Concrete Blonde, Writes Sally Browne Curriculum)
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6 EVENT MUSIC IMMORTAL BELOVED music is important to kids and to youth. Time has shed fresh light on dark times for We had that when I was a kid in school. It’s been cut now, a lot (from the Concrete Blonde, writes Sally Browne curriculum). And if it wasn’t for music, I don’t know if I’d be here, really.’’ CONCRETE Blonde can easily explain soundtrack of Australian film West, The North American leg of Concrete this generation’s current fascination directed by Daniel Krige, with whom Blonde’s tour has been a success and the with vampires – they’ve never gone she may be working again soon. band have enjoyed revisiting their best- away. Today Johnette lives in Joshua Tree, loved songs from Caroline to Ghost of a Twenty years ago, the gothically California, the high desert, made famous Texas Ladies Man to Heal It Up as well as tinged band from Los Angeles released by U2’s 1987 album cover. Her home is some more obscure ones. The songs their album Bloodletting, the title track on a 2ha property where her neighbours don’t necessarily conjure old memories, of which is also known as ‘‘the vampire are rattlesnakes and roadrunners. rather sound fresh to the band who song’’. Closely in touch with her environ- wrote them. ‘‘When have they never been around, ment, she’s planning to leave the ‘‘When we were rehearsing before we my dear?’’ says singer Johnette property she lives on to the Mojave left for the North American leg of the Napolitano. Desert preservation body. tour, we were listening to something and ‘‘They’ve never gone away. Vampires ‘‘We won a successful fight against LA Jim (Mankey, guitarist) says, ‘Wow, this are always there for you,’’ she laughs. dumping trash at the edge of a national is actually a good song’. I don’t remem- ‘‘We love our monsters and we love park, which is a delicate ecosystem. ber him ever saying that back in those horror, for many, many reasons, and I’m People don’t see that – it’s the same way days!’’ says Johnette. sure people study that all day and have people don’t see the forest for the trees, ‘‘We’d been together a long time degrees. But we love monsters, and for literally. You know, (they say) ‘There’s a before that record (Bloodletting), and the most part, in the end, they lose, and bunch of trees standing here, we could we’d been on the road ridiculously, I think psychologically we need our cut ’em all down’.’’ flogged within an inch of our lives, and monsters because they represent things by the time that record came out it was to us that we can’t conquer and want to just amazing that we were still together conquer, and almost always do.’’ I wasn’t a happy kid. at that point. It was really tough, you Bloodletting was a seminal hit for the know. So, now I can actually listen back band, who had slogged it out for many There were a lot of and go, ‘These are really great songs, years on the live circuit. It contained the and I’m really enjoying playing them’.’’ famous hit Joey, as well as guest problems at home Coming up with the set list was also a performances by Peter Buck of REM breeze because they simply jumped on and Andy Prieboy of Wall of Voodoo. While never quite being considered a YouTube to find out which of their The album is also memorable because ‘‘goth’’ band, Concrete Blonde’s dark, songs were most popular. ‘‘It was the the band received their first gold record seductive rock has always been inspired easiest set list in the world to compile, for it – from Australia, no less. by the dark side. So what attracted because we just went, ‘Well, what do ‘‘We got our first gold record there for Johnette to that side of life? people want?’,’’ says Johnette. Bloodletting. We had no idea Joey meant ‘‘My life was dark, it was not a ‘‘It’s really a fun set because it’s really kangaroo,’’ recalls Johnette. problem,’’ she laughs. fun for the audience. We don’t have any ‘‘We got our gold record from (Mush- ‘‘Things weren’t that happy. I wasn’t a axe to grind or anything to prove. In room Records boss) Mr (Michael) happy kid. There were a lot of problems those days we were always out to Gudinski on a boat Sydney Harbour and at home and it took a lot of time to promote a record or flog something and it was truly a memory of a lifetime.’’ process. It took 45 years to process, and we’re not out there to do that this time. The band went on to have other hit . this is why art is important – I didn’t ‘‘And it was a surprise the tour did as records including Walking in London kill anybody, I didn’t thankfully spend well as it did. It was a big surprise to us and Mexican Moon. any time in jail, I didn’t hurt anyone as and we had a great time. So were going And Johnette has continued her many times as I wanted to. to definitely rip it up in Australia.’’ Australian connection, composing a ‘‘I turned an energy that could have Concrete Blonde perform at The Hi-Fi, song for the Heath Ledger, Abbie been very bad and very destructive, I October 19; tickets thehifi.com.au or Cornish film Candy, and scoring the turned it into music, and that is why 1300 843 4434. ADRIAN BOHM AND TIM WOODS PRESENT marnie foulis & tripod entertainment present TONI CHILDS Three time Grammy nominee TONI CHILDS will once again thrill audiences with her signature husky vocals “the greatest and emotive lyrics. Don’t flautist in 19 October miss Toni performing her blockbuster hits as well generations” Supported by The Independent, UK LYRIC THEATRE, QPAC as showcasing her album feat. elana stone as the dragon directed by neill gladwin BOOK | QPAC.COM.AU | 136 246 Returning to Australia after 20 years to play OCTOBER 5-17 2010, BRISBANE POWERHOUSE Keep the Faith. 119 LAMINGTON ST, NEW FARM | TUES TO SUN 7.30PM | TIX FROM $25 your classical, popular and irish favourites bookings: www.brisbanepowerhouse.org or 3358 8600 QPAC CONCERT HALL – SUNDAY 7 NOV for more information visit: www.3pod.com.au BOOK NOW! qpac.com.au 136 246 Page 6 THE SUNDAY MAIL, event September 26, 2010 thesundaymail.com.au Bull takes his pain firmly by the horns but simple, too. He now thinks We’re Singer-songwriter Too Young was overdone. ‘‘My new mindframe is just do it, don’t explain it Andy Bull remains our or overanalyse it,’’ he says. ‘‘Just do it with the means you have. If it doesn’t best-kept secret, work, move on. writes Nui Te Koha ‘‘Looking for perfection is no longer useful – don’t get caught up in the details. Music is about emotion.’’ ANDY Bull’s debut album, We’re Too Bull worked on Phantom Pains with Young, made an indelible first producer Tony Buchen, who oversaw impression. We’re Too Young. A brave and, at times, surreal soul-pop ‘‘We forgot all the old rules. In the record, it was one of best albums of last past, we’d been very hardline and year. precise. It was like being in Steely Dan.’’ But critical acclaim did not translate Mitchell appears on the EP as a to radio support, and singer-songwriter returned favour. Bull played in her band, Bull remains our best-kept secret. and sang back-up, at recent Sydney That may soon change, however. shows. After pouring everything into the complex and clever We’re Too Young, it is Bull’s lo-fi, homemade EP, Phantom Pains, making breakthroughs. The rollicking lead single, Black Dog, featuring Lisa Mitchell, is about depression. The song is based on a discussion Bull had with a former partner when he was at an emotional low. ‘‘I was in a funk,’’ Bull says. ‘‘It’s a confronting and scary conversation to have, because you don’t know how somebody will take it. ‘‘But I didn’t want to fetishise de- pression, or make it seem like a brand or desirable thing to have. ‘‘This is not a case of: ‘Dig on my pain’. I wanted to say, quite matter-of-factly: ‘Man, I am not well. What is this?’ ’’ Elsewhere, the Phantom Pains EP features throwback pop and, on the standout cut My Street, blue-eyed soul. Bull says he is excited by writing pop songs again. Meanwhile, Bull is working on new ‘‘It used to be about songs and songs, and will channel them into songwriting,’’ he says. ‘‘Then there was a another EP. big push towards textures and loops and ‘‘I don’t think albums are relevant for being formless. But I think those ideas an artist in my position,’’ he says. ‘‘I want have been pushed to the zenith and to stay prolific and keep moving.’’ there’s an ebb back to the other way, He has also learned to shrug off which is songs and structures.’’ online opinion about his freakish voice. Bull recently discussed his theory Some still think Bull is a female vocalist. with friends in popular bands Deep Sea ‘‘I have stopped worrying about what Theory and Little Red. other people think,’’ he says. ‘‘It’s a return to how music made you ‘‘I worried – only to find I was held in feel as a kid.