Double-timing... DT-3.

Darwin hip hop trio DT-3 have made it to the Top 50 of the SupaFest Search for a Supastar Competition.

Presented by MTV, the SupaFest Search for a Supastar Competition is billed as a “national urban talent competition in serach of a raw, unsigned undiscovered artist”.

Entrants upload audition videos to You Tube and invite the public to vote for them.

Winners of the overall competition will be given a performance spot in the 2012 Supafest concert – “Australia’s largest urban music festival” – which travels to Brisbane Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in April.

They will also have the chance to sign with record label “TOTW/Paper Chase Records”.

Headline acts announced so far in the 2012 line up include P-Diddy, Ice Cube, Lupe Fiasco and Kelly Rowlands.

With the ultimate shortlist of ten decided by popular vote, DT-3 are hoping to recruit as many as possible for their audition video, in order to make it through to the next round.

Band member Liam Devine (aka Devine1) is keen to recuit votes. He says that “first voting is from January 5th-19th”, to decide the Top 25. Another round of votes will then determine the Top Ten.

He says the “Top 10 will fly down to Sydney perform in front of a judging panel”.

“Unsigned and un-managed” hip hop and R&B artists and bands are eligible. According to Liam, DT-3 is “the only NT entrant” to have made it to the Top 50.

Promoter of Supafest Dwayne Cross says “I feel there is a lot of raw undiscovered talent across Australia that don’t have the means or know-how to get their music to record labels.”

“We would love to give these talented urban youths the opportunity of a lifetime to perform live on stage in front of over 100,000 people, and alongside some of the world’s biggest rappers and artists.”

DT-3 were one of three Territory hip hop acts to support US rapper Xzibit at his December 2011 concert at Darwin Convention Centre.

DT-3′s other members include MCs Zac Calma (Big-Z), and Nathaniel Polkinghorne (Creepa), and DJ Mitchell Russell (R-Faktr).

Visit this link to view DT-3′s audition video for Supafest. Voters need to sign up this link.

Visit DT-3 on Facebook and read more about their Supafest quest in the NT News.

Words: Megan Spencer.

Sources: Phil Eaton, Liam Devine, Supafest, Vulture, NT News.

Ollie MC, pictured on the cover of his CD, 'Navigate the Crosswind'.

Music NT sends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Ollie MC, at the devastating loss of such a talented, adventurous and inspiring human being.

Ollie passed away in a car accident in Victoria, late in 2011.

Ollie wasn’t in Central Australia long, but in the time he was, he made a lasting impression.

Simultaneously able to charm people and challenge assumptions, he was an inspiring artist not afraid to stand up for his beliefs.

In 2011, Music NT’s Milyika Scales brought Ollie in to work on the annual Desert Divas professional development and music mentoring workshops.

She says “Ollie was a huge part of Music NT’s 2011 Desert Divas program, stepping in at the last minute to mentor and accompany the girls in their songwriting and performance workshops.”

“Ollie was amazing. He slotted in so well, and his beautiful personality, tenacity, and fantastic musical ability mentored and supported the younger girls in particular, to arrange and perform their original songs on stage.”

Ollie MC on stage with Desert Divas Jacinta Price & Rita Tomlins at the 2011 Alice Desert Festival. Pic: Megan Spencer

She adds “for many it was their first performance, and Ollie’s musical legacy will live on as these young Indigenous women grow into experienced talented performers.”

“Words can’t express the shock and sorrow felt in Alice Springs at hearing the news, and our thoughts and love go out to you, in particular Izzy and Basey, at this terrible time.”

– Milyika and the team from Music NT

More of Ollie at work with the Desert Divas here and here.

Heats for Mission Australia’s youth music talent program Urban Quest will be held around the NT early in 2012.

• Alice Springs heats – 24 February at 10am and 25 February at 9am at Youth Hub
• Darwin school heats – 2 March from 3.30pm to 5.30pm at Palmerston Community Room, Darwin Middle School & Malak Theatre.
• Darwin community heats – 10 March from 3pm to 5pm at Palmerston Community Room & Malak Community Theatre.
• Katherine – 9 March at the Training Centre from 4pm to 6pm.

Please note that Mission Australia can only provide sound equipment at the semi-finals and finals. For heats, acts are encouraged to sing unaccompanied or accompanied by acoustic music. Practice amps can be used but must be supplied by the act.

Download and fill in the registration form at this link and email the completed and signed copies to urbanquest@missionaustralia.com.au

You can also post your entries to: Urban Quest Committee Mission Australia,
PO Box 2498, Palmerston, NT 0831.

It costs $10 per contestant to enter Urban Quest.

Mission Australia says it first first developed Urban Quest as way of using music to connect with young  people living in and around Dandenong in Victoria.
Urban Quest is now also a celebration of young Territorian talent, music and community.

When Mission Australia introduced the talent competition to the NT in 2011 it was embraced  by schools, students and communities across the NT.

In 2011, Darwin High School’s Tevita Moala took out the competition title after performing a moving rendition of John Legend’s ‘I Won’t Complain’ at the Urban Quest Final at the Darwin Entertainment Centre. The night attracted around 2,000 people, including guest hosts Mark Holden and Deni Hines, as well as local media.

More recently, the competition has attracted the attention of the producers of Australia’s Got Talent, who were interested in showcasing local talent uncovered at Urban Quest 2011.

In 2012 Urban Quest heats will be held in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs in late February and March. The top performers will then go through to the 13 April semi-final at Darwin’s Casuarina Square and Alice Springs Youth Hub on 10 March.

The semi-finals will also  kick off Youth Week 2012.

The finalists will then take to the Darwin Entertainment Centre stage on 15 April to impress MA’s ‘star’ judges – Mark ‘Touchdown’ Holden, soul singer Deni Hines and country singer-songwriter Paul Costa (a Mission Australia Ambassador).

Tickets to the final are $20, with the sales use to cover the costs of staging the event, and to help fund youth services in the NT. Tickets will go on sale in March.

• Read about the 2011 Urban Quest in the NT News, and more info about entering here.
• Download the registration form here.

Source: Mission Australia media release

It’s been a whopper of a year for independent original music in the Northern Territory – maybe even the biggest ever!

Our music activity is constant, busy, progressive and, at an all time high..  We now have a Territory Anthem; our Indigenous music awards – the NIMAs – went national for the first time, and one of our biggest music stars, Gurrumul Yunupingu, not only met and played for the Queen, he also played for the US President!

As you read this, The Tableland Drifters are preparing to head to Woodford to play their first Dreaming Festival (Frank Yamma will perform as well), with other NT artists also scheduled to play throughout the Australian music festival season.

The Sandridge Band is gearing up for the February release of album Brolga Dreaming, as are East Journey for their debut Gawuk, due to come out in March 2012.

Pushing forward with an aggressive digital release strategy Roymackonkey are about to embark upon their latest East Coast tour, as single Sleep Tonight continues to get airplay in the NT and beyond; while Alice Springs songwriter Colin Lillie has just signed a publishing deal, even before the official release of his debut EP.

The profile of Territory music is on the rise nationally and internationally, with the continued touring and/or chart success of many NT artists, like Leah Flanagan, Jessica Mauboy, Shellie Morris, Iwantja Band, eMDee, Worldfly and Gurrumul, who not only took Europe by storm but won a ton of awards for his second album Rrakala, which also reached platinum sales.

The Song Peoples Sessions project and CDs – featuring Territory treasures Warren H. Williams and Shellie Morris – also brought national attention to the Barkly region’s fertile cultural ground, with major media outlets covering the unique collaborative music project, as it progressed throughout the year.

Thanks to the perseverance and efforts of our Indigenous artists – and many of those who collaborate with them – it’s becoming  more common now to hear songs on radio sung ‘in language’, sometimes even on commercial stations and networks.

Territory artists receiving regular airplay on local radio also continues to the rise, with some radio programmers – beyond the ABC -  finally opening up their playlists more often to support homegrown music (TerritoryFM is one).

triple j Unearthed is also a space where more and more NT artists are making their presence felt to a national audience. At one point this year, Darwin high school band Skarlett was sitting atop not one but two Unearthed charts!

An increasing number of independent NT acts are also programmed on AirIt, while new CD releases from NT artists have been a constant throughout the previous 12 months.

To name but a few: Kris Keogh, Black Can Clan, Gurrumul, Tracy Bunn, eMDee, Unbroken Expanse, Iwantja Band, Seldom Party, Warren H. Williams, with compilation CDs from Red Sand Culture and Black Wreath.

Promised for 2012 is a Desert Divas CD – with solo outings for both Catherine Satour and Jacinta Price on the way – Worldfly, Shellie Morris, Roymackonkey, Lanrae and the long-awaited, as yet untitled debut album from Tennant Creek musician/producer, Dr. Fluoride. And that’s just for starters.

A strong touring circuit within the NT is also developing, with artists such as Reggae Dave, Tjupi Band and Seldom Party all receiving touring grants to take their music around the Territory and beyond borders.

Artback/Music NT’s Music Touring Manager Vanessa Hutchins reports that the NT Music Touring Program – which included artists such as Tjupi Band, Iwantja and Reggae Dave – played to approximately 15,000 people in 18 venues and communities across the Territory in 2011.

“Momentum is growing as the program develops for 2012″, she adds.

Other bands like Tennant Creek’s Unbroken Expanse, punched two fists in the air, independently embarking upon NT touring circuits of their own – and off their own bat.

Not to mention the success of the Long Way To The Top End II tour to the Fuse Music Festival & Conference in February, which saw 13 NT bands travel to Adelaide, to play across 6 nights at 4 venues.

NT acts are exploring new technologies to distribute, market and fund their music (Roymackonkey have recently embraced the free DIY phone App Songpier). Both Worldfly and Sietta ‘crowdfunded’ projects in 2011 through pozible.com, with the latter making it to an international showcase in Singapore as a result, and the former working hard to reach their $20 000 target by the end of January 2012, to support the recording of their new album.

Musicians are also banding together to launch music collectives (Black Wreath), music magazines (Shamzine), hugely active online Forums (Darwin Music Scene, ReviewsNT),  gig guides (Darwinlive) and new music promoters are emerging, bringing international acts to the Territory at a rate of knots…

Then there were the two iNTune Music Conferences, Bush Bands Business, national media coverage for the NIMAs…

The above ‘end-of-year round up’ only scratches the surface… Suffice to say that, yes, it has been a mighty year in Northern Territory music.

Music NT would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a hearty congratulations on amazing work. It’s just getting bigger and better every day. We look forward to working with you in 2012 – stay safe, and all the best for the New Year.

- The Team at Music NT: Mark, Phil, Lisa, Milyika, Vanessa, Fiona & Megan

If there’s such a thing as ‘national treasures’ in Territory music – and there is! – Shellie Morris certainly qualifies…

Big voice, big talent, big heart: Shellie has all three in spades.

And a smile that goes on for days..

Shellie’s reputation as one of the hardest working musicians in Australia – let alone the Territory – also precedes her.

Anyone who follows her many journeys knows that at any given moment she could be rehearsing for a show with the Black Arm Band; on stage with Sinead O’Connor at the Melbourne International Arts Festival; taping an episode of RockWiz; being filmed for a French TV documentary in Arnhem Land with a famous Brazilian singing star; recording in Tennant Creek in language for a groundbreaking collaborative CD; on her way to sing at a delegation in Japan; giving workshops to kids ‘out bush’ in the outback, or on stage at the Sydney Opera House singing up a storm with her Yanyuwa family to a national TV audience…

It can leave you breathless trying to keep up, such is the length and breadth of her travels and music accomplishments.

Alongside NT musicians and performers such as Gurrumul Yunupingu, Leah Flanagan and Jessica Mauboy, Shellie Morris is another of our incredibly talented Indigenous artists – music ambassadors if you will – busily flying the flag for NT music and culture, moreover NT Indigenous music and culture, by exploring ways to entertain, inspire and ultimately educate local and international audiences, at the highest level.

Carefully considering gigs and opportunities, Shellie is still self-managed and fiercely independent. She has spent her life in music, honing her craft, songwriting and powerful, soulful singing style.

This year in particular has been a big one for the artist. She worked in music with her family  from Borroloola for the first time, singing in her grandmother’s language, via the Song Peoples Sessions, a project run through Winanjjikari Music Centre. (Shellie also appeared in award-winning music documentary murundak – songs of freedom, about The Black Arm Band).

So.. ’Bout time then that Music NT spoke to Shellie Morris, about her mammoth year in music, personal growth as an artist, and what’s on her (already) busy horizon for 2012.

We managed to track down Shellie traveling between interstate shows for the 2011 Christmas RockWiz  Tour…

On the red carpet... Shellie with Jack Thompson at the 2011 Deadlys. Pic: Tito Media

Music NT: So Shellie, the busiest lady on the planet! What are you up to at the moment?

Shellie Morris: At the moment I am on the road with the Rockwiz Christmas Tour with Jon English, Ross Wilson, Josh Pyke, Patience Hodgson, Lanie Lane and Rebecca Barnard. It’s been awesome and then when I get back Darwin I go bush for a couple of days helping write a lullaby with the Ladies from Barunga.

The next few months I will be recording a new album for myself, an acoustic one. I’ve also got some gigs in January in Melbourne, and also maybe a quick trip to India for a couple of gigs!

MuNT: How would you describe this year for you? What were some of your musical highlights?

SM: I think this year has been one of the best yet, so many opportunities. I think the biggest highlight was singing with Mavis Staples and Joss Stone at the Melbourne Myer Music Bowl (in Notes From The Hard Road, closing night event of MIAF).

Also meeting some of the most amazing people this year that have really helped me in so many ways.

Performing at the Opera House with my family from Borroloola, and working on the Song Peoples Sessions album together, Ngambala Wiji Li Wununu (Together We’re Strong). I believe this truly has been a dream come true. [The CD is due for release early in 2012].

MuNT: Can you tell us about some of your plans for next year?

SM: Over January-February I’ll be doing some bush work with the Fred Hollows Foundation and record a new album.

I am going to Wales in March for a collaboration with some Welsh musicians for the London Olympics.

Then there’s the launch of the Song Peoples Sessions CD in Borroloola. I have a 6 week Australian musi  tour, Shellie’s Story.

Then I have a 3 week tour with [Brazilian world music star] Gilberto Gil through 10 countries in Europe; London Olympics performance; Wales Performance; back to Australia for the Darwin Festival; then in August off to Toronto…

Then I will be singing at a 100the birthday party! LOL

MuNT: Reckon you would be be racking up a fair few frequent flyer points – where have you travelled to this year?

SM: I stayed in Australia this year so that was nice. Plenty of trips to the Red Centre and major cities, and rural work also. And yes – got some miles clocked up now! LOL

MuNT: You seem so very busy – how do you find time to write music?

SM: Well I am always writing with projects so this never stops. I like to write as I feel I need to. I still have many songs that need to be recorded and released. I keep a note pad handy for planes, trains, trams and buses – lol – so always ready!!

MuNT: Can you give us a bit of insight into your writing process – what inspires you, your ‘routine’ if you have one..

SM: I think that people and life really inspire me.. How I write? There isn’t a real ‘process’ or way to write.. It just happens as it happens. I never try to force it and I really enjoy the collaboration with songwriting at the moment. I have a few projects coming up this next year..

Song Peoples on stage.. Shellie Morris with the Yanyuwa Women Singers from Borroloola at the Sydney Opera House, for the 2011 Deadly Awards. Pic: Vibe Australia/Deadlys

MuNT: The Yanyuwa Song Women CD through the Song Peoples Sessions has been a big part of 2011 for you. Can you please give us a bit of background about how it came about? What has come from that project and where it is moving to?

SM: The idea was from dear friend [music producer] Patrick McCloskey. He sourced the funding and also Vanessa Hutchins [Artback NT/Music NT music touring manager] suggested that I go back to my grandmother’s country to record.

The album – or the project – is about language and keeping our culture strong. Also for me I had to go back and learn from my grandmothers, and aunties; they were my guide throughout the whole recording and songwriting process. We did the album together the whole way. Not a note was recorded without their approval.

Where is the album moving to? Hopefully all over the globe,! LOL, but you know we are so proud as a family. We are just happy that we made something beautiful together.

Ans as soon as people have heard this album we have been offered gigs all over Australia and now all though Europe. But I think with this project we will take little steps at a time and carefully choose where we will go.  As you can imagine, I have to take good care and have a responsibility to the women. We have been offered a tour through Europe which I am carefully looking at with the family and this will take many months of work in preparation.

Also we have documentary-makers wanting to come and record our story so there is so much to do! But as I said we will take small steps together.

MuNT: Do you think the Song Peoples Sessions is important and/or unique in Australian music?

SM: This project is amazing and wonderful, but it’s truly Australian music – not world music! Also this is a Womans’ Project, and that is quite rare and precious.

No words really can express this journey together. I am proud that we can share our culture with the rest of the world and we are very proud and strong people. This is what I think is the most important. There are so many wrong and no-good stories, we want to share a good story of strong and proud women who have much to give.

MuNT: And the Black Arm Band – do you think it is changing Australian music? What’s it like to be a part of that group for you?

SM: AWESOMENESS! We’re not changing Australian music at all; we just trying to make a difference for our people in standing strong in our culture.

7 Songs To Leave Behind.. Shellie Morris (left), with Sinead O'Connor & Lou Bennett, Leah Flanagan, Melbourne International Arts Festival, 2010. Pic: CarbieWarbie/MIAF

MuNT: You were on RockWiz this year, you performed at Melbourne Arts Festival in 2010/11, you have done so much this year and your profile is very much national.. Do you feel as if the hard work is paying off in your career?

SM: Well I am slowly getting there but really I am just stoked to be able to be heard and to share my music.

I think it’s about so many things.

Black Arm Band has helped a lot and of course being on Rockwiz now has opened up so many doors also.

I think the main thing is I have always tried to remain true to myself and belief in my own style; I have tried not to be pressured into what I would feel would be wrong [for me]. I’m just just happy to get gigs really! LOL.

MuNT: What do you love most about making music in the Northern Territory?

SM: I think that the NT has so many things to offer – not only Australia, the world. We have of course our Aboriginal culture, but also so many wonderful people in the NT.. Great bands have emerged from smaller cities and towns.

I think it’s laid back nature and the warmth of the people have really made an impact in the industry just because of who we are – people from the NT.

I think we all have a great sense of humour and a gentle, humble nature. As I travel so many people of the bigger cities have so much more to deal with – the business and the stress of the city – we are so lucky in a way. Sometimes it’s harder but a journey that’s not hard doesn’t get the same results.

Shellie singing at BAMFest, Tennant Creek, 2011. Pic: Megan Spencer

MuNT: The best thing about 2011 for you? The hardest?

SM: The best is the album with my family from Borroloola [Ngambala Wiji Li Wununu (Together We’re Strong)].

The hardest has been more personal issues and trying to find myself in all of that has been extremely hard, and I still have a long way to go with it all.

But I am looking forward and enjoying each moment with gratitude.

MuNT: And will you share with us the one thing you’ve learned in the ‘business’ – or life – that keeps you inspired and moving forward?

SM: One thing I have learned is to be humble and not expect too much from others; to try and stay positive, to be a nice and kind person to others in the industry – don’t get offended and try not to hold grudges. To wish others well on their jouney.

I think the main thing is find where you fit into the industry, and to undestand that being unique is a good thing!

MuNT: Can we expect a new CD from you soon?

SM: YES YES YES – been a bit distracted with so many other things in my life! Like finding myself and my identity; that has been at the forefront of my life.

Now I can get onto the making of albums and forging forward that way. I have so many things to learn but I am ready now to hit the studio, and I am looking forward to having some surprise guests on my album and part-producing it myself.

READY NOW! LOL!

To stay up-to-date with Shellie’s news and gigs, visit

• Watch Shellie Morris on the RockWiz Christmas Special, Saturday December 24, at 9.30pm on SBS!
  
• The Shellie Morris official website
• Facebook fan page
• Song Peoples Sessions
• Flickr for more MIAF pics
• Watch Shellie perform with the Yanyuwa Ladies at the 2011 Deadlys
• Watch Shellie at work with kids in Kintore on the CAAMA website
  

Words: Megan Spencer. Many thanks to Shellie Morris for the interview!

]]> http://musicnt.com.au/2011/12/19/territory-treasure-shellie-morris/feed/ 1 http://musicnt.com.au/2011/12/09/generate-on-the-way/ http://musicnt.com.au/2011/12/09/generate-on-the-way/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 01:45:57 +0000 Music NT Staff http://musicnt.com.au/?p=9841

GENERATE – promoting innovation in Australia’s music industry..

The next big thing in music technology may be developed in Australia thanks to a new music industry investment program launched today by the Federal Government and the Australian music industry.

The new program, GENERATE: An Australian Music Enterprise Investment Pilot, aims to “invest in original, innovative ideas or business models involving Australian music”, and is touted as “a positive step forward in creating a sustainable future for the Australian music industry.”

AMIN (Australian Music Industry Network) will be holding GENERATE workshops in 2012, including the NT. Register your interest to attend the workshop in Darwin on February 16 by clicking this application link.

Or contact the Music NT office: Music NT (08) 8981 1995 / manager@musicnt.com.au

Please note that GENERATE is NOT a grant program for music production or touring. GENERATE will provide business-development knowledge, skills and expertly-tailored mentoring support, as well as access to seed investment of up to $30,000 for up to 15 ground-breaking music enterprises from across Australia.

The GENERATE program was launched today by Federal Minister for the Arts the Hon. Simon Crean, with APRA|AMCOS Head of Membership Sally Howland saying that “encouraging and providing opportunities for music business entrepreneurs was vital in keeping Australia at the forefront of the world music industry”.

”GENERATE displays forward-thinking on behalf of the Government and is a testament to our joint confidence in the next generation of music business entrepreneurs,” Ms Howland said.

“The program is a joint Government and industry initiative which aims to cultivate innovative music business models through seed investment and business expertise.

“APRA is totally committed to this enterprise and grateful for the opportunities it will bring to the wider music community,” Ms Howland said

APRA Ambassador – and 2011 iNTune Darwin speaker  – Tim Levinson (aka Urthboy) said that positive programs such as GENERATE are an important way to invest in the future of the Australian music industry.

iNTune 2011 guest Urthboy spoke at the GENERATE launch.

“The need for innovative thinking in the music and creative industries has never been more important than now,” Mr Levinson said.

“We constantly hear about the negative impact of file sharing and illegal downloading of music, but we don’t hear enough about the positive ideas that are breathing life into one of our most important cultural assets.

“The Generate program upholds a government promise; it’s a wise investment in those who are pro-actively taking the music industry forward,” Mr Levinson said.

GENERATE is led by the Creative Industries Innovation Centre (CIIC) in partnership with the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), and is supported by the Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN), and the Commonwealth Office for the Arts.

• Follow Generate on Twitter #generate2012
• Follow AMIN on Twitter #australianmusic
• More information on the Music NT Forum.

Source: APRA/AMCOS media release

roymackonkey... Fletcher, Darryl, John & Brian. Pic: Auki Henry

It’s easy to see why so many people have a music crush on NT band roymackonkey…

Not just because they’re sentimental faves from Darwin.. Or possess music talent in spades. Or are so committed to their music and the local music scene, that they nigh on burst every time they hit the stage.

It’s irrelevant whether you’d upload their music into your iPod or not; this is one band who knows how to win over an audience, whatever your taste. That takes skill. These guys are good at what they do.. Real good.

From John Coulehan’s giant heart-on-sleeve vocals and power-plaintive songwriting, Brian McLeod’s ‘more-Flea-than-Flea’ athletic bass, to Darryl Barba‘s insanely good guitar work and Fletcher Bowman’s unashamed ‘smack-my-kit-up’ drumming style.. These guys have a sound all their own, and boy do they own it on stage… 1000 per cent.

Anyone who’s ever seen them play – whether ‘unplugged’ acoustic shows or pedal-to-the-metal ‘electrified’ sets – walks away knowing who they just saw, and moreover, that they just saw a band who not only loves to play music, but their own music. Roymackonkey play killer live shows, possess tons of heart and a powerful sound.

Since forming in Darwin almost 15 years ago one cyclone season – with a couple of drummers over that time – roymackonkey have recorded several EPs, dipped in and out of national radio airplay, and played hundreds of gigs within and without the Territory.

With two band members now living interstate, maintaining momentum as a group can be ‘challenging’.

Yet roymackonkey endure, their big fan base intact.

With five new songs about to be released and their debut album on the way – due for release in  2012 – the four members of roymackonkey have a plan.

Armed with a new producer, a rejuventated aim towards finding their market – and being heard – across platforms, a digital distribution strategy, and squarely taking aim at commercial radio which, in spite of their distinct sound, has inexplicably eluded them…  The Roy Boys are having a ‘crack’. A big one.

Roymackonkey founding member Darryl Barba spent some time with Music NT to share some insight into what may very well just be roymackonkey’s breakthrough CD.

Guitar man.. Darryl Barba. Pic: Auki Henry

Music NT: When did you start writing songs for the new album? And how did it come about?

Darryl Barba: We had already written these songs years ago! And have been playing them live for a while now. It’s just that we have been waiting for the right time to record them the way we wanted.

When I heard the quality of the production on songs a mate of ours (Sam Korn from Erica Owns The Sky) was recording with Brisbane producer called ‘Stuart Stuart’, I was impressed! I sent some live recordings to Stuart and he got back to me saying he was keen to work with us.

The decision to record an album came about after we had finished recording the first five tracks, initially intended as an EP. Then we thought, “well, we already have two EPs which are a decade apart; there’s no point in rushing the release of these songs.. So we decided to go back next year to record more songs and choose which ones would sit well together as an album.

And considering we have been waiting a long time to produce an album we want them to be the best representation of the band as possible.

MuNT: What inspired the title, “Abandonment Issues’, if anything?!

DB: Abandonment Issues is the title of one of the songs! And it’s also a strong representation of the majority of John’s lyrical content!  About relationship breakdowns, self destruction, love and heartbreak in an industrial wasteland of depression and loneliness! The guy doesn’t like to paint a happy picture but he sings pretty songs : )

MuNT: What’s your exact CD release history to date?

DB: We have released two EPs ourselves but we have had a few songs included on compilation discs:

EP: 1998 Quality of Meat (self released)

CD: 2000 Zero Tolerance compilation (Bicuspid) MIDI NT

CD: 2004 Global Warning compilation (The Great Divide)

CD: 2008 Grow Your Own Upload Volume 12 compilation (The Fear) Foghorn Records

EP: 2008 Cassandra Never Lies (self released)

CD: 2012 Off The Record , Jack Jill & Coke Volume 4, 5 , 6 & 7 Compilation (Sleep Tonight) Jungle Studios Sydney to be released January 2012 – Distributed via Drum Media (NSW) , Inpress (vic) , Rip It Up (SA) & Time Off (QLD)

LP: 2012 Abandonment Issues to be released (August)

Bass man.. Brian McLeod. Pic: Auki Henry

MuNT: Have you approached the recording/production/release differently with this new album? If so, how?

DB: We’re taking our time to choose the right songs and work them out structurally before we record them, and make sure they each flow together. We dont want to lay down 12 tracks and say “there ya go!” We want to make sure each song is strong enough to be on the album e.g. one of the 5 tracks we recorded in May probably won’t make the final cut, because structurally it’s not as strong as the other songs.

We have released Sleep Tonight as a single from the forthcoming album already and expect to release a couple more singles before the album comes out, in the hope that it will generate some interest and anticipation from our fans. We have had some great feedback and support already from our fans and radio support from 104.1 Territory FM and interstate community radio stations as well.

Once we have the right songs together we will do the hard sell to labels and management.

MuNT: Who are the key players who have worked on this album with you?

DB: Stuart Stuart is the guy behind the quality and production of the latest recordings. He was signed with Mushroom back in the 90s and has strong connections in the industry due to his skill and dedication.

He has worked with The Veronicas and Small Mercies in the past and most recently to his credit Roymackonkey!

Stuart’s main goal is to take the songs you have and rebuild them to mould them into something better. The guy has a great ear for phrasing and tuning. If a note is only slightly out, he will notice! And if I play chords a lil’ differently than before he notices – and makes sure you get it right.

MuNT: What’s changed between the release of your last CD Cassandra Never Lies and this one, to make the approach to releasing it different than before?

DB: We have taken advantage of digital release and promotion a lot more than we have with the last release. With Cassandra Never Lies we recorded, printed and released with little-to-no promotion aside from AMRAP mail outs to radio stations, and some word-of-mouth.

This time we have used the social media platforms to our advantage and are constantly reminding our fans and friends of what we are doing, so they don’t forget we are here. And it works! If you’re always present then people take notice…

MuNT: How do you go about managing the band? Can you give us a bit of insight into how that works, specially with 2 of the members living away from Darwin?

DB: It’s completely DIY for us at the moment! We have had help from friends in the past and we greatly appreciate their time and commitment to us. But there is only so much people can do to help when they too have their own lives to live, and jobs to work.

We’re happy running our own show for now but would love to one day find a solid management company pushing us in the right direction. Having two members living away isn’t as much of a problem as you might think. Bands do this all the time! Plus at the moment, seeing as we are working towards an album, we all need to work to support the project and each person needs to be where they are right now.

Working on more love songs.. 'Johnny Magic'. Pic: Auki Henry.

MuNT: What do you want to get out of the release of this new album? And what are the plans for next year with it – touring? With distribution?

DB: We’re expecting this album to open some doors regarding recognition by A&R and management, also with booking agents and festival organizers.

I am already lining up connections for touring late 2012 and have sent a few emails out to distribution companies to find out who would be interested in taking us on.

MuNT: You guys have been together for a long time.. What keeps you together, strong as a unit?

DB: I think we all realize that we really enjoy playing and creating music together, and even though we endure our own personal struggles within our own lives, we look forward to the times when we get together for a show or a rehearsal.

Because it’s an outlet that gives each of us an opportunity to express our feelings through music.

MuNT: Does this album differ in sound than previous releases? If so, how?

DB: Totally! This album is going to blow anything we have done in the past right out of the water! Already you can hear it in our current single Sleep Tonight.

It’s big, it’s clear, it’s tight and it’s quality!

The reason behind the difference is we actually sat down with a producer and re-worked the songs to bring new life to them. Stuart said to us, “change the key or change the chorus or change the chords here and there, and add something different to the melody”, which made a huge difference in the end.

We never did that with the previous EP. We just went in and recorded the songs as is. Although there are some great songs on Cassandra Never Lies, they lacked clarity and direction production-wise..

We actually re-worked the song Go Steady to give it a rockier vibe. The words are the same but we completely changed the feel of the song. (We’ll release both versions).

Actually I would love to re-record all those songs with Stuart just to see how much bigger we could make them but we have a lot of other songs that need to be brought to life instead.

MuNT: I found your new song Sleep Tonight under ‘Indigenous releases’ on the AirIt charts.. This is a new aspect to Roymackonkey that people may not yet be familiar with yet – care to fill them in? It’s a great extra layer to the band’s story – and to yours Darryl..

DB: Yes it is! But, not a direct decision to play the Indigenous card! It’s just a personal decision to acknowledge my own heritage for myself.

When I submitted our songs to AirIt Radio Project, I filled in the Indigenous Artist application because I had a moment of declaration as to who I am – not who the band is.

Roymackonkey is an extension of who I am, and who my band mates are, and how we feel musically. And what we bring personally to the band reflects through our music. Ergo, I am an Indigenous guitarist for a rock band called Roymackonkey.

MuNT: You’re on AirIt and also Songpier – you seem to be more actively exploring online ways of distributing your music. Has this been a conscious decision? And what plans do you have for the distribution of the album?

DB: AirtIt, SongPier, Facebook , Myspace , Twitte , Mp3.com… All these social media platforms are there and ready to be used to our advantage. If somebody somewhere is at anytime on one of these sites clicking on our links to Roymackonkey then that’s a good thing!

These networking outlets are all about promoting and marketing yourself, or your project. So we are going to use it as much as we can to get our music out into the world onto your computer and into your head. The new album will be available on as many of these online distribution sites as possible! Why go fishing with one line and get one bite when you can use 10 lines and catch many fish!

Rhythm.. fletcher KAne Bowman. Pic: Auki Henry

MuNT: Your music seems to sit in that position of being halfway between ‘commercial radio friendly’ and ‘heavy’.. Which is where a lot of radio bands sit these day (on triple j and commercial). Do you think you will have a better chance at cracking that market with your new CD?

DB: Most definitely! With the new sound and direction we are going in, we are sure to make an impact! Once all the songs are together then it’s about choosing the right campaign to market the CD to the right people

MuNT: And have you had feedback from radio about your new album?

DB: We’re getting positive feedback already with Sleep Tonight being played on 104.1 Territory FM under their New Music playlist, which is once a day since the 29th November, 2011.

MuNT: What plans or ambitions does roymackonkey have?

DB: Once the album is ready we will be touring nationally to promote it and also heading back overseas. Since playing at the 2010 Indie Week Music Festival in Canada, we have some contacts now in Canada and the States so we’ll make sure we use them in a good way.

MuNT: Would you all ‘reconvene’ in one city again if the new album ‘called’ you to?

DB: Of course! We already have shows booked in Melbourne this January, supporting The Neo @ Revolver Upstairs in Prahran, which gives us an opportunity to promote the new songs. And also a show at Pure Pop Records in St. Kilda.

MuNT: What have been some of the highlights for 2011?

DB: Apart from recording and releasing the new songs, it’s all been a blur of logistics and organization of getting the boys to Darwin for photo shoots and gigs, in between our day-to-day schedules of work and personal lives.

John has just become an uncle for the first time, and I have just bought a house off the back of our first single! Haha only kidding! I did buy a house thankfully, but sadly from an inheritance. Brian shouted me dinner at Bahn Thai the other week and Fletcher.. Ummm Fletcher is in all kinds of situations that I shouldn’t even talk about! Haha! Facebook the guy and you’ll know what he’s up to at any time of the day : )

MuNT: Please finish this sentence: “In five years’ time Roymackonkey will be…”

DB: “…On your TV, stereo, iPod, iPhone, radio, street pole, car’s bumper, CD rack, tee-shirt, Soundwave ticket, Big Day Out ticket and 2016 ‘Band To See’ list!” Fingers crossed huh?!

• 

  Abandonment Issues artwork.

  Read more about roymackonkey here and here.

• Visit roymackonkey on Facebook
• Twitter
• Reverbnation
• Songpier
• MySpace
• Find single ‘Sleep Tonight on iTunes.
  

Words: Megan Spencer. Thanks to Darryl Barba for the great interview!

Wide Open Space is looking for volunteers to help staff the 2012 Festival.

Now in its fourth year, Wide Open Space is fast becoming Australia’s most exciting “music, arts and desert culture gathering”.

Artists who have played at previous festivals include Iwantja Band, Catch The Fly, Sietta, Hugo & Treats, Monkey Marc, Joelistics, Tin Pan Orange, Mista Savona and many more.

The festival will run May 4-6, 2012, at the popular Ross River Resort and Camping Ground, 85 kms west of Alice Springs.

The Festival website call out for volunteers states, “the WIDE OPEN SPACE FESTIVAL is looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic people aged 18 years and over. Applicants must have a passion for working as part of a team in a dynamic, outdoor, festival environment.”

WOS 2012 poster.

They are looking for volunteers “with an interest in music, the environment and have something special to contribute to a unique Australian event.”

People interested in applying to be a volunteer need to submit an ‘expression of interest’ form online.

With artist applications are about to close on December 9, the first line up for 2012 festival should be announced soon. Stay tuned to the Music NT website for details!

• Visit the Wide Open Space website
• Buy tickets
• Volunteer
• On Facebook.
• Read about the Wide Open Space 2011

Words: Megan Spencer. Source: WOS website

The Australia Council is offering Creative Australia Artists Grants of up to $80 000, to Indigenous artists to produce “a major creative work”, in any field of the arts, including music.

Called ’21st Century Stories: Tell It Like It Is‘, the grants invite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to “tell us about the world” through their eyes, and “why this story is important”.

Through their work, the artists are also asked to “challenge, inspire, remind, provoke and dazzle”, be experimental in approach and to be able to “get these ideas to thousands of people”.

The stories and ideas are to be taken from “the first decade of the 21st Century”, with 10 projects to be supported through this fund, over a three-year period.

Projects “may be in any artform” – including music – or “a combination of artforms”.

Applications close Monday January 16, 2012.

Visit this link for full details and to download. Or call 1800 226 912, or email atsia@australiacouncil.gov.au

Words: Megan Spencer. Source: Australia Council media release

East Journey

Laynhapuy Homelands band East Journey will release their debut album ‘Guwak’ in March 2012.

The album will be released “nationally” through major label “MGM in Sydney.”

They also plan to launch the CD with a special concert in Yirrkala in Arnhem Land in March, followed up by a “performance date” in Sydney around the same time.

East Journey is a long-time music project of Garrangali Band member, Rrawun Maymuru, who lives in Yirrkala, North East Arnhem Land.

Garrangali Band won three awards at the 2010 Indigenous Music Awards for their debut album, Garrangali.

Rrawun also performed in groundbreaking band Yothu Yindu and collaborated with Gurrumul Yunupingu on double-platinum-selling second album, Rrakala, released this year.

East Journey‘s other band members also live within the Laynhapuy Homelands in Arnhem Land, NT. They  include Wulkuwulku Marawili, also of Garrangali Band fame (backing vocals, harmonies, keyboard), Patrick ‘PJ’ White (lead guitar), Gathapura Mununggurr (drums), Arian Pearson (acoustic guitar), Ngalkanbuy Mununggurr (yidaki) Ben Wheatley (bass guitar) and Ses Frank (rhythm guitar).

The band recorded the album in Sydney in November 2010, with well-known NT sound engineer Matt Cunliffe, flying to Sydney to work with them at Level 7 Studios, from his LA base.

Gawuk is a fusion of a fusion of “rock, reggae and acoustic” genres, sung in Yolgnu language.

The band has also performed in Sydney at the Manly Boat Shed, at the 2011 Barunga Sports & Culture Festival.

They were also selected to perform at the 2011 Fest’ Napuan music festival in Vanauatu, with another concert in October at the Powerhouse in Brisbane, as part of its Planet live music series.

Looking forward to the album release, the band says “thank you” to fans for their ongoing “support, and we’ll keep you updated closer to the date of release” about further gigs.

Words: Megan Spencer. Source: East Journey Band, Brisbane Powerhouse website, Music NT, Fest’ Napuan website.