Judith Lucy‘s Not Getting Any Younger
interview by Lisa Lamb.
Judith Lucy is one of Australia’s most popular comedians and one of few Australian comics to be invited to the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, twice. In 2009 she celebrates twenty years in comedy with her new show Judith’s Not Getting Any Younger.
Judith, you’re a single successful independent girl, is it time those men started battering down your door?
Continue reading Interview: Judith Lucy’s Not Getting Any Younger
Biffy Clyro @ The Arena, Brisbane : 25 March 2009
Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Click the image below to view photo gallery…
[Photo: Stuart Blythe]
Continue reading Biffy Clyro @ The Arena, Brisbane 25 March 2009 – Photo Gallery
Tim Minchin is a comedian, actor, composer, songwriter, pianist, musical director and a self confessed Rock n Roll Nerd. He has sold out gigs at the Sydney Opera House, won awards at every major comedy festival including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Just for Laughs Festival- Montreal and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer in 2005.
I was fortunate to meet him in Melbourne in 2007 when we performed at the Late Night Cabaret. Tim says we have a history, am not sure what that means, but am happy to interview him for his new Brisbane Comedy Festival show.- Lisa Lamb
When did you stop wearing shoes on stage?
Well I wore bare feet to uni because I was a bit of a hippie, then started doing comedy gigs at The Butterfly Club in Melbourne. I’d have a list of songs and things to talk about taped to my piano, have three glasses of wine, then take my shoes off to relax. So now I’m in the habit of not wearing them. When I do corperate gigs and wear shoes, it becomes a completely different show, much less relaxed. So much of comedy is about status, the piano is high status and wearing no shoes offsets that, making it low status. Which is good for comedy.
Continue reading Interview with Tim Minchin
Interview: Elize Strydom
The Living End has never been busier – and that’s the way they like it. National tour? No problem. European jaunt? Bring it on. An album of demos and rarities? Absolutely.
This time last year the Melbourne three-piece was preparing to unleash their fifth studio album, White Noise. It came after a period of uncertainty that threatened to put an end to things. After a brief hiatus Chris Cheney, Scott Owen and Andy Stachan resolved to pick up the tools and get the ball rolling. Scott says after a shaky start, the pieces started to fit.
“There was a very distinct moment when things started happening and the tunes were getting us pretty excited. And it did sort of feel like a bit of a comeback. That break had given us time to think about how we felt about the band. It put everything into perspective so when things started happening and songs started coming together there was a pretty amazing confidence in the band. We did put pressure on ourselves. We did say we’re not going to bother making another album unless it’s a bloody good one. We’re not going to settle for second best, we wanna make sure if we’re going to do something it’s gonna be something that will make all three of us really happy. And when we started doing that all the fear and the pressure fell away and everything started going really well again. And I think it shows on the record. The response to the record has been great which has really boosted our confidence.”
Continue reading Life is for Living – Elize Strydom catches up with Scott Owen from The Living End
by Lisa Lamb
[Related: Amanda Palmer @ The Tivoli, 1 March 2009 : Photo Gallery]
Amanda Palmer embarked on a rock star journey from the age of four when her mother sat her on her lap and taught her to play piano by ear. With no formal musical training and a strong interest in drama, she explored dark cabaret, gothic burlesque and surreal musical theatre as the lead singer of The Dresden Dolls. Then embarked on a solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, which pays homage to David Lynch (Twin Peaks) from a girl who doesn’t watch TV. She is a walking contradiction, part truth, part fiction and always entertaining. Her shows are not so much gigs as an experience and once the audience have the “experience” they are happy to spread the word.
Lisa: Amanda, you originally started out busking, doing street theatre and performing as a live statue, how did you start busking and has this influenced your later work?
Continue reading Who Killed Amanda Palmer? An Interview with the Queen of Punk Cabaret
Interview by: Stuart Blythe
Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro informs Stuart Blythe that it’s “All or Nothing” ahead of their Australian Tour in March 2009
Stuart: Hey guys, great to see you back touring Australia. This is your second visit here, do you have any “stand out” memories from last years Australian tour?
Simon: All the shows last time were a ton of fun. we couldn’t believe how much people knew our records and everyone knows how to have a killer evening. one of the venues flooded on the day of the gig which was bizarre but apart from soggy, crinkled feet it all ran pretty smoothly.
Continue reading Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro says it’s “All or Nothing” ahead of their Australian Tour in March 2009
This Boy’s In Love –
by Elize Strydom
Ben Lee is in a good place. Granted, he’s in the honeymoon phase. Literally. As 2008 drew to a close Lee married his sweetheart, Ione Skye, in a Hindu ceremony in India. Add to that a shiny new album (The Re-Birth of Venus due out February 7th), a pop song on the radio and a national university tour (The Big O Festival) and you’ll start to realise why he’s so damn smiley all the time. Oh yes, this boy’s in love.
“For me, being in a stable relationship has allowed me to relax in a way that I didn’t even realise I wasn’t relaxed before. Probably because I was just putting all of my energy into chasing chicks! When you find someone that you trust and you love and you’re inspired by and you’re attracted to there’s a kind of support that can allow you to go to a deeper level. So I think with my records there’s starting to be this sound of relaxation in the music which is really nice.”
Indeed. The Re-Birth of Venus is Lee’s seventh solo album and his fifth with Chicago based producer Brad Wood.
“I’ve tried other producers but working with Brad is like coming home. We trust each other and it’s hard to build that trust. It’s not intellectual which I like. You just get together with friends and you make music and that’s how it works.”
For someone who started making records when he was 14, Lee is showing no signs of hitting the brakes. In terms of commercial success, it’s been a slow burning career for the guy that some just love to hate (do I need to mention that song by the Ataris?). In 2005 Lee won an ARIA award for Best Male Artist and Catch My Disease was the most played song on Australian radio. Does the thought of offering yet another album daunt him?
“These last few years I’ve been so wrapped up in process of making records I’ve become quite divorced from the anticipation of sharing them. I’m constantly chasing this experience that I want out of making records and music and I’m getting less and less concerned with how they’re received. I don’t feel at all that I’m doing it for the sake of it.”
The first single lifted from the new album (I Love Pop Music) reads like a summary of Lee’s world view with lines like:
Global warming threatens life as we know it Our leaders have not committed to a plan of action on renewable energy
and:
Religious intolerance creating geo-political instability.
Our lives are accelerating as we fall out of touch with nature and ancient myth.
Try singing along to that, kids! He rounds it out with the chorus:
I love pop music, sprinkle sugar through it Philosophy that you can dance to
Hmmm, please explain.
“One way or another I’ve always been interested in embracing the classic elements of a pop song which are about the bubblegum stuff that just make you feel good and at the same time tried to subvert it a little bit and add new left field twists to it. So I think that song just continues that idea.”
Catch Ben Lee at the Big O Festival touring universities around the country during Orientation Week.
Pinky Beecroft interviews PINKY BEECROFT…
for LifeMusicMedia
PB: So, Pinky, was this your idea, to do this interview?
PB: No. I don’t know whose idea it was. But I think it’s a very good idea, so I’m running with it.
PB: OK. Do you want firstly to talk about your time as the singer of Machine Gun Fellatio?
PB: No. Not if we can avoid it.
PB: Right. Well can you tell me a little bit about your new band, The White Russians?
PB: Yes they’re very good. A 4-piece, drums, bass, guitar and me. It’s very organic. Kind of rockin’. Very exciting.
PB: You’ve just released your first album, Somethin’ Somewhere Better. How was that?
PB: How was what?
PB: How was that process?
PB: You mean, how did we record it?
PB: I mean.. yeah. I guess. Um. I mean… what were your influences?
PB: My influences? That’s a very complicated question. I don’t know, gee, I expected this interview to be different.
Continue reading LifeMusicMedia World Exclusive: Pinky Beecroft interviews PINKY BEECROFT…
Brisbane Powerhouse will give all music lovers an excuse to get out of bed before first light, when they host the triple j AusMusic Month Event on Friday 7 November, 2008.
Stagger out of bed at 5am and join the triple j breakfast team Robbie, Marieke and The Doctor as they broadcast live for the first time from the Turbine Platform on the final leg of their national tour as part of AusMusic Month.
triple j is all about homegrown talent and will celebrate all things local by putting on a huge show at Brisbane Powerhouse and rolling out the red carpet.
triple j will broadcast live with special guest performances and interviews with Josh Pyke, The Grates and the John Steel Singers, plus more surprise guests revealed closer to the date.
As the celebrations approach, keep listening to triple j for more information regarding this special event, J Award nominations and much, much more.
Remember, due to daylight savings, the event will begin at Brisbane Powerhouse at 5am, but will be broadcasted on Brisbane radio from 6am – 9am.
For more updates on the line up, go to triplej.net.au or tune in to 107.7 FM
Date: Friday 7 November 2008
Time: 5am – 9am
Venue: Turbine Platform
Tickets: FREE
More Info: 07 3358 8600 or brisbanepowerhouse.org
Katy Steele, set to grace the stage at Valley Fiesta 2008, talks with our Tara-Kai Hammond
TH: So you grew up in the Perth Music scene didn’t you? What’s it like now, in comparison to say 10 years ago?
KS: Well, I have only been in the scene for the last 6-7 years as an actual musician. Before that I watched my brothers grow and gain success, the old school way, by playing gigs and gaining airplay, the way we did it. But for most of my teens, I watched my dad perform. He is a survivor who I have never seen play a bad show. True professional.. I would say that it was hard then and its even harder now. But It seems that music has taken a very serious turn. The only way, is to survive. We are all surviving, which is all I have ever asked for.
TH: Who are you looking forward to seeing perform at the Valley Fiesta?
KS: I’ve heard that the John Steel Singers are quite good. Other than that, I d love to check out some local Brisbane bands.
Continue reading Interview with Katy Steele of Little Birdy