Artist Profile: HAIM

Haim; a new kind of girl group.

Out of Los Angeles, California comes a new kind of girl group: HAIM.  Their sound has been described as "Nu-folk-meets-90s-RnB" and their songs have the attention of hipsters everywhere. 

When you first hear all girl group HAIM you may think you're hearing something old for the first time. That's at least how I felt the first time I heard their track "Forever."  With funky guitar riffs and melodies I was convinced this was a song from the late 80s/ early 90s or at least belonged on the Pretty Woman soundtrack.  Some would say Haim's sound is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac.  Although the music sounds from another era the songs themselves are fresh and exciting.

Vocal harmonies are frequent in Haim music - raw sounds seem to be their forte, and they have this  mastered; and you may expect as much after 6 years of being together prior to releasing music in 2012.   The girls in Haim however have known each other much longer than that.  The band consists of sisters Danielle, Alana and Este Haim, as well as Dash Hutton, the group's drummer.

It's obvious the girls are a little bit cheeky, like to have a bit of fun and are wildly passionate for music.  Touring with Julian Casablancas (of The Strokes), Danielle has had extensive experience in the industry, also having played with Cee-Lo Green.  As a group, their quirky style has had them supporting everyone from the likes of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros right through to pop sensation Ke$ha.

The contemporary pop beats created by Haim are addictive, and now managed by Jay-Z's label ROC NATION there's no doubt it is only a matter of time before Haim break the mainstream market.  In fact earlier this year BBC announced that Haim was number one of the music industry poll to find 'the most promising new musical act for the coming year'.

On April 1, Haim's latest EP will be released on itunes - the feature track, sharing the title of the EP, "Forever" is already available and currently playing on Australian airwaves.

Find HAIM on Facebook or Twitter

www.facebook.com/haimtheband

www.twitter.com/haimtheband

QandA with...Full Tote Odds

Full Tote Odds

Adelaide has become synonymous with the genre of music known as "Aussie Hip Hop," since the Hilltop Hoods made it big on the commercial scene with their hit single "Nose Bleed Section" (2003.) 

Since then, more hip hop artists have come to surface and the genre has been prolific; now a common feature on music festival line ups, and with sharp lyrics and catchy beats, are often the soundtrack to summer for Australian youths every where.

Now, a new group from the Adelaide Hills are making their own impact on the music scene. The four piece group, "Full Tote Odds" are regulars on radio stations both local and national and are showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. With the launch of their album "Place Your Bets" happening in a number of days, Levelheaded, Slats, Eslev, Ross Read and DJ Hacksaw took some time out to talk about their craft.

RTM: How did  Levelheaded, Slats, Eslev, Ross Read and DJ Hacksaw all get together to create Full Tote Odds?

FTO: Levelheaded, Slats and Hacksaw started Train Of Thought in 2000. They released a Demo in 02 and a full length LP Moving Heads in 04. Eslev and Mix Zagger joined in 09 and FTO was born.

RTM: Is there a story behind the groups name?

FTO: It's mainly about taking a gamble in music. We have invested a lot of time (10 years) and money into this art and we just hope it pays off... Kinda like gambling.

RTM: Aussie Hip Hop has blown up in the last decade.  What do you think it takes to stand out as an aussie hip hop artist?

FTO: Production quality. A lot of solid MC's aren't getting the recognition they deserve because their music is not at the level it needs to be to compete on the national stage.

RTM: How would you describe Full Tote Odds' sound?

FTO: Soulful, funky Hip Hop with a twist of boom bap.

RTM: Do Full Tote Odds' follow any formulas when coming up with new tracks?

FTO: Not really, every track is so different, they all come together randomly. The only formula is to continue working on a track until we love it. 

RTM: To someone who had never heard of 'aussie' hip hop, what would you say is its' core? How would you define it?

FTO: The core is truth. You need to be honest and tell it how it is...

RTM: What are the boys from Full Tote Odds' most looking forward to with the release of 'Place Your Bets'?

FTO: Getting out on tour.

RTM: Full Tote Odds are scheduled to tour early 2013 - what can people expect from your live shows?

FTO: Expect a big sound. We have 3 mcs, 2 singers, a DJ and a sound engineer ready to blow the speakers. We are headlining schoolies festival on the 18th and playing Hombake festival on the 8th December, followed by a full national tour in Feb/March 2013.

RTM: Where do you hope to see FTO at this time next year?

FTO: Touring extensively and punching out a new album.

Full Tote Odds are:

Levelheaded

Slats

Eslev

Ross Read

and DJ Hacksaw

Connect with Full Tote Odds on Facebook, Twitter and Triple J Unearthed

Kanye West presents GOOD Music: Cruel Summer

Good Music Cruel Summer

R. Kelly, Big Sean, John Legend, Kid Cudi and, of course, BFF Jay-Z are just some of the big wigs that emerge, with this album, from the dirty depths of old-school rap with a stank like it’s fresh from the ghetto. 

You’re immediately hooked when Big Sean starts throwing creamy rhymes your way in Clique – a clique you definitely want to be a part of: Ye, Rih, B and LeBron are mentioned by Jay-Z. And Kanye? Well he goes on with lyrics to inspire jealousy about the outrageous success of Niggas in Paris, his Maybach and being neighbours with TC. A bit OTT but classic Kanye nonetheless.

Mercy spits thick, nose-wrinkling beats at you with fiery force. They glare at you sideways. It’s undoubtedly the best song on the album. It is truly filthy. Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz and Kanye himself fill the beats with the dirtiness they deserve. Wind the windows down and sink low in your seat, one hand on the wheel. Sure enough, you’ll start believing you’re the baddest kid in town.

Kid Cudi and Kanye West

Take it down a notch and get yourself some romancing tips, hustler style, from Bliss. John Legend and Teyana Taylor tell the typical love story of girl meets boy, boy takes girl to London in his private jet while showering her in gifts from Tiffany. Okay, not so typical. But this song is as smooth as silk and John Legend’s voice is unbelievably cool. The track is complementary yet stands alone within the album, which manages to maintain its street cred even without one mention of the ‘n’ word.

This entire album is seriously cool. It takes it back to the streets, with subtleties of rap beginnings. It’s stripped to basics, the songs riddled with clever rhymes and a brilliant beat, all performed by some insanely successful artists – hand-picked by Ye, it’s his custom-made album. Best played loud.

By Natalie Brunoli

Follow Nat on Twitter

Check out Natalie's Blog

Alt-J (∆): An Awesome Wave.

Dreamy melodies, buzzing harmonies and heavy guitar riffs. Poetic lyrics and piano chords, ambient noise and that feeling in your chest from the bass, when you play it nice and loud.

Alt J's debut album "An Awesome Wave"
is on sale now.

Oh, and that voice.

Alt-J gives it to you hard. Their debut album, An Awesome Wave, is undeniably addictive – it’s the noticeable cool and frenetic, yet relaxed, energy of the album that does it to you.

The first release, Breezeblocks, lyrically punches you in the heart. It grabs at you and demands you feel it too. And you do. There’s no wonder they chose this as the virgin release. It’s a mix of everything this album is about.

Alt J (∆)'s debut single - Breezeblocks

Something Good takes you on a little wander through highs and lows. Twinkling notes leading you from verse to bridge to chorus and back again. It’s happily mellow. The interludes (there are three) help weave the story of an album laden with clever, tight, expressiveness – with or without words. Song after song, a stimulating, vivid picture is painted of whatever you need it to.

Fitzpleasure is a little heavier, a little more rock, and a little bit sexy. It’s littered with dirty crooning harmonies, building to an unmistakable climax of rhythm and motion. It drags you in. Before you know it, you’re pulling right into the perfect barrel of an awesome wave.

Paddle your heart out and get on it.






Follow Nat Brunoli on Twitter

Alt J (∆) are

Gwil - guitar/vocals 

Joe Newman - guitar/vocals

Gus Unger-Hamilton - keyboards 

Thom Green - drums

http://www.altjband.com

Gig Review: The Beautiful Girls

The Beautiful Girls

Thursday August 23, 2012

Last night as part of their 10 year anniversary tour, The Beautiful Girls took to the stage at the famous Adelaide venue "The Gov," giving fans, old and young alike a night to remember.

Seasoned professionals, the band was flawless, reminiscent of their recent set at Splendour in the Grass at Byron Bay.  It was a more relaxed environment, initially, despite the boys opting to not perform any tracks acoustically, admitting they had tried half and half in a previous gig and it was "shit."

The concept of a "shit" gig by TBGs seemed laughable as the show progressed, and Mat McHugh was flawless in all his stomping glory.  The unique vocals that fans had grown to love over the airwaves were brought to life on stage complimented by funky instrumentals and beats.

The Beautiful Girls did everything to keep the crowd right where they were.  They didn't save the most popular songs 'til last and chucked in a few sneaky covers here and there - not all picked up on by the crowd but appreciated none-the-less.  To finish off the set the guys broke it down in a way they only they know how and you could tell by the chemistry between them that this wasn't just a band - these guys were, and always will be, bros.

Although there were some members of the audience that had me pulling a face a little like this: 

get. one. step. closer.

the atmosphere in the room was certainly alive and the entire performance felt like a bigger climax than even 50 Shades of Grey could ever produce, with girls absolutely swooning at the bottom of the stage.

Overall the night was a treat.

4 out of 5 surfer beanies!

To check out when you can catch The Beautiful Girls on tour, head to their website.

Pop Fix: What is it about a comeback?

The 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony was an opportunity for England to reflect on some the greatest musicians that the nation had produced, and there was one act that had the whole world talking.

Britney Spears has come a long way
from shaving her own head and
attacking people with
umbrellas.

Scary, Baby, Ginger, Posh, Sporty yes now that's your lot - the Spice girls were back and ready to go!  It has been a while since the Spice girls last performed together - 4 years to be exact.  The group had famously announced a world tour in 2008, however more infamously had cancelled their last 6 shows - disappointing thousands of fans everywhere including here in Australia.  But the fivesome's performance at the London 2012 Closing Ceremony had even this music blogger saying words not uttered for over a decade -"... I wanna be a Spice Girl!"

But 2012 and 2011 has seen the come back of many artists that I had crossed off my list - namely pop acts from the late 90s, early 00s, but comebacks none the less.  Enrique Iglesias was back on the scene - although the same could not be said for his mole, Christina Aguilera returned back to basics once again in Burlesque after her album "Bionic" bombed and even Cold Chisel got back together to tour Australia. Good on 'em!

But it was the other night whilst having 60 Minutes tell me that Jennifer-JLO-Jennyfromtheblock-Lopez was the most powerful celebrity in the world, I stopped to think exactly how much the pop scene had changed, or rather stayed the same,  since I was growing up in the 00s.  What is is about Eminem, Britney, NKTBSB and even Avril that have us saying, "oh hey old friend!"

is this the most powerful celebrity
in the world? Forbes says yes.

My theory? They're characters.  As ironic as it seems, these pop acts that have been around for so long seem refreshing and unique in comparison the blur of pop artists today -  the kings and queens have established themselves and their characters in the industry and anyone who tries to take their torches will struggle to light a fire that burns equally as bright.

One could argue that these artists have been around because of the music they produce and the talent they have, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves - the pop music industry is an entertainment industry, and as long as these pop icons continue to do so (that is, entertain,) they can only improve their performance, both on and off the stage.

You can catch the most powerful celebrity in the world on her "Dance Again" world tour throughout December 2012.

Tickets on sale through Ticketek.com

QandA with...The Cathars

They don't come as fresh as The Cathars - The Indie Rock Band formed early 2012 and in the short space of time since then, have featured on Triple J unearthed, released 2 singles and have begun working hard on their Debut EP which they hope the have released by next year.

With influences such as Bloc Party and Crowded House, The boys from Brisbane work with "the sole purpose of expressing ideas and innovation in the medium of songwriting." Full of energy, emotion and attitude The Cathar's 2 singles currently available for download.

The Cathar's have two tracks available
for download on Triple J Unearthed

The boys took time out of working on their Debut EP to chat to Ran Type Music about influences, changing the name of the band and what they see for The Cathars in the future:

RTM: Before 2012, members of The Cathars were performing as "Pools and Trumpets" - why the change and why now?

TC: The name change really reflected a bigger change within the band. Our music was evolving and becoming a bit heavier and rough around the edges, and we felt that ‘Pools and Trumpets’ felt a bit too twee and playful for the kind of music we were producing. We also associated the name with our first year of playing some lacklustre, dodgy gigs (with awful hair cuts to match).



RTM: How would you describe The Cathars sound to someone who had never heard your music before?

TC: On our bandcamp we use the words “slick” and “visceral” to sum up our sound, and I think these two words sum it up quite well. It’s always tricky to pin down your own sound, but a lot of people have said we sound like Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys. I would describe the music us as having solid tunes with clever twists and a great rock riff here and there.

RTM:What artists or bands did you listen to growing up? Which musicians of our time do you hope your kids will listen to growing up?

TC: We all listened to different stuff growing up, Mitch listened to The Beatles and Crowded House and I (Ryan) listened to a lot of classic rock and 70’s progressive rock. Our later influences all overlap though, with all of us having an appreciation for bands like Arctic Monkeys, The Beatles, Bloc Party, The Shins, Kings of Leon (primarily their first two albums) and Bob Dylan. I hope my kids will be listening to a lot of the stuff that my dad listened to! Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, and other classics, although I do reckon that a handful of contemporary bands will stand the test of time.

 

Kanye: The Cathars do the best cover of ALL TIME!

RTM: Collaborations have been huge in recent months, particularly across genres...if The Cathars could work with anyone, who would it be?

TC: Kanye could appear on the cover we do of his song “Hell of a Life”, we’d get a kick out of that! Not sure if we’d welcome his constant interruptions though...

RTM: Who (or What) inspires The Cathars music?

TC: I know that Mitch is inspired by great melodies, the song writing process, and generally learning his craft, and Harrison is motivated by the success and accomplishments of our fellow local bands (Last Dinosaurs, DZ Deathrays). For me it is very much the privilege of being able to perform and share our own stories and experiences through songs and performance. Playing and listening to music has always been quite an intimate form of communication, and I think it transcends the kind of stilted and limited exchanges that we usually have with strangers on a day to day basis. I know that for all of us lads though, it’s really a labour of love all round, and having a drink and a laugh together at band practice is usually just as great as writing and playing the music itself.

Finish this sentence;

By this time next year, The Cathars will have...

TC: Released their debut EP, gigged profusely, written a tonne of new songs, and hopefully worked up quite a sweat.

RTM: The Cathars have just finished recording a couple of new songs - what can we expect from these new tracks?

TC: At the moment there is just one primary track we will be releasing within the next month or two. It’ll be called “Picnic and The Lightning” - think “Teddy Picker” by the Arctic Monkeys, with more abstract lyrics. Pop with attitude. 


RTM: Any upcoming gigs that we can catch you at?

TC: Nothing confirmed yet but we will be announcing a slew of upcoming gigs in the near future. Stay tuned!

RTM: Finally, What is the ultimate goal for The Cathars?

TC: We want to keep writing and performing music with a view to taking it (and ourselves) all around the world and, in a more immediate sense, have as much fun as possible while creating a memorable and high energy live show.

You can check out The Cathar's music on their soundcloud page, or download their tracks from triple J unearthed. Tweet at or Like the guys on Facebook for more information on when they may be gigging at a venue near you.

The Cathars are:
Harrison Tang (lead vocals, rhythm guitar)
 Mitchell Laney (bass guitar)
Mervin Milburn (lead guitar, backing vocals)
and Ryan MK (drums, insults).


A huge shout out to The Cathars for taking time out to answer some questions for RTM :) If YOU know any musicians you think would like to have a profile up or answer some cheeky questions, email Ran at rantypemusic@gmail.com.

Who is Diplo?

If like me you've been living under a rock for the last 5 years then you've probably only become aware of the DJ/Producer "Diplo" in recent months.  Announced as part of this year's Stereosonic line up, it's  very possible that if you're not yet a fan, by the end of this year you may well be.

Diplo is coming to Australia late 2012 or Stereosonic

When the Stereosonic lineup was announced yesterday with Diplo as one of the headlining acts, it's safe to say that social mediia went a little bit crazy, with many describing the line up - which also includes Avicii, Laidback Luke and Tiesto - as "MASSIVE!!!!!"

If the name "Diplo" doesn't ring a bell, try names such as M.I.A, Missy Elliot , Lil' John, Snoop Dogg, Kid Cudi and Santigold. These are some of the artists that Wesley Pentz, a.k.a Diplo, has worked with over the years, most notibly working with M.I.A on her grammy nominated hit "Paper Planes" in 2008.

  

Diplo partaying with M.I.A

As well as being a producer and a DJ, Diplo has founded "Heaps Decent", a social relief program to help children, right here in Australia.  Through providing resources for underprivileged youths, Heaps Decent supports  and encourages creativity belieiving in doing so a "new unique music scene will be uncovered."

So if you're like me and have been living under a rock for the last 5 years, never fear for by the end of this article you will know who Diplo is and the influence he is having on the music industry, on both a local and international scale.   Through his philanthropy and production, to live shows and collaborations Diplo is a powerhouse taking musicianship to the next level.

To hear more from Diplo you can check out his soundcloud page or catch him on the east coast for Stereosonic - details on RTM's Festival Updates Page

Mumford and Sons are returning to Oz

The British folk rock band that made strumming a banjo somewhat sexy, have announced that they are returning to Australia to tour throughout October.

source: www.vmusic.com.au and www.mumfordandsons.com

The boys are back in town!....in October

Marcus, Ben, "Country" and Ted will be visiting Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne, Canberra, Cairns, Townsville and the Gold Cost, bringing Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Willy Mason along for the ride.

The British group have been prolific across Australian radio since the release of "Little Lion Man" in 2010 - the single that beat out Lady Gaga for Most Popular International Artist Award at the 2010 ARIA Award Show.

Whilst they do not douse themselves in fake blood or perform with exaggerated theatrics, the band with the  "wholesome family business name," produce a folk rock sound that sings to the heart and lyrics with deeper meaning than most.

Mumford and Sons feature on OST for
the new Disney movie "Brave"

This year, Mumford and Sons feature on the soundtrack for the greatly anticipated Disney flick "Brave" (currently screening in Australia) - the track "Learn Me Right," is performed with English singer Birdy.   The catch is you have to download the entire album off itunes - not a bad thing if your current itunes playlists includes orchestral scores from movies such as "Titanic" and "Braveheart".

Tickets for Mumford and Sons go on sale 9am, Monday the 9th of July.   To see when the boys will be near you, check out the dates below.  You can also touch base with Mumford and Sons via their facebook page or twitter.

Tour Dates

Saturday 13th October - Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth

With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason 

www.ticketmaster.com.au

Monday 15th October - Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide


With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason

www.ticketek.com.au

Wednesday 17th October - Riverstage, Brisbane


With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason


www.ticketmaster.com.au

Thursday 18th October - Entertainment Centre, Sydney

With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason 

www.ticketmaster.com.au

Tuesday 23rd October - Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart

With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason

www.ticketmaster.com.au

Thursday 25th October - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne


With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason

www.ticketek.com.au

Friday 26th October - Royal Theatre, Canberra


With Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros & Willy Mason


www.ticketek.com.au

Sunday 28th October – Kuranda Amphitheatre, Cairns


With Special Guest & Willy Mason

www.ticketlink.com.au

Monday 29th October - Convention Centre, Townsville

With Special Guest & Willy Mason

www.tecc.net.au

Wednesday 31st October - Convention Centre, Gold Coast


With Special Guest & Willy Mason

www.ticketek.com.au

 

QandA with...Hey Geronimo

Hey Geronimo are a 5 piece indie-pop band hailing from Brisbane, sunny Queensland. With the recent success of "Why Don't We Do Something?" and their follow up hit "Carbon Affair", the boys were kind enough to put aside some of their time and answer some questions for ran.type.music about this, that and the other...

Hey Geronimo say they will never (not for one second!)
believe the hype.  Legends.

Hey Geronimo have won over listeners through Triple J's 'unearthed' initiative, which has also seen the discoveries of bands such as Stonefield, The Rubens and fellow Brisbane band Ball Park Music, - who the boys from Hey Geronimo say, have set the standard for local musicians.

Now a regular on the radio, Hey Geronimo's "Why don't we do something" has also caught commercial interest featuring on the soundtrack of the popular network television show "Offspring."

The band's music is indie-pop with lyrics sure to get stuck in your head, and not in a Carly Rae Jepsen kind of way!

Talented and passionate, the boys took time out of their schedule to answer a few questions for this little blog.

RTM: Thank you so much for taking time out to answer some questions for ran.type.music...first things first, how did the name "Hey Geronimo" come about?


HG: That's a good question actually! For about a day we were called "Hey Ho Geronimo" before scrapping the "Ho" and moving on in quick time. It's a hybrid between the "Hey Ho Let's Go!" chant of the Ramones and Osama Bin Laden's codename when he was being hunted by the US Navy Seals (the story was in the news when we were cooking up names). Convoluted, yes?


RTM: "Why don't we do something?" has been a hit on radio - It's a song that I'm really into and it got me thinking, in terms of sound and feel, does the song give fans a pretty good representation of Hey Geronimo's music generally?


HG: WDWDS probably does paint a decent picture. It's as pop as we get, but it does embody what we're about - having a good time!

Ball Park Music

RTM: Who are your biggest musical influences and why? And which current artists inspire you?
HG: We're inspired by big bands and small bands alike. Ross' writing is influenced by old-school bands like The Kinks, Pete is into Weezer's grunge-pop and Greg errs more towards the playfulness of a band like Dogs Die In Hot Cars. As a band we're probably trying to follow in the footsteps of local lads, Ball Park Music. The standard they have set for local musicians is on the top shelf and we think we could do worse aspiring to that type of quality.


RTM: What is something everyone should know about the guys from Hey Geronimo?


HG: Not for one second do we, have we, or will we ever believe the hype!

(qanda cont. below)

RTM: Finally, Hey Geronimo are touring throughout June and July - what can people expect from your live shows?


HG: You can expect us to put on a high-energy, fun show. We're still learning our craft, but we want everybody to have a good time. Have a few drinks and bring your dancing shoes!

To find out more about the guys from Hey Geronimo, check out their Triple J Unearthed page or 'like' the band on Facebook.  You can also catch them on their Twitter account.

Hey Geronimo are:

Pete Kilroy - guitar/vox

Greg Chiapello - bass/vox

Ross Pearson - guitar/vox

Andrew Stone - keys

Tony Garrett - percussion

Want to get up close and personal?  Check out the dates and locations below to see when
Hey Geronimo will be gigging near you.

Upcoming Gigs:

Friday, June 29 - Melbourne

The Grace Darling w/ Private Life & March Of The Real Fly

Saturday, June 30 - Melbourne

Espy Front Bar w/ Private Life & Them Swoops

Thursday, July 5 - Brisbane

Oh Hello w/ Oceanics

Friday, July 6 - Gold Coast

Elsewhere w/ Oceanics

Saturday, July 7 - Sydney

Upstairs @ Beresford

Pop Fix: Rita Ora

When I first saw Rita Ora on my television screen it scared me a little that someone had created a Ke$ha-Rihanna hybrid, - little did I know the man behind that was musical genius Jay-Z.  After learning a bit more about the "How We Do (Party)" songstress, it became apparent there is a lot more to Rita Ora than first meets the eye.

Rita Ora - the next big thing?

Rita Ora's name has been known by some for a number of years, appearing on various music competition shows in the UK - more notably Eurovision in 2009.  It was last year that Rita really made a splash when she leant her vocal's to DJ Fresh for the song "Hot Right Now," which went on to become the fastest selling single in the UK of 2012, and the first drum and bass song to reach number 1 on the UK charts.

Taken under Jay-Z's wing and record label Roc Nation, Rita says she has learnt the importance of patience, discovering her sound and what music she would like to create; "I feel like my fans wanna hear [me] a real girl, saying something real."

Her first single "How We Do (Party)" has become a hit on commercial radio across Australia and is currently sitting at number 20 on the ARIA Charts.  The song features the refrain "Party and Bullshit" from the Notorious B.I.G, - and we can expect more hip hop/rnb influences on her debut album with cameos from Kanye West, The Dream and Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas.

With the hard work put into her music so far, and influences from the above, - as well as her own idols Gwen Stefani, Aretha Franklin and Beyonce, - it is apparent that Rita Ora has big plans and a lot to say.

“I don’t really care about that [fame] stuff, man. I don’t think it’s important. If it happens, it happens. But it’s something you shouldn’t care about or want to control, because you can’t. You can only control what you put out. What happens after that is not in your hands.”

- Rita speaks to Vibe.Com

Rita Ora's debut single "How We Do (Party)" Features the catchy Notorious B.I.G
phrase "Party and Bullshit, and Party and Bullshit and Party and Bullshit..."

See Rita's full interview with Vibe Online

Rage On

Nina las Vegas is the cutie presenter/DJ that fills our airways every weekend on Triple J with her gushy presenting style and awesome beats.

Nina Las Vegas 

A role model to yours truly, Nina is nothing short of kooky and extremely talented.

In the lead up to the opening of the 'rage' exhibition tomorrow night as part of Vivid Live in Sydney, she speaks to Oyster magazine about her memories of growing up with the iconic ABC music program.

The following excerpts are Nina's own words from Oyster magazine's online blog.  To read the full article head to www.oystermag.com.

"I'll happily admit that I'm an 80s baby who obsessed more over Dave Grohl than Kurt Cobain (I blame having no older siblings for this one), and I remember staying up, taping and re-watching Dave and Franz (I think) over and over. 


When I first started at Triple J, I stumbled across a bounded book which had listed all the video clips EVER made. I saw a few of those in the early years of my time at the ABC, often with artist’s names on the front. I'd green out at everything back then, so touching a book that Lily Allen or Andre 3000 had once touched felt pretty damn cool.


Lately I've been relying on rage for late night 'random hotel' company. I need to wind down after a gig and regardless of where I am and which hotel I've found myself walking into around 2am-ish, I always know that rage will be on. And as soon as they start making sense, it usually means I’ve sobered up enough to go to bed and avoid a hangover the next day..."

http://oystermag.com/rage-memories-with-nina-las-vegas
June 5, 2012

"happy half century"  - follow her on twitter @ninalasvegas
#weheartnina

You can tune into to listen to Nina Las Vegas Saturday's from 6pm on Triple J, or head to their website to check out any of their podcasts at triplej.net.au.

"rage - Celebrating 25 Years" is on from June 6-17, at Carraigeworks, Sydney. Check out rage online at www.abc.net.au/rage

Shut up and play the hits

Yesterday, Sunday June 3rd, as part of Vivid Live 2012, Australian fans were invited to view LCD Soundsystem's concert movie and ultimately farewell, "Shut up and play the hits."

James Murphy - LCD Soundsystem 

To most people LCD Soundsystem is an electro/indie/pop group that are behind hits such as Drunk Girls, Dance Yrself Clean, North American Scum and the haunting yet soulful New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me  Down.

In reality, LCD Soundsystem and James Murphy are ultimately interchangeable, with Murphy recording most of the instruments on the "bands" three albums, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver and This is Happening.  

When performing live, Murphy fronts this 10 piece alternative / electro band producing, in his own words,  music that sounds like "records that you used to hate but are kind of cool now that you heard them again years later at your friend's house," ...amongst other things.

LCD Soundsystem - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney 2010

Between 2001-2011 and the three studio albums,  LCD won 3 Grammy awards proving that great music comes in quality - not necessarily quantity.

LCD Soundsystem brought their music to Australia in 2010, (supporting act: Hot Chip) only months before they were to part ways.  Energetic, inspiring and funky are a few words that could describe the atmosphere produced when Muphy took the stage with the band.  The experience of seeing LCD Soundsystem live was incredible.

In 2011 LCD Soundsystem performed their farewell concert, which took place at Madison Square Garden, New York.  The movie documentary follows James Murphy and the group in the days leading up show, where the band played for a spectacular 4 hours.

Some of us were lucky enough to get tickets to the movie screening yesterday at the Opera House...

...some of us were not. 

But no worry - It has been announced that there will be DVD release of "Shut Up and Play the Hits" so we can all follow Murphy in the days leading up to LCD Soundsystems final hoorah.

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