Australian emcee Romy Hoffman, otherwise known as Macromantics, released one of the better albums of 2006 – Moments in Movement. Think Sage Francis-style spitfire delivery, twisted beats and unpredictably poetic flows. ‘I made this record as a necessity for my own sanity and as a documentation of where I was, in my head and heart. I would have been proud of this album whether 14 or 1000 people had listened to it. The support it’s received is an added bonus and I feel honoured’. Which track on the album are you most proud of? ‘I like the dark songs on the album. My favourites would have to be Darkside of Dallas and Vaudeville. Darkside of Dallas was the biggest challenge, in terms of writing. It was also the last song we recorded, so it sealed the album with a kiss’. You initially started out in music as guitarist for Ben Lee’ first band, Noise Addict. How did that come about and what inspired the eventual switch from axe to mic? ‘Ben asked me to join Noise Addict on their final tour of the US back in ’95. We went to the same school and knew each other through drama and music. It was on that tour that I saw hip-hop music being lived, breathed, eaten and spoken. I was in awe of this movement, this social and cultural force. I got given a bunch of rap records that changed my life, I came home and begun writing raps – and here I am!’
Also by NATALIE LIECHTI
Current UK beat-boxing champ, Beardyman, recently kept impatient crowds entertained between sets at London’s Lovebox Weekender. We spoke to the Brighton resident about his offbeat style: ‘I’ve been doing it since I was a baby, but I never knew it was called beat-boxing. I thought it was just a habit, like biting your nails, and people were always telling me to stop. Being a good beat-boxer is a mixture between being a good DJ, a cheesy street magician and a vocal athlete’.
Sydney-based artist, James Jirat Patradoon on his career defining moment: ‘If I could trace my artistic inspiration back to one event, it would have to be the Neo Tokyo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 2001. I had never seen art like that before; I didn’t know you could be so playful with it. I vividly remember the Yoshitomo Nara sculptures made out of bandages, and Kenji Yanobe’s atom suit and Godzilla/Astro Boy sculptures that blew bubbles. It was just so fun. I think because a lot of Japanese art contains references to pop culture, it’s more accessible for audiences. They aren’t so intimidated by it because it can be quite light-hearted but still have a serious undertone to it’.
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Now we’ve seen it all! Under the name Cube Dude, Angus Maclane creates disarmingly accurate Lego reinterpretations of pop culture icons, including Homer Simpson, Batman and Robin and Darth Vader. Read more
An artsy and loving dad decided to draw a picture on his son’s lunch bags every day. He documents his creations on Lunch Bag Art. What a lucky kid! Read more
B-Reel is real smooth. And when I say real, I mean really. They created the latest ad for kicks brand Onitsuka Tiger. Read more
While I’m definitely not into the whole Lord of the Rings thing, I’m convinced Tolkien stole his inspiration from Göreme, in Turkey’s central Cappadocia region. After a mammoth volcanic eruption around 2,000 years ago, the landscape eroded to form a series of valleys, filled with peculiar, phallic-shaped tufts that the locals call ‘fairy chimneys’. Early Christians hollowed out the tufts and turned them into houses, churches and monasteries. These days, most of them are still in use and a few have been converted into cute hotels and hostels. If you’re not too claustrophobic, I’d highly recommend doing the hobbit thing and spending a night in one.
DM Stith recently signed to Asthmatic Kitty, the same label as Sufjan Stevens, and has a new EP out this week titled Curtain Speech, featuring contributions from Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Rafter, Sebastian Krueger and the string quartet Osso. Think Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear meets Arthur Russell. We got the rundown from him on his eight favourite songs right now and he kicked off with The Shangri-Las’ Out In The Streets [listen below]: ’1:22 – 1:43 is a miracle. I’ve never been so obsessed with twenty seconds of high-hat and high school girl shrieks: it’s a raging teenage fantasy that all the composition notebooks in all the lockers of 1965 couldn’t write better. That the singers have managed to preserve their naivety perfectly in this three minute song may be the reason I feel recording pop music is worthwhile’. Read the rest of DM Stith’s Secret Playlist.
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I’m totally addicted to a tape I downloaded from Awesome Tapes from Africa by Onipa Nua. The Ghanan street musician has since passed away, but hopefully he’s somewhere smiling knowing that his tunes make me smile as well.
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Creating modern-vintage inspired by 1950s Australian housewives and rock’n'roll style pin-up glamour, Peta Pledger has been producing one-off, made-to-measure or small-run garments and accessories since 2003. Her love affair with the sewing machine began in 1988 when — like many lovely ladies — she couldn’t find any clothing that flattered her figure. Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Pitched as ‘Ulterior Motives in Contemporary Art’, Disorder Disorder is running until November 14 at Penrith Regional Gallery. It’ll be well worth the trip out west of Sydney: the Australian, Japanese, American and European cast reads like a warriors of street art roundup and includes Mike Giant, Ed Templeton, Anthony Lister [artwork above], Ozzie Wright, and Jonathan Zawada. Read more
Francoise Nielly’s Yellow series
Parisian visual artist Francoise Nielly brings technicolour to the forefront in her latest series, Yellow. Featuring thick impasto palette knife strokes and trippy neon hues, Nielly captures the vulnerable expressions of her muses to a tee. Read more
Never ever, ever, ever, ever park here
Some friendly advice for the neighbours, who simply don’t get it, or street art? You decide which one it is.
A little infectious lollipop rock anyone? Feel free to embarrass yourself singing along at the stoplight. If the other drivers give you that look, roll down the windows and spread the love.
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Benjamin Edminston’s psychedelic heads seem to have some fearful wisdom behind their blissed-out eyes. Read more
Fourth is King make limited edition unisex t-shirts, printed on 50 percent polyester and 50 percent cotton construction, with custom embroidered tag on the left sleeve. Read more
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