Adelaide, Australia
I know I've said this in the past, but Adelaide quite honestly has the best and most diverse music scene in all of Australia... Unfortunately it's only for a few to see because no one but Adelaide people actually go there.
Well I lied on the last point, I mean the second last point the Sandwich Club shows has bought many great Adelaide bands up to Sydney town: Poly & The Statics (RIP), The City Riots, Fire Santa Rosa Fire, Morals of A Minor, (almost Wolf & Cub) and hopefully another one in Femme Fatales.
An interesting mash up of sounds here... On first listen very much electro but then I settled on something like progressive electro Wolf & Cub or something. Terrible I know but it is Friday!
Anyway I like what these guys are doing so I'm keeping an ear out to see how they progress...

Our newest Sandwich Maker, Slink, enters the canteen munching on a turkey roll and throwing a mouthful of questions (and turkey) at Mike Selwyn from Sydney band, The Shake Up...

So, who is in the band and what do you do?
Miles plays guitar & sings, Daniel plays bass & sings harmonies, Tim hits the drums!

How long have you been a band and how did you get together?
Just over 2 years, but only 4 months with our new drummer, Tim. I met Daniel through a mutual friend (also named Daniel!) and I basically chased him for a year or so to try and get a band together. After parting ways with our previous drummer, we hooked up with Tim through our good friends Brooke & Shane from a fine, yet-now-defunct, band called The Light Brigade.

How did the name The Shake up come about?
The name was Daniel's idea, as he saw the music we're playing and the way we play it akin to giving someone a good shake. If I could quote Stewie from Family Guy: "That's it, shake me like a British nanny!"

What sound has The Shake Up gone for on your recent EP Socio Politico, and how was working with Wayne Connolly?
We went with a very raw, live sound approach, with minimal takes and overdubs. A few have even suggested it sounds like a "live on radio" recording. Wayne was great, very enthusiastic about the tunes! I caught him having a boogie every now and then while I was laying down my vocals.

Your first single "What Are You Worried About?" speaks of disregarding laws and questions... Is this EP a social commentary on Australian life as you see it, and as the title may suggest?
All the songs on the EP are based on the interactions, both positive & negative, I've had with family, friends, and in some cases, the law...

If you could play a gig with any 3 bands in the world, who would it be?
Buzzcocks, The Stooges & Art Brut

Where has your funniest gig been played? And how much of Australia have you seen so far?
Funniest by far would be the 2am free gig we played at Pony in Melbourne, the most eclectic group of punters we've seen yet, and probably the drunkest. We've done as far up as Brisbane and as low as Melbourne. We hope to stretch out to Adelaide and Perth soon and fill in all the regional gaps along the way, Tassie will get a taste too.

What are the bands plans for the rest of 2007?
We're planning the "Punk Du Jour" tour to take place around Nov/Dec which will feature a number of bands we've wanted to play with for quite some time now, and hit as many towns as possible. We'll kick start the recording of our album off the back of this.

If you all could choose a topping for one Sandwich, what would the end result be?
Tasty

MP3: The Shake Up - What Are You Worried About?
myspace - next gig is in Sydney, this Friday @ Spectrum (EP Launch!!)

Brooklyn, New York
I know most of our focus lies well embedded in the Australian music scene here at SClub, but every now and then something worthy pops up from across the sea that must be written about. Well many of you may have heard by now, but the Beastie Boys are set to release their 7th full studio album and well, it's a little different. Entirely instrumental with no vox that the group are so famous for. It really is a far cry from the normal Beasties but surprisingly good. Loads of Bossa beats and funk. Don't expect to be pulling this record out at 3am, more like 3pm lying on the beach with a Tequila Sunrise in hand. Long live the Beasties!

MP3: Beastie Boys - Electric Worm
buy album

and take a wild guess where this video was filmed... I think the Telstra phone booth gives it away

Video: Beastie Boys - The Rat Cage (Link)

I love this band. Plain and simple. Their song-writing reminds me of other great Melbourne based acts such as Architecture In Helsinki and Art Of Fighting. Maybe there's something in the Yarra? Perhaps it's because all their band names begin with the first letter of the alphabet? Whatever it is, there's a feeling that lifts my heart up a notch or two when i immerse myself in their tunes.

Chanelle Afford and Stefan Simunic have been writing together for sometime after growing up in the same neighbourhood in Sydney. The release of their debut album Keep Walking or I'll Kill You, through Half A Cow Records, marks a step forward for the band which, despite the wicked title, was apparently born of love. And it's love that I feel... Amidst the sonic wash of acoustic guitar, piano and mandolin, there are sweetly rising melodies that capture the essence of what this band is all about; simple compositions and arrangements weaving perfectly imperfect little embroideries.

I recently had the pleasure of seeing this band in Melbourne and was more than impressed with their full compliment featuring two extra members on a mix of violin, glockenspiel and mandolin. I advise all who can to make it to their Sydney launch this Saturday 25th August @ The Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills.

Newcastle, Australia
I had no idea who The Seabellies were before VFest earlier this year. In fact, I don't think many people did. It was intrigue more than anything that made me watch these guys.. How did this band slip under the radar and manage to hook up an appearance at Virgin's monster festival? Well they did, and well done Mr Branson. I have been a fan ever since.
As such, we've been trying to hook up a show with these guys for many, many months and finally, yes finally our dates matched and they're in. Personally, my favourite band on the bill this Friday night so if you're coming, don't be late...

MP3: The Seabellies - Drain The Lake
myspace

Sydney, Australia
It's been a good 20 years since the likes of Van Halen, Aerosmith and Def Leppard were actually awesome. Tight leather pants, shirts off, battle axe guitars and boofy hair that even Bob Marley would cringe to. And then, out of a trance, the world woke up, or they got old... Nevertheless, eighties rock became as cool as this guy.
No one told Roger Explosion, or they just chose to ignore it, but like ripples from the past, they picked up their hair spray and battle axes and played.. the rock gods smiled and blessed them with 12 fingers to shred. Let there be glam rock, again..

MP3: Roger Explosion - Take A Photo of Me
myspace

Playing at the Sandwich Club this Friday...

Brisbane, Australia
Yves Klein Blue head to Sydney for a short tour this week. Being one of our favourite bands, we took some time out to ask them stuff about things and things about stuff and all that...

So tell us, who's in the band, what do you do?
Michael Tomlinson - vocals rhythm guitar and limited piano.
Charles Sale - lead guitar and also some piano.
Chris Banham - drums.
Sean Cook - bass.

How long have you been together?
1 year.

What are your main influences in your sound?
The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, CCR, Television, The Strokes, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Big Star, Beatles, Pixies, Various blues bands like Led Zeppelin and BB King and Muddy Waters etc.

Yves Klein Blue? How did the name come about?
There was an eccentric French artist called Yves Klein who with the help of chemists developed a medium called International Klein Blue is a colour of blue which looks the same dry as it does wet. It has this quality because its pure blue pigment suspended in synthetic resin - the resin dries but the pigment never touches the air so it never oxidizes. He did a whole serious of sculptures and paiting with it, most famously anthropometries, which were paintings he made by directing naked models covered in paint to drag themselves across large canvases.

You won the MTV kickstart competition some months ago, how do you compare the band pre-kickstart and after?
The band is much the same except we get more gigs now.

What do you forsee for the band for the rest of 2007? Are there any plans for recordings, videos etc?
Well we recorded a new ep with the money we got from the competition, and we're hoping to get that out later in the year, not for a couple of months though realistically. And we have a video, its on MTV sometimes and one day we'll work out how to put it on the internet..if we are legally allowed to do that. Other than that we'll just be traipsing up and down the countryside in my dented people mover hopefully supporting The Killers or The Police on their respective world tour.

You've been touring Sydney a lot, how does it compare to the scene in Brisbane?
its really cool we love to come to Sydney - its like some kind of wonderful holiday. Its strange to - in Brisbane there is really only one place to play/go out and that's the valley, but Sydney has millions of different bars that are cool to play and depending on who you ask they'll tell you a different place... except everyone says that the sandwich club is awesome) (good brownie points there). And there are all these hotels which look exactly the same and I'll say like "hey -lets stop in here for a drink" and all the people from Sydney will be like "nah, that bar is for losers, ill take you to a cool place". So then we all walk for like 10 or 15 blocks and we arrive at the cool bar and it looks EXACTLY like the uncool bar and there are the same number of poker machines and the same beer on tap and it costs the same...BUT SOMEHOW ITS COOLER! I don't understand it. I guess we are small town folk.

As far as the actual music scene goes - you guys have way more bands in your town, and they all seem to influence each other, which is different to Brisbane as bands up here tend to be less influenced by their peers. That's cool because then real "scenes" develop, as opposed to Brisbane which is a lot more insular. Everyone is really nice though - we are big fans of Fait Accompli, Goons of Doom, Talons, Tokyo Blonde. Also I heard that band Ghostwood recently, I think those guys are pretty cool.

What are you guys listening to at the moment?
The John Steel Singers, The Police, The Band, Dungen, Bruce Springsteen, The Killers, Kings of Leon, Toots and the Maytals, The Cars, CCR, Artic Monkeys, Sarah Blasko, Gotye.

If you could choose your ideal band, who would you have play and why?
uhhh...just the guys who are already in the band...and that genie who has the never ending pack of tim tams. and a big gay bear dressed all in leather with a massive angle grinder

White, multigrain or brown?
MULTIGRAIN! As the black guy from the shining said, you gots to be regular to be happy..

MP3: Yves Klein Blue - Polka
MP3: Yves Klein Blue - Silence Is Distance
myspace

Sydney Tour Dates:
Wednesday 22nd August - Pet Cemetery @ Flinder Bars, Surry Hills (Free)
Thursday 23rd August - Candy's Apartment, Kings Cross
Friday 24th August - MUM @ World Bar, Kings Cross

If you've been to an indie-pop show in Sydney recently then chances are you've run into the delightful boys from The Small Hours, no, not the UK mod-rock outfit circa 1979, the four-piece collective from the south-west of Sydney. Despite the fact they are still all in their tender teenage years, The Small Hours are penning songs that suggest a real maturity and incisiveness to their sound.

Reminiscent of Pavement, My Bloody Valentine and local favourites Dappled Cities (Fly?), their use of sweeping analogue synth sounds, innovative melodic lines and interweaving rhythmic ideas makes for an overall transcendental experience. After each song had finished I found myself strangely aware that I must have been staring into space for the past 4 minutes, captivated from start to finish.

They currently have a demo disc that is available at their shows aptly named "Pieces". I suggest you do yourself a favour and grab a copy, perhaps at their next gig, supporting The Lovetones and Belles Will Ring, September 6 at The Hopetoun.

The band also host their own blog, Moral Slush, which is updated with tour blogs, photos and general good times.

Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania
The first lineup for the Falls Festival has just been announced and it's looking pretty darn tight:
Kings of Leon, Groove Armada, Paul Kelly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Waifs, Gotye, Built To Spill, Jose Gonzalez, The Go! Team, Blackalicious, The Mess Hall, Girl Talk, Kev Carmody, Whiskey Go Go's & Neville Staple's Specials

I was giving it a miss this year but I am going to have to reconsider...

This year over 80% of tickets will be to subscribers only who can obtain their tickets hassle free if they are picked by ballot - yes, no stickmen getting bumped left and right out of queues.
Tickets on sale 9am September 10th from the website: www.fallsfestival.com
Subscribe at the website

Sydney, Australia
You may have noticed the club has been deserted and desolate for the longest period in our history. Well time to reawaken the beast and although you may see a few changes round here, the spirit of the everlasting kebab remains and SClub is here to stay.
So to kick things off, a band I saw some weeks ago at the Sydney mecca of music that is MUM, World Bar.
The Shake Up were actually playing the support slot but anyone in that room during that set could have thought otherwise. Tight, snappy, rock 'n roll was filling the bar and they had the whole crowd swaying in chaotic unison (actually I was probably drunk). Although I'd heard about them before, I never imagined them to be that good. Great entertainers and a very tight set. This three-piece is a band to check out during the latter half of the year.