You may not have heard of Melbourne indie outfit Borne just yet, but after they scooped the pool at last night’s MusicOz awards that’s all set to change. MusicOz is the largest awards recognising Australia’s unsigned and independent artists.
The group picked up the awards for best acoustic/singer-songwriter, the Garth Porter producer award, the Nova unsigned initiative award, and the big one, artist of the year. This prestigious title saw them take home a $70, 000 prize package, more than enough to help them get a leg up in the industry.
Past Australian Idol contestant Amali Ward and metal outfit Anjeliina were handpicked by rock photographer Tony Mott to win the Tony Mott photography award.
Sydney’s Super Massive took home the best alternative artist gong, and Melbourne quintet The Shades won the best schoolies artist.
Other winners on the night included songwriter Simon Shapiro, country outfit Jonah’s Road, pop act IRiS, and dance/electronic group The Vangarde.
To see what they’re all about, check out Borne’s new video for “The Guide.”
A statue of Australia’s pop princess Kylie Minogue will be unveiled in Melbourne today. It will join statues of John Farnham and Dame Nellie Melba as part of the Variety Entertainers of the Century art installation at Docklands.
The installation will feature 100 plaques commemorating the names of Australian artists, similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It will also include a giant mosaic mural celebrating the stars, and the life-sized bronze statues.
The Kylie is the work of acclaimed Melbourne sculptor Peter Corlett. He’s the guy responsible for the Weary Dunlop statue on St Kilda Road, the Phar Lap sculpture in Flemington, and the Teddy Whitten piece in Footscray.
His Kylie piece took three months to complete and it is an exact replica of the Aussie diva, right down to the size of her waist. Peter liaised with Kylie’s management and dressmakers in London to get the body measurements, and then used a real-life Kylie clone for the finishing touches.
“I actually found a young woman working in a cafe in Brunswick St who had virtually the same measurements as Kylie,” he told the Herald Sun.
“I hope the final Kylie will become a popular place to visit for all her fans.”
Facebook users can browse more than forty Classic Kylies wearing some of the divas most iconic outfits, or create their own from scratch. I think my favourite is this cute little Intimate Kylie, but there’s also the”Can’t Get You Out of My Head” Kylie wearing that famous white pantsuit, and the “Spinning Around” Kylie complete with sexy gold hotpants.
Next year’s Big Day Out lineup was already bursting at the seams, but with the most recent announcement, it’s bigger than ever.
Silverchair had a massive year in 2007, taking home five ARIAs and receiving worldwide acclaim for their fifth album Young Modern. They’re set to start 2008 with a bang appearing at Big Day Out gigs around Australia and New Zealand.
They’ll join other local sensations including Augie March, Regurgitator, Josh Pyke, Gyroscope, and Operator Please.
There’s also more international acts, with American rockers Spoon, DJ Carl Cox, Brit darling Kate Nash, and electronic outfit Unkle joining the bill.
They’ll play alongside Rage Against the Machine, Bjork, Hilltop Hoods, Billy Bragg, and more at these massive events.
The Gold Coast, Sydney, and Melbourne shows have already sold out, and with these recent additions the Adelaide, Auckland, and Perth shows won’t be too far behind.
If you missed Silverchair and Powderfinger’s massive Across the Great Divide Tour, or if you just want to relieve the magic all over again, then you’re in luck.
A special three-disc tour DVD is on sale soon. The first two discs will feature each band’s performances, and the third will include bonus interview footage and a 90-minute tour documentary.
The DVD was filed from the Melbourne shows on September 18 and 19, so if you were there make sure you look out for yourself in the crowd.
This year’s Australian Idol season is drawing to an end, but the fun doesn’t have to end there. For the first time ever, the winner will embark on a massive “Winner’s Journey Tour.”
This year’s winner, either Matt Corby or Natalie Gauci, will perform their favourite Idol tracks and some of the songs from their new album. The winner will also be joined on stage by other Idols from this year’s competition.
But that’s not all. Fans will have the chance to meet the Idols during signing sessions after the shows.
The Winner’s Journey will take in capital cities and major regional centres around the country. The tour kicks off at Wollongong’s Regent Theatre on January 2 and wraps up in Cairns on February 24. Tickets will go on sale at 9 am next Monday, the day after the winner is crowned.
Speculation about Missy Higgins’ sexuality has been rife since the Aussie songstress sang about a woman who “smelled like sugar and spoke like the sea” in “Scar.” Well Missy’s put an end to the whispering by appearing on the cover of popular lesbian and queer women’s mag Cherrie.
“I think sexuality is a fluid thing and it’s becoming increasingly more acceptable to admit that you’re that way,” Missy said in an interview with Cherrie’s editor, Katrina Fox.
“I’d like to say if you’re comfortable with who you are inside it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks,” she added.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to have to define yourself by any label. If you’re comfortable with who you are and you know who you are on the inside, people will love you for it.”
“We were very pleased at Cherrie magazine that Missy felt comfortable in being our cover girl and for admitting that she comes under our broad moniker of not-so-straight girls,” Katrina Fox told The Sunday Telegraph.
Good on Missy for being so comfortable in her own skin!
It’s another week, and there’s another Aussie act on the top of the ARIA charts!
Kylie Minogue’s new single “2 Hearts” has debuted at number one, knocking The Veronicas’ “Hook Me Up” down to fourth spot. This is Kylie’s tenth Aussie number one!
Ricki-Lee’s back in the charts with her new summery single “Love is All Around.” Ricki-Lee’s number five debut pushed Delta Goodrem down a few notches, but “In This Life” is still hanging on at number ten.
The Spice Girls and The Eagles kept him away from the top spot, but Guy Sebastian’s Memphis Album made an impressive debut at number three this week. The original Aussie Idol is just ahead of Delta Goodrem’s Delta, which has slipped one spot to number four.
The new Veronicas’ album Hook Me Up fell from number to two to number seven, and David Campbell’s Swing Sessions 2 is sitting at number 10.
Mike at Big Apple Music Scene shared his love for Barry Manilow, Pat Benatar, and The Bay City Rollers (ask your Mum). I was with him on everything until he mentioned the kilted ones!
Scott at Metal Martyr also isn’t afraid to admit that Barry Manilow’s “Mandy” is one of his guilty pleasures. Of course, he’ll only listen to it when he’s alone … with headphones.
It might surprise you to know that our other resident dark music freak, Derek at Industrial Addiction, also loves a little Hinder, Sarah McLachlan, and Beck.
Roberta at Ear Sucker shares my Culture Club love, and throws in a little Survivor (yes, the band who sang “Eye of the Tiger”).
Bruce at Our Digital Music says even though he knows he probably shouldn’t, he loves to boogie to a little Gloria Gaynor and Pink.
Dave at Brit Music Scene ‘fessed up that he’s a bit partial to a little Spice Girls, James Blunt, and Blue (remember them girls?).
Jyle at Hip Hop Roll’s swallowed his pride to admit he loves a little Dire Straits, Pussycat Dolls, and Tim McGraw.
It’s pretty hard for a girl as cool as Jennifer from Hippie Sounds to find some daggy songs in her collection, but she did it. Check out her post, filled with old school Kenny Loggins (that’s pre-Footloose kids), Rod Stewart, and Todd Rundgren goodness.
Ordinarily Deb at She Playes Music writes about cool chicks like Aretha Franklin and Melissa Etheridge. Not today. Today it’s all about The Spice Girls and Katrina and the Waves.
He may write The Good Musician, but Arjun is just as guilty as the rest of it when it comes to loving bad music. Three words. Right Said Fred.
And finally, Sammi at 52 Bands confesses her love for Akon, The Spice Girls, and emo-pop bands.
This month we’ve been talking about guilty pleasures in the music channel. We all have them, those songs we love but we rarely admit to. From the silliest pop song to the most overblown power ballad, we’re lifting the lid on our secret indulgences. I’ve decided to make this a video post as many of these film clips are so tragic they’re guilty pleasures too.
Olivia Newton-John has produced some of the greatest guilty pleasures around, so choosing just one for my top ten was a tall order. But I’ve gone with “Xanadu,” from the movie which is also a bit of a guilty pleasure. The terrible ’80s fashion, more roller skates than I think I’ve ever seen in a film clip, it’s brilliant.
I admit it, I’ve been a Human Nature fan for years. I loved them way before they were schmoozing with Motown legends. I loved them when were singing disposable pop songs, and when they were dancing their way around Sydney in terrible film clips. This music video for “Got It Goin’ On” brings together these loves.
Speaking of early musical crushes, I bring you Invertigo. Now there’s a name you haven’t heard in a while, right? They only made one album, and when I listen to it now it’s more than a little bit cheesy. But “Chances Are” is still a great song, and I still love this film clip because Christian Argenti gets all wet in it. Oooer.
And before they were Invertigo, they were Pseudo Echo (well three quarters of them were anyway). Some people may have chosen “Funky Town” for the list, but I maintain their version is far superior to the original. No, the real guilty pleasure is “Listening,” with its big ’80s electro beats and that ridiculously catchy chorus.
I’ve always thought 1927’s “If I Could” was one of the most romantic songs ever written. But we all know how cringe-worthy a good dose of cheesy romance is, particularly when it’s wrapped up in a power ballad. I’m not sure what happened to 1927, but I’m glad they left us this.
While we’re on the topic of romance, they don’t get much soppier than “Especially for You.” Everything about this Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan song is terrible. The lyrics are awful. The film clip is so frustrating (how do they keep missing one another?!). And the less said about Kylie’s perm, the better. But against the odds, I love it.
Neighbours has given us a few guilty pleasures hasn’t it? Another soapie star who decided to give singing a try was Craig McLachlan. Here he is with his band Check 1-2 and his mullet singing out “Mona.” Just try to get this out of your head.
Yes indeed, before he was a soap star in America Rick Springfield was just a kid from Sydney. Sure he didn’t do a lot more than “Jessie’s Girl,” but this song is such a guilty pleasure that I can forgive him. He may not have been a very good dancer, but he was so handsome!
I believe every country deserves a hair band, a group of lads with big fluffy dos capable of belting out an epic ballad. America had Poison, Sweden had Europe, England had Whitesnake, and Australia had Roxus. Sure there was just that one big album, but it spawned the monster hit “Where Are You Now?” I’m actually wondering that myself! Surely there’s another album left in them.
The ’80s really were all about guilty pleasures, weren’t they? So I figured it was only fitting to end on another gem from the decade that taste forgot, “Change in Mood” by Kids in the Kitchen. This is Aussie New Wave at its best (or worst depending on your point of view).
So there you have it. I’ve spilled my guts, now it’s your turn. I want to hear your guiltiest musical pleasures. Don’t be shy!
Kylie Minogue is entering the digital age in a big way. 
