Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Baby Girl for Ben Lee

Congratulations to Ben Lee and Ione Skye! The couple are celebrating the birth of their daughter, Goldie Priya Lee. She was born on Thursday September 24 at the very civilised time of 8 am.

Ben said he is “over the moon” at the arrival of his baby girl. He’s already bringing her up right, with a steady diet of Curb Your Enthusiasm DVDs! It’s very important to educate the young! You can see a photo of the pair at Ben’s blog.

Goldie is the first child for Ben, who married Ione in a traditional Indian ceremony last December. She is also mum to an eight-year-old daughter, Kate, from her previous relationship with designer David Netto.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ace Frehley Ready to Rock Oz Solo

The KISS Army will be out in force when the band’s original lead guitarist, Ace Frehley, visits Australia for his first ever solo tour next month.

Ace will take his smoking guitar and vocals down the East Coast to support his new album Anomaly. The disc is set to become his most successful solo venture to date thanks to the big single “Outer Space.” The disc has been 10 years in the making, after Ace joined Kiss for a reunion tour, but he assures is it’s worth the wait.

“I don’t know why it’s taken so long,” Ace confessed. “I had to put the record on the back burner when I reunited with KISS. But I knew it would be important, so I kept listening to my old records to try to capture what the fans like.”

Tickets for the shows are on sale now through Red Ant Touring and Ticketek.

19 October 2009 – Palace, Melbourne
20 October 2009 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
21 October 2009 – The Tivoli, Brisbane

Photo credit: Tilly antoine @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Damien Leith

2006 Australian Idol winner Damien Leith is back with his brand new album, Remember June, a CD already has the industry buzzing. I caught up with Damien today to chat about the album which he calls “a labour of love,” his new novel, and why he’s itching to get on the road.

I heard you say that creating Remember June is the proudest you’ve been since winning Idol. What is it about this album that’s really excited you?I think really the biggest thing about this album is that right from the onset, I had a concept that I wanted to work off, and everything I did towards making the album, towards writing it, stuck entirely to that concept all the way through. So the whole album hasn’t been swayed either way by thinking “I might need this sort of song” or “I might need that sort of song.” It’s just an album which I personally really wanted to make. Thanks to Sony I got to do that. It’s kind of a labour of love in a way, this album.

Your new single “To Get To You” has a bit of a pop-rock feel, which is something we haven’t really heard from you before. Is that indicative of the other songs we’ll hear on Remember June?
It is. You know, the album’s got a story from start to end. It’s got an intro and it’s got an outro. And to have a story, it’s definitely allowed us to have more up-tempo stuff on the album. But at the same time, I’ve still got some slower songs. But I think overall the sound of the album is big; it’s a big epic or anthemy sort of sound throughout the entire album. So even if it’s a slow song, it’s a big slow song.

So it [“To Get You To”] gives you a taste of the album, but there are some really intimate songs on there which I think are even stronger. They’re probably the stronger songs.

It was produced by Stuart Crichton, who’s worked with the Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue, and so many other big names. What was he like to work with?
He was fantastic. There’s a couple of co-writes with him as well. We did the song “Forgive, Forget” with him and a mate of his, Blair [McKichan] from the UK. He’s not only an amazing producer but he’s an incredible writer as well.

We’ve become really good friends as a result of it as well. We’ve continued to write more and more songs together. He’s just a genius. I can’t get over how quickly he works. He makes a decision and he goes for it. There’s no second-guessing. He just goes for it. I was in awe of the way he works.

It’s been three years since you won Australian Idol. How do you feel about that experience looking back?
To be perfectly honest, for one thing it seems like a long, long time away. The last few years have been so busy with so many different things going on that it seems like a long, long time ago. But I have to say I have no regrets about my time on Idol. Without it I wouldn’t be talking to you today. I would never have broken through.

I think at that stage I was at a turning point in my life where I had to decide: family commitments and work and all the rest, or am I going to give this one more shot. I’d been chasing it for years and years and years, it had been all the usual stuff of demos and gigging here, there, and everywhere for years and years.

It’s not 100% profit-driving, and it does have a negativity associated with it as well, but overall I’m grateful for having been involved.

Continue reading “Q & A with Damien Leith” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Does 80s

80s night is always my favourite night of Australian Idol. These are the songs I grew up with, unashamedly daggy, flamboyant, and fun. But before we could get into the good stuff, we had to say goodbye to one our Idol hopefuls. Kim Cooper, Sabrina Batshon, and Nathan Brake found themselves in the bottom three. It was understandable I suppose, but hard to hear that one of my faves would be leaving the comp. Sadly that person was Sabrina. I guess her big personality was just a little much for some. It’s a shame; I was really hoping to see her bust out something amazing this week.

I was very concerned when I heard Nathan Brake was taking on Bon Jovi’s rock anthem “Livin’ on a Prayer.” It’s one of my favourites, and I doubted whether Nathan had the grit to really deliver it. He really didn’t. He hit all the right notes, but it just didn’t feel believable to me. There is so much 80s stuff that would have suited him a lot better.

Scott Newnham took on “Let’s Groove.” I couldn’t fault the vocals, but the delivery was a little bland for me. His “dance moves” were also really awkward. Honestly I wanted Gary Pinto to take the microphone from him and finish the song.

Hayley Warner busted out a little Bruce Springsteen with “Dancing in the Dark.” I really enjoyed this. It wasn’t deep or meaningful, but neither was the 80s. It was incredibly fun, and exactly what she needed to do. It felt like this was the first time someone actually “got” the decade.

Toby Moulton went for a little Foreigner with “I Want to Know What Love Is.” I’ve always said that more Idols need to sing power ballads, but not like this. This was completely devoid of the passion that you need in a power ballad. Did he even listen to the lyrics? They go something along the lines of “In my life there’s been heartache and pain, I don’t know if I can face it again.” I heard none of that desperation. This was more Mariah than Foreigner, and it was much poorer for it.

Continue reading “Australian Idol Does 80s” →
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Howling Bells Come Home

Aussie ex-pats the Howling Bells are returning home for a series of shows around the country in December.

The former Sydneysiders, who now call Britain home, will play to support the release of their latest album Radio Wars.

Tickets to all shows are on sale now from the venues.

3 December 2009 – Barwon Club, Geelong
4 December 2009 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
11 December 2009 – The Zoo, Brisbane
12 December 2009 – Neverland, Gold Coast
13 December 2009 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
17 December 2009 – ANU Union Bar, Canberra
18 December 2009 – Gaelic Club, Sydney

Image source: The Harbour Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Andre Rieu Goes to the Movies

Andre Rieu fans who can’t get to his show at Sydney’s Acer Arena on October 16 don’t have to miss out. The concert will be broadcast live in cinemas across the country.

Thanks to CinemaLive, the event will screen in New South Wales regional centres, including Wagga Wagga, Tamworth, Broken Hill, Orange, Bowral, and Griffith. It will also go to all other states and territories around the country. Around 50 cinemas are planning to screen the show.

I’m not a fan of Mr Rieu, but I do find the concept intriguing. I’d love to see more bands making their concerts accessible to folks in regional areas, and those who can’t afford those big ticket prices.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cardinals Join Gin Wigmore for Holy Smoke Tour

The Cardinals had so much fun recording Holy Smoke with Gin Wigmore, they’re travelling to Australia to tour with her. Neal Casal, Jon Graboff and Brad Pemberton will join Gin for shows in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane this December.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing and playing with Gin again. We had such a good time when we worked on the record… and it’s high time for round two,” Jon Groboff said.

“Gin Wigmore’s new album Holy Smoke completely rips balls, and us Cardinal types are beyond stoked that we got to play on it,” said Neal Casal. We’re also out of our minds with joy that we get come to Australia and New Zealand to be in her band and play some rock n’ roll for the fine folks there.”

You can catch Gin Wigmore and the Cardinals at the following venues.

1 December 2009 – East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
2 December 2009 – The Zoo, Brisbane
4 December 2009 – Gaelic, Sydney

Image used with permission from The White Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

"TownHallSteps" – TownHallSteps

townhallstepsalbum

Sydney’s TownHallSteps are a band on the brink of making a real impression. Their self-titled debut album shows a band with a lot of promise, who are still trying to figure themselves out.

On popping the disc into my CD, I thought I was in for a chill-out dance album. The opener, imaginatively titled “Intro” is atmospheric and electronic. It’s an accomplished track, but if its job is to introduce the band it doesn’t do a very good job.

What follows is a disc which seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. On one hand there are singalong punk-pop anthems popularised by the likes of Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, and Panic at the Disco. TownHallSteps don’t bring anything new to songs like “Still Alive,” “Disco,” and the first single, “Anywhere But Here.” Although having said that, the tracks are solid, equal to anything the more seasoned bands like them have produced. They may be a little formulaic, but they’re a lot of fun.

It’s when Town Hall Steps walks to a different beat that things get really interesting. “Holding On,” “The Direction,” and the orchestral “Trouble Little Girl” show much more depth. They’re anchored in heart and passion, and that makes them some of the strongest tracks on this album. I’m also in love with the band’s sweet rock anti-love song “Jessie.” It may not be as dramatic as the other songs I’ve mentioned, but again it shows the band’s individuality.

TownHallSteps shows great potential with their debut album. They’ve intrigued me. I look forward to hearing what comes next.

Images used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Download Free Amber Lawrence Track

Country starlet Amber Lawrence is offering fans a free download of her new song, “When It All Comes Down.” The tune is the title track from Amber’s sophomore album, which is in stores now.

The emotional song was penned as a tribute to her father, who died of leukaemia in 2008.

“This is the title track of the album, and the most truthful and heartfelt song on the album,” she explained. “This song asks some pretty hard questions about what life is all about. I wrote this song last year, as I spent the most part of 2008 walking Corridor 10 of the Prince of Wales hospital – visiting my dad as he battled leukaemia.

“Although we lost my Dad, the song has a happy ending – answering what my family and I found out to be the meaning of 2008 – that “When it all comes down to it … it all comes down to love.”

Visit Amber’s website to score the free track!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Music Sales Steady Despite Economic Downturn

Despite all the financial doom and gloom, music sales have remained steady in Australia. In fact, sales in the first half of the year are up compared to the same period in 2008.

Digital sales are the biggest area of growth. Single track sales increased by 36.46% while digital album sales were up 56.81%. That corresponds to a 44.18% drop in CD single sales, and a 4.48% drop in album sales. Of course, the single sales may have been that much worse because singles are simple so hard to find!

Musical purists like myself may be happy to note the whopping growth in vinyl sales. 9680 vinyl units were sold in the first half of 2008, but in the first half of this year that rose to a massive 38, 364 units. It’s similarly pleasing for me to see ringtone sales fall from 2, 316, 864 to 1, 992, 231. Does that mean we’re finally done with fads like the Crazy Frog?

“It is extremely heartening to see the market leveling out like this when, given the economic climate, people may have expected to see a general decline,” ARIA Chairman and Warner CEO Ed St. John said in a statement.

He adds that digital is the way of the future. “It’s the most positive sign we’ve witnessed in a long time that the digital format is firmly established and well on it’s way to replacing any value lost via the physical format decline. What we are seeing is the first tentative evidence of a return to growth.”

Image source: Paulo Correa @ Stock.xchng