dotdotdash: Recursive Launch Party is just one of the many events that help bring creativeness and style to Perth. What started out as a university assignment for Steven J Finch has blossomed into a literary and arts publication up to its ninth edition.

The Recursive Launch Party was an extraordinary night, where you could feel the creativity and art culture in the air even as you walk towards the entrance of the exhibition. Walking up a flight of wooden stairs, you could already see small samples of artwork on the walls. When you walk in, the lighting puts you in the right mood like magic; a lot of teacup candles were lit as well as fairy lights framing the people who are there to help you. The setting was simple and you could tell that they didn’t want to draw the attention away from the main attractions.

On one side of the exhibition space at Paper Mountain, artist Loren Kronemyer could be seen working on an art piece from the very beginning. On the other side, a very innovative stage was set up, with a vintage inspiration to it; floored with a home-y rug, with crates on either side covered with floral material and pillows, and lit by a lamp one would find in a vintage op-shop. Against the wall between Loren and the stage, The Perth Zine Collective was set up for guests to peruse and purchase. These pieces were amazingly creative and all have the feeling of being hand-made, which adds a special touch as it makes one feel like the artist gave each copy loving attention to detail.

The night was also filled with some of the writers /contributors to the dotdotdash publication doing live readings of their works. Josephine Clarke had written inspiring and image-filled poetry on places she has visited in her lifetime (her work can be found in the Recursive edition). The editor, Steven J Finch, had read out his prose that was filled with such imagination and humour that it could make anyone listen on to every word. Tristan Fidler and Kevin Gillam also read out their amazing pieces that were just awe inspiring to anyone who can appreciate art and creativity. Between the first two readings and the second two, Mara Colleen from Sydney sang her original songs. There are no words to describe how amazingly talented this girl is; but an audience member put it this way, “…her voice is smooth, sexy and sweet all wrapped up in one big serving of talent.”

The overall feeling of the exhibition was simplistic yet pure inspiration. This was an amazing exhibition for something that started out as a simple idea for an assignment in university. Steven J Finch has been able to take this idea, and through the aid of so many talented contributors, let it blossom into this publication that is gaining popularity and acknowledgement.

By Linda Tran

Photography by Matthew Picken View full album

You’ve just released your new single ‘Longtime’, the clip was shot in the Byron region. It looked like you had a great time – and you got to surf!  The underwater shots look amazing! There were a lot of cameo appearances in that clip – including Pete Murray and Xavier Rudd plus some pretty kick arse surfers like Derek Hynde and Beau Young. Tell the readers a bit about that day?

I just rang the guys up and said do you want to be in my clip. I see Pete (Murray) around a fair bit. We’re all friends. Kram (Spiderbait) was in the clip as well. I actually play with him in another side project called Crash. Scott Owens from the Living End his wife and my wife play in a band together, I see a lot of those guys – it’s probably and unusual situation that you hang out with people all the time who are of profile. Everyone’s moving up to Byron…(laughing) I was trying to think of things to do for a clip, then I just thought do a day in the life of, kind of vibe and just get some dudes to mime the clip. It was really easy actually. It would be so easy to keep making clips if I could just make that clip!

Longtime features the lyrics ‘though I was high, but I was barely alive.” Can you tell us what you were thinking about when you wrote that song? What are those lyrics referring to?

(The songs about) being like a party boy or girl or whatever, doing your thing maybe being in the city living at a past pace, maybe taking drugs or drinking heaps – just living the high life, and like yeah I’m doing it. The song to me is really celebratory, and this sounds weird to say but a lot of my songs (I had a song called Breakout) which has a real party vibe, everyone’s drinking and that kind of thing! This one is kind of a healthy version of that, its just really joyous and happy. I’m really happy with it, I think it’s some of the best songwriting I’ve done which is important I guess to be thinking.

You must have been pretty busy of late, putting your new album together for release. How are you feeling about where you are at musically at the moment? I read that your said ‘its some of your most personal songwriting to date’?

I don’t know, I am at a good place in my life and have got everything sorted out. Its just been fun to do and I feel that’s probably why it’s a bit more personal because I feel a bit more confident in myself these days to express what I’m thinking.

The ‘Trouble’s Door National Tour’ is starting in late May, and you are doing a few gigs in Fremantle, Scarborough and down south, what can the audience’s expect?

I‘m playing solo, which is different. I made my thing as a soloist and then I had a band for three years and now I’m going solo again. The sets pretty varied – I’m working on it now. It’s the first time I’ve ever really worked on a set. Before I’ve just toured normally I just do whatever when I jump on stage. But this is more on the beats side of things, more of a slight dub and it goes really acoustic in other stages. A bit of light and shade!

Do your family come on the road with you? It must be difficult maintaining personal relationships and family commitments and touring at travelling at the same time. How do you deal with that?

It can be hard, but that’s how we’ve always rolled. Sometimes they come with me. They came with me to Europe this year, which was really good. That was a bit of holiday as well as some gigging. They do come to see me on the road when they feel like it but the way I’ve done this trip, WA is the first leg, it is the longest time I’ll be away from home and I’m going to come back in-between. I have never been away from my wife for more than three weeks in the past decade. I am away a lot and I tour more than anybody I know but I am also strangely at home a lot.

Your new album has some strong political messages and the album’s title is ‘Trouble’s Door’. What do you think are the key issues facing Australia and Australian’s today?

I just think and I don’t know the answer to this, I do feel that Capitalism’s gone rampant. I’m not talking about individuals earning a buck but it seems there’s no controls. There are a lot of different examples, definitely Coal Seam mining is not good and not something I love. I really think that capitalism is the only factor or the only justification required to do something. I don’t know how to control that. Do you have it like the Dali Lama where everyone has to take a vow of poverty? (laughing). I really don’t know the answer to that. I think that’s the thing that really worries me about our future.

I heard you saw you say in an interview that a positive is, ‘the democratisation of communication’ – where do you think technology is leading us? How do you view social networking in relation to your music?

On the other side of it a lot of innovation that comes from technology and the ability of individual people to really have a voice is so democratising and that’s really positive, so you’ve got these two kind of tendencies working against each other. It was only through technology that I knew about Coal Seam Gas Mining. I was a million miles away on a wooden boat in West Timor and somebody told me by email and then I passed it on and then they passed it on etc. It was a profound experience for me. You think, wow things can happen, you can make a real difference and get masses of people on board for certain things if there’s that desire. That’s true democracy. There are a lot of positives happening in the world as well, it is pretty inspiring.

You’ve been using Pledge Music to fund your album and its release, how did Mia Dyson get you onto that idea? Or was it a matter of going she’s done it so I can do it too!

Mia’s a really good friend, we emailed her about it. She said it’s a really good thing – you should do it. It was pretty much the last minute but (we said) lets give it a try. It worked, you don’t get any money if you don’t get to one hundred percent. You give a percentage after one hundred percent. It’s only ten percent but hopefully it helps. I really want to contribute because it really freaks me out that issue (Coal Seam Mining).

You’re a bit of a gypsy, travelling around a lot and moving up and down the East Coast – do you think that’s in your blood? Or is that just the nature of your job and music?

I always wanted to travel Australia. I never really had a burning desire to travel overseas, now I’ve travelled overseas heaps. I’m so glad and so thankful for music to showing me those things. It’s pretty lucky that you have to do this in the job because you end up seeing a hell of a lot of things my eyes have been opened to a lot of things. I have done a lot  – I never thought I would have done.

You went on a surf trip to Timor recently, how was that? Did you feel like you needed to get away for a while, to have a break from it all or was it just a ‘fun’ trip, to go catch some awesome waves?

It was just a surf trip and yeah it was a lot of fun!

I have to ask you about the ‘Walking’ from your 2010 award winning release Hot Mama Vibes which is on ‘Limitless’ soundtrack. How did that all come about?

That came through my publishers. I was pretty stoked that they wanted me for that. Yeah it was pretty cool.

Have you seen the movie?

I loved it! It was right down my alley.

You have received a lot of support from JJJ, you even worked on the Triple JJJ Root’s n’ All program for a while and you’ve been in the top 50 for Breakout in 2008 Triple JJJ hottest 100.  You obviously have a very close relationship with JJJ.  What do you think has been their role in your music career? In what ways have they played a part?

Its just fantastic I’m always relieved if I get something played on the radio. JJJ is the only national radio station I’ll get my stuff on. I’m stoked they’ve always been really good to me; they really support me and support live music.

You’ve done some recording with Mr Trials from the Funkoars. How do you know him? What brought you two together? Was it all about the music?

We get on like a house on fire, we want to do some more stuff together in the future.

What’s playing on your CD player or iPod right now? What are you really feeling at the moment?

Skrillex.  I’ve been listening to him non-stop!

Perth tour dates are as follows for Ash Grunwalds “Troubles Door National Tour” and his new album ‘Trouble’s Door’ is available now.

30th May

Indie Bar, Scarborough

08 9341 1122

3rd June

Fly by Night, Fremantle

www.flybynight.org

By Jemma Goodchild

So, it’s understated to say that the Fremantle Arts Centre was buzzing with anticipation on Saturday. A large crowd stood in front of the stage while most of the three thousand punters reclined on rugs – enjoying wine, picnics and a surprisingly warm evening, amidst illuminated buildings and trees.

Boy and Bear launching straight into ‘Rabbit Song’ without wasting any time on small talk, when they took to the stage at 8:30pm. People lept up from their rugs and ran – hands clasped tightly – across the grass. ‘Lordy May’ followed, after which they thanked the audience for coming along to the biggest show of their ‘Remembering The Mexican’ tour. ‘Milk & Sticks’ and ‘My Only One’ were followed by a new song, ‘Three-Headed Woman’. Bassist, Jake, then drew attention to a skeleton he had bought on-stage. They told us they were naming him ‘Freddy’ in honour of Fremantle, which the audience adored.

Then a slow shaker, steady bass drum thud and banjo twang heralded the beginning of ‘Fall At Your Feet’. A roar of appreciation went up, dying down just as the strings section came in – reaching into your chest to pluck at your heartstrings. Their unwavering three-part harmony, stripped back to just moody piano in the background, was a testament to Neil Finn’s 1991 original. Slowly building up the pace to reach an emotive wail ‘did you want my presence or need my help/who knows where it might lead/and I fall’, it was nothing short of intensely emotionally engaging.

‘Part-time Believer’ brought a more upbeat tempo with people whistling along, followed by a new track, ‘which is a bit sad but in a happy way’ – ‘Boxed In’. ‘Beach’ was aptly ‘dark and ominous’, while ‘Feeding Line’ had people singing along to ‘I want to be somebody, somebody, someone’ with hands clapping overhead. Everyone then had a good-natured laugh at Dave’s struggle with the opening bars of ‘Big Man’. The first attempt saw him forget the lyrics, the second start with the wrong verse. Thunderous applause abounded when he got it right the third time. Rounding out a brilliant set was ‘Golden Jubilee’.

Photography by Alex Mansour.
Written by Lisa Morrison.

‘Hers and Hers Alike’ is much more upbeat, with a rolling high-pitched sample looping in the background. On this track, Marksman raps about chasing girls – hardly an original topic, but one he adds his own twist to – comparing being an olden-day explorer slipping in and out of ports with…casual sex. The chorus is slow and heavy, hinting at violence and despair, but the verses are fast-paced enough to lift it from being overly morose. He hints at gender roles in a patriarchal society as well as the pressure men experience to get phone numbers from women. My favourite line: ‘cats like us want a lioness but they want a lion back, not a cheetah’. You speak the truth, Mr Lloyd.

‘Morgan Freeman (intro)’ is precisely that – a thirty second, amusing prequel to the following track.

‘Morgan Freeman’ picks up where the previous sample left off, with Sam Bride’s soaring vocals provoking me to jot down ‘find her’. A slow jam, her voice provides listeners with an interlude from Marksman’s voice, preventing it from becoming monotonous. Addressing themes of time, expectations and persistence, Marksman executes his comparison of the American actors accomplishments on-screen at a late age with his own hopes of attaining success in the music industry and promoting the message of keeping true to your passions. A touch of electronica keeps things sonically interesting, while the last forty seconds return to the television talk-show sample of Freeman being parodied and pondering philosophical topics.

‘Friday Night’ begins with a spoken sample I immediately liked for its old-school tone. It sets the scene of nocturnal drinking, but acknowledges a deep-seated melancholic attitude toward the activity. Keys and a humming sound build until the beat drops and then it carries you away from the patio and into a park for a binge drinking session. Marksman takes you on a journey of frivolous pursuits that I’m sure most 24 year-olds will appreciate. A Howard Moon reference was a bonus, my favourite line of the track: ‘how can man be so dumb and not be endangered?’ The song closes with another news bulletin type spoken description, this time of the streets and loneliness – an apt ending.

‘Playing Our Song’ kicks off with static-y fuzz for the first twenty seconds, which in my opinion was a bit drawn out. An electronic buzz is layered, increasing in heaviness until it’s grimy and provokes images of the inner-city. His voice sounds altered on this track, which I don’t enjoy as much, but does contribute to his construction of a gritty scene of aggressive interactions, dependency on drugs and the human inclination to clutch at connections that diminish feelings of isolation.

‘Birds Eye View’ is a collaboration between Marksman and NSW rapper, poet and writer, Omar Musa. A decidedly more dance-hall beat, this track is clearly the emcees attempt at a ‘happy song’. It is not a poor one by any means, but his political insights are far more engaging, in my opinion. The recurring theme of alcohol and its effect on individuals and society is discussed through the verses.

The Bridges in Spain is available for free download at: http://marksmanlloyd.bandcamp.com/album/the-bridges-in-spain

By Lisa Morrison.

Notorious for his wild on stage antics Avalon says fans won’t be disappointed by his latest tour, which is bringing him to Australia in May. And despite his growing popularity he insists he isn’t a diva, “my rider’s pretty simple…I went on tour with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, just for like a small tour, and then I’d seen all the stuff they had and I thought wow so I added all this stuff to it and everything but then I didn’t realise you had to pay for it so now it’s pretty much a bottle of booze, a bottle of champagne, bottle of vodka and fruit.” While a lot of artists get rowdy before going on stage Avalon says he learnt his lesson after taking GHB before a show, “I knew all the words in my head but couldn’t say them, my mouth wouldn’t work.” But that doesn’t mean it won’t be hectic, Avalon believes his Aussie fans are crazier than anywhere else, “my fans everywhere like to have a good time but out there [Australia] it seems like they just have a little more fun.”

Full of surprises, the man who once said that people all just suck everywhere admits Australia is his favourite place. “I even have a tattoo of the flag on my arm which I don’t have of any other place.” He says touring Australia is like having a paid vacation, “I actually think the weather is amazing there and the people are actually cooler than anywhere else I’ve ever been.”  However he does see one major flaw with the land down under, “the drugs are so, so expensive,” he says. But despite that he continues to make the trip here with this year being his fifth year in a row. And with Avalon’s popularity on the rise following his song “What do you do?” featuring in The Hangover you can bet his show will be bigger and better than ever before.

Mickey Avalon plays at the Rosemount Hotel on May 26^th. Tickets are available through Moshtix. His new album, Loaded is available now at all good record stores.

By Shauna Upton

While only 2 songs long, the EP certainly is enough to whet the appetite for this incredibly talented band.   Opening with a raw but sensual guitar riff, heavy on the distortion in all the right ways, the song ‘You Got to Move’ provides a powerful and unrepentant sound, coupled with husky, smokehouse vocals, with just a hint of Howlin’ Wolf.  They capture a much older sound, with a modern spit and polish.

The second song on the EP, ‘Aileen (Higher love)’ is a much more upbeat offering, more toe tapping than the brutal power of ‘You Got to Move’.  Midway through the talent of Luke’s guitar playing really shines in a short but very fun solo, which kind of makes you wish it would last longer, before belting back into an addictive chorus line.

With at times howling guitar solos, growling bass and snappy drumming, The Floors’ You Got to Move is an almost untameable wild beast, for your auditory pleasure.  The You Got to Move EP is available through thefloors.bigcartel.com.

Tamara Alexander

Featuring an array of wondrous solos, on a variety of instruments, it is evident that all the musicians involved are well practiced in their art. The well named ‘Fightin and Feudin’ has a very memorable solo, which had many in the crowd commenting on their impressive ability.

As they announced their final song, somewhat to the audience’s lament, the band humbly mentioned their upcoming shows before launching into a killer of a closer. Toes were tapping and heads were bopping at the thumping, rock/ blues bass, both drum and guitar. As the applause faded the band modestly thanked the audience and quietly left the wetlands stage.

Proving that they are a stellar live act, The Raging Lincolns are certainly a band to watch for in the future.

Tamara Alexander