Drone Magazine

Long time No Speak

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:38:00 +0000

To be perfectly, genuinely honest, 2010 has kinda sucked so far. Sucked most of the ambition, motivation and energy out of me. I think these sorts of episodes are called 'learning experiences' -- I've been hit hard with arse-kicking learning experience after arse-kicking learning experience over the last four or five months.

It all culminated about two months ago when I unexpectedly lost my full-time job. One minute I was securely employed, the next I was flat broke with no source of income in sight. It was by far the shittiest situation I've ever been in. The last two months have been spent scrambling together enough money to cover expenses (the c*nt of an employer I worked for didn't even pay wages for the last three weeks my coworkers and I worked, let alone severance pay), joining the dole queue and job hunting. It's disappointing to be thrown into such chaos -- I've spent eight years forging some kind of career as a writer and editor, including undergraduate and postgraduate study, awful entry level positions and slowly climbing the so-called ladder to a position of slight autonomy. To lose control of that was anxiety-inducing, confusing, heartbreaking.

Through all of it I was thinking about this space. Part of me thought of it as the perfect opportunity to throw myself back into it. The other part couldn't even fathom the idea of listening to music -- writing about it was completely out of the question. I feel guilty for letting Drone fade into online obscurity, and I am hoping to pour more energy into the site now that things have calmed down (I have a job! An income! A career!). To be perfectly, genuinely honest though, I have a few other commitments pulling at the corners of my life right now: In a few weeks I'm going back to study, as well as working full-time. Drone will likely change a little bit -- to reflect the time constraints and my new academic pursuits. I see a strong connection between what I will be studying (history and philosophy) and the focus of this blog.

We'll talk soon -- I promise.

Beth

NEW AUTOLUX ALBUM

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 24 May 2010 23:29:00 +0000

The long-awaited sophomore album from Autolux finally has a set in stone release date! Transit Transit will be launched August 2nd on ATP Recordings. The band have been collecting fans since the release of their faultless debut, Future Perfect, in 2004 -- many itching to hear new material.

Autolux has me completely hooked. Their crisp, bipolar, futurist ambience never gets tired. Future Perfect has had more spins on the player than I could begin to admit to. The leaked track from the new release, 'Audience No. 2,' is constantly rotating in my head. Check out the press release from ATP Recordings here for more information. I'll be marking the release date in my diary.

IOWA 7" LAUNCH; THE BLACK RYDER MELBOURNE SHOW; MISC

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 24 May 2010 07:47:00 +0000

Hey there. It's been a while, hasn't it? During my self-imposed sabbatical I've been laying pretty low. Haven't been listening to much music actually; a little bit of Neil Young, more Iggy Pop, a dash of The Velvet Underground. I've been getting some affairs in order -- namely my impending trip to New York in August/September. Flights are booked, accommodation almost organised. Only a few months and I'll be seeing Iggy in the flesh.

This Friday I will most likely be attending this:

Local act Iowa are launching their rad-looking Green 7" at the Workers Club with some equally cool supports, Skull Squadron and Quiet The Few.

Iowa's music reminds me of late-80s proto-grunge; there's a thick seedy air permeating through each track. Take a listen for yourself here.

Saturday night, The Black Ryder are returning to Melbourne, playing a show at the Ding Dong Lounge with Three Month Sunset and Dreaming of Ghosts. Three of my favourite Australian acts -- what a lineup!

REVIEW: AUSTIN PSYCH FEST 3

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Sun, 02 May 2010 08:39:00 +0000

by Bret Zausmer.

My ears have finally stopped ringing from Austin Psych Fest 3 this past weekend, and I wanted to share a little bit about it with y'all. Quick background - I am a 25 year old kid from Austin and have attended all three APFs. I have seen The Black Angels play down here for five years running and I've been a 13th Floor Elevators fan much longer than that. Lastly, I am not a writer nor was I sober for the festival, so please lower your expectations for this article immediately.

I was absolutely blown away by the turnout this year. Each day hundreds of people packed into Mohawk's two stages and upstairs patio to hear the tunes and drink some Lonestar. The crowd was really young too - further proof that psych rock is making a big comeback without the help of our nation's burnt out hippies.

Friday
The Black Angels' Christian Bland kicked off the festival with his side project, Christian Bland & The Revelators. Paranoid vocals and guitar riffs combined with fuzzy, droning reverb to create music that could've easily headlined a 1967 show at the Vulcan Gas Company. Their debut album will tentatively be released this summer - it cant come soon enough.

Afterwards, we immediately went outside to see the show stealers of the weekend, Warpaint. These beautiful women hypnotized the entire crowd and jammed out for a LONG time. I heard people talking about them for the rest of the weekend. I can't wait to see them again and ask one out to a nice dinner.

The Raveonettes were the last act on the main stage, and they can't seem to catch a break in Austin. They missed the Austin City Limits Festival last year cause of some visa problems, and then showed up minus two members for APF3. The goddamn unpronounceable European volcano was to blame. They still sounded pretty good, but I definitely felt we were missing out on the entire experience. I hope they'll come back soon.

Saturday
My day started off a little late with Telepathik Friend at 4:30pm. This group has a lot of potential and I look forward to following their progress. They are pretty raw right now, but their style is similar to The Psychic Ills.

Smoke & Feathers, and Headdress rocked the outside stage after Telepathik. I proceeded to blackout/time travel and find myself front and centre for Spindrift at 10pm. They amped up the massive crowd with their western showdown-style ballads and served as the perfect segue to The Black Angels.

That night we got to hear all ten songs from The Angels' new album Phosphene Dream, expected in July. I am an obviously biased Austinite, but I can't seem to find a better live music experience than The Black Angels. The new tracks sound amazing and seem to follow their unique formula - a nice mix of tribal, euphoric tunes like 'Entrance Song' and 'Yellow Elevator,' as well as the dark and dreary 'Haunting at 1300' and 'River of Blood.'

After the ten songs were done, we heard an encore which included 'You On The Run,' 'Black Grease,' and 'Science Killer.' Lead singer Alex Maas ended the show by mentioning the festival was a "dream come true." The crowd stuck around begging for another encore as I ran over to catch some of The Vandelles. They were great as always and my posse and I were off to 6th Street.

Sunday
Nursed the hangover with more beer while others took part in a crawfish boil. The Black Angels played a drone session for their second set at 7pm. We were treated to extended, droned out versions of 'Empire' and 'Surf City,' among others. For this set I brought my Nikon along and you can see some snaps I got here.

The Warlocks were up next and played a very solid set. 'Red Camera,' 'So Paranoid,' and 'Song for Nico' are absolute classics and we were lucky enough to hear all three. They mentioned how much fun they have coming to Austin, and I hope it stays that way. Immediately after The Warlocks, my liver failed and I was legally deaf; it was time to call the weekend to a close. I wish I could have heard every single band kind enough to travel down to Austin, but I'm sure they will all come back soon.

Psych Fest has grown exponentially these past three years and I can't wait to see what our hosts, The Reverberation Appreciation Society and The Black Angels, have in store next year. To everyone who wanted to come down but couldn't, I hope I offered a taste of how much fun everyone had. We'd love to have you in Austin for APF4 - if not before.

Thank you to Bret for generously sharing his images and insight on the weekend's events.

UNTITLED

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Things are changing in my life. Maybe it's the mid-twenties crisis hitting home. It feels more like emancipation though.

I rid myself of practically all of my online presence apart from this space; I think it's called simplifying.

All I can listen to are Iggy Pop and Neil Young. Today I threw on some live Doors compilations for good measure. I've been writing about Abbie Hoffman and the '60s counterculture - so far I'm about 6000 words in - about 4500 of them unusable. I've had three epiphanies whilst putting my thoughts together.

So, what's next for this space?

Something is brewing... I'm just waiting for it to emanate. Stay tuned.

BK

STILL KICKING... (JUST PAUSING)

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 07:02:00 +0000

It's been a little quiet on the Drone page this week. I've been hibernating, really; formulating ideas for mammoth written pieces and drowning myself in literature (Brion Gysin's The Process has reappeared).

This weekend I'm going to get my arse into gear and finally sort out the next issue of the magazine.

Meanwhile, I'm on the diversification bandwagon - if any of you out there have some awesome writing projects you want a meek and moderately talented wordsmith to contribute to somehow, hook me up!

Cheerio,
BK

LIVE: AUSTIN PSYCH FEST, APRIL 23-25

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:04:00 +0000

By Beth Keating.

The reason I haven't written anything about the Austin Psych Fest line-up announcements, is because I really didn't think it was neccessary. Really, it's just relaying information I'm sure you're all already aware of.

Still. I just found out the tickets to this event are only $45. For three days. And for the opportunity to see bands like The Raveonettes, The Black Angels, Spindrift, The Meek, Golden Animals, The Vandelles and The Night Beats.

Visit the (incredible) website for more information.

VIVID LIVE: EVENTS

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:38:00 +0000

BORIS

Beautiful drone-makers, Boris are heading out to Australia as part of the Lou Reed-Laurie Anderson curated Vivid Live festival.

Taking place at The Studio, at The Sydney Opera House on May 28, tickets are only $35.

Last year's soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch's film, The Limits of Control was a stand out release for the year, and amongst their prolifically released catalogue, Pink stands as an absolute melodic-drone opus. These guys will be incredible to see perform live.

LOU REED AND METAL MACHINE TRIO

Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music was famously labelled the one of the most unlistenable records ever made by Rolling Stone, and the greatest album ever recorded by Lester Bangs. Its release in 1975 alienated fans who'd latched onto his swaggering rock and roll persona on albums such as Transformer and Berlin. Basically a double album of sped up and slowed down feedback, the record was reviled by most, and passed off as a joke by others. Some thirty years later, the record has proved itself to be a seminal proto-noise piece, paving the way for genres such as industrial, metal and punk rock.

As part of his curation of the Vivid Live festival, Lou Reed will be performing as part of the Metal Machine Trio for one night only at the Opera Theatre in the Opera House, on May 30. Rather than a straight rendition of the controversial, if not seminal, album, Reed and company will be performing an inspired-by set, which takes influence from the thirty year old album. There will be no vocals, and no songs. Reed will take on the duties of guitar and electronics, while cohort Ulrich Kreiger (avant-garde composer) will perform tenor saxophone and live electronics. Completing the trio is Berlin-based electronic artist, Sarah Calhoun, processing and looping and experimenting with a continuum fingerboard.

More information, including tickets, is available at the Vivid Live website.

WIN! A COPY OF APTEKA 'TRAITORS' 7"

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:13:00 +0000

By Beth Keating.

NOTE: This competition has now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry.

Chicago-based band Apteka are doing pretty well for themselves. They're joining Serena Maneesh tomorrow night at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago (that's March 31 - hemispherean [real word?] time differences confuse me). And their song, Traitors, recently graced an episode of world-wide TV hit, CSI Miami. Good work, guys!

They recently released a divine-looking 7" of the track, and were generous enough to share a copy with Drone Magazine, which we're passing onto you! Want to win a copy (I'll even fork for postage and everything - regardless of where you're positioned in the world. That's how much I like you and Apteka)? Send an email to editor[at]dronemagazine.com, with APTEKA 7" COMP in the subject line, or something thereabouts.

Meanwhile, if you haven't already, seriously check these guys out.

NEW: THE PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS OF SONIC CATHEDRAL

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:56:00 +0000

Have you heard about the Roky Erickson tribute album, being released by Sonic Cathedral yet? There are some pretty super contributors lending their talents and takes on the seminal psychedelic stalwart.

The tracklist goes something like this:

1. Roller Coaster - Roky Erickson & The Black Angels
2. Reverberation (Doubt) - The Strange Attractors
3. Don't Fall Down - All The Saints
4. Tried To Hide - A Place To Bury Strangers
5. Kingdom Of Heaven - Dead Meadow
6. She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own) - Darker My Love
7. Splash 1 (Now I'm Home) - Sarabeth Tucek
8. Fire Engine - Lower Heaven
9. Dr Doom - Hush Arbors
10. You Don't Love Me Yet - Cheval Sombre
11. I Love The Living You - Le Volume Courbe
12. Unforced Peace - Black Acid
13. Goodbye Sweet Dreams - I Break Horses

And track 10 features very special guest, Sonic Boom. And track 11, again, features very special guest, Kevin Shields.

The Psychedelic Sounds of Sonic Cathedral is set to be released on June 7.

REVIEW: BRMC-BEAT THE DEVIL'S TATTOO

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:15:00 +0000

By Beth Keating.

I read a really shitty review of the new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club album, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo today. Actually, I read more than one shitty review, but this one absolutely took the cake. And I’m not referring to the writer’s disdainful opinion of the album – I’m talking about construction, approach and content. I’ve been listening to Beat the Devil’s Tattoo for the last few days, trying to sum up articulated opinions that extend further than “I like it. Lots.” After reading the majority of what’s on offer, in terms of criticism, I’m even more compelled to get this piece right.

So, where to begin?

How about somewhere right after four consecutive listens? That’s in one morning, to be crystal. I think in total, over the last two days I’ve listened to Beat the Devil’s Tattoo about fifteen times in full. And those articulated opinions are still not making themselves evident. From the gritty, gangrene rock assaults, to the soft and beautiful ballads, it’s hard to pick a fault with BRMC’s latest offering. Simmering throughout each track is an intense and infectious energy that becomes more addictive on each subsequent listen.

It’s not as if Beat the Devil’s Tattoo is a complete 180 in terms of style or approach. Rather, it’s almost as if the band have chosen introspect over external influence, pulling elements from their previous incarnations seen on prior releases. ‘Mama Taught Me Better’ draws on the distorted, panic-inducing bass we became familiar with through B.R.M.C and Take Them On, On Your Own. ‘Sweet Feeling’ and ‘The Toll’ sweep across you like the gentle folk-influenced balladry introduced on Howl. And, the title track invigorates with subtle instrumentation and thundering percussion, recalling the absolute highlight of 2007s Baby 81.

The album's name is in reference to a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, The Devil in the Belfry, a darkly satirical tale about a devil who comes to a town, destroying it's traditions and stagnancy, and inciting change and creativity. While the band are cautious to amplify the extent of the piece on the entire album, there's something so apt about the connection and Beat the Devil's Tattoo. BRMC have always possessed an intriguing charm, enough to carry through albums which sometimes lack a cohesive consistency. With this latest release, the band has, externally, somewhat forcefully embraced change - through the departure of long-time drummer, Nick Jago, and the introduction of Leah Shapiro.

Much like Poe's storytelling, Beat the Devil's Tattoo builds a landscape which is layered, complex and darkly beautiful. There are moments where the darkness is pertinently obvious - sure to satisfy fans lusting after the band's signature distorted psychedelia. The best bits of Peter Hayes' and Robert Levon Been's balladry are also present, and can't be overlooked. 'Sweet Feeling' is one of those haunting musical pieces, where a true sense of isolation, desperation and lust are conveyed perfectly through stark instrumentation.

The best thing about Beat the Devil's Tattoo is its accessibility. This isn't a harder-edged album, nor is it strictly a stripped back blues-based escapade. The thirteen tracks never drag, refusing to outstay their welcome. There's something wonderfully wrenching about each song - something that makes you move your feet unconsciously, or pause for a moment and just listen.

Beat the Devil's Tattoo is an impressive accomplishment, and a pleasure to play, over and over and over... and over.

REVIEW: THE LAURELS @ DING DONG LOUNGE, 13.03.10

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:46:00 +0000

by Sara Brocklesby.

Sydney psych artisans The Laurels are pretty kind to Melburnians; they generously tour here on a fairly regular basis. That said, ungrateful me has missed their last few shows. So curiosity and not just a little anticipation took me down to Ding Dong on Saturday night. I caught the last few bursts from The Ovals, which I either really dug (moments of shattered, bendy drone) or struggled with (a bit dully referential).

By the time The Laurels began tuning up onstage the crowd were pretty eager to claim a happy vantage point and it was obvious that most quietly adore the band. Within the first half of the first song, we all felt our mushy feelings were justified - The Laurels are just so developed as a band, and their songs are so highly crafted. There is a lot of love for what they do in their music - sweetly timed changes or pauses; really thoughtful bass lines from Conor that lock in with Kate's fluid drumming to provide a solid framework for Luke and Piers' dirty and soaring guitars. The Laurels have a talent for combining pop melody with drone in a way that lifts their songs without straying anywhere near twee.

It feels like The Laurels are sinking more emotion into their songs, which suits them really well. Psychedelic music can be full of fun, but I really like it when it's got an air of poignancy about it. Coincidentally, that day I'd been to see ACMI's exhibition Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood. I couldn't help but think of his nightmare-tinged images of decrepit LA streets hearing some of The Laurels sadder tunes.

Their first album is due out this year and given the hard work they put into all things Laurels we can expect an Australian psychedelic rite of passage.

So hurry up world and make The Laurels famous, not in the least so that they no longer have to contend with sound that lets them down - for most of the first half of their set you couldn't hear the bass, making it pretty hard for the band to really lock together. Their frustration was pretty evident, as was ours. But hey, together we can dream of the day such things are but a distant memory.

WIN! DOUBLE PASS TO EARTH HOUR UNPLUGGED @ MELBOURNE ZOO

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:33:00 +0000

Tim Rogers, Wagons and the Blackchords will be playing a special show on March 27, at Melbourne Zoo to celebrate Earth Hour. We have a double pass to giveaway!

As per usual, send an email to editor(at)dronemagazine.com with 'Earth Hour Unplugged Competition' in the subject line. Too easy!

Entries close on Thursday, March 18.

Find out more about the gig here.

MEET: STRANGERS FAMILY BAND

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:47:00 +0000

Meet Strangers Family Band. From the swampy mirths of Orlando, Florida, the band released their self-titled E.P last year, which completely caught my ears. To listen for yourself, head here to download to entire release.

Describe Strangers Family Band's sound.
We’d rather you describe our sound, but some of our favorite albums include West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band Vol. 3, The Kinks Village Green Preservation Society, The Beatles Sgt Peppers, Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request.

Where did you guys start? Tell us about where you've come since the early days.
When we first started playing together, we were experimenting more with a wall-of-sound approach to songwriting. At one point we had three distorted guitars, bass, distorted keys, vocals reverb-ed out, two tambourines—one had to pick out the song behind all the sound. We’ve moved away from that in the last year or so, allowing room for the nuance of every instrument and enabling for arrangements that we weren’t able to incorporate previously in a live situation. Instead of three guitars blaring over one another, now you’ll hear a ukulele or sitar keeping rhythm or lead. We’ve been experimenting with horns a lot too. It has been fun trying to incorporate instruments that aren’t common in Western music into our sound.

Last year you released the EP. How did it come together?
In one night - during an LSD-induced recording session - we wrote almost all the songs on the EP. We recorded everything we played that night, but spent the next few months sifting through the recordings trying to make sense of it all. There were hours of material and much was nonsense, but we knew we had tapped into something strange and wanted to use it. After ruminating on the results, we recorded a handful of the songs a few months later in our home (we do all recording and mixing ourselves in our own home). We also got a lot of local musicians to play on it—horns, accordion, theremin. It became a communal experience.

How has offering the E.P as a free download on your Myspace page worked out?
Because we record everything ourselves, the cost to put out our music has been minimal. Since we started giving our music away for free last August, we’ve had around 2,000 people download our E.P, many of which have come from people overseas. All we want to do is spread our sound and giving it away free has enabled us a much greater audience.

The Strangers Family Band is, admittedly, my first introduction to psychedelic music hailing from Orlando, Florida. What's the music scene like there?
There isn’t much of a centralised psychedelic scene anywhere as far as I can tell - maybe Austin or LA - certainly not in Orlando though. From a national scale, it’s a little more cohesive however and we have built some close friendships with bands like The Runaway Suns (NY) and The Black Hollies (NJ). I think our distance from any local psychedelic community has influenced our sound by making us more introverted and weird. It’s also the reason we tour so much. The inability to get comfortable in our hometown encourages us to always take our music on the road. In an exception however, Orlando has introduced us to one of the best psychedelic bands in the country that no one will ever hear - The Future on Films In Space.

What's on the horizon for the band?
We’ll be touring extensively the first half of 2010, including some dates at SXSW, after which we will be working on finishing our full-length album. We have been working on the full-length for two years now and it will be a 15-17 track concept album. We're also working on a new E.P which should be available soon, it's called Oh Satanic Surf.

The Strangers Family Band have the following live dates coming up:
March 17 - SXSW: DayBow/bow/No Words Showcase, Ghost Room, Austin TX
March 17 - SXSW: Cheers on 6th, Austin TX
March 19 - SXSW: Paisley Umbrella Showcase, Sonny's Vintage, Austin TX
March 19 - SXSW: Leisure Tourniquet Equinox Mish Mash Showcase, Rosewood Rec Centre, Austin TX
March 19 - SXSW: Optical Sounds Showcase, Spiderhouse Cafe, Austin TX
March 20 - SXSW: Freddie Steady's 10th Annual Frontier A Go Go, Antones, Austin TX
March 20 - SXSW: DayBow/bow/No Words Showcase, Ghost Room, Austin TX
April 4 - Backbooth w/A Place To Bury Strangers, Orlando FL

LIVE: 'SCREEN WASHED' w. DEAD LEAF ECHO, NYC

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:47:00 +0000

Excuse the lack of ...words... in today's posts, I'm feeling a bit under the weather.

I just received note of an event happening in New York this weekend which sounds amazing.

A NYC Neo-Shoegaze Video Debut Night

Video Debuts by Emile from Serena Maneesh, Panda Riot, Screen Vinyl Image, The Sky Drops, Soundpool, If When, Elika, Pia Fraus, Tears Run Rings, Insect Guide, High Violets, The Fauns and more...

A sneak peak at our new video for "Half-Truth"

With Special Electronic Performances from Dead Leaf Echo and Resplendor

Spectacular Cocktails to "Blur" your senses served free with $6 admission

All ages, 21 and over to drink
Saturday, March 13th, 7-10pm

Vaudeville Park
26 Bushwick ave at Devoe, L train to Graham Ave
(www.vaudvillepark.com)

TEE PEE SHOWCASE @ SXSW

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:16:00 +0000

Who's going to SXSW this year?

Not me. Sadface.

The Tee Pee showcase, happening on March 18, will be interstellar.

Boo hoo.

WIN! DOUBLE PASS TO BETWEEN THE BAYS FESTIVAL

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:11:00 +0000

Drone has a double pass to the Between the Bays Festival, happening in Mornington (about an hour or so from Melbourne) on March 20.

Tex Perkins is headlining, along with other Aussie acts such as Lior, The Fauves, Angie Hart, Jordie Lane and Blackchords. The event will be hosted by Colin Lane - from Lano and Woodley fame. Fun!

All you have to do is send me an email (editor[at]dronemagazine.com) between now and Thursday night, with 'Between the Bays competition' in the subject line. I'll notify the lucky ducky in a couple of days.

LIVE: THE LAURELS - MELBOURNE SHOW

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:22:00 +0000

The Laurels are returning to Melbourne for one show at Ding Dong next Saturday, March 13. Joining them will be locals Cordyceps and The Ovals.

See you there.

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:43:00 +0000

Counter-culture fiends, neo-Yippiephiles, sixties' history freaks...

This event happening at Melbourne University on April 21 may pique your interest:

Abbie Hoffman: Myth, Memory and the History of the American 1960s

Abbie Hoffman was an American radical activist and cultural rebel best known for his role in the late 1960s as a leader of the Yippies, an anarcho-New Left group. Making sense of Hoffman's madcap, stoned adventures forces the academic historian to ponder the role of myth and the place of memory in the crafting of good history and a judicious biographical account.

More info can be found here.

FESTIVAL: VIVID LIVE @ SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:20:00 +0000

Umm, yes.

Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson curating.

Awesome.

REVIEW: THE POLYPHONIC SPREE @ THE FORUM, 27/02/10

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:13:00 +0000

By Beth Keating.

Before I begin delving into the awesome spectacular that was The Polyphonic Spree's set at the Forum Theature this past Saturday night, I want to get some essential preliminaries out of the way:

1. Besides being aware of the Spree's return to our shores, coinciding with their appearance at the recent Playground Weekender festival in northern New South Wales, I had no idea about the gig specifics of their Australian tour.
2. Upon entry to the Forum on Saturday night, my partner and I were directed to help ourselves to physical accoutrements which were laid out on a table. These aforementioned accoutrements included feathered head dresses, peacock encrusted masquerade masks, flashing wristbands and trilby hats. At first, I assumed these were part of the band's quirky and elaborate show antics, until I realised all of these fancy-dress accessories were branded with the words 'Southern' and 'Comfort'. Inside the venue, the branding was emblazoned across the room; 'SoCo Carnivale' snapshots slid over the stage, the bar advertised an impressive list of Southern Comfort beverages. It felt a little strange, but meh, no biggie. I can only imagine the cost involved in bringing a band the size of The Polyphonic Spree out all this way.
3. The support act, The New Orleans Bingo! Show, a generic and soulless melange of capable musicians doing incredibly boring performance art, incited earplug action on my behalf. Thank God for A Place To Bury Strangers' recent Melbourne gig or I would have had been forced to waste elements of my remaining hearing on an act I defiantly did not enjoy.

Sounds like I had an average evening, no? Actually, I left the venue feeling more uplifted, liberated and touched than I have been in a long time. In the space of the last four years, The Polyphonic Spree have somehow - with no bitterness or negativity intended - made their way to the back of my music library. As my musical tastebuds explored and evolved, they were one of those bands I unintentionally left behind. Fond memories exist of seeing them in 2005 (five years ago, people!), about two days after my grandmother had passed away. Their genuine joy and passion for sheer existence was a remarkably cathartic antidote to my grief at the time. After that show, I hugged everyone in sight. After I got home, Together We're Heavy took on the role of therapist, absorbing my negativity and gently throwing back hope and happiness. Ever since, I guess I've always associated the band with that particular role; an incredibly powerful force, both comforting and inspiring.

Saturday's show was an absolute force of joy. Apart from the uncontrollable - unstoppable - grin that plastered my face throughout the set, I caught glimpse of what had moved me so powerfully the first time around. While change is often lauded in rock and roll, The Polyphonic Spree clearly stick to what they do best. And, truly, why stop? Towards the middle of the set, beautifully kinetic frontman Tim DeLaughter echoed a crowd member's concern: "What's it all for?", he repeated over and over again. "That's what we're here to find out," he answered - summing up so succinctly the exact epicentre of The Polyphonic Spree's cause for existence. A Spree show is so much more than just a rock and roll gig; it's two and a half hours of catharsis, a celebration of how lucky we are to be alive - right now, to be standing together in this room. It's pure, present, momentary revelation.

Saturday's show at the Forum was one of those events that come together perfectly. Along with a grateful, elated band performing on stage, the sound was lucidly perfect. Not too loud (the earplugs were well and truly put away at this point), not distractingly distorted; just crystal clear. Tying it all together were the lights. Behind the band, projections played throughout the set. Each song was accompanied by visuals which added to the magic. And, of course, there was the venue itself: The Forum, with its high, jeweled ceilings and Greco-Roman influenced architecture.

Generously scattered throughout the set list were a series of impeccable covers. Wings' epic James Bond theme, 'Live and Let Die' and The Who's 'Pinball Wizard' were instantly recognisable, whilst utterly unique. The highlight of the evening, without a doubt, was a remarkably faithful rendition of one of the best tracks from the Stones' psychedelic opus, Their Satanic Majesties Request, 'She's A Rainbow'. The Polyphonic Spree is the one musical act in the world who has both the symphonic capability and Brian Jones-esque commitment to technicolour to recreate this gorgeously complex track.

The most remarkable thing about the Polyphonic Spree's show on Saturday night was how much deeper the sentiments of the band's music runs beyond the hopeful lyrics and snappy, hyper onstage activity. While some people are keen to label them as 'too happy', The Spree's energy never comes off as corny or fictitious. After Saturday night's enlightenment, I'll be certain to never let their music escape me again.

This review was first published for the AU Review.

Image taken by Chris Gray (thank you!)

REVIEW: UNDER GREAT WHITE NORTHERN LIGHTS

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:01:00 +0000

By Gerard Elson.

When Jack White talks about work ethic, you listen. The founder of no less than three bands (with nine studio albums between them), a niche record label, and the valiant upholder of a seemingly ceaseless international tour regime, the Detroit native has staked his claim as The Busiest Man in Rock since exploding onto the world stage in the company of his real-life-ex-wife-cum-stage-sister, Meg White, as the bluesy proto-punk two-piece, The White Stripes, over twelve years ago.

“Inspiration and work ethic ride right next to each other,” muses Jack, discussing the importance of constriction in the creative process in Under Great White Northern Lights. It’s with this ethos he and Meg approached their first-ever tour of Canada in 2007, performing not just in capital cities, but in some of the most remote and unusual locations they could arrange (A boat! A bowling alley! A bus! A kindergarten!) often literally at a moment’s notice. Opting for a (slightly) more illuminating glimpse into their tri-coloured world than their first documentary - Dick Carruthers’ unembellished 2004 concert film, Under Blackpool Lights - the Whites invited renowned music director Emmett Malloy and his attentive cameras along for their inaugural Canuck journey.

Having vowed “to go the whole hog,” the pair made good on their promise to perform in all thirteen Canadian provinces and territories. Malloy scatters searing live footage from these headline shows throughout, with fan favourites like the chaotically propulsive ‘Black Math’ and the band’s debut single, ‘Let’s Shake Hands,’ represented in full, while other Stripes staples - ‘Blue Orchid,’ ‘The Union Forever,’ ‘Fell In Love With a Girl’ and ‘Seven Nation Army,’ to name but a few - are showcased only in fraction. This isn’t a concert documentary per se, but rather a travelogue which happens to feature extended passages of live music performance by virtue of how its enigmatic subjects earn a crust. With his stylised, vérité camerawork reminiscent of D.A. Pennebaker’s quintessential Dylan document, Dont Look Back, Malloy keeps things visually interesting by switching between film stocks with unobtrusive fluidity, maintaining a near-invisible presence and allowing his striking captures of enraptured audiences and the uncanny Canadian landscape to speak - like the Whites - for themselves.

Not that you’ll find much in the way of from-the-horse’s-mouth elucidation here. What’s most revealing is the deep-seated fondness the two clearly share for one another, in spite of the distinctly singular, spot-lit and hyper-scrutinised circumstances under which they operate and their complicated personal history. From Jack’s playful ribbing of Meg’s infamous shyness (“Nobody can hear a goddamn thing you say!”), to the quite moving sight of a silent, misty-eyed Meg watching on as Jack takes to the ivories and noodles his way through a relaxed rendition of ‘White Moon,’ it’s obvious their connection - after what’s been a decade as of that very moment - is as real and elusive as the je ne sais quoi that’s kept them perennially at the vanguard of their game, much to the befuddlement of critics, with their continual cries of “How long can they keep this up?”

Whether you buy into the candy-cane play land they’ve constructed to bubble themselves from the public eye - the colour-coordinated outfits; the peppermint swirls; Jack’s good ol’ boy persona and the enduring brother-and-sister routine - there’s no denying there’s a genuine, childlike magic to The White Stripes that’s made them one of the most fascinating and artistically successful acts of the past ten years. Who else but Jack and Meg could possibly seem so at home when invited to sit down with a wizened council of Inuit elders who might never have heard an electric guitar in their lives? Sampling the local produce in the form of raw caribou and breaking the ice with a little Blind Willie McTell, the Whites - here, just as throughout the rest of Under Great White Northern Lights - give the marked impression they really may be capable of anything when playing outside of their comfort zone.

Under Great White Northern Lights releases in Australia on March 13, and is available as both a CD/DVD or vinyl/DVD bundle. A lavish deluxe edition box set can be ordered from the band's website.

DIRECTOR: Emmett Malloy
FEATURING: Jack White, Meg White
RATING: TBC
RUN TIME: 93 minutes

BRING MBV TO AUSTRALIA...

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:19:00 +0000

By Michael Hartt.

The wonderous power of Facebook has provided us with some of the biggest WTF? moments in recent memory (the return of Hey! Hey! It's Saturday, anyone?). But we think we've found one worthwhile group to join.

Bring My Bloody Valentine to Australia and New Zealand is a group that's been set up to try and get Kevin Shields and co to our shores to play some shows. Afterall, they've played everywhere else.

We suggest you join too.

DRONE MAGAZINE: ISSUE 02/10 PDF

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:11:00 +0000

The February 2010 online issue of Drone Magazine is ready and available for download. You have two viewing options:

1. Lower-resolution (smaller download, great for viewing online)

2. Higher resolution (larger download, perfect for printing out)

Enjoy!

TOMORROW...

editor@dronemagazine.com (Drone Magazine) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:43:00 +0000

We'll be releasing a very special online 'edition' of Drone Magazine, to coincide with the (super-mega-tectonically exciting) Brian Jonestown Massacre Australian tour. It will be available to download from the site in about 24 hours (that's some point on Friday, to clarify), and features interviews with Anton Newcombe, Ricky Maymi, The Demon Parade, Zond aaaand my muchos delayed review of the new BJM record, Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?

BIG, momentous, gargantuan thanks to Miss Farida Mathers for the epic cover shot.