Danny Mcshane - interview

One of Brisbane’s fastest rising stars in the film making industry, Danny McShane splits his time working for the esteemed JMC academy and tirelessly creating award winning movies.

It’s been an intense year for Danny, starting with the screening of his film “You Might Want to Sit Down for This” at the 2010 Dungog Film Festival, and his successful ad campaign appearing at every Birch Carroll & Coyle across Australia. While these events greatly assisted his rapid rise as a film maker, it’s his latest film “As If That Would Happen in Real Life” which he most enjoyed making.

“We entered that film for The Regent Film Festival, for its closing, and it won. That was probably my proudest moment,” Danny explained. “I used to work at the Regent as an usher, and it was my favourite cinema in Queensland. I felt really disappointed when they closed, so it was a big deal for me to win with my film, which had a bit of a go at the developers that were knocking it down. It was a good feeling to be involved with the way the Regent went out.”

Danny is also currently a lecturer and technical assistant at the JMC academy. The JMC, among other things, is one of the leading institutions educating students in the art of television and film. Hopeful filmmakers learn the fundamental skills of the movie industry, from producing to cinematography. Danny is involved with several aspects of the move making process, mastering the skills of both scriptwriter and director. “The writing is usually in your room alone. You can write a million dollar chase sequence – there’s no limit to what you can write,” Danny explains. “The best part about directing is the team aspect of it - the element of working with a crew. When you actually go to make it, you have to deal with the time and money you’ve got available to you. Directing and scriptwriting is like working with two conflicting parts, which can work very well together.”

But Danny admits he still has a long way to go in the film industry. Cracking into the mainstream movie business requires equal amounts expertise and luck. “It comes down to making that one amazing short film, that the right person sees, and gets into all the festivals, and gets people to notice that film maker has what it takes.”

The Straddie Island Singers - interview

From humble beginnings to finding themselves a regular at major festivals, the Straddie Island Singers pride themselves on their ties to the community.

Founded over ten years ago, and sourced from fellow music lovers in the neighbourhood, the Straddie Island Singers have a much stronger link to their listeners than your average a capella group. Currently the ensemble boasts an impressive twenty members, most of whom are friends and colleagues of the people they play for. Started as a way of encouraging participation in the community and nurturing a love for music, the Singers have developed into a tightly knit family.

“We came from various parts of the island,” Sean, a member of the group, told us. “We come from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures. Basically, we’ve been a strong part of the community for thirteen years now. We’re a big family.”
It’s this unity with each other and the land that produces the unique influences in their music. Being physically close to nature, songs often revolve around the local environment, relating to beaches, rainforests and the sea. “It’s a connection to the island, really. A musical connection between us. And of course the community is actually based on an island, which shows through in a lot of our songs. We get our inspiration from the island.“

While many of their songs involve their picturesque scenery, it’s certainly not all the Singers sing about. Due to the diverse taste of their members and the varied venues they frequent, their catalogue is massive, ranging from Celtic melodies to gospel tunes, and everything in between.

It’s been a long journey for the group. Being a vital part of Stradbroke Island, they have participated in numerous events for the benefit of the community. These events are many and varied, ranging from art auctions, school fetes and, most recently, major music festivals. The Straddie Island Singers have been a part of the Island Vibe Festival for three years now, and it’s a tradition that has become a highlight for the choir.

“The group has made Island Vibes a very important part of their year. We’ve put a lot of practice into it, and we’re looking forward to it.” Sean said.

THE STRADDIE SINGERS WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE ISLAND VIBES FESTIVAL, WHICH RUNS FROM OCTOBER 29TH TO THE 31ST.

The Red Eyes - interview

Having received overwhelmingly positive praise for their latest album, Red Army, The Red Eyes are fast becoming superstars in the reggae world.

Made famous by their unique take on dub, which combines hypnotic beats, penetrating lyrics and inspiration from Maori culture, the twelve piece mega band have continually made their mark on the reggae world time and time again. Touring across the Australian East Coast and even New Caledonia, The Red Eyes have steadily risen through the ranks and are now a sought after festival band. Winning best independent blues/roots album, and several AIR awards, The Red Eyes latest offering has somehow managed to translate the frenetic energy of their live shows onto a compact disc.
“Red army isn’t exactly a different direction from our other albums,” Damo, the band’s producer, says, “It’s more of an extension. We tried to capture more of our live sound in the album”.

Harnessing the force of their live performances has brought their already stellar sound to life. Those familiar with The Red Eyes are well aware of the effort and exertion the band puts in to crafting an explosive experience wherever they tour.
“Our live shows are what The Red Eyes are all about,” Damo says. “Our albums are great, and it’s good to analyse the music, but the real essence of The Red Eyes is the live band. That’s our thing.”

Throughout the years the Red Eyes have had countless memorable experiences while on the road, but Damo tells of one that stands out: “We were playing at a small pub which didn’t have much in the way of sound equipment. The bass player had to crank his bass right up, and the vibrations burst the pipes that were directly underneath us, which spewed water all over the fuse box and caused a fire! The alarm was going off but everyone was yelling, but we had so many sirens and alarms in our music, no one really noticed for ages. So yeah, everyone had to get evacuated.“

The Red Eyes already have an additional album in the works, set to be released early next year. In between then, the band is planning a tour throughout Queensland and Byron, and has confirmed a spot at the famous Ragamuffin festival next year.

THE RED EYES PLAY THE STEP INN SATURDAY OCTOBER 23. THEIR ALBUM IS OUT NOW.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Say No To Love

With the release of a new single, it’s nice to see The Pains haven’t changed at all. The simple chord progression still remains, as well as the 80s haze and adorable lyrics. It’ll be quite a challenge for any self respecting fuzzpop fan to resist chanting along with the anthemic chorus: “Just say no to love!”. The B side reveals a more sombre side to the pains (relatively, of course) but still retains that innocent sincerity. These songs will never be big, but they’ll be big to some people – sure to be the soundtrack to dozens of new found loves and traumatic breakups.

Flying Scribble - We’re A Chameleon

The balance between experimentation and pop sensibilities can be tricky to master. It’s a tightrope that sees organ and drum duo Louise Terry and Grey Taylor precariously leaning over the experimental side. Often the blend is just right; the vocals soar, the drums waver interestingly, and the organ sounds, well, organic. This is shown no better than the excellent ‘tree to tree’, the most catchy addition on the album. Other times there is far, far too much organ. That, and the frequent lack of melody and rhythm may put off the light hearted.

Endless Boogie - Full House Head

Recommended by Pavement and consisting of Matador employees, the one thing Endless Boogie does have is impressive credentials. Considered more a cool idea than an actual band, Full house head is an hour long demonstration on how to play long, chugging guitar songs, and intermixing them with bluesy guttural grunts. It’s simple, it’s catchy and will be sure to have any southern guitar nut in ecstasy. There’s no build up, no climax, leaving the listener in the same pleasant, but repetitive rut. For everyone else, the continuous chugging of indistinguishable guitars with no discernable structure will make you wish the boogie had an end.

The Seabellies - In Limbo Lake

Spending three years in relative isolation without releasing a single single, Brisbane 6 piece The Seabellies have finally unveiled their long awaited masterpiece after seven weeks of recording. It just so happens it was time well spent – their debut album is a tightly focused, lovingly crafted work of the finest tuneful experimentation. Band members play anything from melodicas to metallophones, creating ethereal musical soundscapes each instilled with a distinctly European feel. The end result is a uniquely rich and layered sound, putting it leagues above the increasing amount of pedestrian indie around today. While their extended hiatus may have pushed them temporarily to the back of fan’s minds, their debut should see them catapulted back up into their supporter’s consciousness.

Yum Cha Experience

This year’s Valley Fiesta will feature the premiere of Yum Cha Sunday, a culinary experience like no other.

If you’re after an affordable and unique dining experience, bring your family and friends this Sunday to the Chinatown mall in fortitude valley for authentic eastern cuisine and enjoyable live entertainment.

All the neighbouring restaurants in Chinatown will be joining forces to provide their tasty services for this special event. Don’t let the name fool you -Yum Cha Sundays will be offering far more than your average garden variety Yum Cha. Tastebuds will be treated to an endless array of ethnic delights, ranging from Vietnamese, Chinese, and spicy Thai cuisine. There really is no better way to satiate your tastebuds than this diverse variety of eastern gastronomic grub.

“All the neighbouring restaurants in China town will be providing the food for the event.” Margaret Nguyen, owner of the Red Lotus restaurant, said. “There’s about six restaurants participating”
This eatery extraordinaire is completely new for Valley Fiesta, with Yum Cha Sunday set to makes its debut a successful one.
“This is the first year that Yum Cha Sundays will occur. We’ll have to see how it goes.” Margaret said. “We’re hoping that it’ll be crowded in China town mall, and this will give us a bit more business in the area.”
Not only will patrons be treated to a delicious and affordable banquet, but this year’s event will feature the spectacular Pyrophone Juggernaught, a cross between a dazzling light show and a tightly choreographed percussion performance. Diners will be able to observe the flame emitting multi octave organ in between bites of Mongolian beef.

After you’ve consumed your delicious meal, take time out to see the many amusements Chinatown has to offer. There are the lively and animated supermarkets, the exotic teahouses and the authentic oriental architecture that is spaced throughout the culturally rich neighbourhood. Upon entering the square you’ll be greeted by a pair of 320 kilogram stone lions, whose purpose is to guard against evil spirits and stands as a symbol of friendship. Once you’ve experienced all that Chinatown has to offer, you’ll be sure to return. So if you’re after cheap yet appetizing chow, make sure you don’t miss this unique event.

Yum Cha Sunday will be held from eleven till three in the Chinatown mall on the twelfth of September.

Super Wild Horses - Fifteen

Often the only means of escaping the unavoidable ‘girl band’ label is to play excellent music. Super wild horses have managed to break free from this lazy gender pigeonholing and craft a distinctive blend of garage pop which sets them apart from your standard basement based bands. Its minimalistic, low fidelity production gives it a certain analogue warmth, and the anthemic garage grunge is laden with sweet harmonized duets which clash brilliantly with the frayed guitar stabs. Songs rarely exceed one or two minutes, and this brevity suits their simple and catchy riffs superbly. From this moment on, the Super Wild Horses will be known as a garage pop band, not a garage pop girl band.

Department of Eagles - Archive 2003-2006

Compilations of B sides and other unfinished leftovers are always a mixed bag. So it was with some degree of apprehension that I went into The Department of Eagles latest release, an eclectic collection of songs dating from the period between the often messy ‘The Cold Nose’ and their more focused ‘In Ear Park’. Never intended for human ears, Archive 2003-2006 offers a glimpse at the transition between these two points, the period where a trifling project became a legitimate band. While various tracks only act as fancy segues, the fully formed songs are masterpieces, which wouldn’t be out of place in a Grizzly Bear album. An essential release for fans, only highly recommended for everyone else.

The Stress of Leisure - Soft Approach

The reasons you’ll like this Brisbane based quartet are the same reasons others will dislike them. On one hand you have trite pop gems filled with corny romantic clichés, and on the other there’s plenty of grating attempts at punk rock. Many songs feel like witty spoofs of various genres, until with creeping unease you realize they might be sincere. This is apparent on the obviously titled ‘All Australian Punk Band 1979’ and the showy ‘At Any Moment This Could Be Massive”. Sadly, it never is, and the album on a whole feels like a massive anti-climax. The Stress of Leisure are enjoyable when they are in their summery pop wheel house, rather than when they are trying vainly to be a punk band. In the end, they are more suited to wearing their heart on their sleeve than an ill-fitting leather jacket.

Lorne Padman - Interview

Internationally touring DJ, general manager of the Vicious record label and the producer of numerous chart topping tracks, Lorne has accomplished feats many of his peers only dream of.

Beginning his career as a lighting engineer and official piss break DJ, Lorne rose quickly through the disc jockey ranks and was soon playing main rooms at nightclubs across Perth. “From year 2000 onwards was me taking it quite seriously” Lorne explains, “During the week I was doing all this proper daytime work, stuff that your parents would be happy for their son to do, but on the weekend I’d be totally rocking out as a DJ and loving it.” Performing at massive venues and supporting major acts had him brought to the attention of one John Course, co-owner of the record label Vicious. Amid playing at the esteemed Russian club ‘RAI’ and collaborating with some of the biggest names in the country, Lorne ultimately landed the position of managing the massive dance label.

“I got caught up working for Vicious and I’ve been running the company for two or three years now. It was just very organic. I must admit I really don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.” Lorne has managed to delay growing up for awhile now, amassing 15 years experience on the decks. But his longevity as a DJ hasn’t lessened his adolescent attitude. “I really don’t want to be old. If you asked me how old I feel, I would say I’m 22. And I know that I’m 28. But the reality is I’m actually 34 on paper. I just don’t get that. I didn’t sign anything or agree to anything, I have no idea how that happened. I just blinked.”

His association with Vicious and his experience on the decks has bestowed Lorne with a keen inkling as to what’s the future of music will look like. With tracks coming in daily from veteran DJs across the country, Lorne knows more than most the future of music. “Working with Vicious definitely helps me in understanding what’s hot in music land, as I’m hearing music a lot earlier than most people on the planet. I’m always looking for the next thing, stuff that really motivates a crowd and gets them really excited. I’m interested in stuff that injects a little bit of emotion into dance music, which is not simple to do without it coming off as too fluffy or sweet.”

LORNE PADMAN IS JOINED BY JOHN COURSE AT THE MET TUESDAY AUGUST 10

The Belligerents - Interview

Known for their intensely physical live performances, the boisterous boys behind The Belligerents give us a rundown of their upcoming EP, the band’s origins and plans for the future.

Self-described as the “longest eargasm of psych dance you’ve ever encountered”, The Belligerents have fashioned a unique concoction of toe-tapping dance-rock to get even the most reserved jumping around. With their hit singles “These Hands” and “Bye Bye Bye” clocking in at number two and nine respectively on Triple J's Unearthed program, it’s no wonder this fivesome is fast becoming one of Brisbane’s hottest acts. With their released songs achieving such rapid prominence, it comes as a bit of a surprise that the band emerged only recently, from very humble beginnings. Andy Balzat, keyboardist, explains, “Before recording our songs it was kind of hard to market a band properly because we only had really bad tracks on our MySpace, and it was always embarrassing because it looks like shit and sounds like shit.”

The members were brought together and united by their love for, well, other band member’s sisters, friends from Germany and a variety of other school based relationships. Emerging from the Sunshine Coast and picking up members along the way, the band exploded into the Brisbane music scene last November, setting the Hangar ablaze with dancefloor dynamite. But their rapid popularity hasn’t been an accident, according to the band. Since their inception, the boys have laboured rigorously in rehearsals and concerts, at one point performing a show every weekend, minimum.

“That period really helped us to determine what we wanted in the band, and in the music,” Andy continued, “and eventually we finished our EP, which we are set to release in about six weeks.”
In addition to the impending EP, the band hopes to be touring the East Coast in the next two months.
“Hopefully we can go as far as we can. We are also looking to travel internationally next year, maybe to Berlin. We’ll take it like it comes, we don’t have any plans. We’ll still like to be together and make music we love, that’s why we’re together in the first place.”

But what motivates the Belligerents? What gets them out of bed in the late afternoon? Well, the band’s mission statement is fairly straightforward. They simply aim to get people on their feet and wildly flailing their limbs.
“We want our audience to be dancing, smiling, and partying. Frantic and sweaty. I like nakedness as well. I imagine most people listening to our music naked. It makes me happy.”

THE BELLIGERENTS SUPPORT TIN CAN RADIO AT THE HI-FI FRIDAY JULY 23.

The Hungry Kids of Hungary - Interview

The musicians of the hot, up and coming band the Hungry Kids of Hungary take time out from their sun-drenched and carefree pop-crafting to share their band experiences.

For those of you out of the loop, the Hungry Kids are a four piece indie pop band from the cultural epicentre that is Brisbane. Since their self-titled EP practically materialized out of thin air in 2007, the Hungry Kids have been steadily garnering an impressive fan base both locally and internationally. Their second EP Mega Mountain further cemented their immediate popularity, which was then amplified tenfold by the incessant touring that followed. Dean Mcgrath (vocals, guitar), Kane Mazlin (vocals, keys) and Ben Dalton (bass, backup vocals) give us some insight into the past, present and future of their widely acclaimed quartet.

“We've all been playing since a young age and have grown up loving music,” Dean said, “I met Ryan and Ben through playing in different bands in high school, and Kane and Ryan played in a band together for a while. Eventually we decided to start a project together without any real idea of how far it would go, but it's all escalated pretty quickly and we've been very lucky to have received so much support.”

Ben continues, “We first started the band with no real ambitions, so we were just jamming, throwing around ideas and having fun. We played a few shows in Brisbane and figured it would be a good idea to record a decent EP so that we could get our music out there and play at more venues. Then we got together with our management and Triple J picked up a couple of tracks which gave us a window to really get off our arses and push ourselves. Initially, it is very hard to get your music out there but we just kept at it because we all enjoy it so much. There are plenty of ways to be heard, what with that internet thing everyone keeps going on about, going to local gigs and talking to people and driving around singing your songs to people at red lights. Sure it might piss them off, but if it’s a good enough song someone is bound to ask you for a copy sooner or later.”

It’s hard describing the Hungry Kid’s sound without the obligatory Beatles and Beach Boys reference, both influences which become apparent with every shimmering harmony and summery strum. However, this 60s nostalgia only applies to the band to an extent, as the collision of jangly pop and more modern production and composition have formed something truly unique. The band shakes off attempts to categorize their sound, jokingly referring to themselves as a modern day R&B band, which they are certainly not.

Thematically, the lyrics cover light issues of young love, summer days and, strangely enough, declining newspaper sales. “Personally I’ll just write about something that's on my mind at the time, or a line of melody will somehow get into my head and the lyrics will kind of develop around it,” Dean comments in regards to his song writing, “For the most part Kane or I will write a song and the rest is constructed around those in the jam room with all four of us. More recently things have been a bit more collaborative, with Benny contributing the guitar part for a song and all of us working on it together with Kane writing the verses and me writing the chorus.”

In terms of national success, the Hungry Kids have had ample, supporting big names like The Boat People, The Seabellies and Kid Confucius. They also blitzed the summer festivals of late 2009 and early 2010, with Woodford, Big Day Out and Sunset Sounds being inundated with hardcore Hungry fans. “We’ve been very lucky to play on some big stages.” Says Ben, “They can be really hard to compare to other shows because they’re completely different but they are still just as crazy which is nice. We tend to feed off each other’s energy and have a bit more fun when we’re closer together on stage at the smaller shows. But playing in front of the crowds you get at those bigger shows is something else to behold and it still kinda freaks me out to be honest! It’s hard to concentrate and play a tight show when there are so many people jumping around right in front of you, you kind of feel like going out there and partying. But we try to have our own party on stage so it’s ok. We have fairy bread and everything. My favourite would probably be our first gig at Ric’s in Brisbane. My Nanna was there.”

The future looks just as bright as their music, with many of their short term aspirations already met. In a few weeks the band will embark on a tour of the US and the UK, playing at the famous Viper Room in LA, venues in New York, festivals in Brighton and showcases in London. Considering only a few short years ago the band hadn’t ventured further than their home town, this recent flood of prominent gigs has the band a little overwhelmed. After their international escapades, the band will put the finishing touches on their newest record, ‘Eat your heart out’. Following its release in January, the group will head out on an extensive national tour to support it.

So what do starving Hungarian youth have to do with the band? Nothing more than the name, according to Kane. “The name is pretty ridiculous so we do get asked about it often. It came about from a friend of ours who also has several other funny band name suggestions, if anyone wants one. We liked it enough to keep using it after our first show. The name has also been known to start arguments on YouTube. There was one between Romanians and Hungarians. We certainly aren't a political band, haha.”

Wild Nothing - Gemini

The humble bedroom musician has come a long way over the years. Jack Tatum, sole architect of ‘Wild Nothing’ perfectly captures the hazy dreamscapes of 80s synth pop from the confines of his own home. His debut album, ‘Gemini’, is a dense sonic creation of handcrafted shoegaze, wrapping the listener in beautiful, complex low-fi arrangements. Fragments of distorted lyrics float through the haze of shimmering guitars, charting the intensely intimate territory of heartbreak and regret. Think the Cure crossed with My Bloody Valentine with a whole heap of nostalgia piled on for good measure. But it’s much more than just an exercise in music history; Tatum’s rendition of 80s pop feels unique, personal and sincere. If you ever had any kind of youthful memories, and would like an opportunity to revisit them, now’s the time.

Amy Meredith - Restless

The guys behind Amy Meredith have been on a rollercoaster of hype since their very first shows, touring Hollywood and Japan before actually having very many songs to play. Having come down from the high of their somewhat undeserved popularity, the quintet retreated to their Sydney-based sanctuary and planned their next move. The product of their labours is a fine stadium pop album, the kind with crunching baselines, yelled choruses and lots of synths. This is music you want to pump a sweat-drenched fist to. The whole album begs to be heard in a colossal arena, and has a tendency to feel a tad confined in headphones. Everything about Amy Meredith’s sound is massive, and demands listening from a huge audience.

Sia - We Are Born

Sia’s musical past has been eclectic, to say the least. With a history of dancing from jazzy soul to downtempo chill-out, the latest incarnation of Sia may be at her most upbeat and bubbly yet. This phase of Sia’s development has resulted in a rich and varied sound with an undercurrent of sweet, glittery optimism running throughout. All the songs hover around the radio-friendly three and a half minute mark, and it is clear that this new direction is much more cemented in catchy hits than her previous work. It’s fun, cheery and carefree, but it’s also a surprisingly mature addition to Sia’s repertoire, and very much welcome. So whether you’re craving giddy pop music or something to dance wildly to, Sia can certainly provide.

The Mackinaw Peaches - Live Review

Brisbane’s West End is an extraordinary melting pot of the past and the present, the local and the extrinsic. From exotic teahouses to the contemporary clubs, this suburb is a prime example of cultural diversity. Amidst this eclectic display of bars and bookshops lies an unassuming haunt aptly named ‘The Music Kafe’. It is modest places like this where great bands are born.

With a name derived from an obscure Seinfeld reference, The Mackinaw Peaches were the main attraction for many patrons in attendance. Coming from Ipswich, with friends and fans in tow, it was an atmosphere of familiarity and friendliness as they conversed with the audience between and during shows. “We sound a lot different from the music we listen to,” Guitarist Flynn Rush commented, “but we’re a sort of modern folk.”

“The most obvious influences of our group would be Angus and Julia Stone,” Flynn continued, “as well as older stuff like Simon and Garfunkel and Bob Dylan.” Covers were present and numerous, ranging from a beautiful version of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ to the hand-clapping vitality of ‘The Dog Days are Over’ by Florence and the Machine. Even Mumford and Sons ‘Little Lion Man’ got couples away from their table and dancing on the slightly claustrophobic floor.

But it was their two MySpace hits which stole the show and captured the listener’s hearts. ‘Fix Me’ began with gentle acoustic plucking, followed by the substantial vocals of Jemma Farley as she despondently croons “You are the poison; you are my disease”. The poetic, enigmatic lines continued with the beautiful ‘Alone’, a deeply layered song with interweaving harmonies gradually building in lyrical and vocal intensity.

Throughout the night, the band produced evocative and soothing melodies that belied their lack of experience. It was a poignant, intimate performance, and one which penetrated every corner of the densely crowded cafe. As said by a relatively new fan “They have a very mature sound for a young band, I mean you can see that they’re just a bunch of kids but there’s still a level of maturity, which makes it just a bit easier to listen too.”