This Last Prom project has stretched me in more directions than any other arts thing I've ever done. Songwriting, scriptwriting, singing, band-leading, acting, producing, comic- book writing, webisode- making and, as you can see from the above photo, craft assistant! We had a dress rehearsal on Saturday and it's got me ultra-excited for the show. Shout out to all the special people who've done such special work toward this special night.
Nick and I shot this promo for The Last Prom show next week, showcasing their lighter side. We’d wanted to shoot at the same location as the last one, but there was about 12 noisy Ultimate Frisbee games going on. We ended up in the loading dock of the Watson IGA.
Last month I mentioned Project Z – I’m now able to spill the beans.
As part of next March’s You Are Here festival, I’ve been commissioned to compose a soundtrack to a silent film. The final work will be performed in front of the film at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m mega-excited.
The NFSA has given myself and two other artists access to several 20s and 30s films – each of us will create a 20 minute ‘response’ to the material. I came across the Cineconcert movement in Edinburgh last year, and was fortunate enough to experience several performances. Bikini Machine live-soundtracking Desperado is one of the top five gigs of my life. Ever since, I’ve been enamoured with the concept and looking for a way to do something similar.
My intention is to find a suitable 20 minute segment (or edit together something), compose a soundtrack, and then form a scratch ensemble from members of the Canberra band scene to perform it. Stylistically, I’ll combine electronic and acoustic elements, and at this point, I want to do something bright and summery. Pieces will vary in length as appropriate to mirror the footage – I envisage it will comprise short pieces (5-20 seconds), some longer passages (up to a couple of minutes) and one or two full songs, all matching the mood and themes onscreen. To create an immersive experience, the musicians will be costumed and the stage set to reflect the film.
I took carriage of the films last week, and will spend the next fortnight figuring out what footage to use and brainstorming ideas. Check back – I’ll be blogging as I go…
After the frenetic pace of the WAR promo (and the anarchic nature of One Pot Punk Rock), it was bliss to work on something languid and deliberate. I had the idea for this scene, then Nick and I went back and forth on the script. It’s only three shots, but I’m pleased with all the nuances, both in the editing and the camerawork:
I also had fun with the text – finding the right shade of honeyed moon, and bunching it together for a bespoke look. Just little things, but that’s all filmmaking consists of – tiny, constant decisions building towards a whole. I love how every shoot teaches you something for the next as well – filming live music in a car gave me a couple of tricks for getting decent sound in imperfect locations.
If I could make another 89 minutes just like this, I’d have a hell of a feature.
Tickets for the show are available now at MOSHTIX.COM.AU
While editing the video for The Last Prom’s Half In Shadow, Half In Light, I had an idea for their Nothing But Flowers cover. If Half In Shadow was the flagship, I wanted to make something underground. Inspired by this, and all the crappy/great public access videos online, I indulged my inner Harmony Korine and turned Toby King’s beautiful footage into a garish, fuzzy VHS daydream.
I think it meshes with the band’s jangly 80s sensibility perfectly. Hopefully it confuses a lot of people.
Pictures by Adam Thomas, and they’re worth a thousand thousand words! Except to say huge thanks to The Sinbirds, Leon the Sound Whisperer and Joel ‘Son Of Netblade’ Barcham. And to all of you for being such an incredible crowd.
Last night I supported The Last Prom at their WAR-themed extravaganza. Barring a couple of acoustic country sets pre-Bluffhearts, it was my first time solo. I performed a mixture of old (Babyfreeze track Ghost Breath), new (dancehall jam King Handsome Luke), and in between (Cool Weapon track Invisible, with all new melody and lyrics).
It was a tremendous amount of work getting “gig-fit” with a new set, even if I was only practicing with myself. Now I’ve ripped off the bandaid, I’m keen to do more.
Some snaps from our friends’ Mechanical Pterodactyl’s album launch. Cracked Actor played support and it was a great chance to flex some of our newer tunes ahead of album recording in November.
Nick asked me to shoot a promo for The Last Prom’s penultimate show for the year. Each gig this year has been based around one of the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse – this Saturday (October 13th) is War’s turn.
Nick had the idea to make it a lock ‘n’ load montage, and we had fun twisting that to suit a drummer… that’s getting ready for prom… AND is the living personification of War.
The below is from their last gig – I didn’t film it, but had big fun editing it.
Big Score, my loose-as-a-goose multi-singer-songwriter jam band played at the Phoenix on Monday night, to a crowd of equally loose long-weekenders
The band includes three of the best songwriters the ACT has going: Andrew ‘Drew Walky’ Walker, Beth Monzo (of Dub Dub Goose/Beth’n’Ben fame) and the gigantic showstopping voice and presence that is Cameron Ewens. Guitarist Jon Engel is the dynamo that got us going in the first place, and our truly incredible drummer Nick Peddle makes it all sound a lot better rehearsed than it actually is.
We’ve had a record in the works for a criminally long time, but for now it’s just a great great group to work out some tunes with.
Lick Nuke 