Why ageing rockstars of the yester-year should go to rehab instead

Cryogenic freezing was once only an honour to be bestowed upon our favourite anti-semitic and slightly delusional cartoonist, Walt Disney...

..And even then, it was only one of those long-term urban myths, but why dream about it when we have the technology to do it??

So why not apply such God playing modern miracles towards all these poor, haggard and washed-out musos, whose hay-day pre-dates 25 years as a bare minimum.

Cases in point include: the unexpected release of a new album from the Hoodoo Gurus, and, of course, the busy touring schedule of them grungey rockers that inspired the likes of "Smells like Teen Spirit" and other such hits of the 90's angsty youth, before they were emos...

 I am talking about Pixies (Kim Deal pictured above; Frank Black, below), who are finishing up their "Doolittle" touring extravaganza of Sydney tonight after a three day touring stint in Sydders...

And never will you find two band members placed so strategically far away from one another:Kim occupied the far (far) right of the stage, whereas Frank occupied the opposite end towards the left.

It's no secret that the band cannot stand one another, so my question is: Why bother???

Both Frank Black (aka Black Francis) and Kim Deal, have both arguably achieved moderate corporate success off the back of various side projects...Breeders, anyone???

Now, don't get me wrong, I bought these tickets about a year ago, and eagerly awaited a very fan-friendly set, which included an encore of favs not featured on "Doolittle", such as "Gigantic" and the track that saw a resurgence after that movie about a dead Brad Pitt and a busty Meatloaf, "Where is my mind"...

And I was happier still to have seen them previously about two years ago, when i thought that realistically, I would never be allowed such an opportunity to revel in the bands of my pre-teen revolt...

It is obvious that they're preying on the nostalgia of disgruntled gronks and skanks such as myself - lost and confused in a labyrinthine array of soft (cock) rock and nympho poppets entirely dependent on post-production -

In the past 18 months alone, our fair shores have ultimately been invaded by Coppel-endorsed baby-boomers, like:

- Leonard Cohen

- B-52's (yeah, sure, it was a rock lobster...)

- Brian Eno (and Wilson)

- Toto*

- Tears for Fears

- (an amended) Buena Vista Social Club

- Smashing Pumpkins (or what little does remaineth..)

But the ultimate would have to be the news that riot grrrrl and junkie pin-up, Courtney Love, has crawled back into the studios to release a new Hole album...Dang!!

Might I suggest Betty Ford as the slightly less appealing, but ultimately gratifying long-term solution???

* debatable as to whether Toto ever in fact had a hey-day...

Why we are corporate whores to music industry pimps

Music festivals

Summer hosts a mutlitude of them and I know everyone goes, and most people try and relay enthusiastic reviews to all and sundry, trying to drive them to envy you and admire how cool and rock you are..


But isn't there just like this small, tiny part of you that is just over being one of the great mass of swarming, sweaty human beings; all of whose excretions leave a particularly foul that permeates all around you in the skanky portaloo (a la Kenny... for 12 twelve hours)..

Why did you bother with the JJJ 100!!???

So, we are all aware of the culture inherent to Australia Day, much akin to that of Cup Day, basically requiring all patriotic participants to get inebriated and carnivorous, quite often, to the background sounds (and betting pool) of the hottest 100...

And, as predictable as this countdown may have become of late, it hardly takes it quite so far as the all important #1 was leaked onto an ABC website way ahead of time....it's all like Mumford and what now?

I feel out of the loop with all hip in musical popularity, but I don't recognise this tune by its title, and I certainly wouldn't have felt in any way vindicated by the crappy pseudo-surprise of getting them to play it live in the studios. This is what happens, j, when you leave important work to the likes of kiddies...even if they are tapping into the slowly declining age demographic..

Oh Mig, so bitter, so obviously seething with envy over a lack of listenership for her own pezzy lil show on Tuesday - and yes this may in part, be true - she has a go at them poor j bangers...yeah well, suck it up, I say, you wouldn't have picked what I had playing on the show...

But fear not, (I tell this to myself more than anyone else...) for here's a nice true blue ocker lookin tape in green n gold so you can enjoy the talks based stuff which doesn't see me in court if I publish it...

ON TUESDAY OVERDRIVE LAST WEEK, AUSTRALIA DAY:

I was reunited with the Pobs as well as catchin up with major success story: Oh Mercy, as they grace our presence for the St. Jerome's Laneway fest...in its new, completely anti-laneway venue of Callan Park!!

Why Cat Power really is The Greatest!

from Days Like This Festival, January 10, 2010

Why not, YACHT?

YACHT: Not as in pleasure cruiser, but an acronym: Young Americans Challenging High Technology toured Australia recently off the back of the mystical 2009 album release

See Mystery Lights

Why Peats Ridge Festival was my Skank Nirvana

I may still be picking the dirt out of my toenails but, check it out, I got to go to the spectacular spectacle of all things arty farty, musical, zen and environmentally sustainable - yet, in a refreshingly skankier, un-concdescending, un-preachy Tim Flannery-ish approach - hosted by the glorious Glenworth Valley on the Central Coast over 3 days, concluding in the early hours of the new year...(well, 11am, but that's pretty rough post NYE...)

Why I had a SHOCK!-er

Cos I interviewed general manager of the Australian branch of the world's largest indie record label, Shock! That's all really...

THE LOVE AFFAIR OF CLIVE HODSON’S LIFE

Clive Hodson, the managing director of Shock Records, has a secret, albeit, inanimate lover. For music is not just a passion or even the catalyst for a successful career to Hodson, but a lifelong romantic pursuit.

Hodson has wooed the music industry like a coy lover. Indeed, when he speaks of what he does, recounting the past thirty odd years, a quiet passion enters his voice.

“People like the touch and feel of records.” He says with the slightest quiver in his voice, as though being spiritually caressed by the latest Long Player off the press.

Born and raised in Perth, Hodson started off in music by trekking around in the Tarago touring with his band, which he still professes to miss. However, his choice of instrument sealed his fate as a potential rock star.

“Being a horn player, I was the first guy in the band to get turfed,” says Hodson. “If you play guitar or drums you have a chance, but unless no one really does that horn playing type of thing.”

“You’ve got to know where your strengths are. And I was a good musician, but I wasn’t a great musician, I did it for around ten years, so it took a while for that reality to dawn on me.”

With this insight in tow, Hodson couldn’t still his inherent passion for all things musical. In 1979 he started managing the record label, Phonogram (eventually to be renamed as PolyGram).

It was a momentous day when Hodson had finally confirmed a recording deal with his first band.

“It was the Eurogliders and that was for an album, Pink Superblue Day, which was their first album,” Hodson recalls. “They were a Perth band and I sort of met them and started courting them when I was in Perth. But I was going back and forth from Sydney to Melbourne the entire time I was director with PolyGram so it was a bit hectic for me to pin them down.”

Tenacity was required in order to win them over, nothing would deter the eager suitor in his attempt to cement this musical partnership.

“I met up with Brian Peacock, the manager of the band in Melbourne, and I chased him into a toilet and made my intentions clear until eventually, he let me have my way.”

Ultimately, the marriage was a happy one. “A fantastic debut album, and of course, they had quite a lot of success,” he says, unable to contain the note of pride over his firstborn.

Ten years followed and Hodson wanted to further his advances toward musical courtship. In 1989, he ended his relations with PolyGram to set up his own business in artist management and business consulting.

“But it appeared that PolyGram still had me in their sights, I was back there within two years, I took on a sales and marketing role in both Mercury Records Classics and Jazz division, before a new division formed called PolyMedia.”

Hodson remained faithful to PolyMedia until 1999, when a merger with Universal records spelled out Hodson’s redundancy.

The path to true love never did run smoothly.

“A low time,” he recounts, eyes downcast in memory of this former relationship. “But for me timing is everything. I’ve had a very lucky life. Whether it’s been orchestrated or it’s been orchestrated by me, the timing has always been right.”

And straightaway it happened, with Hodson again, exercising his tenacity and continuing in his attempt to settle down in the music industry. After starting a new company, Consultainment, he initiated a live venue space at the Rocks in Sydney and received major backing from Sony Entertainment to establish a music industry coaching plan.

Not that Hodson has much of an interest in the mainstream. As head of ABC music overseeing commercial exploitation from 2002, he – somewhat regretfully - left in 2006 to take over Shock - the country’s largest independent record label.

“It was forced upon me to a certain degree,” he says. “I’d spent five years at the ABC and they were going through quite a big transition – in that they were really looking at whether they wanted to be commercial.”

Pausing reflectively, he says enthusiastically: “The fortunate part about Shock is that it, like myself, is fiercely independent and therefore it can shape it own destiny. I think this might be it for me. I’m in it for the long haul now.”

Challenges to Hodson’s livelihood are presented daily by the influx of peer to peer music file sharing, leaving the record industry to plummet over the last decade or so.

Hodson shrugs this off, instead rising to the challenge. “I think that YouTube and MySpace have been fantastic for independent bands and Shock are very much giving an opportunity for these bands to have a physical presence in the marketplace.”

He also has a handy resource. “I have a great teacher in my youngest son. He keeps me up to date with what’s happening on myspace, he almost acts as a researcher for me,” he says.

There are times, however, that Hodson turns off the CD player and indulges in an occasional dalliance with another artistic body.

“Me and my son love to talk about books together,” he says with a smile. “He reads them online though, whereas I still remain old-fashioned in that respect.”

Why I Hate Bass Players

The Bass Complex

If you're a guy and you play bass guitar, then you can frankly bugger off, cos more than likely you are furtively donning a massive bass complex - i.e. musical insecurities trying to be disguised through arrogance and egotism: both personally and musically...

He can never keep in tune “Your guitar needs tuning,” I might say to the lame-arse guitarist, not really aware if it was the bass, or indeed, the player himself.

“I have no concept of pitch,” he would reply, though not in so many words. I snort aloud at the thought of him so openly admitting to any of his weaknesses. Especially musical weakness, although he’s never even played a scale in his life.

His frustrated attempts to tune a guitar against his tone-deaf ear tells me what his words never will… The result of his tuning efforts only ever become more strained and raspy than before.

But it was his own fault really. He would always try to jam along with the likes of Angus Young, Trent Reznor, Syd Barrett. Blasphemous, really, for a bass palyer to assume himself in such a high regard…especially one of his calibre.

It happens to the youngest child. Those once hampered with an Oedipal complex and no idea of how to act upon it, they start to play the bass guitar.

How many bass guitarists could you name? In all seriousness, they’re the Kris Novoselic’s of the world. And if you haven’t heard of him, then my point is even further proven: i.e: he’s the only dude from Nirvana with no obvious acclaim (albeit, a lot of bucks..) But they want it so much more...

The bass players are always the ones who want the tiring rounds of publicity and in their live attempts to elbow their way to the spotlight centre, right in the thrust of the frontman, further attempt to ascertain their musical genius. And yet they can't even play a simple chord...

Ah, the bass complex. Yes boys, your penis's may be very large, but you still can’t play music for shit. Perhaps you should just whip out your dick onstage and blow the audience away in the more literal sense.

Why Music is a Corporate Whore

Well, Media Watch broke the story about the controversy embedded in the climate change capital and their cozy relationship with The Age (wow, I can't believe there's something about Melbourne that I now truly hate...)

Furthering this thought, something that I have wondered about ever since last year's Splendour in the Grass festival, and the "carbon neutral" costing that is now whacked onto (already bloody hefty) admission prices for all those bloody PoMosers (in other word, post-modern posers) who love the thought of being environmentally friendly, and thus, heaps cool.

However, my qualm revolves around the fact that to get to Byron Bay, one needs to expend numerous emissions of a carbon nature, and how the hell does an extra $5 on a ticket price reconcile this? And what about the festival itself? What, is it bloody well running on solar powered amps or what?

And now, you have no choice! Now, I don't want to look like a corporate whore (but in any case, it may well be true, if only I had enough moolah), but I attended Richard Branson's glorified advertising bonanza, oh, oops, I meant the V Festival, and this crappy carbon neutrality thing is already included in the (already exorbitant) ticket prices, and this h

In light of this, dearest Jade, (ex-editor of The Dwarf, current ed. of A Fine Line) let me run with this hot-headed train of thought, and even published it in the December issue of A Fine Line, so here it is, somewhat brought down a level, anger-wise...

So here it is...

CARBON NEUTRAL - AT WHAT COST??

It seems that lately, carbon has become the latest buzzword. We talk of the imprint in our “carbon footprint”, and think of ways in which becoming “carbon neutral”. The problem with this term, many argue, is that there is no possible way to neutralise or offset one’s carbon emissions

But it seems that as much as the capital world used to blame ideas of environmental consciousness as conspiracies against consumption, they are only now too happy to jump on the proverbial bandwagon. Now, it seems that money can buy the way out of anything: even, as the case may be, the degradation of the natural world and the piece of mind that comes with the title of “carbon neutral” too can be attained for a price.

Not to be outdone in any way, the music industry too has felt an obligation to stand up for the rights of Mother Nature. It seems to have started with Coldplay’s album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, the first album to be classified as carbon neutral.
On a local level, national festivals and tours by the likes of Splendour in the Grass and the John Butler Trio have placed a carbon neutral levy on ticket sales, assuring patrons the notion of carbon neutrality. However, is it all too easy to claim that the carbon emissions at major music festivals can really just disappear from forking out a couple of extra bucks here or there? When one considers the potential environmental impact of the travel ticket holders must endure to arrive at particular venues, not to mention all the electricity consumed by the various bands and their equipment, it seems hard to fathom that a couple of dollars added on to the original ticket price could make much difference.

“It’s got to be more tangible than that.” Says Falls Festival director, Simon Daly on the potential for festival organisers to do their bit.
The Falls Festival occurs annually on camping sites in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania. Since 1999, the organisers have been ardently working towards doing all they can to maintain the sites that they use. This includes incentives such as a conveyer belt to sift through recyclable materials.
“If just one item from those bins is non-recyclable waste, then the whole lot is deemed contaminated,” Daly explains. “So with conveyer belts, we can ensure that everything that can be recycled will be.”
Also new are the self-composting toilets, which, in Marion Bay, are all you get, no port-a-loos for these guys! “100% of the toilets at Marion Bay are composting.”
Daly believes that the next step is to get the bands involved, but sees the festival as an overall positive experience for the average environmentalist who doesn’t wish to tread heavily on the earth. “We use the time to really get in there and educate a lot of like-minded people.”
The Falls Festival has also encouraged its attendees to pay a surcharge of “a couple of dollars”, according to Daly, to offset the carbon emissions related to their travel. In fact, just over a quarter of all patrons opted to do so.

There are problems with such terms as “carbon neutral” and “carbon offsetting” being offered in that consumers are being led to believe that they are in fact, cancelling out their environmental impact altogether.
Not true, says Professor Christopher Dey from the University of Sydney, who has recently penned a research paper entitled: “Carbon Neutral: Sense and Sensibility”. He argues that….
Others agree that such incentives are just ploys taken on from major corporate giants.

The move by UK band, Coldplay to create their “carbon neutral album” seems to have been the origins of music’s involvement in environmental activism, which has since been taken on by the likes of major tour promoters and bands.
However, Aussie hip-hop outfit, Combat Wombat have been conscious of the carbon impact that national touring can involve by adding to their tour bus a vegetable-oil fuelled engine. “It is very efficient,” says Combat Wombat’s Monkey Marc of the bus’s capacity to run. “We actually get more miles per gallon on veggie oil than we do on diesel.”
Not only does this system benefit the environment, but also funds.
“All the oil we get is old so it’s all recycled and free. We’ve done just over 20 000 kms around Australia for basically nothing.”
But is it really even plausible for anyone to just chuck in an old frying pan and fill up the tank?

We are constantly fearing the imminent environmental armageddon and we want to act responsibly as individuals, while still enjoying things such as live music and travel. The question which seems difficult to resolve is how this should be done. It seems all too easy to boil it down to a system where one person can pass off their own environmental activities by paying a few dollars, but for all those penny-pinchers out there fear not. It seems more productive, in cases such as Combat Wombat and the Falls Festival, to get out and get actively involved. Then, maybe you’ll rest easier about the well being of Mother Nature.

Why The Presets hate my guts...

I just want to say, sorry Kim, I was so bloody hungover that day...but no excuse, it was the WORST bloody interview I've ever done, and I love these guys so much, though thankfully not as much as Cut Copy, and they're also heaps better looking than old Kim and Jules...

WARNING: If ever you interview an electro-pop muso (oh sorry, "artist") don't tarnish their egos by implying that it's all just about laptop pop

PRE-SETTLED

“Are you asking me out on a date?” asks an incredulous, Kim Moyes of The Presets, at one point in the conversation we’re having about the guys’ new album, Apocalypso.

I would certainly be lucky to get a night out with one half of the latest “it” bands, as these hard-working lads seem to be doing a gig practically every night. What, with shows jam packed from here to overseas and more to follow throughout the year, it doesn’t seem a date would be able to fit in the diary.

“We are exclusive Qantas Club members,” he agrees of his extensive schedule. “we kept getting offered festivals, tour supports and gigs and stuff.”
It’s obviously paid off, with the guys becoming somewhat of a hit across the shores.
“It’s going sort of well over there,” Moyes modestly concedes. “the album’s going to be brought out in the States and then the UK and Europe.”

Apocalypso is the highly anticipated follow up to The Presets’ debut, Beams, and is very much characteristic of their previous release of catchy ballads noir.
“We’re a pretty intense couple of dudes, we’re a pretty dark band” says Moyes of their style. But still: “we’ve always made music to party to.”

From their debut into the musical world with such hits as, “Girl and the Sea” and “Are You the One” (“That’s kind of an ironic question, cos there is no one, just lots of potentials…”) the guys look set to follow up their previous successes with their latest release.
From their latest ambient single, “This Boy’s In Love”, to others such as “Kicking and Screaming”, the album encapsulates what is now recognised as The Presets unique sound.
“People would get too much of a shock if they buy the record and discover four golden country greats.”

So after gaining a familiar sound, and a strong following, Moyes and fellow bandmate, Julian Hamilton have worked out the winning formulae to success, and drive this outward confidence forward in Apocalypso.

“We’ve sort of worked on the idea that we had a couple of years ago and sharpened them up.” Moyes says of their new musical insight. “Certainly after touring and playing in front of people for a couple of years, you get a really strong sense of what works and what doesn’t work in front of a crowd and that informs the way you write your music.”

Having been touring with the likes of Duran Duran and Queens of the Stone Age during the V Festival, the stellar lineup sounds like it would be most artists (not to mention fans) wet dream.
Moyes, however, remains one cool customer. “I don’t have any great desires to play with anyone. They’re just a bunch of old bands.”

When pressed for gossip, he is dismissive, admitting that they’re just not the band for after parties anymore. “When I do a festival or a gig, I get there an hour before I have to play and then just leave straight away.” Says Moyes. “We just do it so much and have been for such a long time that now all we want to do is just get home and go to sleep.”

And therein lies some of the reluctance felt by Moyes in this embarkment into mass celebrity.
“We’ve definitely worked very hard for all of this, and then its like: ‘how the fuck did this all happen?’” he admits. “Why did we want this? At the time it seemed like such a great idea and now all I can think about is dinner and sleeping.”

Further dispelling the myth around rock stardom he adds: “I thought it was going to be drugs and girls and parties and champagne and expensive cars, but all it is is perpetual tiredness and constant hunger”

This may ultimately be the price that must be paid when you life mainly revolves around touring but it’s still about the music, and the show must go on, even for the fatigued.

“Now our album’s out we go into rehearsals for a couple of weeks, then we go to the States in June; then we come back and do a big album tour around Australia, then probably back overseas to do a bunch of festivals we’ve been offered…” On and on he lists their up and coming plans for the year, yet there is definite excitement in his voice in the prospect of introducing the world to Apocalypso.

“There’s something on there for all situations in people’s lives. I hope people take it on and have a really good time with it.”

And if Moyes’ anticipation is anything to go by, Apocalypso will be the album that transcends time, even being a catalyst in the creation of history.
“I hope they can look back in a few years when they’ve got kids and they can go through their collection and go ‘wow what’s this great record, who’s this?’ And they can go, ‘well this is The Presets, this is how I met your father.’”

Told you so (and judge yourself by the photo)... guess what? we never got round to that date...