, if I do this, Colin’s going to do this.’ No, I’m surprised every time something comes out of someone’s mouth. “We’ll figure out which games we’ll want to play on a particular night, and that will change from night to night as we go through the tour. So Colin and I will do this, Greg and Colin will do that, Greg and I will do something else, then maybe all three of us will do another game. The fun thing is that it’s always exciting. Because we don’t know what is going to happen, other than this little menu of games we’re going to play, everything is completely contingent upon what the audience says, does and reacts to. You can’t rest on your laurels when the stakes are that high — you have to go out and play at the top of your wits.”
“Our comedy is just a funny version of what your brain does all day long.”
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Whose Line Is It Anyway? tours from 18 Nov.
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Newtown Festival Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Newtown Festival returns once again to Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. It’s another big day of music, art, literature, markets, food and, of course, the dog show. Performing live on the day will be the likes of K.I.M, Exhibitionist, Motherfunk, Nooky, Palms, Dappled Cities and many more. Aside from all those highlights, it is, of course, the primary fundraiser for the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, which provides support services to the local community across issues such as homelessness, domestic violence and mental illness. The festival takes place 11 Nov.
Photo: Thandiwe Gudu (Motherfunk), K.I.M., Nooky (with Ziggy in front), Exhibitionist (with Burgs), Al Grigg (Palms, with Brian Furry). Photo by Josh Groom, assisted by Damien Stacey.
Straight from the Newtown musos’ mouths Here are a few of the acts on the Newtown Festival to give us some insights on the festival and Newtown itself. Newtown Festival takes place 11 Nov at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park
K.I.M What’s your favourite memory of Newtown Festival? “I remember playing the Newtown Festival with my first band Prop about 20 years ago and it was an awesome set on a stunning day. Lots of fun.”
Tim Derricourt (Dappled Cities) What’s your favourite memory of the Newtown Festival? “It’s gotta be the dog show. Pugs! Frenchies! Staffies! Just non stop joy. I love seeing a proud pug prancing around.”
Mike Solo (Furnace & The Fundamentals) What would be your entry into the dog show? “Our guitarist Digby, disguised as a Bichon Frise with a resemblance to ELO’s Jeff Lynne.”
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Thandi Gudu (Motherfunk) Lots of suburbs put on festivals, but Newtown Festival is always particularly huge — why do you think that is? “It’s Newtown baby, we go hard or go home!”
Al Grigg (Palms) Ollie Thorpe
What is it about the Inner West that inspires so much creativity?
Of all the food stalls on offer at the Festival, which do you reckon is one we should definitely check out and why?
“I think it’s made creative by all the artistic/culturally interested people that live there. Without sounding like a wanker, living in that bubble I often take for granted how much of an incredibly tolerant place it is. Anything goes and you can be whatever the hell you like. That’s cool.”
“I love Yulli’s brews and consequently their veggie restaurant on Crown street is bloody fantastic! I’m not a vegetarian but that place has my vote anytime of the week!”
Madeleine Mallis (Jackie Brown Jr) Lots of suburbs put on festivals, but Newtown Festival is always particularly huge — why do you think that is? “The amount of work that the team behind the festival puts in is monumental, and the food/music/stalls they have booked for years in the past is a testament to that. They know how to create a fun, relaxed and community vibe.”
James McKendry (Pirra) Favourite spot at the festival to chill and watch the world go by? “I like the stage near the Courthouse. You can usually get a patch of grass there if you’re there early and it’s a great perch for watching bands. It’s also nice and close to food and beers.”
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Photos by Hayden Nixon
Following the recent release of their album Pray
For The Wicked, Panic! At The Disco returned to Australia for some stadium shows, supported by E^ST, who easily stepped up to the big stage.
“Brendon Urie scrambled on top of his piano, did a backflip and weirdly thrusted, always smizing at the camera and the adoring front row.” – Hannah Story
Meg Mac
Panic! At The Disco @ Qudos Bank Arena.
The Hot Potato Band
E^ST
For the latest live reviews go to theMusic.com.au
Lost Picnic @ The Domain. Photos by Simone Fisher. Despite the inclement
“The whole set played out like a one-person jam session, with Tash Sultana showcasing their diverse musical talents – shredding on a mandolin one moment then beatboxing with pan pipes the next.” – Madelyn Tait
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weather, punters still turned out to attend the relaxed atmo-
sphere of Lost Picnic
with Tash Sultana, Meg Mac, The Hot Potato
Band and more for a
self-described bohemian outdoor music experience.
This month’s highlights What you naid
Fisher’s Gig returns for its 20th anniversary in Campbelltown this 3 Nov at Bradbury Park. Headlining are Bootleg Rascal, THE VANNS and RACKET, as well as local headliners Gravity Stone, Brunette Drive and many more. Entry is free and is suitable for all ages.
Bootleg Rascal
Diana Anaid
For her last NSW show of 2018, rock artist Diana Anaid will return to a venue dear to her heart, the Brass Monkey. If you’re keen for a night of acoustic, intimate tunes, be sure to catch her on 15 Nov.
Quite the catch
Two is better than one
Two People
Two of Australia’s biggest names in electronic music, Lucianblomkamp and Two People, are teaming up and headed for the Oxford Art Factory, fresh off their newest albums. Be sure to see the dynamic duo this 17 Nov.
Katchafire
Milk! Records is throwing a party and you’re all invited. The Milk! Records Party will be showcasing new albums from Loose Tooth, Evelyn Ida Morris, the debut album of Jade Imagine and topped off with the East Brunswick All Girls Choir. Be sure to get your daily calcium requirement on 9 Nov at the Leadbelly in Newtown.
Sampa The Great
Calcium and cheer
Fired up Katchafire are teaming up with fellow reggae sensation EarthKry for an Australiawide trip. This 9 Nov the roots-reggae band from NZ is bringing their Legacy Love Today Tour to the Metro Theatre, alongside Te Mana and Vili Langi.
Not a bureau birthday Celebrating 15 years of broadcasting, FBi Radio is holding a birthday celebration with some of Australia’s best music. FBi Turns 15 will run on 3 Nov at Sydney’s Manning House, featuring a line-up including Cloud Control, TFS, Sampa The Great and heaps more.
The 2018 Sydney Irish Festival is a celebration of all things Irish showcasing traditional Irish dance and music with hurling clinics, market stalls, comedy, face painting, marching bands, buskers, amusement rides, player autograph sessions and plenty of family friendly activities right across the weekend of 10 & 11 Nov at Sydney Showgrounds.
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Hurling
Evelyn Ida Morris
Luck of the Irish
Valve 871 George street, Sydney City BASEMENT
THU 1ST 8PM
GRINDHEAD RECORDS PRESENTS
“ABBADON INCARNATE” (IRE)
valvebar@gmail.com BASEMENT
SAT 10TH 8PM
WITH “WOUNDED PIG”, “DARK HORSE”, “FRAME 313”, “BLOODBOMB”, “MAGGOT CAVE”
BASEMENT
FRI 2ND 8PM
LEVEL ONE
FRI 2ND 10PM
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SAT 3RD 8PM
LEVEL ONE
SAT 3RD 10PM
BASEMENT
SUN 4TH 5PM
BASEMENT
WED 7TH 8PM
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THU 8TH 8PM
BASEMENT
FRI 9TH 9PM
LEVEL ONE
FRI 9TH 10PM
THE ELEMENTS OF TECH AND BASS FREE PARTYV
WITH THIERRY D, ATTAKA, EKZIK, BASS WINDU, NOHMUS, HANDSPIRME, WEBSTA MC, ELLA MC, BENNY BLANCO CADENCE FRIS PRESENTS
#5
WITH ALLSTAR CAST
KANINO & JAMES ZOUDY HOSTED BY LOUI YOUI WITH SUPPORT GRUNDY, KEV HANNIBAL, TIMBA AND MANY MORE
BUKIMI DREAMING OF DRAGONS
FEAT LITTLE RAVEN, ACIDTRIXX, MR FRESH, VELD AND MANY MORE
SUN SESH
WITH “HARD AS FOLK”, “NOON SHIFT”, “COLOURFUL REALITY”, “THE BEGINNING”, “DEED EYE CURRENCY”
“STARVING MILLIONS” (NZ)
LEVEL ONE
SAT 10TH 10PM
BASEMENT
THE SHOWCASE TOUR (USA)
BASEMENT
FRI 16TH 9PM
BORED ALTERNATIVE CLUB NIGHT
CRUISE CONTROL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS
NIGHT OF TECHNO SPECTRUM
BASEMENT
ABSORBED IN BASS
WITH ELECTRONIC, INDIE, POP FROM 2000’S
SAT 17TH 9PM
FEAT TACTICAL ASPECT WITH A.L.F., DEVIANT, DETOUR, MUNK
LEVEL ONE
ELEVATE: NIGHT OF TRANCE
SUN 18TH 5PM
FEAT A-TRIP, ALTUM, ASYSIS, GOGS, STAN, STEPHEN HEALY WITH “SILENCE THE UNKNOWN” AND MANY MORE
“TSAR GREEN”
BASEMENT
“BULLSHIRT” PRESENTS
THU 22ND 8PM
FEAT MUSIC BY KORN/ SLIPKNOT/DEFTONES/LINKIN PARK/TOOL/SYSTEM OF A DOWN AND MANY MORE
“ORGANECTOMY” (NZ)F
FRI 23RD 8PM
WITH “BLADE OF HORUS”, “BLOODBOMB”, “GUTTER TACTIC” H.D.O. PRESENTS
LEVEL ONE
RAVE OF THE YEAR
FRI 23RD 10PM
WITH INTERNATIONAL AND INTERSTATE ARTISTS
EAST WEST DEATH GRIND FEST
BASEMENT
SAT 24TH 1PM
WITH “CRUCIFORM”, “BLIGHT WORMS (ACT)” , “CONTAMINATED (VIC)”, “SUPPRESSANT” , “BURIAL CHAMBER”, “METH LEPPARD (S.A)”, “HORRISONOUS” , “JOHN HOWARD”, “POWERXCHUCK (S.A)”, “THE PLAGUE”, “GOLGOTHAN REMAINS”, “HEATHEN SPAWN”, “MAGGOT CAVE”, “DEIFORMITY”, “ ZALOST”, “FAT MONICA”
LEVEL ONE
MADCHILD (CANADA)
BASEMENT
SYDNEY MUSIC COLLECTIVE PRESENTS
SAT 24TH 10:30PM
SUN 25TH 5PM
WITH URSA 13, BADMATH X JOHNIEPEE, JOEY MAKER, 2FACE, 316 X FURZS X SCUMCITY, T-WREKZ X CEE
“PETER COUNTY”, “THE VEGAS NERVES”, “DAVID HARROD”, “JUST A NUMBER” SPACE_BAR TAFE SHOWCASE
BASEMENT
WED 28TH 7PM
WITH OVER 30 ARTISTS SHOWCASING ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION
“NOT THE ENEMY”
BASEMENT
WED 21ST 8PM
DIRTHOUSE AGENCY PRESENTS
BASEMENT
WITH MAJOR PRIZES TO BE WON BY 30 CONTESTANTS
LEVEL ONE
FRI 16TH 10PM
www.valvebar.com.au
“DURING THE FALL” DEBUT
BASMENET
THU 15TH 8PM:
BASEMENT
WITH “SHAPKA”, “CANINE”, “TALC”, “TOCSIN”
PSYCHEDELIC REVOLUTION SAINT
WITH “ALL GET OUT”, “BURNT SOULS”, “GLYDD”
“ASBESTOS REMOVAL” PRESENTS
“HARAM” (NYC)
DEEPSPACE EVENTS PRESENTS
SUN 11TH 5PM
SAT 17TH 10PM
WITH SUPPORT FROM “BLACKLIGHT SATELLITE”, “AVALLON’S PEAK”
SYDNEY’S PREMIER ALTERNATIVE CLUB NIGHT FEATURING BEST ALTERNATIVE DJ’S AND PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED BY IAN ASTBURY OF “CULT”
WITH SAINT WITCH, AMAZONIXX, DROID ASSEMBLY, DJ INCEPTAGON, TRIEX, VERTICAL TRANSPORT, MIGAL QQ
WITH SUPPORT FROM “DISPARO”, “DARK HORSE”, “ROOTED”, “MAGGOT CAVE”
INDIE SHOW
SANCTUARY WITH A TWIST,
BAR & VENUE
WITH SUPPORT FROM SPECIAL GUESTS
PUNK SHOW
WITH “THE DARENS”, “MIMI THE DESERT PEARL”, “DIRTY MINDSETS”
BASEMENT
“VANQUISHED KINGDOM”
BASEMENT
DTH PRESENTS
THU 29TH 8PM
WITH SUPPORT FROM “BUCKSHOT HOOLIGANS” AND FIENDS
NIGHT OF DEEP TECHNO HOUSE
FRI 30TH 8PM
WITH MRSARPA, LAZAR, SHARM PILLAY LINSKIEZ PRESENTS
LEVEL ONE
BIRTHDAY BASH RAVE
FRI 30TH 10PM
For band bookings please email valvebar@gmail.com
WITH DJS ADVERZE, DEVIOUZ, VENDETTA 7, PARANOIZ, LINSKIEZ
facebook.com/valvebarsydney
PRESENTED BY ELEFANT TRAKS, WME AND THE MUSIC
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CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF ELEFANT TRAKS
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Spring has well and truly sprung! So, it’s the perfect time to get your shizz together and give your life a good spit and polish. Here are just a few handy tips to get you started (plus some grubby celebs, just cos).
P
IZ
Z
A
Clean dreams
P I Z Z A
Pic: Felicity Case-Mejia
How to Love The Shit Out Of Life
by Sally-Anne Hurley
Recommended for: Young people who are getting sick of the millennial obsession with ironic depression memes.
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life... And Maybe The World
by William H McRaven
Recommended for: Anyone who thinks the Navy is dope and has trouble setting and achieving life goals. With Professor Jordan Peterson’s “Clean your room!” slogan quickly achieving meme status and the release of Admiral William H McRaven’s Make Your Bed, you’ve gotta wonder what’s next. Tony Robbins’ Mop The Floor? Joe Rogan’s Replace The Lint Filter? Anyway, this book, written by a former Navy Seal, is full of very effective and direct advice which any average, non-workaholic person is bound to find helpful. Admiral McRaven is a real Navy Seal, unlike a certain governor and Predator cast member, so you know it’s obvious that he knows what he’s on about.
Got a problem? There’s a book for that! We take a look at the self-help manuals that can help you read yourself to a better life.
There’s big money to be made when you capture the attention of any demographic who finds swear words naughty and exciting, it seems. In this book, self-confessed non-professional and vampire enthusiast Sally-Anne Hurley draws from personal anecdotes and humorous observations to offer us some advice on overcoming the daily struggle. Born and raised in the South Western suburbs of Sydney, we reckon that anyone who grew up in the same area as Kerser should have plenty to share when it comes to tackling adversity.
The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck
Recommended for: Cluttered hoarders of both the physical and mental variety.
Recommended for: Honest folks who don’t mind thinking outside of the box.
Recommended for: Financially clueless individuals who find footwear to be too constraining.
Gullible suburban Aussies have a long history of believing something might be special and magical just because it’s from another country. But Japan’s Marie Kondo, a professional cleaner and expert in the art of decluttering, is the real deal when it comes to tackling this issue. Kondo’s path to a successfully tidy home and mind lies in the belief that negative mess should be dealt with in a quick and allat-once kind of manner. Her “once cleaned, never-messy again” philosophy has proved so popular that she’s even got a Netflix show in the works. Read this one now so you can complain to your friends about “how the book was so much better than the film” later.
Let’s be real for a minute here: most of us are definitely not all that special. Barney, that purple bastard, lied to us and although that may hurt, bigname blogger Mark Manson, fortunately, has the answer. Believing that realistic expectations and understanding our limitations is the key to living a happier life, Manson’s book is an inspirational and motivating read that’s been killing it on the charts for a while now. It’s about time that blind, stickyour-head-in-the-sand positivity died. The slightly edgy title is a bit corny, probably marketed towards oldies who find the F-bomb to be “cheeky”. But who gives a fuck, eh?
Most of us here at The Music are pretty hopeless with money. “Feel like a coffee mate?”, “Aw nah, I’m broke,” is a common exchange that you’re likely to hear in our office. We blame fancy consumer electronics, streaming service memberships and Deliveroo for our empty wallets, but whatever the cause, clearly it’s time we took the financial advice found in this book. It’s all simple, but honestly effective, step-by-step stuff that’s easy to follow and stick to. This little Aussie book is flying off the shelves both here and internationally and the latest print includes many updates that keep the 2018 economy in mind.
Shelf help
by Marie Kondo
by Mark Manson
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The Barefoot Investor
by Scott Pape
Hoarder patrol Two things in life are certain, people like to own things, and some celebs have too much money. But what happens when you take a famous figure’s bottomless bank account and combine it with some good ol’ fashioned kleptomania? You’ve got yourself a celebrity hoarder, baby! Here are a few of the weirdest celebrities who could use a little spring cleaning in their lives. P ic
Jack White
: Ja mes S
A man once described by Noel Gallagher as looking like “Zorro
wan son
Digital detox
on doughnuts”, we expected Jack White to have a collection of antique suspenders or pork pie hats, but apparently not. The home of the former White Stripes frontman is reportedly
In our all-consuming world of all-consuming media, it’s sometimes hard to take a break and enjoy things IRL. So, maybe it’s time for you to consider a little digital detox? We’re not here to preach about some idealistic community where everyone throws their phone in a pond and never looks at a screen again. But here’re some ways you can step away from the device if you want to.
filled with stuffed animals. That is, the disembowelled, sawdust filled, taxidermied kind of stuffed animal, not the Care Bears kind. It’s fun to think of White coming home after a long day at the studio and serenading his lifeless, woodland buddies with We’re Going To Be Friends.
Nicolas Cage Ah, Nicolas Cage: part actor, part hoarder of weird crap, all meme. In addition to recklessly spending his money on the normal luxuries of Bavarian castles and yachts, Cage has also
Set some boundaries
become notorious for purchasing oddities like a shrunken head collection and the skull of a dinosaur. Sounds like someone is getting into necromancy! Other peculiarities in Cage’s
If the thought of logging out for a whole day is just too much to bear, maybe consider taking just a little bit of time off. Maybe it’s a point of setting yourself a time to log out of everything each day — let’s be realistic, you’re not going to turn your phone every night because who actually owns an alarm clock anymore?
posession include a pyramid shaped tomb, a stupidly expensive Superman #1, two albino king cobras, the mansion of an English serial killer and the Shah of Iran’s Lamborghini. With his bank account looking grim, Cage is understandably taking any film role he can get to pay off his epic debts.
Day break
Johnny Depp
You know the feeling when you actually wake up at a reasonable hour on a Sunday morning? Now, imagine how good you would feel if you didn’t spend the next, however many minutes (or hours), scrolling through your phone and wasting the day away. Maybe it’s time to consider a Social Media Free Sunday? Yep, that’s right, logging out on Saturday night and then not tapping back in until Monday morning. Just think how much more you could get done in a day.
No matter how hot you think someone is, you’ve got to admit that spending $30,000 a month on wine is just a touch excessive. So is firing Hunter S Thompson’s ashes out of a cannon, but we’ll leave that in the past. An avid collector of Barbie dolls, Johnny Depp’s never-ending bromance with Tim Burton means that his spooky collection of children’s playthings is reportedly monstrous in size. Remember that episode of The Simpsons where we learn that Smithers has an obsession
The good book
with Malibu Stacey? We imagine that Depp is kind of like that but with eyeliner and a bandana. See you at BarbieCon, bro.
Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to read more books? And how many books have you actually ticked off the list this year? Find yourself something that will have you totally engrossed, and hopefully, it will be enough to encourage you to put the phone down, even for a few chapters.
Edith Beale and Edith Beale Now before you get all sweaty and angry over a Facebook
Check, check, check it out
message to us, we’d just like to clarify that this title is not a typo. Edith Beale and Edith Beale were two formerly upperclass hermits who happened to be the respective aunt and
Consider checking yourself before checking yourself in — meaning actually log the fuck out. Once you have actually logged out of your most troublesome/time consuming accounts, chances are you’ll realise how often you really go to look at them (and be terrified of how often you say you don’t have time for stuff when you see how much time you actually spend looking at baby goats each day).
The Music
first cousin of a Mrs Jackie Kennedy Onassis. The subjects of 1975 documentary, Grey Gardens, the Beale’s lived in a decrepit, trash-filled mansion which also happened to have a full-sized tree growing through the middle of it. On the bright side, that tree must have been mighty convenient come Christmas time.
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Mullum Music Festival From the music to mentors, we take a look at the upcoming Mullum Music Festival.
A word to the wise We get the mentors from Mullum Music Festival’s Youth Mentorship Program to share with us one piece of advice they got themselves early on in their careers from a mentor that they’ve carried through to this day.
M
ullum Music Festival’s Youth Mentorship Program returns in 2018 for its ninth year. It pairs up young
emerging artists under 19 with established
Soul survivor Osaka Monaurail ‘s singer/director Ryo Nakata chats with Bryget Chrisfield about meeting the Godfather Of Soul before going on to work with a member the James Brown Revue, the late, great “Soul Sister No. 1” Marva Whitney.
I
t’s “summer vacation time” in Japan when we touch base with Ryo Nakata and the OsakaMonaurail singer/director reveals, “This is the week when our ancestors come back from the place where they are now. We celebrate that and then we have to go to the cemetery and, you know, go to the temple.” When asked whether there is a musical element to these celebrations, Nakata offers, “It’s kinda like a quiet thing. Well, there is a very long, big bell sound, which was boooooooong and that’s the only music that we have for that celebration.” After admitting he remembers “really clearly” what turned him onto music in the first place, Nakata recalls, “When I was a teenager — I think I was 16 then — there was a TV commercial for a whiskey company in Japan featuring Ray Charles and he was singing his classic, ‘[sings] What’d I say,’ with a modern arrangement — what people call new jack swing, the rhythm. And I was like, ‘Wow! What is this?’ That moment — it really moved me, it blew me away and it just made me make that quick decision right there, you know, ‘This is the thing that I’m gonna do,’ so, yeah!” Nakata has definitely got the funky moves and channels James Brown’s showmanship so we’re curious to find out whether he was lucky enough to experience the late, great “Godfather Of Soul” live. “Yes,” he confirms straight away. “I think the first show that I went to was in 1993 in Osaka, just right after he got out of the jail. And the first time that I met him — I think it was 2003 and I went to the backstage and waited, waited, waited and there was James Brown! And I was like, ‘Ah, what’s happening, Mister Brown? The show was great!’ And he said, ‘[perfectly impersonates Brown] Uh, you liked it, uh?’ And then we shook hands. That was it,” he chuckles before adding, “I didn’t really wanna meet him, because what am I gonna tell him? ‘I’m the biggest fan and I have all your records’? [laughs again] I didn’t wanna say that.” Given his self — described Brown fandom, it must have been mind — blowing for Nakata when OsakaMonaurail
toured as backing band for Marva Whitney from the James Brown Revue, also producing an album [I Am What I Am ] with this supreme vocalist who was famously labelled “Soul Sister Number One” by Brown. When asked to share some tales from his time working with Whitney, Nakata contemplates (“I have many stories to tell — oh, what am I gonna tell you?”) before unleashing a string of fond memories: “I have to say this: she basically got outta the music industry in 1970. She had a few records out in the early ‘70s, but they didn’t do very well so she was havin’ a good time with James Brown, flyin’ in a private jet and stuff in 1969/in the 1970s, but she got outta there and then she kinda got back on the scene. So, like, everything that she knew was from the ‘60s. So all the lessons that I learnt from her were, like, music industry rules from the ‘60s; so that was very exciting, too. “There was one time I was in Okinawa and we were expecting a rain storm, so we were not really expecting a big crowd on that night... Marva said, ‘Oh, why don’t you call the General?’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ She said, ‘Why don’t you call the General in Okinawa base and tell him that Marva Whitney’s here?’ I said, ‘Oh, no’,” he bursts out laughing. “But, you know, the thing is, like, James Brown would do that, yeah. If James Brown was in Okinawa, he would call the General in Okinawa so that’s what she was talkin’ about. “Unfortunately she passed away in 2012. I went to her funeral in Kansas City and I said a last goodbye, and then I met her family and I’m still in touch with the family. “On the day that I arrived in Kansas City, Marva’s nephew came to the airport to pick me up and he said, ‘At the funeral, they’re gonna have a lot of things like in the movies.’ And I said, ‘Oh yeah?’ And then when I actually attended the funeral, it was much more than what you would see in movies.” Was there live music? “Live, live, live, exciting, exciting, chilling, chilling, chilling celebration of home — grown gospel music,” Nakata reminisces. “I will never forget that. That was one of the biggest musical experiences in my life. “And her song calledI Am What I Am, produced by OsakaMonaurail, was selected for the music for the TV commercial of Ford in the United States and then actually I made some money from them. I was very proud that I could bring some money to the [Whitney] family as well, you know, and everybody was surprised, like, ‘Wow!’ And people kept calling me and sending me messages, from all the friends and everyone. ‘Oh, my god, I heard the music! Isn’t it Marva singing?’/’Oh yes!’” When it’s suggested that Whitney must surely be smiling down on him, Nakata concurs, “She will be smiling up there, yes.”
artists on the festival line-up, for some oneon-one time rehearsing, performing and just talking. This year the mentors helping to encourage and nurture the emerging talent are Husky, Lior, Shelly Brown and William Crighton.
Husky Husky Gawenda: “I started writing songs in my early teens. My dad, who is a great
journalist and author used to tell me that if you want to be a writer, you have to read a lot and write a lot. It’s like anything, it takes practice. It’s a given that to play an instrument well one has to put in many hours of practice, but we often think that writing should just come naturally. Write, he said, songs and poems and stories, it doesn’t matter what, just write. And when you’ve run out of things to say and you don’t know what to write, he said, that’s when the best things come, there’s no ego, no expectations, just a blank page and the abyss.” Gideon Preiss: “As a teenager, I was
obsessed with a piano player called Michael Jacobs. He was a few years older than me and I used to think to myself that I’d never be able to play that well. My teacher at the time, one of the great mentors in my life, put his arm around one day and said, ‘Don’t worry about what Michael’s doing man, you’re your own person, your own musician.’ I’d never told my teacher how much I loved Michael’s playing, he just knew. This was the first time I’d thought about how important it was was to find your own voice, your own sound,
Osaka Monaurail tour from 15 Nov.
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and that whatever you did, it needed to be authentic and come from the right place.”
Silent sisters Following the release of their debut record, Shape Of Silence, Gemma Doherty from Saint Sister speaks toAnthony Carew about the advantages of starting a band with a stranger, the power of musical silence and the bond of growing up with Irish music.
Lior “Best piece of advice was simply to above all else focus on and enjoy the creative process. There are so many things that need to get done, particularly as an independent artist, that it is all too easy to push the creative stuff aside until later. Always remember why you got into this in the first place and protect
Pic: Lucy Foster
that creative time and space.”
Shelly Brown “The most helpful advice I was given was to be prolific. Don’t let circumstance, technology or criticism hold you back from creating the thing you love. Where there’s a will there’s a way, and whatever can go wrong, will go wrong; but looking back and being proud is a way better feeling than looking ahead and wishing you could. Start with one step, get on your horse and figure out your idea of art. And find people who’ll get on your jam for a little or a long time. Your community will support you on the long nights and make the hard bits worth their while.”
William Crighton “Don’t turn to the record industry or radio to inform your creative choices — you will die inside, they are followers and money is their only motive, if money is yours, I can’t help you. Listen to the whole world around you, follow your gut and be true to yourself. Have faith in the current that runs through you and keep learning. Anguish and sorrow will arrive but they will depart. There is no end destination, you are living now, live.” — Raymond Louis Kennedy, friend and early mentor.
Mullum Music Festival takes place from 15 — 18 Nov.
W
hen Saint Sister formed in Dublin in 2014, they didn’t know each other. Harpist/vocalist Gemma Doherty and keyboardist/vocalist Morgan MacIntyre shared plenty in common: not just mutual friends, but the fact that each was from Northern Ireland (Doherty from Derry, MacIntyre from Belfast), having moved to Dublin to study music. But when the latter approached the former with the idea of starting a band, it came out of the blue. “We really didn’t know each other, at all, to begin with,” recounts Doherty. “So, there wasn’t a friendship that we were trying to turn into something else. The beginning of the whole thing was the songs, was the music. Not having an existing friendship made it easier to just jump in there, at first. We had nothing to lose if it didn’t stick. But, it became quite clear, quite quickly, early on, that the two of us were clicking.” MacIntyre had been playing, around Dublin, as a solo singer — songwriter, but was looking for a band. Doherty, having studied contemporary — classical composition, was coming from a different angle. In the other, they found reassurance that what they were doing was good. “Instead of just investing in yourself, you’re investing in another person, which makes it instantly validating,” Doherty offers. “If you’re on your own, it can be hard to convince yourself that what you’re doing is good enough, but it’s very easy for me to think what Morgan is doing is great, regardless of my involvement.” Four years later, things have changed. Though they may not have known each other to start, Doherty says that they’ve “spent pretty much every day together since”, creating “quite an intense dynamic”. After all those years together, they’ve finally arrived at their debut LP, Shape Of Silence, which captures the band’s mixture of folk and electronic elements. One of the advance singles from the album was called, notably, Twin Peaks, with many connecting the ethereal sound of the song to the show. Many except Doherty herself, who’d never seen it when MacIntyre first came up with its lyrics, and title. “I intentionally didn’t watch [the show] ‘til the song was finished,” confesses Doherty. “Because, that way, I had no preconception of Twin Peaks [the show] and its soundscape.”
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Shape Of Silence, as a title, suggests both the record’s soundscape and its theme. “The name felt fitting,” Doherty explains, “because, musically, there’s a lot of space, and, thematically, it’s thinking a lot about what can be said when you’re not saying anything at all, or what can be read between the lines. The power of silence, and the weight that it can hold. At the beginning, it’s a little bit more upbeat; it’s almost conspiratorial, like two people in conversation with each other. And, then, as it moves through the record, musically, it fragments a bit; and, lyric — wise, the songs become a bit more lonely, and a bit more isolated. So the record itself has shape, and works with the different qualities of silence.” As a duo, Saint Sister’s music, compositionally, works a lot with space. “There’s a lot of power in what’s not being heard, or using the power of silence, or the simplicity of an arrangement,” she says. As a harpist, Doherty takes influence from the composers — Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Philip Glass — she loved at school (“the minimalist movement was the first thing I studied that really spoke to me”) and from the ‘slow airs’ of traditional Irish music. As an Irish band playing folk music, Saint Sister’s music is thought of as being in conversation with traditional music; on their imminent first tour of Australia, they’re playing at the Sydney Irish Festival. “Everything at every point in life feeds its way in and influences you,” Doherty considers. “There’s no way of filtering that or stopping that. It’s quite ingrained. I think Morgan and myself, we both came to music quite differently, but both had the shared experience of growing up with Irish music, and Irish traditional and folk music. We never set out to try and emulate anything, but we never tried to take ourselves away from anything, either. Keeping with Irish tradition was never an intention, but it was also never something to avoid. We’ve always just done what’s come natural.”
Shape Of Silence (ie:music) is out now. Saint Sister tour from 10 Nov.
the best and the worst of the month’s zeitgeist
The lashes Front
Back
The great wall of Cena
Venom diagram
Inside my yead
Boom, aimbot!
A royal pain
Mothamatics
For a man that began his
War is hell, especially when
Blink 182 drummer Travis
Professional Counter Strike
Let’s get this straight; we
Memes come and memes
career as a WWE villain that
it’s two fan bases of fully
Barker has tweeted out a
player Nikhil “forsaken”
don’t really give a shit about
go, but it’s not every day
wore a fuzzy bucket hat, the
grown-adults trying to tank
rather haggard look-
Kumawat was recently
the royal family or their
that we get one as divisive
odyssey of entertainment
the success of each other’s
ing image of his former
busted at a tournament
diamond-encrusted adven-
as the moth/lamp memes.
superstar John Cena has
favourite new movies. It all
bandmate, Tom DeLonge,
in Shanghai after referees
tures. We wish them and
Trying to explain the conflict
been a long and strange
started when Lady Gaga’s
with the caption “Where
caught him trying to delete
their space reptilian genes
behind the meme would
one. And after recently post-
“little monsters” tried to
are youuuu”. Even if this isn’t
some aim-assisting pro-
all the best. But for crying
only make us look like insuf-
ing a video of himself prais-
steal thunder from the
the long-awaited return
grams from his computer
out loud, the media needs
ferable boobs, but just be
ing a Chinese chilli sauce in
launch of Marvel’s Venom,
of the classic Blink 182
after a match. Gone are the
to stop shoving their private
aware that the debate over
fluent Mandarin, we can’t
something that comic book
lineup, Barker’s tweet has
days where honest folks
lives in our faces all the
this one has been a doozy.
wait to see what the champ
nerds didn’t take too kindly
us reminiscing about what
could settle their griev-
time, especially considering
will do next.
to. Serious for some, beyond
a hilarious emo classic that
ances on de_dust2. Is noth-
Prince Harry is no longer the
hilarious for the rest of us.
song truly was.
ing sacred?
bawdy larrikin he once was.
The final thought
Words by Maxim Boon
Xennial dread in a Millennial world: why I’ll never be a “Influencer”
I
used to really hate generational labels – like “Baby Boomers” or “Millennials” – mainly because they’re maddeningly reductive and pretty much only get used to wage dog-whistle culture wars about the price of avo on toast, or the terrifying strangle hold of irreversible climate change and whose fault it is (*cough*the Baby Boomers*cough*). But recently, I’ve
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found myself rubbing my temples, repeating the mantra, “You’re only a Xennial. You’re only a Xennial,” in an effort to keep my existential career panic at bay. For those of you not in the know, a Xennial (like moi) is someone too young to be Gen X, too old to be a Millennial. Us poor Xengens, born between the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, were essentially a demographic of betatest lab rats, subjected to the first iterations of the tech that now is so imbedded in our social status quo, life before it is unthinkable. Touch screens; laptops; streaming; Wi-Fi; and most significantly, social media: Xennials had to endure all the glitches, false starts and design flaws of every version 1.0. Perhaps you assume that, given the number of upgrades and updates me and my Xennial brethren have experienced, we’d be unrivalled in the dark arts of the digital age. But alas, not so. Seasoned as we may be, most of us aren’t a patch on our Millenial counterparts when it comes to a “profession” that, in hind sight, all these tech-culture tribulations seem destined to create: the influencer. If you detect a whiff of snooty condescension in my tone, it’s worth also noting that there’s a pretty strong pong of pity too. As our social media personas have evolved from the wide-eyed innocence of yesteryear’s Myspace into the heavily filtered hyper-illusion of today’s Instagramers and Twittersphere, a certain mindset (that
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seemingly comes easy to Millenials) has eluded me: the ability to package even the most inane activity for public consumption. Here’s where the career panic sets in. As a journalist, there’s of course a part of me that desperately covets the sheer global reach of the influencer’s, well, influence. But is such popularity actually a poisoned chalice? The insatiable pace of social media consumption has created a new kind of chronic neurosis: an anxious compulsion where no activity can go undocumented, no thought can go unshared. Now, I’m not shading anyone who wants to share #PreciousMemories of their #Blessed brunch. But there are some influencers who seem so hopelessly enslaved by their commitment to social media, I half expect them to turn out to be a new Sacha Baron Cohen character. For example, vegan, tee-total, ink-covered Chris Lavish (pictured). This self-proclaimed “Intergalactic Tattoo Module,” whose recent profile in a New York-based paper has being doing the rounds online, doesn’t read books, watch movies, or engage in direct eye contact without sunglasses (because it’s an invasion of privacy, apparently). It’s a persona so agonisingly manufactured it must be a kind of prison of endless filters and duck-face and gazing into the middle distance. I might never be an influencer like old mate Lavish, but it’s times like this when I think to myself, “Thank fuck I’m only a Xennial.”
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