History Lesson: Dan Rumour and the Drift

Dan Rumour and the Drift

Original video located here. Accessed 14th June 2010

For those not in the know, Dan Rumour was the lead guitarist in seminal Australian rock band The Cruel Sea. For some years I have had an interest in the Cruel Sea, drawn to them buy the guitar work, the fantastic musicianship, the ability to take the listener’s mind away to places, and being able to provide the ultimate soundtrack for a summer’s day (whether spent chilling out or not). That being said I often found their instrumentals more interesting than Tex Perkins (sorry ladies). So when I heard that Dan was releasing an album made up exclusively of instrumentals, I quickly sought it out. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed. Like the Dirty Three, this is a shining example of how an instrumental can say more than any song with lyrics and also represents, for me, a sign of how my tastes in music is maturing.

Key Album: Dan Rumour and the Drift (2007). This album came out at an important moment in my life: I’d got my driver’s license, I got my very first car and I was learning to live by myself. Thus, I will always remember going for a spin in my beloved Spike-mobile, the summer sun shining high and the gliding guitar taking my every step of the way. It’s a still a pleasure hearing it now even though every time I do I feel like dropping everything and heading for the beach (not easy to do when one now lives in Melbourne).

History Lesson: The Go-Betweens

The Go-Betweens

Original video located here. Accessed 8th August 2026

And with the arrival of 2006 (a ‘bad’ year) a new phase in my life came with it. In this case it was the commencement of a gamer geek phase. Yes, 2006 was the year I got off my arse and did something I’ve been wanting to do for a while: Buy a Sony Playstation. This gave me long hours of entertainment, became a talking point among friends and even helped in social situations. Why I remember bringing along my PS2 to a LAN and it getting a lot of usage through Soul Calibur 3 matches. All of this has nothing to do with the Go-Betweens but it does say a lot about what I was feeling in 2006: It was a time of pure elation. A number of things were going my way and a lot of the Go-Betweens’ music represented that fact. Once again, going into the Go-Betweens felt like natural extension from my years of interest in punk music. But here, what appealed were superb songs with deeply romantic themes, some great guitar interplay and a very sunny disposition. Indeed, it certainly came as a sweet relief during the frustration of unemployment.

Key Album: 16 Lovers Lane (1988) Widely regarded as their greatest album. What was been said about 16 Lovers Lane that hasn't been said before? Well, for me I started listening to it the same time I was involved in my first true romance with a woman named Red. Thus 16 Lovers Lane became pretty much the soundtrack to the entire relationship - from the joy of Love Goes On! to it's conclusion with Dive For Your Memory. Indeed, I recall listening to the latter many times after the romance ended with the knowledge that Robert Forster sung like he understood everything.

History Lesson: Stone Roses

The Stone Roses

Original video located here. Accessed 7th June 2010

2005 was a year of changes: My phase as an anime geek was coming to it’s conclusion, I made a long-lasting friendship with fellow writer/Games Workshop nut called Andy, and I went back to University to study a post-graduate course. During this phase, it was perhaps fitting that I listened to the same kind of Britpop I was into when I originally started University. But in this case it was reaching into it’s roots (in a sign perhaps of everything coming full circle?). And for me, the Stone Roses represent those changes and taking a step into the real world. Indeed, it was that time when I had made some serious considerations towards my future and worked to get there.

Key Album: Stone Roses (1989) That’s the joy with bands that release one good album: That’s pretty much all you need. The best thing about this album, I’ve found, is in its instrumental prowess. Indeed, this represents everything I have liked, and picked up, about musicianship. It has a bass that’s constantly pushed to the front, it has a talented guitarist in the form of John Squire and it has an equally talented, not to mention spontaneous, drummer with Reni. Indeed, this philosophy is best represented in that stunning epic closer I Am the Resurrection (listen to it and you’ll understand). Again, I consider this album essential listening for spending a nice summer day outside, whether it be in the car or going to the beach.

History Lesson: Masterplan

Masterplan

Original video located here. Accessed 21st April 2010

In this life I will not be confined to just one interest: I want to experience as many things as I possibly can in my time. Thus I have been many things and have been involved with many things that have been outlets to satisfy my varied interests. I make it a point to let these individual interests succeed as separate entities and not try and mix them up. That being said, being in the middle of an anime geek phase does not mean that anime music influenced my tastes in ‘normal’ music. There was one exception however and Masterplan was it.

Masterplan are a power metal band from Germany whose (English) lyrics deal with (mostly) uplifting themes. So how did an anime geek became aware of them? Well, their best known song, Spirit Never Dies, used for a fan-made music video. Although the video was stunning by itself, I was taken by the music and how it exhibited a sense of motivation and inspiration I have not in any metal band whatsoever. Considering this was married with the power and energy from metal, this was a shot in the arm. It made me want to go out and do things. Thus, it became a major source of motivation and inspiration in 2005 when I went back to University to study post-graduate. More significantly, when I conquered my personal demons (chronicled in essay no.2), I listened to this album, with it’s lyrical themes and punching music, constantly afterward. Really, I can’t explain the emotional weight in singing each and every word to Spirit Never Dies like you mean it.

Key Album: Masterplan (2003) This is the sound of five musicians, each from other metal bands, having the time of their lives. This, along with the lyrics, have always struck me as the most significant thing about this album. Like the Dirty Three I use this album as an antidote to the whinging emo bands around (who avoid a sense of well-being like the plague). Also, it shows a degree of experimentalism metal bands rarely show and plays up on keyboards (which are usually disregarded by metal bands). Additionally, I have fond memories of singing the words to this album with my best friend Sammi.

History Lesson: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Original video located here. Accessed 2nd June 2010

Like most people I first became aware of Nick Cave through his Murder Ballads period – or to be specific, his collaboration with Kylie Minogue, Where the Wild Roses Grow. Stumbling upon, I was freaked out about hearing this disturbing tale of a romance ending with the woman being bludgeoned to death. Since then, it has been difficult to listen to and, as such, it took me a while before I could take that man with the scary voice seriously.

For me, Nick Cave will forever represent a time in 2004: I was out of Uni and into the fun world of unemployment. I'm not sure why I picked his Best Of compilation disc but in retrospect it certainly seemed a good time to as he delivered the superb Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus later that year. Musically, Nick succeeds with his understanding of punk and the blues, his use of my old friend atmospherics (particularly on Tupelo), his willingness to try new things beyond the basic formula, his talent of creating something resembling total utter chaos (The Mercy Seat) and his ability to do something different with each album. He also has the benefit of being surrounded by talented musicians in the form of the Bad Seeds. Likewise, lyrically Nick sets a standard few can touch. He understands the power of an opening line, he can construct a compelling narrative, he populates his songs with the most colourful of characters and he incorporates the blackest of humour. But for me Nick succeeds on his love songs. Some of them convey so much emotion that they are staggering. Beautiful, intimate and jaw-dropping – Nick’s romance songs does all of these. And as a poet, one who’s always told his strengths lie in HIS romantic material, I take my hat off to Mr. Cave. Best of all, whereas other artists in their fifties tend to slow down, Nick is instead cranking it up a notch.

Key Album: the Boatman’s Call (1997) That’s the problem with prolific artists: they have released so many albums it’s hard to choose one. Yet whilst Tender Prey, Let Love In, Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus and Dig Lazarus Dig!!! are all excellent albums in their own right, I have decided to go with the Boatman’s Call. Whilst many die-hards loathe this album, I instead feel it best represents Nick’s ability to craft the finest of love songs. Also intriguing is Nick singing about such personal matters without flinching. And so I give Nick his due for few can write the persona of a broken-hearted man convincingly. Fewer still can do it without the audience yelling: “Get over it!”

History Lesson: Ed Kuepper

Ed Kuepper

Original video located here. Accessed 31st May 2010

2002 heralded the commencement of my anime geek phase. At this time, my tastes in music expanded into unknown, and unlikely, territories. It may seem a bit odd that I started listening to anime soundtracks at this time but I was actually surprised by the usage of genre and the ability to create snappy and memorable tunes. But whilst new frontiers were begin forged that’s not to say my attention was directed in that direction. For 2002 was also the year I started listening to Australian Rock icon Ed Kuepper.

It is indeed a shame that Ed never really got anywhere further beyond being a Triple J favourite. Lord only knows why. The strength in Ed’s music is his ability to write a song based on a simple chord progression and adding all types of layers on top. Also noteworthy is his use of muscular drumming and some killer guitar work. Indeed listening to Ed Kuepper feels like a natural progression from my interest in both The Cure and Midnight Oil. But what makes Ed in a class of his own is his willingness to try something new with each album and his guitar work: Acoustically, he tries some of the most unorthodox methods and tricks. Electric, he roars like nothing else.

Key Album: Honey Steel’s Gold (1991) I’ve already described Ed’s strengths and this album, on his best, really encapsulates them all. I love the fact that he has the balls to have a multi-layered opener that lasts for ten minutes (!), the atmospherics used throughout, the stunning guitar work and, of course, his signature song The Way I Made You Feel.

Choon of the Month: Time to Wander

Original video located here. Accessed 28th May 2010

Song title: Time to Wander

Artist: Gypsy and the Cat

Year: 2010

Why I like this song:

Listening to this, I get some major MGMT vibes. I guess that happens: one act gets successful and a whole of soundalikes emerge in their wake.
But who cares? This is great! The synths are great and it gives the vibe of going of on a journey (hence the title). And if said journey sounds this fun then who wouldn't want to head out into the unknown?