Gideon Bensen is the mastermind of new Sydney-based outfit Fiction Writer. Squished guitars, sizzling hats and belting drums mince through a propulsive sound falling somewhere between Queens of the Stone Age and DFA, with an undercurrent of 90’s British trip hop. Bensen’s distinctive vocals croon with feeling and mesmerises over the top of a melting pot of soundscapes.”

Fiction Writer have put together a list of YouTube videos that went ‘shooting up their spine’

The Prodigy- Fire starter

I remember switching on rage one morning and seeing this video. Perhaps its was the state I was in that early in the morning, but i remember being polarised by the song and the video. Its such a simple video, but keeps you captivated and charged. RIP Keith.

Fat Boy Slim- weapon of choice

Another classic. The song itself is such a statement, but once you start watching Christopher Walken dancing its hard to look away. The clip is so cleverly edited that you cant help but feel like your getting you own private show.

Marilyn Manson Born Villain

Probably one of the best Villains in music, I remember listening to this track back in 2011. I then found the video and was so confused by this surrealist Short Horror film. Probably one of Marilyn’s most ambitious efforts. A great music video though.

Bat for Lashes- What’s a girl to do

A really earnest clip that seems playful until you see all the animal masks and Children on the side of the road with balloons . But I’m fond of bat for lashes. All the choreography with the bikes is a great touch.

Health – We are Water

I got into this band not long ago, Some great Noise-Rock. Admittedly i found this video hard to watch, but the twist was what I was hoping for, and the ending is like something out of a Tarantino film.

Sinead O’Connor- Nothing compares 2 U

I really love this song. Something Prince originally composed and then re-recorded by Sinead. Its just pure arresting honesty, you see a real display of emotion. Something that is often lost in video clips.

SHOOTING UP MY SPINE (G Bensen / W Keighran). Co-produced by Gideon Bensen and Wade Keighran (Polish Club/Wolf & Cub)

 (trigger warning: violence) 

Following a huge tour announcement, BOO Seek  have released a new single ‘Millennium Drive’, which premiered on triple j’s Good Nights.

Sometimes songs take weeks, months or even years to come together. BOO Seeka’s ‘Millennium Drive’ is not one of those songs. It’s the most galvanizing release from the two dream-tronic beat makers and it materialized in just 15 minutes. Shifting away from the audible sphere circling the band since inception, ‘Millennium Drive’ packs a punch from start to finish and marks the second single from their forthcoming sophomore album .

“‘Millennium Drive’ is a song written off a release of frustration. BOO wrote the track as if he put on a pair of boxing gloves and let loose on the heavy bag,” say the band. Triggered in part by the legacy left by The Prodigy following Keith Flint’s passing, ‘Millennium Drive’ is an amalgamation of ideas and blurred lines. Combining BOO’s signature vocal over a myriad of drum-and-bass-like beats and climbing synth sounds, it’s a fiery three minute journey on a sonic highway.

Taking ‘Millennium Drive’ for a spin, BOO Seeka hit eleven locations in June and July ahead of the release of their second album – the follow up to 2017’s hugely successful debut, Never Too Soon. They’re joined on all ‘Millennium Drive’ Australian Tour shows by good friend and party starter TUKA.

Recently zooming past 50 million streams, BOO Seeka’s catalogue continues to dominate the collective consciousness. Lyrics to tracks like ‘Does This Last’, ‘Turn Up Your Light’, ‘Humans’ and ‘Deception Bay’ are now ingrained in the Australian indie music fan vernacular. Their unique sound has also been showcased internationally on stations such as KCRW (USA) and XFM in the UK.

Ever-improving their high energy live show, Ben ‘BOO’ Gumbleton and Mikey May are not overthinking things and don’t want audiences to either. They just want to be a vehicle for a good time as they unleash new songs on loyal followers and newly enamored fans. As BOO’s ‘Millennium Drive’ adage attests… ‘Let It Go’ seems to be the guiding principle.

‘Millennium Drive’ is OUT NOW via Sureshaker HERE.
Tickets for BOO Seeka’s Millennium Drive Tour are on sale now at booseeka.com

Sureshaker & Niche Presents

BOO SEEKA
Millennium Drive Tour
Tickets | booseeka.com

SAT 15 JUN | Wollongong Uni Bar, WOLLONGONG
THU 20 JUN | Lion Arts Factory, ADELAIDE
FRI 21 JUN | Jack Rabbit Slims, PERTH
SAT 22 JUN | Freo.Social, FREMANTLE
THU 27 JUN | Miami Marketta, GOLD COAST
FRI 28 JUN | Woolly Mammoth, BRISBANE
SAT 29 JUN | Neck of the Woods, TOWNSVILLE
THU 4 JUL | Oxford Art Factory, SYDNEY
FRI 5 JUL | Corner Hotel, MELBOURNE
SAT 6 JUL | Torquay Hotel, TORQUAY
FRI 12 JUL | Cambridge Hotel, NEWCASTLE

My Dream Rider by Fresh Violet

Ross from Oh White Mare’s Top 5 Big Day Out festival experiences

Overall the BDO was the core (if not only) major music festival fans and prospective musicians grew up on, and especially in Perth was one of the few chances to see all of those icons up close. As such, many great experiences were had over the years!

1. Getting into the after party at the Duxton Hotel in 2004 – Typical story, a friend’s sister (or some equally weak link) worked at the hotel and gave us the required intel. A few of us got in and it was pretty crazy to see the likes of the Metallica, The Strokes and Kings of Leon in person – people who were pure caricatures to us in our younger days. There was also free beer…..always a bonus. Of particular note was a rather sozzled Kings of Leon band member aggressively accusing Sam (OWM drummer) of stealing his beer, when in fact he had knocked it over himself and the rather attentive bar staff cleaned it up before he had even realised. From memory, he was politely sent to bed.

2. Going to my first BDO in 2003 – Looking back the quality of the line-up was insane. Bands like The Music and Jimmy Eat World were playing on side stages in the early to mid-arvo, and I got to experience the brutal live force that is QOTSA – who were touring one of my fav records ‘Songs For The Deaf’. Sam, insisted I include his 2003 semi-highlight of seeing future Collingwood and Melbourne AFL star Heritier Lumumba briefly join the Deftones on stage for a sing-a-long, prior to diving back in to the crowd. Again not to be out done, Sam’s first BDO was 1999 featuring quintessential late 90s headliners such as Hole, Marilyn Manson, KoRn and Fatboy Slim.

3. Discovering new bands – Always part of the festival experience and in 2006 I was hanging at The Amplifier Bar the night before, and a cool British pop/grunge trio called The Subways were playing. I was highly sceptical to learn the drummer NEVER used a hi-hat but alas, they blew everyone away with a highly energetic albeit hat-less live performance. Subsequently, I was right there to see them again the next day! Still no hi-hats though.

4. The leaner years – By 2012 the festival landscape was saturated and the event was starting to get tough for the promoters and to top it off Kanye cancelled. But they hosted it in South Perth on the Swan River foreshore – That was near my place and a very cool setting. You could stand on The Causeway Bridge, which was outside of the venue and see the main stage. I distinctly remember all those people jumping up and down on the bridge as Kasabian played ‘Fire’.

5. 2005 was remembered for the massive crush that was the Boiler Room in order to see EDM heavyweights The Chemical Brothers. Looking back it was probably a bit of a pre-cursor to what became of the festival calendar. The once cool and chill EDM rave scene became infiltrated by the masses, where walking round sweaty and shirtless / being openly aggressive became the norm. The Chemical Brothers set was pretty mental though it did strike me that a bunch of punters in there were total loopers.

New single ‘Goodnight and Goodbye’ out now
iTunes – Apple Music – Spotify – Google Music

Top 5 Musical Firsts with Perth’s Laurie Luke

1. First time I was arrested – I had just turned 18 and my band Licking Pink (our drummer had an unhealthy obsession with the artist Pink) had just finished playing our first show. We trashed our gear at the end of the set and we were feeling very punk rock. After the show we decided to go to a local sushi restaurant where one thing led to another and I was arrested. When the police were escorting me to the paddy wagon I pleaded with them to let me drive myself to the police station to be processed. I had all of our gear (guitars, amps etc) in my car and I didn’t want to leave it behind (the gear was worth more than my car!). Somehow they agreed, so myself and the bass player followed the cops, in my car, to the police station so I could be fingerprinted. Very punk rock.

2. First Concert – Silverchair had just released Freakshow and it was the middle of summer and I had been blasting it day and night since its release. To say I was excited would be an understatement. My best mate and I were looking as cool as we possibly could while being accompanied by our parents. The smell of weed floating through the air and the sheer volume of a real rock concert had me hooked. Everything was new and familiar all at the same time. I also discovered Frenzal Rhomb and Magic Dirt that night, my life changed forever.

3. First time I heard Throwing Copper by Live in a stolen car – A friend called and said he’d pick me up in 10 minutes so I’d better be ready. Ready for what? I was 14 and walked down to the end of my street and a white commodore came flying around the corner. The car pulled up, I saw my mate and some other people I didn’t know and jumped in. The music was LOUD, this was a joyride, I had no control, and all I remember was screaming, “What band is this!?” That was my intro to Live. All Over You was on repeat for most of that afternoon. What a snare sound!

4. First local show – I had a friend who was obsessed with a local band called Karnivool. He said they were playing a show at the Grosvenor Backroom. I had never heard of them and had no real experience with a local music ‘scene’. It was another world walking into the venue, Karnivool were playing with Heavy Weight Champ and a band from the east coast called Frankenbok. I remember being impressed that Drew (Karnivool) was playing a Paul Reed Smith guitar, I had never seen one in real life before, only in magazines. I was also impressed that there were people that lived where I lived, who could play and perform that well. It was early days back then, but still impressive. It was definitely a moment where I remember thinking I can do this too.

5. First time hearing Jimi Hendrix – I was 10 years old and was trying to stay up late on a school night. My folks were watching a music documentary on the history of rock n’ roll. I promised I would go to bed as soon as it finished. They agreed….and then Jimi Hendrix explodes onto the screen. I have never seen anything like this, I don’t even know what is happening. You can play guitar with your teeth? Behind your head? And then set it on fire! What just happened? Why does he make those faces and move like that when he plays guitar? He was long gone, but to me he had just opened up my world. The next day I grabbed my mums copy of Jimi Hendrix’s greatest hits and she never got it back.

‘Way Back When’ EP out now feat. ‘Seventeen’ + ‘Rainbow Bomb’
iTunes – Apple Music – Spotify – Google Music

BARUNGA FESTIVAL CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF TRADITIONAL & CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS MUSIC
Barunga Festival will return in June this year maintaining its long and proud position as one of Australia’s most important cultural events celebrating the best of Indigenous art, sport, cultural activities, and contemporary and traditional music from remote locations.

Held over three days, from Friday, June 7 to Sunday, June 9, 80 kilometers southeast of Katherine, Barunga will attract over 4000 people from across the Northern Territory and beyond. With an audience of over 65% Indigenous attendees, the event has become an important and immersive experience for both First Nations Australians and travellers seeking unique and genuine Indigenous Australian connections.

This year will welcome three generations of Gumbaynggirr musicians with the quickly rising star Tasman Keith, reuniting with his legendary father Wire MC and distinguished grandfather Billy Jack.

“Family is everything to me. I grew up around it with my Dad and my grandfather. Since I’ve started making moves they come up all the time. They tell me I’ve got my father’s face. People that I wouldn’t expect. Now that I’m on a similar path as them, I can see how hard they would’ve worked, and I’m proud to step up with them,” said Gumbaynggirr rapper, Tasman Keith.

This year, the people of Barunga have also extended an invitation to the Indigenous cultures of Taiwan, welcoming singer Sang Mei-Chuan from the Twainese Paiwan tribe.

Sang is the youngest child of her family, and due to the senior age of her parents only spoke in her native tongue until schooling age where the government enforced a policy forbidding her to speak in her mother language.

Now, she works from her studio in Chingshan village teaching children the traditional songs of the Paiwan people and will bring the story of that unique experience to Barunga.

“Music is of great importance to the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples, especially to the Paiwan tribe. Music and songs not only record our daily lifestyles and express emotions but also record our histories, beliefs and cultural identity,” said Sang Mei-Chuan. “Tribal music and songs are like roots that absorb the nutrients from the land in Taiwan. For those Indigenous groups that do not have writing systems, music and songs are one of the most important mediums in passing down their cultural identity.”

The event has a healthy food policy, with a range of cuisines on offer as well as 100% drug, smoke and alcohol-free policy to ensure the family spirit of Barunga community is maintained.

Barunga is a real community, welcoming you to their home to celebrate all that is great about being Australian through their eyes. Whether you fly, drive or walk, make sure Barunga is on your calendar this June and it will change the way you see Australia.

CITY CALM DOWN
ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE ‘TELEVISION’
+ SYDNEY & MELBOURNE SHOWS – MAY/JUNE
+ TOURING UK/EUROPE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
I OH YOU is thrilled to present ‘Television’ – the new single from acclaimed Melbourne four-piece City Calm Down, the track premiered on triple j’s Good Nights.

Recorded with producer Burke Reid (Courtney Barnett, The Drones, Julia Jacklin), ‘Television’ is a prescient pop anthem for our times, and the band’s first new material since 2018’s masterful Echoes In Blue. That record debuted at #20 on ARIA Album Charts and #6 on iTunes, earning wide critical acclaim at home and abroad, with NME hailing the band’s “undeniable ambition”.

Now, that same spirit and drive finds City Calm Down hungrier than ever and determined to not repeat themselves on their upcoming third album, due out this year.

In celebration of their new single, City Calm Down will be performing two exclusive headine shows in May/June, and returning to the UK/Europe in Sept/Oct. Tickets are on sale now via www.citycalmdown.com – dates below.

‘Television’ is inspired by 1976’s Sidney Lumet-directed satire Network – an Oscar-winning howl of protest. Four decades on, Network’s bleak vision is more relevant than ever.

“Network is a dark satire about an anchorman who goes on a series of rants live on air after he loses his wife and finds out he’ll be fired,” says frontman Jack Bourke, who borrowed from the film’s infamous media monologues for the song’s intro. “Even though it was released 40+ years ago, it feels more relevant than ever in the 24 hour news cycle world we live in. It was serendipitous I stumbled across it the night I wrote ‘Television’.

“Although the lyrics touch on the same broad themes as Network, I’m not as deeply cynical about the impact of media in our lives. One of the greatest opportunities we have is to engage with the abundance of outstanding art that’s being produced. At the same time, there’s a lot of absolute crap, whether for television or other media, and it gets a lot more attention than it deserves. Culturally, this dulls our senses to what’s true and beautiful and we risk becoming more shallow and insular as a result.

“At the end of the day it’s a pop song and you can take as much or as little of that as you like. Musically it nods to and steals from T.Rex, The Smiths, The Clash and The Replacements and we’re fucking excited to put it out!”

Two albums and one EP in, City Calm Down’s accomplished songwriting has earned over 12 million streams on Spotify to date. Championed by triple j – including a Like A Version (465k on YouTube) – and community radio, the band’s ambitions have seen spins on Radio 1 (Huw Stephens) and BBC 6 Music, plus press coverage from NME, Rolling Stone, The 405, Stereogum, Consequence Of Sound, Indie Shuffle, Clash, The Independent, and more.

The list of earlier singles is impressive: ‘Son’, ‘Rabbit Run’, ‘Wandering’, ‘Your Fix’, ‘Border On Control’ – from 2015’s assured debut In A Restless House – and ‘Blood’, ‘Joan, I’m Disappearing’, ‘In This Modern Land’, ‘Pride’, ‘Distraction/Losing Sleep’, lifted from 2018’s unflinching Echoes In Blue. That record saw CCD sell out multiple headline tours, including 2,000 capacity venues such as the Forum Theatre (Melbourne) and Metro Theatre (Sydney). Festival history includes: Splendour In The Grass, Laneway, The Great Escape, Gold Sounds, Falls, Sugar Mountain, Beyond The Valley, Yours & Owls and more.

With ‘Television’, the band re-emerge with a brand new statement of intent and confidence. Stay tuned for more to come in 2019 from City Calm Down!
CITY CALM DOWN
With special guests Merpire (Melb) & Grace Turner (Syd)
Presented by I OH YOU and Collective Artists
On sale now via citycalmdown.com
Saturday 18 May
Howler | Melbourne, VIC
18+
moshtix.com

Saturday 1 June
Oxford Arts Factory | Sydney, NSW
18+
moshtix.com
SEPT/OCT 2019
Wed 25 Sept Oran Mor | Glasgow, UK
Thu 26 Sept The Cluny 2 | Newcastle, UK
Fri 27 Sept Brudenell Social Club | Leeds, UK
Sat 28 Sept Soup Kitchen | Manchester, UK
Mon 30 Sept Electrowerkz | London, UK
Tues 1 Oct Botanique Witloofbar | Belgium, Brussels
Wed 2 Oct Supersonic | Paris, France
Thu 3 Oct Paradiso | Amsterdam, Netherlands
Fri 4 Oct Privatclub | Berlin, Germany
Sat 5 Oct Molotow Musikclub | Berlin, Germany
Sun 6 Oct MTC | Cologne, Germany
‘Television’
City Calm Dow