Category: Interviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with 1200 Techniques’ N’Fa Jones

In the ’90s N’Fa Jones made a splash on the Australian music scene fronting 1200 Techniques, a unique act that effortlessly blended hip hop and soul. Their breakthrough smash single “Karma” saw the band earn a place on the top 40 charts and a swag of ARIAs. A second album, Consistency Theory, followed in 2004. However, in 2005 the band parted ways. Now in 2014, this pioneering act looks set to do it all again. I caught up with N’Fa to chat about this exciting new chapter for 1200 Techniques.

It’s been 10 years since you last took the Aussie music scene by storm. Why did you decide it was time for a comeback?
What’s interesting is that we don’t really see it as a comeback. Just unfinished business. We never intended it to be a 10 year break. It’s cray how time flies really. We’ve wanted to write more music, and it’s good to be doing so.

You’re about to release a brand new EP, Time Has Come. What can you tell me about it?
It’s got plenty of chug-a-lug to it, and a lot if musical experimentation, which is a major part of the 1200 Techniques sound and ethic. Everythng has a connected pulse to it, but every song is an individual sound and feel.

How did it feel making music together again after so much time had passed?
It felt good. Making music should always feel good, hopefully. We’ve all developed in our own ways over the years, and to see what we could from now has been an awesome thing. The music we are making is more musical than sample based, and I think this is due to our own musical maturation over the years.

Before that you’re playing a show to support the 25th anniversary of Rubber Records. How important has the label been to your career?
Rubber Records gave us our first shot at anything and believed in us. They’ve always been there for us and are working with us once again to make this EP a reality. So, I’d say they are very important, and we are excited to be part of their journey and 25th anniversary,

What can music lovers expect from the show?
Energy, noise, sweat, and good times! We will be bringing the funk, and the stomp like we always did. We will rock old classics along with our new material. It’s been dope jamming and finding our way around the older and new material. Looking forward to it.

You’re one of the latest bands to turn to crowdfunding to support your music. What made you decide to do that?
We though it would be cool to give our audience a chance to get involved early, and grab some vintage stock as well as other cool options. It just made sense to us to get the vibe out there in a person to person way as a lead up, rather than just dropping the EP in stores Jan 23.

Have you been surprised by the support of the fans so many years after your last release?
Of course. We’ve been surprised over the years with peeps coming up and telling us how they loved our music and miss us. A big part of doing this EP is for those supporters who encouraged us to write more music together.

Australian hip hop has really exploded since last time you released your music. What’s your opinion of the current scene?
It’s good to see people up on it, doing well and surviving. Music is a hard game, and the scene has had to develop and change in order to grow. I remember playing venues where hip hop had never been allowed in the doors, and we were like the test dummies for the sound. A lot of hip hop venues today were strictly no hip hop back then, and we had to work hard to change that. So yeah the scene, and industry has changed in many ways.

Which of the current Australian hip hop crop are really impressing you?
Ah, now your trying to get us in trouble with who we do, and don’t mention … ha ha. Look, we are happy to be making music, being a part of the music, having been a part of the early steps. To see peeps survivng off hip hop, and to see some cats pushing the boundaries in so many way, is dope to us. We defo prefer boundary pushing music to safe music.

After this EP drops, what’s next for 1200 Techniques?
I guess we’ll see. Hopefully a few awesome tours though 2015, and maybe an LP. Step by step!

1200 Techniques’ Time has Come EP hits stores on January 23. They’ll launch the title track at Howler on December 17.

Image used with permission from Paris is Patient

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Josh Pyke

After wowing crowds with his Lone Wolf tour earlier this year, Josh Pyke is set to do it all again with a regional run. I caught up with Josh ahead of the shows to talk about what he loves about performing, his latest album The Beginning and the End of Everything, and everyone’s favourite ’80s toy, Viewmasters!

1.    You’re just about to head off on an extension of your Lone Wolf tour. What made you want you want to extend this current leg of dates?
The first round of this tour was so overwhelmingly successful that I really wanted to take it out to regional areas. I’ve always focused on doing regional shows, but this feels like another level, going into more theater style venues. I’m really looking forward to it.

2.    I noticed you’re playing quite a few all ages shows on this run as well. How do they compare with the pub gigs?
They’re great! AA shows are hard to get off the ground sometimes, so it was great to see that the regional venues were set up and willing accommodate all ages shows. The kids that come to my shows are pretty cool and always handle themselves well at gigs so it’s not that wildly different from a normal show, except I feel heaps older!

3.    It seems like you’re always out on the road. How do you keep things feeling fresh when you’re playing so many shows?
You have to do something different every time. For every album I’ve done, I’ve made sure that my tours have incorporated something I haven’t done before. I’ve had string sections, rearranged heaps of songs to have different instrumentation, full band shows, solo shows, collaborations shows … Whatever it is, it needs to offer not only new songs, but new ways of presenting old songs, so people have a reason to come back.

4.    Clearly you must love being on stage. What’s your favourite thing about that?
It’s like the only time in my life that I’m totally in the moment. “Real life” is filled with conflicting things happening all the time, and you have to split your brain up to keep up with everything. But when I’m doing a show, I’m right there in the moment with the audience, and it’s a great feeling. Immediate and intimate and engaged. I love it.

5.    I’m sure fans will hear plenty of old favourites at these shows, but it must also be exciting for you to showcase your newer stuff from The Beginning and the End of Everything. What’s your favourite track to play live from that album and why?
“White Lines Dancing” is great to play solo. I use a loop pedal to add percussion and a piano line, and it just builds really well. Playing solo lets me muck around with the arrangements and dynamics of the song, and that works really well in that song.

6.    I read that you felt this album is actually your best. Why is that?
I just think it’s my most developed and most accomplished. I love every song on it, and it’s the only album I’ve made that I can actually listen to at home. I’m super proud of all my output, but I especially think this record is just the best one I’ve done. Simple as that!

7.    As a child of the ‘ 80s I’ve been pretty intrigued by the Viewmasters you’re going to be selling as part of your tour pack. They make a nice change from T-shirts! What was the thought behind them?
Years ago a fantastic supporter of mine made me a Viewmaster with photos from a show she’d been at. I thought it was awesome and thought if I ever had a chance to do something like that based around a specific tour it’d be very cool. So this seemed like the perfect chance.

8.    You’re barely going to have time to unpack before you’re out on the road again touring with Chris Cheney, Phil Jamieson, and Tim Rogers as part of The Beatles’ White Album tribute. It’s been five years since you all got together to pay tribute to The Beatles. Are you excited to be doing it all again?
I am! I started practicing the songs again today actually, and it all flooded back to me what a great time we had. It was really nerve wracking the first time, and I’m sure there’ll be some anxiety again this time, but with another five years of performing under my belt I want it to be even better than the last one.

9.    And clearly the Beatles must be a big part of your musical DNA. What is it about their music that really resonates with you?
For me it’s always been the harmonies and production. All the quirky sounds, the arrangements, the technical details like the tape delays and panning in some songs, (due to mainly mixing in mono back then). That stuff still blows my mind and engages me to this day.

10. After that tour wraps up, what’s next for you?
I have a studio at home I’m planning on renovating and will start writing and demoing for another album! There’s also a few more projects I’m trying to get off the ground, but they won’t kick off til next year.

Catch Josh on his Lone Wolf tour at the following shows.

6 June 2014 – Montrose Town Centre, Montrose (ALL AGES)
7 June 2014 – The Memo, Healesville (ALL AGES)
13 June 2014 – Fannie Bay Gaol, Darwin
15 June 2014 – Divers Tavern, Broome
20 June 2014 – Empire Church Theatre, Toowoomba (ALL AGES)
21 June 2014 – Majestic Theatre, Pomona (ALL AGES)
22 June 2014 – Byron Theatre, Byron Bay (ALL AGES)
25 June 2014 – Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour (ALL AGES)
26 June 2014 – Pier One @ Panthers, Port Macquarie
27 June 2014 – Manning Entertainment Centre, Taree (ALL AGES)
28 June 2014 – Cessnock Performing Arts Centre, Cessnock (ALL AGES)
5 July 2014 – Milton Theatre, Milton (ALL AGES)

Image used with permission from Remote Control Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Civil Civic’s Ben Green

On the eve of Civil Civic’s first headline tour of Australia, I caught up with one half of the band, bass player Ben Green. Read on to find out about Civil Civic’s brand new album, the upcoming tour dates, and what it’s like for this expat to come home.

You’re just about to release your album Rules. What can you tell me about it? 
It’s a collection of ten songs which we pieced together over the first two years of playing together. It’s generally pretty up-tempo, with heaps of loud hysterical bits, a few soft moody bits and with any luck it’ll drive you completely out of your fucking mind.

It must be interesting being in a band with someone who lives in another country. How do you make it work? 
We make good use of both the internet and Easyjet. Between the two of them those tools do a good job of making the international collabo thing a functional reality. But of course we’d probably get a lot more done if we lived in the same share house and jammed in the loungeroom every day.

What’s it like after so much time apart to come together again? 
Pretty disturbing, really. There’s nothing but bubbling hatred and contempt between us, so it’s always dicey for the first couple of days of rehearsal before a tour. But we’re both disciplined professionals, so we keep that shit under control and get on with the job. Word.

You’ve played some big European festivals in your career. What have been some of your highlights so far? 
This is a CAREER!?? Shit, that’s going to take a while to digest. But that’s an easy question, really. We headlined the side-stage on the Friday night at last year’s La Route Du Rock in Brittany and it was so good I couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off my face for days. It was sooo fucking loud, and there was 6000 drunk French people just going nuts in front of us. Unbelievable.

You’re actually embarking on your first headlining tour of Australia, despite both being born here. What’s it like to come back home? 
Awesome. We were both super excited about doing some gigs in Aus, and maybe a bit nervous too. But it’s great to be able to catch up with family/friends ect. and the gigs are just a big bonus.

What do you miss about Australia when you’re away? 
Aussie banter, mostly. Aaron [Cupples] also misses the sun, because he’s a sucker and lives in London.

Many of the Australian shows are going to be quite intimate compared to some of your overseas dates. Will you approach them any differently? 
We’ve played plenty of toilet-sized venues in Europe, and all the places we’re playing in Australia are way bigger and better equipped than most toilets, so I reckon we’ll be fine. In some ways club shows are more nerve-wracking than festival gigs, especially when they’re at The Tote Hotel and all your mates are standing there, seeing you play for the first time. That’s going to be fucking terrifying.

I’ve heard a little about this “Box” which is a key part of your live shows. Can you tell my readers exactly what it is? 
It’s a cube about two foot square which functions as our robot drummer. Besides cranking out big, dumb beats it also has a group of square, colored lights on it’s front face which fire in unison with the drum sounds, so it’s sort of a light show as well. People end up staring at it, which takes attention away from our bad dancing on stage.

You’ve been generating some serious buzz for your live shows. What makes you guys so different do you think? 
Well, we try our damnedest  to be a tight, punchy unit and create some excitement and atmosphere in the room. Some nights are better than others, but we’re always aiming high. NO SLACKING! Maybe that, but on the other hand maybe it’s just The Box.

After you leave Australia, what comes next for Civil Civic? 
We need to knuckle down to some serious songwriting, but unfortunately there won’t be much time for that before we start gigging in Europe again. We’re aiming to get a single out more-or-less as soon as we can, just so people know we are actually still creating, and it would be great to have a new album ready for the end of the year, but we’ll have to see how that goes.

Rules hits Australian record stores today. You can see Civil Civic on their homecoming tour at the following shows.

7 February 2013 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
8 February 2013 – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
16 February 2013 – ATP: I’ll Be Your Mirror @ Westgate Entertainment Centre and Grand Star Receptions, Altona
19 February 2013 – The Tote, Melbourne

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Sun City’s Tobias John

Sun City impressed me recently with their feelgood new single “Set Alight.” So I was thrilled to catch up with one half of the band, Tobias John, to chat about the song, the EP of the same name, and their upcoming tour.

You’ve just released your new EP Set Alight. What can you tell me about it?
Well …we spent the better part of eight months earlier this yeah holed up in our little studio putting it all together. It was a lot of fun! This EP is all about summer; it’s good fun, upbeat electro pop. It also features a remix from our pal Shazam (Modular).

As a child of the 80s I was really into the synth-heavy sounds and positivity of the title track. Were you influenced by that decade at all?
Absolutely. The whole record is laced with 80s electronica influence. To state the obvious, we are huge fans of running analogue bass lines and exaggerated electronic tom drum samples. We’re also both 80s babies (but only just!).

Your EP also features a remix of your song “High.” What’s it like to create a song and then see what another act can do with it?
It was a really interesting process with Shazam. We’re a huge fan of his and his skill and attention to detail as producer is amazing. It’s all about interpretation and what Shazam was able to do with the track was awesome. He actually took the existing vocal samples and built a synth out of it! Did we mention the big hitting 80s tom drums?

Conversely you’ve also put your spin on tracks from Miami Horror and Bag Raiders. What’s that process like?
Yeah good fun! The remixes are totally bootleg and instead of using the existing vocals, we recorded in our own voices and chopped everything up. After our performance at Stereosonic Perth last year we got chatting with the guys from Bag Raiders and showed them our remix of “Shooting Stars.” They really dug it and we were chuffed!

Do you prefer creating original music or remixing the work of others?
Definitely creating our own at the moment.

Set Alight is your second EP. How do you think you’ve grown as artists between the making of your first recording and this?
Well in terms of production, the first EP was a huge learning curve for us. There’s a lot more attention to detail and consistency on the Set Alight EP. In terms of influence and inspiration, following the release of our first EP we’ve had quite a lot happen in a short period of time. Life has changed pretty dramatically for the both of us and there’s been so many influential moments over the past 12 months that inspired the whole Set Alight EP.

You’re kicking off your first national tour soon. Are you getting excited?
We are! However, a very fortunate (and slightly random) series of events has actually resulted in us doing our first international tour before our first national tour. We’re currently sitting at the airport in Dubai on our way home from playing a couple of epic festivals in Africa, which has been an absolutely mind blowing experience! Another 10 hour flight home and we can catch a few hours sleep before heading off to our first stop on the Set Alight tour at the Beresford Hotel in Sydney (Friday 14th Dec) followed by Alhambra Lounge in Brisbane the next night (with The Jungle Giants and Millions). We’re excited!

You’re playing festivals and headlining your own club dates. Do you have a preference?
Not at all, as long as there is a good bunch of people having a sing, dance and good time to our music!

Dance music isn’t as recognised in this country as a live experience in the same way seeing a rock band in a pub is. Why should people get out and see you play?
Our live show consists of about four synths, a guitar, electronic drums and a sampler … between the two of us … and we both sing. Hopefully that’s more interesting than watching a DJ and more upbeat and danceable than a watching a pub band!

After this tour wraps up, what’s next on the agenda?
Sleep. Then right back into producing some more tunes and hopefully getting to do this all over again!

Here are all the places you can see Sun City play their Set Alight shows:

14 December 2012 – The Beresford Hotel, Sydney
15 December 2012 – Alhambra, Brisbane
1 January 2013 – Cuban Club, Perth
6 January 2013 – Summadayze, Perth
11 January 2013 – Discovery @ Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
12 January 2013 – The Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
25 January 2013 – Can’t Say @ Vault 8, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Positive Feedback

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Jacob Butler

After making a splash on The X Factor and Australian Idol, Jacob Butler has refused to fade into the background. Fresh from a recent promotional trip the Europe I caught up with Jacob to talk about his time abroad, his time on reality TV, and the hard road of an independent artist.

You recently spent time promoting your music in Europe. How did that go?
Really great thanks. It was great to speak to people about what I’m doing on the other side of the world, and it was also great to see some cities that I haven’t been to before like Berlin, Stockholm and Warsaw.

You’ve always had an affinity for British music. What was it like being over there amongst it?
Well I wasn’t in England for promotion this time, but yes it’s always great to be in Europe talking to people about music. It’s so funny to me how I’m much more interesting to people in Europe than I am here. It must be the accent or something!

How did the European audiences respond to your music?
People in Europe are pretty open to hearing new music, and the response was quite positive. This was very apparent after doing performances and interviews on TV and radio over there; the traffic on my Facebook page or on my Youtube channel would always see more activity straight away.

What did you miss most about home?
I was only away for a month so it wasn’t too bad, but I did miss my fiancée the most. I had friends all over the place to catch up with in many of the cities that I visited, but it can get lonely when you’re by yourself for days at a time. And I did miss Vegemite. I didn’t realize it at the time but I have been a total Vegemite junkie ever since I got back!

Like many Australians, I remember watching you on reality TV programs like Australian Idol and the original incarnation of The X Factor. What did being on those programs teach you?
Those shows certainly taught more me more about myself as a person than as a performer; it made me stronger and more resilient for sure. Reality TV shows are a rollercoaster and they can chew you up and spit you out pretty quickly! You really need to have a strong sense of who you are and what you want to achieve as an artist.  You also need to be aware that you probably won’t win, and you’ll have to keep working if you want a career in music.

So many performers from those programs seem to just disappear, never to be heard from again. How did you make sure you weren’t one those people?
Through relentless hard work and tenacity. I backed myself financially to the point where the bank just wouldn’t give me any money anymore. I have maxed out multiple credit cards, sold almost all my guitars and musical equipment and borrowed money from my family to make all this happen. It’s bordering on insanity, I know, but what’s the other option? It’s slowly starting to pay off but I still have a significant amount of debt over my head. With saying that, everything can change with one hit song. Just ask Psy!

How do you think you’ve grown as an artist since you were on our television screens?
All I can say is that I am constantly working to evolve my skills when it comes to what I do as an artist, songwriter, singer and label owner. You try things, sometimes you make mistakes and sometimes you get things right. It’s a constant state of evolution and It’s something that I really enjoy even though it is at times very difficult.

Despite the exposure those shows gave you, the major record labels didn’t exactly come knocking. What’s it like for you working as an independent artist?
Major record labels just don’t sign garage bands for a million dollars anymore, so even with the exposure that I received from reality TV I wasn’t surprised when they didn’t come knocking. That’s why I paid for my own album and all that. That being said, I now have some major label support in some of the territories where my album is being released like Poland, Greece, Belgium and The Netherlands, so it’s at a point now where the artist has to spend the money developing themselves. The advantage of this, however, is that I have 100% creative control over my art, which is something that I have always been very passionate about. Can you imagine this being the case if I had won Idol? I think not!

Since we’re approaching Christmas I have to ask, what’s on your wish list this year?
Health and happiness for all my friends and family, and to continue to talk to good folks like yourself about my music!

Now that you’ve returned home, what’s next on the agenda?
Well I’m actually heading back to Europe in February for more promotion to the same countries and possibly Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. Then back to Australia for a bit and then back to Europe for the festival season. Looking forward to this!

Image source: Jacob Butler Facebook page

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with The Good China’s Ryan Mason

The Good China are making their mark with their brand new EP We Knew That We Had to Leave. I recently caught up with one-eighth of this monster outfit, Ryan Mason, to chat about the latest release, the accompanying launch shows, and what it’s like to be part of such a big band!

You just released a brand new EP We Knew That We Had to Leave. What can you tell me about it?
It’s our second EP and is a bit different from the first in that it was engineered, produced and mixed by our guitarist Nick. We recorded some drums and bass at Incubator Studios in Melbourne and then put together everything else using Nick’s little home studio setup, which gave us a bit more room to experiment and to put together something we were really happy with. The four songs all have a sense of change to them, from changing places in the title track “We Knew That We Had To Leave” to changing people in “Marcio.” We wanted a new recording to reflect our developing sound and more mature songs and I think that the new EP really achieves those goals.

The film clip for the title track is one of the most entertaining I’ve seen in some time. Did you have much to do with that creative process?
The clip for “We Knew That We Had To Leave” was actually put together by China members Jag (who is part of film and TV production crew Guerilla Creative during his non-China hours) and Adam (who also has a background in film). The whole group workshopped ideas and sourced props and it was filmed over a weekend at Jag and Nick’s flat. Part of being an independent band is working out ways to do things yourselves and we’re really lucky that we have so many skills and ideas to draw on across our eight members!

I also love the idea behind that song of your favourite place morphing into something you barely recognise. Was it based on personal experience?
To some degree, yes; but I think the feelings behind the song are really universal and don’t necessarily apply to one time or place. We all have those streets and places that mean a lot to us at one point in our lives but then over time just don’t feel as familiar or welcoming. It might feel like those places change over time – and a lot of them do! – but what’s also changing is you.

It’s been a little over a year between releasing your debut EP and this one. How do you think you’ve grown as a band in that time?
After we released our debut EP we played a lot of shows and toured a bit, heading interstate to Sydney and Canberra and also visiting a bit of regional Victoria to play shows in Geelong, Shepparton, and the like, and when we got to the end of that cycle we were all a bit burnt out. I headed to Europe for three months to do some backpacking, while some of the others went to Japan. It’s a bit of a cliche, but travel really does broaden your mind, and from a musical point of view it certainly provides lots of inspiration for new songs and ideas. In the four and a bit years since The Good China’s inception we’ve all grown and changed quite a lot but the band is the one constant that we all come back to.

Eight is an awful lot of people to have in a band. How do you keep things running smoothly?
A lot of hard work! Again, the good thing about being a large band is that there’s a lot of hands available to get things done. It also helps that a few of us are compulsive planners!

You’ve recently been playing a few shows to promote the EP. How have they been going?
Really well. We had a great crowd for the Melbourne EP launch and everyone enjoyed the night. We’re heading off on a short tour later this week, playing a free Friday night show at the Beach Hotel in Byron Bay and playing a Footstomp Music showcase at the Tempo Hotel in Brisbane on Saturday. It’s our first time visiting Byron and Brisbane so we’re excited to be back on the road! We only realised a few weeks ago that it’s actually Schoolies season at the moment, so the Byron show could be an interesting one.

What do you love most about being on stage?
Being able to share the thrill of playing music with seven of my closest friends. Cheesy? Yeah. True? Absolutely.

What can music lovers expect when they come to see you live?
A lot of energy and a lot of happy faces. And, occasionally, the odd near-catastrophe when one of us trips on one of the several thousand instruments or cables we have on stage.

As Christmas is approaching, what’s on your wish list this year?
Is it too outlandish to ask for Radiohead to tour again next year?

After you finish promoting this EP, what comes next?
We’re planning on taking a breather over Christmas and the New Year, and working towards some more shows early next year. And who knows? We might even have another film clip to reveal.

See The Good China when they play Byron Bay’s Beach Hotel on Friday night (free show) or Brisbane’s Tempo Hotel on Saturday.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Alexis Nicole

With a new EP Paper Cut Outs in the can, Alexis Nicole is preparing to take her Missing Pieces on the road to promote it. I caught up with this Melbourne-based singer-songwriter to chat about her later recording, the shows ahead, and her love for Tracy Chapman.

You’ve just released your EP Paper Cut Outs. What can you tell me about it?
Paper Cut Outs is recordings of songs I have written that are cut outs and experiences from my life. Whether it was a break up, a love story, grieving, highs and lows of life, travelling and so much more.

The name of the EP is fabulous. What’s its significance?
Thank you! The meaning behind it is about the songs being paper cut outs of my life and the journey I have been on thus far through the highs and lows, love and hurt and many other curveballs that life has thrown me.

You’re Sydney-born but Melbourne-based, yet you recorded this new EP in Brisbane. What did the change of scene bring to the recording?
That is right! The change of scene brought a fresh new perspective to the whole recording experience. It made me definitely grow as an artist and musician and was an organic and humbling experience all in one.

Given the significance of Melbourne and Brisbane in the making of this EP, it’s only fitting that those cities get the launch shows. But will the rest of Australia get the opportunity to see you play soon?
YES! Next year I am planning much much more regarding shows around Australia and possibly a tour so stay tuned for all that.

You worked with some amazing artists on Paper Cut Outs like Yanto Browning and guys from The Gin Club and The Wilson Pickers. What was that experience like?
It was an incredible experience. It made me grow as an artist and musician and lift my game. These beautiful musicians humbled me so much as well. I feel very honoured to have played by there side.

Who do you hope to collaborate with in future?
I have a list! Haha. I would love to collaborate with artists all over the world. One experience would be for me to meet Tracy Chapman. I would love to pick her artistic brain! But also artists like Brandi Carlile, Newton Faulkner, Bernard Fanning, Ani Di Franco and so many more.

Your band at the moment is called Alexis and The Missing Pieces, which is such an evocative name. How do the members of the band complete your sound?
It is not as evocative as it is literal … meaning that The Missing Pieces are instrumentalists and singers who come together to deliver songs reflecting my tunes and observation of life. They include some of the best musicians from around Australia and beyond.

I read with interest that Tracy Chapman was a major influence on your music. She’s one of my favourite singer-songwriters too. What is it about her that inspires you?
She inspires me because she sings with every piece of her soul and being. She cares for this world and the life in it. She is humble in the way she sings but is captivating in her conviction and she is brilliant and doing it! She inspires me every day as a woman of this world with a voice to help bring life to our society and to do it with an open heart.

As Christmas is approaching, what’s on your wish list this year?
Honestly? That I get an opportunity to somehow take my tunes world wide!!!! Ha or get offered some amazing support … and then some!

What else is in the pipeline for you?
Well, other than the EP launches which are very exciting! Brisbane show on the 21st November at the Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane and 28th November at the Toff In Town, Melbourne we also have a bunch of shows coming up in Melbourne which will be on our Facebook page and hopefully to be confirmed shows and festivals kicking into gear next year! We just want to keep looking up and forward and enjoy every minute while we do it and love everyone who enjoys the tunes to jump on the band wagon with us!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Cogel’s Edward Prescott

Cogel excited me with the epic sound and visually thrilling video of the single “Felusine,” so I was thrilled to catch up with their drummer Edward Prescott. Read on to see what they had to say about their unique sound, their current launch shows, and that oh so cool clip.

Your music really seems to defy classification. For the uninitiated, how would you describe it?
I think the first part of that question is one of the biggest compliments a band could get. So thanks! It’s great that you feel we’ve got our own thing going on.

I would say our sound uses elements of rock, indie, pop and folk. I know that’s not very specific, but hey, let’s keep it broad!

You’re about to launch your EP Nowhere Near for hometown fans in Sydney [the show happened on November 2]. Are you looking forward to that show?
Of course! Haven’t played the Beresford before and it sounds like they treat bands really well there. It’s a free entry gig and the supports are great. Can’t wait.

You played your first EP launch show in Melbourne a couple of weekends ago. How did that go?
It was sweet. The Ding Dong Lounge is another room none of us had seen or played in before.  Our set seemed to be well received.

You’re regulars on the Sydney gig circuit. What’s your favourite local place to play and why?
That’s a tough one. My personal faves are probably The Vanguard, Oxford Art Factory and FBi Social. Great PAs, engineers and vibes in those rooms.

I feel like the Sydney live scene is pretty strong and often gets an unfair rap – there’s a bunch of good smaller venues and pop-up bars that sometimes fly under the radar. And every closure seems to be offset by an opening.

The backyard gig initiatives that have cropped up over the last couple of years are fantastic too. We’ve got friends that run ‘The Gate’ and ‘The Smallest Gig’, which are both doing tremendously well.

I believe a Brisbane launch show is in the works too. When are you expecting to play there?
Hopefully in January. Yet to be confirmed.

I loved “Felusine.” Is it a good indication of what we can look forward to on the rest of the EP?
Thanks! It’s probably the most bombastic track on the EP, but I’d say it’s a good indication of our sound in terms of the dynamic range and the interplay between the violin and the vocal.

Having said that, we always try and approach every song as its own thing. There’s stuff on the EP that’s poppier, there’s stuff that’s vaguely tribal and there’s stuff that’s more atmospheric. Then there’s some stuff that sounds like Psy. Just kidding.

You were pretty creative in funding this EP through Pozible. I see a few people have pledged the amount that will see your guitarist Nick Langley completing their dares. What are some of the wacky stunts we’ll see on YouTube?
He’s only completed one dare so far – which was a ridiculous cover of “Call Me Maybe.”

Some of the other things he has to do are even more absurd. One involves him strapping bacon to his ankles and walking through a dog park. For another, he has to assume the role of Bane and film himself reenacting every scene from The Dark Knight Rises.

Let’s just say we should’ve charged people more for the dares!

The clip for “Felusine” was one of the most interesting I’ve seen all year. How involved were you in that creative process?
Thank you! It was very time consuming and labour intensive, but worth it in the end!

“Felusine” was directed by someone outside the band (the brilliant Tim Gibbs), but we were still very involved. The concept (the whole idea of projecting images onto a statue head) belongs to Nic, our singer. He’s very visual and is always pretty hands-on with our clips. Tim definitely took it to a whole new level though!

Doing interesting videos is really important to us; we feel it is virtually as important as the music. There are so many “band-playing-in-a-room” videos out there that we really don’t feel the need to produce one ourselves!

Where does the name Cogel come from?
Nic’s last name is Cogels, so we just dropped the ‘s’, even though Cogel is very much a band, not a solo project.

We wanted a name that didn’t already have a meaning, associated imagery or any kind of pre-existing connotations attached to it. By that I mean we didn’t want something like Smashing Pumpkins, The Shins or The White Stripes, as much as we love those bands.

We wanted something a bit more abstract and devoid of meaning, like Feist or Gotye. And Cogel fit the bill!

Do you have anything else in the pipeline?
Hopefully we’ll be aiming to get an album out next year. At the very least, it’ll be another EP.

Image source: Cogel website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Sam Buckingham

Singer-songwriter Sam Buckingham has been a fixture on the Sydney music scene for many years. Now she’s taking her music to the rest of the country with shows to support her latest EP, Fragile Heart. She recently took time out from her busy touring schedule to chat about her new release, her upcoming shows, and what it’s like to be admired by some of the industry’s best.

You’re currently on the road promoting your EP Fragile Heart. What can you tell me about it?
It’s been a long time in the making and I think, more than anything, I feel like it completely sums up who I’ve been, who I am, what I’ve been thinking and feeling over a period of time, and it tells a story

I love the first single “Hit Me With Your Heart.” What was it about that song that made you want to release it?
As soon as I wrote that song (on the floor of an Adelaide backpackers in 2011) I loved it. I actually played it that night at a gig, with a lyrics sheet on the floor, because I was so desperate to show it to people. I think people love it because it’s so honest and really paints a picture of hurt and finding a way to make sense of that and turn it into something positive. It’s a liberating song

I noticed you’re playing both festivals and smaller intimate shows on your current tour. Do you have a preference?
I love them both! No preference. They’re both wonderful in completely different ways.

What do you love about performing?
I love the immediacy of it. I tell a story, people hear it and feel it right in front of my eyes. I feed off the audiences energy, they feed off mine … I love the exchange and being able to see what people are getting from the songs.

You’ve played some amazing festivals and supported some of Australia’s most beloved performers. What are your personal career highlights?
Supporting Washington at the Astor Theatre in Perth was a beautiful and musical life affirming moment. It was a huge crowd and I felt enveloped and accepted by every single one of them. It was a beautiful night. Co-producing this EP with (Australian producer) Paul McKercher was a definite highlight as well. Mostly because it felt like a very real and perfect match … to find someone to collaborate with that perfectly complements and challenges you is no mean feat and every day in the studio was both very intense and very good for the soul … we’ll be finishing off the album together as well.

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Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Sons of Rico’s Alex MacRae

After scoring the coveted support slot for The Living End’s Perth leg, it seems Sons of Rico are impressing all the right people. I caught up with the band’s frontman Alex MacRae to talk about the honour, their new single “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing,” and what we can expect from album number two.

You just scored the support slot for The Living End’s Perth shows. How does that feel?
Kind of bizarre! Here’s a band that we’ve all been fans of since our high school years and seen play on all sorts of stages ever since, and now we’re sharing a stage with them. Really cool, but kind of surreal too.

The support slot can be a tough gig when you’re playing with such an esteemed band. How do you intend to win the crowds over?
When supporting any band we adjust our setlist to include songs that we think will resonate best with a particular crowd. In the case of The Living End this weekend we’ll probably be cranking more of our guitar-heavy tunes. The hardest part for me will be trying not to upstage Chris Cheney with my super badass guitar solos.

After those shows you’ll be headlining your own gigs to launch your single “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing.” What can you tell me about the song?
The song has a bit of a cheeky origin. After a show in Sydney, Adam and I went out in search for a post-gig kebab and were accosted by a transgender lady of the night. Since she wasn’t offering kebabs we kept moving, but not before she said to us “you don’t know what you’re missing”! So I thought to myself “good point”, and the rest is history!

Do you approach a support slot differently to a headlining show?
A little bit yeah. You’re pretty aware that the audience is not your own, but we’ll still try and perform at our best as if it were our own show. There’s a little bit of readjusting that subconsciously happens when you’re onstage as a support, but we’re hardly going to get into leather if we were to support Aerosmith, although Rob has been looking for an excuse to bust out his leather.

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