Sound Distractions

[http://www.sounddistractions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CITIZEN-toni_childs-2-1024x512.jpg]It’s said that life isn’t about the destination, but the journey and in Toni Childs’ case it’s been an extraordinary voyage of discovery that continues to evolve in the most unpredictable ways. As a recording artist Toni first broke through with her debut album Union in 1988, spawning hits like Don’t Walk Away and the irresistible Stop Your Fussin’. The album was produced by David Ricketts of David and David fame and was nominated for two Grammys that year. The follow up House of Hope was again enthusiastically received and while it didn’t achieve the same commercial success in Toni’s native USA, the album and its lead single I’ve Got To Go Now were once again hugely successful in Australia and New Zealand. The Woman’s Boat completed a critically acclaimed trilogy with the album’s emphasis on femininity and womanhood. It was after an Australian tour while working on her follow up album that Toni began to notice an unusual bulging of her eyes. A visit to the doctor confirmed that she had Graves’ Disease, a condition that totally upended her life and saw Toni retire from recording for 15 years. Toni Childs’ recovery began as she detoxified her body while building a new life in Hawaii. In the process of achieving a clean bill of health Toni changed her outlook on living, developing a holistic approach towards a cleaner and healthier lifestyle while embracing yoga and meditation. In 2009 Toni reunited with producer David Ricketts for her comeback album Keep The Faith, which included the hit One Life. Now living in Australia Toni is busier than ever. In recent years she’s recorded the albums Citizens of the Planet and It’s All A Beautiful Noise, while outside of music Toni has supported causes like Rebuild Nepal. She’s also embarked on a host of creative initiatives including the Patreon project where people were immersed in a three dimensional installation of her visual art in the hope of inspiring them to support ecological ideas and values. Like I said, it’s been quite a ride… The post Toni Childs [http://www.sounddistractions.com/toni-childs/] appeared first on Sound Distractions [http://www.sounddistractions.com].

[http://www.sounddistractions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Thomas-Wynn-and-The-Believers-01-LEAD-PICTURE-by-Jim-Arbogast-1024x810.jpg] THOMAS WYNN – WADING DEEP INTO HIS SOUTHERN SOUL. There’s something about the music from the south of the United States that permeates your soul and fires the emotions within. And while Florida is usually pasted as a winter escape or the retirement haven for the country’s east coast residents there’s a particular style of soulful rock n roll that’s been heavily influenced by the surrounding states of Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana immediately to the north that have infused the sound of the Sunshine State. It’s a style of music that has been embodied by the likes of The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd from rock’s classic era through to more recent bands like the Tedeschi Trucks Band, JJ Grey & Mofro and now Thomas Wynn and the Believers. Thomas Wynn and the Believers have been one of the most highly rated bands on the Florida scene for a long time, being voted Orlando’s #1 Rock Band and #1 Country/Folk Band for the past seven consecutive years by the Orlando Weekly. Yet it’s only now with their signing to Mascot Records and their first label release Wade Waist Deep that the word is starting to spread about one of Florida’s best kept secrets. Unsurprisingly Wynn grew up playing guitar and bass in church with his brother while their sister Olivia sang in the church choir, but there’s also a musical pedigree in the family with their dad being a member of the 70’s country band Cowboy, who were label mates with the Allman Brothers on Capricorn Records. Wade Waist Deepis an album that can instil the most spiritual connections one moment then hit you like a freight train out of control with a wail of raging electric guitars the next – it’s that kind of emotional roller coaster. It’s a sound that obviously translates well live with local radio station WMNF FM proclaiming Thomas Wynn and the Believers as one of the most exciting new bands in Florida:“Folks stood, jaws dropped… shook their heads and said ‘Damn, I can’t remember the last time I was so impressed by a band I knew nothing about” . After hearingWade Waist Deep you’ll not only remember Thomas Wynn and his cohorts, you will be a believer. The post Thomas Wynn [http://www.sounddistractions.com/thomas-wynn/] appeared first on Sound Distractions [http://www.sounddistractions.com].

[http://www.sounddistractions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lanexike-2016-01-color-682x1024.jpg] Our Biggest Fan Hasn’t Been Born Yet. Ordinarily that might seem like an audacious statement, but when it comes from the lips of Lane Harry you know that he’s not posturing, he really means it. As one of the most dynamic hip hop acts in the country you’d expect a lot of posturing and attitude, but with Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell what you get is two intelligent and thoughtful guys who also happen to have a disarming sense of humour. It’s almost as if they’re unaware of their own stature within the genre and the high esteem in which they’re held. But that’s not their concern, they’re only in it for the music and the message. Three years ago Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell won Song of the Year at the Gold Coast Music Awards forAnarchy.And while the award may have caught one of Australia’s fastest rising hip hop acts off guard, it’s easy to see why the judges gave the song the nod as it tackled a host of contemporary social issues with a sophisticated arrangement and high end production values – unusual for such a raw act. It’s early on a weekday morning when I meet Lane and Ike at Serotonin Studios, the home of Guy Cooper – their producer, manager and owner of Human Records. Lane has just finished the nightshift at a hostel, while Ike is about to head off to his day job working in a surf shop. There’s no pretence, no rock star agenda. As Lane says: “if I was in it for the money I would have become a lawyer – I topped my law class in school but it didn’t interest me”. Ike had previously enrolled at university in aeronautical and mechanical engineering, but with his dry sense of humour he says he quit because the best thing about it was Subway at lunchtime. Their latest album Youthhasjust won Album of the Year at the Gold Coast Music Awards, but why would an act struggling to make ends meet as artists offer itto fans for free? Lane: “We wanted everyone to get it. When I was 15 or 16 I couldn’t afford to buy my favourite artist’s albums, we just want to make our music as accessible as possible”. It’s not only their product they want to make accessible, it’s the music they create as well. Their cinematic approach with high end production values could include anything from sweeping strings to a beautiful melodic chorus with guest female vocalists – it’s hardly old school hip hop. When I ask them if they’re doing it to reach a wider audience their candid response is that they just do whatever works to make the song sound great. There’s no calculated strategy in what they do, these guys are the real deal. So what separates Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell from other hip hop artists? Ike: “We try to make every song not sound like the last song. A lot of people find a sound and they craft it and then they stick to it. They get really good at it, but it’s so limiting because you can only hear the same sound so many times”. Lane: “I want to be at a point where people check out a song of ours because they don’t know what it’s going to sound like. When someone like Kendrick Lamar or Childish Gambino puts out a record I can’t wait to hear it because I’ve got no idea what it’s going to sound like”. A number of cultural icons are referenced on Youth with song titles including Winehouse, Matthew McConaughey and Keith Richards. The use of McConaughey’s catchphrase “alright, alright, alright” is cleverly built into the chorus and once that earworm gets into your head there’s no escaping it. Keith Richards has a Caribbean dub flavour with a classic dancehall beat featuring Eliza Pickard singing the melody. The video has gained some serious traction online and is a hoot with Ike playing the fictitious TV talk show host Morty Martins, who interviews Lane dressed like Keith and asks him: “so Lane, what’s it like to be famous?”. Has Richards seen it? Not that they know of, but Steven Tyler has. He loved it and suggested they talk to Aerosmith’s manager about representation. Lane and Ike are chuffed, but they don’t let the idea of it go to their heads, it’s all part of the game in this business. The post Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell [http://www.sounddistractions.com/lane-harry-x-ike-campbell-podcast/] appeared first on Sound Distractions [http://www.sounddistractions.com].

[http://www.sounddistractions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/original-967x1024.jpg]Slim Jim Phantom says he’s always loved the drums and that the instrument chose him. He grew up on Long Island and after taking up the drums took lessons from jazz great Mousie Alexander, who had played with Benny Goodman. He met Lee Rocker in high school and later they formed the Stray Cats with Brian Setzer, leading the rockabilly revival of the 1980’s. The Stray Cats first emerged in New York during the late 70’s and quickly scored regular slots at notable Manhattan venues like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. They weren’t quite punk per se, but as rockabilly was loaded with attitude and was the punk music of its day they certainly weren’t out of place on that scene either. It wasn’t until the band relocated to London and won over fans like the Stones and the Who that they really kicked into gear. Rockpile guitarist Dave Edmunds was also a fan and offered to produce their (self titled) debut album. Stray Cats was a phenomenal breakthrough featuring what would become some of the finest songs of the band’s career with Stray Cat Strut, Runaway Boys and Rock This Town – the latter of which would eventually be named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. It wasn’t until the band released their second album that their record company was prepared to launch them in the US and by that time the band had already racked up hit singles in the UK and Australia. Within a few short years the band would implode, although numerous reunions (and records) have emerged since. After the initial breakup of the Stray Cats Lee Rocker and Slim Jim formed Phantom, Rocker and Slick with gun session guitarist Earl Slick. They made 2 albums together, including their self-titled debut, which featured the ripping track Men Without Shame. Slim Jim Phantom has featured in many other bands over the years including Head Cat with Lemmy from Motorhead and Dead Men Walking with Captain Sensible (The Damned), Chris Cheney (The Living End) and Mike Peters (The Alarm). Jim is currently touring Australia’s east coast with the Slim Jim Phantom Trio. I spoke to him in his hotel just before going on stage at Blues on Broadbeach where I had the chance to ask him about everything from living the rockabilly life to his barber who used to cut the hair of the King of Romania! [http://www.sounddistractions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Slim-Jim-Phantom0005-1024x684.jpg]Slim Jim tears it up at Blues on Broadbeach. Image courtesy of Carl Dziunka, Access All Australia.The post Slim Jim Phantom [http://www.sounddistractions.com/slim-jim-phantom-podcast/] appeared first on Sound Distractions [http://www.sounddistractions.com].

TURNING GUILTY PLEASURES INTO A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS. [http://www.sounddistractions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Duckworth-accepting-award-c-Dan-Maynard-1050x700-1024x683.jpg]Mark Duckworth wins a second Gold Coast Music Award for Blues On Broadbeach. Photo courtesy of Dan Maynard PhotographyAs a musician, songwriter and producer music has been Mark Duckworth’s lifelong passion, but it’s as a festival director where he’s really made his name. For the past four years Mark has been at the helm of the Gold Coast music festival Blues on Broadbeach and while the event has been running now for 16 years, it’s under Duckworth’s direction where the festival has exploded exponentially. When he took on the role four years ago Blues on Broadbeach attracted some 80 000 fans, by last year that number had more than doubled with over 166 000 attending the event. Those big numbers bring big dollars into the local economy, to the tune of around $20 million. The festival was originally designed to boost local tourism during the slow winter period and with around 8 000 people turning up for the inaugural event it was an unqualified success, but today Blues on Broadbeach is now the most profitable week for many local businesses – bigger than the busiest weeks over summer, including New Year’s Eve. With 30% of the festival’s visitors arriving from interstate, it’s a chance to beat the winter blues by soaking up the musical variety instead across a range of intimate and big stage venues. With a stunning beachside location and a stellar line up of free entertainment  it’s no wonder the event has been such a success, but without the right balance of artists in the line up it could so easily become a white elephant and that’s where Mark Duckworth’s deft touch ensures Blues on Broadbeach as a festival has become a destination in its own right. This Gold Coast event that has turned the city’s quietest visitor period into a tourism bonanza brings the streets of Broadbeach alive with the sound of music – blues music. Strictly speaking the line up isn’t exclusively blues musicians, but it’s certainly the dominant flavour that sets the tone. This year big names like Ian Moss, Bonnie Tyler, Russell Morris and the Stray Cats’ Slim Jim Phantom will draw the biggest crowds, but it’s those niche acts that really give the event some punch. They’re the acts Mark calls his guilty pleasures – artists with irresistible band names like Lachy Doley and the Horns of Conviction, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks or Byron Short and the Sunset Junkies. Check any of those acts out and you’ll not only be rewarded for being adventurous but you’ll most likely walk away having witnessed a smoking hot set of blues that you just can’t wait to tell your mates about. With a second Gold Coast Music Award for Best Live Event under his belt I caught up with Mark Duckworth in a Broadbeach cafe to discuss his love of music and to tap into why the event has become such a success. The post Mark Duckworth – Podcast [http://www.sounddistractions.com/mark-duckworth-podcast/] appeared first on Sound Distractions [http://www.sounddistractions.com].