STACK #126 Apr 2016

MUSIC

NEWS

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S onic Highways , the eight-part series created and produced by Foo Fighters that documents different facets of American music, and the making of the Foo Fighters album of the same name, is being released this month on DVD and Blu-ray. Although the series took the band to eight different cities to record a song in each, the series overall is a look at the history of American music. No matter your opinion of Dave Grohl or the band’s music, his passion for music is on full display throughout, as is his knowledge. It’s also a personal journey at times: from his formative years visiting Chicago and being exposed to his cousin’s punk rock band – something that changed his life completely – to the return to the studio where he created the first Foo Fighters album essentially solo, in the wake of Kurt Cobain’s suicide and the end of Nirvana. But what the show does best is illustrate the powerful musical characteristics of each city and the impact music has had in each town’s cultural history. In Foo FIghters Sonic highways at home

Marlon Williams

Q1/ You moved from New Zealand to Melbourne in 2013. Are Aussies more receptive to Kiwi acts than vice versa? I went to Melbourne in 2012 and did a few shows with Delaney [Davidson, with whom he's recorded three albums) so I got a feel for the place. On my second day in Melbourne, I got my first gig and ended up doing around 250 the first year, so it was pretty intense, but amazing. Australian audiences seem to be a bit more receptive. You get the classic “fush and chups” jokes, but they are used to New Zealand music – there are a fair few New Zealanders in Melbourne. Q2/ Your self-titled solo album was recorded in Lyttleton (NZ). Did you ever consider recording it here? I thought about it. But Ben [Edwards, of Lyttelton Records] is the only producer I have worked with and for my first solo album I wanted to have a sense of comfort. And I knew all the musicians, too. I talk about touring a little bit on the album, that was a recurrent theme. But it’s not really geographically-centred. Q3/ One of the album’s standout tracks is a cover of the long-lost Bob Carpenter classic Silent Passage. Where did you come across that? I first heard that song on Midlake’s Late Night Tales . I always knew at some point I would have to record it. Lost Without You is a Billy Fury song – I have a soft spot for those big ‘60s R’n’B ballads. When I Was a Young Girl is a traditional song, it's been done by everyone – Nina Simone, even Feist. Sometimes, singing from a female perspective, it's interesting to change the gender – on this one I didn’t think it was that important. Q4/ You’ve now got your own band, the Yarra Benders. How did that come about? I did a two month residency at the Yarra Hotel, which is owned by Mick Thomas [ex-Weddings Parties and Anything}. He'd play bass, Gus Agars [ex-Tex Perkins] would play drums, and Mark McCartney would play guitar – I liked the sound of it. When I started putting the album together, I realised it was going to be a ‘band’ album, so I put one together. Q5/ What are your plans for the rest of the year? I'll be touring to promote the album, and going to Canada to do some folk festivals. There's talk about recording with Justin Townes Earle in Nashville; I've toured with him a few times and he’s coming to play at the Yarra Hotel – I actually live there! – so I'm going to catch up with him then.

Washington DC, Grohl delves into both DC punk (talking to Fugazi’s Ian McKaye, Bad Brains, etc) while also looking at the city’s Go-Go scene. In Nashville, the band visit the Grand Ol’ Opry and speak to Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, while in New Orleans they visit the city’s legendary Preservation Hall. Chicago spends time with Steve

Albini, as well as several blues artists. The home entertainment version features music with 5.1 audio, plus extended interviews with Barack Obama, Ian MacKaye, Dolly Parton and The Butthole Surfers' Gibby Haynes.

T he new album by The Very Best, Makes a King is truly an album of global breadth. The Swedish/Malawian duo have fashioned a truly modern release that is imbued with African influence, certainly, but also draws on reggae, harmony singing, modern pop and top of-the-line production. Johan Hugo says recording in Malawi was central to the whole project. “We found a house five hours drive from the capital (Lilongwe) in a village called M'dala Chikowa. It was an amazing experience recording there, especially Have you heard the very best ?

because the community is half Christian, half Muslim. In a world often divided between the West and the ‘other’ it was amazing to see people living in peace and harmony despite differences in religion and culture.”The album also features Vampire Weekend's Chris Baio on the track Hear Me , while Senegalese legend Baaba Maal is heard on Umasiye.

The Prodigy make a friend of the night

T he new Prodigy album The Day is My Enemy was produced mainly at night. "I was able to get more intensity out of the sessions. Half the world's asleep, weird shit happens," Liam Howlett tells STACK while on tour with Future Music Festival. The new album (originally called Halcyon Jetfighter ) was begun in 2012: but five tracks in Howlett junked it all and the band started again. The fox that features on both the album cover and in the clip for the Nasty single is a talisman of sorts. "He's a symbol of the night, doing things on his own terms." says Howlett. As

for the sound of the album, he says "It's the most violent- sounding record I've ever made –  a reaction to things that have happened in the band – mainly between me and Keith. It's our job to write a rebel soundtrack; that can only happen when

there's something to go against. Electronic music has been hijacked: there's got to be some yin and yang: this is the other end of it."

Marlon Williams is out April 24 on Caroline/Universal. He tours April 9-18.

The Day is My Enemy is out now on Cooking Vinyl/ Universal.

APRIL 2015 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.com.au

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