Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
I guess my origin story is classical singing lessons from 11yrs old. Did all the musicals, came I think 4th in a singing competition singing Killing Me Softly at Penrith Panthers when I was 12. Big stuff. Then my first boyfriend introduced me to some great music like Willy Mason, Fiona Apple and Radiohead and I could see what I actually wanted to sound like. But I didn't pick up the guitar until I was about 20 when a friend wanted me to join her band. I just try and make sure it's a good song at it's core and then the sound just comes from whatever happens in the studio and whatever I'm listening to at the time probably! So really it's just been a few years of trial and error learning the instrument, writing a lot and figuring out a different way to say simple things.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
Wanting to be able to write about sex like Leonard Cohen.

What can punters expect from a Julia Jacklin live show?
I think they can expect music, and swaying, occasional light head-banging, alcohol, Some loud bits, some really quiet bits, some good bits, some great bits.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
I've been reaching out a bit lately for some advice on songwriting. I asked a good friend of mine Adrian Slattery from one of my favourite Melbourne bands Big Smoke, if he had any advice on how to get over some writers block. He said something along the lines of, you just need to have an undying belief that you are a good songwriter and that you have the skills to make it happen. It sounds simple but sometimes you can just get so caught up in not feeling good enough that you give up before you even begin, who has time for that?  I'm just going to start staring in the mirror and yelling, "you're a songwriter dammit!" I don't want to waste time doubting myself anymore.

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
Probably right now it would be 'I Wanna Be With You' by Flowertruck. The whole track makes me grin like a fool.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Bring back some bedroom teenage tears with Grinspoons 'Better off Alone’.

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Sampa the Great - 'Dutch Spring’.

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
There's a great night every Thursday at the Sly Fox in Enmore. I went there last week and saw Triceratops and The Baldwins. The quality of the bands there each week is ridiculous and it's always packed no matter who’s playing which is super nice to see in Sydney right now. The Baldwins are one of my local faves, they don't play often but when they do I'm there with a massive grin on my face, trying to maintain my cool whilst struggling to dance consistently over their time signature changes.

Tell us about the bands or people in the NSW music community that inspire you.
I'm surrounded by a great crew of people playing and hustling hard in Sydney right now. One of the great hustlers is Tom Stephens who is about to release his debut record which is going to be super ace, there's a band called NARLA which are one of the best live bands I've seen in ages. I want to be like them but I think I have to go back in time and practice a lot more. My Phantastic Ferniture band mates Ryan K Brennan and Elizabeth Hughes who are so multi talented and hardworking it makes my head spin.  A singer songwriter Ainsley Farrell who writes these great songs and has this incredible depth to her voice. I saw The Pinheads the other day and it was so bizarre but it made me want to be a bit more fearless and weird on stage. Plus a million other people.

What are your plans for 2016?
Touring the single, heading to the UK for Great Escape festival and some other things next month, and most importantly releasing my debut record around September.

Tell us about your music - how did you develop your sound?

We all met because we were hooking up with each others sisters, which is kind of awkward. We started jamming on a few songs that Lewis had written and then slowly started finding our feet and developing our sound. We all have different influences and tastes in music and it all sort of falls into place when we play together. Our first EP is quite different from our latest one and I think that our sound is going to continue to evolve over time. Kind of like Pokemon just different.

You’re one of the winners of our PARKLIFE competition. What can Parklife punters expect from The Belligerents live show?

Smoke machines, full frontal nudity, strobe lights and fun in the sun for the whole family. We're gonna try our hardest to put on the absolute best live show we've ever played and make it worthwhile for the people that come and see us.

What most excites you about playing and attending Parklife 2012?

The line-up is massive and we're incredibly stoked to be a part of it. We love Tame Impala and I'm pretty sure Lewis and Andy have some weird/semi-creepy band crush on The Presets, so we're definitely going to have an awesome time watching them. It's also going to be a lot of fun playing on such a huge stage because we'll finally have room to move around and bust out our dance moves.

What’s your earliest memory of seeing live Australian music?

I only moved over here in 2007 so I think the first proper gig I went to was Splendour 2008, which was mind blowing. I can't remember much but I'm pretty sure it was one of the best festivals I've ever been to.

What’s coming up in 2012?

First of all Parklife!!! Then we’re playing Valley Fiesta in Brisbane with Arrested Development in October. After that we will be back on the road towards the end of the year around November for a tour support and we’ll also be going back into the studio later this year.

Australian music is...

...awesome, great, fantastic, super, sick as!

What's the origin story of Confidence Man?It all started in our home studio (all of us lived together) when one of us was writing a bass line and struggling with song ideas. The four of us were all in the room so we slowly started screaming over the top of each other and trying to grab the microphone to sing little melodies. By the end of the night I just remember that we were all pretty wasted and we were all hugging each other and screaming "this is the best thing ever!" So I suppose from there we realized that we work well together. We're similar people and we like similar music, so it's been easy to know what direction we want to go in. What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?I love to dance, so I really focus on writing big bass lines and cheeky percussion parts. Essentially I just try to write music  I would dance to.I love the way Todd Terje makes badass dance music in a really cute, dorky way. That's the vibe I like to go for. What can punters expect from a Confidence Man live show?Champagne, bee keeper hats, black eye make up and two of the sassiest live dancers you'll ever see. What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?"Men will stick it in any old hole they can get it in" - Grandma What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?Donny Benet - Working Out What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?Nick Cave - Into My Arms You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?Fishing - Yuwa What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?I saw Sampa the Great at Bigsound. She was awesome, I think she's a badass. Tell us about the bands or people in the Australian music community that inspire you.We're inspired by a lot of Brisbane bands because we're always working together and showing each other demos. Everyone is super-supportive in Brisbane.But musically I'm really inspired by the Melbourne dance scene - NO ZU, Ara Koufax and acts like that. What are your plans for the rest of 2016 and in to 2017?Lots of touring, writing, releasing some new tracks, but above all making some more overstated outfits.