T E G A N B U T L E R

Compiled for Tularosa and Supra, published by Live FAST Magazine, 03/10/2016. 

It was midweek, a day like any other in Los Angeles. The lanky palms outside the window were flailing graciously, and the sun, as it slid behind the hills had started splashing the sky with a hypercolor tint. Yet, I’m tired of the city. Let’s go somewhere.

The road north through California’s sparse center was clear as we woke up with coffee and hit the CA-14 by 7am the next day. We moved further away from suburbia, and dustings of frosted snow began to appear on the peaks of the mountain ranges as we sped through their valleys. Arriving at the border of the national park just after high noon, we could feel we were somewhere truly special. It was the perfect time to go; a place known for its harsh extremes and unforgiving heat in the summer is simply perfect in the more mild, off peak months. It’s the hottest, driest and lowest point in North America, which makes way for sharp contrasts between diverse terrain from one end of the park to the other, spanning towering sand dunes, mountain ranges, vast salt flats and natural artworks in the form of landscape. We felt no sense of urgency as we stocked up on gas and a map from the general store and set off on our way.

YOU HAVE YOUR CITIES LIGHTS, GIVE ME MOONLIGHT IN THE DESERT

A vision in any night sky, the moon is particularly magnificent when witnessed in the haunting desert setting. Unbeknownst to some, Death Valley is also a dark sky park; the bleed of urban light unable to reach its rolling dunes and trails to interfere with the illumination from the thousands of galaxies above. Take a guided night walk (or lead your own way) through Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes underneath the glow of a full moon (March 23), or voyeur into life after dark at Badwater Basin during a new moon for incomparable opportunities for star-gazing and long exposures.  

CAN WE TALK IN FLOWERS? IT WILL BE EASIER FO RME TO UNDERSTAND

In a rare and wonderful gift, Death Valley is aburst with vast fields of wildflowers and desert rose. Peppered throughout the basin, blooms of sunny yellow (Desert Gold and Golden Evening Primrose), deep purple (Notchleaf Phacelia) and crisp whites nestled beside Joshua Trees are enjoying a robust season thanks to rare thunderstorms and heavier seasonal rains. Something that happens only once every decade; a proclaimed ‘superbloom’ is in full swing, layering the valley in a patchwork of velvet petals.  

WE HAVE FOUND EDEN, IF ONLY A MIRAGE.

Wander through the Valley long enough and find lush oases – a long, lonely trail under the beating sun, beset by a towering Telescope peak, leads to a solstice of shady greens and a glistening waterfall; Darwin Falls. In a climate doused with consistent drought, these secret gardens on the west end of the park and far from other attractions, provide refuge for wildlife, and for us, a secret swimming hole for tired bones.

Written by Tegan Butler. All photography by Tegan Butler & Andrew Noel

Published by Live FAST Magazine, 12/15/2015

It started with a whisper. A passing comment, a what if. What if you quit your job, we packed up our van, and started driving? Something so simple, yet seemingly so far away from my current reality was seductive and dangerous, and exactly what I wanted to hear. The idea mulled in my mind for weeks to follow. Slowly, and over the course of months, the idea, the seed, started to grow. Canada. Let’s drive to Canada and back, he said. Flirting with the notion of a wide open road and endless sky, we began to sift through the possibilities. There was the iconic Highway 1 up the coast of California into the foggy seaside towns of Oregon; the winding ascents of mountains and rocky back roads to the wet, lush forests of Washington, and the urban allure of Seattle and Vancouver with their promises of robust coffee and darker, cold-weather lifestyle.

VIEW THE COMPLETE TRAVELOGUE: http://livefastmag.com/2015/12/live-fast-travelogue-tegan-lees-journey-through-the-pacific-northwest/

Photography by Andrew Noel

Written for Skullcandy, published 04/21/2016

April rolls around in the blink of an eye. It’s a month that’s packed with scribbled memos on my calendar; the days are getting warmer and longer as everyone emerges from their winter hibernation. It’s the official kick off to festival season, and unofficial start to summer. Coachella is a romance, a guilty pleasure — a bewildering beast with a mind of its own. As a world-renowned music festival and fashion show, if you’re not in it just for the line-up, you’re in it for the parties that takeover the rest of the desert in private compounds, complete with sparkling pools, free cocktails, carnival rides and bikini-clad babes. And yes, you can conquer it all.

Over years of attending many festivals around the world, I’ve learned to not let the fear of missing out get to me. Stress is the ultimate buzzkill. Haven’t secured your neon carnival wristband and your friend has? Plan in advance and avoid the drama. Be a free spirit and open to alternative opportunities and plans. Things will come with ease if you just relax. Create your own adventure!

READ THE COMPLETE GUIDE: http://stayloud.skullcandy.com/stories/coachella/

Photography by Tegan Butler & Andrew Noel exclusively for Skullcandy

Compiled for Suku Home, published September 2015

Why do people fall in love with road trips? "It's the moment when you emerge from trees overhead or 'round a rocky bend to see a wide open plain that feels bigger than you." SUKU ambassador Tegan Butler takes us on a wild ride across the U.S in this travel diary. 

WALLOON LAKE, MI

I was first taken to Northern Michigan by my love and number one partner in crime, Andy. He is a small town boy from the Midwest, and spent his childhood in one of the most northern parts of the state in an area called Petoskey. There, candlelit lamps light the streets and flower boxes exploding with seasonal blooms line the windows of every store and cafe. We travelled in the middle of the night to Walloon Lake and in the shadow of the tallest pine trees we went to bed, awaking in awe. A freshwater lake (one of the many in the state of Michigan, known as home to the ‘Great Lakes’), Walloon is aquamarine and turquoise in color, depending on the depth. Life on the lake is simple - swimming would act like our daily bath, where we would wash our hair and bodies and be left with perfectly messy tresses and silky skin. But one of the most magical parts about Northern Michigan is the lush, leafy woodlands full of wildflowers of every color. The sun streams through the trees like a kaleidoscope of gold as you hike into the balmy summer evenings.

YUBA RIVER, CA

The Yuba River is approximately 6 hours north of Los Angeles, and about 1 hour from California’s capital of Sacramento. It’s one of my favorite bodies of water in the whole world, let alone the US. With crystal clear, glacial waters that run down from the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges; giant, marble like boulders cradle the river from every angle, creating a perfect stream of natural waterfalls, whirlpools and untouched rock pools. A short hike from the main river mouth, and you can easily find a quiet nook to lay a blanket, bring a picnic and nestle down for the day, where you’re able to strip free from swimwear amongst peaceful surroundings and not see another human for hours. Millions of years of water rushing through have made the rocks smooth and slate like, and trapping in the sun’s heat until after dusk you can lie and absorb their warmth as the chill of the evening sets in.

GRAND CANYON, AZ

There are few moments in life where reality in actuality, surpasses the idea of something. Expectations are too often a curse, as fantasy and imagination take hold. As one of the natural wonders of the world, The Grand Canyon could easily fall quarry to the curse. However, as I laid eyes on the endless valley of rocky canyon from the vista point of the South Rim, my eyes welled up with tears - it was breathtaking. Early morning fog slowly rose from the bottom of the cliffs to creep over and above the rim, looking ghostly and magnificent. The layered colors of burnt orange, pink and even blue of the rocks burst out from our photos. We hiked down the South Kalibob trailhead, the red dirt of the path making our jeans a canvas of color, and not one rail or fence separated us from easily falling to our demise. It felt like a force to be reckoned with – it was us, versus this enormous natural powerhouse. After making it to Skeleton Point and back, our knees were weak from the intense hike. One day we will return and hike 8 hours to the canyon’s floor, where waterfalls of the brightest aqua await.

Written by Tegan Butler. Images by Tegan Butler & Andrew Noel

Published in Fashion Journal, Issue #151

A trailblazer, an environmental crusader and a passionate advocate for authenticism, Chela Wheatley is a performer who wears many hats, but never one that isn’t truly her own. An Australian who divides her time between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Chela, aka Chelsea Wheatley, is one of music’s most dynamic and evolving success stories. She remains fiercely independent release after release, with years of creative metamorphosis and self-realisation paving the way to help her conquer some of the music industry’s toughest lessons.

We met at one of LA’s largest flea markets on a sweltering Sunday morning. Chela was in the mood to find some treasures. Having recently touched down in LA after over six months in the studio in her hometown of Melbourne, Chela was on a short trip. Her plan was to sew some vital seeds for a brand new EP she’s been patiently crafting before returning home to close ACMI’s Bowie Late Nights series. Her last two singles, ‘Romanticise’ and ‘Handful Of Gold’ did well in the US and Europe, and after some absence from the live stage, fans are eager to hear what is coming next.

“One of the things that I wanted to concentrate on for the new material was making dance music that wasn’t all four to the floor. Using live-sounding drums and percussion and exploring what it is to make danceable music with those elements. That’s been a really fun adventure and I think all of the songs have a similar thread running through them, because of that rule.”

Chela developed the bug for production early on by learning programs like Ableton in her pre-teen years. It enabled her to experiment with electronic sounds that lead to tracks like ‘Romanticise’.

“I think it’s important to challenge yourself as an artist. Michael Jackson – his music was so danceable but it was all live drums and his stuff was a lot more funk and disco. I really wanted to work within that idea. I love a mixture of natural and unnatural, synthetic and live. Marrying those two and making the perfect combination is something that I constantly like to challenge myself with in production.”

With so much travel under her belt over the last few years, it’s no wonder that her ideas on music and the production process have morphed since her debut in 2012. Early comparisons to artists like Ladyhawke and Santigold at the beginning of her career could have easily pigeon-holed Chela into the tightly confined ‘electronic-pop’ space. But that wasn’t something Chela let take hold. Talking with her about her creative process as we weave our way through racks of vintage tees and leather boots, it’s clear there are many environmental factors behind each release.

“I’ve been through so many realisations over the past year, it’s been such a year of growth. A realisation in particular that I really needed to come to, was that I am actually the perfect producer for my EP. Because I write or co-write and produce all of my demos and songs, I’ve got such a strong sense of what my creative direction should be. I feel more and more that I can’t just hand that over to someone else.”

“I’m so glad I’ve been able to grow over the last two years and come to a realisation that makes me feel a lot more content to do what I’m doing. I feel that because I have a really strong sense of identity in my music and as a person, I feel so confident now to just follow my intuition. When you’re a bit younger, in music especially, you can be swayed to take on forms that are maybe a little less authentic. You look up to so many people and want to be a part of a certain movement. But I’m more sure than ever that it’s so much better to create your own world and not worry about trying to belong to another tribe.”

This motto rings true throughout Chela’s entire sense of self, like a personal modus operandi, as she applies her unique style to everything she touches. Vocal about her strong dislike of wearing pink and purple, Chela also hates dresses and loves to push the boundaries of trends and fashion in general. In preparing for her shoot with Fashion Journal,  I asked if there was a new look or theme on the cards, to coincide with the new material.

“Aesthetically, I just try and look the way I want to look. I think it’s important to not change it up too much. I don’t like it when people are trying too hard – I don’t think you can really connect to that. So for me, a lot of the time I will wear on stage what I was wearing that day shopping. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard and I don’t want to actually try too hard. The artists that I really love are the ones that are the most authentic. That’s the kind of artist I want to be too.”

On the topic of whether living in two very different cities has also had an impact on her newfound sound and musical perspective, Chela is upfront. She says it can be difficult to maintain a necessary balance of work and play while in Los Angeles. In a city so over-stimulating, it can be a very real distraction from writing and recording. But it’s also a thriving hub of other artists and successful musicians. Despite this being a huge draw for many Australian artists who head overseas to write, Chela is not so sure that working with musical idols is an ideal route – she’d rather pave her own way.

“Living in the states and having met a lot of the people I thought I wanted to collaborate with, I realised that maybe they’re the pioneers of trends that eventually end, or become popular or generic. All you can really do is admire those people for creating that for themselves. It’s been really cool for me to realise that, instead of trying to join in on something that’s being created and just create it for myself.”

As we continue to wander through the flea market, LA’s heatwave takes its toll. We buckle at the idea of scrummaging through the endless vintage wares. It reminds me of some of the environmental issues Chela has become increasingly passionate and vocal about. Now a vegan (and an amazing vegan cook), Chela is not solely consumed with her forthcoming EP release.

“I'm passionate about spreading awareness to create positive change and how artists and public figures can use their voices to help address the important issues happening in the current climate. I choose to be environmentally conscious because I want to do my bit to reduce our big ugly footprint on this earth and in doing that I hope I can affect others and express my gratitude for being here. Global warming due to fossil fuels and industrial agriculture is an undeniable and immense problem facing us and our next generations – the list of issues goes on. The idea that ‘knowledge is king and passion is contagious’ is a tool I hope to use to help make a change, like many of my environmentalist heroes.”

VIEW THE ARTICLE - http://fashionjournal.com.au/fashion/shoots/fj-shoot-chela

Interview by Tegan Butler.

facebook.com/chelaetc

Photography: Cybele Malinowski Hair and Make-up: Pamela Bjorklund Styling: Devin Winter

Published on AWOL.COM.AU on 6/22/2015

Los Angeles is one of those cities that divides opinion – you either love it or hate it, or if you have yet to travel there, are bound to have a pretty set idea as to what you think Los Angeles is about. It’s safe to say that this can single-handedly be attributed to the myth of Hollywood and the bi-product of celebrity culture that is pushed out to the rest of the world through everything from film and TV, tabloids and even fashion and music.

Yes, Los Angeles has about 500% more Paris Hilton types than any metropolitan city in Australia, with their miniature dogs in their designer handbags. And yes, Los Angeles is populated with struggling actor types and aspiring writers and producers that ask ‘so what do you do?’ immediately after being introduced. But Los Angeles is also a thriving hub of art and culture with near immaculate weather all year-round, blissful watercolour sunsets, iconic photo opportunities at every turn, world-class live music every night of the week, and the ease of access to the diversities of the Californian wilderness with coastline, mountain ranges and desert all within a day trip away. Plus, it is home to the best Mexican food north of the border. Read on for our guide to the real LA.

Published on AWOL.COM.AU on 3/2/2015

If there’s one thing that SoCal locals love, it’s the desert. A spontaneous decision to jump in the car and cruise down the Interstate (for those in the know, the 10 is the traditional route), never ever results in a bad time. The drive alone is beautiful; snow covered mountains line the horizon, while sun soaks your skin as you pass miles and miles of roadside cacti. Part of the charm is the vastness of the land – you can wander for hours and not come across another human if you wish, which is an impossible ask in the hustle of the LA ‘burbs. The other part is the impeccable weather and visually stunning landscapes. But mostly, it’s the cool stuff that you can find out there among the Joshua Trees.

If you’re lucky to be able to stay over one of the Coachella weekends, take the time to stop at these landmarks along the way, and don’t be afraid to venture further into the Coachella Valley past your Palm Springs drop pin to the get the maximum desert experience.

En Route

You’ve been driving for over an hour, so it’s snack time. Take the exit towards Malki Road and find yourself at a Mexican heaven, otherwise known as a taco stand. Crazy Coyote Tacos is a standalone hut in the middle of nowhere that offers homemade tortillas and a range of salsas with an authenticity that cannot be beat. Head further down the road and come acrossHadley’s, a local fruit orchard that makes the best banana-date shake known to man. Hand-picked dates from the orchard nearby have become a staple for generations of travellers through the area, so much so that the milkshake is claimed as world famous and it’s the perfect icy treat in the high heat.

If you stop in this area, you will find yourself in Cabazon, a town that hosts two gigantic dinosaurs named Dinny and Mr. Rex.

The dinosaur sculptures, which weigh in at 100 and 150 tonnes respectively, were built in the ’60s and have become icons in Californian roadside culture. For oversized novelty item lovers, this is a landmark not to be missed; not only for the obvious Instagram opportunity, but movie buffs may also recognise the Cabazon Dinosaurs for their cameo in the 1985 Tim Burton film,Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. It will definitely earn you a few notable double taps for the onward journey.

Detour

You’re already out there on the open road, so why not make the most of it? Detour left off the I-10 towards Pioneertown on CA-Route 62 in the Yucca Valley, and you will stumble across one of the coolest biker bars in the Mojave. Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace is a thriving roadhouse nestled within a deserted ghost town two hours outside of LA, founded in1946 by sons of pioneers. In its hey-day, Hollywood investors built it up as an elaborate set to shoot western films, and between 1946 and 1955 over 50 films and TV shows were filmed there. Following the death of the western, the cantina facade that once stood became a hard knock biker bar, and by the ‘80s, was transformed into a saloon style drinking hole that has since provided the stage for everyone from local folk musicians to Hanni El Khatib, Rufus Wainwright, Peaches, Robert Plant and the Arctic Monkeys.

You’ve Reached Your Destination

Arriving into the centre of Palm Springs, you’re immediately appeased with palm lined streets, manicured lawns of pastel homes and modernist architecture straight out of Mad Men. Complete with a high population of convertible Cadillac owners, the highly stylised nature of the city wouldn’t be complete without a cactus garden. Another relic of the art deco ’30s, theMoorten Botanical Garden on South Palm Canyon Drive plays host to the “world’s first” Cactarium, a conservatory of every single species of succulent you could image. If desert plants ain’t your thing, the garden also houses a variety of crystals, rocks, ancient fossils and pioneer relics.

By this time, the sun is getting low (around 7pm in the summer) and you’re ready for a casual pool hang with cocktail in hand. Head no further than just around the corner to The Ace Hotel and Swim Club, one of the most chic hotels on the radar of any one Coachella-goer.

Equipped with pool, spa, steam room, sauna and ’60s retro diner (aptly named King’s Highway), the resort’s backdrop of mountains and high-rise palms against the “luxe campside” feel of its décor is the perfect place to wind down by the fire. In the summer, be serenaded by cool Cali-chillwave bands playing live poolside, or a smooth r’n’b DJ set as you frolic or tan. Or you can just sit in your room with your very own vinyl collection.

If that vibe is too mellow, The Saguaro, a youthful resort down East Palm Canyon Drive is more than likely throwing a raging pool party in collaboration with tastemakers and influencers from international music, fashion and art scenes. (Opening Ceremony had their Coachella party there last year with guests like Blood Orange and FKA Twigs.) The vibrant technicolor walls against the muted neutrals of the desert make for one of the Coachella Valley’s best poolside party positions of the season, and yes, more gratuitous Instagram opps. But get in early – during each Coachella weekend, RSVPs are required to access the pool unless you are a hotel guest, so do your research beforehand to guarantee entry.

Coachella Comedown

The festival has sadly come to an end and you may have reached a peak for partying you’ve never quite neared before. Luckily for you, Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley have a few more experiences in store before you head back to LA. Roughly 30 minutes from the festival site you will find Indian Canyon, a nature reserve with 30 kilometres of trails surrounded by indigenous plant life, rocky valleys and clusters of shady palm trees perfect for post-festival meditation, exploring or hiking. If it’s just to soak up last minute Vitamin D or stumble across a waterfall (drought permitting), the canyon is truly a desert oasis – and it’s no mirage.

If it’s an awakening of the spiritual kind you’re after, drive an hour and a half further into the Mojave to Niland, Imperial County and come across Salvation Mountain. Nothing more than a man-made mound of clay, the site was founded on a mission to spread the message that “God Is Love”.

Believer or non-believer, the tribute to God is a sight for sore eyes with layers of wonky, colourful paint, a forged yellow brick road and decorated caves to wander in while the sun sets. Salvation Mountain has recently gotten more exposure due to its appearance in Into The Wild, however local guides assure us that if you stay awhile, the magic really happens at night. Locals emerge from their live-in campers nearby and they know how to get down.

Or perhaps you could wander to the nearby Slab City Hot Springs after sunset, a spot recognisable only by a bunky ladder and blue/grey concrete cylinders. The water is so hot it’s almost unbearable at high noon, but in the chill of the desert night, it’s the best way to soothe those tired festival bones.

VIEW THE ARTICLE: http://awol.com.au/the-ultimate-coachella-road-trip/3833

Published in Beat Magazine, September 2012

At the tail end of 2010, English band Mystery Jets had released their third album Serotonin to the world and were looking forward to travelling to the land down under for a run of shows and some quality time in the Australian sun. Now in the dwindling months of 2012, the modest lads from Eel Pie Isle are at it again, this time bringing a whole new bag of tricks thanks to their latest release, Radlands.

In a bold move, Radlands marks the band’s first concept album and is a far cry from the well-worn synth-driven pop sounds of their previous three releases. Stripped back and layered with lap steel, prior to their last visit co-lyricist William Rees had fantasised about heading abroad and in a completely new direction for their next recording endeavour. It was Austin, Texas that finally won them over in their desire to tear up the rulebook and get as far away from their pop legacy as possible.

Back on the phone in anticipation of another Australian tour, Rees talks about how the group’s initial pipe dream of escaping England and pressing a restart button on their sound came to fruition ahead of Radlands in 2011. “Originally, half the band wanted to go to LA, and the other half wanted to go to New Orleans,” Rees recounts. “We thought because none of us could really agree on which place we wanted to go to we just settled on the place which was in the middle of the two, which was Austin. There’s a lot of local talent and a sense of music there – it’s like everyone draws from a musician, or some sort of country song. It feels like a language.

“It was definitely our version of the American dream – we wanted to go there and find for ourselves what a lot of people go to America to find. To discover something new for themselves, change their lives, and explore their potential and possibilities. America has always been a land of hope and a land of dreams, and a lot of those dreams have gone wrong perhaps, but a lot of those dreams have gone right. We went there with that kind of attitude. There’s a lot of beliefs over there, there’s a lot people who believe in a lot of things, but what they do believe in, they believe strongly. That is something that I think defines America; you don’t really find that too much in other countries.”

Settling into a house by the Colorado River, which they had soon dubbed Radlands (a cross between a Terrence Malik reference and the name of Keith Richards’ house Redlands from the ‘60s), William and his band mates Blaine Harrison (vocals, guitar), Kapil Travedi (drums) and now ex-member Kai Fish, set up a home studio, adorned their front gate with a sign and a lone star and proceeded to throw themselves into every aspect of culture Austin could offer them.

“A lot of what we did when we were out in Austin was spending time researching things in the area”, Rees explains. “We looked at cults and how they go wrong, and how they start. And there’s a lot of stuff that happened in Texas, one of which was the Waco cult. That turned into a complete bloodbath, but initially it started off as one man having a vision, and feeling like he was a prophet from God. Things like that we were looking into and writing about and putting into our lyrics.

“We also tried to find out a lot about the local people and what local people did, so we went to Church one occasion. The way we went in, it was almost like we were anthropologists or something; we were on the ground meeting people and reading about the history and trying to find out about where we were, basically. Then we put that into our music.”

It was also the creation of their own world within the gates of Radlands through an alter-ego by the name of Emmerson Lonestar that lead the Mystery Jets to explore and draw on a whole new range of emotion within their writing. The fictional protagonist that appears throughout the album allowed the band to open up. “He was a device,” Rees asserts. “The songs on Radlands are a combination of both real experiences and imagination; often you need a real experience to ignite it and then once it’s hot, you can take it where you want to take it. Which is where Emmerson Lonestar and the imagination of it comes in.” Rees adds, “That was a cool thing for us to write about because it’s different from writing about the girl two doors down, which is quite English, quite sweet. But in America we found lots of different things to inspire us.”

Upon its release earlier this year, the finished product of Radlands drew divisive opinions from critics thanks to such a radical move away from the sounds recognised on albums 21 and Serotonin. Embodying more Eagles and less of The Cure, the Mystery Jets will finally be able to bring their mixture of old and new material to life on stage. “It has been quite hard to incorporate the two different sounds together, but we’ve found that a handful of songs work really well alongside the new material,” Rees explains. “The songs that do work, we’ve updated them to the current sounds so some of them have got pedal steel on them. It’s been really nice to see that all this time we’ve had some of these songs that for some reason feel like they could have been on Radlands, but they were on other records.” And just how much significance will the pedal steel have throughout their set? “We couldn’t do a show without it now!”

Interview by Tegan Butler

It’s not often you hear of a band with a debut single on high rotation on national radio, and an EP released to instantaneous internet buzz, before they’d even played a live show. Twinsy are one of those exceptions; birthed from a Ballarat studio during a cold, dull winter, the opportunely titled Twinsy reveal two friends joining forces to create a new breed of feel-good dance floor tunes that has already set Australian music scene tongues wagging. With these achievements effortlessly tucked away under their belt, it comes as no surprise to learn that Twinsy is in fact Yacht Club DJs’ Guy Chappell as the brainchild of the project, alongside Michael Belsar of Hunting Grounds fame. Add a touch more DJ royalty to the mix with Ajax of Bang Gang DJs at the production helm, and you get one of the most highly anticipated new acts for the summer and beyond.

Taking a break from writing new material to catch an episode of The Bachelor amidst prime daytime TV scheduling, Twinsy have been building momentum after the release of their electric debut single Water Bombs in February this year. A four track EP followed, showcasing a varied range of shoegazey balladry and calypso-driven beats, and a full-length album is already on the horizon, with the band having only just celebrated the popping of their proverbial live show cherry last month. It sees the boys behind live instruments, with Belsar on guitar and vocals, and Chappell on drums.

“I think people were kind of expecting a Potbelleez kind of vibe, like just a DJ and a singer,” Chappell laughs. “It’s great. It’s so different with me playing drums rather than DJing, it’s a really different feeling when I get off stage. I think Michael’s been enjoying having a bit of room to roam around, because he’s in a band with six people, so you’re fighting for space on stage with five other people. We had the best time”.

Having shared their first experience with Brisbane natives Last Dinosaurs and quickly being added to other show bills across summer, Twinsy are fast making friends within the broader music circuit outside of their respective bands. With early collaborations with bands such as Gold Fields and Bleeding Knees Club and of course, Ajax, it’s no wonder that their music fell upon pricked-up ears from the get-go. They’ve even been touted as Australia’s very own ‘D-list supergroup’.

“I think if you have a good product, it’s going to get out there. Flume is a really good example of that – he’s number one in iTunes at the moment, and there hasn’t really been all that much press on him, it sort of snuck up on people and now they can’t believe how popular he is. But he’s had a pretty steady build, and if you have a good product like he obviously does, you can get it out there through the internet nowadays and word of mouth. But it does help that Michael and I are also in established bands.”

It’s not the first foray into the production of original material for Chappell, who writes all the music for Twinsy. After incorporating little bits of original work within his Yacht Club sets, the idea to try something completely new transpired, leaving us with sounds of steel drums and tropicana dreams. “I just had this idea to try and do this kind of tropical and upbeat style dance music. It sort of started with me not really knowing what I was doing. I was putting like 30 or 40 tracks of audio in, and when we mixed in Sydney we were just pulling stuff out that we didn’t need, or just hiding it in the mix so it was still interesting to listen to at times. There’s a fair bit going on in the tracks that’s not so immediate when you first listen to them. I thought the more tracks I added, the more exciting and crazy the music was going to be but I’m finding now that’s not actually the case. The less, the better”.

This ‘less is more’ mantra is something that the band are taking on board in the recording process for their full-length album, even after summer has become a distant memory. “I think those sounds will still be there, although I don’t think they’ll be quite so ferociously tropical! Upbeat is more our thing more than anything – good feeling songs. I was trying to kind of do a mix of Armand Van Helden and The Beach Boys when I first started, and I remember reading a great interview with Damon Albarn when he first started doing Gorillaz – he wrote the type of music that he couldn’t tie a genre to straight away. I was like, ‘What an amazing idea, I wonder if I could pull that off'."

With plans to embark on both a national and international tour in the new year, Chappell is firm that the band’s original projects of Hunting Grounds and Yacht Club DJs will remain their first priority, but there are no plans for the project to fall by the wayside either. “I don’t think I’ll ever have to give it away, and Michael is the same. It’s funny with bands – you’re really only on for a couple of months and then you usually get some time off where you have nothing on. But now I’ve got another avenue that I can focus on with my down time, and I can keep on touring which is what I really love doing.”

Published in Beat Magazine, September 2012 

It’s morning on a grey Berlin day and Simon Berckleman, aka ‘Berkfinger’ from now disbanded indie darlings Philadelphia Grand Jury, is in high spirits. For one, he just received an original '70s drumset from Japan in the mail courtesy of eBay (at a very good price), and is gearing up to head back to Australia to debut his new project, Feelings to home crowds. With first single, One In A Million already notching high rotation since its release, Feelings is the result of 18 months producing, writing and recording, various artistic collaborations, and newfound creative freedom.

After the shock split from his former band, Berckleman relocated to Germany with 300kg of home studio equipment upon the recommendation of the then Philly Jays drummer Suzie, and shortly after, splurged on a recording studio. For Simon, the move to Berlin was key in the creation of Feelings. Reviving an old collaboration in the form of Dan Williams; original member of the Philly Jays, and now drummer of Art Vs. Science, the timing felt right for their musical friendship to flourish yet again. “I don’t think it’s like when we’ve been jamming we’ve been writing songs just like we used to – Dan’s definitely gone on a bit of an electro trip. I think that has meant that it actually felt really fresh, it didn’t feel like a blast from the past at all, it feels like a new thing.” But however fresh, Feelings’ new material sounds like it could easily fit onto a B-side of a Philly Jays EP. “It all just sounds like me”, Berckleman agrees. “One In A Million and all the songs I’m working on, they still sound like me. I was always cynical that it sounded really different from Philly Jays because to me, I instil that in the songs”.

With two thirds of the original band back making music together, it seemed it was a case of being all a bit too much for Berckleman and former co-frontman Joel Beeson, to hold the latest variation of Philadelphia Grand Jury together for a second album. “With the Philly Jays, it wasn’t necessarily a creative thing, it was just where everyone was at in their lives. Just practicality – it wasn’t like ‘I can’t work with you musically’, it was ‘I can’t work with you as a human being.’ Most of that was to do with me, I think. I pissed Joel off a lot”, Berckleman admits. “That was the main thing and then that then started to affect our writing because when you’ve been in close quarters with someone for three or four years and you know them intimately, you’ve driven each other up the wall in various ways, and then you get in a room to try and make an album, and then you realise the other album actually went pretty well and our new album better be good too or else we’re screwed – that’s when it became hard to write music”.

But the latest incarnation of Berckleman and Williams wasn’t initially as appealing for some, despite the all-star line-up which also includes David Rennick from Dappled Cities on guitar. “People weren’t interested in Feelings. They were like, ‘No we want Philadelphia Grand Jury. Can’t it just be exactly like that, or can’t you get the band back together or can’t you take the band name?’ And I was like, no way am I taking the band name without the other guy that was the key member of the band! All the music industry kind of stuff has changed for this project because the other people couldn’t get used a new thing. And that was surprising and really upsetting at first, because  I wrote a new album that I was really excited by and I was like ‘let’s put it out, let’s do stuff’, and they were  like, ‘yeah, I don’t know if it’s any good’. So I felt like it was all falling upon deaf ears. Now it’s on high rotation on triple j, so I don’t see what the problem was.” Berckleman recounts, “It was like when we started the first band, we got no offers from labels; we had to really twist our friend’s arm to become our manager and we started it all ourselves. And then by the time we were booking the second album, we had really good offers from every major label in Australia. But it’s just because they were like, ‘okay we can see that it works and it’s making money, we’ll get you on board’. And I feel like that’s been the same experience with starting this new band; no one wants to take a risk in the music business, no one wants to get behind you or champion anything. They will sit back and let you do the work, and if it’s working, then they’ll get involved.”

Even though fans have been much more open-minded to Feelings so far, Berckleman is still nervous about playing live to familiar crowds. “I’ll at least get a chance to show people my new thing because they’ll be interested based on what I used to do. I think I have one shot with everybody, and if I blow it then they’ll disown me.”

Written by Tegan Butler

Published in Beat Magazine, August 2012 

Not yet one year on from their fateful unearthing, teen sensations Snakadaktal are kicking some serious life and career goals. This includes but is not limited to becoming high-school graduates (with the exception of one – vocalist Phoebe), releasing a highly acclaimed debut EP, and selling out not one, but two previous national headline tours. Fresh from a national tour as the highly coveted support slot for fellow Triple J darlings The Jezabels, the boys and girl that make up the dreamy shoe gaze pop quintet from the outer suburbs are getting ready to do it all again. With news of a debut album in the works and yet another sure to be sell-out national tour fast approaching, Snakadaktal are growing up and quickly moving away from their pesky high-school wunderkind label by preparing to take on the big bad world, one hit single at a time.

Having written and recorded the material from their current self-titled EP from the comfort of their homes, Sean (vocals/guitar), Phoebe (vocals/synth), Barna (drums), Joseph (guitar) and Jarrah (bass), are well and truly examples of the natural talent spawned from pure enjoyment. Getting together to play two years ago, Snakadaktal were primarily a band for pleasure that has since turned into pretty big business. It’s this relaxed, home-grown attitude that has seen the band and their sweet, swoon-worthy tracks Air and Chimera catapult them to instant indie-star status and highlight their knack for penning tunes all about fantasy, youth and love. Common themes for most, Snakadaktal’s genuine innocence and ability to be playful in their song writing has yet to put them a foot wrong. Now facing big changes and developments in their personal life, with vocalist Phoebe battling through her final year of high school and the boys now free from its former holds, the band are collectively thinking forward to the writing of their debut.

“Our ideas are always changing, just through what we’re doing at the time or what we’re thinking about,” Sean relates. “We always try to have fun songs and try to have written a happy album, but then I guess we find what works well with us is being more sad lyrical writers over nice melodies, which sound very sad. I guess we kind of do that too much.” 

Dance Bear, their latest single, and a track from their upcoming album, is of a different breed though. Incorporating heavier guitars and louder synth, Snakadaktal appear to be leaning towards more of a grown-up rock sound. “That song was always, when we made it, a much rockier song, but we definitely developed it into a more poppy tune. We recorded it with Malcolm Besley from Northeast Party House, who’s a good friend of ours. He really helped us along the way and taught us a new way of looking at it and recording, and that’s why it’s really clean, and a really good recording.”

“All the ones we’d done ourselves beforehand was the way we were so used to doing it, but his [method] is obviously a lot better quality than ours, so he had a lot of influence on the recording of the track. A lot of us are listening to a lot more electronic music, and we’ve all got very different tastes in music, so I guess we’ll kind of always change a bit when we’re doing it as a group.”

Change, perhaps, but don’t call it maturing – that’s one thing Sean sees as irrelevant in music. “I think all sounds and all words, they’re timeless things and I don’t think with music you can say what is mature and what isn’t – it’s all basically just sounds. It’s like art – you’ve got little kids drawing these paintings that are worth thousands of dollars, but it’s not about skill and maturity, it’s about the moment and the meaning.”

The opportunity to work alongside more established people within the music industry has also helped with the growth of the band, particularly having toured with the likes of The Jezabels. “That was an amazing experience and opportunity to be given,” Sean recounts. “The whole crew and everyone involved were absolutely delightful people to know and to have met and be travelling around with. It taught us so much, just what’s in them every night ­– huge performers, so professional about everything. We really watch that and think, ‘whoa, we’re going to be like that one day if we work a bit harder.’”

Snakadaktal are definitely well on their way, having just booked a fresh run of tour dates across the country to celebrate the launch of Dance Bear, with three shows in Melbourne alone. With these kinds of numbers it’s hard to argue that the young band have an expiry date. “We’re going to have longer sets this tour with a lot of new songs that are going to really change people’s opinions of us – they can either really hate us or decide that we’re not a one hit wonder,” Sean says, with a hint of trepidation. “We really just want to prove that we can be around for longer than a year.”

They needn’t be worried. While a quick rise to the top of indie music ranks can more often than not mean a quick and fairly brutal fall in this fickle business, Snakadaktal are gradually growing into their own and shaking off any ill-informed judgements.

“I guess we’ll not always want the high-school band label, just because you want to be known for your music, not really your age. It’s probably something we’d definitely want to lose in the future, but we’re really grateful to have had that publicity about us to help us in our music life.”

Written by Tegan Butler

Published in Beat Magazine, August 2011

When long-time friends Marcus Azon and Cameron ‘Pepa’ Knight started making music together as Jinja Safari in 2010, they named their then two-piece after the tribal nuances and mythical themes that became the soul of their instant crowd-pleasers such as Peter Pan and Mermaids. It was also somewhat of an ode to co-frontman Marcus’s missionary grandmother, who had been stationed in the East African town of Jinja in Uganda, since his childhood. From what started as the soundtrack of this unknown far-away land formulated within the realms of Azon’s runaway imagination, Jinja Safari have taken their unique brand of Afro-pop/ jungle rock to new heights thanks to some serious expeditions abroad. It has led them to grow in leaps and bounds as a debut album and national tour wait patiently in the wings.

For Azon, Pepa and their bandmates Joe Citizen (bass/vocals), Alister Roach (percussion) and Jacob Borg (drums), their reputation of a wild live show and ability to sell-out venues across Australia has resulted in a case of namesake mirroring reality, having headed out on their own whirlwind safari late last year. Taking to stages in New York and London on the band’s first international tour, the experience cemented the notion that your first time, is one you never forget.

“It was just so incredible”, Azon fondly recalls. “It’s very lovely to go back to those early days where you have to really work for the attention of every audience member, because sometimes things get taken a bit out of perspective at our shows. Like currently, on our last Australian tour when it was sold out for the majority, there were just so many people hyped up and I think they kind of forgot what it was all about – but maybe that is what it’s all about, just the mayhem and the fun and the nonsense”, he contemplates. “But going into the overseas shows, where they are a lot smaller and we’re supporting other bands, it’s like we had to focus a bit more on the musicality of our approach, and we all tried to step it up in the vocal department and work on really hitting what we needed to hit. I know for myself, I was getting up and running and doing vocal rehearsals and kind of being as professional overseas as possible. Because I don’t drink, I kind of put that bit of focus into trying to be a young professional musician. ”

Playing to bustling, energetic crowds is something party bands like Jinja Safari could easily become accustomed to. But in the face of adversity and with a larger, more beady international eye cast upon them, the band found it better to stick with what works.

“We kind of just had to give it everything every time, like it was our last show. So much of our music only works on vibe. If there’s fighting in the band over something stupid that happened on tour, or there’s just people in the crowd that aren’t getting into it, then you kind of respond off each other. Because we’re still a young band, you kind of need to give it everything and leave all your band shit at the door, and leave all your preconceptions of who you think you are the door before you get on stage.”

It was an approach that paid off for the band by the time the UK leg of the tour rolled around. Surprised by a warm turnout at a local dive bar just days after a revered set from industry keynotes at Brighton’s Great Escape Festival, Azon remembers feeling stunned at the reception of the crowd. 

“When we got to London, we were supporting another band in Camden, there were a tonne of people that came out to see us, it was just incredible! They all knew the lyrics to the songs and they were singing along and the whole place was like, old-school jivin’! We were just feeling fantastic – we were on the other side of the world and there were people singing songs that I had written in my bedroom a year and a half earlier. So for a first young band experience overseas, that’s as good as it can get – that kind of surreal experience.”

It’s not the only surreal experience Azon encountered while in a foreign land over the last six months. The opportunity to tour the northern hemisphere, also meant the chance to test out new material that was inspired by lead songwriter, Azon and production mastermind, Pepa’s independent ventures abroad late last year. Both journeys of self-discovery, what resulted was a wealth of new found ideas on the identity of the band that has also helped shape the sound of the forthcoming album and the likes of their latest single, Toothless Grin. 

“In October last year, I went to Uganda and Pepa went to India, and we came back with just a whole bunch of samples. We had these stereo wave recorders we got from the music store, and we just recorded as many samples as possible. One in particular, was just these kids near the border of Sudan, playing a bunch of drums and bells and what not, and I sampled a bunch of that. It was a really interesting way of working – finding a way to put a melody and vocal line over the top [of the samples] and then adding some guitar. It just adds another element of something a bit more real," Azon says.

“I just watched Paul Simon’s documentary, Under African Skies, and when people ask you what it means to be in an Afro-beat band, I feel like we’ve had nothing to say about that”, Azon says. “When you compare it to Paul Simon’s Graceland project and what he was doing, there was so much political turmoil that inspired the whole project and all we’ve had is this over-privileged, white Australian indie band trying to replicate an East African sound with very token East African rhythms and melodies. So to actually have been there, in a third world country and have heard some of the stories of these kids and their parents, particularly where war has been going for 20 years and the horrors that have happened there, are just beyond what we could perceive here in Australia”, Azon tells with passion in his voice, making it clear it’s a topic close to his heart. “To bring that back to music; to have some of those things in our tracks gives us the sort of weight you need in Afro-beat for it to make a bit more sense, as opposed to just cutesy drums and forest rock.”

Azon’s experiences while travelling also had an impact on the writing process of the forthcoming album, as well as musically. “I think lyrically, I’ve never really been interested in simple love stories, so I think now there’s going to be a little more of opportunist references. I definitely wrote a lot of lyrics while I was in Uganda because I was travelling by myself and I didn’t have anyone to talk to, so there was just so much confusion and so much to take in that I just wrote a lot of song ideas. Not even just about East Africa, but mainly about myself and who I think I am”, he philosophises. “You have this idea of who you are and the way you see the world, and I got really lost in Uganda because there were a couple of times that I got into some pretty dangerous positions. So there’s a lot of East African lyrics but more so a lot of self-reflection songs.”

 Currently safe and sound in their hometown of Sydney, Jinja Safari are now getting ready to launch into a national triple headlining tour come August with fellow cosmic-pop craftsmen; Los Angeles’ White Arrows and New Zealand’s Opossom. The Blind Date Tour, dubbed from a joke that stuck about all three bands having never actually met, will mark the first chance for the band to showcase their new found perspective on song writing and production to homeland fans. Having previously recorded and produced material independently from their bedrooms, Jinja Safari have taken yet another evolutionary leap for the band – working with a producer.

“We got this guy in Brooklyn that started working on a couple of tracks of ours. He did Toothless Grin and another one, just to see how we’d go with working together. What he did with Toothless Grin was restructure it; slight changes, just repeating some things and cutting some things, and made it into a lot more of a cohesive pop song. It’s just been really great working with him”. The guy is Chris Zane, producer of records for bands such as Friendly Fires, Passion Pit and Mumford and Sons. Azon continues, “Obviously we were over the moonchild when we found out he’d be working with us – then we found out he was actually excited about our music! We’re finishing the whole album with him now, so there’s going to be a lot more of going into the studio and recording, but it’s all going to plan. We’ve been trying to get a closer sound in our recordings to what we have in our live shows.” And the plan for said upcoming shows? “It’s kind of always going to be a bit of a manic dance party, and I think a lot of our new songs are a bit more raw, a bit more rough and ready, and not so kind of light and fluffy/forest animals. We’re moving out of the forest so to speak”.

Written by Tegan Butler

HOWLER X 2:54

A relatively young band making big waves across the world is the smart-arse indie collective from Minnesota, Howler. Off the back of last year's buzzed debut, America Give Up, the five-piece (now four) hit British HQ in Austin for a show alongside Brit punk act, 2:54. Both bands have been praised by press such as NME, making their best new bands lists of last year, while sister-act 2:54 made music outlets in the US stand to attention thanks to their scowling live performances at SXSW. After a world tour in the months following South By, Howler are now heading to Australian shores for a bunch of club shows and our own acclaimed Splendour In The Grass festival. 2:54 are in the middle of another US tour right now, so its advised to jump on the bandwagon now before the ride gets too wild!

http://www.twofiftyfour.net/

ROYAL BATHS X TOTAL SLACKER

A surprise highlight amongst the super slick showcase performances at SXSW this year were sets from US garage, stoner punks Total Slacker and Royal Baths. The 'Everyone Sux Party' hosted by local Austin radio WNYU, featured a massive line-up throughout the day, including Brisbane's Bleeding Knees Club and California's Bleached, alongside headliner Fidlar. From a stellar makeshift stage in a dusty, empty lot a few suburban street's back from the hub of SXSW festivities, Brooklyn's Total Slacker put on an energetic display (without showing too much excitement, then it wouldn't be garage), while little known Royal Baths showed off killer licks and psychadelic guitar solos at their slot early in the day. Favourite part was the illegal sale of beer out of an esky for $4 a pop.

ZULU WINTER

Just about to hit our shores for this year's Splendour In The Grass, the London five-piece blew industry keynotes away at a number of South By Southwest showcases back in March. Oozing English charm and a knack for jangly Brit rock, Zulu Winter's set at Austin's Mohawk bar alongside Chairlift, Blood Orange and Youth Lagoon definitely impressed Australian touring managers and promoters.

www.zuluwinter.com

SXSW Highlights: BLEACHED

Having spent a small amount of time in California before heading down to the Lone Star State for South By, I had heard vague whispercas of a killer girl group playing nothing but surf’s up, melodic skater punk that had been gaining momentum in summer’s annual punk revival in every city’s indie music scene.

LA sister’s, Jessica and Jennifer Clavin are Bleached; aptly titled to suit their tustled blonde locks and grungy 90s’ inspired floral dress and Doc Martin combo. Quickly becoming one of the most sought after buzz bands for SXSW, Bleached easily booked 14 official and unofficial showcases and parties, making audiences swoon at each and every one of their gigs over a hectic 4 days.

SXSW Highlights: WHITE ARROWS Yet another band of LA natives creating a ripple in the figurative South By Southwest wave pool was synth-laden, electronic pop group, White Arrows. Made up of lead vocalist Mickey Church, as well as Steven Vernet (bass), Andrew Naeve (electronics), Henry Church (drums) and John Paul Caballero (guitar), the Hawaiian shirt-toting group impressed keen Austin locals at an early set at a free show alongside the likes of Le Sera and Young Magic. What they brought was an attention-grabbing set described perfectly as ‘blissful pop’; chiming electric guitar set against seamlessly layered drums and synth to create an upbeat tropical oasis of sound. Haunting harmonies also made for a complementary backdrop to front man Church’s yearning vocals, making them comparable to other indie success stories such as Givers and The Naked And Famous.