Where will we be in 10 (or 15) years...

So I was reading an article on Pitchfork magazine, not something that I usually do and a lot of this people I was reading about I either don't know or don't like, however, this article was a bit interesting just in the idea of it.

Most of them chose an album to represent 1996/2001/2006/2011

1996- Silverchair- Freak Show

Well, after a google search, turns out this came out in 1997, but this was my real introduction into the world of rock music, moreso of my choosing to immerse myself in rock music. It was particularly the film clip for Freak, I used to watch Rage every weekend and I had head Frogstomp already which I kind of liked, but this had me. I didn't actually own the album proper for ages, but I had a tape of the album being played on community radio (same station that I mentioned about my mum a couple of posts ago), on the weekly album show.

I was listening to that tape not long ago. The announcer says midway through, alrighty time to rattle a few more brain cells...Silverchair were really the band that got me into rock music, that's for sure.

2001- Superheist- The Prize Recruit

Now, I know it's not very cool or whatever to admit to liking nu-metal these days, but those who are about my age were right in the thick of it. Some people were a bit older and so they preferred Pantera etc but people now who are about 25-28, it was only really a few years, they were there for the rise.

Anyway, on to Superheist. I really loved this album, and the EP before that. Actually I managed to get the Chrome Matrix EP (Sanity Merimbula of all places) and I liked that a lot too. Superheist actually played in Bega as well. I remember being totally stoked about that, as they were my favourite band at the time. I only saw them with Joey Biro though, never with Berger.

My friends had this cover band in high school and one time their singer was away, so I got up and sang a cover of Bullet with them. I got stage fright in front of the few people that were there, and didn't know where to come in and forgot the words etc. A similar performance would be repeated about 5 years down the track with Templestowe, singing Slaughter of the Soul.

I saw Superheist a few times once I finished high school as well. I saw them at Homebake, but they were clashing with The Butterfly Effect, that was a weird lineup, because all the clashes were bands that were very similar in style....Another time I saw them was at the Granville Youth Centre, in an all ages show. I guess I had been living in Sydney for a couple of months, and I'm sure glad that show was in the day because I was a bit concerned for my safety heading out that way.

I did an interview with Fetah who played keyboards, about his new band Jerrico. I had been asking away some questions and then I said before we finish, I have one last question...will Superheist ever reform?

He said no.

2006- 4 Dead- Blood and Piss

I guess at this stage I'm going to have more of a variety to choose from, a stronger memory of what I was listening to, etc. This, the most recent offering from the Canberra stalwarts...that's 5 years now. The band has been going for a long long time now, and we haven't got too much to see for that.

Anyhow, this tries to put the intensity of a 4 Dead show on to your musical device of choice and it doesn't get close. However, it has its own form of intensity in itself. 4 Dead are now one of the bands I have been going to watch over a consistent period, they must be the longest (first viewing would be approx Oct 2004, most recent July 2011). This album, and its reflections on being a man in the world, in punk, in Canberra etc, I have listened to it so many times, seen the songs live so many times, and I can't really say that I'm sick of it.

2011- Miles Away- Endless Roads

I didn't mean for this list to be an all-aussie lineup, but that's the way it's panned out. I've always been a big fan of Australian bands, which is not to say they are better or worse than other bands, but moreso these particular years brought out some Australian bands in the memories.

And I mentioned the consistency of going to see 4 Dead, even though some years they'd only play a couple of shows in the year. I actually first saw Miles Away before I had seen 4 Dead. I was, to use that horrible term "a nu-jack", as they say. I went to Hardcore 04, and you know Miles Away were first up, followed by a newish band with a promising EP called Parkway Drive.

Anyway, each year I have probably gone to see Miles Away a couple of times, but you know I have never followed them too much. This album though has had a different feel, just for me personally. Yesterday when I fell down the stairs, I came back to the room with some ice and a fair bit of pain. I decided I wanted to listen to some music and I listened to Anywhere.

So there we have just 4 albums which can sum up my musical experiences. It's only a little bit to go on but it does tell a fair amount of the story. Maybe at a future date I will fill in the gaps for each year.

4 Dead interview

This one is not one of mine, but I love to read interviews with 4 Dead. With the amount that one mr Jon Dangerous talks, it's surprising you don't see more interviews with him.

Although with only one released full length album in a long, long time, it's not like the band has new products to spruik or anything like that....

The interview was on the Chucking a Mosh website, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I did an interview with Jon last year which was in Issue #8 of Capital Eyes.

So far from home, with the sound of the waves crashing below me

Break Even, one of my definite favourite bands of the last few years, have put up a new song from their next album. It's a bit of a different sound, and from the self proclaimed experts on hardcore I talked to last night, they are disappointed in what they're hearing.

Personally I love the new sound I'm hearing, but after listening to the song over and over again on repeat, I don't think the sound is particularly removed from The Bright Side. Particularly the song "October 27th". If you were to replace the lines "so far from home", with that refrain of "shine bright, baby shine bright", in all honesty it's not that far off.

I hear a lot of people saying it has too much of a "Triple J rock" sound and that they expected Break Even to go heavier. I'm not sure if it's because I read an interview in the new issue of No Heroes that predicted a bit of change and the possibility of disappointment, however after Young At Heart, Break Even's work I guess had more of a punk sound, rather than a Miles Away-lite sound that they were renowned for on their earlier works.

I don't really think it sounds like bands like The Butterfly Effect or Karnivool, if this was the "triple j rock" sound people were describing. I have enjoyed the new song "Hells Gates" and can't wait to hear some more tracks. Maybe tomorrow, when Break Even play alongside 4 Dead and I Exist...seriously, what a lineup.

We're into a new year.

The first day of 2011 it sounds like I've turned into a super keen fitness fiend. One of my resolutions was to exercise every day. However, we kicked things off well today.

Francisca and I walked up Mt Majura, then swam some laps at Dickson Pool. Just to complete the day, we kicked a soccerball around once it got a bit cooler in the evening.

I honestly couldn't tell you a top 10 of albums that came out in 2010, the quality just wasn't there, or I wasn't looking for it.

I did like

The Amity Affliction- Youngbloods

The Gaslight Anthem- American Slang

I Exist- I: A Turn For The Worse

Alexisonfire- Dogs Blood (EP)

How about a top 10 shows that I attended for the year...that will be easier to complete.

1. Polar Bear Club, Break Even, The Gifthorse @ Rosies, Brisbane

2. Polar Bear Club, Break Even, The Gifthorse @ The Fort, Brisbane

3. The Ghost Inside, Break Even @ Underworld, London (UK)

4. Machine Head, Hatebreed @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide

5. 4 Dead, Hoodlum Shouts, Boonhorse @ Bar 32, Canberra

6. Ruiner, Hopeless, I Exist @ Bar 32, Canberra

6. Alexisonfire, Comeback Kid, Anti Flag @ The Forum, Sydney

7. Alexisonfire, Break Even @ UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney or The Palace, Melbourne

8. Dangers, Graf Orlock, 4 Dead, Vera @ Bar 32 Canberra

9. Slowburn last show @ The Jam Factory, Canberra

10. Elysian, Ignite The Ibex @ The Basement, Canberra

2010 was a great year personally, easily the best ever. 2011 will definitely be an adventure, a big year ahead. I should have a new issue of Capital Eyes in the next few days, with interview from Elysian and Yoko Oh No.

Another boring day in Canberra?

Yesterday was not one. Even though I had to work until 3 in the afternoon, on a Sunday, I still got to go to two different shows and see a bunch of great bands.

Now that I have a car, I can just pop on over to things, that's exactly what I did yesterday afternoon. Fifteen minutes after leaving work, I was there. I chatted outside for a while, Ivens were playing inside, I didn't get to catch any of their set, they were just finishing off when I came in.

First band I saw was Encircling Sea, I was really impressed with them. A lot of crazy effects, I don't even know what you call that kind of style, but they were really good. It was the first time I'd been to the basement at Morgan's place. A pretty small room, but plenty of people can fit inside. Most people watched the band, nodding their heads along to the beat. This band I really liked actually, I didn't really know what to expect from them, and to say the least I was very impressed.

A Secret Death were up next. It's a long while since they've played in Canberra (late 08 at a guess) and it kind of looked like they hadn't practiced since. Their set was still brilliant, they even chucked in a couple of old ones for good measure. "This songs called Lion of Progression".

Dun dun dun dun du du dun DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN etc

Incredible band. Even though no one seemed that into it, and between songs they debated which songs to play, every song was actually quite close to the sound of the recordings.

4 Dead were last at this show, and I think Morgan may have hesitations about inviting his own band back to play in his house. 4 Dead's set was pretty wild, lights broken, playing in the dark ala Hard Luck launch at Sound Underground. Jon actually went further back, saying last time he went to a show in the dark, he broke his arm and was out for six months. This was the Deadstare reunion show at Hornsby PCYC. Funnily enough, the drummer from Deadstare is now in 4 Dead.

So anyway, people flying everywhere, things getting smashed, there was a little girl who seemed to be moshing harder than anyone else, beer spitting, general chaos. It was what we've all come to expect from a 4 Dead set really. I was trying to stay out of the action, but it seemed unavoidable, I ended up going crashing over some guitar cases, more than once.

After the show I gave Dave and Bel a lift home. We talked old times about some of the venues that have been and gone, there sure are a lot.

After this I drove into the city and went to The Phoenix, where Hoodlum Shouts were playing with Will Wagner and the Smith Street band. Being a Smith St band, of course they are from Melbourne.

I was really impressed by this show. For a start it was free, but surprisingly there wasn't a great turnout. A solid turnout I guess you could call it. Will Wagner and his merry men play some sort of folk punk/rock mix. They are a good band, I had never heard of them before, but I enjoyed their set. Hoodlum Shouts, I have seen them a few times now, and there one of the best straight out rock bands I've seen in a long while. I really enjoy their sound.

On the way home I gave Pete K a lift home, we did some more reminiscing as well as a bit more talk about the future. I am going to be stepping in a bit more in the near future, having a bit more to do with the path of "the scene". Let's see how that goes.

Anyway, it was an awesome day, I'm sure all the people who say there's nothing to do in Canberra had a pleasant afternoon at home.

4 Dead

I have a 4 Dead interview in the current issue of my zine (#8). I did a few copies for the zine fair, hopefully I will do some more in time for their house show with A SECRET DEATH.

I'm not going to put the interview up quite yet, but here's an old classic from The Riot Act, a Canberra "news" website. It was posted by user Carzee in October 2007 after a show at the (now defunct) Jamison Inn.

I photographed an All Ages thrash/scream metal gig at Jamison Inn last Sunday. The line-up was 4 Dead, 50Lions, and Parkway Drive –all from north coast NSW. Disclosure: I am late 40’s.

Anyway, from the first chord of the first song of the first band there was a LAM, large area mosh. It was like someone threw a switch. Well, lets get physical! Lets get violent! I’ve seen mosh before, but at gigs like Wolfmother etc the security dudes damp it right down pretty quick as they can and get rid of the nasty -usually drunk- boofheads that can ruin it for others. Well, this was an under-18 event and these guys were not drunk. I’d guess they were on caffeine or red cordial because they moved around very fast. ‘Frenzied’ fits here. So does ‘disturbed’.

I don’t think it can last. Yeah, I know, “alert the fun police”… but who’s insurance company was covering this? If my 15 something year old was in there at risk from the stage diving and human dodgem cars etc I’d be concerned. [ I didn't include a ref to girls just then because this mosh stuff is a wannabe alpha male thing apparently. A smaller percentage of the audience were female. They were there waving their arms around but unable to see much to the front and sensibly staying out of the way of the running-jumping-shoving rumble in the center which looked like a gang fight with a soundtrack].

It may be a Jamison thing. The band’s singer encouraged “this weird thing you do down here” and launched in another set of lyrics. Thats being kind btw. The rock star wannabe also felt it a necessary part of the thrash scene to fill the breaks with very very crude/off jokes about oral sex with babies (3 or 4 jokes on the subject) and one other obligatory joke about sex during menstruation.

The main act had about 1 metre of space between themselves and The Front Squashees at the front of the audience. By the time this photo was taken the energy level had died off a tad (!) and the worst of the boofheads-on-cordial were most probably worn out. In this pic you can’t see The Front Squashees, but they’re down there.

I was surprised to see Jon give a reply to the original post. Here it is here...

So… I missed all of this as I was away for a few days. This was forwarded to me by a friend. I wouldn’t normally reply to this sort of a thread and I’m not even sure that anyone else cares anymore or at all, but here’s some facts:
“Carzee” actually came up to us after the show and gave us some positive feedback, right to our faces. Very little negative comments were made by him, none about us in particular, there was some mention of the crazy pit… we assumed this guy hadn’t been to too many punk or hardcore punk shows. So… I think in light of this, I think his views expressed here are a little strange.
I also find that his internet barrage is a little ignorant and ill-informed. There really isn’t much else that upsets me more than gutter journalism or keyboard ninjas that use the internet to spread pure rubbish.
As the vocalist in 4 dead, I know for a fact that I said one joke that may not have been in the best taste but in no way was it sexist, in fact it had nothing to do with sex what so ever. The Jokes which offended him, said by kids in the crowd, also offended me a little too. I also didn’t think that they were the most appropriate due to the age of the kids at the gig etc. But it’s their call.
On Rockstardom: This is a personal attack. Not one person attacked your character as a 40+ year old Male with a camera at a show where the average age of those who attended would’ve been 16 IF that. You clearly have no idea about DIY / Punk ethics held dear to bands like ourselves. That established, I think you have also forgotten what it’s like to be an angry young man living in Australia. Maybe you should give both the kids that are part of this more credit, particularly the womyn! I believe you have once again mis-represented both myself as well as 4 dead by stating that we encouraged the alpha male behaviour, as you put it. The thing that strikes me is by commenting about what was going on in the audience, I was suggesting that people may use the space a little differently, prompting the kids to approach the stage and close down the area being used for circle pits etc.
As far as legal matters are concerned, you’ve missed the point. These people don’t want to sit in a chair at the sydney football stadium or wherever. They don’t want barriers. They, as minors, certainly don’t want to be dragged outside of a gig they’ve payed $20 for and kicked til they bleed from a bouncer. They don’t want to be told what to do… how many weeks of a paper run, or how many pizzas delivered, burgers made is that for a kid? Punk has always been about accessing music and being involved. Musicians aren’t looking to be put on a pedestal here, they’re just angry kids being boxed in by a plethora of social pressures (as are the people who come to shows). It’s supposed to be about taking all the shit things out of music and music industry. It’s about “F*ck you! I don’t want your war, or your beer or your overpriced ticketmaster or your platinum club tickets. F*ck Big Day Out. F*ck Wolfmother and F*CK YOU! If your into it, I’m NOT.” I emphasise the word “supposed”.
On top of that, do you think when Iggy Pop was busy pissing blood onto people and breaking ribs that people were thinking “Öh dear, what a liability!”. Or how would Jimmy Hendrix have set his guitar on fire if he was thinking about public liability? Due to people like yourself, with these opinions, characters like Ray Ahn from the Hard Ons can’t breathe fire on stage anymore. I don’t wanna see the day when gigs become predictable.
By a book, read up. This is how it should be. No rules. No bouncers. No Rockstars. No authority figures. A great leveller.
For someone who seems very unsure about the legalities of these shows, I sure hope you had written permission from the correct people to be photographing minors. You wanna be careful with that stuff.
Stick to Jazz.
Jon Dangerous

I left everything as is, but one of the final points sticks out to me.

This is how it should be. No rules. No bouncers. No Rockstars.

The Jamo was a great venue while it lasted. Now it stands, fenced off, burnt down, waiting for something to happen which seems as if it will never come.

I will probably post up the 4 Dead interview next week.

Guess who's back

4 Dead return to the action at Bar 32 last night. Photo by JHat

So it's been a while since the last time 4 Dead played. The last show they played was supporting the French doom band Monarch. The fact that Monarch have toured again between 4 Dead experiences means it's been a really long time. I don't think I'd seen them since their show with Ruiner, which was back at the end of 2008. To say the least, I was reasonably excited.

I arrived just shortly before Boonhorse began. At Bar 32, to go to the bathroom, you basically need to walk through where the band is playing, so I got in before things started off. Boonhorse struck their first chords while I was in there, it seemed as if the room started to shake. I had to navigate my way around the band to get back out. I don't really know much about this band, I think this was the first time I've ever seen them, but from my vantage point at the back, I could actually barely see the band at all. The place was absolutely packed. It is just a small bar, but it was completely full, with very little space to walk around.

Next up were Hoodlum Shouts, probably the complete opposite from 4 Dead. I think this was one of the most brilliant aspects of the show, it wasn't just a bunch of hardcore bands, it was a very mixed bill. I was a bit closer to the front this time, they played a good set. Plenty of people were down the front. Hoodlum Shouts are one of the best rock bands to come through Canberra in a long, long time. The last time I saw them I said they were somewhere between At The Drive In and Redgum, I'm going to stick with that one.

So 4 Dead were about to start, I was looking around, so many familiar faces. I think this was the best part of the show. Seeing the band 5 or 6 years ago, the crowd wouldn't really have been that different, however the band has had a multitude of lineup changes in more recent times.

The traditional beginning of a wall of feedback came from Shane's guitar, Jon came out and told everybody it was nice to be back, "let's get silly" he said. Then he went to scream into the microphone, it wasn't turned on. That was a bit of a false start, but things were underway soon after, then things got wild.

The set was mainly new stuff, but every so often, the band would drop in an older track, and those times, the crowd went even wilder. One thing that was also noticeable was that down the front, it was boys only. Everyone has their own wild 4 Dead story, I think there were plenty of people standing well back.

The new songs seem to have a bit more flat out rock influence, there was some sections that made me think of Motorhead. Even though they had never heard this songs, people were going crazy for every song. Bodies were flying everywhere, people were getting smashed in the face, but everyone seemed to wear a stupid grin on their face. I had the same grin, it was so great to see the might 4 Dead back in action.

I woke up this morning, it felt as if I had been beaten by a gang of thieves. I couldn't feel better, 4 Dead are back in action. By the way, I did an interview with Jon, it will be in the next issue of Capital Eyes (no. 8), it should be out by the time they play with Graf Orlock and Dangers at Bar 32. Thankfully it's not going to be a couple of years waiting for the next show, just a couple of weeks.

Ruiner, Hopeless, I Exist @ Bar 32- April 20, 2009

So last night I went to see some bands. Ruiner were originally going to play Canberra on their tour, then it fell through, then they were going to add a show at somebody's house, that fell through too. Then Bar 32 came up with the goods.

Yet another venue is out of action, The Warehouse in Fyshwick didn't last long at all. I wish someone with some big money would buy up all the empty shops in Civic and turn them into venues. There's a lot of room for it to happen now.

If I was rich the old Impact Records (later JB), the recently closed Dick Smith, Cafe Macchiato/Bourbon Bar and The Akuna Club would all be "happening" places. Places where bands can play, all people welcome, etc. For now they lie empty. An ugly opening to a visitor's Canberra experience. These are all on main corners, they shouldn't be empty shops.

Unfortunately. I am not at all rich, far from it as a matter of fact. One day I'm going to do a zine about all the venues that have popped up in Canberra and then disappeared soon after. Even since I've lived in Canberra I've seen the rise and fall of Ground Floor, Green Room, Sound Underground, Jamison Inn and a few more. There'll be plenty of material for that one.

Ok, back to the show. It was only ten bucks to see an international band, Hopeless from Melbourne, and I Exist, who are becoming bigger than God these days.

We got there just a few minutes before I Exist started, got a good position at the edge of the bar, something to lean on. Unfortunately the sound levels for I Exist were way off, they were turned up to loud, the sound was not clear at all. They were pretty good still. New guitar player Josh (Pod People, Bloodduster) brought his metal element to the fore, throwing a few horns for good measure.

They played some new tracks, things are sounding a lot more metal these days. They are no longer this metal influenced hardcore band, they are really just a metal band. They are a band that is going to go far, they've gone a long way already in such a short time.

Hopeless were up next. They played a bit of a mix of old and new stuff. I only know the songs off "Dear World", which is a great album. They played a fair few songs off that to a fairly unreceptive audience. The audience was mainly people with arms folded, maybe a brief head nod every now and then. It probably reminded Hopeless of their hometown, Melbourne.

This was really a show I expected people to be going pretty crazy at, but it was fairly quiet all night. I don't know if it was because it was a Tuesday night, can't go to hard on a school night, or an unfamiliarity with the bands, but each band had a much better reception the last time I saw them in Canberra.

Ruiner took a while to kick off, but it was still before 10pm when they started. Once again, I only knew one album (What Could Possibly Go Right?), but they played a lot of songs off that. There were only 3 or 4 people who were really getting into, that was the biggest surprise to me. Ruiner are a band that is conducive to mic grabs and pile-ons, that kind of thing, but it really just wasn't happening. However the few people really getting into probably would have made it worthwhile for the band.

At one stage I jumped from the flashing light dancefloor, onto Jake (I Exist)'s back and got to have the mic grab. That was pretty sweet. Probably the highlight of the night.

So many people have told me the new Ruiner is subpar, but the new stuff they played seemed just as good as the rest of their songs. It wasn't as good for me, as I didn't know it. I wish I hadn't bothered listening to the knockers, and actually had a listen for myself. However it's too late for that now.

I did a good deal, I swapped a bunch of zines to the guys from Hopeless for a t-shirt. You can grab a copy at their Sydney shows in the next couple of days. I also did an interview with Rob and later went to Transit and did an interview with Jon Dangerous of the mighty 4 Dead.

I had a good chat there with Jon, another bloke Gav, his brother used to be in Lawnsmell, it was a great night all round for me. I also picked up "And The Boat Sails On" a little magazine about the last Ruiner tour with Break Even. I'll go more into that in another post.