Month: October 2008

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Rocks

This week our Australian Idol hopefuls were ready to rock, with the help of special guest mentors Kirk Pengilly and Tim Farriss of INXS. Kirk also stepped behind the judge’s desk to offer his advice on the performances.

Luke Dickens is one of those performers who’s made to rock, and perhaps that’s why I was a little disappointed this week. “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is a fantastic song, but it was slightly underdone here. Maybe it was just lacking in those soul undertones? Once he stepped away from the microphone it definitely kicked up a notch, but it was all just OK for me.

When I heard Thanh Bui was doing Linkin Park’s “Shadow of the Day” I was a bit nervous for him, simply because I think Linkin Park are whiny and annoying. Thankfully this wasn’t. I was pleasantly surprised by this, although again it wasn’t anything that wowed me.

Sophie Paterson chose “Ana’s Song” and it was the first time I really cared tonight. Perhaps it’s because it came from such a personal place, but I thought this was very convincing. There were some pitchy parts, but the emotional intensity carried it through.

Teale Jakubenko chose one of my favourite songs, “Slide” by The Goo Goo Dolls. There wasn’t anything revolutionary here, but I think the awesomeness of the song chose through. Of course I’m kind of biased when it comes to this song, but I had great fun.

Roshani Priddis left soul behind to tackle “The Pretender” by the Foo Fighters. There were some pitchy moments here and there, but I love the way she embraced the genre. She worked hard to perform the pants off it and give it all the energy it needed. She held nothing back, and that’s what rock is all about.

Wes Carr followed in the footsteps of one of the great rock bands, U2, with his version of “Desire.” Honestly, I’m one of the few people in the world who don’t actually like U2, so that might cloud how much I enjoyed it. In terms of song choice, it wasn’t my favourite, but he was an absolute rock star. I loved his energy and intensity in terms of performance.

Chrislyn Hamilton took on No Doubt’s modern classic “Don’t Speak.” I hated the first half of it to be honest, and I think that was mostly due to the arrangement. The arrangement never really picked up, but Chrislyn has such an intensity that it made it easy to forget about the music behind her. She is so gutsy and genuine and real, and that shone through despite the song’s flaws.

Mark Spano showed a return to form with the Kings of Leon hit “Sex on Fire.” I was relieved, because he was really flatlining. I haven’t seen him this committed in a long while. Everything was just as it should have been, and I ate it up.

Another fantastic night from our Idols makes it really tough to guess who’ll be the one to go. My pick is probably Thanh or perhaps Teale, but I really hope Mr Jakubenko manages to stick around a little longer.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A With CJ Morello From The Glass Ceiling

With their debut EP Reparations in stores now and an Aussie tour coming up in November, Sydney indie rockers The Glass Ceiling are a band we’ll all be hearing more about. I caught up with guitarist CJ Morello to talk about his love of British rock, playing live, and Aussies on the world music stage.

You’ve just released your debut EP, Reparations. Can you tell me a bit about it?
Reparations consists of five tracks we thought would represent the band the best. We talked a lot about what songs should go on or not (actually, we fought like cats and dogs), but in the end I’m really happy with the five that made it on. I wanted to call the EP Reparations cause we feel like while we’re really happy with where we are at the moment, it hasn’t come without big sacrifices. The last two years have been more than tough with putting the band together (a whole other story), and we see the release of this EP as a reward for all the hard work and pain we went through … but enough whinging [laughs].

You’ve been inspired by bands like Bloc Party, The Killers, The Smiths, and The Cure. What is it about British music that really excites you?
You know what, I really don’t know. There’s an indefinable, bright energy to the music that comes rapped up in a darker, more depressed tone.  Maybe it has something to do with the country and the weather (our drummer is English and giving him a hard time about all things “British” is one of the simple joys of life), but there is a real sense of hope in the songs that you don’t seem to get from other places. A vibe that says “Yes, things are really crap … but let’s dance anyway!” I really respect that.

You were the runner up in the MTV Tooheys Extra Dry Uncharted competition earlier this year. How important was that experience in terms of exposure?
Brilliant! It was a real trip to be kicking around at home and begging venues to let you play one day, to playing live on MTV all around the country the next. It was not only heaps of fun but it also was a great introduction for the band. It certainly didn’t make us household names, but it gave us a leg up that we were desperately searching for.

You’ve been touring around the east coast recently. How have the crowds responded to your music?
Yeah great. I think we can confuse people sometimes. We start with dirty Queens Of The Stone Age-like tracks, then go into more dance, Bloc Party stuff, and even touch on a little Killers and the Cure as well. It seems like the audiences have moved with us through the set which is really cool to see. We’d hate to play the same song over and over so we try to mix it up a little to keep it interesting.

What can fans expect when they see you live?
Five guys having a ball. We really have a great time playing live so you’ll probably see a lot of smiles and a lot of laughs.  You can get a little taste from the live clips on our myspace page – myspace.com/theglassceilingsydney.

You’ve toured with some massive names this year like Grinspoon, Evermore, Old Man River, and Van She. What did you learn from those more established acts?
I personally learned to be calm and chill out [laughs].  I’m a fairly edgy, keyed up guy who can’t relax, but watching these guys being completely cool before walking on stage to big audiences was inspiring in a strange way.  It really helps to enjoy the moment and focus on what you’re doing.

You recently played in front of nearly 8, 000 people at the Future Music Lawn Party. What was it like to play for such a massive crowd?
That whole day was awesome.  The festival is held at Randwick Racecourse on race day. So big crowds, gorgeous women, amazing sunshine … we could have died happy men on that day. Can’t wait to play another Lawn Party … hopefully!

You’ve had a fairly meteoric rise in the last 10 months. What keeps you grounded?  
It’s not hard [laughs]. We set the bar very high for ourselves, so while we are absolutely stoked to have done what we’ve done this year, we are very, very focused on the future (and the upcoming tour dates in November) and the huge list of things we want to achieve. We’re not very good at looking back at the past and enjoying things, and I don’t think we ever will be. We push each other so hard to do our best that there isn’t a moment spare to kick back. I think that’s a good thing.

I believe your name was a comment about the difficulty local bands face in achieving international success. Do you still hold that view? 
I made that comment about two years ago now, and since then Jet and Wolfmother have done some fantastic things overseas, so I’m more than happy for my theory to be destroyed [laughs]. Where we’re located on the globe (and our small population) will always make it harder for Aussie music to take centre stage on the international market, but having said that, with so many great young bands out there at the moment it wouldn’t surprise me if that was a thing of the past in the next few years.

And finally, do you have a message for Oz Music Scene readers?
Thanks for reading this far and not turning the page already! Come to a show and I’ll buy you a beer for it!

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ricki-Lee Coulter and Sophie Monk Get Tummy Tucks, The Natural Way!

Ricki-Lee Coulter proudly flaunts her curves in her music videos, but she’s made no secret of feeling a little self conscious at times of her voluptuous size 14 figure. So it’s only fitting that the stunning singer has become the face of the holdmetight shapewear collection.

“Body confidence and personal empowerment is a big issue for Australian women and something I take very seriously,” Ricki-Lee said in a statement.

“holdmetight understands how a woman wants to look and feel, which is why I’m so proud to announce my ambassadorship role for the label. Now the very sexy products in the holdmetight range that I wear underneath my gowns and outfits for stage, screen and on the red carpet are available to everyday women, everywhere!”

Funnily enough another Aussie popstar is launching their own range of body sculpting lingerie. Skinny Sophie Monk will launch her rival gut-busting brand on Tuesday. Does Sophie really need any help for her willowy frame?

I know whose underclothes I’d be more inclined to trust!

Image source: Erik K Veland @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

David Campbell Back With Good Lovin’

David Campbell wowed me earlier this year so I’m thrilled that this talented crooner is heading back on the road hot on the heels of the release of his brand new album, Good Lovin’.

David’s leaving swing behind for his new collection, which features the very best of 60s-style soul. Highlights include “1, 2, 3,” “Now That I’ve Found You,” “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” and much more.

Of course if you get to the shows you’ll still hear all those old standards David made famous in his Swing Sessions albums.

David’s charm and charisma on stage are unmatched, so these shows are sure to be brilliant. Check out the Good Lovin’ Tour 2009 at the following venues!

11 March 2009 – Mingara Recreation Club
13 March 2009 – State Theatre, Sydney
19 March 2009 – Perth Concert Hall
20 March 2009 – Regent Theatre, Wollongong
21 March 2009 – Canberra Theatre
25 March 2009 – Hamer Hall, Melbourne
26 March 2009 – Ford Theatre GPAC, Geelong
27 March 2009 – Derwent Entertainment Center, Hobart
28 March 2009 – Festival Theatre, Adelaide
1 April 2009 – Civic Theatre, Newcastle
4 April 2009 – USQ Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre, Toowoomba
14 April 2009 – The Events Centre, Caloundra
15 April 2009 – Ipswich Civic Centre
17 and 18 April 2009 – Darwin Entertainment Centre
21 April 2009 – World Theatre, Charters Towers
22 and 23 April 2009 – Brothers Leagues Club, Cairns
24 April 2009 – Townsville Civic Centre
25 April 2009 – Mackay Entertainment Centre
26 April 2009 – Gladstone Entertainment Centre
28 April 2009 – Pillbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
29 April 2009 – Gympie Pavilion Conference Centre
30 April 2009 – Brolga Theatre, Maryborough
1 May 2009 – Moncrieff Theatre, Bundaberg
2 and 3 May 2009 – Twin Towns Services Club, Gold Coast

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A With Maf Davis from Switch 3

Local indie outfit Switch 3 have been rocking hard since 2002. Through extensive touring they’ve found a loyal fan base, and they’ve just released their first full-length album Calm Before. The future’s looking bright for this quartet from Canberra. I caught up with lead singer and guitarist Maf Davis for a chat about the new album, life on the road, and why Switch 3 stays independent.

You’ve just released your first full length album Calm Before. What’s the public response been like so far?
The responses we’ve received so far have been fantastic. We couldn’t be happier. It’s funny, you put a lot of time and effort into making an album and during the entire process you can think of nothing more exciting than getting it out there and getting feedback. When it’s all wrapped up that excitement is still there, only it’s mixed with a degree of trepidation –  will people like it as much as we do? Will the songs get stuck in their heads like they do us? Will they ‘get’ what we’re trying to do? From what we’ve heard all of these questions have been answered in the affirmative so we’re very stoked.

You worked with ARIA-award winning producer Anton Hagop (Silverchair, Powderfinger, Missy Higgins) on the album. What was he like to work with?
Anton is always awesome to work with. We did Calm Before with him, as well as our last EP. Not only is he a great producer/engineer he’s also someone that we consider a great friend. Sure, he had to crack the whip at times to make sure we stuck to the schedule and we gave him a near brain meltdown by deciding to drop a track and write a whole new one for the album in a day, but that’s what recording is all about.

I’ve heard your music categorised as everything from rock to punk to metal. How would you describe your sound?
I’d say our music is heavy rock with punk/metal influences. How’s that for dodging the question? Seriously though, we like to think that if what we play is difficult to categorise then we’ve obtained our goal and hopefully we’ve got a sound that is unique enough to set us apart.

You’ve got such a diverse set of influences from Iron Maiden to Queen. How do these eclectic bands shape the music you produce?
Each member of the band listens to completely different music and that definitely shapes what we produce by increasing the ideas we can draw from when it comes to writing. A prime example is our drummer Evan. He listens to and plays a lot of jazz. That influence allows him to throw time signatures and other nuances into the mix that I would never be able to think of, mainly because I’ve never heard them before! The way I see it, the greater the number, and the wider the diversity of the influences, the higher the chance of making something unique which is what we’re striving for.

I believe you’re planning to do some local touring next year. What can fans look forward to when they see you live?
We’ve spent a lot of time crafting our sound for one purpose – to have a massive impact at live shows. That’s where we get our biggest kicks so we want everyone who makes the effort to come down to get a kick out of it as well. From having guitars handcrafted specifically for us to choosing the right kind of wood in the drum kit, we’ve done everything we can to make sure people get that ‘whack in the chest’ feel and walk away with a smile on their face. Our set has something for everyone, with enough rock to get the crowd jumping and ample quiet moments for it to grab a drink before doing it all again.
Continue reading “Q & A With Maf Davis from Switch 3” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

New Song Obsession: "Can’t Shake It" by Kate Miller-Heidke

Kate Miller-Heidke has dabbled in dance pop for her comeback single “Can’t Shake It,” and the result is irresistible. As someone whose dance style hasn’t evolved since the 1980s, I could really relate to the song’s sentiment! Just because it’s got a mainstream vibe though, don’t think Kate’s lost any of the quirkiness we fell in love with. The lyrics are playfully naughty and her ethereal voice sounds brilliant.

Kate might not be able to shake it, but you probably will listening to this pop gem! “Can’t Shake It” is the first single from Kate’s new album Curiouser, which hits stores on October 18.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Delamare Deliver Imaginary Things

Adelaide’s Delamare are set to wow Australia with their debut EP Imaginary Things.

The pop-rock quintet only formed early this year, but their passion for music and performing has seen them quickly establish a local fanbase. They recorded Imaginary Things with producer Luke Webb, the man behind the music of Kisschasy, The Angels, and Rose Tattoo. It’s a fresh blend of punchy riffs and sweet harmonies which is sure to strike a chord with local music lovers.

Imaginary Things is slated for release on October 11. To celebrate the band will take their high-energy stage show on the road. You can catch them at the following venues.

11 October 2008 – Fowlers, Adelaide (EP Launch Date)
17 October 2008 – Yarra FReeZa, Healesville (All Ages)
18 October 2008 – Curtin Band Room, Carlton
19 October 2008 – Fist2Face (Instore) Ringwood (All Ages)
25 October 2008 – Loxton Hotel, Riverland
7 November 2008 – Fowlers, Adelaide
8 November 2008 – Old Gaol, Mount Gambier
14 November 2008 – Princess Theatre, Woolloongabba (All Ages)
15 November 2008 – The Power House, Toowoomba
19 November 2008 – Ballina Hotel (All Ages)
20 November 2008 – Boambee East Community Centre, Coffs Harbour (All Ages)
21 November 2008 – Hype Central, Castle Hill (All Ages)
22 November 2008 – The Loft, Newcastle (All Ages)
27 November 2008 – Next @ Colonial Hotel, Melbourne
28 November 2008 – Cardinia FReeZa, Melbourne (All Ages)
29 November 2008 – Fist2Face Instore, Ringwood (All Ages)
29 November 2008 – The National Hotel, Geelong
6 December 2008 – The Underground, Adelaide
17 December 2008 – Final Fate Battle of the Bands, Adelaide
20 December 2008 – Fowlers, Adelaide

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Madam Parker Sent Home from Australian Idol

Madam Parker is the latest Australian Idol contender to get the chop from the reality TV competition. The soul star found herself in a surprising bottom three with Roshani Priddis and Chrislyn Hamilton. All three gave solid performances in the “sing for your life” round, but Madam was ultimately sent home.

I think ultimately her undoing was her lack of versatility. We saw her do soul great, but when we stepped outside that genre she fell into a heap. She’s got bundles of potential though and I do hope she pursues her musical career after this.

Next week our Idols prepare to rock with the help of mentors Kirk Pengilly and Tim Farris of INXS. I can’t wait!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol’s Levi Kereama Dead at 27

Former Australian Idol finalist Levi Kereama has tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony in Brisbane on Saturday night.

News reports claimed that the 27-year-old was suffering from depression, however this has been denied by his family. Queensland Police are not treating his death as suspicious.

Tony Tjin left a message on Facebook to thank fans for their support.

“On behalf of Levi’s family, I would like to say thank you for your prayers and kind messages, it’s great to know that he touched so many people’s lives.”

Following his stint on Idol, Levi formed R&B outfit Lethbridge with his brothers. He had played at Brisbane’s Parklife Festival earlier that day.

What a terrible loss. It’s always awful to hear about the passing of talented people, but when they’re taken so young it’s that much more tragic.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Does ABBA

Tonight was ABBA night on Australian Idol, a theme that was sure to bring some fun, and surprising performances. These restrictive theme nights are always so interesting. We see what the Idols can really do when they’re forced to step outside their comfort. So who soared and who slipped up? Read on!

Chrislyn Hamilton stayed fairly true to the original version of “Mamma Mia,” but I didn’t mind at all. It’s a really fun song, and she definitely had fun with this. It wasn’t her best vocal performance but it definitely had its moments. She’s a real entertainer though, and it’s easy to forgive the flaws because she’s just a joy to watch.

I thought it would take a miracle to make ABBA cool. Instead it took Sophie Paterson. Her stripped back mellow version of “Gimme Gimme Gimme” took it out of the disco and into the 21st century. It was incredibly smart because people are going to remember it. Sophie’s really hit her strides in recent weeks, so hopefully we’ll see her out of that dreaded bottom three again.

Thanh Bui showed us exactly what he should be doing in this competition with his rendition of “The Winner Takes it All.” I think maybe sitting at the piano forces him to be still, and that gets rid of the cheese factor we’re used to seeing from him. I hope we see a lot more of this Thanh, as opposed to boy band Thanh, because this Thanh rocks. And it was enough to make Marcia give a touchdown! Is it just me or do they mean more this year because Mark isn’t around to give them out willy nilly?

Roshani Priddis took “Money Money Money” to musical theatre, with her fantastic performance. When I heard the song choices for this week this was the only pairing that automatically made sense to me. I’m glad it lived up to my expectations. Roshani is proving to be Miss Consistency in this competition and I’m looking forward to what she brings every week.

Wes Carr excelled with his interpretation of “Fernando.” Wes is always good, but this time he was great. Maybe it’s because I saw him really step out of his comfort zone, but I appreciated this so much. It was true enough to the original not to alienate the older fans, but it was so much cooler. I also loved seeing him play the acoustic guitar again.

Mark Spano rocked out with “Waterloo,” or at least he tried to. Sort of. This is the thing with taking a risk. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. This to me didn’t really work. There were good moments there, but they were few and far between. I wonder whether he would have done better if he’d picked a less iconic song? I’m getting a little frustrated with Mark. He’s my favourite but he just doesn’t seem to be delivering which makes him awfully hard to support.

Madam Parker gave what should have been a fantastic performance of “Dancing Queen.” I really loved the arrangement, especially the start with the drums. But she was just so self conscious. It’s funny, because she really didn’t need to be. She said ABBA was so far out of her element, but it’s really not. If she’d really let go and enjoyed herself we would have done the same thing. Instead it was just OK.

I was a bit surprised that Teale Jakubenko picked “Thank You for the Music,” but I really enjoyed what he did with it. I loved the arrangement, and while his vocals weren’t as consistently strong all the way through it was really enjoyable. I also loved his positive attitude about the theme! Those good vibes really translated to a great performance, particularly when compared to some of those contestants who were a bit anti-ABBA.

Luke Dickens brought his gravelly rock voice to “Knowing Me Knowing You.” I have to admit, this is the first time I’ve really listened to the lyrics and the meaning behind the song. It’s always just sounded so happy, I’d never seen that darkness before! I did worry about how Luke would handle ABBA week, but he did it like a pro. He took all the cheese out of it and I loved it!

I’m actually surprised no one really slipped up! There were some amazing performances tonight, so it’s going to be tricky to pick who goes? I think Mark’s performance was the worst, but I think he’s got enough fans behind him that Madam might be the one who goes. What do you think?

Image source: Peter Forret @ Flickr