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Photo Credit: Chloe Hutchison – Havana Productions
Fresh from their tour dates in WA, QLD and an explosive performance at this year’s Byron Bay Blues Festival, Sydney/Byron Bay collective CARAVÃNA SUN are thrilled to announce they will be headlining their own curated all-ages Summer Escape Festival on Saturday, September 3. They’ve also added a Melbourne show at Howler on Saturday, September 10 before rounding off their tour in Sydney at The Factory Theatre on August 27.
CARAVÃNA SUN will be playing tracks from their newly released 10 track album ‘Burning Palms’, which was written and recorded all within the past 2 years; it’s an album that sees the band return to their roots and find appreciation in nature as it was recorded in a secluded space deep in the heart of the Blue Mountains, NSW. Produced by CARAVÃNA SUN, and mixed by Andy Lawson (Death By Denim, Eskimo Jo, End of Fashion, Little Birdy) at Debaser Studio, Perth with additional mixing and engineered by Ian Pritchett.
CARAVÃNA SUN have always been known for the raw energy of their live shows. From the huge crowd singalongs to the quiet, soulful heart moments, and sun-drenched reggae to sweeping synth indie groove, they always keep their focus on the connection to their audience.
“Our faith in live music and artists drove us to putting on Summer Escape Fest. Over the past 2 years, we felt the magnitude of what people being together, singing and dancing really means to us. We knew we had to create something aside from our band that would represent and authentically serve the communities that have truly been the lifeblood of Caravãna Sun for over 10 years. We’ve put together our favourite bands on one stage to truly celebrate live music to an all ages crowd. Summer Escape fest truly embodies that inspiring awe that leaves all music loving Australians proud to come together and celebrate, with some big euphoric sing-alongs and infectious dance moves.”
Ant Beard, CARAVÃNA SUN
Since 2011 up until early 2020, CARAVÃNA SUN have toured Europe playing over 300 shows/festivals/open airs in Europe/UK. Highlights include Boardmasters (UK), Headlining Madness (NL), Summer in the city (Germany), Boomtown (UK), Reggae Sun Ska (France) to name a few. They have toured with iconic artists Madness, UB40, The Cat Empire & Fat Freddys Drop and have built up quite the reputation beyond the sunny shores of Australia.
CARAVÃNA SUN TOUR DATES
SATURDAY 27 AUGUST
Factory Theatre – Sydney, NSW tickets
Joined by special guests Steph Strings + SULT + Rochelle Natoli
SUMMER ESCAPE FESTIVAL LINE UP
SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER – NightQuarter, Sunshine Coast, QLD tickets
Caravana Sun – headline act
Hot Potato
Peach Fur
Toxic Fox
Jazzelle
Steph Strings
Make The Moon
Olivia Ruth
SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER
Howler – Melbourne, VIC tickets
PRAISE FOR CARAVÃNA SUN
“The Sydneysiders’ third album is a sonic treat. With a solid backbone of rhythm and the loose tag of surf rock, their songs contort themselves in a variety of styles.”
Sydney Morning Herald
“Burning Palms is rich in indie-pop sounds that capture CARAVÃNA SUN’s dynamic range as musicians. With a range of higher-energy rock groovers, to more laid back pop ballads, the collective craft a soundscape of intricate beats, moving bass lines, grounding keys, airey synths, and epic guitars to back catchy vocal hooks with comforting harmonies.”
Pilerats
“Charlie’, the first single of the year for Caravãna Sun, sees the typically ebullient band get vulnerable, if still uplifting.”
Music Feeds
“Caravana Sun are at their buoyant best on this new jam. It’s vibrant and full of hooks and charm and I’m going in again for sure.”
Declan Byrne, Triple j
Album: Burning Palms is out now
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
Sparked by a desire to plate up mouth-watering Mexican like no other, leading culinary institution, Fonda, was born from humble beginnings.
Over a decade ago, Tim McDonald and Dave Youl were on a mission to satisfy their cravings for fresh, flavour-packed Mexican food in a venue that felt like home. When they noticed a gap in the Australian market, a light-bulb moment followed. The pair set off on a culinary expedition across Mexico, scouting the best bites and most welcoming hangouts in the country. Returning inspired, with full bellies and big dreams, the duo dived into their restaurant venture. Fonda was born.
Transporting the heart and soul of Mexico to Australian shores, Fonda burst onto the scene in 2010 with a flagship in Swan Street, Richmond. The monumental launch attracted hour-long queues and earned the brand a cult following. Fonda has since become synonymous with perfected Mexican street food, with standouts including its legendary tacos and moreish margaritas.
Following enormous consumer demand, nine restaurants have opened across Sydney and Melbourne. Locations include Richmond, Windsor, Hawthorn, Knox, Chadstone, Flinders Lane, Collingwood, Surry Hills and Bondi, and for Fonda fans with an appetite for more – watch this space!
No matter which restaurant diners head to, they can expect Fonda’s signature relaxed atmosphere, welcoming hospitality, and playful décor popping with bright injections of colour. In Mexico, a ‘fonda’ is a home that serves the community delicious and simple food that has been lovingly
prepared. Inspired by this concept, Fonda’s menu encourages guests to take a memorable culinary journey together, fuelled with high-quality, fresh, Australian produce.
Hungry diners’ only task is to pick from the extensive list of fan favourites found on the eat-in and takeaway menus. The coveted offering includes market-fresh fish tacos, herbed mushroom quesadillas, slow-cooked beef brisket burritos, grilled corn, and nachos with house-made guacamole and pico de gallo, to name a few.
A show-stopping cocktail list transports diners to a beach side Mexican bar, where thirsts can be quenched by an impressive range of margaritas featuring classic, chilli mango and watermelon & lime, alongside a selection of cerveza, cider, local vino and non-alcoholic beverages. Inside the kitchen, Tim and Dave have nurtured the hospitality teams like their own family, building a positive and engaging culture that glows from the inside out. What sets Fonda apart from the competition extends far beyond the menu. The commitment to its guests and dedication to continually inspiring and developing its team is what delivers the unique experience diners know and love.
As the saying goes, “mi casa, su casa”, so head to a Fonda near you to experience the Mexican magic.
Where are you currently based?
San Diego.
Ronnie and Kevin met in advanced band in middle school. Kevin playing the saxophone and Ronnie in percussion.
Recently we’ve just been playing bigger and bigger shows and showing people the possibilities of live electronic music.
Your latest single ‘Hold On’ will be soon, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Our friend McFiddles had this vocal he jammed over a track we were making and it turned into this deep banger.
It was one of those songs that just started happening with one idea and kept falling into place. Started with the vocals.
Where and when did you write/record/produce/master and who did you work with?
We wrote and produced this about a year ago with McFiddles at our studio.
Our approach is to let it record, jam and choose the best and groovy parts.
We having burning man coming up and same same but different festival.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
At the moment we’ve been listening to thundercat, kaytranada, and lots of bass music.
We like to explore the outside and play the occasional video game.
The plan is to keep grinding and recording more tunes. We are about to release a full length album of all bass hip hop vibes.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Burritos and beach.
Words: Domenico Frascino
Awakenings goes all out to celebrate its 25th anniversary. After 2 years of Covid-induced drought, Awakenings came back in 2022 with a double weekender: 4 nights and 2 days during the Easter weekend and a three-day Summer edition on a brand new location with a first ever campsite from July 29th to 31st.
We attended Awakenings Summer Festival and saw a major expansion. The biggest techno festival in the world added a campsite and an extra day to the techno weekender, making Awakenings the first multi-day techno festival in the Netherlands.
Even a historic organisation like Awakenings needs some changes every now and then. The festival that takes place in summer has been relocated from its historical spot in Amsterdam to the south of the Netherlands. The multi-day festival took place at the breathtaking venue of Beekse Bergen, a safari resort where the imposing futuristic stage architecture creates a clear contrast with the wild green woods and delightful lakes and water spread in the festival area.
This created the perfect background for the festival. Over 130 of the best international techno artists performed at the 11 majestically designed stages. The large lineup allowed an extremely diverse selection of techno and electronic music. Techno legends like Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, and Seth Troxler shared the stage with hot DJs such as Amelie Lens, Tale of Us, and Maceo Plex. The menu also included a more industrial and dark techno lineup with Dr. Rubinstein, Adiel, I Hate Models, 999999999, as well as house and disco vibes from the Blessed Madonna, Dam Swindle, and Denis Sulta. This diversity allowed for dancing to different styles of music attendants like.
Along with the music, the numerous art shows and installations added a unique and out-of-this-world character to the festival. Throughout the day, party-goers can easily bump into interactive live art performances, immersive multi-sensory sound and light installations, optical and water shows, making the festival a full artistic experience.
The Awakenings organisation has also put a great effort into sustainability, social responsibility, and inclusivity. Recycle stations were spread all around the festival areas to make sure that the waste is reduced to the minimum. Hungry festival-goers could enjoy healthy and vegan options at the numerous food stands. Last but not least, people were able to contribute to relevant causes with donations to reduce their CO2 emissions and to back associations supporting humanitarian help in Ukraine and the LGBTQ+ rights.
As usual, people are what makes this festival truly special! Awakenings is one of the world’s leading techno festivals and attracts an extremely international crowd. Out of the 100.000 people who attended over the weekend more than 75 nationalities were represented. The carefully styled outfits, shiny clothing and bright smiles and of course the best techno there’s to offer brought together people from all around the world to dance together once again after a long time of pandemic.
The wildlands lineup is here! Taking place in December/January in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, the festival has announced their lineup featuring Dom Dolla, Diplo, Yeat, Denzel Curry, Aitch, Kaytranada, Tkay Maidza, Honey Dijon and BENEE.
Joining them will also be Yung Lean, Shygirl, Remi Wolf, Kanine, SG Lewis & many more.
The historically sold-out event has opened presale registrations, registrations close 16th August.
The festival will kick off in Perth on December 30, heading to Adelaide on January 2nd and finally Brisbane on January 7th. Discover a vibrant oasis filled with the biggest and most exciting dance, electronic and hip-hop acts from Australia paired with Wildlands’ world-class stage designs, production and decor.
The overwhelming response to the 2019 event was entirely positive with a rarely seen sold-out inaugural event headlined by global superstars Tyler, The Creator and RÜFÜS DU SOL, placing Wildlands as a staple fixture in Brisbane’s summer festival circuit.
Wildlands is presented by Untitled Group and Beyond The Valley and supported by triple j. Untitled Group is the largest independent music promoter in Australia and the masterminds behind festivals such as Beyond The Valley, Pitch Music & Arts, Grapevine Gathering, Wildlands, For The Love, Ability Fest & more.
Join them on a Wild expedition across Australia!
Full Lineup In A-Z Order
Aitch* / BENEE / Bicep (Live) / Charlotte De Witte* / Cloonee / Denzel Curry / Diplo / Dom Dolla
Holy Goof / Honey Dijon / Jay1* / Jesswar / JK-47 Jnr Choi* JOY.* / Kanine Kaytranada
Kee’ahn* / KLP^ / Kota Banks* / Memphis LK* / Mia Rodriguez / Ninajirachi* Patrick Topping / Remi Wolf SG Lewis* / Shygirl* / Sofia Kourtesis~ / Tkay Maidza / Willo / Yeat* / Yung Lean*
*NOT IN ADELAIDE ~BRISBANE ONLY ^ADELAIDE ONLY
Perth – December 30th, Stadium Park at Optus Stadium
Adelaide – January 2nd, Ellis Park
Brisbane – January 7th, Brisbane Showgrounds
Presale registrations close: Tuesday 16th August 3pm AEST
Presale goes on sale: Tuesday 16th August 6pm AEST
General Public Onsale: Wednesday 17th August 12:30PM AEST
Get Connected:
https://wildlandsfestival.com.
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KAIPORA is a genre-bending, live-electronic duo that consists of two powerhouse musicians. Vocalist KevinRodriguez (@krawd_lives) captivates audiences and navigates musical universes through a multitude of instruments, including the electric guitar, keyboard, saxophone, didgeridoo, and more. Then there’s bass-master extraordinaire Ronnie Holguin (@rwnjmz) who grounds each performance in entrancing rhythms and controls the heartbeat of the experience with a live beat pad and keyboard combo.
Their sound weaves together threads from their favorite genres— Heavy Bass, House, HipHop, and Dance — and the complexity of their performances are inspired by the intrinsic beauty of nature. Kevin and Ronnie honed their skills throwing renegade festivals anywhere they could set up their speakers.
They played in locations across the West Coast from the forests of Northern California to the beaches of Southern California ,permanently tying their roots to Mother Earth and leading them to their moniker: KAIPORA (“Caipora” being the Brazilian folklore’s “Protector of the Forest”).The duo has headlined festivals and graced the same stages as Charlesthefirst, Clozee, and LSDREAM. You can catch one of their unforgettable live performances at this year’s Lightning in a Bottle in May2022.
KAIPORA
Website: https://www.kaipora.net/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfnmIFVRGoYZ4VY9bTYU_g
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaip0ra
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kaiporamusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaip0ra
Live Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVMt91gjdHM
KAIPORA – Socials w/ Hyperlinks: Website, YouTube, Facebook, SoundCloud, Instagram
The classic cocktails first created at the turn of last century have undergone numerous iterations over the decades to reflect the tastes of drinking culture today. They can be enjoyed as part of a happy hour wind down at a bar, as summer refreshments by the ocean, or alone at home as mealtime indulgences.
Furthermore, these iconic drinks have a staying power that proves the recipes work every time and each mix works to enhance the base spirit ingredient, fruity additives, and sweet or sour notes. While different bars and lounges may have their own versions of the drinks, they manage to stay true to the old-fashioned techniques that make these liqueurs timeless.
Here are the five most popular cocktails of all time:
Negroni
As the current title holder of world’s most popular cocktail of 2022 and still one of the most popular of all time by drinks publications, the Negroni is a definitive favorite drink. This punchy, three-ingredient, Italy-originating cocktail is surprisingly easy to make—just mix equal parts of Campari, vermouth, and a dry gin.
Additions, such as Champagne or Cava, can be poured in, as well as a slice of lemon as garnishing. Moreover, bartenders enjoy serving Negroni with Mezcal as a base spirit that can be ordered as an aperitif at lounges and speakeasies, such as at 36 Below, to enhance the flavors of food and snacks. The Negroni’s white variation is an aromatic wine, and White Vermouth gives it its distinct pale-yellow color and bittersweet taste.
Mojito
Described as the ‘perfect summer drink’, with lower-than-average alcohol content, the minty sweet Mojito remains one of the top favorites among popular classic cocktails. This bubbly beverage consists of rum, mint leaves, crushed ice, limes, sugar, and a clear tinted carbonated drink, sparkling water, or soda water. It’s all served in tall glassware, with a straw to finish it off.
What makes this tasty Cuban gem so unique is that it has very few variations, unlike other cocktails, and these are only slight deviations from the original. Some have fruit additions, such as pineapple and coconut blended or blue curacao, with syrups and herbs, such as basil. However, the base ingredients and preparation are kept the same to retain the distinct two-toned green and white color look.
Martini
The Martini is among the most versatile and creative popular cocktails today because it can be ordered in so many variations. Classic Martinis are made simple with London Dry Gin and Dry Vermouth, then strained into a Marinin glass and stirred with ice.
The more modern types of Martinis are drinks where vodka replaces gin and is mixed with one or more flavorings. These include Apple Martinis with apple schnapps and lemon juice, and the Espresso Martini with coffee liqueur. There are also specialty Martinis that contain sherry, chocolate, and saké, a Japanese rice wine, that are served with Asian dishes.
Piña Colada
This creamy tropical delight from Puerto Rico reminds drinkers of fruit smoothies with a mix of cream of coconut or coconut milk, rum, and pineapple. The modern-day version is served with blended or crushed ice, and garnished with a pineapple slice and a cocktail umbrella at beach-based bars and restaurants.
Traditional Piña Coladas use white or light rum to even out the flavor profile, and allow all the ingredients to come through. Many drinkers who prefer a more sour and pungent taste request lemon or lime additions or a dark and spicy rum to counteract the sweetness. Despite this, either version is known to go well with fish dishes, such as shrimp and spicy tuna toppings.
Margarita
Another three-ingredient cocktail is the Margarita, which is made of tequila, lime juice, and an orange liqueur to give it a sour taste. Its name was purportedly taken from the Spanish word for ‘daisy,’ which was a predecessor of the drink during the prohibition era and has remained popular ever since.
A Margarita’s glass rim is lined with lime to allow ground sea salt to stick to it.
This adds some zest to its flavor profile when drinkers take a sip. This can also be served straight, on the rocks, frozen, or in a shaved ice blend. These days, Margarita recipes consist of sliced fruits, as well as juice and syrup mixes for a refreshing sweetened summer drink. They include apple, peach, watermelon, and blood orange, served in a drinking jar with a lime wedge on the rim for garnish.
Conclusion
The most popular cocktails of all time are a variation of their original forms, created over years of different cultural influences and mixology creativity. Most liqueur enthusiasts and bartenders are familiar with these drinks, which can be ordered at almost any bar because of how classic they are.
Most of these cocktails are fruit-based, with either a sour or sweet profile, and a base alcohol that gives them their respective identities. Drinkers can enjoy them with compatible foods or request slight ingredient changes according to personal taste.
From 13-16 October, Central Victoria’s biggest music conference is set to return for its second year. Designed to bring together the Victorian regional and Melbourne music communities, the conference features panels, workshops, networking events, and a dedicated youth program.
Held on Djarra Country in the centre of Castlemaine and programmed by Fionna Allan, the conference sessions will cover topics including:
Music & Identity
Touring – Regional & Beyond
Festival Programming
Working in Creative Teams
Music & Activism
Copyright & Licensing
Songwriters in Conversation
Grants & Funding
Breaking Down the Barriers
and more to be announced.
Gold Sounds Music Conference will also feature in-depth songwriting workshops, music interview training and other practical sessions.
The full program for Gold Sounds 2022 will be announced in late August, with tickets on sale 1 September, 2022.
The event will include collaborations with APRA AMCOS, Australia Council for the Arts, Community Media Training Organisation, FReeZA, Music Victoria, Regional Arts Victoria, Support Act, and more to be announced.
Last year’s inaugural conference featured keynote speeches by industry heavyweights Jen Cloher and Liz Stringer alongside workshops run by two of the region’s biggest stars, Dallas Woods and Jess Ribeiro. Held as Victoria was emerging from lockdown, the Conference was part of Music Victoria’s Regional Music Development program and attracted more than 100 people from the music industry and community across the weekend and won the Mount Alexander Shire Council Community Event of the Year.
Where are you currently based?
It’s hard to name one place, now I’m focusing on writing new music and recording it, that’s why we travel a lot with my team to work with different songwriters, producers and meet people from industry all around the world. For example we had writing camps in LA, Dubai, London, south of France and by the way, I’d love to be in LA now. For sure we will go there soon.
How did you first start playing music?
Music has always been a major part of my life. Mostly because I come from a musical family, my father is a drummer and my mother is a singer, so I spent my childhood on the backstage and from a young age I was singing and playing piano and flute. Also back then, every week we were making small concerts at our place for all the neighbors. It was a great time!
What’s been happening recently?
Recently I’ve been recording a lot and preparing new materials, we finally finished the EP, so I will release it very soon, right after ‘Dynamite’. For me it was really important to choose right songs and get all details close to perfect.
Your new single ‘Dynamite’ is out on August 5, what influenced the sound and songwriting? The lyrics are based on my own experience.
It’s about feelings that burst out and cannot be controlled. I’m sure that everyone can relate to it. So I just wanted to share my feelings with people.
How did you go about writing Dynamite?
Honestly, it was a team work, definitely magic happened!
We were in studio for a couple of days songwriting. Dynamite was written 2 years ago, that time we tried to find the right sound, but I didn’t feel that version should be released as it was.
And recently we got back to the song again and finally made it the way you hear it now. We caught the right moment, my team was inspired by the song again, the melody got stuck in my head for days so I realized, it’s a time to drop it..
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with? I’ve been working with the same crew for the last 4 years, we kinda feel each other so it’s definitely a match. I see how they also get inspiration from what we do together, and they believe in me, it’s very important feeling.
How did you approach the production process?
We changed the song few times and then realized that it would be cool to make a rock ballade format. We got inspired by greatest rock bands and decided to use Lenny Kravitz guitar style
As a rising artist you’ve already collaborated with DJ Snake and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, how was each experience and who would you like to collaborate with in the future? I still can’t believe that we did it together, it is a big-big honor for me!
They are huge professionals with strong teams in all aspects from music to management You need to learn from the best, right?
Soon I will drop a new collaboration with another big name, for now I keep it a secret! The song is massive, I’m sure people will love it.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I listen to different music, lately I have a lot of pop rock songs in my playlist, like Maneskin, Harry styles.
Can’t wait to hear some new names in the same style! I love it!
What do you like to do away from music?
For efficiency, in every sphere it’s important for me to switch activities.
Currently I focus on improving my music performance.
Everyday I have dancing classes, vocals, studio, rehearsals etc.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023?
I will release my first EP and few music videos soon.
Planning another album, preparing new shows – can’t wait to perform on stage again!
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Welcome to The Partae! How is everything in your world after the pandemic?
Everything is going much better than I planned, actually. My brands are growing fast and getting great feedback from the scene.
Why did you start Follow The Fingers records? What was the inspiration? What was the aim?
It became one of my life goals after spending many years in the industry. I wanted to create a record label & recording studio joint brand where like-minded artists can freely express themselves.
How important is artwork and format do you think in 2022?
At the end of the day, you are selling music, but the image is important too. It should definitely reflect the total concept of the release and also link to the format of the record label. In Follow The Fingers, we work with different designers for the releases. Most recently, we worked with Italian artist Elisa. She explains of her art that the images were originally an experiment. “I wanted to explore the relationship between music and abstract visuals, and I wanted to investigate the role of technology in the production of art. I used Frax, an open source app that allows users to create their own fractals, infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. I also wanted to modify my fractals even more, so I manually modified colours, light and movement in each picture. Finally I used Runway ML, a machine learning software that allows creators to explore different uses of Artificial Intelligence. By feeding the archive of images I had from Frax into Runway, I was able to obtain new and totally unique graphics.”
And what about videos and social media? Do they play a role in getting the label out there?
Of course!
What is the signature sound of the label? What defines it musically?
Our sound draws on an image of a post-apocalyptic future, but it’s not a simple replicate of the Mad Max theme. It is more modern and in harmony with machines. It respects every theme and area of post-apocalypiıc life. There’s the post-apocalyptic love story, the post-apocalyptic world of vikings…limited by imagination only.
Tell us about the new VA. How did you select the artists for this?
A few of the artists have releases on Follow The Fingers already. However, I am always finding new artists on the internet and reaching out. They are people who I’ve come across on music streaming or download platforms.
How has the label evolved since you first started it?
The label is constantly growing its roster and getting more recognition with each release. When it comes to the releases, originality is giving us a big distinction from other labels. Every release gets a new blog feature, premiere, radio play or gesture of support from top artists.
How do you manage that while staying true to the original and core sound?
You just work with the right artists at the right time. The industry evolves/changes all the time and I should be listening to a lot of music and foresee where the scene is going. That’s how I can pick original creatives on my same wavelength.
What have been the best releases or the ones you’re most proud of so far?
I’m proud of all our releases but my favourite three are Into The Mist EP, Poison Lips EP, and She Said EP.
What else are you doing forward to/have you got coming up?
Oh, we have a lot of exciting sounds coming along! Apart from that, nowadays, I am working on a new compilation of ADE.
FOLLOW THE FINGERS // RECORDS & STUDIO
SOCIALS
Landing Page – https://biglink.to/thousandfingers
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thsndfngrs/
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/c/ThousandFingers
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/6pDwIptiCrEeRzTfc7mLrn?si=5JqNVA38RWCM_6WrpwCNoA
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/thousand-fingers/1474256556
Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/thsndfngrs
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thsndfngrs/
ResidentAdvisor – https://ra.co/dj/thousandfingers
Photography + Words – Darren Chan
Phil Jamieson is the consummate frontman leading his legendary rock band Grinspoon, who I had the pleasure of seeing headline the Springloaded Festival earlier this year.
Tonight, Phil Jamieson performed as a solo artist performing his debut solo album ‘Somebody Else’. In a more cozy intimate venue, the Curtin Hotel, Phil and the band came onstage to a rapturous applause and cheering. Along with guitar sideman Davey Lane of You am I (and The Pictures who opened the night), they launched into the guitar heavy track on “Trouble”.
Tonight we got to see and hear Phil’s songwriting and creativity extend to more melodic pop, from the catchy “Kapow”, indie pop “Rebecca”, the western “YCBM”, to the brit-rock album opener “Somebody Else”. Brilliant stuff.
Where are you currently based?
Hey! Great to be here today, we’re currently based out in Southwest Sydney, Liverpool to be specific!
How did you two come together to create music?
Sheph.ART: We actually met years ago, both on a construction site as electricians! One day, we were working on a large job together when I played some of my own music on the speakers. The conversations that brewed since then have never stopped! We went on to create music together, open our own Music Studio and have lots more in the works.
What’s been happening recently?
Barry Saleh: As we’re both producer and artists, our lives revolve around music 24/7! At this very moment, we are working on some large scale EPs for the artists that work with us as well as planning our next release.
Sheph.ART: I mirror what Barry said! Our publicist always tells us that we need more coverage of us outside our studio, but it’s the music that drives us forward, whether it’s learning, creating or executing on what we’ve set out to do. We have a lot more in works as business owners working in the music industry. Currently, we are also expanding our team of producers, finding more talent to work with and expanding our portfolio of music!
‘Action’ is your debut single together, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Sheph.ART – “Action’ is a reference to the people who have doubted my musical, creative and business abilities, always being nowhere to be found when crunch time was imminent and now would like a seat at the table to bear the fruits of my labor. I specifically made the production as gritty as possible without losing its melodic essence in order to take the listener through an emotional rollercoaster to feel the hunger that I felt going through the motions of being able to get to where I am today and looking to go forward from here.”
Barry Saleh – “In the opening verse I wrote through the eyes of my brother and the experiences that I witnessed him live through. I paint a picture of unhealthy memories in a reminiscent/braggadocious manner and take listeners all the way through to the present moment of growth and obstacles that are faced when it comes to people doubting and having ill intentions. The first person writing approach we took throughout the track strengthens relatability and understanding as it allows listeners to consume our lyrics as if they are the personas living the narrative or as if we are speaking directly to them in conversation.”
Please describe your collaborative process?
Sheph.ART: As Barry and I work together on a daily basis as producers, we have nailed our collaborative process down to the tee. From a production standpoint, we both have areas of expertise that we like to give to each other, for example, I love laying down the Melodies on keys and Barry is a killer guitarist! We both decide on the vibe of the track and go from there. Action’s instrumental is gritty yet melodic and takes the audience through a journey so for us as musicians, it’s all about what the track needs, we let go of any ego and do what’s right for the record.
Barry Saleh: In regard to the collaborative process for writing, we always go off the feeling of the beat, usually when we start writing together, we always end up writing about the same feeling, but if we don’t whoever nails the hook first, we go off of that as the topic. Sheph and I have had similar yet different experiences in life and so we tackle that topic from a different perspective. I agree with Sheph, when it comes to the record, we are a means of delivering a message, but if the message doesn’t sit right for the record, there are no hard feelings, you scrap it and move on. We’re tough critics of each other and so will challenge each other.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
Sheph.ART – Being artist/producers, Barry and I, produced, tracked and engineered in our own studio BeatsWithSheph. I find that being a producer makes me a better artist and being an artist makes me a better producer all allowing me to have the flexibility to tell many stories in the one record. For example, Being a producer/artist, I used the melodies in the chorus and my verse of “Action” to tell a story in itself. Although the beat and the main vocals can sound upfront and in your face, the listener has the option to listen a little more in depth and find that there is a flow of movement in the record that showcases the euphoric feeling of success through grit, hunger and hustle.”
How did you approach the recording process?
Sheph.ART – There are a few ways that I like depending on the feeling of the beat, sometimes, I will record melodies first and comp it together and write and record from there. Other times, I have the lyrics written, memorised (always memorised) and then when I record, it’s all about the delivery. This is not just something I hold for myself as an artist, but something I talk about with the artists that I engineer for. Engineering starts during the recording process and focusing on the delivery is everything.
Barry Saleh – Sheph and I take our engineering experience into the studio when we record, whenever we are tracking for each other, we understand even as seasoned recording artists, there are still nerves at the start of any recording process, getting that out of the way is when the recording really starts. From there it’s about finding every take that has been delivered the best. Making sure that our engineering vocalware is catered for the vocals of the artist (even if it’s ourselves), choosing a mic that suits the voice of the artist and the tone of the record.
What do you have planned for Action?
There is so much happening for Action! We have quite a few blogs, radios and endorsements coming our way for this record and the love is appreciated! We aren’t stopping here though, there is going to be another record dropping shortly for you all to bump to and a few other projects in the works! Keep an eye out!
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Sheph.ART – I’ve been bumping KAYTRANADA and Anderson.Paak!
Barry Saleh – I love listening to Burna Boy, JID and a range of Arabic music!
Any live shows coming up?
Barry Saleh – “At the moment, there are a few live shows in the works and will be finalised in the coming months! Performing has always been part of my life since a young age and there is no feeling like performing and seeing your fans in the crowd singing the words of your records!”
Sheph.ART – “Touring is definitely on the to do list, but right now, for me, it is more about creating a strong digital presence and growing my skills for when it’s time to perform.”
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023?
We love this question!
Currently, we have a fair few projects in the works, not just for our artistry, but for business! Keep an eye out for “Sheph Division” “BeatswithSheph” and everything that encompasses it! Our organisation has doubled over the past few months and we don’t plan to stop, so if you’re an artist, producer or engineer who is looking for the next step in there career, we’re on the hunt to find you and help you grow!
For our records, we plan to come out with more records that are just going to blow you away!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
Sheph.ART – I’m an avid cook so I love a good home cooked meal, but I like to spice it up so I cook at my BeatswithSheph studio haha!
Barry Saleh – Love me good meal from Classic Burger! Can’t go wrong there! With our busy schedule sometimes ordering Uber Eats is time efficient and having great options open till late in Liverpool is a plus!
Sheph.ART Instagram | triple j Unearthed
Barry Saleh Instagram | triple j Unearthed