hands-tied music

Alif Thomas Dodds attempts to select the finest fruits of Melbourne's vast, diverse, wonderful musical community. Contact him with your music at [email protected].

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Bitter Sweet (formerly Blood Orange)

The story of Bitter Sweet is ultimately a story of two bands, two somewhat different yet equally deserving artists, and the name they had once shared to much disdain, an issue that has thankfully been resolved. Bands share names all the time but not everyone gets tagged in posts meant for Devonte Hynes though with the level of talent the ‘other’ Blood Orange possess, nobody is more deserving of the ‘accidental’ attention.

I asked Cade Harrison (vocals and words) a bunch of questions, relating not only to this equally fitting name change but to their continually distinct instrumentation as well; fittingly, he relayed some questions to the other contributing members of the band, Matt Milsom (drums) and Lachlan Powell (keyboards).

Here’s our chat.

Hello all! 

Hey world. This is us. What was the impetus behind the name change, most obviously? There is another outfit with the name Blood Orange. He has way more followers than us, and is in the international spotlight. It got to the point where we were being tagged in overseas festivals that we weren’t even playing. I mean that’s just bad journalism, but it eventually got to us, we had to make a change. Thus, Bitter Sweet. What are your feelings regarding exotic citrus fruits? Well when we first started writing music together, we really had no definitive direction, and the name Blood Orange represented two polar opposite themes; harsh and smooth. And that is something inherent in our sound to this day. So that is why it was important for the new name to reflect this, and we think Bitter Sweet implies the same idea. Do you guys still have no guitar? We feature guitarists that we know and like if it’s appropriate for the sound world that we are trying to create. We feature many instruments actually, and recently we have been writing with brass players. Our newest release, Stranger Days featured some amazing local musicians, Hector Harley, Marley Del Prete, Paul Alkemade and Jim Adams. What are your feelings regarding guitar If the material we are writing requires it, then we’ll use it. But there is no ultimatum on our sound, and that is true for both the writing process and the eventual performance. So we’ll use anything, but it is not a foundation of our sound. Are you keeping the amazing moustache Cade? We are well aware of the different ways people perceive us. The moustache has been a battle every now and then; shave it or keep it? But one tiny part of our public image is that ‘stache. I am just glad that cigarettes are not part of ours, as it’d be harder to quit. In saying that, the idea of maintaining an image is an addiction.

The titular amazing moustache of Cade Harrison Does the new 'logo' of the little guy walking symbolise something Lachlan: For me the man walking is a signifier of what has preceded. It is physically an artefact of the past but also a testament to what history actually is. Which is not a series of events or phenomena but multiple pasts and flights are continually transforming and moving forward. So the image is both past and present. Matt: Think of the moon. Wow. Now listen to the tracks. Close your eyes. What do you see? I see pink and blue. I see a little man waving to me from the horizon. Cade: We have a song called Red Man Walking. The imagery in that song inspired the cover, along with a lot of help from the wonderfully talented graphic designer, Robert Janes.

Upcoming show: https://www.facebook.com/events/1726756077644665/ Bandcamp with newest release from Bitter Sweet: https://btrswt.bandcamp.com/ Robert Janes Design: https://www.facebook.com/RobertJanesDesign/?fref=ts

Cheers Cade, Lachlan & Matt ~

[handstiedmusic]

EP Review - Virginia Sook, ‘Mandarin Song’

Mandarin Song is the latest three-song EP as well as single from Brisbane - now - Paris based outfit Virginia Sook, the songwriting moniker of singer, guitarist and harpist Lindsay Roser, along with multi-instrumentalist Matthew Hsu and double bass courtesy of Andrew McInally. The distinction of Roser’s harp is one that I personally thought would lead to a loud, distinct voice, in addition to all the exotic instrumentation. However, Lindsay’s voice as well as the band’s conservatism in regards to how this instrumentation is deployed leads to a record that is somewhat hum-drum for more adventurous listeners. However if you are a fan of subtle Australian folk a la Two Steps on The Water or Jess Locke then you will enjoy this small 3-song offer, delivered courtesy of ruined smile Records.

https://ruinedsmilerecords.bandcamp.com/album/mandarin-song

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Cosima Jaala

All photos by Wilk - http://cargocollective.com/wilk

A pretty short one but there is definitely nothing short about the beautiful, long-winding, jazzy, fusion-y chord progressions of this Wondercore Island act. Cosima Jaala, who I first became aware of as the frontperson of the now defunct Mangelwurzel, joined forces with bassist Jules Pascoe, guitarist Nicholas Lam (DX Heaven) and ridiculously talented drummer Maria Moles to craft the band that really hooked me onto Melbourne music in general. They’ve got a new record coming out and the single Junior Spirit that you can stream above is a hectic, busy affair. She’s got a full schedule so Cosi’s replies are brief but hey, I think their music speaks for itself.

Here’s our chat.

Describe this project and it's sound in your own kind of way. 

Jaala could be described as 'shed’.  New music coming out. Exciting times. What sets the new material apart from past Jaala stuff? The new album is gonna be more fleshy and squishy and round. Might get a bit experimental towards the end of the newy.

Have you written the songs mainly by yourself Cosi as with the past material or was this composed more as a 'band'? We wrote a song all together the other day for the first time and it was so much fun. Hopefully more of that to come. One of the first things casual listeners will hear when they jam a Jaala track, besides the incessantly shifting time signatures, is your distinct voice, Cosi. Growing up what were some of your vocal role models?

Growing up I idolized the vocal stylings of Jeff Buckley, Bjork, Gwen Stefani, Sade, Bob Marley, PJ Harvey, Kurt Cobain and Nick Cave. And I mean, to go on from that last question; what made you want to combine that voice, with those crazy arrangements? Which, because it's guitars/drums/bass, are also weirdly stripped down in a sense. To be honest I didn’t make those decisions. Without sounding like a total pratt, its just what comes out. What made you want to write about dogs? 

Dogs is a song about an ex lover who, when they saw me, patted me on the back like a dog. It really infuriated me, so the song got written because of that I guess. I always ask this question; give us the goss on what other acts are gonna be a big deal in Melbourne soon. Just your favourites. HOW CAN I CHOOSE? TOO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM. Im sorry. Link to social media, music, etc.

https://soundcloud.com/wondercore-island/jaala-junior-spirit Cheers Cosi! ~

[handstiedmusic]

EP Review - Hayden Ryan, ‘Patience’

I have to apologise to Hayden Ryan himself for the amount of time it took to actually write this review! The post-classical pianist had messaged me privately - in fact my first private message regarding this blog ever - and I had been so caught up with editing, I realised I hadn’t gotten around to writing about him. Patience, a beautiful six-song cycle revolving around the sound of a broken Pianola as its’ centrepiece, is a criminally ignored release - so many bandcamp albums that are self-produced with wonderful stories just go under the radar like this. The stunning arpeggiated chords of Contortion Patterns and nostalgic, haunting melancholy of Old, display true beauty seeking to escape the lo-fi confines of the music’s origins. If you have any time whatsoever I highly recommend you have a glance at this music.

https://haydenryan.bandcamp.com/releases

[handstiedmusic]

My Day With: Jack Colwell

I took a leap of courage to message Sydney-based singer songwriter Jack Colwell following my previous interview with Miles Brown, seeing as Miles played with Jack for the show along with a few other true Australian music scene luminaries such as Karina Utomo (High Tension). Jack very kindly offered me door to the show and gave me an amazing opportunity to chat to a musician I had admired for some time.

Garnering an impressive amount of attention in 2015 for his single Don’t Cry Those Tears, Jack has continued to diversify his musical palette and demonstrated distinct growth within an incredibly short timespan. Jack caught my attention when he was personally chosen by Sarah Blasko as a support for her Eternal Return tour. His most recent offering, When The World Explodes, features remixes from a numerous amount of Australian as well as international musical icons including Marcus Whale (Collarbones), HEALTH, Fennesz, Rabit and others. Mirroring the transformation other singer-songwriters such as Anohni have taken from elegant piano balladry to bristling electronics, Jack stated to me that he intended to take a natural, step-by-step approach to folding these elements into his music, rather than make a jarring change.

In remarking upon the choice of Melbourne’s iconic The Tote Hotel as a venue, Jack stated that, whilst the intention was simply to organise a venue in time for the tour, the punk associations and aesthetic of the venue definitely contributed a certain atmosphere and aura to the event, especially considering how significant the venue has been to Melbourne’s underground music community. 

Jack’s lineup for tonight’s show consisted of elements drawn from his extensive interests in both more classically - oriented timbres (piano, violin) - perhaps owing to his music conservatory background - as well as more conventional elements such as guitars and bass, and electronics. 

Habits w/ Miles Brown

The night began with a DJ set offering by Melbourne electro-goth outfit Habits, featuring a selection of tracks that veered all the way from J-pop to RnB and everything in between. It was a lovely teaser for the rest of the electronic-based sets as well as showing where the musical duo’s own influences were derived from. I even got to dance with em!

Karli White

Melbourne based Karli White, who came to my attention from her soundtrack for independent film Crush, deployed all manner of effects and vocal manipulation to disorient and deconstruct in a set that was truly relentless. With only a laptop and a few controllers she delivered a set of impressive raw power, veering the line from witch house to power electronics in often a single song.

Miles Brown

I couldn’t have thanked Miles enough following my last interview and the theremin master himself proved his prowess tonight featuring a selection of cuts from his most recent offering Seance Fiction, delivering an assault mixing b-movie horror type sounds with gritty electronics reminiscent of 8-bit music.

Karina Utomo

Stuart Grant (Primitive Calculators)

Backstage

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Miles Brown (The Night Terrors, Heirs)

I’ve been in awe of the theremin as an instrument ever since I was a kid. Unlike a guitar or piano there was no physical element to it; the item seemed truly alien, truly unearthly. So I was over the moon when given the opportunity to have a chat to one of Australia’s foremost theremin players, the fantastic Miles Brown, who recently released his debut solo record Séance Fiction on one of my favourite Melbourne imprints, It Records. Miles is a terrifyingly big name - he’s played with some amazing international avant garde musicians, including Marc Ribot, Hawkwind, Laurie Anderson and even Lou Reed. Prior to his upcoming show supporting Jack Colwell with Karina Utomo (High Tension), Habits and others, I was very thankful he found the time to reply to me!

Here’s our chat.

Hello Miles! I feel very grateful to be chatting to you right now. Describe yourself and your (most recent) body of work to the (few) people who don't know you!

Hi Alif! Thanks for having me. Describe myself - I'm 6'8", non-smoker, my hobbies are knitting and World Peace...Sorry, seriously - I'm a theremin player and composer / musician / sound artist from Melbourne. My most recent body of work would be my solo album Séance Fiction which came out last December on It Records in Australia and Death Waltz Originals / Mondo in UK and USA.

I was made aware of your work first in Heirs, and then as part of your Night Terrors band. Of which two groups do you enjoy playing in the most?

Interesting question. I have played in The Night Terrors for 16 years, and it's the one band where I get to do all my favourite things: play theremin, play synth and play really heavy bass guitar. I suppose that band is my first love - as it is a specially created environment for the theremin to act as a lead instrument in an electronic rock band. All the people who have played in Night Terrors over the years (recent members include Damian Coward of Kollaps as well as Sarah Lim) have been amazing players and it's been a great adventure playground of musical ideas. 

Having said that, I LOVED playing in Heirs because it wasn't my band - I was a guest musician who was invited to collaborate with an already existing act who were so amazing. Night Terrors had toured with Heirs across Europe and we were labelmates on EXO Records in Australia. We were quite in awe of Heirs, they were so refined as a live act and conceptually strong as an art project. It was a huge honour to be able to step in and participate in that. I also loved just being able to play theremin as a reactive process, to find parts that worked with their already huge and dense sound was a great challenge. Also the were just so bleak and industrial, a great example of how much commitment is required to sell an idea like that convincingly.

What really motivated me to ask all these questions was, I think, what most people know you for - your inclusion of the theremin as your primary instrument. I even saw you on telly playing one! It is a truly unique instrument unlike any other, and I've always wanted to play one myself.

Give me a "theremin for dummies" if you were to teach me the basics of the instrument.

The theremin an electronic instrument which is is basically a set of antennae that detects and reproduces the motion of your body (or whoever is the closest). So, to learn the theremin is really to learn how to control your body with quite a high level of precision, and to listen to the sound you make in a slightly different way than is needed for other instruments. It's kind of magical, and that's why I became enamoured with it initially. To play theremin well you kind of have to drop into a slightly meditative state, to concentrate on your body and the music and the sound of the theremin equally. This is why it's hard to play but also why it's so mysterious and rewarding.

Video for “Apparition”, from "Séance Fiction", directed by Agostino Soldati.

A lot of your work leans towards gothic/electronic tendencies; is this out of those associations the popular imagination has connecting theremins and their sound to horror movies, science fiction and the like? The latter I think is obvious for anyone aware of your most recent record!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't personally interested in goth and electronic music. However it's not necessarily been my intention to play to type as a thereminist. The association that the instrument carries due to its early use in horror and sci-fi music is pretty hard to shake, though, and a lot of the opportunities that come along seem to naturally involve this kind of world. I recently saw Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) give an absolutely inspirational talk at the Melbourne Recital Centre (I'm a massive fan of her as a performer and composer) and she spoke about how they never saw themselves as "goth" even though the goth community totally embraced them. That really resonated with me. 

I'm more interested in taking the theremin to places it hasn't already been than reasserting its place as a novelty / sci-fi FX device. Sometimes it is necessary to wrap an unfamiliar idea in something familiar in order to reach your desired goal. The last Night Terrors album, Pavor Nocturnus, was a good example of this. On the surface it may seem like a horror-disco, Halloween style album, but it also includes some of our most gentle and thoughtfully composed theremin pieces. So it was kind of like a Trojan Horse kind of idea - here's your horror disco spooky good times, and BAM here's the theremin doing something totally different. Having said all that, I do find it very hard to resist a good pun - when a reviewer described my solo set at Dark Mofo as "gothic techno" it didn't take long for Séance Fiction to spring to mind as an apt album title.

What was the impetus for you to pick up, out of any instrument, theremin, as opposed to a piano or synth?

I was originally a bass player, and a total metalhead. When I was 16 or so I started to get into more avant-garde music, as well as a lot of synth stuff. My dad, who is an electrical engineer, told me he had the plans to build an electronic instrument which was the precursor to the analogue synthesiser, so we built one. I then started researching the theremin and discovered the amazing theremin diva Clara Rockmore, and I was hooked.

I know you studied under Lydia Kavina, noted thereminist and protege of Leon Theremin himself for whom the instrument is named after. You also teach yourself. Do you find, because of the instruments' unique controls, tuition of the theremin is especially difficult? Or especially fun?

Yes, studying with Lydia was hugely influential for me as a musician and as a person. To meet another thereminist, let alone the best in the world, and have access to her wealth of knowledge, was almost overwhelming for a self-taught player like me. I was also lucky enough to attend a theremin conference in Germany and meet a lot of other thereminists from around the world such as Carolina Eyck, Barbara Bucholz and Randy George. The main thing I learnt was that playing the theremin is mainly a psychological skill. Learning what to do with your hands and body is important, but getting out of your own way mentally is really the biggest hurdle. When I teach people now it's amazing how quickly they can improve if time is spent working on the mental side of playing the instrument. I love teaching because it reinforces all the things I know but never have to actually verbalise, and it actually improves my own playing too. Plus, showing someone that it's possible to do something that seems impossible is always super fun.

Any advice for kids wanting to pick up a weirdo instrument but feeling like they'll never 'master' it?

I was a total hack thereminist until I was 27. I was still a rather bad player until I was 30. People say all kinds of things like "you need perfect pitch to play theremin" (untrue) and "you need to start early to truly master something” (bullshit). As with anything, it's all about time on the field. You get better the more you do something. Having a naturally predisposition toward something helps, but even within that, there's always work to be done. 

I actually saw an interesting interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger recently where he was talking about his numerous life achievements, and he said that his main rule is to focus his work on the parts of his practice that he isn't good at yet, rather than the parts you already have down. He was using the metaphor of body building but I think it applies to anything. People will also tell you you shouldn't do something if you're on the path to something really great. It's almost like a compass you can follow. If people start telling you that you can't do something, you should work even harder at it, because you're probably just around the corner from a real revelation. People can instinctively tell that, and it scares some of them. If everyone suddenly starting doing amazing things it would be a real pain for all those who have given up on their own creative ideas! 

Australian culture is predominantly geared towards discouraging any deviation from the norm, so if you happen to be an artist with experimental / outsider ideas, you really have to steel yourself and recognise the lay of the land, then soldier forward with even greater tenacity toward your goal.

And I guess in a more general sense, who are the other artists in Melbourne or internationally you think are doing new/interesting things for experimental music. I know the label you are part of It Records features real cutting edge acts such as Habits.

It Records is certainly a wonderful hub of activity for people with less mainstream musical tastes. One of the huge benefits of being involved with that collective is we all encourage each-other onward and inspire each-other to do better. I had a really great experience recently at Kate Reid's house (label head) where she was playing a group of us all the new releases she has lined up for the next 12 months. So much incredible stuff! And we were all sitting there going "wow, the bar is being lifted!" The new Time For Dreams record will knock people's heads off. The new Vacuum record is absolutely extraordinary! So there's a really healthy competition going on, which I think is absolutely crucial for any thriving arts community. Instead of competing to be more popular or striving toward adequacy, you can compete to be more original, more excellent, more individual. A peer group is so vital for great ideas to flourish, and in 2016 there's no reason why all kinds of artistic expression shouldn't find an audience and survive in Australia. 

‘Séance Fiction’ out now: https://itrecordsmelb.bandcamp.com/album/s-ance-fiction

It Records is part of a big push toward more challenging ideas making it to the eyes and ears of a larger audience. So much music that succeeds right now does so because it's just feel good fun time music - the perfect soundtrack for privileged white people to get drunk with their mates to, and totally shut out the rest of the community. Considering the cultural anxiety that is pulling at all angles of the Australian psyche right now - from the very top of government all the way to the most marginalised minority - it's high time that people start turning their attention to art and ideas that have more substance. Stormy cultural times should result in excellent art. It's no longer good enough to make art about nothing - that's actually super insulting to everyone.

Tour dates: 

SAT 01 OCT,

The Tote

, Melbourne w/ Jack Colwell, Karli White, Karina Otomo, Geryon & HABITS DJs

WED 05 OCT,

Corner Hotel

, Melbourne w/ Black Mountain (CAN)

FRI 07 OCT,

Milk Factory

, Brisbane w/ Jack Colwell, Death Club 7 & Bree De Rome

SAT 08 OCT,

Bluebee Room

, Adelaide w/ Jack Colwell & Lonelyspeck (ALL AGES)

FRI 14 OCT,

Sydney Opera House

(Studio) w/ Jack Colwell & Marcus Whale

http://milesbrown.com.au

Cheers Miles! ~

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Davey Fuzzsucker

Davey Fuzzsucker is the stage alias (I think?) of a man called Bruce who produces and - in the truest sense of the word - ‘performs’ crazy psychobilly type music. It’s not quite rock and roll, while at the same time, it is exactly that - 50′s influenced insane shit reminiscent of similar acts like Dirty Beaches or Suicide that take this era as a template, but then launch it in a million different directions. His shows are sweaty, his palms are heavy, and he gladly offered an interview to us.

Here’s our chat.

The story behind the name! Why Fuzzsucker?

It gets people in the door. More than once I’ve heard punters say “I had no idea what was going on tonight, I just came in because of the name.” - Now you’re playing with power! Fun fact: There was a Norwegian band from the early 90s called Fuzzsuckers, and there’s a carpet cleaning enthusiast on a bunch of online forums who shares the name Fuzzsucker. He has a lot to say on the topic of Biomodifier Xtreme vs. Molecular Modifier. So before you look into getting rid of that cat piss stench...see what he’s got to say.

Is this project just you or do you involve others? I've seen you live with a dancer I think before.

Ro Fuzzsucker! It’s just me but there’s always others involved. There’s an entertainment firm known as CSC that’s involved quite a bit actually.

What made you want to pursue the rockabilly/psychobilly kind of style or aesthetic? You describe the band as 'raider rock and roll'.

I guess I’d rather be out on the concrete than hang with the blanketeers (an’ I ain’t talkin’ about the Blanket March of 1817). Having said that, I’m not consciously pursuing one style or aesthetic...the song could be country, disco, whatever...it’s about attitude. Raider Rock ‘n’ Roll is an attitude.

Even with minimal to no live instrumentation your shows still possess so much energy. How do you get the confidence!

I thrive on fear and heartbreak.

Have you played in any other acts or bands past or present?

I’ve played with around 9 different bands, but you’ll have to put on yer Hercule hat to find those.  

(last two photos ©Photoyunist)

What was the impetus that made you want to pursue music in the first place? Your work just seems like a natural extension of who you are as a person.

Spike Flynn (and the Open Hearted Strangers)

Any other acts in Melbourne right now who've really pushed you to work harder? Give me some of your favourites

In alphabetical order: Drunk Mums, Dumb Punts, Mesa Cosa, Orb (well...they’re Geelong...but still…), Power.

Lastly! Any upcoming shows, links to your music, etc

www.fuzzsucker.bandcamp.com is ya best bet...pay what you want, take it for free, at the time of writing this there’s 98 songs on there...chuck in the Iggy Pop cover you can find on YouTube an we’re up to 99. 

As for shows...there’ll be more...but off the top of my head: 28/09 at The Tote 29/09 at Last Chance Rock n Roll Bar 13/10 at The Tote 14/10 at Old Bar

28/10 at Gin Lane, Belgrave. 10/11 at The Tote

14/11 at Phoenix, Canberra.

1/12 at Spotted Mallard

Cheers Davey ~

[handstiedmusic]

Single Review - Sun God Replica, ‘Evolutions’ Waiting’

Though Spooky Records have promised the most recent offering from the heavy rock outfit Sun God Replica’s new, Glandular Fever, to be a ‘fresh and original’ take on 70′s and 80′s music aesthetic, the track Evolution’s Waiting can come across as a little too faithful to the past and treads too little new ground. While bands like this can oftentimes transcend their ‘retro’ influences (thinking internationally, acts such as Little Barrie), Sun God Replica’s issue is that they have accomplished exactly what they wanted to do - become the ‘perfect rock outfit’ - and this lack of mistakes takes a bit of the fun of away from what is otherwise a wonderfully written song.

[handstiedmusic]

My Day With: The Lovelies

Bassist Sean Kirkpatrick, vocalist and ukulele player Allison Erlanger and drummer Gina Somfleth (who also doubles in electropop band Peachnoise) are The Lovelies, and together they compose some of Melbourne’s most intricate, underrated indie pop.

I was first made aware of the band when Allison, their vocalist who also doubles as a visual artist, chucked me a sweet little message after my Slow Job interview. The band’s general hospitality and warmth throughout the whole time I’ve met them struck me as genuinely unique; they weren’t trying to be more ‘badass’ than the next person, hanging out with them just felt like being with old mates. Even if I’d never met them before.

I travelled to Gina’s lovely little home studio/practice space which resided inside the crevice of a church. At first I was a bit confused and the lady out the front had told me I entered the wrong building! Allison came and escorted me and it was pretty much smooth sailing from there.

Gina greeted me at the door The space was large with many little rooms inside; the band led me upstairs and even gave me a complimentary white! I saw on the incredibly comfy couches and observed some of Gina’s equipment, drum gear for this band and synthesiser equipment for Peachnoise.

I had a chat to the band before they played a few tunes for me. Sean was super warm and responsive to my questions; he told me a little bit about his somewhat unexpected musical background - having played bass for a post-metal band! - and his move from a rural town to the inner city. 

What really drew me to the Lovelies as a band was initially how interesting the outfit’s instrumental compositions were: ukulele replacing guitar in a guitar trio, Allison’s playing veers from a quiet hum to a noise, distorted whine - a tone not unlike Warren Ellis’ tenor guitar playing in Grinderman almost.

The band set up and ran through a small segment of their set, and the groups’ instrumental prowess really shone. Sean’s bass playing, especially, was the unexpected hero; I expected Allison’s uke to be the lead instrument here, but Sean’s Jaco-esque virtuosity exceeded any expectations of typical indie rock bassists.

The Lovelies were a wonderful band to see and to hang around with. If you’re a fan of Micachu, Cocorosie, the Magnetic Fields or even Friendly Fires, you’d love the instrumental quirkiness of this trio. I’m really hoping to catch these guys live soon in a setting outside of the studio.

You can find The Lovelies’ music and social media accounts here:

https://www.facebook.com/theloveliesmusic/

https://theloveliesmusic.bandcamp.com/

[handstiedmusic]

Single Review - The Braves, ‘Black Mass’

"Black Mass", the recently released single by Melbourne post-punk outfit The Braves from the record All Through Paradise, describes the ruin and collapse of a share house, and is a repetitive, dark, dingy offering - incredibly prominent bass and descending minor key riffing playing into each other. Whilst I'm honestly not the greatest fan of the vocal work on display, the will to experiment with structure is enticing and the group definitely shows promise. There's something incredibly distinct, overall, in that hook - a sound that's mysterious, laconic, dangerous and sexy - not unlike the house parties slash cult rituals mentioned by the band themselves. Another wonderful offering from Spooky Records.

[handstiedmusic]

Interview with Angus Leslie and Zak Giles Pidd (Sex On Toast)

Ah, the double interview. A format crushing the monolithic reign of ‘one frontman, three or a dozen members but hey only we talk’. And nobody is better at the form that the boundary-pushing, always lovely Sex On Toast. I was made aware of these guys from their last single, Oh Loretta!, a giddy little number with influences most acts in the ‘indie’ sphere wouldn’t dare touch - blue eyed soul??? Funk??? FUN???

Anyway, I digress. I think the band speak better for themselves so -

Here’s our chat.

Hi Angus/Zak! I've been meaning to do this for a long time. So thanks a ton for the opportunity!

Like so many other projects, I like to discuss how you guys named your band. Was there ever any impetus when you guys became more well-known to have a more 'serious' or 'professional' name? (I like that this didn't occur!)

Angus: I suppose there was talk some talk of it. Then I decided that this band is a prison and so is it's name. It's also really easy to google.

Zak: That’s a funny story! We were actually originally called “Piss Puddle Pete and The Silly Doggy” but it cost too much to telegram anyone so we chose a name with less syllables. If you listen carefully you can hear my grandparents’ parents screaming our old name on every song we’ve ever recorded. A prominent one is at about the 12 minute mark of ‘Universe boy’.

How did you all meet up? There's so many members, even pretty good fans like me can't really keep up - do people come in and out or is it a pretty tight cast usually?

Angus: Our cast of characters in terms of actual band members has been the same since mid-2013. We also have a cast of stand-ins for when the lead actors are unavailable, if you feel what I'm saying? Honourable mentions go to Au Dray (of, well, Au Dré), Xstian Dog, Colin Starr & Chyna Boy.

Our band members JamBau, Ph*l*p Ian Starr, Al*n Starr, Gary T, Johnny Bassoon, Bovril, Zak, Kinga, Nick's Piestch  and myself have all spent enough time in rehearsal rooms, onstage and in vans to really develop a special connection. It's like a family Christmas every time we see each other where we inevitably get drunk and bitter old resentments come out into the open. Savage bickering can then occur but no fisticuffs...

(Editors’ note: there are a lot of (to me) unfamiliar names but do not hesitate, curious readers: Google is your friend.)

(Photograph by Nathalie Arcalin)

Zak: Was small, like tiny small. Angus saved my tiny life. I own him my tiny life. Forever. We all do. He has saved all our tiny lives. Plus the Starr Brothers are always low on cash and there are like 15 of those guys.

The crisp suits are a definite standout compared to the Centrelink-core, scuzzy look of most Melbourne bands - or indeed most outfits (haha!) in general. Any fashion inspirations?

Angus: Because I'd rather wear a pair of Stacey Adams shoes and don a purple suit onstage than look like I don't give a fuck. There is enough apathy in this world . Our biggest inspirations for styling are bands like Morris Day & The Time & Zapp, who really knew how to rock a stage get-up & kill the show. Part of why they are so entertaining is the fact that they were stimulating musically, energetically and visually. Centrelink-core has it's place... & always will. We prefer a more opulent approach, which isn't to say that some of us aren't on Centrelink ourselves...

Zak: Laura Dern. George Michael. My sister (wait this shouldn’t be bolded; ‘my sister’ are not a band, fuck). The Back cover of Heart Break by New Edition. Also the front cover.

In addition to the impressive amount of members, and the uh, impressive fashion sense, there's a very extensive list of instrumentation - you guys have two keyboardists? What made you all want to pursue this super dense sound?

(Photograph by Sarah Tansy)

Angus: I arrange very densely for this band for some reason. It comes from the influence of bands put together by Frank Zappa, Michael Jackson, Prince, Earth Wind and Fire etc... Where you kinda need more than one keyboardist to cover certain orchestration. Sometimes you need a piano part a bell part AND synth string part at the same time. This can only happen with two keyboard players unless you've employed an octopus or their penis is very flexible.

Zak: You know how trifles are really really tasty? All those layers of cake and rum and berries from the forest and uncle’s wedding ring and maybe some parsley. I really like trifles. Also have you ever eaten Nutri Grain with cream? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

I guess this ties into Question 4 - are you guys fans of Fela Kuti at all?

Angus: I love Fela, especially the song 'Gentleman'. That's my #1!

Zak: I remember the first time I heard Fela Kuti, I danced so hard I broke a table with all the spins he was making me do.

Again, with so many members, writing must be a challenge. Is it up to you usually Angus to start the tunes? Or is it sometimes Zak? Or is it someone else?

Angus: It's mostly my stuff with assorted input both musical and lyrical from different members of the band. Louis King wrote the line "He wont even eat you out". James Bowers came up with a very silly descending chromatic synth line in verse 2 of the new jack swing arrangement of How Do You Get There that really cracks me up....

Zak: Angus whistles aggressively at us and we have to replicate the tune exactly. That’s why all of our music sounds like air and spit passing past old grey lips.

Any themes you guys enjoy writin about the most? I guess it's usually a little on the lighthearted side. But I may be wrong!

Angus: You are in fact wrong! Some of the lyrics I write are fun or funny, but some are attempts to dissect rather serious things in that fashion. Other songs are actually about things like heartbreak that I have faced, but I think if you write songs that are funnier, it's hard for those two things to sit side by side without people assuming everything's lighthearted. Oh well!

What other artists are tickling your creative funnybone right now in Melbourne guys.

Angus:  Sansonus, Clapton, Tanzer, Jaala, Laneous, Baul Pender of Pender St.

Zak: I like things that make me cry and Sarah Mary Chadwick is very good at making lots of different types of tears happen. I really like a hip lil band called Sadults, they’re a bunch of sad young adults. Kisstroyer at The Croxton on a Monday night.

(the band proceeded to request I add noise savant Koukatsouani to the list of bands)

Lastly! Give me yr upcoming gig/tour dates/info to find your music (i figure this is obvious)

https://www.facebook.com/sexytoastmusic/?fref=ts

Never Mind the Moog Tour

Thursday, 13th October 2016 Byron Bay, NSW – Beach Hotel

Friday, 14th October 2016 Brisbane, QLD – The Foundry

Saturday, 15th October 2016 Yamba, NSW – Surfing The Coldstream

Friday, 21st October 2016 Perth, WA – Rosemount Hotel

Saturday, 5th November 2016 Melbourne, VIC – Howler

Thursday, 10th November 2016 Canberra, ACT – The Basement

Friday, 11th November 2016 Sydney, NSW – Factory Floor

Saturday, 12th November 2016 Adelaide, SA – Ed Castle

Friday, 18th November 2016 Tocumwal, NSW – Strawberry Fields

Cheers Angus and Zak ~

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Zoe Steers and Camila Galaz (Maureen)

An impetus to start this blog was to showcase cuter, less-well known bands who nevertheless gig quite heavily, so you’re never going to miss out on a chance to see them. In a similar league with acts I’ve mentioned before such as Slow Job or Face Face, 90′s leaning indie rock quartet Maureen have been on my mind for a while! Composed of bassist and vocalist Camila Galaz, drummer James McLean, and twin guitarists Austin Boyle and Zoe Steers (who also shares vocal duties, as well as sidemanning in indie pop group Dogood), the multi-talented members all share their talents in side acts and in visual art as well, and it’s truly surprising to hear how cohesive and focused their sound is. I had a conversation with Zoe and Camila. A pretty long, funny one!

Here’s our chat.

Hi Zoe! Hi Camila! When I started the blog, I kinda always wanted to interview you two! So I'm super excited.

Camila: Hi! Thanks for having us.

You guys first: How did you all meet as a band? Did you all play music beforehand? I had actually mainly known Zoe for her artwork!

Camila: Zoe and I had worked together briefly several years ago and reconnected at the Sticky (Institute) Zine Fair.

We were eating pizza and hanging out last year and both sort of said we wished we were in a band, and then realised that we should be in a band together.

Haha! The pizza. Classic. How very pop punk.

Camila: Extra cheese.

Zoe: And I met James (Drums) and Austin (Guitar) kinda of randomly. James at a new years party and a friend introduced me to Austin. I said people tell me my songs are too country and he said oh I'm in a country band! Hehe.

Camila: I forgot about the country thing!

That's odd, I don't hear country! I hear really nice Beat Happening-ish type indie rock, maybe even early Pavement or The Sundays.

Zoe: I guess we all have different musical backgrounds.

Well Pavement is actually my favourite band ever! So thats lovely to hear!

Slanted and Enchanted forever.

Zoe: Forever.

What were some of the bands you two were involved in before Maureen! I know Zoe you do double duty in several other acts. What about you Camila?

Camila: I've played in a few bands before this - my background is more jazz based.

Zoe: My first band was a trashy punk band called Battle Club.

Camila: I was a double bass dork.

Ha, my first was called The Stilted Wives.

Zoe: I played drums but maybe not very well back then.

It'd be interesting to hear you put some of that jazz stuff in Maureen! You could totally pull like a Sea And Cake type thing. If you know em'.

Camila: Ah yes they're great!

I should've asked this in the beginning! What's behind the name? It's very... mom.

Camila: Wellll, it's the name of the best character in the movie Center Stage. It took some convincing.

Understandable, haha. But I like the quaintness of the name - I can't stand bands that seem too high and mighty about things. It's very down to earth.

When you guys write songs. Can it be tricky because there's so many individual creative brains in the band?I know that pursuits such as visual art can be quite solitary so it's very different to sitting in a room and jamming.

Camila: I spend my days in my studio so it's really lovely to have a group of people to collaborate with.

Zoe: Yeah, it’s the most collaborative writing process of any music project I've been part of, and its always so positive and we all have our different strengths.

Camila: Somehow the song writing thing just works between all of us. It's really nice.

Yeah! That's lovely. You've got that contrast between nice alone time in the studio and real fun working on these songs.

Completely subjective question, I understand... who do you think has the best fashion sense in the band? Haha!

Camila: Zoe's dog Harper for sure.

... Plot twist.

Zoe: Haha, yeah I bring my dog harper to band practice and he has the best darn denim jacket I've ever seen.

Harper, the hidden keyboardist of Maureen. The more you know.

Camila: Though Austin has this tshirt with a mermaid on it that's a band fav.

Okay i'm goofing around too much! Hit me up with some other Melbourne acts you think people reading the blog should check.

Zoe: We are huge fans of Pansy.

Camila: Agree.

The first time Zoe and I hung out last year we saw QWERTY and Ghost Dick so they're important in the Maureen story. Also they're both freakin great.

Anything non-guitar? Give me something weird!

Camila: We only listen to guitar music.

Zoe: And Waterfall Person.

That's all you need really. I'm interviewing Annabelle soon so I mean. I love it. Everyone knows everyone.

And before we tie up - links to your music and upcoming shows!

Zoe: You can see us September 19th at The Old Bar with Shiny Coin and Dogood and listen to us here ...https://m-a-u-r-e-e-n.bandcamp.com/releases

Cheers Camila and Zoe ~

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Noah Symons (Great Earthquake)

Multi-instrumentalist, looping genius and drummer Noah Symons is Great Earthquake, a solo project that weaves together elements of indie rock, post punk, electronic music and post rock. His intricate, detailed music comes to life when performed live, each layer carefully added through live looping technology, to produce the sound of a full ensemble. Noah has played shows with some of the best in international experimental electronic music - groups such as Toro Y Moi and High Places. Having released his first full-length Drawings on Sensory Projects as well as a sophomore record, Mind Maps, as well as an EP on Lost And Lonesome, Noah’s next anticipated release is coming soon - and I’m grateful to have had this chat with him!

Here’s our chat.

Hi Noah! I've been meaning to have a chat with you for a while - you've got such an interesting project and setup, it's hard to know where to begin.

Where did it begin for you? Were you a musical youngster? Did you play in bands as a teen?

I started playing drums when I was 16. I played in a punk band with my brother Joe . I was heavily into sport growing up but when I discovered music and playing drums it took over.

Interesting you bring up drums. For people who've seen your live sets, it truly is awe inspiring - tons of instrument layers, guitars, even what I think is a melodica or accordion. But the physicality of your drumming is always at the centre.

Who are some of your real idols behind the kit? Do you like, listen to percussion ensembles and groups? Some of your stuff made me think of So Percussion a little. Or Reich.

Cheers ! My fav drummer is Jim White (Dirty Three) but I get a lot of influence from jazz drumming and African rhythms, etc. I do get into (Steve) Reich and Philip Glass. I'm more into The Necks though as a hypnotic repetitious type thing.

Your project definitely fits into that canon of Australian instrumental music - winding stuff that evokes landscapes as much as it does academic jamming. Interesting you mentioned White though - he's got such a loose style! You're very precise and taut, in an almost post punk way.

What drew you to using loops and looping devices in your project, as opposed to assembling a band? Do you prefer the solo workflow?

I have played and still play in bands - currently in Last Leaves and Rat Filth which has been under names such as lions light and light lions. The reason Great Earthquake began was due to the first incarnation lions light having a break and I was keen to start something of my own.

At that time I was listening to Mick Turner (Dirty Three) and Mice Parade who were both doing this one man band thing. Which inspired me to get a loop pedal and see what I could create. I had been making home recordings on a 4 track and wanted to try and realise them live as well.

Do you prefer the solitude of constructing a song on your own? You really do inhabit this unique space between free improvisation and the linear quality of electronic music. Can it be difficult to find other acts to play with being so singular in sound?

I would say I like both equally. By myself I feel like there is a real freedom to do what ever I like and try anything out but say when I play with my long term collaborator Tim Brown (Rat Filth-etc) there is a whole element that he brings that I wouldn't think of or know how to do which is exciting.

I have never had much trouble finding bands to play with. I feel like Melbourne is so vast in its music scene that I have always fitted in somewhere in some way and even if I haven't it hasn't mattered.

Yeah, that's lovely. That sense of diversity that happens in the lineups of Melbourne shows definitely is great.

Any acts right now that you're really vibing? For lack of a better word.

Right now I'm listening to Hexham. Caught them at a Monday night mass gig a few weeks back and they were amazing! Other than that Taipan Tiger Girls.

TTG are great. I'm really in love with some of the wonderful post punk and electronic stuff labels like It (Records) and Trait are putting out.

Totally agree!

I'm just gonna go back to gear for a bit - tell us how you construct a "usual" Great Earthquake song. Don't have to be in too much detail!

Constructing a usual song for GE usually begins with a drum beat, guitar riff or bass line. I would then take loop that and begin to find ways of adding to it and constructing a song around it. Lots of layers a process of elimination and then a way of putting it together like a puzzle. Sometimes it can take an hour other times a week or 2?

That's wild. I mean, being a multi-instrumentalist Noah you've got TONS and tons of gear. But. Any particular favourites (besides the aforementioned drums!) you couldn't live without?

Well I have a beautiful old Italian accordion which I have used for years which I couldn't live without. I don't use it live as much these days as it's heavy and harder to travel with - so I have been using melodica lately.

Wonderful. I'll always have very fond memories of that instrument courtesy of Yann Tiersen's Amelie soundtrack, haha.

Two more things and we're good! What do you do besides music?

Besides music I have just completed Masters in Creative Art Therapy, I work at an Arts centre called ArtPlay and a cafe called Jungle Juice, I volunteer one day a week at psychiatric hospital running creative arts, and I have 2 young children who keep me busy!

Aww haha! I'm basically a goddamn child myself so it's interesting to chat to someone who's got more life experience I guess, and see that they're still pursuing the creative arts, in a way that directly helps people. That's awesome Noah.

Last bit! Upcoming shows, tour dates if you've got em, and link to your music

Thanks Alif I have enjoyed the interview a lot !

At this stage no shows booked but have been working on a new album which will hopefully be out early next year sometime!

I do have a Rat Filth gig on Sep 25 th at Bar open though!

Link to music here : http://shop.greatearthquake.com.au

Cheers Noah ~

[handstiedmusic]

Single Review - Harry Howard and the NDE, ‘The Only One’

With mentions of a 'devil's daughter' and other typically gothic attributes, Harry Howard along with his outfit delivers a much more pronounced, jumpy version of his older brother's gloomy art-rock. "Only One" fits much more neatly within power-pop territory, reminiscent of the Gun Club or Kid Congo Powers at times - as well as the 50's rock and roll which influenced the Howard line. Though his lyrics still retain a Teutonic gloominess at times, the skittering organ and squawking horns of the arrangement - evoking any number of acts from the Screaming Trees to Edgar Winter - add a liveliness uncommon to those familiar with the Howard title. The precise drumming of Clare Moore (Moodists) ties the track together.

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Lauren Moore (Face Face)

Face Face is the musical moniker of singer, songwriter and guitarist Lauren Moore. Following her relocation from Brisbane to Melbourne, Lauren transformed her project, recruiting bassist Luke Byrnes and drummer Tina Nguyen, most known for her immaculate work in taut minimalists Beloved Elk. I had a chat to Lauren about the band’s work and the transition from a duo to a trio format.

So. I myself haven’t seen Face Face live - only ever heard good things from fellow bands. How would you describe your set and sound to me?

Hey Alif! Glad you’ve heard good things. Hopefully our sets feel like a conversation, like we’re just hanging out. Pretty casual 90s vibe with a bit of tasteful screaming.

Haha, lovely. Well I mean, I’d like this interview to be a bit of a conversation too, y'know!

I think 90’s, and I think screaming… are you a fan of anything in the wide, embarrassing umbrella of ‘emo’?

Haha! Yeah sometimes people have called it 'angsty’ or described me as an angry teenager, so maybe? I can definitely reveal that Placebo was an influence but I wouldn’t describe the music as emo. Not enough long fringes or eyeliner for that.

Ahaha, I was thinking more along the lines of bands like Mineral than Panic At The Disco.

I’ll have to check out Mineral.

Do you guys write by getting together in a room and jamming, or is there a creative centre in the band?

Originally the band was a two-piece I had in Brisbane with a great drummer called BJ. I wrote all the songs and we’d jam them out until we found a sound we liked. Some of the original song structures from those times have stayed with the new lineup but Tina and Luke have created new approaches for so many of the songs. When we jam, they often throw out ideas and we test them out. I love it! I think Luke’s made me a better guitarist because I experiment more now.

A while ago I had a chat to a little band called Slow Job, who also graduated from being a duo to a trio - in fact, they mentioned Face Face as a band to look out for! I know Tina also plays in the wonderful duo Beloved Elk, who I’ve been fans of for a while. What are the pros and cons to you Lauren of duos vs trios?

Interesting! I didn’t know they (Slow Job) were a duo!

Yeah, two guitars, two vocals. Super minimal.

That’s a good question because for ages I was obsessed with duos.

Likewise! I’m still a sucker for dumb conventional shit like The Kills and White Stripes here and there.

I loved DZ Deathrays, Big Scary, An Horse, Dark Fair, The White Stripes… I love the energy a duo has on stage. I also love knowing that such a big sound is only coming from 2 people. It’s impressive.

But with trios, I’m heavily inspired by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sleater Kinney, Nirvana and I Heart Hiroshima because they have the ‘original rock band’ lineup. Drums, bass, guitar and vocals - it’s a classic combo that people are still creating new sounds with.

It’s also really fun on stage but simple to manage. It’s efficient.

Yeah! Like you can play the songs, but also have that room to extend and jam out.

Were you ever a fan of the Sydney band No Art? Probably my favourite, super underrated Australian trio.

Awesome! I’m making a list of bands now to listen to - cheers!

Haha, that’s all I can really recommend at the moment! I’m not as knowledgable as you’d think.

Last bit I guess. Any upcoming shows? And where can we find your tunes?

Our next show is gonna be sweeeet! It’s at The Old Bar on a Friday night (Sept 23) supporting Burning Roaches and Self Talk. We’re also playing with Oscar Galt at Cherry Bar in October and doing a charity show for domestic violence against women at The Old Bar in the same week.

You can listen to our tunes on soundcloud.com/face-face and follow what’s going on through our face face Facebook - facebook.com/facefaceband.

So many faces.

Self Talk are awesome - definitely next on my list of people to chat to. Thanks so much! Lots of faces indeed.

Cheers Lauren ~

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Rhys Renwick (Rhysics, Woo Who, Scraggers)

Rhys Renwick is an endless musical polymath. A talented multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, his musical resume extends to several projects most of which I am not too familiar with! While I may not always understand his craft, it definitely takes a degree of hard work to maintain high profiles into two significant Melbourne groups - the synthpop project Rhysics as well as scuzzy garage rockers Woo Who. With a new EP on the way for Rhysics, what’s in store for this talented kid?

Here’s our chat.

So! Rhys. You've got an EP coming out super soon, but you've also got a pretty big online discography lying about. When did Rhysics start?

I assume it's more of a solo project or at least more self driven than your other band most people are familiar with, Woo Who?

Rhysics basically started by accident. I uploaded (Rhysics song) Casionova to Triple J Unearthed just to test Unearthed and forgot about it. When I went back like a couple weeks later it had all these insane reviews from triple j hosts and all these people, and then Lucy (Fry, also drums in Highschool Rivals) and Kyle King (Woo Who bandmates) went on holidays for a month - so I was like, alright, I’m gonna record an album. This was November last year.

That's awesome. The internet is strange in that spontaneous kind of way I guess, though more than anything I guess its testament to the quality of the song(s). Are you happy with this accident or did you wish you could've done things differently?

Casionova is a synthpoppy little ball of fun. I was surprised because again, I mainly knew you from your more guitar-y work in other bands. What drew you to synths in this project?

Keyboards are how I started in music so theres probably some nostalgia. But I also love analog and really crappy keyboards because they always surprise you. You’re not playing a synth - you’re workin’ with it. It’s writing for you as much as you are for it. I’m just honestly surprised that song was liked by anyone because its pure 100% me.

But I mean, that's all you could really give, isn't it? Its such a rare story though in an era of bands spending tons of money on promotion, for this organic sort of thing to happen. Its great.  

Any particular synths you're fond of!

Shit dude you don’t wanna get me started on that!

Hahaha!

My pride and joy is my Arturia Microbrute. Thats the lead synth on nearly every song. I also love my SK1 and a crappy yamaha that has some really weird fun sounds. I think i have like 15 or so keyboards at this stage and only 2 of them cost more than 20 dollars so i have a lot of no name keyboard brands that i love for different weird sounds they have.

The Arturia is great. I've got a real bias for the Microkorg myself! Haha.

Mentioning all these crappy keyboards got me thinking. Something I love doing on this blog is trying to relate a Melbourne band to, say, a somewhat more out there overseas artist. Without necessarily copying.

I mentioned in my last interview with Yura (Iwama, Culte) that she reminded me a little of Grouper. Are you aware of a band called Casiotone for the Painfully Alone? They make these really sad pop songs with budget keys.

Yeah dude - I love their stuff. And all the songs from Adventure Time too.

Yes! I was trying to find like, the DNA of your stuff. Its a little bit Casiotone and a little bit Devo at times too

Its’ that nostalgia from hearing and playing cheap keyboards as a kid that I think a lot of people relate to, but I guess instead of creating real sad tunes and a super emotional response like CTFTPA i like to have fun with it and get stuck in people’s heads and make them boogie out a bit.

That's definitely a new way of approaching that sound, I guess. So many of my favourite artists are sad emo keyboard bands.

Good to see some sunshine! Ok so, you've got a new thing coming out soon. Anything we can expect? Any drastic changes in sound or self indulgent sonic experiments

This EP was written because i got myself a 6 piece band so the songs are loud as and have a lot going on. Its’ probably the loudest EP I’ve done and we have so much fun playing it live. The songs have up to 30 tracks each and they’re all one take live tracks.

That's nuts - super elaborate stuff. It's such a change considering your other project, Woo Who, has a degree of minimalism about it. Which leads me to my next thing!

Apart from Rhysics, what are some of your other projects? You're a funny and lighthearted guy but I mean, you're super hard-working, gig wise. Doesn't seem to be a day you're not playing anything.

I Get restless when I’m not doin anything too long. Rhysics keeps me pretty busy, I’ve already got the next 2 EP's written and I’m still writing 2-3 songs a day. Woo Who also has some big exciting stuff coming.

And, I’m not meant to talk about it but management is talking about a Scraggers summer reunion tour.

Oh, Scraggers. Hahaha. I'm generally not a fan of scrappy garage (sorry) but I admire anything anyone's doing.

Two more things before we done! Who are some acts in Melbourne you're really hyping right now and where we can find your music, gig info, etc?

Can someone please tell Waterfall Person I love her.

bandcamp.com/rhysics

facebook.com/RHYSICS

ig: @rhysics_

Twitter: @rhysics

https://soundcloud.com/rhysics

Rhysics’ EP launch is Friday at The Grace Darling Hotel Basement (https://www.facebook.com/events/504703719739487/?ti=icl)

... And you can download the new EP, rhy666, at rhysics.bandcamp.com/album/r-h-y-6-6-6

Cheers Rhys~

[handstiedmusic]

Interview w/ Yura Iwama (Culte, Scout)

Starting the blog has been a definite growth spurt for me - music media is definitely a new hobby, and while writing in some form or another has been a long love of mine, this is a totally foreign game. So it’s been lovely to have a ton of more established types help me out.

One of those characters, the lovely Tayla of the label/blog conglomerate Homebody Nobodies helped me a little directly - sourcing the images in this here article - and who better to interview than Yura Iwama of ambient pop band Culte (formerly Teen Cult), a fellow Nobody Records artist, who had recently released the fantastic Culte 6-track out now via Box Bedroom Recordings (link below).

So Yura! Tell me a little bit about your project. How you picked up doing music and what's behind the name. This is an interview!

Hello hello! Well culte started off as teen cult when I was 16 but due to ~legal troubles~ I had to change the name. I started making my own tunes when I was 15, it was the only thing I could really do as I was friendless and lived in the desert haha. Teen cult was chosen because I had a weird obsession with cults as a kid.

When you say you lived 'in the desert'. Western Australia right? Did you think all that space affected your art? You make very spacey music.

Yeah it was in Broome! I definitely think it has affected my music, there's something about the landscape that's kinda spiritual? I don't know but it's visually very beautiful but way too hot to go outside. So I was forced to stay inside and be creative I guess.

That's lovely. So much of my favourite weirdo bedroom pop from The Microphones to Neutral Milk Hotel started with bored loners. But you've relocated to Melbourne since then correct?

Since we're a blog focusing on Melbourne bands how has moving here and playing in a number of other bands affected your musical development?

Yeah! I lived here when I was younger so it's nice to be home again. The Melbourne music scene is insane and so connected, which has helped me learn a lot about gigs and playing live.

I play in a couple other bands that are pretty different to how culte sounds. SCOUT is my best friend Mitch (Cassin)'s band and it's a lot heavier than what I'm normally used to playing. I was also sort of thrown into playing bass which I've never done before so it's been really interesting so far.

Love when you jump into something not knowing what'll happen. Spontaneity is the spice of life.

How do you start a Culte song? The way the guitar and vocals bleed are very ritualistic. It reminds me of Liz Harris' work in Grouper in a way - are you familiar with her?

Yes I love Grouper! That's really flattering to be compared to her.

I usually write songs starting off with lyrics, I have a whole bank of them that I go to when I figure out some chord progressions that I like. I like my songs to have a lot references that only I would understand.

When I listen to your music it does have the feeling of like, reading a very faded diary entry. Very personal and impossible at the same time. Last thing: where can we find your stuff, and any gigs or release info we should be aware of?

You can find my music at soundcloud.com/teencult! And I'm playing a gig at New Lease on September 24 at The Curtin, gonna be super fun! I'm also currently working on an album that Dan Oke (Jarrow) is helping me out to record but it's still very early days (yikes)

Cheers Yura ~

You can purchase Culte’s 6-track here at http://boxbedroomrebels.bigcartel.com/product/bbr-23-culte-6-track-limited-edition-7-micro-lp