New Video – I Blame Coco feat. Robyn – Caesar

Stings daughter Coco Sumner aka I Blame Coco and her husky voice have burst onto the scene with her debut single ‘Caesar’ featuring Roybn! Could be the next banging tune for the indie clubs!

check out the video and decide for yourself!

The XX At The Corner Hotel Melbourne – Simply Enchanting!

The best thing about The XX is their simplicity. Everything is simple: their set up, their light show and their carefully crafted soulful pop songs. I mean, their music is pop isn’t it… It’s new wave pop.

The band is still very humble in their approach to their live shows – or perhaps it was the fact that is was a stinking 40 degree night in Melbourne! Dressed head-to-toe in black, with a plethora of pendants hanging from both Romy’s and Oliver’s necks, they took the stage with no hesitation but with an almost overwhelmed vibe. I think their massively growing popularity had just hit the softly-spoken South Londoners.

Their hour long set seemed to pass extremely fast as they mesmerized the whole crowd, including myself. They kept the crowd for the whole of that hour, playing all the tracks everyone was there to hear: ‘Crystalised’, ‘Basic Space’, ‘Islands’ and their current single ‘VCR’, along with their beautifully crafted version of ‘Teardrops’, the Womack and Womack cover. I love everything about this band – their intense but welcoming stage presence, Romy and Oliver’s voices that are flawless live and complement each other in a perfectly gentle, soulful, but still indie fashion. Let’s not forget Jamie the beat maker at the back of the stage, busily twiddling knobs behind the single drum cymbal, hopefully not going unnoticed. After all, he is the producer of the band!

BARK MAGAZINE LAUNCHING THIS THURSDAY NIGHT!

Bark is launching like a private school girl into a group of boys. It will be hectic-crazy, and yet dangerously exciting. Hair will fly, nickers will be flashed and random snogging will be mandatory all while maintaining an essence of sophisti- funk.

Trek down to miss libertine and loose your shit on the dance floor to the sweet sweet tunes of Red Ink, We Are Fans and The Parking Lot Experiment.

Bands will start at 8:00 pm and you can pick up a launch party exclusive copy of the Bark Magazine for the gold coin price of $2.

Bring a date or if your that good looking bring five but whatever you do get there… It will be like that time when Britney shaved her head… you will always remember where you were and always wish you were there instead.

Kevin Rudolf I Made It Official Music Video

Super Bowl Opener Commercial’s

Hov kicked off today’s big game with a lil mash-up version of “Run This Town”. Game Time!

Looks like Drake’s obeying his thirst in this new Sprite commercial. The spot has aired during the previews of several movies. It’s been a minute since Sprite’s featured any rappers in their ads. Good to see that they’ve come full circle.

Help Save Melbourne’s Live Music Scene!

S.L.A.M. (Save Live Australia’s Music) is calling on Victoria’s music community to raise your voice and protest the plight of our local music scene!!

The recent closure of The Tote and the announcement of The Arthouse’s intention to do the same is causing increasing alarm amongst Victoria’s music scene and wider music community. These closures, a result of the destructive impact caused by Liquor Licensing Victoria’s decision to treat live music venues as high-risk, penalising them with higher fees and greater costs for required security, is now posing a huge threat to more of the states venues and in turn the livelihood of the local music community. In a reaction to the lack of response from the government to amend these regulations, S.L.A.M. (Save Live Australia’s Music) have announced a Public Rally to be held on Tuesday 23rd February commencing at 4pm in the city. (proposed assembly point, the State Library – check website for the details).

S.L.A.M. is a collective of Victoria’s broader musical community who have joined forces to make their voice heard as local music becomes increasingly under threat due to these ill conceived Liquor Licensing Laws. S.L.A.M. are calling on musicians and music lovers from all genres, creeds and generations to unite together to Protest to Save Live Australia’s Music on the 34th anniversary of AC/DC’s iconic ‘Long Way To The Top’ clip originally filmed on Swanston Street.

Leading the procession will be the extraordinary Rockwiz Orchestra performing on the back of a truck AC/DC style with Lucky Luscombe, James Black and Mark Ferrie and everyone’s favourite host with the most Brian Nankervis plus the original troupe of bag pipe players. This will be filmed by Paul Dane who shot the legendary clip back in 1976. This historic event aims to make the Government to hear our cry to save live music from the clutches of Victoria’s draconian Liquor Licensing Laws. Our aim is to de-link the high risk conditions and need for security on all liquor licenses for venues that play live and amplified music and push for these to be given fairer consideration. Live music venues are not high risk and we have asked that Victorian community join in a peaceful protest to have their voice heard!

So bring your band, your fans, your friends and family and join this protest of a lifetime. To register your band or become a volunteer check out the S.L.A.M. website: www.slamrally.org

Save Our Music, Save Our Community…Save Live Australia’s Music S.L.A.M.

Camping, bands & DJ’s = Falls Festival – 2009/2010

One of the best things about The Falls Festival is being in the great outdoors. Before i even made it to the first check point, I was reminded of the outdoor feeling when a snake quickly slithered across the road in front our car.
The Festival definitely has it all, not only amazing wildlife and the perfect idullic backdrop on the edge of a forest with rolling hills where the forest meets the sea, but also great loos, showers and amazing food stalls. On top of all that, it boasts an incrediably diverse line up which most festival lack these days. At Falls i watched some of the best bands i saw in 2009.

My Falls experience really kicked off when i witnessed hobo looking Seasick Steve for the first time. His particular blues form of spoken word and singing drews on his incrediably colourful background – an unfortunate childhood at the hands of his awful stepfather and how he got his own back. An amazing story teller and a musician who is humble and sweet, highlight of his set was when he pulled pretty young blonde girl up onto the stage, sat her on a chair in front of him and sang to her… kinda wished it was me!

Next up for me was Sarah Blasko. Whats not to love about Sarah – her beautiful dresses, her sweet sultry voice and the beautiful songs she crafts, all in all, always a pleasent experience old and new songs. I’m also a massive fan of her backing band and string section.

Lyrics Born always rocks the house with a high energy show; and their falls performance was no exception, armed with his funky band and amazing backing vocalist who moves pack a punch. Lyrics certainly knows how to get the party started.

Having never seen Datarock before, I must say they were way more pop than I expected, slightly gimmicky too, from their guitars to thier matching red tracksuits, but still amazingly entertaining with super catchy tunes. The drummer Adrian Meeham currently playing shows with a broken leg impressed me hugely.

The final band for my first night was Wolfmother. I can’t say i’ve ever really been a fan, although they put on a great live show. To me all their songs just meld into one, but I did enjoy the handful of covers they did throughout their set.

The highlight of the first night for me was heading down to the The Valley, deep into the forest and away fromt the rest of the festival, which was full of colorful, carnival-like characters locked away in their own private world where they can take mushrooms and other hallucingen with like-minded people. Bogan Bingo was highly entertaining as was the 10 minute disco and the gypsy band with limbo line taking place at the front of the stage.

First up for me on Day 2 was Australia’s younger version of Sarah Blasko, Lisa Mitchell. I’m not a huge fan, but she did won me over with her live show. The band was tight and she held the crowd well with a couple of new songs before she hit the punters patiently waiting for “Coin Laundry”

My suprise of the day were young scotish lads The View, bless them having left Scotland, which was -5 degrees and flying into 35 degree heat. These lads have grown up and so has their show since the last time I caught them a few years ago. They are older and more experienced in the world of rock n roll and much tighter as a unit altogether. They gave a keen crowd rocking hits from their debut album and new tracks too.

Next up and defintely one to watch in 2010, Dan Sultan which is effortlessly rockin blues. i didn’t get to catch the whole set due to interviews with other bands, but what i did see i loved.

Islandic beauty Emiliana Torrini totally took centre stage down in the big top! Wow! What a crowd, the tent was full. Looks like Bjork might soon get knocked off her Islandic pedestal if Emiliana keeps gathering fans like she did on particular occasion. Of course the crowd went completely nuts when she played her hit song “Jungle Drum” that put her on the map in Australia.

White Rabbits were none other than exceptional in my eyes. Their mix of tribal drumming seems to be what all the cool kids are doing these days, but they’re arrangements were second-to-none in their intelligent mathimatical / early emo style of rock. Which I later found out whilst interviewing the band comes from a heavy influence of band members being into drum n bass. Definitiely a band I would gladly go see again.

Unfortuntely, I didn’t get to see the whole of Grizzly Bear’s set due to interviewing commitments but what i did see and hear from mulling around backstage was exceptional.

Next Temper Trap hit the main stage to possibly one of the largest crowds of the day. The last time I saw The Temper Trap was before their now famous move to London to take over the world and I must say (and i don’t say this lightly), TT were by far my favourite band of the festival! Opening with ‘Downriver’ it certainly showed that the band have been on the road for a year, playing some of the biggest festivals in the world. It’s great to know that people still buy records as the massive crowd knew the words to every song from their new album which they have only just starting touring back on their homeland soil. It was fairly clear TT have crossed over into commercial land!

Editors were the last band I managed to catch on my last day at the festival and they never dissappoint. They started their set with a bunch of songs off their current album and then they slowly back-tracked into their older stuff. To be honest I was more excited about hearing older tracks from ‘The Back Room’ as it’s still one of my favourite albums to listen to, that never seems to age.

Unfortunately i couldn’t stay to see the Yeah, Yeah Yeah’s, but did manage to bump into Karen O backstage in the toilets of all places, So, Overall Falls Festival is an amazing experinence. I would definitely come back as a general punter! And thats a massive big-up from a festival snob who doesn’t do camping!

Speaker catches up with Aleks and the Ramps

Ramps give us a glimpse into their world of choreographed dance moves, face painting and techy cats. It’s wild and intriguingly different, definitely worth a look see

Top 11 TV and Movie Scenes That Could Pass for Video Clips in Their Own Right.

So here we are Speaker’s Top 11 scenes from tv shows and movies that could pass for video clips in their own right in ranking order.

11. TUPAC RESSURECTION

10. MULHOLLAND DRIVE

9. MAD ABOUT YOU

8. SMALLVILLE – SEASON 6

7. DONNIE DARKO

6. SMALLVILLE – SEASON 1

5. SMALLVILLE – SEASON 5

4. WONDER YEARS

3. CADILLAC RECORDS

2. DONNIE DARKO

1. SCRUBS

J Dilla by Stussy

Stussy and Stones Throw have teamed up to eulogize the late James “J Dilla” Yancey by immortalizing the famous picture of him working while rocking a Stussy shirt. Peep the original image after the jump.

T-shirt drops on Feb. 13th in White and Black. I’d waste no time to cop

This picture was taken from Raph Rashid’s “Behind the Beat: Hip-Hop Home Studios” book.