Interview with KillaQueenz

>>>Listen to my interview with the KillaQueenz Part 1 <<<
>>>Listen to my interview with the KillaQueenz Part 2<<<

Confession: there are few Australian albums that I've been anticipating, the way I've been anticipating this debut effort from the KillaQueenz (who, incidentally, are everything that their namesake would have you believe). SistarHood, is the show-stopping hot-off-the-press LP, newly dropped by Belizean Bombshell and Kween G - KillaQueenz. Spending any more than 2 minutes with these ladies will give you a taste of the potential of their stage presence (just times that by, like, eleventy-billion, or something).

SistarHood is full to the brim with the kind of beats that keep the dance floors packed like sardines. Boasting input from some of the hottest producers around at the moment - such as ZDE, M-Phazes, Katalyst & South Rakkas Crew, and co. - SistarHood will even have you nodding your head as you stand in line at the supermarket, ipod in hand.

Another note, worthy of mention, is that the album is not only packed with Killa beats - it's just downright packed with tracks!! 19, to be exact. No standard, "12 tracks and we're done here", malarki. These girls have gone all out! I respect that.


Stand outs, for me, are as follows: Double Up ft. Lady Chann (which is also the first single, and getting a bunch of air-time. Apparently, it's the 19th most added song on Australian radio rotation. Big ups, ladeez); Boyfriend; and Kick in the Back Door. But, to be fair, I've been play-rewind-playing Sweaty Wet & Bitches for months now, which is probably the only reason they don't feature in this here list.

They're great people too, with a lot to say - so listen up!

>>visit their myspace<<

Belizean Bombshell


Kween G

>>>Update Bombardment<<<

Several points of note: (now, who doesn't love interesting information contained in a series of bullet points??)

• My good friendpal Sheeny has a blog. If you haven't already, check it out! She takes amazing photographs of arty Melbourne life; she finds hip things EVERYWHERE and schools us on them; she writes like a wizard - and she's a tops lady! Get on it!! (Interview coming soon - watch this space...)

She is available to photograph/review events - but she's leaving Melbourne soon, so be quick!

Photo by Juhi Sharma
http://juies.blogspot.com

• NEW INTERVIEWS coming very very soon!! Including: KillaQueenz (who have just released their debut album - SistarHood), Cat MacInnes (Illustrator of international critical acclaim - Yoko loves her!), Nyssa Bradsworth (Melbourne Singer/Songwriter on the rise), and more more MORE!!

• One last thing (for now), the review I wrote a little while ago about 'Samson & Delilah' has been posted on Two Flat Whites!! I'm super psyched about this development, because I have been a big admirer of the TFW initiative for some time. They support and encourage Australian talent in a broad range of art forms - from film, fashion, music, literature - they've got it sorted. They love participators too, so if you're an arty type, hit 'em up!!
• Oh, I lied, one more "last thing", coming up on Girly is Good, interviews with: Ladi6 (TBC), Helen Begley (Melbourne singer/songwriter - she's won lots of songwriter awards and is like a guru!), Jess Harlen (has recorded with Muph & Plutonic, performed with Ngaiire, Blue King Brown and others), & Rachel Murray (DJ and founder of the 'Lady Fingers' initiative - teaching young women of different minority backgrounds to DJ with the best of 'em!)
  

Interview with Josie Long & Sarah Millican - Brilliant!

A trifle of time ago, I was lucky enough to have chin-wag with two of the funniest ladies ALIVE (and maybe even dead. They're not dead. But they may well be funnier than the dead ones - when they were alive...)!! They are Englandish, but have been kickin it in Melbourne for the duration of the International Comedy Festival (I've mentioned them before...scroll down ;-) I have finally gotten my arse into gear and popped the aforementioned interview on this here blog. I had to break it down, jazz-drum-solo stylez, into three parts, cos twas very large. Listen to it, if you will. Chuckle. Chuckle.

Listen to Part 1 of the interview >>>HERE<<<
Listen to Part 2 of the interview >>>HERE<<<
Listen to Part 3 of the interview >>>HERE<<<

After you have recovered from the inevitably side-splitting hilarity, check out their websites post haste!! Seriously, two of the highlights of the whole festival!

Josie Long & Sarah Millican

Interview with Ngaiire

>>>Listen to my interview with Ngaiire...<<<

Ngaiire joined me in the studio earlier this week to have a bit of a chat about what she's been up to. She's based up north these days, so I was lucky enough to fit in some time with her while she was in Melbourne - in between gigs.

Although we only had 15 minutes to get our talking on - it was lovely to meet with her. And I, for one, am eagerly anticipating her forthcoming debut album, due for release early next year.

If you're like me, and can't wait that long to get your hot little hands on some tracks - check out her 'Song for No One' EP. Out now!!

Samson & Delilah = compulsary viewing

This film hit me where it hurts.

Ever since I was old enough to have even the very beginnings of a social conscience, I felt that the colour of my skin automatically aligned me with a group of people who seemed to consistently invade lands, and hurt the people who lived there. In school you were taught about Australian history as it pertained to settlers migrating from the "motherlands" of England, Ireland, Scotland, etc. Never about how the people who ALREADY lived here used to go about their lives before that migration, *cough*, invasion... Never about their languages, beliefs, customs and traditions. Never.

This film depicts the all-to-real reality of what it's like to be born into a downward spiral. Samson, a 15 year old Walpiri boy, and the film's leading man, lives a monotonous and isolated outback life. His day begins with a compulsive inhalation of petrol from a can. Whilst a repetitive reggae riff is played outside his bedroom window by his brother's band. The rest of his days are spent trying to stave off complete boredom - more often than not, unsuccessfully. The altered state of consciousness that petrol-sniffing brings is his only escape - and his only hobby.

In the same town is the teenage Delilah, with whom Samson is completely in love. Delilah is a mature-beyond-her-years young woman, who spends her days caring for her only apparent relative and companion, her nana, Kitty. Delilah wakes Kitty each morning to take her medication. She wheels Kitty to the local health clinic and church, then spends the rest of the day helping her to paint the dot-paintings that are in such high demand. The utter poverty in which they are forced to live is made all the more poignant when, later on, you discover how much these dot-paintings are sold for in the cities.

There is little more than a few sentences of dialogue in the entire film, perhaps less than half of that is in English. The lack of conversation between characters makes every gesture and glance feel as though it were magnified. The director, Warwick Thornton's, attention to visual detail amplifies this even more. He is also the screenwriter. For someone who loves dialogue and conversation - I was surprised that I didn't want to hear anyone speak. Like there was a danger it might detract from what was unspoken.

The beaten-black-and-blue love story between Samson and Delilah barely equates to more than a smile and a quick peck on the forehead, but rarely have I been so moved by an on-screen love as I have with these two.

This film must come with a warning: it will confront you and, quite likely, move you to tears, as it did me. You're likely to feel the absolute desperation that these kids are living. You might ask yourself, 'how did we come to this?'and you might, like me, want to slap a few smug cafe-dwelling whities... I guess I should start with myself?

Samson & Delilah opens in Australian cinemas April 30th.

Director: Warwick Thornton
Screenwriter: Warwick Thornton
Cast: Rowan McNamara, Marissa Gibson, Mitjili Napanangka Gibson, Scott Thornton, Matthew Gibson, Steven Brown, Gregwyn Gibson, Noreen Robertson Nampijinpa

Behind the Scenes with the film's Director/Screenwriter.

Podcast - Ginger-stylez...

I'm thinking I'm gonna try and post Girly is Good on this blog each week... I'll give it a burl this week and let you know how it goes...

yeehaw!

xxx

oh my, is it update time already??

Lordy, i'm getting mighty slack - already. tsk tsk, indeed. OK, brief summary:

- Interviewed Sarah Millican and Josie Long on Girly is Good last week. Can I just say that these two are some of my favourite comedians around?!?! Had met Josie once before (on the show, this time last year, actually) but had never met Sarah. This woman is frikkin hilarious!!! If you're like me, and partial to a bit of rude comedy told by a charmingly nerdy northern-england-accented lady with glasses, then you'll love her too!
Both of them are performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival until April 26th. Get on it!!





Nina Conti is on the show this week - she won the illustrious Barry award last year, so i have high hopes!!


Tune in to Girly is Good on 3CR Melbourne radio this Sunday 12th April 2pm-3pm...