Blue King Brown

A small bus turns around on the highway with a family of 11 on stage, plus the rest of the band crew who are no less important of course. They’ve been down this road before, loved it, and once again they’re heading north.   About a year ago they were here at the Reggae Town Festival, and now they are back bringing more of their friends, and it’s all in the timing of their new album release.  

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“We were in the studio there with one of Bob Marley’s guitars on the wall”.”

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The phone rang and after a brief back and forth I was connected to Natalie, she is the front of the ‘very’ full sounding Reggae band, Blue King Brown.  After touring, recording and sightseeing all over the world, some of Australia’s leading headline acts will be rolling into North Queensland. Natalie was excited when talking about the festival, and who wouldn’t be when the line up is big enough to K.O. the front row. “We are pumped to be playing with The John Butler Trio and The Cat Empire again.  We’ve all toured together in the past, and everyone is excited about seeing each other.  It’s been a long time since we’ve all been together under the one roof, we’re super excited about Reggae Town this year!”

The new album, Worldwize, is pretty much on the eve of release and it is the result of a lot of time, hard work and diverse influences.  Blue King Brown travelled all over the world for their new album, recording in different locations, picking up on inspirational vibes and humbling experiences.  It’s pretty rare for an Aussie band, but they had their hearts on a journey to Jamaica. Jamaica is renowned for Reggae, the tucked away island country has been the foundation, hub and generated most of the original flavour of Reggae.  It is the historical location for one of Reggae’s forefathers, Bob Marley, who has become known as an international icon for the genre in the Western World. “We were in the studio there with one of Bob Marley’s guitars on the wall.  It was an amazing vibe recording in a place like that, everyone was so nice to us there. For them, it’s not usual that an Australian band would go there to record.  We took our time with this album, we experimented a lot, and we’re stoked about the outcome!”

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“The lessons I learned from doing it became fundamental to life as a musician

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It was not always like this though, Natalie once lived a very different life as a musician.  Before the conception of Blue King Brown, Natalie hit the streets in Byron Bay as a busker.  This experience to play, entertain, earn money and do it all again the next day, forged and moulded her into a solid performer.  “It’s not so much that I look back and think about how far I have come.  For me, busking was an important part of learning how to be a musician.  It’s not an easy way to make money, but the lessons I learned from doing it became fundamental to life as a musician.”

See Blue King Brown at ReggaeTown, Cairns, September 10 and 11.  New Album, Worldwize, Part 1, North and South, will advance on the streets on August 20.  Part 2, East and West release TBA.

By Tabi Sari

Jessica Mauboy

Returning to Townsville to perform alongside the Cultural Festival, Jessica Mauboy can't wait to visit.

Former Australian Idol runner up Jessica Mauboy is not your typical pop star. In fact she's far from it. Proving it doesn't matter if you win a competition or not, if you've got the talent you can make it in the big scary music business, Jessica's career is going from strength to strength.
Performing along side the Cultural Festival, held at the Strand Park Beach in Townsville, Jessica will showcase her unique voice and will undoubtedly live up to the huge hype surrounding her. Jessica had this to say about the event.

P: What do you enjoy about playing regional shows?

JM: Regional and country audiences are ALWAYS the most enthusiastic- they are always the first to get up and dance. Some of my favourite shows have been in Far North Queensland. We did a show recently in Dysart- which is a mining town and the people that came were great. I also had a great show recently in Cairns. But I reckon Townsville will be more Deadly than both of those !

P: Do you intend to take a look around the Cultural Festival while you're here in Townsville?

JM: Fully! I have been to Townsville before and LOVE it. I came for NAIDOC Day and visited schools. I love the main street great places to shop and eat plus of course I love anything near the ocean!! The Cultural Festival will be a whole new experience- I can't wait to see it.

P: What's your favourite thing about performing?

JM: Seeing the audience and hearing them sing along.

P: What can we expect from your show?

JM: All my hits but also a little exclusive taste of some new tunes .

P: Any exciting news/plans for the future you can tell us about?

JM: Yes! Big time. I have spent the last three months in The USA writing and recording my new album. I have been working with some great Australian producers like Audius and Israel and some amazing USA producers like Bangladesh (who produced Telephone for Beyonce and Lady Gaga. I will go back to the US to work in the first video. New music will be out in August. 

You can catch Jessica at the Cultural Festival, held at Strand Park Beach, Townsville on Friday 20th August at 8:30pm.
Tickets are available at Ticketshop, or book online.

Drop the Lime

The Mythology of Dance

New York was raining as Luca better known as Drop The Lime, the Manhattan born prodigy, started off with a mixed musical influence “Sonic youth, artists like velvet underground. Then there was older stuff, 50’s rock, like Roy Orbison, Gene Vincent and Elvis.” As fate would have it, a rave in the area caught the eye of Luca’s friend and he was dragged along as a wingman.

And so the story began. “I was playing in a band at the time but when I saw this one DJ and the thousands of kids going crazy I though, wow I should be doing that.”  Drop the Lime throws some pretty sweet parties known as Trouble and Bass. “We used to throw our parties in old warehouses, dirty and dark with shitty sound. So it is cool to step up from that, although it’s still hard to find a venue which supports that club sound.” 

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“I saw this one DJ and the thousands of kids going crazy I though, wow I should be doing that.””

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With notoriety comes the offers to collaborate with some of the biggest artists such as Moby, Blaqstarr, Rex the Dog, Armand Van Helden and Midnight Juggernauts. I asked DTL how it was that he came to work with these industry heavyweights. “They approach me. I guess with someone like Moby it’s just because I was new on the scene and he’s always trying to tune in to the younger producers and younger generation.”

DTL has had some much-needed time off in the last week after the hugely successful Trouble and Bass show at a festival called Starscape in Baltimore. However it is the club atmosphere that really excites DTL musically. “Inside clubs you get a really intimate feel. You can take the crowd to new places and build a journey with your set.” It will be these tight, intimate shows that DTL is looking forward to in July when he criss-crosses Australia on his national tour. “It’s going to be a tonne of fun. I really want to play some different stuff that has never been heard before. This will be my first proper club tour and I am very excited about it.”

Greggore

Devils Eyes single is out now through Bandroom Records

The Birds Have Landed.

Australia’s newest supergroup, The Basement Birds, consists of Josh Pyke, Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah, Bob Evans), Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe) and Steve Parkin (Vinyl, Autopilot).

Jacqui Kramer chats to Steve and Josh.

Jacqui- How did Basement Birds form?

Steve- I was playing in Kevin's Bob Evans lineup and also co-writing with Kav (who I've known for a while).?Josh had toured extensively with both Bob Evans and Eskimo Joe. Josh and Kav wrote a song together (“Reasons”) and Kevin and I wrote a song (“Waiting For You”) which we then realised would both sound good on the same album. Basement Birds was born, like Monkey, from a mid-strength beer-infused egg on a Fremantle mountaintop.?
Josh- Yeah, we had all known, or known of, each other for a while through various tours as Steve mentions, and then I got a call from Kav saying that he had an idea to get the 4 of us together to actually try to form a proper band and see what came of it. Sounded like a good idea to me, and so began the ridiculously long, but exceedingly fun process of making this record.? ?

Jacqui- What took you so long!?

Steve- The other guys have got day jobs winning Arias etc. Took us three years to be in the same room together long enough! Also Josh lives in Sydney and Kevin in Melbourne, so it was a labour of love.
Josh- Logistics was the hard part about this album. Three cities of residence between 4 guys, not to mention juggling album releases, touring here and internationally, and of course making time to go to Perth whenever possible- I’m actually surprised we ever got it done! There was definitely a point where we all had to kind of commit and make the decision to make it a reality.

Jacqui- You're all songwriters in your own right - how do you, as a group, go about putting together a song? Who does what?

Steve- We're all pretty easygoing and democratic. Everyone has a crack at everything (except drums - we're all fairly crap at the drums!) Generally one or two of us will have the basic idea for a song, then we all pick it apart and put it back together again.
Josh- One of the best parts about this process for me was the collaboration on the songs. It was really liberating to leave your ego at the door and just let the songs take on a life of their own. We all brought more or less completed songs to the table and then we'd all have to sit back while one of the others would take something out, change a lyric, change the time signature, or the tempo or whatever. But the result was that the songs don't really sound like any one of us, and as a writer it was a great way to learn some new perspectives.

Jacqui- How do you know when a song is 'finished'?

Steve- Pretty much when Kevin and Josh have to jump on a plane. Then it’s finished!
Josh- Well there was that! But also, you just kinda know. It's practice. It's like cooking when you're adding salt, and you have to learn the fine balance of something being seasoned, but not tasting too salty. Obviously it's a fairly subjective thing, but practice gets you closer each time. Or learning how much Vodka you can drink and not want to die the next day. It's all about not going too far, but far enough.

Jacqui- How do you feel about the tag, "Australia's Newest Supergroup"?

Steve- A bit embarrassed, personally. But kind of flattered. "Supergroup" implies a lot more pro-active planning than Basement Birds had! It also makes me think of pyrotechnics. Unfortunately no fireworks at this stage. I would, however, love it if we all wore capes.
Josh- I think a better super group would be John Farnham, John English, John Stevens, and Diesel. I wouldn't buy that album, but I'd buy into the Supergroup title. We, on the other hand, are more of an Aussie Battler story, like the local football team who finally raised enough money to buy new grass for their local field. Besides, who would be "Australia's Oldest Supergroup?"?(note: For the record, according to Google, it’s either Axiom, or The Groove)??

Jacqui- What are the plans for the tour? What can we expect?

Steve- We will be touring later in the year. Expect four-part harmonies, fireworks and capes. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love.                       
Josh- My expectations are that we'll have a lot of fun. If the recording process was anything to judge by, that will certainly be the case. Beyond that, we hope that the songs will speak for themselves and sound organic and honest in a live context. I expect booze too. A fair amount of drinking actually.

Jacqui- Do you each have a personal favourite song on the album, or are they all your 'babies'?

Steve- Having only just finished the record, I'm probably biased towards the new songs. But at the moment I'm really digging one Kav and Josh wrote called “Ghosts.” It’s got some fine vocal harmony, creepy lyrics, and it sounds a bit like a cross between Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Fleet Foxes. 
Josh- I like a song that Kevin wrote called “All That I Feel.” It kinda breaks my heart. Also “Bus Stop” is a pretty addictive track, featuring Julia Stone on guest vocals. She really went the extra yard for us, recording her vocals in a hotel somewhere in Europe whilst on tour!

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"It's like cooking when you're adding salt, and you have to learn the fine balance of something being seasoned, but not tasting too salty.”

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By Jacqui Kramer

The Basement Birds’ have tunes available on iTunes, with more to come!

The Arcade Creative & Base presents: Full Moon Down Under

On the back of a successful 6-years of Full Moon goodness, Base Magnetic Island has joined forces with Queensland party stalwarts, The Arcade Creative in a partnership that promises to catapult Full Moon Down Under into party stardom!

In a never-ending quest to deliver the freshest, craziest parties the sunshine state as ever seen,  +he Arcade Crea+ive are shaking off their Brisbane City shackles and shooting for the stars to pull off the biggest moon landing since 1967.

Get ready to paint yourself with UV from head to toe, grab a bucket and let your body lose control at what is set to become Queensland’s most iconic monthly party…

Full Moon Down Under will be a party unlike any Australia has seen - igniting the steamy sands of Magnetic Island on the last Friday of each month with the promise of peace, love and party for all!

July 30th 2010 will ring in a new era for the party people of Northern Queensland as Full Moon Down Under brings the hottest international acts and DJs direct to your shores each month. Forget coming to Brisbane, we’re bringing the party to you – bigger & wilder than ever!

For the club kids of South East Queensland and around Australia, Full Moon Down Under signifies the end of “the same old shit each week”. Forget the passport & vaccinations – It’s just you & your mates letting loose alongside 2000 like-minded young wild things – all with the Great Barrier Reef on your doorstep!

No matter who you are, just get there - Full Moon Down Under, Magnetic Island, Launching July 30th 2010 (headliners announced soon!) 

New website launching soon: fullmoondownunder.com.au ?Also check out thearcadecreative.com & stayatbase.com.au

PHRASE

Phrase comes to Nth Qld as a special guest of M-Phases on his “Good Gracious” National Tour. A demanding writing schedule has kept Phrase from visiting Nth Qld on many occasions. River sessions in Mackay was Phrase’s first gig in three months.  “The crowd was really good in Mackay, I love the festivals” Phrase said.

Mikaela Smith: What are your expectations from the North Queensland gigs?

Phrase: “I’m expecting them to be pretty rowdy. I’m packing lots of vitamins and water”

MS: Do have a new Album coming out?

P: “I just had three solid months of working on my new album. I am about half done, hopefully there will be a new single out before the end of the year”.

MS:  What is it like working with M-Phases and Illy Al- Murray?

P:  They are both really good blokes and very talented. We’ve done a lot of great collaborations over the years and it’s great to see everyone on the up”.

MS:  Who is your favourite MC?

P:  “The most consistent favourite MC I have is Ghostface from Wu-Tang Clan. Some others come to mind but Ghostface is a definite favourite”.

MS:  What are your plans for 2010 and beyond?

P:  “Hopefully finish this album and head to England for a few months, hit the festival circuit over there in the summer months”.

MS:  You’re engaged to singer Jade MacRae, any chance of a collaboration with the two of you?

P:  “Probably not at this point, I don’t want end up like Kylie Minouge and Jason Donovan. We do some writing together but that’s as far as it goes at this stage”.

MS:  Have you ever been bitten by a snake in Byron Bay? If so, was it an enjoyable experience?

P:  “Haha, yes it is true, very true. I was bitten by a brown snake and it wasn’t enjoyable at all. I spent eight hours in the hospital getting tests done. I am really lucky that I wasn’t envenomated, it would have been much worse. This is why I dislike snakes and spiders”.

By Mikaela Smith 

Catch Phrase, M Phazes, Illy & Mantra at…Thursday July 14th Exchange Hotel - Townsville Friday July 15th Tanks Arts Centre - Cairns Saturday 16th CBD Hotel - Mackay

JOBSTOPPER

The Place getsits ska on!

Born from an egg on a mountain top, with a noise that sounds like the lovechild of NOFX and Reel Big Fish, and with lyrics that are equally offensive, Jobstopper aren’t your usual run of the mill pub band.

Chris caught up with a rather bleary eyed yet sweet smelling Will and Adam, the main creative geniuses late one afternoon for a beer. To have a serious chat about what matters in life, like circle pits, the worm and pheromone wipes.

Will told me “It all started with me putting a wanted ad outside of various music shops around town. They were up there for ages before Adam called me one day. It all kind of just fell into place from there.”

Remarkably, this only happened twelve months ago. There are a few people to credit for Jobstopper’s rise to cult status. One of these is everybody’s favourite bogan pub band Said & Done -these barefoot musical demons set the boys up with their first gig at the Bull Bar back in January and have since given them some opportunities to refine their live shows at metal fests such as Hellbound 10 and Rumble in the Jungle parts one and two, not bad for a band that has their roots in ska and punk. “During our set at Hellbound, some guy tapped me on the foot during a song and asked if the crowd could start a circle pit,” Will told me with a laugh.  Adam also stated, “MOFO T-shirts on McLeod Street have been amazing to us as well. We’ve played there quite a few times now. It’s a great little venue that supports local music.”

So if you love songs about your favourite bong, gonorrhoea, skinhead  zombies or Mormons, or you just want to have a rollicking good time listening to a band that knows their craft well and know how to have fun while doing it, I implore you to go to www.myspace.com/jobstopperska or find them on facebook  to show your support and check out where and when this motley crew of call centre operators, day care teachers, mechanics,  Vegas dancers  and general bad arses are playing next.

Written by Chris Hayes & Jacqui Kramer

Whats Out There

This month is an armchair investigation into what's-hot-this-winter.  Why armchair?  It's cold and all I want to do is sit in the sun in my garage with my lappy, a hot bevvy and a fag and just twiddle around.  Anyway, it's what real journalists do - get an idea, jump around on the internet for awhile, call it 'research', rehash the info that someone else put up there (probably using the same method) add their own opinion, sock it to the reader, get paid. So pretend I'm a real one and let's check out what's out there, without me actually having to go anywhere.  

Aaah the internet. Before I get into that, here's my take on the fashion industry.  To use an analogy, say an artist creates something post-modern and one-off, like spiked coffee cups, then exhibits it.  Some homewares mob rips the idea off to the tune of 25% originality or whatever it is, serves it up as a crockery range that's trendy, tasteful and doesn't poke your eye out.  It's then drunk out of by soccer mums (while flicking through Vogue) waiting to pick the kids up.  The artist doesn't get a cut but they turn their noses up at homewares anyway and it's all deemed to be ok and the wheel keeps turning.

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“So starting out at vogue dot com was pointless, but I couldn't resist”

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In the fashion world, it starts out on a catwalk instead of an art gallery.  Flicking through a Vogue in the doctors surgery, you'll understand that this art ain't for the little people, if the pricetag didn't shock you enough.  Stalking down the street in weird get-up, Ziggy Stardust make-up and a narcotic-induced expression is the equivalent of a coffee cup spike in the eye.  So the bits and pieces get filtered down, ripped off, carved up and served up in Cosmopolitan and Cleo - mags for the supposed everyday woman.  You can now wear them out to clubs or work even (if you shop at Cue).

So starting out at vogue dot com was pointless, but I couldn't resist.  A model in ankle-breakers, boyleg satin undies and a fetching black jacket was the fashion equivalent of an oxymoron.  How the hell does that keep you warm?  

I then toddled over to DJ's and Myers to see what Jennifer and Megan were up to.  I checked out shots of the range but just couldn't boil it down to 'the word' or drag my eyes off the comfy looking woollens.  I then got fizzed up and freaked out about my abilities, made another cuppa, nicked some chocolatey treats from my parents' fridge, lit another fag and had a think.  I needed quotes and Jennifer and Megan weren't available on the blower. 

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“I then toddled over to DJ's and Myers to see what Jennifer and Megan were up to.”

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Just as I was telling myself that I'm too out of touch to be doing this type of thing, I found Natasha Silva-Jelly (great name) from SMH who told me that “this season's biggest (and most surprising) trend - shoes and socks”....“the schoolgirl trend”...“leather, velvet and fur (real)”....“the new three-quarter A-line skirt” and finally “red and crimson.”  Check out my May article again so I can say I told you so (please...I need the boost).

And there you have it folks.  Researched, rehashed, now all that's left is the comment.  “God...I don't know...go for it if ya want...maybe I should try sports writing....can I do that from my garage?”

Itchy Ink

The Good Ship
A Harbour Fair
Now this track, the new single from “the Good Ship” instantly conjures up an image of a dirty, smelly, raucous bar in the 1700’s, Britain, chock full of thieves, peddlers, merchants and, yes, pirates. You know the scene – we’ve all seen it a million time on the movies. This track is a fun filled tune about sailors at sea readying to board land again, fantasizing about the indulgences they will seek once arrived. Fast paced, with a hint of ska punk, and fiddle for good measure – this is a track for those nights when the lads are around and the beer mugs are filled with the good ol’ ale. Just be sure to watch for flying barstools.
Mitchell Callander

Bayami
Bayami is the first single from Ganga Giri’s forthcoming album, Good Voodoo.  The song is dominated by its electronic roots but the inclusion of a didgeridoo amongst the electronic backdrop makes the song unique.  In a similar fashion, Ganga Giri’s vocals are complimented by fellow band member Gumaroy, singing in Indigenous language.  The song features multi-layered percussion for the most part with some ambient and climactic sections.  Bayami is definitely a song for the clubs and will definitely be a favourite on the dance floor.  If you appreciate unusual electronic music you should watch out for Good Voodoo, which will be released later this year.
Bridget Barrie

SISTER SIN
TRUE SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND
Opening with a wall of guitars, bass and drums, True Sounds of the Underground takes you on a welcome journey down memory lane to the days when Motley Crue, Skid Row and Twisted Sister ruled the roost. While taking influence from these bands, Sister Sin combines elements of their music without directly ripping them off. Their music has a distinctiveness and energy of its own, adding modern elements to old school rock. First single from the album, Outrage, sets the tone with its rock soaked attitude and angst epitomizing the dirty rock feel of the rest of the album. Heading For Hell and The Devil I Know are among the highlights, and if you like your rock loud, raw and fun check these guys (and gal) out.
Kris Peters

Drake
Thank Me Later
?Hip-hop newcomer Aubrey Graham, aka Drake, has only been in the business a short time, but his debut album, Thank Me Later, features music superstars Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and Alicia Keys to name a few. I enjoyed listening to his CD as it includes a good variety of slow and upbeat songs. Drake differs between rapping and singing on different tracks and on the same songs. He also has a very distinctive voice. The standout tracks for me were Unforgettable, Best I Ever Had and Cece’s Interlude. This album is for hip-hop fans that want something new to listen to and is perfect background music to get you pumped for a night out. ?
Hayley Simpson

Karen Mukupa
Dreamer
Karen Mukupa is one of those artists you've just gotta love. A Tanzanian royal now married to the Danish Jamie Oliver, she has joy in her music that's impossible to ignore. The standout track has to be Run Boy Run, - ms.dynamite meets Moorcheeba at a London reggae festival. While a couple of tracks in the middle don't really work, (Not Your Papa is too reminiscent of Flight of the Conchords to take seriously), by the time it gets round to Gold Chain we're back on track with a Massive sounding faintly dubby number that reminds us that this queen has sung with some of the greats . It's not perfect, but it's a beautiful album bound to put you in a good mood.
Trish Molloy

Underminers
Self locking/ Audacious
There are two tracks to this CD; “self locking” and “Audacious”. Justin Hayward, singer says “self locking” was his take on the seasonal changes in Ballarat, whereas “Audacious” is close to a love song. The two are close in terms of mood and content. The beat of “Self locking” reminds me of going to the beach, its bouncy and smooth. “Audacious” is not like a normal love song, the sound may be depressing which is common with most love songs but it suits the apologetic lyrics. It’s a delicate two track CD with a lot of talent being showcased, something to listen to on a road trip.
Lana Nguyen

Kevin Rudolf
To The Sky
For starters, this bloke has a worse name than our ex-pm. Next, his ego soars to almighty heights. Thirdly, and most sadly, his music is lame. This is the worst album I have ever listened to all the way through. It's everything that's bad about pop music – overproduced and undertalented. The relentlessly repetitive bass * snare * bass * snare rhythm is trite and boring. With personally offensive lyrics like I'm gonna spit in your face added to the already aurally offensive arrangements, you want to ask who this nobody thinks he is? For the briefest moment he reminds of Buck 65 but he's not even worth 50cent. And his two cents worth is just that – obsolete. This should be avoided at any price.?zachBARCLAY???Resist the thought?Damnation ?This Aussie metal act have released a great album here. Fusing different aspects of hardcore, metal, thrash and death metal Damnation is an album for the swinging listener. The vocals are punchy as a night at the woolshed, riffs are tighter than a nuns bank account and drums are a barrage of destruction. The Sydney scene where these guys are based is tight, and it shows, that having to compete with other great acts can really improve your sound. Think All Shall Perish crossed with Whitechapel with a tinge of Despised Icon. Resist the Thought may be the great metal prediction of this decade.
Greggore

The Roots
How I got over
The roots are a crew that have consistently creating innovative sounds however their new album “ How I got over” starts off slow. It soon kicks in with features from Dice Raw, Truck North and John legend. “The Fire” features Rnb and soul artist John legend, this track is one of the best on the album with its mellow sound. The lyrics are deep and the tempo stays the same but it’s a good song to chill out on the patio. After more than fifteen years the American Hip hop crew are still producing and reinventing their sound. They’re known for their eccentric sounds and creative use of live instrumentals on stag.
Lana Nguyen

We Came From the Depths
Embracing the Abyss
Rising to prominence in 2008/2009 former Townsville battle of the bands winners We Came From the Depths have released a long awaited EP. With its brooding dark album title and equally ominous artwork it was with great anticipation that I uploaded this one straight to the I Pod. Embracing the Abyss is quick, technical deathcore at its finest. Its crunchy, yet blisteringly quick in sections making you want to throw your hands up, kneel and toss about like a twitching corpse. This album could very well cause irreversible damage to your neck. Check them out supporting Amity Affliction and Thy Art is murder.
Greggore

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