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ON THE ROAD WITH TIJUANA CARTEL
Their new album is aptly titled: M1. And Gold Coast band
Tijuana Cartel are hitting the highway to promote it, doing
32 shows in 64 days, from Cairns to Canberra, Broome to
Byron Bay, and Margaret River to Melbourne (checking into
the Corner Hotel on 28 October). Asked about the Tijuana
Cartel tour van, singer Paul George points to an almost
clapped-out white Mitsubishi Express that the band has had
for five years, clocking up more than 170,000 km. Trumpet
player Josh Sinclair does most of the driving. "He's the
youngest and doesn't generally drink. He's a good lad, so
we take advantage of him as much as possible when we're
a little drunk."
Tijuana Cartel have taken their potent sound - a mix of
electronica, world music and pop - to 5000 people at a Fremantle
festival. They've also played to three people at a Bellingen
pub, "two old men and one car accident victim in a walking
frame, attempting to dance". What's the strangest venue
they've played? "We did a haunted pub somewhere on the outskirts
of Perth," Paul says. "The guys thought it'd be funny to
plant a recording of a dodgy ghost voice under my bed while
I was sleeping. I was passed out at the time and woke up
screaming."
Paul loves life on the road, even though the van is loud
and the air con doesn't work. "Having a job where hundreds
of people scream at you when you finish is a real perk,"
he says. "It's far more exciting than my stint as a pizza
deliverer." What doesn't he like? "Snoring. Being trapped
in a room full of four guys sounding like angry bears protecting
a family cave can be annoying." On a good night, the guys
have separate rooms. "It can be odd bringing a date back
to a single room filled with four guys - all snoring."
What's on the rider for this tour? "Two bottles sav blanc,
one carton of beer, one bottle white rum, plus one bottle
of vodka and Jager." Do you always get the full rider? "Um,
we usually get about half, but more often it's everything.
I'm trying to detox at the moment, so we may need to start
asking for beetroot juice. We've heard of some bands asking
for condoms, but I think that's a little overboard for us."
Tijuana Cartel made M1 in Nimbin, the NSW town with a reputation
for drugs and hippies. What was the band's Nimbin experience?
"Well, we have our own reputation for drugs and hippies,"
Paul smiles, "but it was not as exciting as people would
want to believe. We spent most of the time recording with
a very rare trip into town for food and beer. It was harvest
season, so everyone was in a good mood. Now and then you'd
see a chopper or two trying to spot plantations, and we'd
have to stop recording until they passed."
JUST ADD MAYO & VINEGAR
It could be Howzat!'s favourite double bill: Skipping Girl
Vinegar - who have released our favourite 2011 album, Keep
Calm Carry The Monkey - plus our favourite Adelaide act,
Myles Mayo. They're playing at the Northcote Social Club
on Friday.
PLUMBING THE HEIGHTS
The Stillsons are earning some raves for their second album,
Earnest (through Fuse). In a four-star EG review, Inpress
founder Andrew Watt said: "The album is an example of hyperactive
genre-jumping that shows an impressive ability to translate
plentiful ideas into compelling music." While Nick Argyriou
wrote in Rhythms: "Earnest is one of those records that
you simply can't find fault with." Howzat! was intrigued
by the band name, which also provides the title of one of
the new songs. "A Stillson is a plumbing wrench - the big
shifter," the band's co-lead singer, Justin Bernasconi,
informs us. "When we formed, in 2006, one of the members
was a weekend warrior musician - he was a plumber during
the week - and we wanted a real straight name. Unfortunately,
he didn't last long in the band, but the name stuck." Many
people think they're Irish because of the Stillson School
of Irish Dance, "which is quite ironic for a band in which
every member has an Italian surname". The Stillsons play
at the Northcote Social Club on Thursday, and Pure Pop on
Sunday.
THE HELLO ALBUM
"It's been like a biblical journey." So says The Hello Morning's
Steven Clifford, referring to the band's long-time-coming
debut album. But they promise it will be out early 2012.
Excellent news. This band could be very big. Howzat! saw
them with Sydney's Dead Letter Chorus, who are definitely
ready for the big stage. They're capable of swinging from
intimate to grandiose - and only great bands can do that.
CHART WATCH
Gotye's reign ends after eight weeks.
Somebody That I Used To Know GOTYE (number two)
Inescapable JESSICA MAUBOY (24)
Local hip hop star 360 lands at four.
Making Mirrors GOTYE (number three)
Falling & Flying 360 (four, debut)
Ultimate Hits LEE KERNAGHAN (eight, debut)
The Acoustic Chapel Sessions JOHN FARNHAM (10, debut)
Vows KIMBRA (14)
Prisoner THE JEZABELS (15)
Blue Sky Blue PETE MURRAY (18)
White Heat: 30 Hits ICEHOUSE (19)
Storybook KASEY CHAMBERS (22)
Songs & Pictures BECCY COLE (24, debut)
Coast To Coast CODY SIMPSON (26, debut)
Moonfire BOY & BEAR (38)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Never Grow Old TIJUANA CARTEL
Leave The Party MYLES MAYO
Heart Does Ache SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR
Freefalling THE KILLJOYS
Stillson THE STILLSONS
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