Bachelor Girl have loved and lost. And now they're back.

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Last night I chatted to Tania Doko from Bachelor Girl, one of my favourite singer-songwriters from the late 1990s - early 2000s. We talked bands breaking up (vale Silverchair), bands reforming (welcome back Bachelor Girl!) and the obvious cheesy - public transport.

Buses and Trains, Treat Me Good, Permission to Shine and Lucky Me are songs that I still sing along to. Buses and Trains was awarded song of the year by the Australasian Performing Right Association in 1999, and in that year, Bachelor Girl was Australia's most broadcast artist. I told Tania that Bachelor Girl was the last concert I saw before I set off on my new life to Melbourne, eight years ago. I met Tania four years ago at a Darren Hayes concert and then on the plane the next day. I have been in contact with her ever since, asked her for an interview, and true to the name of her previous band, she said yes!

Bachelor Girl are back with a new album called Loved and Lost, and are touring for the first time in eight years. They never officially broke up, Tania Doko told me. She and bandmate James Roche went off to do their own things for a while. Tania was in a dance project called She Said Yes with Jack Jones and Karl Lewis in 2007 - 2008. She's had a job as a youth worker. And for the past three years she's been living in Stockholm and Los Angeles, writing songs. James eloped overseas and now has a child. He did some music recording and composing for the screen.

(Now she's lived overseas, I wonder which mode of transport Tania misses more - Melbourne's buses or Melbourne's trains? "Melbourne's public transport is not good compared to Europe. I love public transport - it gives me a break from the traffic and I get time to think", she says.)

So why did Bachelor Girl reform in 2011? "Now the timing is right for Bachelor Girl to reform, release a best of album with some new songs and do a tour", Tania says. When the tour's over, Tania says, she will return to Stockholm, refreshed and ready to write songs. 

Tania's written songs for Australian singers The Veronicas, Ricki Lee and Renee Geyer - she regards them as strong female singers and praises their vocal talent. She dreams of writing for Adele and Katy Perry in the future.

She's excited by touring, but says things have changed since the early 2000s. "I'm consumed by the preparation", Tania says. She does a lot of her own promotion in addition to the record company's. She's used social media to promote the tour. "To be an artist these days is more than just showing up and doing a gig. There's so many more people you can reach with social media".

The new album, Loved and Lost, features their favourites from their first two albums Waiting for the Day and Dysfunctional, plus four new songs. Tania says the new songs are pop-rock, uplifting and free and easy. She says that during rehearsal for the tour, Bachelor Girl's bass player said the new songs are ahead of their time.

I mentioned to her that Buses and Trains is a timeless song - I think it was ahead of its time in 1999. It's still so relevant. She agrees, but she now sings it in a different way. To her the song is no longer only about love. Getting hit by a bus is a broader analogy. "It's about life. It's about screwing up in life and being motivated to take risks. I'm not going to be stopped by screw ups ".

And the new album takes a new emotional direction. She describes it beautifully. "Waiting for the Day was more about break ups, but Loved and Lost is like a love letter to your future love of your life", Tania says.  

Bachelor Girl are touring soon:
28 May - The Forum 2, Melbourne (tickets via Ticketmaster)
3 June - The Basement, Sydney (tickets via Moshtix)
4 June - The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide (tickets via Moshtix)



http://www.bachelorgirl.com

 (source)

Music I've been missing - Jebediah, Harpoon

Like a lot of music I love, I seem to make discoveries more than a decade too late. It's happened with Nirvana, and it's currently happening with Jebediah.

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As mentioned last Saturday, I love She's Like a Comet. It's catchy and fun. And I LOVE Bob Evans - he can be catchy and fun too. So I kinda got the feeling that Jebediah, back in the day, would sound catchy and fun. Right? Right!

And so I listened to them over the weekend. And my feelings were right. Catchy and fun! Great lyrics, awesome rocking sound, upbeat and downbeat. I love Leaving Home, Animal, Nothing Lasts Forever and Fall Down. Not at all scary like I feared in 1998.

How can a band be scary eating rainbow lolly snakes?

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Remember when I interviewed The Basement Birds and told them that when Jebediah started out, I was listening to Savage Garden? I don't know why as a 16 year old, I didn't realise that the two bands could co-exist, harmoniously in my music collection. Hindsight and YouTube and JB HiFi are useful tools. (Don't worry, I haven't broken my spending ban - I already own Of Someday Shambles and Braxton Hicks which I bought a few years back, but I did spend $1.69 on She's Like a Comet from iTunes - kill me now.)

I declared my love for She's Like a Comet on Bob Evans' Facebook.

I feel like I've missed out on something special in the Australian music scene. Jebediah is the music I've been missing.

This is the Jebediah song I've fallen in love with. Such a gorgeous sound.

The lyrics are so beautiful, and really pertinent.

This will take some explaining but I think you will agree
There is no use pretending that there's hope for you and me


And I love her, but do you think she can see
When I tell her, it's the end for you and me
It was over, ever since you went and shot me

Like a harpoon
Like a harpoon
Like a harpoon in my heart....

Like a harpoon
Like a harpoon in my heart


Yeah

I can handle the fighting, it's the affection I can't stand
And I don't mind us talking, just don't try and touch my hand

 
When you left I didn't want you back
But now your gone so won't you come right back
Come right back [x 5]


Why does it hurt
Simple matters don't seem worth
We're the same but it's not happening again

They're back with a new record soon. Read about it here. Thank goodness for them coming out of retirement, or I may never have discovered this wonderful band more than a decade after they first hit the big time.

Bob Evans at The Tote - another YouTube video

Here is another YouTube video of me on stage with Bob Evans at The Tote.

Thanks to Sarah for the video, and for these pictures:

She did take more, but there really isn't a flattering angle of me anywhere. I didn't expect there to be after my speaker dive stage entrance!

You can read my review of the gig, and see more pictures here.

Bob Evans at The Tote

Bob Evans
The Tote, Collingwood
19 November 2010

As if my week couldn't get any better! I went to see Bob Evans at The Tote last night. It was a small charity gig, supporting West Side Roller Derby and the Sacred Heart Mission. It was fantastic!!

I went with my friend Phin, and met two lovely girls Carmen and Sarah there - they are fans of Bob Evans, Josh Pyke and Kav Temperley from The Basement Birds, and have been reading my blog for a few months. It was nice to meet them in real life. I also made a new friend, Sinead, who flew all the way from Perth to see the show - that's dedication!!

I have never been to The Tote before - earlier this year it was on the verge of closing forever to it being deemed 'high risk' and consequently being charged high liquor licensing fees. Fortunately it reopened, allowing the iconic venue to continue to hold bands. I love The Tote - it's intimate, and very rock and roll - walls coated with old band posters, and filled with music lovers.

The show opened with a quirky band called Oh Deanna. The band is a four piece, fronted by a cute girl in a cute dress singing equally cute lyrics. Their music reminded me a bit of The Mouldy Peaches. I thought she sang with spunk - it was delightful.

Next band up was Jimmy Tait - another four piece fronted by a girl in a nice dress. To be honest, their music did not have an impact on me - maybe I need to listen to their music on CD?

Bob Evans came on last - he played solo and acoustically - it was simply wonderful. Bob Evans (Kevin Mitchell) is the absolute nicest Australian musician ever. So funny, so lovely and so obliging.

He didn't stick to a setlist, instead writing down a list of songs of is he can play, and some covers, and played what he and the crowd wanted.

He joked he had a 90 minute set which would comprise 45 minutes of music, and 45 minutes of banter. I've always enjoyed his stage banter, and last night's banter did not disappoint. Granted, most of it consisted of the crowd yelling out songs they wanted him to play, and him saying he didn't know how (Crowded House, ACDC, Jimi Hendrix, some of his own stuff...). I was reminded of how many songs of his I love. It seems like every song of his is my favourite!

His set opened with an old favourite (of mine), Nowhere Without You. Other songs played were Stevie's Song, Friend, Sadness and Whisky, Darlin' Won't You Come, Pasha Bulker, We're a Mess, The Great Unknown, Rocks in my Head (according to him, 'a fucking depressing song', associated with gin), Brother O Brother, (my favourite) Hand Me Downs, Power of Speech (he stumbled through the words, laughed a lot and ended it prematurely, citing 'when requests go wrong' - so funny), Don't You think and Someone So Much. He was not confident recalling the words to Everything Goes, so for a second, I held up the lyrics in front of him, though he couldn't see them.

I love the way he plays the harmonica. Here is his harmonica holding bay.

He also played a few covers. Lily Allen's Not Fair - again - LOVE THIS, Lucinda Williams' Lost It (beautiful lyrics: 'I I give you my heart will you promise not to break it?').

There was this funny encore moment where he asked whether he should go off stage for five minutes, and come back for the encore. He decided not to do the five minute break, and build suspense for the encore by standing on the side of the stage, in clear view, the crowd chanting for more, and him winding his arm and the crowd's excitement. Here's Bob on pre-encore break

He returned to the middle of the stage, saying that he'll miss his (fake) flight to New York for this encore. So funny!

During the encore, he played one of my other favourite covers, See Through Dress by Red Jezebel.

He had lyrics printed out again, and this time invited me up on stage to hold the lyrics for him. Oh. My. God. So I am not the most agile of people when I my skin is sore/when I wear skinny jeans. And last night, I was cursed with the two situations. Sore skin and skinny jeans. So I found it very difficult to get up on stage. I ended up hoisting myself up over the speaker, which angled downwards, sliding face down the speaker, landing on the power pack on the floor of the stage. Graceful, and classy. And painful! Bob Evans made a comment that I looked beautiful making my stage entrance! Photos of my grand arrival maybe to come.

So then I stood up there awkwardly, holding the lyrics in front of him, singing along. Part of it was recorded on my camera, and Sarah also recorded the full thing on her iPhone. I sang 'you thought I'd be fine but I'm a crazy old fuck' with him into the microphone.

Wow!!! It was so exciting, and I can't quite believe it happened!

(Excuse my jiggly tummy and undone button - I think the button was due to the speaker dive!)

Thanks to Sinead and the lovely guy for taking photos and video, and also to the guy for getting me the song list and lyrics. Sarah also took photos and video - can't wait to see them. Thank you!

These are the See Through Dress lyrics:

And the song list he signed:

He was obliging enough to pose for a couple of photos with me, and with friends. Such an awesome guy!

It was such an amazing night! I am on a high :)

Angus and Julia Stone - I believe in love

I found that beautiful new Angus and Julia Stone song I wrote about in the concerts review last week. The one Julia wrote and sang about losing her love to an affair.


And From Go to Woah has an audio of it too.

What a powerful song. Enjoy.

i learnt my lesson,
nobody is to blame, except for you
well i learned my lesson,
where are we trying to hide
doing the best we can, in order to survive

some of us keep it simple
and some of us will deceive
we tell heartfelt stories
so we can take the things we need

some of our efforts are colourful
and some people they lose
and some people live in the shadows
so they never have to choose

you spread your darkness
like a disease
then you offered your body
as the only remedy



I believe in love
I believe in love
no darling you cant take that away from me

I believe in love
I believe in love
no darling you cant take that away from me



well you had her by the throat
you had me by the horns
you had her in the same bed
while it was still warm

well my hair still on the pillow
my music was still in the air
you didnt care, to tell her
why i had been there

well my nails still on your pillow
my clothes still on the floor
you didnt care no darling
oh how we always want more

you knew that she was scared
but you took her anyway
you told her she was everything
then you had your way

and she told you that she loved you
you told her you were tired
the things we say...
once we've got what we desire


I believe in love
I believe in love
no darling you cant take that away from me

I believe in love
I believe in love
no darling you cant take that away from me


i learnt my lesson
nobody is to blame
..except for you

The Basement Birds at the Forum

Filming didn't go ahead as scheduled yesterday because of the weather. But last night was the Basement Birds gig. The night sky was heavy with clouds and it was icy, but my rainy, windy and slightly disappointing day had a silver lining :)

For the uninitiated, the Basement Birds are Australia's limited edition supergroup, comprising Kav Temperley from Eskimo Joe, Kevin Mitchell from Jebediah and also known as Bob Evans, Josh Pyke and Steve Parkin who used to play with Bob Evans. I've been a fan of he former three musicians for many years so it was an honour meeting them and seeing them live.

My ticket included the concert, a soundcheck, tshirt and meet+greet. Not bad for $90.

The tshirt is very cool – it is always nice to get an arty tshirt, and not a lazy one with just the album cover printed on the front.

The soundcheck was more of a very intimate acoustic couple of songs. It was in the smallest room I've ever experienced seeing a band in. So small that I was too close to get the full band in my photo (a nice problem to have!).

Before they played two songs (Waiting for you and Ghosts), Kevin said that Steve likes a bit of Q&A.They called for questions. And I actually had two questions prepared – I wanted to dabble in music journalism last night. I asked them one question in front of the other VIPs at the meet and greet. I was a bit nervous.

Because of your other musical commitments, The Basement Birds are a (sadly) fleeting band. I see you as a bit of a modern day barbershop quartet. Is there a chance that when you're all in your 60s we will see you appearing in barbershops across the country doo-wopping away?

They laughed at this question and answered it with lots of humour. I wasn't able to record thei answer but here is a summary.

Kav said the Basement Birds are setting them up for retirement, and they can perform like this when they are young and handsome. Josh said their next album will be called 'Superannuation'. Kav said he saw a barbershop quartet on TV before Friday night's gig and thought that could be the Basement Birds someday! They also did a bit of a do-wop at the end of Waiting for you.

After the performance, we queued to meet them and have photos taken and stuff signed. As my Basement Birds CD is already signed, I took in my Bob Evans and Eskimo Joe CD covers and told them to all sign them. Kav said it's the first time he'd signed a Bob Evans CD. They also signed my ticket.

They also asked me what my other question was. So I asked them this:

You have all been around playing music for a while. You currently have a huge social media presence - blogging, Twitter and Facebook. How has this made a difference to the promotion of your music compared to before social media was huge?

The question wasn't really answered, but they did nod at the mention of the social media stuff. There was a discussion of the age of their respective bands and I said Jebediah were too out there for me back in '97 as I was listening to Savage Garden. Kevin laughed and agreed Jebediah were far more out there than Savage Garden.

I was so honoured Kevin remembered my name, too.

Thee pics were taken – an attempt to be tough, where Kevin laughed, a Blue Steel one, and me with the band. They were all so nice. It was a great opportunity.

Tough one. Except for Kevin's dimples,

The Blue Steele one.

And the one with me. Sigh.

The stage had vertical rows of kite like birds. They looked cool in different colours of stage lighting.

I met an old friend there who I met back in 2006 at a Bob Evans gig at the East Brunswick Club. I made a new friend, Stephanie, and met a friend I've been talking to for a year on Twitter and Facebook – we 'met' due to Bob Evans tweets, and also share a love for Rush. Clare has an awesome blog about Art Attack.

The Sun Orchestra played first. They were folky and melodic. The singer then went on to play keyboard and lapstrings in the Basement Birds. I liked them but I need to listen to more of their music to get a proper feel.

Then Old Man River came on. I'd seen them a few years back at The Sleepy Jackson, but don't remember much. The band was so joyful last night – it was a great set. I'm going to be following more Old Man River from now on.

And then the Basement Birds. Wow. It really struck me how distinctive their voices are. Kav's is beautifully husky. Josh sings with Australian strine – I love how his accent shines through. Kevin sounds like Bob Evans but every so often I think 'this song sounds like Jebediah'. And it was brilliant to hear Steve Parkin sing for the first time. Together they are harmonious, melodic and funny.

They played most Basement Birds songs, plus covers of Sarah Blasko and The Presets. My favourites were Holly, Bus stop and Waiting for you.

During Bus Stop, which usually features Julia Stone, four girls from the audience got up to sing 'never been that good with numbers'. They were so cute, it was a great opportunity for them. I talked to two of them afterward – of course they said it was amazing! Thinking back now, I would have gotten up there too, but I didn't hesitate due to potential embarrassment, but for the fear of climbing over the barrier!

Sorry for the quality of the pictures - it's so hard with the smoke machine, lack of flash and movement.

Thank you Basement Birds for coming together - I really hope this project will continue for a bit longer, or that we'll see you 'round as a barbershop quartet.