Brisbane's resident mod soul punk spirits Running Guns have put up a taste of their new album on their myspace in the form of new song 'The Count; the Beat', head on over and check it out.
http://www.myspace.com/runninguns
Brisbane's resident mod soul punk spirits Running Guns have put up a taste of their new album on their myspace in the form of new song 'The Count; the Beat', head on over and check it out.
http://www.myspace.com/runninguns
Californian Hanni El Khatib is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer who has a sound that's bluesy garage-rock soul meets malt shop music. He released a debut 7" last month and now has videos up for both You Rascal You and Dead Wrong. Have a look/listen below.
DORM FEVER @ CLUB 299
LIVE MUSIC STILL EXISTS @ CLUB 299! Wednesday nights are showcasing local UNI, Tafe, College bands. Bands that have yet to perform and/or be recognised, the chance to get on stage and show Brisbane who they are and what they are about! All genres, all styles are welcome. Some amazing bands have played this room over the many years of 299’s lengthy reputation, Wednesday night is for the underdog! Even better for all, its free entry! Contact info@hellenblack.com
Matthew Lobb, guitarist for Brisbane indie band 'The Bell Divers' occupied himself with 13 questions. Check out his answers below.
1. Who are your heroes?
We admire lots of stuff. Me personally, insofar as it filters into the band, I like Stephen Malkmus (Pavement). He has lots of cool guitar sounds, and obviously a really pronounced playing style too. I also like a lot of Lindsey Buckingham's guitar work. Barney Sumner, and Robert Smith too. And locally, I've always been a fan of both David and Dylan McCormack's guitar playing.
2. The first band you saw live?
The Cockroaches at Carrara Stadium one Australia Day in the late 1980s.
3. What's your favourite Brisbane music venue?
Bar Soma. They put on some good dance nights there. But a bad place to see bands.For that, the Troubadour.
4. What's the best (or dumbest) thing that's been said to you at/after a show?
To be honest it's usually just friends, so... Oh, it doesn't happen very often, but it's very tedious to be asked about equipment or amp settings.
5. Why 'The Bell Divers' as your band name?
It was the least worst option. It doesn't signify anything really, although Clinton said he liked it because it made him think of a faded old photograph of a guy who maybe once did something heroic; an eager organ donor or something.
6. What makes you cringe?
When someone makes coffee badly, and you can hear the milk screaming. And any close-minded cultural elitism is a bit hard to take.
7. Describe the raddest heist you've ever pulled off. What'd you steal?
I still can't really go there for what's left of dignity's sake! When I was 13 I used to pinch a lot of crap just for the little rush. By 14 I was reformed, and become a completely straight dork who wore tennis shoes everywhere, like a teenage Larry David but without the wit.
8. What bands should people reading this be listening to?
I'd recommend Seja's song 'I'll Get to You' maybe people know her already, she's from Brisbane. Her album 'We Have Secrets But Nobody Cares' is exceptional. The new Ariel Pink album, 'Before Today is amazing. As for old stuff, well, Kraftwerk are absolutely always worth a listen.
9. If the members of The Bell Divers were to adopt stage names what would they be?
Geez, I don't know. I've never liked stage names very much. My friend Jason thinks good ones up. He actually performs as Ricky Goldenstarr.
10. You are guilty of shameful things. What are these BAAAD things?
I let the lawn grow, and it really just keeps getting higher and wilder. A neighbour knocked on the door one day to see if we still lived here. I thought he was a dick for saying that, but in a way he's right, we should keep on top of garden maintenance or just leave. An immaculate lawn really is a bit of a status marker, and I do feel ashamed about ours.
11. You can choose one musician, alive or dead, to perform with The Bell Divers for one night only. Who do you choose?
It'd be great to hear Gene Clark perform. He was the original Byrds frontman, and made some great solo records. He died quite young at 46, had a heart attack, poor fella. A real legend, as any Mojo-reading bore will also tell you.
12. If someone wrote a biography for The Bell Divers what would the title be?
Probably something like 'Lost in Brisbane'. 'Notes from the Underground' is apt but a bit self-glorifying really besides being already taken. So definitely NOT 'Notes from the Underground' ok? Imagine a band bio on a group who only released one album and hardly ever played. It'd be awfully thin.
13. What can we expect from The Bell Divers in the near future?
A lot of local shows and a new record with a slightly different sound.
Download/Listen to The Bell Divers' Album - June July
The Bell Divers - Website
The Bell Divers - Triple J Unearthed
'Nobunny loves you... if you are five years old and a boy'
That's just one quote from a review of the 2008 Love Visions LP from Nobunny, a front man/rabbit created by US garage/punk musician Justin Champlin. Together with an array of backing artists Nobunny blends together the sounds of the Ramones, the Cramps and childlike power-pop, creating some seriously infectious bubblegum-punk.
Starting out in 2001 Nobunny has been performing across the US, slowly gaining a cult following thanks to their raucous live shows punctuated by bunny masks, kneepads, spastic dance moves, pink underwear and coats made of trash. Since then Nobunny has released a vinyl single "Give it to Me" on Hozac Records and a full-length LP called Love Visions on Bubbledumb Records in 2008. However it wasn't until Love Visions was re-released in 2009 that Nobunny began to receive significant attention. The album garnered wide spread praise from the music reviewers that bothered to get their hands on it,
"How does this 25-minutes of sick trash even exist?" - Buddyhead
"It was disgusting, totally disgusting, and more than a little creepy" - Paste Magazine
"If you like sweaty basements with your friends while drinking beer from the cheap 30 packs you all threw in on, then this could be your favourite album for the rest of the summer" - Racket Magazine
"Like a high school version of Rock & Roll High School" - Rolling Stone
From there Nobunny has gotten involved with Jack White's Third Man Records, playing an acoustic show that's to be released by the label, so hopefully new material will be on the way soon. Sadly though there's no immediate plans for any Australian shows.
Blame Ringo are Jessiah, Ross and Pete, they go about playing music around Brisbane and other places. Some more exciting, some less. They took some time out from blaming Ringo for their miserable, miserable lives to answer the 13 enquiries below.
1. Who are your heroes?
Dan Kelly and whoever invented Red Bull
2. The first band you saw live?
Frenzal Rhomb (Ross), Green Day (Pete), John Williamson (Jessiah)
3. What's your favourite Brisbane music venue?
The Troubadour
4. What's the best (or dumbest) things that's been said to you at/after a show?
Brendan Fevola told us he enjoyed our show. That was kind of weird
5. Why Blame Ringo! as your band name?
Long story...
[MMB Note - after careful, painstaking research it became clear that Blame Ringo decided upon their name as a constant reminder and motivation to fulfill a blood debt after their parents were mercilessly killed in a one off wrestling death match by Ringo Starr. Ever since they have been playing music and improving their wrestling skills in hopes of avenging their fallen loved ones. Visit their site (www.blameringo.com) for the cover up story and other revelations about Ringo's malevolent influence.]
6. What makes you cringe?
The Valley at 2am on a Sunday morning
7. Describe the raddest heist you've ever pulled off. What'd you steal?
Jessiah woke up one morning with a dozen letterboxes in his room. He has no idea how they got there.
8. What bands should people reading this be listening to?
Ball Park Music, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Richard In Your Mind
9. If the members of Blame Ringo were to adopt stage names what would they be?
Jizz Mopper (Jessiah), Pete Schnapps (Pete) and Ross (Ross)
10. You are guilty of shameful things. What are these BAAAD things?
Pete used to be in a punk band called 'F***ing C***s'
11. You can choose one musician, alive or dead, to perform with Blame Ringo for one night only. Who do you choose?
Billy Preston
12. If someone wrote a biography for Blame Ringo what would the title be?
Blame Ringo: Eat a Bag of It
13. What can we expect from Blame Ringo in the near future?
We have a new album out in September and we're off to the US in the new year
It's Peny Lane's third birthday and there's a celebration of sorts being put on by FANS at Alhambra this Friday. The lineup is DZ headlining, with Chicks Who Love Guns and Glass Towers for support. Then there's some people who probably take DJ'ing too seriously on afterward. Oh and it's also the official Children Collide after party as well.
(www.penylane.com - some girls who go places and take photos of stuff whilst they're there. I'm not really sure. It could be about fashion)
DZ - The Mess Up - Website
Chicks Who Love Guns - Vomit on the Dancefloor - Website
Glass Towers - Castles - Website
Funnily enough MMB got sent an album from a New York record label for a Californian band, neither being all that close to Brisbane, let alone Australia, but hey it's nice to feel noticed even if it does just involve being added to a mailing list.
The Spires are a three-piece dream pop band from Ventura, California and consist of Jason Bays (vocals/ guitar), Colleen Coffey (drums) and Catelyn Kindred (bass). Having formed in 2004 they have since gone on to release three LP's and half a dozen EP's up until their latest scheduled release of 'Curved Space' on July 13. Their previous work has earned them comparisons with the likes of The Velvet Underground, Belle & Sebastien, Robyn Hitchcock and even Brisbane's own, The Go-Betweens.
'Curved Space' appears to be a continuation from their previous work, a sound full of reverb, dreamy pop and melancholic lyrics. A video for the first single from the EP, 'Orange Yellow' is below and if you like what you hear that much the EP is reportedly due for release on July 13.
Mardi Lumsden & The Rising Seas are a pop-folk band from our very own sunny(?) Brisbane town.
The five-piece group released their debut EP 'Going is Finding' back in 2007 earning themselves enthusiastic reviews and earning comparisons to the likes of Joni Mitchell. Since then there's been two east coast tours for Mardi and her friends and they've recently finished recorded their follow up EP, 'Wherever You Go, There You Are' with producer Magoo (Regurgitator, The Gin Club, Operator Please, Kate Miller-Heidke) at his Applewood studio.
As you may suspect Mardi Lumsden is the driving force behind the music, an alt-folk singer-songwriter her lilting voice provides a delightful base for the group's pop folk to build upon. Live, Lumsden has been described as "a sanguine and superb songbird. Her voice has a delightful, whimsical lilt, as do her lyrics, which are about intimate, urbane experiences of late twenty-somethings. Her songs would complement, as a soundtrack, any Nick Earls or Rebecca Sparrow book" (lifemusicmedia.com)
Of course as the name suggests Mardi isn't the only member of this band. The Rising Seas comprises of Andrew Penny (banjo, banjo-mandolin, piano, melodica, backing vocals), David Callanan (lead and slide guitar, glockenspiel, mandolin), Jane McEniery (double bass and bass) and Joachim Alfheim (drums).
The band is set to release their EP 'Wherever You Go, There You Are' and they're launching it as Queensland's Old Museum this Saturday, so have a look at the new video for 'Pieces of the Story below, and get on down there.
Mardi Lumsden & The Rising Seas - Website - Myspace - Triple J Unearthed
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