Tag Archives: lifemusicmedia

Interview with Jeff Martin (The Tea Party/The Armada)

By: Ben Hosking
Jeff Martin[Click here to listen to the audio version of this interview]

Jeff Martin (JM) spent 15 years fronting iconic Canadian rock group The Tea Party before leaving the country to escape the band’s ‘acrimonious’ split. While holed up in Ireland he embarked upon a successful solo career and met percussionist Wayne Sheehy – a chance meeting that later spawned The Armada, with multi-instrumentalist Jay Cortez.

Now an Australian resident, Jeff embarks upon a fresh tour of Australia in May, where he plans to road test some of his new material that will be recorded later this year. Ben Hosking from Lifemusicmedia.com (LMM) caught up with the enigmatic musical gypsy to chat about his upcoming live Armada CD/DVD set, the tour, potential Tea Party reunions and his friendship with Jimmy Page.
Continue reading Interview with Jeff Martin (The Tea Party/The Armada)

Interview: MIAMI HORROR and the Bacardi Express

Miami Horror
Miami HorrorBuy: Miami Horror at iTunes- Click here
  Miami Horror and the Bacardi Express

LMM: When you heard about playing on the Bacardi Express Tour, you thought?
MH: At first I wasn’t too aware of what would be involved. It wasn’t until we had to do some pre-press shots/interviews last year on the train that I realised how great an experience it would be and became very excited. The train is amazing and all the people we have met so far that are involved have been lovely.

LMM: What are you most looking forward to on the Bacardi Express tour?
MH: We’ve all been talking about the jam room and DJ booth. We are hoping to learn some classic songs to jam with the other bands. Hopefully we can jam some Supertramp.

LMM: Absolutely loved your music clip “Sometimes”, where did the inspiration for that come from?
MH: Originally we had a concept similar to a movie called “Logan’s Run”, but we let Moopjaw (Director/producer of “Sometimes”).
Continue reading Interview: MIAMI HORROR and the Bacardi Express

Live Review: Emilie Autumn @ The Metro, Sydney – 18 March 2010

By: Bek Grealy
Emilie Autumn

Last night, we encountered Emilie Autumn and her Bloody Crumpets at The Metro theatre, Sydney.

Emilie Autumn’s performance was a two-hour theatrical extravaganza, a conceptual wing-ding that has only a tangential relationship to the normal procedures of rock ‘n’ roll. I recall Emilie’s My Space page a couple of years ago, which included portions of a predictable rock line of attack, and depicting evidence of this in the future events, with the maintenance of two support bands. It was, basically dubbed, a gig.

But now, it’s a show, and the difference is distinct. Emilie Autumn has taken a decisive step towards theatre. No support bands tonight – just an elaborately dressed stage, some equally elaborately dressed Bloody Crumpets, and Emilie Autumn the queen of the performance.
Continue reading Live Review: Emilie Autumn @ The Metro, Sydney – 18 March 2010

Photo Gallery | Devin Townsend Project with Contrive @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 12 March 2010

Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Click image to view photo gallery
Devin Townsend Project
Devin Townsend ProjectDevin Townsend Project
Contrive

Devin Townsend Project – www.hevydevy.com/
with Contrive – www.myspace.com/contriveaustralia
Venue: The Tivoli, Brisbane – www.thetivoli.net.au
Date: 12 March 2010

CLICK HERE to read our live review of the show.

Click here for Photos Gallery



Continue reading Photo Gallery | Devin Townsend Project with Contrive @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 12 March 2010

Interview with Gossling (aka Helen Croome)

gosslingGossling’s debut EP ‘If You Can’t Whistle’ has garnered plenty of attention, with the track “Days Are Over” becoming part of Triple J’s staple play list in recent times, and “He Knows My Love” being used in the Triple J ‘Unearthed’ promos. Gossling’s (aka Helen Croome) tracks were discovered by Triple J after she drew attention as an Unearthed artist.

Gossling(HC) chats with LifeMusicMedia (LMM).

LMM: Hi Helen, tell us about your first Australian tour to promote your new EP ‘IF YOU CAN’T WHISTLE‘?
HC: The band and I are played a few shows in Melbourne and one Canberra to begin with in March and we have plans to tour the rest of the country later in the year. I’m really excited to get out to more cities and play some regional dates also.
Continue reading Interview with Gossling (aka Helen Croome)

Photo Gallery: Spinnerette, Mini Mansion & Shaman Son @ Corner Hotel, Richmond (7th March 2010)

Main Act: SPINNERETTE
Click image to view the photo gallery spinnerette
Photographer: CARBIEhttp://www.carbiewarbie.com
After releasing their debut self-titled album via Anthem/Shock Records in June this year, former Distillers’ front woman Brody Dalle is thrilled to be returning to her native Australia with her new band Spinnerette. Spinnerette’s self-titled album features thirteen new songs written by Brody Dalle and produced by Alain Johannes (Them Crooked Vultures, Arctic Monkeys) and is the first Brody Dalle helmed full-length release since The Distillers’ 2003 ‘Coral Fang’ album.

1st Support Act: Mini Mansions
Click image to view the photo gallery minimasions
Mini Mansions are a Los Angeles band most notable for band member Michael Shuman, who is more well known for being the bassist of Wires on Fire and Queens of The Stone Age. Shuman plays vocals, keyboard and guitar for Mini Mansion. Other band members are Zach Dawes on bass, keys, and vocals and Tyler Parkford on vocals, keyboard, and guitar.

Click image to view the photo gallery shaman son   2nd Support Act: Shaman Son
WHO IS THIS? Is that the love child of Rob Younger from Radio Birdman?
NAH! It’s a Melbourne 5-piece Shaman Son, who are a fresh blast of liquid sunshine into the main vein of the Australian music industry. An acid test for a new generation of kids who want to turn on, tune in and rock out. Though they wear their combined influences on their sleeves Shaman Son aren’t content to merely dwell in the past, instead they reference, distil and reinterpret, settling on a sound that is positively mind expanding.

SPINNERETTE
Playing times: Shaman Son 9pm * Mini Mansions 10pm * Spinnerette 11pm – 12am


[Photos: CARBIE]

View the photo gallery


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spinnerette

JACKSON JACKSON – Residency @ The Evelyn, Fitzroy – April 2010

Every now and then a band arrives onto the music scene without fanfare and hype, just doing what they are born to, and what follows is large audiences and a fanatical following. And then at a certain point the industry wakes up and says “where did that come from?”

JACKSON JACKSON is one of those bands. They have become a solid live touring favourite throughout Australia since they launched a couple of years back. They are that band that supposedly no one knows about, who just happen to pack out every venue they play, many nights over. And the fans like it that way.
Continue reading JACKSON JACKSON – Residency @ The Evelyn, Fitzroy – April 2010

PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE, HEADLINE TOUR & MOVE TO THE UK

Do you want a double pass to The Philly Jays Melbourne or Brisbane show? See below for details.

Philly Jays   Fresh from the Laneway Festival tour Philadelphia Grand Jury announce a headline tour and new track from last year’s J Award nominated debut, Hope is For Hopers.

The new radio single ‘I Don’t Want To Party (Party)’ is an anti-party slacker anthem that in its utter catchiness has a habit of inciting exactly the opposite to what it says in the title. The track is a live favourite and was

for a long time used as the set closer which sees the band finish each set with a literal bang – one time even seeing lead singer Berkfinger taking to an upright piano with a sledgehammer

The single is joined by three exclusive never-heard-before tracks.

B-side number one is a disco remix of Philadelphia Grand Jury album track ‘Wet Winter Holiday’ by Mike FWD. The next is a solo track by band lead singer and producer Berkfinger called ‘Jimmy At The Whorehouse’ which is the first cut off a self-produced solo concept album due out later in the year on the band’s own label Normal People Making Hits.
Continue reading PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE, HEADLINE TOUR & MOVE TO THE UK

‘APRIL UPRISING’ from the JOHN BUTLER TRIO!

John Butler Trio - photo credit Polly Armstrong   The John Butler Trio’s first studio offering in three years, ‘APRIL UPRISING’ (independently released through MGM on March 26th), follows the much acclaimed 3 x platinum ‘Grand National’ album which cemented the band’s global success with sold out tours world wide.

‘APRIL UPRISING’ introduces new trio members Nicky Bomba on drums/percussion and Byron Luiters on bass and combines the personal, the political and the musically memorable with skill and passion.

‘APRIL UPRISING’ was introduced late last year with ‘One Way Road’, the incredibly catchy first single from the album. Taking out the number one spot on the national airplay charts three times this year, ‘One Way Road’ has been the most successful radio single to date for the JBT, the first entry being on the eve of their national sold out tour in January. It was also chosen as the lead track for the summer campaign of Channel 10’s new digital 24 hour sports channel One, and remains on high rotation on the station and it still holds the number one spot on the AIR 100% indie singles chart, which it’s held for 15 weeks now!
Continue reading ‘APRIL UPRISING’ from the JOHN BUTLER TRIO!

REGINA SPEKTOR returns to Australia & New Zealand – April/May 2010

The Frontier Touring Company announces the return of Regina Spektor to Australia and New Zealand in April this year.

When Regina Spektor’s family moved from her birthplace of the Soviet Union to America’s Bronx, her musical interests and talent expanded from the genre of classical music toward the vibrancy of pop and rock. These transitions of location and taste are reflected in the classical artistry within her piano composition and distinctive eclectic fusion of sounds. Adding to her repertoire of skills is her ability to play not only the piano but the guitar and occasional percussion as well, rendering her a truly versatile musician.
Continue reading REGINA SPEKTOR returns to Australia & New Zealand – April/May 2010

Tour: New Found Glory Australian Tour – April 2010

New Found energy, New Found purpose; New Found Glory is back in the ring.

New Found Glory   As opposed to the majority of their stale contemporaries, New Found Glory attacks each album with a breath of fresh air in a genre saturated with vocoder and neon. With an impressive catalog that hosts some of the most memorable pop punk songs of the past decade, their Epitaph Records debut ‘Not Without a Fight’, shows just how well they put their competition in a finishing headlock, “there’s no need to put up a fight, because New Found Glory takes the title by default.” – Absolute Punk

Continue reading Tour: New Found Glory Australian Tour – April 2010

The Idea of North: Radio Show @ Brisbane Powerhouse 27 March 2010

They say video killed the radio star… well we’re not so sure. Come and decide for yourself and be part of a “live studio audience” as Australia’s own award winning vocal quartet, The Idea of North present “Radio Show” Step back in time to an era of simple pleasures when the entire family would gather around the old transistor radio on a Saturday night to listen to their favourite show, excited and intrigued by what was happening at the other end. It’s now your turn to find out what goes on behind the scenes. Join in the fun of a live radio show where you’ll hear The Idea of North perform golden oldies to the top of the pops. They’ll be your very own radio hosts and who knows what else! This show is bound to have just about everything. The only difference is it probably won’t make it out onto the airwaves… it’ll just be for your ears (and eyes) only!
Continue reading The Idea of North: Radio Show @ Brisbane Powerhouse 27 March 2010

Asa Broomhall – Brisbane Powerhouse Resident for March 2010

Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane Marketing and Brispop Present
The Residents MUSIC
They’re fresh, they’re free and they’re moving in. Fridays are about to get a lot more interesting as some of the best Indie-Pop bands around stake their claim on the Turbine Platform. No ‘one night only’ gigs here. Each band will have an entire month to capture the hearts of Brisbane music lovers with a set every week. So, if you’re liking what you hear, come back again and again.

March Resident: Asa Broomhall
Continue reading Asa Broomhall – Brisbane Powerhouse Resident for March 2010

CD Review: The Break – ‘Cylinders’ Single

Review: Lana Harris
The Break was formed from three of the previously in-your-face-political pub rockers Midnight Oil (Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey) plus the bassist (Brian Ritchie) from the grungy, always a bit teen-angst Violent Femmes. The love child spawned is nothing like its parents. Instead, it is a fun loving, apolitical coast dweller called The Break.

Cylinders’ is the pre release, first impression of the new creation. What is presented is a three and a half minute instrumental surf rock track. Surf rock? If you have ever seen a movie with teens at a beach shack party, circa 1960’s, you’ve heard surf rock. Remember ‘Wwwwwwwwipeout!’ Surf rock. It was repopularised for a while in the 1990’s – the opening credits to Pulp Fiction are overlaid with a revamped version of surf rock in the form of song ‘Misirlou’ and put the genre back into the population’s consciousness.

The Break’s postmillennial take on the genre has a heavier, deeper feel. Darkness washes across the laid back and loose vibes from the sixties, as though a man with sinister intentions is hiding amongst the palms that surround the beach shack party. There is a strong energy to the track, which explodes in your face like salt spray from a crashing wave. The Break thump straight into up-tempo, driving, full band participating music that ebbs and swells as the song progresses. The beach theme and vibes will continue with debut album Church of the Open Sky (released by Bombora Records) promising to be a mostly instrumental surf rock record with tracks named after famous surf breaks.


The BreakThe Break available at iTunes

Midnight OilMidnight Oil available at iTunes
Violent FemmesViolent Femmes available at iTunes


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FAITHLESS ARE BACK

Yes they are – they’re back – not just back after a four year absence but back….to reclaim the dance floor.

It’s funny that after fifteen years of existence (and well over 10 million records sold) Faithless have never been more relevant; think Calvin Harris’ recent number 1 or the countless tracks with a house groove, riff and rapper, Faithless’ signature sound adopted by many, bettered by none. Name checked by everyone from Hadouken to Tinchy, this band is legendary, but they are also on tip-top form: Continue reading FAITHLESS ARE BACK