Having released their sophomore record, +DOME, to incredible reviews and sell out shows, Seekae have packed their bags and headed to the UK to showcase at Brighton’s The Great Escape, and across the UK and France. Here George (pictured: centre) answers our questions.
Eli Wolfe is one of Australia’s most creative troubadours, and is now touring Canada and Europe on the back of compelling performances at Canadian Music Week and a series of summer festivals back home. On stage, Eli opens a doorway to a mesmerising musical experience, with smooth, enchanting vocals and captivating guitar-work.
Independent artist Karen Hanna recently released her debut album – “Carry Me Away”. Written and produced on the north coast, the album marries beautiful music to lyrics encompassing both passion and reason. “Carry Me Away’’ will, like an old trusted friend, who knows your every secret, sing you a song for every season of the heart.
What was the first band you saw live?
Suzie Quatro when I was 13
What’d you learn from them?
That women could really hold their own in the music scene.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
Not really any rituals as I work with a variety of musicians, but I try to prepare physically by doing rib cage stretches and vocal warm ups and remind myself to relax and have fun.
What do you think the most important issue facing artists in NSW is?
Music creation, talent and entertainment being truly valued as an professional occupation. I am amazed that rates of pay for a gig now are about the same as they were 30 years ago !
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Organising something !
Former program coordinator/co-presenter for Radio Skid Row’s (2RSR 88.9FM) ‘Move on Up’ weekly dance music show and an old school DJ/Producer (aka DJ Astroboy) in the Sydney underground dance music scene of the late 80s to mid 90s. Specialising in minimal, trip hop, acid lounge, chillout, downtempo, ambient dub – tending more to music which has an emotive quality.
What was the first band you saw live?
Kiss, supported by the Cats at the Sydney Showgrounds in 1980 – I was about 13 or so.
What’d you learn from them?
Performing live, music isn’t everything – it’s just one (integral) part of the complete package called showmanship.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
Check, double check, sound check – I find that a smooth, unhurried setup makes for a more relaxed performance.
What do you think the most important issue affecting artists in NSW is?
Personally, I found it difficult as an independent artist to find clear and concise information about self-publishing.
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Probably sitting behind a desk somewhere with a phone in my hand trying to solve someone else’s problems.
Phatchance is an alternative hip-hop artist from Sydney who creates a unique brand of introspective local hip-hop blending electronic, acoustic and indie textures. He’s just released an acoustic EP containing thorough re-workings of songs from his debut album Inkstains and will be touring the disc nationally later this year.
What was the first band you saw live?
I’m fairly sure I was busting out front row of a Wiggles concert at some point, but my first memorable band experience was an all day hip-hop festival at Luna Park sometime around 2003.
What’d you learn from them?
So much. This was at a point when Australian hip-hop was just starting to worm it’s way into the national conscious, I got to watch most of my favourite bands all in the one place and I learned first hand how important it is to make your music available to younger people and to pour as much energy as possible into your live show.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
I try to remind myself to warm up before I go on stage, I think most rap artists don’t really do that stuff but it’s important for me because I sing (badly) a fair bit too. Making sure there’s batteries in the microphones is usually a good one also, there’s been a few iffy moments where I’ve seen a flashing red bar as we head into the last few songs of the set, life would be easier if I did Opera.
What do you think the most important issue facing artists in NSW is?
It’s definitely adaptability, technological innovation and huge changes in the way we perceive and consume music have made the industry volatile and prone to rapid change, it’s really important for local artists to develop the flexibility to deal with a changing market and find niche spots within an increasingly global music scene. I think the extremely rapid decline of Myspace is a perfect example of just how dangerous it can be to invest too many eggs in a particular basket, remaining on top of social media trends and finding ways to make budgets stretch is really important to the survival of local artists without the luxury of a huge marketing push.
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Probably playing poker, I’ve never really been able to deal with too much structure and there’s just enough excitement and unpredictability there to keep me on the hook.
Having just relocated from Lismore Hello Vera are now a Sydney based band obsessed with pop. They have been working hard over the past year, converting bedrooms into makeshift studios to record a chunk of demos which will be whittled down and turned into “some sort” of an EP at “some time” this year.
What was the first band you saw live?
The Wiggles at Wangi Wangi RSL.
What’d you learn from them?
Backing tracks are a big mistake.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
Nothing really, we once tried fake laughing to calm our nerves.
What do you think the most important issue facing artists in NSW is?
Lack of small to medium sized venues to play original music in, especially if you’re a local artist in a regional area.
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Jack would be a baker, and Charmian would be a nurse.
Bon Chat, Bon Rat are an electronic band from Sydney. Their music is a hypnotic melange of vocals that layer and clutter, chanting guitar loops and frantic rhythmic breaks. Bon Chat, Bon Rat is as much chaotic and claustrophobic as it is inspiring. The band’s new single, Blackbird, is out now and available as a free download from their Bandcamp site.
What was the first band you saw live?
I remember seeing Tool at the Entertainment Centre when I was 13. That was probably my first realisation of live music and it was pivotal in my relationship to music today.
What’d you learn from them?
You have to give people a sensorial experience in your music; you have to transport them. I guess that’s why we experiment with projections and visuals to our live shows. It should be much more than just listening to the CD.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
Rus goes into a food coma at a nearby takeaway joint while Reece and I fan the sweat of him and tell him everything’s going to be okay. Meanwhile we actually learn what we’re supposed to play. It’s like cramming for an exam.
What do you think the most important issue facing artists in NSW is?
Not enough venues are doing things against the grain. There are too severe liquor, OH&S and security laws in place which are choking small venues and preventing a flourishing music/arts scene as in Melbourne. Venues have their money set on pokies and generic music which has fostered an antisocial, cultureless clubbing vibe. There are those venues who are doing things differently, like Tone, Goodgod Small Club and a number of art spaces. These types of venues should be seen as a way forward for music, the arts and nightlife in Sydney.
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
We’d probably be insurance brokers with high cholesterol.
Heart Tribe are the freshest, tastiest sound around with world reggae flavours spiced with sik dubby effects. Their super solid rhythm section and bursts of melodic brilliance will have you jumping and dancing while their soaring, conscious vocals will lift you up inside leaving you in a truly positive vibration!
What was the first band you saw live?
Peter Andre at Sawtell RSL. Anyone remember “Gimme some kinda sign”? Good times..
What’d you learn from them?
To stay true to your own sound, and to steer clear of big record companies, unless they’re meeting you on your own terms.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
We often do a group hug/chant/energy connecting thing before some gigs. This often helps us to connect to the music we are about to present to our audience and most importantly it helps us to connect with each other.
What do you think the most important issue affecting artists in NSW is?
Probably being paid properly. Now I know this opens up a whole world of differing viewpoints, but I think if you’re prepared to set aside time (for me this means losing out on potential earning work) for rehearsal, writing, promotion, recording, touring, interviews, etc, then you should be paid decently… What decently is, I can’t really say, but travelling 5-6 hours to a gig to be paid the same as local bands who drove 10 minutes to get there isn’t really fair… I also understand the perspective of the bars/clubs as well, if an act doesn’t draw enough of a crowd to justify their fee, they lose out! Also, if a band is poorly rehearsed, turns up late, just isn’t up to the task, then I think paying poorly may be justified…
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
What I do when I’m not touring/recording/writing/interviewing/caring for my two year old son… Building things and wielding hammers with a crazy gleam in my eye.
Free from self-imposed pressures and constraints, the band has set about crafting an organic and heartfelt collection of tunes- for the first time in the band’s career, they allowed the music to grow and evolve in the studio. Experimentation was the key word.
What was the first band you saw live?
The first band I had ever seen live was this obscure 90s emo band called the Gloria Record. I don’t nearly listen to them as much as I used to, but it was great at the time.
What’d you learn from them?
Mainly that seeing live music is amazing. I had no idea I was going to end up in a band back then, so I really didn’t pay attention to the finer details.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
I’d really like to make warming up a pre-gig ritual- I don’t warm up enough and it would help to be nice and loose before a show. The four of us tend to have a group hug before we go on- that’s about it.
What do you think the most important issure affecting artists in NSW is?
I personally feel as if there’s an extreme deficiency in small to medium-sized venues. It seems bizarre as NSW has relaxed the licensing laws, but it doesn’t seem as if anyone has taken advantage of it. Having enough diverse venues can help bands get much-needed stage experience so they can then graduate to larger venues.
If you weren’t a musician, what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Before I got side-tracked by this, I was studying Science at university so I could teach it in High Schools- so probably that- or I would be travelling, definitely need to see more of this world.
The Foreign Objects are a 4 piece band from regional NSW coastal town Port Macquarie. The band has released two EPs in their short career of two years. They have played at many festivals and shared the stage with the likes of Grinspoon, Spiderbait, Children Collide, British India, You am I and many more… The Foreign Objects sound like no one else and have an electric live performance that sets them apart from other upcoming rock bands.
What was the first band you saw live?
Billy Thorpe and the Aztecks
What’d you learn from them?
Strauss amps are really loud!
Got any pre-gig rituals?
Re-string my guitar and have a cold beer.
What do you think the most important issue facing artists in NSW is today
I think the main issue is commitment and self-belief. If you don’t have much of either of these two things, you will struggle to stand up against those who do.
If you weren’t a musician what do you reckon you’d be doing?
Traveling the world surfing.
Live Nation has partnered up with Cream Holdings LTD, the company behind the international electronic music festival Creamfields.
Last week’s Federal Budget announced that the funding for the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) will not be renewed.
Sydney’s non-for-profit experimental music initiative New Weird Australia has launched a small grants opportunity for event organisers who work within the local experimental music scene.
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