Al's Music Rant: Fear Of A Blog Planet @ Melbourne Fringe 2013

Nowadays musicians are mostly annoyed, annoying, or cheating on their partners (except Beyoncé and Paul Dempsey); less art - more ‘being kewl’ and ‘making bank’. 

But perhaps it’s not their fault. Maybe they’re a product of their environment. Human iPod, cultural satirist, and music journo Al Newstead is a product of his, and he’s ready to blow the whistle/drop the bass on the industry's absurdities once more. 

Returning for a third outing after two critically acclaimed shows, Al now shares his all-singing, all-stand-upping brand of comedy edutainment with a mysterious co-conspirator. The Oates to his Hall or the Yoko to his Lennon? 

Anna O'Bryan makes Al's Music Rant 100% more female, which is an oppressive way of saying she's going to bring as much wisdom and wizardry where it is (sorely) lacking. 

One thing's certain: intelligent wit and knowledgeable silliness in a multimedia experience that’ll have you rethink your stance on popular music. 

Bookings and info at: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au
When: Sep 18th - 28th, 2013 (except Wed 25th) 
             9.30pm (Sun 8.30pm), 55min 
Where: Tuxedo Cat - The Urchin, 17-23 Wills St

Tickets:
Full Price: $20.00 
Concession: $15.00 
Tuesday: $12.00 
Group: $15.00 (per person for 4) 

Social:
Twitter @AlNewstead
Facebook event here

Image: Judith Chamizo Illustration

Additional Praise For Al's Music Rant:

• Jhnosy Award Nominee - MICF 2012 
• “Unmissable. The quality doesn’t dip.” - ★★★★ Herald Sun
• "A walking, talking opinionated jukebox that will blow you away" - Beat
• “Funny, intelligent and thoroughly entertaining” – Comedy BeastMagazine
• “His knowledge of the music industry and its genres is wide-ranging and seemingly all-encompassing” – Crikey
• “For those of you who despair about the state of the arts, you might just find yourself a new leader in Al Newstead.” – Artshub
• “His eye for the absurd marries perfectly with his shrewd ear.” – The Enthusiast
• "His persona allays fears that this will be a whiny hipster complaining for an hour.
• Al may be ranting, but his cynicism is suitable for more than a niche crowd." - Farrago

Various Ephemera:

• YAWP Magazine cover story here
• Comedy Diary for Everguide of Al's Music Rant: The Difficult 2nd AlbumPart 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
• Lip Magazine Q&A here

Review: V/A - Rock Of Ages Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

This review was originally syndicated with Tone Deaf, and reproduced here in its entirety. 

Various Artists - Rock of Ages Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Sony Music, 2012)

Guitar Hero and Glee have a lot to answer for, but perhaps we can start the inquiry with their bastard child – namely, the Rock Of Ages soundtrack.

Whether simulating a rock star with a plastic instrument in the comfort of your loungeroom, or selling a message that ‘anyone can be a pop singer’ - from the wheelchair-bound geek to the clean-cut preppy  - both forms of entertainment are essentially about mimicry. Like them, this soundtrack of the movie adaptation of the 80s MTV Generation musical is too.

The effect however, isn’t as heroic or cheesily rewarding when the people performing the same glorified karaoke are some of Hollywood’s biggest and richest stars.

Enter Tom Cruise…. Sorry, “Stacee Jaxxx”… singing Guns N Roses gold standard, “Paradise City”, the track that opens the compilation is pretty much a microcosm for the whole shameless experiment.

"My hideous little baby" Interview: Jonathan Boulet

This interview was originally conducted for, and published by Tone Deaf. Reproduced in its entirety here because I can...

Upon release of his self-titled debut three years ago, Jonathan Boulet quickly found himself labelled as Sydney’s ‘skate rat’. Albeit an internationally recognised one, thanks to the street cred of hip label, Modular, but a ‘skate-rat’ nonetheless.

With his second release however, Boulet is ready to outgrow those previously constricting tags, starting with his new album’s tongue-garbling title. We Keep The Beat, Found The Sound, See The Need, Start The Heart is one of the lengthier titles in recent memory, it’s sing-song name bound to appear alongside Fiona Apple’s When The Pawn Hits The Conflicts He Thinks Like A King… (we’ll spare you the full title) in future music lists.

'have fun, find a girl' Interview: Devin

This interview was originally conducted for, and published by Tone Deaf. It is reproduced here in its entirety.

From the moment Devin’s debut album, Romancing, bursts to life with the brash garage rock and raucous riffs of ‘Masochist,’ the New Yorker sounds every bit the passionate upstart rocker he looks on the front cover.

A monochromatic photo of the bequiffed singer/guitarist slouched against a stairwell, dressed in  a tweed jacket and snappy open-breast shirt, his model-handsome face pulling his best vacant stare; it’s a look that, like its aural contents, is at once a balance of retro-chic and modern style.

Romancing’s twelve tracks are straight-up, no-nonsense rock n’ roll inspired by the classics. With his nasal twang that hovers somewhere between the sneer of a young Mick Jagger and the raw clarity of early Iggy Pop, Devin barrels through punk-infused chunks of Stooges-powered guitar delivered with a dash of Strokes-worthy cool.

Review: Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion

Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion (Roadrunner Records, 2012)

To say that Storm Corrosion was highly anticipated by the musical community for which it was intended, is a bit like saying the internet only mildly revolutionised modern technology. 

Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt are two men whose names have not only become synonyms for the most revered kind of distinctive, creative art in their field (progressive rock and metal music for those playing at home); but also two names that had been paired together in fevered anticipation ever since Wilson produced Opeth’s Blackwater Park in 2001.

Even with full disclosure from the pair that their much sough-after collaboration would deliberately fly in the face of the prog-metal supergroup tag they'd been saddled with; the results of their creative partnership are still a surprising listen.

Prince - The Official Thank You Australia Afterparty

So, the big question for everyone who missed out on the Prince afterparty is: what happened? What did the lucky 700+ in attendance get that couldn’t have been attained in your garden variety arena spectacular?

Did those who went in search of the big purple whale last night land a big catch?

Well, let’s put it this way. We got “Gett Off”, “Alphabet St.”, Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” and, of course, “Kiss” – performed live you ask?

Oh dear, you better take a seat, it’s going to be a long night…

Review: Shady Lane - Built Guilt

Another album review for Tone Deaf, reproduced here in its entirety

Shady Lane - Built Guilt (Rice Is Nice, 2012)

Shady Lane is the musical brainchild of Jordy Lane… at least it was. 
Built Guilt, finds the Sydney-sider expanding his solo moniker into a fully-fledged band, with the addition of Pete Avard (drums), Sarah Jullienne (synth) and most notably, Conrad Richters on bass; on loan from label-mates Richard In Your Mind.