Sauce - Issue 68, 14-5-08

On the street every second Wednesday

Free Edition #68

14/05/08 -27/05/08 Made in Tasmania

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SAUCE #68

“It’s not like there is an obvious single and the rest are filler and I’m really pleased about that.”

DANCE / ROCK - MELBOURNE // CUT COPY

Seeing In Ghost Colours

By Majella McMahon

Cut Copy have become known as the new kings of electro-dance-pop. Their new album In Ghost Colours was recently released, and the band are preparing to head out on a national tour with special guests The Juan McLean (USA) and The Shocking Pinks (NZ). The three members – DJ Dan Whitford, Tim Hoey and Mitchell Scott – have together created a sound that is synonymous with fun times, dancefloor madness and shimmering synths …

“The Cutters” (as they are affectionately known by the people) had massive success with their debut album Bright Like Neon Love, and their new album has already raced up the ARIA charts and debuted at number one on the iTunes album chart. Mitchell Scott talks about the impending tour and the mix of old and new Cut Copy.

“The set list will be spread across both albums, and we’ll be playing the new songs for sure. The challenge with playing our old songs live is trying to reinterpret them and add all of the instruments we want to utilise in our live shows. Rather than directly translate them, we always just tried to do whatever we could to make them more interesting live so they often didn’t sound exactly how they do on the record – which we took to be a good thing, as that’s how we wanted to approach it. With the new record it’s much more live-sounding already just

because of the recording process. The thing with this one is going to be how we are going to approach the extra instrumental elements and be able to do that live.”

As a band with one foot heavily in the electro camp, it can get difficult to recreate the studio sound, especially since In Ghost Colours is filled to bursting point with swirling melodies, breezy synths and big vocal choruses, plus all those electro house effects. Scott agrees it can be challenging at times, but the boys have a plan. “The thing is, a lot of our music runs from a backing track off the sequencer sampler. So, ideally, what we are aiming to do is when someone has a free second (as in they’re not playing guitar in a certain section), they are trying to trigger off some of these samples. We’re doing as much of it live as we possibly can. The tour is something we aimed for.”

With so much preparation and planning involved to cre-

COG

ate the live sound, is it possible to improvise live? Scott explains, “The show has to be reasonably standardised given that we run things off a laptop. The trade off with doing electronic music live on stage is that your sequences dictate how much improvisation there can be. There obviously has to be a good amount of structure to it.”

As a fan, it is usually easy to name your favourite track, but what about if you’re in the band? For Scott, “It changes, but ones I really like are Feel the Love and Changes in the Wind – these are two that stand out for me personally.

But part of what I like about the record is that everybody seems to pick out a different track. It’s not like there is an obvious single and the rest are filler and I’m really pleased about that.”

Known to fill a dance floor quicker than you can say “Saturday Night Fever”, the question is whether people dance

differently to the new album. Scott ponders, “It really depends on the night. It’s often a case of the herd mentality with dancing; people start doing it when everyone starts doing it. But I don’t think we judge a good show by how much people danced or not. It is always one of the things you like to see when you play a show, to get the crowd dancing which leads you to think about how well the show has gone or not. I know personally sometimes I want to go see a show and can’t be bothered dancing, couldn’t be bothered to go up the front – I just want to go and sit and take it in. So people like to listen to music and take it in differently.”

Cut Copy play Wrest Point in Hobart on the 7th of June, and Launceston’s Batman Fawkner on the 8th. www.myspace.com/cutcopy

KASEY

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Tickets for Wrest Point & Country Club shows contact 1300 795 257 www.wrestpoint.com.au or www.countryclubtasmania.com.au *Over 18 show only

SAUCE #68

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NEWS #68 - 14th April to 27th May

Contents 3

4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Cut Copy News / Ill-Starred Captain Bluejuice / 6FtHick Games Art Sparks / Struth Be Told / Jungle Kings Japanimator / Pip Stafford Scott Woodhouse / Greg Packer Aston Shuffle This War Gig Guide CD Reviews Birds of Tokyo / The Muddy Turds Cavalera Conspiracy / Lauren Harris Muph n Plutonic / Mike Elrington / Hyjak & Torcha Resin Dogs mdusu&Dameza / Reason Sliver / Bullet For My Valentine Travel / Skateboarding / Graf Street Fashion

Contact: Phone: Advertising: Editorial:

03 6331 0701 advertising@sauce.net.au editorial@sauce.net.au

Editor: Email: Sub -Editor: Email: Graphic Design: Email: Journalist: Email:

David Williams david@sauce.net.au Tom Wilson twilson@sauce.net.au Simon Hancock simon@sauce.net.au Chris Rattray crattray@sauce.net.au

Opinions expressed in Sauce are not necessarily those of the Editor or staff. Sauce Publishing accepts no liability for the accuracy of advertisements.

Contributors

Patrick Duke, Ian Murtagh, David Walker, Nufe, Lisa Howell, Lisa-Marie Rushton, Clara Murray, Adam Ferguson, Felix Blackler, Carole Whitehead, Anna Wallace, Jimmy McMacken, Dave Venter, Justin Heazlewood, Andrez Bergen, Maeve MacGregor, Joel Imber, Jason Morey.

Next Edition Deadline Friday 23rd May Sauce #69 - 28th May - 11th June

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS – GREEN TICKETS After last year’s positive response to the Green Ticket initiative, Splendour in the Grass is once again working with carbon offset provider Climate Friendly to neutralise the event’s carbon footprint.

Big congratulations to the 5,425 Splendour punters who put their money where their mouth is when it comes to tackling climate change. For the 2007 event, 31% of punters who attended Splendour in the Grass opted to buy a Green Ticket and neutralise their travel emissions to and from the show.

Together Splendour and the Green Ticket buyers neutralised over 1,000 tonnes of CO2, which is a huge effort. $18,987 was raised from the Splendour in the Grass Green Ticket initiative, and organisers contributed $6,860 to cover internal festival emissions. These funds were invested via Climate Friendly in renewable energy generation (wind farms), providing a meaningful and long-term solution to our reliance on fossil fuels.

When event tickets go on sale at 9am, Thursday May 22nd, ticket buyers interested in this need to log onto www.qjump. com.au and click on the Green Ticket option. This year’s event and camping tickets will be delivered to buyers by email using Qjump’s print@home e-ticket. The benefits of this include reducing paper usage, greenhouse gas emissions and ticket scalping as well as reducing the cost of delivery for ticket buyers.

FREE COLDPLAY DOWNLOAD IS A HUGE SUCCESS Coldplay’s new single Violet Hill was downloaded for free by over 600,000 people in the twenty-four hours since it was made available at 9.15pm AEST on Tuesday April 29th. In the first twelve hours, it was downloaded by 300,000, a figure which doubled overnight as other countries logged on to coldplay.com, the source of the free download.

The single was available free for a week, and has since been released as a paid-for digital single. The group’s album Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends will be released on June 14th.

On June 16th, the group play a completely free show at London’s Brixton Academy. A week later, on June 23rd, they play another free show, this time in New York, at Madison Square Garden.

ROADKILL – NEW ALBUM AND TOUR Hobart hard rock monsters Roadkill will be touring nationally in June, hooking up with Wollongong’s Axe Bomber along the way and bringing them back to our shores for two Tassie shows. They play The Hub in Launceston on the 27th of June, and Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 28th. After these shows, both bands will begin recording new albums. You can check them both out online at www.myspace.com/roadkillaus and www.myspace.com/axebomber.

DESTINY STILL DOING GREAT THINGS FOR SHADOWS Out of four-hundred-and-thirty entries, Adelaide hip-hop trio Shadows have landed themselves into the final top 20 in the national “Launch Your Band” competition. The song chosen was Destiny from their debut EP which is also gaining airplay on Adelaide’s Nova 919 homebrew section. The top twenty entries are now being featured on the Fusion Parks and Pipe jukebox and Perisher Blue’s First Tracks CD. The Launch Your Band competition is designed to uncover unsigned bands, electronic groups, DJs, solo acts and anyone else looking to get their music out there, for the chance to have their song become the official soundtrack of Perisher Blue’s 2008 Freeride radio and television commercials.

The winning band not only gets their own ticket to fame, they also get an invitation to perform LIVE at Perisher Blue 2008. To check it out, go to www.launchyourband.com.au

NAB LAUNCHES SONGWRITING COMPETITION As part of their 150th anniversary, NAB has launched the NAB Songwriting Competition – an initiative to inspire, unearth, and educate Australia’s next generation of great songwriters. Aspiring songwriters of all ages and skill levels are being invited to submit their original songs, with the chance to have their song professionally produced and performed at a major live music event to conclude NAB’s 150-year commemorations in late 2008. The only requirement is that all of the entries need to broadly incorporate the theme “ideas, dreams and aspirations.” With the active support of leading Songwriting organisations such as APRA and Mushroom Music, the NAB Songwriting Competition aims to engage with aspiring songwriters of all levels. “Music is a powerful means of storytelling – a wonderful expression of Australia’s culture, stories and history,” said Mr. Andrew Hagger, Executive General Manager, Private & Institutional Wealth, National Australia Bank – and a classically trained pianist, music lover and songwriter.More information about the competition and how to enter is available at www.nab. com.au/songwriting.

ALL LAUNCESTON’S MUSOS SHOULD BE SHOT!

WORLD HEPATITIS DAY World Hepatitis Day will be observed on Monday the 19th of May and marks a brand new, entirely community-led initiative. The day has been launched in response to the concern that chronic viral hepatitis needs the level of awareness and political attention as seen in other infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.

World Hepatitis Day is being coordinated by the World Hepatitis Alliance, a newly established Non-Governmental Organisation which represents more than 200 hepatitis B and hepatitis C groups from around the world. The World Hepatitis Alliance is governed by a representative board of groups from seven world regions: Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, North America, South America, Australasia and the Western Pacific.

For more information visit www.worldhepatitisday.com on Monday the 19th of May.

Calling all Launceston musicians! At the Northern Club in Cameron Street Launceston on the 17th of May at 5pm sharp, there will be a shoot to capture every available member of the Launnie music scene in the one photo, in the tradition of the famous photo A Great Day In Harlem, taken of the local jazz community in 1958. All interested parties need to get there at 5pm on the dot, with the photo being taken at 5:30pm. After that, there will be a procession down to The Hub for the afterparty, featuring a jam session and sets by Mayfield and Bocamano. Even if you can’t be in the photo, bring your triangle or tambourine and join the parade of our city’s finest musical talent! For more information, head to www.myspace.com/agreatdayinlaunceston.

ROCK – PORT LINCOLN // ILL-STARRED CAPTAIN

See through the Black Swan Eye

By Tom Wilson

You certainly can’t call these guys sloppy; they’ve already recorded their follow-up to the stellar Yeh Nah, but that clearly wasn’t up to their standards, so they’re set to have another crack at it in June. You can’t call them lazy, either, because they’re going to fill their spare time with a tour … one that’s going to bring them our way. So what can you call them? Ill-Starred Captain. Justin spoke to SAUCE …

Last I heard, you guys were working on your second full-length, Black Swan Eye – what stage is that at now? Is that released? Is that what you’re touring?

This album’s been a bit of a long process. We started demoing in July last year. Then, from September to November, we were laying down tracks – mainly the guitar and vocal tracks – and we got about thirteen songs down, but we weren’t really happy with the performance of that work. So we’re actually going into the studio in June, and we’re going to cut the album live.

STUDIO DIARY

By Dave Venter – www.myspace.com/fatlipstudios 30th April New Gear... – Oh yes! Christmas came early here at FatLip. Two high end analogue processors to add to the studio rack. A brand spankin’ new Solid State Logic Bus Compressor and a Neve analogue summing bus.

These units have been used across countless rock and pop albums. They are world famous for their warmth and punch. Think ... Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, Airborne, Jeff Buckley, Foo Fighters. I can’t wait to put some serious voltage through these puppies.

2nd May This Future ... Chaos – New song in the works. That makes seven songs so far towards the new album. It’s tight ... very tight! It’s got a couple of sub-tones for you guys on the blockie route. Lyrics yet to be announced.

3rd May Dirty Harry & The Rockets – Vocal recording was delayed last week due to the flu; it’s been a real mongrel for vocalists this year. But, after a quick four-day recovery, Aaron Damon recorded lyrics for his new song Parole. At this point, the boys have six solid songs towards the new album. I’m very happy with the progress they are making.

4th May James Dilger (The Reactions vocalist/guitarist) – James had two of his own originals to record. He was very pleased with the tone of my Orange amp. It definitely gave us the vintage valve tone we were looking for. Matt Labedzki (Spankpaddle drummer) offered to play the beats required for the session. He did a great job with a couple of killer drum solos here and there.

There are strong influences from The Who and Led Zeppelin. The bass get tracked in a couple of weeks.

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At this point, with the songs down, and with an idea of what the album is going to sound like, in what ways do you reckon the tracks on Black Swan Eye are going to represent a more evolved version of Ill-Starred Captain than we heard on Yeh Nah? Well … Yeh Nah was done live as well, and I think, at that stage, the band was still trying to find its own sound. Like, Yeh Nah was done four years ago at least, so I think, from doing a shitload of live work since then, we’ve actually developed our own sound, and I feel that we’re really going to capture this one.

So why do it live? Why record it live?

For me, I saw the Ray Charles movie, and I was inspired by the fact that he was able to go to the studio, do a night’s work and walk out of the session with a song … If you can record live, when it comes time to do it live on stage, there isn’t much difference.

As a two-piece, you guys have been playing together for many years now; since 2001 … Has there ever been a desire to expand the group? What kind of dynamic do you think there is in a duo, compared to an ensemble?

For us at this point, having a two-piece … it allows us more freedom, and the challenges are to fill out the sound – to make it as full as a five-piece ensemble – is quite challenging, so it allows us to go deep into the music and try and drag out what’s required to make it a big-sounding piece of work.

I had a look at the schedule of gigs you guys have got coming up on your Myspace, and bloody hell, man – you guys are going to be touring your arses off!

Yeah, yeah – it’s pretty busy!

When you’re on the road for such a long period of time, what are some of the things that start to get to you after a while? What do you find yourself missing? Do you find you miss home much?

Yeah, the family … you miss the quite time. You also miss your own personal time, because the whole time you’re out on the road is one big social time; you’re always dealing with people. So, you know, you’re dealing with the business side of it, and then you’re having to deal with the artistic side, and the whole people business with the crowd, and you come off stage and you’ve still got to deal with people buying product, or people who are curious about the band. It’s one big social vehicle always going on, so you do miss your

“I’d probably be sitting in some sort of lunatic asylum, tearing my hair out …” private time … The continuous moving, at 110km an hour every day, for eighteen hours a day – that can take its toll on you as well.

And you’ve also got dickheads ringing you up and demanding interviews and stuff – God, that would be the worst part!

Hey, I don’t mind mate, because this band’s been going for eight years, and we’ve pretty much been on the road since, and the whole media side of things is something that we haven’t really touched on … It’s only in the last couple of months that we’ve actually been talking to the media in various forms to get our story out … we’re pretty rapt that people want the story!

Have you been playing music all your life – ever since you were in school?

Yeah, I have; I was fourteen and I started my first band

which, funnily enough, was a two-piece band; a drummer and a guitarist. That’s all I’ve done, is just play in bands. I was doing gigs and touring around South Australia playing in original bands when I was sixteen, still in high school, and I left high school, moved down to Adelaide, and I’ve been in bands ever since.

Well, this might be a bit of a hard question to answer, but if you weren’t playing music, what do you think you’d be doing?

I’d probably be sitting in some sort of lunatic asylum, tearing my hair out I think! [Laughs] Ill-Starred Captain play Irish Murphy’s in Launceston on the 14th of May, and Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 15th.

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

ROCK - SYDNEY // BLUEJUICE

Give it a little bit of Vitriol

By Tom Wilson

Wed 14th May Irish Murphy's, Launceston Thursday 15th May Republic Bar, Hobart Friday 16th May Kermandie Hotel, Kermandie Saturday 17th May Top Hotel, Wynyard

“… One of my ideas was to get everyone in their undies …”

There’s an old saying amongst military demolitions experts – “there are very few problems in life that can’t be solved with high explosives.” Sydney’s Bluejuice have a slightly different answer – and that’s to use a bit of Vitriol. Ahead of their Tassie tour, Stav stripped down to his y-fronts and shared some fluids with SAUCE …

Vitriol – certainly a catchy number. What inspired it?

What’s the song about?

Well, I didn’t pen the lyrics, but I can definitely give you an insight. I think anger inspired it. I think that Jake was having a really bad day, and he wanted to use that anger towards something positive, and we were just sitting there, and it kind of came to him, and that’s the exact sentiment of the song … Musically, it’s set against a fun, danceable backdrop, but yeah, that’s pretty much it, man – anger! [Laughs] Anger-fuelled writing!

I just watched the video for it on your Myspace [featuring the band members in religious garb playing in a mall, doing all manner of things to get reactions out of people] and was absolutely in stitches – it’s fantastic! What was it like filming it? What were some of the best and worst reactions you got from members of the public?

Well … I think it was, overall, “varied”, in terms of reactions. I think the best reactions were people cringing. Like, I was going around trying to bless people prior to the actual shooting of it, and trying to hug people and bless them, and some people were really welcoming to that, and some people were like, “F*ck off, man!” So that was kind of cool in itself … There was one guy … you know how the girl has the seizure at the end of the clip? When that happened, basically I just remember looking around, and just seeing … the music stopped, because she was still seizing-up on the ground, and everyone was utterly silent – complete silence. It was

kind of like one of those moments in The Office, where it’s just really cringe-worthy, and no one quite knows whether to laugh or cry or spew or whatever … it was one of those beautifully ambiguous moments where no one knew what the f*ck to do with themselves. That was the very best thing about that clip, actually – the very first take, and the silence straight after. People just didn’t know what to do … where they were, or what they’d just seen.

It has to be asked – were all the shots of y-fronts really necessary?

Ah … well … “necessary”? I don’t know! [Laughs] I wouldn’t call it necessary. But what I will say, equally … the beautiful ambiguity of that moment with that girl … I think, equally, was just as beautiful about that cover artwork … people just don’t know what the f*ck to think or to say with regards to that, you know? I love the fact that some people think it’s the funniest thing they’ve ever seen. I gave the record to Chali 2na from Jurassic 5 only a couple of weeks ago, and he was like, [imitates extremely deep voice] “Yeah, I’ll have a listen, man, but it looks kinda disturbing to me.”

With the cover art, what was the idea behind it?

Oh, no “idea”, really … The five of us rocked up to a room; a white space, brought lots of costumes, lots of outfits, lots of ideas, got a great photographer to take a whole bunch of photos, and one of my ideas was to get everyone in their undies … Not everyone wanted to do it – the two extroverts in the band, being Jake and myself as the kind of frontmen

– were happy to do it, and that moment just happened, and it seemed to be a perfect moment to put on the front of an album!

Here’s one for you – how does that cover represent the band, and the sound [of the album]?

Well, it’s ambiguous … that’s exactly the word that I would use to describe it, and I think that’s true of the music. I’m not sure if you’ve listened to the whole record, but it’s fairly eclectic as a mix; it’s kind of really shout-y; it’s like rock without guitars, live hip-hop without decks … some of that stuff happens on the record, but live it doesn’t … it’s a whole bunch of sounds and styles and influences, that is a kind of ambiguous mix, and is its own thing.

You’re heading to Tassie with The Paper Scissors. What can we expect from your show? Grooves? Moments of sheer hilarity? Nudity? Midgets?

[Laughs] All of the above, I guess, yeah. Mostly a lot of fluid … and that will be partly from us, and partly from the crowd … and the sharing of fluids! And I think that that, in short, has been and will be what this co-headlining tour is all about.

Bluejuice and The Paper Scissors play Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 23rd of May, and Launceston’s James Hotel on the 24th.

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

ROCK - BRISBANE // SIXFTHICK

You’re about to be broken!

By Tom Wilson

Coming at you like a surprise punch in the dunny, Brisbane rock misfits SixFtHick are set to play a show, flog some copies of last year’s album On The Rocks, and hopefully not break anything in the process. Gaffer-taping his arms and legs back together; Geoff Hick …

Online, you’ve described the band as “the king hit at the piss-trough of life” – what did you mean by this? Is toilet violence just a hazard of the job when you play in SixFtHick?

OK, imagine, if you will, the serenity of the piss-trough; the soothing and hypnotic gurgling of water and piss making its final descent; the smell of pine and urea wafting on the breeze. Out of the blue, you feel a smack on the back of your head … it all goes black and white TV fuzz , and the next thing you’re waking up, half of you is on the tiles, the other half is in the stainless gutter playing a primitive form of air hockey with a trough lolly … basically at a SixFtHick show you’ll piss your pants and have no recollection of it the morning after.

There may be some odour. That said, we prefer anonymous toilet sex to gang toilet violence.

You guys have played over five hundred shows in the time you’ve been together, so it seems fair to say that there’s not much people can tell you about playing live.

What are some of the best and worst things that can happen during a gig?

Well, obviously, the worst things are if the show gets interrupted by gear failure or fights or hospital admissions or some guy who has taken too much E wants to climb on stage and flash his tits every ten seconds … all of which are things that often involve someone actually in the band. The good stuff is when the crowd wants to come along for the rock ‘n’ roll ride … dancing, drinking, boobs, general rock ‘n’ roll camaraderie.

What kind of stuff did you break when you toured Japan? What consequences were there for this? And what kind of stuff do you think will end up getting broken at your Tassie shows?

Mostly mic stands … first show of the tour, we walked out on stage and managed to trash two mic stands … like, tied them into knots … we thought it’d be OK because they were “made in Japan” … We were very apologetic, and offered to pay for them, because we don’t normally break much stuff ( just ourselves mostly) and we figured that they would be maybe fifty yen (sic) each or something. When the bill came to $450 AUD … we shat ourselves! We ended up rescuing those mic stands out of the bin, and it became a strange ritual before each show on that tour, to gaff busted drum sticks and whatever else we could find to them so they would … well ... “stand” up. In Tassie, we will only break hearts, legs and minds.

Which songs are you guys most proud of, and why? And what are some that, in hindsight, you wish you’d never bothered with?

I’m pretty much proud of everything we’ve released in the last three years, from the CaneTrash record onwards.

Everything before then either laboured under poor production or was so drug-f*cked it was unlistenable clutter, shit-sandwiched in psychobabble. But we had to navigate through that graveyard to get where we are now, so I suppose it served its purpose for the greater good. As far as songs we like … that’s what the live set is for.

“In Tassie, we will only break hearts, legs and minds.”

If Kryptonite is Superman’s biggest weakness, what’s the one thing that can completely cripple SixFtHick, and why? And what have been some instances of this thing defeating you in the past?

The flu – it can be real bad. I’m not just talking common colds; I’m talking the full-blown Hong Kong chicken flu that’s so virulent it’s resistant to even the strongest speed.

If it gets in the van, it can make a tour a nightmare … give me vomiting and diarrhea any day, thanks. At least you can pop a Maxolon or Gastrostop and get through the show. With the flu, you are transformed into the living dead, and you

can only survive by giving it to someone else in the band. It’s like a zombie curse.

Our last tour in Europe, we had to cancel a show because Ben was close to getting pneumonia. It was our first cancelled show ever. That won’t happen in Tasmania though, because we’ve been on a strict scotch-only diet for the last six months … here’s cheers!

SixFtHick play Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 17 th of May. www.myspace.com/sixfthick SAUCE #68

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GAMING GRAND THEFT AUTO IV – PS3 Niko Bellic, a war veteran from Eastern Europe, has been lured by his cousin Roman to Liberty City with promises of a new life, to escape the nightmares of his past in pursuit of the American dream. On arrival however, he soon discovers that Roman’s boastful claims of mansions, babes, and sports cars are thinner than a thirteen-year-old model with bulimia. As he descends down a darker path than the one he left behind, Niko soon finds himself swept up with the rest of the human flotsam in the grimy underworld of Liberty City.

Grand Theft Auto IV, available now for PS3 and X-Box 360, is the debut of this landmark series on next-gen consoles.

Consequently, everything has been ramped up, improved upon, or completely remade, including the city itself (last seen in GTA III on the PS2), character models and animation, vehicles, buildings – even water. The result is a game environment that is more believable than ever, replacing the cartoonishness of prior iterations for realism wherever possible. Driving down a sidewalk full of pedestrians used to see them fly comically off the edge of the screen. Now any hapless human obstacle folds into your bonnet, or spins off your vehicle hitting the sidewalk with a dull splat. Suddenly it’s no longer that funny when you see little computer people behaving just as real people would. Personally, it makes me want to drive safer and slower along the streets of Liberty City, particularly when hitting things like walls at speed causes Niko to fly through the windscreen, rolling several times before coming to a painful stop.

The attention to detail may seem macabre, but only when committing macabre acts. The game produces many moments of surreal beauty as well. Spend some time around the beach, for example, and you’ll encounter sun-drenched health-nuts practicing tai chi as a tourist clicks away on her camera. Or drive around the streets of South Bohan as a thunderstorm crashes overhead while listening to Jean-Michel Jarre, and try to feel anything other than immersed in the world. It’s rare to find a game where just mucking about in the environment is just as much fun as actually playing the game. But this is where Grand Theft Auto excels.

Just as previous games, you can undertake any number of missions at any time. Successful completion of missions earns you money and furthers the plot. Initially, Niko runs some errands for Roman, picking people up and dropping them off, before moving on to bigger fish – Vlad, the owner of the cab company Roman works for, or Little Jacob, the Jamaican stoner (who you’ll need to leave subtitles on for!).

Pretty soon, Niko’s mobile phone fills up with all kinds of contacts, some of them friendly and others not so much.

You can further relationships by calling people to just hang out at restaurants or bars. Take Roman out for a meal or two

and not only will you learn more about their former lives as they converse on the way, but Roman will send cars to you anywhere in the city to take you wherever you want to go, by simply calling him. As in real life, Niko’s phone becomes the center of his social world, as well as being indispensable for other in-game necessities such as launching multiplayer online games, or restarting a failed mission.

When not on a mission, you can undertake all kinds of activities such as playing pool, bowling, even watching TV or surfing the in-game Internet. Just as the radio stations from prior GTA games served to paint the world more vividly, these excellent additions really give Rockstar the opportunity to pointedly satirise American politics, media, and institutions in very funny and explicit ways. The wealth of material that’s been created to help flesh out the world is staggering, and it would take a truly hardcore gamer to say they’d experienced all that Liberty City had to offer.

be advised that this game is not suitable for children under fifteen years of age. There’s some very strong content, language, violent and sexual situations that aren’t appropriate for younger players. No doubt, the taboo and mystique this creates around the game will give youngsters much social currency on the playground should they get their hands on it, but I urge any parents to be responsible and exercise caution. Having said that, it would be my safe guess that if you’re a fan of the GTA series you’ve probably already bought this game and are currently living life in Niko Bellic’s shoes. If you’ve yet to take the plunge into the next-gen systems, it’s likely you’re weighing up the pros and cons of each to gain the optimum experience, and if you’ve never played Grand Theft Auto then I strongly recommend you ignore the media hype (including this review!) and play it for yourself. Welcome to Liberty City – its secrets are yours to uncover.

5 wanted stars out of 5

The game is rated MA+, which means that parents should

CHRIS RATTRAY

GAMES – U.S. // MATT COSTELLO

Doom 3 writer comes to Tassie

By John Banks

Hear from the brains behind such games as Doom 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, 7th Guest, Shellshock – Nam ‘67, Bad Boys 2 and much more when award-winning novelist, TV and games writer Matt Costello comes to Tasmania to talk about the key ingredients for planning, writing, designing and structuring a compelling game. He spoke to John Banks about story worlds and how the game play is very dependent on the underlying story and how more importantly they really need to be developed in parallel.

It’s a good moment in the industry to reflect on story in games design, with Halo 3, Bioshock and Mass Effect recently out, where a lot of the buzz and interest in the games is about story. What are your views on what make a good relationship with story and storytelling narrative and the gameplay experience?

I think you are right in that the entire industry is hitting critical mass; not that anyone is creating solutions, but realising that storytelling and gameplay must be thought about together, and seriously. When you build a story world, then I believe that world suggests a type of gameplay. Likewise, that gameplay will suggest kinds of story events that occur. So even before you start to build your game and building your missions, anyone developing and programming anything, you almost need a philosophy of what is the story and game play integration, which may sound rather profound, but what it really means is that you think about the world you are going to have people play in, and what’s going to be exciting and relevant.

For example, if I say to you the world of 24, then you know exactly the kind of action that is going to take place. You know

what’s at stake; you know the kind of things that are going to occur – lots of codes, and bombs and so forth. If I mention the world of Aliens to you, then a certain different kind of action starts to take place; things get bumped up more militarily, there are more narrow tunnels to go through and there are more spooky moments – things that actually scare you. So, when you start building up that story world, it’s going to suggest gameplay, and they really need, at this time, to be built together.

[This is] unlike a film screenplay or a novel, where you start with a story idea and you let it grow, but even with a novel, when you are writing a chapter, there comes a time when you can go off in eight or nine different directions, so in a way you are focusing on what you think is the most exciting moment. Likewise, with a game, mission to mission, it should be going to the next moment that is absolutely key and vital to the story.

Matt Costello appears in Hobart on the 28th of May. Go to www.aftrs.edu.au for more details.

listen out for another original idea ...

HOBART

21

salamanca place

6223 1119 www.irishmurphys.com.au SAUCE #68

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ROCK - SYDNEY // JUNGLE KINGS

ARTS ARTS WRAP Recessed is a collaborative exhibition from a number of artists associated with the Kings Artist Run Initiative, which is based in Melbourne. Recessed draws these artists together along spatial lines, as each artist presents work investigating aspects of architectural and public space in their practice. The exhibition runs until the 24th at INFLIGHT Gallery.

Companion Planting is an exhibition that explores the relationship between people and plants; focusing on our proximity to nature and the residual areas between the spaces we create. The exhibition opens on the 24th and runs until the 15th of June at CAST Gallery.

GALLERY GUIDE INFLIGHT Gallery 237 Elizabeth St, North Hobart, behind KAOS Café. www.inflightart.com.au

Hail to the Kings

By Tom Wilson

CAST (Contemporary Arts Services Tasmania) 27 Tasma St, North Hobart. www.castgallery.org 6A Gallery 6A Newdegate St, North Hobart. www.myspace.com/six_a Bett Gallery 369 Elizabeth St., North Hobart. www.bettgallery.com.au Long Gallery The Salamanca Arts Centre, Salamanca Place. www.salarts.org.au

Rob O’Connor, Tim Clarke and Simon Gardam will be working in the exhibition space at 6A, creating and deconstructing the artwork in paint and stenciling as they go along in an attempt to recreate the basis of street art in a gallery context. The exhibition is open now and there will be an exhibition closing on the 1st of June at 6pm with tunes by Scot Cotterell and The Unnamable until 10pm.

Despard Gallery 15 Castray Esplanade, Salamanca. www.despard-gallery.com.au Entrepot Gallery Hunter St, in the School of Fine Art courtyard.

Plimsoll Gallery Hunter St, In the School of Fine Art courtyard.

Rebecca Coote and Rob O’Connor are the winners of the Moorilla Estate Arts Scholarship and it is easy to see why.

Coote’s glass sculptures and O’Connor’s graffiti-esque portraits and satires of classical art and modern art pretence are complimentary and offer great contrast to each other. Their works are currently being exhibited at the Long Gallery and the exhibition runs until the 19th.

Dream Home is a collaborative exhibition currently being displayed at the School of Fine Art’s Plimsoll Gallery. This multimedia exhibition examines the domestic in common art practice and how our domestic surroundings shape our dreams and memories. Dream Home runs until the 23rd.

The Bett Gallery of North Hobart, in collaboration with the Bukku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre of Arnhem Land, is currently exhibiting a collaborative exhibition of the works of several of the area’s indigenous artists titled Outside Inside: Bark and Hollow Logs from Yirrkala. The exhibition runs until the 3rd of June.

Simon Cuthbert’s photographic exhibition Branded opens on the 16th at 6pm. His work explores the concept of how we identify other people and sub-cultures through the brand names and labels they plaster themselves with. The exhibition runs until the 18th of June.

Alex Thomson and Joe Hodgeson’s collaborative sculptural installation exhibition, Eye Piece, opens on the 19th at 5pm and runs until the 6th of June at the Entrepot Gallery.

INFLIGHT Gallery is calling for solo, group or curated exhibition proposals for an exhibition opportunity at the KINGS A.R.I. Gallery in Melbourne.

INFLIGHT is also presenting an opportunity for Tasmanian artists to be involved in an exhibition planned to tour the West Coast of the USA. For more information on either of these exchanges visit the INFLIGHT website.

FILM WIDE ANGLE TASMANIA ANNOUNCES NEW EQUIPMENT

SLINGSHOT – TAKING TASSIE SHORT FILMS TO THE WORLD

Wide Angle Tasmania has announced that their new equipment is now available to hire, and listed on their website, www.wideangle.org.au. The pricing of much of the older equipment has been adjusted, and it is now more affordable than ever for you to get filming.

Wide Angle Tasmania (WAT) and the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) are proud to have partnered to present Slingshot – a new short film distribution partnership designed to assist Tasmanian filmmakers in taking their short films to the film festivals of the world. Slingshot is a short film distribution opportunity for Tasmanian filmmakers to access strategic knowledge of the world’s film festivals. The program will provide tailored advice and financial support for the marketing and distribution of short films made by Tasmanian filmmakers.

The new equipment includes: Sony PMW-EX1 High Def Digital Camera Canon HV20 HDV Video Camera Senheiser 416, Senheiser ME66 or Rode NTG-1 Senheiser EW122 Wireless Microphones Azden FMX-42 4 Channel Field Mixer 15” & 17” Mac Book Pro with Final Cut Pro Apple HD 23” Display Monitor, Unit Gear Also on order is a Sony HDR Z7, an HD tape-based camera, which will be of particular interest to doco filmmakers.

SAUCE FM (87.6) GLOBAL BROADCAST, PRESENTERS NEEDED Tasmanian music, made by Tasmanians, broadcast by Tasmanians, to Tasmania … and now the world.

SAUCE FM (87.6) has been broadcasting to Launceston for the past six months. Now streaming from the front page of the SAUCE website, www.sauce.net.au, the station is taking Tasmanian music to the world, and we’ve already had some international listeners. Check it out! What the station needs now is more content.

More original music. More programs. More presenters.

To what extent do you think Bondi has shaped the music you guys make? In other words, could the Jungle Kings have come from anywhere else?

Most of our music is black American or related to that, so I guess it should be highly unlikely that we would come from Bondi at all.

The Jungle Kings first started in 2002. In the time since then, how would you say your outlook on music, and your intentions as a band, has changed?

The fact that the music is mostly between thirty and eighty years old means our approach has changed not a lot. We still try to reproduce the fun of a bygone era, at least as perceived from the present.

What has the band been working on recently? What’s been keeping you busy?

We’ve been working on a still unfinished album of our swing tunes for over a year-and-a-half. We’re trying to outdo Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here production time. I think we have about six months to go.

The first round has now closed but submissions for the second round are welcome. Second round closes 15th May 2008. Third round closes 15th August 2008. All applications must be received by Wide Angle Tasmania by 4pm on each deadline day.

For more information and submission guidelines, go to www.wideangle.org.au/whatsgoingon/calendar.htm

TASSIE MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION Wide Angle Tasmania are calling for submissions of Tasmanian music film clips to show at Hobart’s Alley Cat Bar on the 28th of May, and the audience choice winner on the night will win a free weekend’s hire of some great gear, including their new high def camera, lighting kit and sound kit.

If you’d like your music heard, to put together a specialist program on a regular basis, or to be a presenter, please get in touch by emailing details to saucefm@ sauce.net.au.

Post entries to Space 123 Salamanca Arts Centre, 77 Salamanca Place, Hobart 7004, or drop a copy into them directly (entrance via Wooby’s Lane), by 4pm on Friday the 23rd. Screening will start at 7:30pm.

way you guys perform live?

We have an eclectic repertoire, so the different instruments give a more authentic flavour to the sound of individual songs.

What exactly is a “megaphone guitar solo”? How do you pull it off, and what does it sound like?

Well, it sounds like a guitar, although some might disagree.

It’s more of a joke than a legitimate musical device. The actual technique is a heavily guarded trade secret.

On your website is an “old jungle saying” – “Band who rocks … cannot die.” If this is the case, what would you like to be getting up to a hundred years from now?

Maybe starting work on the second album! God knows what the place is going to look like by then.

In a nutshell, what can we expect from your shows down here?

We try to play well, but our music is for fun, and we don’t take it all too seriously. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll go to the bar for a gin and tonic.

What are the pros and cons of having such an “impossibly handsome” double-bassist? Does he steal all the ladies?

Yeah, women tend to talk to him more than the rest of us.

There are no pros in this situation, except it may help our wives and girlfriends feel more secure (except the bass player’s girlfriend, of course). Anyway, a woman of taste is only interested in a man of talent, eh?

The Jungle Kings play Stage Door The Café in Burnie on the 16th of May. www.junglekings.com

You’re quite the multi-instrumentalist; what does this bring to both the sound of the Jungle Kings, and the

STRUTH BE TOLD

controller was handed to me as the starting lights ticked down, and thus, like the proverbial cigarette behind the high school gym, my Mario Kart addiction was born.

Mario Kart is a bliss-triggering mash-up of poker machine, slot car track and cartoon. In the game, you can be one of eight characters from the Super Mario Bros syndicate.

There are four sets of four courses to play, each riddled with mystery boxes that give you weapons and power-ups to use on your foes, from missiles to bananas. From the first moment you turn the game on, your ears are blasted with the hyper-produced theme music, the first of many audio sugar cubes you are constantly fed as the game progresses, from the character’s raucous catch-cries, to the arpeggiated background synths.

Each filmmaker will then receive strategic advice and feedback on a number of areas including which festivals, markets and events are most suitable for their film and how the film’s existing marketing materials can be improved upon in order to have the greatest effect. Limited financial support may be offered to assist with distribution costs. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive some feedback from the panel.

While most of the current program features a variety of genres, the station’s dance music section, The Club, is chockers with original dance music and mixes by some of Tassie’s best DJs and producers. The Club airs between 1AM and 5AM on Friday and Saturday nights.

SAUCE #68

You guys hail from Bondi – “the playground of rich and poor, gangsters and suburban families, surfies and rev-heads, corporate giants and hoboes, sharks and whales,” as you’ve called it online. Out of curiosity, which of those social distinctions do the members of the Jungle Kings fit into?

We have a revhead, a surfie, two of us are poor, one has slept the night on the street, none of us has shot anyone, three of us have kids, two of us are married and none of us is a shark or a whale … although Andy does a good grey nurse impression.

The films that are selected for Slingshot will be viewed by Ruth Saunders, the Sales and Distribution Manager at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).

Ph. 6223 8344 for more info.

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Don’t let the fact that they’re from Bondi give you any preconceptions about what The Jungle Kings sound like; if you ask Michael Hawke, he’ll tell you that this particular Sydney suburb is the last place you’d expect their music to come from. He spoke to SAUCE before the band bring their rockin’ rhythm and swing to Burnie this month …

They say when you’re lying on your deathbed thinking back over your life, you won’t be worrying about what job you had or how much money you made, but about the people you loved, in particular your one true love. Failing that, there’s always your greatest races on Mario Kart 64. Such is the divine fun of what I am calling the greatest console game of all time.

Firstly, I’m not a gamer, but could have easily been. The last console I owned was an Amstrad CPC 464 green screen when I was fourteen that loaded games up on cassette. (I’m not in my mid 40s, I just started way behind everyone else.

I was playing Bombjack when other kids were playing NBA Jam on the Mega Drive. It’s all my Mum could afford!) I was always morally objected to the vast amount of time people vaporised on games, and ultimately opted to “improve my hand/eye co-ordination” by playing guitar.

When I hit first year uni, what should I find in my University Village common room but my new closest buddies gathered around a multiple split screen, four-controller blitz of animated turbo Mario Kartin’ mega-madness! The alien

Racing games have always been my favourite, mainly due to the fact that no matter how many times you play them, the result will be different. Adventure games and even platformers always disappointed me with their preprogrammed destinies. Skills-wise, Mario Kart is a great leveler, and anyone can go from beginner to power-hungry pro in minutes. Mario Kart also stands up to long gameplay, whereas most games, over time, tend to either get too dull or feel too creepy, like Goldeneye. Tell me you can play that vector maze by yourself for two hours and not feel like some isolated husk.

Mario Kart is like being in a Japanese flying dream. Like a poker machine, there’re just so many rewards for the senses. The turbo boost, the carnage of nailing an opponent with a weapon, the graceful power slides around corners, the three-way battle to the finish line, all laden with bubbly sprites and gallant sound effects. Wario is my favourite character. He’s Mario’s evil twin brother and has a twisted Italian cackle that really appeals to me.

It had been nine years since my first year uni heyday, which eventually wore off as we all realised we had nine essays due overnight. But now, in my “difficult third decade” riddled with freelance frustration and ego-whipping introspection, Mario Kart has appeared in my share house, like a juicy red packet of electro-cigarettes, and I’m back there like a kid on a bike.

JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD

TOKYO INTERNATIONAL ANIME FAIR 2008

Back in late March, it was time for this year’s Tokyo International Anime Fair, better known as just plain “TAF” (for reasons as-yet-unknown, the organizers drop the “I” bit, but maybe it just looks better in terms of logo design). This was the 7th installment of the annual event, and we were joined by over 126,000 other people aside from myself, an increase of nearly 20,000 over TAF2007, along with 289 exhibitors and 735 stalls.

Think displays by the likes of essential anime producers like Production I.G, Gonzo, Mad House, Toei, Studio Ghibli, D-Rights, Aniplex, Sunrise, Bandai, Studio 4°C, and so on, and you may go some of the way towards conjuring up the scope of the fair.

TAF is also the host of the annual Tokyo Anime Awards. This year’s Animation of the Year was Hideki Anno’s superlative return to the Evangelion franchise, the first of four planned movies that was released late last year – Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone.

All of the anime companies were also flaunting their upcoming wares, and not just scantily clad pseudo-cosplay girls outside their booths.

Production I.G is pushing Tokyo Marble Chocolate, their collaboration with BMG Japan music group late last year, in order to celebrate both companies’ 20th anniversaries. It’s touted as a bitter-sweet romance, but includes one of anime’s best bizarre recent characters – a mini-donkey that causes mayhem in snow-bound Tokyo. The tale was one of the five films selected for the official competition in the Feature Film Section of the 12th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF 2008) in May. I.G also has new series like Real Drive – their latest collaboration with manga master Shirow Masamune, which started up in April on Nippon Television Network, and is directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi of Le Chevalier D’Eon fame – and Library War, based on the manga by writer Hiro Arikawa and illustrator Sukumo Adabana.

It premiered on Fuji TV on April 11th, and is directed by Takayuki Hamana (The Prince of Tennis and Sisters of Wellber).

One of the alluring, enigmatic parts of the I.G display, however, was the area devoted to the new feature-length anime by famed auteur Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell): it’s called, quite simply, The Sky Crawlers. Due for release in August, it looks absolutely brilliant.

Hayao Miyazaki, the man behind Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, is due to release his own new movie, titled Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, in July through Studio Ghibli and Toho.

And Monkey Punch’s journeyman cat burglar, Lupin III, has made his most recent welcome appearance this April – to celebrate forty years on the prowl – with the release of Lupin III: Green vs Red. Meanwhile, Gonzo (also known these days as G.D.H.) have unleashed Blassreiter, along with The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk, directed by Koichi Chigira (Tokyo Babylon) – and based, if anybody out there remembers this, on the arcade game released by Namco in 1984.

While Hollywood seems keen to remake anime, anime itself is going all old school ‘80s gaming. We wait with somewhat desperately baited breath for the animated take on Namco’s fixed shooter arcade game, Galaga …

ANDREZ BERGEN

ART SPARKS - HOBART // PIP STAFFORD

Wishing we could show you

By Tom Wilson

“Something to confess? A precious moment to share?” This is the question posed by I Wish I Could Show You; brainchild of Hobart artist Pip Stafford, it tweaks the format of both YouTube and online confessional sites into something completely new; a constantly evolving tapestry of art, where paintbrushes are video phones, and nothing is off-limits. I spoke to Pip while she was in Melbourne for the Next Wave Festival …

How long has the site been up and running?

Since August 2007, and the project was started in April 2007.

What was the concept behind this site? I mean, from its function – uploaded videos – how is it different to something like YouTube?

Well, it’s pretty specific. YouTube is about uploading public videos, and they can be anything, from anywhere. I Wish I Could Show You is about sending anonymous videos by mobile phone, which kind of lends it to a confessional style almost. The idea … because the theme of Next Wave is “Closer Together,” and I thought about the theme a lot. For me, thinking about modern technology, and whether that actually brings us together or pushes us further apart, is something I was thinking about when I was developing this site. So, thinking about how we’ve got this amazing technology, like mobile phones, where we can share images and things, but there are still social barriers that stop us from sending videos to people that we’d really like to … There are still those barriers that exist, so it was basically providing a forum for people to be able to send videos to that they might otherwise not be able to send … if that makes any sense?

It seems almost ironic that, in this day and age, we’re developing these online solutions for this kind of communication … and yet, we’re still all sitting alone at computers. We’re not getting up; we’re not talking to people as much as we used to. Was that something you really wanted to address?

Yeah, I think it’s got different levels of that. I think, in a way, the internet’s interesting, because it provides platforms for people to connect with other people in a really immediate way, and people seem to feel like they have a kind of anonymity on the internet, and they can be who they want to be, or find other people who have similar interests … which

I think is really important, and I think that makes people feel less isolated, because they can go to a forum and talk to other people who like dressing up as teddy bears or like roller-skating or whatever! [Laughs] What can you tell me about some of the submissions that you’ve seen so far? When you’re talking about the confessional aspect of it, it reminds me a lot of a site that really blew me away called Grouphug …

Grouphug and Postasecret.com were a couple of sites that inspired me when I was making I Wish I Could Show You. Grouphug is instantaneous messages that are just textbased that go up on a blog-style website … And Postasecret is a beautiful site, where people send in postcard-sized pieces of art that confess something, and it’s in that blog style as well. I guess I Wish I Could Show You sort of keeps in with that, because it is another blog style site; it just seems to be a really handy way of doing it.

“It interests me how easily accessible it is for people to make art every day now …”

Have there been any submissions that have really kind of blown you away? One thing that struck me about Grouphug is that it would go from a post saying “When I was seven I put ink in my teacher’s tea,” and then the next one would be, “My platoon commander in Iraq ordered me to shoot ten kids. I can’t believe I did it.” It’s that kind of “Woah” honesty … have there been any submissions that really blew you away with their content or their honesty?

Yeah … My favourite ones tend to be the ones that are just something really pretty that someone’s sharing, and there’s some really beautiful ones there. It interests me how easily accessible it is for people to make art every day now, with that type of technology.

To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au Iwishicouldshowyou.com SAUCE #68

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DJ PROFILE – SCOTT WOODHOUSE

Brookfield Vineyard. 1640 Channel Highway.

Margate. 7054. Ph 6267 2880

Licensed cafe open 7 days & late for all events

UPCOMING GIGS Wednesday 14th May@7.30pm

Emily Smart & The Clever Girls Friday 16th May

Folk Night Saturday 17th May

One Step Back + The String Chickens Friday 23rd May

Silkweed The Lady Jane Franklin Story Saturday 24th May

Marita Mangano So, what’s your name then?

Scott Woodhouse. I’m not one for retarded DJ names.

www.brookfieldvineyard.com info@brookfieldvineyard.com

What’ve you been up to lately?

Been spending time in my room recording a three-deck DnB mix – not easy to get right.

"Tasmania's own"

How long have you been DJing?

Five years.

What styles do you dabble in, and why?

DnB and breaks, and more recently, two-step. I like the rougher sounds, and these styles all work pretty well together. I think, as a DJ, breakbeat gives you way more opportunity for expression and creativity than anything house-ish. That said, I started playing jackin’ Chicago house a bit over a year ago, and do get into it.

What do you like best about it?

Double-dropping a couple of big ones and watching a room of junglists completely poo their pants.

What sometimes pisses you off about it?

No one wants to listen to underground music in Hobart anymore. Clubs these days are full of vneck fluoro idiots on ecstasy who only want to hear whatever they heard on the last Ministry of Sound mix.

What makes you downright awesome?

I’m a f*cking wicked dancer.

Who’re some DJ heroes of yours, and why?

SpinFX, Adam Turner and JAMM – I’ve never seen anyone kick more arse than these blokes.

So, when and where can we catch you next?

I’ve been playing regular Wednesdays and Sundays at the Metz, and weekends at the Quarry.

Events coming up off the top of my head are Meat the Beat at Halo, and Syrup’s House Party III.

REVIEWERS NEEDED Would you like to go to gigs for free, in exchange for writing a review and taking a few pics?

If so, apply to

reviewers@sauce.net.au and please specify where you live, and what genres of music you are interested in.

Reviewers must be 18+.

DISCOUNTED STUDENT FARES University Student Semester Special $12.50 per sector * Hobart to Launceston $55.60 (Return) * Devonport to Launceston $39.10 (Return) *Conditions Apply

Reservations/Credit Card Payments 1300 360 000

What’s the scene like in Perth at the moment? What sounds and styles are popular?

The Perth is scene is pretty healthy right now; [there’s a] lot of up-and-coming DJs as well as the established ones, not to mention a very strong group of young producers making some amazing music and making a great name for themselves worldwide. Perth has also been fortunate enough to have lots of international acts coming through regularly, which helps. I’d have to say drum ‘n’ bass is still one of the more popular ones, as well as electro house and breaks and hip-hop.

What production work have you been doing recently?

I’ve been back in the studio a fair bit over the last year. I restarted my label in ‘06 called Interphase Records to focus on my own output and creativity, as well as some of the other artists I’ve worked with in the past, including Big Bud, Makoto, Phetsta etc. So yes, I have been busy, and I have a bunch of new songs that are scheduled for release on Interphase later this year.

You only started doing your own production work in 1999, which was a fair way into your career. What motivated this?

DJing just wasn’t enough! I knew I had more to offer than just DJing, so I began to learn to make music. One of the big motivations would be because I loved the music so much, and wanted to express myself musically. Also, it’s another great stepping stone for taking your career further internationally, but really ‘cos I just love it!

You have your own label, Interphase Records – what’s been happening on that front? And what releases do you have in the pipeline?

Yes, as I mentioned, I restarted it in ‘06. I have been busy, in the studio as often as possible, working on a host of different projects. I have also done some collaborations with a couple of local producers which should be making their way onto the label in the near future. I recently released a 12” SAUCE #68

Coach Services

PSYBORIGINAL

GREG PACKER

If you had a particular trademark or unique characteristic to both your DJing sets and production work, what would you say it is?

I would have to say that one thing that has maintained some consistency amongst my work as a DJ and the studio is there is always is an element of funk and soul in there. From the music I play to the music I write, those common elements never seems to leave.

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REDLINE

Psyboriginal is Marc Freund from Sydney, Australia.

Since 2004, his live sets have focused on spawning an environment conducive for explosive, energetic, and sometimes unpredictable trance-floor reverberations.

The Psybo-sound depicts that indescribable moment between night and day – ethereal and uplifting to bring in the morning, yet mysterious and menacing enough to wreak nocturnal havoc. Marc’s versatility as an artist is further evident in the incorporation of guitar and vocals in a few of his tracks. single collaboration with Japanese wonder boy producer, Makoto, which seems to have done well, and now I’m just finalising the next couple of releases for the second half of ‘08, including a remix of one of Interphase’s first releases, Hot Pants, featuring Phetsta from Perth, and possible another mix CD for national and international release … if I find the time!

What’s on the cards for you in the next few months?

Well I plan to stay focused on making music as much as possible over the winter period. I also have been regularly playing 80s and reggae sets around Perth, and it looks like the interest is coming in from around the county, so I plan on playing some different shows which should be fun – dusting off a my collection of funk and 80s records. Near the end of the year I’m likely heading over to NZ to tour, then possibly the UK and Asia early next year! And hopefully put out a lovely mix CD or new single for you all in that time!

The Psyboriginal sound is one that is constantly changing and evolving; during his time in Belgium in 2004, Marc became decidedly influenced by morning psytrance.

However, upon returning to his native Australia, things took a trip to the dark(er) side, as his music adapted both a harder, more sinister edge as well as greatly increasing in overall doofability.

The present end result – a unique style that weaves together all the right elements, fabricating a perfect groove guaranteed to ignite any legion of doofers with positive vibes.

Greg Packer plays Halo in Hobart on the 23th of May, and Launceston’s James Hotel on the 24th.

In the past he has worked alongside fellow Aussie producers Fractal Glider, Legohead and Illusion of Self, as well as some recent collaborations with Hydraglyph and Slum. Psyboriginal has kicked up dust on dancefloors all over Australia as well as in Germany, Belgium, UK, Spain, Czech Rep., Portugal, Slovakia, and Hungary.

www.myspace.com/djgregpacker

Psyboriginal plays Halo in Hobart on the 16th of May.

HIP-HOP - MELBOURNE // MUPH & PLUTONIC

Leaving the lab, hitting the Block

By Tom Wilson

These are certainly busy times for this dynamic duo of the Melbourne hip-hop scene. With work still to be done on their follow-up to Silence the Sirens, they’ve had to drop everything to take part in the massive national tour of the Obese Block Party. SAUCE spoke to Muph about what could prove to be their best release yet …

Last we heard, you guys were working on a new album.

What stage is that at now?

We have the final fourteen tracks mapped out. We are basically at the point of tightening them all up. We still have some vocals to record, and a few instruments too. We are at the stage where we can see the album as a whole, but still have a bit of work cut out for us. Between the album and the Block Party, it’s pretty hectic.

What can you tell me about the sound of this new material, compared to your previous work? Would you say it’s consistent with what you’ve done in the past, or a departure?

I wouldn’t call it a departure from our sound. However, in comparison to the last record, both production-wise and lyrically, I think it’s a bit more upbeat and positive as a whole. It’s not quite as dark as Silence the Sirens. There are a few surprises in there, production-wise, which I think people may not have expected from us. As with our previous records, we set challenges for ourselves, as a way to step up our own personal standards – the ones that worked, we kept.

The overall theme of the record is redemption. I feel like this is our best work to date by a mile.

Why do you think you two work so well together? What makes it all click?

I think part of it is our similar views on the world. As far as concepts go, we throw around ideas and then end up with the same goal. Also after working with someone for so long, there is no need to be hesitant with your opinions. Criticism from both sides is never taken personally. We both are aware that our aim is to make each song as solid as possible, so to do that it’s best to take all ideas onboard. Sometimes we work on a song in the studio together, other times we work on things separately. Both ways seem to work, and I have no idea why.

In the Oz hip-hop scene, who do you see as doing really

dynamic and innovative work, and why?

Personally I would have to say that Urthboy is definitely an artist whose work I find innovative, and tends to drive away from the trends. His last album had this indie feel, which I thought helped the record to really stand out from everything else. His concepts and song ideas also are really original, so I enjoyed that record on that level too.

Also on the Obese Block Party bill is Pegz, who you collaborated with on his album Burn City last year. What plans or intentions do you have to collaborate with some of the other artists on the bill this year?

As far as our record goes, all our guests are already set in motion, so we don’t have any plans at this point. However Plutonic did a beat on the new Drapht record. We are just focused on this record right now, but who knows what the future holds?

In your experience playing in Tassie, what have made these shows, and the crowds, unique, and why?

Maybe because Tassie in some ways is quite isolated, it makes the crowd hungrier – I don’t know if that’s why, but they are. Every show in Tassie, people seem to get right into it. I’m not saying that the other states don’t have the same passion, because they do, but Tassie is consistent with their support for our local scene.

Overall, when it comes to hip-hop, what do you value the most, and why?

I value originality, innovation and honesty. These are things I hold with high regard because I feel they were extremely important when the foundations of hip-hop were being laid down. I personally like being able to believe in the music I’m listening to. My favourite artists all seem to have that drive to innovate throughout their music. To me, that’s a big draw card – it’s the attitude of trying to do something that hasn’t been done before that inspires me.

“I feel like this is our best work to date by a mile.”

Muph & Plutonic play the Obese Block Party at the Uni Bar in Hobart on the 30th of May.

HIP-HOP - SYDNEY // HYJAK N TORCHA

ROCK - MELBOURNE // MIKE ELRINGTON BAND

Showing you The Way

By Tom Wilson

“… Yes, you can dance to it – or just bang your head profusely if that’s what you’re into …”

New albums in progress

After performing with Tim Freedman of The Whitlams at the Sydney Opera House with the local symphony orchestra, and doing a track with Mark “Chopper” Read, what could possibly be next for Hyjak N Torcha? Well, we’ll tell you – a massive touring hip-hop show featuring some of the biggest names on Obese Records. We spoke to the boys about how it started for them, and where they’re taking it …

What have the last few weeks had in store for you two?

What work have you been doing?

We’ve been working on getting our albums finished.

In addition to the work you do together, you’re both part of separate crews. What’s been happening in those two camps recently? What have you been working on?

Yeah we are; we’ve been busy finishing albums in both crews, working on releasing a five-track EP with Broken Silence, and doing shows with an eighty-eight-piece orchestra at the Opera House with The Whitlams, who worked with us on our track Lost Road.

Possibly the only Australian rock band to ever hand out CDs in the middle of Compton to armed gangsters, the Mike Elrington Band has a new album on The Way and a touring itinerary bringing them to our island this month … so it seems like a damn fine idea to get in touch with the man himself …

What’s been happening in the Melbourne scene lately?

What kinds of music are popular at the moment?

To be completely honest, I haven’t really been paying loads of attention to the Melbourne scene lately. I guess I go through phases where I’m really glued into what’s going on, and then phases where I kind of ignore it. It always has been and always will be a very vibrant musical melting pot – I guess you really need to know what you’re looking for.

You guys formed in 2003. What was each of you doing previously? And how did you come together?

I was playing in a few throw-together local bands and writing material for my debut solo record Too Good to be True. Rod (drums) and Oz (bass) were studying a jazz course at TAFE. I advertised for a rhythm section that would want to go on the road and they applied. Originally I was a solo artist with a backing band, however we’ve grown into a group that writes together and has equal say in everything we do.

The term “fiercely independent” has been used to describe you guys – to what extent would you agree with this, and why?

I agree with it to every extent, because it means exactly what it says. In the five years we’ve been together, everything we’ve done has been done by ourselves – whether that be writing songs, making (and paying for) records, booking tours in Australia, the US/Canada, doing promo and anything else that a working, independent band needs to do to survive. There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to doing it this way, however I have always believed it is much more rewarding at the end of the day when you have complete creative control over the music you play, the records you make and how you approach the business side of things. I think people like Ani DiFranco and John Butler have set great examples for independent musicians all over the world, and proven to everyone that anything is possible if you want it bad enough and are willing to work for it.

What material are you touring at the moment? Have you guys got a new album out?

At the moment we are touring a mixture of stuff from the

first record, our Everywhere I Don’t Belong EP and cuts from our forthcoming record The Way. We do have the new record coming out very soon, and should have it completely finished by mid-June. We are just working through the mixing process at the moment, and very keen to get it finished, as it has been almost two years in the making. Genius takes time, I guess, and so do we!

How would you describe your live show? What can we expect from it?

The live show is a high-energy mix of dirty, slammin’ blues/ rock, and yes, you can dance to it – or just bang your head profusely if that’s what you’re into. I’ve always been drawn to bands that present a wild and raw kind of energy when they play live. It always makes the experience that much more meaningful and memorable.

When was the last time something went completely tits-up while on the road? What happened?

The best example of when this happened was when we were in Los Angeles on the last US tour. After having dinner with a booking agent in Orange County, one wrong turn on our drive back to a cheap motel in Santa Monica ended up taking us through the heart of Compton (which, for those who don’t know, is the most dangerous district in LA). Not only did we have to drive through Compton, we ran out of f*cking gas, and the only option for fuel was a gas station on the main drag that had a massive black gang hanging around with boom boxes, lots of NWA (gangsta rap) and a heap of f*cking Uzis (for those who don’t know, these are machine pistols). We put ten dollars worth of fuel in the car, gave the gangsters a heap of our CDs and got the hell outta there! Ah, don’t you just love LA! What plans do you have for after this tour?

Sleep, eat and drink James Boag’s Premium (not that we need to tour to do that anyway!)

By Tom Wilson

How did you guys first hook up?

We met at an MC battle in ‘98 at a Bondi pub. Hyjak won – stunning the crowd with his witty freestyles, leaving as an urban legend amongst his peers. We’ve been working together ever since.

How would you describe the musical connection between you two? Are you at the point where you can practically read each other’s minds? Or do you still surprise each other?

We still surprise each other all the time – we both have really different styles that work really well when we come together.

What would you say are your individual musical qualities, and how do you think you balance each other out as a duo?

We’re both heaps different, but we think that we blend together well.

You’ve supported the likes of De La Soul, Xzibit and Pharcyde – of all these international performers, which ones made the biggest impressions on you, and why? What did you take away from the experience?

The Pharcyde, for sure. Unfortunately Fatlip wasn’t there, but they were great guys. It’s cool when you do these big shows and the main acts are happy to hang out.

Interestingly, one of your Myspace photos shows one of you with Mark “Chopper” Read. How the hell did you hook up with him? And what’s he like?

Well, Chopper’s manager asked us to do a song – what could we do? So I [Torcha] wrote a song that doesn’t promote what he’s done, but is more of a message; don’t f*ck up in life, make the right choices, or you never know how you’ll end up ...

Who are some of your heroes in the hip-hop world, and why?

Definitely KRS-One because he makes you think. But I also like music that doesn’t make you think – something like the Alkaholics.

Looking into the future, what kind of mark do you hope to make on Oz hip-hop, and why?

We just want to keep doing it because it’s a passion – whatever mark it makes is all good with us.

Hyjak N Torcha play the Obese Block Party at the Uni Bar in Hobart on the 30th of May. www.myspace.com/hyjakntorcha

“… It’s a passion – whatever mark it makes is all good with us.”

The Mike Elrington Band plays Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 21st of May, and Launceston’s Royal Oak on the 24th. www.myspace.com/mikeelringtonband SAUCE #68

17

“Being naked is a beautiful thing …”

DANCE - CANBERRA // THE ASTON SHUFFLE

Shuffling the decks

By Dave Williams

The Aston Shuffle – the Canberra DJ troupe soon to be a movie directed by Quentin Tarantino. Well, OK, not really, but if you ask Vance Musgrove, he’ll tell you that, if Hollywood ever put them on the big screen, the big QT would be the only man for the job … and that alone should sum up what’s in store for punters at Syrup, when the Shuffle hit Tassie on the back of the new Mashed release …

Where are you, and what have you been up to today?

Ah, currently sitting in the living room of Mikah’s house, just chilling out – we’ve been working on some tunes, and yeah … We’re focusing on our next single at the moment, actually, so we’re taking a bit of a break from remixing and things like that. Other than that, we’ve just finished the new Mashed CD for Ministry, so we’re very excited about that coming out soon, and the tour and everything.

So these are fairly busy times for us at the moment.

Are you still based in Canberra?

Yeah, definitely. A lot of people think we’re from a lot of different places, but yeah – Canberra’s definitely home for us at the moment.

Do you think there might come a time – and for what reason it might happen – that you might move to Sydney or somewhere like that?

Yeah, I think … I certainly don’t anticipate living in Canberra for the rest of my life, but having said that, there’s no great pressure for us to move or anything at the moment.

But yeah, we may definitely move one day, and I think the thing that would do it for us is the challenge of exposing ourselves to the scene, and people doing things; people we respect, and people we look up to, in other cities. If you’ve got a chance to kind of hang out with them, and sort of absorb yourself in the scene, then that inspires and challenges you to do different things. So travelling interstate so much at the moment gives us a good chance to do that, but there’s definitely a time when maybe we might want to be a bit more involved, and sort of immerse ourselves, yeah.

I think it’s always an interesting thing when people want to expose themselves to other people.

Yeah, definitely. We take a great deal of inspiration from Australian producers and things that are happening in various places all over the country …

are, which is still up for debate … we certainly don’t think of ourselves …

Oh, come on – milk it!

That’s actually another part of the reason we’re still here in Canberra; is because it’s great to get off the plane, and just be a small-town guy working during the week with no I was thinking more like nudity … distractions of big cities and that kind of thing, you know Nudity? [Laughs] That’s a big part of our working ethic as what I mean? I think that kind of heads-down, bums-up work well, definitely! [Laughs] ethic is something that Canberra is good towards, because it’s not exactly the biggest or most exciting city in the world!

[Laughs] Have you ever done a gig nude?

[Laughs] You know what I mean? The smallness of it … it’s a No, no … but we like to try and get the punters to get nude, very small, dedicated scene here, but it’s very easy to sort you know … of put your head down and work a whole lot, you know? Any success we have had, I think we definitely put it down to just Maybe if you guys lead the way, they might follow your lead! constantly pushing ourselves to just do things better every Oh, definitely! There’s always that moment of “will they just “Being naked is a beautisingle time, you know what I mean? Hard work is just the key walk away in disgust? Or will they get involved?” I think we thing …” to everything. might need to hit the gym or somethingful before we get that crazy! [Laughs] … Being naked is a beautiful thing – I’m sure I understand that you guys are hosting Mix-Up all this we could get interested in that! month on Triple J; I was just wondering if maybe Richard Kingsmill took you to lunch … or maybe even to a At least you’ve got the DJ deck or desk … at most vennude beach? ues, you’d only be exposed from the waist up!

Nah – Triple J are being a bit light on the nudity actually … we Oh, totally, totally – I could just do some upper-body work, were a bit disappointed … We’ve never actually met Richard and I’m sure we’ll look absolutely smashing behind the Kingsmill; it’d be lovely to actually meet him and pick his decks! brain – he’s a bit of a musical genius.

The dominoes of success just keep on, from an outsidHow did that come about? Someone just ringing up and er’s perspective, seem to keep on falling for you guys. going, “Hey, can you do it?”?

I was just wondering – why are you better than everyYeah, it was pretty much an out-of-the-blue kind of thing. body else?

Triple J have been really supporting our last single, For Every[Laughs] Ah … that depends on whether or not we actually

one, and also the Malente remix that we did before that …

I used to hear that in the car to work basically every day for a while. I think it pretty much came about through the fact that they were already sort of playing our stuff … We’ve really been enjoying that as well actually, because it’s given us a chance to play brand new stuff that you may not hear at a two o’clock in the morning, main room set from us, if you know what I mean? We’ve had a chance to play some records that we’re really passionate about, that we may not get a chance to play at our Aston Shuffle shows, so that’s been really fulfilling for us, definitely.

If the Aston Shuffle was a movie, what would it be rated?

It would be rated R. Now, if it was R, would it be for violence? Coarse language? Sex? Drugs? What are we going to be looking at?

Excessive swearing … excessive violence … excessive nudity … We certainly don’t do things by halves! We joke that when we’re in the studio, we get up to a fair amount of bad stuff, and if anyone ever sat in and watched us work, they’d probably think we were f*cking crazy, or we should be committed or something like that … There’s lots of four-letter words flying around, but I think that’s part of the vibe. It’d be like From Dusk ‘Till Dawn or Pulp Fiction.

The Aston Shuffle play Syrup in Hobart on the 31st of May. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au SAUCE #68

11

PUNK - MELBOURNE // THIS WAR

Go to war!

By Tom Wilson

If you want to make something good, you’ve got to use the right tools … and the right people. You definitely don’t need to tell that to Melbourne punks This War, who were fortunate enough to hit the studio with none other than Ground Component Dallas Paxton sprinkling inspiration over their recording. The result? It’s Ocean-Deep, and SAUCE spoke to singer and bassist Carlo Dellora before they go to war at the Brisbane Hotel …

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“One thing we’ve learnt so far is never fight crusty punks …”

You’re releasing your new EP, Ocean-Deep, which you worked on with Dallas Paxton of Ground Components.

How did you end up working with him?

I think we first met Dallas at an all-ages show where the Groundies had gotten us to support. Dallas had also been recommended to us by our friends WolfManJack after they recorded an acoustic EP with him a while ago, so we knew that he was an awesome musician and producer as well as a great guy. So, when we realised we needed to do some new recordings, Dallas seemed like an obvious choice. We’d like to think it was a case of us choosing him, but it was more him choosing us, which gave all our egos a much-needed boost.

I think before Ocean-Deep we’d never really been a hundred percent happy with the songs we’d been writing, feeling that there were some elements which could be improved upon.

Although nothing really changes, and we could still be happier with the tracks from O-D, it’s still probably the best indication of who we are as a band.

In what ways is Dallas’ influence evident on the finished product? How did his involvement shape the songs?

He was very supporting and suggestive at the same time, but still gave us an opportunity to make musical decisions ourselves; there’s a whole organ track on 13 Years which was entirely Dallas. We thought it might’ve been a good idea, but it was Dallas’ skill as a pianist that made it sound great. But I think most importantly there were hundreds of little mixing and recording tricks which helped give us the sound we were really after.

You’re coming down to Tassie with The Black Market. In what ways do you think your two sounds will compliment each other? In other words, why is this the perfect lineup?

Well, there’s gonna be lots of sweet stage dives and power stances, providing of course that we get sweet riders …

How would you describe the sound of this release?

What kind of vibe is there?

There’s a whole heap of different vibes in there; we never really felt that we should restrict ourselves to one sort of genre, I suppose, something which we thought was important to give the EP more depth. I think limiting yourself to just one kind of sound can, in the long term, be very detrimental to the band’s sound, cutting off potential musical avenues which would otherwise have been a great direction to take.

In what ways do you think Ocean-Deep represents an evolution of This War? In what ways is it a step forward from your previous work?

What’s the story behind the name “This War”?

Like so many bands, back in our younger days we spent a lot of time pretending we were a ska punk band covering Rancid and Op Ivy, and in particular, Unity sticks in the memory …

WEDNESDAY SESSIONS AT THE METZ

Just for fun, who’d win in a fight between This War and The Black Market?

One thing we’ve learnt so far is never fight crusty punks, so BM for sure.

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What plans do you have for after this tour?

More shows and more tours, and then, somewhere off in the future, an album, providing this tour doesn’t make us never want to see each other again …

DJ FROM 9PM TILL LATE.

This War play Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 16th of May, and a second all-ages show on the 17th. www.myspace.com/thiswar

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SAUCE #68

NIGHTS

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HIP-HOP - BRISBANE // RESIN DOGS

Katch-ing up with the Dogs

By Dave Williams

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And what ritual did you manage to go through on the wedding night?

Oh, we just played records to each other, you know? Broke a few 12”s … broke some 12”s in! [Laughs] I hope you used protection …

Yeah, man. DJs don’t share needles – you know that!

So what are you doing in Cairns anyway?

Just starting our tour, actually – we’re playing here at the SoHo Club tonight, which is somewhere in the heart of the Cairns CBD. Did a DJ set last night with 2Dogs … it was inside this huge converted water tank. It was an unreal venue, man – really nice, right in the botanical gardens out near the airport. Unreal.

[N’Fa is in Melbourne] You guys are mainly in Brisbane – how did you guys become friends?

Just when we were doing the rounds, when he was doing 1200 Techniques, we’d say hello … just kept in contact, you know? One time in Brisbane we got a chance to hang out and stuff, and really got to know each other, and when the time came to do the recording of the album, we just approached him to see if he was doing it, because … he was doing his own thing and stuff. We’re always looking for different guests, and just asked him, and he was like, “Yeah!”

So we did a couple of tunes.

“DJs don’t share needles …”

No bad echo?

No, not a bad echo at all! It’s like a performing arts theatre run by the council and stuff. It was really good sound; it was an old concrete water tank and polished wooden floors, draped off, and it had a really big stage. They do theatre and shows and bands and stuff like that, so it was really good; it was for Youth Week.

Your album that you released last year, More, I was wondering – do you reckon the next album you guys put out might be “Even More” or “More, Again”?

“More or Less!” [Laughs] I don’t know, man. I know we’re working on a remix album at the moment; I’m getting some stuff together for that, so I’ll get a few Aussie producers and stuff to do versions … and a few leftovers and bits and pieces.

But I’m right in going down that path, in that the album was called More because you guys sort of went, “Oh, here’s more of us”?

It’s sort of one of those titles … “more songs”, “more lyrics”, “more of this”, “more of that” … “will there ever be more after this?” Sort of an open-ended question.

On the tour that you’re beginning, somewhere along the line, N’Fa is going to be joining you – is that right?

18

SAUCE #68

Who are you listening to these days?

Who am I listening to? I’ve just been listening to our stuff, really! [Laughs] Haven’t had too many opportunities to get in and get into any new music. If I do, I’d probably like the Hermitude and Chasm … but I’ve just been remixing a lot of stuff. Probably Mark Walton’s record; I’ve been listening to [that] a fair bit, the Fretless album. That and Urthboy … they’re probably the four records that I’ve managed to get a peep in of.

GU

M OM Y

How come you guys are together?

We secretly got married! [Laughs] Nah, he’s on the tour with us – our honeymoon!

Oh, he’s on the whole tour … he shows up for rehearsals on Monday, and he starts with us at the Gold Coast on the weekend … It’s just cost a lot to bring everyone up, so we’ve just got a smaller version of the show. Yeah, he’s pretty much doing the whole run with us; he’ll be coming to Hobart and all that sort of stuff … basically all around the country.

ORD

THURSDAY MAY 22

T

So you’re just chilling back, watching a bit of Foxtel in your hotel room, aren’t you?

Oh, just hanging out with Dexter actually; playing each other’s tunes! Well, he’s playing me some tunes. [Laughs]

EC

CLOSED (for private function)

S

As if the title of their album from last year didn’t make it clear enough, the Resin Dogs are definitely bringing More this time around – heading for the stage of Hobart’s Republic Bar with not just their own stellar beats, but 1200 Techniques’ N’Fa along for the ride as well. As he chilled out in a Cairns hotel room, SAUCE caught up with Katch …

NR

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The name “Resin Dogs” – has that got anything to do with pot?

What do you reckon? [Laughs] It can be, but it was like … I actually found, in those TV Guide magazines – there were these little ads in the back where you could buy plates and stuff, and there were these things called Resin Dogs … At the time, everyone was like “Snoop Dogg” and “Ice Dog” and this-Dog and that-Dog, so I thought “Resin Dogs” was funny. But it sort of has a dual meaning.

The Resin Dogs play Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 16th of May. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce. net.au

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HOBART MAY THU 15

Mickey J & Eddie T

Alley Cat Bar Ally Mok and the Mockingbirds + Joe Pasanen + Crystal Campbell + Sam Beattie @ 8:30PM

In the Bar

Anni Piper + Guests

FRI 16

In the Boatshed

Ben Castles

SAT 17

In the Bar THU 22

Samuel Bester Originals

Brisbane Hotel Mafia + Rory and The Riot Act Irish Murphy’s Emily Smart & The Clever Girls + Samuel Bester @ 9PM

In the Bar Republic Bar & Café Ill-Starred Captain @ 9PM

Andy & Julz

FRI 23

In the Bar

L.B.C Presents Mike Elrington

SAT 24

Syrup Mesh – Adam Turner + Guests @ 9PM

LAUNCESTON

In the Boatshed

GREAT FOOD

OPEN MIC NIGHT THE LAST WEDNESDAY

OF EVERY MONTH

OPEN 7 DAYS

14 Brisbane Street, Launceston 6331 5346

Alley Cat

The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth Eli b th Street St t N North th H Hobart b t - ph: h 03 6231 22 2299

Thusday 15th of May Ally Mok and the Mockingbirds, Joe Pasanen, Crystal Campbell & Sam Beattie 8.30pm Friday 16th May Emily Smart and the Clever Girls Saturday 17th May The Muddy Turds and The Slaughterhouse Band

Sunday the 18th of May Big weekend sledge out session, tunes from 6.30pm Thursday 22nd of May Ejecter unplugged 9pm Friday 23rd May Dameza and DJ Grotesque Reggae Night Sunday the 25th of May Blind Billie Speed

Wednesday Special - $10 Beaut Beer & Bonza Burger Night

An Alley Cat burger: your choice of beef, chicken or vege with chips and a 10oz. of Cascade Draught or Pale Ale 6pm - 9.30pm

Royal Oak Mickey J & Eddie T

Irish Murphy’s Micheal Clennett Metz On The Bay Scott Woodhouse Raincheck Lounge Live Acoustic Music @ 4PM Republic Bar & Café Emily Smart & The Clever Girls + Nathan Weldon & The Two Timers @ 9PM

HOBART

Republic Bar & Café Marita @ 8:30PM

TUESDAY 20TH HOBART

Irish Murphy’s Open Mic Night

Stage Door the Café Jungle Kings @ 8PM

Republic Bar & Café G. B. Balding @ 9PM

BURNIE

HOBART

WEDNESDAY 21ST

Alley Cat Bar Emily Smart & The Clever Girls @ 9:30PM

Brisbane Hotel Halo 7 + Botox

Brookfield Vineyard Folk Night

HOBART

Irish Murphy’s Mischa’s Night Metz On The Bay Scott Woodhouse Republic Bar & Café Mike Elrington Band @ 9PM

Halo Psyboriginal + Indischord + Ellis D + Psywise @ 11PM

Syrup Rewind @ 9PM

Irish Murphy’s Jeremy Matcham + Dr. Fink

James Hotel DJ Joycie @ Front Bar

Republic Bar & Café Resin Dogs + Dexter + N’Fa + DNO @ 10PM Syrup La Casa – Matt B + Timo + St Nick Downstairs - Nick C @ 10PM

LAUNCESTON

Royal Oak Anni Piper

SATURDAY 17TH HOBART

Alley Cat Bar The Muddy Turds + The Slaughterhouse Band Brisbane Hotel This War (Melb) + The Black Market (Qld) + The Trolls + Asking For It! + Stay Down – ALL-AGES 6ft Hick (Qld) + The No No’s + Turbo Deluxe The Red Light Disko – Kylie Wylie + Azza Matazz @ Front Bar Brookfield Vineyard One Step Back + the String Chickens

Derwent Entertainment Centre Sliver – 12+ @ 7PM Halo Greg Packer + Model T + Milestone + Waz @ 11PM Irish Murphy’s Loco + Dr. Fink Republic Bar & Café Bluejuice + The Paper Scissors + The Overview @ 10PM Syrup La Casa – Matt B + Discotouch + Timo Downstairs - Nick C @ 10PM

LAUNCESTON

James Hotel PD + Little Cam + Joycie + Randall + Buffstar D-Lux Royal Oak Andy & Julz

SATURDAY 24TH

HOBART

Brisbane Hotel Ben Wells (CD Launch) + Enola Fall + Adam Cousins – ALL-AGES Eurovision Karaoke – DJ Azza Matazz + Kylie Wylie Reason + Ciecmate + Phexy + Deedare + Pissed Apostles + DJ Laws One Brookfield Vineyard Marita Mangano Irish Murphy’s Garod Matcham + Selecta Metz On The Bay Matt Collis Republic Bar & Café Bridget Pross & Band + Abbey @ 10PM Syrup Dirty F’king Dancing – Kir + Gillie + Adam Turner Downstairs – Naughts + Rolly + Billy Bob @ 9PM

LAUNCESTON

James Hotel Bluejuice + The Paper Scissors + The Overview @ 9PM Greg Packer + Model T + Milestone Royal Oak Mike Elrington Band

SUNDAY 25TH HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Blind Billie Speed

THURSDAY 22ND BURNIE

Stage Door the Café Viktor Zappner Swingtet + Greg Harrison @ 7:30PM

HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Jonno Coleman (Ejector) @ 9PM

LAUNCESTON

James Hotel PD + Little Cam + Joycie + Randall + Buffstar D-Lux

Brookfield Vineyard Silkweed – The Lady Jane Franklin Story

MONDAY 19TH

FRIDAY 16TH

Brisbane Hotel This War (Melb) + The Black Market (Qld) + BumTuck + Asking For It! + Stay Down

Brisbane Hotel Made For Chickens By Robots + Emma Dilemma + Moe Grizzly + The Dan Cross Revolution

Brisbane Hotel Marita + Az Irish Murphy’s Amy Kendall + The Sign + Nathan Weldon & the Two-Timers

Irish Murphy’s Michael Clennett Metz On The Bay Scott Woodhouse Raincheck Lounge Live Acoustic Music @ 4PM Republic Bar & Café Cake Walking Babies @ 9PM

MONDAY 26TH NO INFO AVAILABLE AT TIME OF PRINTING

Venue Guide BURNIE Stage Door The Cafe 254 Mount St Upper Burnie 64322600 HOBART Brookfield Vineyard 1640 Channel Highway Margate 6267 2880 Irish Murphy’s 21 Salamanca Place 6223 1119 www.irishmurphys.com.au Metz On The Bay 217 Sandy Bay Rd 6224 4444 www.themetz.com.au Syrup 1st Floor 39 Salamanca Place 6224 8249 Raincheck Lounge 392 -394 Elizabeth St. North Hobart 03 6234 5975 Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth St 6234 6954 www.republicbar.com The Brisbane Hotel 3 Brisbane St 6234 4920 thebrisbanehotelhobart@gmail.com The Alley Cat Bar 381 Elizabeth St 6231 2299 Wrest Point 410 Sandy Bay Road Sandy Bay 6225 0112 www.wrestpoint.com.au

TUESDAY 27TH

YouthArc 44 Collins Street 6231 5150

Republic Bar & Café Birds Of Tokyo + Special Guests @ 9PM

HOBART

Irish Murphy’s Open Mic – Hip-Hop Challenge

LAUNCESTON Batman Fawkner Inn 35 Cameron St 6331 7222

Syrup Mesh – Adam Turner + Guests @ 9PM

Republic Bar & Café Joe & The Girls @ 9PM

Country Club Country Club Ave Prospect 6335 5777 www.countryclubtasmania.com.au

Royal Oak Samuel Bester

The Hub Roadkill + Axe Bomber

Irish Murphy’s 211 Brisbane St 6331 4440 www.irishmurphys.com.au

LAUNCESTON

LAUNCESTON

FRIDAY 23RD BURNIE

Stage Door the Café Short Daze @ 8PM

HOBART

Alley Cat Bar Dameza + DJ Grotesque – Reggae Night

Support

Live

Music!

The Newstead Hotel 160 Elphin Rd 6331 1344 The Royal Oak 14 Brisbane St 6331 5346

SAUCE #68

13

CD REVIEWS JAMES LOCKSMITH Djembe

CHASING GRAVITY Autumn in the Platinum Desert

Sydney talent James Locksmith has released this mix CD consisting of funk, soul, jazz, Afro, Latino, electronic and hip-hop flavours. Starting at the young age of seventeen, he began DJing for small venues and parties, and moved steadily over the years into bigger venues, holding his own nights known as “Djembe Nights,” whilst also holding regular spots on various radio stations throughout Sydney.

From the first listen, I could tell that this group wants to make it. They’ve got a big sound and big guitars, and I was swept up into a world of big stages, stadiums and what I envisioned to be a massive mane of blonde locks spraying sweat over an ever-thirsty audience of similarly sweaty fans.

This CD, to me, has a great sound throughout; after listening to it more and more, it seems to grow on you. With soulful funk and vast organic elements throughout the mix, it would be suitable to almost any environment, whether it be a restaurant, entertaining guests at home, a café … you get my gist. There are so many great tracks, it’s almost impossible to narrow down my favourites – with the sweet sounds of nylon guitars washed with smooth percussion and brass, you can’t go wrong with the majority of these tracks.

Overall, this is a polished record; on my first listen, I only skipped a couple of songs. There’s a spectacular number waiting for you at the end in Schitzofrantic, especially when it transitions into the album’s final track. By then, that word “polished” comes back to me, and wants to be said again; it’s polished, but with a little too much shine. They come across as if they want to be a raw-as-blue-cow band, but the record sounds like they’ve had a commercial radio station DJ fiddle with the EQ knobs to make them sound more people-friendly. I think they’d be a much better band live, with a big, dirty, distorted sound aimed at a slightly older-than-old-enough-to-drink audience.

If you’re after a CD with an uplifting air to it, it’s definitely worth grabbing this cracker of a compilation. I still can’t get enough of it, which is rare for a guy like me with such a low attention span for music these days.

This record sits on the little-over-produced shelf for me, but underneath that, I can hear a band that wants to sing to massive crowds, their mics raised high. Not bad – I give them seven stars.

IAN MURTAGH

9 swinging monkeys out of 10.

PATRICK DUKE

COG Sharing Space

DUNKELBUNT Morgenlandfahrt

Cog have always been a band of interest to me in how they create their own sound, which can be at once both unexpected and dynamic. Their unique sound comprises of strong chords and open, spacious melodies. Having witnessed Cog in concert in support of their New Normal album, their performance displayed to me how dynamic and big their sound is for a three-piece band. The good thing with this release is the flow from track to track, making it feel like one big song landscape. Vocalist Flynn Gower is an interesting talent in how he projects his voice throughout the stories he tells; he is unique to any other voice out there.

Interesting name for an album, hey? The wellknown Dunkelbunt have released another serving of their unique Austrian style. Well, this album starts off with a very interesting array of Indian sounds (with birds in the background), then kicks off to a very comical start – the kind you would hear in a slapstick comedy from the 20s and 30s. The CD unfolds in a fusion of dub, reggae, Bossa, jazz, electronics, trip-hop and breakbeats infused with a Balkan twist.

Throughout their career, the band has drawn numerous comparisons to American prog-metallers Tool – “… with an Australian twist.” Truth is, they’re two completely different bands, and that’s never been clearer than now. Sharing Space is one of those albums that balance alternative arrangements with an underlying worldview message in each song. Though the band do sparingly introduce rock elements into some tracks, I feel this album is a more laidback affair than their previous work. If Cog went for a less polished sound, and introduced more aggression into their music, I feel that they would reach a wider audience, while still remaining unique. Still, for people interested in bands that sound like they’ve created their own genre, you can’t go wrong with Cog. The band’s first single, Bird of Feather, is out now.

The sound of this release is truly intriguing and unique – in a live show, this band would be fantastic to listen to, which is probably why they are currently traveling throughout Europe and The US for the next couple of months; if you really desperately want to burn a few grand on me saying you should go check them out because I said so, go on – I f*cking dare you!

To sum it up, this gypsy-rock style sort of feels like you’re at a circus, but does put you in a more brightened mood than usual – probably because you’re just waiting for a clown to pop out of nowhere in your house whilst you listen to this CD. My favourite track would have to be The Chocolate Factory because of its sheer border-lining drum-n-bass sound.

8 circus monkeys out of 10.

PATRICK DUKE

DAVID WALKER

EMILY DAVIS Moving in Slow Motion

IN FLAMES A Sense of Purpose

Gentle swirls of acoustic guitar drift around Emily’s rich, earthy voice, as she intones on everyday philosophies and doubts.

Moving in Slow Motion, as a debut album, is a tribute to the talent of Adelaide’s prodigious Emily Davis as singer-songwriter and our own Monique Brumby as producer. Just listening to this surreal yet real album makes me conversely angry that our female artists do not enjoy the same success as our packs of rock boys grimacing with their pseudo machismo on tour posters everywhere. Consolation is to be found in the knowledge that those commercially stern faces belong to artists as worthy of their success as the commercially absent faces of our women. And Emily is not wasting her talent; she is touring the country with her three-piece band, and I hope she crosses the Strait soon.

Swedish death metallers In Flames have been constantly receiving criticism with each new album release, with many fans and reviewers claiming that they are adopting a so-called “mainstream approach.” 2006’s Come Clarity was my first introduction to In Flames and, having listened to their earlier works, there are definitely elements of all their albums on A Sense Of Purpose. The band’s aggressive, melodic approach hasn’t changed much throughout their career; it’s more the band’s maturing, and having an exceptionally well-produced album, that might give off a mainstream impression. Anders Fridén’s voice is clearer and more understandable, yet thankfully he still keeps that raspy growl which suits the music.

Restless in June is typical of the songs on offer, with a balladlike tempo and an understated canvas of acoustic guitar, strings, piano, bass and drums supporting Emily’s voice as she sings for an absent lover. Melodically and lyrically, Carry You Home flows so very naturally, with husky proclamations of devotion, and an upbeat feel. The poetry of Cold is sublime, and vocally the words are left to reign, with cello brought in for that extra-cosy organic warmth that the cello is so clever at providing. The title track is left till last on the album, and as a single, Moving in Slow Motion has been warmly received by community and local stations Australia wide. It is a wry song about the haunting effect of a lover from the past who cannot exist in the present, and the song gently propels the album from aesthetic reverie towards the future. So on that note, here’s to Emily Davis and her stunning debut, and to all the albums that follow.

CLARA MURRAY

LOWRIDER Diamond Amongst the Thieves

Aussie band Lowrider make sweet soul music with a distinct lack of overbearing commercialism.

This is a refreshing characteristic for a band who supported (and would’ve blown off the stage) Christina Aguilera. You see, Lowrider make the sort of music that the giants of the pop world go to bed dreaming about, but never come to realise on their over-produced, squeaky clean, imagedriven offerings.

Diamond Amongst the Thieves is exactly that. A sublimely catchy album that has both a familiar universal appeal and a distinct originality and freshness that makes you want to listen to it again and again. In other words, this album is worth your money. What sets it apart from its contemporaries is the musicianship and word-craft laden throughout. You get electronic hip-hop beats forged from “real” percussion, mixed with enchanting keys and highand low-energy rhythms, all topped off by a magnificent soul-man voice that delivers poetic lyrics in the same vein as Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield. Every song can be explained in that manner –they’re all good.

With this album, Lowrider have accomplished the difficult goal of producing great original music that can cross genres and appeal to the global market on a mass scale, yet deliver something fresh and exciting at the same time. Look out for tracks like Going Up, Be Bad, Lonely Soul and Let’s Go Now on the airwaves of the nation.

This album is one of those rare gems of Australian music.

With it, Lowrider should establish themselves on both the local and global scenes.

ADAM FERGUSON 14

SAUCE #68

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY Inflikted

The musicianship is thrashy, with plenty of groove, and it still sustains the band’s aggressiveness and signature sound. Daniel Svensson’s drumming brings the songs to life, while bassist Peter Iwers makes the guitar riffs extra solid; individually, though, the bass is not that noticeable. There is a balance of mixed-tempo songs, and some unexpected moments that may surprise fans, such as winners Alias and The Chosen Pessimist, which show another side to the band. The first single release The Mirror’s Truth kicks off the album with a high point, leaving any true fan wanting more.

No, it’s not another Jester Race or Whoracle album; it’s more a continuation of direction from Come Clarity mixed with elements of the band’s past efforts. With In Flames, being one of the forefront bands to create the Gothenburg Sound, there’s certainly going to be mixed thoughts as to whether a mainstream metal status was the destiny of the band. Either way, like the album title suggests, there is a sense of purpose for this music.

KENNY SEGAL Ken Can Cook

For all the old-school metal fans who worship musical greats and siblings Max and Iggor Cavalera need not spend any longer wishing for them to reunite after Max’ departure from Sepultura, as the brothers have come together and formed an explosive new project, the Cavalera Conspiracy. The album will definitely be a strong contender for one of the most anticipated metal releases of this year.

Sepultura and Soulfly have been the most influential heavy metal acts to come out of Brazil, and CC should be no exception in becoming part of metal history. Firstly, this isn’t a Sepultura or Soulfly album, but a more polished blend of both bands put together, packed with extra groove.

A noticeable difference with this band compared to their previous projects is the more thrash/punk drum stylings and solo guitar work. Tribal drum parts are laced throughout tracks Terrorize and Dark Ark, which segue perfectly into the full-speed, pounding drumming frenzies that perfectly display Iggor Cavalera’s outstanding drumming skills. Max Cavalera’s vocals are much clearer, going for the rampant punk approach of his work fronting Soulfly. The surprising classical guitar outro on track Bloodbrawl adds to the mixture, rolling off such a strong song showing Rizzo’s guitar diversity.

CC is a band for old and new fans of Max and Iggor, displaying all the facets of their career. I anticipate the band to surpass the one-album expectancy; think of it as the next chapter in the Cavalera brothers’ Brazilian metal trademark. Keep your ears out for first single release, Sanctuary – a great track to get your metal groove on with.

Kenny Segal has been cookin’ up a storm. Let me see – we’ve got Backyard BBQ, Oodles of Noodles, Mood Food, Smelly Snacks and Herbal Tea to name just a few of the tantalising sonic delights on the Ken Can Cook menu. A very talented producer with his own publishing racket, Segal brings some extremely influential and cool-as-hell friends/contributors to add to the list of high-class beats, breaks and soundbites that is Ken Can Cook.

To give you an example of the sound, I’d say if you like the work of Australia’s own master of the old-school beat mixed with the classic soundbite, Katalyst, you will enjoy the workings of Ken Can Cook – but not as much. Most songs proudly display their outside influences, but, having said that, the purely Kenny tracks Poker Chili – which happens to combine three of my favourite things; food, gambling and The World Poker Tour – the dubiously-named Stoner Blind Taste Test, the cruise-y Meet The Chef and intro Ken Can Cook Theme break up the often cluttered hip-hopdominated tracks.

This album is a DJ’s dream, with its stripped-back looping beats and original prose from the likes of 2Mex (on Gringo Tacos), Dr. Oop (on Jerk Chicken) and P.E.A.C.E (on the classic and damn funny Romantic Cooking). There are some great vocals here that would sound interesting, to say the least, if they were to be re-dubbed and spun on the crowded dance floors of the world.

Good, but not great.

ADAM FERGUSON

DAVID WALKER

DAVID WALKER

THE PRESETS Apocalypso

THRUST Survival of the Funkiest

This album starts with Kicking and Screaming, an evil electro-funk workout. The follow up is their famed first single My People; another strong track, well produced.

Whack this track into the party playlist (if you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t done so already.)

Survival of the Funkiest is the second full-length album from W.A. fourpiece Thrust, following 2000’s Flotsam and Jetsam. Recorded over a three-year period (2003 – 2006) and pieced together by mix-master Rob Grant and founding member Pete Jeavons in 2006, the album is the culmination of years of hard work and miles and miles of touring, especially for Tasmanian-based drummer Konrad Park.

A New Sky is a nice throbber; around the three-minute mark, a TB-303 sneaks in, screaming out to be tweaked. A plink-y piano starts This Boy’s In Love – a nice song. It builds nicely, but hits cheese at the peaks. Yippiyo-ay has some nice ideas, but is a bit run-of-the-mill. Very Devo.

Talk Like That really hits the main vein of cheese that The Presets seem to be mining on this release. I suspect that a lot of the tracks on this album probably work better live. A lack of bass on Eucalyptus makes this track a bit soft. Then we hit If I Know You … oh god! A ballad! Don’t people realise that the best ballad in existence is probably I Hope I Never

by Split Enz, and that it is very difficult to top that? Imagine my horror when the very name of that song and exact melody was lifted for the chorus. Homage? Possibly, but I still feel cheated.

Back to some crank with Together. I would definitely play this in a DJ set. I thought with a name like Aeons we were in for some ethereal synths and deep echo … and I was right.

Nice. Put it in the chillout playlist. The last track Anywhere started well, but unfortunately fizzled. I think their sound could do with a bit more dirt, fuzz and buzz, but Apocalypso is nonetheless a solid debut album.

NUFE

ZERO DEGREES FREEDOM The Calm ... Before The Silence

Right off the bat, the album title says it all (as corny as it is). Feel That Rhythm bursts out at you like a full-blown funk factory, mixing the band’s obvious funk and jazz influences with big band energy and the fervour of a gospel chorus, resulting in a sound reminiscent of Robert Randolph and the Family Band and even the Chilli’s Freaky Styley days.

Tracks of note include the smooth and sauntering For the Right Words and Tambourine, which has a more subdued, jazz lounge atmosphere, coupled with silky backing vocals that sooth the helter-skelter vibe of the opening tracks. The fourth and title track is definitely the showcase track – a song that is just pure fun to listen to, with slapping bass, a brass section, and hip-hop and old-school rock influences galore.

All in all, Thrust just play fun, funky tunes that are a refreshing change to all the deep and angst-y albums trying too hard to be deep and angst-y out there. Survival of the Funkiest is a feel-good, wake-up-and-face-the-day-witha-smile album.

ADAM FERGUSON

Thank god, it’s finally here – the long-awaited debut full-length from those marvels of the melodically malevolent, Zero Degrees Freedom, The Calm ...

Before The Silence – and however torturous the wait has been, it has been worth it. As The Silent Womb Crumbles opens proceedings on a foreboding, doom-y note, before Her Clock Stopped at Midnight turns up the momentum, leading perfectly into the oh-for-god’s-sake-now-you’rejust-showing-off tempo-spasm of A Riddle Of Scars.

Sandwiched between Riddle and the seminal Blood, The Vision Lost comes off as a little boring ... but “boring” is exactly what Heneh! is not. Cranking the pace back up for a high-velocity trip through some In Flames-reminiscent riffage, backed by some truly dramatic keyboard work, this is an exercise in truly epic grandeur, playing out like the soundtrack to a planet being destroyed. It is the band’s best work up to this point, end of story.

All in all, The Calm ... Before The Silence is what all Tassie metal releases should be like – truly exceptional, from the production to its sheer technical muscle. It’s really something when the only fault I can find with a release (The Vision Lost notwithstanding) is its artwork. It should vividly represent its sound, and, in this case, the minimalist approach they’ve gone with doesn’t really work. But then again, how does one properly illustrate a release this damn good?

The Calm ... Before The Silence is a truly great achievement from one of Tasmania’s finest bands. Let’s hope “the silence” doesn’t come anytime soon.

TOM WILSON

HIP-HOP - HOBART // MDUSU&DAMEZA

Give ‘em a soul clap!

REASON

By Tom Wilson

Hobart Show & New Album Reason will be performing one show in Hobart in late May as a lead up to his new album, with help from Hospice MC Ciecmate.

This is definitely not one to miss – prepare to hear some new unreleased joints, as well as the classics that helped make the first artist to be signed to Obese Records one of the most influential MCs in Australia.

He will also be supported by Deedare, Pissed Apostles, Phexy and DJ Laws.

Reason plays Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel on the 24th of May. www.myspace.com/reasonsolid

Hobart’s mdusu clearly isn’t afraid of hard work; in addition to dropping the new mdusu&dameza LP and stacking up his schedule with touring to promote it, and performing the Obese Block Party alongside an all-star lineup of Oz hip-hop talent, he and his fiancé are also expecting … Still, you don’t get this kind of cred and clout by sitting on your hands, do you? SAUCE gave him a soul clap …

You guys are releasing can we get a soul clap? this month. In terms of its style, what sets this apart from sounds from our town?

The first album was really about Dameza and I (and DJ Grotesque) finding our feet as engineers/producers/ label heads, and learning about how to create a whole album by ourselves from scratch – the writing, performing, recording, mixing, manufacture, publicity etc. After taking stock of our successes and failures from the first album, we felt we were in a position to make an album that was comparable to what we consider the “leading” hip-hop artists in Australia, and we really feel that we’ve done that. Also, on the first album, I was trying a bunch of different sounds musically, and through all that trial-and-error, we came to the more coherent sound we’ve got now. “… We were

ment work into our new artists, and preparing for the launch of Dunn D’s solo debut, Map of Tassie, as well as preparing a national publicity drive and potential tour for can we get a soul clap?

You worked with The Tongue on his debut album Shock & Awe, and I understand you’ve got several other projects on the go. What can you tell me about them?

I don’t want to say too much yet, but in the next twelve months, you’ll be seeing a few releases all over the country (and possibly a couple in the UK) with either rhymes or beats from myself. There will be a few more S.L.U.T releases too, but we don’t want to spoil the surprise …

writing and recording really good music with really good friends, which is already a success in itself.”

What were the best and worst parts about writing and recording this new work, and why?

The best part of writing and recording is the writing and recording itself. If you’re going to record your own music, you have to spend so much repetitive time on getting your processes right that if you don’t enjoy every facet of it, then you’re not going to end up with a very good product.

At the end of the day, we were writing and recording really good music with really good friends, which is already a success in itself. Hearing our guests’ verses for the first time was also brilliant – you know that they’re going to be dope, but when they send it to you and you listen for the first time, it’s like buying a new album … and then you remember, “F*ck yeah, that’s going to be on our album!”

The worst parts are all the waiting for things out of your control to happen, and having to re-create dope beats, vocals, takes, scratch takes and mixes because of computer f*ck-ups.

Along with Dameza and DJ Grotesque, you formed S.L.U.T. Productions some time ago. How have things been going on that front? What releases do you have in the pipeline?

It’s all going really well. We’ve been spending the last six-to-twelve months raising our profile nationally, and we’re starting to see the benefits from all the hard work we’ve put in. We’ve also been putting in some develop-

You’re performing as part of the Block Party – what memories do you have of the last one? And what are you most looking forward to at this one?

The last one was awesome; not only did we get to share the stage with some of our favourite acts, but we got to hang out a bit and make some good friends, both personally and professionally. At this one, I’m really looking forward to see some of the acts I’ve never got to see live before, like Drapht, Hyjak N Torcha and Spit Syndicate.

It’s such a massive gig for Tasmania, too; to have that many quality Australian acts on one Tasmanian bill would’ve been unheard of even two years ago. Hopefully it gets more Tasmanians pumped for hip-hop with a local accent, and gets them inspired to check out some different Tassie styles too.

What will you and Dameza be getting up to after this gig?

Straight after the show, I’ll be getting a good position to see the stage and then watching every act perform.

After that, I’ll probably going back home to my heavily pregnant fiancée, and mixing Dunn D’s album. I might have a beer or two first, though … mdusu&dameza play the Obese Block Party at the Hobart Uni Bar on the 30th of May. www.myspace.com/mdusuanddameza SAUCE #68

19

ROCK - PERTH // BIRDS OF TOKYO

Dissecting Universes

By Tom Wilson

With the band touring nationally on the back of the first single from their forthcoming sophomore LP, Adam Spark of Birds Of Tokyo briefed SAUCE on what should prove to be their most eclectic and dynamic work to date …

Where are you at the moment?

I’m in my studio in Perth, waiting for my guitar tech to come here, actually. He’s broken one of my pedals! [Laughs] We’re going to try and fix it.

You guys are touring the new single Silhouettic … that’s coming from the yet-to-be-released second Birds Of Tokyo album. To what extent do you think Silhouettic really kind of represents the sound of the rest of the album? Is the rest of the album in kind of a similar vein?

Actually, not at all. We’ve sort of titled the record in such a way that represents how different everything is. We kind of took a little bit of a gamble – none of the songs on this record sound anything like the other ones. There’s that one; there’s, like, some gospel stuff on there; there’s this blues-y, rock-y thing; there’s a little bit of an Eastern kind of thing; there’s a piano and acoustic and cello thing; there’s more of an industrial kind of thing; there’s a U2-kind of rock song; there’s the poppy kind of song on there. It’s probably the most diverse thing we’ve recorded, I think. So Silhouettic sounds nothing like anything else on the record.

gles and trying to sell them to people … a lot of people – a lot of listeners – aren’t putting much value on paying for music anyway, so we kind of thought, well, there’s no point trying to pull money out of people for something that, essentially, we just want people to hear and enjoy. We kind of felt that we’ve got a pretty strong fanbase around the place, so we

So what are you calling this diverse monster of an album?

We’re calling it Universes … I don’t know if I’m supposed to say that yet, because I’ve got to go ask the people who are going to do some press-releasing, but whatever, I don’t care – it’s my record, I can do what I like! Yeah, we’re calling it that because … the thing that we kept coming back to … there’s kind of these eleven different little worlds on there.

Not “universes” in anything grand or space, but in the sense that, you know, each thing has its own vibe, it’s own little world or universe, as it were. We thought it was kind of cool to call it Universes because, I guess by nature, “universe” is a singular kind of word, seeing as there should be only one of them, as far as we know … Production-wise, the mixing and all that sounds fantastic. It’s all mixed really well; it all has the same sonic sort of feel, but song-wise … there’s not one song on the record that sounds like the others.

know that people are going to go out and buy and enjoy the record and stuff like that, so there’s no harm with letting them do what they want with it, and show it to their friends and parents and uncles or whatever, and do what they like with it. It’s worked really well, because we’ve reached tons of new people with this single. It’s just something we want

to get out there and give away, and say, “Look, it’s yours – we wrote it, but put it out there; take it, burn it, cut it up, do what you like with it.”

Birds Of Tokyo play Hobart’s Republic Bar on the 22nd of May. To listen to the full interview, go to www.sauce.net.au

“… We wrote it … take it, burn it, cut it up, do what you like with it.”

One thing I noticed was that Silhouettic is, I understand, available for free download from your site. Why have you guys decided to do this? This seems like a somewhat unusual move.

I guess it’s the sort of thing where … we know, and we appreciate the value of music, especially our own – we know it all too well – but at the same time, we understand the seismic movement and shift in the way that the recording industry works. We kind of thought that the days of putting out sin-

ROCK – HOBART / LAUNCESTON // THE MUDDY TURDS

If it’s brown, flush it down!

By Tom Wilson

Yokels, hippy chicks, male stripping … touring their latest album has certainly been an interesting ride for The Muddy Turds, and it’s not over yet. Mark spoke to us ahead of their set at Hobart’s Alley Cat Bar … was about four days after the airplay that we found out. As far as I know, there has just been the one spin, so it would be good if it got follow-up (am I greedy?). Also, Edge in Hobart had our album on high rotation as an Edge Radio Recommended, so there is a bit of Turd hitting airways at the moment. The plan is once we have a distribution deal, we will be targeting more airplay on the mainland stations. Just waiting for distro … waiting … waiting …

The track Dacks still reigns as my favourite Turds tune – what inspired it, dare I ask?

Sometimes I pose questions to myself. Question: what would someone who is a bit socially inept but a little kinky say as a pickup line? Answer: “Hey baby, hey baby, hey baby … hey baby, I want to eat, your, dacks.”

Dacks was co-written with Thomas J “Spunkrat” Morgan, when I was in a band with him called The Flaps, probably six years ago. The song was actually only an idea and not a song, but I took the idea and turned it into a Turd song (with permission from the Spunkrat, of course).

What are some of the tastiest kinds of undies, and why?

Tom, I am a very serious person – why do you ask such silly questions? Honestly, do you think the readers of your fine piece of literature are so low-brow that they will be interested in such trashy talk? PS – it is the lacy ones; they retain the smaller, more volatile aromatic compounds.

What’s one thing you never leave home without, and why?

Your Mum. Why? Because I had to mention it somewhere?

Why? Your Mum? Why? What is the question? What was the question? Why? Your Mum! What would you do if you were invisible for a day [aside from be more attractive … OK, that was mean]? What would you get up to?

Oh no, you played the ugly card … well, I might be ugly, I might be a loser, but at least I’m not a ranga, or a ginga … gingaranga rangaginga dingalinga rongaginga gonorrhea.

Well put. The Muddy Turds play the Alley Cat Bar in Hobart on the 17th of May. www.myspace.com/muddyturds

“To supplement our income, Beau commenced his career as a male stripper …”

Outside of music, what’s been keeping you busy lately?

I dug a hole and described the texture of the soil; I rubbed it up and down my fingers and wet it into a ribbon. It was quite a nice feeling. I can recommend getting your fingers dirty – it’s good. Stratified alluvial deposits with slickenslides are the best.

You guys toured the mainland earlier this year. How did the shows go?

The shows were all good; we played some random places, like on the back of a truck to yokels and Samora at Bega, and to a bunch of middle-aged hippy chicks and their anklebiters in Castlemaine. Best of all was Newcastle, because the folk there are always so friendly and helpful. When we played Dacks, most of the audience dropped their pants and danced around showing us their undies. I got distracted, as I was trying to sing and a guy was flashing his pubes at me. To supplement our income, Beau commenced his career as a male stripper; at Wagga Wagga, after our show, a

hat went around the pub to get him to strip. It worked.

What plans do you have to do more touring? Where do you hope to take the Turds next?

At the moment, we are planning what to do for the rest of the year, because the first few months were pretty busy with the album, the tour, Hobart Fringe, and now the promotion of the album. Currently we are just doing a few pub gigs around Tassie over winter, trying to pull in as many of our guest Turds [as possible]. We will plan another mainland tour sometime soon; September, November and March are ideas. What we actually end up doing depends on how organised we are.

The track Fruit Platter got JJJ airplay in March. What did this mean to you guys? Was it an affirmation of sorts?

I was surprised, because we hadn’t sent our album to JJJ, and we didn’t know we had the airplay until I checked my inbox and saw emails from people saying they heard us; this SAUCE #68

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METAL – U.S. / BRAZIL // CAVALERA CONSPIRACY

Cavalera Brothers United

“The Cavalera Conspiracy is about a sense of being unleashed,” says vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera. “You bottle a monster for ten years and then let it out. It’s explosive, and we waited a long time for this beast to be set free.”

It’s true. The wait is over. And the time is now. Many said it would never happen – that Max and Iggor Cavalera, the Brazilian brothers and visionaries that formed the groundbreaking metal band Sepultura in 1983 would reunite to make electrifying music together again. Despite having spent twelve years apart, the inescapable fact remains; Max and Iggor share blood, and are musical soulmates. Their time away from each other fostered musical growth leading to the newly inspired metallic magic. Hence, the Cavalera Conspiracy was born. While the Cavalera Conspiracy and their Roadrunner Records debut Inflikted may seem like the closest we’ll get to a Sepultura reunion, make no mistake – the Cavalera Conspiracy is its own maniacal, untamable beast with its own set of rules.

Iggor sums up their musical connection, simply stating, “We don’t need to speak. We look at each other and we know. With one look, we know if we’re going in the right direction.” That’s how clearly they understand one another.

Max continues, “There was over ten years of not seeing or talking to each other at all, which is a long-ass time.

That’s what made it more special when it did finally happen. While we were working together, I was thinking about how the last time I saw him; I was on a tour bus, after my last show with Sepultura at the Brixton Academy. Fast forward, and I’m picking him up at the airport in Phoenix.

It was heavy and emotional. Obviously, all those feelings, along with years of musical history, came flooding back, and once the personal relationship was restored, the musical one began to take shape.

The first seeds of the Max/Iggor reunion were planted when the duo played together at the Dana Tribute show, an annual benefit played for Max’s slain stepson. “I was playing with Iggor at a show that was so meaningful,” Max admits. “We got to play Roots and Attitude, which is a song I wrote with Dana. From that point on, I couldn’t help myself. I knew I wanted to record with him again. I had not done a “project” since Nailbomb, which was a long time ago. Iggor loved the idea. With no name, I just wrote songs all day long. We had to find musicians, and set the mood so we could just write a kick-ass record.” Iggor has similar fond memories of that show and that feeling, “Once we hit the first note, it felt like a bomb had dropped on stage.

From that moment on, I knew we needed to do something together musically.”

Iggor continues, “We reunited as a family first. Naturally, music came next. At first, we had no idea we would do music again. I have my own new project, and that takes so much of my time. I had no plans at all of going back and doing a metal project. But at the same time, it was natural to play again with Max.” Max compares the situation to The Godfather Part III, exclaiming, “Just when Al Pacino thought he was out, his family pulled him right back into the shit again! That’s what I did; I pulled him right back.”

Once recording commenced, Max brought a bunch of songs he had written. Album opener Inflikted is an urgent, thrashy anthem designed for the most riotous mosh pits, while Sanctuary has a classic Beneath The Remains-era Sepultura vibe. Max says, “I brought the tracks to the studio without the fury. Iggor put his “thunder drums” on top of it and it became something else!”

Although Iggor exited Sepultura and is working on his electronic music project, that familiar feeling coursed through his veins when he sat down to track drums. “We had no pressure on our backs. The most important thing is that we were happy in the studio; we worked a lot and it was a blast. That translates into the music,” Iggor says.

By the time the record was finished, Max knew that they had recaptured the magic. “My brother makes the drums sound like thunder like no one else. Not many musicians can grab a kit and change the sound and personality of the drums, but he can. It’s fucking scary.”

While the Soulfly and Sepultura comparisons will undoubtedly – natch – “arise”, both brothers contend that the Cavalera Conspiracy is different because their tastes and influences have grown over the years. There’s less of a world vibe on Inflikted, but its every bit as dangerous, thanks to its “fuck the world” attitude. “Why do I get goosebumps when listening to this? I don’t want to know,” says Max.

“You either like it or hate it, but you can’t ignore it. We’re like a bomb.”

Summing up their personal chemistry, which is palpable on the booming Bloodbrawl and the uber thrash attack Terrorize, Max says, “I’m crazy. I used to drink. I talk. He is quiet. He has never drank before. It’s this weird combo that becomes lethal together. You either like it or hate it, but you can’t ignore it. We’re like a bomb.”

Inflikted is out now.

METAL // LAUREN HARRIS

First daughter of a metal son

By Chris Rattray

It’s one thing to get your Dad to give you a lift to a gig, and it’s another thing if you’re supporting your Dad’s band, but if that band is British metal-legends, Iron Maiden, on the first leg of their “Somewhere Back in Time” tour, and your Dad is the bass player, Steve Harris, then you may as well climb aboard their specially outfitted Boeing 757 (“Ed Force One”) and travel in style. Steve’s eldest daughter, Lauren Harris, spoke to me ahead of her Brisbane engagement about growing up, very literally, in the Iron Maiden family …

Hey Lauren, how’s the tour treating you?

Oh, it’s brilliant! Going on the plane and everything, for starters, is just crazy, you know? All sixty of us just all know each other – the Iron Maiden plane and the artwork and everything is amazing. The first one we did in India, and it was a warm-up gig but it was in front of like, twenty thousand people, so it wasn’t really a warm-up gig… I’ve never been [to Australia] before – the whole band’s never been here before and we just absolutely love it. The people are so, so nice and the country is just amazing. We’ve gone down really, really well – the best one for us so far was definitely the first show in Sydney. They were just so receptive… everyone’s just so nice though, they wanna have fun, they wanna have a good time. I love London and where I’m from and everything, but everyone over there is a bit more like – ‘cos there’s so much over there – everyone’s so reserved and they’re kind of like “impress me” sort of a thing.

But over here, it’s just totally the opposite – they just want to have a good time… and they do!

“ … Actually, my Dad’s hair is a lot nicer than mine!”

I guess it’s about establishing relationships with the audience and yourself – being related to your Dad and being on this tour, it’s sort of an extended receptiveness to the Iron Maiden family in a way?

Yes! There is that as well. I think people do give us a bit more of a pass because they know that we’re family and stuff, and kind of all in it together, doing the whole plane thing together and we’re actually part of the whole thing rather than just being like, a normal support band we’re kind of in with the whole deal. I ‘spose people are kind of more warm to us a bit more for that, which is great. But on the other hand, actually, from some people there’s always that kind of thing where they expect a bit more from me because of it as well which is also hard… we’re lucky because we’ve been away with Maiden before as well, and there’s a few people out in the crowd – they travel from Europe and everywhere to come and watch Maiden – so there’s people I recognise in the crowd who support us as well and we know them now… so that’s good.

Growing up as you did in this family… did you really have a choice as to your career path?

Not really! [Laughs] No, I’m joking… I have other sisters as well and they’ve kind of gone down different routes - we don’t all do the same thing. I’ve always sang since I was little and I ‘spose it’s what I’ve always wanted to do and [my Dad’s] always been supportive about it… he’s never told me “you can’t get into this business, it’s not for you!” I ‘spose some Mums and Dads would be kind of protective, but he’s totally supported me the whole way and he respects my decision, and it’s nice that I can do this with him, you know? It’s not really the norm.

And not only have you inherited your father’s musicianship, you’ve also inherited his lovely long hair!

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SAUCE #68

When was the last time your Dad cut his hair?

Wow – I’ve never been asked that before! I don’t even know. I mean, he gets it cut regularly but he hardly has any of it off… probably like last year or something… I don’t know! [Laughs] Does he share hair-care tips?

Not really! He just tends to leave his, whereas I’ve straightened mine. Mine’s actually wavy… actually, my Dad’s hair is a lot nicer than mine! [Laughs] He’s lucky – his is longer than mine as well!

I can always ask him for a hair band if I need one, which you don’t normally ask your Dad. I’d like to congratulate you on signing to Demolition… what is it about that label that was right for you?

We went with an independent label because, with the majors nowadays with the state the music industry’s in at the moment, I think they’re concentrating more on their own bands and it’s really hard for a new artist to kind of get in there, to get their voice out there and stuff… Demolition’s really come on board – they love the album and everything and are really into it, so if you’ve got someone behind you who really love it, they’re going to push for it, whereas if you go with some massive company that aren’t really into it they don’t really care as much and can just put you off as a tax write-off…

To what extent do you think they’ll be leveraging the Steve Harris connection or is it a matter of fact that they will push you as your own individual entity?

I hope that will happen, because that’s realistically what we really want is for me to pave my own way. But, at the moment, we’re doing the Maiden thing and it’s obvious to everybody that I am his daughter so, to not use that, I think, is a bit silly really, because it’s good. People kind of might diss me for it or whatever, but I just think if anyone was in the same position they’d do the same thing… getting out there, first of all, it’s a big, big help. It’s a really good tool, but in the end I… want to pave my own way and they know that as well and want to do the same for me.

Continuing with the Maiden/Harris interconnectedness, could you tell me what your favourite Iron Maiden album is and what is your Dad’s favourite song of yours?

Seventh Son [of a Seventh Son]… but I also really love their latest one, A Matter of Life and Death… that was a really great album - we were away with them when they were doing it every night – every song on that album is so strong, but I’ve got a soft spot for Seventh Son… as for my Dad, he really likes Like It or Not, actually… and I know he likes Steal Your Fire as well – he played on that…

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

MUSIC - HOBART // SLIVER

Works Festival event hits the D.E.C. Seventy young performing artists ranging from contemporary musicians to circus artists and multimedia artists are combining to present Sliver, one of the feature events of the 2008 Works Festival at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on Friday the 23rd of May. A celebration of youth subcultures through music and multimedia, Sliver will feature three soundstages, three projection screens and over four hours of contemporary music and performance in one of the most innovative performance events to be staged at the Derwent Entertainment Centre this year.

Event designer and multimedia artist Sandi Rapson has outlined many of the multimedia features of the event.

“As well as a great music line up, there are lots of opportunities for event goers to actually contribute to the event via the multimedia opportunities available on the night. Images selected by our team, or by event goers can be projected onto the giant scrim or even onto the floor of the main arena. We’re also really excited about the interactive dance floor, and lots of VJing opportunities for people attending the event.”

“As well as a great music line up, there are lots of opportunities for event goers to actually contribute ...”

Sliver is being produced by the Musical Mischief Makers, a group of young people working with the Glenorchy Youth Taskforce to promote safe partying and more live performance opportunities for young bands in alcohol and drug-free venues.

The event is being staged with the generous sponsorship of the Road Safety Taskforce and the assistance of Arts Tasmania, The Australia Council and Glenorchy City Council.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for young and emerging local bands to present their sound on the biggest stage in the state, supported with a fully professional sound system” says Dario Phillips, media spokesperson, band manager and member of the Musical Mischief Makers.

“People coming on the night will be able to view three stages of live music - alternating across the evening, as well as state of the art interactive multimedia.”

“There will be a huge range of musical styles” explains Dario, “including hip hop, metal, rock, funk, punk, rap, roots and acoustic. We even have a rock ‘n’ roll circus act being developed, performing to a live soundtrack by local metal band, Lost Hope.”

Sliver is a drug and alcohol free event for young people twelve years and older. All tickets are $5, door sales only at the DEC on the night.

Doors open at 6:30pm, with strictly no pass-outs, live sound from 7pm with the final performance ending at 11am. For all the latest details on the event visit: myspace.com/sliver08.

Jack’s Agenda

METAL - WALES // BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE

Scream aim fire

By Steve Tauschke

Matt Tuck from South Wales metalcore outfit Bullet For My Valentine predicts the group’s second album Scream Aim Fire will be an album for the ages. Indeed, the self-titled debut single’s recent ascension to #1 on the UK Rock charts reinforces such a hunch …

“We’ve always been a band most interested in the quality of the songs regardless of how fast we play guitar or how loud we can sing,” says the singer-guitarist from his rehearsal room in Cardiff. “It’s always been about the songs as a whole and I think these songs have got the potential to be great future classics. So that was very important for us, to have them stand the test of time.”

A commentary on the façade of war, Scream Aim Fire, released in January this year, is “a lot more arena-sounding and flashier” than 2005’s debut The Poison, particularly “the power balled stuff” suggests Tuck. Helping the quartet raise the metalcore bar was legendary British producer Colin Richardson, architect behind the bowel-shifting heaviosity of Cannibal Corpse and Machine Head.

“Colin’s a very timid and quiet person, probably [the] least metal person you’d ever meet,” confides Tuck with a laugh. “If you just walked past him in the street you’d have no idea he was Colin Richardson. When we first signed him up we were thinking ‘geez, this is the guy who’s worked on some amazing classic metal records’ but he came into the studio in a pink polo shirt – it was totally wrong! But he’s a very funny guy and probably the clumsiest guy I’ve ever met too. Every day he’d break something or fall off a chair.”

“… There was a knock on the door – a guy popped his head round and it was Lars [Ulrich]!”

Describing himself as a “metal kid who’s grown into a metal man”, Tuck formed BFMV with guitarist Michael Paget in 1997 (under the moniker Jeff Killed John) after acting on a declared fondness for Metallica’s crossover metal. He cites the “the clean intro part of Nothing Else Matters“ – from the thunder gods’ breakthrough Black Album – as the first riff he mastered.

“I didn’t have an amp for a while with my first electric guitar,” says Tuck, who eventually supported his heroes on stage in Holland in 2006. Needless to say, he was beside himself.

“We were just hanging out in the dressing room getting ready for show time,” he says, “and there was a knock on the door – a guy popped his head round and it was Lars [Ulrich]! He came in and introduced himself and welcomed us to the tour and asked if there’s anything we needed. That was a mad experience, to have the band who made me pick up a guitar in the first place and there I am on tour with them and he knows who the f*ck I am! It was bizarre!”

In their decade together, BFMV have experienced first-hand the enduring magic of metal whose followers continue to humble them. “It’s probably one of the purest and most heartfelt forms of music,” says Tuck. “It’s never been a bullshit form; it’s been around for decades, and it just never goes away.”

Fan loyalty has now helped the band sell in excess of a million albums, an achievement way beyond Tuck’s wildest teenage fantasies.

“We never even dreamed we’d get a record deal anyway, let alone achieve what we’ve achieved,” he says. “It’s been amazing couple of years for us. It’s totally transformed me from being a boy who’s passionate about writing and playing music in a band to it actually being my entire life now. And it’s made me more money in the last three years than I’d ever thought I’d ever earn in my life. I’ve toured the world and played with my idols – it’s totally changed everything.”

Scream Aim Fire is out now.

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SAUCE #68

ADVENTURE - HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA

Starting in Bangkok for just a couple of nights, I then head to the Cambodian border. The border crossing is in itself a mission; you walk from one immigration office to the next, and for about one kilometer it is another world. There are large and extravagant casinos lining the street; it is like nowhere land … so much wealth, while on the dirt street out the front are the farmers and beggers.

Once through Cambodian customs, this third world country smacks you in the face – it is like a time warp. There is no bitumen on the road, only huge potholes and puddles.

Tuk-tuks, bicycles and buses are eating up the dust and the mud. I try to arrange a bus through to Siem Reap, only to be ripped off, but at this stage I have no other choice ...

So I book a bus and confirm three times that it is air-conditioned and has allocated seating.

Shuffled onto a tuk-tuk, because apparently the bus cannot meet us at the normal stop, as the road is “too bad” ... Once on the tuk-tuk, I understand. We bump through and over puddles that are so deep water comes into the tuk-tuk, the traffic is literally going in every direction to avoid the ridiculous potholes that are inevitably impossible to miss. So I arrive in hysterics to the bus, about a kilometer up the road.

The very moment I am about to board the bus I think is mine, another pulls up in front of it; this is our bus – and it is shit! Oh well, here we go in for the adventure; it is not even 150kms away, so the trip should be relatively short. Wrong.

The guide on the bus gets on and tells us that, “We are all in this together; the ride will take six hours.” I question this, and he simply laughs and says, “You’ll see.” So as we pull away, in our amazingly loud, rattley and non-air-conditioned bus, the dust of the road gushes in while going straight through those very large dirt holes. We only see about a hundred meters of bitumen road the whole way.

Settled into the ride, I enjoy the real Cambodia; the bus bumps through village after village, where everything is brown, dirt and wood. People live in only one-room shacks, on the dirt. The villages smell of rubbish, as they obviously don’t have council pick up in colour-coded bins once a week. In every village there is a street that stands out; it has a large decorative arch at its beginning, an arch that looks like it is worth more than everything in the village put together (and it probably is). I realise that these are the roads to Wats (temples), and you see the value of Buddhism in this country.

“A holiday in Cambodia, where the slums got so much soul” – Dead Kennedys.

As we roll into Siem Reap at about 9pm – I have been on the road since 7am – huge lavish hotels line the streets. Seriously, I mean huge – all five-star. It is quite strange, and not at all what I expected. Again, there is so much wealth that stands above the streets of obviously poor working-class citizens.

The main attraction to this beautiful city of Siem Reap are the Temples of Angkor, and they are quite mind-blowing.

Remnants of the Khmer Empire that existed between the 9th and 13th centuries, these temples are a perfect fusion

STREET ART - YouthArc

BY ANNA WALLACE

SKATE WRAP

BY JIMMY MCMACKEN

of creative ambition and spiritual devotion. The main attraction is Angkor Wat, and with its sheer size and intricate beauty, you can see why. Other Wat’s are not so preserved, with jungle growing right through the middle of them; they have a different charm. (This is where they filmed Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider.) You can be mistaken for a moment, thinking you are in a time warp, with wandering monks, who are tourists themselves, and monkeys dancing in the surrounding jungle.

After I am templed-out, I head for the beach, arriving at Sihanoukville in the dark and pouring rain. I check into what is, apparently, an amazing bungalow, at the distant Otres Beach, overlooking the ocean on a peninsula. But the weather is stormy, and the charm just isn’t there. All this, only to find out that the restaurant is closed and I am not in town ... So, after eating a few biscuits I had in my pack, I just go to bed.

The storm bellows through the night, waking me so many times that at 2AM I think it must be at least 6:30AM. But the morning is promising, and slowly the sun starts to shine.

I hire a scooter and check out the coastline. It is fabulous; much of the area is in early stages of development, so I am glad to catch this pocket of the earth now. I hit Ocheteal Beach for a fresh seafood platter and beer – it costs only $5 – and afterwards it is a simple slip into a banana chair on the beach. Now this is the life.

At first the fresh fruit sellers and kids with bracelets are cute, but after so many of them, and the ones that tell me my legs are hairy ( just cause they want me to pay them $4 to get the hairs off with some sewing cotton) and the beggars, your patience soon runs a little thin. But this is Cambodia, and by the way, my legs aren’t bloody hairy!

The rain comes and goes; I get pelted so hard on the bike it hurts the skin, but it is beautiful hot summer rain, and the pain is that kind of hard tickle pain that you got from dad’s chin when you were a kid – you love to hate it. Stuck in the rain on the bike yet again, I run out of petrol ... they failed to tell us that the fuel gauge did not work. Luckily, I am with a mate, but we are not on a main road ... No worries, a local man and his daughter save us. Cambodians are the friendliest people.

Alex Leszczynski Nollie FS Tailslide Fakie - Photo by Jason Morey Last month I mentioned that some of Tassie’s finest young skaters were in Sydney for the junior national championships. As you can imagine, the best young skaters in the country turned up, and the competition was fierce. Hobartian Ben Priseman managed his way into the finals in the under 14 boys, and picked himself up a very respectable sixth place – well done, Ben. In other competition news, Friday May 2nd saw the “Skaters of the Lost Arc” mini-ramp/best trick/highest ollie competition at the Youth Arc put on by Jimmy’s Skate and Street and sponsored by Globe. Mini-ramp results were, in under 12, 1st Jack Joyce, in under 15, 3rd Hamish Elliot, 2nd Brandon Chivers, and 1st Ben Priseman. In under 18, 3rd Cale, 2nd Levi Adams, and 1st Christian Reiper. In open, 3rd Paul McMacken, 2nd Tom Field, and 1st Sam Giles.

Best trick on the grind box went to Josh Tyler (JT) with honorable mentions going to Ben Smith, Josh Smith,

Moey and Christian Rieper. The highest ollie competition was a draw between Josh Smith and Laif Johanason.

Hot on the heels of the very successful skate photography exhibition Four Wheels and a Camera at Jimmy’s Skate and Street is the second installment in this series, Four Wheels and a Funeral, which will feature works from local and national artists including Cat Rabbit, Wilko, Extol, Eddo, Noble etce, all doing work using old skateboards as a canvas. Submissions are welcome, and the opening will be at 120 Elizabeth Street in Hobart at 5:30 on Friday the 23rd of May. Tasmanian Tom Cuthbertson has a full-page sequence in the latest Slam Magazine. Jason Morey was the winner of this month’s photo comp on the Australian website Skateboard.com, so check out both of these Tassie boys representing.

So I had to hop on the back of a man’s bike, with his daughter of about fourteen on there also (they fit a family of six on a scooter over here). He took me to where you buy petrol, which is always just in front of someone’s shanty. They sell it to you in Johnny Walker or soft drink bottles ... Then his daughter waited there while he took me back, bottle of Fanta petrol in hand.

Now I am in Phnom Penh, the capitol of Cambodia; stayed last night in a very shitty room, in the lakes district, but it only cost $2.50 – and after some of the other rooms we saw, it looked good ... I can get opium and marijuana at my door step ...

This is Cambodia. Next edition: Partying in Saigon.

Photo by Joel Imber

Ben Smith Kickflip - Photo by Jason Morey SAUCE #68

21

Street Fashion

22

Photos by Jason Morey / Tom Wilson / David Williams

Fiona 25

Kaffi

Kate 20

Sam 19

Favourite band?

Led Zeppelin.

Favourite band?

Gogol Bordello.

Favourite band?

Radiohead.

Favourite band?

The White Stripes.

Favourite TV show?

Sex & The City.

Favourite TV show?

Metalocolypse.

Favourite TV show?

Baywatch.

Favourite TV show?

Flight Of The Conchords.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

Every day.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

I don’t.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

I don’t.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

Every Sunday.

What radio station do you listen to?

Triple J.

What radio station do you listen to?

None.

What radio station do you listen to?

None.

What radio station do you listen to?

Triple J.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

Computer.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

Computer.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

TV.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

Computer.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

Facebook.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

Myspace and Facebook.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

School.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

Deviantart.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

My scarf.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

Chickenfeed T-shirt.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

Beanie.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

My Spiderman T-shirt.

What does your outfit say about you?

That I’m casual but fashion conscious.

What does your outfit say about you?

D.I.Y.

What does your outfit say about you?

I’m cold.

What does your outfit say about you?

That I’m lazy.

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Fluoro!

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Fluoro and emo.

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Fluoro!

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Car brand attire – Ford and Holden hats/t-shirts.

Katie 26

Luke 30

Natalie 24

Vic 38

Favourite band?

The Cat Empire.

Favourite band?

Radiohead.

Favourite band?

HIM.

Favourite band?

James.

Favourite TV show?

Grey’s Anatomy.

Favourite TV show?

The Simpsons.

Favourite TV show?

Underbelly.

Favourite TV show?

Newstopia.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

Never.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

Twice a week.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

Every day.

How often do you buy the newspaper?

Daily.

What radio station do you listen to?

Triple J.

What radio station do you listen to?

Triple J.

What radio station do you listen to?

Triple J.

What radio station do you listen to?

No particular one – I’m a radio slut.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

Computer.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

TV.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

TV.

What do you look at most – a computer screen, or a TV screen?

Computer

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

Facebook.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

My online course.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

Hotmail.

Where do you mostly go on the internet?

Wikipedia.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

A knitted beanie with ears.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

Converse sneakers.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

This jacket.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

My vest.

What does your outfit say about you?

Casual and fun.

What does your outfit say about you?

That I need to get some washing done.

What does your outfit say about you?

Comfortable.

What does your outfit say about you?

Modest and incognito.

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Girl mullet.

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Those Supre t-shirts.

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

Tartan.

What’s a current fashion trend you think is ridiculous?

The low pants.

SAUCE #68

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WWW DESTROYALLLINES COM SAUCE #68

23

coming up [saturday 24th may, door @ 9pm] bluejuice (triple j hottest 100 #11 ‘vitriol’) & the paper scissors [saturday 24th may] greg packer (perth drum & bass dj) supported by model t (qld) & milestone (hbt) club features [wednesday] dj joycie in the front bar [thursday] uni night [friday & saturday] resident djs pd, little cam, joycie, randall, buffstar d-lux james hotel 122 york st launceston 6334 7231