Sydney symphonic black metal band Tamerlan Empire has signed to Australian promotion, booking and management agency Black-Roos Entertainment.
The band has released their first full-length studio album Age of Ascendency in February this year and their lyric video Battle of Tyrantsrecently. They have just supported Enslaved in Sydney and are bound to support Sinsaenum in November. The band is playing shows around Australia and is planning to take their distinct music overseas in the near future.
Tamerlan Empire is playing a fusion of symphonic black metal with Central Asian and Middle Eastern melodies and rhythms. The style of the band was developed by blending the aggressiveness of metal with an eastern-sounding tone that reflects Tamerlan Empire’s ideology and creates a unique sound that identifies the band.
Top Five Antidotes to make your life better by The Fix Ups
Hey! we are The Fix Ups, and we would like to share our top 5 antidotes to a better life! Writing and playing music is something we are immensely passionate about, but there are certainly loads of ups and down you can experience in the musical journey. Read on to see what we are inspired by in life, and what we think is important for longevity and health as an artist, individual, and band member. It’s not all go go go; sometimes you gotta take it slow slow slow!!
Dinner
We trailed out yesterday for a Sunday roast. It was so good to have dinner together after a hard days work. It gives you a chance to catch up on each others lives, and you also find out things you wouldn’t normally discuss at rehearsals.For example. Marlene found out that Santa gave Ash a pony for her 5th birthday, and Ash found out that Marlene was married! Throw your friends in there to spice up the night, complacency and monotony becomes so boring!
Group Holidays. Life can get really busy, and catching up with people can be quite hard. We like to plan weekends away with a group of friends to the hot springs or the beach. It’s a real bonding moment between people. Last time we did this, Nikos forgot the keys to his grandparents holiday house, and we had time to kill on the beach. Serendipitously, our mate Yolanda serenaded us with some classic Aussie tunes she had to sing for Australia day. It’s amazing how fun a game of celebrity heads or charades after dinner with a few glasses of wine can be!
Musicians Wellbeing, physical, RSI, play with no stress in muscles, play like a buddhist monk
Playing music can be super taxing on the body, and every member of The Fix Ups have had RSI problems. In the song, It’s Your Life the piano part is fast an repetitive. It has to be played in a clear and relaxed way, like a Buddhist monk on sedatives..See your doc, do some yoga, and go for a swim! Talk to your bandmates about it; often it starts in the mind. The last thing you want is a body that doesn’t do what you want it to do anymore!
Having a industry mentor, how to do stuff? Exciting, reading
Having a mentor in your industry is super important. This person can be a fantastic role model, that can help draw out the amazing creative person you often have trapped inside you! The Fix Ups members all have mentors, whether it be life coaches, teachers at university, or family and friends. They can also show you how to be a ethical, awesome human being at the same time!
Go to gigs, stay on the scene, keep inspired, go to gigs
In the immortal words of James Brown “Stay on the Scene!”, or in other words, go to gigs! These can also be art shows, photography exhibitions, whatever inspires you to do what you do best. The Fix Ups regularly go to their muso friend’s gigs, which is both fun, but also super inspiring and informative. Introduce yourself to people, even if you’re frightened of doing so. The only way to grow yourself is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Live life passionately, because fear rarely has dire consequences.
It’s 2001, you’re driving home from work, flicking through the radio stations, and Five Star Laundry by Motor Ace is being played on triple j, Triple M and a bunch of other stations in between. Then, as you walk in the door, the television is blaring and it’s Motor Ace again, with their iconic track Death Defy reaching an even wider audience as the theme song for the beloved Australian television series The Secret Life Of Us.
Five Top Aussie Bands by Motor Ace
There are too many great Aussie bands to choose from so I am going to narrow down on the first bands I loved growing up.
God: My Pal by God is an amazing 5 note earworm of a riff that never gets old. Recorded in 1987 by four hairy 16 year olds from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, My Pal reminds me of many weekends spent haunting AuGoGo and Gaslight Records in the city as a 14 year old.
You Am I: I first saw You Am I at an underage show in a community centre in Croydon. I was gobsmacked to hear the opening chords of Belin Chair pumping through the big old PA as Tim windmilled his guitar, and a stage diver landed directly on my head. I caught the train home with a rooted neck, ringing ears and a huge smile. We went on to play with You Am I on several occasions and spent months hanging out in Sing Sing Studios while we each recorded albums in adjacent sound rooms. Hourly Daily is still one of my favourite records.
The Saints: Stranded was on Rage high rotation in 1989, often getting played at around 3am in the morning to thousands of teenagers in their parents’ living rooms, wishing they were somewhere else. The clip features the band playing in a busted up abandoned house that look like the set of a snuff movie, The Saints – Stranded, crudely painted across one wall in blood red. I love the moment Chris Bailey steps up to the mic taking two big tokes of his ciggie before launching into the opening lines – bad attitude personified! It’s so simple, grubby and punk. Pretty sure it was a decisive factor in starting my first band.
Hard-Ons – I love the Hard-Ons nursey rhyme like simplicity. Two chord wonder pop songs set to wall of sound chainsaw guitars. Where did she come from is still a killer song.
Died Pretty: I think Died Pretty could have been huge if they’d been in the right place at the right time. My favourite DP track is Everybody Moves Away. Insistent bass line, moody organs, oddly energetic drumming, and Peno’s maudlin droning… Perfectly captures what it felt like being a teenager experiencing that first lash of hormonal depression. I love it.
Fast forward almost two decades and Motor Ace’s hoards of fans no longer have to wait for that highly anticipated reunion, because in March and April of 2019, the band we all love will embark on a national tour to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the band’s inception, kicking off in Adelaide at The Gov on March 29, then moving through Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and finishing up in Melbourne at the renowned venue 170 Russell on April 12.
MOTOR ACE 20th ANNIVERSARY – A FIVE STAR REUNION NATIONAL TOUR
FRI MARCH 29 | THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA | 18+ Tickets available from http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=92178
SAT MARCH 30 | CAPITOL, PERTH WA | 18+ Tickets available from http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=92186
FRI APRIL 5 | FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+ Tickets available from http://bit.ly/FAC19_MOTOR_ACE
SAT APRIL 6 | THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD | 18+ Tickets available from http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=92188
FRI APRIL 12 | 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+ Tickets available from https://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/motor-ace/106229?skin=747
Stepping into the Australian music scene with no stopping down in her sights. Sydney-based RNB/Pop singer Kirrah has shun a bright light with her music with her latest offering ‘Fallin’. Soul/RNB Singer Kirrah Releases An Infectious New Single ‘Fallin’. She has also performed for the likes of Australian Icon ‘Jimmy Little’, ARIA winning group ‘Idea of North’, the Deputy Prime Minister and Governor General of Australia. Most recently, she performed back up for James Arthur when he visited Australia, Conrad Sewell and Ben of The Voice Australia. Parallel to this, full knowing that she is ready to show the world what she has been working to build and create for over 10 years, a significant amount of her focus is currently directed at the release of her debut album set to drop this year.
My Top Five Fave Guitarists by Kirrah
1. John Mayer, the most incredible songs, individual voice and heartbreaking lyricsJohn Mayer is one of my biggest musical influences growing up – he writes the most incredible songs, has an individual voice and such heartbreaking lyrics. His early albums are my go-too any day.
2. Mormon Guitar, the most peaceful, uplifting music I’ve ever heard.I love the Mormon Guitar YouTube channel – just peaceful, uplifting music to clear my head, definitely not just for Mormon listeners.
3. Thundercat, killer (bass) guitarist, smooth vocals, original look, chilled vibeI was recently introduced to the force that is Thundercat but he is on my list. A killer (bass) guitarist, honey smooth vocals, and has a chilled vibe. Didn’t think anyone could pull of pink dreads until I saw this man.
4. Vince Gill, his cover of “How Great Thou Art” with Carrie Underwood got me shook to the core.Vince Gill is an incredible artist and does the most beautiful collaborations! His cover of “How Great Thou Art” with Carrie Underwood got me shook to the core.
5. Prince, guitarist, vocalist, influencer, and prince in the truest sense.And not that he needs a lot of words but Prince is a favourite – artist, influencer, and prince in the truest sense.
Danny Harley aka The Kite String Tangle starts things off tonight with a surging electronic pulse. He stands at the opposite side of the stage to his drummer and together they create an explosive sound of beautifully crafted atmospheric beats.
The talented singer, songwriter and producer knows how to get the crowd moving as he plays his delicately crafted danceable tunes filled with house-infused bass-lines and soothing vocal features. The dance floor quickly fills up for some of his biggest tracks including the hard-hitting ‘Selfish’ and the ultra funky ‘This Thing We Got.’ Long time fans are pleased to hear old favourite ‘Arcadia’, which has a slow glimmering start and crescendos into a huge emotional chorus. For something different, Harley ends his set with his epic remix of Fatboy Slim’s iconic track ‘Praise You’ adding his own beats and samples to propel the track to new heights.
The crowd is absolutely buzzing with excitement by the time Flight Facilities touch down on the stage. The lights flicker and their logo illuminates the podium where our pilots Hugo Gruzman and James Lyell are positioned behind a console of controls, ready to elevate us high into the sky. Tonight is the last show of their current tour and they let us in on a secret that it’s also being filmed for Triple J’s Live at the Wireless, so we’re encouraged to party as hard as possible. Owl Eyes takes the lead on all the female vocals tonight and her vocals are flawless. The singer’s stage presence is second to none and enhances the live show as Gruzman and Lyell smoothly navigate us through all of their hits.
Other notable guest features include Ric Rufio who lends his sleek, soulful vocals for the feel good track ‘Sunshine’ and Dustin Tebbutt who performs their latest track ‘All Your Love’. Tebbutt starts off the song on his acoustic guitar with soft vocals and then the song builds up to an explosive, emotive chorus with a thumping electronic production. A new auto-tuned, electro-heavy dance track is added to the in-flight entertainment to create a powerful burst of turbulent energy and they take us back in time with a nostalgic disco cover of Jamiroquai’s ‘You Give Me Something’.
‘Stranded’ brings us back down to Earth for an encore with a duet from Owl Eyes and Rufio and then we light our phones up during the mesmerising track ‘Clair De Lune’. Their biggest hit ‘Crave You’ is thought to be the last, however they invite all the guest vocalists, support acts and even their truck driver Dave, on to the stage for one last boogie along to Mylo’s ‘Drop The Pressure’ and the timeless party anthem makes us want to stay and dance all night long.
Teutonic power metallers, Primal Fear are returning in November to rip Australia apart, just as they did in 2016!
With their new album, Apocalypse being released on August 10th 2018 via Frontier Records, Primal Fear will be performing tracks off their latest offering along with numerous fan favourites.
Joining them, and for the very first time in Australia, will be Sinner! Sinner will perform all their fan favourites plus tracks off their latest release Tequila Suicide.
Primal Fear are one of the most notable traditional/power metal bands of all time. Fronted by one of the best vocalists of the genre, Ralf Scheepers (ex-Gamma Ray) and featuring in the legendary Mat Sinner, Primal Fear is a force to be reckoned with and have a career that has spanned 20 years producing countless chart topping selling albums. Sinner is an institution of Rock meets classical metal masterminded by the legendary bassist and producer of Primal Fear; Mat Sinner.
Australia’s Horizon’s Edge will open the show in both Sydney and Melbourne. Currently making their own head waves and gaining traction in leaps and bounds; Horizon’s Edge is a melodic power metal outfit that has the world at their feet. Their recently released album Let The Show Go On was produced by Bob Katsionis (Firewind), with the vocals recorded and produced by Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear). The album’s title track includes Ralf on guest vocals. Soaring vocals, razor sharp riffs, galloping drums and chest filling bass. Tickets are going to sell fast! Do not miss the biggest night of pure heavy metal this year!
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun
First LP In Over 18 Years To Feature Founding Members Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlin, With Guitarist Jeff Schroeder
New Single Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts) Available Now
Earlier this year, the newly reformed lineup shared the first glimpse of their new music with the LP’s lead single Solara. The track’s dreamlike music video was directed by Nick Koenig and expands on the theatrics of the band’s catalog of iconic music videos.
Formed in Chicago, IL in 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins released their heralded debut album Gish in 1991 and found mainstream success with 1993’s 4x multi-platinum Siamese Dream and 1995’s 10x multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. With over 30 million albums sold to date, the GRAMMY®, MTV VMA, and American Music Award winning band remains an influential force in alternative rock.
GRAMMY® Award-winning, acclaimed alternative rock luminaries,The Smashing Pumpkins will release their highly-anticipated new LP SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUNon November 16.
Recorded at Shangri La Studios with legendary producer Rick Rubin, the LP is the band’s first in over 18 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlin, with longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder.
SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN. will be released on Billy Corgan’s own Martha’s Music under exclusive license to Napalm Records via a strategic worldwide partnership.
Kevin Mitchell was already under the Australian music spotlight as singer/guitarist for indie-rock-darlings Jebediah when in 1998 he found a t-shirt in a Perth op-shop with the number 15 on the back, and the name ‘Bob Evans’ printed on the front. Coincidentally at this time he was embarking on his first solo shows in Perth and a random name on someone’s discarded basketball shirt took hold.
Moments That changed my life by Bob Evans
October 1st 1977. The day I exited my mother’s womb and began this strange adventure. I can’t remember it but apparently I was a very large baby and quite difficult to get out. This might explain why I don’t have any younger siblings.
Going to my first all ages show in Perth. It was an all local line up. The Rosemary Beads and Yummy Fur were the main acts. I can’t quite remember who else played. I discovered what a mosh pit was. I crowd surfed for the first time. I got sweaty with a bunch of other kids. My ears rang. I was absolutely hooked. From that day on all I thought about was starting a band.
Meeting my wife. She used to come and watch Jebediah play in Melbourne when we were just starting out. When you’re only pulling 12 people to a show you kinda get to know your audience. We didn’t hook up straight away even though we were both really in to each other. It took a couple of years for the timing to be right.
Getting on a plane to Nashville in September 2005. Recording my second album with Brad Jones in Nashville was like some kind of dream. I couldn’t believe my luck. I knew I had a really good bunch of songs but the record turned out so much better than I ever imagined. It was the best thing I had ever done and when it came out the following year it took off and I’ve been riding that wave ever since.
Becoming a dad for the first time in 2011. You realise when you become a parent for the first time that your life is kind of over. Not in a bad way. Just in that nothing is ever the same again and your life is not all about you anymore, it’s about your kid. It’s their world and your job to make it as good for them as possible.
BOB EVANS HAS ANNOUNCED HIS NEW ALBUM ‘FULL CIRCLE’ AND WILL TAKE IT ON TOUR LATER THIS YEAR
BOB EVANS NATIONAL ‘FULL CIRCLE’ TOUR
FRI 19 OCT | BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRISBANE QLD | 18+ Tickets available from www.bobevans.com.auor www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets SAT 20 OCT | LEADBELLY, NEWTOWN NSW | 18+ Tickets available from www.bobevans.com.auor www.leadbelly.oztix.com.au FRI 26 OCT | THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA | 18+ Tickets available from www.bobevans.com.auor www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets SAT 27 OCT | THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL, NORTH PERTH WA | 18+ Tickets available from www.bobevans.com.auor www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
SAT 3 NOV | NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, NORTHCOTE VIC | 18+ Tickets available from www.bobevans.com.auor www.eventbrite.com.au
Secret Sounds and triple j Present JUNGLE FOR EVER AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2019 PRE-SALE: 10AM TUE 18 SEP – 8AM WED 19 SEP LOCAL TIME GENERAL SALES: 9AM WED 19 SEP LOCAL TIME SIGN UP TO THE SECRET SOUNDS MAILING LIST FOR PRE-SALE ACCESS SECRETSOUNDS.COM
In the wake of the much-anticipated release of their second album For Ever, neo-soul gurusJungle announce a return to Antipodean stages in April 2019.
Kicking off in Auckland and winding up in Melbourne, the tour will cement the London-basedoutfits reputation as a seven-headed Hydra capable of producing a smooth, vivid and uniquely modern menagerie. Showcasing tracks from their Mercury Prize nominated debut record as well as future classics from the sun-drenched new release, Jungle will bring with them a fearsome live reputation simply described by DIY magazine as “spectacular”.
As the brainchild of production and multi-instrumentalist duo Josh “J” Lloyd-Watson and Tom “T” McFarland, Jungle was never intended for the bright lights. Originally conceived as a bedroom project, the twosome were as surprised as anyone when their eclectic modern-soul noodling began racing through the veins of a hungry music community.
Releasing their debut self-titled effort in 2014, tracks like ‘Platoon’, ‘The Heat’ and the ubiquitous‘Busy Earnin’’ began to infiltrate playlists worldwide and saw them thrust onto stages and TV sets respectively. The harmonious combination of deep bass, propulsive mid-tempo grooves and falsetto vocals seemed to light a fire under the feet of global audiences and before long, Junglewas sitting in the upper echelons of charts in the UK, US, Europe and (of course) New Zealandand Australia.
As two straight years of touring the planet began to wind down in 2016,Watson and McFarlanddecided that a change of scenery was Jungle’s best next move. Upping stumps in grey Londonand hitching a ride to sunny Los Angeles, the duo got to work on what would become For Ever.
Over time, however, the sun-kissed romanticism of the Californian lifestyle gave way to the realities of living within it. Personal relationships began to fall apart, they missed the feeling of home. Decamping back to the UK, work was finished on what they describe as a “post-apocalyptic radio station playing break up songs”.
“Buy yourself a dream” Watson croons in lead single ‘Happy Man’, and although it seems that he had a hard to doing just that in America, the blue skies, eternal sunshine and altered reality of La La Land permeates For Ever.
Recent triple j Feature Album showed off tracks like ‘House in LA’,‘Heavy, California’ and‘Cherry’ (as well as their spectacular video clips) as deep, expansive and intimate hooks. Look forward to these remarkable glowing sounds when brought to life via Jungle’s perfectly executed live show.
Secret Sounds and triple j Present JUNGLE FOR EVER AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2019 PRE-SALE: 10AM TUE 18 SEP – 8AM WED 19 SEP LOCAL TIME GENERAL SALES: 9AM WED 19 SEP LOCAL TIME SIGN UP TO THE SECRET SOUNDS MAILING LIST FOR PRE-SALE ACCESS SECRETSOUNDS.COM SUN 21 APR METROPOLIS FREMANTLEWA PUBLIC HOLIDAY EVE
WED APR 24 ENMORE THEATRE SYDNEY NSWPUBLIC HOLIDAY EVE
RAT!hammock prove to be more than just the cutest Google Image search on the Internet, as they present a ‘Groundhog Day‘ inspired video for brand new single ‘June’, which premiered on triple j Unearthed yesterday. Getting caught in the monotony of day-to-day life is a cross we all bare sometimes. Melbourne three-piece RAT!hammock’s new video, sees vocalistJackson Phelan‘s life buffering, waking up in an endless loop of breakfast, band practice and unnerving perplexity.
The single was recorded at Northcote’s Los Bomberos Studios by Sam Swain (Tetrahedra, Woy, Josh Cashman) and sees the band mature sonically, while staying tapped into their contagious jangle pop influences, employing cascading acoustic guitars, earnest, stream of consciousness lyrics and propulsive percussive elements throughout ‘June’. In his own words, front man Phelan explains the song as being about ‘going down with the ship in a sweet blaze of chemical glory’.
RAT!hammock have only been a band for 18 months, but have already made an indelible mark on the notoriously tight-knit Victorian music community and national landscape, selling out several rooms across Melbourne, being championed by community radio, triple j and having toured nationally with Tiny Little Houses, The Cactus Channe, Angie McMahon and Jarrow.
‘June’ signifies the beginning of a new chapter – kicking it into high gear, September saw RAT!hammock showcase at BIGSOUND and launch into a single tour stopping over at all their favourite haunts in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. They’ve polished off their forthcoming sophomore EP too, which is due out later this year.
‘June’ is OUT NOW. Catch RAT!hammock on their single tour throughout September and October.
