This has been an interesting year, better than last year. Ups and downs of course like everyone. A year of healing, lots of music produced, opportunities arose, some undertaken, some missed out on. Oh and the beginning of the parenthood adventure (though we won't actually be parents until April 2010, the news arrived this year!!!). So as a means of re-capping what happened (mainly good, some bad) here's a heartfelt thanks and no thanks;
For all the live music gigs; Thanks to Scot Cotterell and Tom Hall for playing with me as both DÜO and Triad, Aaron Metcalf for playing with me as M.0.1.0, Tim Panaretos for playing with me as Untermorast, Scot C (again), Tim P (again), Leigh Hobba, Lisa Rime, Julian Teakle and especially Damo Suzuki for playing with me as part of the Damo Suzuki Network. Also thanks to Ben Crothers for giving me a DJ set at one of his 'Brand New Second Hand' nights. And to Concrete Lung in London for letting me play on their 'Waste of Flesh' CD. Also thanks to all the great acts we played with at 'Black Sunday' (Evil Goat, Axxonn, Spheres and Cycle).
For the live music venues; Thanks to the following venues and the staff for letting myself and my associated acts perform; 6a-Hobart, The Glitchfest stage-Dover, Inflight-Hobart, The Brisbane Hotel-Hobart, Salamanca Arts Centre-Hobart, Devonport Regional Gallery-Devonport, Make It Up Club-Melbourne, Stutter-Melbourne, Don't Look-Sydney, Club Zho/Tura New Music-Perth, The Step Inn-Brisbane, Tom's House/Sonic Boom-New Farm, Centre For the Arts-Hobart (thanks John V Grad Show) and ONO # 2 at former Fitzgeralds Millinery Dept-Hobart.
For the 2009 Exhibitions; Thanks to the following venues and/or curators for showing my work during the year: Victor Medrano/Inflight and MOP Projects Sydney for including my work Twoot in the 'Limbic' group show, Lucy Bleach and CAST gallery (despite some issues it was an absolute pleasure working with you) for including my work Exhalation 2009 in the 'Lust For Life' group show, Ellie Ray and Devonport Regional Gallery for including me in the 'Tidal' competition with my work Whitepinkblack Noise (Moment), Andrew Harper, Tricky Walsh and the 6a crew for inviting me to install Haunted Micro Voices in Princes Park Battery for the 6a/Amplified 'Sound Art' showcase, Pat Brassington and Plimsoll Gallery, Hobart for housing my PhD submission - Suspension of Disbelief and Pip, Kate and the ONO crew for inviting me to setup my ex-X (Phase 10hz) ritual in that cool old building!
During the year I spent quite a bit of time at the Centre for the Arts on Hunter Street, Hobart both as a student and as a staff member. A sincere thank you to both of my wonderful PhD supervisors Mr Leigh Hobba and Prof. Jonathan Holmes, it was a pleasure. As a teacher; thanks to all my students who strived and had a bit of passion, it's rare and it really made it worthwhile. Sorry I won't be back for a while if ever. And to Bill Hart who gave me many chances to be employed and Neil Haddon who supported me during a tough encounter!.
Some random thanks: Marisa Mastrocola for including me in the credits, it wasn't necessary, but much appreciated. Deborah Pollard for continued support, awesome chats inspirations and somewhere to stay in Sydney. Felix Ratcliff for the ongoing chats in cockney accents and his love for descending arpeggios. Cat Hope for the letter of support and appreciating Scott Walker. Joshua Santospirito for the interest in mumble(speak) and good music chats. Susie, Dale and Charlotte (Edward wasn't born then) for putting me and Scot up and for your continued friendship. Brother Nick and Delta for putting me up in Melbourne and just being nice. My father Graeme and sisters Jayne and Mel and niece Abby for coming down to my graduation, it meant a lot. Thanks to Inflight ARI for taking me on for 2010, I'll do my best. To finish, thanks to Sally for being there and for being her.
Now, some no thanks: Those with a lack of manners, common sense and respect for others. Those who don't reply to messages, emails, letters or have the common decency to be polite. Those who play it safe and don't recognise something unique when it's in front of them. Those who are close-minded 'experts', ("I don't get it, it must be crap" types). Those who wish to censor such as the 'Clean Feed' brigade, those who stifle free thought and expression, those who want to make Mid-wives and homebirth illegal. Pokies in pubs. Those who are ignorant by choice, stupid by design and bigoted by nature (you can break into the cycle). I'm not always above some of these, but I'm trying my best.
A recap of the music of 2009. In 2009 I discovered/rediscovered/purchased some excellent music. Not all of it contemporary, some of it released this year. All of it impacted on me in some way and not that I think I have impeccable taste (as some may think after witnessing this list), but I would happily recommended checking at least some of it out.
Amon Düül 2 - 'Carnival in Babylon' (1972) Kraut-rock classic. Hadn't heard it till recently, not quite as essential as the earlier ones, but pretty good.
Axxonn/Tom Hall/Ambrose Chapel - 'Masters Of The Epic Day' (2009) three-way split of subby, droney electronics by a couple of great guys.
Battle of Mice - 'A Day of Nights' (2006) - incredible so-called 'postrock' supergroup, angst noisy, scary.
Black Sabbath - 'Black Sabbath' (1970), 'Paranoid' (1970), 'Master of Reality' (1971) Fantastic special edition reissues of these essential classics.
CAN - 'Unlimited Edition' (1976). Never heard this mixed bag compilation. It's pretty great though a little bitsy!
Alice Cooper - 'Dada' (1983). Only ever had an incomplete cassette dub of this. Always had a soft spot for this odd little Ezrin produced album, apparently Cooper doesn't remember recording it.
Council Estate Electronics - 'Kitsland' (2009). One of Justin Broadrick's myriad of side projects, droney bleepy atmospheric, but less ambient than Final.
Miles Davis - 'Pangaea' (1974) Live in Japan, free jazz meets funk, incredible grooves, this is a period of Miles I'm still quite new to.
Earth - 'Extra - Capsular Extraction' (1991) early Sub Pop era, drone metal material, some good moments.
EyeHateGod - 'Take As Need For Pain' (1993) US post-rock/doom metal.
Evil Goat - 'Evil Goat' CD-r single (2009) Naughty local lads duo, electronics/guitar doom.
Final - 'Infinite Guitar 3/Guitar & Bass Improvisations 3' (2009) Broadrick's longest operating project, lots to digest here. Has it's moments, drones and ambience.
Final - 'Reading All the Right Signals Wrong' (2009). Close to my favourite Final release, gets the balance between meandering and dynamic shifts right.
Jandek - 'Chair Beside the Window' (1982) - 'Telegraph Melts' (1986) - 'Modern Dances' (1987). A major discovery for me. One of the most unique, enigmatic, haunting, and abstract 'folk' (for want of a better word) performers around. He has a vast catalogue, there's no-one or nothing quite like him. Think Skip Spence's 'Oar' meets Daniel Johnston and you're still not quite there.
Jesu - 'Infinity' (2009). Broadrick's current 'rock' project. A 40 plus minute track, some beautiful textures and guitar lines, improves greatly in the second half.
Jesu - 'Opiate Sun' (2009). Raw, descending arpeggios, melodic slow guitar power pop. Like Husker Du through molasses. My favourite Jesu release thus far.
KISS - 'Sonic Boom' (2009) So shoot me…old habits die hard. Not bad, but certainly not nearly as great as reviewers or KISS themselves would let you believe. Sounds like a fairly convincing pastiche!
Krackhead - 'From Hell' (1997/1999/2009). Previously unreleased album of Broadrick's distorted Drum n Bass project available now as a download. Pretty good, great grooves, noisy!
Love - 'Love' (1966) Nice remastered edition of the late Arthur Lee's band Love debut album, psyche rock/folk/garage. Essential!
Craig McElhinnery - 'You and Me Are Young and Brutal' (2009) - Perth based, very atmospheric soundscapey, but musical. Good stuff.
Meat Loaf - 'Bat Out Of Hell' (1977) Again shoot me, this is something I grew up listening to. I'm too old to worry about if I'm hip or not. First time I've had it on CD, think I prefer my crackly old vinyl. Max Weinberg and Todd Rundgren play like maniacs! Oh yeah that Marvin fellow can sing okay!
Napalm Death - 'Noise For Music's Sake' (2003) Compilation of essential tracks, rarities and B-Sides. Killer live cover of 'Avalanche Master Song' featuring JK Broadrick.
Lee Scratch Perry and the Upsetters - 'Psyche & Trim' (2004) cheap compilation, not as dubby as I'd hoped, some good material though.
Scorn - 'Plan B' (2002). This is one that slipped by the collection. Mick Harris is a master at subby/dubby beats and wobbly bass and drones. Sorry but this was done earlier and way better than any of the contemporary 'dustup' pretenders. They have their place, but this paved the way and he doesn't get the props!
Scorn - 'In The Margins'/'Pin Down' (single 2009) - huge tracks, on par with the material on 'Stealth' (2008).
Solaris BC - 'Submerged Technology' (1996/2009). Another beauty minimal Broadrick project, unreleased until now (as a download). Slightly underwhelming, but has it's moments.
Voivod - 'Infini' (2009). Metal with a slightly quirky experimental edge, for those who don't know. I've been a big fan of these guys since the mid 1980s. The final (?) album based on the late Denis D'Amour (Piggy) demos. It's way better than the last album and has some great moments. Quite raw in places, lacks a bit of the interplay that could really only come from all playing together, which is sadly, impossible. They have recently been touring with Dan Mongrain (Martyr) on guitar and original bassist/founder Jean-Yves 'Blacky' Theriault (an old sparring partner of mine in the now defunct D-Group). They don't appear on this record.
Various Artists - 'Adventures in Dub' (2006). A double CD of dubby reggae. It's a bit hit and miss, bur anything that has King Tubby, Scratch Perry and Prince Jammy has got to be good.
So that's it for now. I realise this may have come over as I'm accepting some award, but being that 2009 was quite a year, I thought this was good way to recap this year's activities. Hope it was a good one for you and that 2010 will be even better. Thanks for reading, see you next year.
Image by Aaron Horsley
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