Cecillia Pattison-Levi
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From the streets of New York as a PI, to the voice of Delerium, to self-taught singer-songwriter and producer: SHELLEY HARLAND has reinvented her life and sound for her third solo release, Red Leaf.
Shelley Harland's life sounds like a line from that song Pop Musik - London, New York, Sydney. Shelley moved to New York from her native England in 2000 when her Australian-born partner James Wright signed a record deal for his band Stretch Princess. Now she has relocated again to Sydney where her life has resulted in some fine new songs and a new album. "The result was a new musical adventure," says Shelley. "I guess I am collecting life experiences as well. Sydney is such a different environment and there is all this space and air - and it lets everything breathe and there is freedom. New York is crazy, but I learned so much there. I discovered myself and music and had time to let things develop and change. Also, I had time to think about what I wanted to do."
"My partner is a guitarist and he was on tour and one day I just picked up his guitar and just started playing it," says Shelley. "It was an immediate and natural thing. I started to play and now I can't imagine not doing it. It's like breathing - music - it's who I am. It was fate." So Shelley's musical career began in an apartment where her companions were a four track recorder and an acoustic guitar. "I was suddenly surrounded by the music in New York," she says. "What I love about New York is the injection of all forms of art that you get when you're there. I just go there and soak up the madness of what's going on. But I'm appreciative of coming here to Sydney and I have been able to process all that madness. When I went back last time I thought, how did I focus on anything with this craziness going on?"
The result was Red Leaf. It's an upbeat indie pop album with a message that: "it's really okay to be honest and have the feelings that you have," says Shelley. The album is clued-up by Shelley's past life as a private investigator, as the lyrics have a tale to tell and a melancholy twist to them. "The music I made changed when I moved to Australia," says Shelley. "I rely on the relaxed feel of Sydney. And, my music has taken on the sound of that laidback and beautiful space and flavour that Sydney has. I am excited about my new album and the airplay that Friday is getting. I will be playing gigs - mostly acoustic on radio and on TV for now - with a tour starting in August. I just want to get my music out and get people to hear it." And, you should hear this too.
Shelley Harland's new album Red Leaf is out now on Sony/BMG.
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French bubblegum pop anyone? Don’t run away – this is actually quite good. I’ve been a fan of Alizée for a while and this is a new direction. Songs like Décollages seem totally out of place but add a great range to her concert performances. There is plenty of material here to please all tastes; freshness, diversity, experimental quality and an open-minded approach to music. While it misses the sweet fairytale atmosphere and teenage sexiness of Gourmandises and MCE, it really is an achievement. Fun, flirty and French.
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“It was a new personal experience – Big Voice,” says Moya. “And it’s become a remarkable and original new show.” Moya Simpson, singer, actor, comedian, leader of voice workshops and choirs, discovered she could sing in the early 1980s at the tender age of 35. Since then she has carved out a career built upon her extraordinary vocal versatility, comic timing and energetic delivery of whatever she takes on. After the hectic time of the Multicultural Festival and the Folk Festival, her new “concentration” is her show Big Voice, a story about finding your voice and your own way in life.
“You know I stopped singing at around 13 years of age because of some bad experience at school. I got chucked out of the choir. I didn’t sing again for 20 years,” says Moya. “Everyone I have told that story to says that they have had some similar experience – told that they can’t do something – well, this new show is to let people know that you can change that and you don’t have to take that negative criticism.”
Big Voice is the personal story of a life in story and song. Moya has written and performed in her own one-woman show before, with Close Your Eyes and Think of England, but Big Voice is more personal. Big Voice is about trying to tell the truth about a life’s story – not just a performance. It is a glimpse of childhood, the people and events that happen in your life, those changes of direction that happen and the risks that you take,” says Moya. “This new show is a big risk as it exposes my life and my own self to the audience. But, I think everyone has their own story to tell and that experience is, in essence, similar to most people and I hope that others will be able to relate to it.
“I was really lucky to work and develop this show over two years with John Bolton and some really talented musicians, Sandy Evans and Ian Blake. The show was a wide open blank canvas and I wanted to explore new musical directions and challenge myself in the acting and singing. Ian is an electronic musician and I have never worked with that style of music before. It is unusual and exciting and he will be making a soundtrack,” says Moya.
“I believe that we need to share the joy of music and singing and pass it on to people. It is a human right to have, make and enjoy creative expression. I hope that the audience of Big Voice will take away from the show the universal human story about lives lived and the joy of singing – its humour, joy and sadness.”
Big Voice is about “exploring the humour, joy and light and dark places in someone’s life journey,” says Moya. It will be a theatre experience to challenge and delight Canberra audiences.
Shortis & Simpson presents Big Voice at the Street Theatre from May 14 to 24 @ 8.30pm. Tix $35/$30. Preview May 13 tix only $22. For info and to book call the Street on 62471223.
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The phoenix of burlesque is beginning to rise from the ashes with its singular charm and humour, along with an old-school sex appeal that revolves around that which is left to the theatre of the imagination, rather than flashed in the face.
Lani Gerrish, also known as The Magnificent Liberté Belle, is a burlesque performer who has been dazzling audiences in Canberra and beyond for several years - and she is organising and performing during A STACKED DECK burlesque festival. It is real burlesque; a blend of art forms pitched somewhere between stand-up comedy, theatrical satire and striptease, but also incorporating parody, glamour and sharp social satire. It is vaudeville.
“It’s great fun. It’s liberating and anyone can have a try. Anyone! All shapes and sizes and abilities,” says Lani. “We want everyone to come along and experience real burlesque performances and hopefully get into the performing side of it and try out the different workshops in all areas from magic to stage craft.”
“The burlesque movement, if you like, is quite a broad umbrella,” Lani continues. “It’s about a modern-day group of performers who are rearticulating and reinventing quite an ancient art form. It has its roots in the ancient Greek plays and choruses, medieval Italian theatre, music hall and vaudeville. But today’s burlesque, I guess, draws mainly for inspiration on the American hey-day of burlesque from the ‘30s through to the ‘50s, which is what most people think of when they think of burlesque. It’s a pastiche of various different entertainment forms.”
Lani hopes the Fringe Festival will present Canberrans with a representation of burlesque more in line with the historical origins of the artform. “The burlesque movement is about rekindling a form of adult entertainment that blends many different disciplines from magic to dance to social satire and commentary,” she says. “It is performed by both men and women. I want people to realise that burlesque has been misunderstood and that its image of being nothing more than a gaudy form of striptease is wrong. Traditionally, burlesque was about burlesquing something, so it was about sending up social mores, sending up the upper classes and poking fun at things.”
“It is more than that French strip tease thing,” Lani emphasises. “I know some burlesque performers don’t go in that direction and are just purely about the titillation and the feathers and so on, but for me and the burlesque performers at this year’s Fringe Festival, the humour or the possibility of making social comment in a light-hearted way is a big part of what we do.
“It’s going to be a great show and experience for the people who want to take part – especially the workshops in different forms of theatre. I hope that people will want to come along and have a great, fun experience.”
A Stacked Deck Burlesque Festival @ Fringe 09 runs from Thursday February 12 to Saturday February 14. The Feb 12 show kicks off at 7pm at Courtyard Studio Theatre, Canberra Theatre Centre and is $18 at the door. The Feb 13 show rolls into action at 7pm sharp at the Fringe Club, Civic Square Canberra and entry is free. For enquiries and bookings for the Feb 14 workshops, please contact amy@galeandvallance.com.au . Workshop places are strictly limited and must be booked.
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![\"Princess](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/princesspissypants.jpg\" "\\"Princess") Princess Pissy Pants It’s a story as old as time – a story about a girl and her dog. It’s a comedy show for anyone who has ever had a four legged friend fill their house with dog hair, their gardens with doggy dos and their heart with love. On the strength of the success of the shows in Canberra in September this year, the show PRINCESS PISSY PANTS aka Princess Pissy Pants The Greedy Cheese Eating Bitch and Other Naughty Dogs Tales is returning to Canberra for Christmas shows this December. So if like most Canberrans you wanted to see the show last time but couldn’t get tickets because it sold out, or you heard about it after the show had finished, or you saw it and want to see it again, or you simply have a love for dogs and love a good laugh, then do not despair. The delightful Joanne Brookfield is returning and bringing the joy of dogs back into our lives. Princess Pissy Pants The Greedy Cheese Eating Bitch and Other Naughty Dogs Tales has been a hit with audiences and critics alike around Australia and New Zealand. The show was first performed as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and has grown from there. “It’s been great to make a connection with people,” says Joanne. “The love of a pet – the unconditional love and the acceptance of the importance of that relationship has been so affirming. People really respond to it and want to share their stories. It has been an unanticipated outcome of the show and I find it very rewarding to be able to make that connection with people.” “The show is a story really,” says Joanne. “I am a story teller and it is a narrative about that relationship between people and their companion pets. I just happen to talk about my relationship with Murphy. I guess it is a eulogy and a celebration of the preciousness of life and the extra dimension that animals can give to our lives. I guess the show is a loving and irreverent journey through the 12 and a half years of my much loved pet Murphy… aka Goo, Hayshe, McGoobertroid and the afore-crowned Princess Pissy Pants. Joanne Brookfield’s one-woman performance is a relaxed address to the audience, initially more akin to stand-up or an informal chat than traditional theatre. “Yes, I try to keep the feel of the show informal and slightly more fluid,” says Joanne. “It means that each show is unique and special because the show slightly changes depending on the audience. The bulk of the show stays the same but it does move and flow depending on the audience.” Along the way the show has been raising both money for and awareness of the important work dog shelters and animal welfare organisations do in each town the show has performed in. “It is really great to meet such lovely and good people in the crazy world we live in,” says Joanne of the animal welfare people and organisations in the ACT. “They are just great decent people who deserve the support of the show and of the community. It’s amazing work they do rescuing animals. The show has this spin off effect and it is to help highlight their role in the community and hopefully to educate people about the life long responsibility of pet ownership and the joy that can bring to our lives.” So if you’ve ever stared into big brown eyes, or kissed a doggy snout or felt that your puppy or your cat understands you more fully than your shrink, then you must see this outstanding show. Princess Pissy Pants will be returning to Canberra and will be performed at the Canberra Theatre Courtyard Studio on December 4, 5 and 6 at 7pm.
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![\"Ian](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/ianmoss.jpg\" "\\"Ian") Ian Moss IAN MOSS , the Australian rock icon, famed for his unforgettable sound with guitar and voice is on a national tour. And, he will be making his voice heard more than you’ve ever heard it before. ”Yeah, I am looking forward to the tour,” says Ian. “It is a good lineup – a good blend of sounds and styles. I have just got back from New York where I have been recording a new album of ’60s soul music. It has kind of been a response to my performances of My Happy Valentine and Hallelujah on the Channel 7 show It Takes Two. The show has kind of got people remembering about me.” Ian has been back in the studio doing what he does best. “It has been really great to work with the top line musicians in New York on this new record,” says Ian. “The album isn’t quite as finished as I want. I want to add some original tracks to the album. It just needs them to close it out. But, I will record those tracks here and I hope the new album will be out in early February next year.” ”I will be road testing the new songs and covers on this new tour,” says Ian. “We are calling it the Never Say Never national tour. The sound will be more soul and blues and the covers are drawing from classic influences such as Sam Cooke, Al Green, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder – with a pinch of Beatles and new compositions included for good measure. And, Wendy has a wonderful collection of songs and it will just be a great night with the combination of all the acts together.” Ian will be joined by ARIA Award winning singer songwriter Wendy Matthews. Wendy, like Ian, has just completed her first independent record She.
“It has been great to get a new lease of life; a new exposure you could say,” says Ian. “I made a conscious decision to get back to something I was always happy doing, which is singing, performing and recording. The result is tracks I am really happy with and it’s a vocal blues meets soul sound with plenty of heart; it’s me alive and kicking. But I want to show people the other side of my performance, in the honest delivery of my singing. I also want to show people that I am willing to embrace new ideas and influences away from the Cold Chisel mold.”
“It is a bit like a renaissance I guess,” says Ian. Ian has been heartened by the success of his Let’s All Get Together album and sell out tours throughout 2007 and early 2008. “The shows with Jon Stevens were great and it was great to be under the whip of performing at night and performing on television and trying to write new songs. I guess the tour and the show put my music back out there,” says Ian. It showed Ian to be a musical stylist; not just a rock guitarist, not just an acoustic strummer, but a truly seasoned and rounded musical talent. Ian Moss, Wendy Matthews and Tempus play live at the Woden Southern Cross Club on Thursday October 30. Dinner and show tix for 7.00pm are $85; show-only tix for 8.30pm are $45
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![\"Grinspoon\"](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/grinspoon.jpg\" "\\"Grinspoon\\"") Grinspoon GRINSPOON are back, older, wiser but no less manic. “Yeah! We are going to put on an old school rock gig at Stonefest and we are really looking forward to it,” says Kris Hopes, drummer of the iconic Australian band.
Stonefest is turning 40 this year, and a festival that can last four decades is doing something right. The organisers have recruited a knockout 2008 bill this year and it is spearheaded by Grinspoon. Stonefest is set out across two days at the University of Canberra, and it is utilising new locations on the campus grounds this year. “It’s a great lineup this year,” says Kris. “We haven’t played in Canberra for ages so it will be good for us to play live and see some other bands play – especially the local bands – that we find interesting.” “I guess everyone knows that we have been having a short break away from music and that we have just started playing a few gigs,” says Kris. “We have been playing at a few festivals and the response from the crowds has been great. It has given us the chance to road-test new songs and music as well as bringing back some of our old stuff. The set we will play at Stonefest will be a good mix of old and new and we will give the crowd a really good rock gig experience. Nothing’s changed there. We’ve got the new songs that we are trying out, but we’ll be as drunk as ever probably. But, not Phil. Phil won’t be drinking, but we will be probably drinking more and having a great time playing music. And that’s a promise I feel confident that as a band, Grinspoon, will deliver on.” The meltdown of Grinspoon’s lead singer in February 2007, when Phil Jamieson was admitted to rehab due to addiction to methamphetamine, was very public. And, his interview with Andrew Denton on Enough Rope in July 2007 is now out there, but the band have coped well. “Yeah well, Phil is still a bit of a mental case, but he is recovering well – and he won’t be drinking – did I already say that!?” says Kris. “It is a good time for the band to get together and focus on what we do best. We have enough material to start thinking about recording a new album, but baby steps, if we have any more time off we might start to forget what we do. And, that would be bad. The break has been great, but it’s great to be coming back.” Grinspoon are back! Back on the road and playing live, back in the studio and recording news songs. They are back reminding festival goers and music lovers alike of their five albums and their 12 years as a band. They are a band that has adapted to a drastically changing personal landscape and music industry within Australia. “We are survivors,” says Kris, “that’s for sure!” Grinspoon play at Stonefest on Friday October 31 and Saturday November 1 at the University of Canberra. Joining them will be The Dandy Warhols, Faker, Regurgitator, The Grates, Alan Braxe, Bumblebeez, The Drones, Blue King Brown, TZU, Dexter, and many more.
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![\"Michael](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/franti.jpg\" "\\"Michael") - Michael Franti
“The universal language of music is melody and rhythm,” says MICHAEL FRANTI . “These parts of music cross international boundaries – and me – I just love to dance – and if I can think about the music, sing along and enjoy it, it’s the icing on the cake.” Michael Franti is a Californian-born poet, musician, social activist and composer. He is returning to Australia with his band Spearhead to bring his unique music and message to the people. Franti blends hip-hop, funk and reggae together with his outspoken political and progressive lyrics to inform, entertain and to just make people enjoy the music and dance. ‘Icing on the cake’ is just what Franti delivers in his music. His lyrics are rich with great language, clever images and great social messages. His effortlessly-upbeat, politically-charged collection of songs has never failed to put a smile on my face nor get my feet tapping. His social work and his insightfulness in lyric writing put him high on my personal map of truly great songwriters. If not that, just as one of the world’s great poetic writers, as my students at Belconnen High will tell you. “I just love dancing and music awakens in me feelings that help me through sadness and make me laugh and smile,” says Michael. “I hope my new album, that is the most successful that we have released, is a mixture of those ideas. I concentrate on writing good songs that people can sing along to and can also have a good time to. The world is a confusing place at the moment and to relax and enjoy music in a place where you can be together with others in a great place is good. Music should bring unity to individuals in their hearts, minds and bodies.” Franti’s music is essentially a reggae infused hip-hop, but his work is so boundary-shifting, that even if you don’t like this particular style, the music is good enough to defy the boundaries of genre. “Music is about the universal language of empathy, of coming together to enjoy the moment,” says Michael. “I am a fan of songs. I don’t care about genres – just songs – if it is a good song, then, that is a great thing. It might be a song by Run DMC or Metallica or Rage Against The Machine – it’s the song that’s important.” Michael Franti’s work inspires hope, thoughtfulness and energy and he is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. Michael is a leader in the peace and social justice movement. He continues to influence people with his speaking engagements at universities, panels at the WHO/UN in Geneva and his work with organisations such as Oxfam and Amnesty International. And, I might be biased here, but his music and lyrics are truly inspirational and they rock! As Michael says, “Music should bring unity and harmony to the entire person: heart, mind and soul, but we should never forget to enjoy ourselves. Sing and dance.” Michael Franti and Spearhead play live at the ANU Bar on Sunday October 19. All Rebel Rockers is out now on Ant-Records distributed by Mushroom/Liberation.
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![\"Canberra](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/film-festival.jpg\" "\\"Canberra") Canberra Short Film Festival Calling all music video and film makers! Have you ever considered yourself the next Russell Mulcahy (local south coast boy)? His movie making career began with making music videos for Duran Duran, Queen, Icehouse and Elton John. Think this may be the career for you? Then read on… The CANBERRA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL is a national short film competition open to all short filmmakers in Australia. The festival, now in its 13th year, is a national competition and is Canberra’s premier short film festival. The festival presents quality regional and national short films, is a celebration of local Canberra and Australian filmmaking, and is firmly positioned on the local community’s calendar. This year some changes are being made to make the festival more open to the public and to attract crowds from all across Australia to the Dendy Cinemas in Civic. Kris Kerehona, director of the Canberra Short Film Festival, is excited that film submissions are coming in fast. “We’ve received a huge number of entries so far” says Kris. “Every day we see more and more films and I have to say, Victoria has the most film entries, so Canberra needs to catch up!” “The Canberra community is a very welcoming and open place to highlight new film makers,” says Kris. “Even though the festival is under new management, the festival will be the same high quality event that the community expects, so there are no changes in format. We will be having screenings and workshops that people can register for at the website http://silversunpictures.com.au . The topics will range from film technique, to editing and screenwriting. The exciting change has been the hosting of the event in such great surroundings and premises as Dendy. We thought that some minor changes to the festival would bring fresh blood and new ideas.” The Festival strongly supports the makers and producers of Australian short films. “The quality of films shown at this festival has always been of a very high standard,” says Kris. “Past winners have included the makers of Harvey Crumpet, After Dolly and Crackenback. So the quality has been very high and this competition will be no different. I think that audiences will not only be pleased with the diversity of film genres, but will also be very impressed with the high production values of the films this year.” Entries for the Canberra Short Film Festival are still open. There are five competitions: four short film categories and one music video competition with cash prizes to be won. Entries close 5.00pm September 30. “For music video film makers and bands, there is still time to get in entries before October 16,” says Kris. “We are hoping that the BMA Magazine Music Video prize will still be accepting entries up until September 30 for competition.” So kids grab that camera and get busy. You’ve got to be in it to win it! The Canberra Short Film Festival will be screening at the Dendy Cinemas from October 18-20. Early bird tickets will be available with options on exclusive red carpet drinks and screenings.
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![\"The](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/the-choir-boys.jpg\" "\\"The") The Choirboys THE CHOIRBOYS are energetic, charismatic and compelling musicians. Their massive rock hits like Run To Paradise and Boys Will Be Boys are true Aussie anthems. The Choirboys will be playing live for one night only here in Canberra. So get ready to rock – old school style. Since 1979 the iconic Australian band have been performing in pubs, clubs, theatres, concert halls and football grounds around the world. “Yeah, but this will be our first show in ages,” says Mark Gable, lead singer. “It is a real coincidence but this gig came about by chance. The guy organising it used to be in a band that used to open for us in the ‘80s and ‘90s. And, it sounds like this gig will be a great rock and roll night. We are going to have some fun!” The gig that Mark is so enthusiastic about is the National Craft Beer Festival, held by the historic Olim’s Hotel in Canberra. Olim’s Hotel is already a major supporter of craft style beers and specialty beers will be on show, with brewers from around the country attending. The event will be open to the public to taste the brews on offer and enjoy the warm, friendly atmosphere. And, later that night The Choirboys will rock out the place. “Look, we haven’t been doing much lately,” says Mark. “After the last tour we were all a bit exhausted after 14 months on the road. So it was good to re-charge and do some other things. The Choirboys will be a band that will stay around until we all die, but it is good timing for us to get out and about.” It seems an understatement that The Choirboys need to get out and about. This band has released some of the biggest and most influential songs of the past two decades here in Australia. “It’s strange you know – those songs – they have a life of their own now,” says Mark. “I find song writing really hard – torturous actually – but those albums we wrote (Big Bad Noise, Midnight Sun and Evolve) seem so amazing now. They are like runaway children and they belong to everyone and what is even more amazing to me is that the next generation seem to be embracing the albums and songs too.” “Look, what The Choirboys can promise is a great night. We rock out harder than most bands and after a break we are so looking forward to touring,” says Mark. “It’s a mammoth beast of a thing taking The Choirboys out on the road, but it will be so worth it.” So come along and unleash your tonsils on Run To Paradise and unleash your inner beer god. The Choirboys will play at the National Capital Craft Beer Festival, held on Saturday September 20 from 10am til late at Olim’s Hotel. Breweries from all over Australia will be showcasing their Craft Beers alongside local gourmet food producers, providing tastings to tantalize the most discerning taste buds. All profits from ticket sales and a charity auction at the festival will go to support the ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group. Tickets are $20 each, which will snag you a commemorative tasting glass and 10 tasking tickets. Tickets are available from Olim’s Hotel Reception or www.moshtix.com .
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![\"The](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/the-drones.jpg\" "\\"The") The Drones Good bands exist independently of trends and styles, playing on that magical yet terrifying edge of danger. THE DRONES write passionate music without one speck of compromise and they have been proudly carrying forth the torch of vital, uncompromising rock. The Drones are an indie/rock four-piece band from Melbourne who have been plugging away at the Australian music scene now for about six years. They have won much critical success with the release of four powerful albums and the AMP Award in March. After an amazing set at the Splendour In The Grass, The Drones hopped on a jet plane to the US for two months. “Yeah, we are here in Brooklyn and I am standing outside the pub. I can see the Twin Towers lights from here,” says Mike, the amazing drummer in The Drones. “We are just about to play a gig. Then we are about to tour with Built To Spill and The Meat Puppets and then we are off to play the All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival in New York. It is strange that we won’t be home to see the release of the new album and I think I am starting to get a bit homesick.” The Drones release their highly anticipated fourth studio album, Havilah in a few days. “It is very exciting because we think we have made a really good album,” says Mike. “It’s still a Drones album, but we really sat down and thought about this record and what we wanted to do. The last couple of albums we have just slapped it down and it was done. This album is more thoughtful, lighter, and accessible I guess, it has moments of clarity and it’s not so heavy. I will tell you, I can listen to this album from start to finish and sometimes I struggle with some of our stuff.” The Drones will be hitting the road again in Australia, after all the American tours and shows, but this time they will be coming to Canberra. “Yes. We haven’t played in Canberra yet,” says Mike. “This is because we are a bit of a DIY band and when we tried to get a gig there, the guy at the place said ‘send us a demo’. We don’t have a demo – we have four great albums, but no demo. So it never happened. We are all looking forward to Stonefest and playing for the first time in Canberra and it looks like a great line-up too.” With all the critical and live gig success, The Drones should be thinking of relaxing a little. “No Way!” says Mike. “You know that big award we won – the money was really great and at the right time and we loved the recognition – but while the other fucking bands were partying we were working and doing a sound check in Brisbane. That’s us. We will just keep on playing live shows and we love it.” This seems like a guiding philosophy for The Drones. It’s the force of their own convictions and the strength of their vision and work that makes them such a revered band. The Drones and a host of other fine bands will play live @ Stonefest at the University of Canberra on Friday October 31 andSaturday November 1. The Drones new album Havilah is released on September 20 through ATP Recordings.
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![\"Birds](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/birds-of-tokyo.jpg\" "\\"Birds") Birds of Tokyo “Agendas,” says Adam Spark. “The BIRDS OF TOKYO have no agenda to push. Other than to make, write, perform and enjoy good music.” Adam, guitarist and tunesmith for the band, just wants to get music fans to tune into what he and his bandmates are up to with recording and touring good live music. Birds Of Tokyo from Western Australia are a band on the rise. They’ve previously released an EP to critical and fan praise and have just released a new album called Universes. They are now about to set off on a massive tour around the East Coast of Australia and will be heading to Canberra in September. “It’s pretty damned exciting to have new music out and to be touring,” says Adam. “It’s always a lot of fun putting out a new album, but there is that momentary concern as well. An album is like a child. You worry about it, because it’s almost like putting them out to the wolves. They’ll either be accepted and loved, or eaten up.” Birds Of Tokyo may have an unusual name, but they formed in the usual way. “Well, the name came from Ian Kenny. He was reading a Readers Digest article about Tokyo having no native birds or any birds at all because of the pollution,” says Adam. “We thought that sounded great. But the band formed in the normal way with Ian and me jamming and gigging to ten people at the local pub on a Wednesday night.” The’ve been kicking around Perth’s local music scene since 2003, although they have really risen to prominence in the past 18 months. “To many people we appear to be a young band, but we started writing for the band about five years ago,” says Adam. “We’re pretty lucky to have achieved what we have so far.” Birds Of Tokyo have most certainly been achieving. The band has been attracting attention from music fans and critics alike for their dynamic songs like Silhouettic, a powerful track that has received quite a bit of airplay, and the new single from the album Universes, Broken Bones, a song that possesses the prequel clip to that of Silhouettic. “We did that on purpose,” says Adam. “We thought it’d be funny if we filmed it in order but released it back to front to annoy punters. In all seriousness, we chose to release Silhouettic first, because it was the ‘in your face’ song that would make people sit up and take notice.” Notice they did, and the band has announced a tour to celebrate the launch of the album. “We’re going everywhere! Places we haven’t toured before, like Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Bendigo, Wollongong and Sunshine Coast,” says Adam. “It’s going to be a good mix of locations. We’d like to play as many shows as possible. We’d love for the fans to have a chance to listen to the album in full, so that when they come to see us, they’ll recognise the songs. There’s nothing worse than going to a gig and spending 40 minutes standing still because it’s all new and unfamiliar. “But we will play some new music. We write all the time,” says Adam. “There is new music for Birds that we may or may not use. The writing never really stops for us. I guess, the day it does, then that’s when I’ll probably leave music alone. But we are in for the long haul – hopefully.” For now, Birds of Tokyo are in full flight and want music fans to step inside their universe. Catch Birds of Tokyo live at ANU Bar on Sunday September 14 with Calling all Cars and Degrees of Freedom. Tickets from Ticketek. Universes is out now on MGM.
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![\"The](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/living-end.jpg\" "\\"The") The Living End THE LIVING END have emerged from a career-ending crisis to produce their best album yet, and they’re hitting the road with new-found energy and a mission to enjoy life to its fullest. Fans of both good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly rejoiced when the band blasted onto the national airwaves with 1997’s anthemic Prisoner Of Society. The band - vocalist/guitarist Chris Cheney, bassist Scott Owen and, since 2002, Andy Strachan on drums - began a decade long cycle of delivering fantastic albums and touring. But the wheels almost fell off with all this success and stress; physically and creatively exhausted, and on the verge of ending it all, The Living End looked within and subsequently created the best album of their career. Already hailed by critics as the album the band was destined to make, White Noise has been described as “a mighty paean to all that is right and true in rock ’n’ roll” by J-Mag. “It’s a damn shame that we have been kept out of the top spot,” says Scott, reffering to the album’s number two debut in the ARIA charts behind the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. “We are still being held hostage by ABBA. I mean, ABBA. But I guess we should be glad that we are at number two, we are selling our records and we still have an audience eager to hear our new tracks. That is a good thing.” White Noise is an album that not even the band were sure would ever be made. “We were pretty burnt out by the end of the last tour,” says Scott. “Chris even entertained thoughts of whether he’d had enough of it all together. We were looking at the prospect of finishing the tour and getting straight back into the rehearsal room, making new songs for another album, so that the cycle could start over again. The idea did get pretty daunting. We ended up having a big break from each other - from the band. When we did get back in the rehearsal room, all the excitement and enthusiasm came back and set us on the right track of making an album we are really proud of - and we think that it is the best record that we have made.” “I know it sounds like a bit of a fable,” Scott continues, “but after the break, Chris, as main songwriter, had lots of lyrics and they were a little darker. Then we started to work on the music. Chris came out with a couple of riffs. We spent a week in this tiny studio in Melbourne doing these rough demos, and at the end of it, we had such an unbelievable feeling that we had just made some really good songs. “I remember having this feeling of ‘we’ve done something really good’. Then we worked on making the music more rock with a variety of beats. But the hardest song to pin down was White Noise. Chris had this killer chorus, but it took us a while to blend it into a song; it was great when we finished it. We realised we had some great songs, and a truck load of songs to choose from as well, so it was a nice position to be in when making a new album – to have so many songs to pick from.” Touring is now The Living End’s big focus. They will be embarking on a national tour throughout September and October, taking in regional and capital cities across Australia, as well as the Summer Sonic festival in Japan and Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay. “We’re so confident with these new songs,” says Scott. “They all sound so good live. They all feel so good to play live and we thrive on getting up and playing every night. We’re hanging to get out there and get into the zone of playing every night. And we’re playing better and better each night. “Our longevity as a band is really important to us. The last thing we want is to disappear up our own arseholes. We need to stay relevant, valid and make a future in music. The thought that things might have been over after the last tour, well, that was a big slap across the face actually - thinking there really could be a lifespan to this band. But I think it really hit home how much the band means to us. The thought of losing it was such a bad prospect that it really cemented how much we appreciate it, like it and enjoy it.” The Living End’s amazing live shows have given them a fierce reputation for putting on gigs of the highest standard. “We needed to re-focus on playing live. We love playing live,” Scott iterates. “And, the focus now is touring and getting the new songs and album out there. We will be playing Splendour, then we are off to Japan to play a festival. Man!” he exclaims, “it is intense and fanatical over there. The Japanese music fans are so passionate about their music - it’s a great and crazy experience to play there. Then we will set off around the nation in September and October. We are really looking forward to that. We want to really enjoy what we are doing now and be the best we can absolutely be. There’s a lot of juice in the tank. And the fact that that song White Noise has had such a great reaction has given us a real confidence boost. We just want everybody to hear the rest of the record now!” White Noise is out now on Dew Process/Universal. The Living End play at Trackside on November 22, alongside Cut Copy, The Panics, Bliss n Eso, British India, Bluejuice and more. Tickets on sale August 21.
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![\"Pete](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/pete-murray.jpg\" "\\"Pete") Pete Murray PETE MURRAY is arguably one of Australia’s most favourite homegrown artists. He has just released his third album Summer At Eureka, which he recorded and produced at his home studio in Byron Bay. Other than being jealous at hearing about the fine weather in Byron, BMA talked to Pete about his new album and national tour around Australia. Pete Murray and his band The Stonemasons (Andy Sylvio, Ben McCarthey and Jonathan Zion) have announced they’re hitting the road for a national tour in August and September. Following the critically acclaimed releases of albums Feeler and See The Sun, Pete released his much anticipated third album in May, so the band is heading out for an extensive national tour that will include all capital cities and extend into regional areas. fter a few years away, Pete and his band are itching to get back on the road. “Yeah, we are really looking forward to the tour,” he says. “We are getting together in Melbourne for a few days to really start rehearsing the songs from the new album. But we are playing really well together as we have been touring and playing in Europe over their summer”. On its first week of release, Summer At Eureka topped the charts here in Australia and it has been steadily climbing the charts in the UK and Europe. “We have had a lot of success over there,” says Pete. “It is strange to have a top ten album in Holland, but it has happened. We played a festival in Holland and it was a great vibe. But we want to really get back on the road here and let people hear the new album live.” The album is a real leap for Pete in terms of his songwriting, which is just getting better and better. From the moment you hear the funky piano riff on Chance To Say Goodbye, you know his writing is coming from a different place. “The origin of the song was not about my dad,” says Pete. “I was filling up with fuel in Lismore and I was looking at this rainbow over a church and there was a funeral going on. I thought what a beautiful day to die and be buried. So I wondered about that funeral and the person who was special to others and what their life meant. That’s what inspired the song. “The rest of the album has a bright, positive atmosphere to it,” Pete comments. “Living in Byron is great with the family and the studio. It gave me space to write and record. It is great to be producing my own music for the first time. I think my songwriting has matured and I think the production and mixes of the songs are better and suited to me and my music. One of the things I wanted to do as a producer was to capture that creative spark you feel as a song is being written, and that’s exactly what you hear on Summer At Eureka.” It is surely what you hear from this outstanding album. Pete Murray and The Stonemasons play the ANU Bar on Wednesday August 20 with Gin Wigmore. Summer At Eureka is out now on Sony/BMG.
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I have followed Thea Gilmore’s career from her first amazing album Burning Dorothy that she released at the age of 16. She has just released her eighth album and, boy, what a change. She has grown up under my nose; Liejacker is a mature, dark and more brutally honest album, in the wake of a series of troubling events in Gilmore’s life. She is really the best singer songwriter to come out of Britain in the last decade. Liejacker is an album of music that echoes in the heart, lingering long after you’ve finished listening to it. The combination of musical collaboration and harrowingly candid lyrics complement and develop the record, reaching out to the active listener. Highly recommended! I shall know no other God.
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Perfectly Clear may just be the best album Jewel has yet released - and I have liked all of them - and it will draw back fans from her first album Pieces Of Me. This new album instantly captures every aspect of this musician that I’ve enjoyed for so many years. It’s sweet, romantic, occasionally funny, and always the unique document of one unique woman. Jewel has stated that she was inspired by Linda Ronstadt’s Heart Like A Wheel when creating this album: a collection of less than a dozen songs that you can fully appreciate and absorb in one sitting. There isn’t any filler or fat on this album; each song was clearly approached with all the care and emotion they deserved. The hooks are immediate, the production is gentle and not at all intrusive and the songwriting is the same blend of quirky self-deprication and insightful gravitas that I’ve come to expect from Jewel.
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![\"Mark](\"http://www.bmamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/markseymour.jpg\" "\\"Mark") It’s safe to say MARK SEYMOUR is an Australian music icon. Formally the singer and frontman for Hunters and Collectors, one of Australia’s greatest ever live bands, Mark has enjoyed a long solo career, releasing six albums and performing all ‘round the country - with less band drama now, as he only has himself to worry about! For fans of Mark Seymour, a real highlight of one of his concerts is right at the very end, where he invites the entire audience to join him in a sing-a-long on his classic songs. His songs have become anthems; the likes of Holy Grail, When the River Runs Dry, Throw Your Arms Around Me, Talking to a Stranger, Say Goodbye, Do You See What I See and so many others are now Australian staples. Hunters and Collectors lasted for an amazing 17 years as a band, breaking up in 1998 after sell out farewell concerts across Australia. But Mark, ever prolific, refused to merge back into the shadows like the rest of the band. With six solo albums, work for films, a new book, environmental activism and a hard work ethic, he continues to tour, focusing on a mix of full band and acoustic performances. “The show in Canberra will be a more acoustic type of set,” says Mark. “I will probably decide what I will play on the night. I like to mix it up a little, no real setlist or anything, but I include the entire last new album, then a mix of songs from my older solo albums and songs from the Hunters era.” And what a back catalogue to choose from. “Yeah,” says Mark, “I must admit to being very lucky with having a big choice of songs to pick from. I know people want to hear the old Hunters songs as well and I am proud I wrote songs that people really relate to.” Mark has just written a book about his 18 years on the road with Hunters and Collectors called Thirteen Tonne Theory. It is about the energy and the mysteries within a band’s dynamics: dynamics that bore wonderful songs, but forces that, in the end, caused the band’s disintegration. “The book is doing really well,” says Mark. “The publishers were a bit worried about who or what type of people would buy this type of book. But it is into its second print run and I always get good feedback on the book and get told it’s a page turner. I guess the real reason people are interested in the story of Hunters is why it all ended. But, it is important to realise that it’s the little things within a band that are difficult to control and without central values that everyone holds, it can all fall apart with too much diversity in views and values. It was all so slippery.” “For me, the important part of my life is my family, solo work and the environment we live in,” says Mark. “I mean look what is happening with the desalination plant in South Gipsland. It will be an environmental disaster unless we do something to open up the debate about water, climate change and the type of power we use. We just need to be more aware of our actions and try to live a more sustainable life.” Mark’s values really shine through in his awareness of social action for social good, and it becomes apparent that there is only one Mark Seymour - one of the true innovators of the Australian music scene. Mark Seymour plays at Top of the Cross, Southern Cross Club Woden on Thursday August 7. Dinner and show from 7pm, show from 8.30pm. Bookings on 6283 7288. His book Thirteen Tonne Theory is out now on Penguin and his new album Titanic is out now on Liberation music.
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Charlotte Sometimes (Jessie Poland) has released the sauciest pop record this year. The songs on this album would please those gifted satirists and lyricists Melissa Lefton or Nellie McKay. Waves and the Both of Us is full of deceptively complex songs, but they are locked in airy, hook-laden melodies that are perfect for the coming summer. But the lyrics are dark and are thick with images of sex, jealousy and contempt. The style of the album is kind of hard to define as it is edgy, funky, singer/songwriter meets rockgrrl meets pop diva. Poland’s voice and music is addictive, distinct, and impressively unique in a rather stagnant world of singing clones. I highly recommend it for something a bit different.
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Ashleigh only picked up a guitar for the first time at the age of 11. Her joyful enthusiasm beams out through her music and live performance. In the few years she has been performing, Ashleigh has managed to grace the same stages as Lior, Citizen Cope, The Beautiful Girls, Alex Lloyd, Something for Kate, The Whitlams and Ron Sexsmith. The stand-out tracks on this EP are the lead single Power Of A Girl and the great live track Mirror. Ashleigh Mannix is certainly developing strongly and I hope an album is around the corner soon.
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Aimee Mann returns with her new album Smilers. This album is peppered with wonderful writing and catchy melodies, all of which remind us just how brilliant Mann is. The dirty-mouthed title should tell you she’s lost none of her acidic wit and worldly wisdom. All the songs are big, classic pop tunes. There are few who could have written “You love me like a dollar bill/You roll me up and trade me in” and make it sound so defiant, so meaningful. The songs on this album are some of the best tracks she has crafted in years.
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For those BMA readers who hunger for a classy new modern rock outfit, ANGELAS DISH could be your new favourite band. They hail from the Central Coast of NSW and are about to play live here in Canberra.
Angelas Dish is comprised of brothers Michael and Joshua Harris, bassist Peter Clarke and drummer Scott Mitchell. They have been together as a band for five years now and are starting out on that hard road of making and playing music professionally. “We started playing music together when we were young,” says Michael. “We went to Sunday school together and then to high school together, but it wasn’t until then that we started to form as a group.” While Angelas Dish have been on the road touring and recording solidly for the last five years - with three EPs to their name - the big news for the band is the recent release of their debut album War On Time, which hit the racks in March. They are now preparing to take the album to stages around the country on a number of headline, support and group tours. “We are in the tour van at the moment,” says Michael. “It is amazing. We are playing shows and schools and all sorts of places. Since the release of the album, life has been a bit hectic. It will be great to come to Canberra and play the Jack Daniels tour. We’ve heard that Canberra is a bit tough to crack, but we hope people will come and listen, and like what they hear.” The new album War On Time is a polished collection of songs that should appeal to a wide audience. Drawing from their influences and albums they admire, War On Time varies in pace; even stripping right back to an acoustic sound on tracks such as Piano Song and the short Memory. “We are really happy with the album and the sound. The album has had a great reception,” says Michael. “I know some of our older fans were a bit surprised by the album. I guess the sound was a little different from our EPs, but as people have listened to the album they like the changes. Our job now is to make sure as many people as possible hear it live – like it’s supposed to sound.” “I guess for now it’s all about touring,” says summarises. “It’s hard graft, always being on the move and playing somewhere different and keeping it together. I guess touring as a group is great 90% of the time. But we have good opportunities on the horizon and the touring will help establish some fan bases and hopefully the national tours, and especially tours overseas, will come.” And, with three national tours planned for the next year, Angelas Dish will have plenty of time and opportunity to develop their potential on the live circuit into a finely tuned, well oiled, rock machine. Angelas Dish play alongside Braindead Lovers and Dardanelles as part of The JD Set on Sunday June 8 at The Venue in Erindale shops, Wanniassa. Tickets from www.moshtix.com.au and all Moshtix outlets. Angelas Dish’s new album War On Time is out now on Boomtown Records.
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After 18 months spent constantly on the road, THE AUDREYS will be staying on the road. Following the release of their new album When The Flood Comes In, they’ve announced a series of new shows with a national tour and a stop here in Canberra at the ANU Bar. The Audreys bring their charming blues and roots to ANU Bar on Saturday May 31. Tickets through Ticketek. When The Last Flood Comes is out now on ABC/Warner music. The Audreys began as a band in Adelaide in 2004 and have grown in leaps and bounds, culminating in their ARIA award for Best Blues and Roots Album for their debut Between Last Night and Us. While some bands spend many years trying to build a name for themselves, it only took The Audreys 12 months. “We made our first album a year after our first gig, but it was released about six months after we made it,’’ says Tristan. “We were lucky to get stuck in a rain storm at a winery and discover these guys playing bluegrass, as we realised that we could use and play those instruments too.” The constant travelling gave The Audreys a chance to road-test the material for When The Flood Comes In. “I am in the van travelling as we speak with all the gear - but obviously I am not driving,” Tristan adds. “We have started playing live and our first gig with the new songs was last night. We were a bit nervous at first, but the new songs went over well and we were really happy with the sound.”
Even considering their wildly successful debut album, the band still wants to make fresh music rather than stick to the formula that earned critical acclaim. “The new album’s sound is a little darker than our first album and the instruments sound a little more disguised, but we wanted to explore that musical direction. I think it would be a danger to try and replicate something; we just wrote the best songs we could and then took them into the studio and did what we felt the song needed,” says Tristan. “That meant that the lead single Paradise City has changed somewhat since we first started playing it. It has changed a lot from the version we’d started playing live, but it’s changed for the better. It’s always a great track to play live, and now it has a new life on the record. We took a lot of time to get it right in the studio.” The Audreys offer one simple piece of advice as the key to success in the music business. “Make great music; if you make good music and put on good shows then people will notice, that’s how it works,’’ says Tristan. “It’s just such an honour to know that you have people who do want to hear your music. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”
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Pick yer poison.
 
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