I contributed to brisbanetimes.com.au here are some of my live review links:

Delphic played the Hi Fi bar in West End in March 2010: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/your-brisbane/delphic-20100326-r1cl.html

Massive Attack played the River Stage recently: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/music/massive-attack-20100324-qvhh.html

Up and coming Sydney skate-rat Jonothan Boulet caused commotion at his recent gig: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/your-brisbane/jonothan-boulet-20100315-q719.html

Summer Festival fun in February 2010: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/your-brisbane/gold-coast-good-vibrations-20100221-ona1.html

Posted: April 22nd, 2010 under FESTIVALS, LIVE GIGS, international.
Comments: none

Western star

The saying: ‘life’s a beach’ easily applies to Nick Warren DJ producer of one of the UK’s top progressive music acts – Way Out West. He’s lucky enough to have enjoyed longevity in a musical landscape which changes it’s allegiance like people change their hairstyles.

He’s probably best known for his early career-makings as tour-dj to the seminal trip-hopsters (from the early 90s) Massive Attack. He has since carved his niche as a producer/dj under the guise of Way Out West. Along with his buddy in producing Jody Wisternoff they are now enjoying their sixteenth year of success which he attributes to the nature of their relationship.

“We don’t see that much of each other outside of the studio, so we don’t sort of go to the pub together or have nights out together and wake up feeling like shit, so it works really well. We’ve lasted longer than most marriages, he laughs.

“People have asked me before if I’d like to work with someone else it’s kind of like asking me if I’d like to sleep with someone else if I was with my wife, you don’t do that do you? So no, I’m more than happy with Jody, so while it works well we’ll stay together. “

On the eve of their imminent tour to Australia (where they’ll play as headliners for the Future Music Festival) Warren is mindful that a resurgence in progressive – house and trance is well and truly underway and thinks it’s got everything to do with the fact they play their own music live but also the crowds are more discerning these days.

“I think it’s a Backlash to the whole minimal sound which appeared. I think people wanted some melodies, some bass-lines and some energy back into it without it being cheesy,” he concludes.

Currently reaping the rewards of their latest offering, We love Machine (Warren believes has been received really well and is reflected in sales) the duo have decided to get the whole album remixed which promises some surprises in itself.
“I think we’ve got something like 15 remixes coming out in either March or April, as well our track The Gift – Sony is re-releasing that I think in April so there is some new mixes, some new dub-step mixes, Logistics (producers) have done an amazing drum and bass remix.”

Warren eludes to more studio time once the European summer is behind them because there’s no point waiting another three years in his mind if you’re inspired right this minute.

“I think we’ll make some singles, which will take like two tracks and much less time to do, we’re going to do some movie stuff, I’ve got some best-ever solo material this year to release and, Jodie’s got some solo stuff coming out also.”

Returning to the opening statement ‘life’s a beach’ if you’re perplexed because Warren appears too busy to be relaxing beach side, fear not he’s found the best blend of both worlds.

He’s recently completed a deep-sea fishing expedition (his other love) at the base of Argentina (near Antarctica) but manages to combine this r and r with work, hardly hard work, a show in Buenos Aires on his way home and he’s not in any hurry to give up his current lifestyle.

“Music has been my career for so long, I think I’m a better dj now than I was ten years ago.

“So while I’m still enjoying, while I think I’m on top of my game, I’ll keep going. I think that’s when I realise that my interest is waning that I’ll stop but I still love it at the moment.”

Way out West play Future Music dates throughout March visit: www.futureentertainment.com.au for details.

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 15th, 2010 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: 2

No offence intended

Dan Coop and his best friend James Rushent are two stalwart members to five piece British electro-rock outfit Does it Offend You, Yeah?  They found their beginnings uploading bedroom produced songs, from their Reading home, via Myspace. The group whose name was borne from scribbling on the table after being signed to their current label, never even contemplated the idea of being successful and playing as part of a band seemed, distant.

“We just thought we were a couple of guys messing around when we got signed we wrote that on the studio table saying we could go anywhere from this, we could become really famous or we could fade into obscurity or we could be doing what we’re doing now, we could hover somewhere in the top middle echelons – playing festivals. We’re not exactly headlining yet, but hopefully we’ll sort of step up,” says Coop from his base in London.

And step it up they have. They’ve been chosen not only to play as part of the Future Music Festival line-up but they’re well chuffed with their choice to support other main headliners – The Prodigy on their round of sideshows nationally.

“James did some production on their last album, he did Omen and Raiders must die and we’ve done about five gigs with them so far – they’re all really nice guys so we’re kind of looking forward to spending a lot more time with them, when we’re in Australia we’ve got about 12 gigs and we’re really looking forward to it cos we’re massive fans.”

Drawing inspiration from The Prodigy’s own style of music, edgy rock, with synthesisers and electronic drums Does it Offend You, Yeah? are as Dan speaks putting the finishing touches on their own second album, aptly titled: You don’t know what you’re getting yourself in for.

“We’re a very electronic band, if we didn’t have synthesisers we’d sound quite grungy I suppose, especially on this new album, I mean synths and electronic drums, make up a whole lot of our sound really.

“We just love dance music, then we gradually faded into doing band stuff as well without the synthesiser we wouldn’t have really existed really,” he ponders.

The band are friends Matt, Chloe, James Rob and of course Dan and according to Coop they’ve always been dance music fiends. In fact he places touring partners The Prodigy as top of mind for their influence in shaping their sound because of the act’s tendency towards cross-over tracks rave tracks. Heavy electronic rock and a full-blown band grew out of their ideas around what would work well live.

“When we got the chance we thought well we might as well make a sort of whole band, just having two guys in front of laptops on stage, can be a bit stale unless you’ve got like amazing visuals and million dollar light show, which we can’t afford we thought we’d just go down the band route, just ah have fun that way and people have latched on, so all the better really.”

Coop believes Australian fans will dance harder than they ever have with Does it Offend You Yeah before.

“A lot harder than they’re used to, cos we’ve just sort of stepped up everything especially as we’re playing a dance music festival, going to play more of the dance-y type stuff so get a really full on type of assault, quite a lot of loud music, especially cos the new album has a few heavier dance tracks on there so we’re going to be playing quite a few of those as well.

In fact the dynamic duo James and Dan even decided to split the preparation of both the live show and the album release.

“I was in the studio today, in London and James was in the studio in Reading. I was with a guy laying out the samples of what we’ll use in the live show and laying out all the live tracks and stuff and James was in the studio finishing off final bits of the album and doing mixes and stuff like that and making sure everything is ok before the record goes to mastering next week. “

Whilst Dan gives the impression this gig is everything he’s dreamed of and more, there is one thing he thinks could improve his rock-star image: crazed fans.

“Two or three crazy fans, we’ve kind of sort of had to avoid them, but we don’t live in places where people can really recognise us, no one is really that sort of insane to recognise us that much, everyone seems pretty friendly but I wouldn’t mind having a couple of stalkers to be honest. Laughing…”

Does It Offend You, Yeah?’s latest album: Don’t say we didn’t warn you is available through EMI Music.

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 15th, 2010 under INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: 1

A Life of lies

Ask Harry McVeigh, lead singer of hit UK act White Lies, what he’d be doing if he weren’t playing in a widely successful indie-rock band, and his answer is likely to surprise.

“I’d be studying history of art and probably failing miserably.

“I’m quite a lazy person actually if I’m not doing something I really love, I’m not motivated at all.” He says earnestly.

Motivated is what he and his band mates, Charles Cave and Jack Brown will have to be if they’re to make it through the next few months. Spain’s Benacassim, B’est Fest in Bucharest, T in the Park, in Scotland, Roskilde in Denmark you name it they’ve managed to secure spots in all of the major European festivals. As well, the very recent announcement of their inclusion to this year’s Glastonbury line-up means life is looking pretty sweet for this newly turned 21 year-old London lad. But for all his youthfulness he’s not going to be rattled by the lure of stardom, claiming musicians are just people too.

“Through being in a band and meeting a lot of bands I’ve realised they’re people who you really like, whose job happens to be being a musician and playing music.

“I’ve got a lot of love for them (other bands) and have a lot of love for their music but they’re just normal guys really.”

Still there’s no denying this band have earned their own smidge of fame and glory. 2009 alone has already seen them do a small headline tour of the UK, they’ve toured in the United States with band counterparts Friendly Fires and soon enough they’ll be making their way down under.

Whilst in Oz, their travails will see them make a stop off in sunny Byron Bay for a spot of Splendour in the Grass, as well as a couple more dates in Sydney and Melbourne. But for Harry who assures there is beauty in every country Australia and indeed Splendour in the Grass holds the most appeal.

“I’ve heard that it’s an amazing festival and that it’s the thing to do when you go to Australia – I’m looking forward to the weather and I’m looking forward to meeting the Australian fans definitely.”

The band has made their mark with somber, maudlin undercurrents to lyrics overlayed on edgy, electro-rock. It’s easy to group them alongside bands like The Bravery, or even some might say Joy Division. Don’t let Harry hear you say this though, he’s more inclined to mention that the band reference Scott Walker and their all time favourite Secret Machines, not an ounce of Joy Division similarity aside from his vocal stylings in him.

Whatever it is that’s helped them arrive at the dark and brooding lyrics and melancholic musing that their latest album: To lose my life, weaves throughout, the crowds worldwide dig something about them.

Harry is adamant that the band themselves don’t possess one single ounce of depression instead they’ve tapped an emotional outlet to avoid this in their daily lives and that’s perhaps what the fans relate to, too.

“We just wanted to write music that we really felt the emotion and the power of and we found it very easy to write songs about that side of life.” Harry says.

“These are very powerful emotions the more darker emotions in life and they connect with a lot of people just in the same way I think they connect with us,” he adds.

Come July when they hit our shores I’ve no doubt it will be their song ‘Death’ that will mesmerise crowds and that funnily enough is Harry’s favourite song to
play in the set.

“The reaction that it gets all over the world, in the UK it wasn’t like a huge hit single or anything it’s just a song that everyone seems to know.

“It’s like the hit single that never was, it’s really cool – it’s really great to play that song live and the reaction that we get is just sort of amazing,” he marvels.

Until then though time for the band will be spent either on a festival tour bus or perhaps as guests at various UK awards gigs.

Nominated against some tough competition in the form of School of Seven Bells and Glasvegas for ‘Best Breakthrough Act’ at this year’s Mojo Awards, according
to Harry the lads have a fair but not huge chance to take line honours. However it’s an award show that they’re really looking forward to, but not so they can live up to a post-punk persona.

“Well you know we’ll have a few drinks, we enjoy having a few drinks but I’m sure we’re not going to get horrendously drunk and go out and make fools of ourselves, cos that’s not the
type of people we are.”

White Lies play the following dates:

Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay – 25/26 July (SOLD OUT)

The Metro, Sydney - 28 July

Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne - 30 July

Visit www.myspace.com/whitelies or www.whitelies.com. Their album To Lose my Life is out through Universal Music www.getmusic.com

Ruth Bailey

Posted: June 1st, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: none

Posted: May 1st, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: 1

Frequently seen kids

Unashamedly it’s the allure of the Australian sun that provides the drawcard for Manchurian Peter Turner. He makes up one fifth of the UK’s most recent overnight success story Elbow, and along with his fellow band members who’ve been basking in glory they’ll be heading here in March just in time to take reigns on the V Festival taking place nationally.

An overnight success story 18 years in the making is the headline to accompany this band’s tale and Peter has no qualms himself in confirming this fact.

“The Mercury was the big thing, I think it changed a lot of things for us overnight, I mean it kind of put us up there in the mainstream a lot more really.”

Winners of the reputable Mercury Music Prize late last year for their album The Seldom Seen Kid and has literally bought Elbow back from the ‘wilderness’ of music making they had been wandering in.

“It was hard this one cos we were in-between record labels, we didn’t think V2 promoted ‘Leaders’ very well and we didn’t want to write another album, spend ages on it, for it not to be promoted and not to sell that many copies.,” recalls Peter.

This year’s Mercury Prize awarded for their most recent long player recorded this time through label Fiction has proven a different story though. It delivers a mix of their signature, melancholic instrumentation embedded by earnest and at times sombre lyrical motifs.

A clear favourite this year for judges who were choosing from an array of bands including acts such as Last Shadow Puppets, Laura Marling, Estelle and Neon Neon and the success story doesn’t end there just yet for the five-piece who came together in rehearsals back in sixth form ( equivalent of year 12 in Australia). They’ve also received recent nominations for three of the prestigious Brit Awards, including: Best National Release.

The album has been around just on a year now but it’s still the carrot the band uses to build their fanbase. Peter considers their swell in crowd numbers an opportunity to educate listeners in their back catalogue. However he remains realistic about the effects of acclaim on bands.

“The thing that I think we’ve all sort of thought recently, we’ve always of our four albums always had the critics really on our side, I think now we’re sort of fair game and there will probably be a bit of a comedown now from you know, critical acclaim.” He says matter-of-factly.

‘Grounds for Divorce’

If you thought the band might be quaking in fear at producing a follow up to their award winning album, Peter thinks it’s likely to be the impetus the band need to retain their status as one of the UK’s most favoured acts.

“We certainly won’t put anything out that we feel isn’t up to the standard and better of previous albums which for us is now four albums.

“The next album we really want to write something that’s a bit better for us, it’s just like a bit of a challenge really.”

Another challenge for the five-piece made up of Guy Garvey (lead vocals) brothers Mark and Craig Potter as well as Richard Jupp could be their ability to remain passionate after so long together. Touring, some band members now with family, the dynamics of the band one would imagine aren’t the same as their fledgling rock and roll years.

However give the band some alone time, off the coast of Scotland on an island to record their upcoming album which is what is ahead for them shortly and Peter knows exactly what he’s in for.

“You know we’ve not really sat down the five of us and talked about the fun things that have happened, so it’s the five of us hanging out, just having fun, eating and drinking - just hanging out.

Embarking again shortly on a British tour and then of course travailing seas to head to our shores, Peter’s mindful of the fact the band remain as tight as they were back in their initial performances.

“There is no hierarchy or anything like that, it’s just a good bunch of mates all going out doing shows and then having fun, you know drinking, meeting people, we’re actually really good friends,” he says.

Catch Elbow when they perform at V Festival nationally. Visit: www.vfestival.com.au for ticket and event details.

Also see them when they perform in sideshows just announced:
Brisbane: The Tivoli March 31. Tickets available through Ticketek
Sydney: The Metro April 1. Tickets available through Box office and Ticketek
Melbourne: The Corner Hotel April 2. Tickets available through www.cornerhotel.com.au.

Ruth Bailey

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Posted: March 22nd, 2009 under INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: 14

California dreaming

With just over a year under their belt in LA, the transition hasn’t been too overwhelming for Colin Yarck and his studio partner Justin Sconza, who packed up from friends and family in Chicago and who perform together as electro act Walter Meego. According to Colin, LA is still pretty cool.“There is a lot more going on and it’s very spread out, you’ve kind of got to go find out what you like and what you’re into cos there are so many things - it seems incredible you can kind of get lost if you’re not careful,” he said.

In order to do what they want how they want kind of goes against the grain of most LA scenesters, Yarck considers there have been some tough challenges to overcome to take up residency in LA.

“LA’s a tough crowd; they’re not going to move unless they’ve thought about moving the day before.” He muses.

“That’s the interesting thing about here, people are very interested in finding out what is happening – but to get their ass-shaking is a little bit difficult.

Still, their short time there has allowed them to carve their niche by sticking to the hip “Williamsburg-esque” (New York’s other borough) side of the Hills playing shows at Echo and even a small Hollywood venue provided the locale for them to change it up and play a complete rock show instead of their glorious synth- electro.

“It was an interesting little experiment; we kind of played a straight-up rock show and put down our electronics for that gig.”

During 2008 they’ve also managed to lay down tracks to their album Voyager, which features lovely pop- romanticism in synthesized stories.

This debut album has left its angelic footprint on radio airwaves here featuring, Forever, (sweethearts unite ditty) and a little recognised but epic track Through the Keyhole as well Wanna be a star demonstrates these guys know how to make us dance with the right levels of ‘zippity do da’!

Ass-shaking and indeed hip wobbling however, are two moves the Australian electro fraternity are accustomed to, so as the New Year dawns, Walter Meego will be preparing for a summer sojourn to our shores.

An extra member on stage with them, and an expanded sound, is what Yarck promises is in store for fans on this their upcoming tour of Oz.

Clip for Forever from Walter Meego

“The lines that are sort of coloured in and around on the record, we sort of draw them out a little, when we play live,” he contemplates.

“We sort of make it a little fuzzier, little noisier.”

The disappointment for Yarck is that he and his touring entourage can’t stay longer. Whilst a friend in Sydney is beckoning and his desire to surf the breaks in and around there will have to wait after a tight touring schedule of just four performances in four days, he and Justin will head across Asia to set-up camp in China, where they plan to lay two thirds of a new record.

What’s forecast for their second album might lead to a slight change in musical direction for the pair, a more pop-styled record, and after enlisting the skills of some mad dance producers, last time, the likes of Eliot James, Sam Bell and Nils Patel (who is responsible for mastering Daft Punk’s records Yarck is resolute about the search underway to find another who can bring a certain something to the fray of production.

“We were kind of thinking if we were ever going to work with a producer, we wanted to use somebody who we knew would be creative but who’s not like Brian Eno sort of thing, who’s been doing it for so long that that’s what’s to be expected.”

Much more likely believes Yarck are those outside influences who people won’t have considered. At the top of the wish-list is Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead, and the guy who does the crystal music for cult TV show of yesteryear, Twin Peaks.

Whoever they do or don’t choose to help them out though he considers the record will see a slight change of pace for them.

“I think that we’re leaning more towards pop, we definitely have some club influences, definitely still have some electro-tinge, we’ll probably slide back into some 70s classic rock and you know mash it all up.”

Catch Walter Meego when they appear:

31 December 2008 Capital Nightclub, Perth
1st January 2009 Field Day, The Domain, Sydney
BBQ Beats, The Riverstage, Brisbane
3rd January 2009 Solar Festival. Mornington Racecourse, Victoria

Their album voyager is available through Bandroom Records.

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 21st, 2009 under ALBUMS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: none

Irish eyes are smiling

Travelling is commonplace for seasoned musician /performer, Roisin Murphy. She’s developed into a deft solo artist since her split with boyfriend and collaborator Mark Brydon. Together they made up the hugely successful trip-hop dance outfit Moloko who crafted the catchy ‘Sing It back’ and ‘The Time is Now’ dance-floor hits.

So successful has her sophomore album release – Overpowered - been (following on from Ruby Blue a sexy, disco- pop, velveteen offering) she’s wanted on the bill of every major festival in Europe until August. That is of course, notwithstanding her latest frolic in Oz for the V Festival tour circuit and her own individual side shows to supplement her time here.

In fact she’s much more accustomed now to clicking her high-fashion heels and finding herself in a different country each week.

“They can be very surprising things festivals some of the festivals, we played as Moloko were pivotal in breaking into certain countries and you don’t even know you’re doing it,” she said. “You land somewhere go on and do the gig and at the end of it you’ve had such an amazing response it really can change things for you.”

Chatting to Roisin, it’s easy to get a sense of her approach to life. She gives the impression she’s laid back and bothered by, not much at all really. She calmly stopped the interview a few minutes into it where I was only to hear on the other end of the receiver clip- clopping through her apartment. I find out later she was off to the bathroom only to return to say she probably couldn’t go while she was speaking on the phone. Moving on from that ‘wee’ drama, she qualifies her desire to come to Australia with solid reflection on the good time she’s had here previously.

“I’m looking forward to coming over because of the sense of freedom sense of being whoever you want to be. There’s a sense of ‘no judgement’ sense of frontier of the world in a way, just like you can always have such a good craic [good time],” she said jovially.

Truth be told, Australia would be one of Roisin’s preferred places to live if only it wasn’t so far from the rest of the Murphy clan. An independent woman from a young age, she’s self assured and her Irish humour must surely have assisted propel her from the party districts of Sheffield to the seductive disco halls she frequents globally, but that is what she considers to have been the time in her life where she really learned a lot about the music she wanted to be making.

“I’ve probably learned more about music through that scene than I have through musicians though, I still learn through musicians but particularly in understanding lineage of music – dance (house) music has taught me a lot,” she said. Understanding the lineage of music has no doubt come in handy when penning the latest tracks to make up the Overpowered release. One in particular is a favourite to perform at the moment being Let me know.

“Let me know – is amazing because now we’ve fused it with the sample that it’s cut from which is Dtrain’s ‘Keep on’, so when I’m performing it we’ve have the first sample of Dtrain then – Let me know on top of that. It’s very emotional because kids who are 14 or 15 are coming along now who haven’t a clue who Dtrain are and then I’ve got the 30, 35 year olds who do and they recognise it and get into it,” she said.

As well as the emotion of the crowd, Roisin draws on her reserves of energy to perform. Not to mention doing a hell of a lot of remembering (loose choreography, reams of lyrics and lighting changes) all of which demands a levels of dexterity and poise and for her to be in a place in her head where it’s all just happening without her thinking heavily about it. “I mean I had an eye injury recently and I could have – kicked myself which would have been terrible cos I would have an eye injury as well as a kicking injury but it showed me that you have to be spatially aware,” she said wryly.

“Some people ask me if it’s an ego trip too and to be honest with you, you haven’t even got time to think about your ego you’re more a vessel for all this information and feeling it’s just an utter sense of rightness. This is you at your purest form in your most right place, I’m not the fittest person in the world it’s a lot about stamina too when you’ve got the stamina to keep going that helps,” she added. While she hopes to bring some of that ‘rightness’ to her performances during her time in Oz she’s also just looking forward to the opportunity to be with the band touring.

“ I just love the aspect of rolling into a town, kind of like when you’re child and when you’re always with the gang’ and you just roll in and think ‘we come here’ and then we change the atmosphere, and just go around as if we run the place,” she say’s jokingly. With the unrelenting festival schedule ramping up post Australia Roisin will be off with the band to Russia, Luxembourg and Holland she looks forward to each unique experience that will befall her.

“Festivals are all different in themselves you can be playing inside a massive aircraft hanger next you can be outside in a field god knows where and then you might be the next night in a fort in eastern Europe all very different from each other, but that’s really good for the band good for the group mentality to push em,” she said.

“It pushes us to the limits of what we can do by landing somewhere different and having to adapt, that really pushes us and that’s healthy for the band.”

Catch Roisin Murphy when she performs at the remaining V Festivals in Melbourne and Perth; or for a more intimate encounter get along to one of her solo performances for the following dates:

April 1 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
April 2 – The Metro, Sydney
April 4 - Billboard, Melbourne

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 15th, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: none

French fancy

Making their way to Australia in February as part of the Good Vibrations line-up is French outfit Yelle. With just the right recipe of Frou Frou, fun, and pop sensibility they’re bound to give audiences a wow of a time. The Blurb caught up with Frontwoman Julie Budet and asked her what makes ‘Yelle’ yell.

For those of us who don’t know Yelle – can you give a sentence about what makes you tick?

I would say that the word FUN is the best answer. People who like us tell us that our music is fresh like lemon, our style too, the videos, the “new generation” communication via myspace and stuff… and our live show, which is a lot of fun too, for us at least!

And your essence?

Being spontaneous and sincere. I mean, our music is a mix of a lot of influences, so many, from the past, from now, and it’s not easy to classify us in a precise style so the best thing we have to do is just doing it with energy and love. Cause we love music, and people. I am not sure to answer very well by the way, i have to improve my english…

You started your myspace in 2005 and you were approached by a label shortly after that, can you describe that journey or transition from an artist to a worldwide phenonemen?

True. We have been contacted by a label very soon in our “career”. But that contact is not the reason of our album. It’s helped about promotion etc, but we would have done the same music, even as totally indie. About the story, yes, it was crazy! Just a few days after we uploaded the first song on our myspace, life changed! Lots of crazy messages, that contact with Source (the label)… yes it has motivated us a lot, for sure! A big door was opening, and in 2005, Myspace was so unknown in France!

Watch the clip for “JE VEUX TE VOIR”

Yelle.htmYour songs are fantastic ditties behind great euro- electro beats. These we ‘re guessing are about love, life and boys, what are they are about and how do you go about writing a track like “Je Veux Te Voir” or “A cause des Garcon”?

The songs are written by GrandMarnier (myspace.com/gdmarnier) and me. The lyrics are very important for us. They seem very light, and they are, but it’s all about fantasy. Playing with words about the real life of a 22 years old girl, sex, friends, sport, boys, girls, death too… It’s always written in a funny way. Our songs are always written very quickly, with a lot of spontaneity, GrandMarnier do the main work, and then we ping-pong, to improve them a bit and go, we record it.

What is your key for attracting universal appeal as you seem to have tapped into it quite nicely?

Oh thank you! I do think doing happy live shows, being cool and friendly are ones of the reasons… i guess. And i am always nice with the journalists so they spread the word ahahah!
It’s natural, i am like that, thanks to my parents.

Can you describe your feelings when you’re performing on stage?

On stage… i am feeling super good. Like when the bell rings at school and you are free for one hour. I love playing with GrandMarnier and Tepr, we give a lot of energy and people feel it, so they answer, and we give more, etc, etc. When we don’t tour, i miss it a lot. I am scared about that non-touring period which is coming.

What’s your favourite thing about travelling and visiting the cities that you have so far?

We love traveling. We are just back from a one-shot show, in Miami, for Art Basel. We are tired, but we love it so much. Discovering cities, countries, people, food, culture… it’s so essential. We learn a lot. And we try to organise the tour to have time to visit. For example, about that last one month US tour, we ask to travel with a van, all arround the states. It was so wonderful, so much better than staying in airports for hours…

You are noted as liking Australian fashion labels – ‘Ksubi’ and ‘Sass  and Bide’ come to mind, when you visit a country do you specifically go in hunt of cool labels? What’s going to be on your itinerary fashion wise while you’re visiting Oz?

I am not really hunting fashion. I love it, but i am not a big digger. I love when brands love our music too, and suggest us some stuff, like Ksubi, so sync-spirit! I hope to meet them again on the next Australian shows. But i don’t know what else yet.

How much do you think fashion and music are aligned at the moment and why is this so do you think?

Today music is not only music. The record is no more here so people need more, need to see things. That’s why merchandising is going so good, that live shows are doing well too, and why people are sensitive to the style, the videos, the graphic stuff arround a band. And this is also a “new generation” thing. We grew up in a “logo-childness”, lots of brands, lots of cool tv shows (Saved by the Bell and The Fresh Prince means A LOT for us). So for us, it’s just natural to love clothes, graphism, and stuff from that skate generation. Ok, i am far from your question now! Sorry, so, yes, it’s the same about fashion, for us. It’s our lifestyle, a package, not only music, not only fashion, ALL!

Yelle tour in February as part of the Good Vibrations Festival line-up. Visit www.goodvibrationsfestival.com.au for ticket and event information in your state.

Ruth Bailey

 

Posted: March 15th, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: none

World travellers

It’s a little unusual: a musical performance duo who live continents apart but who insist on playing live together, however that’s just how life is at the moment for Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello who as Swedish stable-mates (since school) have developed alongside each other in the progressive house music mixing business. Making up one half of the world renowned ‘Swedish House Mafia Collective’ with whom other house lynchpins Axel and Eric Prydz keep them company, the pair will tour their way around these parts when they feature on the bill of Future Entertainment’s, Future Music Festival.

For Sebastian, obviously bleary eyed while chatting via telephone to me from his home in Sweden (a reckless night of debauchery preceeded our phone call; the Bloody Beetroots were in town) this fun-loving party boy is the first to admit his current working relationship with Angello is far from ideal.

‘I mean at the moment Steve is living in Los Angeles and I live in Sweden so it’s a bit difficult for us to work together, as soon as we get together like for this tour we’re sure to make something between the gigs.”

Ingrosso is high spirited and convincing in his love and desire to visit Australia again. Returning after just over a year since their last visit fans will be treated to sets that are unrivalled by those previously seen in other countries.

“It’s going to be better in Australia.” He says emphatically.

“We love it there, we love the people, cos they are so nice, the food is so nice, everything is just perfect there.”

Just how much preparation will have gone into the sets they prepare for the Future Music round of shows is not an issue for Ingrosso, his confidence, which borders on slight arrogance will carry him through regardless.

“When we play festivals like this it’s a huge crowd, we prepare a little bit, you know we prepare a few bootlegs, some special tracks to shock the crowd. “

Sebastian Ingrosso on his own is an accomplished producer, owner to his own label: ‘Refune’ for over six years. Making music since the age of 16 the integrity he applies to his craft is incontestable the world over. He’s not one to listen to criticism should it fall in his path and remains self assured that what he does is pretty damn good.

“You always make music and you will always have people who will hate it and people who will love it. I think I know what I’m doing.

“I don’t make singles featuring whoever, I mean I make dance music and I wanna make people dance and if I make myself wanna dance and my ass is shaking then I am quite satisfied,” he says matter-of-factly.

When he’s not scouting for new talent in the clubs of Sweden (a small but fertile scene he assures) you can find Ingrosso occupying himself with other people’s music. Remixing a long repoirtoire of artists at the moment he finds himself trying to finish the remixed version of Tiga’s Mind Dimension.

However his most prominent and passionate project of the moment involves of course playing partner Angello and some old friends in music mixing, Bloodshy and Avant who are known for their remixing of Britney and Madonna, much more commercialised music tastes from what one can gather. The collaboration goes under the name of ‘We Music Murder’ has been borne in the past two years of friendly banter.

“It’s very very strange it can be played on radio but still at home or in concert it’s very very different but, he adds, cool!”

For Ingrosso the desire to continue on this music-making journey is in no fear of ending, he maintains he and Angello will continue their chosen career because it’s fun.

“I mean we want to have to fun, of course you know it’s our job, I mean to make music and play it for a big crowd that’s the best feeling ever so you need to keep making music.”

Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angelo will take the stage nationally for Future Music Festival this month, visitwww.futureentertainment.com.au

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 15th, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
Comments: 1