Exclusive interview with Australian singer/songwriter, Sarah Blasko, whose new album What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have is out now through Universal. It’s seems like an age ago that i first interviewed you for STU magazine in the underpass at Sydney’s Town Hall Station. What are your enduring memories of that time before you signed a solo deal and became a fulltime musician? ‘Well, hi Zolton! That does seem like a long time ago – well, my enduring memories of that time are mostly of working very hard – working a couple of casual jobs while trying to get out and play as much as I could. They were very exciting times really. At that stage I was thankful for as many opportunities as I could get my hands on to play or talk about music. I remember the Stu Magazine interview was a really big deal for me’. The evolution in sound and direction across all your recordings from the first EP to the album recordings has been remarkable. Do you feel like you’re near your creative peak right now, or is that still to come? ‘I really do feel like I’m just getting my eye in, so I hope that the best is yet to come. It’s an exciting way to feel when you’ve just finished your second record. I feel really fortunate to be playing music and making records’. If someone handed you a guitar right now, what would you most likely strum on it? ‘I can’t really play songs by other people, although I having been practicing a song by a band called Deus called ‘Nothing Really Ends’. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking song’. Sounds like you love the E Minor chord. We must be kindred souls! ‘Well, it’s one of the few chords that I actually know the name of – and one of the few that I can play on guitar!’ [see also Augie March]
Also by ZOLTON
Maths explains the origin of superhero characters
I love the colours and simple reasoning in this clever series by Scottish illustrator Matt Cowen, which uses basic maths equations to explain how certain pop culture icons came to be. Read more
Star Wars Uncut: a fully crowdsourced version of Episode IV
The project of creative technologist, Casey Pugh, this full length version of the George Lucas masterpiece was created from multiple 15 second segments recreated from the original movie and submitted by thousands of Star Wars fans, which were then spliced together by editor Aaron Valdez to form the final product. Genius, as both a commentary on contemporary pop culture trends (there are references to LEGO, stop motion, memes and the like) and on the power of tapping your audience for quality material.
Filmmaker creates LEGO stop motion to propose to girlfriend
Now, this is one for the ages: back in 2010, Atlanta film-maker Walter Thompson created a jaw-dropping LEGO stop motion to propose to Nealey Dozier, his girlfriend of four years. The video took 22 hours of shooting and some 2,600 pictures to splice together, a small sacrifice to pay for years of happiness together. Right? Right! Oh, and she said yes. Bonus.
YOU'RE SAYING (5)
Francis said | 8 December, 2006
must’ve enjoyed interviewing her…..rah!
Zolton said | 8 December, 2006
yeah, it was hard work cuz. hard work indeed. but dammit someone to do it …
spiro said | 9 December, 2006
more back interviews from other lostat eminor ‘stars’ too please, zolton.
Fiame Blasko said | 14 November, 2007
Hi Sarah
I live in Johannesburg South Africa, and we share the same last name.
So i am goning to the music store to find your cd.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Timelessness is surely one of the most sought-after characteristics that any artist, writer or musician can aim for in their work. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that what felt good a generation ago still holds true to this day; perhaps even better to know that what made one tick as a child still draws a smile years down the line. I often feel this with certain children’s illustration — they evoke an innolinecence every adult still retains somewhere deep inside. The work of UK illustrator Jenni Desmond does just this to me — there’s a real sense of adventure running through it and vision of the world being far, far larger than it really is.
Austin-based photographer William Hundley loves juxtaposing completely absurd and unrelated objects. Whether it’s fabric-draped people in mid jump or chihuahuas and Easter Island heads standing on cheeseburgers, Hundley takes an almost Dadaist joy in making random, giddily puzzling images. Read more
Sparks’ album Kimono My House is a demented mix of hard rock, pop, glam, new wave, and baroque pop. Why this record never caught on in the States I’ll never know. The songs will get stuck in your head and prevent you from sleeping. Oh yeah, and the keyboard player has a nice mustache too, as evidenced by this track above — This Town Ain’t Big Enough.
Wow, they are getting into some crazy things in Poland! The aptly named PMS Collective have positioned a series of ‘‘friendly blow-up dolls‘ for those Polish drivers, and cyclists, who just can’t wait until they get home. Sander Reijgers, where are you when we need you! Read more
Breakbeat duo, Evil Nine’s new album, They Live!, is one of the standout releases of the year. They Live! is powerful second album after 2005′s, You Can Be Special Too, its gruesome lyrics paying homage to all those misunderstood zombies out there. The duo — Automatom and Pardytron — compiled a Secret Playlist for us, writing about their eight favourite songs right now. Their first selection? Why, Toto’s Africa, of course [listen below]: ‘The epitome of smooth music, words can’t express how much this song rules! When the synths come in and the drums echo in the night, I’[m immediately transported back to my youth. Some people might say this is a guilty pleasure, but I don’t feel no guilt. I just stick it on and bask in their mellow might’. Read the rest of the Evil Nine Secret Playlist.
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The indie, electronic pop duo Plastic Operator paired up whilst studying audio production at London’s Westminster University. In 2004, they released their first three track EP. Their music reminds me of bands like The Fashion, Crystal Castles and Cut Copy.
Anytime you find Houndstooth and Hoody in the same sentence you know it will be a good day. Well, today has been a great day and New Dandyism, the lovechild of a conglomate of lusty designers — Sons by Obedient Sons, wood wood and Call of the Wild — is the reason. It’s a surprisingly coherent and articulate project for one cooked up in a kitchen filled with chefs. Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Nerd-attack! Man, this TARDIS zipper robe is so much cooler than any Star Wars crap people are hawking this days. This is for the true gangsta nerd.
Communication prosthesis by Sascha Nordmeyer
This ‘communication prosthesis’ by designer Sascha Nordmeyer is hilarious and awesome. I want to wear one to a job interview.
It’s refreshing to see artists like Joe Kievitt who are contented to explore the beauty in simple forms and asymmetrical patterns. Read more
Honest Food Preparation Instructions
Yes, we’ve all been there: the chinese food from last week that still looks edible amongst the bare surrounds of an empty fridge. But really, we shouldn’t. Just let it be. Or College Humor will expose you! Read more
Michelle Blade’s psychedelic artwork
Michelle Blade’s washed out paintings are deceptively simple, her washy acrylics creating psychedelic textures and conjuring ghostly figures from the past. Read more
Illustrating the playful side of sexy, Donna Wilson uses burlesque and 60s pop art as inspiration for her original art cards. Read more
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Ian M. said | 7 December, 2006
Sarah rules!! ’nuff said!!