Another blast from the past with a revised version of the original MR review….

Los Capitanes– No Butts – 6 track CD

Recorded @ ?
Produced by DJ gordo & MC Kimmo
Engineered by ?
Mastered by @ red sun
Cover artwork Design by ?
Photography by ?
Web : www.loscapitanes.net
Label: indi (Demo)
When Recorded; 2004
Where can you get it; At their shows
How much should you pay: $3-7
Style of Music; Mighty Might Madness

Los capitanes are:

Timmy K – Lead Vocals
Lachlaw – Bone
Dave – Guitar
Nick – Drums
Julian – Trumpet
Mon – Trumpet
Chuck Auxilary Purcussion
Kieran – Bass

Let me just start out this review by saying Ska is not dead, but just like Nicky Webster, and that swinger couple that locked the old shags in a boot for 4 days, it bloody well should be! Gawd I hate Ska…………………Hate, Hate, Hate! If ever there was a form of music that has as few claims to originality than ska, I haven’t come across it. OK, dance, I hate that to…..Roll over DJ!
(more…)

Music Managers’ Forum ACT presents

“How to Build a Fan Base”
Industry panel discussion and forum

Wednesday 12 December, 7.00pm
The Basement, Cohen St, Belconnen, ACT
Members/Networking session 6.00pm, Panel Discussion 7.00pm
MMF Members FREE, Students $5, Public $10

Topics discussed will include: Band image management, marketing and promotions and guerilla marketing tactics to assist building a fan base.

Confirmed panelists include:

Kelvin Fahey (Hardrush Music)
Hardrush Music is a medium scale Australian Independent Recording Label with around 100 signed artists with some $3 million sales last year. With a focus on Independent artists and a member of the major regional industry associations the label’s main strengths are in Blues, Country, Folk, Gospel, Rock and Urban with a rising stable in Jazz. Recordings are sold through music retailers, bookshops, service stations, online, digital downloads, etc with one fifth exported direct or via sub-distributors. As an indie label Hardrush does not fund recording, engineering etc but get involved in the distribution and promotion of the recordings and artists. Hardrush is also a Publisher member of APRA, member of ARIA, AIR, FAA, AGMA, CMAA, ACAN, etc and underwrites 12 festivals across the nation, so can provide a full package to dedicated performers. The label is interested in Canberra region artists for future releases with CEO Kelvin Fahey on the panel to discuss issues that arise at the ACT MMF.

Ben Lopez (Meatbee & Paper Monkey Graphic Design)
Ben Lopez, a founding member of the band MEATBEE for the past 8 years has seen the band develop a recognition both locally and interstate. Ben also owns and runs Paper Monkey Graphic Design, and knows the power of good branding when developing an awareness of anything, including a band.

Bill Arnett (The Folkus)
Bill Arnett is currently Director of The Folkus Room, a performance space operating out of rooms at The Serbian Cultural Centre & Club in Mawson ACT. He brings nearly forty years experience operating live performance venues and festival events and will introduce and discuss the concept of selling “the place”, “community” and “the atmosphere” rather than “the act”.

Chanel Cole (Canberra Arts Marketing)

For enquiries contact:
Sharon Sanders
ACT MMF Representative
0412 334467
sharon@noface.com.au
or
Vanessa Brady
MMF National Administrator/Coordinator
0412 942 317
admin@mmfaustralia.com.au
www.mmfaustralia.com.au

Name : MEATBEE
CD Title: The Chronicles of Sapphire Sundew
Recorded @ Velvet Sound, Sydney
Produced by Adrian Grigorieff
Engineered by Adrian Grigorieff
Mastered by Reaktor Studio, Sydney
Number of tracks; 7 + DVD
Cover artwork by: Papermonkey, Bigg Winter & Photography by Chris Holly
Web : www.meatbee.com
Label: Indi
When Recorded; 2006
Where can you get it, Landspeed & website
Who do they sound like, Bits of Radiohead, Concrete Blonde, Silver Chair. Rocked dark mood with a female lead.
Next Gig:
Thursday December 20th 2007
ANU Bar Canberra
With Looking Glass and The Chuffs

MEATBEE are
Kate Smith – Vocals / Trumpet / Keyboards
Charlie Bigg-Wither- Drums
Ben Lopez – Guitar /
Chris Holly – Pix

There are a hell of a lot of things that can happen on the road of Rock n Roll stardom. Around every corner there are opportunities, distractions, pitfalls and successes. Through seven years of coming together, break ups, make ups, line-up changes and growth, MEATBEE have recorded a benchmark for all other Canberra culture to follow.

Like any town, Canberra has its new and established bands, some are better and more supported than others. Some bands come and go without every really making a splash, while others grow with each passing day. MEATBEE, their music is always fresh and evolving, their talent underlined with every new CD and ‘The Chronicles of Sapphire Sundew’ represents what you can do when everyone gives 100%. By everyone, I mean the members of the band, the studio, the artwork, the engineer, the web master, the video people, not just those on stage and writing songs, but everyone.

If you look in the back pages of BMA you’ll see heaps of bands and artist listed. If you look in Fly in a Thursday Canberra Times, you’ll see heaps of bands and artists listed, original and covers. Of all those bands, you have to ask yourself, how many really have a chance of making it? How many Canberra artists are really giving 100% to their craft and would walk away from home loans, families and jobs to follow a dream?

‘The Chronicles of Sapphire Sundew’ is the CD all indi artists should have on their shelf as a benchmark. Every Canberra band that is serious about making something of themselves, should get their hands on this EP and invest time researching how it was put together. This CD represents Canberra’s finest hour for independent music. In the same way people from Newcastle talk of Silverchair being their own, MEATBEE have produced something every ACT musician can be proud of and aim for with their own music.

The EP opens with the haunting ‘Don’t come over’. Kate’s vocals are more relaxed than previous efforts and complimented with Ben and Charlie’s interpretation of the dark mood. Both guys now playing as part of the moment, rather than just playing the song.

Second is ‘In bed asleep’. Another song you could sit on any radio station. And that’s the key to MEATBEE, their music would rule Triple J and sit just as well with your Oz Stereo listener. Kate also brings out the trumpet for a solo. It’s an unusual choice but fits nicely.

Just for me, track three was a finalist at the International Song writing Competition and my favourite on the CD. Again keeping with the dark mood of the whole CD. There is no love here, Kate seems to be searching for understanding and reason.

‘Nothing good on TV’ and ‘Pieces of Pretty’ hark back to the more rock influenced times. Again, they underline quality song writing and are more guitar driven. An interesting radio commentary at the end of Nothing good on TV. While the radio jocks put crap on their cover of Transformers (not on this EP) it was great to hear the American’s, still, like always, when it comes to anything outside of their narrow minds, just don’t get it!

None of these songs would have been on the first MEATBEE CD. The MEATBEE of 2000 was a raw unit learning their craft, with the band of 2007, a group that stands tall and sets itself apart from its peers.

You cannot fault the production with Adrian Grigorieff of Velvet Sound doing justice to MEATBEE’s distinctive quality sound.

The DVD that comes with the CD comes with 3 video’s and a heap more. ‘The Chronicles of Sapphire Sundew’ is a total entertainment package with the only thing missing, a PC game or two…

Ben Lopez of Paper monkey and the bands guitarist has delivers an industry benchmark job of the CD’s artwork. Photography by Chris Holly makes the inner sleeve look better than any other CD in your collection with Charlies artwork on the outside a winner.

‘The Chronicles of Sapphire Sundew’ is the best thing so far from MEATBEE and any Canberra band. There are other bands that work just as hard and are achieving wonderful things, but MEATBEE have thrown down the gauntlet and said catch me if you can!!

You cannot fault this CD, ten out of ten.

This is the Masked Reviewer saying, Make sure you’re there to see MEATBEE at the ANU and get yourself a copy of this CD.

Caught in the ACT is taking it too the streets!!!

Caught in the ACT bands and artists will be selling their product, promoting shows and meeting new fans and other bands at the “Canberra Music Only” CITA stand at the Old Bus Depot Markets.

Starting in December, this is your chance to get along and buy local product from a unique Canberra music stand. If you’ve got CD’s missing from your Caught in the ACT collection or you’d like to get a copy of Caught in the ACT 2007, (18 of Canberra’s best artists and bands) here’s your chance.

The stand will FEATURE two+ CITA acts doing signings and it’s your chance to say hi and meet other bands in the district.

WHAT: CITA “Single Stand” music shop
WHY: Your chance to hear and buy local product from some of Canberra most exciting bands.
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday December 1 & 2
WHERE: Canberra’s Old Bus Depot Markets

Cheers
Jol Duvall
jolrug@yahoo.com
CITA Coordinator
041 7273 041

As we all know from the constant barrage of ads slinging mud left, right & further right…there’s a federal election in just over one week (Sat 24 Nov). Obviously there’s some very important issues to consider when working out how to cast your vote…Just Bands is about music, so that’s what we’ll talk about here.

Below is a summary of the major parties policies (what I could find anyway) as they relate to Australia’s live music industry. I’ve also linked through (when available) to the full policies for your reading pleasure. Check them out, have a read & let us know your thoughts or opinions.

ALP

Our would be future leaders seem to have given live music some thought & have released a policy under the Bringing Aussie musicians centre stage banner.

Here’s what seem to me to be the main points:

• International touring bands MUST use at least one local support
• Investing $17 million in a Creative Industries Innovation Centre, incubating innovative small and medium-sized Australian creative businesses, including those in the music industry and music production.
• Providing $2.4 million over four years to the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project, promoting contemporary Aussie music to community radio’s four million weekly listeners.
• Boosting music exports through a focus on international marketing

There’s a few other warm & fuzzy things mentioned, check out the link above for the whole deal. All up, sounds fair & reasonable to me. In particular I like the idea of a forced local support (the Libs current approach is fairly crap on this front) & the extra funding & support for AMRAP.

The Liberal Party
Well, try as I have…I could not locate any mention of Australia’s music industry on the Liberal Party site. Oddly enough, the best I could find out about the Libs policies in this area came from the ALP site. Hmmmmm. My assumption is that they really don’t give it much thought.

The Australian Democrats

Whilst there’s no specific mention that I could find on the Dems site in regards to live music, they do have a general Arts/Sports section that mentions a couple of things:

• The Democrats recognise and respect the arts as a legitimate field of employment and call for the creation of a ‘living wage’ for bona fide emerging artists, and extending unemployment programs and the Indigenous Community Development Employment Projects scheme to include training and employment in the arts for professional artists.
• They support proposals for an Australian scheme similar to the New Zealand Pathways to Arts and Cultural Employment (PACE) program, which provides the option of work experience, training and apprenticeships in arts fields to artists on unemployment benefits.
• The Democrats support greater arts education in schools and in society generally.

So, nothing really concrete…but they’ve had a bit of a stab at something at least. I don’t mind the idea of a “living wage” for musicians.

The Greens

Once again, nothing specifically related to music/live music mentioned, although there is this general Arts policy listing. Points I can get from it include:

• Recognise the importance of arts and culture to our society by promoting a national approach to policies and programs
• Increase funding incentives for artists and arts events to tour in rural and regional areas.

There’s a few other things mentioned…have a look for yourself. A bit vague I reckon, but still….they’ve considered it at least.

Your thoughts? Opinions?

According to this RiotACT post, rumour has it that the Green Room is looking at a move back to Phillip after hassles with the UC arrangement. Thoughts? Comments? Anyone in the know? Gaz?

Kate from MEATBEE has decided to head off overseas. She has had several delightful day trips to exotic locations such as the Belconnen Interchange (as featured in award winning film Summersault) and also Queanbeyan (as featured in NSW), but has now decided to go further afield in search of more food. She is quite often hungry. She doesn’t know where the adventure will take her (hopefully not like what happened to Taylor on the Bold and the Beautiful when she got kidnapped by that evil prince and everyone thought she was dead, but really she was just on an island somewhere………actually that might be ok…….).

(more…)

Hi All,

Congratulations to all successful artists of Caught in the ACT 2007. Selectors this year have gone with various styles and blended them together to keep the listener interested start to finish.

People who have heard the draft CITA 2007 CD have commented on how well each song compliments the next and there are many standout performances.

(more…)

After nearly a year overseas, the MR is back…bigger & nastier than before. Anyone wanting to have their local release reviewed by the MR, just send a CD along to “Just Bands c/o 45 Somerset St, Duffy ACT 2611? along with answers to the following questions:Name of Band?
Name of CD?
Names of members?
Line up (instruments)?
Where is your band based/from?
Where was it recorded?
Producer?
Cover artwork?
When was it recorded?
Where can you get it?
Label?
How much should you pay?
Web site?
My Space?
Contact email?

As well as a bio of the band.

Here’s a RETRO Masked Reviewer review to remind you what it’s all about….

(more…)