All this week on triple j Unearthed we are featuring Canberra, all-girl punk rock outfit, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
Our music is really signature to us, you could say its a smash together of lots of different genres (which depicts our music taste pretty well) recently we've moved towards a sound that is a lot more us, progressing from twinkly pop-rock into a more powerful 90s grunge sound, we hope you're all liking it as much as we do!
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
We think our greatest inspiration for making music is each other! We've all been really close since primary school, and making music with your best pals is as inspirational as it gets. It's really exciting for us to be able to all work together on something we're so passionate about and have fun while doing it!
What can punters expect from a Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers live show?
Punters can expect a whole lot of wholesome vibes at Teen Jesus shows, we love making the crowd feel inclusive, welcome and love busting out a boogie on stage.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
The best advice we've ever been given is probably to have fun! Sounds a bit cheesy but we got told this when we first started the band and by living by that advice we've managed to have the best time in our music career so far.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'Older' by Parcels would definitely be the song we'd choose to cheer someone up if they're crying. Correct me if I'm wrong but I thinks its impossible to not get up and boogie to this song.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'Don't know how to keep loving you' by Julia Jacklin, would definitely be our song of choice to make someone cry, we're tearing up just thinking about it tbh.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
If we were the DJ at a party I'd say we'd have to slip in a sneaky little Kylie Minogue 'cant get you out of my head'.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
The last local gig we went to was at a small cute venue called 'The Front' ran by our pals at CBR DIG. 4 Canberra bands played stripped back sets to fit the mood, The Tipsy Scholars and Sputnik Sweetheart headlined and it was so bloody wholesome, we LOVE Canberra music scene.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Canberra music community that inspire you.
The Canberra music scene is so inspiring to be a part of, everyone is so inclusive and work really hard to amplify and support the music scene. You can really see the progress that the community has made of the last few years. It may be small but it produces A+ bands and people such as our beautiful talented pals Moaning Lisa and Sputnik Sweetheart (love you both).
What are your plans for 2019?
2019 has been a HUGE year for us so far playing gigs we'd only ever dreamed of, but the excitement continues with our first ever national tour coming up with Slowly Slowly, as well as playing some amazing festivals such as Spilt Milk and Stonefest later in the year!
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed feature star, Essie Holt.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I make indie/pop music that kinda feels like you’re sinking and soaring at the same time. My sound has developed pretty naturally over the last couple of years through writing A LOT and learning about production. I’ve also loved collaborating and right now I’m loving writing to a beat!
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
It’s generally from those around me! Sometimes a friend can tell me a cool story, or I’ve been through something myself. I’m jotting down lyrics constantly because my brain never switches off from that stuff.
What can punters expect from an Essie Holt live show?
Lots of light and shade. I like to bring people up and then take them straight back down! My set up is the moment is myself on vocals, and my friends Hayden and Tim on keys/guitar/drums.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
To not overthink things and just run with how I feel. This was from my wonderful producer Stef.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Ooooh! I think it would be 'Chameleon' by Pnau.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'Begin Again' by Megan Washington.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
'Two Bodies Ft. Emma Louise' by Flight Facilities.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
I saw CXLOE at Howler. She was so great!
Tell us about the bands or people in the Melbourne music community that inspire you.
I love the Melbourne scene! Over the years I’ve really looked up to women like Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher and Clare Bowditch. They’re super inspiring to me as humans.
What are your plans for 2019?
I’m working on a body of work which I hope to have out before the end of the year! I’ve got another single coming soon and lots of fun shows on the horizon!
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, HWVKS!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I've been producing music since I was 17 and the day I heard flume it all changed for me!
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Inspiration for me usually comes from when I see a live act and it just pushes me to drive even harder to get there.
What can punters expect from a HVWKS live show?
I like to tell a story, every song is there for a reason. I also like to play bangers tho!
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
Best advice I've ever gotten was probably from my parents, they have told me from day 1 to do what ever I want and to never worry about what people think about me.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Rufus Du Sol and their track 'Like An Animal'. That song is pure happiness.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Shannon Noll and his track 'What About Me', (cause he was robbed).
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Hayden James and his track 'Something About You'. No brainer that song is a TUNE!!!
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Last local gig I went to was a gig I was lucky enough to play at, I was supporting Flosstradamus at The Met and it was crazy!
Tell us about the bands or people in the Queensland music community that inspire you.
A big shout out here goes to my friends who are also in the music community. The list is so long but they inspire me everyday and I owe a lot to them!
What are your plans for 2019?
This year is looking like a big one and I'm just ready to ride the wave!
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature artist, Kinder!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
We played around with a bunch of different sounds to start with. We always knew we loved writing pop melodies but also loved the heavy dance electronic drops as well. We aimed to find a balance without it sounding too disjointed or like a remix/club track. It took us a while to blend the two styles together, which is why our first tracks were a little slower and not as heavy as compared to the tracks we play in our DJ sets. We also love the African/Reggaeton beats too, so we wanted to incorporate that as well. The music we are working on at the moment is more similar to the style we love to play in our DJ sets.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Obviously other artists we look up to inspire and influence us with our music. A lot of the time however we are influenced by a story we read or hear that touches us and then inspires us to write a song. For example, Sav will be talking about a friend’s experience or story and Briony will butt in and say "hey that's a cool line you just said- let’s use that in a song!" At other times we draw on personal experiences. Sometimes we listen to and play around with different world music genres. For example we are inspired by instruments and sounds from African and Brazilian music.
What can punters expect from a Kinder live show?
Lots of energy and dancing. We will be singing all of our originals live! (and a sneaky cover) in addition to playing our staple heavy house Brazilian Bass DJ set.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
Recently when we were going through a low period, our talented and dear friend Dylan Joel advised, "You have to learn to be ok with the ups and downs of the music industry and understand it's never going to be a smooth ride. You have to self talk when you're feeling down and realise the roller coaster is always going to go up and down no matter how successful you are in the industry. You just have to remember the reason why you started doing music in the first place and not let the opinions of others reflect your love for music and keep going with it".
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Bag Raiders with 'Shooting Stars'. Lifts us up whenever we are feeling in the dumps.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'Am I Not Pretty Enough' by Kasey Chambers.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
At the moment, along with most DJs our go to is the ‘ol classic, 'LOOOOSING IT' by Fisher.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Sav saw our good friend Ivan Ooze perform at the Landsdown in Sydney recently. It was rowdy, sweaty and a bunch of good fun! He is super talented!
Tell us about the bands or people in the Sydney music community that inspire you.
A lot of the female songwriters coming out of Sydney are insanely talented and really inspire us! CXLOE, Graace, Kota Banks and Xira are so incredible at their craft. Two talented producers we have worked with, Tasker and Xavier Dunn, are also a major inspiration. They can produce a wide range of music and we love working with them. We are also super inspired by Sydney legends Golden Features and Hayden James. We secretly refer to Golden Features as “father” lol.
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, WA legends Spacey Jane.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
We all come from different places musically so we weren't really predisposed to having a certain sound. When we started out we didn't have a specific genre or sound we were aiming for, but our playing styles eventually blended into where we're at now. Some of our shared musical tastes include Wilco, early Kings of Leon, Courtney Barnett, The Strokes, Pixies.
What's your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Caleb says a lot of his inspiration (especially lyrically) comes from processing emotions and life experiences. Music as a means of catharsis is something we can all relate to. When some feeling or abstract 'thing' hasn't been dealt with, song writing definitely seems like a great outlet for it. In a more general sense we're all inspired to keep making music because of how bloody special it feels to connect with other people through it. Be it with each other or our fans, it's real great.
What can punters expect from a Spacey Jane live show?
We try really hard to make our gigs a safe and inclusive space for everyone involved. When we feel like the crowd is being respectful and looking out for each other, we really give it our all. Also, lots of hair flips from Ashton. And sweat.
What's the best advice you've been given and who was it from?
One piece of advice that’s stuck with us was from a really great friend in a really great band that have had been killing it for over a decade now. It’s a simple one. He just said to ‘keep writing’. No matter what, always, always, always writing and creating. Can’t really fault it, and it’s always in the back of our minds. Thanks Will.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
‘Catch My Disease’ by Ben Lee (thanks for reminding us that this exists).
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Any of Julia Jacklin's tracks - namely ‘Don't Know How to Keep Loving You’.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
‘Since I Left You’ by The Avalanches.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Jack Davies and the Bush Chooks put on a mini-festival for their EP launch, with a heap of great local bands. Jack is a very special songwriter and has a group of amazing musicians who are even nicer people.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Perth music community that inspire you.
Stella Donnelly is really putting Perth on the map internationally, and she's done a great job of promoting safe and inclusive gig spaces for everyone. She does an awesome job championing artists of all backgrounds at her shows here in Perth, and she's really brought up the standard of diversity to something the scene can be more proud of! Great Gable are one of Perth's hardest working bands, without a doubt. They've been at it for a little while and they're consistently on the up & up. It's awesome to see them succeed so much over the last few years, they're a bunch of awesome guys who kill it live & write great songs.There's a heap of other favourites that have always and continue to make Perth one of the best places to play & experience live music! Seriously WA music rules, and we wear the badge with pride.
What are your plans for 2019?
We're heading back into the studio to record what will hopefully become our first album! No promises there. It's just a lovely goal to have. We'll definitely be touring nationally at least once more this year, this time around has been too good to not repeat!
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Featured Artist
2019
6
May
Stevan
(- Mac DeMarco ,
- Moses Sumney ,
- Childish Gambino , ...
Illawarra, NSW
Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, Stevan!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I started developing my sound by trying to re-create songs and styles that affected me when I was younger. Stevie Wonder, Pharrell, Moses Sumney, Mac Demarco, Dev Hynes, Dr Dre, and so many more influenced me to incorporate hip-hop soul jazz and rock into my music.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Life experiences it sounds generic but I pull a lot of my inspiration from events in my life or in the lives of people around me besides that the music itself like chord progression and melodies inspire the tone and feel of all my music.
What can punters expect from a Stevan live show?
It’s next level I’m not hyping it up but I’ve got great band members who bring their own style to my music and elevate it to a different feel, all of my band members come from Jazz back grounds and it bleeds into the live set up plus we add whole sections to songs, I’m very keen on playing on of them
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
My Dad and it was simple but he told me to follow my heart and to do what I love, there have been moments when we haven’t seen eye to eye but even then he respects my passions and believe that I can do whatever I set my mind to that type of confidence he has in me makes me feel like I can,
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'S.A. D.' by Kirin J Callinan.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Probably still S. A. D. by Kirin J Callinan.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Scott Green. Kids played that at every party in High School.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
I recently went to see Rejjie Snow at Metro theatre I went with some mates it was a really fun experience it was like my first time seeing a proper live rap show.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Illawarra music community that inspire you.
There aren’t a lot of people in Wollongong that are making music like mine but in Sydney Cosmo Midnight, Winston SurfShirt pretty much every artist on my Astro people, big shout out to Selasie Wussah and M.A.C they are Sydney artist who’ve supported me and kind of mentored me in my early days. My biggest inspiration in Australian music is actually from Brisbane his name is Rei So La trust me he’s the next big thing.
What are your plans for 2019?
Releasing more music I’ve got so much and I want to keep making more and showing my stuff to the people who want to hear it, I guess I’ll be playing more shows and meeting new artist I want to set myself up for bigger opportunities
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, yergurl!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
When I first started making my own music I was listening to a lot of Lana Del Rey and The 1975 and they have stayed strong influences throughout my music making! I think I was really attracted to the heavy-reverb and ambient sounds that just seem to immerse listeners in a bubble of floaty heaven!!
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
LOVE AND MALES cuz I’m so goddamn emo-chanel (and a hopeless romantic). My emotions have taken me down some weird routes and it’s always fun to reflect on through a BOP.
What can punters expect from a yergurl live show?
Me and my twin sister looking poppin’, perhaps a sneaky bucket hat or two, songs you’ll wanna cry to later, and if I’m lucky, someone walking away with an epiphany!! This is a place for people to get real with their feels if they’re open to it.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
To only release things that TRULY represent yergurl & me in a way I’d like to be represented. Artists are vulnerable to feeling pressure to conform or to just say “this is good ENOUGH” but mum reminds me that it’s okay to take your time, to send collabs back a few times etc. so I won’t have to look back on something under my name and cringe.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
‘Not About You’ by Haiku Hands. How could anyone resist a boogie when Haiku Hands is on? Even someone as emo as me would have to pause a sook sesh for this BOPPPPPP.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
‘Potential’ by Kllo. Let’s pretend I haven’t wailed over ex’s to this song time and time again.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What
Australian track do you put on next?
HAIKU HANDS NOT ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!!
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
I supported Congrats (front man of Slowly Slowly) for his first show ever and it was super dope. My bff got super emotional. I usually feel deceased after a gig but I couldn’t leave the crowd for this… I was feeling TOO MUCH!
Tell us about the bands or people in the Melbourne music community that inspire you.
Aphir!!! She has the prettiest voice and I love the way she produces her vocals. Her music is really unique, chill and 100% inspiring. Her sounds make my ears smile!
What are your plans for 2019?
Lots and lots of writing, collabs, releasing some new music, and even some videos!!! Hoping to find myself on some PHAT stages this year!!!
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist and Canberra artist, Kirklandd.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
My earliest influences came from the soul and blues my mother played around the house when I was a kid – Aretha Franklin, The Bee Gees and the Doobie Brothers were on regular rotation. From there, I learned to play the cello for 6 years, and I first discovered hip hop when my cousin handed me Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor record when I was 12. From there, I studied the greats like Nas, Slick Rick and A Tribe Called Quest, and artists like these really instilled my old school style early on.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
My experiences in life. Music’s an outlet for me to voice my journey in trying to figure out life and grow in myself, and I love being able to share what I encounter along the way through my music. Hip hop holds the unique ability to tell stories in a deeply authentic way, so I always hope to have my music reflect this.
What can punters expect from a Kirklandd live show?
A very, very big vibe. My live set’s become this cool blend of hype and intimate storytelling, and this is how I most love connecting with people: through good energies and sharing my experiences with the audience before me. My drummer Josh and I have really levelled up our performance routine for the Impulse tour, and especially our GTM set this weekend – I can’t wait to show Canberra the surprises we have in store.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
I can’t remember who said this to me, but to always enjoy the process. Immerse yourself in the experience of creating, find fulfilment in the process, and thrive in the journey to finishing it. Everything will follow from there.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
‘WUTD’ by Genesis Owusu. WUTD? Cry, or boogie?
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
‘Waiting’ by KIAN. Those chords are really beautiful man.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
‘Compliment My Shirt’ by Saint Lane. That’s the g right there.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
The last show I went to was around a week back in Sydney. I went to do a short performance of some unreleased music I have coming with a good homie of mine, Francoistunes, at a One Day Party that Kaiit was headlining in Marrickville. The vibe was so strong. I love the live culture the One Day crew have built. Kaiit is one of the warmest, most genuine performers ever, and seeing everyone turn up for her was awesome. And she has the coolest rider on the planet.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Canberra music community that inspire you.
All of them; bands, creatives and all members of our community. The mutual support between artists and creatives in our city is incredible, and we’re constantly pushing each other to go further and create the best art we can. It’s the best feeling knowing if one of us is winning, all of us are, and we’re all forming Canberra’s musical identity in the process. It’s a crazy exciting time for our city and I’m blessed to be a part of it.
What are your plans for 2019?
This week we’re kicking off the Impulse tour with Groovin the Moo as our first date. Then we’re hitting Melbourne and Sydney for the first time in a long while, with Zellow supporting us nationally, and I can’t wait to bring the live experience of Impulse to our Sydney and Melbourne family. From there, I’m diving back in the studio with Cam to finish the follow up to Impulse, which I’m hoping will be my strongest single yet. A lot more music is yet to come this year and I’m wildly excited to share where my sound is heading.
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, TONE AND I.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I started out singing in small pubs and bars in Mornington, I was singing along to a guitarist until I ended up branching out on my own to become a solo artist, it was then that I started to learn the keyboard and percussion and started looping it together.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
My biggest source of inspo when writing/making music is other music (no specific artist or genre each time maybe be different) and also my friends and the people I and writing about.
What can punters expect from a TONES AND I live show?
I hope all my live shows are full of energy and people absolutely just get wild with me.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
ADREAN EAGLE, ‘A.O.K’.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Meg Mag, ‘Roll Up Your Sleeves’.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Anything from Confidence Man because every track is f**king hilarious so I would have a good time.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
The Beddy Rays, they are Ridiculously talented. Would go again!
Tell us about the bands or people in the Mornington Peninsula / Byron Bay music community that inspire you.
I am inspired by the musicians in Byron bay and the Mornington Peninsula. There are so many great musicians everywhere and everyone’s giving it a really good crack. The buskers in Byron live off music so that’s wicked in its own right. A lot of them live in their vans and play at night, build a fan base, the crowds get bigger and bigger. It’s an true life style that really works.
What are your plans for 2019?
My plans for 2019 is to keep busking, keep playing, keep writing, stay happy. I would love to play some overseas shows or ever busk overseas. Right now I am just really excited about the opportunities I have been giving over here and I want to try and experience as many new things as possible .
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Get to know this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, Jess Day!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
In terms of sentiment, a lot of the music I have written, including the couple of songs I’ve released were inspired by romantic relationships. It’s definitely the thing I find easiest to write about as it’s a very cathartic process of voicing the things I can’t express within my own relationships. This extends to subjects such as heartbreak, being in love, anger, suffocation or losing autonomy in a relationship and jealousy. However, whilst I have a lot of content I still need to express in that realm. I’m trying to explore and develop my music into broader themes outside of that such as loneliness, depression, the tumultuous relationship we have with ourselves and the human condition. There’s more of an element of exposing myself and my vices very openly in these topics but I’m learning how to be more honest and real with my writing. On the more sonic side, I taught myself basic bedroom production and how to record and program the musical parts that a band would play. This meant I had complete creative control and flexibility around what I could write as a solo artist. My sound has also been moulded by the fact that I’m not the best guitarist or singer in the world so I decided to focus more on the art of song writing as a whole. I have very limited theoretical knowledge about music so I just play and sing relatively simple things that stir strong emotions in me.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
It used to be Hayley Williams and Paramore. From the ages of about 11 to 16 I was so inspired by seeing such a powerful front-woman and it made me feel capable of doing something really cool in music. They were the first introduction I had to my own emotions that I previously felt I couldn’t label or express. Shortly after, this turned out to be emotions that fall under the umbrella term of “teen angst” and manifested into a love of pop punk and rock music. There’s also been other bands that I connected with in the same way after that at different points in my life such as Death Cab For Cutie, Balance and Composure and Brand New. They’ve definitely shaped my sound.
What can punters expect from a Jess Day live show?
You can expect a lot of angry love songs. If you’re going through a breakup, come along! It might be very therapeutic for us to all get angry-sad together.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
It’s a cliche but, “treat people the way you’d like to be treated”. That one’s from Mum and Dad.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
‘The Heart is a Muscle’ by Gang of Youths.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
‘I Hate That You’re Happy’ by Tiny Little Houses.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
‘Untouched’ by The Veronicas.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
It was a management label called “Planet Shh” launch party. It was with a few bands but the standouts for me were a band called Colourblind and Paradise Club. It was a really relaxed vibe at a cool, spacious but intimate venue called Chateau Apollo.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Adelaide music community that inspire you.
A folky sort of band called St Jacques. They have a very wholesome, happy energy and they’re doing something a little different. They’ll make you happy and nostalgic. Colourblind; I saw them a couple of weeks ago and felt pretty inspired. Their sound is kind of sad and angry and pretty emo which is probably why I liked it because that’s what I’d like to be writing more of myself. Alex Kay;she’s always organising really cool events and is responsible for a monthly Pop Punk music night called Taking Back Saturday, which gets me out of the house several times a year. Dan Crannitch; he looks after a lot of venues in Adelaide and is just generally very great to talk to about anything music related. He really cares a lot about artists.
What are your plans for 2019?
I’ve got some more music coming out throughout the year so I’m looking very forward to that. I’m just itching to get it all out there!
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Get to know Choomba! They are our Feature Artist all this week on triple j Unearthed.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
Well we have always loved techno, house and tech house music to some extent, just never really felt the inspiration to jump in - our sound pulls a lot of inspiration from all those genres but brings in the production approach from the heavier side of Luude, using synths and drums that maybe don't get used as much in house and techno.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
The intial trigger is always being out on the rinse, and seeing how people react to a tune - there's nothing better than a crowd of people losing their shit - we try to take that energy and build something that's unique to us.
What can punters expect from a Choomba live show?
The longer term plan is for us to play a live show of all original music, with a really engaging production setup - but until then we want our shows to feel like insane house parties run by two idiots, even when we do build up to a bigger live show - we want to always be able to go back and DJ and just have mad fun. So yeah people can expect to see two different styles of show in the future hopefully.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
Probably from my old footy coach Wazza, he told me "Tim you need to grow the f*ck up".
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'Smoko' by The Chats. If that doesn't lift your mood you might possibly have no soul.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
I still call 'Australia Home' by Peter Alan.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
A hell cheeky edit of 'Home Among the Gum Trees' would get people fizzing like a bag of sherbert in a coke can. Can hear the big dusty open hi-hat on that already working a treat.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
We went and saw a local band on the gold coast called Ivy, they are sick.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Gold Coast / Tas (you decide) music community that inspire you?
M-phazes is originally from the Gold Coast, which is a pretty big inspiration. Seeing someone coming from here, going all the way up the chain to producing music for some of the best in the world and being a proper professional about it all.
What are your plans for 2019?
We're writing heaps of music and just seeing where that takes us right now. Having a good time playing shows and traveling.
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Queensland group Ivey are this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
Honestly we’ve devolved our sound from being in a band for so long. It doesn’t seem like it because Millie has only just turned 18 but we’ve been a band for five years. A lot of trial and error and experiment has gone into crafting the sound we have now, and even then our new stuff is definitely moving in a different direction again!
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
It’s a mixture of things, we love making music that people can dance and have fun too, so when we find that bass line or that groove or a sample that has something to it, we usually build our songs around it. Adding to this, the biggest inspiration when building these tracks is each other, it’s really nice to have five people who are all throwing around ideas all the time. Lyrically I think it’s hard to pin point, it’d be nice to say that we plan out out lyrics properly but most of the time it is kind of intuitive. You unknowing mumble out sentences that end up forming lyrics to a chorus or a verse. Life is absolutely mind boggling sometimes, in both good and bad ways, it kind of effortlessly provides that endless intuitive form of inspiration.
What can punters expect from an Ivey live show?
We really pride ourselves on our live show, you can expect a lot of energy, dancing, jumping and tight hi-hats.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
This will sound generic and boring, but it is honestly the best advice “stop comparing yourself to others”. I could tell you many people who have said this. But my dear friend Lachlan Jones from The Vanns used to reiterate this often. You can’t compare your music and your career to others, focus on your music and what you want to do and work hard.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Parcels - Tieduprightnow.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
#1 Dads Feat. Airling - God Can Promise.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
North East Party House - Youth Allowance.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Dante and I went to Donny Love at Shark Bar last night and it was heaps of fun! That band are true staple of the Gold Coast Music Scene.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Gold Coast music community that inspire you.
I guess most of the bands in the Gold Coast music scene inspire us, simply because it drives you to get better, perform better and write better. But special mentions to Lastlings who are absolutely killing it at the moment. Also shout to long time friends Peach Fur, our new friends The Oogars and Daste, all three are respectively amazing at what they do.
What are your plans for 2019?
We have been writing a lot of new music and have two new singles recorded already! The first one of these will be out sooner then you think....
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Melbourne group Windwaker are this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
The Windwaker sound has been developing quite drastically over the past year for a number of reasons, the main reason would be the fact that during the writing period of our most recent release 'Empire' we were all heavily apart of the writing process and all had the mindset of not being bounded by any sort of genre we may have been labelled in the past. We firmly believe this made the writing process much more enjoyable and far less stressful ending with a result we think is our best material to date.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
As a band we all vibe all kinds of music, there has never been a shortage of new music to hear between all of our personal tastes, so I think our greatest inspiration comes from the diversity we hear in each others favourite artists. It’s easy to get trapped in a particular genre when its the only you listen to so for this very reason I believe it’s a strong source of inspiration for Windwaker.
What can punters expect from a Windwaker live show?
A very high energy band to say the least! People can expect a show where the room doesn't stop moving and is full of good vibes and good times! We want to have fun with our live shows so crowd involvement is always a must.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
The best advice we've been told is simply to have fun, I honestly couldn't tell you who has said this as we have been told this by several people in and out of the industry and its definitely something the band sticks by because we all set out playing music to have fun and that’s one of the big reasons why we all never strayed from our musical paths.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Plini with 'Handmade Cities'. Beautiful instrumental track absolutely full of good vibes!
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Polaris with 'In Somnus Veritas'. It's got a strong message and accompanied by music that'll strike you in the 'feels'.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Cold Chisel with 'Khe San'. Absolute banger.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
The last local show was at Stay Gold with Kids in Control, Bell Park, Stand Tall, Future Static and a Paramore cover band called Paracore. It was great! all the bands in Melbourne are evolving and really making this scene so diverse and it’s even better to be able to call a lot of these people our dearest friends.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Melbourne music community that inspire you.
The Melbourne based band 'Ocean Grove' has been a great inspiration to us all, seeing a band we've watched for years grow into this unstoppable force of nature thats touring all over the world with their new unique sound and just absolutely killing it in every avenue they can. It’s very motivating and only makes musicians like ourselves strive for greater heights in our careers.
What are your plans for 2019?
2019 will be a year of touring and writing, the grind never ends and we love it!
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Cry Club are this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist. Get to know them below!
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
Heather: With Jono’s background in really cool, technical, noisy guitar music and me, having more of a theatre background with a passion for pop music, the sound developed surprisingly organically! I gravitate towards big pop melodies which is a fun challenge when Jono brings in these really dissonant tracks. Developing the sound has always been about balancing pop with noise. Every track has different ratios of each side, but both elements will always be there in some form.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Jono: I think there’s a lot of creative tension in combining pop and post punk elements that is really interesting to work from - so taking influences from super pop artists like Lady Gaga and The 1975 and pitting that against the noisy bands like Future of the Left and Daughters provides a great spark from which a lot of our stuff comes from.
What can punters expect from a Cry Club live show?
Heather: MEL. O. DRA. MA. Honestly the live show is the reason we make music at all. It’s theatrical, over the top and bursting at the seams with energy and emotion. Performing is so cathartic, and our songs are all so personal, it’s impossible to not give it everything I’ve got!!!!! Don’t think you’re safe hiding at the back either. I love a good wander through the audience mid-song.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
Jono: A big one that has guided our method, that unfortunately wasn’t given to us directly was Black Flag’s strategy of having the show be the focus and letting everything else around it be a flyer. So if something outside of the live show doesn’t land the way you want it to, all your eggs aren’t in that basket. They’re with the live show, so you don’t get stuck in things like comparing yourself to the success/progress of other artists.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Heather: 'Sun' by Moaning Lisa. Honestly, sometimes you feel fragile and need a boost, and this song gives you all the goodness of Vitamin D right through your headphones.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Jono: 'The Pull' by Eilish Gilligan.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Heather: 'stabs' by RAAVE TAPES. It’s soooo infectious and dancey. Honestly, I have this on REPEAT right now.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Jono: It was a Monday Night Mass at the Northcote Social Club, with Lost Talk and Wax Chattels. Both incredibly good/aggressively cool bands. Love a free gig that always has interesting bands.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Wollongong (if you would like to talk about Melbourne, you can do so too) music community that inspire you.
Heather: Bec Sandridge! I loved her music before Cry Club was a thing, I’ve loved the way she carefully considers every aspect of her identity as an artist. Her aesthetics, stage outfits, and her songs absolutely bang so hard. It’s been amazing to have another openly lesbian artist to look up to as well. On the flip side, Totally Unicorn are the noisy inspo. They were the party guys for a long time, but it’s been wild to see the way it’s evolved into something darker. They’re also outrageoussssss to see live!!!
What are your plans for 2019?
Jono: Release more music, play more shows, get to 2020 and do it again.
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Meet RedHook, our triple j Unearthed Download comp winners and this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
It was a long time in the incubator! Believe it or not, when RedHook first started out we were playing this weird 70's blues rock / 80's metal hybrid - you should hear our early demos! But the sound slowly evolved through lots of experimentation in the studio, not to mention the addition of Craig on guitars and programming. We just kept pushing and challenging ourselves as songwriters to create a sound that was unique to us before we shared any of it with the world. We never really wanted to fit neatly into a box.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Honestly Craig and I tend to be most inspired to write when we're feeling negative emotions really intensely. Grief, anxiety, depression, anger...it sounds bad, but it's actually kind of a productive way to deal with those unpleasant feelings. It helps us process them in a positive way and move forward. We joke that it's like exorcising our demons! And I guess our biggest hope is that listening to it will help other people deal with theirs.
What can punters expect from a RedHook live show?
Punk jumps, spin kicks, hair flips and furious eye contact. The energy is pretty chaotic onstage, sometimes I fall over and one time our bassist busted his knee.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
If people are dicks to you, don't be dicks back. They're the ones who'll end up looking like dicks. Our manager Rob actually said that to us pretty recently and it's worked out well so far! Also, just don't be dicks at all. Stay humble, appreciate what you have and support the people who support you. Being in a touring band is ROUGH AS so if people are nice enough to help you out by lending you gear or giving you a couch to crash on, always return the favour and pay it forward (shoutout to the legends in Days Of Deceit and Void Of Vision. We owe you guys big time!)
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Probably 'Smoko' by The Chats, it's hard to hear that song and not crack a few solid lols!
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Oh god! 'Dinosaurs' by Ruby Fields gets me in the feels SO HARD every. single. time. Jurassic Park is my favourite movie ever and I bawled so hard the first time I heard that song!!!
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
'Shooting Stars' by Bag Raiders. Really, is there any other choice?
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
We've been on tour pretty much non-stop since UNIFY (which was epic, as always!) but we did manage to hit Crowbar in Sydney to see Awaken I Am, Isotopes, Watchtowers & Kaskeid supporting Secrets from the US. It was an absolute vibe! Lots of singalongs and a wild pit!
Tell us about the bands or people in the Sydney music community that inspire you.
There are so many incredible acts exploding out of Sydney right now, but we can't help but be inspired by those closest to us. Bands like Stand Atlantic, Yours Truly and Down For Tomorrow are all kicking major goals in their own respective lanes and it's so heartening to see such talented, lovely people succeeding. I've also got to shout out our incredible producer and dear mate Stevie Knight who fronts a sick band you may have heard of called The Dead Love. Without his guidance, faith & numerous pep talks when things were at their shittest, RedHook would never have made it this far. He's been our rock n' roll Yoda, inspiring us not to give up and helping shape the band into what it is today. His producer hands are also all over so much of the killer new music your hear coming out of your radio as well. Stupidly talented guy.
What are your plans for 2019?
Oh geez, there's so much happening we get a bit dizzy thinking about it! First up is the inaugural Sydney leg of Download Fest happening this Saturday (thank you so much triple J Unearthed for the slot!) and then jetting off to play the UK version in June, which we're beyond pumped for (Slipknot & Tool OMGOMG)!! We've got a show with Void Of Vision down in Frankson on March 16th that's going to be an absolute baller. We'll be announcing a really exciting new festival event this week that I've personally created and curated, so stay tuned for that! We're also planning to unleash plenty more music including a bit of a timely cover that we're pretty proud of and a bigger release later in the year... and apart from that, basically just touring our absolute guts out!
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Brissie rapper Nerve is your triple j Unearthed Feature Artist all this week. He's been busy making his mark in the Australian hip-hop scene and we can't wait for you to meet him.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I guess it all started with old school hip-hop and learning how to produce, write and engineer music all at once. Now that I’m proficient enough at those things I’ve just been searching for what sound is unique to me. Lately I’ve been getting into really heavy hitting production involving a lot of distorted melodies and booming bass, but I’ve also been working with live bands like Bullhorn doing full reworks of classic UK grime. I’m very conscious of switching things up constantly and making sure I never stay in one creative spot for too long. My newest track 'A BOMB' is probably my favourite project so far. I feel like you can’t watch the A BOMB music video and think, “Oh yeah this guy just jacked this idea from _______ “ because I’ve never seen anything like it before.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
I grew up listening to a lot of funk, rock and jazz purely due to my parents’ taste in music. I think that’s where I got my ear for production from. Obviously I’m inspired by music to make music, but I feel like one of the biggest motivators in terms of songwriting is frustration. Music is a huge release for me when I’m stressed or have a lot on my plate and I’m usually at my most overwhelmed when I find my self writing new music.
What can punters expect from a Nerve live show?
I ended my last show in Melbourne crowd surfing on an inflatable mattress with my feet on the ceiling so something like that I guess.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
I can’t remember who it was from - probably a few different people - but I think the most important thing in art and music in general is to create something and be someone that no one else can be. Be yourself and do your best not to copy what’s going on around you.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'A.O.K' by Adrian Eagle.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'The Wine Song' by The Cat Empire. Every damn time man.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
I’d put on 'Jitter' by Triple One and Raj Mahal and turn the dance floor to a blood sacrifice.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
As lame as it sounds, the last local gig I went to was my own in Sydney since I’ve been on tour for the last week. But alongside me were the Otherside Krew, Raj Mahal, Triple One and Talakai. All Sydney heavy hitters and part of our family. The vibe was insane and we sold the show out so I guess I could say it was a decent show.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Brisbane music community that inspire you.
A lot of my inspirations come from outside the music scene when it comes to Brisbane. I’m inspired by people that are throwing everything they’ve got into their creative passion and turning it into a viable business plan. People like Lil J’s Vintage, BrandnameBNE, Kyel Golly and anyone else that’s really about getting real things done are the types of people I roll with.
What are your plans for 2019?
Build within my crew - NO1NETWORK - and keep releasing music and visuals that blow people’s minds. Also try and finish my Uni degree.
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Perth super ladies Dulcie wow'd us with their debut single 'Fall' and we can't wait for you to hear it all this week on triple j Unearthed.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I don’t think any of us quite know how we developed Dulcie to sound the way it does. It’s really been such a subconscious fusion of all of the music that the four of us have ever listened to or been inspired by individually. At any given time, any one of hundreds of potential influences could shine through and push our sound in another direction. Hopefully that will be something that people will continue to find interesting about listening to our music. At the moment we’re really exploring how to incorporate multiple-part harmonies and that's always been a pretty consistent idea for us all.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Definitely each other and our personal and combined love for music. We all really egg each other on in rehearsal and write music together so I think it’s probably fair to say that our biggest inspiration is other musicians and the ability to inspire and collaborate with each other. Songs come together that much quicker when you’ve got three other people in the room getting hyped up over your ideas.
What can punters expect from a Dulcie live show?
You can definitely expect a few laughs, we don’t take ourselves too seriously on stage so punters can expect a bit of a giggle with/at us for sure! You can probably expect to have a bit of a dance and maybe some cheeky sing-a-longs and clapping on the beat too- we love that stuff!
What’s the best advice you've been given and who was it from?
As silly as it sounds, my mum has this frame full of motivational quotes hanging above our toilet at home and there is this one quote that says “Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.” I feel like this has always been a really important thing in reminding me to choose what I want to do because I love it rather than what will give the biggest instant reward. This whole philosophy has definitely helped more than one musician in my life to decide to either study music or commit their time to writing and making music, follow their dream because they love it and want to have the experience, not necessarily the money or the fancy degree. Touring and playing music is the biggest source of cool experiences and stories to tell so it’s pretty relevant to all of us.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
100% ‘Exactly How You Are’ by Ball Park Music. It’s got me smiling after the first sentence every single time, it is the most wonderful song and sometimes people need a little reminder that it’s okay to be who they are and they “don’t have to swim upstream”.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
That’s a tough one! We’re gonna have to go with Sawteeth by Spacey Jane. It’s just a beautiful song and you can’t help but shed a few tears to it. If you haven’t checked them out, prepare yourself for some of the most beautiful songwriting ever.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Surely it would be a sin not to put on ‘Let It Happen’ by Tame Impala. Not sure about everyone else, but we’re never at a party that doesn’t get around a bit of a boogie to that huge tune.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
I think the last one was probably the Across The Road Music Festival in Bunbury (that’s down south, does that count?). We played a little festival down in Bunbury at the start of the month with a bunch of other Perth bands and it was SO FUN. Every single band or artist that performed killed it, there were little op shop stalls, food trucks, pop up bars and the whole thing was zero-waste. Basically it was everything you could ever ask for.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Perth music community that inspire you.
The list of people in Perth that inspire us goes on forever and ever. Within our little family at Across The Road Music there is a really inspiring space to create in. We have some great mates in some great Perth bands (Wooly Mammoth, Great Gable, Carla Geneve, Death By Denim, King Ibis, Lilia, Grace Armstrong- the list goes on). It’s always been a pleasure to play and hang out with everybody that we have had the chance to so far and there is certainly no lack of inspiration in the Perth music community.
What are your plans for 2019?
2019 is shaping up to be a big one! We’ll definitely be jumping into the studio and putting out some new music. Starting this week, we’re going on our first ever national tour with our good friends (and amazing Perth band) Great Gable so we’re all super keen for that! Every day things change and become bigger and more exciting so we’re keeping it pretty chilled out while we do this tour and hopefully over the next few weeks we’ll get a bit more of a detailed idea of what this year holds for us.
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All this week on triple j Unearthed we're Featuring Sydney outfit, Yours Truly. They're making some really great pop punk stuff and we reckon they're about to have a huge year.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
our music has been inspired by a lot of the pop punk bands we listened to growing up! We like powerful sing along choruses and energetic guitars. Our style has developed over the years through writing lots of songs and each of us listening to heavier and poppies music.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Greatest source of inspiration can come from things we experience whether they be good or bad and that can ultimately determine the mood of the song
What can punters expect from a Yours Truly live show?
Sing alongs, guitar spins and crowd surfing
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
"No matter how hard some things may seem, never give up. The good will always shine through", by Mum & Dad.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'Dakota' by Between You & Me
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'These Days' by Powderfinger
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
A mash up between "what about me" - Shannon Noll and "Am i ever gonna see your face again" - The Angels
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
Last gig i attended was Sinclaires Debt, which they sold out! It was awesome, great band and great people
Tell us about the bands or people in the music community that inspire you.
The Faim, Between You & Me, Stand Atlantic, Down for Tomorrow, The Dead Love, Ocean Grove, Tonight Alive - There's too many to name
What are your plans for 2019?
In 2019 we will be releasing our new EP Afterglow in April and shortly after heading over to the UK for Download Festival! It’s our first time playing internationally and there are so many awesome things in store for the year!
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Sydney songwriter Fergus James has been wow-ing us since the start with his gorgeous voice, big pop hooks and songwriting that hits you in the feels. He's only 19 years old and off to a big start in his career. We're excited to watch him take over the music world in 2019 and have him as our Feature Artist all this week on triple j Unearthed.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I view my music as an ever changing amalgamation of the music, people and places that inspire me. My sound is an attempt at creating music with all the beauty and depth of folk writing, mixed with a strong sense of indie-pop/rock. Easier said than done, and I definitely haven’t cracked the code, yet...
What's your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
I believe inspiration can be found not only in sound, but in lyrics, emotions, song structure, thematic direction etc. And acts such as Gang of Youths and Bon Iver are able to creative such amazingly profound music by touching upon all these things. I want to be able to effect a listener with my music like I was the first time I heard a Gangs/Bon Iver record. This is why I love creating music.
What can punters expect from a Fergus James live show?
Tbh, a lot of bad dancing on my behalf... Apart from that, a Fergus James show will have a lot of different sounding music, and will dynamically dip and rise, having subtle acoustic moments, then soaring with up-beat tunes. It will be a bag of fun.
What's the best advice you've been given and who was it from?
Probably from my co-writer and producer, Pip Norman. He said you should be 100% happy with what music you put out into the world, cause you’ll be singing the song for the next 5 years if you’re lucky. Although being about music, I feel anyone can relate to putting out bodies of work for the whole world to see, and having to deal with the legacy of such work.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
From the top of my head, probably ‘Oceans’ by Vallis Alps. There’s something so sweet and uplifting from this tune, would definitely help wipe a tear from my eye.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Undoubtedly, ‘Persevere’ by Gang of Youths. This is an absolute gut wrencher, and to see Dave from the band talk about the story behind this song, then play it acoustically to a dead quite Enmore theatre, would make anyone weap.
You're the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
I remember being in my first year of high school when the first Flume album came out, and I lost it. It was so revolutionary to me, so if I was to keep a party going, I couldn’t look past ‘On Top’ from that debut LP.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
The last gig I went to was Slum Sociable at the Corner Hotel. My goodness those boys know how to put on a show, a definite must see.
Tell us about the bands or people in the music community that inspire you.
Well, I’m Sydney based, but to give you two names, I would say Xavier Dunn (Syd based) and Dustin Tebbutt (Mel based). I have been working with both a lot, and the way in which they produce, write and the way they’re just so awesome is definitely something that inspires me.
What does 2019 look like for you?
Writing more and more and more new music!! And hey, maybe some will get released and I can play some more shows. We will see...
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Featured Artist
2019
21
Jan
Grace Turner
(- folk ,
- Alt-Folk ,
- Singer-Songwriter , ...
Newcastle, NSW
Get to know a little more about this week's triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, Grace Turner. She'll be opening the stage this weekend at Grow Your Own festival alongside Jack River, The Preatures, DMA's and more.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
My current sound feels like the coming together of many different influences I’ve had throughout my life. I come from a singer-songwriter background, so the lyrics and the story is really important to me. At the moment it’s been very cathartic to combine this with a heavier sound.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
People, feelings and a desire to understand them. I am addicted to the emotional release and connection to others that I get from both listening to and playing music.
You were our Unearthed Grow Your Own Festival comp winner in 2019, who was your highlight on the day?
The Preatures were a stand out for me. Isabella is a force as a performer and I found their set really inspiring to watch. They also had the sunset spot so the heat of the day was easing off and I was surrounded by some of my best girlfriends, what a dream!
What can punters expect from a Grace Turner live show?
You can expect dress-ups, me saying personal and potentially inappropriate things, sweet crunchy guitar licks from my guitarist Shanna and everyone else in the band just generally having a good meaningful time.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
"Careful who’s advice you take". I can’t remember who told me that but when I reflect on my younger years I see the value in it. Pave your own way, go with your gut and trust yourself. I can’t remember who told me all those things either but they have served me well.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
‘Pleasure and Pain’ by The Divinyls.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'Flame Trees', written by Cold Chisel but listen to the version performed by Sara Blasko. It has such sorrowful nostalgia and captures the feeling of our lonesome country towns. Gets me every time.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
I recently discovered Electric Fields, an indigenous pop act from South Australia and their songs are pumping. Their track ‘Don’t You Worry’ is an absolute banger.
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
I have been moving around a lot so I haven’t been home much to see many gigs in Newcastle lately. The last Newcastle gig I went to was Indiana and the Journey to The East and Lachlan X Morris at The Cambridge just before Christmas. It was a great show, Indiana has an epic voice and Lachlan is such a prolific artist.
Tell us about the bands or people in the Newcastle music community that inspire you.
I am most inspired by the people that are helping to forge creative spaces for their communities. Theres a group of people in Newcastle that have been working really hard on this. Michael McDonahugh, Tim Evans, Caitlin O’Reily to name a small few. They have been working with the council to secure more diverse and intimate venues that cater to under 18’s and give space for singer-songwriters and other non-mainstream genres. At the moment though people are resorting to house shows as there is a big gap in Newcastle currently.
What are your plans for 2019?
I plan to record and both an EP and an album and fingers crossed have them both released this year. I want to do a headline Australian tour and I’m very excited to be spending a bit of time in the USA for the SXSW showcases! I also plan to get the the Northern Territory in August for the Darwin Festival!
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