Sauce - Issue 59, 9-1-08

On the street every second Wednesday

Edition #59 09/01/08 - 22/01/08 Made in Tasmania

Tix Available From Mojo Music Or The Venue www.myspace.com/jameshotel ce.com/jameshotel www.jameshotel.com.au w 122 York Street Launceston 6334 334 7231

T

FRIDAY 11TH JANUARY

SATU SA SATURDAY TURD TU RDAY RD AY 1 19T 19TH 9TH 9T H JA JANU JANUARY NUAR NU ARY AR Y

SUNDAY 27TH JANUARY

AUSTRALIA STRALIA DAY SUNDAY SUN N NOOF'S GOING AWAY PARTY 7PM TIL LATE

THE EMBERS MAYFIELD

OFFICIAL ALBUM LAUNCH FOR BURN CITY

Feat. t. DJ Bonez and Patto plus Mynse My

(FORMERLY DEAD ABIGAILS)

NATHAN WHELDON & THE TWO TIMERS ALIEN EXISTENCE

PAGE 2

THE WAIFS

By Tom Wilson

ROLL UP, ROLL UP! AND DON’T FORGET THE KIDS!

ROCK SALT

More than fifteen years into a career that has seen them go from a struggling indie act to an Australian festival favourite, it’s fair to say that The Waifs know touring like the back of their hand. But as Vikki and Donna both became mums, changes had to be made in the way they do things, and they were. But was it for the best? Ahead of their Hobart show with The John Butler Trio as part of the Union Of Soul tour, I spoke to singer-guitarist Josh Cunningham to find out that there’s a reason you’ll be allowed to bring your kids to this event – because they will be too.

At this point, what plans do you guys have to follow up Sun Dirt Water?

With another record, do you mean?

No, with a pineapple!

[Laughs] Well, after this tour that’s coming up [with John Butler], we’ll be heading over to the States and the U.K., because the album comes out over there in March. So we’ll be going over there to tour it, and we’ll still be doing this record by the end of this year. So at this stage, there’s no plans to make another record as yet – it’s just still slogging away with this current one.

Looking back on it, I always see an album as a reflection or statement about the artists at that point in their career.

With that in mind, what kind of statement do you think Sun Dirt Water made?

Well, I know that the album as a whole probably reflects the diversity that exists within the band now. We all have separate lives apart from the band and apart from each other, and I think that kind of comes out in a lot of the different variety and the styles of songs and such that are on the record. I think it really captures that element of us having quite separate lives.

But you know, it still does retain a common thread that runs through the record. I know with the title track, Vikki wrote that song, and it’s very much along the lines of those elemental, fundamental aspects of life that are easy to get removed from; that are important to stay grounded and connected to. So I think there’s a bit of that going on in all our lives at the moment. The girls have had children and had families, and we’re all kind of putting our roots down a bit at the moment, so I think maybe

there’s a bit of that that’s come through on the record as well.

As you were saying, Donna and Vikki are both mums. Do you have kids yourself, mate?

Nah, I don’t, no. One day! I look forward to it one day!

[Laughs] How did motherhood, for them, affect how The Waifs work?

How did it affect the way the band functions, and the music that you guys make, do you reckon?

Well, it’s basically just meant that we tour less often, and for shorter periods of time. It’s pretty much just that, really – that’s all it’s come down to. They have a focus now outside the band, and it’s only natural that their family and their children is where their focus is going to lie. The band’s activities fit around the family thing. Their kids and their husbands come on the road with us when we’re touring, so it’s kind of changed things a bit in that respect too, because there’s more people around.

And having the kids around too makes it a really happy time, and everyone really enjoys the energy that they bring to the equation.

Did you always feel this way? Maybe when it started off – did you kind of think, “Oh, man! I was kind of liking how we were working now, and now we’ve got to adjust to this!” Or were you always kind of happy?

No, there were never any feelings like that. I mean, I guess it was an unknown quantity at first, because Vikki was the first one to have a child, and initially there was just one baby on the road, and we didn’t know how it was going to go, prior to actually getting out there and doing it. But yeah, it really just

was a wonderful inclusion to our family, you know? It’s just brought so much joy, and everyone is really a lot happier, just for having these three little kids on the road with us now, and they’re just great fun, and everyone loves to spend time with them. It’s just really improved touring, actually. And I think the other thing is we don’t tour as intensively. When we’re on the road, we make sure the schedule is a bit more forgiving. We might be taking the super-early flights, and fitting as much in.

It goes at more of a relaxed pace now, just because it has to be this way with the families on the road. So that’s actually been a real blessing as well, you know? We don’t go at breakneck pace anymore. We have more time to enjoy what we’re doing.

Where are they usually when you guys play? Are there ones sitting on road cases with big earmuffs on?

Sometimes they come to the shows. It depends what the show is. They usually always come to soundcheck, and they like that, because they get to bang on the drums and sing into the microphones and stuff like that. That’s fun. But sometimes they will actually come to the show as well if it’s an earlier show or a festival or something; they’ll often be there also. But a lot of the time when we’re doing our own tours, and we’re playing later shows, they’re back at the hotel in bed by the time we go on stage.

You guys have been making music together for about fifteen years, unless I’ve completely stuffed up my math …

Yep – fifteen years [as of] last August.

At this point, do you find that you guys can still surprise each other, or is it a case of everyone almost knowing what

another person’s thinking before they do?

I think there’s still surprises. Certainly, you form a connection – a bond, a relationship – with each other; an understanding, musically, that becomes very comfortable and very familiar.

But I think, even from that foundation, there’s always surprises, and new directions that get taken by an individual, and it’s kind of exciting for them to go along and add their bit to it. I think, probably now, it feels as fresh – if not fresher – than it ever has.

When was the last time one of you surprised the others – by pulling something out that you didn’t expect?

Gee, I don’t know! [Laughs] It’s hard to think on-the-spot of something specific that was such a major surprise. I think it’s just when someone brings a song to the table maybe that you weren’t expecting, that comes from a bit of a different angle or a different place. I know I’ve been writing a lot of gospel songs of late, and we’ve been doing some of them in the set, and I guess that’s a bit of a different tact that we haven’t gone down before.

I guess that was probably a bit surprising for the other people in the band, but they’ve proven to be popular songs, and songs that we really enjoy, that have a lot of power as well. That’s maybe an example of what you’re looking for!

The Waifs and the John Butler Trio play the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart on the 10th of February.

To listen to an MP3 of the full interview, go to www.sauce. net.au

TH BAND’S ACTIVITIES FIT AROUND THE THE FA R FAMILY THING. THEIR KIDS AND THEIR HUSBANDS COME ON THE ROAD WITH US

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SHORT DAZE

ROCK SALT

By Tom Wilson

CONVERSATIONS WITH AN UNKILLABLE GUITARIST

You’ve got to admire the tenacity of a guy like Short Daze guitarist Ian Hunter, and that’s not just because of his musical output – simply put, after all the accidents, injuries, surgeries (and an earthquake) that this guy has survived, he shouldn’t bloody be here. But he is, and so is Short Daze. So see them before the hands of fate try to have another shot at him …

The band’s momentum was halted for a while recently, due to your tendency to break bones in accidents. What happened to you? And how long did it take the band to get back on course?

I had three accidents from September ‘07, being a near-head-on collision coming back from Launceston airport (someone on the wrong side of the road), followed by a fall in October and a martial arts demonstration gone horribly wrong in November. During this time we also lost our former singer Liz Shepherd due to her own many commitments, and the long drive each week from Launceston to Burnie for practice. Several auditions later saw our replacement singer in Megan Leatherbarrow, who has been working well with us. I believe we’re gig-ready come Australia Day, with our first gigs set for that weekend. We’ve been quietly practising away since November every spare chance we get.

way none of us had heard before. But all of us – Matt Carpenter (drummer), Rhys Lucas (bassist) – and I have been very much impressed by what Megan has brought to the table, and – once beyond the nerves of our first performances since regrouping – we’re really looking forward to where this will go when Megan becomes very familiar with the material we’ve buried her in.

Likewise, Matt Carpenter is our new drummer recruit, and wasn’t with us all that much earlier. He’s proven to be a competent drummer, and in particular in having the perception to know when drums have to be played, not bashed. He too still has some baby teeth, but is rapidly finding his feet. We had several drummer issues prior to Matt, and it’s been great having him on board.

IW WAS STITCHED UP, HAV HAVING DRIVEN FOR MILES WITH CLARET STREAMING FROM MY RAL HEAD AND SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS …

Megan Leatherbarrow joined the band as frontwoman late last year. How has she affected the sound and direction of the band in the time since?

I have to be honest in saying that it was a real downer losing Liz, as she and I had worked on so many of Short Daze’s later songs that it was bloody tough when she left. I had several things go wrong at the time she left and that was the icing on the cake; a real flat and depressing time. Liz could throw lyrics at me with “what do you think?” and, minutes later, a melody was born. This was also the case in reverse. We were very much in touch with each other musically, which is not always common with artists.

When Liz first joined, I was the group’s writer, and I purposely backed away from that role, so as to give her the opportunity to shine, which she did. I honestly thought we’d not find someone to fill her shoes, with a voice [that was] equal, let alone better. Yet, as luck would have it, we did exactly that. I stumbled across Liz by chance, at one of those women’s cosmetic parties at home.

Someone asked Liz to sing as I was exiting the kitchen for the sanctity of my music room. Liz’s rendition of an Evanescence number caused me to perform a double take that killed my arthritic neck, and when I asked her if she was interested in singing, she jumped at it.

In finding Megan, it was my wife Jenny that stumbled across her and did the same double take. Megan was performing at a local wedding display, and I had just advertised for a new singer, and Jen strongly urged me to try Megan and sound her out, (no pun intended). Her voice is actually quiet similar to Liz’s, as is her persona and age. She is still finding her way with our material, and, I dare say, will continue to evolve in this position for months to come. But already Megan has a grasp on many tracks, and has thrown a uniqueness into those tracks, and approached them in a

How would you describe the sound of Short Daze?

Original and middle-of-the-road rock for the most part. Some ballad and girly mushy stuff has been thrown in as well. All of the material I’ve written has been based on life experiences, and I’ve had many of them to pull from … having survived cancer and three brain surgeries, and the Newcastle earthquake’s epicentre to cite just a very small few. For example, one of our new tracks Afterlife I wrote the day of the near-head-on in September.

I was stitched up, having driven for miles with claret streaming from my head and several broken ribs, walked to a medical centre in Upper Burnie to be sutured up, arrived home to pour a glass of vintage claret, then had this bloody song come to me out o’ nowhere, as much of the material is indeed born of alcohol, on the rare occasions I drink. Having said that, Rhys and Matt have been responsible for some of our newer tracks as well, which have proven popular.

Short Daze play the Campbell Town Hotel on the 26th of January, and numerous shows throughout February. www.myspace.com/shortdaze

CONTENTS 4-11

ROCK SALT & HIP-HOP

14-15

FALLS FESTIVAL REVIEW

16

CD REVIEWS

17-19

BANGERS AND MASH

18

SKIN DEEP

20

GIG REVIEWS

21

MOHAWK

22

STREET FASHION

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Next Edition Deadline : 18th Januar y Sauce #60, 23rd January - 5th Februar y Special Thanks To Our Contributors: Carlisle Rogers, Alex Barwick, Brett Spinks, AJ Ferguson, Lisa Howell, Shannon Stevens, David Walker, Richard Kemp and Lisa Rushton

PAGE 4

WHERE DO YOU GET

LAUNCESTON

Launceston Airport Sauce Publishing Route 66 Cash Converters IGA Supermarket (Prospect) Hotel Tasmania City 2 Street Refresh café Sebachi Chilli DJ Commercial Hotel Sodium Coffee Republic Wills Music Elaia Café The Empire Hotel Internet King Barratts Music O’Keefe’s Hotel Lloyds Hotel Studio 19 The Riverview Hotel Launceston Library Irish Murphy’s Mojo Music The CD Centre The Princess Theatre The Royal Oak Hotel The Hub Gunners Arms Hotel James Hotel Launceston Backpackers Blue Café AMC Alanvale (Student Assoc) AMC Beauty Point (Student Assoc) Glenn Shephard Riverside Hair & Beauty Launceston Vistor Information Centre Star Hotel The Newstead Hotel Cunninghams UTAS Cafeteria UTAS Student Association UTAS Inveresk TAFE Alanvale Cafeteria TAFE Launceston Cafeteria TAFE Drysdale

HOBART

Hobart Airport Red Herring Surf Hobart Hostel Jetty Surf Entrepot Tracks Music Hollydene Lodge The Brisbane Hotel Ruffcut Records Mouse On Mars Internet Café Pelican Loft Internet Cafe Mayfair Tavern Doctor Syntax Hotel Prince of Wales Hotel The Loft Sodium Customs House Hotel McCann’s Music Centre Hobart Visitors Information centre Kingston Library Rosny Library Glenorchy Library Hobart Music Central City Backpackers Pickled Frog Backpackers Republic Bar & Café Knopwoods Retreat Queens Head Café & Bar Curly’s Bar Alley Cat Bar Irish Murphy’s Machine Café Conservatorium of Music (UTAS) Hotel SOHO Telegraph Hotel Syrup Kaos café Retro café Gay and Lesbian Community Centre Lewisham Tavern Tafe Drysdale (cafeteria) UTAS Sandy Bay UTAS Center For The Arts Metz on The Bay Aroma records Nourish café tasCAHRD Victoria Tavern State Cinema Raincheck Lounge New Sydney Hotel Beachside Hotel Lark Distillery

BURNIE Sirocco’s nightclub Red Herring Surf Collector’s Corner Burnie Library TAFE Burnie Cafeteria UTAS Burnie Student Assoc.

Xedos Haircutters Fosters Music Centre Beach Hotel Stage Door The Cafe

DEVONPORT Devonport Airport Passport Surf Surfin Style Red Hot CD’s Tasman House Spurs Saloon Canoe N Surf Molly Malones TAFE Devonport Devonport Visitor’s Centre Devonport City Library

ST HELENS The Village Store & More

SMITHTON Lizzy’s This “N” That

ULVERSTONE Ulverstone City Library

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GRINSPOON

ROCK SALT

By Tom Wilson

RAGE AND RESPECT

Drummers are useful for many things in a band. For example, if the drool starts coming out of both sides of their mouths, then you know the stage is level. It’s that kind of crap joke that the least best-looking member of Grinspoon is probably used to hearing and never gets tired of. Just like interviews…

You guys have a reputation for touring non-stop…

Yeah, it is pretty rare for us to have a few days off but, you know, we’ve been doing it for thirteen years so we deserve it! [Laughs] What’d you get up to for New Year’s?

We played in Newcastle at a place called The Brewery.

It’s like an outdoor event… we played with a band from Melbourne, Mammal, I think. I heard a bit of their set and yeah, they’re all right.

You guys are going to playing at The Big Day Out soon – are there any bands that you’ll be pretty jazzed to meet or are you the snobby types where you’re manager tells everyone to piss off…

Well that happens sometimes but I wouldn’t class us as snobby types. We tend to mingle with everyone. One band I’m definitely keen to see is Rage [Against the Machine].

I actually saw them at their last Big Day Out… that was just as we were getting the band started… it was awesome to see those guys. We were at the Sydney Big Day Out and they put on a f*cking great show. I’m sort of stoked that they’ve gotten back together and we get to play with them so hopefully we’ll get to hang out at some stage so yeah, should be fun.

You lucky pricks…

Yeah, it’s a pretty cool bill; there are lots of good bands. I mean, at some stage, hopefully, we’ll get a chance to run around and see all the bands we wanna see. Big Day Out’s always full-on – you turn up and you play and you’ve got lots of bloody interviews and all shit like that to do… they usually set you up with a full schedule. You do get your chance on the days off – we’re usually put up in the same hotels so there’ll be a few parties on the days off and you get to sort of catch up with people you haven’t seen for a while and hopefully get to meet other new bands and that sort of thing. Always look forward to the Big Day Out. I hope you’re also looking forward to Soundscape, which is also coming down…

We haven’t played with The Living End for a while – it’s always fun catching up with those guys. I think it’s gonna be a good break in the middle of the Big Day Out I think.

We’ll be just finishing Melbourne and then coming over to Tassie for that. From the line-up – Blue King Brown and Mia Dyson and that sort of thing – it should be a bit of a more chilled atmosphere than Big Day Out anyway. I don’t mean that of our set! It should be fun to do something different like that.

… BETWEEN THE FOUR OF US, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A HALF-DECENT ALBUM AND BE HAPPY WITH IT …

Looking back on Alibis and Other Lies – with a bit of distance what do you see as its strengths and perhaps any weaknesses?

I think anytime you do an album – this is our fifth studio album – there’s always things you can look back on it and go maybe we could have done it this way or that way, but I think once it’s done it’s done, and you live with that for the rest of your life. I think the last day when you give it the go-ahead to go to press you’re happy with it on that day and that’s the way it stays. The beauty of hindsight or whatever, we’ll always do different stuff on the next record so it’s a sort of hard thing to comment on… I think, between the four of us, we should be able to put together a half-decent album and be happy with it, you know?

Much was made of Phil’s struggles, The Enough Rope interview, for example…

It was a pretty confronting thing for him to go and do… he came and spoke to the band and said he was thinking of doing it… so we sort of agreed that it would be a good thing to do that show – I mean, he was asked to go and do it – but he also got asked by all those piece of shit shows like Today, Tonight, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes – getting offered money, you know, that chequebook style [of show] – and he turned it down! He did it for the right reasons and it was a very confronting kind of thing to do. You have to really look at yourself and I’m pretty stoked that he did do it – well, for him anyway. It didn’t really have much to do with my life but, you know, he had a lot of issues to face up

to and I think that was sort of the last thing after he got out of rehab he had to do to get on with his life…

I’ve never had more respect for him; I think that was incredibly ballsy…

Well, me neither ‘cos that’s when I started respecting him…

[Laughs] To listen to the rest of this interview in mp3 format, go to www.sauce.net.au.

Grinspoon play the Big Day Out all over Oz this month and the Soundscape Festival in Hobart on January 26. http://www.grinspoon.com.au

PAGE 5

JANUARY

WE HAVE WOOD FIRED PIZZAS!

Monday - Saturday 5pm till late

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$49 Single room $54 Double room

ENTERTAINERS WANTED Send Demo, Bio & Photo to: 1 Tamar Street Launceston

PAGE 6

Irishhy’s p r u M 13th Jan 5:30pm - Kellie Collins Band 4:00pm - Cats for Hands 2:30pm - Frankie 30 : 3 0 3 2:

20th Jan

5:30pm - Zac Lister Band 4:00pm - Kristy Tucker 2:30pm - Ciaran

TZU

By Tom Wilson

IT’S JUST TZU AND ME, BABY

URBAN POETRY

I’m not the suspicious type, but when an Oz hip-hop troupe returns a questionnaire with exactly 666 words …well, that’s just bad-ass. An omen of how kick-arse their forthcoming album is? Well, probably not, but unfounded speculation happens to be a lot of fun. Ahead of next month’s southward voyage to the stage of MS Fest, I spoke to Tzu’s professional rider-thief, Matt …

You’re heading down here in February for MS Fest 2008.

What do you remember most about your last shows here?

What sets Tassie crowds apart from those on the mainland?

Tassie really is a second home to us; the shows are always hype, and the people are crazy – can’t ask for much more, really. We were not going to play any shows – or, at least, not many – until the album was done, but when we heard that the show was in Tassie, we thought, “Shit, why not? We can have a great gig and maybe do a spot of fishing while we’re down there …”

What has the group been working on recently? How much time have you put into working on new material?

We have been working pretty hard on the new album; we have done about twenty-five tracks, which is great. There should be plenty of good songs to choose from. This is the longest we have taken to write an album.

Looking back to your musical beginnings, what was the first project you ever worked on, and what did it lead to?

Well that’s kind of funny. My first real band was a band called PAN. I played percussion and did the samples – not too different to what I do in Tzu I suppose. But also, from that band came Tzu really; Joelistics and Seed MC were the MCs. On a different note, Mista Savona played keys in PAN, and also Bob Knob from Illzilla played bass.

Tzu formed in 1999. What kind of shifts and rifts have you seen in Australia’s music scene throughout the lifespan of the band?

Not many, really. Obviously, we have seen Aussie hip-hop become a lot more popular, but as far as rifts go, I should probably apologise for all the riders we’ve stolen over the years.

What about these days? Were do you see Australia’s scene heading in the near future? And which band or artist would you say is at the top of the heap, insofar as Oz hip-hop goes?

Why them?

Australia has always had a good music scene, and I think it always will – as long as people support live music, there shouldn’t be much of a problem. I think the quality of music (not just hip-hop) in general is really high, and with bands like Gotye, the Hilltop Hoods and Urthboy, for example, releasing such great albums, it just pushes everyone to work harder

I SHOULD SH PROBABLY APO APOLOGISE FOR ALL THE RIDERS WE’ VE H STOLEN OVER THE YEARS Tzu’s sound is described as “the love child of Ray Charles and Kurtis Blow”. There’s an image! I don’t know about you, but, to me, that begs one question – what music would those two put on to get in the mood, and therefore conceive a group like Tzu? .

J Dilla producing Richard Simmons’ workout record.

What’s on the Tzu rider these days? And what would you like to get on there, but haven’t got a chance in hell of actually getting?

Our rider is pretty simple, really; beer, water, coke, scotch, wine, a platter of food – that’s about it, really. What I would love to have is socks … maybe this year …

What about after the show? What’s your preferred method of winding down? And what about the other guys in the band?

Beer? Yoga? X-Box? Drinking, for most of the band, is the preferred method of winding up or down. Also, some members like to work on the Ten Commandments of Smash Club.

What’s the one thing you most want to get accomplished with Tzu this year?

Start an indoor soccer team.

Tzu play Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 15th of February, and MS Fest at Launceston’s Inveresk Showgrounds on the 16th.

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PAGE 8

BLANCHE DUBOIS

ROCK SALT

By Tom Wilson

SAYING THINGS NOT TO BE SAID

Hailing from Perth, WA, the two sisters who make up Blanch DuBois have released their second full-length album, All the Things We Never Say. Saying things they’ll probably say a lot in the next few months, Tom spoke with lead vocalist, Nadija Begovich…

Slow Motion seems like a very love-sick song. How much of this was based on personal experience? And in what ways was writing this song cathartic?

Slow Motion isn’t based on my own personal experiences; it’s more of a fictional take on a few situations close friends have experienced, or things I heard through the grapevine.

We sort of meshed all these ideas together and created the one scenario. While some of our songs are based on personal experience, most of them are the result of what people tell us. This means our friends have started being more careful as to exactly how much they open up to us, as it just might end up in a song! Songwriting is always cathartic for us. We’re both quite empathetic, so we take on other people’s emotions even though certain situations or events might not happen directly to us.

You actually released this track on an EP in 2004, but have included a remixed version on this album. Why did you decide to do this? What is it about this song that made you want to take a second look at it?

We had quite a lot of time in between our two EPs and this album. Unlike other bands who follow one up with the other pretty much straight away, there were two EPs and then two years before an album for us, so we thought we’d give one of our most favourite tracks a new lease on life. The producer we worked with, Richard Pleasance, really loved this song. We re-worked it with electric guitars and extended verses and an overall different treatment – specifically with the vocals and tempo – and we feel we’ve finally got it sounding the way we wanted it to sound on our original EP.

us why we didn’t show it to him yesterday. We just said we thought it wasn’t really ready! He still doesn’t know the truth.

The album was released in the middle of last year. What have been the best and worst bits of feedback you’ve received?

The feedback overall has been really positive, but someone did say somewhere that they found it hard to be mean about us because we were so damn nice! I think the music wasn’t quite their cup of tea. Most recently one of our songs – Dance Away the Day – was picked up to be featured within an episode of US TV show Ugly Betty. It’s already aired in the US but won’t come to Aussie screens until the series resumes later in the year. It’s massive exposure for us, and we are the first independent Australian band to be featured on the show. We are still pinching ourselves.

In terms of the songs that were the most time consuming, it would probably be Slow Motion. We were pretty attached to the original sound so it took us a while to un-train ourselves out of the older version and delve into new possibilities for the remix of the song.

S ON SONGWRITING IS C AT CATHARTIC IN ITS ANONYMITY – YOU CAN PEN A TUNE, ND WRITE A LYRIC AN AND T! HAVE A VENT! Which songs took the longest to do, and why? And was there a particular song on the album that just seemed to write itself?

Well, we wrote Sweet Song in about ten minutes one morning before heading to the studio. The day before we’d shown Richard a few tracks we were considering for the album, and he told us outright that he didn’t think they were any good. We were devastated. We went back to our hotel, grabbed a pizza and [some] wine and a Sex and the City DVD for comfort and planned to eat, watch and drink, and then write a song.

Why did you decide to call this album All The Things We Never Say? What are some of the things we never say?

I guess that’s why we write songs – because there are some things we would never say. Whether it’s to do with love or loss, friends or foes, there are always things we don’t let out. I suppose it’s human nature to keep things bottled up.

Songwriting is cathartic in its anonymity – you can pen a tune, write a lyric and have a vent!

What were the biggest challenges in the making of this album, and how did you overcome them?

I think the biggest challenge was taking the plunge and convincing ourselves we were ready to record these songs.

We had demoed them for a while and over-thought about every single aspect, every single melody and every single lyric, so we were actually a little sick of them to be honest!

And that was a challenge in itself! We had to get excited about these songs, and get excited about recording them

THE MUDDY TURDS

with a wonderful producer at the helm. It didn’t take us long to do that however, and we really enjoyed working on this record.

We ended up watching episodes over and over and drinking far too much and woke up the next morning hungover and song-less. Adriana happened to pick up her guitar while I was brushing my teeth, and all I remember is sitting down for a few minutes and pairing lyrics we’d already written to this brand new melody. We showed Richard the song when we came to the studio that day. He loved it, and asked

By Tom Wilson

You released this album on your own label, Streetcar Productions. Why did you decide to do this?

We’ve always released all of our material on our own label – it’s just how we set things up when we first started out in 2002. I suppose we were spurred on by a few other independent artists who’ve done similar things and been quite successful. We distribute through MGM Distribution, and our music is published by Mushroom Music Publishing. We are both control freaks, so, for the time being, we enjoy running the label and management side of things. [However] Who knows what the future holds?

You’re playing in Hobart later this experience have you had playing audiences?

This is actually our maiden voyage to so we’re hoping the Tassies will take to welcome us! We’re looking forward to it.

month. What to Tasmanian the Apple Isle, our sounds and

In the liner notes of All The Things We Never Say, you refer to Bill Page of Mushroom Music as your “Agony Uncle.” Why “agony”? And why has having an “Agony Uncle” made things easier?

Running the administrative side of things – our own label, and also the management aspect – in addition to the artistic side of things, can be pretty hard sometimes. It’s always nice to have someone to offload to, and, unfortunately for him, we often offload to Bill Page, who works in A&R at Mushroom Music Publishing. That said, it’s not something we do all the time! It just helps to have an understanding ear and someone to tell us to shut up, stop complaining and get on with things! The term “Agony Uncle” is just a play on “Agony Aunt”. We were going to say he was our aunt, but he may drop us if we said that!

Blanche DuBois plays The Republic Bar in Hobart on January 18th. http://www.blanchedubois.com.au

I DON’T THINK THEY’VE GIVEN IT ANY THOUGHT WHATSOEVER

ROCK SALT

Musicians must eat. Musicians must sleep. Musicians must defecate. Musicians must, eventually, release an album – even if it takes them eight months to do it. It’s all a question of necessity. We all knew that, sooner or later, those little shits The Muddy Turds were going to pinch off their biggest one yet. Well, they’ve done it … and I don’t think they’ve given it any thought whatsoever, so I had a word with Mark Downey.

One of your “floating” guest musicians, Pascal Chartrain, has recently taken on a more involved role in the Turds.

How and why did this come about? And what do you think this will mean for the band, both in terms of its sound, and the way you guys function?

The harmonica adds a lot of colour to the sound. Before we could only manage a few of the darker brown shades, but now we are getting yellow and some green coming through.

It means that the bass and drums can lock in tight, and let the harp do the solos. Less solos for me means less stuffing up solos, and it frees me up to jump up and down on the spot, rather than playing an instrument. Well, I still do play an instrument, but well ... yes, I agree, and perhaps the sound has evolved toward blues-rock a little, and we are still a guitar-less band.

You’ve been working on your new album, I Don’t Think They’ve Given It Any Thought Whatsoever, for the last eight months. Why has it taken so long? Has this been particularly challenging?

Not challenging whatsoever; we have been in no rush to get it done, so we have been doing it a little at a time until completion. For the last eight months, whenever all the band members happened to be in Hobart, we would just pop into the winter palace, and work a bit more on the album. I think a strong point of the CD is that there is a lot of variety from one song to the next, which is probably because we recorded in many small doses, rather than few big ones.

SO SOME TURDS ARE FORKABLE; SOME FO ARE NOT FORKABLE. BUT A SWORD … WELL, THAT IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY OA DIFFERENT TO FORK. The title of the album begs a question – just how much thought have you put into it?

How much thought into the title of the album? Umm, a teaspoon perhaps – dissolved in warm water and stirred counter-clockwise.

The reason that we came up with that dosage was found on 3RRR radio in Melbourne during a discussion of worst band names. We got a mention, and when the DJs suggested how much thought we had put into our band name, they decided that we hadn’t given it any thought whatsoever.

What would you say is the ultimate listening environment for someone to fully appreciate the music of the Muddy Turds?

Your mum.

has always played a big part in the sound of the band. What kind of headspace are you in when you write a track like Dacks?

It can be any headspace. I often get asked about the songwriting side of things, and for each song it is different – some are devised from a chorus or some lyrics, or written on a ukulele, a guitar or a bass, or sometimes I just beatbox or scat (especially when driving in the car by myself) until something pops up which is a bit funny or left-field. I also try to put some subtle political and social themes in there – however they are deeply buried under the immaturity and nonsense of the songs, [so much so] that most people don’t pick up what I actually mean in the song. For Dacks, it is a comment on how funny pick-up lines are, and how funny/desperate/sleazy the people who use them are.

You’re doing another tour of the mainland in February. How

did the gigs go the last time? And what’s something you’ll definitely be doing differently this time around?

Last time was tops, but a lot of driving. We had a couple of days just driving – like eight hours or so. It seems a common thing for touring bands when you talk to them. We are doing a few things differently – like, this time, we are taking a van instead of a station wagon, so we should fit more people (anyone want to come as a roadie?) and we aren’t going to bother with Adelaide – we will just go up and down the east coast in two weeks.

What stands out in your mind as the best gig you’ve ever played, and what made it great?

Any gig where the crowd goes nuts; there have been a few, but no one sticks out as the best though. We just got back from Falls where we played the APRA stage (tiny little busker’s stage), and the staff after party (with The Whisky Go Go’s). On the APRA stage we had heaps of people jumping around and getting onstage to play percussion etc; we actually handed our instruments to other people, and taught them how to play a song there and then, so that we could dance around in the crowd a bit. Last tour, Canberra, was probably the highlight, as we had two hundred people who were all in party mode big time. I think they were all quite intoxicated – we could have played terribly, and they still would have loved it. It just had that crazy vibe. I also recall our first gig in Newcastle two years ago, where there were about twelve people there. I just got off the plane and thought, “we traveled all the way here just for twelve people!”

But then we started, and all of the twelve people went completely nuts – they were dancing and getting nude, and eventually we had most of them on stage with us, playing air instruments.

What are your plans for this year?

Well, we are going to have five hundred CDs that we won’t know what to do with. I can’t imagine us selling many, so we might have work on some art installation project that uses four-hundred-andeighty CDs. But seriously, we have just been busy planning for the album and the album launches and the tour. That’s taking all the energy, so really, we haven’t given any thought whatsoever to further ahead of the first two months of the year. I guess we will just keep gigging.

Lastly, is the Turd mightier than the sword?

Some turds are forkable; some are not forkable. But a sword … well, that is something completely different to a fork.

The Muddy Turds give absolutely no thought whatsoever to Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 11th of January, and The Hub in Launceston on the 12th.

Well, that goes without saying. [That’s a joke, mum …] Humour PAGE 9

IN THE CITY

ROCK SALT

By Tom Wilson

FIND A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THE CITY Amid the noisy crowd that is the Melbourne rock scene stand four lads doing something a little bit different. Different in what way? That’s the thing – I couldn’t tell you, and, when I spoke to them recently, neither could they. And that’s always a good thing. So Wake Up and pay attention, because they’re heading this way.

You guys were once called “the antithesis of modern rock.”

What do you think was meant by this?

I think the reviewer was trying to say that we are taking a different path to consistent trends that sounds these days tend to follow.

What plans do you have to follow up Wake Up!? Have you been doing any writing since the EP was released?

Since we recorded Wake Up!, we’ve written some new tracks that we have played at gigs, and then gone and re-written the whole thing. We’ll be heading back into the studio this year at some stage, but we’re not going to rush it. It’s one of those To what extent has pushing forward in unconventional things where you need to make sure the time is right. musical directions been an intent of In The City? Is this something you value highly?

In the broad field of Melbourne rock acts, I find that Yeah, we like to give our songs an edge by de-structuring there’s a little something that makes In The City sonically the way conventional music is created. We don’t normally unique. Unfortunately, I don’t have a clue exactly what that compromise the feel for the song just to make it different, but if “something” is. Assuming you agree, would you be able to it works, then we’ll play around with it. put your finger on it?

Our ability to sound exactly like a lettuce would if it could play When you were growing up, what was the one album that musical instruments. Seriously though, a lot of people make changed your life, and why? that observation, which we are flattered by. But I can’t tell you Cam: We all listen to a broad range of music, so that one is a what the something is. That’s something we like to let people little tough to answer. I think that we draw inspiration for lots of decide for themselves. different influences, but it’s a bit of a cliché. But the first rock album I ever listened to was Nirvana – Nevermind. That opened What is the title track of your EP, Wake Up, about? Where my eyes to a whole new world of music. did the lyrics come from?

Well, when we were mixing the tracks, we were trying to come up with a good name for the EP. We came up with Baron Von Sweetingtonville’s Eclectic Multicoloured Undergarments. Then we couldn’t draw the Baron with his monocle, so we went with Wake Up! It was the first song we wrote as a band, so it holds some sentimental value. It’s about adrenaline junkies who will do anything to get their fix; a little more excitement.

If someone asked you to give them a brief history of the band – which is exactly what I’m asking you to do right now – what would you say?

Chris, Christian and Cam went to school together and started a band in their senior years. After leaving schools, they changed singers a couple of times until they met Parke O’Dwyer in 2005.

Skip a couple of years’ worth of practice, writing and gigging, and they had completed their debut EP. I should be a narrator for movies.

What kind of dynamic is there between the members of the band? Who’s the smelly one? Who’s the bossy one? Who’s the lazy one?

Christian is a drummer and a student, so his laziness goes unsaid. Parke’s hands are permanently attached to a beer can and microphone. Chris is a workaholic, and Cam is a gambling addict.

What have you heard about the bands you will be playing with when you come to Tassie? Did you pick them yourselves? If so, why them?

Chris was recently in Tassie for a golfing trip, and he did a bit of research while he was there. We basically wanted to get our hands on some great bands that would fit well with our style of music.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Touring, gigging, writing, recording, and enjoying a few laughs along the way.

In The City play Launceston’s Saloon on the 18th of January, and the Republic Bar in Hobart on the 19th.

PARKE’S HANDS ARE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO A BEER PAR EER CAN AND MICROPHONE.

LINC LE FEVRE

By Tom Wilson

PUMPKIN SOUP FOR THE SOUL Crafting a successful sound is something Fell to Erin guitarist, Linc le Fevre is no stranger to. But when that sound doesn’t fit the current band, well it’s time to strike out and make some new noise as Tom Wilson discovers…

This seems to be a bit of a departure away from your time with Fell To Erin. Stylistically, what sets this new project apart from that band?

I’d been writing a fair few songs that just didn’t fit with what Fell to Erin was doing at the time, and so I was just keeping them set aside for this band. The stuff that I’ve been listening to over the past few years is pretty different to the Fell to Erin guys’ tastes; some old rock ‘n roll, loads of alt-country, and a bunch of punk records, so the new sound kind of darts around between those three. I mean, it’s still me writing songs, so it’s always gonna sound like Linc, but these ones have got a bit more air in them, and a bit more soul.

How did this band come together?

I’ve known Richard [Armstrong, bass guitar] since we were pretty young, and I’ve always wanted to play in a band with him. Henry Nichols [drums] has been a mate for a few years, and he’s played in quite a few bands with Richard, so it made sense to play with a solid rhythm section that could already work off each other. Robbie [Grundel, keys] answered an ad, and has worked out brilliantly. He pretty much dishes out the soul. I’d always wanted to play with [a] Hammond, so there’s a lot of that in there. Ant Fitzaptrick [Fell to Erin] was playing guitar for a while, but he’s heading away soon, so Elliot Taylor from The Craves is going to round out the team.

You’ve done a couple of stints behind the producer’s desk in recent times. Is this something you can see yourself doing more of this year?

Look, I love producing and I’d do it all the time if I could. I’ve got a few jobs coming up, but there are plenty of other guys out there doing it. To be honest, since I don’t rely on it for a living, I’m not going to produce something that I don’t have absolute faith in. I only tend to work with bands that I happen to think are pretty amazing.

PAGE 10

You’re currently working on a debut album. What can you tell us about this new material at this point?

Most of it has been through the demo stage already, and I’m looking to get the tracking done by the end of January. I still need to make a few decisions about sounds and songs, but I want it out during the autumn.

… TH THESE ONES HAVE GOT GO OT A BIT MORE AIR IN THEM, AND A BIT BI MORE SOUL …

At this point, can you ever see Fell To Erin playing again?

For sure. We’ve been adamant about stating that we’ve not broken up. Any time the four of us are all back in the same city we’ll be looking to play shows. We’ve still got songs that we’ve never released, so I’m sure there’ll be another release in some form. I won’t put any guesses on paper as to when that’s gonna happen, but it’ll see the light of day sometime. Look out for a Fell to Erin/Airto gig in 2009.

What do you most want to get accomplished this year - both musically and personally?

I want to release another record, produce another record, and make pumpkin soup from the pumpkins growing in my vegie patch.

Linc Le Fevre & The Insiders play their debut gig at Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 17th of January.

ROCK SALT

PEGZ

URBAN POETRY

Pegz’ descriptive ability to simplify the complex and his insightful approach to global themes has formed the essence of his back catalogue. His 2000 debut self-titled EP spawned the underground anthems Everyshow and Fatter, while his second release in 2002, a collaborative 12” with Task Force, broke new ground for Oz hip-hop in the UK. Pegz’ debut full-length LP, Capricorn Cat, sold out across Australia and was widely acclaimed as one of 2003’s best hip-hop releases.

On his critically heralded 2005 album, Axis, Pegz gained feature album status on Triple J and dozens of community stations across Australia, including the prominent 4ZZZ and FBI. The soul-searching What Would Happen and the warmly reminiscent Back Then have become seminal showpieces for a movement in Australian music that is swiftly gaining enraptured public attention.

Since Axis, Pegz has toured the country relentlessly, building on an already committed following with his magnetic and energetic live performances. This period has also witnessed the gestation of Burn City, his astonishing new album. Hundreds of hours crafting verses and hooks, with production by scene legends Jase (Nubreed), Plutonic Lab (Muph & Plutonic) and Suffa (Hilltop Hoods), have formed what will be the final solo album from this stalwart of the Australian hip-hop scene.

collaborative work.

After agruelling touring schedule to promote the new album, Pegz will turn his attention to a number of new fields, unveiling a new group in early 2008 and leaning more towards production, taking time to support other artists in their creative endeavours.

Throughout this stellar career, Pegz has simultaneously built Obese Records into Australia’s most successful independent label and a guiding foundation of the Australian hip-hop movement. It is clear that the impact of Pegz will be felt for generations to come.’

Pegz plays Launceston’s James Hotel on the 19th of January.

DJ PERPLEX

URBAN POETRY

Inspired by underground radio and listening to hip-hop DJs on his favorite records, Perplex kicked off his DJ career at a steady pace in 2001. Gaining experience playing in various school bands, he soon developed a competitive edge. At 2004, at the age of twenty, he entered the Victorian DMC Heat and won.

Perplex has been competing every year since.

However, his focus is on being a DJ with all-round ability. As a result, he has established a name for himself through his club/ party sets and strengths in production and mixtapes. Perplex was the DJ for hip-hop groups Lost Soulz and Field Trip. Both groups released albums and toured nationally. Having worked with both Iven and Plutonic Lab on an album released last year, he has also wowed crowds at several Big Day Outs, as well as performing all around the country.

Perplex has appeared on numerous radio stations, including Triple J, PBS and RRR. He supported Common, Lupe Fiasco, Spank Rock, Jean Grae, Mr. Lif, Diplo, Edan and Cash Money, and was the guest tour DJ for Muph & Plutonic. In 2006, after competing in the DMC World Finals in London, Perplex DJ’d all over Europe. Returning home with a new perspective on how to rock crowds, he went to work turning clubs out, blending performance DJing with club-friendly sounds ever since.

DJ Perplex plays Halo in Hobart on the 18th of January.

Having achieved a personal benchmark with Burn City, Pegz will shift focus moving forward, feeling the time has come for

ROCK SALT

THE RADIATORS The Radiators have carved themselves a niche in Australian Rock History, headlining and sharing the stage with other great Oz acts such as Rose Tattoo, AC/DC, and INXS. The Rads have played to an estimated two million punters throughout Australia. Also under their rock ‘n’ roll belt is over a hundred original songs, two platinum albums, two gold, and a host of other huge record sales.

The rock ‘n’ roll ride began way back in Sydney, September 1978, when they embarked on their first ever tour. With the completion of over twelve months’ touring, and three-hundred-and-twenty shows, The Radiators signed their first record deal. March 1980 bought the release of their highly anticipated first album Feel the Heat. With pre-sales reaching six thousand, the band created history, as this was a first for a debuting Australian band.

Continually performing six nights a week, forty to fifty weeks per year, The Radiators grew from strength to strength. Not only were they one of a select few of Australian acts to guarantee full venues, radio airplay was giving them a fine time with hits such as 17, Comin’ Home, and Summer Holiday. With Feel the Heat gaining platinum status and a Top 10 position, The Radiators recorded the controversial EP You Have The Right To Remain Silent, notching up a second platinum achievement. This small but rocking EP of four songs included the anthems Fess’ Song and Gimme Head.

Like fine wine, The Radiators have matured into fine musicians. From humble beginnings, through years of success and hard times, through to the new millennium, The Radiators are living proof that pure, original music never dies, it just gets stronger.

The Radiators will be playing at Launceston’s The Saloon Bar, Friday January 11th and at Hobart’s The Loft, Saturday January 12th

PAGE 11

9th JAN - 22nd JAN

160 Elphin Road L a u n c e s t o n TA S 7 2 5 0

Live music Woodfired pizzas Extensive bottleshop ph: 03 6331 1344 fax: 03 6331 2191 e: thenewsteadhotel@hotmail.com

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Backspace Theatre Andy Muirhead + Gavin Baskerville + Cecil Brown + Kevin Kopfstein + Luke McGregor + Tracey Cosgrove @ 8PM Curly’s Bar The Smashers Republic Bar & Café Blue Flies @ 9PM Syrup Rewind @ 9PM

Alley Cat The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth Street North Hobart ph: 03 6231 2299

THURS 10th of Jan 'The Craves' 9pm $3

FRI 11th of Jan 'The Bone Rattlers' 9pm $4

SAT 12th of Jan 'Tastes Funny' Circus Sideshow (melb) 9pm $17/ $14 conc

SUN 13th of Jan Jay Fraser, Courtney Barnett, Crystal Campbell & Ben Crombie 6.30pm FREE

THURS 14th of Jan Edward Guglielmino, Tim Carrol & Lucien Simon 9pm $4

FRI 15th of Jan 'I built a flying machine', Sam J Nicholson, Billy Whims, Andy Brazendale & Peter Escott 9pm $4 SAT 19th of Jan ' Acts of Absurdity' circus sideshow vaudeville 9pm $17/ $14 conc Sun 20th of Jan Sam Page, Tom Hyland, Jared Spurr & Tim Downey 6.30pm FREE

The Metz DJ @ 9PM

THURSDAY 10TH HOBART Alley Cat Bar The Craves @ 9PM

Backspace Theatre Andy Muirhead + Gavin Baskerville + Cecil Brown + Kevin Kopfstein + Luke McGregor + Tracey Cosgrove @ 8PM Republic Bar & Café Sugarcane Collins + Damian Neil + Adam Wales @ 9PM Syrup Mesh – Adam Turner @ 8PM The Loft Simon Astley

FRIDAY 11TH CYGNET Drill Hall Freya Hanly

HOBART

Alley Cat Bar The Bone Rattlers @ 9PM Backspace Theatre Andy Muirhead + Gavin Baskerville + Cecil Brown + Kevin Kopfstein + Luke McGregor + Tracey Cosgrove @ 8PM Impro Vice Late Show @ 10PM Brisbane Hotel Muddy Turds + Superkunts + Shock Corridor + Gene Bob Curly’s Bar Revival Republic Bar & Café Archie Roach & Ruby Hunter + Dwyane @ 10PM Syrup Tommie Sunshine (USA) + Gillie + Corney Downstairs – Nick C + Reme @ 9PM

LAUNCESTON

James Hotel Noof’s Going-Away Party @ 7PM Saloon The Radiators The Hub Ed Guglielmino + Fi Claus + Jay @ 9:30PM

SATURDAY 12TH HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Tastes Funny Circus Sideshow (Melb) @ 9PM Backspace Theatre Andy Muirhead + Gavin Baskerville + Cecil Brown + Kevin Kopfstein + Luke McGregor + Tracey Cosgrove @ 8PM Impro Vice Late Show @ 10PM Brisbane Hotel The Trolls + Hannah + The Frets + Phoebe Duncan – ALLAGES Born Dead (US) + Pisschrist + Ruins + Ghost And The Storm Outside – 18+ Curly’s Bar Club Dance – Grotesque + D2M + JimK + Samex @ 10PM Republic Bar & Café Scientists Of Modern Music + The Embers + Baetrix Baeouwman @ 10PM Syrup DFD – Gillie + Adam Turner + Timo Downstairs – Tackyland @ 9PM The Loft The Radiators

LAUNCESTON

The Hub The Muddy Turds + Cats For Hands + The Savages + Emma Dilemma

SUNDAY 13TH HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Jay Fraser + Courtney Barnett + Crystal Campbell + Ben Crombie @ 6:30PM

+ On Your Feet Soldier @ 5PM Raincheck Lounge Raincheck Sundays – Joel Imber + Tom Ambroz + Sam Stansall + Luis Higgins @ 4PM Republic Bar & Café Ruby Hunter With Archie Roach @ 2:30PM Fi Claus + Edward Guglielmino + Lucien Simon @ 8PM

LAUNCESTON

Irish Murphy’s TasMusic Summer Sessions – Kellie Collins Band + Cats For Hands + Frankie @ 2:30PM Star Hotel Carl Fidler – Sexy Lounge @ 5PM

Syrup La Casa – Matt B + Discoutouch + Timo Downstairs – Nick C + Reme @ 9PM

LAUNCESTON Lonnies Mike Hyper Saloon In The City The Hub Simon Astley

SATURDAY 19TH GEORGETOWN

Yatch Club Mick Flanagan + Freedom Sons @ 10AM

MONDAY 14TH HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Edward Guglielmino + Tim Carrol + Lucien Simon @ 9PM Republic Bar & Café Taulouse All Stars @ 9PM

TUESDAY 15TH HOBART

Memorial Hall Tim Gleeson + Danny Spooner + Peter Hicks + Mick Flanagan + Bob Fox + Sea Grass @ 12:30PM Milk + Kath Tait + Nick Charles + Cloudstreet + Phil Manning @ 7PM Georgetown Heritage Hotel Acoustic Chalkboard Concert @ 2:30PM

Alley Cat Bar “I Built A Flying Machine – Sam J Nicholson + Billy Whims + Andy Brazendale + Peter Escott @ 9PM Backspace Theatre Josh Earl + Hannah Gadsby + Dave Bloustein + John Emmerson + John “Cambo” Campbell + Peta Hitchens @ 8PM Republic Bar & Café Freya Hanly @ 9PM

RSL Club Mike Manhire and Friends @ 4PM

HOBART

Alley Cat Bar “Acts of Absurdity” – Circus Sideshow Vaudeville @ 9PM Brisbane Hotel Defiance, Ohio (USA) + Fear Like Us + Asking For It + Wingnut Dishwashers Union (USA) Curly’s Bar Club Dance – Grotesque + D2M + JimK + Samex @ 10PM

LAUNCESTON The Hub Open Mic Night

Halo DJ Perplex

WEDNESDAY 16TH HOBART

Backspace Theatre Josh Earl + Hannah Gadsby + Dave Bloustein + John Emmerson + John “Cambo” Campbell + Peta Hitchens @ 8PM Brisbane Hotel Lance Cooper + Edward Fitzallen @ 9PM

Republic Bar & Café In The City + Enola Fall + Hannah @ 10PM Syrup DFD – Matt B + Gillie + Adam Turner Downstairs – Tackyland @ 9PM Theatre Royal Peter Rowsthorn + Denise Scott + Rachel Berger + Guests @ 8PM

Curly’s Bar Selecta + Jim K + D2M

LAUNCESTON James Hotel Pegz + Mynse

Republic Bar & Café The Overview @ 9PM

The Hub The Stoics + Halfway To Forth

Syrup Rewind @ 9PM

SUNDAY 20TH GEORGETOWN

The Metz DJ @ 9PM

Memorial Hall Wendy Ealey + Stan Gottschalk + Cloudstreet + Nick Charles + Milk + Phil Manning @ 12:30PM

LAUNCESTON Irish Murphy’s Mayfield

HOBART

THURSDAY 17TH HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Sam Page + Tom Hyland + Jared Spurr + Tim Downey @ 6:30PM

Backspace Theatre Josh Earl + Hannah Gadsby + Dave Bloustein + John Emmerson + John “Cambo” Campbell + Peta Hitchens @ 8PM

Raincheck Lounge Raincheck Sundays – Joel Imber + Tom Ambroz + Sam Stansall + Luis Higgins @ 4PM

Brisbane Hotel Hobart Undergound Presents “Naugacide” – Feature Film

Republic Bar & Café Cake Walking Babies @ 9PM

Republic Bar & Café Linc Le Feve & The Insiders @ 9PM

LAUNCESTON

Irish Murphy’s TasMusic Summer Sessions – Zac Lister Band + Kristy Tucker + Ciaran @ 2:30PM

Syrup Mesh – Adam Turner @ 8PM

LAUNCESTON

Star Hotel Carl Fidler – Sexy Lounge @ 5PM

FRIDAY 18TH GEORGETOWN

Republic Bar & Café Haylee Cooper @ 9PM

MONDAY 21ST HOBART

The Hub Salsa Night

The Pier Hotel Milk @ 4PM

Memorial Hall Wendy Ealey + AaronWales + CloudStreet + Bob Fox + Phil Manning @ 7PM

HOBART

Backspace Theatre Josh Earl + Hannah Gadsby + Dave Bloustein + John Emmerson + John “Cambo” Campbell + Peta Hitchens @ 8PM Tom Gleeson live @ 9:45PM Brisbane Hotel Turbo Deluxe + Abbey Doggett Curly’s Bar Revival

BURNIE

TUESDAY 22ND HOBART

Stage Door The Cafe 254 M ount St Upper Burnie 64322600

HOBART

Republic Bar & Café Stef Brett @ 9PM

Curly ’s Bar 112 Murray St 6234 5112 w w w.curlysbar.com.au

WEDNESDAY 23RD HOBART Curly’s Bar Detour + Jim K + D2M

R aincheck Lounge 392-394 Elizabeth Street 6234 5975

Republic Bar & Café Nick Charles (Acoustic Roots Guitar) @ 9PM

Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth Street 6234 6954 w w w.republicbar.com

Syrup Rewind @ 9PM

The Brisbane Hotel 3 Brisbane St 6234 4920 thebrisbanehotelhobar t@gmail.com

The Metz DJ @ 9PM

Syrup 1st Floor 39 Salamanca Place 6224 8249

Republic Bar & Café Blanche DuBois + Genevieve Little @ 10PM

The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth Street Nor th Hobar t 7000 6231 2299

Brisbane Hotel Born Dead (US) + Pisschrist + Ghost And The Storm Outside

COLLECTOR’S CORNER CDs and DVDs

New + Second Hand

QUALITY ISN’T EXPENSIVE AT

BARRATTS

BEWARE! There are some dreadful instruments available over the Internet & from some local stores. Always deal with a reputable music-specialist store!

YAMAHA PSRE213 A Great Sounding, Five Octave Keyboard

A Mere $199 Power Adaptor $32

104 George St, Launceston 37 Wilson St Burnie ph: 03 6431 6616

GIG GUIDE

WEDNESDAY 9TH HOBART

6331 9355 or help@barrattsmusic.com.au

GUNNERS ARMS

Pizza & Beer

10

$

(One pot per pizza) 23 LAWRENCE ST. L’TON - 6331 3891

LAUNCESTON Lonnies Niteclub 107 Brisbane St Launceston 6334 7889 w w w.lonniesniteclub.com James Hotel Realit y N iteclub / James Bar 122 York St Launceston 6334 7231 w w w.jameshotel.com.au The Hub 1Tamar Street Launceston 6334 9288

PIC OF THE

FESTIVAL

Republic Bar & Cafe

FRIDAY 11TH JANUARY

Wed

9th

Thu

10th

Fri

11th

Sat

12th

BLUE FLIES 9:00pm SUGARCANE COLLINS + Damian Neil + Adam Wales $5 ARCHIE ROACH WITH RUBY HUNTER

9:00pm

+ Dwyane $25/$20 conc 10:00pm

SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC + The Embers + Baetrix Baeouwman $6/$4 conc 10:00pm

$25/$20 conc. 10:00pm

SUNDAY 13TH JANUARY

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FI CLAUS + Edward Guglielmino + Lucien Simon $10/$8 conc 8:00pm RUBY HUNTER WITH ARCHIE ROACH $20/$15conc 2:30pm TAULOUSE ALL STARS 9:00pm FREYA HANLY 9:00pm THE OVERVIEW 9:00pm LINC LE FEVE & THE INSIDERS $2 9:00pm BLANCHE DUBOIS + Genevieve Little $12/$10 conc 10:00pm IN THE CITY + Enola Fall + Hannah $10 10:00pm CAKE WALKING BABIES 9:00pm HAYLEE COOPER 9:00pm STEF BRETT 9:00pm

JA ANUARY UAR ARY RY R Y

299 Elizabeth St North Hobart Ph. 6234 6954 www.republicbar.com

FALLS IN REVIEW FALLS IN REVIEW FALLS IN REVIEW MARION BAY – 29/12/07 – 1/1/07 The butterflies in my stomach flapped about wildly as I approached the small stage to see The Panics. Not a band to ever disappoint, they played all the crowd favourites, and Falls had begun for another year.

many people there, so I decided to check out Cut Off Your Hands. For a band with a lead singer on crutches, they made up for it with their energy, and the constant broad smile on the face of their drummer.

Hurrying over to the main stage for Angus & Julia Stone turned out to be a good move, as they put on a great live show. The crowds soon flocked in to catch Operator Please, and although they played perfectly, to be honest, I just could not see what all the hype was about when it came to their music. A few bands and too much sunburn later, I rushed back to the field stage just in time to catch The Cops jump out onto the platform to play an absolutely amazing set.

Combined with the energetic Tasmanians, the Scientists of Modern Music, who hit the stage next, it was my personal favourite hour-and-a-half of music in the entire festival, and by the look of it a lot of people thought the same way, as the crowd threatened to burst from the barrier. And so the night progressed, and I witnessed some amazing bands (Regurgitator are worth a mention here), some incredible light-shows (I have never seen lights as amazing as the ones set up for Groove Armada) and hung out with some truly incredible people (yes, I was backstage.) But, soon enough, all was quiet, and I trudged up the hill to retire in my tent for the evening.

After a lot more sunburn, and a fair amount of music, it was time for Gotye. I caught him relaxing on the stairs at the side of stage, looking rather nervous before heading on-stage. But once he reached the drum kit, the nerves seemed to disappear, and he continued on to play a great show – although he announced to the crowd that he could not hear the music he was creating, due to technical difficulties.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club turned up the rock, but it was Paul Kelly who seemed to hold the crowd’s attention, and had them singing along with every lyric. As Blackalicious brought in 2008, there wasn’t much time for reflection, but rather partying, as fireworks split the sky in two. The night continued until it was well into morning, and from what I hear The Go! Team were amazing.

I had a really spectacular time, and from what I hear, so did the majority. It was truly sad to leave in the morning, and now I just look ahead to next Falls Festival, when the process will hopefully repeat.

CAROLE WHITEHEAD

I awoke to light streaming far too brightly through my thin tent walls, and checked on the shower line-up. Still far too

DO’S AND DON’TS OF FALLS:

A SERIES OF LESSONS LEARNT THE HARD WAY BY MANY Do remember to wear lots of sunscreen. Ending up on the second day looking like a lobster sporting a series of melanomas just waiting to peel is not just bad for your health, but also a serious way to end up in pain for the following week.

Do know where you put your tent before you wandered off in a drunken haze talking to both random people and trees.

Trying to get into someone else’s tent at four in the morning can be a bit of a conundrum, unless its one of those couples who are free spirits, and happy to share their sleeping bag and free lovin’.

Do take a good of pair shoes. Thongs are not the most practical footwear for two days of serious moshing, as your toes will end up bloody and swollen as if you just won an ass-kicking competition with a car.

Do have a tall companion if you’re shorter than five feet watching bands in the crowd, so you can get on their shoulders. A sea of shoulders with just a small glimpse of your favourite band can be frustrating. For those tall enough to see, try getting down to their level and see it from their perspective; it seriously is an interesting and muffled experience.

Do take a camera. Not only will you have some good pics to take home, it helps you remember what and who you were with the day after your memory decided to go down to the beach, only never to be seen again.

Don’t repeatedly climb over the fence at the front of the stage into the arms of waiting security guards. You may get to end up as close to the stage as possible, but each time you do it, those heavy-set blokes will take more joy in spear-tackling your face into the dry grass. You at the Scientists of Modern Music know who I am talking about. In fact, you’re probably

LANCE COOPER

in hospital sporting internal injuries after your fifth attempt.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew – whether it’s alcohol, the round things your friend gave you, or just too much sun.

Babbling like an incoherent madman who just escaped a mental institution can do serious damage to your credibility and, most of all, have most people staring at you with that oh-so-familiar expression, “what the fuck?” Plus, you don’t remember shit about the $150 bucks worth of music you paid to see, and feel like a complete arse when your friends who missed out say “How was Groove Armada?” and you stare blankly back at them as you were passed out on the grass with your pants halfway down your legs.

Don’t forget your sleeping gear. This is more of personal reminder to myself for realising that when the sun goes down it gets mighty cold and even hugging together like a group of penguins in Antarctica will not beat the satisfaction of a good sleeping bag and comfy pillow after a day of solid rocking.

Don’t wear your sunglasses once the sun has gone down.

You will either end up bumping into people as you struggle to see one foot in front of you, or end up tripping on those mysterious ropes holding up all those tents. This is probably the biggest cause of so many broken tents the morning after, with some angry camper screaming in a fit of rage at his collapsed castle he spent hours setting up.

Don’t let your twelve-year-old son get so drunk he passes out on the first day in the middle of the festival in the grass. Now while this is a bit specific, underage drunk children in my day were seen not heard on either Christmas, weddings or Gran’s 90th birthday bash, not in the middle of festivals. Plus you look like a parent who also locks your children up in car parks while you play the pokies ‘til four in the morning.

FELIX BLACKLER

By Tom Wilson

THE MAGNETISM OF SILENCE

ROCK SALT

The days of his former band Daystream may be over, but one listen to the solo material of Hobart’s Lance Cooper prove only too well that he’s not fazed by having sole responsibility for once. We got in touch to speak on the new album – Silence And Magnetics.

What was the production process like for Silence and Magnetics?

Where did you work on it, who with, and why?

It was a long process in between work and uni. I was able to finally finish a song that I started to write seven years ago. I spent about a year working on the demo tracks. Then I recorded the drums and did the final mix-down with my mate Tony at Megatone Studios. Most of the album, however, took close to another year, and was recorded myself in my home studio.

How would you describe your style of music?

I still get stuck on that question every time. This album is definitely an emergence of alternate and electronica. It’s still pretty diverse though.

How do you think you have evolved as a musician since you first started playing?

Well, I’m a bit better than when I first started. [Smiles] But I’ve kept myself open to all sorts of styles in the past, which has helped my development.

What were some of the inspirations that went into both the lyrics and instrumentation of Silence and Magnetics?

A mix of Radiohead, Muse, Massive Attack etc., plus a substantial amount of my melancholy personality. It was great just to have full creative license to myself.

What’s the story behind the title? How did you come up with it, and in what ways do you think it reflects the content of the album?

It was originally going to be called something else – I forget what now. But I was laying in bed not being able to sleep one night, and I just started to evolve on what title I had until I was happy with it.

For me, it reflects the notion of being drawn close to something or someone when you feel distant; a struggle that most people have sometime, yet still knowing that there can be hope amongst it all.

I understand that you did all the instrumentation on the album.

Have you always been multi-talented in this area? What were some of the challenges of this?

Everything but the drums and piano – my “inner drummer and pianist” struggles to come out. I would love to be able to play them though. Everything else, yes, but I can only play synth when there is a record button in front of me.

How does your current solo material compare to when you were in Daystream? What different territory are you exploring now?

The material is similar. It’s probably what Daystream might of ended up sounding like if we didn’t fold. I like to explore and experiment with music, so anything could happen next.

What about from a practical perspective – how is playing with a band different to working solo? What’s easier? What’s harder?

I much prefer working with a band – I find it a lot easier. I like the comradeship and the vibe that everyone gets into. You can all bounce of each other, unlike a solo gig, when you’re only reliant on yourself.

Ultimately, what do you want to get done this year?

Sell all my albums ... if that’s all that happens, I’ll be happy. Apart from that, hopefully develop more of a profile around the place.

We’ll see what happens.

Lance Cooper plays Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 16th of January.

…T THERE CAN BE HOP HOPE AMONGST ST IT ALL …

PAGE 15

AVRIL LAVIGNE The Best Damn Thing 8/10

BEST OF THE FORTNIGHT

Now whether you are a die hard Avril fan or a new listener, this album grabs your attention with the upbeat and slightly nutty Girlfriend. I have to admit, I was a tad worried when I heard the intro to The Best Damn Thing – it ki kind of sounded like a remix of Girlfriend. Thankfully we didn’t gget one so early on in the album, but more about that later.

ZENITH ASP 9/10 Fresh from audiences at Adelaide’s FUSE Festival, Zenith is the latest Aussie up-and-coming band to release their original full-length album, ASP. These four fresh-faced teenagers are yet to finish school, but have already been awarded Triple J’s AWOL accolade, and a support slot with the Hilltop Hoods in 2006. This batch of new talent is showing us that you don’t need to have years of experience to make it big, just raw talent and the passion to play.

T The record sticks with a quite upbeat feel until you get to When You’re Gone, which slows the album’s pace for a touching song about people’s separation.

The album is by far a showcase of the quality and development of her talent; the singles from the album – Girlfriend, When You’re G Gone and Hot – were a great selection to highlight the variety in A Avril’s repertoire.

Each of these guys are diverse in the selection of instruments they exploit – Jayden McGrath on guitar, vocals and didgeridoo, Aaron Clark on percussion and frantic tambo, Callum MacKenzie on drums and didgeridoo, and finallyy Evan Berard on bass guitar. It’s great to know young musical al talents are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

I am amazed by the amount of natural talent that these guys ys demonstrate – with lyrics that capture your attention and musical capabilities that are beyond their years, it’s easy to understand why they have been quickly accepted into the music industry.

It’s hard for me to pinpoint a song that I liked over another – each song is distinctively different in style, tone, rhythm

ONE LOVE Mobile Disco 8/10

and the underlying lyrical meanings. For me, the h Zenith Zenit experience is one that has left me both stunned and enchanted.

You will have to listen to these guys yourselves to truly understand how unbelievable they really are!

Oh, wait – when I said first, I meant only. The production and mixing element of these CDs and the artists on there were top notch. From the word go, where you have Mobin Master with the track Show Me Love (Safari Mix), the album just screams “dance to me!” The discs are divided up into three different styles, being “Midnight”, “3 A.M.” and “Backroom”.

However, they don’t really seem to vary that much. I think this could be justified by the fact that the majority of clubbers would have had a few by three in the morning, and wouldn’t really notice.

All in all, though, I think they pulled off a successful mix, with artists such as Felix Da Housecat, Groove Armada and Deadmau5 being just some of the major club music artists who have added groove and flavour to this album.

If you are a clubber, or just like electronic/dance music, this one is a must for your collection.

RICHARD KEMP

SEETHER Finding Beauty Negative Spaces 8/10

In

People may remember Seether from his collaboration with Evanescence a few years ago.

Well, it is safe to say that Seether has grown and changed for the better since that song.

The latest album, Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces, is an emotionally-charged album, with a strong and memorable track list.

Like Suicide is a dominant track on this release. It begins with a relatively slow intro, before exploding into a much heaviersounding chorus.

The verses stay slower, so they do not take away from the instrumental work, as the fiery chorus is the focus, and is used to enhance the accompanying music (as a good chorus should).

The band’s grunge tendencies are partially hidden in Walk Away From the Sun. The slower pace, and moderately “soft-core” vocals make this song a bit different from the others – still showing the pure grunge talent of the band, while allowing you to hear another side of this musically versatile act.

Well, you get London’s dance duo Grand National. With the release of their third album, Grand National are one of the best dance groups to manage to keep producing high quality music.

Reasons To Hide In starts of the album off in pure new-wave rave style. Unlike many dance groups, Grand National put a lot of focus on the lyrical aspect of their songs.

A lot of dance bands tend to have the spotlight only on the instrumentation of their tracks, making Grand National a pleasing exception to the rule. Their lyrics are not to be outdone by the music!

T The limited edition album, with bonus tracks and a DVD, would bbe a great addition to the collection of any Avril fan or music lover – as a good limited edition does, it features two new tracks that add a bit of sparkle, plus an acoustic version of I Can Do It Better and two remixes of Girlfriend, which are good as far as pop remixes go.

By The Time I Get Home There Won’t Be Much Of A Place For Me is two things. Firstly, it’ the longest track name I have ever seen. Secondly, it’s actually one of the best songs off the album. The vocals stand out from the kind of musical backing you would expect to hear out on the town.

The DVD features a live performance and videos of Girlfriend and the remix, When You’re Gone and Hot. All in all, it has been a large improvement from the days of Sk8er Boi and Let Go. If you’re a die hard Avril fan, go out now and grab yourself a copy.

While definitely worth a listen if you’re a dance music fan, A Drink And A Quick Decision is much more than just your typical dance album. Oh, and extra points for some quite random album art.

RICHARD KEMP

SHANNON STEVENS

MINISTRY OF SOUND The Annual 2008 9/10

February 27th, 2006 – New Jersey quartet Monster Magnet came to a near-fatal ending.

Frontman Dave Wyndorf overdosed on prescription drugs, during the same year the seventh album 4-Way Diablo was to be released. Wyndorf survived the ordeal, and, more than a year later, the release of 4-Way Diablo comes out with great expectations and mixed opinions.

The only way that the electroloving teens of this millennium realise that a new year is looming around the corner is when they listen to the latest installment of Ministry Of Sound’s Annual series, which hit shelves at the beginning of November. Annual showcases a year of good times and, more importantly, sick new music that’s impossible to sit still to.

Monster Magnet’s style and material are influenced by 70s bands such as Hawkwind and Captain Beyond – a blend of psychedelic space-rock sounds, which has been a part of Monster Magnet’s sound from the beginning. Presumably, the album was recorded in one take with only minor adjustments made afterwards – the band seeming to want the “live feel” effect.

This album features some of the funkiest tracks of the moment, and are sure to keep your body moving and grooving all night long. John Course pumps up the volume of disc one with a string of awesome number-one ARIA club chart hits such as Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grand Let Me Think About It, Armand Van Helden’s huge house hit I Want Your Soul, and, of course, who could forget the Chemical Brothers with Salmon Dance?

The band has done exceptionally well, and the musicianship sounds tight. Wyndorf’s vocals have a cool, gritty, laid-back tone, which gives most of the tracks an easy-listening, spacedout feel – their cover of the Rolling Stones’ 2000 Light Years From Home treads deep through creepy territory.

That said, the disappointing thing about 4-Way Diablo on the whole is it is full of generic, mediocre rock, with no real standouts. The band is more than capable of producing far better music. They have a cool vibe, and are easy to listen to, especially if you are into stoner rock, garage/psychedelic sounds, which, for some, may be hard to take in. Unfortunately, I find that after ten or more listens, it becomes boring, with nothing classic to remember the album by – disappointing considering the standard of their early work.

DAVID WALKER

THE CHRONICS Switch Me On 6/10 Fresh from a multitude of performances around Australia, Sydney’s The Chronics have finally compiled a collection of enticing songs for the pleasure of listeners’ ears.

But for these guys, the road to this point has been both challenging and demanding. In 2003, two multi-talented brothers, Jules and Greg Townley, left their respective bands to join forces on a musical journey.

Together with UK bassist Lee North and drummer Grant Colquoun, they formed The Chronics. Now, with countless gigs throughout Sydney’s live scene and two EPs under their belt, it’s now time for their debut album.

Switch Me On is a mellow pop-rock compilation, and is smooth listening for pretty much any mood. They’re on the Creative Vibes label, and the assortment of songs on this album show that this name is more than appropriate as a description of their style of music. The first track to be released onto our airwaves was On Account Of My Lover. It has already had an abundance of positive feedback because of its electrifyingly “phat” rock melodies.

Disco two is mixed by Goodwill, who dramatically turns up the notches with some party-loving favourites like Hard Fi’s Suburban Nights and Peter Gelderblom’s massive rework of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Waiting 4. Disc two also features an amazing breed of new Aussie talent, with some fantastic electro/indie hits from Sneaky Sound System, Midnight Juggernauts, Bag Raiders, the Aston Shuffle, Tommy Trash and Klaus Hill. My favourite songs on the album would have to be Goodbye by Sneaky Sound System, Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grand’s Let Me Think About It and Datarock’s Fa Fa Fa.

GROOVE ARMADA The Best Of 7/10 The sweet sounds of Groove Armada are back, combining all their greatest hits from the last ten years into one shiny compact disc. This album covers all the bases that Groove Armada have travelled across, capturing their energy, attitude and love for pop music all in one.

After listening to their CD, it’s easy to see why these guys are one of the most successful and multi-talented dance acts in the UK. The album starts with the catchy number Song4Mutya, sung

by Mutya Buena (ex-Sugarbabe), who collaborates with the boys of Groove Armada to create this funky dance tune.

As the album progresses, the sound seems to flow into a more relaxed, laid-back tone that takes you away from reality and into a pop-tech trance.

Dance music is going through a huge transition at the moment, so it’s great to see that these guys are challenging themselves and releasing some funky new tracks as well as highlighting their previous smash hits.

Some of the best tracks on the album, for me, are I See You Baby (Fat Boy Slim radio edit) – which is an oldie but a goodie – Superstylin’, My Friend and Girls Say.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better … well, it does, with the CD also including the official 2008 Annual ringtones. How cool is that?

Although some of these songs are reasonably old, the album also reflects on their latest tracks as well, so it really is a great all-rounder. Enjoy!

LISA RUSHTON

LISA RUSHTON

THE HIVES The Black and White album 7.5/10 It’s time to say “hi” once again to Swedish rock maestros The Hives, as the garage rockers have just released their fourth full-length, The Black and White Album. The album is one that is a must for all you garage fans who like to have a bit of jam whenever and wherever possible, as this shows just what can eventuate from a few of those sessions.

Insanely infectious and crazily catchy is Tick Tick Boom.

The rocking guitar work lures you in, and, more so than anywhere else on the album, the chorus is the icing of the cake.

How could anyone not like a chorus that ends in “Tick-ticktick-tick-tick-boom!” (It certainly worked for Will Smith, didn’t it?) Bring on the explosions, I say.

Sounding like one of those carnival rides you would expect to hear at the show, A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors is an instrumental song that goes north of super-creepy in its final moments.

Not the best song to play around small children, unless you want them to be scarred for life, that’s for sure!

Another stand-out track is Rise Above This. It is hard not to instantly like this track, as it is just one of those feel-good songs that most people can relate to.

This is backed up by seven more fairly exciting tracks, each defined by their captivating lyrics, thumping tempos and diverse tones. If the lyrics aren’t in your face grabbing your attention, the tunes will infect your senses, lift your mood, and certainly leave you intrigued.

The South African band, headed by Shaun Morgan, is one definitely destined for a large fan base in Australia. If not, then their latest album should surely have what it takes to broaden their fan base globally.

All that said, though, at first glance, I doubt most people would think much of the album. But, for anyone willing to experience a new musical direction, you could do worse than giving this a go.

With names like that, you expect the music to have quite a quirky edge to it, now don’t you?

SHANNON STEVENS

LISA HOWELL

SHANNON STEVENS

PAGE 16

What do you get when you cross electronic sound manipulation with new-wave psychedelic soul? No ideas?

LISA HOWELL

MONSTER MAGNET 4-Way Diablo 4/10

This is my first One Love experience, and on the whole, I found it quite cool. Still, I had a few issues with this CD. The first one was that I only knew a few artists (which is my own fault for not being in the clubbing scene – no one’s perfect!).

GRAND NATIONAL A Drink And A Quick Decision 7/10

And I simply could not help but mention the names that the band members go by – Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, Nicholaus Arson, Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction, and let’s not forget Chris Dangerous.

THE PANICS Cruel Guards 5/10 Indie rockers The Panics have just released their third album, Cruel Guards.

The two-disc set is a multitude of tracks which unleash their explosive musical ability to the world – highly instrumental, with the focus not on the lyrics, but on the music behind them.

Get Us Home is one of those songs that tempt you to start swaying along with it to such a degree that it is almost a requirement to duct-tape yourself to the closest chair. The music is just too infectious, and it certainly makes for a good song.

You have just got to love those twangy guitar riffs that open Something In The Garden. Jae Laffer provides the vocals for most of the tracks on the album, and his voice bears similarities to that of Tim Freedman, lead singer of The Whitlams.

This is another slow tempo track, but this one just tends to lack the appeal of some of the other tracks.

The album’s title track is quite a powerful song instrumentally, but that power tends to be substantially weakened by the lyrics; they are, unfortunately, very plain, and sound as though they have been almost lazily written.

The result is that, instead of being a strong track worthy of the album name, it’s one of the least appealing on the record.

A stronger track list would see this album going much further than I expect it will.

SHANNON STEVENS

DJ HYPER By Tom Wilson

BANGERS & MASH

SOMEONE GIVE THIS MAN SOME RITALIN! TALIN! A little while ago, we had an opportunity to chat with mainland DJ Mike Hyper in the weeks before Christmas. Now, with his sets at Lonnies and Curly’s almost upon us, it seems like a particularly good time to bring you Mr. Hyper’s musings on beach parties and turntables, as they were before the clock ticked over to 2008. Read on, chaps!

So, why are you “hyper”, Mike? How is that a reflection of your style as a DJ? “Hyper” was kind of a name I got branded with because it reflects my personality and character when I’m performing.

Just for those who are thinking about that, I don’t get like head-banger styles and [just] go nuts! I’m more “hyper” in a way of enthusiasm! Not only for the music, but also for the vibe of the club. I really get into the music and the crowd at parties … As a reflection of my style as a DJ? I guess you’re all about to find out soon!

One of your DJing credits is Virgin Blue Airlines. I’m curious – what does that actually mean? What did you do for them? And is that something you’d want to do more of in the future?

I perform for a lot of corporate events and companies, including launches, industry parties and VIP nights. In Virgin Blue’s case, I played two of their premier christmas party events, which were phenomenal! Virgin Blue really knows how to party, and throw some extravagant nights!

Performing for companies like Virgin Blue is always a fun experience, so doing more of these types of events is definitely on the agenda for the future.

You’ve played some pretty luxurious parties in your time. What’s the biggest example of excess that you’ve seen at one of your gigs?

I can’t really single one out, because there have been so many! To name one … it would have to be last New Year’s Day; I played a beach party down the south coast in NSW, and there was an estimated three-hundred-and-fifty people crammed into this private beach cove, and I played a fourhour set whilst watching the sunset and rocking the crowd ‘til midnight. It finished with a fireworks display.

12” vinyl. One piece of equipment that is definitely on my Christmas list this year is a brand new Macbook to run my Serato off.

For you, what’s the toughest part of your job? And how do you deal with the challenge?

The toughest part of my job isn’t actually the DJing!

It’s trying to keep up with the hours of gigs and work!

Sometimes it can get quite hectic, because I would be playing in Queensland, then straight after have to jump on a plane to fly back to Sydney and quickly rush off to a club to play another set all in one night! How to deal with this? Red Bull! [Laughs] For a nice, general question, what was the last thing that completely freaked you out, and why?

You know what? I can’t even remember the last time I was freaked out about something! Shows you how much action I get into in-between DJing! [Laughs] What’s a New Year’s Resolution you’ll probably make, but never be able to stick to?

This is a good question. It would have to be to slow down on the drinking! ‘07 was a killer for me on the alcohol. But knowing that, ‘08 is going to be a bigger year. I know that slowing down on the drinks isn’t going to happen!

You’re playing two shows down here in January. What can we expect from your sets, in terms of your sounds, and the vibe that you create?

Sound-wise, I like to keep it hyper! [The] Freshest urban tracks mixed in with some turntable-istic tricks, and I expect to turn up the heat in Tasmania!

What are your plans for the rest of 2008?

2008 will be a big year, as I will be embarking on my Asia tour, and heading over to the US later in 2008 for a mini tour there as well.

DJ Hyper plays Lonnies in Launceston on the 18th of January, and Curly’s Bar in Hobart on the 19th.

““HYPER” HY H Y REFLECTS MY M Y PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER M WHEN I’M PERFORMING. NG .

What kind of equipment setup are you using these days? How has it evolved? And is there a specific piece of equipment that’s on your Christmas list this year?

The equipment I’m currently using is a pair of standard Technics 1210 turntables and a Vestax scratch mixer, coupled with Serato Scratch Live. DJing has evolved a lot over the last ten years, as I remember carrying two, three crates of records to parties, and it would be an absolute back-breaker, whilst nowadays I can just plug in the Serato and perform how I would with original

PAGE 17

SKIN DEEP Sponsored By The Tattoo Studio

ORGANISED CHAOS

By Chris Rattray

From ten years of age, This Future Chaos’s Joel Hallam remembers that he wanted to be inked. An interest in art and the plethora of cool designs, and perhaps a small measure of teen rebellion, meant he was irresistibly drawn to the tattoo world. “Oh shit, why the f*ck do I have these? Crap… whoops… sorry Mum!” he says, remembering his first designs and their subsequent maternal discovery.

“I have a short attention span, so I like looking at heaps of different stuff,” Joel explains, “Themes of things that I’m into [that] describe my personality. I get a little bit done at a time, but with the intention of it all blending in nicely when my sleeves are finished.” But with only so much skin to go around, it’s not just the sleeves he plans on having done. “I’m just going to finish my sleeves and then I’ve got a big chest piece planned as well. Also, I’m getting a Japanese full leg.”

It takes the care and attention to detail that comes with being a professional tattoo artist to fulfil a rock star’s demand for ink. “I get them done from Jimmy at the Tattoo Studio. He did most of my sleeves which I’m really happy with.” And Jimmy’s input has been invaluable, “Jimmy normally comes up with most of my tattoos, he’s a really creative dude and generally knows exactly what will look good on the skin.”

Of course, with so much skin to cover with tiny needles firing ink hundreds of times per second, there’s bound to be pain. “All up, they’ve taken well over thirty hours, but that’s spread over about two years, I usually get about two – four hours done at a time. As far as hurting, it depends on the spot and the person, large sessions can be a bit strenuous, after three hours you just feel tired.” But despite the pain and time involved, the effort is worth it. “My favourite tattoo is probably my horror half sleeve, also my space design because I designed it myself.”

Left Forearm

So whether you’ve designed it yourself or just feel the need for an artist’s touch, you can be sure a little bit of organised chaos courtesy The Tattoo Studio is sure to raise eyebrows and turn heads. At least for Joel, not only does he live fast and play hard, but he’ll leave a good looking corpse… as befits any rock star worth their skin.

RUMOUR CONTROL: Despite what you may have heard about The Tattoo Studio supposedly being shut down, we at SAUCE want to be the first to tell you that it’s not true. In the words of Public Enemy, “Don’t believe the hype.”

Left Forearm

Joel Hallam

Right Arm (Bicep)

TOMMIE SUNSHINE

Right Arm Back

Neck (Left Side)

By Carlisle Rogers

THE SOUNDTRACK TO ARMAGEDDON

BANGERS & MASH

Tommie Sunshine looks as unique as he sounds. With his long locks and huge sunglasses, he could be a stand-in guitarist for Rob Zombie. Famous for adding his own acid-tinged sound to countless rock bands looking to crossover into clubs, Tommie is heading down under again with a soundtrack for the end of the world.

“What I’ve been calling the style of music I’ve been playing is “Armageddon fidget rave,” if you can wrap your head around what the hell that means. The Armageddon part comes from the fact that I’m living in a country that is in the beginnings of the end. The fidget part comes from my obsession with guys like Herve, Switch and the Crookers. The rave part is the absolute resurgence of everything that was good about the early 90s, from the attitude all the way down to the sound palette. It’s all there. In a two-hour set, I drag everybody through the dirt.

“Obviously I’m not doing the same things that I was doing in the early nineties. I don’t think, in the latter-half of my thirties, eating acid would be a good idea. There are plenty of people that are full-tilt right now, but I think my role is to provide the soundtrack. I think the music is the best that it has ever been. I think the music is better now than it was then. I have all kinds of soft spots for records of that time, but that has to do with my personal memories. I listen to those records now and they sound like shit. There was only so much you could do back then. Now we are talking about having full digital freedom over sound. There are things you can do now that we couldn’t have even dreamt of even wanting to do back then to sounds.

It’s a beautiful thing. I think there are so many young, talented producers that emerge every day now that I have no problem supporting. I would much rather hear what the new kid on the block is doing than to ever worry about what the old guard is up to. To be perfectly honest, the old guard is, and always has been, boring! As long as there are kids making new stuff, and as long as the music keeps getting pulled in different directions, I’m there.”

In the studio, Tommie has been working on a string of remixes and collaborations lately, with a disparate crowd. “I’m in the studio right now, and we’re working on a remix for Mindless Self Indulgence. I’ve done a couple of remixes for them before, and their new single, Never Want to Dance – we are working on a mix for that now. I’m just about to do a remix of a track I did with Tocadisco. There’s a song I sing on his album, and PAGE 18

I’m working on a mix of that. I just finished collaboration with Junkie XL and I remixed his new single. I also sang on and did a track with him for his album. There is never a dull moment over here.”

Tommie says the move into doing vocals was quite organic, spurred sometimes by people just liking his lyrics so much they wanted to hear him sing them. “I wouldn’t even call myself a vocalist. I’m more of a lyricist. It’s fun sometimes, in the midst of all of this other chaos, to drop a vocal on a track. I would never call myself a singer. It is more just for fun. With as serious as I take every other part of what I do, it’s nice to be a bit playful with some other parts of it. It’s nice to have some fun and let my hair down and be the singer some of the time.”

Despite the fact that his label, Xylophone Jones, has been relatively quiet lately – a fact Tommie attributes to the attrition of the art of actually selling albums these days, rather than watching them siphon away over file-sharing networks – Tommie says he is plotting his own artist album for the near future. “I am stroking the fiendish feline, plotting my revenge on the world, musically. This is the time to really think about that. Really, at this stage of the game, trying to worry about who is going to put it out and which major label is going to sign it is the wrong way to think about it. The right way to think about it is just to do it and get it out there. That is what matters. When you are in the vernacular with these kids around the world; when you matter to them; when your music speaks to them, you are in.

Record sales are no longer the gauge of whether someone is successful. By having success with your music, it leads to other things – it ends up in films and video games, and you end up scoring things. There is nothing more subversive than having that much of a hook into the mainline. Then you can really stir some shit up if you have that kind of access; that’s exciting.” www.tommiesunshine.com

I DON’T DO THINK, IN THE LATTER-HALF OF M YT DB EA MY THIRTIES, EATING ACID WOULD BE GOOD IDEA.

Lance Cooper 16th January 9:00pm

The Brisbane Hotel

NEW ALBUM “Silence and magnetics”

www.myspace.com/audiochicane PAGE 19

GIG REVIEWS BOMBA + THE EMBERS

PULP FRICTION

MAYFIELD

DAVE LARKIN

JAMES HOTEL – 22/12/07

THE HUB – 8/12/07

IRISH MURPHY’S – 12/12/07

JAMES HOTEL – 21/12/07

This gorgeous woman walks up to me – “Do you know what Bomba means in Lithuanian?” she says. “No, what?” I reply.

“Fart! Hahahahaha,” she explains. I knew then this night would be off the fricken show! It was! Until the 21st; Pulp Friction was my best gig of the summer in Launnie.

It was about time that I shrugged off the toil of the daily grind and took my rightful place as “serial Tasmusic stalker” for the best gig of the summer so far.

Mark down the 12th of December as one of those “seminal” days in TasMusic history. In case you do live in a hole and have no connection to reality, a man named Curtis Mayfield wrote a little song called Pusherman/Superfly.

So I’m at Irish Murphy’s smashing some lamb shanks and I hear of a gig on at – you guessed it – the James. If the James had nice lamb shanks, I’d fricken camp there.

Bomba and The Embers in Reality at the James is now officially my number one. Two of my favourite bands, a scorching hot night with just a little bit of rain – it doesn’t get a lot better than that.

The Embers always, always impress me. Sure there may be some alleged difficulties with members, but there always is in bands.

Their professionalism and grace on stage always shines most brightly when they are together. They are Latin grooves coupled with a real folk, down-to-earth mentality, and if you haven’t seen them live … well, what the hell?

Bomba! They didn’t smell in the least. They fricken rule, ladies and gentlemen. Without a doubt, the highlight was the “intermission”. Nicky formed a circle (sitting) on the dance floor around him and continued the percussion clinic that he seems to put on everywhere he goes … breathtaking stuff! After dancing with the lovely Caroline, Laura, Scotty and Erin, I was a tad parched. The moment I looked up at the bar, Bomba was playing my glass like a high-hat and the bar mirror like a tomtom. [Priceless piccies were taken … see my Facebook!]

This gig rocked, these bands rocked, and if you weren’t there … well, again … what the hell?

A.J FERGUSON

I do this when I know it’s worth it – and, shit, people … it was worth it.

With around two hundred people there and a thousand dollars worth of art school student pieces sold at the auction, the Wilderness Society pulled a good trade, and, apart from one guy in a pink shirt, overwhelming support to stop the pulp mill.

All that aside; four extremely talented and well established Launceston musicians continued to take their music and their star to new, solid, progressive heights.

Okay, to say Liam’s set was the highlight of the night is very f*cking harsh on the other acts, I know (to put it mildly) … but it was! Kicking the night off for three great acts, he showed the most promise I’ve seen from a soloist since I saw Ciaran van den Berg (The Stoics) playing alone for the first time. Leo plays a dirty, mean slide, and, coupled with his bluesy Guthrie voice and magnificent ear, he started entertaining from the word go.

The Zac Lister band have grown in numbers recently, with a fat bass and gorgeous keys/vocal harmonies – hence the band’s growth in style and punchiness as well. Zac is singing as strong as ever.

The Stoics have a new album out, and Ciaran is officially my favourite Launnie rock star. He has all the moves and (thankfully for me) isn’t emo-core. A rarity! Well, the Embers came on, and I stopped working and started dancing … as any good music reporter should ...

Now, some of the cream of Launceston’s musical talent has pulled together in homage of the smutty 70s style of funking business, and they are hot! Glenn, Carl, Coz, Dane, Heidi, Jade and backup singers put on one of the funkiest, borderline erotic shows Irish – and Launnie – has ever seen.

A makeshift stage had to be manufactured on-site – kudos, by the way – and by that time, all the Christmas parties and hens’ nights had added to the already solid TasMusic faithful, to enhance the quality of one’s groove experience tenfold.

The balls come from the classic duo of Glen Moorehouse and Carl Fidler, both of The Dead Abigails fame.

Their undoubtedly psychic chemistry gives an impact rivaled only by the classic punch of the rhythm section of Coz on bass and Dane on drums. Mix that with the onewoman light orchestra that is Heidi “I don’t smile for no journo biatches!” Maguire.

No, seriously – she’s all business, and it showed in what proved to be one hell of a debut performance.

A J FERGUSON

ADAM FERGUSON

FREYA HANLY

By Tom Wilson

So I’m walking toward the James, wishing I could now smash an all-day brekkie, when I spy a sign … “Dallas Crane’s Dave Larkin”. After I had edited said signage with an astutely placed apostrophe [I know the feeling – Chris R.], I headed on into the bowels of Reality!

Unfortunately Dave was experiencing some technical difficulties pickup-wise, and then he busted a string on his sound check.

But after that difficult little period, Dave continued to punish our senses with his gutsy, gritty, blue-rock vocals and acoustic strumming.

He knows how to work a crowd wherever the setting, and I was delighted to see him chatting with fans and signing autographs and drinking water, not beer, during his set. Rare!

I only got to see a couple of songs – as actually going to the gig entailed some random decisions – but, having said that, my highlight came from the conversation we shared after his set: “I love it here [in Tassie] and love coming back.” “The people are great. The bar staff are fantastic,” says Dave. “You are a champion for coming back and touring with your band as much as you do”. “I love and respect artists who put Tassie on their map!” “You are an absolute gentleman and can’t wait to see the Crane after the new release is released,” says A.J Fergs!

A.J FERGUSON

ROCK SALT

PRISON, FOLK MUSIC AND MOTHERHOOD Being a touring singer-songwriter can be hard enough. So can being a mum. But you get the impression that if anyone can juggle both of those roles with aplomb, it would be someone like WA songstress Freya Hanly. Heading to our shores for sets in Hobart and at the Cygnet Folk Festival, she spoke on bringing music to the prison system, and how her two major life roles interweave.

Ultimately, how would you describe yourself as a singer and a songwriter? What makes you unique in the scheme of things?

That dreaded but inevitable question ... No phrases are left to describe a singer-songwriter that haven’t been used before! I suppose I’d have to say I’m from a folk background with a lot of years of dedication to classical music behind me. But, for some reason, there is a strong jazz flavour to my songs, which are ultimately melodically and lyrically driven. I thrive on finding unique chord progressions and working the melody in to make it make musical sense – if that makes sense!

What are some subjects and themes that you commonly deal with in your music, and why?

Anything I experience emotionally can become fodder for a song, from relationships to doing a shitty gig to existential crises.

I like exploring my experiences through metaphor, and trying to understand more about why I react the way I do to the things life throws at me, instead of just singing about how I feel.

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S SOME OF THE W WOMEN HAVE COMMITTED SERIOUS CRIMES, BUT IT TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT LETTING GO O OF PREJUDICE … often? And how do you think a child’s perception of music is different to that of an adult?

I was at a folk fest in Cairns and I offered a songwriting workshop.

Hannah and I ended up working one-on-one, which I love to do, because songwriting is so individual. I love that kids don’t judge their work as much as adults, and their creativity is less affected by battered self esteem! But both kids and adults seem to get that same universal sense of fulfillment and pride from the act of writing their first song. It’s amazing to be a part of, in any context. It keeps me in touch with the magic of songwriting.

You have a nine-year-old daughter. In what ways has parenthood affected your musical output? What kind of inspiration has this experience given you over the years?

It has had to make me be very patient with my career path. I’m the kind of person that throws myself into things completely, and if I were not a parent I’d have been in fifth gear on the mission of getting my music out there for many years, but instead, I have to chug along in third, and juggle two very conflicting lifestyles. It is like my priorities are lined up horizontally instead in a list, and neither parenting nor music can afford to slip from number one. It means I’m very tired, but so full of inspiration for both my fulltime jobs. Having a baby so young made me learn to get my act together, and it taught me about reality, which I can then express more authentically in my music.

You also did workshops at women’s prisons. What was that experience like? What were they like to work with? And was this experience as emotionally intense as one might imagine?

I’ve done three courses now; two in the maximum security and one in minimum pre-release. It has been the best and most rewarding experience of my musical career. Some of the women have committed serious crimes, but it taught me a lot about letting go of prejudice, because they are real, complex women who have had a shit time, and if anything can have the power to break through the notion that their crimes define who they are. It is their opportunity to write a song. Then they have a new identity as a songwriter, and a voice to express their full-on experiences and an end product to be immensely proud of. (The songs are recorded and produced. We’re making an album). I have watched these women literally transform before my eyes in the process. It’s unbelievably humbling and exhilarating, and I end up adoring them because I get to watch that incredible process of growth.

A little while ago, you did a songwriting workshop with a young girl named Hannah. Is this kind of thing something you do

Freya Hanly plays the Cygnet Folk Festival starting on the 11th of January, and Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 15th.

PISSCHRIST

By Tom Wilson

KNEEL BEFORE CHRIST!

MOHAWK

Hardcore thrash-punk as outspoken and vitriolic as their name suggests, Pisschrist are heading to our shores to spread their special kind of mayhem with Yankee noisemakers Born/ Dead. A man of broken bones and microphones, vocalist Yeap spoke to me from the road.

Have you guys been writing anything recently? Are you guys touring with any new material?

Yeah. We’re actually going into the studio again in March to write a new album, and basically we’re just touring and playing some new material, getting it all really tight before we go into the studio, yeah.

So what can you tell me about this new material? What sets it apart from your previous work?

I think it’s pretty similar; in the same vein as our first album.

[It’s] probably … much more raging than the one before.

What was the last thing that inspired you to write a lyric, and what did you end up writing about?

The last thing? I guess … I think the last song I wrote was about immigration.

When were you first exposed to punk and hardcore?

Me personally? That was when I was fourteen years old.

[Laughs] Me and a couple of mates went to a gig … I’m from Malaysia, actually, so I got brought to a gig, and saw a couple of cool bands that really inspired … just checking out bands like Discharge, Exploited, GBH, you know? That got me into more interesting things like Napalm Death and stuff like that, and so on and so on. I don’t ever stop! [Laughs] I was just introducing our graphic designer to Napalm Death, literally about half-an-hour ago, so there you go!

[Laughs] So what was it that kind of immediately appealed to you about that style of music? Was it the momentum, or maybe the political aspect?

I think it was [things like] the lyrics; like, I could relate to [them] … The music is great, but the lyrics have some weight to them too, you know? So that was the first thing that appealed to me, yeah.

From the footage that I’ve seen, the pit at your live shows are known to be pretty f*cking chaotic. Of all the shows that you’ve played, what have been some of the most intense ones, and what made them intense? Have you guys had any injuries at sets?

Yeah. There was this one time in Belgium where I jumped on the crowd, and I landed on this really drunk big guy, and he fell over and crushed my leg, and I had to spend some time in the emergency ward! [Laughs] But I don’t know the most intense one. [To his band] What do you think was the most intense show? [Pause] They don’t know! It depends in what way! [Laughs]

hardcore scene at the moment? Has it been growing?

Yeah, it’s been growing. There’s a lot of younger kids starting to come to shows, and starting their own bands, which is great. A few years ago, there wasn’t really any younger kids really getting into music, or into the scene. But the numbers of younger people are definitely picking up, and bands are popping up. There’s this band called Aborted … they’re a good band. And Pathetic Human … yeah. Good bands.

Are there many venues that support it in Melbourne?

And has that number changed? Have more venues started opening their doors to hardcore? Or are maybe some of them stopping supporting it?

Well, there are the staple venues that always support punk and hardcore, like The Art House, and I guess sometimes you get the odd show at The Toad, and The Pony … But there are a lot of them in the space … venues in Melbourne that we run shows from, and it’s run DIY, and all profits, after covering cost, goes to the bands and stuff.

Pisschrist start the pit at Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 12th of January, followed by an all-ages afternoon show on the 13th.

To listen to an MP3 of the full interview, go to www.sauce. net.au

I LA LANDED ON THIS RE REALLY DRUNK BIG GUY, AND HE FELL OVER AND CRUSHED MY LEG, AND I HAD TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE EMERGENCY NCY WARD!

So what’s been going on in the Melbourne punk and

HOBART COMEDY FESTIVAL

PROGRAM OF EVENTS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 9TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Andy Muirhead Gavin Baskerville Cecil Brown Kevin Kopfstein Supports: Luke McGregor & Tracey Cosgrove THURSDAY JANUARY 10TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Andy Muirhead Gavin Baskerville Cecil Brown Kevin Kopfstein Supports: Luke McGregor & Tracey Cosgrove

COMEDY

TUESDAY JANUARY 15TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Josh Earl Hannah Gadsby Dave Bloustein John Emmerson Supports: John “Cambo” Campbell & Peta Hitchens

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 16TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Josh Earl Hannah Gadsby Dave Bloustein John Emmerson Supports: John “Cambo” Campbell & Peta Hitchens

THURSDAY JANUARY 17TH FRIDAY JANUARY 11TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Andy Muirhead Gavin Baskerville Cecil Brown Kevin Kopfstein Supports: Luke McGregor & Tracey Cosgrove Impro Vice Late Show – 10PM SATURDAY JANUARY 12TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Andy Muirhead Gavin Baskerville Cecil Brown Kevin Kopfstein Supports: Luke McGregor & Tracey Cosgrove Impro Vice Late Show – 10PM SUNDAY JANUARY 13TH – MONDAY JANUARY 14TH No shows

Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Josh Earl Hannah Gadsby Dave Bloustein John Emmerson Supports: John “Cambo” Campbell & Peta Hitchens

FRIDAY JANUARY 18TH Blundstone Comedy Bootique – Backspace Theatre – 8PM Josh Earl Hannah Gadsby Dave Bloustein John Emmerson Supports: John “Cambo” Campbell & Peta Hitchens Tom Gleeson live – 9:45PM Tom Gleeson live – 11:15PM

SATURDAY JANUARY 19TH Big Finale – Theatre Royal Mainstage – 8PM Peter Rowsthorn Denise Scott Rachel Berger Plus surprise guests!

PAGE 21

STREET FASHION

GUDSELL 17

SABRINA 19

MONIQUE-ANN 30

DAVE 23

Favourite Band: Alexisonfire.

Favourite Band: Enter Shakiri.

Favourite Favoourite Band: Parkw way Drive.

Parkway

Favourite Favvourite Band: Thee Rolling Stones.

What’s one thing you should never put in your mouth?

Girls.

What’s one thing you should never put in your mouth?

Someone else’s teeth.

What’s one thing you should never put in your mouth?

Snails.

What’s one thing you should never put in your mouth?

Sand.

What would you do with a million dollars?

Ride moto 24/7.

What would you do with a million dollars?

Buy John Mason a house.

What would you do with a million dollars?

Buy a hat.

What would you do with a million dollars?

Probably spend it.

What would be your dream come true?

See last question.

What would be your dream come true?

To be on Big Brother.

What would be your dream come true?

Not to be pregnant.

What would be your dream come true?

To travel.

If you were a porn star, what would your name be?

Josh Gudsell.

If you were a porn star, what would your name be?

Puni Puni.

If you were a porn star, what would your name be?

John Mason.

If you were a porn star, what would your name be?

Roberto Smooth.

TOM GLEESON In 2008, Tom is performing his brand new stand-up show Toma-thon at the Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and Hobart Comedy Festival. This follows the sell-out success of last year’s Helpmann Award-nominated show Tom On! and being invited back to perform at the Sydney Opera House for the second time.

You might know Tom as the Australian Fast Bowler from the Comedy Channel’s AFI-nominated comedy show, Skithouse, or as a regular on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show. He has also

COMEDY

appeared on Rove, Sunrise, Sideshow, Australia’s Brainiest Radio Star, Big Questions, World Comedy Tour, Stand Up Australia and The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala.

He’s also pretty damn funny.

Tom Gleeson performs at the Hobart Comedy Festival at the Backspace Theatre on the 18th of January.

COMEDY

PETER ROWSTHORN Peter Rowsthorn has been a comedian for nearly twenty-five years – something of an achievement in the show business world.

He’s also well known as the man who plays Brett Craig, the longsuffering husband of Kim, father of Eponnee Ray on Kath and Kim. He also presents Can We Help? for ABC TV, and you may have seen him appearing in various other TV shows like Thank God You’re Here and Tonight Live.

Peter is one of four boys, but he was well and truly the youngest – a situation that may have helped him develop the thick skin necessary for successful comedians! “I’m seven years younger than everyone,” he says. “Clearly an afterthought and a horrible, horrible mistake, and was treated so by the siblings as some sort of whipping boy.”

Peter developed a mild interest in performing when he took a drama class at high school. “I never seriously considered being an actor, I don’t think, at that stage. I was too young. I was just doing it for sort of fun, and there were girls involved, and I enjoyed girls. Drama was the sort of thing where everyone was on an equal level. There wasn’t any sort of status between boys are different and girls are different. Everyone was meant to be the same. So that was good.”

Peter eventually became a drama teacher, before he started

PAGE 22

performing as half the Cactus Brothers in 1983. “I was young. I was nineteen, twenty years old. I had heaps of energy, and I thought that’s the way to do it, is just to get out and move around a lot and it actually relaxes me if I move. If I stand really dead still, I get more nervous. If I go to a corporate function and I’m performing at it and there’s a lectern there, I start to shake.”

Peter started working on Kath and Kim in 2002. “It’s a really great fun show to work on. We do laugh a lot, but we laugh at the appropriate moments where we can so the job gets done at the same time. But gee, that’s just been a godsend for me that show. I’m so lucky to be there.”

And while Kath and Kim might not last forever, Peter’s still counting on a future in acting. “I always kind of figured I, as a character actor, will get better in my fifties and sixties. I’m kind of hoping that I’ll still be around to be able to develop my acting skills in that part of my life.”

Peter Rowsthorn plays the finale of the Hobart Comedy Festival on the 19th of January at the Theatre Royal.

PAGE 23