VIDEOS: Hey Mook @ the Grand Poobah

Just two short videos of Hey Mook performing at the Grand Poobah last Saturday, in support of Sand Pebbles from Melbourne. Didn't take any video of Sand Pebbles because they were a wee bit shit and the bass player told totally boring self-indulgent stories between songs.

I'm sure I'll have another post on Hey Mook when I buy a CD, I'm so behind on these guys. Great band.

Hobart mirror talk: A response to Brian Ritchie

In a recent Q&A with MONA FOMA curator Brian Ritchie over on The Thousands, published on the 17th of October, the topic of the perception of Hobart arose. In this discussion, 'events like MONA FOMA' are held up as the shining light which will help Hobart avoid the stereotype of being little more than a cultural ghetto. Therein, Brian Ritchie makes a few claims about Hobart that I'd like to disagree with. Here’s the final question and answer from that piece (read the full thing here), copied wholesale for some necessary context:

Do you think that events like MONA FOMA are changing the wider mentality of people in Hobart?

Tasmania has an endemic inferiority complex, which I think is being dispelled because of the stuff that we are doing. We're also not by any means the only thing happening. There are great places here. There are a lot of excellent art galleries and music, and a few night clubs with original music. I think it's maybe changing the attitude of the Hobartians. They are actually really proud of Tasmania, but kind of afraid to say so. People ask me: "Why did you move to Tasmania?" and I say, "Well, you know why. It's beautiful, the food is great, the people are really friendly." Maybe there's a certain amount of affirmation going on as a result of the museum being open and a result of people like me and other foreigners and mainlanders coming down and saying: "Wow, this place is great!" It's also giving some of the young people a reason to hang around. Tasmania uses the young population at a greater rate. I've talked to booking agents about this; you can book acts for really young people, and for older people, but you can't for 25-40 year olds because they've all left. There's a whole, like, lost generation in Tasmania. I think that maybe having a little bit of critical mass on the creative side of things is providing different possibilities for young people. Maybe they can stay here and even have an art practice here. It's not a pre-requisite for them to think that they have to leave. We've actually had some people moving here because of what's going on. It's changing.

Firstly, I feel this response is quite condescending. The idea that the Hobart arts scene can only appreciate itself or realise how good it might be after the validation of outsiders is a little offensive. That only through the affirmation of 'foreigners' and 'mainlanders' taking an interest in our city's culture, we can then ourselves know its worth a dime? I don't buy it.

I've probably blown his comment way out of proportion, but I think its an interesting issue nonetheless.
 
Ritchie refers to Hobart as having an “endemic inferiority complex”, but I don't think that's a fair judgement of Hobart's self-perception. Hobart is small. We're a city of 215,000 people, and we don't have the critical mass to support a glut of music venues or a huge arts scene. Hobart is small. Is it an inferiority complex if we accept that we're small or 'inferior'? In terms of critical mass, infrastructure, diversity of arts community etc, we are – purely in quantitative terms – inferior. We are small. A little isolated, even. But... so what? I see Hobart as more a city of realists than one with an endemic inferiority complex. People create art for themselves and for anyone who gives a damn, and hey – sometimes those people who give a damn live in Melbourne or Chicago. 
 
I don't think Everett True's stamp of approval on Hobart group Naked made much of a difference in the band's profile or perception in their home town. People already appreciated the band and if anything, this tiny little piece of blog buzz just made those same people turn their heads, nod and say “yeah, we know”, and then go on with their lives. If you're invested in it, its exciting when it happens; any kind of recognition is welcome and makes you feel good about your band/the local scene. I'd debate that it's more “hey, other people like what we [Hobart] is producing, that is nice and makes me feel good”; rather than “hey, other people like what we're doing in Hobart, I didn't realise we were good!”

Bad Luck Charms - I Need to Get Out by Noise, Etc.

Side-stepping for a second, one thing I don't understand is this quote from Ritchie, in which he talks about these bastions of great local culture as a reason to live in Hobart:
 

There are a lot of excellent art galleries and music, and a few night clubs with original music. I think it's maybe changing the attitude of the Hobartians. They are actually really proud of Tasmania, but kind of afraid to say so.

Who is honestly afraid to say they're proud of Tasmania? Tasmania is positioned as an underdog for many reasons – it's size, mostly – but I don't have any explicit memories of any Hobart artists who would be embarrassed of their home city. I'm fucking proud of Hobart and that's why I started this dumb blog, so people both in- and out-side of the local arts community could read about and listen to Hobart music. I'm curious who these people are and why they're afraid to be proud of Tasmania.

The Hobart scene is notorious for falling into, at times, little more than an incestuous circle jerk. Circle jerks are fun, mind you, but they are also exclusive cliquey things that reject outside (i.e., the mainland) influence. We already realise we have something great going on here and maybe that's what Ritchie wanted to express. Hobart can be indignantly alone in a kind of fuck-you-'mainland'-I-can-do-this-on-my-own way; the isolate State proving it can make it on its own terms. Its what happened in the past few years when many reviews from Melbourne and Sydney outlets would cite 'isolation' as a thematic constant in many Hobart music releases. “How dare they! We can fly across Bass Strait whenever we want! We have the internet!” we'd beckon in a kind of self-assured unison. While isolation is, I think, a reoccurring element in Hobart music circa late 2000s (Ivy St., hey), the local scene didn't want to be boxed in this way. You can't tell us what we are; we aren't small! It was a shrug at outsider labelling, whether misinformed or not. This attitude is kind of in opposition to the one Ritchie discusses; and while I could just be viewing everything from my seat in the alternative music arena (the outsiders of the outsiders) rather than just a general 'Hobartian' stance (the outsiders), I don't think its completely off.

In my short experience, Hobart arts isn't as concerned with outside validation as much as Ritchie implies. As far as I can tell, while reaching for a wider, national audience is something many artists and musicians desire (and sometimes achieve), Hobart is not tied up in some bizarre notion of “we're only valuable if someone outside our city tells us so.” That's backwards.

I don't think I can speak on behalf of anyone in the arts / music community because, for the most part, I act as little more than an observer, a promoter, a documenter. I'm just a youthful little shit with an internet connection and an(other fucking) opinion to throw into the wind, but I think its a discussion worth igniting again. What do you honestly think about yourself, Hobart?


Criticism encouraged.

alexanderbennetts@gmail.com

On the radio - Return To Oz

Starting 7pm this Wednesday, I'll be hosting Return To Oz, the weekly Australian music program on Edge Radio 99.3 FM in Hobart. The music profile will be similar to what I feature here, but from all over Australia (and maybe even New Zealand). New, underground pop/rock/experimental/electronic music from around the traps. Each week there'll be a featured album, label, band, city, blog, whatever; I'll try not to make it so rote or predictable.

Expectedly - and relevant to this blog - I'll be playing a couple Tasmanian songs each week, in the least. New recordings, retrospective tracks, whatever fits. I'll still only play what I find interesting or enjoyable, but if you want to send yr CDs in, station info is available here, or as below:

Edge Radio, Music Department, Private Bag 44, Hobart 7001.
Make sure you include a bio and contact details, all the usual stuff really.
Mark it ATT: name of presenter or program.

I'll probably maintain playlists/show information on a page here, along with on the Edge Program hub etcetera. Social network information below...

Here's a Facebook page you can admire and all that: www.facebook.com/returntooz

Join the conversation / request tracks on my personal Twitter: @NoiseEtc

& bookmark the digital stream for future use, hey: www.edgeradio.org.au/listen-popup.php

Return To Oz on Edge Radio 99.3, Wednesdays 7-8. Feel free to listen in.

Interview: Wormwood Grashopper Records

Wormwood Grasshopper Records is the baby of Hobart musician Ben Mason (Drunk Elk / Que / The Breeze). So far, it has proven itself to be a small boutique label releasing underground pop music from Tasmania and beyond. That kind of pop music that gets called 'demented' in PR, with an apparent heavy influence from New Zealand pop. Wormwood Grasshopper looks to be focusing on recordings of both the past and present, with previously unreleased material from defunct Hobart bands like Que, Wendy In The Mountains And The Caves With The Salves and Hammering The Cramps either already released or in the works.

I recently briefly spoke to Ben Mason about his new label, and where he plans to take it:

What have you released so far on Wormwood Grasshopper?
So far it's been predominantly the Drunk Elk LP [Under Neon Lights] and Mad Nanna 7", although I did put a Wormwood Grasshopper logo on a few CDRs for Julian Teakle's music stall a while back (The Que's Fern Tree Recordings and Drunk Elk's "Pieces Of People...").


What are the future plans for Wormwood Grasshopper?
Just around the corner would be the Hammering The Cramps LP, which has been in the works for some time now and it looks like it's nearly there. I can't wait to release this one. They were an incredible Hobart band that, I think, are totally underrated.  There's vibes of Roky Erickson, Xpressway bands and - the best song in the world - Brian Eno's 'Here Come The Warm Jets'. After that would be some tapes from Wendy In The Mountains And The Caves With The Slaves (first one was sent off to be duplicated today!). I wouldn't mind doing another Drunk Elk 7" soon, and hopefully we'll get our act together and record a Breeze EP. There's also a couple of projects I'm toying with that aren't Hobart bands, but I need to figure those out a little more still.


Hammering the Cramps - Jesse's Vampires by Wormwood grasshopper

Beautiful punk - Bears, SDS, Treehouse (VIDEOS)

Three totally different punk bands played on the top of the reservoir tanks at the Domain in Hobart last Sunday; almost in celebration of the free Hobart punk compilation that launched last week (it was actually a triple tape launch, but you know, horses). Best gig location or best gig location?

All video by Chris Valentine.

Bears

Social Death Squad

Treehouse

Sound Summit 2011 - VIDEOS

A few weeks ago I went to Newcastle for a few days as part of This Is Not Art / National Young Writer's Festival. If you want to know how the Writing festival went, go and read the numerous blogs other cool people posted or just ask me. I found some time while wearing my Writer's wig to head across to Sound Summit festival on the other side of town and I filmed a few of the bands. Now separate from the rest of the This Is Not Art festival umbrella, Sound Summit has grown into its own dedicated entity. Sound Summit 2011 is a little bigger than last year, but its distance from the rest of the long-weekend Newcastle art community (among other reasons) meant the attendance was a little underwhelming. I only made it tow three gigs and no panels/other events, mind you. The venues were all well-organised and within walking distance of each other, etc, etc.

Here's some footage of Australian bands. I saw and filmed a few other bands but most of that footage sucks even worse. Guerre was beautiful and Kitchen's Floor were awesome (if a little detached from the audience) and Iowa's Wet Hair lived up to my expectations. For what its worth I adore this Fabulous Diamonds song below.

Fabulous Diamonds

Horse Macgyver


Superstar

Dead Farmers

Scattered Order

Bandcamp Wrap-up #2

A mix of free, pay-what-you-want and fixed price releases this time. They're all good, so have a listen to what grabs your fancy. Click through on the respective album art to see the full Bandcamp page with a nicer tracklisting.


Jordan Marson from Paint Your Golden Face / oceans, in his experimental indie pop guise. $5.

Moe Grizzly, noisy blues/rock trio. Really good. Fuzzy & Drones-eqsue. FREE.

Fantastic debut album from Naked. Lo-fi pop. Everett True wrote a few words about it. FREE.

A beautiful release from Transcription Of Organ Music. Pay what you want.

Ambient doom metal EP from M.0.1.0. on American label Sonoptik. $5.

Latest lounge-pop album from Anthony Rochester. Twee as anything. $5.

Slow, alternative-folk. 7-track debut album from bunny on digital and CD. $6 / $12.

Fan gushing on "Process Praise" by The Native Cats

Remember the Liverpool Street Bomb scare from last year? On that day I was walking through Elizabeth Street, earphones playing The Native Cats' Always On. There was this small moment where, approaching the corner of Liverpool, I was half-way through absent-mindedly singing 'Game Of Numbers' to myself. In particular, en route to Liverpool Street, I sung aloud: “have you ever seen an unexploded bomb before / how do you know / this isn't what it looks like?” I hope nobody heard me.

If you've followed this blog from its beginnings (and all its encompassing words and things and shit), or know me personally, then you've probably come to the conclusion that The Native Cats are one of my favourite bands. Call me a fan. The Native Cats is made up of two of my favourite Hobart artists, Julian Teakle (of Bad Luck Charms, The Frustrations) and Peter Escott (of... Peter Escott), but that isn't the reason they hold such an esteemed place in my mind/heart/ears. I don't think I even explored either the Frustrations or Peter Escott's solo guise until after discovering the Cats.

I think there is a definable reason for it, though. It's more than the hypnotic bass lines and propelling drum machine, or the lo-fi DS-10 squeals or whatever other musicals components. My admiration for the Cats can largely be attributed to front-man Peter Escott's lyrics and delivery. Escott's lyrics have always appeared as vague monuments; unsolved mysteries with these various clues hinting at something more. You can always feel the intention – in specific words and those sharp emphasises – but you can never unravel the full story. It's like there's venom pulsating below the surface, but the fangs are too short to reach whatever its reaching for. Probably for your throat. Ride the snake, baby.

The Native Cats - Dani Dani by Noise, Etc.

Process Praise is a step above the duo's debut. If Always On was the short-statured/high-reaching schizophrenic First child, then Process Praise is the moody art-school Second, dripping blood onto a canvas before hiding their wrists in a royal blue cotton jumper.

Some/most of the songs on Process Praise could be autobiographical, but you'd be darned to unpack it without all the little Escott-branded puzzle pieces, none of which you'll find in the package. Everything is so purposely cryptic. So obscured as to allow Escott to tell you his life stories, minus all the details, minus all the things that makes it his life story. It's what every private writer aspires to, isn't it? To give you the mood, the theme, the idea; without forfeiting a sense of safety? Interpretation can be more powerful than direct statement. Words guide, the music narrows the possible interpretations.

All throughout are scattered allusions to a past love; a terrible love. This is best seen in 'Dani Dani', a sequel of sorts to 7" single 'Catspaw'. On the knife's edge between brutal revenge and reserved spite, its the tale of a soured, oppressive romance. In parallel to these references to a past lover, this track could also been seen as a sketch of Escott's growth as both a person and a performer. At first he appears the sheepish victim of a tumultuous relationship, but the song traces his development into the confident, competent, vengeful character. Not a wrecking-ball of a man, but an intelligent and matured one. “No leathers,” Escott sings, “no colours / no tatts / no quiffs / just checked shirts and neat jeans / with worn knees / old time / 1993 / Australian suburban exoticness.”

The Liverpool Street bomb turned out to be a hoax. Unexploded because it never could explode. The Native Cats are always edging at something unexploded; poking an abstract mass of shrapnel. They're smart enough not to set it off. The Liverpool Street hoax turned out to be just a small orange and yellow box holding dud wiring and AA batteries, probably a cheap plastic nothing. Parts of Always On were this cheap Casiotone plastic – the extended indie-pop of “The Image Of Annie & Ivan” never did a whole lot for me. But Process Praise? There's a live, ticking bomb at its heart, thumping away in the drum patterns.

Conclusion: Sharp lyrical witticisms set to real minimalist/moodist electronic beauty. Treasure it. It sounds really good on vinyl.

---

The Native Cats are launching Process Praise at the Grand Poobah in Hobart this Friday September 9, and at Skinny Geans #11 in Launceston this Saturday September 10. Both shows are a dual LP launch with the fantastic Adelaide via NZ trio Batrider, who launch Piles Of Lies. Listen to the title track below.

Process Praise is available from Tommy Gun Records in Hobart, select record stores around Australia and direct from Ride The Snake.


Batrider - Piles of Lies by Mess+Noise
 

Videos: Peter Escott / Carl Higgs / Splash Mountain

A fortnight ago was the 'first' Noise Etc Live show. I was pretty nervous but excessively excited at the same time. I'd never organised a group of musicians to play at a venue before. Turns out its pretty easy, so I'll probably organise more in the future if I can find suitable performers to prod and pester. The vague idea of a Noise Etc Live series was to promote and feature musicians who might not play live as often as I'd hope. So, for August 17, I asked Peter Escott to debut his electronic experiments; Carl Higgs to make his once-a-year solo appearance (though, he did play a few days later as a duo with Charles Du Cane); and Splash Mountain to try and make a proper debut.

Most of the night went according to plan (Splash Mountain were still a little unprepared, but they did clear the 10-minute mark as I awkwardly claimed in promo), and the turnout was decent enough for a Wednesday night local show. It was fun and I fully plan on organising more every few months if I can find performers willing to participate. If anyone has any hidden solo/side/bedroom-projects that they want to present to little Hobart town, do get in touch.

Below are three videos from the night, click through at the bottom to watch a few more, including Peter cover Morrissey and Carl cover Chris Isaak. Covers.

Peter wrote this song on the night, about the night. The first minute or so didn't get filmed but I'll spoil it for you - it's about his work shirt that he didn't get the chance to change out of.

Carl's upbeat Italo Disco track. Fun, fun, fun.

Splash Mountain's first song of their 12 minute set.

Moe Grizzly & Drunk Elk in a house

Did everyone have a good past week? Hobart Music, right? Right!

Last Saturday afternoon, Moe Grizzly and Drunk Elk played a house show before the Broken Social Thylascene show that happened. Walking distance to both beers and the next show made it pretty ideal, it sounded decent and the house was full of good people/conversation. Moe Grizzly are sounding really good with the addition of Phoebe on trombone, it kind of highlights the melody a little more, particularly in older songs. Drunk Elk made a few mistakes at the end of a couple of songs - nerves - but they otherwise played a good set. They might have played a few newer songs, which sounded similar in vein to the songs they've been playing for the past year, maybe a touch heavier.

Drunk Elk

Moe Grizzly

Two more Elk videos and another Moe Grizzly song (with trombone) through the break. If anyone knows the names of these songs, feel free to leave a comment. I have a couple more Drunk Elk songs on tape if anyone is interested.