Musicadium Blog

For the sixth year in a row, the mighty Pyramid Rock Festival returns to bring in the New Year on Phillip Island from Tuesday 29th December 2009 until Friday 1st January 2010.

If you are an artist wishing to make a submission to play at Pyramid Rock Festival 2009 email bands@thepyramidrockfestival.com or send demos/press kits to:

Pyramid Rock Festival
PO Box 256
Inverloch, Victoria, Australia
3996

This week we are profiling Abbie Cardwell’s track from the great new Australian movie, Subdivision, produced by Freshwater Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista.

Subdivision stars fantastic Australian Actors Gary Sweet, Brooke Satchwell and Bruce Spence amongst others and premiered at the Brisbane International Film Festival.

This is the film clip for Abbie Cardwell’s song So Said Muhammad Ali, which is on the soundtrack.  The film clip features footage from the film, as well as footage of Abbie dancing in and around the same area that the film was made.

Abbie’s song So Said Muhammad Ali will be available on iTunes very soon.

Abbie Cardwell on MySpace
The Official Subdivision Website

HYPEBOT - MySpace buys iLike

HYPEBOT - MySpace disables Auto-Play (Thank God!)

TORRENTFREAK - Radiohead Leak their new track as a Torrent to MiniNova

THE GUARDIAN - Why the big 4 labels love Spotify

NEWS.COM.AU - Legal Digital Downloads to eclipse CD sales by the end of 2010

Be part of a Guinness Book of Records attempt!

Get on a recording with some of the greats and up-and-comers of Brisbane music, including Ed Kuepper, The Smokestack Orchestra, The Heroes, Tara Simmons and Asa Broomhall, and help make music history at the QUT Big Jam.

There’s still time for musicians to get their names added to the line up, which also features Mike Howlett, the bassist from cult band Gong and Grammy-winning producer who now heads QUT’s music program. The jam also features John Willsteed, former member of the Go-Betweens, The Apartments, Disgraceland, and The Riptides.

Organised by QUT’s Independent Music Project and supported by Ellaways Music, the 150-hour Big Jam will include local musicians from the 1950s to today. The jam also features regular house bands and professional recording teams in the world record attempt for longest continuous recording session with multiple artists, possibly the world’s longest jam session.

Beginning early on Monday August 31, musicians will tag-team for just over six days at the new QUT recording studio in Doggett Street before being transported in an open top vehicle with portable recording equipment to the Botanic Gardens River Stage for the finale on Sunday September 6.

The jam will conclude with massive 12 bar blues in G, before local acts The Gin Club and Intercooler take the stage in support of The Cat Empire at the free QUT and BCC organised concert at the River Stage for Brisbane 150 Come Celebrate.

Room is still available on The Big Jam timetable, but be quick. To participate, please register at email or phone Carly Dickenson on 3852 5249 cl.dickenson@qut.edu.au.

Recently, brilliant up-and-coming R’n'B star Christian Alexander signed up to Musicadium and we thought we were hearing things when he said the tracks featured American rapper Ja Rule.  But no, it wasn’t the rap fairy whispering in our ear, it’s true!  Christian’s album was produced by Ja Rule and Too Fine is the lead single from it!  Check it all out now.

The single and the album are now available on

This week, Musicadium is profiling a young artist putting his all into his music.

Dan Webb is a 19 year-old alternative rock musician on a mission, bringing the beloved board back into the limelight with his triumphant debut EP “Capitulation“.

The self-produced release was recorded and mixed with engineer Matt Voigt (Powderfinger, The Living End) at Sing Sing Recording Studios in Melbourne, and mastered by Adam Nunn (Radiohead, Franz Ferdinand) at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London.

Little more than a year out of high school, Dan has headlined iconic rock venues such as Northcote Social Club, The Tote and The Evelyn. Armed with keyboards, microphones and effects pedals, and accompanied by Josiah Bradshaw on drums and Luke Ebert on bass, Dan’s stellar set features frenetic energy and addictive tunes.

Sarah and Roxy caught up with Dan!

You’re only 19, when did you start playing music and how did you get into it?

I started learning classical piano when I was four and a half. For some reason I wanted to learn trombone, but my parents pushed me towards piano instead. I stuck with it all the way through school, and luckily I was taught by some great teachers in high school. At this point I gotta send a shout out to Michael Davis (he told me to!). Participating in school stage bands and the Kool Skools project got me thinking about the possibility of recording an EP.

You produced your EP yourself, do you see yourself producing more in the future?

Yeah, for sure! I’m planning to record another EP sometime between March and July next year, and I’ll likely be taking on that role again then. Partly cos I like to be in control of the direction of my music, but mostly cos I can’t afford anyone else!

Your music has so much energy, what can we expect from a live show?

Ah, each show has been different so far. I like to interact with the audience, and I feed off their energy. The guys in my band (Josiah Bradshaw on drums, Luke Ebert on bass) are really talented, so it allows room for improvisation. Sometimes I’ll tip my organ over, sometimes I’ll spontaneously break out with a tambourine solo. At the end of the set you can expect to be covered in sweat. Everyone has fun.

What was it like working with Matt Voigt?

I really enjoyed working with Matt, he’s a great engineer. It really helped having someone onboard with so much experience. It was also kinda fun just hanging out with him in the studio in between takes, cos he would entertain us with stories about eccentric artists he’s worked with. We also watched a fair bit of Robot Chicken together…as well as quoting South Park and discussing the state of footy teams. I’d love to work with him again!

What is your most memorable gig so far and why?

I’d have to say my EP launch at Northcote Social Club in March this year, just cos it was the culmination and celebration of so many hundreds of hours of work (I started planning the EP at the end of 2007). I went crazy on stage, and got through about six bottles of water. I was trying to play one of my keyboards with my foot at one stage. The crowd really dug it!

What have you got planned for the next 6 months?

My drummer is overseas at the moment, living it up in America. So in the meantime I’m writing some new music… and trying to pry myself away from eBay. It’s harder than it sounds!

Dan’s EP is available on right now and his tunes can be found at http://www.myspace.com/danwebbmusic!

Let me ask you this; can you think of one famous female DJ? I put this to the test and asked my fellow co-workers to see if they could. Two out of Three said Bexta and she’s no longer on the club circuit. I’m talking about the big name DJ’s like Fatboy Slim, Diplo, (he’s big in my world, he produced M.I.A’s album, DJ’s and has a side project called Major Lazer with DJ/producer Switch. Can you tell I’m a fan?), John Digweed, Carl Cox etc. Not one colleague could come up with an answer – which highlights my point: the DJ world is dominated by men.

We all know it’s extremely hard for a DJ to break into the music industry. If they do, some people like to call it luck, dj-ing somewhere at the right time, having money, or even just knowing the right people. Have you ever considered how hard it is for a female DJ to break into the scene? As one myself, I’ve had the fortunate and often unfortunate experience behind me of trying to ‘crack’ the DJ side of the music industry. As a woman.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t call myself a raging feminist. I don’t use the fact that I’m a female DJ as an excuse, it actually drives me harder. I have been dj-ing for approximately 3 years now, starting in Sydney. I still haven’t completely broken into the scene but I’m getting there. For those that do know me, they know how hard I work to get where I am today. I play everywhere I can, I’ve been rejected, people and other DJ’s have shut me down, but I’m still booking gigs because it’s my passion.

A Case Study: I saw a bulletin on Myspace about 6 months ago and this one particular venue in Brisbane were asking for new DJ’s to get in touch with them. It basically said something along the lines of ‘If you’re a new DJ looking for a gig, then get in contact with us.’ So I sent them a message straight away saying that I was interested. I didn’t have a demo at the time, so I said I would send through a set list for the time being. I know the EXACT type of music played at this venue so I spent a lot of time on my set list. Eventually I sent it through and they were really impressed. They said they generally book about 5-6 weeks in advance. I said that was fine, I just wanted to play there. We corresponded for about 6 months and they still haven’t booked me in. I even sent them a link to my demo which they liked. Maybe I’m just being paranoid but I don’t know ANY female DJ’s that have played at this particular venue. Hopefully I’ll be the first.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. In an male-dominated arena, it’s been great to see so many other female DJ’s come out from practicing in their bedrooms to playing at venues in Brisbane. Not only has there been an explosion of local talent but also internationally; La Roux, Florence + the Machine, Ladyhawke, Santogold, M.I.A etc. If you read any of the biographies, I can guarantee that they have been playing/writing music for years. These talented women are practically forcing themselves out there for everyone to hear and the response has been astounding.

I’m constantly encouraging my DJ friends to play gigs and recommend them to other promoters that are suitable. Maybe one of those girls or even myself will be on the same level as Fatboy Slim and Diplo. One day. I have faith. It’s time for a change and that change has begun.

The good news is in - there is still room for innovation and being an independent musician and getting your music to the world.

Earlier this year, we wrote about The Boxer Rebellion, an independent band from the UK, who had gone out on their own after a rocky debut release on a label.  Their digital release of their new album Union was lucky enough to score great promotion in the form of an iTunes front page tile, the free single of the week.  No money was spent on marketing.  From the single of the week promotion, the album sold an amazing 560,000 downloads in the first week.  The band had a direct deal with iTunes UK, but the single of the week tile can be achieved by any artist with a great song and great promotional material to support it.

Now, on to the good news from Behind the Music - The Boxer Rebellion boys have not bowed to the old school industry and have instead decided to keep on blazing a trail of their own.  Obviously, after they made such amazing sales, they fielded numerous offers of label deals - but turned them down.  When demands for their music started to come in from physical stores (taking a call from HMV in Canada), they were honest and thought outside of the box.  They told them that, as an independent band, they didn’t have the money to fund the volume of discs HMV were asking for.  They then cut a deal with HMV directly, where HMV funded the production of the discs for a cut of the sales and a promise of travelling to Canada to perform in-store across the country - certainly beneficial for both parties.  This quickly followed in the UK.

The takeaway message from this is that there is a lot of room for a band with good songs to rock the boat and use the industry to their advantage, not just feel down-trodden by the (old-school) systems already in place.

Follow this with Amanda Palmer’s latest twitter achievement, her planned-in-20-minutes, flash-mob sourced, ultra-cheap video of a cover of Cat Steven’s “If you want to sing out” and you have two artists really changing the face of how musicians interact with the industry they work in (around?).

The question is - how are you thinking outside the box?  The first step is understanding what is already going on in the box, so you can step out of it. Reading industry blogs and contributing to these forums as well as listening to others working in the industry will give you a great idea of what is going on and will allow you to take your own (informed) position on it.

So, start building a team of lateral thinkers around your band - who can help you blaze a new trail in the industry?  If you aren’t particularly good with the business side of the industry, who can help you with that?

Musicadium intern Julia Bridger caught brilliant Australian solo artist Georgia Potter for a brief moment in between playing with the numerous creative outfits she performs in, painting her own album cover art and teaching indigenous students in Northern Australia. A talented artist, she is also a very busy one!

1.      You’re up in Far North Queensland at the moment, what have you been doing up there?

I’m just back from my trip actually. Besides soaking up the sun and the city-free surroundings at places like Cape Tribulation, Kuranda & Laura, I made a very special trip back to my birthplace of Aurukun, which is a remote community on the West Coast of Cape York Peninsula. We hadn’t been back for a very long time, but Aurukun has been a big part of my family history.  From the stories, photos, footage & the people we’ve remained connected to, I’ve always had the spirit of the place with me, but it was time to make my own memories!  I couldn’t begin describing the depth of the experience I had there (unless you’ve got a few hours & a pot of tea brewing), but I felt very at home & left with a big smile on my face & tears in my eyes! Surely I’ll get a song out of it…

2.     You not only wrote, recorded and funded your mini-album “Living the Grey” but also designed the cover artwork. How was this whole experience? Any advice for aspiring musicians about to do the same?

It was incredibly fulfilling obviously since it was largely DIY and luckily it all came together pretty naturally. I was studying audio engineering & production at uni which gave me plenty of time to write/record and visual art is another passion of mine so that was no chore! Recording was the most difficult part of process as I started out as a beginner in the studio. My advice I guess would be to play on your strengths & passions rather than your pride.  The best thing I did for this humble release was let go of my need to prove I could do everything on my own and ask other people for their advice & opinions.

3.      Your lyrics are distinctly critical about current social problems whilst still being optimistic. If you had the power, what would you change about the world right now?

Wow tough question. I guess I would like to inject everyone with some excitement & compassion for “the world around them,” because then people would be genuinely motivated to live with integrity. Is that too idealistic? Reality related answer - I’d love to sort out some cultural understanding issues we’ve got going on, particularly in this young little country of ours.

4.     You perform regularly with Mr Laneous & the Family-Yah, Yeo & the Fresh Goods, The Cool Calm Collective and jazz duo G-Roove whilst still performing your own shows. Do you adopt different personas when performing with different groups?

Yes definitely! From my attitude to my outfits! It’s something I’m realising is a huge part of my enjoyment as a performer. Be prepared to see MUCH more of the chameleon I really am slipping in to my solo project.

5.     You work part-time with Indigenous high-school students from Cape York who study outside their community- how did you get involved with this?

My mother Elizabeth has worked in that field for a long time and together with our Cape York contacts the right people found out I was looking for work. It’s a complicated job - you never know what a day will entail, but it’s immensely rewarding and keeps my brain ticking. Plus I meet a lot of incredible young people who help keep me on my toes & inspired!

6.     Who are your major influences, musically and lyrically?

I go through a lot of different musical binges.  At the moment I’m listening to heaps of neo-soul & hiphop - Georgia Anne Muldrow (get her albums & listen from start to finish), Erykah Badu’s last album New Emerykah Part 1 & Brisbane’s own Lachlan Mitchell (aka Mr Laneous) are really lighting my fires, plus I’m also relishing in pop music too, spearheaded by the death of Michael Jackson - Rock with You is on high rotation.

7.     When can we expect to see you back on stage?

Briefly in late September at U Tribe Festival on the Sunshine Coast, and then again in the 1^st fornight of November when I take the band on the road (with a bunch of new material) to Sydney & Melbourne, and of course homecoming shows in Brisbane, the Gold Coast & Byron Bay after that. Exact dates & venue details going up on http://www.myspace.com/georgiapotter soon!

Georgia’s wonderful 7-track EP is now available on

Attention all bands and artists who would like to showcase their music and raise their acts profile!

The very talented individuals at 106! Media (who have worked with artists such as Wolfmother, Little Birdy, Silverchair and more!) have decided to officially join forces and have emerged as new uber creative force - Distant Lamb Media.

To celebrate, the guys are offering a special opening deal on affordable music videos and live sessions.

They are doing Broadcast Quality and HD web streaming quality film clips for only $1500!  If you would like to take advantage of this deal Contact Niesha on 0415 404 945 or e-mail distantlamb@gmail.com for more information.

Be sure to get in quick as their opening deal will only be available from August 31 - October 31!