I've been doing a fair bit of CD reviewing for inthemix lately, so thought I may as well start updating my website with them.
I'll start with some of the newer ones, and hopefully will work backwards and get them all up by June.
If you visit FunkyJ.com and click on Music Reviews you can read all the 2008 reviews.
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Monday, 12 May 2008
First Melbourne gig Thursday 15 May
I've got my first gig as a Melbourne DJ!
I'm part of Beat Off, with 11 other DJs all dropping 15 minute laid back sets of tunes!
It's being held at the Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale St
Other DJs include, BLAXTER, Brain, Dboy, Funky J, Huge, Lephrenic, Myst, RK, SAME'O, Sea, Timmy G and Zero Hour.
It marks the return of Off Beat to a monthly format.
As it's a kind of funky competition , there are rules...
- we must play a 15 minute chill set
- we must include at least one mix, with no maximum
- we bring a team of two or three people for a scavenger hunt
- and we need to invite everybody we know to cheer us all along
DJ times will be drawn from a hat during a glitzy Draw Gala, complete with ring girls!
The flyer is fantastic!
So come for pizza, beer, warm vibes, and the enjoyment as you see how chill music and chaos can so terrifically go together.
I'm part of Beat Off, with 11 other DJs all dropping 15 minute laid back sets of tunes!
It's being held at the Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale St
Other DJs include, BLAXTER, Brain, Dboy, Funky J, Huge, Lephrenic, Myst, RK, SAME'O, Sea, Timmy G and Zero Hour.
It marks the return of Off Beat to a monthly format.
As it's a kind of funky competition , there are rules...
- we must play a 15 minute chill set
- we must include at least one mix, with no maximum
- we bring a team of two or three people for a scavenger hunt
- and we need to invite everybody we know to cheer us all along
DJ times will be drawn from a hat during a glitzy Draw Gala, complete with ring girls!
The flyer is fantastic!
So come for pizza, beer, warm vibes, and the enjoyment as you see how chill music and chaos can so terrifically go together.
Friday, 25 April 2008
DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist
I've been going out to see bands and DJs for 20 years now, and, without sounding like a total fuckhead, I like to think I've pretty much heard and seen everything.
I've been to that many shows, seen so many awesome acts, and quite a few awful ones too, but honestly, I'm sick of the same old shit, week in, week out. I really feel old sometimes when I go out, especially in Melbourne because I don't know anybody, so I really am there just for the music.
And I've got to say, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist certainly wasn't what I was expecting, and if I was brutally honest I would have preferred to see brainfreeze, but that was pretty fucking good in my opinion.
I like to see and hear original stuff and that was some of the most entertaining and original music and mixing I've ever seen and heard.
The novelty of the music added to the novelty of mixing on 8 decks with all 45s was really special. I loved that they dropped Space Invaders by Player 1 and the Pacman theme. I loved the old 50s swing and rock and roll. I even loved the song they claimed was the worst song ever recorded. I had a smile on my face the entire time.
Yes, it was incredibly indulgent, but I loved the fact that they are masters of their craft and were willing to share their expansive and extensive collection with us.
I've been to that many shows, seen so many awesome acts, and quite a few awful ones too, but honestly, I'm sick of the same old shit, week in, week out. I really feel old sometimes when I go out, especially in Melbourne because I don't know anybody, so I really am there just for the music.
And I've got to say, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist certainly wasn't what I was expecting, and if I was brutally honest I would have preferred to see brainfreeze, but that was pretty fucking good in my opinion.
I like to see and hear original stuff and that was some of the most entertaining and original music and mixing I've ever seen and heard.
The novelty of the music added to the novelty of mixing on 8 decks with all 45s was really special. I loved that they dropped Space Invaders by Player 1 and the Pacman theme. I loved the old 50s swing and rock and roll. I even loved the song they claimed was the worst song ever recorded. I had a smile on my face the entire time.
Yes, it was incredibly indulgent, but I loved the fact that they are masters of their craft and were willing to share their expansive and extensive collection with us.
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Shocked and Ashamed
I normally don't write about personal things on this blog, but this has me so perplexed.
The other night I was really drunk, and someone gave me a shot of Chartreuse and I don't remember much after that, but I since discovered I sent my ex some very troubling sms's. I only vaguely remember sending them, but the content of them has me really ashamed at myself.
I abused her for my insecurities.
The thing is, I don't blame her for anything, and I don't feel that I have many insecurities, and I can't understand why I would send that.
It's certainly very out of character for the way I feel about life right at the moment.
I feel on top of the world. I love Melbourne, I'm making some great friends, I still have great friends back home, my job is wonderful and everyone there is glad I'm on the team and telling me I'm doing a really great job. The project is going fine and I can see multiple paths of direction I want to take my life.
My feelings for her have never been better since we broke up. She's getting engaged to a really cool guy, loving her life in the UK, doing well in her job, and I'm really happy she's happy.
I've never felt better about myself and my life. I've finally taken control of my life and my actions and feel the consequences of those actions are my own.
So why the hell did I abuse her in such a way, and so suddenly out of the blue?
I feel so ashamed. I really can't understand it.
I'm thinking maybe I wrote it as a joke or something, but that still doesn't make sense - how could she know it was a joke? Yes, the message was cut off - like I sent it accidentally, but that still doesn't excuse it.
It was stupid and idiotic, and I am at a loss to explain it.
It was so... schizophrenic of me.
I sent a message apologising, but I don't expect her to forgive me.
On the plus side, it's made me seriously consider giving up drinking for a while.
The other night I was really drunk, and someone gave me a shot of Chartreuse and I don't remember much after that, but I since discovered I sent my ex some very troubling sms's. I only vaguely remember sending them, but the content of them has me really ashamed at myself.
I abused her for my insecurities.
The thing is, I don't blame her for anything, and I don't feel that I have many insecurities, and I can't understand why I would send that.
It's certainly very out of character for the way I feel about life right at the moment.
I feel on top of the world. I love Melbourne, I'm making some great friends, I still have great friends back home, my job is wonderful and everyone there is glad I'm on the team and telling me I'm doing a really great job. The project is going fine and I can see multiple paths of direction I want to take my life.
My feelings for her have never been better since we broke up. She's getting engaged to a really cool guy, loving her life in the UK, doing well in her job, and I'm really happy she's happy.
I've never felt better about myself and my life. I've finally taken control of my life and my actions and feel the consequences of those actions are my own.
So why the hell did I abuse her in such a way, and so suddenly out of the blue?
I feel so ashamed. I really can't understand it.
I'm thinking maybe I wrote it as a joke or something, but that still doesn't make sense - how could she know it was a joke? Yes, the message was cut off - like I sent it accidentally, but that still doesn't excuse it.
It was stupid and idiotic, and I am at a loss to explain it.
It was so... schizophrenic of me.
I sent a message apologising, but I don't expect her to forgive me.
On the plus side, it's made me seriously consider giving up drinking for a while.
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Health
Apparently hospitals are "over flowing" with people with preventable disease.
Alcohol, tobacco, drug and obesity cost Australia $56 billion and will cost some millions of lives by 2009.
"Health problems are not just about fixing hospitals, we actually have to fix some of the things that mean people end up in hospital."
"With prevention, clogged Hospitals will be freed up" were some of the quotes from the Health Minister.
RUBBISH!
Who the fuck is this government to tell me how to live?
And what exactly are hospitals for, if not to care for the sick - NO MATTER HOW THEY GOT SICK?
This is simply the Government trying to unload it's burden onto us, the hard working men and women of Australia who deserve a drink, a smoke or a joint.
All they want us to be is happy little worker bees, producing wealth for them and their corporation owning buddies.
"oh, don't be a drain on society, you've got to look after yourself".
Maybe if those pricks worked harder at making this society a better place for us ALL to live, maybe if they instead of opening up markets for banks to rape us, they made banks accountable to communities; instead of pouring billions into shoring up wasteful and unproductive industries like the Motor industry, they concentrated on infrastructure and maintaining control of public assets, we wouldn't feel the need to go home and drink, smoke or get high!
I'm sick of this bullshit nanny state mentality by all governments, left and right wing. I'm sick of these people thinking I need to be controlled, otherwise I'll go off the rails and do something "horrible".
We live in a society that has unprecedented life expectancy. People who are born with disabilities that would have killed them 100 years ago are living to 80 or 90 years old.
Why should it matter if someone wants to drink/smoke/drug themselves to death?
It's just nature's way to even out the population.
No one ever said we should prevent blind children from being able to live their lives the way they want, so why should I be any different because I've chosen to drink?
Alcohol, tobacco, drug and obesity cost Australia $56 billion and will cost some millions of lives by 2009.
"Health problems are not just about fixing hospitals, we actually have to fix some of the things that mean people end up in hospital."
"With prevention, clogged Hospitals will be freed up" were some of the quotes from the Health Minister.
RUBBISH!
Who the fuck is this government to tell me how to live?
And what exactly are hospitals for, if not to care for the sick - NO MATTER HOW THEY GOT SICK?
This is simply the Government trying to unload it's burden onto us, the hard working men and women of Australia who deserve a drink, a smoke or a joint.
All they want us to be is happy little worker bees, producing wealth for them and their corporation owning buddies.
"oh, don't be a drain on society, you've got to look after yourself".
Maybe if those pricks worked harder at making this society a better place for us ALL to live, maybe if they instead of opening up markets for banks to rape us, they made banks accountable to communities; instead of pouring billions into shoring up wasteful and unproductive industries like the Motor industry, they concentrated on infrastructure and maintaining control of public assets, we wouldn't feel the need to go home and drink, smoke or get high!
I'm sick of this bullshit nanny state mentality by all governments, left and right wing. I'm sick of these people thinking I need to be controlled, otherwise I'll go off the rails and do something "horrible".
We live in a society that has unprecedented life expectancy. People who are born with disabilities that would have killed them 100 years ago are living to 80 or 90 years old.
Why should it matter if someone wants to drink/smoke/drug themselves to death?
It's just nature's way to even out the population.
No one ever said we should prevent blind children from being able to live their lives the way they want, so why should I be any different because I've chosen to drink?
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Supanova 08
Well, Supanova hit Melbourne for the first time, and had a pretty interesting time.
I went briefly on Saturday to scope it out and look around, and was appalled to find out autographs from the stars started at $30! Fuck that.
But I did go to the Cosplay, and took a heap of pictures which you can find on facebook.
I went briefly on Saturday to scope it out and look around, and was appalled to find out autographs from the stars started at $30! Fuck that.
But I did go to the Cosplay, and took a heap of pictures which you can find on facebook.
The detail of the costumes and the funny little skits these kids worked on for the costumes was awesome. Some went on for a little too long, and I'm not sure who won, but it's really great to see this kind of thing happening here as it does in the US and Japan.
* * * * *
On Sunday I was a volunteer at the Queensland Games/Krome Studios stall. We demoed Viva Pinata and had Ty The Tasmanian Tiger posters, as well as Ty himself!
Some things I noticed about working this stall:
- We should have had Ty on display as well as Viva Pinata. Ty is a very popular game - I had people asking when the next one was coming out, or if we are making it for PSP / PS3 / Xbox360, constantly.
- Actually, we should have been showing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Whenever the QG video showed the trailer for that, people stopped to watch it. We would have been bigger than the SingStar stall if we had.
- Kids recognise and associate with the Viva Pinata cartoon, whereas older teens and adults know the game, and it really causes confusion. Our game, Viva Pinata Party Animals is based on the cartoon series and aimed at kids, and is not a true sequel to the original Rare game.
- There's some really sad and lonely people out there and games and game characters really touch them (and I'm not just talking about Steve in the Ty suit...)
- There are a lot of yummy mummies at conventions (or maybe I'm just being less picky in my old age)
I also attended the talks by John Rhys Davies and Lou Ferrigno.
Lou's talk was good, although he has trouble hearing and with the accent so had to get someone to repeat every question and the intention of some questions sometimes went awry. It's interesting to hear that he is 57 and still works out, and has trained with Chuck Norris, and how no one hassles him out in bars. He's a sheriff now with the California police, which is sure to freak out some drugged out crim he busts I bet!
John's talk was very moral and philosophical. He began by telling us he's pissed off that the UK government is thinking of denying ancestry rights to Australians. As he said, there's only 20,000 aussies in the last 5 years who've emigrated and not many of them have used Ancestry to stay there. He then went on a big diatribe on how he thinks pornography is wrong, how his generation championed rights but not responsibilities, and how he thinks we abandon children at 16, amongst other things. It was very interesting and although I don't agree with every point he made, it was very enlightening hearing that sort of talk from a celebrity.
I really wanted to stay for Jewel Staite and David Harris's talks, but I was pretty over it by 3... geeks/nerds are nice and all, but they're a little bit full on when in large numbers, even for me and I'm a pretty major nerd.
* * * * *
On Sunday I was a volunteer at the Queensland Games/Krome Studios stall. We demoed Viva Pinata and had Ty The Tasmanian Tiger posters, as well as Ty himself!
Some things I noticed about working this stall:
- We should have had Ty on display as well as Viva Pinata. Ty is a very popular game - I had people asking when the next one was coming out, or if we are making it for PSP / PS3 / Xbox360, constantly.
- Actually, we should have been showing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Whenever the QG video showed the trailer for that, people stopped to watch it. We would have been bigger than the SingStar stall if we had.
- Kids recognise and associate with the Viva Pinata cartoon, whereas older teens and adults know the game, and it really causes confusion. Our game, Viva Pinata Party Animals is based on the cartoon series and aimed at kids, and is not a true sequel to the original Rare game.
- There's some really sad and lonely people out there and games and game characters really touch them (and I'm not just talking about Steve in the Ty suit...)
- There are a lot of yummy mummies at conventions (or maybe I'm just being less picky in my old age)
I also attended the talks by John Rhys Davies and Lou Ferrigno.
Lou's talk was good, although he has trouble hearing and with the accent so had to get someone to repeat every question and the intention of some questions sometimes went awry. It's interesting to hear that he is 57 and still works out, and has trained with Chuck Norris, and how no one hassles him out in bars. He's a sheriff now with the California police, which is sure to freak out some drugged out crim he busts I bet!
John's talk was very moral and philosophical. He began by telling us he's pissed off that the UK government is thinking of denying ancestry rights to Australians. As he said, there's only 20,000 aussies in the last 5 years who've emigrated and not many of them have used Ancestry to stay there. He then went on a big diatribe on how he thinks pornography is wrong, how his generation championed rights but not responsibilities, and how he thinks we abandon children at 16, amongst other things. It was very interesting and although I don't agree with every point he made, it was very enlightening hearing that sort of talk from a celebrity.
I really wanted to stay for Jewel Staite and David Harris's talks, but I was pretty over it by 3... geeks/nerds are nice and all, but they're a little bit full on when in large numbers, even for me and I'm a pretty major nerd.
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Why? Why!? WHY!?!?!
Apple and Microsoft spent millions of dollars on developing FREE video editing software and it's pretty simple to use, so why is it that NOBODY edits videos on youtube?
Everybody just sits there and talks into a camera, "Big Brother" style. Is the world really full of so many morons?
Staring into a camera and talking for 5 minutes is NOT INTERESTING, no matter HOW WITTY YOU THINK YOU ARE.
I was browsing a few things, and being an atheist myself I saw one titled "the Amazing Atheist", and decided to watch.
After a minute or so of him yabbering on and procrastinating, I shut it off. If he's amazing, then I'm afraid us atheists are in a lot of trouble because he was pretty uninspiring.
Check this guy out here... And compare it to a preacher such as Tye Tribbett
Yeah, sure, Tribett is full of shit, but if I was some impressionable young kid looking for meaning in the world, I'd know who I'd prefer to listen to...
Everybody just sits there and talks into a camera, "Big Brother" style. Is the world really full of so many morons?
Staring into a camera and talking for 5 minutes is NOT INTERESTING, no matter HOW WITTY YOU THINK YOU ARE.
I was browsing a few things, and being an atheist myself I saw one titled "the Amazing Atheist", and decided to watch.
After a minute or so of him yabbering on and procrastinating, I shut it off. If he's amazing, then I'm afraid us atheists are in a lot of trouble because he was pretty uninspiring.
Check this guy out here... And compare it to a preacher such as Tye Tribbett
Yeah, sure, Tribett is full of shit, but if I was some impressionable young kid looking for meaning in the world, I'd know who I'd prefer to listen to...
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
A week in Adelaide
I just spent 10 days in Adelaide.
Every single day was over 38 degrees... and I didn't get burnt once! YAY!
I went over for Womad, which was very hot, very dusty, but a lot of fun. Highlights included Mojo Web, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Billy Cobham, John Buttler Trio, Soul Jazz Sound System and Nickodemus.
I caught up with most of the people I wanted to catch up with, and spent most of the time either watching TV and drinking, or at the beach and drinking, or in the park and drinking.
There's no pictures because I forgot to take my bloody camera :(
Every single day was over 38 degrees... and I didn't get burnt once! YAY!
I went over for Womad, which was very hot, very dusty, but a lot of fun. Highlights included Mojo Web, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Billy Cobham, John Buttler Trio, Soul Jazz Sound System and Nickodemus.
I caught up with most of the people I wanted to catch up with, and spent most of the time either watching TV and drinking, or at the beach and drinking, or in the park and drinking.
There's no pictures because I forgot to take my bloody camera :(
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
RIP Gary Gygax
RIP Mr Gygax.
Without you I wouldn't have made the friends I have made or be the person I am today.
And I'd probably be worse at math too!
Gary Gygax - creator of Dungeons & Dragons dies
The rattling of dice across tabletops around the word falls silent today with the news that co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and TSR, Gary Gygax, has passed away at the age of 69. The news came via the forums of Troll Lord Games, who publish Gygax's Lejendary Adventures and Castles & Crusades sourcebooks, delivered via his son Ernie Gygax. He died in his home, having been in failing health for some time, suffering several strokes and a near heart-attack. Gygax was an inspiration to the gaming industry, with his work directly or indirectly influencing entire genres - role-playing games and MMORPGs specifically. Gary Gygax may have passed on, but the legacy he leaves to gaming will live on forever. Rest in peace, Dungeon Master.
(from Kotaku)
Without you I wouldn't have made the friends I have made or be the person I am today.
And I'd probably be worse at math too!
Gary Gygax - creator of Dungeons & Dragons dies
The rattling of dice across tabletops around the word falls silent today with the news that co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and TSR, Gary Gygax, has passed away at the age of 69. The news came via the forums of Troll Lord Games, who publish Gygax's Lejendary Adventures and Castles & Crusades sourcebooks, delivered via his son Ernie Gygax. He died in his home, having been in failing health for some time, suffering several strokes and a near heart-attack. Gygax was an inspiration to the gaming industry, with his work directly or indirectly influencing entire genres - role-playing games and MMORPGs specifically. Gary Gygax may have passed on, but the legacy he leaves to gaming will live on forever. Rest in peace, Dungeon Master.
(from Kotaku)
Monday, 3 March 2008
Back online!
Thanks to hostonce's terrible customer service, my domain expired.
I was notified on Friday last week, and cut off on Saturday. I sent 2 emails and posted 3 help desk questions and got a response on Tuesday.
That's not good enough.
And now because I wanted my site and email back on ASAP I'm locked into another 6 months with them...
At least everything is functioning now.
I was notified on Friday last week, and cut off on Saturday. I sent 2 emails and posted 3 help desk questions and got a response on Tuesday.
That's not good enough.
And now because I wanted my site and email back on ASAP I'm locked into another 6 months with them...
At least everything is functioning now.
Monday, 28 January 2008
Melbourne Big Day Out 08
This was the second Big Day Out I've attended in Melbourne; the first was back in 2001.
This time it was a Flemmington Racecourse, and I must admit I prefer the old Showgrounds (and moreover, Adelaide Showgrounds) because there's hardly any shade and no where nice to sit. The stages are miles apart, and you have to walk pretty far between them.
There were a few things different - they had a single entry to the 'D' - basically the area right at the front of the stage, and prevented people entering when it was full. This meant I didn't get anywhere close to the stage at any time. They had drink tickets, but this time they sold them in lots of 10 for $30, and drinks were 1 ticket for water, 2 for beer, and 3 for spirits, which works out really well when you think about it.
But I had a really fun time.
Got there for Muph & Plutonic and they were heaps good... ;)
Midnight Jugernauts were meh, and didn't excite me in the slightest, so I wandered around and heard a local Melbourne group called Mammal, who weren't too bad.
Dizzee Rascal got me bouncing, and performed lots of stuff from English & Mathematics. He closed with Stand Up Tall, which I love.
Hilltop hoods started with a couple of covers - "Just To Get By" and "It's All Good", then dropped into their usual set. They had a singer and the string quartet with them as well, but I was a bit disappointed they didn't do any of the songs they wrote about Adelaide - "City of Light", for example.
Grinspoon annoyed me because they didn't even say hello to the audience - not that I heard anyway, so I grabbed a beer and did a wander. Managed to catch a little of Billy Bragg and I'm such a little commie that I was singing along to it, knowing all the words.
After him I popped over to the Lillypad and caught some of Dexter's Gorilla Step, which is a lot of fun. Dexter DJs whilst drummers drum on logs, and dancers dance around like gorillas, but in hiphop / break dance battle style. It's really cool.
Tom Morello is a funny guy. His banter between songs really humanised him. He did an acoustic cover of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", changing the lyrics to be all about the evil that is George Bush. He then said "Not bad for a guy who's been digitised for Guitar Hero III" and proceeded to tell the crowd how crap he is at the game. He was quite folky, and I'm sure it would have put a lot of typical rage fans off, but I liked it. At the end he told everyone to go download his album, saying "we sold so many of that Rage Against the Machine record that it doesn't matter".
However, most of the day I felt like something was missing, and it wasn't until UNKLE Live came on that I realised what it was - straight up rock! Most of the acts I had seen were hiphop or folk, and when UNKLE came on and proceeded to rock I was really surprised and really happy. They reminded me a lot of Depeche Mode actually, and the lighting in the boiler room was top shit!
Krafty Kuts and Dynamite MC played after, and I gotta hand it to Krafty, he certainly knows how to rock the festival crowd. I wasn't really feeling it though, so wandered to the bar and chatted to some randoms (Melbourne is so friendly and so full of freaks it's awesome!) and then caught 5 minutes of Pegz, who was rocking his home crowd well.
I made my way over to the blue stage in preparation for RATM, so caught most of Bjork. I really enjoyed her set, although lots of people around me whinged like little bitches about her playing right before Rage. The video showed her horn section jumping around, and the freaky instruments she uses. One was this large round touchscreen that you put cups on, and the different cups have different sounds, and the closer they are the different frequencies they make. Really interesting and I want one! (I've since found out it is a ReacTable)
Then Rage Against The Machine came on, and if I was lamenting the lack of rock, they fixed it for me. Playing all their hits, they simply smashed it. Although I got to take issue with one thing - Zac had a rant about the system, as he is want to do. It's all well and good to rant about "the system" comrade, but "the system" is the thing that's got you in front of 50,000 people singing and earning millions instead of doing an honest day's work... But it's only a minor gripe and I love the commie bastards.
Things got a little out of control in the crowd too - there were people up on the roof of the bar tent, people on the scaffolding, people in trees, and security and cops couldn't do much, although I saw one security dude just laying into one of the crashers. Not good.
But all in all it was a pretty good Big Day Out, although I think I might head to Adelaide next year, for the simple fact that there are nice places to sit and see the action, unlike at Flemmington, because my legs and feet are fucking killing me right now!
This time it was a Flemmington Racecourse, and I must admit I prefer the old Showgrounds (and moreover, Adelaide Showgrounds) because there's hardly any shade and no where nice to sit. The stages are miles apart, and you have to walk pretty far between them.
There were a few things different - they had a single entry to the 'D' - basically the area right at the front of the stage, and prevented people entering when it was full. This meant I didn't get anywhere close to the stage at any time. They had drink tickets, but this time they sold them in lots of 10 for $30, and drinks were 1 ticket for water, 2 for beer, and 3 for spirits, which works out really well when you think about it.
But I had a really fun time.
Got there for Muph & Plutonic and they were heaps good... ;)
Midnight Jugernauts were meh, and didn't excite me in the slightest, so I wandered around and heard a local Melbourne group called Mammal, who weren't too bad.
Dizzee Rascal got me bouncing, and performed lots of stuff from English & Mathematics. He closed with Stand Up Tall, which I love.
Hilltop hoods started with a couple of covers - "Just To Get By" and "It's All Good", then dropped into their usual set. They had a singer and the string quartet with them as well, but I was a bit disappointed they didn't do any of the songs they wrote about Adelaide - "City of Light", for example.
Grinspoon annoyed me because they didn't even say hello to the audience - not that I heard anyway, so I grabbed a beer and did a wander. Managed to catch a little of Billy Bragg and I'm such a little commie that I was singing along to it, knowing all the words.
After him I popped over to the Lillypad and caught some of Dexter's Gorilla Step, which is a lot of fun. Dexter DJs whilst drummers drum on logs, and dancers dance around like gorillas, but in hiphop / break dance battle style. It's really cool.
Tom Morello is a funny guy. His banter between songs really humanised him. He did an acoustic cover of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", changing the lyrics to be all about the evil that is George Bush. He then said "Not bad for a guy who's been digitised for Guitar Hero III" and proceeded to tell the crowd how crap he is at the game. He was quite folky, and I'm sure it would have put a lot of typical rage fans off, but I liked it. At the end he told everyone to go download his album, saying "we sold so many of that Rage Against the Machine record that it doesn't matter".
However, most of the day I felt like something was missing, and it wasn't until UNKLE Live came on that I realised what it was - straight up rock! Most of the acts I had seen were hiphop or folk, and when UNKLE came on and proceeded to rock I was really surprised and really happy. They reminded me a lot of Depeche Mode actually, and the lighting in the boiler room was top shit!
Krafty Kuts and Dynamite MC played after, and I gotta hand it to Krafty, he certainly knows how to rock the festival crowd. I wasn't really feeling it though, so wandered to the bar and chatted to some randoms (Melbourne is so friendly and so full of freaks it's awesome!) and then caught 5 minutes of Pegz, who was rocking his home crowd well.
I made my way over to the blue stage in preparation for RATM, so caught most of Bjork. I really enjoyed her set, although lots of people around me whinged like little bitches about her playing right before Rage. The video showed her horn section jumping around, and the freaky instruments she uses. One was this large round touchscreen that you put cups on, and the different cups have different sounds, and the closer they are the different frequencies they make. Really interesting and I want one! (I've since found out it is a ReacTable)
Then Rage Against The Machine came on, and if I was lamenting the lack of rock, they fixed it for me. Playing all their hits, they simply smashed it. Although I got to take issue with one thing - Zac had a rant about the system, as he is want to do. It's all well and good to rant about "the system" comrade, but "the system" is the thing that's got you in front of 50,000 people singing and earning millions instead of doing an honest day's work... But it's only a minor gripe and I love the commie bastards.
Things got a little out of control in the crowd too - there were people up on the roof of the bar tent, people on the scaffolding, people in trees, and security and cops couldn't do much, although I saw one security dude just laying into one of the crashers. Not good.
But all in all it was a pretty good Big Day Out, although I think I might head to Adelaide next year, for the simple fact that there are nice places to sit and see the action, unlike at Flemmington, because my legs and feet are fucking killing me right now!
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
I spent the evening sitting with Betty and Sezzy and Skreetch and Kilz on the Yarra watching the fireworks. It was cool, but they had a total ban on alcohol so being sober at midnight was a little odd.
New Years Day we went to Hot BBQ and it was pretty good. Saw a tiny bit of Q-Bert, the Stanton Warriors (who were rather poor), Gotye who was good, and De La Soul who were awesome.
I also went to see Blackalicious and People Under the Stairs last Thurs and Deekline & Wizard last Fri, both which were excellent nights! And tomorrow I'm off to see the Plump DJs, who I missed at the Hot BBQ.
It's good being back at work too - straight into a new project so goodbye Star Wars: The Force Unleashed PSP! It's going to turn out ok, but the PSP is such a shitty platform for gaming - it's heavy and uncomfortable after an hour, so holding it for 4-5 hours a day is just horrid.
Being in Melbourne just feels like one big holiday. I really wish I had done this earlier in my life, but then again I didn't have a job I enjoyed this much when I was younger, so I might have hated on everything (even more ;) and become emo or something...
I spent the evening sitting with Betty and Sezzy and Skreetch and Kilz on the Yarra watching the fireworks. It was cool, but they had a total ban on alcohol so being sober at midnight was a little odd.
New Years Day we went to Hot BBQ and it was pretty good. Saw a tiny bit of Q-Bert, the Stanton Warriors (who were rather poor), Gotye who was good, and De La Soul who were awesome.
I also went to see Blackalicious and People Under the Stairs last Thurs and Deekline & Wizard last Fri, both which were excellent nights! And tomorrow I'm off to see the Plump DJs, who I missed at the Hot BBQ.
It's good being back at work too - straight into a new project so goodbye Star Wars: The Force Unleashed PSP! It's going to turn out ok, but the PSP is such a shitty platform for gaming - it's heavy and uncomfortable after an hour, so holding it for 4-5 hours a day is just horrid.
Being in Melbourne just feels like one big holiday. I really wish I had done this earlier in my life, but then again I didn't have a job I enjoyed this much when I was younger, so I might have hated on everything (even more ;) and become emo or something...
Monday, 31 December 2007
Who Do You Think You Are?
I've been watching SBS's Who Do You Think You Are?
It's a show that traces one UK celebrity's family history per episode.
It's so amazing what some of these people - nearly all of whom are as British as beans on toast - Bill Oddy, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Clarkson - have in their family history.
Stephen Fry had one side of his family wiped out by the Germans.
Last night they had Gurinder Chadha, the woman who directed "Bend It Like Beckham" and she's Indian, but from Kenya. Although wealthy, her family were in refugee camps after the separation of Pakistan from India. Her brother's sister died fleeing Pakistan.
These things were happening only 50 - 60 years ago.
Over a million people were dispossessed when India and Pakistan split. A Million people who had family, friends, history, land and homes told to piss off somewhere else. And I don't need to mention the Holocaust. Even if it's exaggerated the amounts of people killed, it's still a terrible waste.
And it happens over and over and over again all over the world.
This is why I get so upset with people who are racist and blame immigrants for everything and anything - I've got a sense of home, a sense of history. Sure, my knowledge of it only goes back 3 generations, but that's 3 generations of people who've lived in the one place not having to deal with being told we had to move or be killed because we prayed to the wrong god, or had the wrong coloured skin.
It's a show that traces one UK celebrity's family history per episode.
It's so amazing what some of these people - nearly all of whom are as British as beans on toast - Bill Oddy, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Clarkson - have in their family history.
Stephen Fry had one side of his family wiped out by the Germans.
Last night they had Gurinder Chadha, the woman who directed "Bend It Like Beckham" and she's Indian, but from Kenya. Although wealthy, her family were in refugee camps after the separation of Pakistan from India. Her brother's sister died fleeing Pakistan.
These things were happening only 50 - 60 years ago.
Over a million people were dispossessed when India and Pakistan split. A Million people who had family, friends, history, land and homes told to piss off somewhere else. And I don't need to mention the Holocaust. Even if it's exaggerated the amounts of people killed, it's still a terrible waste.
And it happens over and over and over again all over the world.
This is why I get so upset with people who are racist and blame immigrants for everything and anything - I've got a sense of home, a sense of history. Sure, my knowledge of it only goes back 3 generations, but that's 3 generations of people who've lived in the one place not having to deal with being told we had to move or be killed because we prayed to the wrong god, or had the wrong coloured skin.
Wednesday, 26 December 2007
Merry Christmas!
My first Christmas in Melbourne was really nice.
Spent it with my house mate and his family, all of whom are really nice people. His mum gave me a George Foreman grill, and his sister and I bonded over our love of archeology and Time Team.
His other sister has two twin boys aged 9, and they refer to themselves as the "terrible twins" which I thought was pretty funny. They loved playing the Xbox, although they weren't any good at Guitar Hero, and after lunch I went back to their house to play PS2.
One really touching moment was when one of the twins was asking Bill, a 90 year old bloke and friend of Michael's Mum, all these questions about his life growing up.
I was scared of all the old people when I was young; Mum worked in a nursing home and they all smelt funny and were a bit crazy, so I was never curious about their lives at that age. But Bill was sharp as a tack and seemed to enjoy the questioning, and I enjoyed listening to the pair talk.
I miss my friends in Adelaide terribly though, and am really looking forward to getting back there in February and March.
Spent it with my house mate and his family, all of whom are really nice people. His mum gave me a George Foreman grill, and his sister and I bonded over our love of archeology and Time Team.
His other sister has two twin boys aged 9, and they refer to themselves as the "terrible twins" which I thought was pretty funny. They loved playing the Xbox, although they weren't any good at Guitar Hero, and after lunch I went back to their house to play PS2.
One really touching moment was when one of the twins was asking Bill, a 90 year old bloke and friend of Michael's Mum, all these questions about his life growing up.
I was scared of all the old people when I was young; Mum worked in a nursing home and they all smelt funny and were a bit crazy, so I was never curious about their lives at that age. But Bill was sharp as a tack and seemed to enjoy the questioning, and I enjoyed listening to the pair talk.
I miss my friends in Adelaide terribly though, and am really looking forward to getting back there in February and March.
Friday, 21 December 2007
Raining Much
This is my first ever YouTube video.
It's the view outside my window during a torrential downpour.
It was so loud I couldn't hear the TV.
Yesterday this amount of rain caused my flat to flood.
Luckily today, because the rain was falling straight down and not at an angle so it could seep in underneath the weather board, the place didn't flood.
It's the view outside my window during a torrential downpour.
It was so loud I couldn't hear the TV.
Yesterday this amount of rain caused my flat to flood.
Luckily today, because the rain was falling straight down and not at an angle so it could seep in underneath the weather board, the place didn't flood.
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Spoilt little rich girl
Oh, poor Hilary Martin.
Went to Brisbane Girls Grammar School and leaves school and through mummy and daddy slipping a couple of bucks the editors way gets published in the Australian.
She sounds like a spoilt little brat to me.
I went to quite possibly the worse public school in South Australia in the late 80s / early 90s... And I wouldn't give up what I was taught there for all the world.
In my year 12, we had an English Teacher who was just stuffing around for the year, so at the halfway mark, when we still hadn't read any books, we took action.
We went to the head of English, and the head of the school, and got a new teacher.
But do you know WHY we felt we could take action?
Because, unlike miss silver spooner here, we were taught independent thought! We were underprivileged and were taught by the good teachers, the ones you would probably dismiss as "stupid lefties", to fight for what we believed in!
We were taught not to sit back and take crap. And we didn't.
I was told I would amount to nothing, and treated as such, just because of where I came from.
Yet I got through school with excellent results, got a degree and post grad diploma, I'm now doing something I absolutely love and am the envy of most of my peers.
If she didn't like her schooling she should have done something about it a long time ago.
Why is she whinging about her schooling now? Why criticise and moan like a little girl after the fact?
It can't help her now.
If she acted at the time, she might have helped not only herself, but all the other people in her school, like we did.
God, I hate people like this.
Went to Brisbane Girls Grammar School and leaves school and through mummy and daddy slipping a couple of bucks the editors way gets published in the Australian.
She sounds like a spoilt little brat to me.
I went to quite possibly the worse public school in South Australia in the late 80s / early 90s... And I wouldn't give up what I was taught there for all the world.
In my year 12, we had an English Teacher who was just stuffing around for the year, so at the halfway mark, when we still hadn't read any books, we took action.
We went to the head of English, and the head of the school, and got a new teacher.
But do you know WHY we felt we could take action?
Because, unlike miss silver spooner here, we were taught independent thought! We were underprivileged and were taught by the good teachers, the ones you would probably dismiss as "stupid lefties", to fight for what we believed in!
We were taught not to sit back and take crap. And we didn't.
I was told I would amount to nothing, and treated as such, just because of where I came from.
Yet I got through school with excellent results, got a degree and post grad diploma, I'm now doing something I absolutely love and am the envy of most of my peers.
If she didn't like her schooling she should have done something about it a long time ago.
Why is she whinging about her schooling now? Why criticise and moan like a little girl after the fact?
It can't help her now.
If she acted at the time, she might have helped not only herself, but all the other people in her school, like we did.
God, I hate people like this.
Monday, 17 December 2007
When did "Average" become "Bad"?
I went and saw Daft Punk the other night, and said online that it was pretty average.
I enjoyed their music, but thought the rest of the night was pretty average. There was a lot more they could have done with the set up to make it really outstanding, like having screens to show the Daft Punk guys pushing the buttons in the pyramid.
Now I've been flamed for saying this, and people have assumed I hated it.
I didn't hate it. I never said I hated it - in fact I'm glad I went... however, because I called it average there's all this hate being directed to me.
Its the same when I review computer games.
If I say a game is average, and give it a score of 6 or 7, people assume that means I am saying the game is bad.
It's not bad, it's just not great. In other words - Average.
So, when did "average" come to mean "bad" in most peoples mind?
I enjoyed their music, but thought the rest of the night was pretty average. There was a lot more they could have done with the set up to make it really outstanding, like having screens to show the Daft Punk guys pushing the buttons in the pyramid.
Now I've been flamed for saying this, and people have assumed I hated it.
I didn't hate it. I never said I hated it - in fact I'm glad I went... however, because I called it average there's all this hate being directed to me.
Its the same when I review computer games.
If I say a game is average, and give it a score of 6 or 7, people assume that means I am saying the game is bad.
It's not bad, it's just not great. In other words - Average.
So, when did "average" come to mean "bad" in most peoples mind?
Sunday, 16 December 2007
Monday, 3 December 2007
RIP James M
A friend of mine passed away in Adelaide this weekend.
"James M" as he was very affectionately known, was a funny bastard, very entertaining and always up for some fun.
He was a risk taker and it sadly caught up with him.
Really sucks being away from everyone back in Adelaide right now.
I'm hoping to get back for the funeral, even if it's just for the day.
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