Blog

I am a big fan of the Jam; they rate in my top three bands and depending on what mood I'm in, they are my favourite band. Not only that, they are a big influence on my music and a motivation to get into music in the first place. I had always resigned the band to the 'bands I'd love to have seen but know I never will' list stored away at the back of my mind, so imagine my surprise when nestled amongst the plethora of reformations recently I noticed that they were reforming, well, sort of. From t...

<b>How did everything begin, why did you want to get into music in the first place? </b> To be part of something, it was part of my culture, getting into DJ'ing and remixing, then making records and things develop from there. <b>What's different between your live sets and DJ sets, and which do you prefer? </b> I don't have any particular favourites, the ultimate buzz comes from working on a track and it all clicks into place. Everything balances each other out really; complimenting each othe...

<b>You started playing and writing music from a young age (12 - 14), why so young? What motivated you to do it? </b> Music wasn't something I was always into, some friends started a band in High school and I wasn't keen but my Mum encouraged me, saying that if I didn't do it I might regret it and I could always quit, and that was it from then on. <b>What would be the motivations for starting a band at Primary school? </b> The reasons would be different at that age, but the core was the same,...

When you feel like the odd one out, like a fish whose water's run out. You don't look like them but do you even care, the smell of suspicion hangs heavy in the air. What does he want, why is he here? No one thinks to ask, to talk to you, to find out what you think, what you believe, what drives you, what motivates you to sit in a cold room sticking out like a sore thumb that's been hit with a hammer. I thought we were independent thinkers, the ones willing to think about things differently,...

Isn't it funny how people's legs move in harmony with each other when they walk together, Like a synchronised internal clock is shared between them, Tick left, tock right, All the way down the street

Embers are an experimental four piece consisting of two saxophones, bass and drums who make an extraordinary amount of noise, conjuring incredible and unbelievable sounds from their instruments. I spoke to Adam Simmons and Kris Wanders of the band, their answers are shown in normal text and italics respectively, and their answers just goes to show the differences between band members? How did all the members of the band meet each other and why did you all decide to do what you are doing now?...

Children Collide are part of plethora of Melbourne bands successfully achieving the one aim of many Australian acts, that of international success. After storming shows at SXSW, across the US and the UK the band is now stopping briefly to finally solidly their line up, management team and to record a debut album. During possibly one of the most technically plagued interviews I've ever conducted in which a passing thunderstorm continually disconnected us, I managed to glean a few words from guita...

Bright Yellow are floppy. Floppy hair, floppy shirts and floppy rock. Their smooth, loose and laid back rock infused with psychedelic overtones is an odd and possibly bad choice for a support band and their set doesn't quite seem to be hitting the spot with the crowd at the Evelyn tonight. However the band admirably and competently press on, ignoring heckles such as 'Play a song we knowî at the very least gaining respect from those in the audience paying them any attention.<br>At the complete o...

It's very disorientating to enter a venue previously visited on the other side of the world in a completely different place, but that's the wonder of the Speigel Tent. Plastic Palace Alice are seemingly everywhere almost over night. Through some well-placed gigs, a tight press campaign and a lot of posters adorning every blank space all over town the band have transformed from Melbourne underdogs to a slick force to be reckoned with. Tonight was always going to be an odd gig, the crowd is que...

This is the Trojan Horses first gig in two years and the rapidly filling Gershwin room at the Espy is enjoying the warm Summer evening that is the perfect accompaniment to the band's lilting Ska beats. Most of the band members take turns on lead vocals, injecting their own unique styles into each track, they're sharp, tight and from the crowd's reaction, obviously sorely missed in their absence. Ernest Ranglin is a legend you've probably never heard of, at a ripe old age of 75, this small and...

For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere summer has just reared it's hot and sweaty head, and with summer comes festivals and international artists! So suddenly Australia is awash with bands from across the globe playing what are affectionately termed 'Sideshows', it's good news and bad news as everyone struggles with time and money to catch all the acts they want to see who will probably never return to these shores any time soon. One such band is Clutch, heading over for the Meredith music...

Ding Dong is sadly a little empty tonight, maybe everyone is at home performing some last minute research into the capabilities of their local party candidates. We hope. Goofang are a perfect opening act, one of those slightly schizophrenic bands, with a set of songs that never quite stick to one genre or style but sharing a 'sound'. Some songs take a strut down funky street, others taking the well-trodden Indie-ish route whilst others wander down several paths at once. The band are still find...

My latest column is an interview with Experimental noise four piece 'Embers'. Read it <a href="https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=5737c6ec2e0716f3d8a7a5c4e0de0d9a" target="_new">here</a>.

The past 10 days I've been stupidly busy with some freelance work editing videos for a State government project, ohh the glamour! So i'm giving you a double whammy this week as I have loads of great articles backlogged and ready to go, here they come! I'll also get my latest music news in here sometime soon... Firstly we have [Children Collide](https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=432aca3a1e345e339f35a30c8f65edce) and then we have [Clutch](https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=8d3bba7425e7c98c50f52ca1b52d3735) (US)...

My latest column is a brief foray into the Politics of Music in Melbourne, and poses a few questions, some of which I may be wrong on, and some I may be right on... Read it [here](https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=950a4152c2b4aa3ad78bdd6b366cc179).

<strong>Why did you guys decide to get together and form a band?</strong><br /> When we first met each other 18 months ago we were pretty disillusioned with other things in our lives, University wasn't quite what we expected it to be. We saw like-minded people in each other and decided to do something together. <strong>I'm intrigued about the name (The Dardanelles is a small strip of water that separates Europe from Asia), are you aware of its History or did it just sound good?</strong><br /...

The Drones are an Australian Indie institution, but largely unknown outside of their growing and loyal fanbase. Yet another interview I entered without knowing a great deal about the subjects, however, after hearing so much about them from friends, I was eager to learn more. I spoke to Mike Noga (Drums) about the bands busy history and how he celebrated his 29th Birthday by being mugged in London, life on the road! <strong>It seems that almost every Australian and New Zealand musician I've ev...

I reviewed one of <em>Dr Dog</em>'s past albums, though now looking back through their productive back catalogue, with an album every year, I'm not entirely sure I remember which one it was. The band subscribe to the pack them in and out quickly approach, <em>We all belong</em> is 38 minutes long and not exactly over produced. It is eleven tracks of laid back bluesy, maybe 'swampy' multi-instrumental rock, chocker-block with slick harmonies and chunky riffs, all skilfully played by a bunch of...

The Drones are something of an enigma, they posses an extremely loyal and fairly large fan base throughout the world, but outside of their followers, they remain largely unknown. As an illustrative point, The Doorman of the Corner is heard to say in response to a passer by, 'The Drones are playing tonight, never heard of them, must be popular though, it's sold out.î The band have picked supports well, with Snowman not only also sporting a Fender Jaguar, (rapidly becoming the guitar of choice...

Kathrin deBoer of Bellaruche has a star quality, an ability to captivate and draw in a crowd, no matter how large. She fills the vast stage at the regal Metro nightclub with a stunning appearance and presence, her delicate and kookily sensuous dancing keeping all eyes firmly planted on her. This is before even mentioning her silky smooth voice that effortlessly floats above Bellaruche's chilled and mellow tunes, with guitar provided by the infinitely smiley Rickey Fabulous and scratches and beat...

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon after a seemingly long weekend as music fans slowly start to emerge in the fineries of summer, T-shirts, Thongs and a slight glow as the days get warmer and the nights get longer. No one wants to stand tonight, rather lounge around The Northcote Social Club's floor and Sir aren't going to force them to commit to anything as they ease out the weekend with their sullen blend of sordid sexiness, love laments and brooding ballads. Jesse Jackson, the bands' male vocalist...

<strong>When, why and how did you get into music?</strong><br /> My Dad is almost wholly responsible, he always had music on. Saturday mornings are filled with Sun and Music in my memories. He bought me a guitar for my 11th birthday and I never really looked back. I had older sisters who got me into everything that was terrible about the 80's, but also some gems. Lloyd Cole for example. The Beatles were an incredible learning experience for me too - I learnt all the little parts and sang alon...

It can't have escaped many people in the world's attention that the North of England has been producing a tremendous amount of popular and fashionable music over the past two years. Led by the success of bands like <em>Kaiser Chiefs</em> and Maximo <em>Park</em>, a lot of sound-a-likes spawned, creating a glut of poor imitators and glory chasers and often those who didn't sound anything like any of the glory stories were left by the wayside. The <em>Dance to The Radio</em> label led by <strong...

And now for something completely different I may have mentioned previously that Melbourne plays host to a seemingly constant string of festivals throughout the year and currently it's the turn of the 'Melbourne International Arts' Festival. Generally the feature events are too expensive for the likes of me and I'm left to scour the free and cheap events, occasionally turning up a Gem from beneath the surface, gems like a demonstration of the Prepared Piano. Whilst the altering of an instrume...

Geoff O'Conner is one of a multitude of Melbournian musicians with a penchant for side projects, his band 'Crayon Fields' already has several tours and releases under his belt, and now his solo persona 'Sly Hats' is rapidly catching up recently returning from a two month world tour with fellow songwriter 'Guy Blackman'. I caught up with a nervous Geoff and over cups of herbal tea we discussed Music, Melbourne (and sadly after the recorder was switched off and he finally relaxed) and the ways o...

(I wrote a whole long and detailed post, then lost it... So now I'm just going to a brief summary!) Macaca Mulatta finally recorded their debut album on Sunday, it's only taken me 2 years to get to doing it and then it took us 6 hours to record 9 songs! In a Child Care Centre... [See some pictures here](https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67691&id=601440566). It was Cup day on Tuesday, everyone gets a bizarre midweek weekend for a horse race, and gets very drunk... Cate and I got up to all sorts of things including a [snail race](https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67690&id=601440566) and a BBQ, where a la...

My latest Indieoma.com post is an interview with Melbourne hipsters (or are they?) Dardanelles... Read it <a href="https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=496e05e1aea0a9c4655800e8a7b9ea28" target="_new">here</a>!

Once again, I've let personal posts lapse to the point where I've forgotten when I last posted one and what I said... So, I'll just catch up with a few random bits and pieces in no particular order and try again... Take a look at this Trailer for Morgan Sperluck's new film, ["What would Jesus Buy?"](https://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/whatwouldjesusbuy/trailer), looks pretty interesting, and another indication that America is truly mental place... Hmm, well, the [Antescene](https://www.antescene.com) Extravaganza was very successful, with around 300 attendees, and a fine from the Pol...

This week my column is something a little different, I've moved out of Indie Rock and it's a description of a demonstration of John Cage's Prepared Piano I saw during the Melbourne International Arts Festival, read it [here](https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=6883966fd8f918a4aa29be29d2c386fb). And Finally, a little plug... I've teamed up with Polka Dot Rabiit to make the 2007 Election Colouring Book, please take a look at [www.polkadotrabbit.com/election.php](https://www.polkadotrabbit.com/election.php) to find out more. Chinch xxx...

A short and sweet interview with Ned Collette can be found [here](https://www.indieoma.com/public_journal.php?d=46ba9f2a6976570b0353203ec4474217). Enjoy, Chinch xx