Viewing entries tagged
new single

Halestorm - Interview with Arejay & Lzzy

Halestorm - Interview with Arejay & Lzzy

ROCK IS BACK FROM THE DEAD!

Hey Freaks! Rock is Back From The Dead and Long Live Rock Amen! Because Brendan The Blind Guy had the honour of chatting to the most Vicous siblings in rock, drummer Arejay and lead vocalist Lzzy Hale from U.S rock heavyweights, HALESTORM! The chat that emerged, was a fun, relaxed yet insightful conversation between three music lovers sharing the same passion for music! The trio covered topics such as team building skills, down time from relentless touring, coming home after a tour, the bands live shows and so much more banter filled hilarity! Want more? Scroll below for a bonus chat with Arejay

Bonus interview with Arejay

Brendan : So just on a personal level, how have you been since February when I last saw you?

Arejay : Great, so great. I've been writing a lot mostly with chemical fire, mostly with Taylor Carroll, my band mate in that project. And just really, I feel like we're really like hitting our stride, I'm really excited, we have a single coming out at the end of April, this project-called Chemical Fire that we started working on during the pandemic.

Again, like one of those projects where we were just looking for something to do, something creatively when we were just kind of not touring, not playing shows and it felt very weird. We were like oh, but we have to get creative and do something with music, otherwise, we're going to lose our minds. And we had been friends for a while, he plays drums with lit, but he also played drums with pillar and devour the day, he's incredible drummer, but also, a great singer and guitar player and songwriter and producer.

So we put our strengths together, and we started this project during the pandemic called chemical fire, and we've been just writing and working on it. And now, it's three years later, we have finally have something to show for it, we're finally going to release a song. We're going to play a show in Nashville on “Star Wars Day”, May the fourth be with you. We did a show in LA a while back and that was kind of our debut, kind of our introduction to the world and it went so good. We were just so excited.

It's a totally different type of thing. It's more like, it's a two-piece, but it's also kind of got like more of a punk kind of thing, it's a little bit more modern sounding. But really aggressive, but also really melodic, and just very genuine and honest when it comes to the writing and the songs and all that.

So been a bit of a passion project, so I'm excited for that to finally come out, so that's what I've been doing mostly.

Brendan : I was saying to Lzzy before you jumped on, I've actually been practicing my own cover of Heart of Novocaine on the piano and vocals.

Arejay : So cool, can’t wait to hear it 

Brendan : I do songwriting as well, one of the songs that I've written the lyrics to, and just starting to  recording in my home studio, the opening line is ***************

Arejay : That's brilliant, I love that. Oh my God, can I write with you? That's awesome.

Brendan : Well, I mean, oh God, it would be incredible if I could, if I had you doing the drums and co-writing with me.

Arejay : That's just a cool line, I didn't want to cut you off or stop you, I just thought that was a really great lyric, really awesome.

Brendan : Thank you .t’s so personal for me, because it's both figurative and literal. 

Arejay : Interesting, wow.

Brendan : *sings next few lines of original song .

Arejay : Oh, wow, that's solid. Any chance you might be releasing this song? Because I'm intrigued so far. Like coming from, like yes, from experience, like those are solid lyrics dude, those are great.

Brendan : Oh, thank you.

Arejay : It's right to the point.

Brendan : Yes. i love lyrics that can be taken multiple ways. my writing style is based around my own  personal experiences and circumstances. I like to express my lyrics in a way that it can resonate with everyone to suit their own  personal circumstances .  

Arejay : Dude, I hope you keep at it, because you got, it I see a lot of real potential with these ideas that you have. So I hope that you continue and pursue, continue sharpening your gift, because I'm really impressed, honestly.

Brendan : Yes. So that's basically what I've been doing in the past time since you've been in Sydney.

Arejay : Nice. I hope that you stick at it, because I like what I'm hearing so far, and I like these ideas.

Brendan : That is a massive inspiration for me.

Arejay : Oh. Well, that's awesome, man.

Arejay : If you think about it, a great example I always go to is Lizzo’s, Truth Hurts ,when the most memorable line in that song is “I took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that bitch” Like in a way, that's even more memorable than  the main chorus. I feel my mentality is like if you can hook them in the very first line, then you got them.

Like you obviously need a great hook, and I mean, for me in my experience of songwriting, it's gotten so scrutinous to the point that like every word, every line, every syllable should count. You shouldn't just settle for coming up with a line that vaguely is saying what you're trying to say, but you use it because it's a placeholder and it Rhymes, and it works rhythmically. Like no, make sure that every line means something, really important to you, that's something that I strive for anyway.

Brendan : Good, definitely. So you write lyrics as well?

Arejay : Oh yes, that's like kind of probably my main thing, especially in the Chemical Fire world .Taylor is such an incredible guitar player, and has a great ability to come up with great melodies that really work with his voice, and he's also encouraged me to do more singing and get more involved with that, because he was one of the first ones that saw that I had a voice in me. So yes, with the Chemical Fire stuff, it's both of us singing.

We're kind of like co-lead singers, I wouldn't call it that, because he's definitely the, I guess you would call the ''lead singer'', but like it is very much an equal partnership, which is really cool, it's a really cool dynamic in that sense. But I love words, I love lyrics, and that's always been my way of getting personal problems up, personal frustrations, is putting it into words.

I find that more fulfilling than just coming up with like an instrumental track or something. I would much rather come up with a story first, and then find music that also matches that story. But there's so many different ways of accomplishing that, there's no right or wrong way.

Brendan : Yes, that's really cool.  Any of the Halestorm lyrics yours? 

Arejay : You know what, Halestorm is another example of a very collaborative effort, which is great. Honestly, like the fact that the four of us have been doing this so long, and we can all do this together. I mean, we found out, especially pretty early on that the best way to make records is for us just to be in the room together, and just to come up with ideas and just have it be there.

But I mean, there's a million ways to do it. There's songs where I'm heavily involved, but there's songs where I'm not involved at all. There's songs that are really heavy on the co-writers, and songs that are 100% equal between all of us. So there's really no one way to do it, and it's really hard to even explain, because we've been doing it so long, we just know how to fall into that. I guess we don't really think about it, we just kind of do whatever feels right in the moment.

So yes, I mean, it rarely ever happens the same way twice with Halestorm, Chemical fire with any outside writing with any other artists or whatever. Like literally, every time is a brand new pathway to get there. You just have to trust the song. Like my favourite place to be in when writing is when all of a sudden, you go from writing the song, to the song starts writing itself, and you're just following after it. But it's different every time, some songs come out in five minutes, some songs take years, you're just kind of chipping away at it little by little.

So yes, it's really hard to tell or to say, because it's just endless the ways to do it, and the way that it's been done for all of us. Like every single song has its own way of getting there, yes, it's crazy.

Brendan : Yes, definitely. All right, that's really cool. I bought myself a Roland electronic drum kit, because I just love dabbling with as many instruments as I can. So even though my focus is on piano and vocal, I just love dabbling with all sorts of instruments. So you're like my inspiration of where I would love to be with drumming. Because I love double kick drums, but my legs don't.

Arejay : Mine too.

Brendan : So what's the technique for good rapid fire drumming?

Arejay : Oh God, I mean, my feet are not really all that fast at all. I know drummers that can just machine gun that type of technique, and my hat goes off to them. But I was a single bass player for a long time, and started re-implementing double bass like literally like going into this album cycle. So I was like oh boy, it's like riding a bike.

But for me, it just took just continuing to do it, and just continuing to work at it, to where I could kind of get back up to where I was. I feel like I'm at a point now where I feel pretty comfortable like putting in double bass fills here and there  for some flavour.

One thing I definitely started doing though, and it really helped a lot, before every Halestorm show, we do an hour of warm-up just the four of us in the dressing room, and I have a little practice kit back there. And while we're jamming and I'm just playing, and my hands are like laying down the twos and fours in my kick drum is like providing that groove, I started trying to play where I'm leading with my left foot. So I'm just like trying to like work on playing the same K drum patterns I would with my right foot but with my left foot, and it's really hard, really hard. Because you'll go like da da da da but then with your left foot, you're like da da  da da it can be like so muddy with your non-dominant foot.

So that's something I've actually been working on, and something that I think is a cool technique for other players to try if they're trying to get their left foot up to speed, try playing like just normal a single bass drum pattern, but try playing the single Bass with your left foot, and seeing if you can, and I started out real simple. I would just go boom,  da da da da and then finally, I could get up to the point where like I'm like boom da da da da da.

So like with every step, I would try to challenge myself to be a little bit faster with my left foot. So I don't know, it's funny because no one's asked me that, this is the first I'm actually thinking about it. Like oh, I forgot I did that. So that might be something to help if someone feels like their non-dominant limb is lacking, try leading with that limb. It's very similar to like if you have a muscle imbalance, if you're in the gym or something, it's good to like start with your non-dominant side, and match the reps with your dominant side.

So that way, you're kind of developing evenly. So I think the same thing can be done with your limbs when it comes to drumming, and when it comes to developing more of a balance with speed and velocity in those senses too.

Brendan : Yes, fair enough that’s great advice. Thank you so much. I absolutely love you guys,  and please, pass on my love to Lzzy.

Arejay : Oh, I'll be at rehearsal tomorrow, I'll definitely pass on the message for you for sure. I got your back, bud.

Brendan : Thank you so much, Arejay, it has been an absolute honour and take care.

Arejay : Thank you. And I can't wait to hear these songs, when you put them out, you let me know.

Brendan : Will do. Thanks again, Arejay.

Arejay : All right. Mwah, take care down there, down under. Give my best to everybody.

Brendan : Thank you so much, and see you next time.

Arejay : Well, see you soon, Brendan man, take care man.

Brendan : You too.

Arejay : Thanks bud.

Brendan : Thank you.

SHEPPARD 'Christmas Without You' Interview

SHEPPARD 'Christmas Without You' Interview

GERONIMO!!!

As we say Bombs Away to closing another challenging year, beloved Australian pop band SHEPPARD release their first Christmas song, 'Christmas Without You' a heart-felt sensation, for anyone not able to be with their loved ones at Christmas time. Brendan the blind guy was thrilled to catch up with the Sheppard trio to chat about the heart-felt single, plus their performance at the Lord Mayor Christmas Carols in Brisbane on December 11, the band's third studio album 'Kaleidoscope Eyes' and much more to free-dive into that'll make you go bananas!

Eskimo Joe '99 Ways' + 2022 National Tour - Interview With Kav Temperley

Comment

Eskimo Joe '99 Ways' + 2022 National Tour - Interview With Kav Temperley

“LITERALLY INFECTIOUS”

13148438-16x9-large.jpg

Multi-platinum selling household names of Aussie rock ESKIMO recently released their "literally infectious" new single '99 Ways' plus announced the 'Black Fingernails Red Wine In The City' National tour, playing both iconic albums 'Black Fingernails Red Wine' and 'A Song Is A City' in both their entireties plus a surprise! "the surprise being..."

Brendan the blind guy was thrilled to catch up with Eskimo Joe lead singer Kav to chat about the new single, tour, Barry Gibbs' vocal warm-ups and much more to throw a ball at!


Check out tour dates, all relevant info and buy tickets for Eskimo Joe’s ‘Black Finernails Red Wine In The City’ 2022 National Tour via the official Frontier Touring website here

Comment

Backstage With RUBY FIELDS - Newcastle 13/11/2020"

Comment

Backstage With RUBY FIELDS - Newcastle 13/11/2020"

“AW THAT SHTINKS!”

This year has been a Pretty Grim year, but live music IS BACK!

Much loved indie-punk/rock-babe RUBY FIELDS and her fellow lads of musical honour, ripped the bandaid off of the concert dry spell for Newcastle and Brendan the blind guy, with two epic shows at the Cambridge Hotel during Great Southern Nights throughout November 2020!

Brendan was thrilled to hang out with Ruby and the band for a chat after the show to find out how they've been through the pandemic, new music lurking in the near future, and lots of banter that will leave a suspicious taste in your mouth as you wonder how a dishwasher got on his leg!

Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

I had goosebumps during the show from the purity and earnestness of Ruby and the band’s performance!! It felt like my first gig all over again!

Being a table-seating, atmospheric, candle-lit setting gae the show a special intimate feeling to it, which the way Ruby was able to speak to and connect with everyone personally, not just to a crowd of people in the same way she’d speak and connect with you in any other one-on-one setting made for a truly special night!

- Brendan -

Comment

From Ashes To New 'Panic' - Interview With Danny Case

From Ashes To New 'Panic' - Interview With Danny Case

“LIKE AN HOUR-LONG YOGA CLASS”

FATN.jpg

"LIKE AN HOUR-LONG YOGA CLASS" U.S rock heavyweights FROM ASHES TO NEW drop their highly anticipated third studio album, 'Panic' featuring singles 'What I Get' and 'Panic'. To celebrate the release of their new album, vocalist Danny Case had a chat to Brendan the blind guy about the idea behind the album, the bands writing methods and much more hot 'n' spicy magic! Like, Share and Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on our social medias and via our newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

U.S rock heavyweights FROM ASHES TO NEW drop their highly anticipated third studio album, 'Panic' featuring singles 'What I Get' and 'Panic'.

To celebrate the release of their new album, vocalist Danny Case had a chat to Brendan the blind guy about the idea behind the album, the bands writing methods and much more hot 'n' spicy magic!

I could not even begin to fathom that times a hundred!

Like, Share and Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on our social medias and via our newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

Montana Sharp 'Greenhouse' Single - Podcast Interview

Comment

Montana Sharp 'Greenhouse' Single - Podcast Interview

“I WISH I WAS A SLICE OF CHEESE”

Montana Sharp.png

"I WISH I WAS A SLICE OF CHEESE" Classically trained pop new-comer MONTANA SHARP drops her mysterious, theatrical and spine-tingling debut single 'Greenhouse' Brendan the blind guy had a chat to Montana about the single and more to make you feel like a Disney Princess!

Classically trained pop new-comer MONTANA SHARP drops her mysterious, theatrical and spine-tingling debut single 'Greenhouse' Brendan the blind guy had a chat to Montana about the single and more that’ll make you feel like a Disney Princess!

“Apart from it having the obvious humorous lyrics, it’s actually quite beautiful as far as the music goes and all in all, shows a rare creativity and talent for songwriting which I think people will love!” Brendan - ‘A Slice Of Cheese’

View the press release for ‘Greenhouse’ by Montana Sharp here.

Like, Share and follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our e-newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

Comment

NATHAN CAVALERIA - 'Demons' Podcast Interview

Comment

NATHAN CAVALERIA - 'Demons' Podcast Interview

“IT IS WHAT IT IS AND I’M STRONGER FOR IT”

Nathan Cavaleri.jpg

The talented and inspirational blues-rock guitar prodigy NATHAN CAVALERI unveils his new album 'Demons' featuring emotive single 'Before You Check Out' plus announces a string of headline Australian tour dates, a spot on the Bluesfest 2021 line-up and an episode on ABC's Australian Story, sharing his incredible story! Brendan the blind guy had a deep, meaningful and uplifting chat with the prodigal guitarist about the new album, beating Leukaemia, selling out arenas with some of the industries biggest names and much more! Like, Share and Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our e-nesletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

The talented and inspirational blues-rock guitar prodigy NATHAN CAVALERI unveils his new album 'Demons' featuring emotive single 'Before You Check Out' plus announces a string of headline Australian tour dates, a spot on the Bluesfest 2021 line-up and an episode on ABC's Australian Story, sharing his incredible story!

Brendan the blind guy had a deep, meaningful and uplifting chat with the prodigal guitarist about the new album, beating Leukaemia, selling out arenas with some of the industries biggest names and much more!

For the ABC Australian Story episode on Nathan Cavaleri, click here.

Like, Share and Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our e-newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

Check out the press release announcing new single ‘Before You Check Out’, album ‘Demons’ and more here

Comment

Grace Farriss - 'All The People' Podcast Interview 20/07/2020

Comment

Grace Farriss - 'All The People' Podcast Interview 20/07/2020

THE EXACT DEFINITION OF FUNK!

All the people seeking a pick me up for the cold Winters' week, look no further for I present to you singer, songwriter, composer, producer, author, poet, painter and environmentalist, the stunning and talented GRACE FARRIS! Brendan the blind guy had a chat to Grace who recently dropped her "explosive fireball of funk" new debut single 'All The People' off her upcoming debut album 'Grace' featuring a stella line-up of performers. On top of that Brendan and Grace talked about Grace growing up with her rockstar dad, the legendary Andrew Farriss from INXS and much more! Like, share and sign up to Keen Eye 4 Concerts' newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com

All the people seeking a pick me up for the cold Winters' week, look no further for I present to you singer, songwriter, composer, producer, author, poet, painter and environmentalist, the stunning and talented GRACE FARRIS!

Brendan the blind guy had a chat to Grace who recently dropped her "explosive fireball of funk" new debut single 'All The People' off her upcoming debut album 'Grace' featuring a impressive line-up of performers. On top of that Brendan and Grace talked about Grace growing up with her rockstar dad, the legendary Andrew Farriss from INXS and much more!

Like, share and sign up to Keen Eye 4 Concerts' newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up

View ‘All The People’ press release here

Comment

TRAVALLEY 'Dear Babe' Single Q&A

1 Comment

TRAVALLEY 'Dear Babe' Single Q&A

           

MEDIA RELEASE:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, THURSDAY MAY 7

TRAVALLEY DROP RAUCOUS NEW SINGLE AND BONKERS VIDEO DEAR BABE

Travalley May 2020.jpg

 

Aussie brothers, Travalley have today dropped their seriously fun, raucous new single, Dear Babe.  The track is accompanied by a fittingly bonkers video that sees the duo, Levi and Sam Mellington, munch through as many chillies as possible throughout the duration of the clip, and they’ll be celebrating the release with a livestream single launch on Saturday May 23 at 7pm on Instagram.

Upbeat and hooky as all getout, this driving indie rock track will be lapped up by fans of Lime Cordiale, The Jungle Giants, Hockey Dad and Skegss, and will have listeners toe-tapping, singing along with the insanely catchy backing vocals and coming back for more.  Recorded in a Melbourne home studio, engineered by Fabian Hunter and mixed and mastered by Austin Asvanonda (The War on Drugs), Dear Babe is about lead singer Levi’s lack of ability to be able to flirt or express how he feels. “I always manage to say the wrong thing or give too much away too early which tends to end up in the “what if I said this” situation happening over and over again and then repeating the process with the same results,” Levi explains. “About a year ago, I finally stuck to my guns and held back from blurting out everything about myself to a girl, I was so impressed with myself that I decided to write a song about all my past experiences, and now here we are! We just hope people really enjoy the song and get a laugh out of the film clip.”

Filmed and edited by Gareth Harrison (DJ for Yacht Club DJs who also tours regularly with DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats), the concept for the Dear Babe video was inspired by the DZ Deathrays The mess Up film clip where the guys drank as much alcohol over the duration of the song.  An extrapolation of this was then released by Dune Rats in Red Light Green Light where they smoked as much as they could.  Pretty chuffed with their ingeniousness with this video concept that is sure to set tongues wagging, and rightfully so, Levi explains, “We decided to continue the trend that these two amazing bands created, and stupidly ate as many chillies as we could within the time of the film clip. Little did we know that we ate far more than expected and experienced all sorts of pains for days after the video was filmed!”

Having spent a lifetime together, and the greatest part of it playing music together, the visceral bond present in their playing and their vocal harmonies is obvious, and their onstage banter is infectious.  And though the brothers have been combatting a heap of change during the Covid19 madness, they’re also able to see the positives. “We’ve had a lot more time to write new music and expand our sound, and we’ve had to come up with more creative ways to keep our fans engaged, but it’s also given us the opportunity to sit back and relax for the first time in a long time,” says Levi. “But like many other bands out there, we had to cancel our entire tour and a bunch of bookings too. The biggest thing we’ve missed is playing live to our amazing fans that travel to come see us play. Once this has passed and we are able to start playing music in front of people again, we can only imagine how amazing and hyped everyone will be to get out and have a great time.”

Dear Babe is released today.


Stream: Dear Babe

View: Dear Babe

DEAR BABE | LIVESTREAM INSTAGRAM SINGLE LAUNCH | SATURDAY MAY 23 | 7PM

CONNECT WITH TRAVALLEY

           

 

TRAVALLEY Q&A

What’s the inspiration behind Dear Babe? 

 “The song was inspired by my inability to get my message across to someone that I like. I'm sure everyone has experienced something like this over the years so it’s an ode to everyone who freezes up or becomes awkward in those tough times in life.” 



Who are your greatest musical influences?

 “Jungle Giants and Hockey Dad for sure. We have looked up to these 2 artists ever since we started making music really. They both make absolute bangers and their live shows are super  high energy. We have taken bits and pieces from both artists. More so chord progressions from Jungle Giants as they suit our sound better. “



What do you bring to the live stage? 

 We bring a very high energy to each show and generally bring audience members up on stage to enjoy the time with us. We have found by being welcoming to the crowd and acknowledging them quite a lot, they generally become more involved with the show. Our best shows are always the ones where the crowd are dancing and singing. “



How was the recording process? 

 “The recording process was extremely quick. The entire process of writing, recording and releasing the track was incredibly quick to be completely honest. It was fun though. We recorded  through a guy in Melb just before lockdown happened so we got in just at the right time. We were able to get the entire song recorded in about 4 hours. Because it is short and fairly simple there wasn’t anything exciting to happen.” 



What was the inspiration behind the music video? 

We got inspiration from DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats. They did very similar videos to us except what they consumed was  a little different, check them out if you are curious. For us, eating chillies was the next best thing and boy did we regret it the next day.” 



How would you describe your writing process? 

 “The writing process I use is pretty bizarre but it works. I use a shitty 5 string guitar with a huge crack through the body of the guitar. IT sounds horrible.. However, if i can get it to sound good on that, it will sound good on anything. After I write the guitar section I will generally write the vocals and then bring it to a jam session.” 



Give us an interesting personal fact!

“I can hold my breath for a really long time, we are talking like the entire length of Dear Babe.” 

 

Embed Block
Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

1 Comment

Harper Bloom 'Mary' Q&A

Comment

Harper Bloom 'Mary' Q&A

HOLY MOTHER OF MARY!

HARPER BLOOM SHARES DEBUT SINGLE & VIDEO MARY 

Harper Bloom.jpg

 

Upcoming folkster Harper Bloom (otherwise known as Hayley De Pledge) has today announced her debut single Mary, a gorgeous, empowering romp about taking control back over your life, out April 2.  Harper Bloom has also announced a moving clip to accompany the release, directed by David Hansen (notable for his short film Anija).  

For fans of Alex The Astronaut, Courtney Barnett and Paul Kelly, Harper Bloom’s Mary is a wonderful example of brilliant Australian songwriting from beginning to end.  Deeply personal, affecting and sweet, Mary shines with acoustic guitars, driving percussion and Harper Bloom’s wonderfully unique, gentle vocals.  Working alongside Benjamin McCarthy (G Flip, Thelma Plum, Megan Washington) to bring Mary to life, Harper Bloom is sure to impress with this brilliant single.  Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Harper Bloom enthuses, “The single is essentially about not being afraid to be vulnerable and take risks, no matter who you are or how old you are.  It’s about having the strength to leave a comfortable, mundane existence behind in search of enriching experiences and a new lease of life.  The idea really came from observing people on trains and buses…some of the verses came from overheard conversations or things I saw on public transport, and watching  the body language and expressions of people doing a job they didn’t really want to be doing.”

The clip for Mary is so well done, so touching, that it will absolutely stay with the viewer for hours after viewing.  It follows the story of an elderly wife, who finally liberates herself from the hum-drum nature of daily life, bucking all expectations for what elderly people should and shouldn’t do and having a ball all throughout.  It’s a beautiful, cinematic clip – every freeze frame looks like a spectacular photograph.  Reflecting on the narrative of the video for Mary, Harper Bloom says, “The story begins in Mary’s run-down suburban home – which was my sharehouse at the time – with her husband drunk and unresponsive on the couch.  After moments of taking in her life over the past 60 years, she gains clarity and decides to finally leave.  The story then follows Mary on her journey of rediscovery.”

Mary is set for release on April 2. 

“Loving this debut release from Harper Bloom.  Good luck resisting this song’s stirring pull and Harper Bloom’s storytelling nous” Dave Ruby Howe, triple j unearthed

“Fans of Alex The Astronaut should keep an ear out for your charming, stream of consciousness, observant songwriting and the fun-as-hell musical bits and bobs that accompany it” Abby Butler, triple j unearthed

 

Listen: MARY

Watch: MARY

 

   Q&A WITH HARPER BLOOM

What’s the inspiration behind your new single ‘Mary’? 
”It’s a narrative about an older lady who is living a mundane existence who finds the courage to leave in search of enriching experiences and a new lease of life. I think subconsciously the initial idea came from working with a few middle-aged women who weren’t happy with their lives and had a lot of regrets about avenues they didn’t pursue. So, its just about having the courage to move forward and make a change, which is scary because change is uncertain. The song was then glued together by things I had seen or conversations I had heard on public transport between New York, Perth and Melbourne.”

 

 Who are your greatest musical influences?
I would say artists whose music has longevity and resonates with multiple generations. A huge influence has been Bob Dylan because of his ability to take observations from the world around him to convey thought provoking messages about society in his songs. Then there’s the metaphorical writing style of Stevie Nicks. I think by being more symbolic in lyrics, their meaning can be inferred differently by different people and in that way the songs can be more personal. Also, the Beatles and their ability to push out catchy hooks that resonate with people. They also got me into arranging fingerstyle melodies.”  

 

 What do you bring to the live stage? 
I have formed a full 4-piece band early this year, which I am really excited about. All the band members are extremely seasoned and talented musicians (Keyboardist- Jack Saward, Bassist- Joe Kniepp and Drummer- David Quested) and I am stoked to have them on board. As I was formerly playing solo or as a duo, it’s nice to have a full band as it helps bring the single and debut EP to life. The live show is pretty energetic and upbeat with acoustic-pop driven songs and a couple of open-hearted ballads in between.”

 

 How was the recording process? 

“It was a lot of fun. I was lucky enough to work with an amazing producer called Benjamin McCarthy! He has worked with a bunch of talented artists such as G-flip, Thelma Plum and Alex The Astronaut. He has a studio set up at his Carlton house which is where we recorded the track. Ben arranged keys and the driving drum beat which really made the song pop.”

 

 What was the inspiration behind the music video? 

“I think the narrative of the song inspired the foundation of the music video. I also worked with an amazing director called David Hansen who was able to generate a storyline that didn’t follow the lyrics so literally, instead he used the general message of the song to form the story-line in the video. So, we came up with ideas of scenes that represent freedom and then ended on a scene that was symbolic of moving onto a new chapter in life.”

 

How would you describe your writing process? 

“Most of the time I catalogue lines in my notebook or phone. Maybe it’s something that I thought of, or read or heard somewhere. I am kind of obsessed with doing that. I won’t watch a movie or go anywhere without my notebook. Then when I am feeling inspired, I write sections of songs or a melody. Most of the time, I write a little bit then sit on it and let it stew and then come back to it. Then other times, but not as often, a whole chorus or verse can come out of no-where.”

 

 Give us an interesting personal fact!

“I worked as a beach lifeguard for 4 years and was lucky enough to work and live on an Island off the W.A coast!”

 

Comment

KIT (All Our Exes Live In Texas) 'Good Guy' Single Q&A

Comment

KIT (All Our Exes Live In Texas) 'Good Guy' Single Q&A

THE GOOD GUY IS BEST!

KIT press shot 2 photo credit Annette Widitz.jpg

KIT ANNOUNCES DEBUT SINGLE AND VIDEO GOOD GUY

 

An integral part of the beloved Australian group All Our Exes Live In Texas, Kit (otherwise known as Katie Wighton) has today announced her debut solo release, Good Guy.  A gritty, guitar-led powerhouse of a single, Good Guy calls out every dude who’s ever gotten away with bad behaviour.  Kit has also released a stellar clip to accompany Good Guy, created in collaboration with Gina Somfleth of Pop Candi Films (Merpire, Peach Noise, Press Club).  

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Kit has had to be creative with her single launch shows. After performing at ISOLAID on March 22 she was inspired to do her single launch show live on Instagram. With support from Bonnie Songs , Nancie Schipper & Hannah Blackburn, Kit will perform live from her livingroom on Friday April 17 at 7pm AEDT. She will have a Bandcamp set up with the idea that people can buy the single and donate what they may have paid to come to the show, and a percentage of the proceeds from the night will also go to Support Act to help those who are seriously suffering in our musical community."I find it very interesting that at the moment the things we seem to be talking about are our healthcare workers and hospitals, schools and universities and The Arts. In a crisis, these things become the most important and I hope that when we get through this awful time we will remember that.” Kit remarks.  “Being creative can sometimes be a burden but right now, it's our biggest asset. I've been doing the crossword on Instagram live and also have started an insta-choir – which is so much fun. I was sitting in my room playing a Hank Williams song and really missing the harmonies, so I chucked it up on my socials and asked people to send in their harmonies. The second week has really taken on a life of its own - we did Two Strong Hearts and had drums and bass and even a wine bottle solo! It’s so beautiful to connect with people safely and bring a little smile to people across the interwebs!”

Co-written with Ali Barter (also featured on backing vocals) and created with producers Dave Symes (Boy and Bear, Sarah Blasko, Missy Higgins) and James Seymour (Merpire, Eaglemont), Good Guy is a sharp, hard-hitting track with a vital message.  One for fans of rockers Alex Lahey, Angel Olsen and Ruby Fields, Good Guy leads with its heart on its sleeve; with amps cranked and driving percussion alongside clever and playful melodies, this track is impossible to ignore.  Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Kit explains, “I wrote this song with Ali Barter last year after having one too many conversations with amazing women about men in the entertainment industry getting away with bad behaviour.  There is a long and specific story behind it, basically I was tired of hearing sad songs by incredible women about other remarkable women who were wronged – I just wanted to get mad about it. The chorus is kind of a G-rated ‘fuck the patriarchy’.  One of the lyrics is 'it's bigger than us both’.  The conversations stopped just being about my own sadness, anger, disappointment and horror and turned into ‘What the actual shit is going on around us?  How can we fix this?’

The clip for Good Guy reinforces the message behind the track wholeheartedly.  Reflecting on the video, Kit says, “It's kind of alluding to the experience of someone seeming like a lovely person at first and lulling you into a semi-false sense of security.  Then bam, they do something shit and you're all confused.  And I feel like it's so common now.  Sometimes it's not even something that bad.  Ghosting and not replying to texts, not going straight for a condom, not being honest and open about where they're at.  Anyway, it's that.  In a film clip.  You'll just have to watch it to get the full scoop!  And it's shot in Melbourne at some of my favourite spots!  The patriarchy is giving me a lot of creative fodder, ha!”

Good Guy is a far cry from the exquisite folk stylings of All Our Exes Live In Texas that fans might know Kit best for, but it’s all a melting pot of influences as she explains, “I've been listening to different music – more rocky, raw stuff.  We played folk songs for a long time and I got to a point where I wanted to yell a bit.  Get my punk on!  And have my own voice too.  The band has definitely been a part of KIT, even if it isn't conscious.  Those women are a really important part of my music and emotional history and it would be naïve to think it hasn't influenced KIT.”

Good Guy is out April 3 through Believe.

Listen: GOOD GUY

Watch: GOOD GUY

 FRIDAY 17 APR @ 7pm AEDT | LIVE ON INSTAGRAM WITH BONNIE SONGS, NANCIE SCHIPPER & HANNAH BLACKBURN

         

Q&A WITH KIT

What’s the inspiration behind your new single Good Guy? 

“I wrote this song with Ali Barter last year after having one too many conversations with amazing women about men in the entertainment industry getting away with bad behaviour. There is a long and specific story behind it, basically I was tired of hearing sad songs by incredible women about other remarkable

women who were wronged – I just wanted to get mad about it. The chorus is kind of a G-rated ‘fuck the patriarchy’. One of the lyrics is ‘this is bigger than us both’. The conversations stopped just being about my own sadness, anger, disappointment and horror and turned into ‘What the actual shit is going on around us? How can we fix this?”

 

Who are your greatest musical influences?

“Phoebe Bridgers, Merpire, my mum. “

 

What do you bring to the live stage? 

“I HOPE good banter and open, honest music. “

 

How was the recording process? 

“Long haha! But so fun. I was just so picky about this first single that it took awhile. Thankfully I had a lot of very kind, patient, BRILLIANT musicians and friends around me so that helped. And in the end I’m really proud of where we got to so it was all worth it!”

 

What was the inspiration behind the music video? 

“Well we’re tackling what I think is pretty heavy subject matter so Gina Somfleth (from Popcandi and who I made the clip with) and I were keen to stay away from that. We wanted to find a humourous route to take so we went with going on a date with the devil - except I don’t know he’s the bad guy!!”

 

How would you describe your writing process? 

 “I think it changes all the time. BUT I would say I mostly start with an idea or a melody. Then I usually build it from there. Honestly there’s no one way though! “

 

Give us an interesting personal fact!

“I once baked a cake with a BB8 (Star Wars) on the top of it for a friend’s birthday. I still sleep with a teddy bear called White Bear and he’s actually a cat. “

 

Comment

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 'Unbroken' Q&A Interview

Comment

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 'Unbroken' Q&A Interview

“I’LL REMAIN UNBROKEN!”

The Butterfly Effect Good Things live shot.jpg
<script data-ad-client="ca-pub-8252639257577867" async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

Q&A INTERVIEW WITH CLINT BOGE

Hey everyone, Brendan the blind guy here! In these “unprecedented times” that’ve Gone and issued at least One Second Of Insanity over our lives like  A Slow Descent of darkness, we Crave and Reach for freedom and normality. Although the World’s On Fire at the moment, we will rise again out of the ashes like a Phoenix, because no matter what, we Always have the lifeline that is music, which remains Unbroken

 

So, consider these guys your saviours! Ladies & gentlemen, lords & ladies, I give to you Australia’s favourite rockers, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT!

Brendan; Last August, you warmed up fans with your first new musical offering in over a decade, the fiery powerhouse single ’Unbroken’. As fitting as this song is for these hard times, point in case the first verse“when all that you’ve known, is taken away, inside a heart that died, living a lonely life”, this song was written before this current crises, even before the recent national bushfire crisis. So what was the inspiration for this song?

 

Clint – “Unbroken” was inspired by the emotional rollercoaster that is life. I drew on some really dark and turbulent times in my life for some of the lyrical content. But I also wanted to highlight the fact that I gotten through every bad day of my life and I was still standing. We all have a fight and I wanted people to know that they are not alone and I hope that every time they listen to Unbroken that they feel a little better knowing that.

 

Brendan; This song definitely has a more powerful, anthemic drive to it musically speaking I find, with a major-tone in the chorus to lift up the spirits and help carry the soaring vocals. What are the influences and musical flavours you’ve drawn on for this song, and are any in contrast to previous influences?

 

Clint – There is so much great music that is always out there floating around in the ether, you can’t help but be inspired by it. I don’t think there was any one influence I could put my finger on though. We really wanted to sound like a band that had grown and matured, whilst still sounding like us, just fresher and reenergised after our little holiday.

 

Brendan; I’m sure we’re all keen to find out if this song is a taste of a possible new album coming soon, and if so, what can fans expect from the new music to come?

 

Clint – It definitely is and we are working hard on a brand new full length album as we speak. We have demo’d about 6 or 7 songs to date, so we are hoping to have an album ready for release some time next year. 

 

Brendan; Recently you dropped the video clip for Unbroken which gives viewers an in-your-face experience on-stage and backstage, featuring footage from your performances at Good Things Festival in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. What inspired you to take this approach for the video? 

 

Clint – I don’t think we’ve done a live crowd footage based clip since “One Second of Insanity” from Begins Here. I’ve always loved those kinds of clips as you get an insight into what it’s like for the band both on stage and back stage. We had the best time on the “Good Things” festival and really wanted to share that great experience with everyone.

 

Brendan; Right, if this interview is a meal, we’ve served up the tasties, now time for the veggies. Seeing as we’re all going a bit stir-crazy stuck in isolation cut off from our surroundings and thus physical contact with people, we have to be a bit more creative with our time and methods of coping and living. Over on the Let’s Talk blog page, I asked people to share how they’re coping with the help of music and what creative projects fans and artists are undergoing. So, despite not being able to perform at shows, have these times been opened up any new creative pathways, and how have you all been coping and staying sane?

 

Clint – I’m sure for a lot of musicians and creative people out there, this time has been used to create new art. I’ve had time to get more lyrics written, finished songs that have been kicking around for ages, working on demos for all of my projects, so it’s that little bit of down time some of us needed. Other than that playing a shit load of COD, drinking responsibly and annoying my friends :P

 

Brendan; Now time for dessert! Let’s get exclusive guys, just me and you… So, what is an exclusive fun-fact about yourselves? (anything you want music related or not)

 

Clint – I don’t know about “fun fact” and I really wish I had some crazy stuff to tell you but we’ve become really boring ha ha! We’ve traded late nights and partying for eating well and getting enough sleep. We are leaving the crazy stuff to the next generation of musos coming through!

 

Brendan; Want more dessert? Good, ‘cause it’s time for my favourite question of all! It’s WTF time y’all! So, guys, you must have some pretty priceless moments on your music journey, but what’s the one that takes the cake as the most hilarious, priceless, WTF of them all?

 

Clint – We’ve seen the world, played some amazing shows, been on some amazing tours, there has been partying, nudity oh so much nudity ha ha, so much fun, it really does play out like the immortal words from ACDC in it’s a long way to the top. But the one that takes the cake for me and it’s pretty simple really and didn’t involve any nudity (well I think) was the time someone lost the masters to one of our albums in transit from LA to Brisbane. I’m still scratching my head about that one and they’ve never turned up, both parties involved still blame each other, ha ha 

 

Brendan; Thanks so much for taking the time to chat guy’s! Let’s wrap things up with a message to all fans out there, particularly those struggling in these hard times, what would you like to say to them?

 

Clint – Thank you so much for all of your continued support, you guys are the best. We have new music on its way and I gotta say some of the new tunes gave me goosebumps. You know that’s a good sign after 20yrs, the vibe in the band room has never been better. Everyone is inspired and energised to deliver a great album that we hope you will love just as much as the others. Hang in there guys, it’s on its way. Big luv always C

 

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT DROP VIDEO CLIP FOR FIRST NEW MUSICAL OFFERING IN OVER A DECADE

UNBROKEN

The Butterfly Effect Good Things live shot.jpg



Off the back of a sold out tour, a towering new single, and killer sets at Good Things festival, Australia’s favourite rockers The Butterfly Effect have today served up the video for their first new musical offering in over a decade, Unbroken – giving viewers a AAA pass to life on stage and backstage.  Featuring behind the scenes footage and on-stage rampaging from their performances at Good Things Festival in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the video will allow everyone to relive their festival-going days, and is an in-your-face reminder of just how staggeringly powerful and relevant this band is, and offers a genuine insight in to the comradery within.  
 
True to name, The Butterfly Effect is indeed a force, and they have clearly been missed by a patient and loyal fanbase who were right back there with them the moment it was revealed the band were back together.
 

“Releasing Unbroken was a pivotal moment in itself for us. We're so happy to have been able to write more music as ‘The Butterfly Effect’. To then be added to the Good Things bill really topped off 2019 for us, "lead vocalist Clint Boge says.  “To be honest, stepping out onto those festival stages again was a real uncertainty for us. It'd been 10 years between festival performances so to see that many faces, young and old in the audience really solidified to us that pushing forward with new material was an absolute must.”
 
Formed in 1999, The Butterfly Effect have enjoyed an illustrious career racking up some impressive stats, including three massive albums – all certified Gold – multiple appearances at renowned festivals including Livid, Falls Festival, Big Day Out and more, countless national and overseas tours, six consecutive years in triple j’s Hottest 100, three features on triple j’s Live at the Wireless, and a number one-selling DVD documentary and concert film.  Despite sustained successes throughout the 00s, the rigours of band life took their toll on the band – and in 2014 The Butterfly Effect went on indefinite hiatus.  After reconnecting at a rock show, the guys decided that a beer and a chat was in order. That catch up eventually led to a sold out national tour, and an ongoing desire to continue making music, which saw The Butterfly Effect jump into the studio, and as a result, the bold new single Unbroken was born.  The melancholic track is a refreshingly honest and impassioned offering from the experienced hard rockers, and one that proves their creative connection is stronger than ever. 

“We're having a blast!” Boge enthuses, “Obviously we can't all be in the studio together at the moment but writing music online is going to be the new normal for us for the next few months. It's sounding like us, which is exciting! The feeling is reminiscent of when the band first started writing together back in the early 2000s.” 

And in more thrilling news for fans, the band are hopeful to have some new music to dish out before 2020 is done, with Boge saying, “We’re obviously in uncharted territory in terms of when life will get back to normal for everyone, but for now – dropping new music before the end of the year is our plan, and Unbroken sets the tone for what's to come.”

The Butterfly Effect is Ben Hall (drums), Clint Boge (lead vocals), Glenn Edmond (bass guitar) and Kurt Goedhart (lead guitar).

Comment

Butterfingers 'Bad News' Q&amp;A

Comment

Butterfingers 'Bad News' Q&A

BAD NEWS? HARDLY!

Butterfingers 2020 med res.jpg

AUSSIE HIP HOP LEGENDS
DROP NEW ALBUM 
BAD NEWS TODAY
ANNOUNCE NEW OCT/NOV/DEC DATES FOR POSTPONED NATIONAL ALBUM TOUR


MEDIA RELEASE:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, WEDNESDAY APRIL 8

Australia’s favourite musical misfits and legends of noughties Aussie hip-hop, Butterfingers are back with their outrageous and fittingly titled new album Bad News, out today, April 8.  Confident and with more rapturous energy and piercing lyrical wit than ever before, the band’s first album in 14 years is bold and adventurous, while still retaining that classic, clever, inimitable Butterfingers sound.  To celebrate the album’s release today, they have very kindly delivered another gold nugget of true blue entertainment in the form of a video for their new single – the album title track - Bad News, directed, filmed and edited entirely by lead singer and songwriter, Evil Eddie.
 
But wait, there’s more, Butterfingers have today announced their postponed national tour dates for later this year, set to kick off at the Prince of Wales in Bunbury (WA) on October 29 before moving through Perth, Scarborough, Fremantle, Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane, Burleigh Heads, Adelaide, Melbourne, Frankston, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, Townsville and finishing up at Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns on December 12.
 
“What a time to be releasing an album called Bad News!” Jests Evil Eddie.  “It’s crazy to think it’s been 14 years since our last album, cause it doesn’t feel like it all. We are super pumped to finally be getting it out there, but the actual process - eventhough it’s been so long - feels like it’s our regular routine, and it will be from now. The new album is out today and we’ve got waaaaaay more to come straight after, we’ve got a lot to say right now.” 
 
True to form, the Bad News album encompasses hip hop, punk, reggae, drum & bass, stoner rock, electronica and just about anything that makes you want to shake your bones, into a cohesive mash-up all of their own creation.  From potty-mouthed gutter rhymes to heartfelt crooning odes to love lost, this is an album that will keep old fans happy and will entice new followers at an alarming rate.
 
Inspired by the film Anchorman, the video clip for Bad News is downright bonkers and offers fans some further insight in to just how weird and hilarious the workings of Evil Eddie’s brain really are. “Being that the album and the single are both called Bad News, it made sense to us to dress up as news readers and deliver the bad news in a proper and professional manner, crazy timing too with everything that’s going on in the world at the minute. In a weird way it feels like somehow it’s meant to be,” explains Eddie. “Anyway, hopefully it can serve as a lighthearted distraction from all the gloom we’re drowning in within the media at moment. This really is the time that people actually need entertainment just to keep them sane. We’re probably not the heroes you asked for, but we’re the ones you’ve got!”
 
Having rediscovered their unified passion, and with an impressive haul of new material under their belt, Butterfingers are officially back to blow minds, bend genres and push the boundaries of good taste with their rare blend of obscenity, wit and charm on stages across Australia. “The great news is that we have rebooked the Bad News album tour to run over Oct, Nov, Dec, and your tickets are still valid in most cases and we are absolutely fanging for these shows,” Evil Eddie enthuses. “The silver lining with the Covid19 postponement is that now you guys will actually have a chance to get familiar with our new bangers before we show up on your doorstep. Keep your ears peeled folks, we’re coming to get ya.”
 
Butterfingers is Evil Eddie (vocals, guitar), Olly Thomas (keys, samples, percussion), Bradzilla Cochrane (bass) and Tony McCall (drums).
 
Bad News is released today through Bewilderbeats
 
Tickets to the Bad News Tour are available now.  Hit up the band’s website for more information: http://butterfingers.info
 
STREAM BAD NEWS ALBUM
VIEW BAD NEWS VIDEO
 
DISCOGRAPHY
2003 – Everytime EP
2004 – Breakfast at Fatboys
2006 – Deeper You Dig
2010 – Welcome To Flavour Country (Evil Eddie solo release)
 
NEWLY ANNOUNCED NATIONAL BAD NEWS ALBUM TOUR DATES
 
THU 29 OCT | PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 30 OCT | BADLANDS, PERTH WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 31 OCT | INDIAN OCEAN HOTEL, SCARBOROUGH WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SUN 1 NOV | MOJO’S, FREMANTLE WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 6 NOV | ALTAR, HOBART TAS | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 7 NOV | ROYAL OAK HOTEL, LAUNCESTON TAS | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 13 NOV | CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 14 NOV | LANSDOWNE HOTEL, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
FRI 20 NOV | THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 21 NOV | MO’S DESERT CLUBHOUSE, BURLEIGH HEADS QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
THU 26 NOV | CROWN & ANCHOR, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 27 NOV | HOWLER, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 28 NOV | PELLY BAR, FRANKSTON VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 4 DEC | RACEHORSE HOTEL, IPSWICH | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 5 DEC | NIGHTQUARTER, SUNSHINE COAST QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
FRI 11 DEC | OTHERWISE, TOWNSVILLE QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 12 DEC | TANKS ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketlink.com.au | 1300 835 855 | All Ticketlink Outlets

Q&A With Evil Eddie

Q; What’s the inspiration behind your new single and album? 

A; As much as I hate concept albums, this is kind of a concept album and the concept is basically like a film of all the major things that have happened to me/Butterfingers between the last album and now. Every song is like a scene but it’s not super literal so if you didn’t know it, you could happily enjoy the record without being necessarily aware of the concept. I guess it grew from the fact I’ve been doing some study into script writing techniques of late. Can you tell?

 

Q; Who are your greatest musical influences?

A; The real base layer would have to be all the blues and heavy rock that my parents listened to when I was a kid (like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Black Sabbath and Led Zep). The next layer would have to be all my 90’s influences from Beastie Boys to Nirvana to NWA to RHCP. On top of that is all the stuff that’s circling around now. I put it this way because I feel that even when approaching newer genres I still filter everything through the lens of all my past influences and I think that serves to bridge some gaps which is really what this band has always been about. Bridging the gaps between old and new, rock and hip hop, underground and pop.

 

Q; What do you bring to the live stage? 

A; Energy and good vibes. I know that sounds super hippy and that’s not really the image of the band but I’ve always felt that creating that feeling of ecstatic fun is the goal for nearly everything we produce. Songs can have a positive or negative focus but laughing at all of it while you’re dancing, sweating and surging with energy is kind how I like to view it metaphorically.

 

A; How was the recording process? 

We’ve done it all ourselves with a little help from our friend Matt (from the band Loathing Sea) when it came to the initial drum tracking and it’s coming up really well so I’ve found the whole thing challenging but mega rewarding. I’m mixing the album as well the learning curves have been steep but it’s nice to have control of how your vision is executed.

 

Q; What was the inspiration behind the music video? 

A; I dreamed the whole thing. Start to finish. I just woke up and wrote the whole thing down then turned it into a shot list, bought some costumes, put it out there on Facebook that we needed extras and boom, it was happening.

 

Q; How would you describe your writing process? 

A; Feeling my way around in a dark room til I find something that feels nice. Sounds gross but it seems to work for me.

 

Q; Give us an interesting personal fact!

A; My regular job is skydive instructor. No deaths as yet so gimme a call if you’re keen to have a jump.

 

Comment

PARKER 'Become The Fool' Q&amp;A

Comment

PARKER 'Become The Fool' Q&A

YOU’LL BECOME THE FOOL IF YOU DON’T CHECK THIS OUT!

           PARKER ANNOUNCES ARRESTING SINGLE & VIDEO 

BECOME THE FOOL

Parker 2020 low res.jpg

Visual artist, songwriter and musician PARKER has today announced her devastatingly beautiful new single Become The Fool, a heartbreakingly powerful song about an unbalanced relationship in which one person ends up sacrificing too much of themselves and their dreams for another, set for release January 24.  PARKER has also announced a gorgeous Bauhaus-inspired clip to accompany Become The Fool.  This affecting new single is the first taste of what is set to be an incredibly exciting 2020 for this innovative artist. 

Become The Fool is about as vulnerable as a song can be.  Everything from PARKER’s delicate, glassy vocal delivery, to the melancholy synths and deep, arresting percussion, bleeds with heavy emotion, and will speak to anyone who has gone through a complicated heartbreak – one that perhaps they wondered if they would ever recover from.  Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, PARKER reflects, “This is the first song that was co-written with my writing and production team, Hans Van Vliet (QLD) and Becki Whitton (VIC), across three states and I’m really excited about it.  When a relationship ends it can be devastating.  But what happens afterwards can be a beautiful mess of experiences and vivid feelings.   When I got to the end of my longest relationship, I realised I had lost so much of myself.  I had been living for someone else and their dreams for so long I didn’t know who I was without them.  But through this experience, I was set free to find myself again, to pursue my creative practice with all my heart.

The video for Become The Fool is a stunning journey that explores the depth of emotion behind this extraordinary song.  The viewer feels connected to the main character as someone who is left behind in a world built for someone else.  The narrative begins in sepia tones, and as the clip progresses and the character reclaims the city for herself through expressive dance, the scene begins to fill with colour as an empowering metaphor for this story.  PARKER explains, “The clip for this song is so incredible!  It was made in one month on a super tight budget.  It was made by Hans Van Vliet (7 Bit Hero + HUNZ) in just three weeks.  We took inspiration from bauhaus design; we wanted to create something that felt nostalgic yet contemporary.  Every single element in the clip has a meaning and a reason to be there.  Nothing is superfluous.”

This wonderfully considered release is just the beginning of what is set to be a spectacular year for this multi-disciplinary artist, as she gives fans a taste of what is yet to come, “I’m really excited about all the singles and music videos we have lined up to release this year.  I’ve also got a number of live videos in the making!  I feel so lucky to be working with so many great film makers, musicians and audio engineers on these projects.” 

PARKER is Tash Parker. 

Become The Fool  is out January 24.

Stream: BECOME THE FOOL Watch: BECOME THE FOOL

            

 PARKER Q&A

Q; What’s the inspiration behind your new single ‘Become The Fool’? 

 

A; This song was originally inspired by the hit TV series The Marvelous Mrs Masel.  We took inspiration from the story but made the lyrics more personal to my own narrative of heartbreak.  Become The Fool is about taking ownership of loosing myself in a relationship. 

 

Q; Who are your greatest musical influences?

 

A; For voice - Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks are the artists who I have sung along with the most.  I love how they sing with their own voices and don’t sound like anyone else. 

 

For production - I love anything from the 80s.  Peter Gabriel, The Cars and The Eurythmics are at the top of my list. 

 

For a challenge - I love listening to Arthur Russell because I really believe he wrote great pop melodies. The complexity of his arrangements and song structures really challenge my brain in an enjoyable way. 

 

Q; What do you bring to the live stage? 

 

A; I have always performed self accompanied on guitar until now.  Next week I will be debuting my new live show at the Earl Arts Centre in Launceston.  The band consists of a drummer playing SPD and a Keys player playing Nord and Prophet X.  I will be able to focus on performing these big vocal parts we’ve written for these songs and probably be wearing something very sparkly. 

 

Q; How was the recording process? 

 

A; This track was written and recorded across 3 states.  Hans worked on production in Brisbane.  The lyrics were written in Launceston and we recorded the vocals in an on the Mornington Peninsula.  I actually recorded the vocals in the studio owned by the person the song is about so it was quite a healing experience for my heart and that relationship. 

 

Q; What was the inspiration behind the music video? 

 

A; We wanted to honour female artists in history who had not been recognised as much as their male counterparts.  The Bauhaus movement had many female artists, photographers, weavers and painters who contributed significantly but were not as well known. We used bauhaus design theory and referenced iconic photographs to create the world the dancing cloaked figure is in.  The cloak is made from Denim which is a direct reference to the opening line of the song.  The martyr pose is significant to the sacrifice the character had made for another.  They dance through the world to reclaim the space that was built around them and that they were left behind in. 

 

Q; How would you describe your writing process? 

 

A; I love to collaborate.  I often sketch out song ideas and then take those to my writing team.  I write in 3 different projects and they are all very different.  I don’t like pinning myself to one genre so when I write a country pop song I take it to Runaway Belles and when I write an 80s heartbreak ballad I take it to the Parker team. All the other experimental vocal arrangements I work on I take to Ladychoir so there is always something exciting that we are creating at any given time. 

 

 

Q; Give us an interesting personal fact!

 

A; I’m a really great waterskier.  I grew up on Lake Kununurra so I would ski with fresh water crocodiles most weekends.  Knowing they were in the water made it really easy to learn how not to fall off. 

 

 

Comment

Nic Rollo 'Monster' Q&amp;A

Comment

Nic Rollo 'Monster' Q&A

LET THE INNER MONSTER OUT!

  NIC ROLLO ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO MONSTER 

Nic Rollo Feb 2020 copy.jpeg

Perth based producer and songwriter Nic Rollo has today announced his driving, eerie new single Monster, about identifying and quelling the monster within us all, set for release on February 5.  Accompanying the track is a dark, revolving film clip, directed by Alex Montanari (Cub Sport, What So Not, Khalid) and Matthew JamesMonster follows the 2019 release of Nic’s brilliant, iridescent EP What Happened to the Kid

Monster will feel familiar to anyone who has said something in frustration or anger that they regret after the fact – the track is an introspective interrogation of that remorse, and what it’ll take to tame the inner monster who is responsible for those biting remarks.  Reminiscent of synth-pop auteurs M83 and indie rockers The Wombats, and mastered by pop royalty Chris Gehringer (Harry Styles, Rihanna, Halsey), the track is buoyed by glistening synths, hooky guitar and driving percussion – while Nic’s gentle vocals and arresting lyrics take centre stage.  Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Nic explains, Monster was written during a previous relationship of mine when things were a bit shaky.  There were a few times that I’d said something to my ex that had started to cause fractures in the relationship and unnecessary conflict.  Monster is about that side of myself that I don’t always like  - the part that is impulsive and lashes out when I should just hold my tongue instead.”

The video for Monster feels like the beginning of a horror film – there’s a sense of suspense, as though the calm atmosphere of the night-driving scenes will not last for much longer.  It’s a beautiful watch, too – the lights passing in the night as the song plays out feels like a perfect representation of the moody nature of the music.  Speaking about the clip, Nic says, “The video for Monster is a narrative based video that features a lot of driving and aims to be aesthetically pleasing.  Matthew James, Alex Montanari and I came together to think about the video a few months back and we all had this vibe of the song revolving around driving and having dark colours. The story itself is supposed to be slightly confusing - am I driving to the burial or from the burial?  Am I burying the monster or is the monster burying me?”

The release of Monster is a killer way to kick off 2020 for this exciting young artist, as he enthuses, “It feels fantastic to finally be releasing Monster.  I wrote the song over a year ago and have been sitting on it for what feels like forever now.  To date, it is probably my favourite song that I’ve written, and I’m super stoked to finally be able to share it with people.”

Monster is out February 5.

Listen: MONSTER

Watch: MONSTER

Q&A Interview with Nic Rollo.

Q; What’s the inspiration behind your new single Monster?

A; I wrote Monster during a pretty turbulent time in a previous relationship where it felt like I kept saying things that would damage it, and inevitably caused fractures in the relationship itself.  The song is also commenting on how often, we shouldn’t be worried about other people, we should be more cautious of our own monsters.  I think the song came from the guitar line that goes throughout the song - I vaguely remember coming up with it whilst in the studio with a band I play in and instantly knew I could write something around it.

 

Q; Who are your greatest musical influences?

A; I used to listen to so much Radiohead when I was younger that I’m sure they’re still impacting some of my musical decisions today.  I think there’s something exciting about having weirder elements in pop music, so Radiohead definitely helped a lot there.  In terms of synth sounds and all of that, bands like Tears for Fears, Fleetwood Mac and Tame Impala all gave me a look into that world about 5 years ago (starting with Tame).  More recently artists like The Weeknd, Drake, Charlie Puth (and many others) have been really big influences on me as I’ve gotten more and more into writing pop music.  

 

Q; What do you bring to the live stage?

A; Aside from INCREDIBLE musical prowess (I’m kidding), I feel like the live show is pretty fun.  We’re all just up there having a good time, trying to not mess up too badly.  I’m planning on upgrading the live show over the next few months with another member and potentially starting to look into incorporating lights and visuals, which I’m super pumped about.  I’ve always been so fascinated by lighting and visuals in music.

 

Q; How was the recording process?

A; I love the recording process, I feel most comfortable when I’m in the studio.  Working on Monster was good fun since I had been so fond of the song in its demo form.  I was really excited to polish it up and see how it sounded.  I recorded it at Blackbird Studio in Perth with Dave Parkin, and had Felix Parker with me (who played those ripper guitar solos).  Some songs have historically been an emotional rollercoaster in the studio due to a number of reasons, but luckily Monster was pretty easy going.  

 

Q; What was the inspiration behind the music video?

A; I caught up with Alex Montanari and Matthew James, who both worked on the clip, a few months before we were planning on beginning filming to figure out the story and what we wanted to achieve.  Alex and I both had this idea in our heads about the film revolving around driving… something about Monster had a ‘driving a car’ kinda feel.  After that point the hard part was figuring out how to incorporate driving into an interesting story line and keep the video interesting over nearly 4 minutes.

 

Q; How would you describe your writing process?

A; Sometimes it’s manic, sometimes it’s relaxed.  I’ll typically just shit down at a keyboard and start playing chords until I come up with a chord progression or melody that inspires me to keep working on it.   At that point I’ll begin to build a track from there.  Sometimes I’ll write the bulk of the song in 20 minutes and be done with it (spending the next month or two producing it), other times I’ll spend 3 weeks trying to finish the actual songwriting (the chords, melodies, lyrics).  I guess it can be hard to put a method to being creative, so to an extent you just have to let it happen as it does.

 

Q; Give us an interesting personal fact!

A; I’ll give you two - I’m a literal caffeine fiend, like I drink enough coffee to be considered ¼ coffee myself.  It’s in my blood now.  I also get a stupid amount of nose bleeds during summer, I think I have really weak nose lining or something, but damn does it suck.  I’m surprised I’m not dead yet from blood loss.

 

Comment

Cloning 'All Rise' Single Q&amp;A

Comment

Cloning 'All Rise' Single Q&A

ALL RISE!

              CLONING ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO ALL RISE

+ LAUNCH SHOW ON MARCH 13 

Cloning Feb 2020 med res.jpg

Emerging WA band Cloning have today released their ethereal new single All Rise, an introspective track that questions morality and is influenced by Nordic mythology.  The group have also released an impressive self-made cosmic claymation film clip to accompany the song.  To celebrate the release of All Rise, Cloning will be playing an exclusive show at the Indian Ocean Hotel in Scarborough on March 13.

All Rise pays homage to triphop auteurs Portishead while also evoking influences from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds to Radiohead.  Recorded and mixed by Dave Parkin (Gyroscope, Karnivool) and mastered by Brian Lucey (Cage The Elephant, Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood), this atmospheric track is the perfect soundtrack to a warm, hazy summer, with shining synthesisers, ample mandolin, cinematic guitar and idiosyncratic vocals.  Speaking on the intricate meaning behind the track, guitarist and lead vocalist Felix Parker says, All Rise is about how groups of people can think their intentions are purer than they actually are, and end up committing morally questionable acts in the name of their chosen cause.  It's also about what gets left in the wake of pursuing a goal and how noble intentions can be corrupted by the pursuit of this goal.  The imagery in the lyrics is influenced by Nordic mythology and stories about the Yggdrasil which is a mythical ash tree at the centre of the cosmos.  I read way too much as a kid and a lot of that just seems to naturally flow into my lyrics.”

Following the Nordic mythology theme, the video for All Rise was cleverly and masterfully worked in-house by the band, from conception to completion, excluding the editing which was completed by Jake Crawford (Psychedellic Porn Crumpets). From set making, to directing, to filming – the band did it all.  With over forty hours of footage filmed over one very long weekend, and after almost setting fire to Felix’s living room twice, the video was taking shape.  “We wanted to create visuals that complemented the lyrics and the myths they were influenced by. We came up with the concept first and were trying to think about how we could pull it off. We thought about hiring an animator to make an animation video at first, but we couldn’t afford it. Bevan made stop motion videos as a kid and does photography in his spare time, so we decided to make the video ourselves using Claymation,” explains Felix.  “And we are really happy that we decided to do it ourselves because we ended up making something that is way more us than if someone else had done it,” adds guitarist Bevan Green, “But it definitely pushed the limits of our sanity. We spent ages gluing fake leaves to sticks to make trees which is really finicky when you’re dealing with things this small. And we had to be careful when filming not to move the clay figures in the wrong way or knock the camera, because one dodgy photo would ruin the hundreds of photos we had already taken up to that point for the scene.” 

Cloning formed among friends Nic Rollo, Felix Parker and Jack Brett during their final years at school.  The untimely loss of a close friend and musician around this time drove them to invest heavily in their musical pursuits.  They were soon joined by guitarist Bevan Green, who grew up in the goldfields mining town of Kalgoorlie; joining the band when he moved to Perth.  Though in relative infancy, Cloning have already been notching up some impressive achievements - touring nationally and scoring a WAM Song of the Year nomination last year – it’s safe to say 2020 is set to be a big year for this talented alternative act out of Perth!  

All Rise is out February 3.

Cloning is Felix Parker (lead vocals and guitar), Bevan Green (guitar and vocals), Nic Rollo (bass and vocals), Jack Brett (drums).

Listen: ALL RISE

Watch: ALL RISE

CLONING ALL RISE LAUNCH GIG

FRI MAR 13 | INDIAN OCEAN HOTEL, SCARBOROUGH WA | 18+

Tickets from Oztix https://heatseeker.oztix.com.au/

Cloning tour poster.jpg

         

 Q&A Interview With Felix, Jack & Bevan.

Q; What’s the inspiration behind your new single ‘All Rise’?

A; Felix - All Rise is about how groups of people can place a lot of significance on their beliefs, but be quite misguided in doing so. I was reading a fair bit about nordic mythology at the time and some of the lyrics are influenced by that. In particular the Yggdrasil which is a mythical Ash Tree was something I tried to incorporate into the imagery of the tune. 


Q; Who are your greatest musical influences?

A; Radiohead, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Portishead, The Doors, Everything Everything. 

Q; What do you bring to the live stage?

A; Bevan - I think theres something in there for everyone in our live shows. We like so much different styles of music and we try to make our music reflect that. 
A; Felix - We've spent a long time getting our live set tight so now we're just trying to have fun and give the audience a good experience. 

Q; How was the recording process?

A; Bevan - We recorded with Dave Parkin at Blackbird studios. 
Jack – Dave is great. He's so experienced and easy to work with. He fits in so well with our band band. The song took a couple days to record.
A; Felix - We spent the longest time getting the drum tones sounding nice before we recorded. They're the foundation of the song so once we're happy with how they sound everything else usually flows smoothly from there. 


Q; What was the inspiration behind the music video?

A; Felix - The video draws from nordic mythology like the lyrics. We tried to make a video which complemented the words in the song and gave some more life to the ideas they were influenced by.  

A; Bevan - In the video a traveller is attempting to find ‘The Yggdrasil’, which is a sacred ash tree that features a lot in Nordic mythology. But on the way he has to face a series of challenges designed to stop him from reaching the tree. 


Q; How would you describe your writing process?
Felix - Usually a song starts with Bevan or I recording ideas at home. If we're vibing then we get Jack and Nic to come in to flesh out the song more. 
A; Bevan - Felix started 'All Rise' when he recorded a mandolin riff and some guitar chords on his computer one night so I came over a couple days later and wrote my guitar parts for the song. We thought it was sounding cool so we got Jack and Nic involved to finish off the song. 

Q; Give us an interesting personal fact!
A; We should win an award for most pizza eaten by a band. We eat a lot when we're together and if pizza could be a muse it would be ours. 

Comment

Atreyu - 'In Our Wake 2020 Australian tour' Podcast Interview, February 14 2020

Comment

Atreyu - 'In Our Wake 2020 Australian tour' Podcast Interview, February 14 2020

THE TIME IS NOW!

What is your legacy? What will you leave in your wake? What if today is your last day? Well, the time is now to "find a place in the music" and "loose you s***", because U.S metalcore godfathers, ATREYU are finally back in Australia at long last, in celebration of their 2019 album, 'In Our Wake'! Brendan the blind guy was lucky enough to talk to drummer and lead clean vocalist Brandon about the tour, album, what he'll be cooking for Brendan and other fans and one hell of an epic stack, that no one can prove! Sign up to the Keen Eye 4 Concerts newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com

What is your legacy? What will you leave in your wake? What if today is your last day? Well, the time is now to "find a place in the music" and "loose you s***", because U.S metalcore godfathers, ATREYU are finally back in Australia at long last, in celebration of their 2019 album, 'In Our Wake'!

Brendan the blind guy was lucky enough to talk to drummer and lead clean vocalist Brandon about the tour, album, what he'll be cooking for Brendan and other fans and one hell of an epic stack, that no one can prove!

For the full 2020 Australian tour info, click here.

For the full 2020 Australian tour info, click here.

Comment

BEACHWOOD - 'God Only Knows/Marbles' Listicle Feature

Comment

BEACHWOOD - 'God Only Knows/Marbles' Listicle Feature

GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT THIS HOLDS!

WHO ARE BEACHWOOD / HOW THEY STARTED OUT?

Beachwood are a Melbourne-based electropop duo of multi-platinum producer/writer Jarrad Rogers (Charli XCX, Lana del Rey, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Icona Pop) and indie filmmaker/songwriter Angeline Armstrong. They met in 2016, when Angeline, new to the buzz of Los Angeles, found herself at Jarrad’s family Christmas party. Over lamingtons and pav, they were surprised to learn that they’d both grown up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne and had also, coincidentally, both chosen the Beachwood neighborhood in LA as their first port of call. They began writing together in Jarrad’s backyard studio, Angeline’s folk-heavy songwriting style colliding with the progressive electronic beats that Jarrad has become known for. It was two years later, at the very end of 2017, that electropop outfit BEACHWOOD was officially formed and the two began writing for the project.

 

SONGS THEY’VE WRITTEN AND THEIR INFLUENCES:

Beachwood have released four singles to-date. Since returned to the homeland (Australia) from their respective times in LA, the newcomers quickly found favour in both local and international markets. Their debut track, ‘Miracle’, attracted critical acclaim including several awards for their boldly artistic debut music video, winning out over Aussie legends The Veronicas, Guy Sebastian & Peking Duk at the 2019 Clipped Music Video Awards. Their second single, ‘Love Me Or Leave Me Alone’, found its way onto over 30 international New Music Friday playlists and is nearing on 1 million streams. ‘Marbles’ & ‘God Only Knows’ are the most recent ‘dual single release’ track. ‘Marbles’ features the eclectic MC Tray Haggerty from Texas, securing the duo’s trajectory of making waves across international borders. Where ‘God Only Knows’ is a bold take on the classic ‘perfectly written song’ by the Beachboys.

 

It’s hard to pin point a list of our influences tbh. I can say what we try and do!! We strive to make honest, lyrics that loads of people can relate to. We look to make music that makes you feel good. Helps you get through the day. We love electronic elements and using technology to create something unique. But at the same time we both love organic elements. We try and combine them as often as we can. We also try and make a bunch of the elements that create our beats ourselves. Sampling ourselves hitting things for rhythmic colour etc. Oh and there’s the vocal. That’s the most important thing. That has to be front and centre and be the best it can be. Ange does a great job at that!! I guess you could look at people like Louis The Child, Flume, Drake, The Beatles, Beachboys...something like that!

 

PAST/UPCOMING NEWS:

Beachwood recently played a sold out show at the Gasometer in Melbourne and are currently finishing their debut EP set for release early next year. 

 

FUN FACTS:

  • Though spending most of her time growing up in Australia - Angeline is actually half-kiwi and half-filipino, and calls all three countries home!

  • Beyond the Beachwood act, Jarrad has collaborated around the world as a producer/writer with renowned artists such as: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Lana del Rey, Charli XCX, Montaigne, Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun), Icona Pop, Bea Miller, Andy Grammar, and Rachel Platten.

  • As well as being a musician, Angeline is also a filmmaker whose career was kickstarted by a mentorship with Aussie legend Baz Luhrmann and a debut short film made alongside Baz & NIDA that premiered at the Sydney Opera House while Ange was still at university!

  • If Jarrad wasn’t a professional musician he’d probably have a crack at being a professional athlete!! Or a baker…or maybe a swim coach. Basically he’d be lost if he wasn’t a musician!

 

Comment

Reilly Stapleton - Podcast Interview, November 15 2019

Comment

Reilly Stapleton - Podcast Interview, November 15 2019

GIVE IN TO YOUR DEVILISH IMPULSE!

You best give in to your devilish impulse telling you to listen to this! 'Cause Brendan the blind guy had a long, but insanely funny, entertaining, insightful and kind of creepy chat to Melbourne singer/songwriter REILLY STAPLETON about her enthralling new dark single 'Impulse' and the unsettling horror-filled video for the track! It doesn't take a CSI detective to know you'll be bending your knees backwards and running around with a chainsaw if you don't listen! Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on all your favourite socials and sign up to our newsletter via the official Keen Eye 4 Concerts website www.keeneye4concerts.com

You best give in to your devilish impulse telling you to listen to this! 'Cause Brendan the blind guy had a long, but insanely funny, entertaining, insightful and kind of creepy chat to Melbourne singer/songwriter REILLY STAPLETON about her enthralling new dark single 'Impulse' and the unsettling horror-filled video for the track!

It doesn't take a CSI detective to know you'll be bending your knees backwards and running around with a chainsaw if you don't listen!

Watch the unsettling, wicked video clip for ‘Impulse’ below, and try to figure out how they all die!

Comment

RACKETT - 'Machinations' Single Q&amp;A Interview

1 Comment

RACKETT - 'Machinations' Single Q&A Interview

READY OR NOT, HERE IT COMES!

AU MASTER A4.jpg

Hey everyone, Brendan the blind guy here! Chatting to awesome musicians is like a drug, and even if I Tried To Quit… well, we all know I’d re-lapse, because like it or not, I Please Myself at the end of the day, and honestly, it makes me feel so Alive! If your brain hurts from the onslaught of interviews, well this will Kiss It Better for you surely! So Ready Or Not, ladies and gentlemen, RACKETT!

Brendan; Recently you recreated the name Rackett to be a solo project, and released your innovative new track ‘Machinations’, taking a more untethered electronic-punk approach to your previous pop/alternative-punk style. Apparently you’ve really found your happy place with this song, so what inspired the new direction/flavours? Has working with and promoting other artists with Beehive PR helped you with this?


Bec; I was inspired by pop music. I was listening to a lot of pop artists redefining pop and creating sounds and structures that seemed to push back against what was expected of pop. I was inspired by A.I and developing technologies and virtual realities and I wanted to create art music that was concurrent with a plastic future.


Brendan; As for the lyrics, I know first-hand you’ve got a copious amount of stories and experiences to write about, but what exactly was the story behind this track?


Bec; The track is about going out of my mind. Machination means to scheme. I had to go into the pits of myself, the illusions I had created, the delusion and find a way through the turmoil and into a future self. I had to scheme a way out.


Brendan; Currently you’re taking over the stages in Japan on quite an extensive run of shows, that must be such an amazing experience! AND THEN, after you get back from Japan, you’re hitting up Sydney and Melbourne only five days after you land home, barely enough time to shake off the jet-lag! So how are the crowds there in Japan responding? Is it a bit contrast to your Aussie fans? I mean, I can’t imagine the Japanese ladies would be as inclined to flash their boobs at you like the wild Aussie ladies here do?


Bec; Well I haven’t seen any flashing boobs, but I have seen a band give their lead singer a bubble bath mid-set. I’m actually only back in Australia for 1 day before my Australia single launch shows begin. I’ve learned so much and their are contrast in priorities here verss Australia. In Japan you must be on time for soundcheck and be present for a pre show meeting where everyone is introduced to each other There are no riders or free drinks, but the schedule is very proficient and support bands on this tour have been the highest calibre of musicians I have played with.


Brendan; I know I kind of gave a bit of a teaser to what a Rackett show brings, (you did say last time you see a lot of tits) But give us a taste of what this new Rackett brings to the stages? Will I still be compelled to flash my chest at you?


Bec; I think you’ll be compelled to dance. My new music is hyper fun, fast and nothing really below 128 BPM which is prime dance tempo. Its still punk in attitude but a future-punk that has those digital elements more present in dance music.


Brendan; Right, now I reckon it’s time we get exclusive Bec, just me and you… and all the readers. So, what would be an exclusive fun fact about yourself


Bec; A fun fact about myself? I don’t know that I can say I have fun facts, I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder. I love a random dance on the street, I love to Heely, I mix up names a lot. For example, there was a Japans band covering Blitz Screen Bob by the Ramones and I got up on stage and thanked them for their cover of ’Split-screen Bob’.


Brendan; Now for my favourite question of all, that’s right people, it’s WTF time! I know I’ve asked you this before, twice actually, and you said how early on you found a dirty nappy in your travel bag on the plane, and last year you told me how at one show, a girl you kissed during ‘Kiss It Better’ took you quite literally, to the point where you had to reluctantly pull away from her to catch up to your singing. But this time, has there been any WTF moments in Japan?


Bec; WTF moments for me have been pulling an all-nighter in Shibuya, doing the rounds of bars and ending up in a party in Love Hotel. Actually this tour has been an all-around WTF moment. Every night has been an adventure, seeing really weird support bands. Another one aside from the bubble bath one was a band that dressed as ‘Where’s Wally’ and sang Queen covers.


Brendan; As always it has been a pleasure chatting to you Bec, but we’ll leave it with one more. So, what’s next for Rackett?


Bec; What’s next is more music! I have another single out in January next year and will be reassessing more and more next year. I’ll be touring, working on my Heelys game and waiting for the future to arrive.

1 Comment