ROCK CANDY MAGAZINE #11

DISCIPLINARY ACTION Steve ‘The Commando’ Willis on ‘giving it your all’

CROSSING THE GAIN LINE I S S U E 1 1 • AU G U S T 2 0 1 4 • F R E E

THE HIGH PERFORMANCE ISSUE

Matt Hodgson on maintaining fitness in season and out of

#HAPPYBDAYWWW The world wide web reaches a quarter-century mark

20 OUT OF 20 Twenty perennial albums celebrating 20th anniversaries

SMOOTH OPERATOR Actor Ian Anthony Dale on his addiction to action shows

FIT, BUT YOU KNOW IT Essential workout-wear for the dude on the move

PLUS Dan Bilzerian Monique Brumby High On Fire Reid Scott Grafted fast food + Performance drugs in sport

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Bigger careers.

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Photograph by Jayga McMullen.

EDITOR’S LETTER When you hear the words ‘high performance’, it’s often in connection to sport of a speedy nature: motocross racing and Olympic sprinting are two that spring to mind.

For this issue of Rock Candy, we’ve taken the high performance theme and extrapolated on it to the Nth degree – just like true high performers should.

On the sports and athletics front, we chat with Super Rugby player Matt Hodgson about the importance of maintaining fitness – in season and out of; experience a “no excuses” approach firsthand from ‘The Biggest Loser’s Steve ‘The Commando’ Willis; and delve into the dirty world of performance enhancement drugs in the relatively new arena of Mixed Martial Arts.

Away from sports, we meet an auto machinist who enjoys a sideline of turning vintage hotrod parts into wicked furniture (a feat in itself); discover some new tricks up the sleeve of master illusionist Adam Mada (look Mum, his name reads the same forwards as backwards!); and enjoy a riveting conversation with actor Ian Anthony Dale, whose CV boasts more action series and films than you can poke a remote at.

And to high performance of a more ‘techno’ sort, we turn our attention to the world wide web, once known as the ‘information superhighway’ – which this year celebrates its 25th birthday, as we offer you tips on achieving optimal visibility on the net.

You see, we don’t need ’roids to keep us going here at Rock Candy headquarters. Sheer talent and quality subject matter are plenty stimulation for us.

Photography Jayga McMullen Styling Lisa Bodley Hair + makeup Julia Cockman (for Pierrot’s) Model Arber Alikaj (at Chadwick Models) Creative Direction Antonino Tati Metal Vent ‘Tech’ long tee and Surge shorts from Lululemon Athletica. Tycane sunglasses by Adidas. ‘Elevate’ sneakers by Airflex.

Equipment courtesy F45 Training.

Antonino Tati Editor

Read it online!!! with interactive contents

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au

PUBLISHED BY CANDY CUSTOM MEDIA PTY LTD P.O. Box 444 Northbridge WA 6865 www.candycustommedia.com.au ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES sales@candymedia.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editor@candymedia.com.au GENERAL ENQUIRIES info@candymedia.com.au

6 | August 2014

MANAGING DIRECTOR Cornelius Curtin conny@candymedia.com.au EDITOR Antonino Tati antonino@candymedia.com.au CREATIVE DESIGN Barbara Bertoli design@candymedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS

Elizabeth Allnutt, Lisa Andrews, Barbara Bertoli, Heath Black, Lisa Bodley, Chuck Bomba, Julia Cockman, Lanke Dimamata, Jake D. Frost, Gabriel Goldberg, Andrea Manno, Michael Mastess, Jayga McMullen, Debbie Russo, Collin Stark

Rock Candy Magazine is published in Western Australia by Candy Custom Media Pty Ltd and distributed free of charge to resource industry workers at various locations around Western Australia.

All rights reserved. No material published in Rock Candy may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written authority. Views expressed in Rock Candy are not necessarily the views of the editor or publisher. Rock Candy takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information included or for submitted content. Submissions grant the publisher the right to publish editorial in full or in part. © 2014 Candy Custom Media.

Average Net Distribution 95.05% verified bulk distribution

CONTENTS - ISSUE 11 - THE HIGH PERFORMANCE ISSUE

FEATURES 26. 20 OUT OF 20 We handpick 20 most memorable albums celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.

30. #HAPPYBIRTHDAYWWW Reminiscing 25 years of blogging, social networking, indie fundraising, Gumtree and Amazon shopping, Reddit bragging, Friend-poking and Wiki-leaking. Oh, and silly friggin’ kitten videos.

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38. SMOOTH OPERATOR Antonino Tati chats with actor Ian Anthony Dale who’s appeared in an arms-length list of TV series and movies. From 24 to Hawaii Five-O on your flatscreen, and The Bucket List to The Hangover on the big screen, we know you’ve seen his face before.

42. CROSSING THE GAIN LINE Super Rugby player Matt Hodgson chats to Rock Candy about the importance of maintaining fitness in season, and out of. Plus he gets to plug his brand spanking new fitness centre.

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46. DISCIPLINARY ACTION Steve Willis gives his all both on and off screen, adopting a “no excuses” approach in everything from training TV’s ‘Biggest Losers’ to visiting the corner shop in full Commando gear.

48. CHEATING THE TESTOSTERONE TEST For all the talk of crackdowns on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport, one new arena - that of Mixed Martial Arts - appears to be prone to loopholes.

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50. HOT DRIVES… AND EVEN HOTTER DÉCOR Machinist and fitter Scott Nathan turns bits of the world’s coolest looking cars into even cooler looking furniture.

54. WILL THE REAL DAN BILZERIAN PLEASE STAND UP? Genuine playboy or not, kudos to the dude who throws some of the biggest parties outside of Vegas and Miami.

56. HIGH ON LIFE Lead singer Matt Pike of heavy metal band High On Fire has given up drink and drugs, but insists he still likes to deliver “that stoner sound”.

58. WILD HEART Singer Monique Brumby is sharing the joy of music-making with less-advantaged youth, while still cutting killer tracks of her own.

60. WORKING HIS MAGIC Master illusionist Adam Mada talks about his beginnings in magic and also reveals some new tricks from up his sleeve.

62. PLAYING POLITICS Rock Candy catches up with ‘Veep’ actor Reid Scott to discuss how TV is winning over Hollywood’s acting fraternity who are generally tiring of the same ol’ filmic formulas.

8 | August 2014

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REGULARS 10. COMPETITIONS

21. STICK IT IN YOUR DIARY Four must-see sporting events including the Bledisloe Cup and Gold Coast 600.

Win in-season double passes to see high performance flick ‘Lucy’, plus copies of Ministry of Sound’s excellent ‘Sessions Eleven’ CD.

22. POP CULTURE

13. THE BITS UP THE FRONT

32. GALLERY

Glamping is where glamour meets camping; jackfruit is the new miracle food you’ve been searching for; and we take a look at the world’s nations with the most booming economies.

French artist Mr Brainwash loves to poach and pillage pop culture’s past.

So good is the dude’s art, he’s been commissioned by Madonna, Dolce & Gabbana, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

17. GADGETS & STUFF A male vibrator or ‘guybrator’ as it’s known; quality pill speakers from KEF; and yet more fiddly tracking devices to bug you.

Mini interviews with Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne, Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan.

60 68. FOOD + DRINK The ramen burger is a healthier fast food alternative; plus Tequila goes posh.

71. THE FIFO WIFE Deb Russo on ‘Zen and the art of your own body maintenance’.

66. TRAVEL

72. FASHION

Private jet travel offers plenty of benefits for the practised globe-trotter and fly-in, fly-out worker, not least of all personalised treatment.

A high performance lifestyle begins with a fit wardrobe. Photography by Jayga McMullen. Styling by Lisa Bodley.

Competitions

WIN! IN-SEASON PASSES TO SEE SCARLETT JOHANSSON IN ACTION FLICK ‘LUCY’

From ‘La Femme Nikita’ and ‘The Professional’ to ‘The Fifth Element’, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history.

Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in ‘Lucy’, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. To watch Johansson’s Lucy deliver non-stop kick-ass action in this film is exhilarating, to say the least. Indeed she takes high performance to a whole new level.

‘Lucy’ is in cinemas July 31.

Courtesy of Universal Pictures, Rock Candy has 10 x in-season double passes to the film. To try winning a pair simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘Lucy’ to competitions@candymedia. com.au by August 7. Winners’ double passes will be posted out by 6pm that evening so there’ll be plenty of time to view the film in-season.

WIN! COPIES OF EPIC SERIES ‘ATLANTIS’ ON BLU-RAY

WIN! COPIES OF MINISTRY OF SOUND’S ‘SESSIONS ELEVEN’ ON CD

When it comes to delivering quality dance music, a big fat award must go to infamous record label Ministry of Sound. Indeed, some of MoS’s compilations have been running for well over a decade, including the very credible ‘Sessions’ series. ‘Sessions Eleven’ is jampacked with familiar tunes (along with some lesser known gems) all blissfully mixed by electronic and house DJs New World Sound and Chardy.

The double-disc set celebrates ‘Sessions’ moving into its teen years and boasts tracks by Avicii, Tiësto, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Duck Sauce and Bombs Away, not to mention killer remixes of very familiar tunes by Top 40 majors Bastille, Madison Avenue and The Potbelleez. Forty-eight tracks in total: what’s not to excited about?

Courtesy of Ministry of Sound, Rock Candy has 10 copies of ‘Sessions Eleven’ on CD to give away. To try winning a double-disc set simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘Sessions Eleven’ to competitions@candymedia.com.au no later than August 22.

10 | August 2014

From the creators of ‘Merlin’ comes a thrilling 13-part adventure series in ‘Atlantis’. When main man Jason sets out to find his father, he never anticipated the rocky roads his journey would lead to.

Far from home and desperate for answers, Jason washes up on the shores of an ancient land: a mysterious world of bull-leaping, snake-haired goddesses, and palaces so vast it’s been said they were built by giants. This is the lost city of Atlantis. Aided by the studious young Pythagoras and the overweight, overbearing Hercules, Jason embarks on a voyage of discovery that sees him brush shoulders with Medusa, come face to face with the Minotaur, and even fight with the dead.

‘Atlantis’ is available on Blu-ray and DVD through Roadshow Home Entertainment.

Rock Candy has 5 copies on Blu-ray to give away. To try winning one simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘Atlantis’ to to competitions@candymedia.com.au no later than August 22.

DISCOVER UNIQUE BEAUTY AT THE WALPOLE WILDERNESS CENTRE Three unique and breathtaking wilderness experiences will connect you with nature - all in one day.

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2

1

Swarbrick

Mount Frankland

Tree Top Walk, Valley of the Giants

Walk above the Giants 600 m walk fully Accessible

Experience the excitement of walking through the canopy of the magnificent tingle forest on the 40 m high Tree Top Walk. Explore the Ancient Empire trail and be captivated by the forest, the plants and animals.

You can also do the Forest by Night run during school holidays and on request. Educational fun for the whole family.

See views like no other Take the universal access path to the new Wilderness Lookout and be rewarded by expansive vistas over the wilderness, or walk around the base of the granite outcrop along the Caldyanup walk trail and take-in the sounds and smells of the forest.

For 360 degree views of the Walpole Wilderness follow in the footsteps of the fire towerman to the summit of Mt Frankland. A site not to be missed!

Ancient Empire is free. Entry prices for Tree Top Walk: Adult $15.00. Child: $7.50, Concession: $10.50, Family: $37.50.

Discover the nature of art Experience peace and contemplation while walking around the Swarbrick art loop which features thought-provoking art pieces like the 39 m long Wilderness Wall of Perceptions. This area is also home to some of Western Australia’s famous old growth Karri trees and provides a majestic backdrop for acclaimed artwork.

Keep an open-mind and enjoy the journey!

The Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre is a 450 km drive from Perth to Walpole.

W E S T E R N AU S T R A L I A

Walpole Wilderness Centre Visit the three sites in one day, at a leisurely pace, and discover unique beauty for yourself.

BEARDMORE ROAD

Swarbrick

Mt Frankland NORTH WALPOLE RD BRIDGE ROAD

WALPOLE

Bow Bridge

Tree Top Walk SOUTH COAST HIGHWAY SOUTHERN OCEAN

There may be hazardous weather conditions during summer - some sites may be closed.

Each site is open every day except the Tree Top Walk closed Christmas Day.

For more information:

www.parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au facebook: www.facebook.com/treetopwalk e: frankland.district@dpaw.wa.gov.au t: (08) 9840 8263

TuNe In To A BeAuT MiX Of MuSiC OnLiNe 24/7 AnD AlWaYs FrEe

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t E e W s d N a D tHaT's hAr Om

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bits up the front The

PROTECT YOUR PEEPERS

HI JACK!

In the last few years, your pantry has probably been filled with all the usual rice, pasta and cereals plus tubs of protein, and fruit galore. And all because you’re too painstakingly aware of the benefits these foods can give you. But what if there was a food – a fruit nonetheless – that could provide you with all that nutrition combined?

Jackfruit could be your new favourite miracle food. Like wholegrain pasta, it’s high in carbs but low in cholesterol, while its natural sugars make it a delicious brekkie on the go.

The bulky fruit (one piece can weigh up to 40kgs) consists of a spiky green ‘skin’ on the outside, protecting fleshy yellow bulbs on the inside, while there’s even a stash of protein hidden in its brown seeds that can be boiled, peeled and eaten as a snack alternative.

And just like goji, acai and all them other good berries, jackfruit boasts high levels of antioxidants and flavonoids which help reduce the occurrence of free cancer-causing radicals, plus plenty of fibre to slow the rate of sugar in the bloodstream.

So what are you waiting for? Stock up on jack and feel the difference. Andrea Manno Ask for jackfruit at your local supermarket or organic produce store.

The word ‘hydrophobic’ might sound scary at first, but not when it’s applied to the slick new Adidas Tycane Pro range. These sports sunnies feature “advanced hydrophobic filter technology” which, in laymen’s terms, sees that the glass repels water droplets, without leaving annoying streaks, dirt or dust. And thanks to a polarising filter, Tycanes provide the widest angle of vision while eliminating glare from reflective surfaces such as water, white sand or wet rocks. Oh, there’s also something called Climacool Ventilation Technology that prevents the glasses from misting up.

What the hell more could you want from your eyewear? Michael Mastess Sailor Sam Goodchild wears the Tycane Pro in Red and Black, RRP $269.95. For stockists visit adidas.com/eyewear.

THE NEW MONEY

We’re all used to seeing names of cities such as New York, London and Tokyo in financial reports and World’s Richest lists since these tend to have been the playgrounds of major corporations and billionaire individuals. But it looks like the financial landscape is about to change.

A new wealth report by international development company Knight Frank reveals it will be cities in developing nations that will steal the financial spotlight over the next decade.

The face of the ultra-wealthy is set to change drastically with the greatest growth coming from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa – where the number of ultra-high net-worth individuals has most recently doubled.

The cities with the most growth include Jakarta (up 38%), Dubai (up 17%), Sao Paulo (up 13%) and Nairobi (up 5%).

Indeed, in the next ten years, the number of Africans with more than $100 million (these being dubbed centa-millionaires) is set to rise by an astonishing 50 per cent! It is also theorised that Africa will play home to some 40 billionaires, with its total wealth growing at a more rapid rate than any of the world’s developed nations.

These changes in income patterns are set to influence spending habits, with all three of the aforementioned regions – the Middle East, Africa and Latin America – each taking charge in terms of luxury spending, property investment and demand for foreign education.

So what are you waiting for? Time to invest in some of these new major hot spots, yes? Antonino Tati

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 13

bits up the front The

POSH CAMPING

The reasons to not go camping sometimes outweigh the reasons to go.

Let’s see: there are mozzies and other annoying insects, the fear of things going bump in the night, scary stories of Bunyips in the bush, and the discomfort of rocky terrain, to start with. Now, however, camping is gaining a somewhat posher reputation. Well, at least its latest subsidiary, ‘glamping’, is.

A combination of the words ‘glamour’ and ‘camping’, glamping is for those who love the great outdoors but can’t do without the finer things in life.

It’s about tents the size of hotel suites; access to electrical outlets for your phone charger; vintage-style netting over a four-poster bed; and easy access to the nearest watering hole. It’s giving those mozzies the bird while you get on with your fully-meshed and air-conditioned retreat in the outback.

Popular holiday research site, Booking.com suggests several ultimate glamping destinations that include San Salis in Ningaloo Reef in northern WA, where hidden amid the pristine dunes are nine tents just metres away from the water’s edge and where guests can enjoy wild activities like sea-kayaking and snorkeling along the reef. Michael Mastess For more glamping suggestions visit booking.com.

HORSING AROUND

RESIDENCE GETS A REVAMP

From House & Garden to Vogue and Cream, there’s hardly a stylish publication that the work of Simon Upton hasn’t been featured in.

With more than 20 years of work to his credit, this crafty photographer has captured the most stunning of glitterati in their natural habitats, these being their opulent homes and exotic fashion locations.

Now Upton has upped the ante and turned his lens to a more rural landscape, piecing together a stunning cool coffee table book in the form of ‘Tough Stock’ that focuses exclusively on the Australian rodeo scene.

It’s packed with pictures of cowboys in all manner of action, and ought to appeal to the Marlboro man in you. Antonino Tati

Whether for vacation, business or simply a cheeky weekend away from the calls of duty, Citadines St Georges Terrace could well be the place you’re seeking.

As the second Australian property with the name that is well-associated with style and comfort, Perth’s own residence offers visitors quality serviced apartments, like the deluxe studio pictured, equipped with all the mod cons including Wi-Fi, flatscreen, DVD player and cable channels to boot.

For professionals, Citadines also offers a Business Corner and Conference Room. And for those requiring a little TLC, there’s a clever ‘Double Bubbles’ package which includes spa, bottle of sparkling on arrival, and breakfast for two to soak it up in the morning. Andrea Manno

‘Tough Stock’ is available in hardback through simonupton.com.

For more information visit citadines.com or for bookings phone 1800 766 377.

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Gadgets & stuff

Gadgets & Stuff

KEEPING TRACK OF THAT NASTY HABIT

If you’re a smoker who’s aiming to quit, a good place to start is to keep track of the ciggies you’re chugging away (and spending your hard-earned money on).

That’s where nifty gizmo Quitbit could come in handy. Not that it’s available. Yet. Pitched recently on Kickstarter, the Quitbit is a bit like those fitness tracking devices whose name it emulates and, like said gadgets, works to monitor your quit plan with information broadcasted on a built-in display, keeping track of how much you smoke, how long it’s been since your last one, how much you’d save if you didn’t smoke, etc.

There’s a downside, though: with the device set to retail at around $150, punters might think the price is too steep, especially considering you can now download free apps that deliver pretty much the same analysis for you.

Still, every little ‘bit’ helps toward a healthier you. Lisa Andrews

GOOD VIBRATIONS

From a birds-eye view it might look like an in-sole for your shoe but rest assured the ‘Pulse’ by Hot Octopuss will bring a lot more comfort and pleasure to your being – and to a very different part of the anatomy.

Dubbed a ‘guybrator with health benefits’, this device is set to shake up the sex-toy industry Down Under (pun intended) with over 10,000 Pulse ‘guybrators’ sold in the first six months of trading, and with Australia the fastest growing market in the world for the radical new toy.

The sensation created by the Pulse is very different to that experienced with other devices, with testers reporting that it provides “a more powerful and prolonged orgasm” through its patented ‘PulsePlate’ technology that delivers high-amplitude oscillations rather than low-amplitude vibrations.

So, in the name of serious journalistic intent, this writer has no shame in letting you know he has tried it, agreeing absolutely that this nifty gizmo does awesome things that other toys simply can’t do.

And the Pulse is more than just a sex-toy, with health therapists saying it offers possibilities for men who suffer from erectile dysfunction (NB: in a recent survey 44% of Australian men reported having experienced ED, with 74% of these men not raising the issue due to embarrassment).

The promotional campaign for the Pulse has been bold, to say the least, kicking off with a short video that shows the ‘evolution of masturbation’.

The clip starts with a box of tissues to represent ‘wanking’ in the ’50s, moves on to a cover of Playboy magazine in the ’60s, a gym sock in the ’70s, sex doll in the ’80s, vacuum cleaner (no specific era), and ultimately showcasing the brand-spanking new Pulse come 2014.

See what I did there? I managed to get the words ‘spanking’ and ‘come’ into the one sentence! AT For more information or to order the Pulse, visit hotoctopuss.com.

SOUND ADVICE

Don’t be intimidated by the size of the KEF V700 sound bar. While the sheer size of it throws a shadow over other audio amplifying systems, it only takes a moment to set up and is a cinch to operate.

Within five minutes I had this baby out of its box, plugged into the flat-screen via an HDMI lead, and delivering the clearest of amplified sound I’ve heard in ages. And while other inferior sound bars force you to add yet another remote to your overwhelming collection, operation for the KEF is instantly picked up by your current TV remote.

The sound bar can be wall- or stand-mounted – with the stand option allowing for tilt adjustment so that you get desired positioning of the built-in speakers.

As for the quality of audio itself, it’s very live-like. Inside the V700 are four ultra-slim bass drivers, two aluminium tweeters and an integrated amplifier, all working to bring tinny television sound to fuller life. Team the bar with KEF’s wireless subwoofer system, and you’re talking really impressive audio.

Put it this way, the first Blu-ray I tuned into through the system was the Denzel Washington flick ‘Flight’, and whenever the sound of flying aircraft occurred, it sounded like it was actually happening overhead. And when it comes to playing music, a live Muse DVD sounded just like the guys were in the room.

So far as sound goes, in my books bigger is better, and KEF ticks the box nicely. Antonino Tati KEF V700 Soundbar, RRP $1,199.

V700 Soundbar and V20W wireless subwoofer, RRP $1,599.

For stockists visit kef.com or phone Advance Audio Australia on (02) 9561 0799.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 17

Gadgets & stuff

Gadgets & Stuff MAJOR OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE IN A LIGHTER MACHINE

AN ‘OKAY’ SMARTPHONE XPERIA-NCE

KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THAT YOU DO

Just in case you don’t have enough tracking devices to monitor your every move, comes a couple of newies from Fitbit.

The brand’s slogan “small steps, big impact” encompasses the idea of ‘smart exercise’ where the devices sync up with your smartphone via Bluetooth to report on your every move.

Co-founder of Fitbit, James Park, claims “people are becoming more aware of the significant health benefits that come from moving more throughout the day” and insists that having a tracking device on your person is likely to make you more conscious to keep on moving.

Hence something like the Fitbit Wireless Activity + Sleep Tracker clipped to your belt should remind you to get off your ass more at work, or take the steps rather than the elevator.

There’s also the Fitbit Flex wristband (pictured) which, oddly enough, counts moves outside of ordinary walking as ‘steps’ – such as waving your arms about or chucking a couple of squats.

A negative aspect of the device is that when you go to calculate calories per day, it’s difficult to find exact matches of what you’ve eaten. For example, when having eggs, I personally couldn’t select whether my meal was poached or fried or if it came with my beloved hollandaise sauce.

Back to the drawing board for this particular gizmo, perhaps. Andrea Manno Fitbit One (RRP $129.95) and Fitbit Flex ($129.95) available through fitbit.com/au.

18 | August 2014

It can be overwhelming choosing a new smartphone. Some of them boast dozens of nifty features that you’ll probably never use, while a few of the most essential features lack in functionality in certain devices.

The new Sony Xperia Z2 wins points in three areas – screen size and quality resolution (thanks to the phone being nearly 3 inches wide, and for its 20.7 megapixel camera); long battery life (when fully charged it can last up to 18 hours), and basic protection from the elements (eg: it’s waterproof, in fact can withstand being submerged in water two metres deep).

But where the Xperia Z2 loses favour is in the most basic of functionality.

When you go to take a call privately (ie: not on speakerphone) the phone’s screen is sensitive to even the most subtle ear movement, sometimes making you hang up. And when you do try and converse via speakerphone, the audio is harsher than that which comes out of a Samsung or an Apple.

Notifications and alarm levels, too, seem relatively low even on full level, almost making me miss waking up twice in one week!

But for aesthetics, this phone takes excellent quality pics, comes with nifty image-editing software, and connects wirelessly to social media in an instant. AT For information and pricing, visit sonymobile.com.au.

For some, an off-road adventure constitutes as a trip in the 4WD over rocky slopes and rough waters. That’s really what off-roading is about, after all.

But what if you could get off the beaten track in something lighter and therefore more malleable?

That’s where the Can-Am Maverick Max 1000R comes in.

This nifty 4x4 vehicle has four bucket-type vinyl seats with headrests – yes, headrests – on top of an expanded wheelbase of 113.8 inches, which is an increase from the basic two-seater Maverick model.

Enabled by 75.4 kilowatts of horsepower, this fuel and adrenalin-injecting baby runs with continuously variable transmission, which means the Maverick Max gains traction seamlessly as you increase in speed, whether you’re roughin’ it in the bush or burning energies on dunes.

Off-road adventures don’t have to be insecure though, with the Maverick Max equipped with steel frame, front bumper, cab cage, rollbar, seatbelts and halogen headlights (for those who want to venture out in the dark).

If you’ve got a thirst for adventure, this is definitely one 4x4 worth considering, compared to the traditional clumpier ones. Andrea Manno The Can-Am Maverick MAX 1000R is available from your local Perth Sea-Doo Sport & Leisure store. Enquiries (08) 92778095 or visit seadoo.com.au.

TAKE ME TO WHERE THE ACTION’S AT

For a pocket camera (so small you could actually fit two in your pocket) the new Nikon Coolpix packs a cool punch. It’s sturdy, can take harder knocks than most devices of its petite size, and can even be used underwater.

The body of the camera is made mostly of plastic – with a metal front, and its shape makes it easy to grip – even with gloves on. So it certainly makes for a handy accessory for sporty folk wanting to capture awesome moments on land or under sea.

Key features include a zoom rocker with movie record option, instant playback, and an accessible control pad for quick cycling through menus.

The screen on the back boasts an improved resolution of 921k dots and is easy to view even in bright light.

Focus and shutter response is quick, but if continuous shooting is what you’re into, you might get a little frustrated with the fact the camera only takes five snaps before it stops shooting.

Making up for this shortfall is the Coolpix’s media-friendly benefits. Positing the device right in the here and now, the camera comes with a Wi-Fi component that allows the user to download pictures wirelessly to their smartphone, ready to edit and share.

And talk about impressive battery life: you can take 350 shots before this baby starts running out of energy. Naturally, the battery gets used up quicker in Wi-Fi mode, or if you want to make use of the device’s built-in GPS. And speaking of using it as a navigating gizmo, there’s a nifty button that switches to a world map, honing in on where you’re at and where you’d like to be.

Add factors such as the Coolpix being waterproof to 18 metres, shockproof to two metres, and freezeproof to 10°C, and we’re talking one of the better pocket cameras in its budget range. Antonino Tati RRP $399. For more information visit mynikonlife.com.au.

August 16,23 + October 18

Stick it in your diary

Four high performance sporting events worth springing off the couch for.

Compiled by Andrea Manno

BLEDISLOE CUP

August 1-17

It’s been a long time between touch-downs but this year’s Bledisloe Cup is set to be bigger than ever before. 2014 will see our Aussie boys, the Qantas Wallabies, and the New Zealand All Blacks charge at one another for the eighty-three-year-old Cup. And this year will definitely be one to watch as the Wallabies have a perfect strike rate over their past four Tests while the All Blacks have dominated the Bledisloe Cup for the past eleven years. A big C’MON, then, to the boys in green and gold! (Alright then, or the All Blacks if you’re one of our cool NZ readers).

Dates for the three Tests are Saturday 16 August at ANZ Stadium in Sydney – 8pm local time, Saturday 23 August at Eden Park in Auckland, and Saturday 18 October – 7pm local time – at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. Tickets available through rugby.com.au.

Photograph courtesy Getty Images.

September 5-7 + 27

WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP

Parlez-vous Français? It’s time to don your French cap and enjoy the power of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, this year being held in France.

Marcoussis, to be exact, is where the international battles will be at, and the Stade Jean Bouin is where the final showdown will take place.

Saturday 9 August is the date to watch when our Australian girls kick off against France. With the International Rugby Board recently reasserting their support, the drive of rugby as a seriously taken women’s sport now reveals an unprecedented 1.5 million women and girls participating in the sport around the globe. To keep updated on Twitter search #WRWC2014.

See the rugby women out in full force on Sky Sports or simply learn to say “Le pouvoir des femmes” and book a ticket to Paris. The Cup is on August 1–17.

October 24-26

AFL FINALS

There’s an ad campaign Telstra once ran that coincided with AFL Football where one image in particular (the one pictured, taken by fave photographers Montalbetti & Campbell) captured all the glory, the skill and the vibrancy of the game all in one sharp frame. Look at it now and don’t tell us it doesn’t raise the same fever you sense when watching the Finals themselves. Suffice to say, if you’re a die-hard footy fan there’s no way you’ll be missing this year’s series. Last year, the Fremantle Dockers managed to scale the final bit of the ladder (which they’d been aiming to ascend for years) to meet Hawthorn in the Grand Final. Nerves got in the way, and the Hawks swarmed all over the boys-in-purple to a defeat by 15 points in what was a rather averagescoring grand final match. Now after being tipped to win the 2014 GF, only time will tell whether they can achieve this long-awaited goal (pun intended!). That time is looming, so grab your Guernsey and start waving yer scarves. September 27 is the day to slap into your diary!

AFL Finals Series begins the weekend of September 5-7 and the Grand Final on September 27. Tickets available through Ticketmaster or from AFL stores.

GOLD COAST 600

If only we could all put pedal to the metal like V8 Supercar drivers do – and not get fined for it. The Gold Coast 600 is one V8 event that’ll have rev-heads truly revved up. Packed with activities on and off the track, the weekend is one not to miss. In fact, if you’re watching it on the telly, we recommend pressing record on the DVR to slow-mo the race. The average speed for this circuit is 146km per hour and the length is 2.96 kilometres, 1.5 shorter than when the event was revamped in 2010. If you’re heading to Queensland for it, relax in one of the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit’s ‘Paddock Club’ or ‘Engine Room’, or organise a private suite with your other half or friends for October 24-26 to see who wins. Last year was taken out

by Craig Lownses/Warren Luff and David Reynolds/Dean Canto.

Tickets are available through ticketek.com.au or by phoning 13 28 49.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 21

Pop Culture

home entertainment

TROUBLE NEXT DOOR…

If you think you’ve encountered a neighbour from hell at least once in your life, wait till you check out the trouble-makers in hilarious flick ‘Bad Neighbours’.

The film stars Golden Globe nominee Rose Byrne and talented funnyman Seth Rogen as a fairly likeable couple whose peaceful lives are turned upside down when a fraternity moves in next door.

Making up part of the bad bunch are Zac Efron and Dave Franco, in a film that is kind of relatable and yet totally out-there.

Enjoy our mini interview with Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne…

‘Bad Neighbours’ looks at immaturity - the frat guys not wanting to grow up, and the adults having to grow up whilst raising a kid. Do you personally relate to that?

Seth Rogen: To some degree, yeah. I think inherently I have been working since I was a teenager, and there have been a lot of times when I had to grapple with the desire to just get drunk all day and do nothing, and then grapple with the inability to do that.

Rose Byrne: Yeah, there’s a transitioning that’s happening in my life with friends who are having kids and seeing that. It’s really weird and cool and bizarre when it’s more of a ‘party’ couple who have to settle down. Everybody does it differently, so it’s interesting to see it unfold.

Rose Byrne, you’ve worked in horror, and we love the ‘Insidious’ movies. Horror and comedy are two genres that are hard to pull off because you have to keep the intensity up in different ways. Are there any lessons you could take from that, going from a horror film to a comedy?

Rose Byrne: In a sense, it’s timing. Horror is all timing - the fear of ahh!... the scare, ahh!... the scare - and comedy is the joke, the joke, the joke. So, in that sense they are similar but obviously they are trying to achieve very different things.

The laughter as relief after you get freaked out, you mean?

Rose Byrne: Yeah, and it’s interesting that sometimes when you get so scared, you start to laugh.

‘BAD NEIGHBOURS’ IS AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY, DVD AND DIGITAL WITH ULTRAVIOLET ON AUGUST 28 THROUGH UNIVERSAL SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT. Rock Candy has 10 copies on Blu-ray to give away. To try winning one, simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘Bad Neighbours’ to competitions@candymedia.com.au by Friday 22 August. Chop, chop!

22 | August 2014

WIN WITH RC

home entertainment

CAUGHT IN THE WEB

Now, while the actors who play Spiderman are in constant rotation, the premise remains the same: our superhero having to protect his fellow citizens from formidable villains. Two dudes up against Spiderman in the latest film ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ are Electro – played

by Jamie Foxx, and The Green Goblin – played by Dane DeHaan.

Here’s a mini chat with Jamie and Dane…

If you two were going to have a face-off as Electro and Green Goblin, who would win?

DD: Green Goblin.

JF: Green Goblin.

DD: Really? You’re giving that to me?

JF: Yeah.

DD: Thanks, man.

JF: Well, here’s the thing. It would be interesting because electricity doesn’t die – it just goes to different places. So it would be like a basketball 7-game series. Game 7.

DD: But also I think the Goblin and Harry have a control over Electro. I know your weakness. I know how to control you. So maybe I could use that to my advantage.

JF: Within the [comic book] structure, Electro was a brute. He’s not really an intellect. He’s just an energy. And if you watch Electro in those comics – especially the animated one that’s out and even in the Sinister Six – Electro is always the one they have to help along sometimes because he can short out. Then, in certain instances, he’s a blast of energy. So Dane is right.

Despite the way your characters behave in the film, a key theme is using your powers for good. Is there anything viewers can take away from the film in terms of what they can do for good?

JF: I think that’s probably why they keep doing these movies. The world is in a weird situation right now. Everybody’s sort of boiling over in certain places. If you look at the world linearly – like if you look at what’s going on in the Middle East and people fighting for independence and voices – it seems like we’re sort of going backwards, in a sense. When you hear about what’s going on in other countries and people still trying to force their might and will on people, and trying to take their civil rights… So movies like this give you an opportunity to just forget about things. I don’t know if it’s going to change the world but at least you get a chance to take a breath of air and laugh and have some fun.

If you could have a superhero power in real life, what would it be?

JF: I would fly because I want to get to Saint-Tropez, hit that, and then – boom! – Ibiza; that way I could hit the club there.

‘THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2: RISE OF ELECTRO’ IS AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY, DVD, DIGITAL AND ULTRAVIOLET THROUGH UNIVERSAL SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT.

movies

THE TURTLES ARE BACK TO SAVE THE DAY

Those great reptilian heroes - the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - are back with a vengeance to shield the world from danger and crime.

Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to politicians. The future looks grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers to discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The Turtles work with reporter April O’Neil (Megan Fox) and her wise-cracking cameraman Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.

Based on the characters originally created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman who managed to captivate audiences of all ages, the new ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ reboots a pop cultural phenomenon big-time.

‘TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES’ IS ONLY AT THE MOVIES SEPTEMBER 11. ©2014 PAR. PICS.

Rock Candy has 15 in-season double passes to give away. To try winning a pair, simply email your name, address and the Subject heading ‘TMNT’ to competitions@rockcandy.com.au by Friday 29 August. www.teenagemutantninjaturtles.com.au

WIN WITH RC

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 23

Pop Culture

gaming

EA SPORTS’ UFC: ALMOST AS GOOD AS THE REAL THING

Get lost in the challenge and complexities of combat in one of the most exciting releases in action gaming: EA Sports UFC. Available for PlayStation4 and Xbox One, this is a masterpiece in gaming that will provide hours of brutal fun for action gamers and fans of mixed martial arts alike.

A massive roster of strikingly real-looking UFC stars feature in the game including Bruce Lee, Josh Thompson and BJ Penn, each doing their respective kicking and punching thang with increased precision in a selection of octagon-equipped arenas sure to be familiar to fans.

With the rise in popularity of the UFC (ie: Ultimate Fighting Championships) brand of mixed martial arts, the face of the sport is changing as we know it, and much the same is happening with the video games that emulate the sport, this instalment being the best so far. Michael Mastess ‘EA Sports UFC’ is available for both Xbox One and PS4.

24 | August 2014

lit

A BIBLE FOR FOLLOWERS OF BIKE CULTURE

Catch sight of a group of bikies from afar and you’d think they were altogether intimidating and invincible. And then there is the inevitable stereotype that they couldn’t string a sentence together to save them from, well, a sentence behind bars.

Author Boris Mihailovic throws those brutish connotations out the proverbial window in this hefty tome about “motorcycles and other drugs”. Sure, the greater component of the book is about his bad-boy behaviour on the road, but Mihailovic delivers his loud and proud tales like a true poet.

Whether recounting slices through everyday traffic on his Suzuki or smashing up a bike that just wouldn’t start in the middle of Nowheresville, the writer delivers it with verve.

Like the tatts that decorate his wouldn’twanna-mess-with pecs, Mihailovic wears the brightest heart on his sleeve when it comes to regaling bike culture. He even uses uppercase first letters when addressing the ‘Road Gods’ (eg: referring to ‘Them’ instead of ‘them’).

Indeed, ‘At the Altar of the Road Gods’ is so devout to the subject of biking, it reads like a modern-day Aussie version of ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ – with a couple of ‘c’mon caaaaaarnts’ thrown in for good measure. Antonino Tati ‘At the Altar of the Road Gods’ is published

by Hachette Australia, RRP $29.99.

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20 OUT OF 20

Rock Candy presents 20 awesome albums that celebrate their 20th anniversaries in 2014. If you didn’t own a whole bunch of these titles as a teenager (or indeed pinched them from your folks’ CD collections) now’s the time to start downloading…

Compiled by Antonino Tati, Lisa Andrews & Michael Mastess

26 | August 2014

PEARL JAM

THE PRODIGY

Vitalogy

Music For The Jilted Generation

From the band who epitomised everything grunge and noir about the ’90s, Pearl Jam cultivated drama, disease, death and despair, and preserved them in one tainted, cracked jar of killer tunes. Still kicking on after all these years, we last enjoyed them live on stage at last year’s Big Day Out – where virtually every song from ‘Vitalogy’ proved a vital part of the lads’ set-list.

Taking dance music, holding it by the neck, and injecting a good dose of punk into its jugular. That’s what The Prodigy’s sophomore album sounded like it was doing. And the kids couldn’t help raving to it, especially to infectious tunes like ‘Voodoo People’, ‘Poison’ and ‘No Good (Start The Dance)’, the latter being so hooky, it made you do so instantly.

NINE INCH NAILS

The Downward Spiral

Trent Reznor was still very much an underground character on the music circuit when he released this NIN favourite (that is way before he became on online big-wig). ‘The Downward Spiral’, as its name suggested, took the listener on a journey of debauchery and debasement, best summed up in the chorus of sacrilegious song ‘Closer’: “I wanna fuck you like an animal; you bring me closer to God.”

OASIS

Definitely Maybe At the peak of the ’90s Britpop explosion, two bands battled for space at the top of the charts – and for headlines: Blur, who were pipped to the post by Oasis, mainly because while the former’s frontman looked like he’d enjoy a cuppa with your Mum, the latter’s Gallagher brothers kept the rock shenanigans a-rolling. Just like they sang on ‘Rock’N’Roll Star’ from this here perennial LP.

BLUR

UNDERWORLD

Dubnobasswithmyheadman Winning the award for wackiest album title, ‘Dubnobasswithmyheadman’ went beyond ironic semantics to deliver a brilliant, unique brand of dance music. Put it this way: if punters thought Underworld would ever go pop again – a la ‘Underneath The Radar’ – those thoughts were quickly quashed by the way-hard beats and dizzying synths of this LP.

WEEN

Chocolate And Cheese Prior to making this album, Dean and Gene Ween were notorious (only just) for releasing rusty four-track home recordings that were barely listenable even by the most avid of indie music fans. But throw in a decent stint in a slick recording studio, and hold on to a bit of that DIY ethos, and ‘Chocolate And Cheese’ saw them crossing over (only just) to the mainstream. The titles of the songs alone will put you in the bizarre postmodern picture: ‘Don’t Shit Where You Eat’, ‘Spinal Meningitis’ and ‘The HIV Song’ being the harshest – and yet, the most likeable.

Parklife

Summarising suburban life in England most aptly, Blur’s ‘Parklife’ was full of pub-type sing-a-long tunes including the ‘ere-we-go’-like title track and patriotic songs bathed in irony, like ‘London Loves’, ‘Bank Holiday’ and ‘Magic America’. Our pick of the bunch? The gender-bending mind-fuck of an infectious groove that is ‘Girls & Boys’ – sounding very much like a soundtrack to a twisted Contiki holiday.

SUEDE

Dog Man Star Too fey or two-faced, it didn’t matter when the music was this good. Suede’s second LP starts with live-like rumbling bass in ‘Introducing The Band’, building to a crashing crescendo reflecting the life of a fucked-up rock star. The track ends with tongue firmly planted in cheek and its repeating fadeout “I’m dying/I’m dying/I’m dying/I’m dying”. The rest is rip-roaring unadulterated rock that recalls Bowie at his ’70s best.

PUBLIC ENEMY

Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age With a title that plays on the words “music in our message”, America’s most political rap outfit pointed the finger (gun even) at just about everyone, even dissing gangsta rappers while challenging the black community to confront its problems on an album that’s as infectious in beats as it is impressive in rhymes.

REM

Monster With the frequency dead-set on college radio, REM kept their indie swing with an album packed with raw-sounding six-strings, slick percussion and the occasional distorted synth. From the bump-and-grind of ‘King Of Comedy’ to the Freudian piss-taking fuel-injected ‘Circus Envy’, we spent hours reading between the lines between the riffs.

Our pick of the bunch, though, would have to be ‘Crush With Eyeliner’ – a subtle dig on Michael Stipe’s behalf to ex-lover and all-round trouble-maker, Courtney Love.

TORI AMOS

Under The Pink

Don’t judge a record from its first bits of twinkling piano. Once the delicate opener ‘Pretty Good Year’ sighs to an end, it’s back to the grit and grind. ‘God’ is a daring ‘up-yours’ to the big man upstairs (“God sometimes you just don’t come through… Do you need a woman to look after you?”) while ‘Past The Mission’ is like Kate Bush on a funkier bend.

And who could have anything negative to say about Tori’s first big hit ‘Cornflake Girl’ what with all its warped lyrics that take the listener down the proverbial rabbithole but ultimately into sonic heaven.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 27

KORN

Grace

The eponymous debut album by Korn helped posit ‘nu metal’ firmly on the mainstream music map. Odd for its constant reference to two controversial themes – drug use and child abuse – ‘Korn’ nonetheless kept metalheads jumping up and down in mosh-pits the world over; fists in the air even though half the lyrics went over their whacked-out heads.

Believe it or not, this was the only complete studio album by Jeff Buckley before his untimely death. Ethereal to the point of haunting, ‘Grace’ gets as close to religioussounding as can get without going full Christian. From ‘Hallelujah’ to ‘Corpus Christi Carol’, ‘Eternal Life’ to ‘Last Goodbye’, spirit and soul abound throughout. And then there’s ‘So Real’, a ballad that scarred the psyches of even the butchest of dudes.

HOLE

Live Through This No female artist got into more strife in the ’90s than Hole’s Courtney Love. Kurt Cobain’s main squeeze proved she didn’t need the Nirvana king on board to make cutting-edge music, herself injecting a good dose of oestrogen into an otherwise male-dominated grunge soundscape.

From the sonic ultraviolence of ‘Violet’ right through to the self-deprecating autobiography of ‘Rock Star’, there was plenty on here to rip your hair out to.

SOUNDGARDEN

Superunknown

Certainly a departure from the band’s earlier two albums, ‘Superunknown’ drew from a diverse range of musical influences – namely heavy metal, glam rock, even punk-comepop (‘My Wave’). The killer pick of a damned good lot would have to be hit single ‘Black Hole Sun’ – which, sonically and lyrically, singlehandedly summed up a decade of global warming despair, Y2K panic and twisted noir.

2PAC

Thug Life: Volume 1 Really, the artist here ought to be ‘Thug Life’, but since the rap outfit was kickstarted by Tupac Shakur, and due to his untimely death, clever record company reps have reissued it as a 2Pac LP. Whatever the name stamped on it, it’s still rap at its rawest, grittiest, and most critical. Standout tracks include ‘Cradle To The Grave’, ‘Pour Out A Little Liquor’ (which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1994 film ‘Above The Rim’) and ‘How Long Will They Mourn Me?’. Well the answer to that last title, my friend, is a very long time.

POWDERFINGER

Parables For Wooden Ears

From the very first moody strings, ‘Parables’ sounds like a warning of two things: that grunge wasn’t going anywhere fast, and that Australian music was about to go through a major makeover. Some critics complained about the album’s fixation on emulating an American ‘garage band’ sound, but we firmly believe frontman Bernard Fanning’s Aussie twang kept things nationalistic enough.

It did, in the end, inspire an army of peers including Silverchair, Jet, and Eskimo Joe.

28 | August 2014

JEFF BUCKLEY

Korn

MADONNA

Bedtime Stories

Upon meeting kooky songstress Björk, Madonna got the Icelandic queen to contribute lyrics to a couple of songs for this here album and to inspire a lot of the rest of it, seeing it transform into an altogether ‘deeper subconsciously layered’ recording than her previous pop offerings. Less sex and more smarts paved the way for even more spiritual awakenings (read: 1998’s ‘Ray Of Light’ and Madge’s delving into yoga and Kabbalah).

PORTISHEAD

Dummy

Trip-hop was a big term in the ’90s, but where most of it was of a gritty, testosterone-fuelled sort (Massive Attack, Tricky), Portishead’s Beth Gibbons lent the genre a sensitive touch. Songs like ‘Numb’, ‘Glory Box’ and ‘Sour Times’ proved bittersweet music can be beautiful. The perfect album to play while pottering around the house on a Sunday while regretting having gone hard the night before.

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.

Ready To Die

Nineteen-ninety-four seemed to be the year for massive debut records by rap artists who left a greater indelible mark after their untimely deaths: 2Pac and Biggie being the key names to drop here. ‘Ready To Die’ was as much an awesome audio autobiography as it was a spooky omen. Even spookier is the fact that Biggie was murdered just days prior to the release of this record’s follow-up, the just as eerily titled ‘Life After Death’.

And another 13 for the hell of it…

MASSIVE ATTACK Protection NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS Let Love In PINK FLOYD The Division Bell THE ROLLING STONES Voodoo Lounge SAINT ETIENNE Tiger Bay LIVE Throwing Copper THE OFFSPRING Smash SMASHING PUMPKINS Pisces Iscariot BLACK SABBATH Cross Purposes GREEN DAY Dookie BEASTIE BOYS Ill Communication BON JOVI Cross Road BECK Stereopathetic Soulmanure … or One Foot In The Grave

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#HappyBirthdayWWW

CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB O

n March 12, 1989, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee submitted a proposal for an online information management system that could be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world, at any given time. He considered calling it ‘The Information Mine’ but figured that name “didn’t quite have the right ring to it”.

Fast forward to 2014 and the World Wide Web, as it was ultimately christened and is still known as, celebrates its 25th birthday. And it’s certainly something worth celebrating.

A quarter of a century of online networking, individual blogging, indie kickstarting, Gumtree hopping, Amazon shopping, Reddit bragging, Friend-poking and Wiki-leaking.

Of silly kitten-falling-in-love-with-puppy videos, overnight YouTube sensations, digital matchmaking miracles, Hightail file-sharing, Instagram uploading and virtual bullying.

Not to mention the endless abyss of porn available at our grubby fingertips.

Without the World Wide Web, we wouldn’t be able to sum up the day’s news in 140 characters or less. We wouldn’t have the privilege of keeping in touch with old friends whom we couldn’t actually be bothered sharing pleasantries with face-to-face. And we certainly wouldn’t be able to instantly find the answer to the question, “What trivial shit has Kim Kardashian been up to today?”

Think about it. Without the information superhighway (as it was once affectionately referred to) we’d be void of all the useful information that makes us smarter, and all the useless information that makes us think “we’re smarter that that”. We’d have no idea if the trains were running on time until we’d heard some codger tell us two hours too late on the morning ‘news’. We wouldn’t get to hear snippets of the latest music releases before committing to buy (and, yes, we wouldn’t be able to illegally download the occasional bootleg).

The World Wide Web offers us mini doses of enlightenment every second of every day.

Without it, it’d be like living in the dark ages.

On a more profound note, it has opened the floodgates of democracy, allowing us to have our say on virtually any topic or subject, gradually chipping away at centuries-old ideological and social-behavioural construct (ie: not always the right ways to think and behave).

To this day, Berners-Lee is optimistic about a medium that allows for “free and uncensored” commentary, and expresses his concern that the democracy of the web might soon be a thing of the past. Said he in a recent Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ session, “I am concerned and excited about the web’s future. I think some monitoring of the net by government agencies is going to be needed to fight crime [but] we need to invent a new system of checks and balances with unprecedented power to be able to investigate and hold the agencies which do it accountable to the public.”

Continues the man of many wise words, “The web is an artificial creation, as are our laws and our constitutions. We can choose how they work, or we can make new ones. It’s our choice.”

On a lighter note, my darlin’ Mum recently signed up to Facebook. That she occasionally refers to it as ‘MySpacebook’ pretty much sums up all the great things about the internet.

It helps get our message across even when that message contains a kooky mistake; allows for correction by more ‘enlightened’ parties; leads to consistent and enjoyable communication (so long as you turn a blind eye to online trolling); and, even with all its linguistic blunders and typos, it’s as entertaining as all hell.

So Happy Birthday to you, World Wide Web! (I saved on not buying you a card and sent you a quick email instead; check your inbox). Antonino Tati

GETTING OPTIMAL BENEFITS ONLINE Rock Candy asks Search Engine Optimisation specialist Olly Mamet how to make the most of surfing and selling online.

The World Wide Web is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. What do you think is the web’s greatest contribution to mankind?

Most definitely accessibility to knowledge for everyone. For many years, knowledge was something that was passed down generations, like that “secret recipe of your Grandma’s”.

Nowadays, you can find almost anything online and prosper from it. You could be a chef, a welder, a businessman, anything... Everything is within reach.

In this day and age of information overload, especially online, how can the end-user avoid being bombarded with things they don’t want to see, like ads and promotional pop-up windows?

I don’t think there is any proper way of doing it unless you disconnect altogether, and even then, you’ll still have billboards, bus ads, TV commercials, etc... In regards to online though, what you will end up finding is that ads and promotions will be more and more targeted towards what you might be interested in.

For someone who might have their own website online, how would you suggest they go about aiming for better search engine optimisation, to help their site get closer to the top of the Google ladder, as it were?

I personally don’t think it’s a ‘do it yourself’ type of job. SEO requires constant monitoring, link building, reporting, and so on. Unless you are prepared to dedicate 30 hours or more every month, you might be better off finding a provider for you. You can definitely run your own Google ads as it is very easy to set up, but yet again there are so many traps to avoid that in the end you might lose lots of money doing it by yourself.

And as an SEO specialist, I trust you’d help see the job done more thoroughly and officially? What would your role entail?

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www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 31

GALLERY

CLEVER BRAINWASH TECHNIQUE

↖ ‘Campbell Spray’ graffiti in New York City (circa mid-2000s).

32 | August 2014

HING I

t is said t hat Paris-born Thierry Guetta moved to Los Angeles in the early Zeroes to set up a humble clothing shop. In his spare time he’d film street artists in action as they’d busily graffiti downtown LA. Eventually, he’d evolve into an artist himself, becoming the subject of famed street stirrer Banksy’s documentary film ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop’.

Spray-painting over his birth certificate (at least proverbially) Guetta changed his name to Mr Brainwash and began taking original works of pop art and turning them into even bigger, brighter messes.

Now, some w i l l say t hat those first two paragraphs are a load of hogwash, and that Mr

Brainwash is actually Banksy under a different name.

One of the guy’s earliest pieces is indeed reminiscent of early Banksy: a splotchy replica of the famous Maxell Video advert from the ’80s - where a dude is sitting on his armchair, looking like being blown away by his television, literally. In place of a TV set, though, is a giant spray can labelled with the Brainwash name.

The work first appeared on a huge wall in downtown NYC and has since been repainted in various forms on canvas – some of these revisions courtesy of the artist himself; others by copycats wanting to challenge him at his own game.

A nd i f rec ycl i ng old a r t

i s a ga me, it ’s a r t i s t s l i k e Brainwash who are winning.

He still dabbles in the occasional street work but now receives hefty commissions to create commercial ready-mades, his clients including Madonna (he delivered the cover art for her ‘Celebration’ compilation), Red Hot Chili Peppers, and fashion label Dolce & Gabbana.

Prestigious auction houses like Bonhams and Christies are now taking the Brainwash name seriously, with one stencil print alone of David Bowie in his Aladdin Sane guise having fetched for a handsome £7,000 in London last year.

But however big the pricetag, it seems Mr Brainwash, who e ve r he re a l ly i s, w i l l

continue poaching and pillaging pop culture’s past – pasting KISS makeup onto a black-and-white photo of The Beatles, splashing paint onto Muhammad Ali’s gloves, superimposing a Marilyn Monroe wig over Michael Jackson’s head, and replacing Elvis’ acoustic guitar with a Fisher-Price machine gun.

He’s also insistent in causing a ruckus within the establishment, recently hanging his own work in the Tate Modern Gallery (barging in, that is, and without a curator) and constructing an anti-Guantanamo display in Disneyland.

Enjoy Rock Candy’s gallery of works by our ‘new’ favourite postmodern demon. ▪ Antonino Tati

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 33

GALLERY ↘ ‘Madonna Celebration’ (2010).

↗ ‘Beatles Bandidos’ (2012).

↖ ‘David Bowie’ (2013).

View more brilliant artworks at www.mrbrainwash.com. Prints are available for purchase on the site.

34 | August 2014

GALLERY ↙ ‘Muhammad Ali’ (2010).

↗ ‘Life Is Beautiful’ (2011).

‘Obama Superman’ (2007). ↗

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 35

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SMOOTH OPERATOR Primetime actor Ian Anthony Dale possesses a name as Anglo as a British knight’s, but his mixed heritage of Japanese, French and English oddly saw him born and raised in far-flung Middle America.

“Actually, I grew up very Midwestern,” tells the Minnesota native, “and I was one of only five Asian-Americans in a school of about 2,000 people.

I certainly enjoyed being part of the multicultural melting pot that existed there.”

Upon graduation, and forsaking a promising career in baseball, Dale eventually fell into the world of theatre and today boasts one of the most impressive lists of television and film credits. He has appeared in at least 30 primetime TV shows including regular roles in ‘The Event’, ‘Hawaii Five-O’, and brand new series ‘Murder In The First’, playing Lieutenant Jim Koto, leader of the San Francisco homocide unit.

The actor has also appeared in a host of blockbuster films, from ‘The Bucket List’ (playing Jack Nicholson’s high-flying motivator) to ‘The Hangover’ (as Mr Chow’s mean sidekick). Heck, he’s even lent his voice to the world of video gaming, and can be heard calling the shots in ‘Call Of Duty’ and ‘Sleeping Dogs’.

Rock Candy gets the man of many talents on the phone to talk action roles, blessed genetics, and the downside to constant travel.

Interview by Antonino Tati / Photography by Gabriel Goldberg

You’re very prolific on primetime television. I think I counted something like 30 shows that you’ve appeared in.

Yeah, I’ve been doing this now for about 14 years and I guess the credits just add up!

Whether you’re guest-starring in a show for two or ten minutes, do you need to go back and view episodes of each series to see which characters you’ll be interacting with?

That’s one thing you can do in terms of preparation. Media is so accessible now – what with the internet – and so I used to DVR at least one episode of every new show that came out so that I could watch it and get a feel for what the show is about - the tone of it, who the characters were - so that if I ever got an audition for a particular show I’d have a good idea of how to prepare. So any

38 | August 2014

time I’ve done a guest-star, I try to familiarise myself with whatever show I’m on as much as possible in the limited time I get.

Sometimes you get booked to guest-star on a Thursday and they want you to work on a Friday; it all happens very quickly.

I’m wondering, do you ever have projects happening simultaneously? You know, finishing one show in the morning and heading off to the set of another show in the afternoon?

I don’t think I’ve ever been quite that busy.

That would be a whole new experience for me, but a challenge that I wouldn’t mind taking on at some point! I have ended one job and jumped into another within a week.

Have you ever gotten confused and thought you were still in the previous

character’s shoes?

[Laughs]. That’s a good question, but I can’t say I’ve ever gotten my roles confused.

Preparation is a very important part of the process for me, and I pride myself on coming to sets having done my homework.

I’m sure you’re the consummate professional. We’ll get to talking about your new show ‘Murder In The First’ but first I wanted to talk a bit about your work in ‘Hawaii Five-O’. Shooting that series, did you remain in Hawaii for the most part, or travel back and forth from LA? I had the best of both worlds. I got to fly back and forth. I love Hawaii; it’s one of my favourite places in the world. It’s such a beautiful state and I hike and surf as much as I possibly can when I’m there. So every time I’ve guested on ‘Hawaii Five-O’ I’ve

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 39

essentially gotten a free trip to paradise. I would go there sometimes for a couple of days, and sometimes for up to a month. And I try to soak it in as much as possible. Travelling is certainly one of the perks of what we actors do.

Most recently you’ve been travelling to and fro San Francisco to shoot ‘Murder In The First’. Does all that travelling sometimes have its downside? I know a lot of Rock Candy’s FIFO readers do a lot of travelling and many of them will admit it can be draining.

Any time you’re away from your family and loved ones, it can put a strain on things and it can be challenging. Separation can be really difficult. Fortunately, there’s Skype and Facetime and different ways of communicating. I’ve been fortunate, too, that the last few series I’ve done – with the exception of Hawaii Five-O – most of them have been shot in Los Angeles. In fact, even ‘Murder In The First’ is shot in Los Angeles, and we just make trips to San Francisco to get all the exterior stuff. So I haven’t been torn away from my family and loved ones too much in the last few years.

Still, I’d imagine it would be quite strenuous.

What do you do to break away from the acting work? I know you mentioned earlier you like to hike and surf.

I just love nature; I love being outside and getting as far away from industry-related things as I possibly can. You know, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the difficulties of life and planning for the future, but when you’re out on a surf, or hanging from a 5,000 foot cliff, you really can’t think of anything but being in the moment. And when you’re out on the surf, for example, you can’t possibly think of anything else but trying to stay alive and not getting beat up by Mother Nature. It makes you very present, and I love doing activities that make me need to be 100% present.

You’re pretty active on set, too. In playing the role of the head of the Homicide Unit in ‘Murder In The First’ it seems you’ve got your work cut out for you.

Well it doesn’t necessarily bring more challenges, but it does provide an opportunity to really dig deeper into that specific character. When you’re playing a character for – in this case – 10 episodes, and hopefully more, you really get to develop that character over time. You really get to think about what makes him tick, and about his relationship to everything and everyone around him. As an actor, you appreciate those opportunities to go deeper. With guest-star work, you have such a limited window of time to prepare and to execute, but with a series-regular recurring character, you really get to dive in and figure out the psychology of this person.

You’ve certainly played a variety of personalities. Even the span of genres you’ve worked across is immense – from horror (‘American Horror Story’) and occult (‘Charmed’) through to countless crime dramas. Do you get real joy in branching out into various genres?

I love to work, and so long as the production is made up of quality

individuals and is trying to tell an interesting story, I’m happy to be a part of it. There’s so much good television these days, it’s really a kind of new Golden Age for TV. I think there is something like 40 channels making original content now [in the US, at least] and as a result, television has gotten so much richer. I’m just happy that any of these genres would have me. If I somehow start racking up credits on my resume that are specific to one genre or another – if at some point people start considering me a ‘sci-fi guy’ or a ‘cop-show guy’ – then, fine, I’ll take that.

You mentioned this being a new Golden Age in TV. Networks like HBO and Showcase have certainly opened the floodgates for storylines that go way off the map. Do you feel TV sometimes goes too far? That when you look at these shows – your ‘Dexter’s; your ‘Breaking Bad’s – and a dozen of different series you’ve been in, with all their crime, murder and drug dealing, is it turning society on to bad behaviour, or trying to teach it a lesson?

You are asking one great question there. You know, I was watching the sequel to ‘The Purge’ – I think it’s called ‘Purge: Anarchy’, and the premise of it is that one night out of the year everybody is free to commit as many crimes as they want, including murder. It has this completely outlandish, ridiculous plot and I’m watching this preview and I’m thinking to myself, ‘I wonder if this is contributing to all the gun violence that’s happening in our society? I wonder if these kids are watching movies like this, or if the video games that they’re playing, are somehow informing them that it’s okay to go out there and commit mass murder?’ I’m aware that media is a strong tool in influencing people, but I’ve never really looked at television as a means to influence negatively. But I guess maybe I should take a closer look at that. If film has the power to do so, and if video games have the power to do so, I would certainly think television does as well. That being said, you would hope that our society is raised with enough awareness to know that

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“WHEN YOU’RE OUT ON A SURF, OR HANGING FROM A 5,000 FOOT CLIFF, YOU REALLY CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING BUT BEING IN THE MOMENT.”

(Far left:) Playing bad guy Adam Noshimuri in ‘Hawaii Five-O’.

(Top left:) As Lieutenant Jim Koto in ‘Murder In The First’.

As Jack Nicholson’s high flying motivator in ‘The Bucket List’.

it’s much more interesting to play characters that are a little grey than ones that are either obviously bad or squeaky clean. I like that middle ground.

these are stories that we’re telling and that they should not be repeated in any realistic way that could harm people.

Even the news is over-the-top in its presentation these days…

Yeah, it’s hard to watch CNN night after night because all they report on are really horrible things that are happening around the world. But who do you blame? Film, TV, video gaming? It’s difficult to blame one thing.

Things start getting a bit blurred, too: I mean are these shows and games commenting on society or influencing society? It all becomes a bit chicken-and-egg, really.

It certainly does.

You’ve appeared in some blockbuster films including ‘The Bucket List’ and ‘The Hangover’.

There’s a scene in ‘The Hangover’ where Mr Chow first meets the guys who are trying to buy their friend back, and you’re standing there, being one of his cruel sidekicks. Do you prefer playing the bad guy or the good guy?

I like characters that are a combination of the two. For my character on ‘Hawaii Five-O’, he’s seemingly a bad guy. His father was the head of the Yakuza; he’s having to inherit this organised crime syndicate. He could easily be labelled as a bad boy, but he’s spent his entire arc on the show trying to win the approval of the law enforcement; of the Five-O. And I love that; I love playing characters that kind of straddle the line between bad boy and genuine good guy. There’s a grey area, and

FILMS YOU’VE LIKELY SEEN IAN ANTHONY DALE IN… THE BUCKET LIST THE HANGOVER MR. 3000 TEKKEN

AND HOW’S THIS FOR AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF TV SHOWS? AMERICAN HORROR STORY ANGEL BURN NOTICE CHARMED COLD CASE CRIMINAL MINDS CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION CSI: MIAMI CSI: NY DAYBREAK DOC McSTUFFINS DOLLHOUSE THE EVENT FLYING LESSONS HAWAII FIVE-O JAG LAS VEGAS LOLLIPOPS THE MENTALIST MORTAL KOMBAT MORTAL COMBAT: LEGACY MORTAL KOMBAT: REBIRTH MURDER IN THE FIRST SECOND TIME AROUND SURFACE TRAUMA 24 WITHOUT A TRACE

If we can go back to your early days, I hear you were big on sports in college; in fact, you almost had a career in baseball.

Yeah, I played baseball up until my freshman year at college. Here’s a tidbit of information for you: my father, two of my brothers, and myself all won state baseball championships at the same highschool. Many years apart, obviously, but still, it’s a nice little family legacy we have.

Impressive. And your Dad was a semi-pro hockey player, too.

Yeah, he played for the United States Olympic team in 1968, and for two minor league hockey teams, before his career was cut short by a knee injury. Sports is very prevalent in my family. All my brothers and sisters play it, and at one point, yes, I aspired to be a professional baseball player but obviously that didn’t happen. I’m happy that it didn’t happen because I probably never would have discovered acting and theatre which I’m really passionate about.

That said, a lot of your acting work is of the action variety. I’m wondering if you feel the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree, and that athleticism might easily be passed down genetically?

I think it’s a combination of genetics and then how hard you’re willing to work at improving. You know, some people just have that natural ability or talent while others have to work really hard for it.

Something my father taught us was no matter how much talent you have, you can always get better and you should always work hard at getting better.

And I think I’ve kind of taken that philosophy and applied to every aspect of my life. ▪ ‘MURDER IN THE FIRST’ WILL AIR ON AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION LATER IN THE YEAR.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 41

42 | August 2014

G N I S S CRO E N I L N I A G E TH s, was r Rugby for 13 year pe Su ed ay pl s e’ H dgson. .

Perth-based Matt Ho on occasion for the Qantas Wallabies an th r de un ro e lal of a rugby en plays union t form, winning th ev es d -b an er , re 12 ca 20 in You don’t get more t in ls e hi ast of the Western Forc ayer to play 100 caps for the club w er hear the man bo ev d u’ yo at made Club Captain pl th e rc ot N Fo ter that. t being the first nsecutive years af co e re Matt can also boas th d an 6 0 Award in 20 idered. io, F45 Training in ud st ss ne fit w ne first-ever Force Man ’s relatively modest, all factors cons a opening ct, he st invested in and ju ng vi ha , CV about all this. In fa s hi add businessman to t of.

Hodgson can now ss in season, and ou ne fit ng ni ai nt . ai lle m vi rtance of West Leeder ndy about the impo Ca ck Ro h it w s at Here he ch Interview by Anton

ino Tati - Photogra

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www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 43

Hi Matt. First of all, congrats on your rise in the ranks of rugby. While some might think of it as ‘overnight success’ we both know there was, and still is, a lot of preparation involved. Tell us how you prep, train and generally keep fit.

I’m one of those annoying people who is disciplined in all areas of my life. I eat well most of the time, and infrequently have a casual beer or wine with friends. I just know my body; know how it feels; and know how it recovers best. If I do the right things, I feel the difference. When in season, I train hard.

In between seasons, we have a program from a strength-and-conditioning coach and I make sure I stick to that. It’s not necessarily about doing extra, as your body needs to heal. Connective tissue takes a bashing all season, minor bones stay broken, and only during the break do they get a chance to heal. It’s called a ‘rest’ for a reason. But between seasons I still take care of my body and try not to lose too much mass.

Would you say your physique is typical of most backrowers or forwards, and what do you need to do to keep it in shape?

Unlike many forwards, I’m naturally a smaller, slimmer man. I have to be diligent and eat massive amounts to maintain my size. Unlike many of the guys who have a constant struggle with the skinnies, I’m a skinny bloke trying hard to stay big. I like

to mix up my training. In season, it is repetitive. Last pre-season I got into F45 Training workouts. They flog you for 45 minutes with a different focus each session. It’s always different and I can work hard to maintain an elite level of fitness. The bonus is that this year I’ve opened my own F45 in West Leederville so I can go to as many sessions as I like! I’ll even try to challenge my teammates to smash it harder than me. Yep, my competitive nature appears when I’m training, too.

We’ll chat more about F45 in a moment.

First I want to ask how important is fitness and training in building on your rugby skill set?

In the back row, you spend at least half the game in messed up positions in the breakdown – and often by brute force. If you want to walk away from this time and time again, you need to be flexible. And I’m a bendy bugger. I’m yet to find a yoga position that challenges me – which is a frustration for the instructors. I guess I’ve been conditioning my body for long enough that it just does what it is told. As a backrower, one of the skills you need is to be able to get to your feet after a tackle and get over the ball while supporting your body weight… all while the opposition is piling in, trying to clean you out. You need to have a good core. Tummy and back muscles are equally important

and both need to get worked equally. I’m not too fussed about [obtaining] six-pack abs – I’ll leave that to the pretty backs. I want to be functional. It’s a combination of strength and body position. I work hard on my strength in bend-over positions including a lot of hamstring work as that is where a lot of load is taken. Also at F45 I do a lot of sled work, both pushing and pulling, as I feel this is the best way to load the legs and work under fatigue.

How would you say the new F45 Training studio in West Leederville differs from regular fitness centres?

To me, F45 is a boutique training studio, not a gym. We tailor your diet and your training, and keep you accountable when your motivation slips. There’s no waiting at F45. You train in a group of three, and you smash out a session in 45 minutes [hence the name]. No waiting. No thinking. And it’s always fresh and ever-changing. To me, public gyms are a source of great frustration. Most people go to those gyms and have a limited repertoire of exercises they know; they tend to go on repeat, and all the while have to fight to get access to equipment. Meanwhile, others just talk and play with their phones.

How important are the F45 Personal Trainers?

not too fussed abo ut I’m y. all equ d rke wo get to d nee h bot es scl mu “Tu mmy and back pretty backs.” [obtai nin g] six-pa ck abs – I’ll leave that to the 44 | August 2014

Our personal trainers fully supervise, and will check your form and make sure you are working hard enough to reach your personal goals. All the sessions are designed by [head] personal trainer Luke Istomin – he’s the guy who trains Hugh Jackman to be in ‘Wolverine’ shape. He looks after heaps of other celebrities, too, but nothing is more impressive to me than that. Wolverine has an amazing rig.

The F45 brand is also synonymous with other celebrities getting into shape.

People like Joel Madden, Ricky Martin and Nicole Richie. Is celebrity endorsement important for a fitness brand to get its name out there?

I think it helps to get the word out initially.

But if you don’t back it up with a great product and service, you won’t get over the line. F45 has a churn rate of approximately 15% of members per annum compared to a churn rate of around 60% per annum at a commercial gym. The proof is in the numbers, and we know that what we are doing is different and gets results.

I’m guessing that some of the fitness techniques incorporated into F45 regimes are ones that have been tried and tested by yourself in rugby training?

True, F45 sessions cover much of the training that I know and love from rugby. I will also be tailoring sessions for local rugby talent who want to step it up and see if they can go all the way. Perth is my home and I want Perth to be a strong base for homegrown rugby talent. And an F45 session is what you make of it; there is no limit as to who can do it. The sessions cater to different ages and physical capabilities. For example, I can do the workout with my wife and my dad, as a group of three. We can all do the same workout at different intensities and with different weights and still each get a tailored workout for what we individually need. From elite sportspeople keeping fit post-season, to mums in post-pregnancy, to people wanting to lose serious weight, anyone is welcome. Even people who have never done regular exercise before because they may have been intimidated by gyms.

We see it all. This is not a one-size-fits-all model. This is a small boutique where we

get to know you and your goals, and we work with you to make sure you reach them.

A few years back you sustained a serious AC joint injury that sidelined you for three months. I’m sure you still needed to maintain your fitness even in that period. For readers who may have a joint or muscle injury, can they too continue with general personal fitness?

I have indeed had my fair share of injuries in my career! Both AC joints, both shoulders reconstructed, a knee recon, and an ankle recon, to name some of the major ones. Even with injury, though, you definitely need to stay active. If your legs are out of action, use your arms and get on the grinder – the most hated bit of equipment for any human, I know. If your arms are out, then train your legs. The water is often your friend when injured. Swimming laps is great to keep your body moving. Always be as committed to your rehab; it’s your job to get your body back to 100%. And work with your support team – doctors, physios, strength-and-conditioning coaches – and do the crappy rehab work to get back. If you get lazy because it’s boring you’re just prolonging the boredom.

What about drinking and diet?

Definitely don’t drink during rehab. Booze stops your body from being able to heal as quickly as it could. And make sure you eat really well. Your body is hurt so you need to give it the tools it needs to be able to fix itself. I know it’s obvious, but too many people don’t take diet seriously enough.

Being a sportsman is not just about consuming protein. You have to get your diet right to get the most from your body.

Having won the Force Man Award several years running, and being Club Captain of the Western Force, do these titles put pressure on you to constantly have to represent the Force’s values, both on and off the field?

I’m a pretty simple guy. What you see is what you get. The values I have in my professional life are ones that I hold true in everyday life. I don’t feel the pressure to be anything that I’m not. I love the Western Force and everything about it, internally

ON THE GOOD GAME ITSELF

Matt is known for his versatility on the field – across all back row positions, even being a hardnosed forward.

Here’s his take on the sport…

“Believe it or not I started my rugby career at the age of 10! I also played 7s for Australia, so I’ve always had a diverse, adaptable skill set. I respect coaches for their insight and guidance, and when a coach has asked me to transform myself into a 6, 7 or 8, my answer is yes. In my mind the key skills are the same for every position on the field. Use the ball wisely and respectfully of your teammates. Hold up your own in defence and be ready to cover for your mates if they need it. We all need that cover some times. Don’t shirk the dirty work. To be honest, it’s the dirty work I love the most. I love to tackle, get stuck in at the breakdown… and a pilfer in heavy traffic is the best feeling. I’d say that I get as pumped for a good pilfer as I do a try. Lucky, since I don’t get too many tries!”

and externally – with our fans the Sea of Blue. I’ve been fortunate to build my career here since day one and I’m very proud of what we have all built together.

What do you do to switch off from rugby? What are Matt Hodgson’s Totally-Unrelated-To-RugbyLeisurely-Things-To-Do? I have a 16-month-old son named Hunter and two English Staffies [sibling canines Vino and Jagger], so I’ll often be spotted at the park hanging with me little crew. It’s the simple pleasures of family time that I enjoy the most. Being on tour, you can feel like you’re missing out, so I always put in as much time into my family as I can.

I also follow pretty much any sport that Australia plays. I’m a very proud Aussie.

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DISCIPLINARY ACTION

As the eldest of four boys growing up in suburban Brisbane, Steve Willis’ life was always going to be full of rough’n’tumble. Still, despite the teenage shenanigans in the backyard, a definitive craving for discipline yearned in him.

Upon leaving Year 12, Steve moved states and enrolled in the School of Infantry in NSW, readily being posted to Fourth Battalion (ie: Commando) of the Royal Australian Regiment.

Today, he’s still known as the Commando, but that of a different kind, co-presenting television’s ‘The Biggest Loser’ and putting his contestants through all manner of challenges. Indeed, Steve’s “no excuses” style of training pushes contestants to levels of physical and mental fitness that they – and viewers – never thought possible.

Off-camera Steve also likes to motivate, working in the area of Cross Fitness Games, competing while also training others in the discipline. Impressively, in a Cross Fit competition in 2009, Steve came fourth out of 75 male competitors.

He is also a proud ambassador of the Spartan Race, the gruelling obstacle course that follows the lead of other demanding races before it, such as Tough Mudder.

Steve ‘The Commando’ Willis tells Rock Candy about the importance of “giving it your all”.

Interview by Antonino Tati

‘The Biggest Loser’ is now preparing for its ninth season. What’s one reason you can think of that sees the show so avidly watched by audiences?

The simple fact that change can occur through hard work and determination. The contestants are living proof of this change, and I think everyday Australians draw on this inspiration to experience change in their own lives.

So the show really does motivate viewers?

Hundreds, if not thousands, of people have changed their lives for the better through the medium of ‘The Biggest Loser’. It’s had a tremendous impact in helping people realise they too can live a life that is more enjoyable and fulfilling. In fact, we hear from people every day who thank us and the show for changing their lives.

You’re renowned for wearing a uniform of army pants, black singlet and dark sunnies.

Do you ever step out of the house in that combo just to go to the corner shop to buy a carton of milk?

Yep, every day. If I don’t dress as Commando Steve at least once a day, something’s wrong!

The fact is that you were in the army in the mid-Nineties, starting off in Infantry before joining Special Forces. What’s one memorable moment you can share having been in the Forces?

There are so many fantastic things that I did in my military career but the one thing that sticks with me is the camaraderie; the bond that I had with the guys I worked with.

After that period, you studied personal training. Did you find with your initial clientele

46 | August 2014

you may have been a bit hard at first – a little too ‘bootcamp’ style?

Never! I’ve always been tough but fair. And I have always made sure that the people I train experience success. Everything is relative, so my aim is through consistency and good coaching, to affect change both physically and mentally.

There’s a huge surge in combining sports and fitness today, from Cross Fit Games, which you’re a champion of, to Mixed Martial Arts.

Do you think people benefit from adding variety to their sports and fitness regime besides the reason to not get bored?

Totally. Fitness should be like anything else in life; getting outside your comfort zones and testing your margins of experience; constantly try new things. And your body will thank you for it.

You’re also an ambassador of the Spartan Race.

With the tough terrestrial scapes Australia possesses, would you say contenders in the race have got their work cut out for them as much as contestants on US or European turf?

The Spartan Race is tough no matter where and no matter what distance you take on. I’ve heard from a number of seasoned obstacle course racers who’ve said the Australian races are tough but some of the best they’ve ever run. ▪ TO BE KEPT UP-TO-DATE WITH SPARTAN RACE EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY VISIT SPARTANRACE.COM.AU. ‘THE BIGGEST LOSER: CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA’ RETURNS TO NETWORK TEN EARLY IN 2015 AND, YES, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE CO-HOSTED

BY COMMANDO STEVE. NO EXCUSES!

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 47

CHEATING THE TESTOSTERONE TEST

For all the talk of crackdowns on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport, one new area - Mixed Martial Arts - is proving prone to a few loopholes. Story by Jake D. Frost

48 | August 2014

In a sport already battered in controversy, t h e s a n c t i o n e d u s e o f Te s t o s t e r o n e Replacement Therapy (or TRT) in Mixed Martial Arts has been a hot topic of late.

Building up like a fighter’s bulging biceps on the juice, this intense issue has now finally reached an explosive conclusion.

Obviously performance-enhancing drugs are banned in all sports, with MMA being no exception. As with other combat sports, like boxing, there are third party state commissions and athletic bodies who govern the code, regulating the guidelines, and regularly testing athletes. But as with many rules, there are always ways to bend them, and some have found loopholes that are just too easy to jump through.

TRT was made legal only for those athletes who could prove they needed the treatment for medical purposes, or what is labelled “therapeutic use”. Basically, fighters who showed symptoms of low testosterone were given permission to jack up on the synthetic replacement. There are several problems embroiled in this ruling.

One of the biggest issues is that although there are certainly some serious medical conditions that can result in low testosterone levels – testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s disease for example – a common cause for this hormone deficiency is steroid abuse.

In a reward-for-cheating twist, this means a fighter that may have previously been using ’roids illegally could now back it up with TRT and not get into trouble. Far from the only guilty party, a prime example of this can be seen with former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort.

Belfort, a Brazillian who has been fighting professionally for more than 18 years, was busted by the anti-doping authority for steroid use in 2006. After a nine-month ban from the sport and then fighting in some other MMA tournaments under smaller organisations, he signed up again with the UFC in 2009. By 2012 it was made public that under the ‘Therapeutic Use Exemption’ he was officially on TRT. Thrown unwillingly into the spotlight, title contender Vitor became the face (or brawny body, if you will) of TRT after his extreme physical transformation. It also caught people’s attention when he proceeded to knock out his last three opponents in devastating fashion. At 37, some call it a late career surge. Others claim its straight-up cheating… again.

In his case, The Phenom labels TRT a necessary health treatment; not an enhancement. Much like a diabetic needing insulin or an asthma sufferer using an inhaler. Sure, the idea is to simply elevate biological levels back on par within normal ranges, so it’s an even playing field for all competitors in the octagon, but herein lies another pivotal problem - these ‘exceptions’ open the floodgates to unfair exploitation.

Despite the rather loose testing methods that could certainly allow cheaters to slip through the cracks, a few bad apples have actually been caught, some with over six times the natural limit of the macho chemical in their system.

If that doesn’t raise a procession of red flags and eyebrows, another alarming use of TRT is by veteran athletes who have possibly passed their prime. You see, testosterone levels naturally deplete with age. Consequently a handful of senior UFC fighters are taking to the therapy to keep the pace and stay in the game longer – a dangerous tactic in such a brutal game.

Even if TRT wasn’t being abused – or was only used legitimately due to age barriers or medical conditions – the question begs: should any type of help be given to those who are at a disadvantage? Under these rules, would it not warrant a teenage fighter, who hasn’t fully developed, the right to bulk up his body with synthetics? Where would it end? Maybe a combatant could have his arms stretched longer to extend his reach and even up the score.

So, is the use of an artificial stimulant, whether an enhancer, an equaliser or the modern-day fountain of youth, fair to use in MMA? It seems the consensus grunts a resounding “no”, as earlier this year the Nevada State Athletic Commission - the most influential governing body and a model for other combat sports regulators - handed down the decision to officially ban TRT. The UFC quickly followed suit, cleaning up the technicality and the sport’s reputation with one swift punch.

What will happen to those big names that were once dependant? Chael Sonnen has already been forced to retire. The future looks shaky for 44-year-old legend Dan Henderson. And Belfort’s next big title fight has been put on hold for a few months while he pees out an overflow of the now-prohibited substance.

And so the pissing contest continues… ▪

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 49

50 | August 2014

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Scott Nathan and son Adam Allardyce in the middle of working on a hot (rod) project.

FAST CARS & FRIGGIN’ BRILLIANT FURNITURE Growing up in Sacramento, California, Scott Nathan spent most of his childhood dreaming of hot rods. And not the toy-kind, but the real thing. As a kid, he’d build his own go-karts using anything he could find around his stepdad’s shed – old lawnmower engines, second-hand pistons, rusty exhaust pipes, you name it.

Then he grew up and moved into the tough industry of mining, first stationed in the Porgera Mine in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. His job was to set up hydraulics and pneumatics, working 12-hour days across 21/9 shifts.

Scott describes PNG as “a very primitive place that still had cannibals and head-hunters living on it”.

“Rarely a month would go by without some sort of rioting or tribal fighting going on,” he tells. “I’ve seen people who had been speared or shot with an arrow; I’ve even seen a severed head on pole.”

Scott’s intense mining stint lasted three years, when he decided he wanted to go back to his first great love: hotted-up cars. Now he works as a fulltime machinist and fitter in Cockburn, WA, but it’s his side project that has us really impressed – turning old hot rod parts into awesome pieces of furniture.

A dude who turns bits of the world’s coolest looking autos into even cooler looking furniture?

Rock Candy just had to meet him.

Interview by Antonino Tati Photography by Barbara Bertoli

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 51

Howdy Scott. Looking around your workspace, it’s obvious you’re into your hot rods. How long have you been a follower of fast cars and racing?

I first got interested in hot rods in the early ’70s when I was about 10 years old. My stepfather was a Dodge/Chrysler auto mechanic and a part-time drag racer. He would work on and race his ’68 Dodge Charger most weekends, and I used to go to the track with him. I loved the noise and the smells, and this one day I got to sit in and steer a front-engined dragster through the pits.

From then on I was completely hooked! We also lived a few doors down from a guy who built award-winning Corvettes.

When did you build your first hot rod of sorts?

I was 11. It was a lawnmower-engined go-kart. We used to drive up and down the neighbourhood street in it non-stop.

Back then you could do that stuff, and people knew it was just a couple of kids having some fun.

Before we go into the more serious autos you build now, tell us a bit about your work as a machinist and fabricator.

In a nutshell, I make or do things for people that they can’t do themselves. My shop has both CNC [computer operated] and manual machines, sheet metal and welding machines and, really, there’s not a lot I can’t do. My favourite phrase is “I’m not scared” which I started saying after an incident during one of the many riots at a mine site I worked on, up in PNG. How was your mining stint in Papua New Guinea?

The biggest challenge working there was dealing with the vast void between the western and PNG cultures. Put it this way, working on a mine site there was far from boring! In fact every day was an adventure and there was always something happening.

I witnessed three plane crashes, a couple of earthquakes, an Ampho plant explosion, riots and tribal fighting. It never ended…

Then you decided to f inish up your

contract, move to Australia, and get back into fixing cars?

Yep, back to my first love.

What is it that you love about cars in general?

Being a machinist and fitter, I understand metal and I just love what people do with their cars. It’s a raw form of personal expression and art. You’re only limited by your imagination and your bank balance!

How important is it that a car owner gets the right person to do a custom job?

Extremely! I would say it’s very important to get the right specialists to do the various jobs that arise when building or re-building a car. Specialist fabricators, panel beaters, spray painters, electricians, designers, machinists, engine builders, etc. Don’t just shop around for the cheapest job. It’s important that you choose the person who understands exactly what you’re trying to do or build.

It seems you’re taking your passion for hot rods one step further, now turning previously loved auto parts into some very cool furniture.

Yep! What on earth possessed you to get so creative?

My wife is an artist who also teaches airbrushing. She kept telling me that I have an artistic streak in me, and I’m still not sure if that’s a good or bad thing! Anyway, one night I was mouthing off about a coffee table I saw on ‘Top Gear’, saying I could do better, so she challenged me to make one and that’s where it pretty much started.

Normal business had slowed down a bit by then, so I had time to get into it. Now it’s a real part of my business.

What was the first furniture piece you assembled using auto parts?

It was a Jag V12 table. I’ve made four of those so far. Even made one for Gladstone Nissan as a birthday present for the owner and it had red LED lights and ‘N I S S A N’ lettering down the bores!

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Do you feel the ideas and options for assemblage are endless?

Yes, there are so many different things I would like to do and make but I just don’t have the time to do them all. If somebody comes to me and says they want something different, I just start rattling off a few of my ideas and we go from there.

So far you’ve turned crank shafts into coffee tables, pistons into clocks, transmissions into TV stands. What other ideas are you working on?

I just finished making a table for Road Bend Jaguar from the top end of a Jag V12. The guys there told me to build them something different and that’s what I came up with. I’ve got a few Subaru and VW motors waiting to be made into something. I’ve also got some large diesel engine parts [900mm cam shafts, for example] that are begging to be used. The coolest thing I’ve got here is half a Ford Cobra body that I want to turn into a large desk, or bar, or something like that.

It must feel pretty good combining two pertinent things – your great hobby of fast cars, and the rather Zen technique of recycling… Does it feel nice upcycling old stuff?

The biggest buzz I get is seeing the faces of customers when they come to pick up their item. Interestingly, most of my customers are women buying things for their men. I have had several women drag their husbands along to see my wife’s [quotation marks in the air] “art gallery upstairs” but they were actually bringing them here to pick up the present I’d made for him!

What did mates say when you decided to incorporate recycling into your work?...................

They loved the idea. Some even bought me old parts to get me started. They suggested it could turn into a fulltime business and, if so, said they would even come and work for me.

Do some of the auto parts you use have racing celebrity attachments?

Well, I have been making things from

top drag racers’ old parts like John Zappia’s, Rob Pilkington’s and Robin Judd’s drag cars. And I’m trying to get Victor and Bennie Bray and all the other big names interested in supplying me with their old parts. This’ll be great for my business but also for drag-racing fans. It would be pretty cool to have a piece of a drag car as furniture in your living room, hey?

It certainly would. I assume you accept commissions to customm a k e f u r n it u r e f o r c l ie nt s?

Absolutely! I love it when a new customer comes in with a fresh

concept in mind. We discuss it, decide what parts to make it from, and what their budget is. A few weeks later, they come back, see the finished product and end up grinning from ear to ear, which is what it’s all about.

Last couple of questions; easypeasy ones. Who do you think is the greatest racing driver that ever lived?

Sir Jack Brabam [RIP]. How cool is he to have built his own Formula One car, drive it and win a world championship! A feat nobody will ever do again.

Contact Details: Scott Nathan In2hotrods 12 / 9 Merino Entrance Cockburn Central WA 6164 Phone: (08) 9417 5005 Mobile: 0414 333 909 Web: www. in2hotrods.com.au

And who do you think will be the next big Aussie name on the international Formula One circuit, that is, af ter Daniel Ricciardo?

Your guess is as good as mine, but I can help you to narrow down the field... It’s definitely not me!

And, finally, you’d rather give up your ‘what’ than give up your passion for hot rods and motor sports.

Well… I can’t say my day job, because I love that! ▪

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 53

WILL THE REAL DAN BILZERIAN PLEASE STAND UP?

D

an Bilzerian loves his fast cars, luxur y boats and scantily-clad women whose fake titties would make your jaw drop. His decadent lifestyle attracts all kinds of hangers-on and wannabes into his whirlwind of a world.

Heck, so strong is this player’s pull, he’s even had lesbian pinup Michelle Rodriguez party on his yacht. And that’s a definite coup in our books.

Also spotted hanging around Dan the Man has been Pamela Anderson, the Kardashian clan, Mr T, and let’s not forget 19-year-old porn starlet Janice Griffith – whom he allegedly threw from the roof of his Los Angeles mansion, leaving her with a broken ankle.

All very debauched, yes, but what we really want to know is: who is the real Dan Bilzerian? Is he a genuine fulltime playboy,

cruising along from champion poker playing to venture-capitalising to hard-partying?

A man living in a constant kaleidoscopic world of sex, drugs and rockin’ trolls?

Indeed, so over-the-top are some of the images on this guy’s Facebook page, you’d think the scenes were photoshopped. Even his huge head looks like a cross between fitness freak Joe Manganiello’s and Papa Smurf’s, appearing as though it has been cut and pasted between the busty babes and B-list celebs.

But kudos to the dude for pulling off some of the biggest parties outside of Vegas and Miami.

Then again, we suspect a lot of this brouhaha could be a front for a guy who’s actually rather run-of-the-mill, down-toearth, boy-next-door. Enough with the hyphenated titles already, you say – they’re

getting as bad as the number of hashtags spawning from his Twitter account, which include #IDoWhatEverAndWhoEverIWant, #WeBenchPressBitches, #ImAGodAtSea and #SheBetterDoBothIfSheWantsSexFromMe to name a delicate few. Incidentally, the latter was in reference to his recent post “Do you prefer a woman to clean your pool or give you a foot massage?”

Despite such misog ynist musings, Bilzerian is one of the biggest hits on Instagram in 2014. While he claims that “no animals were harmed in the making of” his Instagram feed, he has no qualms in juxtaposing innocent kittens with machine guns.

Indeed, one of these felines in particular – his Persian pussy, Smushball – comes across as classier a cat than half the bimbos who surround him. ▪ Michael Mastess & Andrea Manno

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MUSIC

HIGH ON LIFE

Lead singer Matt Pike of heavy metal band High On Fire may have given up drink and drugs, but he still likes to deliver ‘that stoner sound’. Interview by Andrea Manno

56 | August 2014

“I

really enjoy classical and jazz” was the last thing I expected to hear from the frontman of a heavy metal band, but High On Fire’s lead singer Matt Pike has no qualms in admitting his penchant for lots of Chopin and Beethoven.

“I need to have a lot of introverted ‘alone’ time for myself,” admits the singer, “for my own sobriety and for my own head. A lot of the time I’ll be in the mood for Slayer or Motörhead, but there are times where I’ll be in the mood for classical music.”

The admission slides of Matt’s tongue with ease and a chuckle that belies his otherwise gravelly tone on record, and I admit I’m still finding it difficult to comprehend when I play it up against the bellowing tones evident in High On Fire’s music.

It’s also incongruous to the heavy messages in the band’s songs. Lyrics like “They got us wired to the reptile brain… this world is insane” don’t exactly go hand-in-hand with symphonic tastes.

That said, on-stage Matt and Co like to keep it hard.

Indeed the noise these guys deliver has echoed far beyond the realms of their home turf in California where the band formed in 1998, happy then to be categorised as ‘stoner metal heads’. They’ve played major metal events from the Mayhem Festival in Colorado to the dubiously named Relapse Contamination Fest in Philadelphia, and recently hit Australian shores to treat us to a taste of their rock sonics.

While Matt admits that “50 to 75%” of High On Fire’s audience are often high themselves (on drink, on drugs, or a mix of both) he himself gave up the hard stuff years ago. That said, he refuses to be “one of those super-judgmental religious AA people”.

In a pre-reformed interview with metal site Pelecanus. net he said: “I was lost in that whole tour bus right there; now I’m starting to find out who I really am and what I’m worth. It kinda makes me sad that I blacked myself out for so long. No longer. I still smoke, but I’m gonna quit these [indicating with the cigarette in his right hand] and then I’ll quit this [referring to the beer tinnie in front of him].”

Despite the reformation, the style of High On Fire remains definitively ‘stoner’. While it is common knowledge that the band enjoying paying homage to one of the greatest rock/metal acts of our time, Black Sabbath, the influences don’t stop there. Judas Priest also gets a lookin. As do Slayer. And Pink Floyd.

Which brings us full circle in the metal-versus-classical debate. After all, if it’s okay for the Floyd to see their music morph from rock to symphonic, who knows, maybe one day High On Fire will actually incorporate classical elements into their own tunes?

For now though, the volume is being turned up to full 11. ▪ HIGH ON FIRE RECENTLY PLAYED THE ROSEMOUNT IN PERTH. THE BAND HAVE PROMISED A NEW ALBUM RELEASE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. MATT PIKE IS PICTURED RIGHT.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 57

MUSIC

WILD HEART

Monique Brumby has been making music for over 15 years and has amassed a discography that reads like a huge tome of trials, tribulations, tidbits and tribute. Now she’s spreading the magic of music-making to less-advantaged youth, while still cutting killer tracks of her own. Story by Andrea Manno

F

or Tasmanian-born singer-songwriter Monique Brumby, music is not only a forte but a true passion. Forget for a moment the two ARIA awards she won in 1996 and 1997 for ‘Fool For You’ (Best New Talent) and ‘Mary’ (Best Female Artist), respectively; there’s more to this gal than meets the ear and eye.

Her songs have featured in a plethora of prime-time TV series (Neighbours, Home and Away, McLeod’s Daughters, The Secret Life Of Us). She has contributed to soundtracks for cool Aussie movies (Diana and Me, Occasional Course Language). She’s filed away five albums proper, plus ten brilliant singles and two EPs. And she’s performed constantly for the better part of the past decade-and-a-half.

In her spare time, when she and her band aren’t keenly piecing together new music, Monique and her wife Sophie (yep, you read right) keep themselves busy working with Aardvark Worldwide, a not-for-profit organisation that harnesses self-expression

58 | August 2014

through creative efforts. In a nutshell, the foundation uses music as a therapeutic means for underprivileged kids to better their mental and physical wellbeing as well as enhance their personal development.

Says Monique, “I just see a need for young people who may have illnesses or who are troubled; they miss a lot of school and they struggle to find good peer support. For them to have a release through music is a great thing.”

Not only do participants, who are usually in their teens and early twenties, get to experiment with music and enjoy recording their own songs, Monique tells how they get to work with some very famous musicians. A fellow Aardvark ambassador is Wally de Backer – whom you might otherwise know as Gotye – while the program has seen guest artists ushered through its turnstiles including Missy Higgins, The Living End and Paul Dempsey.

It’s difficult to imagine that amid all this encouraging community work, Monique finds time to produce her own music, but indeed she has done, most recently in the form of a new brilliant self-titled album that critics are describing as her best yet.

Three years in the making and recorded mostly at her Melbourne home studio (which she christened ‘Silver Dollars’), the LP was co-produced by Brumby and longtime music collaborator Nick Larkins. With a strong emotional charge and autobiographical themes aplenty, the record’s lyrics speak mostly about the positivity in overcoming adversity.

“I feel like I’ve had a lot to overcome in my career,” tells the singer-songwriter. “Being signed to a major record label at such a young age, then to go out and make records independently for the past 15 years has had its challenges.

“I’ve also had a lot to overcome on a personal level. Acceptance of self, dealing with grief, falling in and out of love, striving to be better; these are universal themes, I know, that most people can relate to.”

One of the album’s finer cuts is lead single ‘Silent War’, a vibrant and assertive stand for marriage equality. It’s a topic that’s close to Monique’s heart.

“I really wanted to write a song that talked a about the struggles [same-sex couples] go through. There’s so much struggle of acceptance of self that the last thing a young gay person needs is to be told that you’re not equal, or that you don’t have equal rights.”

On her own personal identity, the musician who captured the public’s hearts in the late ’90s with ‘The Change In Me’ – a song that I too adored when it came out in my late teens – preferred not to make her sexuality the main face people saw then. She admits that for a long time she didn’t feel comfortable in speaking about her private life. Now, though, she’s bolting into the limelight with statement lyrics like “Our world is full of colour, don’t let them take it from you… your honour, your integrity, we’re gonna make it through”.

Monique’s new-found confidence in using music as an outlet for spreading affirmative messages has enabled her to discuss sexuality more comfortably.

“I think that the government changing the laws of marriage equality really could send a message of anti-discrimination, and as much as people say ‘It doesn’t really matter’, I think it really does matter, because it says that all people are equal regardless of their sexuality.”

On an even more personal note she admits, “I have loving relationships with men and women. I married a woman, and ‘Silent War’ highlights my view that the union of any two consenting adults should be supported. In a world that has its share of war and conflict, love is a good thing.”

Indeed in the song ‘Underground’, Monique deconstructs traditional notions of gender and sexuality, referencing the roles of ‘nurse’, ‘priestess’, ‘labourer’ and ‘pastor’ amid, of all places, the Amish community, where people get along without judgement.

Just as the album sees a new-found optimism in lyrical delivery, so too the music has become more diverse; certainly branching out further than the pop/slash/rock restraints that once held this Brumby back.

Songs like ‘Forever Now’ (no, it’s not a Cold Chisel cover) see Monique experimenting with groove and electronica, styles she says have been fun to explore. It was one of the first songs that saw her ‘sound-engineering’ herself – only to add to her many musical accomplishments – and although she stepped back from it for a bit because she felt she was “strangling the song with so many ideas that it was shite”, after finishing the rest of the album’s tracks, Monique returned to ‘Forever Now’ to find that “everything fell into place quite nicely”. And you know we love to see and hear that everything is in its right place. ▪ Monique Brumby’s self-titled album and the single ‘Silent War’ are available on iTunes.

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WORKING HIS MAGIC

ROCK CANDY CHATS WITH ILLUSIONIST ADAM MADA (LOOK MUM, HIS NAME READS THE SAME BACKWARDS!) ABOUT HIS BEGINNINGS IN MAGIC, AND SOME NEW TRICKS HE HAS UP HIS SLEEVE. Interview by Antonino Tati / Photography by Elizabeth Allnutt What age were you when you started practicing magic and what drew you to the craft?

From as early as I can remember, I’d find magic everywhere around me. I’d stick the wet bath flannel on the wall and think ‘Wow, that’s amazing’. I was always fascinated by how things worked and how simple they could be.

Do you remember which magician you first saw?

I don’t remember the first magician I saw but I knew that I wanted to be one. I suppose all young boys are drawn to power, and magic is a very direct form of instant power. It’s like applied-science-meets-theatre, and I was a full-on science geek who was often caught daydreaming. I didn’t really start practicing in a professional manner until my late teens, when I was at Uni studying multimedia and IT. I suppose the combination of my devious mind and my geekiness meant I could never really be anything else but a magician.

What’s been the strangest reaction you’ve gotten when people ask what you do for a l iv i ng a nd yo u tel l t hem yo u’r e a magician?

Generally they think I say ‘musician’, as magician is too unbelievable at first. The conversation continues with them thinking I’m a musician until at some point they go, ‘Ohhhh, you mean you’re actually a real magician… and you can make a living doing that?’ For the past two years, my next-door neighbours thought I was a musician; they always gave me funny looks when passing my window, seeing me with some weird contraption. But being a magician is so normal for me. I have to remind myself that socially it’s actually quite weird; in fact if I really need some downtime from the ‘magician’ questions, I’ll lie and tell people I build props or something.

Is there a certain element of danger that draws you to magic?

Naturally! Every time I step onto the stage I’m putting myself at risk, especially as I involve people in the show, and people are always incredibly unpredictable. Which is wonderful, because you’re always kept on your toes, and you have to keep your mind 60 | August 2014

sharp. I’ve done some product launches where sometimes the effect looks really dangerous, however this is only an illusion.

We go to great care to remove all the real risk from the situation, so we can ensure we deliver an unforgettable and professional effect that truly showcases a product.

Author Tara Moss based a character on you in her novel ‘Siren’. Did she approach you and ask you questions or did she ‘study’ you without your knowing it?

A bit of both, really. Initially Tara was going to all these live performances around town researching her novel. I have a lot of respect for her because she really gets her hands dirty with research. The first time we met was at an extravagant ball where she approached me after my show, simply saying she enjoyed it. Anyway, we met for coffee and discussed her ideas for the book and specifically the magician character, Lucien. I also helped on many technical magical elements of the story such as how to make a diary ‘invisible’. Anyway, we became good friends. I recall at her wedding a very magical moment, when during the ceremony – and right on cue after a poetry reading – the fountain pen that was being used for signing jumped off the book, flipped in the air and got stuck in the ground. All the guests gasped, then looked at me!

Is it more difficult working to a crowd in a large theatre compared to, say, a darker, more intimate environment?

Surprisingly, it’s easier to work to a thousand people on a stage, than to a small group in an intimate environment. In a small dark club, for example, you have many distractions; you’re only one of many things for the audience to focus on. Also you need to connect with each person directly in order to control their attention and hold it. On a larger stage with a bigger audience, the focus is solely on you. I mean, try this; stand in the street and point to something, and soon you’ll have everyone looking at what you’re pointing to. It’s the wisdom of crowds!

Are you ever tempted to tell curious folk about the secret behind any given trick?

I actually love to teach, especially when people come up to me with a real interest

to learn something. Of course revealing the methods to something they’ve just seen can be depressing for them, so I offer to teach them some other great trick that they can actually perform and share with others.

The old saying ‘a magician never reveals his secrets’ is a lie… I mean, I had to learn somehow, right? In fact magicians are not very good at keeping secrets; there are more books published on the craft of magic than on any other craft.

Tell us a little about your television work, f o r e x a mple t he B B C s e r ie s ‘ T he Real Hustle’.

‘The Real Hustle’ is a UK reality program and it was quite revolutionary since it actually exposed real scams in an entertaining way. I was thrilled when they contacted me to be a part of the Australian version.

In the screen test I had to prove my worth by posing as a fake detective and getting as much personal information from random people on the street as I could. My co-star [the con mastermind] was also a good friend of mine in magic circles. We’d spend a week writing each episode about a particular heist based on some well-worn territory.

For example, they’d set up a fake photo shoot where they’d have security escorting jewels and we’d re-enact the theft [ie: the jewels disappearing] scenarios.

You’re also an Ambassador for the Starlight Children’s Foundation; tell us a bit about that.

Recently the foundation contacted me to hold a series of conjuring workshops for the Captain Starlights, who are the most amazing people you’ll ever meet. These are the real heroes who day in and day out visit extremely ill children in hospitals across the country, engaging them with activities and magic. The initial series of workshops were a huge success. I’ll now be taking a more involved and ongoing role, establishing a magic curriculum for all Captain Starlights, and we’re currently in the process of initiating a program for all new captains to study nationally. It’s extremely rewarding to be part of such an important Australian program, and one that has recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. ▪

“I suppose the combination of my devious mind and my geekiness meant I could never really be anything else but a magician.� www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 61

62 | August 2014

PLAYING POLITICS ROCK CANDY CATCHES UP WITH ‘VEEP’ ACTOR REID SCOTT WHO DISCUSSES HOW TV IS WINNING OVER HOLLYWOOD’S ACTING FRATERNITY, NOW TIRING OF THE SAME OL’ FILMIC FORMULAS. Interview by Antonino Tati / Photography by Collin Stark

R

eid Scott’s face ought to be familiar to you. Following on from feature roles in comedy series All My Children and My Boys, Scott went on to guest-star as Laura Linney’s trusty oncologist in The Big C and in between has shot spots for gritty dramas like CSI:NY, Underbelly (the US version) and Bones.

But it’s the actor’s latest TV role that has tongues wagging, playing opposite the very funny Julia Louis-Dreyfus (you remember her as ‘Elaine’ from Seinfeld) in hot political satire, Veep.

While Reid’s character Dan Egan proudly wears a badge that reads ‘Deputy Director of Communications’, you couldn’t stumble across a show with more miscommunication and F-ups than this one. Indeed, Veep is possibly the most hilarious politically incorrect show about politics on TV. Scott’s Dan doesn’t know which political party his loyalty lies with. One minute he’s doting on Vice President Selina Meyer (Louis-Dreyfus), the next he’s stabbing her in the back to get up the next rung on the political ladder (he even sleeps with the daughters of influential politicians to further his career).

Though Veep is a relatively fresh success, Reid Scott’s relationship to the comedy genre goes back several years, when he played the role of Modern Family creator Steve Levitan in an incidental comedy about the behindthe-scenes shenanigans of sit-com production. Back then, Scott panicked that producers might catch him out, since he’d never

done any official acting training.

Still, you wouldn’t know it watching the guy as he lights up the screen with confidence and charisma in equal doses…

You’ve been appearing on TV quite a bit, dashing from one series to the next. How difficult is it to keep track of what show you’re working on at any given time?

Well there hasn’t been too much overlap; in fact it’s been quite a nice succession. My Boys wrapped, then I did The Big C for a couple of seasons, and then moved on to Veep.

It must be fun being able to get away with virtual murder while playing a conniving character like Dan in Veep.

It is. And I love being able to explore a character like that; to be able to slip in and out of different characteristics is such a thrill.

At the same time you get to explore different facets of yourself, which is a wonderful exercise. It feels like you’re in a dreamland.

It must be quite therapeutic, too. As humans we tend to wear proverbial masks going about our day-to-day lives, but as an actor you get to take those off and delve into different sides of your personality…

Absolutely, and in the safest way possible!

You’re doing it as a job and so you have that bit of separation.

W here it is still regarded as sane, you mean?

[Laughs] Yeah, sane for a minute or two!

You had a prominent role in The Big C, playing Laura Linney’s oncologist...

Yeah, and it was a lot of fun.

What’s Laura like to work with?

She’s exactly what you want Laura Linney to be – a consummate professional but also very approachable; very normal. I was an enormous fan before I even got to work with her. There was a movie she did with Mark Ruffalo – Count On Me – which was one of the reasons I became an actor in the first place. I think the performance she turned in – alongside Mark’s – were two of the finest I’d seen. So it was a real pleasure to work with her.

Laura started out on TV herself, in the Tales Of The City series…

That’s exactly right, and she always talks about that, too. I was asking her, ‘What brought you back to television?’ and she said that the material [The Big C] just really resonated with her. To hear her talk about what she looks for in a role and how she approaches her work was really inspiring – it was like taking a master class. To have worked with her, and Oliver Platt, and John Benjamin Hickey – I learnt so much in two seasons, and I’m sure that my work has changed because of it.

That’s great to hear. It seems there’s a lot more credibility attached to TV these days, compared to film. Many actors are now moving back and forth between the mediums. Do you think it has a lot to do www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 63

with scriptwriting loosening up; being more ‘real’?

Absolutely. We have so many networks and studios competing with one another that it’s really been a race to find the best and most legitimate material. Movie writers start to get a foot in television, followed by movie directors and movie actors. I think now, we’re in this Golden Age of television where it’s really beating out movies in terms of material. TV’s a great place to be – particularly in the company of Showtime and HBO [the latter on which Veep airs in the US]. They really do deliver incredible characters that are backed by incredible writing.

Do you think, though, that TV is reaching a point where things are getting out of hand?

Even going back a decade to the likes of Six Feet Under and Big Love, right through to Weeds and Breaking Bad… I’m wondering if shows like these desensitise society as a whole to subjects such as sex, drugs and death?

That’s a good question, you know. I think it’s sort of a chicken-or-the-egg situation. Does life imitate art or art imitate life?

I think if it wasn’t for the fact that society was ready for something like that, those programs wouldn’t have resonated in the first place and wouldn’t have found the viewership that they did. It’s a really good question you raise but I don’t know if I know the answer. For my part, I love the way society and art tend to inf luence each other back and forth, and I think we’re in a really nice pendulum swing between the two.

I suppose if the demand is there from viewers, shows might continue to get more intense.

Exactly.

You move around a lot for your work, from LA to New York and back. Does it ever get tiring?

I like going back and forth. I’ve always been kind of a nomad and I don’t think I’ve lived anywhere longer than two years. Even if I’m staying in the same city, I need to change apartments or houses because the same walls start to tire me. LA is where I do most of my work, but I’m from 64 | August 2014

New York so I tend to go back there a lot to recharge my batteries and realign myself. And to remind myself of why I’m doing this [acting] in the first place.

Why are you doing this?

What’s your main goal?

You know, I actually started off as a director. I went to film school and moved to New York City, directing plays and short films, even writing plays and films, and I kind of fell into acting by accident. I had a group of friends who were all directors, and in our circle we didn’t really trust the actors that we had auditioned and so we’d cast each other. A professor at my school saw my acting in a play and said, ‘Hey, I can get you an agent’. So I went into acting as a kind of backup plan.

W h a t w a s t he f i r s t r o le you landed?

I did a pilot for Steve Levitan – the creator of Modern Family.

He hired me to basically play him in a little sit-com. I was terrified because I felt they [the producers] were going to realise at some point that I wasn’t really an actor. I guess I fooled them enough because I’ve been doing this for almost 12 years now!

I thought I’d seen your face around a bit. Weren’t you in the horror film Amusement?

Ye a h , y e a h . [ L a u g h s ] .

Amusement was a blast.

I’m so glad you didn’t deni-

grate the horror genre.

I love horror movies – I’m a big horror buff. In fact, myself and two of my writing partners have written a horror movie that we’re going to try and get made this year. It’s a classic monster movie… The first movie I saw that really got me was Jaws and, ever since then, classic horror movies have always been my favourite. A lot of horror movies these days have a supernatural bent, or a spiritual bent, or a psychotic bent, but we want to do the opposite and offer up a real classic horror film. But like any good horror movie, there’s a message and this one’s an environmental one. It’s about a group of friends that go out into the woods on a hunting trip and get a little more than they bargained for…

Okay, we won’t ask how the first friend dies. Back to the business at hand, what do you consider to be the worst thing about acting?

I think the worst thing about this business is that, slowly, your private world gets degraded, and that’s a little odd. Sometimes it can be hard to go places without someone – I don’t want to say bothering you, but interrupting you. To me that’s new, and I’m only starting to experience it now. I have friends who have it way worse than I do and while it is f lattering, it’s still very unusual to be walking down

the street and have people come up to you and feel like they know you. But I usually stop and say ‘Hi’ because, like I said, it is flattering. But other than that, the business side of this business is rough. You’re working in an industry where as an artist you’re trying to put something forth and nine times out of ten, it’s being rejected. It’s that tenth time that’s such a thrill; the personal coup that you do it for.

I tell everybody that basically it’s like being a professional gambler who loves staying in the game long enough to play the hand you want to play when you wanna play it. You’ve got to have thick skin to be working in this industry.

Would you recommend that actors who are starting out get a handle on other aspects of the business – from scriptwriting to shooting and directing; not necessarily as something to fall back on, but as a learning exercise for each area?

Absolutely. There’s no such thing as too much education, no matter what you’re doing. And this is such a technical medium that the more you know about every side of it, the better off you are. ▪

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TRAVEL

LUXURY TRAVEL IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND Private jet travel offers plenty of benefits for the practised globe-trotter and fly-in, fly-out worker, not least of all personalised treatment. Antonino Tati speaks with Quynh Nguyen of Captain’s Choice about the perks and privileges that now lend genuine meaning to the term ‘ jet setter’.

66 | August 2014

TRAVEL

Just how much of a holiday can Captain’s Choice plan for a client, so as the client might avoid the hassles of planning themselves? Obviously it’s more than just booking them a jet...

At Captain’s Choice we offer all-inclusive tours, which means with one simple call we can book and arrange a guest’s holiday. This includes their airfare, accommodation, meals and drinks, tipping, taxes, transfers, travel insurance, even sight-seeing. We also offer pre and post tours. And should a guest wish to depart earlier, or return later, we are more than happy to book their travel needs.

One of the benefits of private jet travel is not having to wait around at an airport with so many other passengers. If a client needs to catch a connecting flight once they’ve landed via private jet at their first destination, do they receive benefits like you might if you were booking under First or Business Class?

Our private jet tours include connecting commercial flights to meet the private jet whether it’s in China or India. Guests who choose to fly First and Business Class will receive the benefits from these commercial airlines. Once they are on our private jet, it’ll be VIP treatment all the way.

Do clients still need to go through the usual flight procedures, like filling in customs papers?

Where customs forms are required to be filled in, the usual procedures apply, but where we can, we expedite customs and immigration procedures by avoiding the long queues. On one of our previous private jet tours, there was a customs officer onboard processing everyone’s forms so by the time the jet landed, guests could disembark and have more time to enjoy their holiday.

How does Captain’s Choice help clients with the four ‘T’s that you mentioned: taxes, transfers, travel insurance, and tipping?

The four ‘T’s are all included in the tour price, even travel insurance, provided the insurer’s terms and conditions are met.

Tell us a little about some of the great packages on offer, perhaps starting with ‘The Silk Road & Beyond’.

We have been operating The Silk Road by private train for a number of years and it has become a perennial favourite amongst our guests. There was demand for a similar tour by private jet so we have privately chartered an Airbus A319 CJ aircraft for 44 guests.

There’s no better way to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Marco Polo to explore one of the oldest and most important trade routes in history.

Then there’s the ‘Exotic India & the Mountain Kingdoms’ package. What benefits would Captain’s Choice clients have over general visitors to India and the Himalayas?

Travellers that have not been to this part of the world may be concerned about the reliability of internal flights but with our private jet, we can fly directly from one city to the next with ease.

For an itinerary like this, it’ll be challenging for the independent traveller to get to know these countries in depth as they’re likely to get to know airports in depth more. On all Captains’ Choice tours, a doctor accompanies the tour and is also there to assist our Tour Escort Team. Having a doctor available 24 hours is reassuring for our guests who may have concerns about their wellbeing, especially in a country they have yet to visit.

And tell us about the ‘Wonders of China’ package. I believe there are some secret spots to be uncovered?

We’re glad the Terracotta Warriors in Xian are no longer a secret and were discovered in 1974 or else we wouldn’t be able to view them on the VIP platform! It’s definitely a highlight and on every traveller’s bucket list. On our cruise along the Yangtze River, we give guests the option to visit remote communities and mingle with the locals. And in Shanghai, shopaholics can embark on a personalised shopping tour to seek bargains.

Does Captain’s Choice offer inter- or intra-state jet travel?

For a tour closer to home, Captain’s Choice also operates in our very own backyard. In 2014 and 2015, guests can board a 30-seater plane and explore the Southern Islands of Australia including Flinders Island, King Island and Kangaroo Island. Guests can also fly to Hobart, Strahan and Mildura, and a major highlight will be our exclusive use of Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island – a luxurious experience and gastronomic delight too!

What about pricing; what is the cost of a typical Captain’s Choice Private Jet Travel package?

The tours start from $36,915 per person twin share, which includes economy class connecting flights and private jet travel. First and Business Class connection flights are also available. For solo guests, we have a reasonable single supplement. Solo travellers actually make up 40% of total guests on each Captain’s Choice tour; it’s a fantastic way to meet fellow likeminded travellers and become friends along the way. Also, our Tour Escort Team is on hand to ensure our solo guests are never alone.

Finally, what would you say are the three main benefits of private jet travel?

Firstly, direct flights – we benefit from being able to plan the route and provide direct flights during the day. It eliminates having to rely on internal flights so as to give travellers more time on the ground exploring. Secondly, expedited customs and immigration procedures – no one likes to line up to go through immigration so where we can, we avoid the queues. And of course, ease of travel – guests are welcomed back onboard by the same crew together with our Tour Escort Team, while internal flights are eliminated, plus there’s extra luggage allowance. Suffice to say, the level of personalised service is paramount, and it is one of the most luxurious ways to travel! ▪ FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT CAPTAINSCHOICE.COM.AU.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 67

FOOD

Grafted fast food

In horticultural terms, ‘grafting’ is when the bud of one plant is inserted into another to create a new type of fruit, for example the sour cherry that blossoms from the union of a traditional sweet cherry and a plum, and the more recently introduced ‘grapple’, an apple that tastes like a grape. If a farmer’s really clever at grafting, he can successfully grow ‘fruit salad trees’ which bear a variety of fruits from the same family (eg: citruses such as oranges, mandarins, lemons and tangelos).

Lately, there’s been a trend of not-so-natural fast foods taking on the grafting ethos but with a lot more sticky stuff, like melted cheese and grease, involved in keeping all the messy stuff together.

Popular examples of these are the ‘cronut’ (a cross between a croissant and a doughnut) and its savoury sibling the ‘bronut’ (slices of bacon sandwiched in – you guessed it – a doughnut). Both fat-saturated bastard foods were of course first concocted in the US, and are unlikely to take off among us somewhat more ‘health conscious’ Aussies.

Another recent fast food marriage is Burger King’s ‘Pizza Burger’, six times the size of your average burger, packed with pepperoni and mozzarella, and “totally worth sharing” according to the product’s adverts. Even Pizza Hut has hopped onto the grafting bandwagon, stuffing its thick-crust pizza with hotdog frankfurts.

But our pick of contemporary fast food conjugals is the ‘ramen burger’, a beef patty topped with onions and rocket leaves, swaddled between two ramen noodle ‘buns’. This east-meets-west fast food marriage was conjured by chef Keizo Shimamoto at a food festival in New York, with punters waiting hours in line to get their mitts on the good, grubby stuff.

The ramen burger is a little trickier to prepare in your own kitchen, but if you’re keen to try a different kind of fast food, follow the recipe here. Antonino Tati

RAMEN BURGER RECIPE Ingredients:

1 packet of dried ramen noodles 1 egg Oil to fry 1 lean beef patty Soy sauce Sesame oil White onion Rocket Cheddar cheese (optional)

Method:

First, cook your ramen (without the seasoning packet; Maggi 2-minute noodles will even do the trick). Strain the noodles and stir in the egg. Divide the egg-coated noodles into two halves, and place in separate round containers (to mould into bun shapes). Place a smaller, heavier bowl over the eg g y noodle nest to press it into shape, then place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan, and fry both ramen patties until golden brown. Set aside to cool for a bit.

Fry your hamburger patty as you like it, adding a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.

Place cooked hamburger patty between the buns along with layers of rocket and onion, and optional cheese.

Then dig in!

68 | August 2014

FOOD

The ‘In’ Drink To Get You ‘Up’ As the seasons change, so the drinks we enjoy should follow suit. Say howdy, then, to cooler weather and its perfect fit: an espresso martini.

Some call it a grown-up’s ‘iced coffee’, and originally it was labelled a ‘pharmaceutical stimulant’, but whatever you choose to call it, chances are it’s going to give you that much-needed hit.

Our choice for the ultimate espresso martini is quality Patrón XO Café Tequila mixed with Skyy Vodka, a little chilled coffee and ice. Pour the ingredients into a shaker, give it a couple of taps, and strain into a chilled glass.

It’s so delicious and energising, you might even give that classic martini the flick for good. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if Bond ordered one of these before his next spy-busting gig on the big screen. AT Patrón XO Café Tequila and Skyy Vodka are available from quality liquor outlets.

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 69

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Fifo Wife

ZEN AND THE ART OF MY OWN BODY MAINTENANCE

Debbie Russo | bio We’re stoked to have The FIFO Wife, a.k.a. Debbie Russo, on board here at Rock Candy as our regular rock chick columnist.

She tells it how it is, from the other side of the FIFO fence - as one of those perennially waiting for a partner to return home, only to go back to work just weeks later, literally left holding the babies.

Says Deb: “Im 35 but I will forever be 26. I have three yummy boys aged 6, 4 and 2. I live in the country and I love it.

I’ve been a FIFO wife for 13 years now. I love it most days - note the word most - and I believe this is a lifestyle you either make work or you don’t. It’s up to you. It is hard work, but it’s worth it.”

So we hope you enjoy Deb’s honest take on being a FIFO wife - insight guaranteed.

If you need support or just want to get in touch with someone to talk to, visit any one of these sites: www.fifofamilies.com.au www.miningfm.com.au www.familyjuggle.com.au www.ocaustralia.com.au

A

s a child, I remember vividly a bumper sticker on my father’s old beat-up Ford truck. It said, “Anything with boobs or wheels; you’re gonna have problems with it”.

Rather offensive, yes, but also very ironic for the ’80s. That it was stuck onto the back of a truck that had more holes in it than a strainer only added to the irony.

Now, using the woman/machine anatomy, if I were to be a car right now, I’d say I felt like the old V-Dub Beetle my first boyfriend drove. But I’m insistent that, like all things in life, if I want to run at my best, I’m going to need a little maintenance. Otherwise, I admit I might be in for one major mechanical breakdown.

So here’s what I’ve been doing to try and get back to tip-top condition…

Sleep

Basically, if we don’t get enough of it, we could die, and as a parent, let me tell you I get very little.

I now realise I can’t survive on the same amount of sleep as I did when I was 22, and if I don’t get enough sleep, I find I tend to cry a lot. And at the most absurd things, like seeing cleaning product advertisements between squeaky-clean soap operas. These only appear to serve the purpose of reminding me of all the cleaning I have to do around the house – making me feel even more rest-deprived. So I recommend you get lots of quality sleep, however and whenever you can.

I know I’m going to try to more.

Eat right

You can’t survive on half-drunken cups of cold

coffee and your toddler’s leftovers. It’s simply not advisable. And there is only so much nutrition in a piece of toast slapped with Vegemite.

Get lots of greens into you. Especially in this, the last month of winter. Minestrone is an easy fix – you can put whatever vegetables into the mix, and they all come out tasting ten times better.

Get some support

Be it your neighbour, a friend, or a family member, have someone on hand that you can occasionally talk to. As a FIFO spouse or parent, realise you’re not alone. And that it’s never good to keep feelings bottled up, or you could blow a proverbial gasket.

Exercise

Yes, it’s a common public announcement but it is true that just 30 minutes of exercise a day is all it takes to help keep your motor running smoothly. Exercise also helps with that elusive thing, sleep. And get inventive with your exercise. The number of times I’ve strapped my baby to my back and walked up the hill in my street is countless. Also the more children I had, it seemed I was constantly doing laps around the yard. My neighbours thought I was nuts, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do...

Try a few of these and you should go from feeling like a beat-up old Beetle to something in the realm of a trusty, modern Ford Laser. Yep, we’re a Ford family through and through. www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 71

PHOTOGRAPHY: JAYGA MCMULLEN HAIR + MAKEUP: JULIA COCKMAN (FOR PIERROT’S) MODEL: ARBER ALIKAJ (AT CHADWICK MODELS) CREATIVE DIRECTION: ANTONINO TATI LOCATION: F45 TRAINING, WEST LEEDERVILLE (SPECIAL THANKS TO MATT HODGSON) FOR THE PEOPLE SHORTS ($69), AVAILABLE FROM LULULEMON ATHLETICA KARRINYUP. ‘CLIFF’ SHOES BY AIRFLEX ($99.99). PROTECTIVE GLOVES COURTESY F45 TRAINING.

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UNDEFEATED ‘BAT DAY’ HOODIE ($139), GFTED ‘CAMO GOON’ PANT ($59) AND UNDEFEATED ‘INTERNATIONAL CAMP’ CAP ($60), ALL AVAILABLE FROM UNISON APPAREL LEEDERVILLE. SNEAKERS, MODEL’S OWN. SOCCER BALL ($5) FROM THE PERTH ROYAL SHOW (YES, SERIOUSLY!).

www.rockcandymagazine.com.au | 79

DIRECTORY ADIDAS (02) 9970 1800 WWW.ADIDAS.COM/EYEWEAR METAL VENT ‘TECH’ TOP ($85) AND SURGE SHORTS ($69), AVAILABLE FROM LULULEMON ATHLETICA KARRINYUP. ‘ELEVATE’ SNEAKERS BY AIRFLEX ($99.99). ALL EQUIPMENT COURTESY F45 TRAINING.

AIRFLEX 1300 697 463 WWW.AIRFLEX.COM.AU F45 TRAINING 0415 353 326 WWW.F45TRAINING.COM.AU LULULEMON ATHLETICA (08) 9204 1144 WWW.LULULEMON.COM PIERROT’S MOUNT LAWLEY + KALAMUNDA (08) 9371 8210, (08) 9293 4469 WWW.PIERROTS.COM.AU UNISON APPAREL (08) 9443 6622 WWW.UN1SON.COM.AU ZU 1300 987 463 WWW.ZUSHOE.COM

80 | August 2014

NOW HIRING

Landing the job you want just got easier.

For almost two decades, WorkPac has been providing the people that have helped deliver our country’s most significant mining and infrastructure projects.

As a preferred labour provider to Australia’s leading mining, construction, engineering, oil and gas and health care organisations, we are always on the hunt for talent to fill exciting roles in the Pilbara, Kimberly and Kalgoorlie / Goldfields regions.

We now have a number of great career opportunities to offer (both FIFO and Pilbara, Kimberly and Kalgoorlie / Goldfields residential based), including: • • • • •

Heavy Duty Diesel Fitters Boilermakers Mobile Plant Operators / Dump Truck Operators Welders Drillers / Drillers Offsider

Join a team that has real opportunities and real care for its people.

Call us or register and apply online today.

Perth 08 9443 8222 | Bunbury 08 9722 3922 | Rockingham 08 9591 0322 Kalgoorlie 08 9026 2422 | Karratha 08 9159 6622 | Newman 08 9177 9722 Port Hedland 08 9158 5522 | Tom Price 08 9189 2922

workpac.com

• • • • •

HV Electricians Auto / Commercial / Industrial Electricians Servicemen Mechanical Fitters Underground Operators / Trades

WorkPac Group