Inpress Issue #1144 by TheMusic.com.au

VICTORIA'S HIGHEST CIRCUL ATING STREET PRESS

DENGUE FEVER

YOU AM I

HOWL

PARAMORE

GU T T ER M OU T H YAC H T C L U B D J S THE S M A S H I N G P U M P K I N S HA L L O F FAM E : M O D EL S

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WED 13 OCTOBER

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ISSUE 1144

No.109

WEDNESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2010

BRUNSWICK

Thurs 14 October

The Native Plants Pop propagated with rock 7.30pm

Sat 16 October

YACHT CLUB DJS

INPRESS 16 18 18 20 24 26 28 30 32 36 36 38

BACK TO INPRESS

It’s over to you with our Mailbag and the week’s best and worst in Backlash/Frontlash The Front Line brings you the hottest industry news In The Studio keeps you turned on to your fave band’s movements Foreword Line brings you all the latest tour announcements Low aren’t opposed to performing their previous albums in full We bring you up to speed on the first of this year’s ARIA Hall Of Fame inductees, Models Bedouin Soundclash think Peter Garrett is an amazing human being Dengue Fever didn’t want to be just another apathetic LA indie band On The Record reviews new releases by Kings Of Leon, Sufjan Stevens and John Legend & The Roots Paramore talk corporate drudgery and that Twitter photo Howl should not be trusted with an unlimited rider Smashing Pumpkins cannot make great art within the current record company model

FRONT ROW 40 40

42 42 43

44 44 44 45

This Week In Arts highlights this week’s new Melbourne Festival shows Moira Finucane discusses her immense show of innocence, mercy, forgiveness, passion, and love: Carnival Of Mysteries Australian theatre legend Jack Charles talks about his solo show Jack Charles V The Crow Olivia Brown steps into Christina Stead’s shoes for I Write What I See Pascal Forneri shares his love of Gainsbourg with the world as part of ACMI’s season showcasing the French legend Cultural Cringe wraps up the 2010 Melbourne Fringe One of the great Beckett actors Conor Lovett brings three of the great writer’s works to the stage Bill Viola discusses his installations for Melbourne Festival Film Carew weighs in on Chloe and the Greek Film Festival

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Yacht Club DJs’ first gigs went disastrously Guttermouth reckon young punk bands are pussies The Break are already getting excited about album number two You Am I duet with Megan Washington but they’ll never be 30 Seconds To Mars Stealing O’Neal will be playing Bach covers in 50 years Dimi Dero Inc wear their Aussie influences on their sleeve A bloke from Male Bonding has a homemade Weezer tattoo GBH can’t wait ‘til Margaret Thatcher dies The Trews have always taken the road less travelled The Stu Thomas Paradox are inspired by ‘60s American TV P.K. 14 think the next ten years are vital to China’s rock scene The Melodics have been simplifying the complexity Final Flash are hanging out with lots of Canadian bands in Melbourne Our LIVE section has everything you need to know about the world of Melbourne live music! Gig Of The Week grooves with Dead Meadow LIVE:Reviews feels the power of Boredoms and their drums Stu Harvey gives you a ShortFastReport on the world of punk and hardcore Andrew Haug takes us to the dark side in The Racket Kendal Coombs leads the under-18s boardroom in the Department Of Youth Pop culture happenings in The Breakdown Dan Condon blues and roots in Roots Down Jeff Jenkins gets down and local in Howzat! If you haven’t appeared in Fred Negro’s Pub, your mother probably still speaks to you Our Gig Guide fills your diary for the weekend Gear and studio reviews in BTL Find your new band and just about anything else in our classy Classifieds

CREDITS

EDITORIAL

Group Managing Editor Andrew Mast Editor Shane O’Donohue music@inpress.com.au Front Row Editor Daniel Crichton-Rouse frontrow@inpress.com.au National Dance Editor Kris Swales zebra@inpress.com.au Contributing Editor Adam Curley Staff Writers Bryget Chrisfield, Michael Smith

Neilsen, Roger Nelson, Danielle O’Donohue, Matt O’Neill, Jordan Oliver, Adrian Potts, Paul Ransom, Symon JJ Rock, Adam Sharp, Nic Toupee, Rob Townsend, Dominique Wall, Doug Wallen, Rod Yates.

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CONTRIBUTORS Senior Contributors Clem Bastow, Jeff Jenkins Overseas Contributors Tom Hawking (US), James McGalliard (UK), Sasha Perera (UK). Writers Nick Argyriou, The Boomeister, Paul Andrew, Atticus Bastow, Steve Bell, Tim Burke, Dan Condon, Anthony Carew, EJ Cartledge, Peter Chambers, Matthew Cheetham, Chris Chinchilla, Rebecca Cook, Kendal Coombs, Adam Curley, Cyclone, Michael Daniels, Wayne Davidson, Guy Davis, Carolyn Dempsey, Liza Dezfouli, John Eagle, Guido Farnell, Sam Fell, Bob Baker Fish, Johnny Gash, Cameron Grace, Stu Harvey, Andrew Haug, Andy Hazel, Anthony Horan, Rod Hunt, Layne Kim, Cookie Lee, Joey Lightbulb, Michael Magnusson, Baz McAlister, Keith McDougall, Sam McDougall, Tony McMahon, Adam D Mills, Count Monbulge, Luke Monks, Fred Negro, Mark

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Chris Wilson Harmonica & blues legend 5pm

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The Prayerbabies Gospel, blues, country 5pm

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MAILBAG

letters@inpress.com.au

FRONTLASH Banksy’s sweatshop

letters@inpress.com.au All letters must have author’s correct phone number, name and address to verify identity – not for publication

LETTER OF THE WEEK! NO NEED FOR A SXSW IN MELBOURNE Dear Inpress, It is already possible to go out at least 100 nights in a year and see a few hundred bands – I should know as I have been doing it for the last seven years and have the documentary evidence to prove as such: photos.timchuma.com. How do I do it? Easily really, by not following Masterchef/Lost/Mad Men/The Wire or whatever the hell people watch on TV these days, and I never really got into footy except for the Community Cup. I don’t really get into international touring bands as I would rather go to see someone I know locally. I did go to see Lil’ Band O’ Gold three nights in a row recently but they are something special. With all the publicity the closure and eventual reopening of the Tote has received this year, some venues have been overlooked even though they have been putting on good shows. I have been working with the crew at the Caravan Music Club out in Oakleigh and have seen the following this year:

BECK’S RECORD CLUB We’ve talked this up before, but the pint-sized Scientologist’s latest project is re-recording Yanni’s Live At The Acropolis with Thurston Moore and members of Tortoise. You’ll find it and previous makeovers (including INXS’s Kick) at beck.com/ recordclub

THE SIMPSONS Banksy’s excellent sweatshop intro is the first (and only) decent thing this once-mighty program has done in years.

BOREDOMS Wow.

BACKLASH RIP Solomon

Lil’ Band O’ Gold (they cooked dinner for the audience); Grand Final Eve pie night with JVG Guitar Method, South Of The River Community Choir, Rebecca Barnard, Billy Miller, Jack Howard and Ian Bland; Vika & Linda Bull; Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier; Shane Howard; The Dingoes; Renee Geyer; Models Super Orchestra with members of Models, Hunters & Collectors and Billy Miller; Suzie Dickinson; Don Walker; Rebecca Barnard & Billy Miller Mother’s Day show; Tinpan Orange; Ron Hawkins; Eddi Reader; Eilen Jewell and more. Apart from the big name acts, I haven’t seen one review of a gig there and I am pretty much in for photography of most the gigs there. I know it’s a bit of an older audience than the people who read your magazine, but just remember the people who go there drink a lot and also buy CDs. The venue is big enough for a decent-sized audience and small enough to sell out a show pretty much straight away if it is a popular show, even straight off the email list. It’s not that far from the city really and no one says anything about having to go north of the Yarra for gigs. Regards, Tim Chmielewski Caulfield North

SORRY KANE! Oh dear. Last week we neglected to credit our photographer, Kane Hibberd, for his amazing Obese Block Party cover and feature shots. We’re sorry Kane – the shots were frickin’ awesome.

GIVEAWAYS After many years of globetrotting – collaborating with Dean and Gene Ween, to Buffy’s Joss Whedon and everyone in-between – Angie Hart has finally planted her feet back in her hometown of Melbourne and started crafting music under her own terms. Hart is currently travelling around the country with Canadian troubadour Matthew Barber, whose fourth album True Believer has just had a local release. The pair, with Gabrielle and Cameron from Dead Letter Chorus, play the Workers Club on Friday 22 October. We have three packs to give away, each including a double pass to the show, a copy of Hart’s second solo album Eat My Shadow and a copy of Barber’s True Believer. You’d perhaps know Hungry Kids Of Hungary best from their string of radio hits in the last 18 or so months – Scattered Diamonds, Set It Right, Let You Down and most recently Wristwatch. They’ve made their way around the country numerous times and even embarked on a short international tour playing some landmark shows in the UK and the States. Now the group have just released the brilliant LP Escapades, home to the aforementioned hits and more summer indie pop goodness. We have five copies to give away. Philly duo Chiddy Bang are one of the hottest young hip hop acts in the world. You’d know

BACK OF BURKE Sad news about the passing of soul legend Solomon Burke last week. Check out the Roots Down column for a detailed obituary – the great man will be sorely missed…

QUEENSLAND First the abortion trial, now a Cradle Of Filth fan has been arrested for public nuisance in Brisbane for wearing one of the band’s ‘Jesus Is A Cunt’ t-shirt. The return to the dark ‘Police State’ days continues…

JETSTAR An airline staffer in NZ has been arrested after assaulting one of the country’s radio DJs following an argument at a check-in counter. If only the company would extend its violence-againstshock-jocks policy across the Tasman.

Email giveaways@inpress.com.au from 5pm Wednesday them from their Kids-sampling hit Opposite Of Adults, which is just one of the floor-filling anthems included on brand new CD The Preview. Their latest single is the Passion Pit-sampling Truth, also included here. We have five copies to give away. If you’ve already checked out our Dengue Fever feature on page 30 in this issue, you’ll know the LA-based band are one of the most interesting acts getting around. Inspired by Cambodian psychedelic rock of the ‘60s and ‘70s, the group, led by pint-sized Chhom Nimol, put on one hell of a show. Playing the Beck’s Festival Bar at the Forum this Saturday, we have three double passes to give away. Heavy groovin’ Washington trio Dead Meadow this year reunited with original drummer Mark Laughlin and have recently released the live concert film Three Kings. The film shows off the group’s critically acclaimed stoner and psychedelic-inspired rock, which they bring to Beck’s Festival Bar at the Forum this Thursday with support from Stigmata and Blarke Bayer/Black Widow. We have three double passes to give away.

WORD UP TO PRIZE WINNERS: Prizes must be collected from Inpress offices during business hours (9am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri). ID is required when collecting prizes. Prizes must be collected within four weeks of the giveaway being published. Please note, Inpress giveaway policy is that winners are permitted one prize per four-week period only.

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THE

FRONTLINE

IN THE STUDIO WITH BRYGET CHRISFIELD

JESSE’S SOLO FLIGHT

Eagles Of Death Metal frontman and worthy ambassador for Movember, Jesse Hughes, is currently head-down ass-shakin’ in the studio finalising his debut solo album and took time out to speak exclusively to In The Studio last week. “Okay, you’re the first real journalist that I’m talking to about this,” Hughes proceeded cautiously. “I have gotta tell you, baby, that I am so fucking excited about this. An opportunity like this – the concept of a solo record is great anyway, because I’ve never had this chip on my shoulder that I think it would be easy to imagine someone who’s in my situation would have, you know. The bottom line is that I would never be anywhere if it weren’t for my best friend Joshua Homme being the founder of our game. I stood in his shadow for a while but I only looked out of his shade on a hot day. It’s like, ‘These muthafuckers are crazy, I’m sitting in the shade!’. Josh Homme: six-five, oh really? I just rode on his coattails and I finally decided I wanted to disembark and get my own coat, you know what I mean? And the solo record was, like – I really, really love girls and Eagles Of Death Metal is half me, half Joshua, so it doesn’t have as pure a focus as I want. This album attempts to speak directly only to girls and it’s, ‘Please come over to my house. Please?’. “I’ve been a month in the studio and I’m a kitty-cat, I need to be petted, you know what I mean? I can’t purr unless somebody pets me and I love to talk about music and rock’n’roll and just getting to be able to tell you that I’m making a solo record with Money Mark and now Joshua has listened to it. Like, this whole album for me is my final exam for my best friend, who’s my partner in crime, and I played him – two days ago, I finally had six tracks ready and I sent them down to the studio and I walked out and almost threw up. And when I came back in he said the words ‘proud’ and ‘me’ in the same sentence. It was like winning a Grammy, for me.” As for what the forthcoming set is shaping up to sound like, Hughes doesn’t miss a beat: “The music’s sounding like Keith Richards being butt-fucked by Little Richard who’s clearly inside George Clinton’s arsehole.”

LABEL FIASCO

After experiencing delays releasing the follow-up to his 2007 The Cool album, it was officially announced last Friday that Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers set is scheduled to drop on 8 March 2011. A day prior to this news, the Chicago MC tweeted a picture of himself grinning and giving the thumbs-up sign, while Julie Greenwald (President of Atlantic Records) touched his arm, with “Victory” as the accompanying caption. This development follows months of drama between the rapper/producer, whose real name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, and his label. In July, an online We Want Lasers petition was set up with links via Facebook, Twitter and the Lupe Section of Kanyelive.com. The petition attracted 10,000 signatures in little more than 48 hours and was forwarded to Atlantic. A savethe-date notice for Friday 15 October was then posted for Fiasco Friday – a protest rally to take place in front of Atlantic Records HQ in New York at midday. The rapper also confirmed he would be in attendance. SeanTheRobot, founder of the LupEND blog, commended Lupe Fiasco fans for the role they played in applying pressure to the artist’s label: “Atlantic would be stupid if they wouldn’t pick up all the hype and attention the Fiasco Friday rally has already created. It’s almost like Lupe’s fans got him more media exposure within the last three weeks than his label did in the last two years.” At the Second Regional Academic And Cultural Collaborative in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday 3 October, Lupe Fiasco publicly voiced his reluctance to sign a 360 deal with Atlantic, associating his refusal to sign on the dotted line with the label’s failure to promote his singles Shining Down and I’m Beamin. “I was told, ‘Because you didn’t sign this 360 deal, we may or may not push your record’,” he stated, going on to say that the only reason there was a video for I’m Beamin is because he shot it with his own money. Fiasco, who is gracing our shores early next year as part of the Big Day Out line-up, tours extensively and has already picked up endorsement deals with Reebok and Hewlett-Packard so it’s not surprising that Atlantic are keen to get in on the “25% of any ancillary properties” that a 360 deal would award them. The MC also revealed that his label kept sending him pre-packaged songs they believed had the potential to be number one hits but stressed he would not retain their publishing rights. (Nothin’ On You, which was later passed on to his labelmate BoB and went to number one, was one of Atlantic’s suggested songs.) Lasers, the rapper’s third album, was completed back in 2009.

INDUSTRY NEWS BY SCOTT FITZSIMONS

NEW GM HAS “NO INTEREST” IN STOMP WOES

Better than Supercars: Byron Vs Woodford. Pic by Kane Hibberd

Bought out by the Franchise Entertainment Group in August and sent into administration, Stomp Records has been rebranded as Élan Media Partners Pty Ltd, which will incorporate the distribution company as well as online retain sites cdwow.com, chaos.com and play4me.com. au. Craig White has been announced the new General Manager, who has come from 20th Century Fox as an entertainment distributor, and will take an overview position while he says they’ve “retained the expertise that was inherent in the business, who were running the labels”. Speaking to The Front Line, White says, “there’s some turbulence, I would put it, with the former Shock and former Stomp, but it’s a business we’re really committed to and we need to step up our efforts”. The name change was deemed necessary due to apparent “legacy issues” surround the Stomp name that they wanted to shed. In regards to the administration process of the old company, White claims to know very little. “I literally have chosen to take no interest in it. I came on after the acquisition and I’ve not spent 30 seconds worrying about what the process is. “I think it’s fair to say that whenever there’s a situation where business enter administration and key assets and operations have been acquired, inevitably there’s some level of disruption to supply chain. Most of the suppliers that were formerly supplying to stop are supplying to Élan Media Partners, but it’s a tenuous time for them.” White believes that they’ve kept 95% of suppliers, but one in that other 5% is influential label Sub Pop, who’ve moved to Inertia. White also claims that they “haven’t got the brakes on” in regards to the music scene and are actively and currently looking for new content and opportunities to partner.

ARIA RECRUITS ROSEN FOR DRIVER’S SEAT After a long and often fruitless search to replace Stephen Peach, it has been announced that relative unknown Dan Rosen will take up the position as the CEO of ARIA and PPCA. Often rumoured to be a job that nobody in the industry wanted, Rosen has been based in New York recently and in a statement almost as new ARIA Chairman Denis Handlin said, “We are delighted to have attracted Dan back to Australia from New York to become the new CEO. His experience in law, government, business and music provides a truly excellent background to bring to the industry and the many important ARIA issues and events in progress.” Peach will stay on until the end of the year to oversee the changeover. Rosen sent tabloids into a tizz back in 2005 when he was dubbed the toyboy of actor Minnie Driver after he quit his band Second Dan.

SXSW BAND APPLICANTS

The Front Line is lead to believe that well over 100 Australia artists or varying genres and popularity have applied to showcase at the 2011 South By Southwest music festival in Texas. Last year 70 bands were invited, with only 40 available to play. The final deadline for bands to apply is Friday 5 November.

IN THE HOUSE In a quiet week for the ARIA charts, Bag Raiders were the only act to debut in the Top 10 with the Sydney electro house outfit reaching seventh spot with the self-titled debut. Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns retained the top spot. Marcia Hines’ new album Marcia Sings Tapestry arrived at 16, Jimmy Eat World’s Mark Trombini reuniting at 20 and Hungry Kids Of Hungary’s Escapades at 23. Meanwhile, Perth has some accreditation success this week, with Pendulum’s album Immersion and Gyroscope Baby I’m Gettin Better both going gold.

BYRON FIGHTS FOR SPLENDOUR’S RETURN The North Byron Parklands proposal to become a permanent cultural event venue went on public exhibition last week, with the Parklands authority calling on the community to write submissions of support to the NSW Department Of Planning. Essentially an effort to get Splendour In The Grass back to Byron Bay’s Yelgun site (660 acres) after it went to Queensland’s Woodford site this year, approval has been sought for events of all sizes up to major events of 10,000 to 35,000 people, for no more than 12 event days per year (Splendour would take up just three of those and they will look to bring other events to the area). North Byron Parklands General Manager Matt Morris told The Front Line, “The economic studies that we’ve undertaken demonstrate that events like Splendour bring between 13 and 20 million dollars to the region.” There has been previous opposition to the proposition on environmental grounds, as recently happened to Brisbane’s Parklife festival, but Morris believes this is the right decision in that regard as well. “They’ve been coming from it that it’s an important wildlife corridor for movement of fauna and that holds true to a degree. What they’re not taking into account we believe is the land that we currently own has been heavily used for agriculture for the last 50 or 60 years and has been significantly degraded in a lot of areas. We’re asking for a license to operate that will see this beautiful site rested for 280 days a year.”

BDO TICKETS HIT THE NET

YOUNG TALENT TIME

Mere hours after selling out, tickets to Big Day Out events across the nation have ended up on auctioning websites. Selling for $170.50 (including booking fee and postage) officially, tickets are already fetching up to $250 online. Even before the second Sydney show had gone on sale, tickets for the first event were listed for well over $200. Big Day Out organisers could not comment on the sales in time for deadline.

The Qantas Spirit Of Youth Award finalists have been announced, with 21 artists across the nation receiving recognition for a range of artist fields. The music category is dominated by New South Wales acts with Cloud Control, Deep Sea Arcade and Kyü, while for photography it was Victoria’s Penny Lane, Queensland’s Stacey Russel and New South Wales’ Cybele Malinowski. The work across all seven categories will be on exhibition from 10am – 5pm Thursday 11 November at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, while the winners will be announced that night at the Museum’s Foundation Hall.

APRA SHAKE-UP Changes to the management of Australasian Performing Right Association Limited (APRA)|Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) will come into effect in November. Creating four new divisions, Richard Mallet will head Revenue, Sally Howland will lead Member Services, Dean Ormston Corporate Services and Richard Davison Policy & Business Development. In other moves, Alan Balchin will return in February to take up the new position of Director Of Business Development (part of the Policy & Business Development division) Milly Petriella has been appointed Director Of Membership, Matthew Fackrell Director Of Recoded Music Services and David Skeils Director Of Broadcast & Online Services.

ITUNES IN GOOGLE’S SIGHTS

YOU WORKING? Melbourne Fringe Festival and Emily Sexton are parting ways, and as of this week the festival has opened applications for the position of Creative Producer for 2011. Interested applicants are urged to read information on the festival’s website and then contact CEO Esther Anatolitis for further info.

INSTRUMENTS DOWN Sydney-born glam rock singer William Shakespeare – the stage name of John Cave, 61 – passed away last week. Teaming up with songwriters Harry Vanda and George Young who found potential in his falsetto, his 1974 debut album Can’t Stop Myself From Loving You sold 375,000 copies. But struggles with depression and alcohol, along with a charge of carnal knowledge with a 15-year-old fan, caused his fall from grace and, not having incoming royalties from songwriting credits, he wound up homeless and living in a ticket booth opposite Kogarah’s St George Leagues Club. He was eventually aided out of that rut by Lindy Morrison’s Support Act fund for professional musicians.

IN THE MONEY The next recipients of the Victoria Rocks music grants was announced by Arts Minister Peter Bachelor Sunday at a City Square event, with 21 artists sent to receive funding. Included is The Drones’ Mike Noga, who’ll receive $12,600 towards his second solo album, Liz Stringer, who’ll have $15,000 towards her next record, Emmy Bryce, $16,865 to record and present her debut album, The Bedroom Philosopher, $13,610 to present and promote his new single Tram Inspector.

Despite not yet signing any labels, Reuters has reported that Andy Rubin, Google’s Vice President of Engineering, has been holding discussions with record labels to launch “before Christmas,” although it is unclear if this timeframe is exclusive to America. The report mentioned two separate sources and music executives are looking upon the possible battle positively.

MAD CHEMS CLIP COMING SOON My Chemical Romance have finished shooting a clip for their new single Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na). With Romancer Gerard Way directing alongside Roboshobo (add that to your list of possible baby names), the band hit the desert Mad Max-style. The clip will debut on their website on Thursday - 3pm Aus time was the ETA as we went to print.

GLOBAL WASH-OUT The Bellingen Global Carnival was forced to cancel its final day of programs last week when torrential rain flooded the Bellingen showgrounds. An eye-witness described the scene to The Front Line calling it “a big, sloppy, muddy hole” with a concern for “stage collapses, because the ground was really unstable.” When the weather got really bad, “People stuck to the small stages, undercover. There was virtually no one at the [exposed] main stage.” Festival director Bryony Taylor said, “We were extremely sorry to have been unable to complete our program but whereas we can deal with rain, flooding is a different matter and the safety of the general public was paramount. We did not make the decision lightly but with the assistance of SES and looking at the conditions now and the rain that continues to fall; we know beyond a shadow of a doubt, it was the right one. The festival will not cover its costs [the bill could be as high as $100,000] but the enthusiastic support and concern we have received has been touching.”

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AC/DC VS BON JOVI FOR TOUR OF THE YEAR According to US-based, global box office trackers Pollstar, Australian metal band AC/DC are the biggest ticket sellers nationally so far this year. The band has sold 1,820,962 tickets in 2010. In second place is Bon Jovi with sales of 1,368,734 tickets so far while the non-music touring Walking With Dinosaurs is third with 1,115,098 tickets sold. Fourth is Dave Matthews Band (1,070,024) and fifth is Black Eyed Peas (942,277). However, with AC/DC idle for the rest of 2010, Pollstar tips Bon Jovi might overtake AC/DC with arena and stadium dates yet to play – some of those dates in Australia. Got news? Announcements? Gossip? Unsubstantiated but hilarious rumours? Send them all to frontline@streetpress.com.au.

THE

FRONTLINE

MUSIC AGREEMENT REACHED The state government and music industry reps last week signed an historic agreement removing the link between live music and violence. TONY MCMAHON reports. Outgoing Minister for the Arts Peter Batchelor and Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan. Pic by Carbie Warbie.

In potentially one of the most important and exciting developments for the Melbourne music scene in years, an agreement was signed last week between the Victorian state government and representatives of the music industry in Patrick Donovan (Music Victoria), Quincy McLean (SLAM – Save Live Australia’s Music) and Jon Perring (Fair Go 4 Live Music). Basically, the agreement means the removal of the laughable link between violence and live music, the results of which saw the closure of the Tote and the near-closure of several other venues of great importance to the city’s musical and cultural heritage. The historic agreement, reached after months of painstaking negotiations, will mean that a business environment now exists where venues are free to promote music without the hindrance of draconian licensing laws designed for other, higher risk establishments, and that is terrific news for venue operators, less-than-mainstreamoriented musicians and punters alike. Patrick Donovan, CEO of Music Victoria, says that what we have here – surprisingly perhaps – is a rare example

of common sense prevailing in politics. “It sure is, it’s an historic agreement that will hopefully set up live music in Victoria for future generations. The temporary demise of the Tote was terrible for licensee Bruce Milne, but it galvanised the music community and now the Liquor Licensing Act is going to protect live music more than it ever did.” Jon Perring, from Fair Go 4 Live Music, adds that the agreement was based on a severe misconception, the correction of which will mean much more music. “It’s not only a good practical result, but also a victory for the right to practice and access our musical culture. What was happening was the bureaucracy was using music to identify the preconditions for violence and alcohol abuse. We put the argument that there was no evidence for this and the government accepted that, to their credit. On the practical side, it removes major compliance costs for a venue to put a gig on, so we should start to see more gigs, particularly earlier in the week and afternoons.” Having said all this, of course, cynics might suggest that the state government was merely frightened of losing seats to the Greens, but Donovan and Perring obviously saw this as something like leverage. “Absolutely,” says Perring. “But that’s the way our system works. Keeps ‘em sharp. I wouldn’t be cynical about it, use it.” “Well, yes, probably,” agrees Donovan. “But the problems were unintended consequences of blanket decisions made by Liquor Licensing, and not the arts minister. Hopefully, all future government decisions will now take into account their unintended implications on culture.” So, how important was the 23 February rally in letting the government know that music culture was such an important issue for so many people? Donovan and Perring say it was hugely important. “People power is still the strongest way to get a message heard,” says Donovan.

“Look, it was vital and, in some senses,” adds Perring, “it was the 4,000 people who turned out at the Tote rally that got their attention. The 20,000 in the streets and the petition of 22,000 said that they had to attend to the liquor licensing problem. “Live music and contemporary music has really existed with very little contact with government. When it did, it was more a problem than a vital contributor to our culture, in their view. That hopefully has changed. We need to keep reminding them of some of the facts, like 45% of practicing artists are musicians, [but] contemporary music gets 2% of the music-related arts funding federally; musicians are poor; live music isn’t a fire risk because that’s what the building code says. There are still loads of issues.” The future implications of the agreement for the music scene in Victoria are obviously great. One practical example – though unconfirmed at the time of going to press – is that of loading zones outside venues where musicians can unpack instead of having to lug equipment miles to a venue. Donovan says it’s all about making life easier for existing venues and encouraging new ones. “It will be easier and cheaper for small venues to host live music, and for future licensees to start up new venues. Our next challenge it to implement the agent of change principle into law, so established venues can’t be shut down by complaints from neighbours who recently moved into entertainment areas.” In closing, Donovan gives a heartfelt shout-out to everyone involved. “Well done to Quincy McLean and Helen Marcou for organising the rally and the dozens of volunteers who said ‘over my dead body’.” Perring, meanwhile, takes the opportunity for a shameless plug. “Slocombe’s Pussy, Melbourne’s sociopathic psychedelic voodoo doom band, are playing at the Tote on Thursday 4 November with Cuba Is Japan.”

ON THE STEREO Write About Love BELLE & SEBASTIAN Waking Up TASH PARKER Innundir Skinni OLAF ARNALDS Grand Standard THE ADVENTURE SPIRIT Shadow Of A Shadow ANDREW MORRIS Homeless FINAL FLASH Le Noise NEIL YOUNG Absolute Dissent KILLING JOKE Bitches Brew MILES DAVIS Ring GLASSER

3RRR SOUNDSCAPE Shadow Temple PRINCE RAMA Loose Manifesto PEABODY Ritual SOLO ANDATA Sunburst EP RUSTIE Bum Creek BUM CREEK Crush ABE VIGODA Hope Is For The Hopeless PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY I Dream In Transit I DREAM IN TRANSIT Bitterness CHELSEA WILSON

3PBS TIPSHEET Good Things ALOE BLACC Black Country BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION Mixed Race TRICKY Strange Tourist GARETH LIDDIARD Mystery Twin MYSTERY TWIN The Age Of Adz SUFJAN STEVENS Someone Else’s Child HAMISH STUART Retrospective BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA The Liar KIRA PURU & THE BRUISE The Roots Of Chica 2 VARIOUS ARTISTS

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND

Usher will bring his massive arena tour to Australia in March next year. Following the success of his sixth studio album, Raymond V Raymond, and its follow-up, the Versus EP, Usher will be back for the first time since a whirlwind promo tour in May (all tickets to an exclusive Sunrise performance were snapped up in just two minutes). Released in March, Raymond V Raymond peaked at number two on the ARIA album chart, making it Usher’s fourth top ten album in Australia. Home to singles OMG and DJ’s Got Us Falling In Love Again, the album has gone double-platinum in Australia. Usher plays Road Laver Arena on Saturday 19 March. Frontier members can buy tickets from 4pm on Thursday 21 October until 4pm Friday 22 October. General public tickets go on sale 9am Monday 25 October.

ES EN TS

SAFARI SUITS

WEDNESDAY 13 OCTOBER

JIM BEAM PRESENTS: BANDLANDS

THE FROWNING CLOUDS

THE BLUEJAYS THE THOD ENTRY $7, 8PM

THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER

SINGLE LAUNCH

THE JESTER CREW SIMONE GILL YEO

ENTRY $10, 8.30PM

In just six months, Jinja Safari have gone from playing their first show (in a forest in May) to performing astonishing sets at Australian festivals (Splendour In The Grass, Coaster), touring nationally with Art Vs Science, releasing their debut EP, and packing out rooms in Melbourne and Sydney. Channelling African rhythms, bouncing harmonies and makeshift percussion, Jinja Safari’s live line-up includes dual lead songwriters Marcus Azon and Pepa Knight, Jacob Borg on drums, Joe Citizen on bass and Alister Pattern on percussion. Winning Triple J’s Unearthed competition with less than ten shows under their belt, Jinja Safari’s first single, Peter Pan, was an instant Triple J and community radio hit. The release of Forest Eyes, the second single from their debut physical EP, is the perfect excuse for a national spring tour. With Alpine and Fishing in tow, Jinja Safari play the Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Thursday 18 November and the East Brunswick Club on Friday 19 November.

DOING THE DUBE FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER

THE VAUDEVILLE SMASH IDA FOX REZZALP

ENTRY $15 DOOR, $10 PRESALE THRU MOSHTIX, 8.30PM

SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER

80 GIGS IN 80 DAYS

ORANGE ROOM KREMLIN SUCCESSION THE SWIFTONES SLEEP DECADE I HEART CUSACK

ENTRY $10 DOOR, 8.30PM

SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER

HUNTING FOXES

REDBERRYPLUM SUNDAY REEDS

ENTRY $6 DOOR, 8PM

MONDAY 18 OCTOBER

RESIDENCY

PROJECT PUZZLES

A DJ CALLED MATT ENTRY $4, 8PM

TUESDAY 19 OCTOBER

RESIDENCY

CHANGING FALLS TIM “EL MOTH” DJ MAMMAL VS REPTILES ENTRY $5, 8PM

COMING UP:

CHANGING FALLS (TUES IN OCT) THE DEMON PARADE (20 OCT) THE JOE KINGS (WA), EMPERORS (WA) (21 OCT) KIRA PURU & THE BRUISE (EP LAUNCH)(22 OCT) THE CURRENCY (23 OCT) BOHEMIAN MASQUERADE BALL AFTER PARTY (24 OCT) SAN FRAN DISCO (27 OCT) DARLOW (EP LAUNCH) (28 OCT) T (ALBUM LAUNCH) (29 OCT) SKA NATION TWENTY 10 OPENING PARTY: AREA 7 (30 OCT) THE REEFS (31 OCT) HUSKY (SUNDAYS IN NOVEMBER) CHANGING FALLS (TUES IN NOV) SEABELLIES (WED IN NOV) DILI ALLSTARS (1 NOV) JOY FM FUNDRAISER: LITTLE FISH (4 NOV) RINCON (5 NOV) BREAKING ORBIT (6 NOV)

The life and music of South Africa’s biggest selling reggae artist, Lucky Dube, will be celebrated with a Lucky Dube tribute show at Noise Bar on Saturday 23 October. Dube recorded 22 albums over a 25-year period before he was murdered in 2007 in an attempted highjacking in Johannesburg. Acts on the bill for the tribute show include roots reggae outfit Maluma, Jesse Hype and Ras Crucial of Chant Down, as well as a number of other special guests.

PASH ON

Pash, the presenter of Very Necessary on PBS FM 106.7, a show about girls getting their groove on, presents a night featuring some of Melbourne’s best female hip hop and electronic music at the Order Of Melbourne this Thursday. Artists performing include multicultural women’s DJ collective Lady Fingers (serving up a cross-cultural blend of beats, including bhangra, hip-hop, reggae, electronic, soul, funk and more), electro dance duo Girl Brigade, hip hop nu-soul glitch beat team Syreneyiscreamy & Able, Hailey Cramer and global party stylings from Ms Butt. There’ll also be provocative projections courtesy of VJ Inxile, while Pash will add further spice as she launches her debut album. Doors open at 7pm sharp, entry is $7.

KELLY HEADLINES EG AWARDS

Paul Kelly will headline the fourth annual EG Awards, held at the Prince Bandroom on Wednesday 16 December, to celebrate his induction into the EG Hall Of Fame. The show will also feature a set from local partystarters Eagle & The Worm and a performance from The EG Allstars, with guest singers Gareth Liddiard, Megan Washington, Adalita, Spencer P Jones and Dan Kelly, each performing an original song and a Kelly cover. The night will be MCed by RocKwiz’s Brian Nankervis. Tickets to the 2010 EG Awards are on sale from Polyester and Greville Records, the Prince public bar, princebandroom.com.au and on 9536 1168. To celebrate the release of his memoirs, How To Make Gravy, Kelly will also play 100 songs in alphabetical order – 25 songs a night – from Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5 March at the Athenaeum Theatre.

NEW DEVELOPMENT

Two-time Grammy winners Arrested Development, in the country in December to perform at the New Year’s Eve Pyramid Rock Festival in Phillip Island, will also play the Espy on Wednesday 29 December. The eight-piece, whose hits include Mr Wendal, People Everyday and Tennessee, released Strong, their sixth studio album, earlier this year. The album’s first single, The World Is Changing, made the Japanese top ten upon release. Tickets are on sale now from OzTix.

DARLINS GET JEFFED

Having cancelled a trip down under earlier this year after a band member broke her arm, we were stoked to see Those Darlins on this year’s Meredith bill. We’re even happier now the fiery country rockers have announced a co-headline show with threestring guitar/battered drumkit-wielding brothers Jake and Jamin Orall, AKA Jeff The Brotherhood. The bands play the Espy’s Gershwin Room on Friday 17 December.

PUBLIC ENEMY #1

Enigmatic hip hop luminaries Public Enemy are heading to Melbourne for a one-night-only performance of their highly influential 190 album, Fear Of A Black Planet. Selling one million copies in the first week of its release in the US alone, the album has been recognised as one of the most influential of its kind in musical and social political history. The record came in at number 300 on Rolling Stone’s list of the top 500 albums of all time. Tickets are on sale now for the show which will be held at the Corner Hotel on Wednesday 29 December.

EAGLE ROCKS

Fresh from performing at the Nemcatacoa Festival in Bogota, Colombia, alongside Jamiroquai, Green Day and The Bravery, Grafton Primary will kick off their Australian single launch tour next week. The tour hits Melbourne next month – the band launch The Eagle, with special guests Infusion, at the Prince Bandroom on Friday 12 November. Brothers Benjamin and Joshua Garden have begun work on their second album, due for release next year. The Eagle, a riff-heavy, synthesised number currently on Triple J rotation, is the first taste.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

The Future Music Festival unveils its 2011 line-up tomorrow. The festival, promising “a blue ribbon field flush with a selection of the world’s finest bands and DJs”, rolls into Melbourne on Sunday 13 March. Tickets go on sale 9am Thursday 28 October through Ticketmaster. Be following twitter.com/inpressmag to get the line-up as it drops.

THE HEAT IS ON Texan rockabilly legends Reverend Horton Heat will play an exclusive Meredith Music Festival sideshow at Billboard on Friday 17 December. Recently, The Reverend, AKA Jim Heath, had something along the lines of what he calls an epiphany. He’s a little tired of being taken so seriously. Well, maybe not seriously, exactly, but you get the idea, and lately he’s noticed that some of his funnier, country-tinged songs were his biggest crowd pleasers. So hold on to your cowboy hats, it’s time to take a trip back to a time before slick, over-produced country became the norm, a time when outlaws wrote songs about being without a pot to piss in, or at least about psycho ex-boyfriends and deadbeat girlfriends. Having released Laughin’ And Cryin’ – a record full of country-heavy tunes about bad habits, well-meaning but clueless husbands, ever-expanding beer-guts and, well, Texas – in August last year, The Reverend Horton Heat play Billboard on Friday 17 December, as well as the Meredith Music Festival.

$2 CARLTON POTS EVERY MONDAY 16TH OCTOBER:

HOWL EP LAUNCH 22ND OCTOBER:

ANGIE HART EP LAUNCH 5TH NOVEMBER:

BREASTFEST

WED 13TH OCTOBER

WINTER STREET/STRANGE TALK

(MINI RESIDENCY) + KINS

THURS 14TH OCTOBER

STRAY LOVE+ SAINT JUDE + STRANGER FROM NOW ON

SAT 16TH OCTOBER

SAT 9TH OCTOBER

I DREAM IN TRANSIT ALBUM LAUNCH + A DEAD FOREST INDEX EP LAUNCH + AH! PANDITA +WORNG

SUN 17TH OCTOBER

RUDE RENAISSANCE + HARRY HOWL (EP LAUNCH) + NEON LOVE RON HOWARD & THE NDE + THE SADDESTS + IN TONGUES

TUES 16TH OCTOBER

BEG SCREAM AND SHOUT

THURS 21TH OCTOBER

FRI 22ND OCTOBER

DEAD ANTS RAINBOW + HEAVY TURKEY

GABRIELLA & CAMERON (DEAD LETTER CHORUS)

THE AESTHETICS (NZ) + SUPERSTAR ANGIE HART (EP LAUNCH) + MATT BARBER NICCI@GETNOTORIOUS.COM

twitter.com/inpressmag

CATE@GETNOTORIOUS.COM

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

GET BENT

Following the release of their highly-praised second album Big Echo, Berkeley, California-based quartet The Morning Benders will play the Corner Hotel on Wednesday 5 January. The band are also scheduled to appear at the Falls Festival. Big Echo, an album written and recorded with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, has garnered rave reviews internationally. Their live shows are also a topic of acclaim – the talented 20-somethings pulled in strong notices at this year’s SXSW music conference, and have toured with the likes of Broken Bells, The Flaming Lips, The Black Keys, Grizzly Bear and Death Cab For Cutie.

LEE’S WAY

Lee Kernaghan has just released a deluxe, double-CD edition of his critically acclaimed album, Planet Country, with a bonus CD of new and never-before released songs. Titled Bringing The Music Home, the second disc features a number of live recordings, Kernaghan’s cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic Fire (recorded with his songwriting collaborator and wife Robyn McKelvie), and the rollicking Family Tradition, recorded with his father Ray. Kernaghan plays the Hallam Hotel on Thursday 18 November, Hotel Shoppingtown in Doncaster on Friday 19 and the Bonnie Doon Hotel on Saturday 20 November.

NATIONAL ANTHEMS

GET BLACK

After releasing one of the most internationally acclaimed albums of the year in High Violet (it debuted at number three in the States and number five in the UK), and being heralded as “one of the most important bands of our generation” by Brit rag NME, The National have announced details of their 2010/11 Australian tour headline shows. Along with their appearance at the Falls Festival, the band will also play the Palais on Sunday 9 January. Kings of the slow burn, the Ohio-raised, Brooklyn-based band have been creeping their way into hearts and minds for the better part of ten years. Starting gradually with a couple of self-released records, the band really hit their stride with 2005’s Alligator, a record best known for the underground anthem Mr November. They bettered the extremely high water mark set by this record , however, when they unleashed the incendiary Boxer in 2007. High Violet was largely self-recorded in guitarist Aaron Dessner’s Victorian-era home. It approximates something best described by the band themselves as the sound of “hot tar” or “loose wool”. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster.

THEIR AIM IS TRUE

Kerrang magazine reckon Buffalo, NY band Cute Is What We Aim For make “perfectly-crafted pop punk”. Local audiences can make up their own minds when the band tour Australia for the first time this November. With guests Stealing O’Neal, they play an early under-18s show at the Hi-Fi on Sunday 28 November, followed by an 18+ performance at the same venue later that night.

THREE’S THE MAGIC NUMBER

SWANS SONGS Swans will tour Australia for the first time next March. Emerging from the early-‘80s New York No Wave scene alongside such artists as Sonic Youth, 8-Eyed Spy and James Chance, Swans’ seminal and confronting sound has had a profound impact on the music world. The various styles they explored are often cited as an influence on artists such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Napalm Death and Neurosis. In 1997, with 11 studio albums to their name, the band’s founder, singer/writer and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira, announced his decision to dissolve the group in order to pursue other projects. He went on to form Angels Of Light and dedicated time to recording and producing a wide variety of music on his own label. Last year he played the Australian ATP festival, curated by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Gira says of the re-formed Swans: “This is not a reunion. It’s not some dumbass nostalgia act. It is not repeating the past. After five Angels Of Light albums, I needed a way to move forward, in a new direction, and it just so happens that revivifying the idea of Swans is allowing me to do that.” Swans play the Forum on Thursday 10 March.

Glenn Bennie (Underground Lovers) releases his third GB3 album, Damaged/Controlled, a collaboration with The Church’s Steve Kilbey, on Saturday 23 October. The pair were introduced via mutual friend Grant McLennan, and collaborated for a track on the previous GB3 album, Emptiness Is Our Business, in 2006. Sharing obvious musical affinities, the next logical step was a full-album collaboration. Additional players include drummer Andy Nunns (Autohaze), bassist Maurice Argiro (Underground Lovers), Rob Tickner (Conway Savage band) on bass and guitar, Graham Lee (Triffids) on pedal steel and Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), who provided some atmospheric guitar sounds. Damaged/Controlled was completed in stages, with the intricate layers of guitars and keyboards recorded at Melbourne’s I Sonic Institute studios by Tim Prince, then sent to Sydney, where Kilbey wrote lyrics and recorded his vocals at Karmic Hit with his brother John Kilbey. GB3 launch the album at the Northcote Social Club on Friday 29 October.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Balancing a sharp wit with a good slug of well-directed vitriol and an incendiary live show is the modus operandi of Future Of The Left. Over the course of two studio albums, Curses and Travels With Myself & Another, and two Australian tours, we have been treated to an unlikely but nonetheless perfect cocktail of intensity and irreverence. And now it’s time for round three. After playing Phillip Island’s Pyramid Rock Festival, Future Of The Left hit the Corner Hotel on Sunday 2 January.

Local lads Blackchords continue to progress in leaps and bounds. Following on from a huge 2009 that saw the band release the critically acclaimed Blackchords album and tour constantly in Australia and Europe, Blackchords are about to hit the road again to promote the release of the new digital single As Night Falls. The song was written especially for Blame, a new Australian film, which debuted at this year’s MIFF. Blackchords kick off an October residency at the Grace Darling this Thursday – they’re supported this week by Gareth Skinner and Chinook, on Thursday 21 by Tobias Cummings and on Thursday 28 by Laura Imbruglia. The band then end October with a bang, supporting Powderfinger in their final ever show in Melbourne at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday 29 October.

T EN S E PR

MORE GAZ A week after the release of his debut solo album Strange Tourist (which folks like us are already calling an instant Australian classic), and due to popular demand, recent Inpress cover star Gareth Liddiard has added an extra Melbourne show to his upcoming national tour. With tickets selling extremely quickly to the show on Friday 5 November, Liddiard will also play the same venue on Saturday 6 November. Support on Friday comes from Sailor Days, on Saturday from The Ukeladies.

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FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

The John Steel SIngers

GOOD LUCK CHUCK

Matt Corby

Hot on the heels of the acclaimed album Blue Atlas, Charles Jenkins is back with a new record, Walk This Ocean. Jenkins previews the record with an instore appearance at The Basement Discs this Friday from 12.45pm.

JACK POT

The Potbelleez’s new single Hello shot to number 19 on the ARIA charts last week, making them one of only three Aussie acts within the top 20 (joining Birds Of Tokyo and Short Stack). The single, the group’s third Top 40 smash, is the first taste of their upcoming Destination Now album, set for release in January. You can hear a preview of the record when Potbelleez play at Trak Live Lounge Bar on Friday 29 October with guest Grant Smillie.

BEES SHARP

Following performances in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and the UK, Brisbane’s Drawn From Bees have just filmed a new video for The East Wood Fox, the next single from their debut album, Fear Not The Footsteps Of The Departed. The digital-only release includes a re-recorded version of Picture Show and (reluctant) album outtake West Coast. To celebrate the song’s release Drawn From Bees will be heading around the country with good friends The Shiny Brights and Made In Japan. See them playing acoustically at Pure Pop from 4pm on Saturday 20 November (Drawn From Bees only) and at Revellers North later that evening.

FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS! Another week, another bunch of free downloads from two of this country’s brightest up-and-comers! Simply head to universalmusic.net.au/freedownloads/streetpressaustralia and get downloading. Masochist THE JOHN STEEL SINGERS Brisbane’s six-piece pop purveyors The John Steel Singers serve up a slice from their forthcoming debut album, Tangalooma. With Masochist, the band ply their trademark brass-based adventure pop with intertwining melodies, sharp-as-a-knife lyrics and dance-along beats. The long-awaited Tangalooma is set for release early next month, and the band are lining up their biggest national tour yet to celebrate. Tangalooma was produced by pop legend Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens and mixed by Nicolas Verhnes (Animal Collective, Deerhunter). It features the singles Overpass, Evolution, the aforementioned Masochist and Rainbow Kraut, and manages to combine lyrical content exploring social anthropology on death and life with adventurous pop hooks. The band play the National Hotel in Geelong on Thursday 25 November, the Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Friday 26 and the East Brunswick Club on Saturday 27 November.

ACCESS ALL ERA

After playing to crowds of more than 6,000 at China’s longest-running rock music festival (Midi Festival), The Vasco Era are back in the country and preparing to head out on their last headline shows of 2010 on the Back From China east coast tour. The blistering trio play the East Brunswick Club on Monday 1 November, the Northcote Social Club on Thursday 25 November, Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Saturday 18 December and the Barwon Club on Friday 24 December.

Coloured Stones And Walls MATT CORBY Matt Corby’s musical journey has been a unique one; having developed a love for Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley as a young boy, Corby quit school aged 13 to go on tour with a musical group for two years, before famously finding himself in the final of a certain TV talent contest at age 16. Matt spent the UK summer of 2010 recording his new EP, Transition To Colour, with indie label and production team Communion – Communion is the brainchild of Ben Lovett (Mumford & Sons) and Kev Jones (Cherbourg). Corby supports Passenger at the Northcote Social Club tonight (Wednesday), while his Transition To Colour headline tour hits the Thornbury Theatre on Saturday 4 December and the National Hotel in Geelong on Sunday 5 December.

DANIMALS ATTRACTION

TRIPLE TREAT After a triumphant debut Australian tour in 2009 (read: sell-out shows, amaaazing performances) Kitty, Daisy & Lewis have announced a Melbourne sideshow around their return visit at the end of 2010. Along with their performance at the Falls Festival, the trio will play Billboard on Thursday 6 January. Since 2005 Kitty, Daisy & Lewis have been thrilling audiences with their modernist take on R&B, jump blues, country and western, swing and old time rock’n’roll. The three siblings, joined live by their parents Graeme and Ingrid, are all multiinstrumentalists, breathing new life into primitive sounds, reinventing and reinvigorating styles from times gone by.

Danimals began as a solo project, the brainchild of Jonti Danilewitz. Danimals’ big break came when he won the Lab competition – he was hand-picked by mega-producer Mark Ronson to fly to New York and work with the likes of Santigold, Sean Lennon, Albert Hammond Jnr, The Dap-Kings, The Kaiser Chiefs and members of Duran Duran. Danimals is the result of a love of pop music and atmospheric electronica, a quirky sound born of the use of everything from laptop, synth, guitar, records and various household items. Having recently become the first Australian artist to be signed to Stone’s Throw Records (Madlib, Dam-Funk and J Dilla), Danimals is now set to hit the road on an East Coast tour, showcasing tracks from his debut album (due for release in early-2011). The first single from the album is Nightshift In Blue (available as a limited edition 7” and from iTunes from 12 November). Supporting Danimals are Sydney experimental pop duo and recent Triple J Unearthed winners, Kyu, and two-fifths of Danimals’ live band, James Domeyko and Jaie Gonzalez, AKA Domeyko/Gonzalez. They play the Northcote Social Club on Saturday 20 November.

EXISTENCE IS FUTILE

Canberra’s I Exist will play their final Melbourne show of the year with Warbrain, The Broderick and Vultures at the Arthouse on Saturday 27 November.

EVERY THURSDAY LATE

EVERY FRIDAY

EVERY SATURDAY LATE

EVERY SUNDAY FROM 4PM

SWING PATROL

LOVE STORY

POPROCKS

w/ Dr Phil Smith

THE SUNDAY SET

Classes at 6.30pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm Social dancing 9.30pm Tickets $14 on door / $21 for 2 classes

and guests

No brainers and guilty pleasures!

THE HOUSE DE FROST

FREE ENTRY - From 11.30pm

FREE ENTRY - From 9pm

FREE ENTRY - From 12 Midnight

with 1928 (STROBE)

WED 13, 20 & 27 OCTOBER

SAT 16 OCTOBER

THE BLOODPOETS

(USA)

with MATHESON & THE DISHEVELLED GENTLEMEN

ALBUM LAUNCH with PAUL O'ROURKE & JO DAWSON

featuring NGAIIRE (NSW), JESS HARLEN, JADE MACRAE, RUNFORYOURLIFE and MORE!

Tickets $10 on the door

Tickets $10 + BF / $12 on the door

Tickets $15+ BF / $19 on the door

Tickets $10+ BF / $15 on the door

SUN 17 OCTOBER

TUES 19 OCTOBER

THURS 21 OCTOBER

SAT 23 OCTOBER

LATE

MACH / LAP

CHELSEA WILSON

SKYBOMBERS

with BONNITA & MAT CANT

featuring FABIAN LAPHAM & MICHAEL WANNENMACHER

with ADAM RUDEGEAIR QUARTET & DJ MS GOLDIE

with SPECIAL GUESTS

FREE ENTRY!

Tickets $5 on the door

Tickets $12 Full / $10 Conc on the door

Ticket & CD $20 + BF / $20 on door

SUN 24 OCTOBER

TUES 26 OCTOBER

THURS 28 OCT

SAT 30 OCT

THE REEFS EP LAUNCH with THE MOXIE & SPECIAL GUESTS

WE ARE FANS EP LAUNCH Boy + GIRL, SEX ONwith TOAST THE WHITE ELECTRIC & DJ

Tickets $10 on the door

Tickets $10 on the door $12+BF / $15 on the door

SEX ON TOAST

SE FALLI ST NG !

This weeks theme: PARTY FREE ENTRY - In the Carriage

THURS 14 SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER WEDNESDAY RESIDENCY with PIVIXKI

All presale tickets available through MOSHTIX: Phone: 1300 GET TIX (438 849) on-line: www.moshtix.com.au, or at all Moshtix outlets, including Polyester (Fitzroy & City)

w/ AndyBlack & Haggis

w/ Andee Frost

OCTOBER WEDNESDAY RESIDENCY

5pm til 3am on weeknights and 5am on the weekend

Swedish pop perfectionists Shout Out Louds are returning to Australia this summer in support of their wonderful new album, Work. Equal parts joy and melancholy, all wrapped up in magnificent melodies, Work is the latest instalment in a superb body of infectious tunes, and stands tall alongside the band’s previous records, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff and Our Ill Wills. As well as playing the Pyramid Rock Festival in Phillip Island, the band will also perform at the East Brunswick Club on Monday 3 January. Tickets go on sale Friday 15 October from handsometours. com, eastbrunswickclub.com and the Corner Hotel box office.

EVERY MONDAY

Swing dancing classes

Thai dinner & supper

SHOUT OUT

DEAD BOY (UK)

SEAN M. WHELAN & GRAVETEMPLARS O'MALLEY (SUNN 0)), THE INTERIM LOVERS STEPHEN KHANATE, KTL), OREN AMBARCHI ALBUM LAUNCH

with CLAIRE HOLLINGSWORTH Tickets $12 / $20 with CD on the door

& MATT SKITZ SANDERS with MARCO FUSINATO (SOLO) Tickets $20+BF

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CAM TAPP

‘BITTERNESS’ EP LAUNCH

SUN 17 OCTOBER

OZ SOUL SUNDAYS

‘BLACK CAROUSEL’ ALBUM LAUNCH

with MANDEK PENHA FROMAGE DISCO

FOREWORD LINE

NEWS FROM THE FRONT

TENT CITY

The Famous Spiegeltent is returning to the Arts Centre’s forecourt from 11 February to 24 April. The Famous Spiegeltent, which for much of the past decade has been a much-loved feature of the Arts Centre forecourt, will return to Melbourne with an exciting new program of cutting-edge cabaret, music, comedy and circus programmed by the Arts Centre. Program details will be announced next month.

FLY BLOWN

GATHERING STORM The Jezabels’ new EP, Dark Storm, hit number one on the iTunes album charts this week. The third and final release in a trilogy of EPs that began with 2009’s The Man Is Dead, its five songs represent the band’s most confident outing to date – moody, mysterious and epic, yet buzzing with the quartet’s ever-present knack for an irresistible pop hook. Their recent AIR Award nominations for Best Breakthrough Artist and Best Single/EP (for previous EP She’s So Hard), an October tour of America (featuring showcase performances in NYC for CMJ) and Canada will be followed by a headlining trek across Australia, culminating with an appearance at the Falls Festival. Along the way they play Geelong’s Bended Elbow on Thursday 25 November and the East Brunswick Club on Friday 26 November. Joining them will be Canadian four-piece Two Hours Traffic, on their second trip to Australia.

SOLA POWER

The dynamic Sola Rosa launch their new album, Get It Together, in Australia next month with performances at the Shine On festival in the Pyrenees Ranges on Saturday 27 November and at Roxanne on Thursday 2 December. Returning to Australia after supporting The Original Wailers last year, Auckland-based Sola Rosa’s sound fuses elements of dub, soul, funk, Latin and jazz.

Eleven of Australia’s rowdiest and rockin’ punk and garage bands will pile into the Tote on Saturday 30 October for the inaugural Maggot Fest. The line-up includes the debut performance of The Mammaries, Australia’s only Mummies tribute band; Sydney bands Dead Farmers, Pee Wee, Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys and Carborator; Brisbane’s Eat Laser Scumbag; and locals True Radical Miracle, Useless Children, Late Arvo Sons, Bits Of Shit and Bloody Hammer.

WIN A FREE BOT GIG FOR YOUR TOWN Optus’s Sound Scribe competition, providing music enthusiasts in regional Australia the opportunity to pursue a career in music journalism, is giving three regional towns the chance to host a free Birds Of Tokyo concert. To be in with a chance of winning a gig in their town, the public must vote for their local Optus Sound Scribe at optussoundscribe.com.au before 31 October. Towns in the running include Traralgon, Ballarat North, Mount Eliza and Melton West.

CREW CUTS

2 Live Crew will perform at the Espy on New Year’s Day. No rap group has stirred more controversy with their X-rated party rhymes, specifically their 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be, which became the first record in America to be deemed legally obscene. 2 Live Crew popularised the booming, hard-driving sound of Miami bass music, and are considered the founding fathers of “booty rap”. Tickets available now from OzTix.

EMPIRE RECORDS Having returned from LA where they recorded their debut album with Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory), and boasting a new line-up that includes guitarist Bizz from Genitortures and Craig on keys and samples, Our Last Enemy are set to embark on their largest national tour yet. Before heading to New Zealand and Japan, the band launch Fallen Empires at the Tote on Friday.

PLAYING WITH THE FIELD

Mistletone has announced supports for The Field, AKA Swedish minimal techno-art-pop mastermind Axel Willner, who plays the East Brunswick Club with his live rhythm section on Meredith eve, Thursday 9 December. Main support will be Qua, led by handsome producerabout-town Cornel Wilczek, who has been quiet on the local scene for a while whilst recording some new epic, surround-sound Quatronica, which he’ll be ready to unleash upon us by the time this gig rolls around. The night will open in suitably mind-altering fashion with Kharkov, AKA local electronic artist John Bartley, with his subtly beautiful ambient sounds. DJ Tim Shiel will ensure a continuous flow of sweet sounds in the meantime. Tickets on sale now from the venue.

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NEON LOVE

Neon Indian, AKA Alan Palomo, returns to Australia with his full live band in December, bringing back his brand of electronic dream pop. Palomo will appear on a string of dates across the East Coast with appearances at the Pyramid Rock Festival in Phillip Island and a co-headline show at Revolver with Norway’s Casiokids on Wednesday 29 December. The tour coincides with the deluxe re-release of Neon Indian’s 2009 album Psychic Chasms. Along with new single Sleep Paralysist, it features seven new exclusive remixes by Toro Y Moi, Body Language, Javelin, Bibio, Yacht, The Antlers and Dntel. Neon Indian deliver equal parts synthetic nostalgia, dream-pop lullabies, and grinding guitar noise to create something eerier than the sum of their parts. Forged after a hazy winter gathering in Texas, Psychic Charms was the result of field recordings, record samples and a collection of bizarre synth sounds.

EAGER TO PLEASE

Cass Eager’s new five-track EP, Down On My Knees, recorded with her new band The Velvet Rope, is a more than worthy follow-up to her rootsy 2007 debut, Beautiful Day. The EP captures a darker, sweatier, more layered sound and a less introspective, more characterbased style of writing. The band launch the EP at the Rainbow Hotel on Friday 22 October, Spenserslive on Saturday 23 October and Veludo on Sunday 24 October.

LANEWAY TO THE TOP The good folks at the Laneway Festival have just unveiled their 2011 line-up, and we reckon it’s one of the hottest bills of the summer. Returning to the Footscray Community Arts Centre on Saturday 5 February, the festival features, in alphabetical order: !!!, The Antlers, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Beach House, Bear In Heaven, Blonde Redhead, Cloud Control, Cut Copy, Deerhunter, Foals, Gotye, The Holidays, Holy Fuck, Jenny & Johnny, Les Savy Fav, Local Natives, Menomena, PVT, Rat Vs Possum, Stornoway, Two Door Cinema Club, Violent Soho, Warpaint, World’s End Press and Yeasayer. Yowzer! Tickets go on sale 9am next Wednesday 20 October.

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SDR A W K C A B and FORWARDS

LOW frontman ALAN SPARHAWK updates MATTHEW HOGAN on the progress of his group’s forthcoming studio album, and offers his two cents’ worth on the trend of bands performing classic albums in full.

ight albums and almost 20 years into their career, Duluth, Minnesota’s finest indie rock minimalists Low are keeping as busy as ever, even recently seeing their songs covered by Robert Plant. Upon talking to frontman Alan Sparhawk, he’s quick to point out that he spent that day tracking the band’s follow-up to their 2007 album Drums & Guns.

A refreshingly honest person to chat to, Sparhawk reveals the band still haven’t mastered the art of recording. “From a technical point of view it’s going well,” he says of album number nine. “We’ve got several songs together, that look like they surprised us on the higher, more, ‘What the hell are we doing?’ level. We’re still definitely in the dark. But I’ve learned to not be terribly surprised with the songs.” Recording in their hometown, the band took residency in an old church that’s been converted into a non-profit space. “We’ve had a studio there for a number of years in the closet,” Sparhawk says before talking about a 100-year-old pipe organ in the building they use. “We’ve used it before and we’re probably using it on this one. It’s sort of weird; it’s pitched to baroque tuning. If you play modern instruments along with it, it’s out of pitch, so we have to do all these old tricks to pitch it and record it.” Without giving too much away about what to expect for the record, Sparhawk does reveal a song title not unlike Trust track John Prine. “We’re going to call a track Al Green because the last verse is about Al Green and I’ve got this thing about if I mention someone in a song I have to name the song after them,” he says. “But yeah, I like Al Green. Someone told us one time that we sing like Al Green but I’ve never really quite gotten that.” In updating the as-yet-untitled album’s progress on the internet, Sparhawk noted that “recording is almost as humiliating as writing and twice as confusing”. He expands on this unusual thing for a recording artist to say. “Generally, at least in my experiences, writing’s humiliating – 99% of the time is spent coming up with ideas that you shoot down,” he reflects. “It’s this process of you trying really hard to come up with something you like, thinking you have something and then telling yourself that it’s not. It’s sort of loathsome until you get something that you like and then I guess that’s the pay-off. “Unfortunately, it’s humiliating. I’ve had some time trying to work out the best word for it and that’s the best word for it. Humiliating. Recording is confusing. You go in with some very some specific ideas and you generally have to question yourself at some point. It can get better but it will always be different to what you thought – you wouldn’t know that unless you’ve just gone in and let yourself not know it for a couple of weeks.”

So does this mean Sparhawk prefers playing in the live environment, where the songs are already fully formed? “Well, it has the same challenges,” he responds. “Maybe just traditionally in our band, it’s just been the anchor. We like making records and I guess I do like writing songs and I’m glad I’ve done it, but for some reason playing has just been the original reality and the original reason for the band. And just touring as much as we’ve done over the last few years, it’s sort of been the only thing that we can claim that we own, you know.” The last time Sparhawk was in town with his Low buddies, the band played Things We Lost In The Fire from start to finish and they’ve since performed The Great Destroyer as part of the Don’t Look Back concert series. “We’ve done two or three of those now with a couple of different records and it’s been interesting,” Sparhawk says. “At first I was a little sceptical, but for some reason I’m able to separate the emotion and go back and not feel like I’m disrupting something. Actually it can feel pretty invigorating to go back and find things that are there that you didn’t see before. I would say, for the most part, that every one of those experiences has been good and, in certain weird ways, has influenced what we did next.” He says the process of revisiting an older record isn’t as devoid of creativity as one may think. “Honestly, I totally understand that there’s a certain part of me that thinks the idea is completely horrific, and there’s part of me where there’s a list of people I would not like to see do that that is probably a lot larger than the group of people I would want to see do that,” Sparhawk admits. “But I don’t know, I guess for me when the question came up and the person it came from and the way it was presented in what context the show was going to be in, it just seemed alright. And instead of getting hung up on the idea, it ended up being a rather creative process for us, even though it’s the closest thing to going back and putting a costume on. At the same time, it’s us, you know? I did that fucking record and I can do whatever I want with it and I don’t care what people think. I don’t know if I can say that, but I don’t know how interesting it is for people but I can see it being over-done.” Recently the band have also re-released their eight-track EP from 1999, Christmas Christmas,, on vinyl. While it’s not a good idea to give it to your nieces and nephews this festive season, it would go well with the band’s more recent vinyl, creepy Christmas single Santa’s Coming Over Over.. Sparhawk reveals an unusual dilemma with Christmas time. “If you’ve seen the animated Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer or The Abominable Snowman,, Christmas is very scary,” he suggests. “For some reason ghost stories Snowman and stuff seem to creep into the culture of Christmas as well. For me, the Christmas vibe of the Christmas season has always been hand in hand with spookiness. Maybe that’s just me and maybe I was traumatised at Christmas one year or something by an uncle of something. But I don’t know, it’s always been a little creepy. As soon as you come up with a line like “Santa’s “Santa’s coming over” over ” over those two chords, you know where

that song is going. I really thought by the time I had the first phrase, ‘this is a scary Christmas song’.” Sparhawk has split his time between two bands in recent times, also fronting Retribution Gospel Choir. That band brought out their second album, 2, earlier this year, featuring the epic single Hide It Away. Away. Sparhawk says he enjoys the opportunity to play faster, louder, more driving music. “With Low and Mimi [Parker, Low drummer and Sparhawk’s wife] there’s a common ground that we share musically, which really has a lot to do with her vision and what she wants to do with music,” he says. “That’s the music that we make together, it’s not something we have to think about. That’s something that Mimi and I do in collaboration with different people at different times, obviously. But playing with someone else, I don’t know if it’s just that the drummer of this band is obviously very different from her – it sort of steered the band. We’ve been doing it for three or four years and the sound with Retribution at this point has really come from a long time of feeling each other out so to speak and finding what music we make – in the same way that Low started out at the beginning; trying to figure out what it is – the music that we make.” While he says the “politics of getting invited over to play Australia is very strange” when it comes to getting Retribution over here, Low’s tour kicks off next week, and Sparhawk admits he can’t please everyone. “We’ll play a bunch of songs off the record we’re working on now,” he offers. “So there’ll be new stuff that some people probably want to hear and some people don’t care about. But it’s too early to play Christmas songs. Sorry!”

WHO: Low WHAT: Thursday 21 October, Beck’s Festival Bar, The Forum

DO LOOK BACK

The last time Low were in town, they played Things We Lost In The Fire in its entirety at the East Brunswick Club. Since then they’ve played The Great Destroyer as part of the Don’t Look Back series, which sees bands perform classic albums in their entirety. The idea behind the concert series has expanded greatly in recent years, with more and more bands performing records from go to whoa. Inpress takes a look at some upcoming concerts dedicated to living in the past.

The Lemonheads – It’s A Shame About Ray Evan Dando and whoever he’s got in The Lemonheads this time around are heading to Australia to play their classic album at the Corner Hotel on Thursday 2 December. They were the third band to ever do this for Don’t Look Back in September 2005 and, despite the fact that much of the album was actually written in Australia, we’ve waited more than five years for It’s A Shame About Ray live and in concert to hit our shores.

Megadeth – Rust In Peace The man with the fullest head of hair in music today, Dave Mustaine, is heading back to Australia to headline the inaugural No Sleep Til festival (it hits Melbourne Showgrounds on Friday 17 December) and they’ll be doing their thrash metal classic Rust In Peace in its entirety for the show. The album was listed as the fourth most influential metal album of all time after Metallica’s Master Of Puppets, Black Sabbath’s Paranoid and Iron Maiden’s Number Of The Beast by IGN. It’s also one of the rare albums that was altered when it was remastered in 2004 – some lead vocal tracks were missing so Mustaine re-recorded them.

Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the album which is now in the US Library Of Congress’ National Recording Registry, Chuck D, Flavor Flav and friends will perform 911 Is A Joke, Welcome To The Terrordome and the iconic Fight The Power at this year’s Falls Festival, as well as at the Corner Hotel on Wednesday 29 December. The 20-track album runs for more than an hour and features guest spots from Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane, so it will be interesting if the hip hop pioneers can get through the album in a festival slot.

Primal Scream – Screamadelica While fans of the Scots have long been divided as to which of their albums is their best, Bobby Gillespie and the boys are going to tackle their first commercial success, Screamadelica, at the Big Day Out next year to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the album. They’ll first perform it live next month at the Olympia in West London and have promised a full gospel choir for Movin’ On Up and Come Together, as well as complete horn section.

MODELS STRADDLED K AND BECOMING RELUCTANT POP STARS, ROC ART TLY IAN DEF NG BEI N WEE BET N TOR E INDUCTEES. THE LEGACY OF THE 2010 ARIA HALL OF FAM BOTH WORLDS. MICHAEL SMITH LOOKS AT

able to UK band OMD. Unfortunately, they weren’t ger, Chris mana their and ss succe the on alise capit band, INXS. Murphy, began to concentrate on his other to hit The ready-to-follow Models’ Media went on (the single #30 and its three singles all went top 20 of US Evolution even made it onto the soundtrack about nced convi really isn’t Kelly But . film Soul Man) were some ...Media as an album, stating, “Again, there it may not good tracks on it but perhaps, in hindsight, ze squee and try just to idea have been such a good a short that much creativity out of the group in such space of time.” ’s suggests. Nineteen eighty-seven began with the band “That was a turning point, I think,” Duffield side INXS, along tour Made alian Austr great a participation in the “Nick’s influence was enormous – that was by year’s end, Kelly had But band yls, the Divin When and s view. of Barne y point Jimm our from recording experience that record, that had enough and Models broke up in June 1988. Kelly moved to Sydney to Paradise Studios to do nality clashes to do. I Hear recalls, “I started having artistic and perso was our sole focus – we didn’t have any gigs decided I’d rather not I so time, the the into at going Freud to s prior Jame had with we Motion was one of the tunes e’.” be involved.” studio that was always perceived as ‘the singl s in various l ercia comm saw The band has since reunited for a few show The Pleasure Of Your Company finally eld, Ferrie Duffi Kelly, when tly d recen album peake permutations, most success match the critical acclaim, as the in July this year. s show of e coupl a at d d playe peake n, Price Motio and Hear I at #12 in October. The single, es followed #16 the month before. A couple more singl place in chart #21 a band the before Big On Love gave left again. “The December 1984. But, by then Duffield had ins, “and I was band wanted to move to Sydney,” he expla urne, so we Melbo in house a getting married and I bought up out ended I and hs lengt wave ent differ on of were kind SINGLES of the band.” 1980 Owe You Nothing – (Independent) August more input “Obviously James Freud was starting to have on two songs,” On – (Mushroom) August 1982 into the group’s music, doing lead vocals st] Roger oardi [keyb “Plus story. the up g pickin says Kelly, I Hear Motion – (Mushroom) September 1983 early punk Mason was James’ old collaborator from his r, Roge ached appro Barbados – (Mushroom) March 1985 pop days [in the band Berlin] and we d back to who was living in Los Angeles and he move 1985 Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight – (Mushroom) July Australia.” s Valentine Evolution – (Mushroom) August 1986 Also joining Models was saxophonist Jame p line-u the g and the band was regularly augmentin MINI-LPS and Zan with backing singers, initially Kate Ceberano dian Cana young a , Cut Lunch – (Mushroom) July 1981 Abeyratne from I’m Talking. Later ar regul the e becam ews was Matth it y But Wend s. d chart singer name to reach #43 in the ALBUMS guests like charliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf still managed backing vocalist. As well, they were inviting Despite there being no single, Alphabravo sensibility, the band was determined to pop rlying unde an ssed gigs. us posse ls vario at Mode h Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf one of the things Hunters & Collectors’ brass section to join never going to be a big seller. Even thoug of good pop music,” Duffield admits. “I think fans s alway were “We . norm l ercia fact, comm – (Mushroom) November 1980 work outside the c in those days. In Love, produced of fuse with songs. We used to be quite prolifi But Duffield featured on the single, Big On album live on 2001 in 1981 ced about the band was we had a very short kind surfa Star s Lucky Local &/Or General – (Mushroom) October fifty songs that went by the by [some later by American Reggie Lucas (of Madonna’ o rather than studi ding before we started recording there were some Of recor a Out , in do album you new what the of to diacy over d more about the imme fame), which was carrie Melbourne], so the Alphabravo... thing was ” The Pleasure Of Your Company music to their – it was just whatever we had at the time. Mind, Out Of Sight. Duffield also wrote the refining the more commercially-oriented tunes – (Mushroom) October 1983 h 1985 (held glers, next single, Barbados, which hit #2 in Marc g choice support gigs, opening for The Stran gettin were The Are they We been, aiser, have t fundr migh relief ls As ‘uncommercial’ as Mode up signing with The Police’s off the top spot by the famine Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight ficantly as it turned out, The Police. “We ended including The Police, ). time Ramones, The B-52’s, XTC and, more signi the World – (Mushroom) September 1985 at acts e twelv of e stabl a had “and they only ” acts. alian Austr label A&M in Europe,” Duffield remembers, their n as Geffe Oil to ight Sight Midn Of eze. We joined Split Enz and Models’ Media – (Mushroom) October 1986 “Mushroom licensed Out Of Mind, Out Joan Armatrading, Joe Jackson and UK Sque to seem I “and nues, conti d Kelly (who’ r ica,” cer Stephen Taylo Records in Amer second album Local &/Or General, with produ [in London] Before they headed off to London to record recall we recorded the [Models’] Media album with Tony Cohen. The result was the 10” ders Recor ond The ARIA Hall Of Fame takes place Richm into back , Out Of went Mind Of Out her, leting toget comp act of our two or have h mont recently worked with Peter Gabriel), they would a n we so withi nd Engla to going e befor thing preparatory Wednesday 27 October at the just sitting we mini-album, Cut Lunch. “Cut Lunch was a Sight, with the idea being to have an album instead it was released as Cut Lunch after and ding recor sh Engli g the for tourin s stop demo to be to Hordern Pavilion. It screens Saturday l ended up being on the Cut there ready to go so that we wouldn’t have supposedly. They were meant we had at things that were more commercia that shots the was.” cts g that respe hopin idea some In were dumb nd. a they what Engla what – 30 on SBS’ RocKwiz. left for didn’t get round the world appeared on the English album, so the label Lunch album, which should have probably the with , 1985 deal.” At home, the album reached #3 in August for, as usual, so that was the end of that previous month. It managed a on their return the but #1 g ds, enfel hittin Fried track ced title repla had ers), r Stiggs (ex The Swing ing year as Drummer Mark Hough, then known as Buste band called Curse, were recruited. respectable #37 in the US charts the follow and drummer Graham Scott, both from a ll Rowe da with John rist Cana of Guita name parts left. he (real and UK ica Freud the s Amer from r Jame Models toured all oys. Enter Kelly’s old school friend, bass playe A year later, Ferrie quit to form Sacred Cowb

ls as we got to know them in Vanda & Young that kick-started the Mode t was the songwriting/production team of tgolf. The band had begun foxtro aecho iedelt debut album, Alphabravocharl November 1980, when they released their iffe, then known as Pierre Sutcl r/guitarist Sean Kelly and bass player Peter y Crash. Within a year two years before in Melbourne when singe Johnn aka ds, enfel Fried Janis mer esday and drum split single with The a Voltaire, recruited keyboards player Ash Wedn cut p line-u This by Mark Ferrie and Andrew Duffield. up. Sutcliffe and Wednesday had been replaced broke ls Mode h mont ing follow The . 1979 in October Boys Next Door that was given away at a gig Duffield remembers. “We broke for getting the band back together again,” “Vanda & Young were kind of responsible in us signing and we did some sted intere were who ts, got a call from Alber up every two weeks,” Kelly laughs. But, “We demos – and they passed on us.” The Boys Next Door – who were Duffield continues, “that is different from “I think the interesting thing about Models,” Michael Hutchence, is that with ers and INXS, [who were] a bunch of broth a band [made out of] school friendships – Melbourne – that ‘inner city in om Ballro ew Seavi the by her were pulled toget great sense of cohesion Models were kind of disparate people that a never was there so level before getting together, sound’. We hadn’t connected on any other r through every version of Models.” except for Sean, who was the common facto e Office Pools/Owe You Nothing in ls released independent single Progressiv Mode ng, giggi of round l usua the into ng Settli Records picked it up for release. charliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf and Mushroom August 1980. They then recorded Alphabravo was the sort of the go-to studio “That ins. expla eld whenever we could,” Duffi “We started going into Richmond Recorders roduction to Young Talent Time pre-p You could sneak in after they’d done the that would work in an after hours capacity. we built up a debt that we and s demo were they But n. eers like Tony Cohe in the daytime and work all night with engin . It was a lot less formulated debts o studi those room was partly about paying ultimately couldn’t pay, so signing to Mush d to an Alberts or CBS.” than an album would have been had we signe in Models and went to Melbourne (now Sony) at the time, was very interested In fact, Peter Dawkins, head of A&R at CBS for all these other people that ss succe for rd gboa sprin this be els seemed to send’ and demolished a to check them out. Duffield recounts: “Mod Town Pete a ‘do to ed South Yarra and Sean decid way. Needless to say we supported us. We were playing at Macy’s in his of out reasonably small stage and we had to get guitar. We had to stop playing – it was a ” Work. At Men was which , like the support band didn’t get the offer from CBS, but they did

“SIGNING TO MUSHROOM WAS ABOUT PAYING STUDIO DEBTS.”

sparring Colin McGlinchey). The two were previously Stars. In May partners in glam punk band Teenage Radio went for ls Mode and out opted Scott and ll 1982, Rowe e, On, singl a cut They . Price young NZ drummer Barton Loyde. While Lobby cer produ and rist guita an veter with -instituted not a mainstream hit, On did top the newly Duffield’s independent charts. Exhaustion prompted but he was departure from the band for a few months, next their d recor to in back on board when they went , with British 1983 in any Comp Your Of ure Pleas The album d on Midnight producer Nick Launay, who had just worke Oil‘s10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

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PROPHET ’ERE “Real punk people have a need for new music that pushes the boundaries,” BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH main man JAY MALINOWSKI says. They also want to change the world, MARK HEBBLEWHITE finds out.

“P

eople always ask us about what we want to do to break the American market,” says Bedouin Soundclash frontman Jay Malinowski. “But, really, Canadian bands don’t really want to do that any more. The indie scene is really healthy up here – and I mean across the musical genres. But then we look south and see what America is giving us and we see Ke$ha and Katy Perry; you know, a whole lot of pop music. So the States and their market doesn’t really register for us at all. We’re just happy doing what we’re doing.”

“Because he values live instrumentation so much, Britt would bring in different musicians to play with us in the studio,” he continues. “At the same time we quickly realised that we were going to have play much better if we were to hold our own. That’s the thing about King Britt and Philly: you go there with one state of mind and you leave with another because that place tests musicians.” As their star has risen over the years, Bedouin Soundclash has become one of the most sought after acts for festival promoters across the world. Considering that the band spend so much of their time playing festivals, Inpress asks Malinowski to mould a fantasy festival line-up of his own. “Oh, man, that is so difficult,” he responds. “I’ll give you some names now, but I know later I’ll be searching through my record collection wondering who I missed. Well, I’d have the Bad Brains, The Roots and you know who else? Midnight Oil. I’m a huge fan of Peter Garrett – he’s an amazing musician and an amazing human being. I’ll never forget watching an acoustic gig he did up here to benefit the anti-logging cause. I think he even ended up chaining himself to a tree.”

Malinowski has every reason to be content. Bedouin Soundclash have been hailed by critics across the world for their inventive, genre-crossing musical gymnastics. Trying to describe Bedouin Soundclash in a pithy sound bite is near impossible and many who have attempted it are left scratching their heads after having tried everything from reggae and ska right through to alternative or punk rock. In sheer desperation, world music is even thrown around, but it’s all to no avail. Bedouin Soundclash don’t deal in labels, but they are happy to acknowledge the music that has made a difference in their lives. “As a band, we owe a lot to the punk rock scene,” offers Malinowski. “Aside from the fact that I loved punk rock growing up; it was that scene who was the first to really embrace our band. We started with Stomp Records in Montreal because they were the only ones who would offer us a distribution deal. They ‘got’ our band from day one. Real punk is not a style of music, it’s an attitude, and real punk people have an overarching need for new music that pushes the boundaries. To me there’s nothing more punk rock than something like Black Grape. Music is always at its best when it’s uncontainable. If people want to call us punk rock, I’m not going to quibble with that label; I’m honoured.” This attitude, not to mention their diverse range of musical influences, has endeared Bedouin Soundclash to everyone from pit happy Hatebreed fans to wine sipping African music devotees. All this makes the band’s live shows a fascinating social experiment. “Yeah, we get all types coming to see us,” laughs Malinowski. “It can get kind of funny because we get some kids who want to start a circle pit, and then you’ve got university kids who are into Ben Harper, and of course fans of

record the album’. That’s how they do it in Philly because they have a real tradition of live music. To give you an idea of where he’s coming from, back in the 1990s King Britt ran a night called Back To Basics where he would have musicians come in and play live with him. The Roots played there, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, all these performers who were at the time unknown but would go on to be huge honed their craft at Back To Basics.”

Bedouin Soundclash don’t just admire social activism, they actually get involved. Currently, the band are working with international aid agency UNICEF to fight child poverty. “We’re playing a gig in Mumbai, India and we’re running a competition with UNICEF for one fan to win a trip over to India to see us play and go on a tour of the country,” explains Malinowski. “To enter you just have to make a donation of five dollars to UNICEF who will use that money to fight the terrible poverty that many children across the world face day to day. reggae who just want to chill out and relax. I don’t see anything wrong with it. I’m just glad that our band can bring so many people together – people who may not have otherwise had anything in common at all.” Now in their ninth year, Bedouin Soundclash are celebrating the release of their fourth full-length album, the provocatively titled Light The Horizon. “That title actually came from a discussion we were having about where our band is at and what the new record means to us. We all felt that we were about to embark on a new beginning for the band and where we were going was on

the horizon. We were all looking forward to travelling and taking our music around the world, whereas before that there had been times where we had been weary of it all.” This new beginning can in part be attributed to the decision to record in Philadelphia with legendary Digable Planets conspirator DJ King Britt. “Working with King Britt was very different for us and I might even say confronting,” admits Malinowski. “We got into the studio with him and he told us that ‘you’re going to play everything live for me so I can get the real feeling of what you guys are doing – that’s how your going to

CUSTOM-MADE TOURING PRESENTS

“They’re a great organisation doing great work that everyone, no matter what your politics or worldview can get behind. We’re proud to be part of the fight and hopefully we can affect some real change in the lives of children.”

WHO: Bedouin Soundclash WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Prince Bandroom

THE DARK STORM JEZABELS TOUR 2010 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

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HISTORY LESSON Making music that celebrates decades-old Cambodian psychedelic rock has taught DENGUE FEVER bassist SENON WILLIAMS much about that country’s bloody past, BOB BAKER FISH discovers.

S group Dengue Fever are a total assault on the senses. It’s not just their bizarre revival and celebration of ‘60s and ‘70s Cambodian psychedelic rock, it’s also the way they look. They’re like the X-Men of music, the ultimate eye candy. Live it’s impossible to tear your eyes away from the gorgeous, five-foot-nothing lead singer Chhom Nimol, who’s more often than not squeezed into an impossibly tight skirt, and obtaining these remarkably high pitches with her vocals. The guitarist looks like he’s from ZZ Top’s early years, the bass player is a giant, the sax player and the drummer both look like they stole the booze from a Tom Waits session and the keyboardist looks like a down-onhis-luck pawn shop dealer. They’re a cartoon, with kitsch choreographed stage moves; it all seems like a gimmick, except their music is just so incredible. “I think we should make action figures,” laughs Senon Williams (the giant). “In heart we’re all the same, but we definitely are

completely different. But there’s nothing calculated.” The same could be said for their music. “We didn’t just want to be another indie rock band from Los Angeles,” Williams explains. “We wanted to do something that was taking ourselves out of the element. We wanted to do something strange but something strong or proud because a lot of the music at the time was apathetic, like ‘we’re in a rock band but we’re not that good’.” For Williams the direction came from a trip to Cambodia in 1995. “I was in a taxi cab and the driver was playing this really weird ‘80s music that was all crazy medleys of Madonna mixed with The Stones and then The Clash would come in but it was all in Khmer. So I went to a market and I found this cassette booth and this guy had one mothership cassette machine with all these crazy wires sticking out of it plugged into all these baby machines around it. When you picked something he would copy it right on the spot and give you some random cover so you never knew what you were getting. When I was there I noticed all these ‘60s-looking drawings and paintings. So I picked some of those and it was all this crazy psychedelic music. So that’s when I first got turned on to it and then my other bandmates got turned onto it in different ways. We’re not purists or crazy Cambodian freaks, it was just something that we were interested in.” Ultimately though it was a Cambodian guy at the local pool hall who sent them to Long Beach to where all the Cambodian clubs are. But what they found was Chinese-style pop – synthetic and cheesy. But the singing over the top, they noted, possessed the same melodies as their cherished older recordings. This is where they hatched the plan of providing a backing band, rented a space, auditioned singers, and eventually found Cambodian-born Nimol. After their first show they knew they were onto something. “We were at a local club and people were dancing like crazy, jumping up on stage, which is rare in LA. It really jazzed us. We thought we could do this a few more times. It was never meant to be this long. We had a couple of concerts in mind and we just wanted to do it for fun and it’s flowered in such a way that it’s just become hard to stop.” They’ve since released two studio albums and one soundtrack to a film they made documenting a recent tour to Cambodia. “It was very scary. We had no idea what to expect and Nimol was frightened too. She didn’t help us feel any better, she was like ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen’. The second day we played on national TV and they loved the show so much that the TV station aired it three times a day for the entire month that we were there, so we couldn’t go anywhere. I mean I saw Zac [Holtzman, guitarist] walking down the street with a Cambodian scarf wrapped completely around his head, his beard tucked inside his shirt and he had a pair of glasses on. He was like, ‘Every two feet I have to stop and sing to another Cambodian’.”

“Cambodia really was stripped of its culture. All classes of people died, but the first to die were all the educators, the thinkers and artists.” “The thing is,” he continues, “you go to these little tiny villages in Cambodia that have no electricity. Every few shacks they have a fluorescent light and a TV that runs off a car battery, so everybody across the entire country got this show. So even when we travelled across the countryside and would stop in a one-cow little village people knew us. It was crazy.” The trip to Cambodia also highlighted the power of music, particularly for a culture that has experienced mass genocide in its recent history. In fact it becomes clear watching Sleepwalking Through The Mekong that Dengue Fever are in part returning an aspect of Khmer culture that was effectively decimated. “When we started the band we really didn’t know much about Cambodian history,” explains Williams. “I travelled to Cambodia and I knew about the Khmer Rouge and I knew about the time period that it happened, but getting to know Nimol and this band has made me understand more about the people of Cambodia and how they’re coping with this travesty that still affects the culture now. Because basically all their educators, their architects, musicians, anyone with an education either left or was murdered. Cambodia really was stripped of its culture. All classes of people died, but the first to die were all the educators, the thinkers and artists. It really today is seriously affecting Cambodia and its culture. I didn’t have a real grip on that when I started the band. As we progressed, making that film and we’ve worked with a few aid organisations, and things are presenting themselves, so it’s something that we do now.” As he speaks Williams is sitting outside the studio whilst the other guys are recording keyboards. In fact, over the last few months they’ve been focussed on recording a follow-up to Venus On Earth, some of which he promises they’ll play in Australia. “As we put out more and more records we keep on trying to push ourselves to something new,” he offers. “Nimol has started to sing in harmonies – it’s very new for her because Cambodian music is one singer or many singers singing in the same register or key. So now we’re starting to experiment. We’re bringing friends and getting a little more orchestrated, and we’re going for a little more of a larger sound on some of the recordings.”

WHO: Dengue Fever WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Beck’s Festival Bar, Forum

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SINGLED OUT BY CLEM BASTOW

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SINGLE OF THE WEEK

TIM & JEAN COME AROUND Mercury

PRINCE RAMA SHADOW TEMPLE Mistletone

PARIS WELLS VARIOUS SMALL FIRES Liberator

JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS WAKE UP! Columbia/Sony

This pair of Western Australians are introduced as “fresh electro pop indie”, which was almost enough to have me reach inside my computer and dismantle their 0s and 1s without even listening to them. HOWEVER! Come Around is completely adorable – equal parts Boy Meets Girl and Boomkat’s What U Do 2 Me – and deserves to be blasted from the rooftops, not saddled with that sort of rageinducing press release-ese. If they’re not writing for Kylie/ Ke$ha/Katy Perry within a year I’ll eat my glitter eyeliner.

So what’s weirder: being raised on a Hare Krishna commune in Florida or going to art school in Boston? Throw in recording sessions in Kurt Vonnegut’s grandson’s cabin, a 135-year-old haunted church, and the presence of two members of Animal Collective, and you’re left with the heaving psychedelic cloud of mush that is Prince Rama’s Shadow Temple.

Megan Washington is a geeky glam Aussie girl making soulful indie, and Paris Wells is a cheeky glam girl cutting indie soul. But, if Washington has apparently sprung into the charts from nowhere, then Wells has been paying her dues – nice little Myer campaign aside – with significantly less mainstream hype. This assured follow-up to 2008’s Keep It should rightfully see her become a household name – and out Sia Sia.

Even just the whiff of a rumour about this album a while back was thrilling. The combination of one of the most exciting hip hop groups ever, with the soulful vocal croonings of John Legend? Goddamn, you could not get a better recipe for funky. We were given a taste of their forces combined on The Fire from The Roots’ last album, How I Got Over, but, though delicious, that was a hip hop album to sip cognac to.

Rumours were that Wells was ‘going’ electro on Various Small Fires, like Gabriella Cilmi, but she’s just not that predictable.

Wake Up! sees The Roots tapping into their own musical roots to find their funk again, in a total collaboration conceived by John Legend during Obama’s election campaign. To make his comment on the state of the world, Legend has gone back to the powerful, socially conscious soul songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s. These were songs that made political statements funky, and the song choice here is sublime.

NELLY FURTADO NIGHT IS YOUNG Universal Look, I know it’s been a long time since Nelly Furtado was the curious nu-folk/fusion ingénue of I’m Like A Bird, but I still have trouble accepting her “new” pop direction. Is it Timbaland’s bad influence? Is she having a mid-life crisis? Night Is Young feels a bit like an offcut from Kylie’s Light Years days, all spiralling synths and uplifting massed choruses; it’s nice enough, it’s just not really my Nelly, is it?

JOSH GROBAN HIDDEN AWAY Warner There’s no mistaking the portent of the sort of piano tone Josh Groban favours here; it might as well come coupled with some slow-motion, widescreen footage of things like rockets taking off and miners being busted out of the ground and horses running really fast. USA! USA! This is likely not an accident as he’s working with Rick Rubin, who then – wait for it! – brings in James Newton Howard and David “Father Of Beck” Campbell to work their Copland-esque magic on the string arrangements. It’s pretty glorious.

It ticks all the boxes – faux-tribal imagery, strange song structures, ritualistic percussion, caverns of reverb and these incredible, almost symphonic vocals that are equal part chanting and operatic. But, then again, with the Hare Krishna link ritualistic chanting would have to be in their blood. It’s like African Sanctus meets Gang Gang Dance with the scary bits of Kate Bush thrown in. And it’s so much fun because these ingredients are very, very wrong. Conjuring up a messy, lo-fi spiritual ecstasy, Prince Rama tap into a kind of cosmic weirdness, a divine space slop, driven by percussion, mystical faith, keys, noise and often multiple vocals. It’s also not all faux. Some of the chanting is legit Hare Krishna chanting, which only adds to the WTF? appeal. Avey Tare and Deakin from Animal Collective contribute to proceedings, which isn’t all that strange because they share a kind of synthetic, though less cult-like, weirdness with the trio. Shadow Temple is a bold album. It just doesn’t work like most other music. The pay-offs are different. It’s not so much about what they’re doing as about what it does to you. This album is wrong in so many ways but it’s so unique, and so carelessly strange that’s impossible not to be in awe and embrace the madness. Bob Baker Fish

BIFFY CLYRO GOD & SATAN Warner “I talk to God as much as I talk to Satan because I want to hear both sides”. Just let that (the opening salvo) sit there and breathe for a moment. Who the hell listens to these numbskulls? This – faux-meaningful adult contemporary with the kind of ‘serious’ orchestral arrangements (that include BELLS) last seen being rejected by The Goo Goo Dolls in 1998 for being “a bit too much” – is rubbish! HOW DO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS BAND IN HUSHED, REVERENT TONES?! Sheesh!

ADRIAN LUX TEENAGE CRIME Neon Try as I might, I am powerless to resist this sort of euphoric Scandinavian pop/dance. Is there an aural/ production equivalent of Ikea over there, where they can pick up anonymous but appealing female vocalists, pulsating synths and semi-meaningful lyrics and acoustic guitar filigree? Damn those bastards, with their pretty landscapes and Nordic blondes and swirly, bittersweet sunrise rave anthems – must they be so good at everything?

NEON TREES ANIMAL Universal Much like five or so years ago there was a definite sound in rock that had “iPod ad” pulsing from it in the shape of giant dollar signs, there’s an upbeat tone these days that makes me think of ads for ‘youth-oriented’ mobile data plans involving beach holidays or bumpers for Channel Ten’s summer programming. It should also be noted that both of those things tend to make my brain go :| so I’m sure you can imagine what my response to music that makes me think of them is.

Various puts the soul into Goldfrapp, and the electro disco into Amy Winehouse, but on the sambafied Mess Mr Wells is a post-feminist reincarnation of Ginger Rogers. The biggest difference is that Wells has evolved as a songwriter. She has the ideal co-conspirator in Ryan ‘RHyNO’ Ritchie of True Live and The RAah Project. He has ?uestlove’s musicality, Mark Ronson’s disregard for boundaries and Kanye West’s daring. Ritchie and Wells use formula for kindling. Various is stashed with single contenders. Believe In Me is a stomping throwback to the girl group era. How Many Moons is a big ‘electro’ number, although it starts as a dramatic alt.country tune. Wells doesn’t sacrifice the soul, instead channelling Patsy Cline – albeit a Cline off to the disco, not the rodeo.

Kate Kingsmill

Cyclone

KEITH! PARTY ROOF RAISERS Independent

SALTWATER BAND MALK Skinnyfish/MGM

After having witnessed a free show from Keith! Party on a sunny Sunday afternoon, where faced by bemused shoppers and families they still managed to stage an experience of pure, loveable craziness, I would imagine it would be quite a challenge to distil that kind of atmosphere into a 12-track, 40-minute album. When your shtick is semi-improvised madness, how do you decide what to commit onto record, to become the ‘definitive’ version of that track? Production-wise, the album isn’t quite as punchy as it could have been; it’s hard to put a finger on quite what it lacks and some tracks are better than others – perhaps it’s soaked in just a little too much reverb. Keith! Party are (if the name wasn’t enough of a hint for you) primarily a loud electro-cum-hip hop party band, out to have, and help you have, a good time, so if you’re looking for deep, subtle and insightful lyrics, this isn’t the place for you. However, lyrically the band have plenty of clever moments, firing quick, fast and snappy hip hop rhyming couplets, many of them self-aware and in the third person, referring to their developing “plans for rave rap revolution”. We may even have a concept album on our hands… (Probably not). There are few moments of quiet down-time during the aural onslaught of Roof Raisers, but a couple of songs have catchy, hummable hooks and there are moments where certain members of the band really get to shine and demonstrate there is more to them than may immediately meet the ear. Some of them can really sing, the track Talkshow Ghost is nearly a work of genius, demonstrating the band’s potential. The album’s release was funded by the state government’s Victoria Rocks grants, which is a testament to the program that they will fund something as erratic and abrasive as Keith! Party and not just safe, generic acts. Chris Chinchilla

CLASS A ME, ME, ME & HIM: THE SECRET LIFE OF A RECEPTIONIST Other Tongues Comfortably filling the void left by the lack of a female presence on the hip hop scene in Australia, Class A makes an impressive statement with her debut Me, Me, Me, & Him. While not sticking to the album’s receptionistturned-rapper concept entirely, the Melbourne native does a solid job of walking us through her life and experiences. Anyone who has had money woes will be able to relate to Get The Money, where she jokingly contemplates taking the role of a pimp to make her ends meet. The M-Phazes-helmed So Bad is one of the album’s stand-out cuts (grating chipmunk chorus be damned), eliciting an energetic vocal performance from our host. Unfortunately when the beat contributions aren’t as fresh, as in the case of the ‘90s boom-bap time warp Work, it does little to inspire Class A or the listeners. Props to her for the attempted comedy of Milkman, a serenade to, you guessed it, a milkman. Too bad the execution leaves it to turn sour. Thankfully the tag team of Class A and talented songstress Rachel Berry pick things back up with Break It Down, while proceedings finish on a high note with closing track Both Sides Of The Barricade, a duet with rising rapper 1/6. The themes and concepts contained within are nothing new, however what you do get once you get to the heart of the project is a genuine person doing what they love. Keeping it short and sweet, Class A’s debut puts her on the winning path. Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey

Baby Huey’s Hard Times is transformed by Legend’s urgent, husky baritone delivery, ?estlove’s boom-bap drumming and added rap flavour courtesy of Black Thought. Their version of Eugene McDaniel’s sublime anti-war soul tune Compared To What is both inspired and funky as hell, and Bill Withers’ anti-war track, I Can’t Write Left Handed, is moving. Common features on lead single Wake Up Everybody, alongside vocalist Melanie Fiona, who’s sounding a little Lauryn Hill. The combination of The Roots getting their funk on, along with the sultry vocal stylings of Legend and CL freaking Smooth giving it up on Our Generation, is almost unbearably dizzifying. The Little Ghetto Boy interlude, featuring spoken word poet extraordinaire Malik Yusef, had me recalling 2009’s musical deluge Good Morning Good Night, but here Yusef’s talent is tempered perfectly. Soulful, funky and conscious, it’s highly advised you get down to wake up.

Goldie is kinky tech-rock (Tex Perkins raps). Let’s Get It Started is boppy jazz, Wells evoking vintage Kelis. She brings space girl Janelle Monae back to earth with the pre-disco funk Through And Through – the piano here, as on the spare title-track, radio hall-consummate. All Wells needs is some theatrical stage costumes from Romance Was Born…

GORILLAZ FEAT DALEY DONCAMATIC EMI As much as I found Stylo utterly mesmerising (and Doncamatic is chirpily appealing), there is something about Gorillaz – generally, but particularly in their more recent output – that bothers me in the sense that their songs are so stylistically disparate that each record may as well be “curated” á la the dreaded Back To Mine compilations of yesteryear rather than a cohesive whole under the one banner. I mean, what is the “Gorillaz sound” and what is the thread (apart from the name) that meshes these songs together? Answers on a postcard.

In fact, Wells has sublimated the funk rock of Keep It into a smokier yet still zesty blues and expanded her spectrum. Now a liberated neo-soulster, she’s flexing herself musically – and imaginatively – while her lyrics are ever more personal, grounded and quirky. Various appropriates its title and, loosely, concept from an obscure photographic book pop artist Edward Ruscha published in the ‘60s.

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The phenomenal worldwide success of Gurrumul Yunupingu’s debut solo album was almost totally inconceivable. That was until you heard his music. Then it was impossible not to be affected by the fragile beauty of his voice and the intense stillness and goodwill inherent in his sounds. It was one of those rare albums that had that kind of power no matter what your musical persuasion or walk of life. Saltwater Band, an eight-piece from Elcho Island off the coast of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, is where he came from, and Malk is their third album in 15 years. You can hear in the production that they’re expecting big things from this album, also in the fact that the group’s sounds are augmented by horns and strings. There’s also four versions of songs that originally appeared on Yunupingu’s debut, including the hit Djilawurr, which, with multiple vocal harmonies and piano in place of acoustic guitar, is just as affecting, though quite different. Yunupingu, however, is not the only songwriter here. The press release jokes semi-seriously about a McCartney/ Lennon relationship between Yunupingu and Manual Dhurrkay, who takes a perhaps poppier or sunnier approach than the intense serenity of Yunupingu. It also results in a remarkably diverse and quite upbeat album, with elements of ska and reggae infused with traditional music, as well some of those still folk-orientated Yunupingu songs. In fact his wailing drawl over the reggae grooves is something out of this world. The vocals are predominantly in traditional Yolngu language, however, also occasionally in English. They’re also joined on vocals by Blue King Brown’s Natalie Pa’apa’a, who provides a perfect counter to the male vocals. Whilst the final remix dance track at the end flies totally counter to the light, sunny, yet carefully crafted feel of the remainder of the album, it’s not enough to tarnish what is an incredibly stately and highly accomplished record. Bob Baker Fish

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is at odds with his grainy delivery of, “I won’t ever be your cornerstone.” The singer emotes like never before, but there’s a hollowness in repeating the same lines over echoing guitars. It starts sounding a bit like the new KOL shtick.

MARY The band finally offer a foray into new territory with this ‘60s doo-wop experiment. Shredding guitars match a twitching, sighing Caleb as he exudes sensuality in lines like, “We’ll go down to the disco/we’ll be a sight.” Old-fashioned pop but simultaneously modern, the foursome are seamless in this love song with a twist, including the utterly confusing line, “We’ll dance like we’re boyfriends.”

BADLY DRAWN BOY IT’S WHAT I’M THINKING PT.1 – PHOTOGRAPHING SNOWFLAKES Liberator After the heights of his 2000 debut, the UK Mercury Prize-winning album The Hour Of Bewilderbeast, Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) has struggled to please all. The (critical) response to his last album proper, 2006’s Born In The UK, apparently left him a little shell-shocked. Recording a soundtrack last year has revitalised him and he’s emerged with a plethora of new material. Bearing all this in mind, it is perhaps little wonder that the theme of this release seems to be compromise and the realisation that not everyone is after the same thing (“I can’t save myself so good luck whoever else believes in me,” he wearily declares on the country-tinged title track). He approached his new material with a got-somethingto-prove attitude, almost afraid to ever keep things minimalist. There are strings aplenty, weird noises crop up and atmospheric echo-y vocal effects throughout in an effort to intensify the mood of his songs. His easygoing yet thought-provoking lyrics often get tangled up in those arrangements though. The layered effects in The Order Of Things actually detract from the naked natural beauty of the song and the strings over-dominate restrained What Tomorrow Brings. At other times it works well, though, with the orchestration wrapping up the epic quality of Too Many Miracles. Only for a brief moment midway through A Pure Accident does he really just allow the intensity of the lyrics and his vocal freefall and do all the work. It is a great listen, just a little more ambitious than it really needed to be. Paul Smith

THE FACE The antithesis of Sex On Fire, booming drums herald vocals that see Caleb projecting to the sky, wailing lines like, “If you give up New York, I’ll give you Tennessee.” Jagged guitars provide the musical filler in this clichéd mess, but the forceful strain in the voice almost makes you believe.

KINGS OF LEON COME AROUND SUNDOWN Sony

THE IMMORTALS

On their fifth studio album, the Followill clan attempt to marry the hick rock of old to a crisp new stadium sound. The result is a muddled affair with few hits and proof of KOL’s penchant for echoes.

THE END Opening with an expansive guitar riff and grinding bass, Caleb Followill’s vocals prove he is no longer the mumbling man of Youth And Young Manhood as he croons “This could be the end” repetitively. The drums and bass remain minimalistic whilst Caleb cries of displacement and finding redemption in newfound fame.

RADIOACTIVE Reverb-soaked guitars are at the forefront of the lead single, pulsating riffs playing off the whining words of, “It’s in the water where you came from.” Again, the theme seems to be of finding home and connecting their past to a new future. The addition of a gospel choir strengthens the arena-sized balladry.

PYRO Pyro takes a mid-tempo dip, with guitars falling to a strum and Caleb sounding 17 again, although the music

The guitar effects that permeate the entire record are practically screaming ‘Look at me!’ on this track, with Caleb turning part-shaman in his calls to “Find out what you are”. A weird bassline lurks in the background, though in bassist Jared’s moment to shine he pulls out a funktinged solo. The Immortals is made for stadiums; soft rock that maintains grit thanks to Caleb’s voice.

BACK DOWN SOUTH With a country twang, a violin fills the soundscape admirably. It’s a clap-along, thigh-slapping number, with Caleb calling, “Come on out and dance, if you get the chance.” There’s an obvious feeling of nostalgia for old KOL imbued in the casual guitar work and lyrics of having a good time. There’s a warmth in the choir ending as they hark back to the old days, but it’s in an unsettling territory between gimmick and real deal.

BEACH SIDE Mellow bass and tambourine make a catchy combination through which Caleb’s voice bleeds “Even when you’re on the run” in a fast-paced jaunt that literally makes the listener want to go running, preferably on a Californian beach.

NO MONEY Insistent guitar assaults with rhythm close behind, opening a track that could have easily been written pre-Only By The Night fame. Caleb’s voice is crystal clear and mesmerising as he croaks “I got no money but I want you so,” a harkening back to the good old days. Guitarist Matthew’s solo is a rollicking, screeching affair and the track stands as one of the few on the record that sees the band properly uniting their stadium ambitions with the sexual aggression so intertwined with their past.

PONY UP A bass intro proves Jared has come into his own as a bassist, but his brother still sounds as if he’s singing from inside a tunnel. The echoes get to be overkill by this point, with nonsensical lyrics that want to emulate the notion of dirty old fun but mostly sound like hackneyed scenes from a country and western tune.

BIRTHDAY The song’s main draw is in the duelling guitars pistoning for first place on opening. Caleb charts through his usual territories of hedonism and youthful follies, contrasting lines like, “You look so precious in your bloody nose” with, “It’s in the way she calls me out.” The chorus is gorgeously melodic but the song is let down by average verses that suck the energy from the tune.

MI AMIGO Staccato drums and guitar bring a country twinge back as the guitar lingers placidly. Horns and organs break the monotony as Caleb attempts to reinvigorate the lusty lewdness he is so loved for but mostly causes embarrassment as he casually drops, “I’ve got a friend… tells me I’ve got a big old dick/And she wants my ass home.”

PICKUP TRUCK Chugging guitars signal the exiting number that’s all swagger and smack talk with Caleb croaking, “I didn’t aim to get physical/But when he pulled in and revved it up/I said you call that a pickup truck.” Oozing macho bravado, it’s all balls but lacks heart. Sevana Ohandjanian

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When wandering through the various grottos of the parallel world that is the internet, scouring its gutters for dreamy pop songs and eyeing off its window ledges for delicious beat-pie, it’s nigh on impossible to not encounter the cover song. If there’s one thing abundant on the internet it’s recordings of people recording other people’s songs. And if you have been following Hyper Music (bless you) since its inception you’ll know that not only is it impossible for us not to write about these covers, but that we’ve thought most of them have been quite good. It seems that a cover is a good way to get yourself noticed, or – in the case of more established bands – a way to let the fans know that, hey, you know, you’re still doing shit. And guess what, yep, more cover songs. (Hey, we would’ve mentioned Kanye West’s absolutely incredible, highlight-of-the-year single Runaway, but that’s a streamor-buy option, which rules it out for proper coverage here.) Dr Martens, the shoe company loved across the world by old-school punks and grunge-folk, is no longer the youthful fashion label it once was. Having turned a whopping 50 years old this year, the German company has decided to invite hip young things such as NASA, The Raveonettes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Buraka Som Sistema, and The Duke Spirit to each record a track for the footwear manufacturer, accompanied by music videos by directors such as Blind (Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl?), Don Letts (The Punk Rock Movie), Matt Dilmore (Black Lips, Busdriver) and Ace Norton (Bloc Party, Simian Mobile Disco, Death Cab For Cutie). There are ten tracks in total for free download in exchange for an email address, and the accompanying music videos and behind-the-scenes mini-docos are available to freely watch on the website. The project’s called 50 Years Of Dr Martens, and the songs are available from 50.drmartens. com. Being a fan of Britpop and post-punk at heart, it’s hard to go past The Raveonettes’ version of The Stone Roses’ I Wanna Be Adored as a highlight, which admittedly is a fairly conservative cover, but when you’ve got such an outstanding original to begin with it’d be sacrilege to venture out far. Sharin Foo’s dreamy vocals fit the song so well. Verbal & Yoon’s take on The Runaways’ Cherry Bomb is another stand-out – a dancefloor beast that’s probably the most likely to gain further exposure outside of the confines of this compilation. Hard beats, angsty vocals, and that unforgetable “ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb” line – it’s the perfect cover. From here attention must be directed to the greatest mix to have been released this year (sorry Fabric): First Blood, which has been meticulously compiled and mixed by Mad Decent duo Blood Bros, AKA DJA and Dirty South Joe. First Blood is made up entirely of songs that featured in 1980s action movies, such as Rocky, Kickboxer, Bloodsport, Transformers, King Kora, Over The Top, and The Karate Kid, Part II. But further to that the whole mix has been constructed to take the listener on a journey (no, not in the same way DJs promise), from the training to the fight to the victory. Laced with soundbites from the films and an incredible middle section from Rocky (it’ll make you weep in awe of how totally epic it is), it’s all rounded off by a surprising array of John Farnham tracks! This is the ultimate soundtrack to accompany your sprints along the beach and walking to the café for your morning coffee. And a sequel is in the works. Bring it. Download from maddecent.com. Husky Rescue is a name we haven’t heard around these parts for a while, their Ghost Is Not Real album landing on our laps a few years back and captivating us endlessly with its Finnish charm and delicate mood (particularly its opening track My Home Ghost). Their follow-up studio album Ship Of Light has just been released in the United States and the group have given the song Fast Lane to the world for gratis. If it’s your introduction to the band, it’s an apt place to start – a simple, driving bass line, effortlessly cool vocals from Reeta-Leena Korhola, and a playful to-and-fro between the fuzzed-out guitars and tweesynths. It might not be enough to garner them massive airplay on anything above commercial radio, but it’s a sign that bigger and bolder things are on the way. It you like, say, The Concretes or The Arrogants, you’ll love it. Grab it at rcrdlbl.com.

DYNAMO NIGHTSPORT Love And Theft

NEIL YOUNG LE NOISE Reprise/Warner

SHIHAD IGNITE Roadrunner

Melbourne party rockers Dynamo have been putting on some spectacular, high-energy live shows across town for a few years now, with stopovers at Meredith and the Big Day Out as well as scores of gigs at inner-city venues. Imagine a party where everyone has an hour or two left to live, plenty of drinks and good mates who are going hard at having the best time of their lives, and you’ll be close to the experience a Dynamo live show can bring.

There is a reason that Neil Young decided to call his seven millionth album Le Noise. It’s due to the presence of producer extraordinaire Daniel Lanois (Dylan/U2), who has warped and distended his sounds, adding a complexity and a kind of inebriated psychedelic slur over everything. Not just echoes on the vocals, or walls of reverb, but a grander, more signature stamp on the album. Where most bands pull back on the effects to try to portray the illusion of reality, Young and Lanois elected to make it overt. It’s not that it’s too much, rather it’s just very obvious, almost another instrument within the songs.

In terms of ambition and record sales (the Pacifier re-invention aside), Shihad have never really surpassed or, maybe more accurately, recovered from the success of their break-out album The General Electric. They’ve shape-shifted their way through subsequent albums, employing soft rock on Beautiful Machines, and again found a different voice here on Ignite.

With a nine-piece line-up, including a killer horn section, it must have been hard for the band to cram all of that energy onto a studio recording. Short of a producing a live CD, their new album Nightsport is a fine collection of stopyour-complaining, turn-up-the-tunes, chug-some-lager and shake-your-arse pub rock and soul. Dynamo are not a joke band but they always keep a cheeky sense of humour close by – the album has a great sense of fun running through it from start to finish. Tracks like All The Beautiful Girls Go To Meredith and First Class Seat are punchy party-starters that are perfect for your oncoming summer sessions. That’s not to say that this is all the band can do. Sinners And Saints is a supercatchy slice of 1960s-inspired pop and the closing track Dromette has overtones of Pink Floyd-esque dreaminess. Nigthsport is a fine introduction to a truly smashing live band. Get it, enjoy it but make sure you see the band in the flesh sometime soon, and Dynamo will show you what their kind of Nightsport is really all about. Garry Seven

There’s a kind of reflective poring over his life. On the Hitchhiker, he details his drug history whilst on Love And War he notes that they’re very familiar subjects for him. You get the feeling that La Noise is about asking questions into the void. “When will I learn to give back? When will I learn to heal? ” he asks on Rumblin’. Neil Young albums can be hit and miss. Yet every now and then something in his brain seems to snap and he takes a real risk, changing things up. Both Trans and Dead Man spring to mind, maybe even Sleeps With Angels. Le Noise belongs here as well. This is a great album.

This album, their first on Roadrunner Records, offers a larger sound – more epic, more stadium rock than before, escaping the raw, garage band roots of their discography. Opening track The Final Year Of The Universe subscribes to this larger sound and is an example of the new direction not quite coming off; it feels thin and ambling and the songwriting is stretched and empty. The high-energy punk and pure rock hybrid style that has made Shihad one of New Zealand’s most enduring bands returns on Engage, a fast-paced party anthem. Rollicking radio track Sleepeater vibrates with the band’s charisma and energy of old. As always, Jon Toogood’s rasping vocals and effusive, energetic songwriting remain the cornerstone of the band and when it’s showcased here the album is at its best. His rallying cries echo over Sleepeater and Lead Or Follow like vintage Shihad. Ignite is a bold, if not quite organic, step in Shihad’s career, a departure from what has kept fans coming back for more and a nod to a possible further reincarnation as a stadium rock band. Sam Manu Gray

Bob Baker Fish

REZZALP IN MY DREAMS Independent Based on the themes and plot of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this concept album transports the listener to a magical, dreamy soundscape, rife with raw emotion and harmonic flourishes. The theatrical Shakespearian motifs are masterfully interwoven throughout the album, simultaneously guiding listeners through the heartfelt, personal experiences of the four Plazzer sisters – Bridget, Helena, Maryanne and Suzanne. With effortless synergy they’ve employed their classical training to develop a dynamic style, which conveys the vast spectrum of human emotions, from deep enveloping sadness to heart-exploding joy. The tango-like rhythms of the album’s second track, Perfect Love, tell an angst-ridden tale of betrayed love. The lead vocal’s subtle vibrato adds an old-world jazz club elegance to the track. Four-part vocal harmonies are cleverly layered throughout the album, creating the swirling cacophony of harmonic embellishments characteristic of Rezzalp’s unique style. Weary Night elicits a change of pace at the album’s halfway point, with a banjo-plucked accompaniment creating an interlude reminiscent of a Huckleberry Finn riverboat ride. Overboard signals that intermission is over, however, with a punchy bassline and jazzed-up drums rich with shimmering hi-hat sounds. Chromatic vocal harmonies swirl into snappy, percussive accents and highlight the easily relatable lyrics, “Overboard to get a man, searching high and low and on the town/Going to live my life and take a chance, going overboard to get a man.” In Lullaby For Titania, the simple piano accompaniment balances perfectly with the minor-toned, haunting echo of vocals, rich with quivering vibratos. It’s then a smooth transition into the haunting sweetness of the final track, People, which implores the listener to, “stop judging yourself and be free, or you’ll be your own worst enemy,” before the twirling melody segues back into a soothing instrumental conclusion.

It’s an incredibly stark and stripped-down album, dark like Tonight’s The Night – perhaps like that 1975 offering, prompted by the death of someone close to him, this time bandleader and mercurial pedal steel guitarist Ben Keith. It’s just Young and his guitar, either acoustic or electric, yet the production fills any void, moving, pulsing, warping along with a kind of controlled weirdness. Young has returned to that meaty, fuzzy – okay, grunge – guitar sound of the Sleeps With Angels era and Lanois’ treatment of his guitar is nothing short of extraordinary, both in terms of texture and timbre, but also in terms of the way it’s stretched across the stereo field. Song-wise Lanois rescues some of Young’s potentially lame moments, such as Angry World, with a guitar sound you can almost taste in your mouth and a disconcerting vocal loop. The effects duck, weave, explode and disappear around Young’s songs as he continues almost oblivious.

Ignite is Shihad’s eighth album, their fourth number one-debuting album in New Zealand and, despite selling out Australian tours through out their career (including an already sold-out show at the Corner Hotel in November) they remain New Zealand’s most successful band to not become an Australian national icon.

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS SWANLIGHTS Spunk/EMI ICE CUBE I AM THE WEST Lench Mob/Inertia As the West Coast takes a bit of a dip below the mainstream radar, veteran hellraiser Ice Cube swoops in to keep his home state alive. That gruff, commanding baritone sets the tone right with Soul On Ice. Authoritative lyrics over mostly contemporary-sounding truck-rattling beats are the order of the day. So are some rather cringe-worthy rhymes (toffee and coffee, brilliant), a fact the chorus sadly confirms. Fellow Cali vets WC and Jayo Felony join the revivalist gangsta party on Life In California, as Cube throws a little jab at Jay-Z (“why can’t I rap about the shit I see/without Alicia Keys, without going R&B”). Family-friendly pot calling the mogul kettle black. The back-to-back audio assault of I Rep That West and Drink The Kool-Aid, while not changing the course of the album, do make for a mostly entertaining affair. Hood Robbin’, however, is a game changer. The Cube of old weighs in on the current financial depression, acting as the spokesman for the ‘hood over a soulful, melancholy banger.

Don’t let the abundance of harmony wash over you without taking a moment to really think about the depth and meticulous crafting of this emotionally evocative album – these girls are definitely onto something.

I Am The West has quite a bit working against its efforts to be a wholly satisfying affair (some lacklustre beats, rather uninspiring guests). What it does have is passion and honesty. At this stage of his career Ice Cube does not really need to be producing any more musical product. Put it down to ego, love of the game or a bit of both, the big man is still doing his thing after more than two decades, which is something you’ve gotta at least respect. If the quality on this release is maintained for another few years, with more quality control hopefully shown, Cube’s hall-of-fame career could continue for as long as he wants it to.

Stacey Elms-King

Andrew ‘Hazard’ Hickey

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Last year’s The Crying Light saw Antony Hegarty stripping away the layers for an excruciatingly haunting and intimate record, but with Swanlights the English-born singer brings sweeping orchestras to aurally overwhelm and invigorate listeners. Hegarty emotes with every fibre of his being; the timbre in his voice quivers with each word, his breathtaking falsetto is utterly engaging as it moves from a breathy whisper to become unfalteringly strong. His voice says more than the lyrics themselves; operatic but never overdramatic, Hegarty doesn’t attempt diva-esque vocal gymnastics to convey his talent but rather imitates the sounds of strings in crescendo in the background. Musically, Hegarty has returned to a warm, all encompassing sound amiss from his last record, inviting in full orchestras of sound to create rich, ear-tantalising soundscapes that soothe and stimulate concurrently. Thank You For Your Love is the sweetest of love songs as its pop melody meets Hegarty’s jubilant voice and sporadic horns spurt from the chorus. Gone are the bleak solo vocal efforts of the past, Hegarty cries, “I thank you! ” repeatedly with such gleeful enthusiasm, one cannot help but broadly grin by the song’s jaunty conclusion. Everything Is New is another rebirthing for our hero, but it’s the orgasmic double bill of Bjork and Hegarty on Flétta that is bound to have listeners hooked as two of the most unique modern voices collaborate, with only a simple piano refrain to accompany. Swanlights is stunning music from a true rebel of modern music. Sevana Ohandjanian

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His Facebook fan page gets it somewhat wrong: “Exactly like The Drones, only less of them.” For while there are elements of the band which has built his reputation, Mr Liddiard’s solo outing is different – in parts both more and less than the band’s visceral noise.

They may not all admit it, but most people have a soft spot for Jimmy Eat World. Somehow, through their safe, easylistening rock, they make your ears prick up, your foot tap and, in my case, they make you sing along by the second chorus of the first song. I couldn’t help it – there was clapping and bells and then they introduced strings. There was even a moment where I thought I’d accidentally been listening to Arcade Fire. But Jim Adkins’ voice reassured me that this was still the Jimmy Eat World I knew from the days of Bleed American, only now they occasionally add tambourines and a disco beat.

Following on from the All Delighted People EP released in August comes Sufjan Stevens’ first full-length record of original tracks since 2005’s Illinois. The Age Of Adz sees Stevens at his most erratic and experimental, combining Christian-inspired indie folk melodies with a distinct electronic twist.

Mistletone

There’s words: tumbles, waves, floods of them. Stories full of details, feelings, justifications – sometimes presented as apparently trivial asides, yet still giving hint or insight to a tale’s unfoldings. Those who know the band’s sprawling convict tale, Sixteen Straws, will find one reference point for what’s going on here. Often, it’s almost poetry, spoken word. But then Liddiard will underline some point with a punctuation from his guitar – throttling or exposing a thought. It’s in an Australian folk tradition, but certainly not ‘bush ballads’ – for every gothic rural mystery like High Plains Mailman, there’s the share-house grime of the title track. There’s history – colonial allegory in Blondin Makes An Omelette, or The Collaborator’s wartime guilt. And love, most often gone. You Sure Ain’t Mine Now is one you lost. His jagged voice clutches upward, somewhere between animal screech and soul singer’s keen. She “Comes back again/In embers, in hailstones, in time,” and you feel it like a punch.

Invented kicks off strong. It’s upbeat and happy music with pleasant melodies and lyrics like, “All the fucked up things you say couldn’t possibly be any less help to me.” Adkins has always been hit and miss with lyrics – during this album I’m sure there were plenty of miss occasions as well. He’s also taken a slightly new approach to writing by inventing scenarios from photographs: hence, Invented. The album is broken up with guest vocalists Courtney Marie Andrews and Rachel Haden, which adds a nice contrast to Adkins’ voice but I’d really like to hear what he’d do with baritone or bass vocals: a little Tom Jones never hurt anyone, right?

It runs more than an hour, though only eight tracks, ending with the epic Radicalisation Of D – where news soundbites, personal horrors, snippets of David Hicks’ life, and big and small events make an explanation of pain and feeling. Those looking for three minutes and a catchy chorus best look elsewhere, but in its way this is an extraordinary record.

Basically, if you’re a fan (whether you admit it or not) you’ll like the album. It might fade into the background of your consciousness about halfway through, but it starts and ends strong. I recommend playing it during the final hours of a house party or when your head just needs a break from complicated riffs and fast tempos. Just don’t expect any surprises. It’s Jimmy Eat World, start to finish.

Ross Clelland

Lizzie Dynon

The Age Of Adz is a direct reference to the work of the late Royal Robertson, an artist from Louisiana who suffered from schizophrenia. Living on the verge of poverty, Robertson’s apocalyptic art explored themes of anxiety, loneliness and angst and the inspiration this played to Stevens is clear while listening to the lengthy 11 tracks. Moving away from the storytelling style heard in previous records such as Michigan (2003) and Seven Swans (2004), The Age Of Adz is primal and personal, expressive of dark thoughts and feelings about love, death, suffering and suicide. Futile Devices is the opening track and is the most reminiscent of earlier work in terms of its delicate and mellow style. Other standouts include the title track for its futuristic and catchy rhythm; I Want To Be Well, an exploration of illness and self-harm; as well as Impossible Soul, the final turbulent song that lasts more than 25 minutes, incessantly morphing in terms of structure and genre and even including some AutoTune effects. The Age Of Adz is refreshing and full of little surprises, adding to the eclectic charm that is Sufjan Stevens. He is the kind of artist that people either love or loathe and this latest gem will no doubt enforce such distinction further as it is his most unusual and abstract album released to date. Danielle Trabsky

From the scorching, squealing screamadelica of opener and album title track Black Brown Green Grey White, you get the sense that Kes’s mainstay, Karl E Scullin, is making a bold and jarring statement about the band’s latest artistic expression. But like much of the man’s creative output over the years, nothing is as it seems, with Body Time and Wise Eyes easing back into more of that sparse, art-rock tangent Scullin has tapped for years. Harmony swells, falsetto launches and shimmy electro breaks meld into grating guitars, melotron action and synths to sweep through the record early on with Lehmann B Smith and Julian Patterson adhering to Scullin’s modus operandi in typical fashion. They know who’s boss. The Alarm Clock’s discordant bawl and Won Seventeen’s kosmische soundscapes soon combining with the Scullin shrill to return the record back to the disaffected, manic glory of the first tune. Living Underground is the album’s softened interlude moment. She’s a harmonica-infused, languid tripper that cuts loose from the miasma of faint guitars and the deftest of percussive threads. While I Don’t Get It is 1.33 minutes’ worth of haphazard and irresistible chaos, the band closes out the show with arguably their most intact song in The Original Daddy. Dissolving the aggravated rhythms into a streamlined narrative delivery and vocal pitch, it’s just too orderly by Kes Trio standards. Too pleasant and too structured, really. For it’s the lunacy and unorthodox approach to building melodies (The Alarm Clock, Won Seventeen, I Don’t Get It) that offer the most delight here. Sonic, primal hammerings and a spasmodic sequence of events that rightly do blow the mind. As they should. Nick Argyriou

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A WILLING EXCEPTION Fronting one of the world’s biggest bands has seen PARAMORE vocalist HAYLEY WILLIAMS face some heavy challenges. SCOTT FITZSIMONS digs into corporate drudgery and the storm over that Twitter photo. standing up or they’re singing along and clapping or showing any kind of interest. That makes me feel like I won, you know? And, usually if we play good and we had a good time, it usually happens that way. We’ve always loved winning crowds over. I think that’s the one thing in my entire life that I’m actually good at,” she laughs. Really good at it, as Paramore have won enough crowds over to justify an arena-and stadium-based tour this time in Australia. Three albums in and the band are at the peak of their success so far. Their 2009 album Brand New Eyes will be hard to follow up and it’s highly possible they’ll never surpass the current levels of support. Prime examples are Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco, who, after conquering the world, brought out well-developed and well-rounded, mature albums (Fall Out Boy’s Folie à Deux and Panic’s Pretty.Odd.), only to see their fanbase consolidate. “I wanna say it’s still the tip of the iceberg. I’m only 21; I don’t want to think about being a veteran of anything yet,” Williams says. “I want to be constantly learning things and I’m sure there’s other ways that we can make ourselves useful in this business because we’re all so passionate about every part of it. From the writing side of it, to shows, to the merchandise, we love all of it because it’s all creative. I don’t know, I hope there’s a lot more to learn and a lot left to do.”

t didn’t come out of nowhere, but the rate at which Paramore rose to international fame on the back of their track Decode – promoted as the lead track for the first Twilight soundtrack, then appearing as a bonus on their own album – was astonishing. Of course, everything associated with the film franchise has enjoyed a huge amount of exposure and Paramore themselves had a strong cult following with their second and breakout record Riot! (debut All We Know Is Falling didn’t make it to Australia until after), but these days they’re virtually a household name and a staple around high school grounds across Australia. Pushing the post-emo scene from the front, leading the Tennessee five-piece is one Hayley Williams, the energetic, flame-haired 21-year-old who’s become the

poster girl for the bedrooms of both male and female teens. Touring with Soundwave, for a large portion of revellers they were the band to see, and it was only a matter of time before their heavy touring itinerary opened up long enough for them to return to Australia. Talking down the line from a Chicago airport, Williams has the youthful energy that’s made her so popular singing and swinging mics from the front of the stage. Upbeat about almost everything, she’s up to the challenge of this touring life, particularly when it comes to winning over the festival crowds. “In a way, I definitely love being the underdog,” she claims. “I love working really hard to win people over and I love when people kind of don’t want to believe it at first or they’re a bit standoffish, because it confirms everything at the end when they’re

Warner herself did branch out earlier this year, appearing as a guest vocalist alongside Eminem no less, on BoB’s urban-pop mega hit Airplanes. Where their real home is though is the Fueled By Ramen stable, which houses Panic At The Disco, The Academy Is…, Cobra Starship and Gym Class Heroes, and has been home to Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard and even Melbourne’s own Blueline Medic. Orchestral in the post-emo explosion, they’ve been accused of ‘packaging’ bands in moulds like pop stars. “I think right now, where our label is as a family, there’s sort of moments where it gets a bit hype-ish and a bit of a fad, but then you look at the line-up and you look at the history of the label and I’m still proud of where we come from and the bands are just being signed. Like a band called Fun, who I’m obsessed with, and another band called The Swellers who are good friends of ours. “I’m just really proud of the scene that we come from and I’m proud of the world that we started out in

INTO THE WILD “He ran away and kind of got chased by police when he was naked.” Singer/guitarist MICHAEL BELSAR warns BRYGET CHRISFIELD what can happen when HOWL score an unlimited rider. songs, but you’ve also gotta keep that open mind, too. ‘Cause it’s definitely a challenge at first when you turn up to a studio and then the producer tells you some things that just don’t work and you totally thought they did work but, yeah! It’s good to have that input. Every producer has such a different outlook on what you’re playing so it’s interesting to work with someone new.” A leftover track from writing sessions for their EP got Howl thinking about their debut album. “We were gonna put five [tracks] on [Brothers In Violence] and then the fifth one went for about six or seven minutes,” Belsar shares. “But we didn’t have time to finish it, so we decided to leave it until the album and keep working on it anyway. I would have said that it was gonna be the best song on either EP, so I’m looking forward to actually finishing it properly. “The thing about EPs is that you can throw out four singles and they’re never boring, it’s just fun, but with an album you can do something really cohesive and you can have a concept and you can explore a bit more. I definitely don’t wanna release an album that’s just 12 songs. It’s kinda disappointing when you get an album and you play it and it’s just a bunch of songs.”

“I

t’s been almost a year since we finished school,” Michael Belsar, one of Howl’s alternating vocalist/guitarists, marvels. On whether they’ve been able to sustain themselves solely on the income the band brings in, Belsar explains, “Everyone’s just left their jobs, basically. Tim [Street, guitar] used to work at a café and he’s quit that, Daniel [Marie, drums] was a swimming teacher – I think he’s doing his last shift tomorrow or something. The only one of us who’s really got a job left is John [Crawford, bass] who works at McDonald’s and he’s just worked there for way too long!” Howl’s relentless touring schedule – “I think there’s, like, 50 shows coming up for the rest of the year or something” – will surely force Crawford to surrender his Maccas uniform. The teenaged band have just come off a national tour supporting Children Collide and have also been booked to warm up the stage for Philadelphia Grand Jury’s forthcoming, extensive tour. Nestled in between is a tour

to launch Howl’s second EP titled Brothers In Violence. “We did the whole EP in Studio One in Collingwood with the house tech [Paul ‘Woody’ Annison], who did Children Collide and Red Riders and stuff,” Belsar offers. “That was the second time we had a legitimate working as a producer not as an engineer.” After winning the Triple J Unearthed High competition in 2009, Howl were flown to Sydney to have their winning track Blackout recorded with the station’s studio engineers, which was the band’s first experience working with a producer. “When we recorded in Sydney, the first thing Greg Wales said was that he wanted us to put one of the bridge parts for Blackout right at the start. And we just all thought that was ridiculous, but after we tried it a few times it kinda made more sense… I always find myself in big arguments with whoever’s producing ‘cause, you know, they want something and you want something else and we end up coming to a compromise. At the end of the day, they’re your songs, and you have to fight for your

The video for Anyone But Us, which was filmed on a shoestring budget of just $21 when the band played at a house party in Melbourne last year, attracted significant attention as a result of a competition dreamed up by the band’s manager. Belsar audibly cringes when this subject is broached. “The competition was to vote for Howl on Channel [V] and we cook you breakfast in bed or something like that,” he expounds, “and it ended up going really well and we ended up getting number two, I think, on the [most requested] charts. All these newspapers printed that we knocked Justin Bieber off the charts and our film clip on YouTube ended up having 11,000 hits in, like, four days.” So Howl’s “incredibly intelligent manager” was definitely onto something. “Except the whole breakfast in bed thing was pretty awkward,” Belsar clarifies. “We had to wake up so early and I was so hungover so it was a pretty weird experience.” Turns out the lucky winner was male. “We asked Johann [Ponniah] to pick a hot chick but he chose some guy from oh, where was it? Croydon, outside of Melbourne, and he actually ended

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and glad that we can build a bridge over to whatever mainstream home we’re finding. Because it’s been my dream to be able to bridge the gap between being a big band and getting out there and still maintaining that sense of ‘we know where we come from and we’re not ever going to leave it behind’.” There’s one darker moment in Williams’ year that can’t be ignored, involving Twitter. The star accidentally posted a photo of herself topless, which was presumably meant for her boyfriend, New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert. The photo was only up for a couple of minutes, but at the speed at which the internet moves (and the fact that she’s followed by over a million people) meant that the photo will be stored eternally in the internet’s memory. “I mean, that was definitely the worst, uh, day, if not moment, of my whole life. It’s not something that you plan on or that you want to have happen and it sucked and I was really scared, ‘cause I didn’t know what people would say and I have a lot of guy friends – more than I do girl friends – so that also made me very nervous.” However, those million followers came through for her. Some fans went so far in their support that they circulated similar pictures of themselves. “And just the support was crazy, from my family to my friends who are fans. Everyone’s just been so cool; I don’t know, really just loving me and showing me that it’s not about those moments it’s about how you overcome them and I just decided to hold my head up high.” With a lack of fanfare, the matter died remarkably quickly, showing that Williams dealt with the situation superbly. It shows that despite the excitement, energy and ‘carpe diem’ mentality, she’s got her head firmly screwed on. “I kinda have a couple of different thoughts on it, because on one hand I feel like I have to deal with an adult world all the time and I have to take these phone calls that none of my friends would ever have to, and long meetings at certain times of the day that are stupid. It’s just like random things like that that come with music being an actual business rather than all the time [being a] big show. But that part doesn’t really matter because being in music kind of keeps you young, even when you have the stress level of a 70-year-old.”

WHO: Paramore WHEN & WHERE: Tonight (Wednesday), Sidney Myer Music Bowl

up being more of a fan of my other band [Neon Love].” When asked what his favourite Howl song was, Belsar recalls, “He was like, ‘Um, Anyone But Us? Yeah, is that the one with the film clip?’. And we were like, ‘Oh, fuck’. And then he was like, ‘Yeah, but I really like Neon Love’. And then I was like, ‘Cool, man’.” Of the aforementioned video’s accompanying single, Belsar says, “I wrote the riff probably when I was 14, quite a while ago. But we listened to it for ages and ages, and we struggled to write something for it, and then all of a sudden we started playing this song and it evolved over two years. But we’ve been playing it live for about two years and when we actually went to record it properly we basically fully redid it and redid the chorus and the end bit and that breakdown bit – kind of added the big, epic keyboard parts… The keyboards were through guitar amps and we used five different pedals just to make it sound wicked.” Belsar remembers one of Howl’s wildest gigs to date, which went down in Adelaide while they were touring with Yacht Club DJs. “They opened the bar for us ‘cause we sold the place out,” he details, “so it was an open bar and everyone kinda got a little bit too loose. And I think Galen [Strachan, keys/vocals] ended up lying in the gutter out the front of the venue, naked. The police found him and he said something to them when he woke up. They tried to get him to come with them and he ran away and kind of got chased by police when he was naked.” Another memorable gig early on in Howl’s career went down “in a regional town, a place called Buninyong”. “They had the Gold King Festival. It’s not even a music festival, it’s just a local thingy right next to the bowls club and Daniel turned up almost 45 minutes late and he was just absolutely, ridiculously hungover to the point where he couldn’t even play drums. So I had to step in and play drums for him and he passed out on the side of the stage. It was just so bad and there were all these old people walking around. There were no young people there – it was ridiculous. It was pretty funny, though.” Were there at least some amusement rides and dodgem cars? “No, just food and flowers,” he laughs. “I think we were paid about $50 for that show, too. What a win!”

WHO: Howl WHAT: Brothers In Violence EP WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, the Workers Club

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NOW IS THE TIME For once future-gazing rock icon BILLY CORGAN, the moment of truth has arrived. The SMASHING PUMPKINS leader speaks to MARK HEBBLEWHITE about life as a formerly under-appreciated artist in a post-album world. The same is true with many of the records that I put out that got horrible reviews: they’re all now listened to a lot. That’s what happens when you are a progressive artist, you’re out of the curve so to speak, but of course critics like to think that no one can outrun them. This is simply not true, as a band like Sabbath proves.” As well as being creatively out of step with predominant trends in the music industry, Corgan has also found himself disagreeing with the tried and tested economic models used by the business. Nowhere is this better illustrated than with the Smashing Pumpkins’ behemoth of a new album Teargarden By Kaleidyscope. Unlike traditional LPs, Teargarden – a sprawling collection of 44 new songs – is being released one track at a time over a period of years. Each track is available for free, although fans can choose to then purchase physical EPs, which feature four songs grouped together and are periodically released by the band. Corgan explains the rationale behind this bold experiment. “The decision to release Teargarden as we have done was first and foremost an artistic decision. But it was one predicated on the idea that I need to be in a positive environment to make great art. And to me the record system that currently exists, especially in America, is not one in which I can make great art. I mean, maybe if I was 22 and too dumb to know, but to be in my 40s and know that I’m getting fleeced, that’s not okay with me.”

hen the Smashing Pumpkins released Siamese Dream in 1993, no one could have predicted that it would go onto sell over six million copies worldwide. The band’s sound, a somewhat contradictory mix of pop sensibilities, Bauhaus-styled moroseness and an urgent rock punch, was not immediately accessible, yet in the post-Nirvana world it found an instant audience. The band’s driving force, guitarist and vocalist Billy Corgan, was hailed as a muse and the voice of the then nascent alternative music nation. As it turned out, this extremely talented musician was just another middle-class white kid from the suburbs with a penchant for the Riffmaster General. It’s a fact he quite happily admits.

“There was something about the sound of Black Sabbath that made me feel like someone understood what it was like to live a disenchanted and alienated life in the suburbs,” recalls Corgan, as he discusses his first musical love and derision they often faced. “There’s something about the doom, heavy energy and apocalyptic lyrics of albums like Master Of Reality and my favourite record, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. That band were forwardthinking, progressive musicians and that’s why I love them. And, you know, it’s funny because when, in the late 1980s, I used to cite Sabbath as a huge influence on my music, people would literally laugh at me. They couldn’t understand why I liked them. You’ve got to remember that Sabbath were originally perceived as a joke – the critics hated them. But they have stood the test of time.

And who is doing the fleecing? “Well that question is part of a larger dissertation, but let’s put it like this: when Napster emerged in the mid to late ‘90s, the record industry had a unique opportunity. They could have acknowledged that people were listening to music in a new way and sat down to figure something out because that’s where the future lay. But instead they looked at the model and realised that they weren’t going to get paid and [someone else] would be in control. So they said, ‘Fuck it, we’ll try and destroy it’. Of course, in doing that, they’ve only made it stronger. Now there are generations of kids who will never pay for music and all the industry has tried to do is to protect a sinking boat. “And what’s the first thing you do in a sinking boat?” continues Corgan. “You throw the heaviest objects overboard, which in the case of record companies

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are career artists off whom they can’t make enough profit, even if that artist is a proven seller. And that leads to even worse exploitation of artists. It’s mindboggling to me that record companies continue to do this thinking something is going to change. As long as they keep running a counterintuitive, antiartistic business, nothing is going to change.” Corgan says he’s “very happy” with what the Pumpkins have done so far with the Teargarden experiment. “I went in with realistic expectations and from day one considered it an exercise in progressive marketing. I wanted to demonstrate that I have faith in the value of my music and at the end of the narrative, when all 44 songs are released, I will be able to present something on a commercial level that someone will want to buy.” Corgan’s views on the state of the music industry aren’t unique, but interestingly he doesn’t share the same sense of nostalgia that many other artists rebelling against the machine espouse. To Corgan the LP format is dead, or as he more gently puts it, “is below the waterline of relevance”. Nor does he feel that younger generations have been ‘robbed’ of the record store experience. “Every generation has its own way of interacting with media,” he explains. “I don’t think we should sentimentalise these things too much. For example, I grew up with four television channels. Sure, I get nostalgic about those pre-cable days, but let’s face it, they weren’t that great. I think the way kids are getting music is fine. Just because we had a certain experience doesn’t make it right.” However, Corgan doesn’t stop there. When asked if the live experience is now more important than ever, he again surprises. “Playing live is only as half as important as it used to be for a band,” he offers, while still assuring Inpress that he relishes playing live and is looking forward to his Australian tour. “Back in the day, everyone would know you were coming to town. Now, unless people are looking for you by reading the right papers or viewing the right websites, they don’t even know you are there. And then once you’ve played they don’t even know you’ve been because they don’t engage with the media. Bands can tour endlessly and still live in a bubble – that’s the reality of the internet age. That’s why musicians have to constantly grapple with new ways to engage listeners. It’s a matter of survival.”

WHO: Smashing Pumpkins WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Festival Hall

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THIS WEEK IN

ARTS

EPI-THET

THURSDAY 14 A Matter Of Life And Death: Reconciling Indigenous spirituality with contemporary life – part of MIAF’s series of lectures and artists discussions, Bindi Cole and artists from Nyahbunyar (Temple) will discuss life, art and ideas. BMW Edge, Federation Square, 1pm. Adapting For Distortion & Haptic – installation for body combining sound and light, created and performed by Tokyo-based multidisciplinary artist Hiroaki Umeda. Described by the New York Times as “like a Tin Man with oil flowing freely through his veins, Umeda mirrored the pulsating score with an accumulation of motion.” Part of MIAF. Opening night, 8pm. Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse until 17 October. The Beckett Trilogy – from Gare St Lazare Players Ireland comes Conor Lovett, regarded by many as the greatest living interpretator of the author, delivering three works of Samuel Beckett: Molloy, Malone Dies, and The Unamable. Part of MIAF. Opening night, 8pm. Playhouse, Arts Centre until 17 October.

FRIDAY 15 Life Without Me – produced by Melbourne Theatre Company in association with MIAF, comes the world premiere of Peter Evans’ production of Daniel Keene’s Life Without Me, described as Fawlty Towers meets Sartre’s No Exit. Part of MIAF. Official opening night, 8pm. Sumner Theatre until 21 November.

SUNDAY 17 Jack Charles v The Crown – a well-regarded figure in the Australian theatre scene with a colourful history of run-ins with the law, homelessness, and drug abuse, Jack Charles takes to the stage in this powerful autobiographical solo show. Part of MIAF. Closing night. Fairfax Studio, 2pm.

MONDAY 18 A Matter Of Life And Death: Mental landscapes: intimate theatre on stage – part of MIAF’s series of lectures and artists discussions, director Judy Hegarty Lovett and performer Conor Lovett from The Beckett Trilogy and Adriano Cortese from Ranters Theatre (Intimacy) will discuss life, arts, and ideas. BMW Edge, Federation Square, 1pm.

TUESDAY 19

Epi-thet – mixed media sound installation created from the genetic materials of thousands of individuals – animated assembly of images and words that we use to describe ourselves and each other – but activated by you. Part of MIAF. Opening day. Meat Market, Arts House until 23 October. Vertical Road – world premiere dance work from the Akram Khan Company that draws inspiration from “universal myths of angels that symbolise ascension: the road between the earthly and the spiritual, the vertical road”. Part of MIAF. Opening night, 8pm. Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse until 23 October.

ACO BRING ALEX ROSS, EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSICK The Australian Chamber Orchestra have announced their 2011 season, and after the wintery cool of their styling for the 2010 marketing it’s nice to see colour lavished throughout 2011’s brochure. (Hey, we love black suits, don’t get us wrong, but there’s something nice about orange and grey striped t-shirts and green jackets that screams fun. Even Richard Tognetti’s removed his tie for the occasion.) The year kicks off in February with a star-studded roster of names, including Mahler, Beethoven, Prokofiev and Mendelssohn for their showcase with bass-baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, stepping up to sing some beautiful pieces by the aforementioned heavyweights. Their second event for the year – and the one we’re looking forward to the most – is the double-bill Listen To This/The Rest Is Noise. If those titles sound familiar that’s because they’re books written by New Yorker music critic Alex Ross, who’ll be introducing two programmes of music that he’s created, featuring such works as Barber’s Adagio For Strings, Purcell’s Dido’s Lament, and Stravinsky’s Apollo: Apothesis. ACO with Alex Ross will be taking place in March. Two classics get dusted off for Glittering Fröst in May, with Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Brahms’ Hungarian Dances (arranged by Maritn Fröst) joining pieces by Copland and Ravel. In the midst of this first half of the year will be a special event, The Glide, created by ocean photographer Jon Frank and Richard Tognetti, combining images of surfing in sub-zero temperatures in Russia with the sounds of the ACO performing the likes of Elgar, Shostakovich, and Tognetti himself. The Glide Melbourne venue and date to be announced later (it plays in Sydney in April). For tickets and further information head to aco.com.au.

MYSTERIOUS GIRL LIZA DEZFOULI WANDERS INTO OTHER REALMS WITH THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, BURLESQUE/CABARET THEATRE-MAKER EXTRAORDINAIRE, MOIRA FINUCANE, PRESENTING CARNIVAL OF MYSTERIES TO MELBOURNE. Moira Finucane is the woman described by the Transylvanian Times as ‘exquisitely, sumptuously demented’ (and they should know). She’s no ordinary sister. Finucane and her partner in seduction of outrageous finesse, Jackie Smith, are currently engulfing Melbourne cabaret audiences in a dark and surreal world of tenderness, beauty, and wit. Those who know their work are highly charged already with anticipation and excitement. Those who don’t – be warned. Carnival Of Mysteries is huge, with the work of 30 artists from many different genres offering wares comprising a myriad of experiences. Everything: visuals, song, sound, movement, clowning, smell (including pure vanilla essence), music, story, books, and theatre, letters, poetry, billowing silk velvet drapes, dance, vodka, snow, arias, victuals, and more all served up in bejeweled and exquisite settings such as the Tent Of Miracles, the Pleasure Garden, Sideshow Alley, the Shrine… The way Finucane describes it is a performance in itself: “rambunctious, playful, innocent, sinister; a pleasurable and moving exploration of some of the Mysteries of Innocence, Mercy, Forgiveness, Passion and Love.” What would make a mother of twin toddlers come up with a show so damn big? “Good question!” Finucane says with a chuckle before going on to explain. “The project started in two places. One spark was a conversation with [painter] Mirka Mora; we were both

being interviewed for a cover story about bohemians. I asked her why her work was so innocent. Her answer: ‘If I didn’t have my innocence I would die.’ Now, she’s seen the worst side of humanity, having been a little Jewish girl in Paris in World War II. That was the first spark. “Years later Jackie and I were touring in Europe; we were in Rome. We toddled off to the Colosseum. A lot of what you see as a tourist isn’t translated into English but I saw this one thing about ancient mysteries – they are meant to open the eyes, not the mouth. A mystery is unutterable. And so the carnival of mysteries was born!” Putting the project on hold while she had her twin daughters, Finucane went on tour when they were only 11-weeks-old and came back to Melbourne to establish evenings of creative interaction, the very popular Salon de Danses, thus keeping the Carnival flame glowing. She continues with the story: “Over the next three years we had input from over 100 other artists. We engaged 30 artists to realise carnival. No other carnival past or present explores a single theme in such a complex way.” Carnival Of Mysteries has a mission, to explore qualities normally seen as passive but which are the only things that make a difference, the strongest, yet the most difficult qualities to hold onto: innocence, forgiveness, mercy, passion and love. “Mirka Mora actively pursues innocence,” continues Finucane. “That stayed with me; her life long search

for innocence. Goodness is seen as passive but people who really work for good – they put their shoulders to the grindstone to create a loving, more joyous world – it’s an active quality!” Such a massive collaboration whips up a defiant storm of creative energy. “The curatorial brief was one of incredible complexity. All of the artists had unforgettable responses,” says Finucane. “They have an incredible edge, which makes their view of the world razor sharp.” Visual artists will especially enjoy the painted side show panels, the result of an open call to artists around the world. “We had 140 applications – Indigenous artists, European artists, Japanese artists,” says Finucane. “We chose 11 – all incredibly different.” What makes Finucane and Smith’s work so special is that they don’t indulge in theatricality or spectacle for the sake of it. They create exquisitely resolved and powerful performances, often shockingly rude to boot, but created with intent, with playfulness, poignancy, and much sexiness. Only a totally honest approach to burlesque and cabaret forms could offer such a bittersweet dose of real, subversive cleverness whilst retaining all the wonder and glamour you could wish for. “We choose our artists very carefully,”states Finucane. “With where you are and how your work is, there’s an enormous amount of freedom but there is no one in the show who doesn’t adore their audience. Unless the artist respects

the audience they’re not in a Finucane and Smith show, and that doesn’t mean it can’t be crazy or edgy, because it’s exploring what it is to be human. We are bower birds in collaboration – we take risks; we live and breathe it.” In short, seeing their shows means you get to be an intelligent voyeur plus come away changed. How on earth is it all going to fit into fortyfivedownstairs? “Jackie and I love the intimate experience,” Finucane explains. “Fortyfivedownstairs is the haunting bare bones of old sewing warehouse with bars on the windows, light seeping in, impossibly high ceilings...” Finucane can’t contain her excitement for show. “There are nine luscious little pleasurable handmade pavilions, like dark, delicious, pointy Fabergé eggs,” she enthuses. “It’s a really beautiful, multifaceted wave; a dreamlike carnival.” It is easy to imagine Finucane and Smith selling the Carnival Of Mysteries to the Melbourne Festival. Artistic director Brett Sheehy made up his mind on the spot to include it when they met with him last November. “Every festival director brings new energy,” observes Finucane. “A wild diversity of form. We talked for an hour and he said, ‘I love it, I want it’.” If ever a show was designed to cure the jaded or those worn by daily life, then the Carnival Of Mysteries is it. WHAT: Carnival Of Mysteries WHERE & WHEN: fortyfivedownstairs until Saturday 23 October

ROB SCHNEIDER RESCHULES SHOWS TO 2011 American comedian Rob Schneider has had to postpone his upcoming live stand-up tour of Australia, citing “unexpected scheduling conflict”. The Deuce Bigelow star will now be arriving in the country in February, with his rescheduled Melbourne dates set for the Comedy Theatre Friday 11 February and Saturday 12. Already purchased tickets are valid for the new dates; however, if you wish for a refund, you can do so through your point of purchase by Wednesday 10 November. More information from abpresents.com.au.

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FRINGE REVIEW

THE CROWN JEWEL

STATUS UPDATE

LIZA DEZFOULI TRAVELS TO THE ARTS CENTRE VIA SMITH ST WITH ACCLAIMED PERFORMER JACK CHARLES, WHO IS ABOUT TO OPEN HIS OWN SHOW, JACK CHARLES V THE CROWN. Jack Charles v The Crown could be regarded as the stage ‘sequel’ to the Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s documentary film about Jack Charles, Bastardy. Charles says of the stage show that has premiered at the Melbourne Festival: “It’s honouring the fact that this doco allowed me to become a better man than previously. It’s the foundation; it allowed me to be bigger than myself.” ‘Larger than life’, ‘living legend’… It’s easy for Jack Charles’s story to overshadow the man himself, except he isn’t allowing fame or acclaim to turn his head. He still lives in a housing estate but, “I’ve moved upstairs to a two-bedroom place,” he says with a chuckle. “I’m living in luxury!” The man is as well known for his former criminal activities and heroin addiction as for his highly respected work on stage and in film, and has stabilised his life dramatically since the doco, filmed over an eight-year period, two of which saw Charles incarcerated. Jack Charles v The Crown is co-written with John Romeril and directed by Rachel Maza Long. Charles is grateful to the Melbourne

Festival for this chance to tell his story in an hour or more in his own words. “I’ve always wanted to do a onehander,” he says. “They took it script unseen,” he says. “I’ve got to follow through on that. An hour and a quarter, on me tod. It’s been hard; I’m not used to the nine-to-five. I go home, plonk myself in bed and wake up and think, ‘I’ve gotta start learning lines!’.” Charles is quick to add that he will be performing without chemical additives. “It’s the first time this little black duck will perform without any poo in me system!” Plus he’s enjoying the sound of his own voice. “Heroin restricted my vocal chords. My voice sounds better now.” Uncle Jack Charles is frustrated that he isn’t perceived as more of a leading light in Melbourne’s Indigenous community: “I had a couple of epiphanies in prison. I remember saying that this doco ought to be giving me validation as an elder beyond these walls. Bastardy should have allowed me to be a black leading light. But I’m more honoured in prison than outside of it.”

La Mama It’s a common enough anxiety, meeting up for real after developing an online love interest. What makes a meeting like this really challenging is the degrees of fiction manufactured along the way. This fabulous two-hander is a modern tragedy written by Peta Brady. Status Update is a dueling internet chat room, rich with wordplay, rapier wit, sexual themes, lies and deception. The play opens with a status update. We observe as Adam (Peta Brady), the online persona of a woman pretending to be a man woos “his” love interest Coral (Danielle Carter). We follow their enthusiastic exchanges, in jokes about murder mystery novels, repartee about a shared passion for death poems, reflections on friendship. When Coral suggests they meet, the cracks begin to

They decide to meet in Bewtopia, a virtual world where their fantasies can run amok, where their intimacies are played out as intellectual musings, erotic postings interposed with uncertain inner monologues. This chat room fare is riveting, a litany of fictional poses, gendered posturing and elegant sexually charged prose. These inner reflections reveal each of the characters flaws and deepest fear. It makes for fabulous theatre as we sit by, voyeuristic, omniscient, hovering as their palpable and idyllic romantic liaison sours and Eden, in the guise of Bewtopia, becomes a warzone. Pete Goodwin’s soundtrack is evocative. Director Sue Jones brilliantly conceives these postings as choreography, turning chair bound internet chat into a chorus line of characters. Season finished

PAUL ANDREW

IN GOOD STEAD He claims that elder community members like him should be much more influential amongst Aboriginal drug-addicted youth. “Nobody else is going to do it,” he says. “These uncles and aunties who have

MELBOURNE FESTIVAL REVIEW THE BLUE DRAGON Playhouse, Arts Centre Canadian Robert Lepage is a leading exponent of multimedia and cinema inflected theatre. The Blue Dragon is his latest offering picking up on a slender thread from the close of his 1985 production, The Dragons’ Trilogy. As Pierre Lamontagne departs the trilogy, he leaves behind the xenophobia of his homeland to study art in communist China. We meet him here 20 years later in contemporary China, where ancient art, values, and philosophy are losing their grip as East and West merge, as communism fails, as borders of belief dissolve. We learn he is in the midst of a deep ennui. Symbolically, the Blue Dragon rules Chinese astrology and in Chinese myth it often symbolises spring. And it is the blue dragon Lamontagne has tattooed on his flesh that forms the central motif of the play, a provident and mystical force at the outset of middle age as he tries to rekindle love. The tattoo is a reminder of the pain one endures in the hope of beauty. It is a talisman too. It consoles him, it becomes his moral compass. Performers Henri Chasse, Marie Michaud, and Tai Wei Foo weave together a mesmerising cinematic assemblage, part calligraphy, part choreography, part drama that reveals an artfully conceived take on an old theme, romantic love without the caprice of youth. It is a simple story line beautifully evoked as a series of dissolves, vignettes and cross fades. The question posed, how will this modern family adapt, as ancient values pass from deadly winter towards spring? Season finished

PAUL ANDREW

show in their perfect virtual match.

stabilised their lives, we need to start sharing the needle – I mean, inject a little humanity in their lives!” WHAT: Jack Charles v The Crown WHERE & WHEN: Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre until this Sunday

Starring Olivia Brown in the role of the much publicised – often for the wrong reasons – author Christina Stead, I Write What I See is the third in a series of works by Darryl Emerson exploring Australian artists, after The Pathfinder: A Picture Of John Shaw Neilson and Earthly Paradise: A Portrait Of Lesbia Harford. Emerson, himself a novelist as well as a playwright and director, brings Stead’s controversial work and life to a stage littered with affairs with married men, Marxism, and selected extracts from her work. Brown says that performing what essentially amounts to a one-woman show is tough work, but ultimately deeply rewarding. “It is a challenging role, but the material drawn from both her writing and her life experiences is very rich and full of drama and incident,” Brown says. “In relation to the life story, she lived through very interesting times and a range of extraordinary events. Over the span of her 81 years, she witnessed much social change and experienced many major world events: the Great Depression, World Wars, McCarthyism, the Spanish Civil War, at very close quarters. Notes accompanying Hazel Rowley’s Christina Stead: A Biography state, ‘Her fiction was large and passionate, original and demanding, as was her life.’ I’ve certainly found that to be so.” Brown is also listed as the play’s dramaturg in publicity material. Even though she refuses to take credit for this important role, she does admit she and Emerson worked together closely. “I have been closely connected to the development of I Write What I See, but I wouldn’t say I have been involved as a dramaturg. Darryl and I have carried out a lot of research together and have engaged in many, many conversations about it. I came to Melbourne on a number of occasions for workshopping sessions, and Darryl visited me

LEGENDARY AUSTRALIAN WRITER CHRISTINA STEAD IS THE SUBJECT OF A NEW PLAY WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY DARRYL EMERSON: I WRITE WHAT I SEE: CHRISTINA STEAD SPEAKS. TONY MCMAHON SPEAKS TO STAR OLIVIA BROWN.

in Sydney for more of the same process. But decisions about the content, structure, and scope of the play have made by Darryl. He was the instigator of the project and it’s his play.” According to Brown, Emerson’s standing as a writer himself was not his overriding motivation for bringing I Write What I See to life. Tellingly, it’s more about Australian stories. “Darryl is a real patriot. He is passionate about Australian history and culture and sees our most talented and accomplished artists as being vital links in the development and expression of both. His previous works for the stage have highlighted the literary achievements of poets

John Shaw Neilson and Lesbia Harford, and the historical and socially significant achievements of the Snowy River Scheme. I believe Darryl is very interested in all aspects of Christina Stead’s life, and most definitely interested in her approach to writing. In the play, Stead encourages novelists to avoid a careful polished style and to employ instead an intelligent ferocity. Like most other people in the field who encountered Christina Stead’s writing style, Darryl is both dazzled and bewildered by it.” WHAT: I Write What I See WHERE & WHEN: Old Council Chambers, Trades Hall this Thursday to Sunday 31 October

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ANTHONY CAREW SPEAKS TO PASCAL FORNERI, WHOSE FILM GAINSBOURG AND HIS GIRLS IS SCREENING AS PART OF ACMI’S FILMIC LIVES OF GAINSBOURG AND BIRKIN SEASON.

TO SERGE, WITH LOVE

Thirty years ago, when Pascal Forneri was just 14, he met Serge Gainsbourg. Forneri’s father was a singer who had performed on French radio during the same program as the legendary French songwriter/ raconteur/provocateur, and afterwards they headed out for a drink. “I was at that age where you’re not really influenced by a person like that – he was an old man by that stage, he wasn’t a young and attractive person – but I was very impressed,” the now44-year-old Forneri recounts. When Gainsbourg stopped, midconversation, to scribble an idea on a piece of paper “covered in this little, horrible, impossible-to-read handwriting”, the adolescent Forneri “saw a guy who was always working, who was obsessed with ideas on a 24-hours-a-day basis”. Gainsbourg And His Girls, Forneri’s documentary portrait of the singer, suggests something else: that Gainsbourg was just performing 24 hours a day. “Yes, he definitely created characters,” Forneri admits. “He understood the power of the media, of basically doing a mise-en-scène of your entire life. He saw that, instead of being a slave to that, it would be an interesting tool to play with… [but] at the end of his life, you could tell he was struggling to maintain that difference between the ‘real’ Gainsbourg and the public Gainsbourg. The lines got blurred.” Gainsbourg And His Girls dodges the clichés of the musician documentary: though its makers, Forneri and fellow music-video director Didier Varrod, interviewed Gainsbourg ingénues like Jane Birkin, Juliette Gréco and

Vanessa Paradis, they don’t show them on camera. “I thought that, using lots of archival footage, it would be difficult to cut from Jane Birkin as a 20-year-old girl to showing Jane Birkin now,” Forneri offers. “Viewers would just be doing that thing where they’re scrutinising the way she looks: ‘Did she age well? Did she not age well?’. It sounds like a silly thing to be concerned about, but I really felt like it would jeopardise a viewer’s immersion in the film.” So, there’s not a single talking head, voice-over or forced narrative. It’s all archival footage, assembled in ‘interpretive’ fashion. “I wanted to tell the story in a very fluid way,” says Forneri. “Even though a documentary is based on real events and real people and attempts to capture some kind of truth, it’s stays a work of fiction, because you’re telling a story. So, the object is then to tell the story in the most creative way you can.” So, the filmmakers set about “doing a more thematic thing as opposed

to something more straight and chronological.” Says Forneri: “Many people in France already know the chronology of Serge Gainsbourg’s life, so, to us, it felt like it would be tedious to go through that again.” Which leads us to the obligatory biopic, Gainsbourg (Vie Héroïque), which screens alongside Gainsbourg And His Girls during ACMI’s Je T’aime: The Filmic Lives Of Gainsbourg And Birkin season, and is, indeed, tedious. In France, the documentary hijacked the movie’s hype, screening on French television two weeks before it opened. “To a lot of people, they were complimentary,” Forneri offers. “They don’t tell them same story. If you care about the music and the real person, then you’re more into the documentary, if you want somebody’s dramatised take on Serge Gainsbourg, then the film is for you.” WHAT: Je T’aime: The Filmic Lives Of Gainsbourg And Birkin WHERE & WHEN: ACMI until Tuesday 19 October

SHAKESPEARE WITH ITS BELL ON It’s an exciting time of year, this, because it’s when we find out the 2011 seasons of all the major players in the theatre scene. The latest company to reveal their program for the next 12 months is Bell Shakespeare, the country’s premiere practitioners of the Bard’s work. Toby Schmitz will return to the stage next year as Benedick in the immortal Much Ado About Nothing, ALEX MENGLET opposite Blazey Best’s Beatrice, under the direction of John Bell. This kicks off at the Playhouse, Arts Centre on 10 June and runs to 25 June. Then the epic Julius Caesar will take over the Fairfax Studio, Arts House 8 September to 17 September. Caesar will be directed by Bell’s new Associate Artistic Director Peter Evans, with Alex Menglet in the titular role and Kate Mulvany as Cassius. Yes, you read that right. For tickets and further info visit bellshakespeare.com.au.

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C U LT U R A L

CRINGE THREE OF THE BEST TAKE A DEEP BREATH…AND BREATHE. LIZA DEZFOULI DISCUSSES THE THEATRE OF SAMUEL BECKETT WITH CONOR LOVETT, ONE HALF OF GARE ST LAZARE PLAYERS IRELAND.

EMILY SEXTON

WITH REBECCA COOK Cringe can’t help but wonder what the Lithuanians think of it all. There’s their club with its walls of sepia photos of proud moments in their local history and it’s jammed full of north-side shoegazers watching dubiously named performers with even more dubious-sounding material. Do Lithuanians have a history of supporting Fringe performances? Do they get free tickets for evacuating their entire premises for three weeks? On Friday night the Lithuanian Club, which is part of the Fringe Fest’s hub, was abuzz with a last weekend crowd raring to get their Fest fill before it closed with a bang on Saturday night. Cringe stepped through Asher Treleaven’s Secret Door – which seems to lead you to Oscar Wilde’s own Club X. The 2010 Comedy Festival Barry Award nominee not only wowed our audience but also the folks at the Brisbane Powerhouse who bestowed their Comedy Award on him (he tied for the prize with The Hermitude Of Angus, Ecstatic by Vachel Spirason and Stephanie Brotchie). Cringe imagines there was flock of hair flicking on the stage at the annual Fringe Awards and closing night hoo-ha. The Lounge Room Confabulators (Stuart Bowden and Wil Greenway) took out the Adelaide Fringe Award, which includes free registration and $2,000 support for next year’s Adelaide Fringe, for their home-invasion-styled performance where they turned up at a punter’s home and told a story for $20 regardless of audience size. One wonders what they will spend their $2,000 on? Not a venue. Although they should be careful in Adelaide – maybe they should spend some of the money on personal selfprotection if they’re going to wander the suburbs of the city of churches. Mia Stanford took out the gong for outstanding Indigenous performing

artist picking up a mentorship with Ilbijerri Theatre Company, while Chose Rong Again won Melbourne EAT the PRAY LOVE Cabaret Fest Award. Natano Faanana was awarded the Circus Oz Award for Briefs, the all-male, sharp-shootin’ circus cabaret. Relatively new theatre company Mutation Theatre picked up three awards – the Victorian Writers Centre Award for Best Emerging Playwright for its production These Are The Isolate, the Theatre Works Award for the company in general and the People’s Choice Award for their other production The Arrival. Clearly this is a company to watch! Creative Producer Emily Sexton, who must have been exhausted on the last day of the fest, managed to construct some powerful sentences and was obviously chuffed with this year’s effort: “Our panel of nearly 100 arts industry representatives found it incredibly difficult to determine winners in this year’s festival; the quality of work was so high, the ideas so diverse and well resolved, the aesthetics so beautiful and strong. We are exceptionally proud not just of these award-winning shows, but of the depth and sophistication they represent of the independent arts sector as a whole,” she said. This is Sexton’s last fest as Creative Director ending her three-year term. “I am so proud and honoured to have been able to work in this important organisation with these amazing people,” she said. “An open-access festival environment is such a glorious space to be in, exposing your mind to the extraordinary diversity and strength of the Australian independent arts community.” Applications for the Creative Director role close on 4 November. In brief, if you were wondering how many folks you can fit down Corrs Lane, which was the final feat of the Fringe’s Visible City project, the answer is 67.

Beckett, three hours, one performer. Gare St Lazare Players Ireland is a theatre company ‘specialising’ in the works of seminal Irish playwright and author Samuel Beckett. So how does one couple (Conor Lovett, with director Judy Hegarty Lovett) take three entire novels by one of the world’s most influential writers, distill them into a theatre piece and then have one of them perform it as a solo show? “Our aesthetic is to keep things simple,” Conor Lovett answers. “Let his words do the work. With a writer as strong as Beckett you don’t need to add much in terms of stagecraft. We are being led by the words and are just trying to get out of Beckett’s way.” Gare St Lazare Players Ireland started with one show based on one book (Molloy) and then went on to add two more (Malone Dies and The Unnamable). “Beckett is the commonality,” explains Lovett. “The sequential plot is the evolution of Beckett across the three of them. Partly his evolution as a writer. He was more and more frustrated by the stories he was telling. What he was trying to express, he couldn’t capture in story. And he used stories as a way of expressing that. “The pieces work on many levels,” Lovett continues. “People really connects with Beckett; it’s a human speaking, and the audience is human. The difficulty is that once you’re on your own, you are dealing just with yourself, trying to figure out what, if any of it, is important. Anyone can understand that, with the grace and humour of the writing.”

Have there been any surprises for Lovett, as an actor, in developing this project? “A big surprise. We had done Malloy, were very pleased; had had a great reaction. We tried everything to make Malone different from Malloy. We thought, ‘They’re going to say it’s the same bloke doing the same thing’. Finally, literally a few days from performing, we decided to stop

worrying about all that. It was just me, being myself on stage and doing what I had been doing with Malloy, letting the words do the work. It was a big breakthrough; it felt like a risk. But Beckett is doing something different. There is nothing but the story to capture and break through to the audience… And it’s stunning. Each piece is so different.” Lovett is anything but complacent

SERENE SCREENS LIZA DEZFOULI SPEAKS TO ARTIST BILL VIOLA ABOUT TWO WORKS FOR MELBOURNE FESTIVAL, FIRE WOMAN AND TRISTAN’S ASCENSION. Bill Viola is one of the greats in the world of video, sound, electronic and installation art and these days is busy creating visuals in churches. For the Melbourne Festival, St Carthage’s in Parkville will house an installation Viola originally created for the opera of Tristan And Isolde. So how did this installation come about? “It’s only natural to begin to realise that operas are rare occasions; this is a way to present it to the public. It’s a bit of an interwoven history,” says Viola, speaking from his home

FRINGE REVIEW THESE ARE THE ISOLATE Errol’s Cafe Upstairs Written by Mutation Theatre mainstay Katy Warner, These Are The Isolate is a haunting spectre. Ed McAllister returns home from work to find a woman, ghostlike, sitting before a killing machine, a homespun suicide device. As the woman stares into nowhere, we glean from his manic diatribe, the ramblings about work promotions, accusations about this woman’s failings, ranting about lamb shanks for dinner, that this rather mysterious woman may in fact be his wife.

A two hander, brilliantly rendered by actors Tim Wotherspoon and Katy Warner These Are The Isolate is a Pinteresque play revealing the veiled depths of isolation and alienation individuals feel in their closest, most intimate relationships. McCallister’s hysterical words and actions reveal to us the outer limits of tension contained within his primary relationship. Even as he finds his beloved, at the brink of suicide, he is more concerned with external affairs, the promotion, receiving praise from his superiors, postulating about his worldly success, willfulness, climbing that ladder. This work continues the conceptualism of earlier Mutation

works like Fluorescent Façade (2008) and The Corpse of Hamlet (2009), theatre portraying the fragmentary interior worlds within each of us. Here the Mutation signature, foregrounding that glint of human alterity, is conceived as a portrait of hindsight. As the play closes, we sense that what we are truly experiencing is a flawed man captured, reopening his deepest wound, reflecting, examining the destruction and desecration of true love. Perhaps it also begs the question, was this mysterious woman his wife, or was this spectre his inner feminine? Season finished

PAUL ANDREW

on Long Beach, California. “I’d had in mind some of the images with me years before but had never been able to create them for various reasons.” The video loop runs for 20 minutes, there are two pieces, Fire Woman and Tristan’s Ascension. How did Viola decide which images to extrapolate from the video for the opera? “I look at each image individually,” he replies. “It’s a

four and a half-hour opera and the images flow continuously throughout – so there’s a large amount of material. The two works we chose are towards the end of the opera. I had an image in my mind’s eye of a dying man. And a person is waiting for their lover to come back. She appears to him as a silhouette in front of a wall of flame. She falls into water. A reflection. Tristan’s arc is a

about the company’s success, however. “As a performer, and from Judy’s point of view, we still have so much work left for us to do: make sure the work is entertaining. Be truthful. Serve the work as best we can.” WHAT: The Beckett Trilogy WHERE & WHEN: Playhouse, Arts Centre Thursday to Sunday complement in that he falls into a backwards flowing waterfall.” For the last 35 years Viola has concerned himself with creating moving images to express and explore the transcendent, the spiritual, love life and death, the big questions that keep us looking at the stars and wondering. “Two years ago we showed the same pieces in a church in Redfern, in Sydney,” Viola continues. “The response was amazing.” Why churches? “The connection with religion and spirituality – they are important things in our time right now.” Viola says he was very lucky to start out at a time when the video revolution was beginning. “It didn’t have a track record – it was a wide open field and exciting for all of us.” Did he ever imagine that he might one day become so influential? “You just keep moving forward. It’s about passion and desire. One of the most fundamental things human beings have is curiosity. Keep moving forward, don’t get stuck. It’s much better not to stop and think about how important you are or who you are. You do your work. If you see a door and look through it and it’s crowded with people, you don’t go there. If you see a darkened door you open it and go through and don’t look back!” Bill Viola’s The Raft, the artist’s interpretation of The Raft Of The Medusa by Théodore Géricault, is also screening at ACMI Gallery 2 until 20 February 2011. WHAT: Fire Woman and Tristan’s Ascension WHERE & WHEN: St Carthage’s Catholic Church, Parkville until 23 October

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FILM

CAREW

THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION

WITH ANTHONY CAREW We all know the dangers of remaking a classic/amazing/etc ‘foreign’ movie in the English tongue (see: Matt Reeves’ Let Me In, also opening this week), but what about remaking a really shitty one? Shouldn’t that be a far more interesting endeavour, allowing filmmakers to take failed exercises, extract any interesting artistic ideas, then expand upon them in new and unexpected ways; rehabilitating the reputations of atrocious works in the process. Anne Fontaine has occasionally authored interesting subversions of genre tropes – How I Killed My Father skewering the skeletons-inthe-family-closet sub-genre, Entre Ses Mains rewriting the gender politics of serial-killer movies, and The Girl From Monaco instilling the frothy farce with savage teeth – but Nathalie..., her with-a-twist take on the erotic-affair flick, certainly wasn’t one of them. That said: that doesn’t mean its basic set-up – bourgeois

tale of steamy infidelity becomes paranoia thriller – couldn’t become, say, a parable on the power of presumptive guilt on the societal level. Unfortunately, it’s been remade by Atom Egoyan, the Canadian director whose artistically-interesting days of the mid-’90s – Calendar, Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter – now seem like aeons ago. Egoyan’s re-do of Nathalie…, as Chloe, is an ‘erotic thriller’ on the artistic level of a midday telemovie. With Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson on the marquee, there’s the suggestion that acting gravity looms on the horizon, but it gets lost in the wash; the sudsy soap-opera, vaseline lenses, and drowning score all dashing any hopes that thespian chops can help give the film some life. Given it’s a tale of the unreliable-narrator, the film needs its story-spinner to make it sparkle; but, unfortunately, this production has hitched its wagon to Amanda Seyfried’s star. And, well, she’s really not very good; in fact, she seems worse butchering this loaded material

than she did in Veronica Mars all those years ago. With Seyfried as the villainous vamp, the film goes from bad to worse, ending in a hideouslymoral conclusion that totally punces out on any transgressive elements that may’ve come up in the material. The City Of Your Final Destination is very much a Merchant-Ivory film. Clearly based on a literaturefetishising novel, it finds a cast of name actors sitting around in a manor house (here, in Colorado posing as rural Argentina), trading savage putdowns and salty quips, soliloquising artful back-story anecdotes, and wielding psychological baggage. Luckily, it’s unyoked from the burden of the history and free from the starch of the period-piece; the film allowed to live out from under the spectre of Important Literature, English tradition, etc. It’s not a triumphant, transcendent work of art, but Ivory’s latest picture happily lets its actors – especially Alexandra Maria Lara and Laura Linney – relish some occasionally so-so material, and it has its charms because of such. Even Charlotte Gainsbourg’s stilted delivery gives life to her character in a charmed way; her awkwardness carrying with it an intense suggestiveness, the product of a past that is eternally present. It may be painfully, obviously based on a seemingly-self-conscious novel, but the reams of character-development present in the source-text gives the film an unexpected depth; this anything but your standard Sunday-afternoon arthouse-forold-ladies trifle. The Greek Film Festival is one of the few cultural events that can make you feel, for once, not ashamed of

MELBOURNE FESTIVAL REVIEW CARNIVAL OF MYSTERIES fortyfivedownstairs We queue behind a cheerfully bustling line of punters flowing via the ticket desk at fortyfivedownstairs like a gurgling brook. Our tickets are exchanged for “carnival cash”; then we curve, turn and dribble down the stairs to seep into the colourful delta, the rich underworld of the theatre industry: the carnival; or more particularly: Finucane and Smith’s Carnival Of Mysteries. The theatre space has been transthe cinematic output of Australia. Aside from that one time (well, okay, it was last year) that they got to show Dogtooth, one of cinema’s few recent great works of art, the GFF is eternally depressing: delivering, without fail, a horrid parade of embarrassing commercial comedies, dire crime capers, self-important ‘social issue’ films that attempt to critique racism in Greece and yet seem innately racist themselves, and road movies. Always with the fucking road movies. This year, the 17th GFF holds, again, little of interest; especially if you skip those not-particularly-Greek internationalproductions – Fatih Akin’s Soul Kitchen, Theo Angelopoulos’s The Dust Of Time – already locally screened. Beyond the obligatory dregs, even films that theoretically hold appeal fail to deliver: The Building Manager (Shit And Flowers) poses as socio-realism,

formed into an uncanny microcosm of carnival culture. Vibrant costumes, impartial sexuality, and a cheeky irreverence characterise the carnies as they flirt, laugh at, and direct customers into separate tents and corners: “$5,000 in Carnival Cash will get you in! There you go darlin’, ooh aren’t you fabulous. $5,000, ladies and gents, to witness the incredible! The amazing! $5,000, sir, you’ll need five times more than that, don’t make me tell you again – come on, come on! We can fit two more – you two will do! In you get!” yells one. Meanwhile a clown in a suit is whispering for you to come, and

you can hear someone else yelling from somewhere deep in the crowd that a magic show starts in five minutes. Wandering around the Carnival Of Mysteries is a heady, disorienting experience soothed at intervals with general come one, come all performances at the main stage, though they often turn out to be freakier than the ones in the tents. Ever seen a robo-angel of death with wings set on fire? I have, and it ain’t to be missed! Until 23 October

but it’s little more than soap-opera, delivering another depressing malemid-life-crisis movie where a dude being attacked on all sides (by mother, wife, children, employers, society itself!) gets to bone some hot young piece of ass; and Athens – Istanbul

is, yes, another fucking road movie, whose suggestive fades-in/out and aloof tone don’t mask the fact that it’s a middle-aged-male fantasy about spontaneously heading out in the road as an act of stalking some hot young piece of ass.

ALICE BODY

BIG TOP BURLESQUE FOLLIES FOR ALL While you sit at home scrolling through pages on Hype Machine, Chaz Royal is touring the globe presenting massive burlesue shows and festivals in such bohemian locales as London and Amsterdam. The man will be in town this weekend with his Big Top Burlesque Follies, featuring classic burlesque, circus, ARMITAGE SHANKS and carnival antics from the likes of Armitage Shanks (USA), Queen Beeby Rose (Netherlands), Magenta Diamond (NZ), Sarina del Fuego, Imogen Kelly, Lilikoi Kaos, Lauren LaRouge, Holly J’aDoll, and more. It’s happening at Thornbury Theatre this Friday. Head to burlesqueking.com for tickets and additional info.

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ALL HANDS ON DECKS From “disastrous” beginnings, lunatic Ballarat party-starters YACHT CLUB DJS are now looking at world domination, GARETH HARRISON and GUY CHAPPELL-LAWRENCE tell CYCLONE. thing”. After that, they’ll be DJing at the Falls Festival. The Yacht Club DJs formed in 2007. Harrison had come to Ballarat from Echuca to study at uni. He and Chappell-Lawrence initially experimented with editing music on laptops in cafes, reinventing their favourite guilty pleasures. They were soon DJing regularly at Ballarat’s Karova Lounge.

he term ‘yacht rock’ was coined to describe the soft, smooth and bourgeois US rock of the mid-’70s. But the Yacht Club DJs are all about playing to the people. There’s nothing pretentious about self-proclaimed “lunatics” Gareth ‘Gaz’ Harrison and Guy Chappell-Lawrence, notorious for their (s)mashups. Their ‘quick mix’-style DJ sets have the subversive musicality of 2ManyDJs, Girl Talk’s humorous festivity and a very Australian rock’n’roll larrikin spirit. Indeed, Yacht Club DJs are the antithesis of the “chinstroking DJ” – or the new breed of yachting electro-rock spinner. Their motto? “Party like death.” Besides, who else would dare to wed Madonna to Mumford & Sons? The raucous duo might be Melbourne’s answer to Sydney’s Purple Sneaker DJs if they didn’t hail from, not M-Town, but Ballarat. No rivalry exists between

the two crews, Harrison insists. “They party as hard as us, that’s for sure,” he chuckles knowingly. “The things we’ve done with those guys are ridiculous – but not for the press! We both have our own reputations. They’ve just become really firm friends of ours.” Yacht Club DJs have played the Meredith Music Festival consecutively and rocked this year’s Splendour In The Grass. And they’ve toured with Does It Offend You, Yeah?, but apparently turned down a MGMT support. Now they’re again hitting the road under their own banner with two shows at Richmond’s Corner Hotel, the first of which (Saturday’s) sold out in ten days. This time fans can anticipate inflatable boats, palm trees and giant cat heads, a jumping castle and confetti cannons as Yacht Club DJs go a little gaga over props. Harrison sums it up as “a bit of a Spinal Tap stage

In fact, Harrison has DJed for years. His dad was involved in an Echuca nightclub. He was taught how to mix by a local DJ. “I went from [being a] bored kid sitting around my dad’s nightclub to ‘I might as well learn to do something’.” He gravitated towards electronica – and even partied at Melbourne’s underground Sunny Side Up events. “I’ve been a DJ for about 15 years now. Guy started when we started Yacht Club DJs. We started in a period where I’d really given up on it. I was DJing deep house and tech and stuff like that and I didn’t wanna do it anymore, ‘cause I’d just started getting into other things. I’d started a band [the electro-punk Talent Squad]. Guy had been in bands around Ballarat for ages. So we just got into it off the back of that at a live music venue here [Karova] – they were just like, ‘Well, we need someone to DJ, do you guys wanna do it?’ We started doing it and now it’s all we do – it took off.” The goldfields boys were determined to conquer Melbourne, then the national circuit. It wasn’t instantaneous. Chappell-Lawrence, who talks little, recalls their early gigs as “disastrous” – indie-kids didn’t ‘get it’. Both Harrison and Chappell-Lawrence are hardcore punk fans of old. Chappell-Lawrence was playing drums from three, but lost interest on realising that, as a touring muso, he’d have to lug them around. Reputedly, Harrison once performed in a Frenzal Rhomb covers band in Echuca. “Ah no!” he protests. “It was just me and a couple of mates at high school. We didn’t even actually do any gigs, it was more just a way to annoy our parents. My manager took great liberties in trying to embarrass me at Splendour In The Grass by introducing me to all the guys from Frenzal Rhomb as well. It was great – I was just like, ‘Yep, thanks, mate, cool’. For the rest of the weekend, I had Lindsay McDougall teasing me. It was pretty funny.” Today Harrison is living in Ballarat following a stint in Melbourne. Why? “It’s lovely!” he says adoringly of the

HOMELAND TRUTHS Young punk bands are “pussies”, the US bites and Australia’s the shit. So says GUTTERMOUTH mouthpiece MARK ADKINS to DANIEL JOHNSON as they head our way once again. make a career out of playing music. “Our popularity in the ‘90s, everything that’s ever happened to this band is purely accidental,” he says. “We never planned on having a career as a band, we never planned on putting out records, we never planned on touring anywhere, we never planned on doing anything; it’s just happened.” In fact, Adkins admits to feeling out of place amongst the ‘90s punk scene. “I feel stupid kind of being involved in a scene that was so shallow; everyone sounded like everyone else,” he reflects. “I don’t think we sounded like No Use For a Name and Lagwagon verbatim, I think we still had our own little thing going to a certain extent. We weren’t there to make friends, that’s for sure. “That made us kind of stand apart a bit, whereas most of the other bands were like, ‘Thank you, I’m so glad you like us’. Me, I’m just like, ‘I’m here, if you like me, cool, if you don’t, tough shit, bail; go see some other horrible band’. I was brought up [on punk] from ’79, ’80, ’81, so I’ve seen it all, dude. I know what it was like when there was some substance to the word punk and punk music, so when all this [‘90s punk revival] was going on around me, I’m looking around going, ‘Oh my god, kill me’. It didn’t resonate well with me. I went along with it and did it because I enjoy playing; I really enjoy getting in front of an audience and making a nuisance of myself because I’m pretty good at it and I also have quite a knack for upsetting a lot of bands.”

he original line-up of Guttermouth formed in 1988 and they are no strangers to Australia, having toured here on a regular basis since the mid-‘90s. So, what is it about Australia that keeps the band coming back? “I mean the phone rings and people ask us to come back – who am I to say no?” laughs vocalist Mark Adkins. “I love coming to Australia; it’s a great trip, it’s a wonderful place to be. A couple of times I’ve come down there I’ve stayed for like an extra month and just toured around the country with no agenda and I love it, man. If I could leave the States today I would try and live there.

“Australia’s got that new car smell for me still, whereas America smells like an old pair of socks – I’m over it. I’ve been here so long and I’ve lived in Southern California all my life, I’m ready to leave it. It’s time to move on, man. I need something new, I need some excitement. Without excitement and things changing in my life, I just get bored. I get bored and then I do things I shouldn’t do.” Guttermouth initially attained worldwide popularity in the mid-90s with their three releases on Nitro Records – Friendly People, Teri Yakimoto and Musical Monkey – but, as Adkins explains, the band never expected to

In fact, Adkins upset several bands during Guttermouth’s appearances at the Vans Warped Tour in the US in 2004 by mockingly supporting George W Bush’s campaign for re-election. The band left the tour partway through, but made a return to Warped a couple of years ago and once again Adkins managed to cause offence. “A couple of years ago there were ten bands in Sacramento who were saying, ‘Fuck that Guttermouth band, they’re talking shit about us, they’re saying this about us, they’re saying we look like The Used… and they all did, believe me,” he laughs. “And I’d say it right to their faces, right on stage with my microphone and these bands are such pussies that they’d go and cry to the brass at Warped Tour like, [adopts whiney voice] ‘Mark from Guttermouth is making fun of us, what do we do?’. They’re such

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historic centre. “I just needed a change. I wanted to come back to the city. I’m way more productive here and I can afford to have a bigger house and pay less rent and have a studio and stuff. It’s not that far from the city.” For all their absurd antics, Yacht Club DJs still take their music seriously. They create “collages” instead of just layering one song over another. They gave away a limited mix-tape, Kleptomania, at gigs – inevitably, copies materialised on eBay. The DJs have assembled another for their current Demons Of Gymnastics Tour (the name is an inside joke inspired by a “ridiculous” European movie they watched in a bar). The pair have long spoken about recording an album. But, though Yacht Club DJs have remixed Little Red’s Rock It, progress on original music has been slow, Harrison blaming their tour schedule. “In the last couple of months we’ve started demoing quite hard. We’ve got a couple of songs that we really like and so we’re hopefully looking at next year for that. We wanna put together a stage show that goes with it. I think, realistically, we’ve gotta get these shows for this year outta the way and then really work on the album – and then work out how we’re gonna do the Yacht Club DJs thing, but with a band.” He’s unsure who’ll supply vocals. “People would run if I did vocals! I dunno about Guy – I dunno if he wants to do vocals...” Yacht Club DJs also plan to head overseas. They were meant to visit New York and Los Angeles for “showcases” recently, but these fell through just as (dang!) the press release went out. “They’ve been rescheduled for the end of the year,” says Harrison, who admits the two felt “a bit sad”. Regardless, their manager has just returned from a US trip to suss out label deals. Perhaps Yacht Club DJs will find their fortune in the States – and march back into Ballarat to purchase the mock medieval Kryal Castle nearby, restoring its rightful purpose as a rave venue. “It’s actually been turned into an incredibly high-class brothel where clients get helicopters in from Melbourne – true story!” Harrison enthuses of the white elephant, jumping ahead of himself, as Kryal’s owners rejected an offer from a Melbourne businessman seeking to do just that. “That’s the rumour – and I think it’s too funny not to be true, to be honest. I’m gonna push it like it’s a fact.” Naughty boys.

WHO: Yacht Club DJs WHEN & WHERE: Thursday and Saturday, Corner Hotel

pussies they can’t even confront me and I can’t fight. I’m not a fighter, I’ve just got a big mouth.” Guttermouth have not released any new material since 2006’s Shave The Planet, but Adkins says the band is currently working on a new album. “We’re almost completely done with a whole new CD. We’ve got six complete songs done and we’ve given a couple of songs test runs up in the Toronto area. We were just up in Canada, where the good people of Toronto basically threatened us so we had to a play a couple of new songs and let me tell you, they went over really well and I was pretty proud and really happy they went over so well. The people dug what we were doing. We’re playing fast, heavy – we’re playing real punk music, it’s not the pussy garbage, watered-down crap of the ‘90s and 2000s. “We’re back to my roots from the early ‘80s and stuff like that and I’m the principal songwriter for most of these songs, so that’s where a lot of it’s coming from and there’s a lot of aggression in it,” he offers. “It also doesn’t sound like one single song like a lot of the newer bands like Rise Against and Against Me!. You might as well just listen to one song and you’ve heard the whole album… That’s my opinion anyway.” Guttermouth are also hooking up with Brisbane filmmaker Rhys Day to document this tour and Adkins says fans will be invited to share in the revelry. “We’re going to give away some tickets and then after the shows, the ticket winners get to come back to the hotel and hang out and party with us and drink beers or whatever it is we’re doing and spend the night and the cameras are going to be rolling the whole time. So god only knows what’s going to happen.” For those still wondering what to expect from the band’s live show, Adkins promises an unscripted, energetic show that could go anywhere. “They’ve got to come out and see how a band that’s been around as long as us can still put on a more energetic show than most 16-year-old kids can put on,” he says. “We’re not a costume band, we don’t wear mohawks and dye our hair funny colours; that’s all passé crap these days, it’s 2010. There’s no setlist, there’s no banter planned, we just wing everything.”

WHO: Guttermouth WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Pier Live; Friday (2am), Pony (DJ set); Saturday, Ding Dong Lounge

NEW WAVE Instrumental supergroup THE BREAK – featuring members of Midnight Oil and the Violent Femmes – are pushing the boundaries of surf rock, ROB HIRST tells TONY MCMAHON.

et’s be honest here: everyone loves surf music, don’t they? After all, what’s not to like? Undulating toms and brain-melting reverb are only the start of this particular musical genre’s attractions. There’s the not inconsiderable fact that even the most Melbourne-tanned of us once wanted – in our secret heart of hearts – to ride the waves and wander the shorelines, slaves to nothing but the tides. Given this brand of music’s innate attractiveness, it was always going to amount to something truly special when the Violent Femmes’ Brian Ritchie joined forces with Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey to form The Break. So it proved to be with the release earlier this year of their debut album, Church Of The Open Sky. And as odd as this all sounds on paper, Hirst is quick to point out that Midnight Oil started out playing in Bondi surf clubs, so the connection with this kind of music was always there. More than this, though, it was a practical and philosophical approach to the making of the music itself that drew the band together. “It makes sense in a strange kind of way,” Hirst says. “Jim and myself had kind of come at least halfway towards the way Brian and the Violent Femmes recorded and played live: a much more spontaneous sort of playing and songwriting. Kind of making things up as we went along, not walking into the studio with any preconceived notions and recording something before it goes stale.”

Hirst doesn’t know a lot about the two other bands on the bill with The Break at this week’s show at the Forum as part of the Melbourne Festival: Cambodian/US psychedelic popsters Dengue Fever and California via Collingwood outfit Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies. (It should probably be pointed out, however, that he does offset this with a wealth of arcane knowledge about Cambodian blues music). Once Inpress enlightens him, though, he’s nearly as excited as we are. “It sounds like a really fantastic bill. And I’m not just saying that because we’re playing. I’d go along even if I wasn’t in the band.”

WHO: The Break WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Beck’s Festival Bar, Forum

“One of the great things since the Oils have finished has been working with other musicians.” And the story behind how The Break came together makes a lot more sense that it might at first appear to as well. “It goes back to when the Violent Femmes and Midnight Oil were crisscrossing the United States in tour buses. That’s where we first ran into Brian Ritchie. We also shared a tour manager. So Brian became a friend and then, lo and behold, we find that, a decade and a half later, he left the United States and came to live in Tasmania. So we grabbed the chance. Brian came up and did a bit of jamming with us in Sydney. One thing led to another and so our little sci-fi surf band The Break was born.” The really terrific thing about this music is that, while ostensibly conforming to the rules of the surf genre, it’s also simultaneously breaking them and taking the music in new and different and always interesting directions. “It’s like any form of music. Whether it be rock or hip hop or blues or jazz, there’s a kind of assumption about what it is. We think it’s interesting when you marry it with other forms that normally you wouldn’t associate it with. On Church Of The Open Sky, some of the songs on there are kind of surf rockabilly, some are surf rock and some are almost surf electronica. What we’d like to continue doing is taking that idea of surf music – you know, the tortured guitars drenched in reverb and the pounding tom-toms – and marry that with other stuff that comes up, whereby you kind of create these bastard forms, which are much more interesting than just the purist version of surf music.” This naturally raises the question of whether or not The Break are ‘just’ a surf band or in fact something else entirely. Hirst seems to categorise them in another area altogether. “I’d like to think about The Break as not just being a surf band but kind of sci-fi with some spaghetti western music in there as well. Basically, all the great things about instrumental bands. And there’s really something going on with instrumental bands at the moment. You look around and there’s all these great instrumental bands popping up. It’s fantastic.” On the subject of the almost improvised nature of the music on Church Of The Open Sky, Hirst is of the opinion that this makes the songs living things, constantly changing and evolving until they become wildly different entities. “In actual fact, that spirit of making things up as we go along, extending arrangements and allowing Jim and Martin extended guitar patterns, just the chaos and a lot of other instruments we’ve brought in, this all means that over the six or eight months playing the songs, they’ve become very different beasts. Every time we go out, it’s a little bit of a reinvention. We’re actually almost ready to go back into the studio and see what other ideas fall from the heavens.” Interesting Hirst should say that. As soon as Church Of The Open Sky stops spinning, the first thing one thinks of is album number two. When oh when will it be coming out? From the sneak preview he gives us below, it sounds like it might be something truly worth looking forward to. “The idea is to get back into recording earlier rather than later. I’m more of the attitude that as a band you should be recording all the time, and also involving different people, you know? I think we might get some other people to come in and do some instrumentals or vocals, although probably not vocals in the traditional sense. I don’t know: throat singing, screaming, chanting. You know, mix it up a bit. One of the great things since the Oils have finished has been working with other musicians. Midnight Oil were such a selfcontained unit, it’s been great to be doing all this collaborating.” Taking into consideration Hirst’s standing and years in the business, the mind literally boggles at who could potentially make an appearances on The Break’s new record, but apparently it’s Ritchie who has the killer address book. “We’ll take our lead from Brian, who’s played with a whole variety of people over the years. I mean, he’ll duck off and play with an Italian rock band, then, you know, you’ll hear that he’s played with The Mermen and in conversation he’ll just drop in names of amazing people that he’s played with. So, who knows who might turn up on this fatal shore?”

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NOW AND THEM Even though they’re dipping their toes into the pop world with a Megan Washington duet, YOU AM I will never be Thirty Seconds To Mars, RUSSELL HOPKINSON tells ROSS CLELLAND.

“We’d been talking about having Megan on the record for, like, a year. And god bless her, when it finally came around time for her to sing, her career’s exploding and she could have easily said no. No one held a gun to her head; she’s just a real sweetheart.”

t’s not so much that You Am I want to dismiss their sometimes glorious history; it’s more they just don’t want to rely on it. “When you hear somebody called a ‘heritage band’, it’s such a backhanded compliment,” says Russell Hopkinson, the band’s drummer. “They – you know, that mysterious ‘they’ who decides things like that – aren’t quite calling us that yet. But why can’t you just be a band who works, makes records and just goes out and does it? We do have a bunch of Tim Rogers’ great songs that people know and we still write and play good songs. Is there a reason to stop?”

Such luck and timing – good and bad – has occurred in the You Am I story before. “Like when we got The Strokes to come out and tour with us. They were just a little band from New York the NME had mentioned a couple of times and we only got them ‘cause The Moody Suzukis had broken up – and by the time they got here, they were ‘the hottest band in the world’. Sometimes it just works.”

You Am I have just presented proof of that last point again. Officially, it’s the ninth album under the name, but throw in live and compilation records, Rogers’ magnificently idiosyncratic solo albums, guitarist Davey Lane’s work under The Pictures banner and recently as part of Charles Jenkins’ Zhivagos, plus various other etceteras and the experience runs to probably double that number.

If anything, several of You Am I’s career setbacks over the years can be sheeted back to the machinations of various record companies, both here and elsewhere. And though the new album sees them under a new independent imprint, Other Tongues, their exit from the EMI banner was apparently amicable. “They pretty much left us alone to do what we do. There was even talk of them putting this out, but we kinda didn’t want to fit into someone else’s program any more. We’re too old and cranky to wait around any more. We just wanted it out as soon as we could.

The new record, cunningly titled You Am I – various suggestions having that self-titling as some bold statement of a new start, a taking of control, or simply that they couldn’t think of anything better – is a rare thing for a band of such longevity: there are sounds and ideas, even a way of working, which are new. “We thought a lot about it, talked a lot about it, on a lot of different levels. Not necessarily doing the things the way we might have done them a few years ago,” the drummer ponders. “Convicts [2006] was just a great sort of rockin’ record. [Previous album, 2008’s] Dilettantes was heading in this direction, maybe less realised. “Reflective? Maybe that’s one word. People sometimes forgot we made records like this; that we’re not just the ‘good-time party band’. Maybe just doing what we felt right for each song? Instead of first instincts, letting ourselves have second thoughts. It’s just a great big record with a lot of stuff happening. I did the drums really quickly; just me and Tim with a guitar, everyone just hanging out, getting the beds of the songs down. Then it just started to grow from there. I went away for a couple of weeks and came back to find bass and guitars on it and it just came out sounding a bit different.” Among those differences are Tim Rogers’ singing voice(s), with his typical rock‘n’roll rabble-rousing

“Music is changing. Its not all roses in the music industry, we know that. Like putting out a CD is just one component of it – it’s back to being about getting out and playing it. That’s always been how we’ve done it, that’s how we’ve survived. It’s still financially feasible for us to put out a record and then go play it to some hundreds of people.”

complemented with some restraint. The man who’s literally been watching his back for more than 15 years also impressed: “He’s not a choir boy,” Hopkinson chuckles at the many levels that description could be taken, “I listen to something like Thirty Seconds To Mars, it’s all so clean – maybe too much. But Tim’s working to the roughness, the qualities in his voice. And he sang his guts out for the record, as always. Every song Tim writes and ‘performs’ comes from deep inside himself. He just really knew what he wanted to do in these songs.”

One of the album’s centrepiece songs is Lie And Face The Sun, where Rogers’ ragged edges duet with current ‘it girl’ Megan Washington. Hopkinson suggests you look even more closely: “It sounds so bright and lovely, but have him explain to you what it’s about, it’s really deep conceptually. A lot of people don’t expect that. He just takes everything in. It’s all in there waiting to come out.” And if you think the album sounds different now, it could have been even more so. “One initial plan was to

HIGHLY EVOLVED STEALING O’NEAL’s sound continues to develop as the band get older and wiser. “In 50 years, you’ll see us doing covers of Bach,” frontman CHRIS SCOTT tells SAMUEL J FELL. looking to release it in early ’09. Don’t Sleep though, the album in question, is just being released now. So things are moving, but why so long between drinks? “Well, a lot of things happened,” Scott explains. “Obviously we’d written songs and were sitting on a lot of songs, but our label, we didn’t quite see eye to eye and a lot of things were said which didn’t come to fruition. So there was a whole lot of downtime and a whole lot of talk, so we parted ways with them and now we have a wicked little deal with Shock Records, which is great. So that’s why there’s been a lot of time between drinks, the politics of being in a band.” A problem not uncommon to many a band, but one which in this instance has been rectified, and Don’t Sleep is, finally, the result. However, here we encounter a problem. As Scott mentions, the lads had been sitting on a lot of songs – the question remains then, how relevant is this material to the band as they stand now? For Stealing O’Neal have a serious touring ethic, they’ve played hundreds of shows since the release of Collidescope, they would have matured as a band and so would perhaps have moved on from the songs they wrote for an album back in 2008. “Well, yeah, there are a few songs on the record that we wrote around that time, and even one that we wrote around a year before the Collidescope EP,” Scott tells.

hris Scott, frontman for Melbourne pop punkers, Stealing O’Neal, is a multi-tasker. During our conversation, not only is he answering my questions and musing on what it’s like taking this band of his to the top, but he’s also watching skate videos and eating Subway. He tells me he’s also just taught himself to do wheelies in a wheelchair. He’s an accomplished man. “I’m in my management’s office and somehow a wheelchair has ended up in here,” he tells me. “So I’m thinking about eating Subway, watching skate videos and doing wheelies, all while I’m talking to you, but four things at once… I think I’ll just stick with the skate videos and the Subway.”

have another singer perform the whole album. Megan was one of the suggestions. Then we had one of those second thoughts: ‘Kinda gimmicky’. Let’s just go make a record. But there are songs that need a female angle. And she and Lanie Lane were those right voices.

The mark of an astute businessman is knowing when to stop, knowing when enough is enough. The mark of a god pop punker though, is throwing as many things into the mix as possible in order to have a good time – Scott, it seems, is straddling the line nicely. For pop punk is where Stealing O’Neal have made their name over the past five years, and whilst the members of the band hardly see it as a business, it’s certainly a success (given how well their two EPs have been received thus far), albeit a slow, steady one. Case in point: when I spoke to Scott two years ago – just after the release of their second EP, Collidescope – he informed me the band’s debut full-length was not far away, that they were

“But those songs, I think they’ve evolved with our sound, because they were obviously more of a skeleton of a track at that point,” he goes on. “So new parts have been added and parts have been cut from them… and as such, they still ring true.” It seems as the band have moved on over the past two years – they’ve taken these older tracks with them, and in fact where we see them today isn’t really under the pop punk flag. “I guess we have strayed away from the pop punk element,” Scott tells on where Don’t Sleep, and the band’s sound as a whole, has headed. “I guess it’s a more rockier sound in a way, there’s a lot more intricacy to the songs, there are a lot more parts and it’s a lot more thought out,” he adds. “I mean, we obviously grew up on Blink-182 and are influenced by stuff like Brand New and The Starting Line and things like that, but our sound itself has evolved a lot from what it used to be – a lot more rock, a flowier kind of sound… it’s just the natural direction the band has taken.” To my

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There’s one more of those sensible reflections: “One of the things we have to keep thinking about is remaining relevant without trying to look like someone in Yves Klein Blue. I’m a man in my 40s; I’m not gonna look real good in skinny jeans and a stripy French t-shirt,” he laughs. WHO: You Am I WHAT: You Am I (Other Tongues) WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday 20 October, the Flying Horse Bar (Warrnambool); Friday 22, Billboard The Venue; Saturday 23, Inferno Nightclub (Traralgon)

mind, pop punk is a genre that appeals, in the main, to the younger music fan, and as such, as a pop punk band gets older, it’s a very natural thing to move away from the frivolity so often associated with that type of music. “Yeah, it is more directed at a younger audience, and as we’ve gotten older, I guess our sound has gotten a bit older,” Scott muses, before adding, “pretty soon we’ll be playing classical music. In 50 years, you’ll see us doing covers of Bach.” So Stealing O’Neal are evolving, and it is, as mentioned, a natural thing, not something the band are really thinking about. I’m interested to know then, when they did go in to begin recording Don’t Sleep, what their MO was, what they were looking to come out with at the end. “Man, I don’t know,” Scott smiles, struggling to find an answer. “We’ve always got high expectations of ourselves, so we went in with very high expectations and wanted to come out with something that we were all 100% psyched on, and I think we achieved that goal. And we were fortunate enough to work with a guy named Jimmy Maroudis who’s done some great Aussie rock albums with Motor Ace and Tex Perkins, and he was a real driving force behind the album. I don’t think we would have achieved what we did if it wasn’t for him.” The result, Don’t Sleep, is something the band are more than happy to finally have a hold of at this point in their career – it’s taken longer than it should have, but they’ve now been able to capitalise on the success of their EPs and have shown they can take it to the next level, all part and parcel of this musical evolution. So the question begs, where to from here? “I think we’ll keep doing this for a few more years, then I think we might go through a disgusting pop stage where we’ll start doing some Katy Perry kinda things, then after that we’ll mature a bit more and maybe do some Midnight Oil stuff, try and hit that older Aussie market,” Scott laughs. “Nah, we’ll keep going as we are now, keep plugging away, and hopefully I can keep eating my six-inch Subway and not having to pay for it.” Businessman, pop punker, frontman for a rock band, whatever – Scott and Stealing O’Neal will just keep on going.

WHO: Stealing O’Neal WHAT: Don’t Sleep (Shock) WHEN & WHERE: Friday (evening, 18+) and Saturday (afternoon, under-18s), Corner Hotel

FRENCH CONNECTION

DUDE RANCH The UK band who crashed America’s garage party, MALE BONDING ain’t no hopeless slackers, ANTHONY CAREW finds when he tracks down frontman JOHN ARTHUR WEBB.

France’s DIMI DERO INC are heavily influenced by Aussie rock’n’roll, the band’s frontman tells SAMUEL J FELL. evolved from a backing band to a ‘real’ thing.” And a real thing it is too. There’s a quote floating around, pertaining to the band’s last record, Sisyphus, Window Cleaning (’07), calling it the “best Australian rock record of recent years” – they certainly wear their influences on their collective sleeve. “We all love The Beasts Of Bourbon, like we love Kim Salmon, but likings and influences are two different things,” Dero points out.

round a month or so ago, a record landed on my desk entitled Cremation Day In The Court Of Miracles, from a band named Dimi Dero Inc. I threw it on the old stereo and was immediately accosted by some of the scungiest, low-down guitar I’d heard in a while – it pinned me against the wall, slapped me around for a while before stalking off to see how much Jack Daniels was left in the bottle I keep on top of the fridge. Australian rock’n’roll fans will no doubt be familiar with DDI, the band having ventured from their native Paris, France to tour our shores a couple of times. They’d also no doubt be aware of their affinity with Australian bands like The Beasts Of Bourbon, Died Pretty and The New Christs, as one listen to the aforementioned album will attest. For those who came in late: Dimi Dero Inc have been around for the better part of eight years, taking the path well-worn in the quest to ‘make it’. “Having the memory span of goldfish, we’re not the best guides to take you down memory lane, but a few things remain,” laughs frontman Dimi Dero. “A keyboardist who left because she thought the bass was too loud; a record label who refuses to sell a record because they’re not happy with our mix; a gig for eight people in the basement of a stinky bar with the ‘water’ from the toilets upstairs falling down on the stage. “We all had other bands at the time – still have – but given the situation in France, at least for bands like us, if you want to play more than 15 shows a year, you gotta play in two or three different bands. DDInc simply

“And if there is some common ground in our tastes, I don’t think we share musical influences that much in the band, that’s maybe what makes DDInc what it is. But for sure, Australian rock means something for us. Vinz [Guilluy, bass] is more into the Sydney scene, with Radio Birdman; Pascal [Manganaro, drums] will drive the van for the whole tour if we play him AC/DC; Jean-Luc [Barranco, guitar] loves The New Christs and I feel like I should have been born in Melbourne just in time to see The Birthday Party live!” All of this has culminated over the years, most recently with the aforementioned Cremation Day In The Court Of Miracles. “It took us a bit of time to start working on this new album because we toured a bit more than usual with the previous one,” Dero explains. “But once we were at it, it came quite easily. I had an issue with my singing for a while, having the feeling I was just re-doing things I had done before, but the instrumental ideas, the sound we’ve got now, soon got me on something new where I feel comfortable enough again. And to work with Rob Younger as the producer helped a lot as well. In the end, I think it’s the first album we made the four of us really together, a four-headed dog’s album. We already agreed in what direction we want to dig next time. What I mean is, we don’t treat this band like a brand that needs to bring a new product every year or two. We’re a bunch of cunts pretty lucky to have found each other to make a noise we all like.” WHO: Dimi Dero Inc WHAT: Cremation Day In The Court Of Miracles (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, Lyrebird Lounge; Saturday, Tote; Sunday, Cherry; Tuesday 19 October, Old Bar (Dero solo)

before they bothered to even try and write a song; coined, by Webb, when the trio moved in together. “Living in the same flat, we thought it’d be really funny if we did this band called Male Bonding.” Weirdly, they still live together. “People think we’re absolutely mental, but, hey, to us it seems all right,” Christian offers. “We’d all be hanging out together, anyway, and it makes it much easier when we’re sorting out going away on tour.”

ale Bonding are living the alt.rock revivalists’ dream. Founded in 2008 on a love of early-’90s US indie, the English trio have signed to Sub Pop, home of heroes like Mudhoney and Nirvana; crossed paths with Thurston Moore, who wondered if they’d stolen his pre-Sonic Youth outfit’s name; and, last month, they even collaborated with Weezer leader Rivers Cuomo, quite a coup for a band whose frontman, John Arthur Webb, sports a homemade Weezer tattoo on his left foot. Fittingly enough, Male Bonding have found themselves far more embraced in the United States than at home. Though pretty much ignored by the UK press, they have the brand-name blessing of the Pitchfork empire, which has led to numerous US tours, including stints opening for Vivian Girls and Best Coast. Male Bonding were formed – by Webb, bassist Kevin Hendrick and drummer Robin Silas Christian – with that most indie of goals: they wanted to release 7” singles. The three were all employees at London’s Rough Trade store, but, Christian claims, they weren’t the clichéd counter snobs. “I pride myself on being as helpful as possible,” Christian offers in a polite English accent. “That power that the record store clerk once held has completely vanished. All the record stores are closing down now; you can’t afford to be rude to anyone. Anyone who isn’t a homeless man who smells really bad is welcome.” Killing time, the trio would spend countless hours talking about the concept of being a band long before they ever played together. True to form, the name stuck months

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Veterans of hardcore and noise bands, the male bonders wanted to make something more poppy. And, yet, recording direct to mini-disc(!), their early records were so in-the-red and over-saturated that their pop songs were verily buried under fuzz. In a UK music culture in which the upward mobility of commercial crossover infiltrates even the tiniest scenes, it was a pretty defiant statement. “We saw ourselves as completely separate to everything else that was going on here,” says Christian. The trio founded their own label, Paradise Vendors Inc, to start putting out tiny-print-run singles, split cassettes, and other arcane ephemera. They found that the 500 to 1,000-copy runs were selling out swiftly, “but it still felt really small.” After all, not a single English label ever even contacted Male Bonding about signing. This contrasted with Sub Pop, who were ordering Paradise Vendors records en masse and eventually whispered in the band’s ear. “They said to us, ‘When you’re in Seattle, come into the office’,” Christian recounts. “Which we thought was hilarious because we weren’t planning on going to Seattle at all; we never knew if we’d ever even tour the States. But then we did and we met with them and they offered to put out a record. It all happened very fast. It was a total dream come true because we grew up with that label. And I can’t actually think of a better label to be on.” This year, Sub Pop released Male Bonding’s noisy, scuzzy, bratty debut LP, Nothing Hurts, featuring fuzzed-out guitars and a sense of sarcastic debauchery that have had people tagging them as grunge revivalists. “Grunge isn’t a bad word to me, so I don’t mind,” Christian shrugs.

WHO: Male Bonding WHAT: Nothing Hurts (Sub Pop/Inertia)

HARM’S WAY

REWL RAWK

Legendary British punks GBH have certainly maintained the rage. “I cannot wait ‘til Margaret Thatcher dies,” frontman COLIN ABRAHALL tells MARK HEBBLEWHITE.

Four albums in, Canada’s THE TREWS are slogging it out to build an international rep. MICHAEL SMITH asks guitarist JOHNANGUS MACDONALD why the hard way is the best way.

included Discharge and The Exploited, are forgotten and their contributions to punk rock ignored. “That definitely is the case,” agrees Abrahall, “and what’s ironic is that the bands of the second wave for the most part are actually still going, whereas the first wave didn’t stick around.

“And then through the years somebody would say, ‘Hey, you guys sound like the Crowes,’ and we’d go listen to The Black Crowes and, ‘Oh, I can see that,’ and someone else would say, ‘You sound just like Steve Marriott,’ and we’d be, like, ‘Fuck, I guess we’d better go back and listen to Steve Marriott’. So I guess who you are is who you are and it kinda seeps out.”

“We actually appealed to a wide audience as well. Metal fans in particular showed us a lot of love and now you see a lot of kids who like both punk rock and metal. It’s interesting we were embraced actually, because beyond the older heavy rock bands like AC/DC and Motörhead, we were never big on the metal scene.”

“W

e feel so rejuvenated at the moment – GBH is probably in the best shape it’s ever been,” offers a surprisingly softly spoken Colin Abrahall. And the reason for this enthusiasm? “Well, it’s our move onto Hellcat Records. We’re finally with people that respect us as artists and are really committed to helping the band. “All the people that work there are in bands or have been in bands and all of them know what it’s like to get treated like shit by a record company,” he explains. “With them in our corner we feel like we can achieve anything.” The move to Hellcat means that Abrahall is not just excited about the future for his own band. He now believes that punk rock’s future is in good hands. “I know a lot of people like to complain that the generations below them don’t know anything. But I must say the kids who are championing punk rock today know exactly what they’re doing. The scene is in the best shape it’s ever been because today’s generation have harnessed technology to build a worldwide community. Back when we started to organise a gig it meant letter after letter and phone calls. Now it can be done at the stroke of a keypad. And the best thing is that the DIY aspects of the scene are thriving because it’s now much easier to actually do it yourself.” GBH were one of the cornerstones of the so called ‘second wave’ of British punk rock; that is, the kids who witnessed the rise of the Sex Pistols and The Clash and then formed their own bands. Too often this wave, which

Although he’s hit his 40s, Abrahall has managed to maintain the rage, especially when it comes to old enemies. “I cannot wait ‘til Margaret Thatcher dies – the damage that woman did to our country and to communities was just so massive. I still hate the woman and that’s all that I can say about it.” But thankfully Abrahall still has an outlet to channel his frustrations and Perfume And Piss retains the vitriol, power and vitality of GBH’s early classics. “I actually find it easier to express myself through lyrics than I do talking to people one on one,” he explains. “Even if I wasn’t in a band I’d still write lyrics, because that’s how I’m best able to get my ideas across. It’s strange I know, but that’s what’s kept me going all these years.”

MacDonald, along with his brother and singer Colin, their cousin and drummer Sean Dalton and school friend and bass player Jack Syperek, like so many bands, got together in high school. After a few years of getting their chops together, it was entering a band competition being run by a local radio station that eventually brought them to the attention of Sony BMG Canada, with whom they released their first album, House Of Ill Fame, in 2003.

dd name The Trews, but it all makes sense if you look at the fact that the band comes from a proudly Scottish enclave in the highlands region of Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast. They started out calling themselves One I’d Trousers, thankfully shortened to Trousers until they were forced to stop using that by another band and shortened it to The Trews – as in the Scottish pronunciation of trousers, ‘trewsers’. What else would a couple of brothers called MacDonald name their band?

“The title to the new album Perfume And Piss has a funny story to it, but also a serious message. We were flying to America and halfway there our drummer Scott [Preece] came back from the toilet and told us that it smelt like perfume and piss. Of course we all found that hilarious, but later on I realised that it was a really good metaphor for life. It says that sometimes life is good and sometimes life is bad – you’ve got to take both in your stride and as a band, that’s what GBH has always tried to do. And that’s why we’re still standing today, 30 years after we started.”

The sound of The Trews recalls the big, ebullient rock’n’roll sounds of a lot of the bands that came out of Scotland, from Stone The Crows and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band to, indirectly of course, AC/DC. “It’s funny,” guitarist John-Angus MacDonald admits, “because, so often with us, people will tell us we sound like somebody and that’s how we end up discovering them. A lot of that’s just a coincidence. You can’t escape who you are and I think maybe that rock kind of sound, that’s just who we are. It’s not very subtle – I guess we’re not very subtle people – and we just make music that sounds like that.

WHO: GBH WHAT: Perfume And Piss (Hellcat/Shock) WHEN & WHERE: Friday, the Hi-Fi; Friday (2am), Pony (DJ set)

“I mean, growing up it was like, sure there was some AC/ DC – who didn’t listen to AC/DC? – but we were listening to Oasis in the mid-‘90s and REM and The Tragically Hip; that’s when we formed and that’s what we’re doing and then there was also Zeppelin and Aerosmith and The Beatles and the Stones, learning all those songs, being a 15-year-old garage band, you know?

“The songwriting started right away. We always knew that that was what separated the real bands from the not-real bands, the ones that wrote their own songs – even being 15 years old we knew that – but it wasn’t good right away, that’s for sure. You’re just sort of stabbing in the dark trying to express yourselves with whatever ability you have. When we were 20 we would have to have signed – though it didn’t happen too much after that – and have it made. So many of these bands that we saw do that, they either ended up on the shelf with the record company or their company spent so much money on them they ended up ditched and broke. “With us, we always took the road a little less travelled. We worked a lot harder for everything we achieved but we also learned a lot along the way and we have a good, solid foundation that no industry type could really rock, no matter what they said. It feels like we came into our own in our own time and on our own schedule. I think doing it the hard way, night after night, bar after bar, bad song after bad song until you get to a good one on your own.”

WHO: The Trews WHAT: Friends And Total Strangers (Code One) WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Ding Dong Lounge; Friday, the Espy

VARIATIONS ON A THEME EAST MEETS WEST Late-’60s American TV shows had a big influence on the new album from THE STU THOMAS PARADOX, the singer tells THE BOOMEISTER.

tu Thomas is midway through a national tour launching his latest, and cleverly titled, release, Escape From Algebra, by The Stu Thomas Paradox. Thomas may well be one of Melbourne’s busiest musicians, playing in Dave Graney’s Lurid Yellow Mist, Kim Salmon’s Surrealists, more recently in Jane Dust’s Giant Hoopoes and, importantly, stepping away from the bass guitar to front The Paradox. Timing is said to be everything, and some famous type also once said, “I get by with a little help from my friends”, and both adages have assisted the start of his current tour, commencing with a rather long weekend in South Australia. This leg nicely coincided with performances by Dave Graney & The Lurid Yellow Mist. “Boy, what a busy jaunt to Adelaide that was,” Thomas says. “Over a three-day period we played two Paradox gigs and three Dave Graney gigs, totalling seven sets all up. We played 98 songs and spent around six and a half hours on stage. “Of course, with the Graney shows, it is almost a given that they are very well accepted, you know, hometown boy almost made good. But the The Paradox music always seems to tickle their fancy, too. I have only ever played solo Paradox gigs in Adelaide, but had Clare Moore [Dave Graney’s longtime partner in crime] playing drums; she is my official fill-in for my usual Paradox drummer Phil Collings. We blew ‘em away at the Grace Emily and sold out the gig at the Semaphore Workers Club, where the punters were

Ahead of their first trip to Australia, YANG HAISONG from P.K. 14 tells TONY MCMAHON the next ten years will be vital for China’s rock scene.

right up to the stage, sweating, drinking, getting in to it. It felt like a real old concert like the ones I used to frequent as a kid, which inspired me to play in bands.”

Talking of scenes, Inpress naturally wants to know what it’s like in China for music. Haisong’s excitement about the burgeoning possibilities is evident in his answer.

In fact, Thomas’s childhood seems to have had a major impact on his music, from his eclectic style and his pun-tastic lyrics, right down to the artwork. “Growing up in the 1970s, I was hooked on those late-1960s American shows, particularly Irwin Allen productions like Land Of The Giants and The Time Tunnel. The first instrument I ever learnt was the trumpet and I remember one episode where the main character has a tiny trumpet and uses a thimble as the mute to produce a Miles Davis sound. It was gold. TV shows and their music, both the main themes and even more so the incidental music – big, brassy, surf and sci-fi jazz fusion played by consummate unseen musicians – made a lasting effect on me.”

“The music scene in China is still very young. In past five years, a lot of young musicians coming, young bands: indie, punk and experimental. A lot of musicians cross over from jazz. But it’s still so young. Everything is going so fast here in China, in Beijing, so I think that nobody knows for the next ten years. We have some labels and labels are always starting, but compared to Australia or Japan, there are only three or four labels that will do rock and will like to support young musicians. In past five years also there are some big bands come to China for the first time and bands like us get chance to support them.”

“Around the same time there were a myriad of shows on ‘the unexplained’ including UFOs, paranormal activity and human mysteries like spontaneous combustion and automatic writing. I guess they left me with a taste for the odd. The automatic writing, without getting too spooky or kooky, was a bunch of guys with pencils in their hands ‘channelling’ messages that flowed ‘automatically’ to the paper, effectively from the subconscious, in one continuous flow. In a similar vein we wanted the music on the new album to be automatic in terms of being spontaneous and definitely not wrung out, over-worked and ultimately sounding tired. “So with very little rehearsal, the two days of recordings were fuelled by a zapping natural and positive energy. Most songs never went beyond two takes and even then in almost all cases the first take ended up being the one used. It was also a breeze to mix as it was all so alive. Obviously it also helped to have Phil, along with Billy and Ed Miller, unheralded players just like those TV shows.” Listening to the new album I would suggest mission accomplished, and the live outing is rewarding for those looking for quality music with just a touch of the unusual.

WHO: The Stu Thomas Paradox WHAT: Escape From Algebra (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, Grace Darling

andarin-language Chinese indie band P.K. 14 are said to have a following and cultural status in their homeland similar to that of groups such as Television or Talking Heads in late-‘70s New York. After a sell-out US tour last year, the band were lauded for their subtle sound and heartfelt lyrics, and comparisons to Joy Division were not uncommon. Now, thanks to the Melbourne Festival, P.K. 14 are taking the stage in Australia for the very first time alongside no less a band than The Drones. Vocalist Yang Haisong and his group are only playing Melbourne on this trip, but it seems that he knows full well he’s come to exactly the right place. “Yes, this is our first time, so we are very looking forward to that. It’s great,” he says. “It’s just Melbourne this time, but hopefully next time we have a chance to have more of a tour. But at the moment, I think, Melbourne is like the music centre of Australia, so this is very good for us. Very exciting. We don’t know what is going to happen and what we will find. We don’t know if you will like our music. We are not sure yet.” Inpress thinks he needn’t worry too much about that. What’s more, it turns out Haisong is already buddies with The Drones, so it’s necessarily going to be a fun trip. “I know a little bit about Australian music scene. We played a show in Ho Chi Minh City with The Drones and they were lovely guys and we talk a little bit about Australian scene, so I think hopefully people will like us.”

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And the political situation? It seems we here in the still anti-communist west may have an overblown, media-driven view of how things actually are. “I didn’t see any problems for musicians if they make political songs. Maybe ten years ago there might have been, but nothing for us when we record or play live. Also, there are a lot of western bands come to China now, and I don’t see any trouble. I think a long time ago there was sometimes trouble, but we sing and play what we want and we have never seen any trouble. You can’t really say we are a political band, but we say what we want to say. I guess you can say that that is our political statement.” Everything one reads about P.K. 14 uses western bands as reference points. Interestingly, Haisong acknowledges western music as an influence, but says that the band’s immediate environment is actually more important to their sound. “The bands like Joy Division and The Fall, these are… encouragement for us, we come from that. But, I think, we come from Beijing, in China. We have to face our cities, our changing cities, our home, so we sing the message is all about this. It’s not about the ‘70s punk thing. We want to create our own sound and our own history.”

WHO: P.K. 14 WHEN & WHERE: Friday 22 October, Beck’s Festival Bar, Forum

POP PSYCHO

FLASH FORWARD

THE MELODICS’ voicebox JEREMY KOREN – that’s JEREMEDY to most – explains what Patrick Bateman has to do with the group’s new sound to KATE KINGSMILL.

Part of a rich music scene in Montreal, psych folk rockers FINAL FLASH are in town to show off their sound to fresh ears. MATTHEW HOGAN busts out the cotton buds.

to American Psycho. And so, of course, that influence just seeps into you subconsciously. The more cutting edge of those bands that we’re influenced by is Human League and Devo and Talking Heads and Joy Division, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Iggy Pop, all that type of stuff. “We literally write everything together and we really focus on melody and harmony and particularly on evolving forms, which I think is a little uncharacteristic of hip hop music. Musically we’re really buzzing on the idea of mixing those types of influences with hip hop and doing it in a really live manner. At the moment we’re really excited about the sound.”

his is one slap in the face you’re going to enjoy. After The Melodics’ awesomely ambitious and expansive debut album from last year, 4D, which took two years and more than 20 extra musicians to make, the band wanted to streamline their approach for their latest recording, the Paint Me Gold EP. “Part of the recent mission has been to simplify the complexity,” vocalist Jeremedy, AKA Jeremy Koren, explains. “4D was a long album and it was a real evolving, overall piece. With this one, we wanted to take the opposite approach and just record some really strong bangers that sit in a row and slap you in the face.” “Because we get tempted to mess with so many different styles, I think our biggest challenge is to bring it all in and to have something that’s coherent but obviously still diverse. I think if you do it with conviction and you do it strong and your songs are good then people don’t mind hearing a synth pop track followed by an indie rock track with hip hop followed by a hint of ska.” An evolution in the band’s sound found them pondering where these sounds were coming from. Turns out it’s the result of all The Melodics having been raised on a healthy musical diet of post-punk, synth-pop and ‘80s cheese. “We were like, ‘Why are we so drawn to these styles of music; to this particularly ‘80s music but also late ‘70s as well?’ A lot of our stuff is very synthesiser-based now. And we had the realisation that we’re all ‘80s babies, so we were all growing up with our parents playing Eurythmics and INXS and Phil Collins and Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis & The News. Pretty much the soundtrack

Jeremedy is also a visual artist, illustrator and designer. He does all the artwork for the band and says that even in his work as a visual artist, he is influenced by ‘80s music. “It’s funny because when people ask what inspires me with music, often it’s a visual artist, and what inspires me with visuals is often a musical artist. Designing and creating the art for Melodics is always a lot of pressure. I always feel like it’s got to be my masterpiece. Usually, I really refine my idea and I sit there and I develop it and then I bring it to the boys and go, ‘What do you think about this?’ This time we were all sitting in the rehearsal studio and I literally just came up with the idea on the spot. I always pictured it as a woman with a shaved head. I think Grace Jones was probably my influence.” After the launch of the EP at the Corner, the band will spend November touring the country with Me, a theatrical rock group whose sound has been described as a blend of Muse and Queen. It’s a curious but somehow appropriate choice for tour by The Melodics. “It’s going to be really interesting cruising around playing electro rock and hip hop and this theatrical rock,” says Jeremedy. “I don’t know whether those two would have been onstage together many times.”

WHO: The Melodics WHAT: Paint Me Gold EP (Independent) WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 23 October, Corner Hotel; Thursday 9 December, Bended Elbow (Geelong)

o strangers to the music industry showcase circuit, Montreal’s Final Flash flew into the country last week to perform at Perth’s One Movement festival. The five-piece psych rockers have done their best to play all over Canada, China and the UK in their three-year history, and bass player Andre Bendahan sings the praises of putting yourselves out there. “We were playing Canadian Music Week in Toronto about, like, eight months ago,” he says. “That led to us playing South By Southwest in Austin, which led to playing The Great Escape showcase festival in Brighton, England, which led to being able to play in Australia as well. I made some contacts there and it led to this chain of events… We’re really lucky and fortunate but, by putting ourselves out there, I guess we increase our chances and luck.” It’s not by chance that their debut album Homeless has just dropped in Australia, neither is it that they recruited The Besnard Lakes main man Jace Lasek to produce it. “That’s ‘cause we were actually asked which producers we would like to work with and the band was pretty adamant on working with him,” says Bendahan, “particularly having listened to The Besnard Lakes and knowing his studio. We are fans of The Besnard Lakes and fans of the sound they had on their record, and it was a similar approach that we wanted. And he listened to the tracks and was interested in

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working with us, and it was pretty straightforward, like, I mean on the decision-making… and working on the album with him was just amazing! Some of the tracks that I liked the least ended up being some of my favourite ones by the time he was done with them.” Just as the band were counting down the hours to board the long flight from the top to the bottom of the world, Bendahan was on his laptop finalising their new video clip in the hope of getting it online by the time they arrived. “I’m actually literally finishing the video right now as we speak, on my laptop, while we’re on the road,” he says. “Just doing the final colour corrections, and then hopefully you guys will see the video in the next couple of days online, at the least!” A slew of Canadian bands, including Final Flash, The Trews, Elliott Brood and Matthew Barber, are all making their way over to Melbourne from One Movement in the next week or so. Bendahan was looking forward to catching up with some old chums while out here, as well as meeting a few new ones as well. “We’re friends with a lot of Canadian bands on this showcase, but for a lot of them it’ll be our first time meeting them, so we’re looking forward to that! We know Colin Moore, he’s on our label and we’ve played shows with him in the past, and he’s awesome – he’ll be good to party with.” The bass man also suggests it’ll be good to be away from the closely knit Montreal scene as well. “It’s very… incestuous,” he laughs. “A lot of the bands know each other, and we try and help each other out as much as possible. I’ve played with people from The Dears, from Patrick Watson’s band. I’ve played with heaps of different musicians. I think also there’s a level of competition, but a healthy amount; every band keeps each other on each other’s toes. When we hear a great album from a peer, you know, it’ll just encourage us to push ourselves and motivate ourselves a little bit more.”

WHO: Final Flash WHAT: Homeless (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Ding Dong; Friday, Cherry; Saturday, Revolver

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ISSUE 1144 - WEDNESDAY 13, OCTOBER 2010

TOURS

PRESENTS

THIS WEEK

DEAD MEADOW, STIGMATA, BLARKE BAYER/BLACK WIDOW: October 14 Forum

INTERNATIONAL

PARAMORE, RELIENT K: October 13 Sidney Myer Music Bowl DEAD MEADOW: October 12 National Hotel (Geelong); 14 Forum BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH: October 14 Prince Bandroom FINAL FLASH: October 14 Ding Dong, 15 Cherry Bar DIEGO GUERRERO: October 15 Kingston Arts Centre SMASHING PUMPKINS, CITY RIOTS: October 15 Festival Hall GUTTERMOUTH: October 15 Pier Live; 16 Ding Dong; 17 Ferntree Gully Hotel; 18 National Hotel (Geelong)

DAN KELLY & HIS DREAM BAND: October 15 Karova Lounge (Ballarat) SAGE FRANCIS, DEXTER, HORRORSHOW: October 15 Forum DENGUE FEVER, THE BREAK, JOHNNIE & THE JOHNNIE JOHNNIES: October 16 Forum LOW, PIKELET, PONZU ISLAND: October 21 Forum THE DRONES. K14, THE TWERPS: October 22 Forum

NATIONAL

ILLY, SKRYPTCHA: October 13 The Loft (Warrnambool); 14 Bended Elbow (Geelong); 16 Karova Lounge (Ballarat) MATT CORBY: October 13 Northcote Social Club MARK SHOLTEZ: October 14, 15 Bennetts Lane BLACKCHORDS: October 14 Grace Darling POWDERFINGER: October 15 Bendigo Showgrounds (Bendigo); 16 North Gardens (Ballarat) BONJAH: October 15 Espy Hotel; 18 HiFi Bar THE FUMES, ELLIOTT BROOD: October 15 Ruby’s (Belgrave); 16 East Brunswick Club; 17 National Hotel (Geelong) DAN KELLY & HIS DREAM BAND: October 15 Karova Lounge (Ballarat) STEALING O’NEAL: October 15 (18+), 16 (under-18s) Corner Hotel HOWL: October 16 Workers Club JUAN ALBAN: October 16 Northcote Social Club YACHT CLUB DJS: October 16 Corner Hotel

GIG OF THE WEEK DEAD MEADOW

THURSDAY, BECK’S FESTIVAL BAR, FORUM THEATRE

ead Meadow bassist Steve Kille told Inpress last week that the band keep things fresh by entering writing sessions with the aim of penning, say, a Wu-Tang Clan-style song or a Burt Bacharach number. It’s this anything-goes approach that has seen the Washington trio put a fresh spin on psychedelic, stoner grooves. Formed in 1998 around a love of ‘70s hard rock, ‘60s psychedelia and writers such as JRR Tolkien and HP Lovecraft, the band have this year released a feature-length live film (complete with psychedelic dream sequences) and soundtrack called Three Kings and reunited with original drummer Mark Laughlin (he left in 2002 to become a lawyer), while singer Jason Simon has released a solo record. At their Melbourne Festival show at Beck’s Festival Bar this week, Dead Meadow will be supported by Sri Lankan extreme metal crew Stigmata and instrumental duo Blarke Bayer/Black Widow. Tickets are just $20.

Boredoms pic by Jesse Booher

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL

LIVE: REVIEWS

BOREDOMS, KES BAND, BUM CREEK FORUM

ED KOWALCZYK: November 5 Forum

nfortunately arrived late for the last few minutes of crowing and wailing from Melbourne idiot three-piece Bum Creek. One of them was lying on the ground and it was some kind of demented a capella thing they had going, making me mourn and wonder about the remainder of their set. They’ve just released their debut LP (yes, vinyl) on Chapter; it’s filled with joyous, broken, spazzed-out wrongness and it’s beautiful (wrong), but they’re still a band you need to see live. Anything can and does happen.

ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK: November 5, 6 State Theatre

Kes Band started with noise, operating as a supergroup seven-piece, reining in some assistance from

ROBIN GIBB, BONNIE TYLER: November 3 Rod Laver Arena

CLARE BOWDITCH: October 29 Bended Elbow (Geelong); November 1 Forum THE BARONS OF TANG: November 5 East Brunswick Club GARETH LIDDIARD: November 5, 6 Thornbury Theatre JINJA SAFARI: November 18 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); 19 East Brunswick Club SHIHAD: November 19 Corner Hotel MY DISCO: November 20 National Hotel (Geelong); December 3 Hi-Fi FOZZY: December 2 Hi-Fi THE FALL: December 10 Billboard BUILT TO SPILL: January 1 Corner Hotel JUNIP: January 4 Corner Hotel

Zond’s Justin Fuller on additional guitar and three backup singers/occasional woodwind players. They were loud, shouty, a kind of ill-defined electrified folk. Though throughout their set they played like seven different bands, genres became meaningless, leading one to wonder where the centre of this band really lies. But this kind of eccentricity and diversity is their appeal.

Sola Rosa December 2 Roxanne

CONCRETE BLONDE: October 22 Palace MATTHEW BARBER: October 22 Workers Club; 23 Karova Lounge SOILWORK: October 23 Hi-Fi Bar RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: October 24 Palais; 25 National Theatre PAT BENATAR, THE BANGLES: October 26, 27 Palais PAUL WELLER: October 26, 27 Forum ICE CUBE: October 27 Palace PETULA CLARK: October 28 Arts Centre CELTIC WOMAN: October 30, 31 Palais Theatre BRIAN WILSON, CHICAGO, AMERICA, PETER FRAMPTON: November 1 Etihad Stadium

MARIACHI EL BRONX, EAGLE & THE WORM, THE UKELADIES: October 23 Forum

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And then on the stroke of midnight of the 10/10/10, the Boredoms appeared for their yearly Boadrum performance, this time on stage with nine drummers. Wait a second… Oh, that’s right, the tenth drummer, Yojiro Tatekawa, started from the middle of the crowd, who were parted like the Red Sea as he was eventually hauled onto stage, playing madly. The remainder of the drummers, Zach Hill (Hella), Hisham Bharoocha (Soft Circle), Jeremy Hyman (Ponytail), Kid Millions (Oneida), Butchy Fuego (Pit Er Pat), Pikelet, the dude from Baseball (I think) and Ben Ely (Regurgitator) sounded thunderous, playing in unison. They’re reminiscent of the tradition of Taiko drumming in their discipline, arms raised together, punctuating a thunderous beat. It was relentless, Eye whacking his staff across his two guitar mutations, at one point climbing his seven-neck guitar or flirting with his DJ pitch shifting, wailing maniacally into one of his three microphones, building crescendos and then letting the world fall apart. Then came the one song we knew, Acid Police from 1994’s Chocolate Synthesizer, on fire with its huge guitar riff. The drummers sounded like elephants stampeding, the effect plastering our faces back like we were trapped in a giant wind tunnel. It was huge, monumental, quintessential. Then they walked off. The crowd, so devastated by this point, could barely muster any applause. We thinned out but they weren’t done, returning for another 30 minutess of percussion-orientated mayhem. It was madness, it was ludicrous, but it was disciplined and it was beautiful, one of the most amazing musical experiences this writer has ever come in contact with. But most of all it was big. Very, very big. Bob Baker Fish

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The Fumes Friday Ruby’s (Belgrave); Saturday East Brunswick Club; Sunday National Hotel (Geelong)

JOE PUG: November 12 Northcote Social Club; 13 Meeniyan Hall; 14 Caravan Music Club LEONARD COHEN, CLAIRE BOWDITCH, DEBORAH CONWAY: November 12, 13 Rod Laver Arena THE CHARLATANS: November 12 Billboard INGRID MICHAELSON: November 13 Corner Hotel THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: November 13 Hi-Fi BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY: November 13, 22 Espy Hotel METALLICA: November 18, 20, 21 Rod Laver Arena BARONESS, AKANAME: November 19 Espy - Gershwin Room MANIC STREET PREACHERS: November 20 Forum THREE DOG NIGHT, THE TURTLES: November 20 Palais RICHARD BONA: November 25 Melbourne Recital Centre KAKI KING: November 26 Corner Hotel; 27 Queenscliff Music Festival LEO SAYER: November 27 Palms at Crown CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR: November 28 Hi-Fi (under-18s arvo, 18+ evening) U2: December 1 Etihad Stadium BLONDIE, THE PRETENDERS: December 1, 2 Palais; 4 Rochford Wines SOLA ROSA: December 2 Roxanne FOZZY: December 2 MARY GAUTHIER: December 2 East Brunswick Club; 3 Caravan Music Club HOT WATER MUSIC, THE BOUNCING SOULS: December 4, 5 Corner Hotel KORN: December 5 Festival Hall ARCHITECTS, COMEBACK KID, THIS IS HELL: December 5 Billboard JACK JOHNSON: December 8 Sidney Myer Music Bowl THE FIELD: December 9 East Brunswick Club CLIPSE: December 9 Prince Bandroom BROADCAST: December 9 Hi-Fi BON JOVI: December 10 Rod Laver Arena; 11 Etihad Stadium THE FALL: December 10 Billboard GIRLS: December 10 Corner Hotel GORILLAZ: December 11 Rod Laver Arena LINKIN PARK: December 13 Rod Laver Arena DEAD MEADOW: December 14 Beck’s Festival Bar - Forum MUSE, BIFFY CLYRO: December 14, 15 Rod Laver Arena EL GUINCHO: December 15 East Brunswick Club THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT: December 17 Billboard THE EAGLES: December 17, 18, 21, 22 Rod Laver Arena ADAM BRAND: December 17 Warrnambool Entertainment Centre; 28 Colac RSL; January 25 York On Lilydale (Mount Evelyn); 26 Regent Cinemas (Ballarat); 27 Hallam Hotel; 28 Gateway Hotel (Geelong); 29 Kinross Woolshed (Thurgoona) ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT: December 29 Espy NEON INDIAN, CASIOKIDS: December 29 Revolver ARMIN VAN BUUREN: December 31 Etihad Stadium

NATIONAL THE HOLIDAYS, PAPA VS PRETTY: October 21 National Hotel (Geelong); 22 East Brunswick Club BLACKCHORDS: October 21, 28 Grace Darling LITTLE RED, SPARKADIA: October 22 Bended Elbow (Geelong); 27 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); 28 Westernport Hotel (Mornington Peninsula); 29 Forum

AMY MEREDITH: October 22 Corner Hotel OLD MAN RIVER: October 22 Northcote Social Club ANGIE HART: October 22 Workers Club; 23 Karova Lounge (Ballarat) JOHN FARNHAM, KATE CEBRANO, VIKA & LINDA: October 23 Rochford Wines (Coldstream) THE MELODICS: October 23 Corner Hotel INSTITUT POLAIRE: October 23 Workers Club THE JUSTIN WALSHE FOLK MACHINE: October 24 Pure Pop (5pm) and Old Bar JIMMY BARNES: October 24 Werribee Park ILLY, SKRYPTCHA: October 26 Yahoo Bar (Shepparton) HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY, BIG SCARY: October 28 National Hotel (Geelong); 29 Corner Hotel; 30 Karova Lounge POWDERFINGER: October 29 Sidney Myer Music Bowl KYÜ: October 29 Workers Club DELAMARE: October 28 Next; 30 Fist2Face; 31 Phoenix Youth Centre PEABODY: October 29 Yah Yah’s MASTERS APPRENTICES, BILLY FIELD, MADDER LAKE, NEALE JOHNS, SPECTRUM, LEVI SMITH’S CLEFS: October 29 Palms at Crown CLARE BOWDITCH: October 29 Bended Elbow (Geelong); November 1 Forum GB3: October 29 Northcote Social Club POTBELLEZ: October 29 Trak Live B!G: October 31 Caravan Music Club/ Spenserlive AIRBOURNE: October 31, November 1 Hi-Fi Bar PENDULUM: November 1 Festival Hall HENRY WAGONS: November 1 Northcote Social Club THE VASCO ERA: November 1 East Brunswick Club; 25 Northcote Social Club; December 18 Karova Lounge (Ballarat); 24 Barwon Club CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE – DIRE STRAITS’ BROTHERS IN ARMS: November 4 Arts Centre CROWDED HOUSE: November 5 Rod Laver Arena THE BARONS OF TANG: November 5 East Brunswick Club KASEY CHAMBERS: November 6 Palais HOLLY THROSBY & THE HELLO TIGERS: November 6 Northcote Social Club EAGLE & THE WORM: November 12 East Brunswick Club THE TONGUE, SPIT SYNDICATE: November 18 National Hotel (Geelong); 19 Northcote Social Club

FESTIVALS

MELBOURNE MUSIC: September 29October 10 Melbourne City PARKLIFE: October 2 Sidney Myer Music Bowl and King’s Domain ANGLESEA MUSIC FESTIVAL: October 8-10 WANGARATTA JAZZ FESTIVAL: October 29-November 1 AUSTRALASIAN WORLD MUSIC EXPO: November 18-21 SUMMERBEATS: November 25 Rod Laver Arena QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL: November 26-28 SHINE ON: November 28 Pyrenees Ranges STEREOSONIC: December 4 Melbourne Showgrounds MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL: December 10-12 FALLS FESTIVAL: December 28-January 1 Lorne PYRAMID ROCK FESTIVAL: December 29-January 1 Phillip Island NO SLEEP TIL MELBOURNE: December 17 Melbourne Showgrounds SUMMADAYZE: January 1 Sidney Myer Music Bowl BIG DAY OUT: January 30 Flemington Racecourse SOUNDWAVE: March 4 Melbourne Showgrounds

The Holy Sea pic by Chrissie Francis

THE HOLY SEA, THE BROADSIDE PUSH, THE MALADIES, THE ORPHANAGE EVELYN HOTEL It’s been a balmy Saturday afternoon, and tonight all roads lead to Brunswick Street’s bastion of entertainment, the Evelyn Hotel. This crowd is in for a night of rich lyrics, poignant arrangements and general musical enjoyment courtesy of some amazing live bands. Tonight the Holy Sea and the Broadside Push, who are launching their latest records, are the main attractions, but the support acts hold their own, and provide more than a sturdy base to launch from. First up are local outfit The Orphanage. Fronted by the guttural delivery of Tom Woodward’s vocals and backed by the dark, haunting sounds of the rest of the six-piece, if Tom Waits died and needed a band to play his funeral gig, The Orphanage would prove a contender. At 10pm, Sydney boys The Maladies take to the stage, and as their songs name-check Johnny Cash and Desolation Row, the diminutive stature of singer Daniele Marando is barely noticeable as he’s dwarfed by the other two front-rowers, guitarist Daniel Babekuhl and bassist Michael Sullings. Lacking the country swagger of You Am I but overflowing with emotion, keep an eye out for The Maladies. Melbourne four-piece The Broadside Push are on song tonight, deep and rusty words oozing from every speaker in the place. With flawless backing vocals, brilliant mandolin and banjo playing, and lyrics such including “the butcher’s window’s full of brains and tripe”, they are a band on the rise. Channelling The Bad Seeds and The Triffids, get in early because The Broadside Push are here for the long haul. Starting out with the beautiful The Ten Rules and following on from that with the even better King Of Palm Island, Melbourne-via-Perth seven-piece The Holy Sea should be the next kings of lyric-rock. The historical material picked up by wordsmith Henry F Skerritt and translated into meaningful songs knock the pants off this Evelyn crowd – a generally older and more educated crowd, however, despite the minimal $10 cover charge, a crowd that only fills three-quarters of the room. Pulling songs from their new album Ghosts Of The Horizon, Skerritt tells a story like a Paul Kelly wet dream, and has the rest of the band doing a magnificent job in supporting the rich vocal content. Although it’s not over until after 1am, this is an evening that could’ve carried on all night. Dylan Stewart

SUN ARAW EMPRESS HOTEL I’m still not sure what happened. The Empress was packed, and the Empress is not a great space when it is packed. I’m not sure that whoever booked the show really knew what to expect, but when word hits Melbourne town, then people listen and that is all they could do tonight, because you couldn’t see much unless you were at the front. And what was happening? Well, Sun Araw were playing. And who are Sun Araw? I don’t really know either. A couple of blow-ins from LA, stoned on history. Supported by the ever popular Beaches, along with Free Choice Duo and Horse MacGyver, the full house at the Empress swayed in transcendental bliss to the droning overtones of Sun Araw. I don’t know if their name is inspired by the almighty Sun Ra, but it probably is. On record, Sun Araw are a fuzzed-out, dubbed-out minimal tribal beat-y drone-scape, owing more to Adrian Sherwood than to Sun Ra, but live, with dual axe action, there was the added guitar fuzz of My Bloody Valentine. At the front of the room, the overall sound was

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overtaken by the onstage presence of the guitar amps. Moving to the back of the room cleared up the mix, and the chugging drum machine and bass loops became more evident. If the show was played at a larger venue with a more suitable PA, then it might have been a different thing all together. The sound was loop-centric and delay-heavy, but the loudness of the guitars was distracting. The trance-like rhythmic nature of songs from On Patrol were rendered as a twin guitar jam session, as if a couple of college students had taken some peyote and freaked out to Santana riffs over their drum machine. This isn’t a bad thing by any means, but it might have been nice for a bit more space in the music with less guitar assault. For some reason, David Essex’s Rock On kept springing to mind for the first half a dozen songs or so. Make of this what you will. The crowd didn’t seem disappointed, the packed house swaying along ‘til the end, which was, bizarrely enough, a fairly straight cover of Neil Young’s Barstool Blues. I look forward to the return of these guys, and having the opportunity to hear them more clearly. They appeared to be having a ball, leaning back and throttling their guitars into oblivion. Let’s hope if they return it’s at a more suitable venue. Ayam Ayam Man

GRAVEYARD TRAIN, GENTLE BEN & HIS SENSITIVE SIDE, THE TOOT TOOT TOOTS THE ESPY Within one minute of The Toot Toot Toots’ opening song, all I seem able to think is, “How come I haven’t heard of/seen them before?” In a live setting, there is something about this band that is reminiscent of those brilliant Queensland boys SixFtHick – it may be the dual singers but, more so, it’s the fact that, as is the case with the Hicks, watching them live turns this into less of a gig and more of an experience. Their shimmery, silver-clad go-go girls know how to move but only grace the stage a couple of songs at a time. What’s funny is that the band themselves put on such a show that there would be nothing amiss if the girls weren’t there, yet they do complete the package. Included in their setlist are Rooster Crow, Curses, Oh! Maggie, and a great, faithful, although somewhat gruffer, rendition of Elvis’s Devil In Disguise. Before long, though, it’s time for Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side to unassumingly grace the stage, starting with Song Of Drowning Men. It’s always a joy to see this band. ‘Gentle’ Ben Corbett once again proves that he ties with The Exotics’ Tony Shaw for the dubious (?) honour of snakiest hips in the Australian music scene. They run through a number of classics, including I Don’t Think She Loves Me Anymore, a particularly mournful Summertime, and The Beginning Of The End. We’re lucky enough to hear a track from their forthcoming single and, if that song is anything to go by, it should be another quality Gentle Ben release. Finally, tonight’s headliners, Graveyard Train, take their place. Having never seen them before, they’re definitely a sight to behold and this seven-piece, with six singers, pack a serious punch. There is something unnerving about them, and it’s brilliant. Starting their set with Bit By A Dog, you’re hit by an incredible wall of sound. There is no question of why they’ve developed a cult following – they’re incredible and it’s as simple as that. The darkness and atmosphere of the Gershwin Room fits Graveyard Train and their brand of horror country to a tee. Their reworking of Burning Love leaves me speechless – it’s pure genius and a perfect point on which to finish their main set. They come back for an encore, which, they explain, is purely because that song takes a bit out of them. Well, whatever the reason, it’s effective. Without a doubt, one of the best gigs this year. Dominique Wall

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SARAH BLASKO, SEJA

SarahBlasko pics by Andrew Gyopar

PALAIS THEATRE With the sheer expanse of the venue, opening act Seja pleads with the crowd to holler out so she knows people are out there in the darkness. Luckily it is not a case of a deer caught in the headlights as the Queensland native displays an air of confidence, whipping through a natty set of synth-laden pop tunes complemented by some tidy drumming provided by Renae Collett (ex-Gazoonga Attack). Seja’s stylistic lyrics are a cornerstone and complemented by harmonies from Kate Henderson (Texas Tea), making standouts of tracks such as Delay, A Million Wheels and I’ll Get To You. Having only recently arrived back in the country from her new base in England, Sarah Blasko profusely apologises for the jetlag that she believes is evident in her performance tonight. Apart from an obvious lyric stumble in her cover of Cold Chisel’s Flame Trees, Blasko has no need for apology. As captivating and sure as Blasko’s voice is, the other standout tonight is the effortless meld of vocals and music provided by an extremely classy ensemble; sometimes four-, sometimes six-strong. The emotive For You from the 2007 release What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have, opens proceedings, with Garden’s End from the same album interspersed with All Coming Back from her debut The Overture & The Underscore. A grand opening indeed, ever so slightly usurped by the ease with which Bird On A Wire, the divine Hold On My Heart, Over & Over, and the captivating We Won’t Run from Blasko’s current, ARIA Award-winning album, As Day Follows Night, fill the airspace of the Palais. Older classic Always Worth It is a gem tonight, as is the rarely played True Intentions, but the crowd are enamoured with another block of newer tracks – Lost & Defeated, Sleeper Awake, I Never Knew and instant classics All I Want and No Turning Back. This sterling night is tenderly closed by treating these reverent punters to an encore of Down On Love and an amazing rendering of Explain – truly beautiful. The Boomeister

BEN KWELLER, DELTA SPIRIT HI-FI Only the bottom level of Hi-Fi is being utilised tonight but Delta Spirit’s energy doesn’t reflect disappointment. The quartet’s smokin’ hot frontman, Matthew Vasquez, does threaten to beat us up if we don’t take two giant steps toward the stage, however. “We’ve already eaten Lord Of The Fries,” he shares, as if the fast food outlet were a national treasure. He then burps loudly into the microphone, which results in a 50% deduction from his sex appeal score. What resembles a bin lid with a tambourine superglued to it provides DIY appeal during the appropriately titled Trashcan. Nostalgic lyrics are delivered with yearning and a precision jam near set’s end showcases the band’s prowess. Closer Children teams up Vasquez’s passionate delivery – “I make my own stand/And I take my own stand!” – with a joyous rave-up and brands this band into our consciousness. “There’s no way I’m gonna cancel the concert because of me.” Ben Kweller is nursing a sore throat tonight but mans up to the occasion. Kweller teaches those who don’t know I Don’t Know Why and we happily sing our designated parts in order to help preserve his vocal cords. The singer/songwriter sports a t-shirt emblazoned with a series of seemingly unrelated phrases such as “Muscular Dystrophy” and “Bass Tournament” (plus others that are concealed behind his guitar). Make It Up is swoon-worthy and Kweller’s endearing timbre shines through his sickness. Kweller’s lyrics radiate from a romantic soul and his stories are extremely relatable despite being written from across the pond. Confessing that he caught Bob Dylan past his prime and was disappointed, Kweller needlessly expresses concern that those assembled may feel similarly ripped off by his form tonight. Bravely shedding his backing band, Kweller remains onstage solo to perform Sundress. Where the usual arrangement is played fortissimo, Kweller maintains the song’s pianissimo verse dynamic and chuckles, saying he “skanked [us] out” when our dancing enthusiasm intensifies out of whack. Kweller’s parlance is so intimate that you feel like a treasured confidante. A cover of Roger Miller’s You Can’t Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd is adorable and earns Kweller a decent “Aw!” when he provides his own twist, inserting the line “You can’t play guitar on a Qantas aeroplane”. On My Way and Thirteen garner suitably awed reactions and Kweller taps his guitar to provide some organic percussion. He removes a mouth organ from his pocket at the last minute and the surprise element is magical – far preferable to wearing one of those metal braces that resemble night-brace retainers for the entire gig. “I may not have a platinum record but I’m platinum status on American Airlines,” Kweller jokes before administering some throat spray. As soon as the introductory piano chords for Penny On The Train Track are identified, the place explodes. Kweller’s band belts the track out in ultra-rock fashion and the frontman jumps from the stage to dance among the rapturous punters. The song then morphs into Brown-Eyed Girl, which earns an equally enthusiastic singalong, and then returns to Penny… as if it had never deviated. Just when we thought our fancy had been tickled maximus, Kweller introduces the closing encore song as “the Khe Sanh of America”. “Through demo zone to perfect”, we are treated to I’ll Make Love To You by Boyz II Men. Kweller’s bass player just happens to be an accomplished vocalist and takes on lead vocals, reading the lyrics from a piece of paper on the floor, while Kweller perches on a stool to supply keys. Kweller then takes over and ad-libs a spoken word, “Girl, you make me feel fine” section. Someone from the audience aptly throws a rose onto the stage and we are left charmed beyond belief. Kweller helps geeks get laid. Bryget Chrisfield

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LIFTIN’ THE VEIL Sydney’s dark atmospheric group The Veil will be coming to Melbourne for the first time as part of 27 Stone’s Sona-Nyl event. Also featuring dub doomers Terminal Sound System, improvised psych metal duo Stellarvore and a special opening performance by audiovisual drone merchant Abre Ojos, Sona-Nyl will be a night not soon forgotten! It’s all happening on Saturday 20 November at the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood from 8pm. Tickets are $10 pre-sale or $12 on the door and available from Missing Link as well as direct from the bands and 27 Stone. Every person who attends will be given the opportunity to download recordings of the nights’ sets for free as part of 27 Stone’s bootleg series, as well as cheap jugs (ahoy!) before 10pm.

ROSIE’S BIG LEAP Sometimes it’s hard to fit people into boxes, and the Rosie Burgess Trio are no exception. Sliding from folk to blues to gypsy roots and back, the trio crosses more genres than state borders, giving off enough energy to power a small town – or at least to attract one to their awesome show. Catch the Rosie Burgess Trio launching their third studio album, Leap, this Friday at the East Brunswick Club, with support from Jungal and The Hussy Hicks. Tickets are $12+BF from the venue or $15 on the door from 8.30pm if still available.

PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS In the final instalment of his tour diary, THE PARADISE MOTEL drummer and Inpress scribe ANDY HAZEL commemorates the end of an era by revisiting the band’s birthplace, dressing to offend and playing some shocking mini-golf. that we’re up against Tame Impala at the Uni Bar and the always-appealing prospect of Jane Dust and Go Go Sapien at the less-appealing Brisbane Hotel, there is a warm buzz throughout the venue and candle-lit clusters of punters circling the scattered tables makes for a pleasing sight. Not really all that different from that first show, a kilometre and 15 years away.

“D

iners are requested not to wear military or paramilitary uniforms and will be asked to wear one of the alternative jackets provided.” So reads the blurb from the menu of the restaurant beneath the venue we play on the first night of our last weekend of our Australian Ghost Story-promoting tour. Unfortunately, two of our party are wearing said potentially offensive items of clothing and the risk of inciting a sternly-worded and gentle ejection or worse, wearing an ‘alternative jacket’, livens up what begins as a fairly quiet evening in Hobart. The upstairs venue, Siren’s Ballroom, is a rarely-unlocked and bare-walled room more commonly used by swing dancers and mice than rock bands and a drinking crowd, but it’s perfect for us and for bringing our take on the events around Azaria Chamberlain’s short life to the birthplace of The Paradise Motel. By now at ease with the touring process (given that singer Merida Sussex lives in London, touring is a rare event) tonight we’re playing the first show on home soil since the band’s first ever gig. The experience is less unnerving than it could have been, possibly due to a small snow fight on the summit of Mount Wellington, assurances from well-intentioned friends and copious consumption of local ales. Despite a local radio DJ expressing genuine amazement that most of the band are actually from Hobart mid-way through an interview (“Really? That’s awesome! Says here… [scans Wikipedia entry] …you guys lived in London for ten years. Cool! So… uh, what did you do?”), and a decisive lack of punters in their early 20s, there is a decent turnout and a largely attentive audience. Given

Tourmate Sianna Lee goes down beautifully and wins some new fans. Surely Courtney Love would give more than make-up tips for the rights to cover some of her songs. Spending the rest of the evening catching up with friends, the morning variously playing with chickens and exploring Salamanca Market, the afternoon sees us barrelling along the Calder to Hepburn Springs and the final show of the tour. Easing into town around 6pm we soon realise that we’ve chosen two of the most beautiful parts of the country in which to end our tour and that there really aren’t going to be many people at the show this evening. “I think we could dedicate a song to each member of the audience tonight,” is how guitarist and organ-player Charles Bickford refers to it. Numbers aside, the show is possibly our tightest ever, and the feedback from the audience is all good; which is more than can be said for the shenanigans the band’s rhythm section gets up to the following day. With a horrendously kitschy mini-golf course just up the road, spectacularly delicious breakfasts are nearly heaved up at the sight of the some of the ‘features’ of the country’s only Australianathemed mini golf course. Clearly The Paradise Motel’s sensitivity at writing about issues at the figurative and literal heart of Australia does not extend to the bassist and drummer. Unfortunate hi-jinks aside, there is poignancy to the hugs we share after the show when saying our goodbyes, not only at the tour ending and the album being put to bed, but at the lack of certainty about the future. Can a band last spread across hemispheres? Will the future only hold albums and an occasional, prohibitively expensive, reunion show? Will the rhythm section be invited back? The Paradise Motel’s Australian Ghost Story is out now through Left Over Life To Kill/Inertia.

SLEEP WITH US Sleep Decade present a charming blend of folk and experimental pop through delicately executed ambience and mature atmospherics, combining unconsciously brave songwriting, abstract rhythms, erratic guitars and subtle synth undertones to form a distinctive and dynamic sound. Made up of brothers Casey and Monty Hartentt, Thom Plant, Tom Milekovic and Henry Madin, the five-piece draw influence from artists such as Low, Daniel Johnston, Grizzly Bear and Radiohead. They are currently making an album, but they break to play the Birmingham Hotel this Friday with Austra-Waves and Tom Milekovic. Entry is $5 from 8pm.

METHOD OWN Celebrating the release of their Better Without You EP, Melbourne’s The Madness Method are teaming up with fellow Melbournites Lebelle for a massive night of madness at Revolver Upstairs this Friday. Featuring other special guests Straight No Chaser and Cloudmouth, it’s not grungy, not earthy, not wailing or hauntingly beautiful, it’s going to be just one big sexy night of raucous, bodacious and unapologetic fun. Entry is $15, or $10 for students and $20 with a CD! Jacqueline Gawler launches her new album, Ambrosia, 3pm Sunday at the Northcote Social Club. HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC? “As a kid, I would slide my atheist bottom into a Sunday church pew alongside my church-going buddies. When it came time for the children’s Sunday school choir to sing, I would surreptitiously file onto stage with them – a choral imposter – and howl through the hymns they had taught me in the school playground at full volume. We also had a ‘family’ band, with my mum heaving away on flute, dad on assorted woodwind, and me and my sister on high instrument rotation. I’m still horrified that we actually put on a public concert.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “I’ve recorded five a cappella albums with vocal group Coco’s Lunch, one jazz/Brazilian album with Stoneflower, an EP with Picturebox Orchestra, an unreleased album of Brazilian pop recorded in Rio de Janeiro, and an EP as a percussionist with African drumming ensemble Afö, as well as my debut solo album with my own band.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Indie rock pop jazz?” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “French vocal/instrumental trio Sashird Lao, because they are vocal geniuses, amazing improvisers, create art with their live performances and are completely enlightened human beings. Oh wait, I did support them.”

MACHINES WITH ARMS After a few years in hiding, Machine Translations are back on the live scene at the Builders Arms Hotel this Saturday. Walker and co have been perfecting their craft away from the limelight and Telepathic Head is the first single from their forthcoming album, which marks something of a departure from their previous work. The intimate show will also feature experimental folksters Single Twin and country folk rockers Running Away With The Circus. Doors open 8.30pm and entry is $15.

REBELLES YELLIN’ Fifteen-piece female supergroup The Rebelles have invited two of their favourite bands, The Ska Vendors and Lyndal Barry & The Apollos, to join them this Saturday at the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood. Lyndal Barry and band will up the dancefloor ante with their funky soul grooves, while The Ska Vendors will follow on with their ska, rocksteady and Jamaican R&B. To finish off, The Rebelles will lay down unstoppable, heartbreakin’, hip-shakin’, troublemakin’ rock’n’roll harmonies. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $8.

IF YA WANT BLOOD Brisbane five-piece Bloodpoets are touring the country yet again to present their new single, Dance, ahead of their forthcoming album to be released later this year. Dance is an infusion of electronic beats heavily driven by cheesy guitar riffs. The indie rockers will perform tracks from their 2009 debut release, Polarity, as well as road testing additional tracks off the new album. Check them out at the Toff In Town this Thursday. Tickets are $12+BF from Moshtix or on the door from 7.30pm.

IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “That’s a hefty question. Perhaps Miles Davis – Sketches Of Spain for its gob-smacking beauty. But if the arson squad tried really hard, they might also be able to restore my copy of Shakti – Natural Elements, which shifts my soul into another dimension.” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “Yes I do. Not high heels. ‘Cause it’s really unlucky and unfashionable to overbalance, skewer yourself on a music stand and lose a few teeth while you are busy rocking out, oh-so-femininely.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “I would hand over to my amazing chef-wife and beg her to cook her insane, hand-made pasta authentic bolognese lasagna from the Italian Silver Spoon cookbook. It is officially my last-meal-on-earth meal. Maybe also ‘cause it’s heart attack material.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “Joe’s Shoe Store beer garden in High Street, Northcote. You even get a complimentary cat on your lap.”

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SMASHED FAMILIES Three great Melbourne sibling acts have joined together to bring you a feast of sounds, with all the love and tension that only those who share the same DNA can produce, at the Evelyn Hotel this Friday night. From the theatrical pop and beautifully layered harmonies of Rezzalp, the heartfelt indie folk of Ida Fox and the wild and outrageous discofunk of The Vaudeville Smash, the night promises to be as fun as it is eclectic. Together for one night only at the Evelyn – you’d better be there to witness it. Doors open at 8.30pm.

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EYES ON BROOKE Revolver Upstairs has two emerging artists sharing a residency for three weeks in October. Meet Owl Eyes – AKA Brooke Addamo – a Melbourne singer/songwriter whose dreamy debut EP, Faces, is a dynamic blend of eclectic pop influences via jazz, hip hop and even a touch of swing, but it’s Addamo’s brooding, breathy vocals and lyrics that bring depth and darkness. She’ll share the stage with Tash Parker. Listening to Parker is like stumbling across a secret patch of serenity in the middle of a crowded city. Her delicate vocal and guitar delivery will invite you into a fascinating autobiography of folk pop songwriting. Catch both performers tonight (Wednesday) from 7.30pm. Entry is $10.

CAPPIN’ KURT American rock funk duo Kill Kurt Reifler relocated to Melbourne to record their latest album, Swing Of A Pendulum. Set for release in February 2011, the album took just three days to record. The pair met while travelling overseas and have played together for a couple of years for a few different side projects. You can check them out tonight from 8pm at the Karova Lounge, this Thursday from 8.30pm at the Golden Vine in Bendigo, Friday from 9pm at the Barwon Club Hotel in Geelong or Saturday from 10pm at Grumpy’s Green in Fitzroy before they head back for a tour of the US.

SUM LUNG GUYS Triple J favourites The Paper Scissors are itching to showcase their new material to fans, so the boys are set to play at Ding Dong Lounge this Friday. Launched on the night will be new single, Lung Sum, from their forthcoming sophomore release, In Loving Memory. Unlike many electronic acts, their use of live drums plays an important role in the threesome’s sound, adding melodic and angular dance-like rhythms. Tickets on sale through Oztix.

SLIMY AND UZI The sun is shining so let’s hit the beer garden and what’s better than a beer garden then one filled with rockin’ bands, beer, good people and a BBQ! So this Saturday, make you way down to the Brunswick Hotel on Sydney Rd and soak up the rays and the tunes from the prog rock boys Baptizm Of Uzi, the bluesy rock of the Beat Brothers and introducing Apache Medicine Man. The music starts at 3pm and entry is $6.

EAGER FOR IT From East Timor to the East Village, Egypt to the Middle East, Western Australia to Whistler, Sydney artist Cass Eager likes to keep on the move. Listening to her new EP, Down On My Knees, it’s clear she’s not shy to travel between musical destinations either. Eager’s new five-track release covers a world of stylistic territory. Her voice and music are sometimes funky, at other times soaked with an alt.country twang, and sometimes she rocks it out down and dirty. But when you get down to it, the woman is a sworn soul sister through and through. Catch her at the Rainbow Hotel on Friday 22 October, Spenserslive on Saturday 23 and Veludo on Sunday 24 from 3.30pm.

SHE DOES A GREAT JUDY Catch talented young songwriters Judy-Judy and Joe Ransom performing at the Great Britain Hotel this Thursday. Joe Ransom is currently molding a new band The Significant Sounds with a tasty album in the pipeline. He’ll be previewing some of these acoustic pop newbies for the very first time in solo/ duo mode. Judy-Judy is a new kid on the block; hailing from Bendigo she comes bearing a suitcase of acoustic songs, thought-provoking lyrics and a voice that gets you a little bit emotional. Entry is free from 9pm.

CATS DO THE THING Joel Plymin & Them Blues Cats play that cooler than cool Chicago-style tree trunk blues with melodramatic lyrics that are littered with indifference. Complete with extended saxophone solos, amusing anecdotes and sedative motifs ranging from bike stacks to excessive alcohol consumption, this band will make you laugh, cry and… some other third thing. Catch them in the front bar for free at the Great Britain Hotel this Sunday for two extended sets (which means way more sax solos) from 7pm.

ABSENCE OF SOFTNESS

VITRUVIAN SPREAD ’EM

NSW grunge rockers Absence Of State will be heading to Revolver Upstairs this Thursday. The show will be part of their 10 Tonnes Of Rock Victorian tour with Canberra band Scaramouche. Absence Of State exploded onto the scene in early 2009 and quickly became known for their high-energy performances and new approach to the grunge sound. Scaramouche originated in Canberra, but now have members who live in Melbourne as well, With an exceptional EP under their belt, they have cemented themselves as a unique and outstanding new take on classic heavy rock. Joining them will be local Melbourne bands Red Rockets Of Borneo and The Moroccan Kings – entry is $10 from 8pm. Absence Of State then play the Arthouse this Sunday with Scaramouche, Shoot The Sun and Breakfast Over Gunfi re.

Citing influences from jazz, metal, rock and prog, Vitruvian Man are fast becoming one of Melbourne’s must-see acts. If you like your music with some twists and turns (some of Vitruvian Man’s songs venture past the 15-minute mark!) head down to the Brunswick Hotel this Thursday. Completing this stellar line-up are slap bass instrumentalists 2 Quirks, Fighting Mongoose and Fritzwicky. Be there! Doors at 8pm.

KELSEY’S A BEAUTY

Emma Davis launches her album at the Empress on Saturday. HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC? “I’ve been playing the guitar for a while, singing for a little less time and playing the ukulele, glockenspiel, banjo and Casiotone for not very long at all. I like to write songs on instruments that I have no idea how to play. That way I have no preconceived notions on how it should be done. It seems the most natural way for me to write.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “Both! I just recorded an album by tooling around in Brian Campeau’s bedroom.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Don’t think, just write.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Hmm, that’s tricky. Maybe Tricky? Maybe the Spice Girls. Who gets to say that they’ve supported the Spice Girls?!”

Formerly of Duck Musique, The Night Terrors and Julie O’Hara Quintet, Kelsey James began this current project as a vehicle for her own beautiful compositions. You may hear echoes of Cat Power, Björk and Madeleine Peyroux in her music, yet James’s sublime yet earthy voice is her own. Supported by an inimitable and frenetic rhythm section, and embellished with the soaring grandeur of dulcet horns, James’s songs will reawaken you to the depth, grace, and frivolity of human existence. She plays the Builders Arms tonight (Wednesday), supported by Louisa Rankin and Hetty Kate. Entry is $8 from 8pm.

MINI SPIRITS The Level Spirits and The Mini Bikes play a one-off show at the Great Britain Hotel this Saturday. The Level Spirits feature sassy vocals, twangin’ Gretsch guitar, pumpin’ drums and a thumpin’ double bass. They mine the sounds of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s to create one helluva soul garage gumbo. The band will have advance copies of their brand new debut album for sale, which has already been picked up for release in the USA. Bringing up the rear, The Mini Bikes will serve up their own brand of alt.country-tinged power pop and have just released their debut album to great reviews in Australia and overseas. Entry is free from 9pm.

TAPP THAT After a brief rest from touring, award-winning singer/ songwriter and Borne frontman Cam Tapp returns to the Toff In Town this Saturday along with very special guests to launch his highly anticipated debut solo album The Little Black Book Of Light. After the global success of The Guide, now theme song for the national Pal Pedigree adoption drive, Tapp has returned to his roots by recording an album of what he calls “a dirty ol’ cocktail of folk songs with a twist of Floyd, a shake of Cash and a stir of Springsteen”. Tickets are $15+BF on sale from Moshtix or $19 on the door from 7.30pm.

KIDNEY GETS A WORKOUT Believers are hereby put on notice, and Paul Kidney Experience virgins duly invited to attend the Birmingham Hotel this Saturday as the band play their last Australian show for some time. On this date, don’t let idiots bring you down, take yourself out on the town and join the lovin’ paisley mothership of dirty rainbow fuzzgrit candyfloss that is Paul Kidney Experience. There will be colour, dancing, love, colour, music, colour and all-round good vibrations. Support comes from Porcus Vs Equus, LCD and The Dopetones. Entry is $7 from 8pm.

AUTUMN GRAY’s GREG FOLETTA tells NIC TOUPEE about the serendipitous meeting that has led to his band playing with a 44-piece orchestra this weekend. Blending their acoustic approachability with the more rarified sound of a full orchestra shouldn’t put off their fans, he argues, but at the same time will please anyone interested in sound as an art form. “I think [the show] should be accessible to everyone who comes along,” Foletta muses. “At the moment we don’t really know what to expect from the sessions; we’ll see how the rehearsals go this week. I am almost certain that the sound will be enormous and it will definitely be a show for the audiophiles.”

DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “I had a lucky pair of underwear but I can’t find them! If anyone’s seen them they had turtles on them.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “I’m still working that out. I think it’ll take me a while, every time I’m there I discover a new favourite place. Perhaps the Empress Hotel on a Saturday night in the month of October.”

Collarts present Sound Check 2 tonight (Wednesday) at the Bendigo Hotel. Proceeds from the open mic night talent showcase go to The Open Family Australia Charity. Performing on the night will be local acts The Feel Goods, MZ, Wood, Oscar Mike and Sons Of Messengers. There’ll even be a raffle! Doors open at 7.30pm and entry is $5.

STRINGS ATTACHED

IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “That would depend on timing. I’m a little fickle when it comes to favourite records. I go through phases of listening to just one album for a while. Right now it would probably be Freelance Whales, but there was definitely a time when it would have been Hanson. In that case that higher power would probably be very justified in smiting my house.”

IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “Anything involving mushrooms and cheese. Mushrooms stuffed with cheese? Cheese stuffed with mushrooms? I like mushrooms and cheese.”

FEEL IT UP

This is just the newest of numerous sonic experiments for the band, who used a highly unusual ‘found sound’ recording technique on their recent album, The Diary Of A Falling Man.

t seems just about every second Melbourne band these days puts the word ‘folk’ into their influences, as though sporting a beard and a jaunty woven shirt is a surefire way to get either a) some label attention or b) some fans. Far, far rarer, however, are folk bands who team up with full orchestras to reinterpret their songs. This is precisely what bookish ‘folk’ outfit Autumn Gray have done, and it’s premiering this Sunday at BMW Edge at Fed Square. Trumpeter for the band, Greg Foletta, explains their modus orchestrandi; but first, an establishment of the facts.

“I’m trying not to sound pretentious, but in terms of being a folk band, we find it very hard to place ourselves in a specific genre. We use the term ‘folk’ less in the sense that the music is acoustic guitar-driven, but more because both Jim [O’Neill, lead singer] and Pats [John Austin Patterson, also singer] both tend to sculpt their songs out of stories – either real or imagined. We love Mogwai/post-rock/crescendo-influenced music, pop and rock music, and any one of our songs can have equal parts of each in it.” This fluid approach to sound may well explain why performing with an orchestra seems like a tasty challenge for Autumn Gray. It was made all the tastier by being offered to them on a plate, Foletta recounts. “The orchestra gig came about quite serendipitously. Zach, the organiser, was looking for a band and our name came up through a couple of channels. He came along to one of our gigs and I think he liked the possibilities and how the sounds could meld. We got an email from him that night and instantly said yes. We’ve all been floating on cloud nine since then.”

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“Jim always had the idea of having a non-musical sound at the start of our song The Great Escape,” he advises. “The actual recording of it was a funny experience: it consisted of myself carrying a laptop hooked up to an external soundcard in my backpack. From the backpack came tendril like cables running to two mics and headphones that Jim had. We walked around Princes Park in Carlton in this umbilical-like state for about two hours capturing all the different sounds we could get, much to the hilarity of passersby.” Foletta acknowledges that there can be a fine line between art and indulgence: all sounds and ideas must serve the song, not vice versa. “Our ethos is that if a song needs that little something else, it should most certainly get it. But by the same token, you want to use things like field recordings sparingly, because they can get boring. There is a huge colour palette of sounds to paint with; why would you want to limit yourself to guitars, drums and keys?” In the end, it all comes back to the storytelling and a sympathetic sonic landscape. “I think we are definitely storytellers, and value depth of instrumentation; we’re not afraid laying a harmonium or a violin alongside or an acoustic guitar alongside some samples. As long as it works, its welcome!”

WHO: Autumn Gray WHEN & WHERE: Sunday, BMW Edge, Federation Square; Saturday 23 October, Workers Club

[V] Oz Artist is back and it’s time to rally for your Aussie artist from the Top 50. Only your votes will get them closer to the ultimate title of [V] Oz Artist 2010. Keep the votes coming and you could win the major prize – a [V]IP Oz Artist Rock Star Weekend for you and three mates AND the chance to hand over the gold trophy to this year’s winner. Plus you could score rare artist memorabilia daily prizes that will have your friends gagging for a trade. So, what are you waiting for?

Check out which artists have made the Top 4: Saturday 16 October 2pm

Authorised under permit numbers: NSW: LTPS/10/08576, VIC: 10/3283, SA: T10/2172 ACT: TP 10/03983. Conditions apply. To vote and for full T&C’s go to www.vmusic.com.au. Comp closes 14/11/2010.

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CHELSEA DARLING Melbourne gets its first date with soul blues vocalist Chelsea Wilson this spring with the launch of her debut EP Bitterness at the Toff In Town on Thursday 21 October. The launch at the Toff will include songs from the EP and her upcoming album, Worst Kind Of Blue (to be released 2011), along with some timeless tunes from the likes of Mitty Collier, Etta James and Koko Taylor. There’s a nine-piece band in tow for this one, too, featuring Jake Mason on organ, Daniel Ferrugia on drums, Al Haskitt on guitar and Ben Christensen on bass. It’s not often soul gets the big treatment on a local stage, so make sure you get on down to it. Tickets are $12 pre-sale via the Toff website or $10 on the door.

SKA TISSUES

OUR DARLING SEAN

Six years have seen the The Ska Vendors play their fair share of shows in and around Melbourne as well as around Australia. After a break in 2009, the band are back onstage where they have had the pleasure of playing with The Special Beat, The Beat, Neville Staples, Carlos Malcolm and One Night Band amongst others. A love and respect of the Jamaican sounds with, of course, a Melbourne twist, keep The Vendors continuing to deliver their own brand of ska, rocksteady and Jamaican R&B. The Ska Vendors continue their Birmingham Hotel residency this Thursday with support from The Operators and The Kujo Kings. Entry is $7 from 8pm.

While The Spoils remain on hiatus, singer Sean Simmons slips out of hibernation for two intimate solo shows performing songs from The Spoils’ back catalogue as well as a taste of what’s to come before the band returns to Europe for the fourth time mid-2011. Simmons plays Yah Yah’s this Sunday with The Orbweavers and the Old Bar on Tuesday 19 October with French rockers Dimi Dero, Rosie Westbrook and Mike Noga.

BLOODY NEXT This Thursday at Next sees Blood Duster playing their last show for 2010, with support from Witchgrinder and Isis For Balor! Next is also giving away clothing packs thanks to Ezekiel and Anberlin’s new record Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place. Playing acoustic in the beer garden are Shannon Jay & Alei Calusin. There are also amazing bar specials all night as well as resident DJs playing the best punk, hardcore, emo, metal, alternative, party, indie and retro across multiple rooms all night! Make sure you don’t miss it! Entry is $12 from 9pm. For more info and weekly club pics check destroyalllines.com or facebook.com/NextNightclub.

SOLER PLEXUS

The Currency take their convict folk punk to the Evelyn Hotel on Saturday 23 October. It will be a great night for a stout, a stomp and a sing-along as The Currency play tracks off their self-titled album along with a new song or two. Opening the show will be Cherrywood with their double bass and mandolin-flavoured countrybilly, and then Stranglehold will turn up the dial with a set of kick-arse street punk before The Currency break out the fiddle and celtic banjo.

EVER FRESH

GETTIN’ A HEIDI’N Owl Eyes plays Revolver every Wednesday in October and launches her new EP at the Workers Club on Friday 12 November. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Brooke Addamo, singer/songwriter: “Jan, who produced and wrote the EP with me, heard my voice on some demos and wanted to collaborate. We got together for a couple of days to get a feel for how each other would work and it all just clicked from there.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “I’ve recorded a few songs – my most recent work is my EP, Faces.”

The Melbourne Fresh Industry Showcases at Revolver Upstairs showcase unsigned Melbourne bands, singer/songwriters, MCs, composers and any other forms of musical expression that demand showcasing! There are huge prizes to be won by the acts, including a world-class EP recording, cash prizes and much more. This coming Tuesday 19 October features 15 Minutes Of Peace, Bitchslap, Through The Window, Galaxy, Matthew Fagan & Juan Martinez, Club Kid, Chemistry Set and Rimply Sed. Entry is $15 from 7.30pm.

CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “My music would be described as dreamy, sweet, intelligent pop.”

TRACKING NYMPHS

IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Record? But I could just buy more! I’m a Gen Y kid so I would save my laptop with all my albums and songs uploaded onto it.”

Heretofore a private indulgence of the inexplicably in-the-know set, The Nymphs are set to take their sumptuous stylings to the masses this November with the release of their eponymous EP. This six-track tour de lovely is as beguiling and charming as the ladies themselves. Lashed with wit, humour and more than enough musical bells and whistles to keep even the most cynically discerning chinstroker content, oh and yes, did we mention that these ladies can sing? And we mean really sing! The Nymphs launch the EP on Friday 12 November at the Grace Darling closely followed by two performances at this year’s Queenscliff Music Festival.

FUJIYUMMY MUMMY Head on down to the IDGAFF Bar on Saturday to see four talented artists: first up is local songwriter Samantha Deasy, followed by The Gallant Trees doing their folk rock songs about birds. Then Craig Lee Smith does some “freshly brewed country”, and finishing up the night will be the rockabilly sounds of The Fujiyama Mamas (how good is that name? We have name envy). Doors at 6.30pm.

There is seemingly no limit to the progression of Melbourne’s Blackchords. Following on from an incredible 2009 that saw the band release the critically acclaimed Blackchords album here and in the UK, a successful European tour and constant performing within Australia, they’re hitting the road yet again to promote the release of the new digital single As Night Falls, written especially for Blame, a new Australian film, which debuted at this year’s MIFF. They play the Grace Darling for three Thursdays in October, including this Thursday with Gareth Skinner and Chinook. Entry is $8.

The Duvtons are gathering steam ahead of releases due over the coming months. The boys have landed the main support slot for Guttermouth this month after an impressive performance at the Hi-Fi Bar with CKY in August. The band are developing into one to watch over the coming six months with tracks currently being mastered in LA by mastering genius Tom Baker (Bad Religion, Parkway Drive). Catch their blistering live sets across the state this October at Guttermouth shows and the amazing GBH Vs Guttermouth DJ battle royale spectacular at Pony this Friday at 2am. If you’re sick of the same old shit, then you must catch these guys live! They also play this Friday at Pier Live, this Saturday at Ding Dong, Sunday at the Ferntree Gully Hotel and Monday at the National Hotel, Geelong.

Gearing up to release their debut EP later this month, anthemic pop-rockers Chev Rise play the Penny Black this Saturday night with support from indie garage kids The Phantom Agents and the infectious hip hop funk groove of 12 LB. Entry is free and the bands kick off at 9pm, but you can get in there earlier and chow down on some cheap pizzas, which is a pretty stellar idea if you ask us.

PUNK CURRENCY

HAIL BLACKCHORDS

DUVTONS IN THE MOUTH

CHEV CHASE

On Sunday 24 October, Emma Wall and Sally Dastey will welcome the amazing Andrea Soler to Melbourne for her first sojourn down south. She is a recent winner of Female Artist Of The Year in the North Coast Music Industry Awards, and is known as a passionate and engaging performer with a compelling voice and a distinctive sound and feel. The renowned Emma Wall has a striking live presence that works with the crowd, a powerful songwriter and performer. They will be joined by the fabulously talented Sally Dastey (Tiddas) for the arvo as they share their music in the wonderfully comfortable Empress Hotel.

SPRING ALL MONTH

Heidi Elva layers loops on her harp and, using the harp as her drum, creates minimal beats. Her songs are cyclical. Utilising samples taken from Elva’s mobile phone and laptop, delayed lines weave intricately, ebbing in and out. Nighttime musings of an aching promise from a lost lover, abandoned places left to their own devices, a ship sailing the seven seas and the moon floating high in the dark sky – that’s what you’ll find if you head into the Edinburgh Castle tonight (Wednesday) from 8pm. It’s free in the front bar.

FROWNING WITH SOUL Bandlands returns to the Evelyn Hotel for round four tonight (Wednesday). Don’t miss this week’s Bandlands stars in what is guaranteed to be a knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out, last band standing brouhaha of the highest order! With soulful rockers The Frowning Clouds headlining the bill, supported by WAMi Award-winning group The Bluejays and The Thod, it’s gonna be a stormer of a show. Doors open at 8pm.

To all of you hop-scotching sasquatches, you highlifers, swing-cooling breeze-easers, fun-lovingly underdone swoon units looking for an alibi like Miss Shelley’s Frankenstein: Jaguar Spring play the Birmingham Hotel tonight (Wednesday) as part of their October residency! Jaguar Spring are a group of awry shoegazers. Their music is lush and laden with melody and harmony, screeching feedback and sprawling noise. Joining them tonight will be Cuba Is Japan and Lion Lights, and entry is $5 from 8pm.

AUGUSTUS GLOOP There’s no better reason for an interstate trip than 12 inches of vinyl. With that in mind, Brisbane indie rock types Mt Augustus are heading down to Melbourne to launch their debut album at Bar Open this Sunday, bringing along their friends in the instrumental folk jazz rock ensemble Ghost Notes (coming fresh off a week of recording their debut album). They’ve also enlisted the help of two rather awesome local acts: experimental folk dudes Winternationale (AKA the new venture from The Sphere’s Guy Harris) and the instrumental, jazzy, mathematically inclined Light Lions, which is the new project from Noah Symons (Great Earthquake). It’s a night that’s certain to warp your ear (hopefully in a nice way) and send you back to your working week with a slightly bent view. Doors open at 7.30pm.

APROCESSOF AWESOMENESS Aprocessof will this week be bringing their powerful riffage to Melbourne with Sydney’s own Our Last Enemy, who are just finishing up there Aus/NZ tour. The bands team up to play the Tote this Friday night. Joining the bill are prog rockers Sons Of Abraham, the brutal Nine Of Swords and metal upstarts Cyaneye ensure the night will be a memorable riff-fest. Make sure you’re there to witness the mayhem. Entry is $12 from 8pm.

NOT THAT BLONDIE The weekend is over and nobody likes Mondays, so why not treat yourself to a night of fun and music with Blondie & Le Fro at Rubicon Restaurant & Bar in North Melbourne. Kicking off from 7pm, head up for an excellent meal and enjoy the relaxed, soulful atmosphere that is on offer. This acoustic duo caters to everyone’s tastes, playing covers of all your favourites. There really is something for everyone.

BATEMAN’S YA MUM New Melbourne-based rock/punk/greatest-band-inthe-world outfit Bateman take to the stage this Friday at Pony. Featuring members from Responder, Audio and Half Mast, Bateman have the pedigree to deliver some fine tunes. Armed with a rocking set and a fuckyou attitude, the band will stop at nothing to annihilate and launch into the party! They’re ably joined by some fine young Melbournites in the form of Auburnlies, Following Sea and Left Feels Right. Doors at 9pm.

IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Probably Radiohead or Phoenix. Radiohead because I am so inspired by Thom Yorke – I think he is a genius at creating beautiful soundscapes – and Phoenix because their music makes me so goddamn happy.”

DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “No, I don’t really want to get in the trap of lucky items. I’m too scared that if I lost it all my luck would run out.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “I’ve only just started really getting into cooking. Although I pretty much suck I really love it. The best thing I can cook at the moment is pancakes, which is a poor effort, but it’s my favourite so I would make them with lots of lovely sweet toppings.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “I really like anywhere with a nice beer garden, but the Corner Hotel is nice to have a drink and watch some great bands.”

BRUMBY GIRLS Play Like A Girl is a jam session and network for women musicians that provides an opportunity to gain inspiration and support from each other, and a ‘safe space’ to jam together and expand creativity, skills and networks. Run by Melbourne musicians Diana Wolfe and Fiona Wilde, Play Like A Girl sessions are held on the last Tuesday of every month and hosted by a different special guest artist each time. The guest performs a set, and then women musicians can register to perform two songs each. On Tuesday 26 October at the Cornish Arms Hotel, the night presents a very special guest – ARIA Award winner and stunning singer/songwriter Monique Brumby. For just a gold coin donation from 7pm, this is an unmissable event.

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BANG

PURPLE SNEAKERS NEXT

PURPLE SNEAKE AK RS

BANG

SWEET STREETS

N EXT

SWEET STREETS

NEXT PURPLE SNEAKERS

SWEET STREETS

Vol.9 out early Nov! Your only national guide to summer music festivals…. Book print and online space now. sales@inpress.com.au 03 9421 4499 twitter.com/inpressmag

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SHORT FAST

REPORT

Boy Sets Fire

Boysetsfi re are reforming! A statement read: “We were never a normal band. We never did the right things. We never looked cool. We did everything exactly the way we wanted. Trends weren’t important. Being hip wasn’t important. There was only two things that were important and sacrosanct; the friendship between the five members of this band, and people who we touched with our music. We were a band for over a decade. We decided that we wanted to try different things with our lives. So we stopped playing music together. It wasn’t Noel/ Liam Gallagher ugly; we parted as friends and we generally see or talk to each other all the time. I think we underestimated how much we would miss it. The communion, the intensity, the genuine outpouring of emotion – it just doesn’t exist for us without Boysetsfire. So we are going to start playing together again.” The band have announced one show only at this stage, in Berlin this December. Most recently vocalist Nathan announced his post-BSF band The Casting Out were going on hiatus. Boysetsfire’s last album was 2006’s The Misery Index: Notes From The Plague Years. Did you manage to get your hands on one of the super-limited edition Alexisonfire Australian tour 7”s? They featured the Canadian act covering their two favourite Australian bands, Midnight Oil and The Saints. Sadly only 200 were made and if you missed them, eBay might be your only chance. If a line-up featuring Architects, Comeback Kid and This Is Hell wasn’t enough to get you stoked, perhaps the addition of Rolo Tomassi to the bill will help! Yes, the English act have just been added to the upcoming December run of shows. An under-18s show has also been added in Melbourne. So there are now two shows at Billboard on Sunday 5 December – under-18s during the day and 18+ at night. Tickets on sale now for both shows.

THE

RACKET

Speaking of Architects, the band will release their highly anticipated new album in 2011. Metal Hammer magazine asked guitarist Tom Searle about the album: “It is pretty different… It’s more melodic,” he said. “But through all our records we’ve progressively explored a more melodic side of our band. I play it for people and they say, ‘this isn’t that different’. There’s still a lot of heaviness, aggression and down-tuning. At the same time there are more rock songs.” We can all decide for ourselves when The Here And Now drops next year. What happens after a long-running band leaves a label and puts out an album at their new home? The old label releases a best-of, and that’s exactly what Solid State Recordings have done with the Norma Jean retrospective Birds And Microscopes And Bottles Of Elixirs And Raw Steak And A Bunch Of Songs. The three-CD set will compile the Bless The Martyr And Kiss the Child, O God The Aftermath and Redeemer albums.

SHORT FAST REPORT TOP 5

Chuck & Darren. Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan and Away From Now’s Darren Gibson played shows together on the Revival Tour earlier this year and the chemistry must have been good because the split release the two have released on Poison City is a cracker. Each do a version of one of the other’s songs, with Ragan covering This Company, an ode to Melbourne’s beloved Arthouse Hotel, and Gibson covering Ragan’s song about Leatherface, The Boat. Make sure you check it out. It’s on CD, vinyl and digital download. Check poisoncityrecords.com. None More Black. The first album since reforming a couple of years ago, Icon, will hit stores 29 October. Head to fatwreck.com now for an awesome preview track called Iron Mouth Act. GBH. Don’t forget UK punk veterans GBH are in town this Friday night at the Hi-Fi. Isterismo. Head to the Arty this Saturday night for some noisy, over-the-top Japanese hardcore punk from Isterismo. Supports are Circuits, Leprosy, Collapsed Toilet Vietnam and Kromosom. Rufio and Mest. The Rufio and Mest tour is coming up very soon and local supports have been announced. Perfect Fit and First Base will be joining in on the pop punk fun, Saturday 13 November at the East Brunswick Club. Tickets on sale now.

Winds Of Plaque

Metal, heavy rock and dark alternative with ANDREW HAUG theracket@inpress.com.au Not the greatest of news to kick off The Racket this week – vocalist Steve Lee of Swiss hard rock veterans Gotthard was killed when a tractor-trailer skidded into his parked motorcycle on a rainy Nevada highway north-east of Las Vegas last week. According to Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Joe Fackrell, Lee was in a group of motorcyclists that stopped on the side of the road about 50 miles north of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to put on rain clothing when the trailer swerved and slammed into a parked Harley Davidson motorcycle that hit Lee. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Lee had reportedly arrived in the States over the weekend and had begun a biking tour of the country with a group of friends. Swedish metal band In Flames will enter their own IF studios in Gothenburg, Sweden next week to begin pre-production on their next album. According to the band, “The plan is to spend the remaining part of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 creating and recording the follow-up to A Sense Of Purpose.” Finnish heavy metal monsters Lordi have released the following statement: “It is our unfortunate task to inform that Kita (drummer) is no longer a member of Lordi. Kita has made a decision to pursue his own career publicly as himself, without his alter ego Kita. This is in direct conflict with one of the cornerstones of Lordi’s image. Therefore it is not possible for him to continue as a member of the band anymore. Lordi will continue as always, masked and costumed, consisting of monster personas. Also, the upcoming tour will happen as planned. We thank Kita for the years

OF YOUTH All things under 18 with KENDAL COOMBS accessallages@inpress.com.au

Hardcore and punk with STU HARVEY shortfast@inpress.com.au Cro-Mags are hoping to release a new studio album in 2011 – this will be the band’s first with John Joseph since 1993! The New York hardcore pioneers’ current line-up is Joseph out front, guitarist AJ Novella (Leeway), bassist Craig ‘Ahead’ Setari (Sick Of It All) and drummer Mackie Jayson (Bad Brains, Madball). Joseph commented: “You know, we are looking to release something next year. We always just roll with the punches. We want to release something with this line-up. My philosophy is: ‘I don’t talk about shit; I just do it’. When it’s getting ready to come out you will hear about it. That’s what I did with my books. I just wrote a film. There is no need to ‘big-talk’ something. I think everybody knows what to expect, so when it’s getting ready to come out people will hear about it.”

DEPARTMENT

he has been an important part of the band and our successes and wish him all the best in his future.” Houston, Texas-based progressive-instrumentalists Scale The Summit have entered Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (Devildriver) to begin recording their new album for an early-2011 release via Prosthetic Records. Commented guitarist Chris Letchford: “We have been home writing for quite some time now and I’m excited to say that we just made it to Orlando this morning to start work on our next record with Mark Lewis. I have been a fan of the production work that he has been doing for many years now. I love the hugeness of the recordings he does and I felt that is what was missing from our last record. We’re all really excited to be working with Mark on this one. We have been working out a lot of new dynamic ideas for this new record and I know he is the guy to really help us capture all of it. We’ll be doing 12 songs this time, all of which are really a step up from our latest album. I can’t wait to get these songs finished and released for everyone to hear.” Swedish band One Man Army & The Undead Quartet, featuring former The Crown vocalist Johan Lindstrand, has entered Black Lounge studios with producer Jonas Kjellgren (Scar Symmetry) to begin

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Classes are back in full swing and almost over for our nervous VCE 2010 class, but if you’re already thinking about your next holiday then put this one in your diary. Having just relieved themselves of the brilliant Tim Burton retrospective, the abandoned railway tunnel exhibiting space at ACMI is gearing up for its next exhibition, and this one’s going to prove a hit with the whole family. Dreams Come True: The Art Of Disney’s Classic Fairy Tales is an exhibition sure to whet the appetite of a few budding young animators as it takes exhibition-goers on a journey through many of Disney’s best-loved films. With master classes on offer with Disney heavyweights Roy Conli and Glen Keane, magical garden parties and so much more, now is the time to secure your place as this is going to be a popular one. All the info you need can be found at acmi.net.au/dreamscometrue.

TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY)

The FReeZACentral 2010 Workshops Program continues at Wangaratta High School from 5.45pm. As before, this event is free but you must register at freezacentral.vic.gov.au. Powderfi nger and special guests Jet bring the last ever Powderfinger tour to the Albury Sports Ground. Tickets are available through Ticketek. Paramore play a huge set at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl from 6pm. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

FRIDAY

The Powderfi nger/Jet road trip continues to the Showgrounds in Bendigo. Tickets through Ticketek. The Smashing Pumpkins play Festival Hall from 8pm. Tickets are $81.25 through Ticketmaster. The Quiz Fizz Trivia Night featuring a performance from Time To Resolve is on at the Mount Waverley Community Centre from 6.30pm. Entry is $10 on the door.

SATURDAY

The Unfledged Youth Music Event 2010 featuring Audacity, Sarah, Anything Else Appropriate, First Class and Second Standard takes place at the Numurkah Town Hall from 7pm. Entry is free. More details at foodbowlmusicfestival.com.au.

recording their fourth full-length album, The Dark Epic, for an early-2011 release. Commented Lindstrand: “I’m really stoked about entering the studio with my bandmates again. And to once again work with Jonas Kjellgren feels fantastic. He did an awesome job on Grim Tales and I truly believe that his work will be even better this time. Our new songs are very suited for his extremely heavy productions. Nine dark, heavy and brutal death metal songs will soon be delivered at your doorstep. Embrace it and join us.” Southern California’s Winds Of Plague have entered a Los Angeles studio with renowned producer Matt Hyde (Slayer) to begin recording their new album for an early-2011 release. Commented vocalist Johnathan ‘Johnny Plague’ Cooke: “We are now into week one of the recording process for our new album (yet to be named). We set out with producer Matt Hyde to raise the bar for Winds Of Plague both as a band and as musicians. We put a lot of our writing focus into the energy and the structure of the songs and everything else just seemed to fall into place naturally. Although it is early in the recording process, I can confidently say this will be our best offering yet. Both fans of Decimate The Weak and The Great Stone War will be pleased for we haven’t altered the formula or strayed from our roots, but injected them with rage and fury. The game certainly will change in 2011.”

TOURS, TOURS, TOURS Soilwork – Saturday 23 October, Hi-Fi Metallica – Thursday 18, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 November, Rod Laver Arena Fozzy – Thursday 2 December, Hi-Fi Andrew Haug hosts Triple J’s The Racket every Tuesday from 10pm – triplej.abc.net.au/ racket. Email theracket@inpress.com.au

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THE

Nicki Minaj

BREAKDOWN Pop culture therapy with ADAM CURLEY I could put it down to the removal of clothing as the sun finally reveals itself, the freeing of limbs and the loosening of muscles; or perhaps it’s just been the culmination of little disappointments in albums I’d hoped would hold – hell, at least attract – my attention. Maybe I’m just going through some sort of final exorcism of Christian imposition or a detachment from youthful earnestness. I could also simply be bored, but that’s kind of the point. The past week or so, I’ve found myself seeking out music that ‘provokes’. Music that’s provocative, or, possibly more fairly to subtlety and innuendo, music that is shameless in pushing its ideas in my face; that pulls up in the kind of convertible only owned by television teen stars and the old men who want to do them and says, “Get outta my dreams, get into my car”. Okay, perhaps not quite in such a greasy way, but trawling through the many, many band releases of the past weeks only to be presented with a slab of overly drab attempts at sonic ‘wistfulness’ or ‘dirtiness’, or just an already told or blanded out tale of what ‘pop’ means in 2010, as if it means begrudgingly conceding that melody is good and half-arsedly whinging one over the top of an amp squall, has had me reaching for my headphones and drowning out the dull noise with, almost exclusively, the new wave of ‘rap pop’.

Will Smith’s daughter, Willow Smith. (Yes, Will Smith is a narcissist, but tell us something we didn’t know. The song is actually pretty decent.) The truly innovative and successful attentiongrabbing, however, is coming from those who’ve realised that ADD is the new focused, and that the barrage of colliding and interlocking media noise as envisioned in films like Back To The Future – the television-head waiters whose receptions pick up various frequencies and end up mixing up the messages to create new, ‘collaborative’ messages – has occurred. In the new ‘rap pop’, it seems, acts are feeding off the idea that, in order to be noticed and watched and listened to by more people more of the time, they need to be more things more of the time. Gone is the ‘one artist, one voice, one genre’ thinking. This is new-level attention-seeking in a Janelle Monae world.

(This is where I admit that this is all when I’m not listening to Little Red or Warpaint or Grinderman, but writing at length about how good those albums are would probably be about as exciting a prospect as the ‘revamped’ ARIA Awards or the ‘classic’ Big Day Out line-up.)

Take Nicki Minaj, a serial guest for the likes of Ludacris and Lil Wayne who, with her own debut album, Pink Friday, has proven her ability to be, powerfully, all things to all people. Her singles Your Love and Check It Out have sampled Annie Lennox and The Buggles’ Video Killed The Radio Star, while TV appearances have her switching from demure singing to MIA-style vocal nuance to Black Eyed Peas posturing. Watching her is like flicking stations, or clips – without, significantly, the desire to do so.

Now, I can’t pretend to be completely down with what goes on in the ‘rap game’, particularly when it comes to ‘chart rap’. I didn’t know who Drake was until he reworked Santigold’s Unstoppable and Kid Cudi is really still just that dude who got remixed by Crookers and had Ratatat play on his record. In band terms, that’s probably like knowing that Vampire Weekend are those guys who name-dropped Lil’ John on some song they did once, but, y’know, you can’t have it all. It isn’t hard, though, to jump straight into some pretty awesome and ‘provocative’ stuff. I mean, what other ‘industry’ would let a nine-year-old dress up like Rihanna and drop a song called Whip My Hair? That’d be

Then there’s Kanye West, whose newest free download is the seven-minute So Appalled featuring Jay-Z, RZA, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz and Cyhi The Prynce, a never-tiring line-up that possibly brings things back to the style of rap mixtapes that seem to be getting talked about in the posts I’ve now read, which is maybe all part of the ‘bringing rap back from AutoTune thing’. Chuck in the magazine-cut-out style of Rye Rye’s new single Sunshine (featuring MIA) and BoB updating his already guest-starring hits to incorporate raps that acknowledge the songs’ chart success (yeah, really) and that new shoe line by Animal Collective seems pretty fuckin’ passé.

ROOTS DOWN

Blues ‘n’ roots with DAN CONDON rootsdown@inpress.com.au Vale Solomon Burke, 1940 – 2010 We lost a true legend on Sunday afternoon (Australian time). Solomon Burke was a preacher for the early part of his adult life, but by early 1961 he had signed a deal with Atlantic Records and begun performing secular music. Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) was his first single – it was incredibly well received by critics and charted fairly well, but from a musical standpoint its importance lay in the fact it was indicative of the wide-stretching appeal the artist would have throughout his career. Solomon Burke was a gospel singer, the song was a country song – on paper it mightn’t have made much sense but on record it just worked so well. Burke never had the same kind of success as crossover soul pop stars like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke or Wilson Pickett, but he was always held in incredibly high regard by his peers. Burke co-wrote the soul standard Everybody Needs Somebody To Love with Jerry Wexler and Bert Berns in 1964. While the song didn’t crack the top 50 at the time it ended up being covered by bands like The Rolling Stones, The 13th Floor Elevators, Led Zeppelin and even The Blues Brothers. Parallels can be drawn between this tune and Burke’s other biggest hit, 1962’s Cry To Me, which was also written by Berns, featured in the Dirty Dancing film, covered by the Stones (again) and released as a single by Betty Harris (which charted a whole lot better than Solomon’s original). For many of us not old enough to have experienced Burke’s music around the time it was released, the 2001 album Don’t Give Up On Me was nothing short of a revelation. It was the ultimate evidence of Burke’s vital place in contemporary music and the esteem his peers held him in, as some of the world’s most famous singer/songwriters wrote songs especially for the big man’s comeback

album. They gave him some incredible material and Burke, alongside producer Joe Henry, rose to the challenge and performed them with aplomb. Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Nick Lowe and some of America’s finest professional songwriters wrote some truly great songs and it resulted in a genuine classic album. MOJO awarded it album of the year and it picked up a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 2003 awards ceremony. Burke went back to his country roots in 2006 with the Buddy Miller-produced Nashville. It was another incredible record that saw him team up with artists like Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Patty Griffin and Gillian Welch. Good as his records were, Burke shone brightest when he was performing live. As a guest of the Byron Bay Bluesfest in 2004 and 2005 he treated thousands to some unbelievably joyous performances. The energy and spirit over those five nights in Byron Bay in which he performed cannot be replicated, but his Live At North Sea Jazz Festival comes close. I had the chance to speak to the man earlier this year following the release of his great gospel record Nothing’s Impossible. He was so goodnatured, so caring (even going so far as to enquire into the health of my family) and so generous with his time and stories. He was inspirational to say the least. It’s no surprise to me that when he died on the weekend he was on his way to a gig. When we spoke he had just celebrated his 70th birthday and the passion that he expressed for continuing to push boundaries with his music and to continue to share his gift with the world was palpable. “I correct you, it’s not my 70th birthday, my friend, it’s my seventh birthday,” he chuckled heartily. “I removed that zero and turned it into a hero and we’re going to just start all over again and make it work. “I’m never giving up,” he assured firmly. “Never, ever giving up. I’m going to perform until there’s no more to do, I’m going to perform until I’m through.”

Wed 13TH

robert owen campbell FRI 15TH

matt dwyer banD SAT 16TH

tunes by slatts SUN 17TH

waz e james TUE 19TH

JIMMY STEWART 289 WELLINGTON ST COLLINGWOOD

Rest in peace, Solomon. You will be so dearly missed by so many. Thank you for the music.

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GREATEST HIT DESERT ISLAND SONGS WITH CLEM BASTOW

JUSTIN BIEBER SOMEBODY TO LOVE (REMIX FEAT USHER) In the vacuum left by the death (relatively speaking) of the Idol franchise, formerly the go-to scourge of the music industry when the indier-than-thou needed something to blame the downturn in 7” sales on, thank goodness the hipsters and rock snobs have Justin Bieber to hold onto. Witness how rapidly that video of Bieber being hit in the head with a bottle at a concert went viral. Well done, everyone, you are laughing at someone hurting a child. It’s not just those involved with music who loathe him, either; people who spend a good deal of their time on the internet – specifically, Twitter – bemoan the intensity with which his fans have apparently infected the net.

MIDLIFE BEATS NUTHIN’ Mildlife bring sparkles and sunshine from a ‘60s surfing film, combined with droning melodic vocals and dreamy swirling guitars. With beats that sound tribal, lush and electronic, at times they sound like something from New York’s DFA label. They play Yah Yah’s this Friday, supported by the feedback, fuzz and frantic beats of Moonbombs, who have a load of influences from Sonic Youth and Robert Palmer to Tokyo noise punk bands The Bakers and Samurai Chop. Also on the bill are Ghost Mutt, the mutant surf sons of The Cure crossed with a new wave sonic version of The Beach Boys; and Ildiko, a beautiful indie folk act to kick the night off! Doors at 9pm.

ARTY IN RUINS One of Australia’s leading exponents of the art of black metal, Tasmania’s Ruins, headline a massive line-up of extreme metal this Friday at the Arthouse! Also featuring the endlessly brutal Fuck I’m Dead, playing their first show of 2011 (!), much hyped experimental tech/grinders A Million Dead Birds Laughing and Thrall, another top-class Tasmanian black metal band who have recently relocated to Melbourne. It’s gonna be one massive gig.

Who cares? No one’s forcing you to read the Bieber-related Trending Topics, you stupid old farts. No one’s forcing you, either, to listen to his music – though sometimes I wish someone would. Cast your mind back a few weeks (an aeon in internet terms) to when everyone went berserk over that piece, uploaded to SoundCloud, that claimed to be Justin Bieber’s U Smile slowed down 800%. I say “claimed” because what followed was a brief and amusing hoax ‘controversy’ in which the piece was also purported to be something called Echoes Across The Astral Wasteland by the Photon Wave Orchestra. In any case, it was Biebs. People lost their minds, calling it “amazing” and “beautiful” and honking about how his work had finally been given artistic merit. In an expert skewering of the collected mp3blog frothing, Gawker wrote: “All of a sudden the not-bad piano pop track sounds like the climactic score to some kind of historical epic, or Dead Can Dance, or, like, Animal Collective, or something. It sounds like the ocean, but, like, in heaven, man.” Sure, it was great – in fact, I’m listening to it now – but what struck me was this: if any of the gee-whiz wankers had actually bothered to listen to Justin Bieber in the first place (instead of just blindly/deafly joining the army of naysayers), perhaps… I dunno LOL, perhaps they’d be less inclined to fuckwittery and more inclined to actually like good music, which is apparently what liking Bieber makes you an enemy of. I think that whenever I hear his Somebody To Love. The song was pushed as “upbeat R&B”, but it carries a beautiful melancholy in its pulsating synth arrangements. It’s a manifestation of “the difficult years” in musical form; Judy Garland’s In-Between for the Twitter generation.

Through it all, Bieber’s doll-like features staring at me from the Wikipedia page, I thought of Germaine Greer’s meditations on the (beautiful) boy with regard to the pop sphere. “What about [Hanson], you know?” Greer said on Enough Rope. “[I]t’s this remarkable period in a boy’s life which is replete with tragedy and glory. If he’s a mathematician, he’ll be best when he’s 16. If he’s a violinist, he’ll be best at his violin when he is 16. He doesn’t get any better after that. Youthful brilliance in music and mathematics, especially, is associated with Apollo, and Apollo has no beard.” Justin Bieber is currently 16; at least we’ll always have Somebody To Love. Well, those of us who bothered to listen to it.

Barging out of the shed and onto the stage of the Empress this Friday is the latest and most exciting addition to Melbourne’s burgeoning country music stable, The Quarry Mountain Deadrats. Imagine banjo, bass, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, washboard and stage-floor being belted to within inches of their lives in a chaotic rock’n’roll harmony. It’s no surprise they’ve been invited to play at this year’s Falls Festival in Lorne. Support comes from the wonderful Cilla Jane. Entry is $10 from 8.30pm.

TIM & JEAN LIKE WHAT

DISCO’S BROWN NOTE The fourth instalment of Brown Paper Bag is here and tickets are in short supply. News travels fast apparently. It’s no surprise when you’re nurturing the most heart-warming young bands of a new generation in one of the most established music venues in the country, the Prince Band Room. Happening this Friday, the night features awesome and now highly soughtafter locals San Fran Disco, as well as The Demon Parade, City Calm Down, Strange Talk, Red Berry Plum, The New Eileens and Atlas Tone. Tickets are on sale now from princebandroom.com.au, but you’d better hurry because it’s likely to sell out, we reckon.

Perth’s Tim & Jean have been playing in bands since they were very young; Jean’s just turned 16 and Tim is a couple of years older. It took only rough demos of two tracks, Come Around and Like What, on their MySpace to spark the interest of labels, DJs and music-minded people around the globe. They then hit the national airwaves courtesy of Triple J when they became an Unearthed finalist and later listed as part of Triple J’s Next Crop of acts most likely to succeed in 2010. Tim & Jean’s sound is a mix of both of their combined musical influences and tastes; creating a synth-heavy sound with an undercurrent indie pop influence. They play the Northcote Social Club this Friday with Alpine and special guests. Tickets are $15+BF from the venue or $18 on the door from 8.30pm.

INHALE THE FUMES The Fumes arrive home to Oz and announce their very first headline tour of the year with special guest Elliot Brood from Canada this Friday at Ruby’s Lounge. Sure, they toured with Clutch, Calexico and Hoodoo Gurus this year all before they shook down venues in the US again with their signature gritty performances, but true to form, The Fumes are eager to be back in front of local fans. Brood owns his own set of accolades and stays close to the road, touring relentlessly. Dead River Deeps support and tickets are $15+BF from Moshtix.

TASTE TEST Closet hip hop fan RICKIE LEE JONES shines a light on her record collection, from Andy Williams to the Bed Intruder Song.

July Days launch their new EP at Revolver on Saturday 23 October. HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER? Lawrence, vocals: “Like so many bands we started in high school. Andrew convinced me to have a crack at a few Oasis songs at an assembly at the end of Year 12. It was probably terrible but it got things going. We met Tim [bass] and Glenn [drums] after we had finished school. We all liked the same music; we started playing together and it felt right so we had our band.” HAVE YOU RECORDED ANYTHING OR DO YOU PREFER TO TOOL AROUND IN YOUR BEDROOM? “We all like tooling around in our bedrooms, ha ha. Otherwise we have our second EP launching at Revolver on Saturday 23 October.” CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR BAND’S SOUND IN FOUR WORDS? “Gallagher Lennon Finn Cester.” IF YOU COULD SUPPORT ANY BAND IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “Nickelback, so their fans will finally see one band that’s not crap.” IF A HIGHER POWER SMITES YOUR HOUSE AND YOU CAN ONLY SAVE ONE RECORD FROM THE FIRE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “I have [Oasis’s] (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? and [The Beatles’] Sgt Pepper’s in the same sleeve, so I’m taking that one.” DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY ITEM OF CLOTHING YOU WEAR FOR GIGS AND WHAT IS IT? “No.” IF YOU INVITED SOMEONE AWESOME ROUND FOR DINNER WHAT WOULD YOU COOK? “If they were so awesome they would bring me a kebab. Lettuce, tomato, onion and garlic sauce please.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRINK IN MELBOURNE? “The Rooftop Bar, Swanston Street. We love that place.”

TRAFFICK JAMS

Lyrically, it’s a perfectly teenaged bit of intensity – “For you I’d write a symphony/I’d tell the violin, it’s time to sink or swim”; “I admit I’d rather give you the world/Though we can share mine” – both poetically casual and casually poetic. There’s something wonderfully bittersweet about Somebody To Love, which fits perfectly with both Bieber’s own age and the eternal tweendom of his audience; the chorus refrain, “I don’t need nothing else, I promise, girl/I swear” – it’s not about abstinence (as I’m sure some have surmised) but of the crushing loneliness of those delicate years when all you want/need is someone to moon over. The idea that they might actually reciprocate those feelings is almost anaethema.

THEY ARE THE QUARRY

Beads Of Sweat. Or Slim Slow Slider – Astral Weeks, Van Morrison. Depends on if I want to be lifted or want to feel the blues. Actually, these records do both. The record I put on when I bring someone home is... I don’t put on records when I bring someone home. Music is for listening. I cannot talk and listen at the same time. I send people home with music, maybe. But people don’t have the concentration to visit someone and sit and listen to music, especially if that’s not why they came over. The best record I stole from my folks’ collection was... Day-O, Harry Belafonte and Moon River, Andy Williams. I did not steal them, I was little. But I laid in front of the stereo in the late day, the sun filtering through the curtains, and played those records over and over. Dad had Nina Simone, Dorseys and Count Basie, but my taste, at ten, ran much more lyrically than instrumentally.”

The most surprising record in my collection is... [Coolio’s] Gangsta’s Paradise? Rock Superstar, Cypress Hill? The last thing I bought/downloaded was...

The fi rst record I bought with my own money was… Buffalo Springfield. It had a collage on the front, and For What It’s Worth inside.

Off the internet, a news story that was made into a song [the Bed Intruder Song]. A very good song and a very funny video. But the last real songs I bought was probably the Twilight soundtrack. I liked two songs, [Thom Yorke’s] Hearing Damage and that heartbreaking melody in the Bon Iver and St Vincent song, Roslyn... and Walking With A Ghost by Tegan & Sara.

The record I put on when I’m really miserable is... Laura Nyro, New York Tendaberry (You Don’t Love Me When I Cry) or Christmas And The

WHO: Rickie Lee Jones WHAT: Seven Songs To Leave Behind WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 23 October, Sidney Myer Music Bowl

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Stop.traffick are a recently formed charity launching to raise funds for and awareness of the devastation trafficking causes women and children in countries around the world. This Friday at Bella Union in Trades Hall, a very special night will take place to raise funds and awareness. Donating their talents will be Melbourne favourites The Tiger And Me, the Kimberley’s sweetheart Tash Parker and the stunningly harmonious Hazelman Brothers. Pre-sale tickets are $10+BF through the venue or $15 on the door from 8pm. All proceeds will be donated to The Good Day Centre, Cambodia.

SOUL ON FIRE Much-loved deep funk quartet Deep Street Soul are about to record their second album and have been road-testing some newbies. Get to Bertha Brown at 562 Flinders Street this Thursday for some raw, down and dirty soul funk action featuring the sweet, sweet vocals of Shirley Davis.

SHOT IN THE 4ARM Australian thrash metal band 4ARM are scheduled to play eight shows in Australia on their Crush The Empire tour. Known for their powerful and energetic performances, the band are set to unleash fury across five of the nations capitals. The band will be performing tracks from their second album release, The Empires Of Death, as well as tracks from their debut album 13 Scars. The thrash masters are also scheduled to release a single for popular track Carnal, which will feature two live tracks recorded earlier this year. The play at the Wall (formerly the Bald Faced Stag Hotel) this Friday with Killrazer, Paradigm and Myraeth. Entry is $15 from 8pm.

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AH, CAKE EATERS

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

Canberra’s finest indie girl trio Ah! Pandita take their dreamy pop sounds to the Empress Hotel this Thursday. According to their MySpace page, they are “three girls making some music. Sometimes we bake cakes.” We’ll pretty much do anything for cake so turning up seems like a pretty worthwhile risk. Joining the night is local psych powerhouse Isle Adore and Perth’s The Ghost Of 29 Megacycles (in probably their last show as a threepiece). Fight the power and start your weekend on a Thursday – with cake! Entry is $6 from 8pm.

Melbourne’s Shadowqueen is the original brainchild of Robbi Zana and Si Hopman, who formed a solid musical connection from a history of performing live together. With the addition of drummer Alex Deegan in 2009, the rock trio was born. Shadowqueen captures an irresistible blend of melodic pop sensibility and thunderous riff rock’n’roll. There’s an infectious ease to their chemistry that comes from a true musical connection – their sound is bold, sexy and fearless. They play Ruby’s Lounge this Thursday with The Mercury Theatre and Paul O’Rourke. Entry is $10.

JOSH FOR LIFE

F IS FOR…

The songs The JoshDanceChapter play swing from happiness to sadness, gladness to madness, in an attempt to somehow express just what it’s like to be human, and walking around on this planet we call Earth. It can be a great experience, it can be average, and it can be pretty bloody crappy, too – why not put it to music and get it all out? Catch them at the Empress this Sunday, supported by rambunctious blues trio Catfi sh Voodoo. Entry is $4 from 7.30pm.

Melbourne’s connoisseurs of filth, Dirty F will be disgracing the stage this Thursday night at Yah Yah’s. The young four-piece have kept up a consistency of live relentless shows since the launch of their debut EP, Washed Up, around mid-August. This show will undoubtedly be no exception with captivating supports from The Milton Grey, An Undying Day In Orbit and Chico Flash. Doors open at 9pm and entry is $8.

EMERSON PACK IT

RAINBOWS FOR OUTLAWS

Head down to the Arthouse this Thursday for an explosive night of live music that you will not forget. Some of Melbourne’s best local talent will be tearing up the stage in the form of a high-energy, action-packed set. On the bill are Emerson, Ammadu, Forsaken and Accolades rocking out for the small fee of $8. Doors open at 8pm, with tickets available from bands or at the door.

LUCAS GETS DEEP Lucas William is a singer/songwriter from the rugged windswept west coast of Victoria. When he isn’t busy manning lighthouses and documenting the comings and goings of tall ships through the heads, he is often found with his guitar writing songs about love left on foreign shores. With a few friends he has made along the way he has formed an unlikely band he calls The Deep Blue Sea. William and The Deep Blue Sea will launch their new EP, Castaways, at the East Brunswick Club this Thursday, supported by Jesse Mitchell, Katie Harder and Amalie Walker. Entry is $8 from 7.30pm.

LEAKING LAKES Lakes – AKA Sean Bailey – takes his alchemy of industrial folk and bleak punk weirdness to Bar Open this Thursday night. He’ll be joined by the punk rock of The Zingers plus unannounced special guests. Head down and smack some beers then doom the fuck out. Entry is free from 9pm.

Soon after sundown this Friday, the saloon doors of the Rainbow Hotel will be swinging relentlessly as outlaw gangs sweep in for a night of rip-roarin’ fandango. Packing guitars and swagger, local legendary posse Lonesome comprise gallant sharp shooters and the most infamous outlaw himself, Mr Johnny Livewire. Beware of the band from the hills, led by the man with a voice that could bring a stage coach to a grinding halt: Mick Coates & The Allnitelongers will make you stand and deliver! And sure to cause a wild ruckus early on will be the pair of loose rodeo clowns, Danny Walsh & Adam Redfern. Be there 9pm and don’t tell the Sherriff! From longstanding singer/composer and creative force with award-winning Australian vocal outfit Coco’s Lunch comes the long-awaited debut solo album Ambrosia by Melbourne singer/songwriter Jacqueline Gawler. Recorded with the funding assistance of Arts Victoria, Gawler’s stunning debut album is a stylistic feast that traverses adventurous indie jazz rock terrain, harnessing global influences, searing lyrics, kitsch jazz harmonies and unashamed rock moments. In her final appearance before Gawler heads off for a musical stint in Brazil, the Jacqueline Gawler Band launch the album at the Northcote Social Club this Sunday afternoon with support from Spender. Entry is $16 or $36 with a CD from 2.30pm.

LISA MILLER has never listened to Party Time With Mrs Mills but always gave Leadbelly a run on Christmas day.

The record I put on when I’m really miserable is... I used to play women singers like Patsy Cline,

GO PURPLE, HONEY

LITTLE ERUPTIONS Biff! Bang! Pow! It’s time for some pop action as Melbourne power pop legends Little Murders hit the Yah Yah’s stage this Saturday with fellow popsters Thee Wylde Oscars and The New Black. Little Murders play a mix of classic tunes represented by last year’s Off The Hip compilation Stop Plus Singles and a bunch of new tunes from their brand new album about to be released, Dig For Plenty. Anyone who as heard any of the new songs off the album have nothing but praise and it’s already been described on overseas websites as by far the best thing Little Murders have ever done. Thee Wylde Oscars are picking up rave reviews for their new album too, and The New Black just keep generating new fans with every gig. So $6 to see three great bands explode on one night in Collingwood. Why would you be anywhere else?

This Friday at Purple Sneakers the crew are super excited to have Brisbane lads The Honey Month heading down for a live set on the Sneakers stage. With their bracing beats and fluid harmonies if you’re not familiar with the band make sure you spend some time on their MySpace so your ‘woahs’ happen in the right spots. They’ll also be launching their Foliage EP. Joining them on stage will be Oscar + Martin (formerly Psuche) to create some beautifully twisted pop with undertones of caramels and overtones of awesome. Dropping the tracks in the back room that’ll have you making sweet, sweet dance moves will be Quick Fix DJs, Samaritan and Em-Sem. Or you might be sticking to the front room floor with the golden syrupy sounds from Bad Horse and Lady Noir. This week Purple Sneakers will be launching Gold Panda’s Lucky Shiner thanks to the folks from Spunk, but you’ve gotta be there to win one! It all goes down at Miss Libertine from 9pm. For more details and giveaways visit the Boundary Sounds website at boundarysounds.com.

HYB HAVE YOU BEEN?

WEBB FEET

Irma Thomas and Candi Staton when I was down. Now maybe Martha Wainwright’s first album, Cat Power’s Jukebox or Allison Krauss & Robert Plant’s Raising Sand. What really makes me miserable is listening to Saturday Night Country on the radio. But I can just switch to The Party Show and everything will be okay.

The fi rst record I bought with my own money was... I did buy [The Beatles’] Sgt Pepper’s at the Grade Five auction for a couple of dollars off the winning bidder, a boy named Glen Ford who said he didn’t want it anyway. But I think that wasn’t really my own money. When I got all cashed up working at Tim The Toyman I remember being excited by my personal purchase of Leon Russell’s Will O’ The Wisp, and then being even more excited when my order for the Leon Live triple-LP set came in.

To celebrate the release of their brand new single, Sleep From Eyes, A Dead Forest Index are set to play at the Workers Club this Friday. On the night they’ll be launching their limited edition EP release, Antique, ambitious in contrast and depth, a strikingly original and sincere production of rhythmic vocals, delayed guitar and percussive drums. The Melbourne-based brothers will be joined on the night by I Dream In Transit, Ah! Pandita and Worng. Entry is $10.

GAWLER CUTS OWN LUNCH

TASTE TEST

The best record I stole from my folks’ collection was... My parents had a few old records that would have been too beaten up and smeared to steal. There was an old Leadbelly record that we were really fond of. It had bluesy, chain-gang style shouting songs on it like Take This Hammer and Red Cross Store. We always played that one on Christmas day.

THE INDEX FINGER

The record I put on when I bring someone home is... Hmm. Single person’s question. I have to go way back before I hooked up with a record store owner. Now I remember… lots of Al Green and Dinah Washington… For special guests I might put on our newly-arrived Anna Black LPs (thanks for the tip-off from Kim from City Slang on PBS). Anna Black is a truly wild and groovy singer from the mid-‘60s – kind of nerdy go-go dancer meets Bobbie Gentry. Everyone who hears her records is knocked out. The most surprising record in my collection is... I really couldn’t say… maybe Party Time With Mrs Mills. I’ve got three copies as people keep giving them to me. I haven’t played any of them yet. The last thing I bought/downloaded was... The First Aid Kit album. I heard Hard Believer on the radio and was really taken with it. They have almost the same power to make my children scream in aural agony as Joanna Newsom. I think they’re genuine old souls. WHO: Lisa Miller WHEN & WHERE: Friday, the Substation

After a successful string of shows nationally, Dan Webb returns to his hometown of Melbourne and announces a string of residency dates throughout November at Revellers Bar. Webb is a 21-year-old alternative rock force to be reckoned with. His style isn’t dictated by the traditional six-string, instead he opts for the keys. Webb’s deliverance in style is captured on his forthcoming sophomore EP titled Hyperspace Clearance – in stores now through MGM Distribution – featuring the new single Way Out. Hear it live at Revellers on Tuesday 2, 9 and 16 November.

GODSPEED EMPERORS Perth band Emperors – named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 13 Aussie acts to watch in 2010, will hit Melbourne for the first time next week. The band, who had their first track Favourite Colours on Triple J rotation earlier this year, are in town to plug their new single The River. Emperors play the Arthouse on Wednesday 20 October along with These Hands Could Separate The Sky and Fathoms. Doors open 8pm and entry is only $6. The band also plays a showcase of WA acts at the Evelyn on Thursday 21 October, joining fellow WAMi award-winners The Joe Kings along with The Simon Phillips Band and Heath Marshall.

THE RETURN OF JEN & JORD After selling out their national tour in May, Jordie Lane and Jen Cloher return for a special encore performance at the Corner Hotel on Friday 3 December. Fresh from traversing the length and breadth of the USA, the pair will preview new material as well as performing songs from their critically acclaimed albums Sleeping Patterns and Hidden Hands. You can expect some classic duets and covers. including their extraordinary version of MGMT’s Electric Feel, which features on this year’s Triple J Like A Version compilation. Their last shows in Melbourne sold out within days – don’t miss them this time!

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THE UNION HOTEL WHAT IS YOUR VENUE FAMOUS FOR? “It’s where former prime minister John Curtin got busted for drinking on a Sunday in 1911 (it was illegal at that time). The Union was one of his favourite watering holes during World War II.” WHAT SETS YOUR VENUE APART FROM OTHER VENUES? “A wall-sized mural of (what could be) the MCG in the undercover beer garden.” WHAT’S THE VENUE’S MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? “When the Blackeyed Susans played to a rapt, packed crowd of 150 in the front bar during their winter residency.” WHAT IS YOUR VENUE DOING TO HELP THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE? “We run music three times a week: Thursday nights and arvo sessions on weekends. It’s awesome.” SUM UP YOUR VENUE IN THREE WORDS. “Laid-back, cosy boozer.” UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS: “The Gospel According To The Union – Sunday gospel sessions on the first Sunday of the month during summer. Spoonful on New Year’s Eve.” VENUE CONTACTS: 109 Union Street, Brunswick, 9388 2235 contact@unionhotelbrunswick.com unionhotelbrunswick.com.au

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CONSTANT GARDNER The Toff In Town will play host to the release of Jantina Gardner’s debut EP, Exotic Matter, on Sunday 31 October. It’s Halloween so everyone must dress up! Gardner’s style is hard to categorise. For just as you think you have her as rock she comes out with the blues and gives a soulful tune. She then brings out her acoustic and starts with the ballads only to end with the accompaniment of the double kick. This singer/songwriter is one to keep an eye on... actually ears open would make more sense... Special guests include: Dead River Deeps and Kizzy. Tickets are available at moshtix.com and Polyester Records.

TASTE TEST JIM KEAYS from legendary Aussie rockers THE MASTERS APPRENTICES shines a light on his extensive record collection. The record I put on when I’m really miserable is... I don’t get miserable very often, I’m a happy sort of guy! But if I did get a bit down I’d probably reach for a copy of [Van Morrison’s] Astral Weeks. It takes me back to wonderful times I had in London in 1970 with the Masters.

ALL ABOUT YER MOTHER Mother & Father will be headlining a night of early ‘90s noise rock at the Grace Darling this Friday in their first Melbourne show in months, previewing tracks off their forthcoming release. Recorded whilst undertaking their first selffunded US tour with the legendary Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney) who captured their raw live intensity catchy melodies and sharp pop hooks supercharged through Big Muff distortion pedals. Joining them will be Iowa, whose music is a union of contradictions: lo-fi but widescreen, balancing tight-as-a-drum songwriting with expansive solos, hanging sheets of noise on surprisingly hummable hooks, a sound that draws on the distortion-drenched dynamics of forebears like My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, but remains very much their own. Opening the night will be the punk thrash of Daddy Long Legs. Entry is $8 from 8.30pm.

BELOVED COWBOYS Beloved Elk and indie two-piece Leone Western take over the Cornish Arms this Saturday. Think large animals with horns, parties, keyboards, guitars and cowboy coffee (if you don’t know what that is, they’ll tell you at the show). Entry is free, the beer is cheap, the food is good and the DJs will be spinning ‘til late. Sounds like perfection! It’s all presented by Riot Whirl and the music kicks off at 8pm.

The record I put on when I bring someone home is... I’m not likely to bring someone home – my wife probably wouldn’t take too kindly to it if you get my drift. However, back in the day, Mink DeVille/Willy DeVille albums were a firm favourite when we first dated.

BANGIN’ DAYS This Saturday at Bang, 28 Days make a very special club appearance and play live on the stage with support from locals Ikarii and Chemical Transport. The crew are also holding a Macbeth apparel party – be in the main room after the bands to score a bunch free shit thanks to your mates at Macbeth! As always there will also be killer DJs playing your favourite punk, hardcore, emo, alternative, metal, indie, retro and party tracks until the early morning! Four Seasons have also given Bang a tonne of condoms to give to every payer – keep it safe Melbourne! For more info and club pics head to destroyalllines.com or facebook. com/BangNightclub. Entry is $15 from 9pm.

The best record I stole from my folks’ collection was... I wouldn’t have dreamt of stealing any of my parents records… they were all crap! Like stuff by The Ink Spots, Billy Eckstine and Rosemary Clooney. The fi rst record I bought with my own money was... The first record I bought was a single (not many albums in those days) and it was Runaway by Del Shannon in 1960 I think, but it’s a long time ago so I might be wrong. I know I pinched a few records in the ‘50s before that like Little Richard and Eddie Cochran.

The most surprising record in my collection is... I have a huge record collection (more than 5,000 albums, 4,000 7” singles and about 1,500 12” singles ) so to try to pick out the most surprising would be nigh on impossible. I have music from just about every genre so perhaps some Andian nose flute would be the weirdest. The last thing I bought/downloaded was... Birds Of Tokyo. I like to keep abreast of the times. I’m a music fan after all so new stuff still excites me even after 45 years in the industry. WHO: The Master Apprentices WHAT: Rock Of Ages 3 WHEN & WHERE: Friday 29 October, Palms at Crown

PBS FM Presents

CHELSEA WILSON

“Bitterness” EP LAUNCH

CHELSEA WILSON OCTOBER 21 at

Featuring Jake Mason on organ, Daniel Ferrugia on drums, Ben Christensen on bass, Dom Bello on guitar, Phil Noy on Baritone Sax, Rohan Wallis on trumpet, Christophe Genoux on Tenor sax and The Harmonettes.

THE TOFF IN TOWN $12/$10 - 8pm Special Guests The Adam Rudegeair Quartet and Miss Goldie on Decks. www.chelseawilson.com.au www.myspace.com/chelseawilson www.pbs.org.au twitter.com/inpressmag

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with him and he’s well versed in settling me down when I freak out over things. He’s also very conscious of trying to realise my vision for the songs, and he works hard to make sure I’m happy with the end result.”

Jaun Alban

It’s not purely a solo record, as Juan got members of The Hello Morning to be his backing band. “We did a number of Epicure shows with The Hello Morning guys and I just fell in love with their sound,” he says. “I’ve been lucky enough to hear their forthcoming album and it’s a work of genius. They’re such great players and lovely guys. I wrote some of the songs with them in mind so I was pretty lucky they agreed to do it.” Juan is, however, doing the single launch solo. It’s happening this Saturday at the Northcote Social Club. Every payer gets a free single.

WHAT GOES UP…

HOWZAT! Local music news by JEFF JENKINS

JUAN FLIGHTS BACK

Ballarat band Epicure called it quits with some farewell shows in May. Five months later, singer Juan Alban has released a solo single, Like I Never Was At All. When the band broke up, Juan told Howzat!: “I’ve started work on a solo record – the doomed, far-inferior-to-the-band, solo record!” But the single is a cracker. This is a song that deserves a home on commercial radio. “Lyrically, it speaks of total resignation, but I feel like the song has this feeling of new-found freedom and optimism,” Juan explains. “Setting all your bridges alight and smiling as they burn.” Is it about the end of the band? “No,” Juan laughs. “I thought my first solo single should be as self-involved as possible. So it’s really just about not wanting to exist at all. Nothing morbid, just peaceful defeat.” After a decade and four albums with Epicure, how does Juan feel having a CD with just his name on it? “It’s a little strange, to be honest.

I did consider putting it out under another name, but this way, I guess, I don’t have to worry about the band breaking up. Unless I break up personally.” He laughs. “At least I’d get some songs out of that.” A DVD of Epicure’s East Brunswick Club show is available (head to epicuretheband.com). It shows an emotional Juan introducing the band’s final song. “It was definitely sad, but also a real celebration,” he recalls. “It was pretty draining emotionally, so I was glad when it was over. But it was a great way to finish – with lifelong friends and great memories.” Did Juan think about taking some time out after the end of the band? “Writing songs is kind of second nature to me, so I don’t think I’ll ever stop. Besides, the last Epicure album was in late 2008, so I had a whole bunch of new songs ready to go.” The single – the first release from Juan’s upcoming EP, Too Long In Flight – was produced by former Horsehead guitarist, Cameron McKenzie, who also produced Epicure’s 2004 album, The Goodbye Girl. “Cam hasn’t changed at all! He’s very young at heart and a lot of fun to record with. I guess because I’ve done a few records with him now, I feel very comfortable

Plans BIRDS OF TOKYO (number 11) Freefallin’ ZOE BADWI (16) Rock It LITTLE RED (19) Planets SHORT STACK (20) And Then We Dance JUSTICE CREW (26) Hello THE POTBELLEEZ (29) Freak Tonight SCARLETT BELLE (30) Choose You STAN WALKER (34) Dark Storm THE JEZABELS (40, debut) Bag Raiders have the week’s highest debut. It’s one of four new entries. Birds Of Tokyo BIRDS OF TOKYO (number six)

Does the soaring Australian dollar mean that the price of concert tickets for international acts will come down?

Bag Raiders BAG RAIDERS (seven, debut)

DIG IT!

Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (ten)

John Farnham is not the only heavy-hitter with an album out this Friday. Icecream Hands frontman Charles Jenkins is releasing his fourth solo album, Walk This Ocean (on Dust Devil Music through EMI). Charles (no relation to Howzat!) has a new addition to his band, The Zhivagos – guitarist Davey Lane. The result is a tougher sound, with Davey adding some muscle and cool riffs to Chuck’s melodic mastery – check out the sizzling solo in Accustomed To The Dark. This is an album of genuine diversity, with nods to Tom Waits (That Side Of The World) and Flash & The Pan (Save!), while the first single, Bring In The Archaeologists, is a pop gem. Charles says he wrote it after he realised he didn’t know of any songs about archaeologists. Charles is doing an instore performance at Basement Discs at 12.45pm on Friday. He’s also part of the all-star bill for Sunday afternoon’s benefit gig at the Corner, alongside Nick Barker, Ash Naylor, Dave Graney. Kim Salmon and Brian Hooper. They’re supporting fellow muso Louis Rowe in his fight against paralysis.

CHART WATCH

Little Red score their first top 20 hit, with Rock It rocketing from 36 to 19.

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Little Bird KASEY CHAMBERS (eight) Running On Air BLISS N ESO (13) Midnight Remember LITTLE RED (15) Marcia Sings Tapestry MARCIA HINES (16, debut) I Believe You Liar WASHINGTON (18) Escapades HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY (23, debut) Tumbling Into The Dawn LIOR (26, debut) Rage And Ruin JIMMY BARNES (32) April Uprising THE JOHN BUTLER TRIO (34)

HOWZAT! PLAYLIST Like I Never Was At All JUAN ALBAN Bring In The Archaeologists CHARLES JENKINS Only Friend THE STU THOMAS PARADOX Audacious UNDERMINERS Everything You Need NICK BATTERHAM

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gigguide@inpress.com.au

WED 13

Alex Scott Douglas, Cavanagh & Argus Empress Hotel Babble Bar Open Bandlands, The Frowning Clouds, The Blue Jays, The Thod Evelyn Hotel Conversations at the Edge Wesley Anne Das Musik Mann The Standard Hotel Dirty York Retreat Hotel Goodbye Motel, The Ether, Prairie, Michael Gambino Esplanade Lounge Heidi Elva & the Black Swans Edinburgh Castle Hotel Jaguar Spring, Cuba is Japan, Lion Lights Birmingham Hotel Julien Wilson, Ben Carr Trio 303 Kelsey & The Man Made Lake, Louisa Rankin, Hetty Kate Builders Arms Hotel Kill Kurt Reifler Karova Lounge Matt Corby, Passenger Northcote Social Club Merri Creek Pickers, The Magic Bones, Guests The Old Bar Open Mic The Bender Bar Robert Owen Campbell Duo The Gem Sammy Horner Kelly’s Bar & Grill Sex On Toast, PIVIXKI The Toff In Town Tash Parker, Owl Eyes, Lost and Found in the Backroom, Spidey, Adalita, Mary M Revolver The Feel Goods, Mz Wood, Oscar Mike, Sons Of Messengers, Open Mic Bendigo Hotel The Ovals, The New Black, I Heart Cusack The Arthouse The Soulenikoes, The Word, Crystal Caravan, Jamo Knoxon Ding Dong Lounge

Tomutonttu, Mud Brick Couch, Simon Taylor, Tim Coster, DJ the Crusher Stutter Vice Grip Pussies Cherry Bar Wine, Whiskey, Women, Sarah Mackintosh, Cyndi Boste The Drunken Poet Winter Street, Strange Talk, Kins Workers Club

THU 14

Absence of State, Scrarmouche, The Moroccan Kings, Red Rockets Of Borneo, Revolver Designer Market at 3181, Hans DC, WHO, Booshank Revolver Ah! Pandita, The Ghost of 29 Megacycles, Isle Adore Empress Hotel Alysia Manceau, Simon Bruce, Cat Canteri Builders Arms Hotel Aoi, Pauly Fatlace, Chronik, Digital Assassin Comfortable Chair Bedouin Soundclash, King Cannons Prince Bandroom Blackchords, Special Guests Grace Darling Hotel Blood Duster, Witchgrinder, Isis for Balour, Shannon Jay, Alei Calusin Next Daryl Braithwaite Wellers of Kangaroo Ground Deep Street Soul Bertha Brown Feed Ya Munkie, Illegal Rhythm Syndicate, The Pierce Brothers Esplanade Basement Forsaken, Emerson, Ammadu, Accolades The Arthouse Joe Ransom, Judy Judy Great Britain Hotel Kill Kurt Reifler The Golden Vine Hotel Lakes, The Zingers, Guests Bar Open

Lucas Williams and the Deep Blue Sea, Jesse Mitchell, Katie Harder, Amalie Walker East Brunswick Club Mark Seymour, The Level Spirits, Sime Nugent Esplanade Lounge Robert Owen Campbell Duo The Drunken Poet Rock Aerobics, Dirty F, The Milton Grey, An Undying Day In Orbit, Chico Flash Yah Yah’s Sammy Horner Barwon Heads Hotel Shadow Queen, The Mercury Theatre, Paul O’Rourke Rubys Lounge Sheldon King, Streams of Whiskey Retreat Hotel Sleeping Bag 303 Soul Safari Cherry Bar Spectrum Fleece Hotel Tall Buildings Edinburgh Castle Hotel The Angle The Bender Bar The Blood Poets, Matheson, The Dishevelled Gentlemen, Love Story with 1928, Tranter, Rad Pitt, Megawuoti The Toff In Town The Dirty Columns, The Lurkers, Snowy Belfast The Old Bar The Jester Crew, Simone Gill, Yeo Evelyn Hotel The Latonas, Flow Job, Orange Room John Curtin Hotel The Native Plants Union Hotel Brunswick The Pretty Littles, Howl At The Moon, Ferry Tails, I Heart Cusack, Slow Dance Pony The Ska Vendors, The Operators, The Kujo Kings Birmingham Hotel The Trews, Elliot Brood, Final Flash Ding Dong Lounge Tracey McNeil, Canos, Ben Abraham Wesley Anne Two Quirks, Fighting Mongoose, Fritzwicky, Vitruvian Man Brunswick Hotel Whitewoods, Parading, Wunderlust The Tote

Downhills Home

HOME, OH RETREAT Another huge week of bands this week at the Retreat Hotel, kicking off with a Dirty York acoustic show in the front bar tonight (Wednesday), then Sheldon King with Streams Of Whiskey (members of The Currency playing their favourite Pogues songs) on Thursday night. Friday is looking mighty good with The Exotics and Melbourne’s favourite alt.zydeco experience Crawfi sh Dave and DJ Dave The Scot to keep things rockin ‘til 3am. On Saturday catch Spencer P Jones and Lot 56 (CD launch) in the front bar from 7pm then the Moreland City Soul Review playing out the back from 10.30pm. Sunday welcomes back Swamplands playing in the beer garden from 4.30pm, then Sime Nugent and the fabulous Downhills Home from 7pm inside. And Tuesday night Rock Aerobics classes continue from 7pm in the main room – take a towel and $10 and get fit to good music. DJ Shaky Memorial (Mary M) will keep the tunes going afterwards.

Yacht Club DJ’s, Bleeding Knees Club, Gold Fields Corner Hotel

A Process Of, Our Last Enemy, Sons of Abraham, Nine Of Swords The Tote Alice Keath Builders Arms, early show Anna Paddick, Patterns For Paper, Language of the Birds 303 Auburnlies, Following Sea, Left Feels Right, Bateman, Guttermouth, GBH, The Duvtons Pony Ben H Dj Set Gertrudes Brown Paper Bag, San Fran Disco, The Demon Parade, City Calm Down, Strange Talk, Redberryplum, The New Eileens, Atlastone Prince Bandroom

MAGIC HAPPENS SRSLY Magic Silver White are bringing their unique blend of hazy AM pop half-memories and Moog-heavy kosmische-style workouts to the Builders Arms Hotel this Sunday. Supported by the abstract pop songs of The Leafs, the band will be performing tracks from their upcoming album release, Love And Mercy. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $7.

FRI 15

Chaz Royals BIG TOP burlesque follies Thornbury Theatre Crawfish Dave, The Exotics, DJ Dave The Scot Retreat Hotel Deep Roots, The Black Seeds, Bonjah, Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, Direct Influence, Jess Harlen, The Marabou Project, Afro Mandinko Esplanade Lounge & Gershwin Room Evika Lee Attwater, Kalimaa The Bender Bar GBH, The Rumjacks The Hi-Fi ‘Grouse Queer Party’, Adalita, Leather Locklear, Kerrie, Ann Ominous Bendigo Hotel I Dream In Transit, A Dead Forest Index, Ah! Pandita, Worng Workers Club Idle Hoes, Big Smoke Wesley Anne Kill Kurt Reifler Barwon Club Kill Two Birds, Empra, Aurora Public Bar LeBelle, The Madness Method, Straight No Chaser, Cloudmouth, Revolver Fridays: NQR, Mike Callander, Jamie Stevens, Nick Jones, Lewie Day Revolver Lisa Miller, Jen Cloher The Substation Matt Dwyer Band The Gem Mildlife, Moonbombs, Ghost Mutt, Ildiko, Miss Goldie Yah Yah’s Mother & Father, Iowa, Daddy Long Legs Grace Darling Hotel Mr Nice & Ego Loop Nadja, Whitehorse, Ivens, MV John Curtin Hotel

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Nicola/Liow, New Archer, DJ Norah Buble Builders Arms Hotel Poprocks at the Toff, Dr Phil Smith The Toff In Town Rosie Burgess, Jungal, The Hussy Hicks East Brunswick Club Ruins, Fuck I’m Dead, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, Thralls The Arthouse Sleep Decade, AustraWaves, Tom Milekovic Birmingham Hotel Stealing O’Neal, skyway, Dream On Dreamer, First Base Corner Hotel Steve Punch, Jon Montes, Syme Tollens Abode The Boo Hoo Hoos, Wilfred Jackal, Final Flash Cherry Bar The Cuckoos, Box Rockets, Strange Attractions, Big Smoke Ding Dong Lounge The Fumes, Elliot Brood, Dead River Deeps Rubys Lounge The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats, Cilla Jane Empress Hotel The Toot Toot Toots, The Orphanage, Yis, The Harlots, Toots DJ’s The Old Bar The Trews, Stone Parade, Scarlet Blue Esplanade Basement The Vaudeville Smash, Ida Fox, Rezzalp Evelyn Hotel The Weeping Willows, Baby Drivers, John Flanagan & The Begin Agains Edinburgh Castle Hotel Tim and Jean, Alpine Northcote Social Club Traditional Irish Music Session, Dan Bourke & Friends The Drunken Poet Traid Marc, Agent Orange, The Youngs, Jim Griffiths Brunswick Hotel Woohoo Revue Bar Open

Cam Tapp, Paul O’Rourke, Jo Dawson, The House deFROST, Andee Frost The Toff In Town Chris Wilson Union Hotel Brunswick Digger & The Pussycats, The Once Overs, Constant Mongrel, A DJ Called Matt The Old Bar Emma Davis, Hello Satelites, Ellen Kibble Empress Hotel Final Flash, The Hello Morning, Moonbombs, The Ocean Party, The Late Show, Ransom, Nick Thayer, Mat Cant, Dust Revolver Geoff Achison, Geoff Achison & The Souldiggers St Andrews Hotel Graft Vs Host, Charging North, Stabbie Stabbie Kill Kill Public Bar HMAS Vendetta, Winterstorm Cherry Bar Howl, Neon Love, In Tongues Workers Club Isteristmo, Circuits, Leprosy, Collapsed Toilet Vietnam, Kromosom The Arthouse Jolene Moran Edinburgh Castle, early show Juan Alban, Matt Joe Gow, Yuko & Jules Northcote Social Club Knight at the Discotheque 303 Lane Chaser, Jen Knight & the Cavaliers Rubys Lounge Little Murders, Thee Wylde Oscars, The New Black, Fanta Pants Yah Yah’s Luau Cowboys Labour In Vain Machine Translations, Singe Twin, Running Away With the Circus Builders Arms Hotel

Mangoat Transformer, M10, Masters Of The Flying Guillotine, Scotch Finger, Damn Terran, Pink Fitt Pony Mindset, Apart From This, Our Solace, Hallower Esplanade Basement Olly G, Syme Tollens Abode Orange Room, Kremellin Succession, The Swiftones, Sleep Decade, I Heart Cusack Evelyn Hotel Original Snakeskin, Zimmerwoman Wesley Anne Paul Kidney Experience, Porcus Vs Equus, LCD, The Dopetones Birmingham Hotel Roller One The Palais, Hepburn Springs RSVP & the return to the senders, Dimi Dero, Monty Sparrow The Tote Ryan Sterling & The Sister City, Lonesome, Marshall’s Commonwealth, Caseylou, Steph Brett, Danny Walsh and the WD40’s, Ildiko The Bender Bar Samantha Deasy, The Gallant Trees, Craig Lee Smith, The Fujiyama Mamas IdGAFF Spencer P Jones, Lot 56, Moreland City Soul Revue, DJ Trevor Travis Retreat Hotel Stealing O’Neal, skyway, Dream On Dreamer, We Rob banks, Yacht Club DJ’s, Bleeding Knees Club Corner Hotel Steph Brett Builders Arms, early show Streams of Whiskey, The Ramshackle Army, This War, Chaos Kids, Phil Para Esplanade Lounge Teenage Shutdown, DJ Sye Saxon, DJ Wigin Lee Gertrudes

SAT 16

28 Days, Ikarii, Chemical Transport Bang ACW Worlds Collide Thornbury Theatre Alastair Burns Pint On Punt Alex Anonymous, Husk, William Tell John Curtin Hotel Austin The Drunken Poet Baptism of Uzi, The Beat Brothers, Apache Medicine Man, Shane Dilorio, Sforzando, Harlequin Chapter Brunswick Hotel Beloved Elk, Leone Western, DJ Blaberunner Cornish Arms Hotel Blak Roots Bar Open

PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO Brisbane band The Cairos have been earning themselves a reputation of late with their engaging shoegaze-distortion pop rock, grabbing support slots with acts like Julian Casablancas of The Strokes and garnering fantastic live and record reviews. And they’re heading our way very soon. With a run of gigs down the East Coast, The Cairos will be showcasing new tracks from their forthcoming release The Cairos’ Summer Catalog. The release follows on from their recent single Listening Party and will be available for the first time on the tour as a limited edition physical release. Catch them at Purple Sneakers at Miss Libertine on Friday 19 November with Young Heretics.

30 G Gertrude ertrude St, Fitzroy (03) 9417 6420 myspace.com/gertrudesbrowncouch

FRIDAY 15/10 8:00- LATE BEN H DJ SET FRONTBAR - FREE

SATURDAY 16/10 8:00- LATE TENNAGE SHUTDOWN W/ DJS SYE SAXON & WIGIN LEE FRONT BAR - FREE

SUNDAY 17/10 4PM TYME, EP LAUNCH W, THE $6000 SUITS & N.CISION BANDROOM - FREE

COMING UP.... 2ND ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY 30TH OCT W/ THE PLONK DJ’S PRIZES FOR BEST DRESSED FRONT BAR - FREE

Wed Oct 13th (Wine, Whiskey, Women) 8pm: Sarah Mackintosh 9pm: Cydni Boste Thurs Oct 14th 8pm: Robert Owen Campbell Duo Fri Oct 15th 6pm: Traditional Irish Music with Dan Bourke & Friends Sat Oct 16th 9pm: Austin Sun Oct 17th 4pm: Liz Stringer 6.30pm Danny Walsh Tues Oct 18th 8pm: Weekly Trivia

All Shows Always Free! The Drunken Poet, 65 Peel Street (Directly opposite Queen Vic Market). Phone: 03 9348 9797 www.myspace.com/drunkenpoets twitter.com/inpressmag

gigguide@inpress.com.au The 64 Falcon The Post Office Club Hotel The Final Cut, Every Second Friday, Copse, Delusions of Granduer, Star Caps on Will Esplanade Gershwin Room The Fumes, Elliot Brood, The Voodoo Economic East Brunswick Club The Level Spirits, Mini Bikes Great Britain Hotel The Psyde Projects Loop The Rebelles, The Ska Vendors, Lyndall Barry & the Apollo Bendigo Hotel The Stu Thomas Paradox, The Exotics, DJ Satan Grace Darling Hotel Thirsty Merc The Hi-Fi Thrill Killers, Super Fun Happy Slide, Maniaxe, Fatal Flaws The Prague Tunes by Slatts The Gem

VEGANS GO BEGIN Off the back of their successful Central Coast tour and before heading into the studio, John Flanagan & The Begin Agains will bring their bluegrass twang and blend of traditional Americana stylings with honest Australian storytelling to this year’s World Vegan Day event. held held at the Abbotsford Convent, from 10am to 5pm on Sunday 31 October. Also playing will be Young Heretics, 8 Bit Love, Keshie, Jade Leonard and more. As well as great music there will be lots of delicious food, talks, cooking demonstrations, over 100 stalls and speed dating. Entry is Free and the event is all ages.

SUN 17

Adam Waldron, Blame Lily, Fly South, Restless Company Brunswick Hotel Bo Jenkins Manhattan Hotel

Chad Mason The Standard Hotel Dimi Dero, Redcoats Cherry Bar Dragon, Tom Richardson Williamstown RSL Frankie Wants Out Bendigo Hotel

Headspace, Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada Esplanade Lounge Hillbilly Kitchen, The Natalie Carolan Band, Louisa Rankin, Raleigh Williams Wesley Anne Jacqueline Gawler, Spender, Dragon Northcote Social Club Joel Plymin & Them Blues Cats Great Britain Hotel Josh Dance Chapter, Catfish Voodoo Empress Hotel Liz Stringer, Danny Walsh The Drunken Poet Magic Silver White, The Leafs Builders Arms Hotel Matt Kelly, Foxes Wedding Bar Nancy Morrocan King, Eve’s Protégé, Wet Young Dolphin, Hyphen, Wilderbeast The Tote Ngaiire, Jess Harlen, Jade MacRae, Run For Your Life, Dead Boy, Bonnita, Mat Cant The Toff In Nick Barker, Charles Jenkins, Kim Salmon, Brian Hooper, Dave Graney, Ashley Naylor Corner Hotel NMIT Recitals, Opa 303

Open Decks The Bender Bar Revolver Sundays, Boogs, Spacey Space, Radiator, T-Rek Revolver Sammy Horner Coronet Bay Hall Sean Simmons, The Orbweavers Yah Yah’s Seasons of Volume, Colour Kids, Atlantis Lights, About The Noise, Fuse, Archdale, The Book of Ships, Oh Pacific Esplanade Gershwin Room Shoot the Sun, Scrarmouche, Absence of State, Breakfast Over Gunfire The Arthouse Sime Nugent, Downhills Home, Swamplands Retreat Hotel Spectrum St Andrews Hotel Straight 8’s Sandbelt Hotel Strine Singers Builders Arms, early show The Denotators Maldon Hotel the F100’s, Retro Honky Tonk Clare Castle Hotel The Grenadines Lord Newry Hotel The Idle Hoes The Carringbush Hotel

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The Level Spirits, Eaten By Dogs, The Heel Toe Express, DJ Frankie Teardrop The Old Bar The Prayerbabies Union Hotel Brunswick Thrilling True Stories Edinburgh Castle, early show Trumpet Union Club Hotel Tyme, The $6000 Suits, n.Cision Gertrudes Waz E James The Gem Winternationale, Mt Augustus, Ghost Notes, Light Lion, Crouching Tiger DJs Bar Open

MON 18

Blondie & Le Fro Rubicon Restaurant & Bar Dan Tucceri, Holy Boner, Dumb Shit, Nervous Gender Empress Hotel Fruit Jar’s Ol’ Timey Sessions The Old Bar Habitat Skateboards ‘Origin’ Revolver Jenny Barnes 303

Josh Owen Band Esplanade Lounge Swing Classes The Toff In Town

TUE 19

Boy & Bear East Brunswick Club Cine - Cult, House 303 Jimmy Stewart The Gem Mach/Lap, Fabian Lapham, Michael Wannenmacher The Toff In Town Melbourne Fresh Industry Showcase, 15 Minutes Of Peace, Bitchslap, Through The Window, Galaxy, Matthew Fagen, Juan Martinez, Chemistry Set, Never Cheer Before You Know Whos Winning Revolver Rock Aerobics, DJ Shaky Memorial Retreat Hotel Rock Trivia, Leena Grace Darling Hotel Sean Simmons, Dimi Dero, Rosie Westbrook, Mike Noga The Old Bar The Brunswick Discovery Brunswick Hotel

The Joe Kings, Mimi Velevska Esplanade Lounge Weekly Trivia The Drunken Poet

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NICOLA GOES OFF Launching their debut recording this Friday at the Builders Arms, Watson/Liow is the collaboration between jazz composer Nathan Liow and singer/ songwriter Nicola Watson. Combining simple folk guitar and improvised piano, the duo have been exploring different songwriting processes to create this new material. Performing with a full band, the line-up will feature Adam Spiegl on bass, Tom Jovanovic on trumpet and Hugh Rabinovici on drums. Bookish folk rock from New Archer opens the night at 9pm, with Watson/ Liow at 10pm, followed by the effervescent DJ Norah Buble. This is Watson’s last gig before she relocates overseas, with all proceeds from the night donated to the CDTC School in Mae Sot, Thailand. Entry is $10 from 8.30pm.

BANG Saturday 28 Days, Ikarii, Chemical Transport

BAR OPEN Wednesday Babble Thursday Lakes, The Zingers, Guests Friday Woohoo Revue Saturday Blak Roots Sunday Winternationale, Mt Augustus, Ghost Notes, Light Lion, Crouching Tiger DJs

BENDIGO HOTEL Wednesday The Feel Goods, Mz Wood, Oscar Mike, Sons Of Messengers, Open Mic Friday ’Grouse Queer Party’, Adalita, Leather Locklear, Kerrie, Ann Ominous Saturday The Rebelles, The Ska Vendors, Lyndall Barry & the Apollo Sunday Frankie Wants Out

BIRMINGHAM HOTEL Wednesday Jaguar Spring, Cuba is Japan, Lion Lights Thursday The Ska Vendors, The Operators, The Kujo Kings Friday Sleep Decade, AustraWaves, Tom Milekovic Saturday Paul Kidney Experience, Porcus Vs Equus, LCD, The Dopetones

BRUNSWICK HOTEL Thursday Two Quirks, Fighting Mongoose, Fritzwicky, Vitruvian Man Friday Traid Marc, Agent Orange, The Youngs, Jim Griffiths

Saturday Baptism of Uzi, The Beat Brothers, Apache Medicine Man, Shane Dilorio, Sforzando, Harlequin Chapter Sunday Adam Waldron, Blame Lily, Fly South, Restless Company Tuesday The Brunswick Discovery

BUILDERS ARMS HOTEL Wednesday Kelsey & The Man Made Lake, Louisa Rankin, Hetty Kate Thursday Alysia Manceau, Simon Bruce, Cat Canteri Friday Nicola/Liow, New Archer, DJ Norah Buble Saturday Machine Translations, Singe Twin, Running Away With the Circus Sunday Magic Silver White, The Leafs

CHERRY BAR Wednesday Vice Grip Pussies Thursday Soul Safari Friday The Boo Hoo Hoos, Wilfred Jackal, Final Flash Saturday HMAS Vendetta, Winterstorm Sunday Dimi Dero, Redcoats

CORNER HOTEL Thursday Yacht Club DJ’s, Bleeding Knees Club, Gold Fields Friday Stealing O’Neal, skyway, Dream On Dreamer, First Base Saturday Stealing O’Neal, skyway, Dream On Dreamer, We Rob banks, Yacht Club DJ’s, Bleeding Knees Club Sunday Nick Barker, Charles Jenkins, Kim Salmon, Brian Hooper, Dave Graney, Ashley Naylor

EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB

Tuesday The Joe Kings, Mimi Velevska

Thursday Lucas Williams and the Deep Blue Sea, Jesse Mitchell, Katie Harder, Amalie Walker Friday Rosie Burgess, Jungal, The Hussy Hicks Saturday The Fumes, Elliot Brood, The Voodoo Economic Tuesday Boy & Bear

EVELYN HOTEL

EDINBURGH CASTLE HOTEL Wednesday Heidi Elva & the Black Swans Thursday Tall Buildings Friday The Weeping Willows, Baby Drivers, John Flanagan & The Begin Agains

EMPRESS HOTEL Wednesday Alex Scott Douglas, Cavanagh & Argus Thursday Ah! Pandita, The Ghost of 29 Megacycles, Isle Adore Friday The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats, Cilla Jane Saturday Emma Davis, Hello Satelites, Ellen Kibble Sunday Josh Dance Chapter, Catfish Voodoo Monday Dan Tucceri, Holy Boner, Dumb Shit, Nervous Gender

ESPLANADE BASEMENT Thursday Feed Ya Munkie, Illegal Rhythm Syndicate, The Pierce Brothers Friday The Trews, Stone Parade, Scarlet Blue Saturday Mindset, Apart From This, Our Solace, Hallower

ESPLANADE GERSHWIN ROOM Saturday The Final Cut, Every Second Friday, Copse, Delusions of Granduer, Star Caps on Will Sunday Seasons of Volume, Colour Kids, Atlantis Lights, About The Noise, Fuse, Archdale, The Book of Ships, Oh Pacific

Wednesday Bandlands, The Frowning Clouds, The Blue Jays, The Thod Thursday The Jester Crew, Simone Gill, Yeo Friday The Vaudeville Smash, Ida Fox, Rezzalp Saturday Orange Room, Kremellin Succession, The Swiftones, Sleep Decade, I Heart Cusack

GRACE DARLING HOTEL Thursday Blackchords, Special Guests Friday Mother & Father, Iowa, Daddy Long Legs Saturday The Stu Thomas Paradox, The Exotics, DJ Satan Tuesday Rock Trivia, Leena

JOHN CURTIN HOTEL Thursday The Latonas, Flow Job, Orange Room Friday Nadja, Whitehorse, Ivens, MV Saturday Alex Anonymous, Husk, William Tell

LABOUR IN VAIN Saturday Luau Cowboys

NEXT Thursday Blood Duster, Witchgrinder, Isis for Balour, Shannon Jay, Alei Calusin

NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB Wednesday Matt Corby, Passenger Friday Tim and Jean, Alpine Saturday Juan Alban, Matt Joe Gow, Yuko & Jules

Sunday Jacqueline Gawler, Spender, Dragon

PONY Thursday The Pretty Littles, Howl At The Moon, Ferry Tails, I Heart Cusack, Slow Dance Friday Auburnlies, Following Sea, Left Feels Right, Bateman, Guttermouth, GBH, The Duvtons Saturday Mangoat Transformer, M10, Masters Of The Flying Guillotine, Scotch Finger, Damn Terran, Pink Fitt

PRINCE BANDROOM Thursday Bedouin Soundclash, King Cannons Friday Brown Paper Bag, San Fran Disco, The Demon Parade, City Calm Down, Strange Talk, Redberryplum, The New Eileens, Atlastone

RETREAT HOTEL Wednesday Dirty York Thursday Sheldon King, Streams of Whiskey Friday Crawfish Dave, The Exotics, DJ Dave The Scot Saturday Spencer P Jones, Lot 56, Moreland City Soul Revue, DJ Trevor Travis Sunday Sime Nugent, Downhills Home, Swamplands Tuesday Rock Aerobics, DJ Shaky Memorial

REVOLVER Wednesday Tash Parker, Owl Eyes, Lost and Found in the Backroom, Spidey, Adalita, Mary M Thursday Absence of State, Scrarmouche, The Moroccan Kings, Red Rockets Of Borneo, Revolver Designer Market at 3181, Hans DC, WHO, Booshank

Adalita

ESPLANADE LOUNGE Wednesday Goodbye Motel, The Ether, Prairie, Michael Gambino Thursday Mark Seymour, The Level Spirits, Sime Nugent Saturday Streams of Whiskey, The Ramshackle Army, This War, Chaos Kids, Phil Para Sunday Headspace, Dale Ryder Band, Bad Boys Batucada Monday Josh Owen Band

ADALITA’S THE GROUSEST Keeping up with the tradition of throwing one hell of a party, Grouse Party at the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood presents the most awesome Adalita (Magic Dirt) this Friday. Some oldschoolers might recall that Adalita played the very first Grouse Party way back when it was just a newbie upstairs at the Tote. Of course, since then, the bangin’ night has gone from curious to fully blown power gay with a tongue longer than Gene Simmons’. Also DJing on the night are Leather Locklear & Kerrie (Danceteria) and DJ Ann Ominous. It’s bound to be a wild night, so make sure you arrive early, party ’til late then recover the next day. Doors open from 9pm.

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DAYS OF THUNDER After taking out the 2010 St Kilda Festival New Music Audience Award, July Days jetted off to the motherland for their first tour of the UK. Full of confidence and enthusiasm, July Days return to Melbourne to launch their debut EP at Revolver Upstairs on Saturday 23 October. Bookmarked as one of Australia’s most exciting young live acts, the band offer vintage-inspired rock’n’roll tunes that carry cheeky attitude in one hand and soulful emotion in the other. Support comes from exciting indie kids Swing Set Green and Royal Victorian Chaos, and discounted pre-sale tickets are on sale now from Moshtix. Friday LeBelle, The Madness Method, Straight No Chaser, Cloudmouth, Revolver Fridays: NQR, Mike Callander, Jamie Stevens, Nick Jones, Lewie Day Saturday Final Flash, The Hello Morning, Moonbombs, The Ocean Party, The Late Show, Ransom, Nick Thayer, Mat Cant, Dust Sunday Revolver Sundays, Boogs, Spacey Space, Radiator, T-Rek Monday Habitat Skateboards ‘Origin’ Tuesday Melbourne Fresh Industry Showcase, 15 Minutes Of Peace, Bitchslap, Through The Window, Galaxy, Matthew Fagen, Juan Martinez, Chemistry Set, Never Cheer Before You Know Whos Winning

THE ARTHOUSE Wednesday The Ovals, The New Black, I Heart Cusack Thursday Forsaken, Emerson, Ammadu, Accolades Friday Ruins, Fuck I’m Dead, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, Thralls Saturday Isteristmo, Circuits, Leprosy, Collapsed Toilet Vietnam, Kromosom Sunday Shoot the Sun, Scrarmouche, Absence of State, Breakfast Over Gunfire

THE DRUNKEN POET Wednesday Wine, Whiskey, Women, Sarah Mackintosh, Cyndi Boste Thursday Robert Owen Campbell Duo Friday Traditional Irish Music Session, Dan Bourke & Friends Saturday Austin

Sunday Liz Stringer, Danny Walsh Tuesday Weekly Trivia

THE GEM Wednesday Robert Owen Campbell Duo Friday Matt Dwyer Band Saturday Tunes by Slatts Sunday Waz E James Tuesday Jimmy Stewart

THE HI-FI Friday GBH, The Rumjacks Saturday Thirsty Merc

THE OLD BAR Wednesday Merri Creek Pickers, The Magic Bones, Guests Thursday The Dirty Columns, The Lurkers, Snowy Belfast Friday The Toot Toot Toots, The Orphanage, Yis, The Harlots, Toots DJ’s Saturday Digger & The Pussycats, The Once Overs, Constant Mongrel, A DJ Called Matt Sunday The Level Spirits, Eaten By Dogs, The Heel Toe Express, DJ Frankie Teardrop Monday Fruit Jar’s Ol’ Timey Sessions Tuesday Sean Simmons, Dimi Dero, Rosie Westbrook, Mike Noga

THE STANDARD HOTEL Wednesday Das Musik Mann Sunday Chad Mason

THE TOFF IN TOWN Wednesday Sex On Toast, PIVIXKI Thursday The Blood Poets, Matheson, The Dishevelled Gentlemen, Love Story with 1928, Tranter, Rad Pitt, Megawuoti

Friday Poprocks at the Toff, Dr Phil Smith Saturday Cam Tapp, Paul O’Rourke, Jo Dawson, The House deFROST, Andee Frost Sunday Ngaiire, Jess Harlen, Jade MacRae, Run For Your Life, Dead Boy, Bonnita, Mat Cant Monday Swing Classes Tuesday Mach/Lap, Fabian Lapham, Michael Wannenmacher

THE TOTE Thursday Whitewoods, Parading, Wunderlust Friday A Process Of, Our Last Enemy, Sons of Abraham, Nine Of Swords Saturday RSVP & the return to the senders, Dimi Dero, Monty Sparrow Sunday Morrocan King, Eve’s Protégé, Wet Young Dolphin, Hyphen, Wilderbeast

THORNBURY THEATRE Friday Chaz Royals BIG TOP burlesque follies Saturday ACW Worlds Collide

UNION HOTEL BRUNSWICK Thursday The Native Plants Saturday Chris Wilson Sunday The Prayerbabies

WESLEY ANNE Wednesday Conversations at the Edge Thursday Tracey McNeil, Canos, Ben Abraham Friday Idle Hoes, Big Smoke Saturday Original Snakeskin, Zimmerwoman Sunday Hillbilly Kitchen, The Natalie Carolan Band, Louisa Rankin, Raleigh Williams

WORKERS CLUB Wednesday Winter Street, Strange Talk, Kins Friday I Dream In Transit, A Dead Forest Index, Ah! Pandita, Worng Saturday Howl, Neon Love, In Tongues

YAH YAH’S Thursday Rock Aerobics, Dirty F, The Milton Grey, An Undying Day In Orbit, Chico Flash Friday Mildlife, Moonbombs, Ghost Mutt, Ildiko, Miss Goldie Saturday Little Murders, Thee Wylde Oscars, The New Black, Fanta Pants Sunday Sean Simmons, The Orbweavers

BEHIND THE LINES STONE’S SHURE FAMILY

We’re told that accompanying 2010 ARIA Producers Of The Year award-winners Angus & Julia Stone throughout their extensive touring on the back of second album, Down The Way, has been their regular monitor engineer Luke Mulligan, taking care of their collection of Shure microphones. Mulligan reckons, “Both Angus and Julia use the Shure KSM9 vocal mics, which are premium vocal condenser mics whose capsule handles all of those dynamic changes they use really well.” The siblings have also been using the Shure PSM 600 in-ear monitors but they’re upgrading to the PSM 900 systems for the next lot of touring. The band uses Shure BETA 91 and BETA 52A mics on the kick drum, BETA 98s on the toms, KSM137s on the hi-hats and SM57s on the snare, and a NETA 91 and two BETA 98s in the grand piano, while for the guitar amps, Mulligan uses a mix of overhead and ambient KSM32s.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

SOUND ADVICE Gear reviews with KNIK HORSIKOV.

The Carlsbro stands out in a price range where some manufacturers clog amps with features that end up muddying and degrading your signal. With welcome simplicity, the Carlsbro has a pre-gain stage on each channel, allowing you to dial in your desired level of crunch which is perfect for professional-sounding tones in any imaginable style, while channel two also provides a boost, allowing you to get really noisy in true scooped mid-Marshall overdrive style.

BUDDY MILLER’S RIG

In order to recreate those dark, sonorous, clangy and ominously sinuous guitar sounds he uses on Robert Plant’s latest incarnation, Band Of Joy, which he co-produced and contributed all manner of stringed accompaniments and settings to, on the road Buddy Miller puts his Gretsch through two Swart Atomic Space Tone amplifiers, featuring all-tube reverb and tremolo, with two gold Cascade Fathead ribbon microphones. The album was recorded at Woodland Studios and House Of Blues Studio in Nashville and Clinton Recording Studio in New York, the results mixed at House of Blues and mastered by Jim DeMain at Nashville’s Yes Master, an interesting name for anything in a state like Tennessee that was so bitterly divided in its loyalties during the American Civil War.

If, like me, you love playing guitar but hate paying City Link tolls, perhaps at some point you should make the trek down the Princes Highway to visit Sky Music in Clayton, an enormous musical instrument showroom focusing mainly on pianos and electric guitars. I’ve been lured to the deepest darkest ‘burbs to pick up a couple of items for review, namely a blonde Indie IPR Standard electric guitar, and a Carlsbro 50 Top DC guitar amp head.

JIMI’S SOUND

This Indie IPR features a thick mahogany body with a subtly flamed carved maple top, a Canadian hard maple neck, and an ebony fingerboard, in an accurate recreation of the classic PRS (Paul Reed Smith) shape. Features are standard, with a tune-o-matic bridge and two knobs; volume and tone, over the outputs of two GR8 alnico humbuckers. These are selectable via a switch located in the usual spot just below the bridge. Slightly disappointing is the IPR’s lack of a replacement for the trademark PRS tremolo arm and locking tuners, both of which are important drawcards to this style of guitar and are obvious price-based omissions.

Thirty years after his death, Jimi Hendrix remains perhaps the single most influential electric guitarist in rock history, so I thought you might enjoy this little quote from an interview he gave in New York back in January 1968: “The secret of my sound is largely the electronic genius of our tame boffin, who is known as Roger The Valve [Roger Mayer]. He has rewired my guitars in a special way to produce an individual sound and he has made me a fantastic fuzz-tone, which you can hear to good effect on our new LP, Axis: Bold As Love. Actually it’s more of a sustain than a fuzz. He got a special sound out of the guitar on One Rainy Wish and Little Miss Lover. It comes through a whole octave higher so that when playing the high notes, it sometimes sounds like a whistle or a flute.”

RECORDING THE SHAKE UP

Sydney four-piece The Shake Up got onto American producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Electric Six, Dirtbombs) to record their latest album, …If You Have No Shame, at Megaphon in Sydney’s St Peters, which suited the band perfectly, as singer and guitarist Miles Selwyn explains: “We didn’t see a computer screen until the very last day of tracking, so that was refreshing. So often when there’s a screen in the control room you look at that as you’re listening to something for no purpose whatsoever, so it was nice just to focus on the aural side of things.” “Everything was recorded to tape and mixed to tape,” drummer Tim Browning adds. “The whole record is completely analogue – we used a computer basically for backup.”

The Indie guitar brand have made a modest name for themselves in recent years producing affordable reproductions of classic guitar shapes, and a quick flick through their online catalogue reveals a wide range of Rickenbacker, Gibson, Fender and Paul Reed Smith favourites available in an extensive array of colours and finishes.

Teaming up with one of his musical idols, Elton John took Leon Russell into producer T Bone Burnett’s Electro Magnetic Studios in Los Angeles and the pair began to record an album together that became The Union, out this week. Sessions for the album were also recorded at The Avenue in LA while final overdubbing was done at Silent Sound Studios in Atlanta. Singer/songwriter Simon Astley recorded and mixed his latest single, I Think I’m In Love, at Nomis Studios in hometown Melbourne but sent it off to Universal Mastering in New York to be mastered. The new Chairman of Warner Bros Records in the US is producer Rob Cavallo, whose credits include the Dave Matthews Band, Jawbreaker, Goo Goo Dolls, as well as the new and last albums by My Chemical Romance.

Whether or not you would spend $1,099 on a guitar of this sort comes down to personal preference; either you spend more on an instrument with a decent pedigree which might retain a higher resale value, or you buy the Indie, a well-made instrument great for occasions where you may wish to leave your more precious guitars at home, however, suffering from limited brand credibility. The Carlsbro 50 Top DC guitar amplifier head, though, is a whole other story. A refreshingly simple 50-watt dual channel head with three band master EQ, spring reverb,

Live, at a much-loved Collingwood venue, the Carlsbro worked beautifully at full tilt in conjunction with a Fender Jag and a late-’70s Marshall 2x12” cabinet, providing a delicious saturated crunch and screaming top end when needed, whilst retaining a sweet warm brilliance in quieter moments. Retailing at $899, the Carlsbro is affordable and provides a host of features useful to a musician needing a reliable and versatile set-up. Endless comparisons can be made, however, if you are looking for great tone at an affordable price you need look no further.

WORTH ITS SALT KYE THOMAS from the College Of Sound And Music Production explains the benefits of a recording studio internship at Brighton’s SALT STUDIOS. “The interns will have a full-time, dedicated and qualified trainer that meets the standards of the AQTF, and who is also an active industry professional. They will also have a workplace supervisor, Peter Frawley, who is the owner of Salt Studios and has been producing music recordings for more than 20 years.” What equipment will interns be working on? “Salt Studios currently boasts one of the best collections of pro-audio equipment in Melbourne. A huge range of microphones, class-A preamps and ProTools HD.”

The 2010 ARIA Engineer Of The Year, Wayne Connolly, headed down to Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne earlier this year to record and produce the second album, Adult Loose, by Gun Street Girls, mixing the album up in Sydney at Albert Studios.

Bonjah recorded their latest single, Something We Should Know, at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne with producer Steve Schram (Little Birdy, The Cat Empire, Little Red).

it is much as expected: warm, rich tones emanate from the neck pickup, while still retaining a good amount of punch and clarity. However, in the bridge position, while the guitar has more bite, you will be hard pressed to get any really shrill, saturated high-end tones.

A very useful feature is the option to switch between 25-watt and 50-watt power output – an annoying pitfall of many amplifiers is that the best sounds are produced when they are run at high volumes, often much too loud for bedrooms or rehearsal spaces, sometimes even for live performances. This feature provides a clever solution by halving your power output after your tone has been coloured, giving you great tone at half the volume, which is an aftermarket addition many guitarists end up installing on their lovely but painfully loud classic amplifiers.

In terms of playability, the IPR is perfectly balanced and surprisingly lightweight for a guitar with a solid mahogany body. It feels good to hold and plays like a well-made, high-quality professional instrument should. Sound-wise,

SOUND BYTES

Controversially, the UK’s Total Guitar Magazine has named Muse’s 2001 hit, Plug In Baby, the best guitar riff of the past decade, according to a readership-based poll.

and an effects loop, its simple yet professional interface is easily navigable via the included foot-switch controller.

How much experience/what skills should applicants possess? “Applicants should have a Certificate IV In Music Industry (Technical Production) or should be able to prove skills and knowledge learned in work or life experience through a process of RPL [recognition of prior learning].”

What sort of jobs have previous interns gone on to do? “This is the first year that this program has an Advanced

What hours can interns expect to work? “Interns will work at Salt Studios three days per week, for a total of 19 hours per week. What sort of work are the interns likely to be doing? “The interns will be doing the kind of work that a studio assistant would do as well as a specified amount of dedicated training each week; assisting engineers in the studio and on location; mixing live multi-track recordings; composing music for briefs; and simple sound design for short films.” What are the types of projects interns can expect to be working on? “There are a number of ongoing projects at Salt that the interns will be involved in: archiving the 1,000 live recordings we have made in Melbourne over the last ten years recording headline acts at the Hi-Fi and mixing their shows exclusively for the Hi-Fi live website; corporate voice-over recordings in the main studio; and commercial recordings in the main studio.” How experienced are the professionals the interns will be working with?

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Diploma outcome, however we have delivered a similar year-long program three times. It was called the Master Class and some of the students have gone on to jobs within the industry including in-house engineer at the Esplanade Hotel, live recording production manager at Salt Studios, audio production crew at Crown and a number of them have established fruitful freelance careers.” How can we apply? “Application forms are available at cosamp.com.au or contact us directly 03 9592 4801, and enquiries@ cosamp.com.au. Applicants will be contacted to arrange an interview/skills testing session in late November.”

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SABIAN CYMBALS Sabian 20” AA Rock ride, Sabian 17” med thin crash, Sabian 14” AA Regular hihats all with Ragone case. As new, $700, ph 0419760940 iFlogID: 5821

A rare opportunity to join the dedicated team at Street Press Australia in Melbourne. Working on 3D World magazine you will be dealing in all facets of Entertainment,Fashion, Food and Travel. Check iflog.com.au for complete details. iFlogID: 8180

PBS is seeking a Marketing and Events coordinator. Experience in event management and publicity is essential. Established music industry connections, a passion for music and understanding of PBS are desired. Email hr@pbsfm.org.au for a position description. Applications close October 25.

GUITARS

Looking for work backstage ? head to backstagejobs.com.au dedicated to backstagejobs new website Free to subscribe. Post a job for free

Genuine 1980’s Pete Townshend jap model. all original. in case. amazing action. beatiful tone and sustain. plays great. nice patina. very rare. suit collector. EXCELLENT CONDITION! $2500.00 Ph Jimbo on 0428744963. iFlogID: 5835

FENDER STANDARD STRATOCASTER

iFlogID: 8526

TOUR STAFF WANTED Brand New Fender standard Stratocaster.(Mexico) Updated model including new tinted neck. Different colour options available. Package includes Guitar, gig bag and stand. RRP $1100 Logans Price $756 Heaps of other Fender bargains instore. Logans Music (02) 9744 2400 www. loganspianos.com.au AUTHORISED FENDER DEALER

Brand New Gibson SG Standard Lefthanded guitar. Heritage chrery finish including Gibson hard case. Logans Price $1999 WOW! (righthanded also available!) Logans Music Burwood (02)97442400 www. loganspianos.com.au AUTHORISED GIBSON DEALER iFlogID: 6614

GODIN MIDI GUITAR ACS SA Nylon string semi-solid body with piezo and 13-pin MIDI output plus the Terratec Axon AX100 Synth controller & AX101 MIDI guitar pickup. Used once. Black colour. $2,400 including delivery to any state of Australia. THE001Music@hotmail.com

AMPS BadCat ‘Hot Cat 30’ Head and 2x 212 Cabs and Covers... plus deluxe aluminium road cases for all 3 (not in picture). Am selling for overseas move. Only serious buyers, call to talk price! 0411083379

iFlogID: 7323

PA EQUIPMENT 1x Yamaha EMX 68S Powered Mixer 2x 15” Classic E Celestian Speakers 1x XM 20005 Cardioid Mic 1x Studio condensor Mic 1x Behringer Eurorack (multi effects processor) 1x Cubase SE Music creation program 1x Dell PC 2x speaker & mic stands

Keyboard X-stand. Black, no scratches, adjustable height, rubber cushions for keyboard, rubber leg ends. Very god condition, as new, Bargain $49 Call 07-32059105 Bray Park KORG TRITON EXTREME88 SYNTHESIZER in near-new condition. Rarely-used workstation keyboard with bonus stand and damper pedal. $4,450 including delivery to any mainland state. THE001Music@hotmail.com

iFlogID: 8115

OTHER

BURLESQUE & DRAG EYELASHES Petticoats & Gallantry has launched a new range of exclusive, boutique handmade & decorated false eyelashes perfect for going out. With a mix of over-the-top dramatic lashes suitable for Performances, Burlesque, Drag and even just for a special night out, you’re sure to find some one-ofa-kind false eyelashes to wear. Each pair is customised and decorated by hand in a variety of themes, and commission orders are very welcome. www.petticoatsandgallantry.com.au Look for us on facebook for exclusive promotions. iFlogID: 6658

DRAGON PEWTER PENDANTS $7.95 www.theinnerlight.com.au Made from Nickel Free Pewter and strung on an adjustable waxed cotton cord. Wear a Dragon Pendant as a powerful protection symbol! visit www.theinnerlight.com.au and type DRAGON into the search bar.

AmpliTube iRig. Plug your guitar into your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad and jam anywhere with world class guitar and bass tone right in the palm of your hand - from the leader in studio-class guitar and bass software. Simply plug

How To Get More Fans? Advertise your band on FACEBOOK! * * * Facebook Advertising Guide shows you how you can advertise on Facebook without braking your budget. Stepby-step instructions with illustrations. 122 pages. Now only $29.95 + postage. www.bit.ly/FacebookAdGuide iFlogID: 8686

PEWTER SWORD PENDANT $7.95

iFlogID: 5801

MUSICIANS FOR FUNCTIONS/ VENUES

streaming audio, gallery etc. Contact jnst17@tpg.com.au for details. We don’t compromise on quality! iFlogID: 8336

Living In The Land Of Oz: Australian music, news and interviews 2-4pm (AEDT) Mondays on community radio station 979fm (97.9MhZ). From AC/ DC to Zoot, Johnny O’Keefe to The Presets. Broadcasting to Melbourne’s west and streaming on-line at www.979fm.net. www.livinginthelandofoz.com iFlogID: 8496

MARKETING AND PROMOTION

Level 7 studios and the studio is decorated in some of the most appreciated vintage and modern gear which provides our clients an incomparable advantage in the sense of both the analogue and digital domains. Artists we’ve worked with include: Pharrell Williams, N.E.R.D., Kanye West, INXS, Black Wallstreet and a myriad of local artists such as Hyjak, Potbelleez, Vice Verser, Thundamentals, Fame, Tycotic, Rai Thistlewaite (Thirsty Merc), Wendy Mathews, Gin Wigmore, Tim Freedman (The Whitlams), Carl Riseley, Hoodoo Gurus, Wes Carr, You Am I, and many more. Contact us on 0424 462 945 and check out myspace.com/mixinthelab iFlogID: 6186

MUSIC SERVICES

POSTERS

BAND MERCHANDISE

Need gig posters or band logos? contact Spicy Designs at andrew.spice@ hotmail.com. Best rates in town! $40 for A4 color posters, $30 for band logos. Designed posters for numerous gigs and numerous logos.

NOT AVAILABLE FOR FREE ADS. CL #FUNKTION-ONE P.A HIRE# Up to 14 Kw pure sound for all of your events.- Delivered, setup and operated if needed.-Like more info or a free quote? You can call me on 0403 813 654 Original Bands wanted for midweek Sydney venues. 45 minute set of originals required, Mainstream contemporary.Sorry no metal/hard core.. Interstate artists welcome. Contact: nowmuzik@gmail.com for more info. iFlogID: 8173

THE SPACED ARE HERE!

Are you thinking of hiring quality musicians that bring an audience ? Do you have a function/event and considering live entertainment ? For a limited period, we are offering a Venue Promotions Package featuring favourite entertainers. If it is about raising your venue profile or just great entertainment you want, contact us now. Chris 0419 272 196 http://infovisionproductions.yayabings.com.au iFlogID: 5076

Need Sound for small functions/pub/ private events ? For as low as $100, you get a professional PA system, complete with a human operator as well for the evening. Contact Chris 0419272196 iFlogID: 8656

MANAGEMENT

www.myspace.com/thespaced

iFlogID: 5584

EP RELEASE REZZALP are touring their debut album IN MY DREAMS throughout VIC, SA & NSW in Sept-Oct. Album out now on iTunes. Send in your dreams to Rezzalp for the chance to win an iPillow! See www.rezzalp.com for details. iFlogID: 7538

SPECIAL OFFER!!!!

MINSTREL MANAGEMENT www. minstrelmanagement.com Planning to release a Record? E.P? Just need help establishing your act? www. minstrelmanagement.com MINSTREL MANAGEMENT & our affiliates have years of industry experience working with labels, promoters, publishing, management. Contact our A&R at www.minstrelmanagement.com

DOMC MASTERING - $95 PER TRACK

iFlogID: 6287

HIRE SERVICES KARAOKE & JUKEBOX HIRE Superstar Karaoke & Jukebox Hire is friendly, efficient and affordable. We’ve also got the BIGGEST selection of songs with over 10,000 karaoke tracks and over 5,000 jukebox songs. Plus, we update our song lists monthly so we have the classics and all the newest hits! Visit www.superstarkaraoke.net.au today and see how we can assist you with making your next party or function one to remember. iFlogID: 6041

MUSIC PUBLICITY AND MARKETING

iFlogID: 5312

SPACE SHIP NEWS.COM.AU

iFlogID: 5710

NEW MASTERING SUITE SPECIALS

iFlogID: 8402

SONICBOY STUDIO for solo artists and songwriters! Work with a Producer with cuts and credits! In Melbourne, interstate clients welcome! Demo’s/ Singles/EP’s/Albums www.sonicboystudio.com tony@sonicboystudio.com www.myspace.com/sonicboystudio Mob 0403072974 Tel 0398891558

Perth Music News Your one stop for local Perth music news, gig guides, photogrpahy, reviews, bands, CD’s & more... Sign up to our weekly e-news & keep up to date! www.spaceshipnews.com.au iFlogID: 4790

Vocal Tuning Services. Affordable rates with a quick turn around. Have your vocals sounding perfect after being vocal tuned by an industry professional. Using state of the art software. Check out www.nathaneshman.com & contact info@nathaneshman.com or call 0403 498 103 Would you like to get your music personally pitched by Hype33.com to leading global industry players (over 15,000) gathered in Cannes, France this January 2011 at MIDEM without needing a rock star budget If your interested email us belinda@ hype33.com iFlogID: 8167

PA / AUDIO / ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL SOUND AND LIGHT

We are experienced risk takers that not only know the rules, but also know when and how to break them! We have been engineering and mixing for over 15 years and have worked in Sydney’s top studios. We also have our own Mixing/Production studio called The LAB, located at the famous Level 7 studios which is decorated in some of the most appreciated vintage and modern gear in combination of a myriad of assorted software and plug-ins that provides our clients an incomparable advantage in the sense of both the analogue and digital domains. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH MANY STUDIO CONTACTS AROUND TOWN, YOUR PROJECT WILL SOUND GREAT AND PROFESSIONAL WHILST WORKING WITHIN A BUDGET!! For a full list of our credits see myspace. com/mixinthelab. Contact us on 0424 462 945 or Email at thelab1@ hotmail.com

OTHER

iFlogID: 8605

Free band websites! Up to 8 pages,

ABSOLUTEBEGINNERS 4GUITAR&KEYS

A four week course that gets you playing fast. Individual tuition. Chords, Rhythm, Songs, Theory. 25 years specializing in teaching beginners! Gift vouchers available. Call David on 96603877 Annandale/ Inner West area. iFlogID: 6426

Apple Certified Trainer LOGIC PRO 9. Do you want to learn Logic Pro 9? Are you a singer/songwriter,band,DJ,Film or Tv Composer,who wants the best logic education available.Very reasonable rates.Guaranteed.Call Vic on 8212 4522 iFlogID: 8302

BASS FOR BEGINNERS Equipped with 13 years of bass guitar and musical experience, Rachael offers an introductory level of tuition for beginning musicians focussing on areas of technique, music theory, rhythm and performance. Open to all ages. Bass ownership not essential, studio location Eastern Suburbs. Contact 0415273252 or rachael.rees@ hotmail.com.

REPAIRS ROCKIN’ REPAIRS - GUITAR TECH

iFlogID: 8629

DRUM LESSONS Location Gladesville Billy Hyde Drumming Academy,15 years experience, all ages, levels and experience. Home Studio Michael Mob:0402 663 469 iFlogID: 8477

MUSIC PRODUCTION TUITION 1. Master Audio and MIDI. 2. Ten Years Experience in the Industry Tutor. 3. Weekdays or Weekends, Flexible. 4. Learn with Up to Date Technology. 5. Intensive Theory and Practical Sessions. 6. Individual Student Hands-On Practice. 7. Only $30 per hour. contact me on vangelis2133@yahoo. com or on 0449672435 between 8 a:m and 2 p:m or after 6 p:m. iFlogID: 5879

SAX TUITION IN BONDI Easy way to learn saxophone for students of different ages and different levels (from beginners to advanced). $35/hour Located in Bondi Phone: 0410041979 iFlogID: 8454

SINGING LESSONS Certified Speech Level Singing (SLS) Instructor. Technique of over 120 Grammy award winners. Extend your Range. No more Breaks/Flips. Develop Strength. All Styles. Eastern Suburbs. www. myspace.com / mazvocalstudio Contact Maz - 0412 340 659 - maz@ mazmazak.com

THE CHEMISTRY OF SOUND

As Engineers/Producers our passion is to create tracks that give the listener a hard hitting, fresh sound that sonically sounds PHAT and pushes the boundaries of what music currently sounds like in Australia, which stands up amongst the international market. WE SPECIALIZE IN HIP HOP/R&B BUT LOVE ALL GENRES. We’re located at

BRISBANE INSTRUMENTAL TUITION: Acoustic and electric guitar. Connor Cleary is a sought after blues and roots player, he is available to teach guitar in his studio located in Paddington, Brisbane. Limited students so be quick. CALL NOW ON O410634559

iFlogID: 6285

iFlogID: 5704

Can’t get the right hook, lick or riff for your track? Got writers block or just stuck for ideas? Call me on 0439 457 791 (10AM - 6PM), I might be able to help out! Jeff.

iFlogID: 8536

iFlogID: 6161

iFlogID: 8165

Promoting a CD? Want to let fans know about your gigs? Take your band to the next level with our competitive rates for your marketing and publicity needs. We strive to bring our artists to as wide an audience as pos-

iFlogID: 8404

Got the songs but no budget to hire a major studio? Get Nashville quality production for a fraction of the price. Credits: Candice Alley, Marcia Hines and ex-Toto front man Fergie Frederikson. Check out www.nathaneshman.com & email info@nathaneshman.com or call 0403498103

iFlogID: 8652

DO YOU AND YOUR BAND WANT TO STAND OUT? WE HAVE THE BEST STUFF FOR YOUR GIG’S, WE ARE THE PROFESSIONALS IN SOUND AND LIGHT, WE HAVE THE TOP OF THE LINE GEAR AND WE ARE READY TO GIVE YOU AND YOUR BAND THE SHOW YOU NEVER FORGET Call Roger on 0447025967 The Butler Mastering has just moved to a brand new studio on bustling Norton Street in Sydney’s inner suburbs. To help celebrate we are offering some very special pricing... EP $240 / ALBUM $520 We are as passionate about your music as you are, and guarantee our work for a reason. Contact us at info@the-butler.com or check us out on the web... the-butler. com

iFlogID: 8507

1-on-1 ELECTRIC & ACOUSTIC guitar tuition available for beginners and intermediate guitarists (ages 8-18). Tuition available for anyone on the North Shore (between Hornsby & Chatswood). Can also assist HSC students. Limited spots available! Ph. 0405 400 844 or avsguitar@hotmail. com

RECORDING STUDIOS Get your demo or EP mixed & mastered at a more than affordable rate FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!!! Check out www.nathaneshman.com for audio examples & contact info@nathaneshman.com or call 0403 498 103

THE LAB STUDIOS

iFlogID: 8406

Domc Mastering is a dedicated mastering suite located just outside of Brisbane. We specialise in getting your next audio project ready for the public. DOMC work with you to get you the ‘sound’ that you are chasing.

TUITION **** LEARN TO DJ **** Estb. 1993 The United DJ Mixing School has courses with proven results and working graduates. Summer courses enrolling now!! Ph: (03) 96399990 or check www.djsunited.com.au

iFlogID: 8091

MUSICIANS! Are you a musician and having difficulty dealing with record companies, venue owners, promoters, managers, agents, lawyers, collection agencies or media? Then get the most experienced, most fearlessly independent and cheapest advice available. We have seen it all. The Musicians Union -- Talk to us First! Tel: (03)9355 7620 Email: musiciansua@aol.com

MASTERING

Special Packages available for artists and bands!! Whether being recording/ mixing. With networks to many studios around town your project will sound great and professional whilst working within a budget!! OUR PASSION IS TO CREATE RECORDS THAT GIVE THE LISTENER A HARD HITTING, FRESH SOUND THAT PUSHES BOUNDARIES, WHICH STANDS UP AMONGST THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET. WE SPECIALIZE IN HIP HOP/R&B BUT LOVE AND DO ALL GENRES. For a full list of our credits see myspace.com/mixinthelab. Contact us on 0424 462 945 or Email at thelab1@hotmail.com

In a band? Putting on a show? Have an upcoming exhibition? Releasing a film? Than we might be able to help you out..... Clk Click’s Spring Offer! Well it’s spring time, and that means it’s time to dust off some of those cobwebs and get your business in order. We here at Clk Click Publicity have a Spring Offer for all you musos, artists and film makers that will give your project a little boost, and leave you some spare change for the upcoming festival season! For a very limited time Clk Click Publicity will create a professional Bio and Press Release for your band, exhibition or film for only $200! If you would like us to put together a full press kit we will do this for just $800. We can also organise band photos and logo creation for a very reasonable price. Furthermore, if you’re interested in finding out about our full range of publicity services, we’d love the opportunity to have a chat with you and put together a proposal for your next release, event or tour. We look forward to working with you! The Clk Click Publicity Team: W: www.clkclickpublicity.com | E: info@ clkclickpublicity.com

iFlogID: 8075

iFlogID: 7625

iFlogID: 8346

Roland PC-200 MKII Midi Keyboard Controller. Four-octave keyboard with velocity sensing, volume/data slider, sustain pedal jack, pitch/bend modulation lever. Runs on batteries or DC power. Very good condition. Bargain $99 Call 07-32059105 Bray Park

sible conducting a broad media campaign which encompasses national print media and online promotion and an artist administration area allowing access to realtime 24/7 campaign results. We can also look after your paid advertising, sourcing some of the most competitive pricing. Contact 0402257148 or www.aaaentertainment.com.au

iFlogID: 8370

iFlogID: 7321

iFlogID: 8571

iFlogID: 8081

KEYBOARDS

iFlogID: 8119

GUITAR AMPLITUBE IRIG

HUGHES & KETTNER TRIAMP MK2 Amazing sounding amp! Used on Top 40 Aria recordings and National Arena Tours. 6 chanel, 100watt tube amp, footswitch, DI, roadcase, quadbox with vintage greenbacks. $3500 Call Luke: 0400077901.

iFlogID: 6549

Advertise you or your band on Facebook. Facebook Advertising Guide shows you how you can advertise on Facebook without braking your budget. Step-by-Step instructions with lots of illustrations. Paperback or e-book available. 122 pages. Only $27.95. Order online www.facebookadvertising-guide.com

iFlogID: 8342

FOR SALE

IBANEZ PRESTIGE MBM1BK. Matt Bachand’s (Shadows Fall) Signature guitar features an EMG 81 humbucker in the bridge position for razor sharp attack and incredible sustain, and an EMG 60 humbucker in the neck position for massive crunch. Gloss black finish with Matt Bachand’s signature skull graphic. Pearloid body binding. Includes ibanez hard case. Made in Japan RRP $5295 Logans Price $2645! 50 % off BRAND NEW 1 ONLY LOGANS MUSIC BURWOOD (02)9744 2400 www.loganspianos.com.au AUTHORISED IBANEZ DEALER

iFlogID: 6618

GIBSON SG STANDARD LEFTY

www.theinnerlight.com.au This finely crafted sword pendant is made from Nickel Free Pewter and strung on an adjustable waxed cotton cord. Wearing a sword pendant is seen as a symbol of power, justice and protection against evil.

iFlogID: 8271

iFlogID: 8117

iFlogID: 8368

iFlogID: 5308

IBANEZ PRESTIGE MBM1BK

FENDER PINK PAISLEY STRAT.

SOUND & LIGHTNING PERSON required for western suburbs Theatre Restaurant, must be reliable, have basic sound knowloge and be able to work as a team member, regular work offered, call 0414 339 558

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! Ever found yourself putting on a tour and don’t know how to get a sound engineer or someone to sell merchandise on the other side of the country? Well, that is how CoverYourArtz.com came about... The website enables anyone offering a service that can be used by touring artists to browse for work, and for touring artists to find the people they need to make their tour work anywhere in Australia. By visiting CoverYourArtz.com, anyone who is putting on an event is able to source all types of crew from tour managers, sound engineers, and lighting technicians to merchandisers, photographers and poster distributors in areas where they wouldn’t normally know where to start looking. Anyone working in the industry can look for work, and also list their details so that they don’t miss out on that next ‘big job’! Registering and browsing for jobs on CoverYourArtz.com is absolutely free, you only pay when you want to apply. For further info please contact the team at info@coveryourartz.com or visit our website at www.coveryourartz.com.

iFlogID: 8412

iFlogID: 8410

ENTERTAINMENT

iFlogID: 8583

iFlogID: 6545

Hagstrom HJ800 Hollowbody Jazz guitar. This is a beautiful guitar, Hagstroms flagship model professionally setup with flatwounds. Included is Hagstrom case imported to match. $900 o.n.o

Are you looking for a mint condition Gibson USA Flying V? I have just the guitar you are after. No chips, cracks, never gigged. Ebony finish 2007 model, comes with straplocks in Gibson case. $1000 o.n.o

iFlogID: 8579

Blackoutmag.com is a music community driven Independent Rock web-zine that brings you the very best of everything that ROCKS!! We are after contributors for the site. If you’re up for it jump onto Blackoutmag.com and check it out...

the iRig interface into your mobile device, plug your instrument into the appropriate input jack, plug in your headphones, amp or powered speakers, download AmpliTube for iPhone Free and start rocking! You’ll have at your fingertips the sound and control of 3 recombinable simultaneous stompbox effects + amplifier + cabinet + microphone just like a traditional guitar or bass stage rig! Add amps and effects as you need them — you can expand your rig with up to 11 stomps, 5 amps, 5 cabinets and 2 microphones in the AmpliTube iRig app custom shop. ONLY $59.99 UNBEATABLE Logans Music (02)9744 2400 www.loganspianos.com.au

Do you live to play? Whether you’ve just bought a new guitar or an old favourite is feeling a little faded, we’ll bring the best out of it! Rockin’ Repairs is based in Point Piper in Sydney, Australia and offers restrings, setups, upgrades and repairs for all guitars and basses; no matter what you play or how you play it, we’ve got the tools and techniques to breathe life back into even the most mistreated guitar. We treat every instrument individually; time, care and love is taken with each job to get the best from your guitar. We work hard to give you the feel and the sound you want. 0405 253 417 tara@rockinrepairs. com www.rockinrepairs.com

iFlogID: 8534

SONGSKOOL Learn how to write songs! Australia’s first songwriting school, now in it’s 8th year! Beginners and Intermediates welcome! Small classes. www.songskool.com tony@ songskool.com Mob 0403072974 iFlogID: 8654

VIDEO / PRODUCTION LIVE GIG FILM CLIPS Need a live clip to promote your band?? SnakeEyeProductions offers multi camera filming of your next gig in Hi Definition, includes Editing and Uploads at great rates.. ph-0416120639

iFlogID: 5992

iFlogID: 8204

For a limited time. Free online and print classifieds Book now, visit iflog.com.au 77

HAVE YOU SEEN MIKE HUNT

PRO TROMBONIST AVAILABLE

iFlogID: 8422

GUITARIST WANTED TO TEACH

DRUMMER

relaxed environment,express your creativity,follow your dream.if interested please telephone 0393741695

GREEN, GLAM & GORGEOUS

and Massively BOOST ATTENTION & PROFITS!! Goto ebizpro2go.com.au or call 1800610489 for a FREE Report!

iFlogID: 8483

iFlogID: 8530

7 piece band rehearse in Marrickvile Sydney every Saturday. looking for a drummer and a trumpeter.Contact imafunkybloke@hotmail.com

Looking for beginner to intermediate singer who’s interested in learning/ improving and wanting to have some fun with a couple of laid back guys.. Alternate/Indie/Rock Genre. Contact Pete on (0421) 258 859. Hills/Western Sydney.

iFlogID: 8243

Australian Bands Only.Do you have A You Tube Rock Band Video you want to promote,if so Mike Hunt wants to promote it.Just send your link to admin attention Mike Hunt and we will do our best to list you for free worldwide at www.clearhunt.com iFlogID: 6007

Music Videos / Video Clips offer a great way to gain exposure, increase your fan base and re-enforce your image. www.immersionimagery.com

Professional Trombone player available for gigs, session and tours. Jazz, Funk, Latin, Pop, Rock and Classical. Can sight read, improvise and write parts. Contact Brendan 0409833827. iFlogID: 4099

SINGER JASON AYRES

iFlogID: 8667

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE

iFlogID: 7904

DRUMMER WANTED for original Sydney 4 piece Indie/Pop/Electro/ Rock band BABA O’RILEY. Needs to be committed, available for weekly practices, gigs locally & nationally. Must have own gear/transport. Check out latest EP at www.myspace.com/ BabaORileyBand. Contact Chris 0405 423 280 or BabaORileyBand@ hotmail.com iFlogID: 8415

DJ ***BOOK A DJ FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY*** DJs United have the largest database of DJs in all genres of music to make sure we find the perfect one for your event. Ph: (03)96399990 or Book online www.djsunited.com.au/ bookings iFlogID: 8528

DeadMau5 Eat ur heart out! Logic Performer Live Productions ranging from House, Electronica & DubStep Unique and Original musical projects, Customized for Particular Events Deposit + Performance Cost, Call for Quote Jumpn’Bones Productions 0425 820 547 abn: 36 196 791 820 002 iFlogID: 8587

LOGIC PERFORMER / DJ Live Productions ranging from House, Electronica, DubStep Hard Rock, Metal, Prog Original musical projects, Customized for Events Or Selection of Known tunes to make for a Great Night, whatever the occasion Matt Meli 0425 820 547 iFlogID: 8154

LOGIC PERFORMER Live Productions ranging from House, Electronica to DubStep Unique and Original musical projects, Customized for Particular Events Deposit req + Perf. Cost, Call for Quote Mr.Rush 0425 820 547 abn holder iFlogID: 8245

DRUMMER Proficient Drummer: Experienced in Hard Rock, Prog, Metal, Rockn’Roll, Funk and Jazz Matt Meli 0425820547 12yrs playing, Have gigged in Sydney + Melbourne And Exp with Recording Equiped and Transportable Call Anytime iFlogID: 8152

Proficient Session Drummer: Experienced in Hard Rock, Prog, Rockn’Roll, Punk + Funk 12yrs Playing, Gigged in Sydney + Melbourne, And Recording Exp Equiped and Transportable Call Matt 0425820547 iFlogID: 8247

TOP PRO DRUMMER AVAILABLE

Acoustic Pop-Rock Specialist -www. jasonayres.com-

iFlogID: 5777

Vocalist- Looking for Dance, R&B, Hip-Hop or Rock Groups and Artists: Call 0415252323 iFlogID: 8023

SONG WRITER Vocalist seeking band or musicians for writing and performing. 0415252323 iFlogID: 8563

MUSICIANS WANTED

BASS PLAYER WANTED Bassist wanted to join melodic metal band with death/black/thrash influence. Must be determined, skilled and have own gear and transport. Easygoing but professional environment. Ages 18-30 Wollongong/ Sydney based. Influences: Dimmu, Old man’s child, arch enemy, children of bodom, immortal, megadeth, slayer, amon amarth etc. Interest gained nationally and internationally with distribution deals on offer for the band. Great opportunity. www. myspace.com/asmodaiaus or email asmodai_aus@hotmail.com Guitarist/keyboardist wanting to start an all-girl punk/garage band inspired by Elastica/Lush/Hole/Dollsquad. 18+ only. www.myspace.com/missm2009 I can also do our photography and promotion on radio. iFlogID: 7615

for gigs,tours,sessions etc. Good equipment, professional attitude. Many years pro experience working with well known artists. Please check out my website, www.mikehague. com Ph 0419760940 iFlogID: 5819

GUITARIST 20 Year old Guitarist influenced by most types of metal, hardcore and metalcore wanting to form or join a band. Have own transport and 100% committed. Western suburbs but willing to travel. iFlogID: 8633 iFlogID: 8500

OTHER ELECTRIC VIOLINIST Electric violinist available for stage & studio work. Friendly top pro with top gear and great sound, has worked with many Australian & international artists. Improvisation, rock, pop, blues, world music, experimental, avant-garde...even slide violin! Creative, spiritual musician, plays with passion. No habits. Paid work only please. Can double on guitar. iFlogID: 6564

iFlogID: 6445

looking for a drummer to join a metal band in kiama region, influenced by slayer , megadeth, sabbath, guns and roses, ozzy, maiden , priest etc,good gear is a must. and a serious attitude. interested? contact at jamiesonhill@ hotmail or 0435510600 iFlogID: 8674

iFlogID: 8279

Pro Drummer Wanted. 1st EP currently getting mastered & 2nd being written. If you’re interested in a music career, check out our MySpace & shoot us an email. We’ll rehearse for live shows ASAP! Serious apps only. No Druggos. www.myspace.com/ SarajevoRoseMusic iFlogID: 8359

Sydney Punk/Rock/Electronica band seeking for a drummer. Ready to start doing gigs. Please check out our songs at http://www.myspace.com/ saturdaynightoutcasts If interested, please contact us at saturdaynightoutcasts@gmail.com iFlogID: 8296

GUITARIST

INSIDEOUT are looking for a versatile bass player to join our Sydney based originals band. Must be reliable, have your own equipment and transport. Check out our MySpace. www. myspace.com/insideoutoz All enquiries contact Veneita on (0408) 232 110 or email vendel@bigpond.net.au

Christian Rhythm Guitarist 30 over for near established originals some covs band. Exp R/Guitarist, God 1st, team player. Style from ballads, Hard Rock, Latin Rock, to Acid/Jazz etc.Willing to play in Christian & secular Vens pay or no pay. Brisbane 0403752475

iFlogID: 8550

iFlogID: 8463

Looking for an opportunity to use your talents to bless others? We are a local church looking bass players wanting to be part of an exciting new worship team. Call us if that’s you! Ph: 9544 1144.

Christian Rhythm Guitarist wanted preferred age over 30 for near established Christian originals some covs band. Experience Rhythm Guitarist,prefer with some backing vocals, Christ centred, team player.

iFlogID: 8321

The Escalators. Jazz-Soul-ReggaeFunk-Disco. 60 gigs a year. 70% weddings. Mostly South Coast between Wollongong & Ulladulla. Some work Sthn Highlands, ACT. Weddings: $300-500 per gig. We have pro attitude & commitment, but place high value on having fun. www.theescalators.com.au for repertoire etc iFlogID: 8420

iFlogID: 8465

Looking to collaborate with Central Coast based electronica artist(s). If you are comfortable with Live/Logic/ Reason etc - creating phat beats and deep grooves?! Hate working in isolation all the time? I know I do Drop me a line! iFlogID: 8426

Love to play the keys? Want to share them with your community? We are local church seeking enthusiastic keyboard players willing to learn and ready to worship. Please call 9544 1144 if that’s you! iFlogID: 8319

OTHER Acoustic Singer/Sonwriters wanted to play gigs in small Perth Backpackers to 40-50 people. No cash payment, but will supply rider consisting of BBQ + Case of beer of your choice. MP3 demo/myspace links to: Mark info@ oziinn.com iFlogID: 8379

Ever played with vomit in your mouth and your brain about to explode, or anger gripped in your teeth and your heart ripped to shreds? Or just for your brothers to sail magically across the electric air? Then Google “RemmosK” iFlogID: 8479

MUSICIANS WANTED

Rock Drummer required for Hard/Classic Rock band with excellent equipement & own transport,preferably from South East Suburbs.Able to rehearse weekly with gig experience essential. Contact Tony 0419 501 335 or email aussie1450@hotmail.com for an immediate response. iFlogID: 8052

iFlogID: 8298

Guitarist and or Bassist needed in or near Central Coast to join Electronica/ Triphop/Rock project/band. 1/2 way through completion of a CD release influenced by artists such as Massive Attack, Morcheeba, Thievery Corp., Garbage etc. Great recording studio/ space! iFlogID: 8424

Guitarist wanted for professional,touring, signed Hard/ Stoner Rock Band. Must be 100% committed to your craft and ready to tour Australia with a view to touring Europe in 2011. Big opp. awaits the right player - msg me your details. iFlogID: 8544

iFlogID: 8070

SEEKING FEMALE SINGER TO RECORD A SERIES OF CHILDREN’S SONGS FOR AN ALBUM AND ALSO FOR LONG-TERM PROJECT. IF YOU PLAY PIANO/ KEYBOARDS OR GUITAR THAT IS A BONUS. iFlogID: 8381

SINGER NEEDED

iFlogID: 8077

Christian Keyboardist wanted preferred age over 30 male or female,for near established Christian originals band,with the view in maybe playing some Christian and Secular covers.

Cool drummer with pro attitude wanted to join original band. Influences: Queen, Muse, Silverchair with a french twist! Gigs booked, rehearsals in city area. Check out www. myspace.com/thenapoleonsband and contact Hadrien 0402 708 868 hbourely@yahoo.com

iFlogID: 8546

We, The Innocent are looking for a guitarist. *Must be over 18 *have gear *have transport *be able to scream, or learn to. *have song writing experience. *preferably live in SE suburbs visit www.myspace.com/auditionsong for all details and contact info

Hard-rock / Metalcore band seeks committed, self motivated drummer capable of playing to a Pro standard. Must be available for regular gigs, rehearsal. Must have a great work ethic and be easy to get along with, and share the same passion to pursue music full-time.

1st EP currently getting mastered & 2nd being written. We’re seeking a bassist with talent & great stage presence. Backup vox a bonus. Check out our MySpace & shoot us an email. We’ll rehearse for live shows ASAP! Serious apps only. myspace.com/ SarajevoRoseMusic iFlogID: 8361

iFlogID: 7447

KEYBOARD

NOT AVAILABLE FOR FREE ADS. CL

Bass player wanted for signed, professional, touring Hard/Stoner rock band. Will be touring Australia soon with a view to touring Europe in 2011. Must be 100% committed to your craft. No time wasters.

We seek guitar players who are looking to earn money teaching guitar. Training and teaching materials are supplied. Teach from one of our schools or your own location. Limited positions available. Visit www.g4guitar.com.au for details.

DRUMMER WANTED-PRO METAL BAND!

BASS PLAYER

iFlogID: 5302

looking for band

Dedicated drummer wanted for originals band. Songs ready to go with all other members organised. Drum parts just need to be arranged though. Influences - Slowdive, MBV, BJM, The Cure, etc.

Singer needed for hard rock band. We’re looking for a singer, male or female, for our all original hard rock band. The guitarist and I (bass) have been playing together for over 8 years now and over 3 years with our drummer. We have been writing new songs the last 2 years and continue to work on fresh original material. We have also been playing gigs all over Melbourne for the last year getting some stage experience up but we are really dying to get a frontperson with a voice that works with our music. We’re willing to give anyone a listen, we’re all easy going and in it for the fun above all else, but also been keen to take the next step and make it a serious commitment. Have a listen at our myspace link upon application. http://www.myspace.com/psyecho Please note the myspace recordings are over 2 years old now and we have progressed in style and skill greatly since then. WORLD-CLASS GOSPEL SINGERS wanted for international CD project. Whitney Houston style sopranos particularly sought. See www. THE001Music.com for full details. God Bless You! iFlogID: 8344

NOT AVAILABLE FOR FREE ADS. CL

iFlogID: 8132

soundornot.com is starting to sound like Pink Floyd! iFlogID: 8540

SINGER hey, looking for a singer, near or around kiama for a metal band, influences include, megadeth, slayer, pantera, guns and roses, ozzy, sabbath, maiden, priest etc etc. if interested contact at jamiesonhill@ hotmail.com or call 0435510600 iFlogID: 8671

keyboard player available to support interested singer, variety of musical styles available.experience not necessary enthusiasm important to exchange ideas and feedback.have fun in a friendly and

BLACK STAR DESIGN 100 Full Colour A4 Gloss Posters = only $40 100 Full Colour A3 Matt Posters = only $50 100 Full Colour A3 Gloss Posters = only $80 www.blackstar.com. au CALL 02-9264 4776 EMAIL bsd@ zip.com.au iFlogID: 8096

Do you need a new website? Looking for a great price without having to compromise on quality? Make an impact online with a website that sells your business. 1-7 Page Website from $800 8-20 Page Website from $1200 iFlogID: 8210

FULL COLOUR POSTERS

iFlogID: 8317

ILLUSTRATOR! BOOKS TO ALBUMS

GUITARS LOOKING FOR ESP

Do you need an affordable Illustrator? Freelance illustrator Paul Ikin can create a range of styles for your project. No hidden cost at an affordable price. Album Covers - Film Clips - Book Sleeves - Children Books - Online Images - Fliers - Posters Editorial Artwork. Visit www.paulikin. com - T: 0403 996 129 iFlogID: 5133

Man with a van.

iFlogID: 8292

MULTIMEDIA FOR MUSICIANS

Looking for an Esp Horizon black. New or used. Email For more info. wtf_juice@hotmail.com iFlogID: 5875

OTHER *****PROMOTERS WANTED***** We are looking for outgoing people that have a huge passion for music and club life. The job suits people with large social networks and go clubbing regularly. Ph: (03) 96399990 or email admin@djsunited.com.au iFlogID: 8505

Reapers Image Design.All your multimedia needs met-logos,cd art & layout design,posters,stickers,video editing & filming,DVD construction, Multimedia solutions. Cheapest rates in Melbourne, we’ll beat any other legitimate quote. reapersimagedesign.com.au <http://reapersimagedesign.com.au>0417 393 706

MISS WORLD AUSTRALIA FINALIST

Visit our website for an extensive price list and other services! iFlogID: 6348

graphic design, album design, logo design, band posters iFlogID: 8254

MUSICIAN & BAND WEBSITES

New artists have joined and new tracks have been uploaded since you last visited. Check back and check out the new material! Vote now! Upload your sounds to soundornot.com! iFlogID: 8212

PEWTER HEARTAGRAM / PENTAGRAM HIM PENDANT $7.95 www.theinnerlight.com.au This handcrafted necklace is made from Nickel Free Pewter and strung on an adjustable waxed cotton cord. Visit www.theinnerlight. com.au and type HEARTAGRAM in the search bar, or click on PENDANTS. iFlogID: 7331

TUITION

Create your presence online and get noticed. Sydney based web designers are here to help you create and design your website with ease. We specialise in building websites that work. When you hire us to design your website we’ll give you a product that looks great and that actually works for your business or service. Packages start from $400 Call Richard or Kelly on 0424 125 169

ATTENTION: BAND/BUSINESS OWNERS - Learn to build premium quality, professional looking DIY Websites to promote your band or business. Attract traffic to your website(s) and Massively BOOST ATTENTION PROFITS!! Goto ebizpro2go.com.au or call 1800610489 for a FREE Report! iFlogID: 8481

P&O/DJ BOOTCAMP CRUISE

MYSPACE BAND PROFILE FROM 200$

iFlogID: 5082

iFlogID: 8591

WANTED

iFlogID: 6665

ALEY GREENBLO, A CURRENT FINALIST FOR MISS EARTH AUSTRALIA HAS RECENTLY BEEN CHOSEN TO BE THE FACE OF THE “BEAUTY FOR A CAUSE CAMPAIGN”. ALEY HOPES TO CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT CURRENT ENVIRO PROBLEMS AND HAS SET OUT ON A MISSION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! THIS “DOWN TO EARTH” COMMERCE LAW STUDENT IS EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT & IS DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET REMAINS CLEAN & LITTER FREE! ALEY HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY ACTIVE IN PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS & HAS TAKEN ON VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL INITATIVES. “IT IS SO EASY AND EVERYONE CAN HELP BY DOING THE SMALLEST THINGS!”

iFlogID: 8249

St Helens Pk Duplex 1 ROOM @ $125 PER WEEK No Extra Costs; Unfurnished Room Built In; Shared w/2 young Males Living Space is fully furnished with Air Con 1 Bathroom (Shower + Bath) Kitchen and Laundry matt 0425 820 547

iFlogID: 5849

SERVICES

BEAUTY FOR A CAUSE CAMPAIGN

iFlogID: 6656

Do you want to perform or tour? Need help sourcing funds for? Professional, affordable, down to earth grant writing and event/tour planning assistance. Email: speakeasywordsandmusic@gmail.com

iFlogID: 8620

St Helens Pk 2 ROOMS : $125 EACH / PER WEEK No Extra Costs Unfurnished Rooms Built Ins Shared Duplex with 25 y.o Male Living Space is fully furnished with Air Con 1 Bathroom (Shower + Bath) Kitchen and Laundry

GRAPHIC DESIGN

iFlogID: 8171

BEAUTY SERVICES

Situated in Mont Albert, we service the Doncaster/Box Hill areas and surrounding areas. With four years alterations experience and working from home in a professionally setup studio we can guarantee you the best price. We specialise in alterations, mending and embroidery services, with pants hems starting from as low as $12. Opening hours 7am - 9.30pm, 7 days per week Call Laura to make an appointment 0435005309

iFlogID: 5314

Original acoustic Solo and Duo’s acts wanted for midweek Sydney venues. 30-45 minute set of originals required, singer/songwriter vibe. Interstate artists welcome. Contact: nowmuzik@gmail.com for more info.

iFlogID: 6499

chilledout guy, great personality seeking someone with strong mixing/ production skills for electronic act or licensing to compilations. using logic8.0 with bedroomstudio in innerwest. Mymusic is mainly house/minimal tech but love all dance. checkout www.soundcloud.com/kidjuicy serious replies only contact me rifraf69@ hotmail.com

Aley Greenblo who was crowned as a finalist in January for the MISS EARTH AUSTRALIA PAGEANT TEACHES THE WORLD HOW TO ADOPT A GREENER WAY OF LIFE. Aley is studying COMMERCE LAW at UNSW and has been speaking out to encourage others to get active. In a speech Aley delivered to her fellow peers on Friday she mentioned that “MANY PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED BY THE IDEA OF ‘GOING GREEN’. IN REALITY HOWEVER, “GOING GREEN IS VERY SIMPLE AND MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW EASY IT IS TO FOLLOW AN ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE”. ALEY GREENBLO’S ACTS INSPIRE US TO INCULCATE GREEN LIVING IN OUR LIVES AND SPREAD ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN OUR OWN LITTLE WAY. TO FIND OUT MORE GO TO: http://aleygreenblo.blogspot.com/ or facebook: aley greenblo

iFlogID: 5131

SONG WRITER

If you want to join a band, form a band, find a new band member, get exposure, or just jam, then www. ozjam.com.au is for you! Whatever instrument or genre of music you play, Ozjam can connect you with other talented, like minded musicians who are looking to jam, gig, and even tour the World! Ozjam is loaded with features, it’s free to join and with over 4000 members its fast becoming the largest online music community in Australia today!

CLOTHING ALTERATIONS & MENDING

AVAILABLE Large Single bedroom Furnished Unit A minimum & maximum stay of 3- 4 months in Brighton near beach. Furnished with storage & accessories.Excellent for Summer! Call Ron 0401658007

I’m starting a new business in CSS programming and I’m willing to charge very cheap to gather some folio with customized myspace profiles. This price will certanly increase after some productions, so be quick to not loose the oportunity. To know more about my work visit www. fugadalula.com.br/blog To quote: renato@fugadalula.com.br Thanks! iFlogID: 6481

New and exciting freelance creative working in DESIGN, ILLUSTRATION and WEB. Perfect for bands wanting gig posters, logos, t-shirts or other merchandise design as well as websites/ MySpaces. Based in Melbourne, with professional attitude and good rates W:www.trevorvanas. com E:contact@trevorvanas.com iFlogID: 8021

OTHER ATTENTION: BAND/BUSINESS OWNERS - Learn to build premium quality, professional looking DIY Websites to promote your band or business. Attract traffic to your website(s)

P&O have teamed up with DJ Bootcamp to bring u Australias 2nd, 8 day/3 island professional DJ Course Cruise.Our First cruise was sell-out, so we’re doing it again! Learn professional DJing and enjoy, food,entertainmet,accommidation (1-4 people to a cabin) and 3 islands!Early booking discounts plus $75 bucks on board spending money if booked before Oct 31st, 2010.Go www.djbootcamp.com.au to book 95472578 info. DJ Bootcamp’s P&O Cruise sets sail July 17, 2011 so move it, move it, move it! iFlogID: 8304

VIOLIN ITALIAN TEACHER - want to really learn all the tricks fast? AMEB exams or come just for fun. Years of experience. $30/half hour Ryde. 0415783160 iFlogID: 8682

SHARE ACCOMMODATION

ALEY GREENBLO has been selected to represent SYDNEY and attend the NATIONAL FINAL OF MISS BIKINI WORLD AUSTRALIA IN DARWIN. Aley will be competing against 34 other girls and the winner will represent Australia at the international final. Aley is currently MISS GLOBAL AUSTRALIA, MISS SUPRANATIONAL AUSTRALIA and a MISS EARTH finalist and is in search for a sponsor. Diesel Promotions will be filming the 11 day Miss Bikini World competition for a reality TV show which will provide great exposure. Aley will also be photographed during the competition and these photo’s will be circulated through the press and gain major publicity. In return, Aley has allowed her pictures for advertisement purposes for your own business. Additionally your logo and website link will be put on the official MISS BIKINI WORLD AUSTRALIA website as well as on Aley’s blog and other social networking pages. Aley is currently also engaging in Social Media, utilising Facebook as a way to engage with the public, increase my fan base, and raise awareness for local charities to protect the environment. The page will be custom designed, and is offering a sponsor to completely brand her Facebook page. You will also have the opportunity to run competitions on my page, as well as offer discounts, and engage with my audience. Working with a top global marketing company based in Australia, the Facebook fan page will have 10,000 fans by the end of August 2010. These fans are highly targeted towards your demographic, and will be a great way to engage with them. Please see Aley’s blog for more info about her and we look so forward to hearing back from you http://aleygreenblo.blogspot. com/ Facbook: Aley Greenblo Email: aley_greenblo@hotmail.com

For a limited time. Free online and print classifieds Book now, visit iflog.com.au 78

iFlogID: 5560

INFO E R O M R FO w.sae.edu

VISIT: ww 0 723 338 CALL: 180 CRICOS: 00312F (NSW) 02047B (VIC) 02431E (WA) Please contact relevant campuses for further information regarding open days, tours, course programs and FEE HELP options.

DIPLOMA & DEGREE COURSES IN:

Games Design 3D Animation Graphic Design Games Programming Web Design & Development OPEN DAY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; OCTOBER 16TH, 11AM TO 3PM

235 Normanby Rd, South Melbourne, VIC 3205

Qantm CRICOS codes - 02689A (QLD) 00312F (NSW) 02047B (VIC)