Monday, October 26, 2009

You Can't Go Home Again

It's nearing the end of the year.
Which is when in television you get an extended [unpaid] holiday.
I'm thinking I might take this opportunity to have a crazy big adventure.
And in order to get the whole planning process flowing I thought I'd track it musically.

I might start here:

And then go here for some fun party-times:
Before heading North of the Boarder for some further inspiration:

And even though Randy Newman warns against it -
I have to agree with Ryan Adams, I Love New York.
So I'll have to also go there....

Just Passing Through


Months ago I was talking about the Live Local project that the folks at Digital Eskimo have launched.

Basically it's about the idea of shifting your focus, reconsidering how you live and the impact it has on the environment and the world around you more generally...

Well I finally finished my documentary for Radio National about it. It's available online for a month here. Or you can tune in to RN this coming Wednesday at 1pm EST to hear it repeated.

Summer Band Camp

Here are the highlights from Parklife 2009 that I was mentioning before... more to come soon.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Nobody Lost, Nobody Found

Here's a little bit of on-stage action that EROL ALKAN shared on twitter, from Radelaide Parklife...

There are a bunch of pretty incredible tours on the horizon, but right now I’m still recovering from the brilliance and crazy fun-times that was Parklife. I had the immense fun of interviewing the lion’s share of artists on the bill, the fruits from which’ll be on the internetz shortly. But in the meantime, here are some things I learnt this weekend and some gems that made me LOL.

TIGA doesn't have facebook and generally prefers to communicate via fax[!] He also loves talking. His favourite thing is having a captive audience. Apparently buses are best. But planes are pretty good too....

There was a hilarious moment when I was interviewing Tiga and Jesse from MSTRKFT interrupted. They proceeded to have a random conversation, within which Tiga asked when was the precise moment MSTRKRFT decided to drop the vowels from their name – and said he was thinking of calling himself TG. Around that time BUSY P and A-TRAK decided to crash the party and the whole thing became a fascinating group interview session. Tiga revealed that Funky Town is one of his favourite songs. And that Michael Hutchence is his favourite Australian artists. A-trak gave props to Bag Raiders and Busy P said he liked Midnight Juggernauts and Wolfmother. When Pedro said their names it was more like ‘idnigh yuggernaut’ and ‘oolfmother’ – which just made the whole thing even funnier and more charming...

METRONOMY didn’t consider the side-effects when they developed their current on-stage outfits kitted with lights. They’ve had to deal with some serious moth-action. They’re also getting tired, and are thinking that the next album should be slow ballads, so they can sit down and sing.

Jeremy from JUNIOR BOYS likes Steely Dan. So listen out for those influences in their next album, they’re going back into the studio shortly.

The English folks on the tour were all into soccer [football!] and pretty much all of the Europeans wore boat shoes /loafers.

A-TRAK was deeply touched by his experience of working with HEAPS DECENT – so watch out for expansions on that front. He was also cheekily challenging everyone to go on the big ride – the one that looks like a ball that drops from really high? He asked Pedro [Busy P] and Tiga but then said they were scared. In the end Stephen from Aeroplane went with him.

Finally, what’s with music dudes who wear white trainers – even though it was hella muddy? After the show before heading out to party a couple of folks had to make a pit stops at the hotel to restore the white, and carry spare laces cause that’s the part that’s hardest to clean, but easiest to replace.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Feel It All Around

Washed Out is pretty much my favourite band of the minute. Although I'm not 100% sure that it's a band band so to speak. I think it's pretty much the project of one dude in his bedroom.

The story goes that it's a project for a dude from Georgia called Ernest Greene. He spent a couple of months in his bedroom making dreamy sounds - which are on his debut EP Life of Leisure. You can read more about him and the making of the record here.

This is an un-official video of Feel It All Around, all gorgeous sepia tones and late afternoon summertime fun.

FEEL IT ALL AROUND from Northern Lights on Vimeo.