Indie outfits Toucan and Tigertown caught up with Ripe to discuss their debut EP’s and upcoming show with Charlie Mayfair at The Vanguard tonight.

Hey there TiGERTOWN, If you could start by telling us your name, your role within the band and your favourite local act.

Charlie Collins, I sing and play guitar and I like The Rescue Ships.

How did TiGERTOWN come about?

My brother and sister and I, have been in a band together our whole lives, in a country town. Two years ago I met Chris in Sydney and started writing with him. Pretty soon we were married and both our families were playing in the band so we started TiGERTOWN in April this year. 

How would you describe your sound?

It’s definitely a dreamy acoustic based sound, but when all six of us get going it gets pretty full on. We like having boy and girl vocals, it reminds us of Fleetwood Mac.

Tell us a little bit about your self-titled debut EP.

The songs on the EP were recorded in our apartment in Cronulla. They came from the time Chris and I met and also at the time our old band was ending, so it’s a nice way to start things off. The recordings weren’t originally meant to be released, but they ended up sounding exactly how we wanted them to sound.

If TiGERTOWN was a movie who would play the leading male?

Johnny Depp, just I because I think Chris looks a bit like him haha. 

You’re supporting Charlie Mayfair in September for their first headline show at the Vanguard. What can new listeners expect of a TiGERTOWN live set?

We just ended a little run with Melbourne band Husky, so we’re feeling pretty warm. We like the way the set has a transcendental thing going on.

Genre wise “Indie/Folk” seems to be the new black. What do you think separates TiGERTOWN from the mass of other local acts in the same scene?

We actually just decided to take the word ‘folk’ out of our description for that reason. I guess the fact that we are all related creates a different vibe on stage and hopefully creates a world for people to go to that’s a little further away.

Who are your main musical influences?

I grew up on Jonny Cash and that led to my favourite current artist being Ryan Adams. The story telling in their music is what I try and capture. I know Chris grew up on James Taylor and Jackson Browne which brings the same idea but in a different way. As a band we like the energy Fleetwood Mac had.

What’s next for TiGERTOWN?

Next week we are filming our first music video for our single Go Now. We have a bunch of shows coming up towards the end of the year which will be really fun. Hopefully there’s a record in the near future too.

So keen to play with Charlie Mayfair.

Welcome Toucan! Please tell us your name, your role within Toucan and the best gig you’ve been to this year.

September 1 2011  

Sydney songstress, producer and FBi Radio’s Northern Lights Competition finalist Rainbow Chan chatted with Ripe about her debut EP, her influences and her unorthodox approach to creating music.

What inspires you musically or otherwise?

I draw influence from diverse places from classical, pop, noise, to hodgepodge mixtapes my grandma in Hong Kong used to put together for family car rides. I’ve been listening to a lot of electronic music, some nostalgic 90’s pop, and obscure folk tunes such as Icelandic rimurs (traditional half-sung-half-spoken melodies). I also think about music in quite visual and textural terms so beautiful patterns, tapestry, embroidery and watercolours really inspire me to create intricate musical structures and motifs.

Your debut EP ‘brushed upon with rose’ has a childlike and nostalgic feel to it. Have you been musically inclined from a young age?

I have always had a love for music, though my real ambition as a child was to become a mad hip-hop dancer! I started saxophone lessons from an early age, joined a youth choir, learnt piano and taught myself guitar when I was in high school but it was when I started composing that I knew music was right for me. Recently, I’ve been playing around with more electronic gadgets and refining my production skills. My interest in music is always evolving which keeps me refreshed!

What is your favourite song on the EP?

“Our Winter Skin” is probably my favourite. I really enjoyed being able to strip back everything and feature only vocals, guitar and swirly electronic sounds. The lyrics also have quite a significant meaning to me; I’ve since found it hard to write from such a vulnerable and sad place.

How do you go about writing a song?

My song-writing process is always changing. Recently, I’ve been a bit of a curator and spend hours sorting through samples and sound bytes, collating them into different concepts and families of timbres. I then mix and match layers of sounds and digitally manipulate them into an interesting collage. Usually I’ll have pieces of poetry lying around that I can work into the song and build melodies and harmonies upon that.

You went an overseas trip to London, Paris, Iceland and Hong Kong earlier this year.How has the trip influenced you musically?

I am working on my debut album which explores the interplay between sound and space, so travelling was an effective way to realise this concept. I took a little field-recorder with me on this overseas trip and sampled the sounds of busy streetscapes, natural geological features, buskers, antique music boxes - basically anything that presented an interesting story to me. These sound bytes that are tied to different countries, geographies and memories. I like to recontextualise them and and weave them into beats and textures, taking each song out of the realm of just your headphones or speakers but into the weird and wonderful places of your imagination.

You played your first headline show to a full-house at Gallery Bar earlier this year, how was that?

It seems like a long time ago to be honest, even my sound has changed significantly since that show. But it was a great night and I remember seeing people bop and dance which was so cool. I also really appreciated being able to play the subtle, quite songs and people listening intently, not talking over them.

What can one expect of a Rainbow Chan gig?

Looping, samplers, 8-bit keyboards. Bad puns and nerdy dancing. Girly harmonies matched with pitch-shifted beat-boxing. Obscure vintage toys that I hit and make noises with. Guitars and lap harps. And a lot of glockenspiels and music-boxes.

Some artists that have been on high rotation on your iPod/Discman/Gramophone lately?

I have been listening to a lot of Jonti, Oscar + Martin, Collarbones, Bjork, Roy Orbinson, Boards of Canada and Joanna Newsom on all of the above media. 

What’s next for Rainbow Chan?

I’m currently a finalist in FBi Radio’s Northern Lights competition where 2 winners will be sent to Iceland and collaborate with some international artists. Having the chance to experience Iceland not as a tourist but as a musician would be an amazing gift. I also plan to release my debut album next year, play more shows and perhaps sing at your nanna’s birthday party.

August 15 2011  

Hi there Collarbones. Please tell us your name, your role within the duo and your favourite new release this year.

Travis: I’m Travis Cook and I handle the drug running and human trafficking side of Collarbones. Actually, I should be honest with you. Within certain circles I am known as “the sound warlock”. My favourite releases this year thus far are “Absence” by Snowman and “Thee Physical” by Pictureplane.
Marcus: I’m Marcus Whale and I sing/make beats/cook meth. I realised tonight how much i liked “Underneath the Pine” by Toro y Moi. Also the new Guerre EP and Oscar + Martin’s album.


How did Collarbones come about?

Travis: The information superhighway. Bridging geographical gaps since 4evr.Marcus: www.afterthepostrock.com


How would you describe your sound?

Travis: In an old interview I described Collarbones as “what it sounds like when you stick a second-hand Rihanna CD into your stereo and it skips every now and again. You’re not sure whether you like it or not”. That tired simile is okay, except now maybe there are a couple of other CDs battling for supremacy in the disc changer. Instead of skipping, the CDs melt together and morph into a hologram of JonBenet Ramsey’s disembodied head.
Marcus: We’re between albums so I’m a bit confused about it to be honest. Most people hear music we made over a year ago and since then a lot of things have changed. I sing with a white boy’s cutesy take on R’n’B these days.


 You’ve been touring almost consistently since early 2010, supporting acts like Guineafowl and Ghoul. What has been your favourite show been so far?

Travis: Our “Iconography” launch tour was really fun. In Sydney, there was a technical problem and we were entirely lacking treble for half of our set, but people compensated by singing along and being enthusiastic. Playing with bands like Ghoul and Oscar + Martin is always great. We also supported Architecture in Helsinki in Adelaide, they were very nice and put on a very tight show.
Marcus: Playing with Guineafowl in Adelaide was truly spectacular, for us and for all six of our audience members. I also had a swell time six months earlier at the same venue when I got sick for several hours, barfing all over the Pancake Kitchen in the wee hours, having to get a plane at 6am that morning.


What inspires you musically or otherwise?

Travis: I am currently inspired by the 90s rave group Bizarre Inc, the film The Craft, holographic yin yang symbols, and the actresses Louise Brooks and Molly Ringwald. If you want a regularly updated stream of my inspirations you could check out my Tumblr <http://iwontallowit.tumblr.com>
Marcus: River Phoenix, Corey Haim, Brad Renfro.

Your Tiger Beats mixtape includes covers of Justin Bieber and Destiny’s Child. Is pop music a big influence for you guys?

Travis: The line between the mainstream and the esoteric is very blurred in my eyes. It’s on the same level. Everything is grey and everything has merit in some form or another. I need to absorb and plunder everything so I don’t feel trapped or limited.
Marcus: Yes


Tell us a little bit about your latest release “Iconography”?

Travis: We pieced it together over the internet using file sharing before we had played three shows. As a result, it isn’t particularly representative of our live show. A lot of “Iconography” is also fairly ambient and glitchy at points. I think with our future output we plan to use some poppier song structures and leave some of the glitchy aspects for the live show.
Marcus: Iconography I think had some interesting conceptual intentions that unfortunately no-one besides me comprehends, and was put together in a bit of a patchwork way, before and during when we came to terms with what we were supposed to sound like. There could be a cuteness to that. Earnestness maybe. The lyrics are quite opaque on the whole, but are about my/others’ desire to/inability to live up to my/others’ imaginary constructs of me/others. Thus iconography, I guess..
I’ve realised I’m fairly obsessed with fantasy. One day last week, I spent all day in bed watching River Phoenix movies and reading biographies of him and losing myself within all of it. The next album is looking, lyrically, to become a little bit of a construction of a particular fantasy, which is in a sense what all the tracks on Iconography were trying to achieve within themselves. They’re all primarily meant to be about these colossal images/archetypes (the ‘Don Juan’ for instance) that approximate reality, and perhaps because of this, become elevated in a way that I think makes them more beautiful than life.

If Collarbones was a dessert what would it be and why?

Travis: Something sensual like a sorbet or fondue being bashed and mugged by something manly and imposing like a Maxibon. Masculine vs. feminine. Gentle vs. harsh. Deep.


 For those who haven’t seen your live set what can they expect of a Collarbones show?

Travis: A party. A party where if you don’t dance, you’ll get humped. If you do dance, you’ll also get humped. Bill Murray described our show as “delightfully debaucherous”.


Any shows coming up?

11th August - The Workers Club, Melbourne (with Brothers Hand Mirror, Guerre, Franco Cozzo)
12th August - Good God, Sydney (supporting Donny Benet with Kirin J Callinan)
4th September - Tone, Sydney (Eastern Aquarium)

Thanks for your time boys, any last words or shout outs?

Travis: Shouts out to Caspar Smyth, Rory Culkin, Nardwuar, Elijah Wood and The Based God. Keep on rockin’ in the free world.

July 30 2011  

RC caught up with Sydney based photographer Tristan Stefan Edouard to talk about his experiences as an artist and his new book ‘This Life’ to be released later this year.

What inspires the content of your work?

Music, documentaries, art. The list is endless, life around me inspires me.

You recently went on a trip to South Africa. Tell us a little bit about it.

I was over there for a wedding so decided to extend the trip and see the country. Went on safari, great white shark diving and all that good stuff. Easily one of the best places I’ve visited. 

Earlier this year you got to photograph behind the scenes at Supafest. Did you get to talk to any of the rappers?

I got a chance to chat to most of them minus Busta Rhymes and Ciara. Busta was about 10ft, 200kg and always looked angry so I didn’t really want to approach him.  They were all super nice though, Snoop was easily the funniest, clowning around blazed.

How did you initially get into photography?

I pretty much did alot of crazy shit as a teenager and carried a camera around from an early age to capture it all since none of my friends had one. After 6 years or so of using a point and shoot I had unknowingly trained myself in composition and a few other key skills of photography, so by the time I bought an SLR it all felt right and I never put it down.

You recently tweeted angrily about people who take photos at the Glebe tram sheds thinking that they specialise in ‘graffiti photography’. What do you think separates a professional photographer from being another dickhead with an SLR?

The line between both has been heavily blurred recently due to social media and the internet. People think that they can buy a camera and then start a Tumblr page and Facebook photography page and claim to be photographers all whilst still using Auto on their expensive SLR that their Mum bought them. I think ultimately it just all comes down to living off photography and getting paid for it, you might have a few thousand friends on your Facebook photography page and you might claim to do this and that, but when was the last time someone random contacted you and paid you a DECENT amount of $ to photograph them?

You’re soon to release a book titled ‘This Life’ which “spawned from an avid hate and disgust of the consumer driven and corporate saturated world that we all live in”. Tell us a little bit about it.

This Life is a book I’ve been working on for a few years with Ben Allen from www.thslfe.com. It’s a photographic book based around our lives and people and things that have inspired us. I’d call it a documentation of Australia youth culture involving the misfits and  individuals who don’t follow the rules and do their own thing. Its one big mash up of rappers, writers, artists, graf, tats, girls, money, drugs, cars, long necks, hip hop, sneakers, abandos, partying, mayhem, skating, drinking, live shows etc. Kind of like an insiders view into a youth lifestyle that the average person doesn’t get to see. Some of our friends skate 24/7, some of our friends paint trains, some of our friends play sell out shows to thousands of people and some of our friends are drug addicts, we capture all this and more via photographs.

This Life….Coming in 2011 from Tristan Edouard on Vimeo.

Within your portfolio there is a lot of tattoo focused photography. Tell us about your own tattoos.

I lost count, there’s a few. I used to get them and they all had to have meaning, now I’m not too fussed. 

You’ve photographed a lot of rappers from both the U.S. and Australia. If you could have a photo-shoot with any artist dead or alive who would it be?

Bob Marley/DMX/Marilyn Manson. If I had to chose one it would have to be Bob Marley.

In your bio it says that you strive to portray the “true nature” of your subjects. How do you go about doing so?

I’m still not sure about the exact process or how I do it. I guess its just the experience from directing people while taking photo’s, it just comes as second nature. I guess the first step is connecting with the person and being on the same vibe with them, couple that with the fact that I like realism and not corny bubble gum shit.

What are some upcoming photo-shoots on the calendar?

Well I just got offered a job as Stills Photographer on a new Australian film starring Ryan Kwanten from True Blood so most of August is dedicated to that. I’m also flying to Bangkok to do some shoots for an album cover and a clothing brand. Also shooting a new campaign for Hlfstr Clothing and a designing a shirt for the new Ones Clothing collection.

 

http://www.illvibes.com.au

http://twitter.com/Tristan_Edouard

http://tristanstefanedouardphotography.tumblr.com

July 20 2011  

1. You’re supporting home-grown art. If you are into low brow art, design and photography (or would like to be) Lo-Fi is the perfect place to discover it. From graffiti to sculpture to installation art you’ll find inspiration and innovation within each piece and what’s more you can purchase unique and one off pieces for relatively cheap prices.

2. There is a bar downstairs!

3. The exhibitions change almost weekly. You’re guaranteed to see something new every time you drop by.

4. Chicks dig art.

5. It’s free! Most of the exhibitions are completely free and the next one “Delayed Reactions” is on Thursday night at 6pm and features “a reunion of creative misfits, celebrated with individual hung works & installations”.  Head to http://www.wearelofi.com.au/collective/ for more information.

The top painting (the pear of course) by Lo-Fi regular Misery purchased by Ripe Community at the ‘South of the Border’ exhibition last week!

July 12 2011  

Said and Done by Jackie Onassis.

June 30 2011  

Introducing Sydney group Jackie Onassis comprised of lyricist Kai Tan and producer Raph Zakov. The duo chatted about their debut release (Sex, Drugs and Homework- keep an eye out), their upcoming show (Annandale Hotel July 9th- be there) and what it means to take the “hip-hop road less travelled, but still gravelled”.

How would you describe your sound?

Soul tunes by unlikely motherfuckers. It’s like airing out your thoughts over some computer Miles Davis. Truth be told, I don’t really know how to describe our sound, cause we’re still pretty new, and I’m not sure what it is yet myself. We really just make whatever we’re hearing in our heads, so maybe our songs are just the 4/4 versions of our personalities. 

What are your main musical influences?

Raph: They are definitely broad. We spent our teen years listening to mostly New York influenced hip-hop, plus a lot of Dilla. After High School our tastes broadened quite a bit due to a variety of influences; from Uni to travel, girls, drugs, clubs and life in general. It was dub-step in ‘05. In ‘06 I did a bit of the Indie-rock thing but that was mostly to impress girls. Now days, for me at least, it’s a bunch of Russian and Scandinavian 8-bit stuff and Bay Area hip-hop. I know Kai was in an indie band for a bit… it’s all influenced my beats.

Kai: Cosign Raph’s response. I could go on forever, but to provide a considerably briefer synopsis: Jay-Z and Atmosphere. That’s by no means exhaustive and there’s obviously so many more examples in both hip hop and every other genre, but the levels of swagger and introspection (not necessarily respectively) that those dudes (and many artists) bring have probably had the greatest impact on my brain. Actually scratch that: NERD are ill and pioneered some shit, they deserve a mention.

Your debut album is to be titled “Sex, Drugs and Homework”. What inspired the lyrical content on the album?

Kai: We all do some funny shit, myself included, and it really intrigues me… I think a lot about processes, particularly in our everyday lives. That encompasses your character and everything you bring to the table as well as where you end up, what you’re left with, and why you experience what you do in between. That’s pretty broad, I hope it makes sense. If you were after specifics, I’d probably say my biggest influences were fornication, narcotics and academia. Spring break, bitches.

Your Facebook page says that your genre is a mix between hip hop, glitch hop and electronic. What the fuck is glitch hop?

R: Haha, it’s basically just a form of bass heavy, glitchy, electronic music that’s the same tempo as hip-hop. Strictly speaking we’re not a Glitch Hop act, not enough glitches, robot or gameboy sounds, but I guess it’s a reference to the synthyness and bassyness in lot of our tunes.

K: x_x

Your debut single ‘The New Dumb’ takes a sudden tempo and stylistic change halfway through. Can we expect this kind of eclectic production throughout the album?

K: Not so much, the production on the album is more orthodox, but there’s still some surprises in there. Its all still quite varied though and I can definitely say I’ve had alot more fun working with Raph on the production for this one than any music I’ve made before. As far as The New Dumb goes, we were pushing the envelope a little bit to see what we could do/get away with sonically, and aimed at making the track into a bit of a journey. It was also an excuse for Raph to show off his production skillzz.


Jackie Onassis was described by “Savvy Women’s Magazine” as a “fashion icon”. What brand of shoes are you wearing?

R: I don’t half-step in my suede Louis. I ain’t even playing no mo’.

K: The most fucked up pair of SB Dunks you ever saw

I noticed you made use of some dipset hats in “The New Dumb”. Is southern hip hop a big influence within your production style?

K: Increasingly so the more I hang with Raph.

R: Yeah, I used to listen to a bit of that New York Dipset stuff, not so much anymore, but certainly that Southern 808 groove pops up a few times throughout the album, as well as some of that Bay Area swag shit. I’m a big fan of the 808 drum machine, the sound is just so swagged out if one were to ask me.

The tracks released thus far have a very ‘Inner West’ vibe. How do you feel about the local hip hop scene?

R: There’s a fair few dudes doing interesting, progressive stuff, and a lot of them are from Sydney’s Inner West. But a lot of dudes both here and countrywide in the scene are rehashing the same boring, generic shit that’s been done before, and done far better than anyone could hope to build upon. I know every scene probably has an abundance of less able bands, but I think that Hip-hop in Australia moves way slower than alot of other genres, except maybe Country.

K: I disagree with Raph, even if your songs aren’t progressive or cutting edge it doesn’t change the fact that they’re hot if they’re hot. There are plenty of songs on the radio right now that, out of context, you’d be hard pressed to place them at a particular point in the last decade, but when they come on, you still dance to them. Of course, your style in relation to the times is a factor, but I don’t know if it’s worth fixating on. With that said, without a doubt the scene has developed alot in the last few years, and even “that hip hop song” is a lot more complex and musical now.

In terms of the inner west, there’s some pretty fucking dope dudes from around here who are making progressive, crazy tunes, and have definitely had a huge influence on the style of the whole genre. Its also fostered a suprisingly large cult following amongst a whole bunch of local kids, and reduced the number of dudes in the street who give me looks when I play my ipod too loud, which is pretty awesome.                                              

The production on ‘The New Dumb’ and ‘Said and Done’ impressed me greatly. Do you mainly sample material or do you create and record original material in the studio?                       

R: Those tunes don’t use any samples, just me on the keys and synths for both of them. Although there are a few tunes on our album that are sample based… it’s probably about 50/50. Kai plays keys on a lot of our tunes too, he’s got way more skills than me.

K: I used to be strictly sample only and a few of our songs definitely reflect that, but lately I’ve started playing alot more guitar and keys/synth for our beats. My piano playing also kinda picked up recently (Chopin, Nocturn Op 9, No 1, son), so I’ve been putting it to work.

Tell us a little bit about the writing process.
 
K: Its kinda hard to pin down. Sometimes, like with The New Dumb, I’ll already have my verses written, so we’ll put them down over some basic drums and then Raph will make the beat around them. Other times, like with Said and Done, it’s the exact opposite. Raph had this dope sketched out beat, and I based my lyrics around that. With beats, quite often I’m sitting at the piano and I’ll think up a riff which gets dummied straight into my iphone then I’ll beatbox the other parts in separate takes. Or maybe it’ll start from some patch that Raph’s made on one of his synths. We don’t really have a structure or a formula, it’s just whatever happens and what’s available when an idea hits you.


If you could support any artist, dead or alive who would it be?

R: Suicide in the late 70s for me for sure.

K: Jay-Z. Damn, imagine that…


Kai, I noticed you’re a fan of Gossip Girl. Chuck or Nate?

K: Guess, I think you already know the answer.


Gucci Mane recently acquired a tattoo of an ice cream cone with lightning strikes through it on his face. If you had to get a tattoo of a confectionary item on your face, what would it be?

R: Reese’s Peanut Butter cup. There is no doubt in my mind about this.

K: Wine Gums dude.


Do you have any shows coming up?

We have a show at The Annandale on July the 9th with a heap of other great Sydney bands. Drinks are $3.50 all night and there is free Ping Pong and Arcade games, so it should be super fun!


What can we expect from your live set?

K: Raph plays a drum machine with lots of lights, I rap and get excited, the music spans a whole bunch of sounds and genres and gets you dancing, and with any luck it all blows your mind.


Thanks for your time boys! Any last words or shoutouts?

R.I.P LulzSec and big ups to Lulz Lizards Internet wide. Coke on the rider promoters. Also, thanks Ripe Cunts!

June 30 2011  

northfromthere asked: do you know what time cogel is playing at OAF on saturday?

Sorry I don’t have a copy of the setlist but I am assuming around 9 on the main stage :)

June 29 2011  

A taste of Cogel’s single Aquarium. 

June 29 2011  

Indie band Cogel are playing this Saturday at Oxford Arts Factory. Ripe Community caught up with them to talk kareoke, Gary Busey and their debut EP.

Hello! Please tell us your name, your role in the band, and your favourite song to sing at karaoke.

Nic: Bonjour! I’m Nic (the other one). I’m singing and I play guitar. Karaoke song : “Lithium” from Nirvana.
Manfried: Good morning to you Gina. My name is Manfried, and I am Nick’s personal assistant. I will answer what I can, but Nick is a busy man. He plays guitar, sings a little bit, and finds any opportunity to include the theremin into songs. Still waiting for that first chance, come to think of it. His favourite song to sing at karaoke is Toto’s Africa.
Alex: Hello. My name is Alex. I’m the only female but as I have the shortest hair, I’m clearly the most masculine member of the band. Part of this masculinity means I have no personal assistants to help me…although I generally just use my charm to get everyone to do my bidding for me for free, ergo no need for the assistant. It’s how I roll. When I’m not batting my eyelids for benefits, I play violin, sing, hit stuff [mostly percussive instruments, but sometime the boys can get in the way], and [most importantly] clap my hands. Nothing like clapping your hands to a song. It’s been clinically proven to increase your serotonin levels. True story, I read it in a magazine last week so it must be right. I’m pretty sure Sia rate me as one of her key musical influences. My original fave karaoke song [Whitney’s I will always love you] was recently replaced at a business conference where I found myself in the somewhat unique position of being dressed like Zorro, singing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” [the theme song I use to fondly reminisce about one of my ex boyfriends] with 11 [real life] accountants, also dressed as Zorro, doing the moves from the film clip as my backup dancers. Clearly this is now my new fave, and I’m working to get the Cogel boys to learn the LG moves. No Langers, you may not bring the theramin.
Lloyd: Lloyd Prescott, the younger half of the blood related rhythm section of the band. I play the bass guitar and am the only member who doesn’t sing on stage. At karaoke it’s gotta be Seal’s Kiss From A Rose.
Edward: Edward Prescott. I play drums and sing a little bit. At karaoke recently for a seedy birthday get together, my highlight was probably Nirvana’s ‘Lithium’ because everyone screamed along. My god, I was hoarse the next day though.

 
How did the band form?

Lloyd: Nic and Ed met each other through their girlfriends. Both being musical, they bonded over that. Nic had a few songs he had been working on by himself and wanted to flesh them out with a band. I was then asked by my brother to get involved. Nick and Alex soon joined a few months after this.

 
If Cogel was a movie what would be the tag line?

Manfried: The movie would be a softcore pornography, complementing the Aquarium video clip. It would be entitled “Cogel: Beneath the water”. Tagline would be “Holding your breath was never this sexy.”
Alex: “It’s like an Asian man trying to say ‘Call Girl’“ [too far?]
Lloyd: “We tried to get Gary Busey, but Nick Langley was all we could afford”

What are some of your musical influences?

Nic: Feist, Midlake, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, Neil Young, Arcade Fire, Beck, Nirvana, Simon and Garfunkel, Guns and Roses, The Lemonheads…
Edward: I listen to everything. Currently devouring a lot of Americana sort of stuff, like Kurt Vile and Bill Callahan. Some of my all-time faves include Radiohead, Beatles, Neil Young, The Cure, and on and on it goes. Y’know, the good stuff.


Your single ‘Rocks on the Sun’ features backing vocals from Wally De Backer (aka Gotye). How did you score that feature?

Edward: I’ve known Wally for about 4 or 5 years. Originally met him through touring with his band The Basics. We kept in touch and he’s helped me with the odd musical thing here and there. The part he sings on ‘Rocks on the Sun’ is a harmony he was hearing in his head that he thought would lift the chorus. I feel lucky to have him as a friend, as he is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet and an exceptional musician.
Nic: We were playing a gig with Tash Parker (Wally De Backer’s girlfriend) and as we were rehearsing that day prior to the show – we were all gathered in my living room – Wally came up with a really nice harmony for the chorus of this song. He ended up singing it with us that night! He then told us he would be happy to sing on the recording as well. Quite an honor to have him on the track indeed! I should mention is the nicest guy.

Your sound has been described as “luscious” and “ethereal”. How would you describe it?

Edward: I don’t know who said that. I would describe it as a warm haloumi salad soaked in vinegar.
Alex: You know what – our older stuff is “luscious” and “ethereal”. Our newer stuff has a lovely gypsy / jungle feel to it I think. And just quietly, I like it.
Lloyd: Always a tough question. To me, our sound is characterised by its duality. At times our songs can seem simple and obvious, but there is often an underlying, subtle element that skews the track ever so slightly in an interesting direction.
Manfried: Nick gets asked this question often, and he rarely has an adequate answer. The best attempts involve adjectives such as “warming, introspective, rich and natural”. Might be able to work those into the Porno tagline.

The film clip for your song “Aquarium” was featured as “Indie of the Week” on Rage. Tell us a little bit about it.

Nick: Andrew Seaton, a young and very talented director contacted me after he’d heard the song on Triple J. He said he had wanted to pitch an idea for the song. We met and clicked straight away with the script. It was a real organic process, with minimal crew and set up. We shot it within two days (and a cold!). Everyone worked for free on this project. When the clip was done, we sent a tape to Rage and were all really excited about the news. Especially as it was both Andrew and the band’s first video clip ever made.

Are you planning on touring the EP?

Nick (Manfried): We toured Melbourne with good friend Tash parker in late 2010, and are only just now looking to play a couple more shows before locking in some more studio time. We feel that what we’ve released thus far is merely a taste of what’s to come on our new release.
Lloyd: Like Nick said, we have been busy doing a little writing. The first EP was done before Nick and Alex joined and wasn’t really toured. The new stuff we are working on is much more collaborative and as such, is quite different. Hopefully we hit the studio soon and get these new ideas down. I’m sure we will tour that one.

What can we expect from your set this Saturday at OAF?

Manfried: Expect a lot of nudity on Saturday. It’s all part of this grand marketing campaign for the aforementioned, yet-to-be-released Cogel film.
Alex: I bought a new dress. I’m pretty excited about that. Apart from that, you can expect 3 brand spankin’ never-before-heard-by-the-general-public songs which will make you dance like you’re a gypsy in the jungle. If you’re lucky, who knows – maybe this could be worked into Langers’ porn clip.


Thank you for your time! Any last words or shout outs?
Lloyd: Just a shout out to Gary Busey - we can and will kick Nick Langley out of the band if you wish to join.

Edward: I too, would like to offer a shout out to Gary Busey. I think joining this band could be just what he needs at this point in his career. It would be mutually beneficial.
Manfried: The only shout out I have is during Toto’s Africa. There’s nothing that 100 men or more could ever do.
Alex: Thanks to the I Forget Sorry crew for having us on their lineup – they’re a bunch of champions and I can’t wait for Saturday night.
Nic: Vive l’amour!

Check them out at: http://www.triplejunearthed.com/cogel
You can grab tickets to their gig here: http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=46799&ref=moshtix&skin
For further information: http://cogelband.com/

June 29 2011