Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Canvas 06 Music
Canvas 06 Music
THE HORRORS
honeymoon at the Meredith Music
Festival. So it’s no surprise that
sooner or later we put together a
MUSIC issue for Canvas.
MISS FITZ
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PAGE 28
Dan Whitford may be best known as the So I met up with Jono, who I’d studied with
frontman of ubiquitous Australian dance band previously and we collectively made the
Cut Copy, but that only really brushes half of decision to leave our jobs and go into business
his story – the publicly prominent, I Have the for ourselves as Alter,” says Dan. To really
Power to Make You Groove stage presence make us envious, it was also around this time
that makes jelly legs of us all. But when he’s when Dan signed a record deal, and Cut Copy
not shooting electric rods through the dance began to become an established name in the
floor, he’s really just another guy behind the music world just as Alter started to take off in
computer – well, that is until you see what design circles.
he can DO behind a computer. Satiating the
visionary side of his multi-talented persona With designers benefiting from a relatively
as one half of design duo Alter with Jonathon faceless level of fame, Dan says he has found
Wallace (aka Jono), he is one of those rare coping with the recognition a bit… odd, for
people who tipped the scales in the general lack of a better word. “It’s weird, and at times
distribution of genius – and he is clearly on seems a little silly to me that people all of a
the top end. Although his music has reached sudden have such a different reaction when
an unprecedented level of success, it was art meeting you. As I never really entered music or
that saw his foray into creativity. design to chase fame, I find it quietly amusing
that people have such an impression of me
“My father was an architect and always now that my face is on covers of magazines. I
encouraged me to draw and be creative, and don’t feel like I’ve changed,” he says.
it was something I was always pretty good at,
so it wasn’t until I was at university studying He may have art and sound down to a tee,
graphic design that I really got into making but Dan says the two fields are relatively
music,” he says. standalone in terms of the creative process.
Upon graduating from design school, Dan “I don’t think you ever consciously draw a
worked for a year at an established firm before creative process from music into design
he got the independent bug which nearly every or visa versa. They are two very different
artist can relate to – the numbing desire for creative forms that just happen to be tied
more creative control. But his main point of together in our culture. If you look at styles
difference is that he took the leap most only of music, there is always an accompanying
dream of and started up his own studio with approach when it comes to record covers,
his new business partner, Jono. posters and fashion. I like the idea of cross
“I think I was feeling as though I really wanted pollinating, or collaging ideas from different
to have my own name to design work that I eras and styles, which is something that is
did, and have more input on the types of jobs probably common in our design work and
I worked on and the way the studio worked. music,” he says. Steven Malkmus and The Jicks - 2009 Tour Poster
The next question is obvious – how does he With an interview like this, it’s pretty standard
manage both fields and maintain his sanity? – and maybe a tad cliché, but reasonably
“It has always been somewhat of a juggling so – to wonder where he’d like to see both
act to manage both passions. I think at some endeavours in 10 years’ time.
point, I had an unrealistic expectation of being
able to cover both as semi-full-time projects “I’d like to build Alter’s profile to a point where
which meant that my own life was relegated to we can undertake bigger, more ambitious jobs
a distant third priority. I still work on specific with the same creative philosophy we have
projects, but as the band has enjoyed greater maintained from its inception, and I’d like to
success, I’ve been away from Australia and continue Cut Copy on it’s current trajectory,
therefore away from the business for long continuing to produce interesting music.
periods. Thankfully I have a tremendously Simple, really.”
understanding business partner and a very
capable team of designers who keep things www.alter.com.au
rolling in the meantime,” he says.
“I really think it’s important maintain energy
and enthusiasm for what you’re doing. As
soon as either thing becomes a chore, then
it creates an imbalance. Also (as it has taken
me a while to realise), time away from either
passion can help reinvigorate this enthusiasm.
So it’s probably good to think of down-time as
exactly tt, rather than slacking off...”
Thanks to Jono and a seemingly incredible
team of designers at Alter holding fort, music
is definitely consuming the majority of Dan’s
time right now – but he said if he had to choose
between a tour and a design project, he’d find
a way to make them both work.
S T Y L I S T S A R A H B A N G E R
M A K E U P B R A D W Y N J O N E S @ K H M
H A I R C A R L R E E V E S @ M I E K A
U S I N G R E D K E N P R O D U C T S
S T Y L I N G A S S I S T A N T S
A D A M N A S H & C H A R L O T T E W E B B
H A I R A S S I S T A N T L O R N A S T A C E Y
G R A N T @ C A M E R O N S G R A C E @ C A M E R O N S
T E S S @ M AV E R I C K A N D R E J @ C H A D W I C K S
M A T T H E W B E N J A M I N @ V I V I E N S
S P E C I A L T H A N K S T O R I P P O N L E A
E S T A T E & W A R I C K S F I R E A R M S
Vintage Hat, Lover Shirt @ Crimson Phoenix, Sass & Bide Jacket, Cybele Skirt, Anaessia Underskirt, Karen Walker Belt, Nü Brogue
S H A K E T H AT D E V I L
P H O T O G R A P H E R J A S O N H E N L E Y
S T Y L I S T J A N A B A R T O L O
M A K E U P D E S I R E E W I S E @ N E T W O R K A G E N C Y
H A I R C H L O E P E T E R S @ T O N I & G U Y
A N C A @ P R I C I L L A ’ S M A N A G E M E N T
A S S I S T A N T S N I C K B E Z Z I N A & T I M O T H Y W A L L
PREVIOUS RUTH TARVYDAS dress, BEST BEHAVIOUR jacket @ Style Junky, MICHELLE CZECH bolero (worn on top), GUCCI belt & bag @ lovemeandleaveme, SWAROVSKI galactic ring, STYLIST OWN jewelled ring , MIMCO silver cuff, HUSSY pumps.
THIS PAGE DHINI COUTURE blouse @ Style Junky, DIOR eyewear @ lovemeandleaveme, WILLIAM LLEWELLYN GRIFFITHS temple stone ring, SWAROVSKI ring, YAMILA GUEDEZ necklace, ARMANI EXCHANGE black leggings.
RUBY MARIANI hair cape, MIMCO necklace, DIVA ring, RUTH TARVYDAS slash leggings. RUBY MARIANI feathered upper, RUTH TARVYDAS slash leggings.
TONI MATICEVSKI dress, SOPHIE KYRON Barcelona cuff, CC SYKE bracelet @ MIIJO, VICTOR & ROLF patent shoes @ Arthur Galan.
PAUL FRANK eyewear, THERESE RAWSTHORNE cigarette girl dress, ESTILO thigh-high boots, CHANEL bag @ love me & leave me.
Photography Laura Rose
Styling Suzette Selman
Hair Stefano Greco
ALANA HILL fur coat, BJORN BORG underwear, STYLISTS OWN shower cap. MAKEUP Stefanie Syat ROMANCE WAS BORN top, GIVENCHY heels @ miss chic boutique.
Model Marie Lunde Fossdal @ Elite
Assistant Lucas Richter
ZOEMOU spiky leather piece (worn upside down).
DK>So where are you guys at the moment? your live performance?
FARIS>Collectively or just me? Well I mean Kraftwerk... the curtain lifts and they
come out as robots so I don’t know how influential
You. that is. I mean they’re certainly good to watch – the
In my house, just brushing my teeth. sound they get [laughs] and one guy’s slightly tapping
his foot. That’s about as animated as they get.
I’m assuming that you’re just about to go to They’re just bands I really like. It’s just as much about
bed - or is it early morning there? the personality of the people.
Oh no no no, I woke up about an hour ago. Sometimes
I get paranoid that I haven’t brushed my teeth so I I was doing a bit of research for our chat
have to do it again. I’m just on the second brushing. and I came across an interview where you said
that touring the US is heaps more enjoyable
That’s a good thing to be paranoid about. than touring England and there were a few
And where are the rest of the band? expletives thrown in there about the UK.
Were you received very differently in the UL
I don’t know. It’s amazing how many people think we compared to the UK or...
sleep in one big bed in a big house.
Oh no it’s got nothing to do with the crowds at all. It’s
So will you see them today? really more the places you see. To be quite honest,
the UK is just really diabolical. There’s no cultural
Hopefully, actually, maybe not. Maybe I’ll see them identity from town to town. That’s really all I can say.
tomorrow. I mean with the odd exception. It’s so dull. Touring
the states is more fun. It’s just an unfamiliar place.
When’s your next performance?
Our next performance is for NME radio which is I So I gather Primary Colours was written in
think tomorrow. the studio rather than on the road?
Yeah, I mean I’ve never really got my head around
Judging by the schedule I saw you guys have a
how most bands can write on the road. I mean I
fair few festival shows lined up.
understand they can write the odd song but it’s
Yeah. really hard trying to write because you’re not in the
mindset of writing.
Are you looking forward to that?
I mean I just like touring really.... I the good thing Is there anything while you’re touring – the
about festivals is that you’re... You go to other gigs, the travel, what you see when you’re
countries or whatever and often it’s quite intensive travelling, the fans reactions... does that
and you don’t get to see any of the place. At least at get the creative juices flowing at all? Do you
festivals you might hang out for a bit. Yep it’s cool, get ideas you can take into the studio...
it’s fun. [laughs] That phrase is so grotesque!
How do you find the crowds at festivals Oh I know, I’m sorry! That’s horrendous I
compare to that crowds at your own apologise!
headlining shows? I mean anything influences anything doesn’t it? You
It depends you know, for example if you’re like first are influenced by what you see. The more you see the
one on the main stage often it’s kind of weird because more you think I guess. I get influenced by everything.
it’s like playing in front of other people’s fans but if On a personal level, I like to see as much as possible.
you’re headlining ... then it can be just as good as the
club shows because they’re there to see you. So the US is probably a bit better inspiration-
wise than the UK is? Is that what you’re
What have been the best festivals? Where do saying?
you get the best reception? Well no, because all the best things are borne out of
Festival-wise I think the best two that we’ve ever frustration. Whether I’m having a good time or a bad
played is like Manifest in Mexico. That’s a really weird time...
name for a festival, isn’t it? You know, if you actually
think about it. And then there’s Benicassim. Yeah, I read that Tom and Rhys swapped instruments
that was great. for Primary Colours. Is that a permanent
Are you heading back there this year? change?
Yeah we are. The best thing about it is actually Tom wanted to play keyboards and Rhys wanted to
trying to see loads of bands. We just got back from play bass basically. They did swap but it was more
the Hurricane Festival in Stuttgart and they had a gradual thing. You know, Tom just started getting
Kraftwerk and The Pixies and I was going to say really into synthesisers and Rhys found that he
‘people like that’ - just other bands that were playing was better at writing songs on bass and it was just
that I like. Yeah, we enjoyed ourselves. beneficial all round really.
Older bands or bands that have been around Sonically Primary Colours is definitely a
a bit longer...? progression from Strange House although
Almost on the eve of their second Australian tour, Diana Keogh caught up with The Horrors frontman Faris Yeah, just bands that I’m into. you’ve said the same bands have influenced
both albums. Do you think your sound and your
Badwan to talk paranoia and Primary Colours. Which out of these bands put on a really good image need to keep evolving to maintain the
INTERVIEW DIANA KEOGH live show? Are there any bands that influence level of interest that you guys have had? >
I just don’t understand why any band would want to some people, it’s like their main passion in life or
keep doing the same thing. I mean, I guess people whatever.
don’t think the same way we do - although some
people do. Basically, I cannot see the appeal of Well, I think it’s a new way for people to
making an album and then making it again three discover new music outside all of the hype on
times. If you’re going to be a band, which is usually the internet about new releases.
creative, then you should by nature be evolving and Yeah, I totally think that bands should talk about what
developing and if you’re not then why bother, just they’re into. But you know, it’s just like when you get
quit. I mean really, it’s pointless unless you explore into a conversation with someone who’s well-read or
things and be creative. That’s it. whatever and they start listing all these books that
they’re into and they’re just name-checking them to
I think it’s interesting that Sea Within A Sea sound clever.
was chosen as the first single when it’s the
last song on the album. Obviously that’s got Yeah, there’s always a Russian author in
something to do with it being eight minutes there somewhere.
long. Do you guys have input into choosing But yeah, sorry, to answer your question. There’s a
what the singles are? band that I was turned onto by a friend of mine and
[Laughs] Any input? Who else would do it? they’re called Ceremony. So I looked them up and
there are two Ceremonys. And the other Ceremony
The record company? features Sonny and Cher’s lesbian daughter. It’s
No! That happens but only for really big pop bands NOT them. The good Ceremony are from Virginia and
that don’t even write their own songs. That would be they’ve got a song called Never Love Again. It’s a
like... I was going to say some sort of weird analogy good song. That’s one.
that probably doesn’t make sense but that’s kind of
like going to a restaurant and being told what to eat. And... have you ever heard any of Lou Reed’s band
It doesn’t really make any sense. My main point is that before the Velvet Underground?
I wouldn’t even be in a band if it was a case of being
told what to do. It’s like self expression - it’s not No, I haven’t.
‘label expression’. I mean why are people in bands if He was in like these weird surf bands and one of
they don’t want to make the decisions? If the label got them’s called Beach Nut. And it’s really funny because
to choose what single we put out then... you know. you listen to it and there’s a lot of elements that do
No way. go on to be included in The Velvet Underground -
scratchy guitar and whatever but in the context of a
So you guys like to have total creative surf song – quite a throwaway surf song. It’s great
control? anyway. That song’s called Cycle Annie.
That was one of the stipulations in our contract. And the third one – I think it’s the last thing I listened
That’s why XL are good for us. I mean, you go off and to before I went to sleep last night – is called
you start recording and you don’t hear a word from Percolator. It’s by a band called Stereolab. You
them for months. They just let you get on with it probably know them. Yeah, I’m quite into them at the
moment.
A lot’s been made of your great taste in
music – you and the band as a whole. I was Excellent. Last question. Can we expect to
just wondering if you could tell us what see The Horrors in Australia any time soon?
three songs you have on high rotation at the Yeah, we’re doing Big Day Out and we’re going to
moment. do some club shows around then, so we’ll be there
A lot’s been made of my great taste in music? January.
Yeah. I’ve read a lot about your pre-show Well, thank you very much for your time - I’ll
PA mixes being great – especially in music let you get back to brushing your teeth now.
journalists’ eyes I guess. It’s all finished so maybe I’ll just go comb my hair or
When other people say that it almost feels like you’ve something.
kind of been bragging about it. But I just think for
MS. FITZ
People are always saying “it’s such a small world” and never more does that ring true than in
Brisbane. That other saying, “six degrees of separation”? Well it’s more like two in this city.
Which can sometimes serve one well, like this catch-up conversation we had with Brisbane
ex-pat stylist/creative/artist Ms. Fitz.
INTERVIEW by catherine mcphee
When Ms. Fitz left Brisbane several years I guess for the most part with styling you’re in control
ago, she was collaborating regularly with of the aesthetic and influence the outcome whereas
Thom Kerr and Rufio Creative, doing editorial as a dancer for other performers, those choices are
work for local and international magazines, made for you.
making a name as a stylist both on the catwalk
and in commercial television. Then, like a game Is that difficult to adjust to?
of Chinese whispers, she had hit the road,
working as a backup dancer for Peaches while I prefer to work with performers because its more
simultaneously working with a well-known of a challenge- dressing a model for editorial is
costume stylist. basically like dressing a mannequin, they’re gonna
wear what ever you want- its their job. But working
Putting this issue together gave us a perfect with musicians, you need to listen to their music,
opportunity to find out what’s really understand their message and the core of their image
happening in the world of Ms. Fitz. One things and interpret that- you need to work with the artist,
for certain, you can take the girl out of and I really enjoy that collaborative process.
Brisbane, but you can’t take Brisbane out of
the girl! Did working on Australia’s So You Think You
Can Dance influence your decision to make the
CM>Ok, so we last saw you in Australia in change? Have you ever considered trying out
May, collaborating with Maise for their S/S for the show!?
catwalk show. What are you doing now? I
suppose for some, myself included, it was a Working on SYTYCD was a wonderful opportunity I
bit of a surprise to hear you were touring really loved it, but I was a dancer long before I was a
overseas as a backup dancer. You seemed to stylist. And no, haaa, I have a strictly no entering into
be making a name for yourself here at home reality television policy! Its just too much of a gamble to
with your styling work, so how did you make put your brand into the hands of reality TV producers
the decision to pack up and work in another :) Those crazy bastards!!
country, in a different creative genre?
You’re own style is a hybrid of hip-hop/jazz/
MS. FITZ>I love how word travels! Unfortunately I am krump/dancehall so what kind of bands do
not touring the states as a back up dancer..! you listen to?
I am dancing regularly - taking lots of classes, but Yeah, my style of dance is hip hop/jazz/
mostly working on a pop album with heavy weight interpretive,krump/dancehall!! I say that as a joke,
electro producer Chew Fu. Who knows how that basically because dance, for me, is anarchical- its
will go? But I’m really excited about it. Dance and about not giving a flying fuck and just doing your own
music has been a big part of my self expression for thing- getting down to the music in anyway you’d like.
a long time- its the reason I shied away from being Just letting go and enjoying yourself. I listen to alot
an straight up editorial stylist and moved towards of 80’s new wave pop, ska, dancehall, hip hop, punk,
working with musicians. I’m inspired by music, colour electro and pop. Anything with a fun upbeat tune and a
and fringe culture. I’m also just finishing off a music sassy attitude gets me going.
video I directed (my first time as a director) for Chew
Fu and J-Cast. So how would you describe your own style?
Being overseas has given me the freedom to explore My style is- constantly evolving. It always changes! I’m
other artistic genres with out being boxed into the a chameleon. At the moment its pretty standard 80’s
restrictions of being simply a stylist. I’m more than
Jem and the Hologram’s steeze. But I enjoy anything
a stylist- I’m an artistic director, and artist who can
unusual- awkward creative combinations- something
work in any medium- be it music, film or fashion styling
unexpected. Put that bowlers hat with those snow
and design. boots baby! oh yeah, rock that Neckromantix tee shirt
with a floral skirt and over sized hounds tooth blazer!
I’m also interning for a hat designer (who shall WOORRKKK!!
remain nameless) and basically hanging out in the
garment district everyday learning the ins and outs Is there any chance we’ll see you back home
of the manufacturing and wholesale industry here. soon? Or too busy being a backup dancer!?
I may branch out into my own accessories label at Well, I’m really playing it by ear at them moment, it
some stage, so I’m just gaining all the knowledge I depends on Visa approvals etc. But I will be home to
need to make it a reality. Brisbane to visit for Christmas. I miss it.
UNCOVERED
WORDS BY ANDREW DWYER
If one more old fart 70’s rocker, ‘back in my I do have to admit that if the music download
day’ type starts banging onto me about, “… doesn’t have a pretty artwork for me to
the days when you went out and bought an log in my itunes library it really does ruin
LP and sat down to play it whilst perusing the whole experience. And it’s not that
the album for it’s amazing art…” I’m just musicians today are putting less into their
going to have to bust that dirty ole vinyl album art direction. We’ve put together a
over their head. collection of the musicians who we think
have produced some of the best album cover
But as tired as I am by this old rhetoric, art in the last little while for your perusal.
a mate of mine has taken to amassing his It’s not an easy list to put together.
own collection of LP’s and at least this part
is true; to cradle an LP jacket after placing And to those 70’s rocker types who can’t
the vinyl on the turntables is still a moment can’t get over their vinyl I’d just like to
to savour. It’s almost a romantic notion say, “umm, digital music actually sounds
these days. better.”
MASSIVE
A T T A C K
It’s no surprise that an experimental
band like Massive Attack, who pushed the
boundaries of hip-hop into trip-hop, would
collaborate with someone like Nick Knight.
Its a little unfair to pigeonhole Knight as
purely a fashion photographer, for which
his work is more widely known, because his
ideas are bigger than that.