Category: Interviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Michael Khabbaz from Delamare

Delamare has burst onto the Aussie music scene with their irresistible pop-punk tracks. They’re just wrapping up their national tour, but bass player and vocalist Michael Khabbaz took time to tell me about the addictive debut EP Imaginary Things, crazy cake fights, and what the future has in store for this bright new band.

You recorded your debut EP Imaginary Things with Luke Gerard-Webb. He’s worked with so many amazing Aussie acts, like Rose Tattoo, The Angels, and Faker. What did you learn from him?
Luke was a great guy and very easy to work with. He taught us heaps of different studio techniques, particularly sitting silver cutlery on the strings of a grand piano used in the title track of our EP Imaginary Things.

Imaginary Things has such a great energy. How do you manage to keep those songs sounding so fresh after months on the road?
We try to match the energy in the songs on stage during each set to keep the songs sounding and looking fresh and keeping the audience singing and clapping along to each track.

You’re in the middle of a national tour at the moment. What do you love most about playing live?
The vibe you get when you play in front of a crowd. And playing along side your mates.

You’re doing plenty of all-ages shows as you travel around the country. How do those gigs compare to the over-18s ones?
They both have their pros and cons, but all-age shows are generally more crowd interactive.

What do you miss most when you’re on the road?
Good sleeps, good food supply and quality =P! Also everyone we spend so much time with outside the band.

You’re visiting a lot of regional areas on this tour. Did you make a conscious effort to get out there to those places that don’t often see a lot of live music?
Yeah it’s great to get out to new venues we’ve never played before and to see so many new faces that can’t make it to big city shows!

Are there any crazy tour stories you can share?
Well one of our first nights in Melbourne, we were celebrating a friend’s birthday. We had an ice-cream and chocolate cake fight inside the house where we were staying … lets just say it got pretty messy!

You’re one of a long line of bands that have come out of Adelaide in recent years. What makes the music scene there so good?
Great all age and 18+ venues and an awesome local fan base so dedicated to upcoming young and local bands.

What does 2009 hold in store for Delamare?
No doubt there will be more and more touring and hopefully some more studio time to demo some new material.

And finally, do you have a message for your fans?
Come to a show and get your rock on =D! Oh yeah, and don’t forget to wash behind your ears.

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Chris Buxton from Trikarma

Trikarma has made a real impression on the Melbourne music scene. Now armed with a funky debut release LOVINGLIFE the lads are ready to get Australia dancing with their upbeat grooves. I caught up with vocalist Chris Buxton to learn more about this up-and-coming Aussie act.

I’ve heard your music classified as funk, pop, and rock. How would you describe your sound?
I would say that is pretty accurate – we definitely have funk at the core but the tracks are catchy with a bit of dirt here and there providing the rock.

You’ve just released your first album LOVINGLIFE. What can you tell me about it?
LOVINGLIFE was recorded earlier this year, mainly in at Salt Studios in East Brighton in Melbourne. We tracked the 10 songs over two days with all the boys playing together to give us our bed of tight and vibe-filled foundations. All the guys enjoyed the two days and we captured some really great moments. I laid down guide vocals with the boys over those two days and then tracked all the vocals in my home studio over 3 weeks, often until the early hours of the morning with a scotch and Sambucca in hand. Myself and Luke [keyboards] then did a day of over-dubs with our co-producer Sean McVitty in his very funky studio at Salt. Sean had also laid own some extra guitar parts and textures after my vocals were added. Once this was done we were ready for five days of mixing with Sam Lowe our engineer. This was a great experience of seeing and hearing all the parts and tracks come together and be polished and moulded. The album was then sent to Sterling Sound in New York for mastering. It has been completely funded out of my pocket and we are proud of, and happy with the album.

You’ve played several shows in your hometown of Melbourne. How have the local crowds responded to your music?
The response has been very positive. We feel we are definitely on to something here. The combination of the songs, the energy of the music and the players involved have gone down extremely well with our audiences. It’s music to groove and dance to as well as having something different to say, if you want to go a bit deeper than just the sound. We really enjoy playing live. We are having a great time and it shows, and I think people like to see that. We are not tortured artists – we are celebrating life.

You haven’t announced an Australian tour yet. Do you have any idea when you’ll get out there are perform live for us?
We are working on booking some more shows at the moment, but they are still Melbourne based for now. We would love to do a tour or some supports but are finding it’s not that easy to break through and get some attention, opportunities and gigs. We will persevere and keep on making those follow-up calls, but if there’s any booking agents out there reading this give us a tingle and a crack at it and we will do the rest!

What music are you listening to at the moment?
Spearhead, Jamiroquai, Stevie Wonder, Kyle Riabko, and Macy Gray are on rotation here at the moment.

Trikarma is an interesting name. What’s the story behind it?
My best friend and I came up with the name a few years ago. We wanted something that had a “ring” to it, that was memorable and reflected our beliefs – that there was power and truth in the idea of karma, that we reap what we sow, that we are powerful creators.  We also liked the idea of threes. It is found in so many aspects of life – such as body, mind and spirit – so we joined the two together. It was sometime later that we discovered the term “trikarma’ has been referred to for many centuries in ancient texts, and effectively means “conscious, intentional use of your thoughts, words and actions towards achieving enlightenment.” It was freaky, in a good way, how well it fits what the music is about.

You’ve got one of the biggest bands I’ve seen. How do you deal with those inevitable differences of opinion?
Well so far we haven’t had any problems, we’ve found the whole process has run smoothly so far. Trikarma has been an idea for some time and this year has been great in terms of manifesting it in to reality. I think it also helps in some ways to have one person really driving the whole thing. I could not have done it without the other wonderfully talented people around me, but the reality is the overall direction, organization, marketing, publicity and booking the band all falls in to my lap. It’s not always easy to get everyone together and organized, but now we are starting to get some momentum up it’s becoming easier, and more interesting and exciting.

What’s on your Christmas wishlist?
Some more radio airplay, exposure and gigs for Trikarma, some more ears to hear the sounds and vibes, and any other opportunities the universe can muster up for us. There is nothing else more important to me right now. We know we’ve got a great album, but the reality is that isn’t even the half of it. There’s plenty of new music out there. We are looking for ways to be heard and opportunities to play.

What does 2009 hold for Trikarma?
Next year will see us playing more shows around Melbourne and beyond and continuing the push for our days in the sun. We’ll also be looking to link up with people on our wavelength that can help us create and make the most of our opportunities.

And finally, do you have a message for Oz Music Scene readers?
Thanks for reading if you’ve got this far! Check out our website or the MySpace if you haven’t heard any tunes, and if you like what you hear, see and read, buy the album – it’s a ripper. If you see us playing somewhere in your  area get on board and join us for a night of positivity, funk and black Sambucca!

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Teddy from Heartbreak Club

With their new release O Tempora! O Mores! Heartbreak Club has created one of the most addictive EPs I’ve heard in a long time. The five songs are the perfect blend of punk, pop, and rock music. The tunes are accessible but the clever quirky lyrics ensure these tunes stay left of the mainstream.

I want my readers to hear these songs, so make sure you read on to find out how you can score one of three copies of this brilliant EP. But first, I caught up with Heartbreak Club singer Teddy. Here’s what he had to say about this release, life on the road, and what 2009 holds for this fantastic Aussie act.

You worked with Ed Rose (Motion City Soundtrack, The Get Up Kids) and Anthony The (The Vines, Youth Group) on O Tempora! O Mores! What did they bring to the recording?
An amazing cross-pollination of Australian rock and American production sensibilities. Ed totally got what the band was about, and in addition to pulling and mixing some huge sounds, he worked us really hard to extract our best performances. Ed was crucial in making the CD accessible to a broad audience and radio, while not compromising the tongue-in-cheek nature of the project.

This is your second EP, and I’ve got to say five songs just doesn’t seem long enough. When can we expect a Heartbreak Club album?
We’re talking to Ed about flying him out for a month or so in early 2009. We would be looking at releasing the new album, which is almost completely written, in August-September 2009. It will have at least 12 tracks, as we totally agree, 5 tracks is just not enough!

This EP has such a great energy. How do you manage to keep those songs sounding so fresh after months on the road?
Live audiences always keep the songs fresh, particularly with all the new faces in the crowds this tour! Sure it may sound non-rock to say so, but I want people to like us – and that means we have to have the energy and freshness at every live show. Bands have gotta earn a crowd, y’know?

You’re in the middle of a national tour at the moment. What do you love most about playing live?
When we win over people who have never seen us before. It usually takes about three songs before it ‘clicks’, but by the end of the set, if they are up and dancing then we’re pretty chuffed. Also spontaneous moments – we played in Canberra on the weekend, with a fill-in bass player (due to exceptional circumstances). We rehearsed for three hours, then played a show for a crowd that for the most part were not into our style of music. But then we got offered to play a set at The Phoenix next door, and despite being exhausted we said yes. It turned out to be one of the best shows on the tour – great reaction, dancers, singalongs, and a very eclectic crowd. Meeting people on tour is also another major incentive to playing live.

You recently played the Cruelty Free Living Festival in Sydney. Is this a cause close to your heart?
We’re a pretty non-political band, but we consider ourselves to be pretty ethical people. So lending our name to a cause that encourages ethical lifestyle choices is something we felt quite comfortable with. We are all ethical eaters in varying shades, so yes, the cause is something we give a lot of consideration to.

You’re doing plenty of all-ages shows as you travel around the country. How do the kids respond to your music?
The kids have been amazing! They dance, they sing. I’m just glad people are having fun. There’s too much overly serious music at the moment, and I think the kids appreciate the opportunity to – how do I say this without sounding lame(r) – “shake their booty,” “rock out,” you get my drift!

Are there any crazy tour stories you can share?
Ha! There’s many tour stories I could share, but I fear being ostracised from the rest of my band mates. “What happens on tour, stays on tour” as they say. Many of the stories involve Grimace, our tour mascot, but you’d have to ask us at a show about Grimace!

What’s on your Christmas wish list?
I’ve actually been able to block out Christmas so far, and not given it any thought. Setting aside the commercialisation of it all, it reminds me of companionship, family, love and happiness – all the things that have been so absent from my life the past few years. As such, I try and keep it blocked out. Or something.

What does 2009 hold for Heartbreak Club?
A new album! Also there will be at least two Australian tours. We are enjoying getting around Australia so much! It was kinda weird that until this tour, we’d seen more of the USA (from our 2007 tour there) than Australia. Indeed, the next tour we’re locking in many more regional towns and distant places, as they often have the most unique and rewarding shows.

Do you have a message for Oz Music Scene readers?
Not really. I’d end up sounding preachy, or something. Hmm, perhaps to learn from my mistakes – like don’t say a former lover’s name in bed, because it gets really, really awkward … is that publishable?

So how do I get my hands on a copy of Heartbreak Club’s O Tempora! O Mores! I hear you ask? It’s simple! Just leave a comment on this post and tell me why you’d like to add this EP to your collection.

Make sure you leave your e-mail address (this won’t be posted publicly) so I can get in touch with you if you win. Entries close at 5 pm AEST on November 28, and I’ll announce the winners on Saturday November 29.

In the meantime, if you’re in New South Wales, Victoria, or South Australia it’s not too late to catch Heartbreak Club on their O Tempora! O Mores! tour. Here are the remaining dates!

22 November 2008 – Armidale Club (18+)
23 November 2008 – Greenhouse Tavern, Coffs Harbour (18+)
27 November 2008 – National Hotel, Geelong (18+)
29 November 2008 – Fist to Face, Ringwood (All ages)
30 November 2008 – The Tote, Fitzroy (18+)
2 December 2008 – Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave (18+)
5 December 2008 – Crown & Anchor, Adelaide (18+)
6 December 2008 – The Underground, Adelaide (All ages)
18 December 2008 – Queen’s Wharf Brewery, Newcastle

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A With Justin Keenan from The Go Set

With its surprising blend of punk and Celtic music, The Go Set’s fourth album Rising has taken up permanent residence in my stereo. I recently caught up with lead singer and guitarist Justin Keenan to learn more about this exciting band.

Rising is your fourth album in as many years. How do you stay so prolific?
It’s just a matter of being creative all the time, rather than writing songs when you need them I guess. I think constantly writing songs also helps you improve as a songwriter much more between albums. Being independent, I suppose that we are in the position where we need to constantly have new material in the market too, because we don’t have the mainstream media prolonging the lifespan of the songs like a major label act has.

On this album you worked with Jonathon Burnside, who has produced some massive punk releases (Melvins, NOFX). What was it like to have him involved?
The guy is great to work with. He’s really creative in a wacky kind of way, and it was the first time we’ve made a recording where the producer actually came in and really messed with the sound. It was good because he really identified the band’s live sound and captured it really well. He’s got a stack of great rock stories too!

Your music goes back to the roots of punk with its political and social messages. What has you fired up at the moment?
The environment is an issue that drives me fucking nuts. It’s been glaringly obvious for so long that we need to change our patterns of living, and yet oil companies and car manufacturers continue the old practices to extract every last cent before the world becomes unliveable. I think what drives me nuts the most about that situation is that people see themselves as individuals at the mercy of large corporations, but in fact it is quite the opposite. If every person in Australia decided not to drive a car or go to work for a day, who would hold the power then? Most people don’t realise the power of collective action in bringing about change.

You’ve covered “New Race” on this album. Are you all big Radio Birdman fans?
Yeah, I grew up on Radio Birdman. We actually worked with Rob Younger in 2006, he produced our Hungry Mile album. New Race is a cranking song and fits really well with our political stance.

Your music is so unique with its traditional Celtic instrumentation and punk sensibilities. How have music fans taken to it?
When we started the band we actually thought that people would hate it. It’s got bagpipes for Christ’s sake. Funnily enough, the band has got a really strong following everywhere these days. It’s partly due to lots of touring, and I think that people connect with the honesty in the music. We aren’t trying to be anything that we are not. We all grew up on this type of music, so it feels really natural to play.

Rising is your fourth indie release. Why do you choose to remain independent artists?
Partly its because it is a distinct style of music, and major labels are not interested in taking risks on a band like us, but mainly its because we love to be able to do what we want with our music and everything that we have created so far, songs and fans, is our own doing. There’s a real satisfaction in that I think.

You’ve played some massive international festivals, but here in Australia we’re likely to see you playing pub gigs. How do the big festival shows compare with the more intimate ones?
I love both. The festivals are great because they get you in front of a lot of new people who wouldn’t otherwise have seen you, but the pub gigs are always chaotic and crazy – lots of beer and singalongs. Both have a really special energy.

You’re touring the album all across Australia. How do you keep each show fresh?
We have a massive setlist of about 30 songs, so we change it around a little each night. Besides, every show is always going to be fresh because it’s a different city, different crowd etc.

What do you miss most when you’re on the road?
Going for a surf after school, and my two kids

And finally, do you have a message for your fans out there?
If you haven’t got the record – go and buy it! We’ll be heading around the country again in February and March and then off to Europe in June.

Make sure you keep an eye on Oz Music Scene to see all those 2009 gig dates as they’re announced!

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A With Ben Wever from mrben

Life’s exciting for the members of Sydney rock outfit mrben. They’ve just finished work on their album Night & Day, and they’re preparing to unleash it at a massive show at the Annandale Hotel next month. Lead singer-songwriter Ben Wever took time out of his busy schedule to tell me more about the band, their live shows, and why we’ll fall in love with their album.

I’ve read that you have a unique style of music and songwriting. How would you describe it? 
mrben’s sound is very modern, all original and would be classed as commercial, melodic rock. A little aggressive, dark at times yet full of colour throughout. Strong lyrics, powerful melodies and interesting timing signatures is our forte.

You’ve played in different bands for the last ten years. What have you found in mrben that was missing in those other outfits?
What was always missing in the other bands that we have all played in is structure, control, focus and leadership. We have all played in bands before just to play music for our selves, or to an audience of some description, but over time we realised that we were not “all” on the same page. Too many chefs can spoil the broth also, with no one really driving the ship we were kind of left to make it up as we went. Now, we have much more drive, passion for the industry and strive to be very successful. With much stronger lyrics, a real genre specific focus that has modern approaches to the songwriting fuelled by old school influences. We are very proud of what has been produced on this album

I hear mrben has been doing some gigs around Sydney lately. What do you think of the local scene?
The Sydney scene as we know it, and have known it for many years has gone through the major shrinking phases to now more of an independent scene and has put us in the right place right now. We very much understand how hard it is to stand out and be noticed, we all can sometimes predict the outcome of a gig weeks before it happens due to knowing the venue, accepting that the booking agent and or promoter is not doing much for us and if you don’t bring your own crowd “every time” then your chances of getting another gig with these people, venues etc is very slim. Without having airplay behind you and or some serious marketing dollars, it’s very hard to have great gigs time after time. In summary, the scene is still strong, the support is getting weaker.

What’s your favorite venue to play and why?
Let’s face it: bad restaurant, no customers, bad location, same result, middle of winter on a School night, even worse, so, we love the Annandale Hotel, The Bridge Hotel for example. Why? Because they are established venues that attract people to it due their reputation and location, not too mention the fact that if it’s a known venue than people assume straight away that you must be a good band to get a gig there. Having said that, if the room is full of the right people and if the band is performing well with a decent P.A system, then the smaller venues can be just as effective or even sometimes a much better intimate vibe for all.

Continue reading “Q & A With Ben Wever from mrben” →

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

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

Q & A With Jim Siourthas from Tin Alley

Melbourne rockers Tin Alley are keeping busy on their first national tour. But vocalist and guitarist Jim Siourthas found time en route to Brisbane to tell me about crazy Australian towns, MySpace, and his band’s debut album Every Turn.

You’re just wrapping up your first national tour. How have the crowds been responding to your music?
We’ve had great shows in most cities/towns we’ve visited – some busier than others but all in all they’ve been great shows.

What can people expect from Tin Alley live?
Great musicianship, energy and great songs that will surely leave you wanting more.

Any crazy tour stories to tell?
Where do I begin … my favourite is some town names we have driven past: Bobbin Head, Bald Nob and Woodenbong. They are real towns – look them up! They definitely keep the drive interesting!

I heard you worked with American director/producer Max Ribitzky on the clips for “In Your Hands” and “Polar Bear.” Is it hard to develop these things together when you’re half a world away?
It was a unique experience because we used various internet technologies to facilitate our collaboration. We used Messenger, YouTube, Skype and e-mail to communicate and work together to complete the film clip.

You’re one of the many bands who has a MySpace page rather than a traditional website. How important is MySpace for getting exposure?
Myspace is a great tool for any band because it provides a way to reach fans with music, video, pictures, news – all the necessities of a good website. It is good for exposure to new listeners but MySpace alone cannot win fans – it is a great starting help though.

Continue reading “Q & A With Jim Siourthas from Tin Alley” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A With Adin from Front Counter

Melbourne’s pop-punk outfit Front Counter are poised to become Australia’s next big thing. Haven’t heard of them? Trust me, you will. With their debut EP A Toast to You and Me slated for release next month and a trip to Ramsey Street set to coincide, this Aussie five-piece are destined for greatness. Today I had a chat with the band’s bass guitarist Adin. Here’s what he had to say about their devoted teen fan base, gigging, and his love of fast food.

Critics are already comparing Front Counter to Simple Plan and Green Day. How would you describe your sound?
We’re just a fun-loving band. “Looking to party” music, but there’s a serious note to it as well. We want to write stuff that people can bob their heads and just energy kind of stuff. I wouldn’t compare us to Simple Plan or Green Day but obviously the influence is there with bands like that.

You formed the band with Josh and Anton back in 2004, but it’s taken to this year to complete the lineup with Rhys and Josh. What have they brought to the band that was missing before?
Rhys brings a really good pop element to the band. He just has a knack for picking up these melodies and he’s really good at harmonising Anton’s vocal parts as well so there’s different voices there. And Josh the new guitarist, he can really shred. He’s a really good guitarist so he brings that element of musicianship that we were kind of missing before.

I read that your name was inspired by a sign at Hungry Jacks. Are you all fast food junkies?
At the moment we are, just because we’re all stressed [laughs]. But honestly, we’re not the healthiest band going around. We’re not fast food junkies, but we do like our fast food.

You played the massive Taste of Chaos tour last year. How was that experience?
That was amazing. The Melbourne night was just amazing. There were so many people that didn’t know who we were, and it was really good that the kids come up to you after the show and say, “Hey, I didn’t quite catch your name, what’s your name, I’ve never heard of you” and they were asking about us, it created a bit of a buzz. It was really cool.

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Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with James from Beats Working

Beats Working have wowed Triple J listeners with their innovative blend of hip hop, soul, rock, and pop. Now they’re hoping to turn Australia on to their eclectic sound with the release of their debut album Harbour Drive on 30 July. I caught up with vocalist and music production master James ahead of this exciting release.

You’re releasing your debut album Harbour Drive at the end of the month. What can music lovers expect from it?
It’s a pretty eclectic album, so hopefully there is something there for most people. Even my mum is into it, but maybe she’s biased. We’re all into a lot of different music – from hip hop to rock to pop, funk, soul … and the album has a bit of all that thrown in. If you’re already a hip hop fan I think you’re going to like it, but hopefully it will expand to a larger audience.

Triple J has been a great supporter of your music. How important has their support been in getting your name out there?
Obviously having airplay and support on The Jay is really important for any new band. They’re such a great avenue for getting your music out there, and the people that run the station are obviously really passionate about Australian music.

Aussie guitar legend Phil Emmanuel plays on your new single “Hey Lena.” You’ve got such different styles so the collaboration might seem surprising to some people. How did it come about?
It was the last thing that we recorded on the album, actually. We had this section in the track – a breakdown, basically, that we were planning on putting a scratch section in. We decided that would be too much of a cliché in a song that is so different from most other hip hop, so we were sitting around scratching our heads, wondering what to do. Dan’s uncle runs a studio in Coffs Harbour, and is mates with Phil, who happened to be in town at the time. I’ve forgotten whose idea it was, but someone suggested we get a guitarist to do a solo … and within about an hour we were recording with Phil! It was amazing watching such a virtuoso, with complete mastery of his instrument, jam out in a studio. He was incredible. There is only about a 30-second solo on the track, but he recorded enough for us to put a wailing guitar solo on every track on the album if we had wanted to.

Your songs incorporate elements of pop, soul, funk, and more. What artists are you listening to at the moment?
At the moment the two albums that are really grabbing me are Seeing Sounds by N.E.R.D … I think those guys are at the forefront of making hip hop that is as innovative as possible but still has that pop edge that makes their music cross over. The other album is The Fire is on the Bird by Jackson Jackson – it’s the trumpet player form the Cat Empire, actually. That album really takes Australian hip hop to places that I never thought possible. Lyrically and musically it is a stunner.

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