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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
Celebrating the release of their long awaited debut album, King Stingray will rip ’round the country this October, on their largest national tour to date, bringing their good vibes and huge choruses to the masses.
Kicking things off at The Triffid in Brisbane, the band will then make their way south to Sydney’s Manning Bar and Melbourne’s Croxton before rounding things up at The Gov in Adelaide, Fremantle’s Freo.Social, and ending things back in the NT at Darwin Railway Club.
Tickets are on sale Thursday 11 August at 10am AEST, BUT eager fans can get early access to pre-sale tickets from Wednesday August 10 by signing up up here.
The band have also just dropped a video for the album opener, Lupa. Written by lead singer Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu, ‘Lupa’ translates from Yolŋu Matha languages as ‘Poor man, rich life’ and holds a fist in the air for marginalised people around the world.
Yirrŋa, a Gumatj clan songman, says the intention behind the song is “to make people happy and proud”. Lupa is catchy as hell, and somehow immediately relatable, even if it’s sung in a language group spoken by around just 16,000 people in Arnhem Land.
Filmed and directed by long time friend of the band, Sam Brumby, the Lupa video whisks us away to the band’s stunning hometown of Yirrkala to celebrate the lupa way of life – being financially broke but rich in friends, family and culture.
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KING STINGRAY – ‘KING STINGRAY’
TRACKLIST
1. Lupa
2. Hey Wanhaka
3. Get Me Out
4. Let’s Go
5. Raypirri
6. Milkumana
7. Sweet Arnhem Land
8. Malk Mirri Wayin
9. Camp Dog
10. Life Goes On
PRE-ORDER VINYL NOW!
Vinyl comes in limited edition colours with exclusive artwork available at the following retailers, shipping from November 11. Fans and vinyl collectors are recommended to pre-order now to avoid the disappointment of missing out!
King Stingray (Opaque Orange) – Artist Store exclusive
King Stingray (Opaque Yellow) – JB-Hi-Fi exclusive
King Stingray (Transparent Blue) – All retail
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Last Friday, French trio Sense released their latest electropop single ‘Cloud 9’ and hinted at their upcoming EP to The Partae, expected later this year. The track features UK singer-songwriter, bailey, who brings a simple and confident melody to a powerful atmospheric beat. Sense breaks from their previous chill and lofi beats and dives into a more organic and intimate sound with their latest track. Listen to Cloud 9 on every platform here.
“For us, Cloud 9 marks a new dimension for the band. While separated over the past 2 years, we dreamed of gathering for a few weeks to create something that would be truly us, a mix of all our feelings at this exact moment. We’ve been fascinated by what we call “happysad”, a feeling of nostalgia experienced before a moment is even over. We wanted to convey this into music and used everything we had around us: from cutlery to water bottles and even our voice for the first time.” Sense
Cloud 9 was produced after the band’s reunion in late 2021. Driven by the feeling of living every moment together at its most, the group has produced its most organic EP yet.
Watch the vlog of the band’s reunion on YouTube.
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sense/cloud-9-feat-bailey
https://www.facebook.com/listentosense/
Tetsuians have cemented themselves in the Melbourne/Naarm live music landscape with their unique mixture of punchy indie riffs and melodic undertones.
Recently the band released the excellent first single for ‘Shadow In The Sky’ from their upcoming third album. The band now follow it up with their second single, ‘Walk It Off’ out today.
With influences from Wilco, Supergrass and Wild Flag, ‘Walk It Off’ comes from Tetsuians’ third album Repairs and Alterations, heralds a bigger sound, with smooth licks and refined song writing, set for release on the 30th of August 2022.
Tetsuians’ self-titled debut album was voted in the top ten albums of 2019 by 4ZZZ ahead of their second album in 2020 album, Elephant Hexagon.
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Follow Nocturnal Animals Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp |
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Where are you currently based?
Tied Down is currently based in Perth WA
How did the band form?
We had a pretty funny startup: Deano (drums) & Kado (rhythm guitar) have been mates since they were about 4 years old and always jammed together. I (CJ – vocals) played footy with Kado and decided to head around to jam with the both of them and covered The Comedown by Ocean Alley. As soon as we finished the song we kind of looked at each other like, “ahh that was actually pretty good” haha. Steve (lead guitar) was the wild chance meeting as the boys met him on the roof of a hostel in Tokyo while over there for Fuji Rock Festival which still is pretty unbelievable how that panned out. Papa D (Dolsy – bass) was the last pickup as he went to school with Kado. They hadn’t seen each other for a while then saw each other at a local hardware store and Kado gave the invite to come have a splash with us!
What’s been happening recently?
Gigs, gigs, gigs. We’ve been on a massive run of shows in the last couple of months playing our Undefeated single launch, two gigs alongside Gyroscope and sold out shows with South Summit & Saviour! It’s been an unreal run of gigs and we’re thankful for the opportunities!
Your latest single ‘Undefeated’ will be out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
Undefeated as a whole to me is a powerful anti-suicide note. We wanted to make an up-tempo, uplifting track about pushing through all the shit you have to go through in everyday life and not giving up no matter what. This track pulled a lot from our heavier influences like Title Fight, Trophy Eyes and Basement while keeping our trademark punk rock sound. We couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out!
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
We rolled this one through our mate Matt Templeman again as we did for our last single Slow.
Temps is great to work with and provided a lot of the drive for the track. We also had drum tech extraordinaire Fraser Cringle and riff king Scott Kay work with us then had it produced by Simon Struthers. Such a great time working with all of them and they really helped us get the most out of the track.
Please tell us about how important it is to you to touch on deeper topics through your lyrics:
Great question. For me, I determine what I want to touch on once I’ve completely immersed myself into the roots of the song musically. I heard the shell of Undefeated and knew instantly what I wanted it to delve into. Like I said, this song is a fuck you to suicide and all the mental breakdowns that can try and push you towards breaking point and being able to have the resilience to say, nah not today. As a collective, I think all of us at TD believe in writing meaningful music and really don’t want to be putting out standard tracks talking about the same old shit.
Please tell us about your process of lyric writing:
Haha, lyrics are a funny one for me.
I listen to the shell of our music at its birth then I generally take it home with me on earphones and start listening on repeat. I’ve always had a knack for writing hooks and melodies really easily so I’ll normally start singing made up words in the order I want them to go. At any given time I probably have 5 different topics with some choruses ready to go so I’ll place the one in there that fits the music the best and then send it to the boys, get some feedback and work on it from there. I won’t stop until I know I have the right combination of words and that I’ve packed as much meaning and punch that I possibly can. Apart from all that, the most important part of the lyrics writing process is probably coffee haha.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
We’ve got a big mixture going on at the moment. The Tied Down playlist is a mixed bag of artists and genres but I’ll namedrop a few that we’re on at the moment: South Summit, Posseshot, Angie Colman, Speed, Lilos, Joan & The Giants & Ratsalad to name a few!
What’s the Perth music scene like right now?
The place to be baby! Sick shows every week, new singles every week, loads of radio play, bands heading over east. It’s literally all happening and it feels like it’s long overdue!
Plans for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023?
We’re knocking up a solid end of year run including another show or two with South Summit in September, heading up to Geraldton with Ratsald in October and then hitting Sydney for a couple shows in November as our first trip to the East Coast! We’ve set some time aside for writing and recording so we can hopefully spoil everyone with some new bangers shortly!
Favourite food and place to hangout?
At the moment I can’t stop smashing the pizza. Should probably have shares in my local pizzeria the way I’m flying through it aha. I love hanging out in any creative space – jam rooms, small time acoustic gigs or literally just an air BNB with a good crew and a couple instruments. Creativity breeds creativity yo!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tieddownaus
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tieddownaus
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa31m60YjREMf7JeFBR1wg
Triple J Unearthed: https://www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/tieddown/
Shaquille O’Neil, the NBA megastar and business mogul will be making his way to Australia later this month for a series of speaking events and exclusive appearances in Sydney and Melbourne.
Shaq, who performs under the moniker, DJ Diesel is also confirmed to perform an exclusive DJ set at Melbourne’s stylish nightclub, 170 Russell on Wednesday 24 August presented by Lucky Ent. Tickets are on sale now at www.moshtix.com.au
He is no stranger to the stage, having performed at high profile events such as the U.S Formula 1, he has made guest appearance at international music festivals such as Lollapalooza, Tomorrowland and Imagine as well as creating ‘Shaq’s Fun House’ event in Los Angeles during Super Bowl Weekend.
Although DJing is a relatively new pursuit, O’Neal claims to have been DJing in some form since the 1980s, when he was a student at Louisiana State University and has released
multiple studio rap albums in the 1990s including his debut album ‘Shaq Diesel’ in 1993. The album went on to achieve double Platinum certification in the United States. Being a DJ is one of Shaq’s true passions and he’s excited to bring his live set to Melbourne!
O’Neal’s highly anticipated return will be his first visit to Australia in over 20 years and is proudly presented by Australian Basketball Players’ Association and The Hour Group.
“I’m really excited for this long-awaited tour to come to Australia! It’s my first time back in such a long time and I can’t wait to see you Aussies down under,” Said, Shaquille O’Neal.
The Business mogul, Hall of Famer and 4-time NBA championship winner will also appear at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Thursday 25 August 2022.
Limited tickets for the exclusive DJ Diesel performance are on sale now HERE
Tickets range from $49.00 + BF