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This edition of Undercover Radio’s feature album is Eric Bogle’s album Just the Funny Stuff (originally released on Laughing Stock Records in 1993 it is now available for digital download for the first time) along with a track featuring Pete Titchener on vocals from his latest album with John Munro Voices, Ngarukuruwala, The Lovetones, Michael Fix, Daniel Champagne & much more …

 

Marcus Holden

Marcus Holden

Marcus Holden’s The Brolga will be feature album on ArtSound FM this month.

Country Music Capital News’ Jodie Crosby suggests “Marcus Holden is a multi-instrumentalist with a love of many genres of music and over the years has been involved in folk, country, Celtic and classical recordings. The Brolga sees his take on some “folked up classics”. Holden re-interprets these works with an approachable, accessible and often mind-boggling intensity featuring some of Australia’s finest musicians and brings a whole new slant to some timeless works. There are some twists and turns that will surprise those familiar with the works, almost bordering on new compositions at times, but this does not distract from the musicality and may even bring new fans to the original music.

Look & listen out for Marcus Holden on ArtSound FM (Album of the week), 5GTR (Feature Album), Highland FM 107.1, Radio Eastern 98.1 Croydon, 2MCE, Sweet FM, PBS FM, Radio Adelaide Folk Show, Radio Northern Beaches, 101.5 fm and the CRN National Community Radio Folk Show, Country Roads, 94.7 FM The Pulse Community Radio, 94.7 Coral Coast Community Radio, Huon FM, Acoustic Harvest Bay fm 100.3, Edge Radio 99.3 FM, Eastside Radio, Australian Country Radio, 5EBI, 3MDR, Today’s Country 94One, 2RRR, 2VOX, 3NRG, 2AIR, Amrap Community Radio Network & in the BUNDABERG GUARDIAN.

The Brolga is OUT NOW digitally through iTunes and on CD through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order. The digital release contains an additional eighteen bonus tracks, twelve of which were composed by Marcus himself.

More Information:  Artist Page

Down by the Billabong

NGARUKURUWALA

Well respected music scribe John Shand has penned a glowing 9/10 review of Ngarukurwala’s Ngiya awungarra – I am here, now … “One of the wonders of art is its immediacy. One stares at a painting from 500 years ago or five years ago with the same eyes; one listens to Bach or Miles Davis with the same ears. This is why the current fad in our theatrical circles of feeling obliged to make classic plays “relevant” is so infuriating: they already are relevant. That is why they are classics. This wonderful project is a marrying of eras and cultures, of traditional material and non-traditional approaches, and it has been realised with such reverence and love that it is transformative even while it preserves the songs of the Tiwi people.

Many of the songs are archival recordings from between 1928 and 1975, to which instrumental textures have been added, much as one might add earrings to ears or a shine to shoes: they are still the same ears or shoes, they just glisten more. The songs tend to be gentle, with lilting melodies, and a booklet carries translations of the lyrics, some of which stop you dead in your tracks with the wonder of their observations, sentiments or philosophies. God is sitting in the bush, for instance, a 1972 recording featuring the voice of Tungwarinawayi Daniel Paujimi, has the lines “God is sitting there in the bush / is part of the bush.”

Besides the archival recordings the voices of the Tiwi Strong Women’s Group are heard, alongside a collection of high-calibre classical and jazz musicians under the direction of horn-player Genevieve Campbell. The upshot is a triumph however you look at it: conceptually, artistically, morally and in terms of enlightenment. A truly beautiful project.”

The album was also featured in the seminal world music magazine Songlines with Seth Jordan in a four star review suggesting “This intriguing Australian project initiated by French horn player-academic Genevieve Campbell, brings together the traditional Tiwi Strong Women’s Group with jazz-classical musicians from ‘down south’.

The results vary from being delicately beautiful to experimentally bizarre, unadorned indigenous vocals blending with minimalist strings, brass, woodwinds, double bass and drums, creating fascinating ethno-classical-jazz hybrids.”

Ngiya awungarra – I am here, now was featured as Fine Music FM’s ‘CD of the week’ during NAIDOC week.

For registered AirIt Radio Users two more songs from the album are available on Amrap's AirIt catalogue.

Yamparriparri | Healing Song for CM

It’s no surprise then that Ngarukuruwala are a Finalist in the 2017 Art Music Awards’ Award for Excellence in a Regional Area. The 2017 Art Music Awards will be held on Tuesday 22 August at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.

For fans of Gurrumul, Archie Roach & Mandawuy Yunupingu, Ngiya awungarra – I am here, now (RRR75) is OUT NOW digitally through iTunes and on CD through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order.

For more information/interview requests:
Email | YouTube | Artists Page | Spotify| Facebook | iTunes | SoundCloud


Down by the Billabong

DEAD MEN TALKING


Henry Lawson, the great poet and storyteller was born in 1867 and Max Cullen and Warren Fahey are back as Henry and Banjo in their musical play 'Dead Men Talking'. The play has been a wonderful success and this is their third Sydney season. (Source: Warren Fahey’s Bodgie Newsletter -27)

Click here for Booking Info

The Rouseabout Records releases of Dead Men Talking are available on CD (RRR67) & DVD (RRR70) through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order. They’re heavenly!

More Information:  Album Page

Eric Bogle

Eric Bogle

As Capital News’ Anna Rose suggests “Without doubt, Eric Bogle and John Munro are one of the most successful musical partnerships in recent history. Their latest CD Voices is a great salute to that classic combination.”

Eric Bogle performed with John Munro at the National Celtic Festival in June. Pete Titchener who recorded & produced Voices as well as contributing the song ‘Farewell Fitness’ joined them on bass.

Eric returns to the stage for the Maldon Folk Festival in November.

Voices is OUT NOW digitally through iTunes and on CD through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order.

Eric Bogle’s Just the funny stuff first released on Laughing Stock Records in 1993 has been re-issued for the first time digitally on Rouseabout Records and is now available to download through iTunes and stream through Spotify & Apple Music. The album features ‘Santa Bloody Claus’ plus 15 other comedy classics including ‘I Hate Wogs’, ‘Aussie Bar B Q’ & ‘Nobody’s Moggy Now’.

More Information:  Artist Page

Michael Fix, Daniel Champagne & Peter Hicks

MICHAEL FIX

At a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to make a living out of the music industry, three-times Golden Guitar-winning guitarist Michael Fix is bucking the trend.

I’ve never been busier. Ask me what my job is these days, and I’d probably answere’ juggler’ he said.

“Being an independent artist these days requires you to be a composer, performer, booking agent, tour manager, retailer, promoter, webmaster and even graphic artist.

And that’s just my own stuff – at any given time I could be working on two or three other projects, producing, engineering and editing.”

To view the entire Country Music Capital News feature by Susan Jarvis click here.

Michael Fix has contributed three tracks for the Rouseabout Records Down by the Billabong (Acoustic guitar arrangements of Australian folk songs and bush tunes) (RRR69) compilation which is available digitally through iTunes and on CD through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order. You can also stream the album on Spotify or iTunes

Michael Fix, Daniel Champagne & Peter Hicks

Daniel Champagne

The 9th Perisher Peak Festival held from from 9 - 12 June 2017 was a HUGE success. Acts on the bill included Fred Smith, Jason Roweth (co-producer of Jim Low’s albums on Rouseabout Records), REMI, Sampa The Great and Daniel Champagne is featured on Down by the Billabong (Acoustic guitar arrangements of Australian folk songs and bush tunes) (RRR69) along with the crème de la crème of Australian guitar players including the aforementioned Michael Fix (Spotify and Itunes). Champagne who also recently graced the stage at Leadbelly in Newtown exudes a natural ease on stage as he sings poignant lyrics and beautifully crafted melodies…

Down by the Billabong (Acoustic guitar arrangements of Australian folk songs and bush tunes) (RRR69) is available digitally through iTunes and on CD through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order

Michael Fix, Daniel Champagne & Peter Hicks

GARY SHEARSTON & CATHIE O’SULLIVAN

Gary Shearston’s ‘Witnessing’ from his Here & There, Now & Then (RRR41) anthology & Cathie O’Sullivan’s ‘The Orange Tree’ from Silly Winds (RRR66) feature on a new compilation Follow The Sun.

Follow The Sun compiles twenty cuts dug from dusty bins by Mikey Young (Total Control, Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and Keith Abrahamsson (Founder / Head of A&R at Anthology Recordings and Mexican Summer) surveying the sought after sound of Australia’s lesser — and greater — known moments of ‘70s rock, folk, and their in-between offspring. Follow The Sun filters the sublime and sometimes subversive psychedelic airwaves transmitted around the world from America’s terrestrial platforms during the golden age of gentle, exploratory FM through a distinctly Australian lens.

Independent labels and recording studios proliferated across Australia during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, while major labels simultaneously scoured the furthest reaching corners of the continent to foster new approaches in making music. With both indies and majors ultimately compelled to uncover the almighty single, the fringe was frequently explored for “crossover” sounds. This engendered a creative freedom amongst artists that mirrored the open-ended mood of the times. Anything was possible.

Follow The Sun does not represent those Australian acts who produced a number one single leading to international fame and fortune. Some of the artists on the compilation never even made the local hit parade. But the fact that many of these artists didn’t enjoy chart success is secondary; these artists represent the consciousness of their time. As radio perpetrated pop fodder trodding the middle ground to ensure maximum advertising, the artists on this album chronicled the times in their own unique ways.

Beyond sharing a penchant for pop and its many shades, creating common ideals or setting a narrative around the artists featured on Follow The Sun is a tall task and tale. After all, Australia is a huge country, nay continent. The scuffed shuffle of Mata Hari’s “Easy” drastically contrasts the loner vibes of Gary Shearston’s “Witnessing,” while Megan Sue Hicks “Hey, Can You Come Out And Play” hypnotizes a la Shocking Blue and Trevor McNamara’s “Country Corn” spins out like a rural Skip Spence tune. Hailing from distant, disparate cities across the wide Australian map, each of these artists represent distinct, different forms of pop music.

The expansive double LP set features an earnest essay from Young, unseen photos and ephemera of the time, and a gaggle of “badly drawn idiots” ideated from the wonderfully weird mind of James Vinciguerra. Follow The Sun is available May 5, 2017 from Anthology.

From Young’s essay: “Maybe I inject some vision of a simpler more self-contained, innocent Australia in the way I hear this music. A ‘pre-Crocodile Dundee, Koala Blue, Ken Done’ Australia where in my yet-to-be-born head it seems that the rest of the world was less concerned about us and we were less aware of it. Our culture could operate in its own little bubble a lot easier than it does now and will again. I don’t idealise these as the ‘good times.’ Those kind of bubbles also create closed minds and shitty attitudes, but some great music is made when it’s restricted to its own small universe.”

Outpost


lovtones

The Lovetones

Exciting news filtering through the Undercover Music office is Australia’s finest purveyors of psychedelic pop The Lovetones are working on their first studio album since 2010’s Lost. We can’t wait to hear some mixes.

In the meantime The Lovetones’ classic debut single ‘Give It All I Can’ will feature in Top of the Lake Season 2: China Girl on Foxtel.

CODA

Danny Spooner

Sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of singer, social historian and all-round great bloke Danny Spooner who died on Friday March 3.

Professor Graham Seal, Curtin University and convenor of the Australian Folklore Network said “Danny was a leading light of the Australian folk revival from the beginning. His singing, humour and generosity were known to audiences around the country and around the world.”

Peter Dawson added “Danny’s light has gone out and much of his knowledge of folklore and song with him. However his memory will live on in his recordings and in the hearts and minds of all who knew him or heard him sing.” (Source: Trad & Now Issue 121)

Danny had a long and productive career as a folksinger. He was in great demand around Australia and overseas, as a performer of traditional and working class songs from England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia.

Accompanied by concertina, Danny sang of farm labourers, poachers, mariners, union martyrs and miners. He did not simply perform the songs — that would be too much like exploiting them. His aim was to help preserve them. When he introduced a song it was clear that he had great respect for the tradition in which he fitted and that he had done extensive research into the song's provenance and historical background.

Unlike many musicians for whom music is an interesting diversion, Danny devoted his life to singing and thought long and hard about what his role entailed.

One aspect of Danny's philosophy was that who he was not important. The songs were important because of how they recorded aspects of working class life which mainstream histories might neglect. If you asked Danny how he chose which songs to perform, he would say that the songs chose him. He regarded this as a great privilege.

Danny believed the past is all around us and with us still.

He also believed that people who care about folk music are special. He said most folkies walk lightly on the earth. They live simply that others might live and care for the natural environment.

He found folkies to be egalitarian rather than elitist. They do not judge people by the size of their bank accounts but by what is in their hearts. They are open minded rather than prejudiced. They respect people of diverse cultural backgrounds. They appreciate and celebrate rather than merely tolerating differences.

Danny had a special way of calling you 'Shipmate'. This was more than a simple attribution of mateship. It reminded us that we are all shipmates and that we are all in this together, on space ship earth, on the journey of life.

Danny Spooner is survived by his loving partner Gael who ensured he could keep singing until days before his death. Also by the many friends who supported him when it became necessary. They were only too pleased to give a little back to a man who had given them so much and whose example will continue to give. Sergei Rachmaninov said 'Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music'. Danny breathed life into so many songs and as long as they are sung he will be there.
(Source: A life in song for the working class by Tony Smith)

Danny Spooner’s ‘Bring Out The Banners’ is featured on Stand Up & Shout (Hard-hitting songs for social change and a new Australia) (RRR43) which is available digitally through iTunes and on CD through MGM Distribution or directly from Undercover Music via mail order.

lovtones

Around The Block

Hunter Page-Lochard Powers Up As Australia's Most Groundbreaking Superhero.

With the second season of Indigenous sci-fi smash hit Cleverman now on air, the show's star, Hunter Page-Lochard, who was introduced to our screens in AROUND THE BLOCK talks to TheMusic.com.au’s Guy Davis about being Australia's most groundbreaking superhero.

Anyone who has followed a superhero's journey on the page or on the screen knows that while the origin story is necessary and interesting, it's once the hero starts to understand the full extent of their powers and how they can be best used that things start really gathering speed.

Such is the case with the second season of ABC's ground-breaking series Cleverman, which blends together ancient Aboriginal mythology and a dystopian near-future to tell a story that's relevant, insightful and exciting.
The emergence of a superhuman race known as the 'Hairypeople', who've existed in the shadows for thousands of years, leads to an oppressive crackdown by the powers that be, but it also leads to young Koen West, played by Hunter Page-Lochard, inheriting the supernatural powers of the 'Cleverman', an entity with the ability not only to defend the persecuted but bring together warring factions.

The first six-episode season of the series saw Koen initially denying his Cleverman gift before finally embracing it. The new season, premiering 28 Jun, has him exploring just what the gift means to him and his people as the brutal, government-run Containment Authority continues its subjugation of the Hairypeople and their allies.

"It was a beautiful challenge," Page-Lochard, the son of Stephen Page, artistic director of the acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre, says of this new direction.
"I didn't find Koen hard to portray in the first season but what he was going through was something that many people could be familiar with - he's someone who is self-centred, someone with skeletons in his closet and demons in his history that he doesn't want to face. And then all of a sudden, he steps up to face them.

"In the second season, I knew I was going with Koen having faced all that, so now it's about understanding what he's got and how he uses it. There's a greater definition of his moral compass this season, which I really enjoyed playing - you know, I not only get to indulge my fanboy by doing fight scenes and stuff but my subtext is 'With great power comes great responsibility'? That is awesome! I'm Spider-Man!"

The way Page-Lochard sees it, Cleverman is a vivid illustration of Aboriginal culture, one that expresses a great deal, but it also taps into something universal.

"We get an understanding of what Koen's powers are halfway through the season - we see him using the powers of the Cleverman but we don't yet know what they mean and how they're supposed to be used," he says.
"The beautiful thing about that is it expresses a lot about culture - what's within our Aboriginal culture, sure, but it's also something that's within the world's culture, within human identity. It's a coming of age, a finding of yourself, and a use of your gifts in a way that's good for the world around you but also good for your own self, your own spirit.

"But we're also only just scratching the surface, and there's so much in our culture that we're not even allowed to express, which is something that's in a lot of cultures - deeper stories, deeper aspects of folklore. It's not because you're trying to hide something, it's because it's not for them. It's about keeping things sacred to yourself and allowing yourself to express them in a way that you want to. So being able to express it full-stop is amazing. I feel like the right people saw season one of Cleverman and appreciated it, and now with season two I feel like more people will be boarding that train."

Cleverman returned 9.30pm, 29 Jun on ABC. Source: www.themusic.com.au

Read the full article.

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Eric Bogle

  1. 1. Friday 3rd November – Monday 6th November, Maldon Folk Festival (VIC)

DEAD MEN TALKING

  1. Saturday 8th July, Sutherland School of Arts, NSW 2pm (sold out)
  2. Saturday 8th July, Sutherland School of Arts, NSW 6.30pm (second show)
  3. Sunday 9th July, Como School of Arts, NSW (8pm)
  4. Sunday 6th August, Petersham Bowling Club, NSW (6pm)
  5. Monday 7th August, Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, NSW (6.30pm)
  6. Tuesday 8th August, Blood Moon Theatre, Kings Cross, NSW (6.30pm)
  7. Wednesday 9th August, Blood Moon Theatre, Kings Cross, NSW (6.30pm)
  8. Thursday 10th August, Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, NSW (2pm)
  9. Thursday 10th August, Blood Moon Theatre, Kings Cross, NSW (7pm)
  10. Friday 11th August, Blood Moon Theatre, Kings Cross, NSW (7pm)
  11. Saturday 12th August, Blood Moon Theatre, Kings Cross, NSW (2pm)
  12. Saturday 12th August, Blood Moon Theatre, Kings Cross, NSW (7pm)